Our World Belongs to God 24

We continue our look this week at our Lord Jesus in "Our World Belongs to God: A Contemporary Testimony," with Paragraph 24.

Paragraphs 1-6: Preamble (April 11-29)
Paragraphs 7-12: Creation (April 30-May 8)
Paragraphs 13-17: Fall (May 11-15)
Paragraphs 18-22:Redemption (May 18-22)
Paragraphs 23-27: Jesus Christ (May 25-29) 

Paragraph 24 (Today)
As the second Adam,
Jesus chose the path we had rejected.
In his baptism and temptations,
teaching and miracles,
battles with demons
and friendships with sinners,
Jesus lived a full and righteous human life before us.
As God’s true Son,
he lovingly obeyed the Father
and made present in deed and word
the coming rule of God.

[In Romans 5:12-21, Christ is designated the second Adam. Hebrews 2:10-18 and 4:14-5:2 teach about his life     of righteous humanity; the announcement of the kingdom is found, among other places, in Mark 1:1, 14, 15.]

 

This entire experience of living through COVID-19 has been such a learning experience.  We had to learn, on a daily basis, how to move into self-isolation and physical distancing; now we are likewise having to learn, again on a daily basis, how to move out of it.  One of the things we weren't prepared for is that our leaders were also learning on a daily basis, and so the instructions we were given were not, are not, always clear and consistent. 

Where would we be in our faith walk without the Gospels?  In them Jesus showed us the clear and consistent way of living. He was Adam, the human, without a Fall. So we can follow him in the way he lived, the things he did, the way he interacted with friend and enemy, and the way he confronted the issues of life.  Consider just this one example, again from the first chapter of the gospel of Mark, which sets the tone for Jesus' ministry:

40 A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him,
“If you choose, you can make me clean.”
41 Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him,
and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!”

Spend daily time in the gospels. Get to know Jesus there. See his heart of love at work. Note how and with whom he chooses to spend his time. As you do, ask Jesus to help you follow him today.

"Lord, thank you that we do not serve a distant God, but one who has come to live among us. Thank you Jesus for showing us how to live, how to love, and how to live among our friends and enemies. Thank you for showing us how to live among sickness and death. Lord, many are suffering right now. We ask you to help them; we ask you to show us how to help them, as we follow you."

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.

Enjoy worshipping with this nice version of "Because He Lives," suggested by Pearl.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Pastor Mark

PS - Please keep Coffee Break in your prayers as they wrap up their Spring Bible Studies.  We applaud their diligence and dedication!

PSS - My online office hours Wednesday will be from 1-2pm.  I'm always glad to see you when you pop in!

 

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