When [the Samaritans] came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. - John 4:40-41
In other instances, some people who saw the powerful work of Jesus in the lives of those they knew asked him to leave. Others tried to take that power and use it selfishly for themselves. Some, like the people in this village, asked him to stay longer so they could know him more completely.
God's messengers often find each of these same basic reactions to their message about Jesus — fearful rejection, selfish misappropriation, or a yearning for more of Jesus. Which is your reaction?
Do you want Jesus to draw closer to you? Or do you push him away because you want to keep him at arm's length?
Do you sometimes wonder about what and why you believe? Basically, none of us is ever really going to know about Jesus until we ask him to come and "stay" with us (literally "abide" with us).
There is something about inviting Jesus to come and stay in our lives that enables us to hear him more clearly and believe in him more passionately. He stands at the door and knocks. Will you invite him in to abide with you so you may learn more from him? (Revelation 3:20)
Romans 6:5-6
we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin...
Paul reminds us that our baptism was more than just a dunking in water. In baptism, we shared in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. What he did to save us is now shared with us. We die to sin and are raised to be a new person, cleansed and made holy, empowered by the Holy Spirit. We have been set free from the power and the penalty of sin.
Thought
We are designed to function poorly, to feel overwhelmed and alone apart from our relationship with Jesus. We are made to be lost without God. - Angela Thomas McGuffey
In other instances, some people who saw the powerful work of Jesus in the lives of those they knew asked him to leave. Others tried to take that power and use it selfishly for themselves. Some, like the people in this village, asked him to stay longer so they could know him more completely.
God's messengers often find each of these same basic reactions to their message about Jesus — fearful rejection, selfish misappropriation, or a yearning for more of Jesus. Which is your reaction?
Do you want Jesus to draw closer to you? Or do you push him away because you want to keep him at arm's length?
Do you sometimes wonder about what and why you believe? Basically, none of us is ever really going to know about Jesus until we ask him to come and "stay" with us (literally "abide" with us).
There is something about inviting Jesus to come and stay in our lives that enables us to hear him more clearly and believe in him more passionately. He stands at the door and knocks. Will you invite him in to abide with you so you may learn more from him? (Revelation 3:20)
Romans 6:5-6
we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin...
Paul reminds us that our baptism was more than just a dunking in water. In baptism, we shared in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. What he did to save us is now shared with us. We die to sin and are raised to be a new person, cleansed and made holy, empowered by the Holy Spirit. We have been set free from the power and the penalty of sin.
Thought
We are designed to function poorly, to feel overwhelmed and alone apart from our relationship with Jesus. We are made to be lost without God. - Angela Thomas McGuffey
No comments:
Post a Comment
Post a Comment