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On the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus did not assemble an army to fight against those who were seeking to kill Him. He sat with HIs disciples and showed them exactly how He was going to forgive, to show mercy. May be someone has betrayed you in the past. How did you handle it? Jesus showed us to handle it with compassion. It’s not easy, however in the strength of Jesus Christ forgiveness does come.
No matter what kind of suffering you face, there is life-giving hope that springs forth from our merciful God. In his loyal love and faithfulness, God comes alongside us in our suffering in order to strengthen our faith, purify our lives, and heal our hearts by centering us on Christ and the good news of the gospel.
We begin a new series for Lent called, “In View of God’s Mercy.” In today's message, we deep dive into the mercy of God in temptation. We are all tempted. Knowing the mercy of God is there when we are is important because He provides a way out and forgiveness through our High Priest Jesus Christ. He knows temptation for He was tempted in every way and yet did not sin. It’s hard to think that we could be victorious over temptation, but we can through Jesus Christ overcome temptation.
Have you ever asked someone “How are you doing?” And they respond by saying, “I’m blessed by the best!” Have you ever thought about what they were getting at? When we recognize that all things come from God— our homes, our careers, our ability to take a breath— you’ll begin seeing how truly blessed you are by God. When we are blessed, we are also called to be a blessing. To give back to God the love, respect, and adoration He deserves for blessing us even in the midst of suffering, of when money it tight, of the highs and lows of life. God deserves our praise!
Where would you be if your friend or relative didn’t ask you to come to church or attend a Christian event? Think about it. Your friend was most likely your friend first before asking you to hear about Jesus. How we seek people, how we listen, how we engage and invite can make all the difference. It can soften hearts to hear the good news of the love of God through Jesus Christ.
There was an urgency in Jesus’ statement, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” Why? Because He calls us out into the dark world to bring the light of His life, death, and resurrection so that all may know the salvation of the Lord through no other means than Jesus Christ. Let us have the same eagerness to sit down with the Ones in our lives that need to know the Lord’s suffering in order for them to have a relationship with God.
Our God is not only a pursuing God, he is a sending God. Jesus’ great commission is for his people to go and do likewise. To go and seek those who are lost and share their witness, their testimony of who Jesus is and what he has done in and through our lives. God calls us to be part of the rescue mission, the search party, the body of Christ to love those who are lost.
Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost (Luke 19:10). Therefore, we must conclude that those who are lost, those who have yet to believe in Jesus, and those who are living according to the flesh are of value to God. If they are valued by Him, we must also recognize their worth and love them as Christ loved them. Maybe you’ve tried to love those who are far from God. That’s great! Guess what God calls us to remember their worth and continue to love them through Christ-like action.
We begin a new series in this new year. It’s entitled, “The One.” This first we we think and talk about ourselves being the one who Jesus sees. Before we become passionate about sharing Christ with others, we have to become secure in the fact that He first loved us. We have to personalize His promises and to a heartfelt understanding that we are God’s dearly loved children.
What a journey those Magi from ancient days must have had following the star that led them to Jesus the King of kings and Lord of lords. Have you thought about your journey with Christ? Maybe you’ve sat on the sidelines hoping for something to happen. Or maybe you’re afraid of what will happen if you go all-in for Jesus. Whatever the case let Him take control of your life, let Him have the steering wheel and one thing for sure, your life will be an adventure.
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