Skip to main content

Simple but Not Simplistic

                A hammer is a simple tool, but it can be used to create elaborate structures.  Smiling is a simple act, but it can change interactions between people.  A simple rhyme can help us remember information such as, “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”.  Simple words can convey deep and important concepts. 
                Similarly, God’s message to us is not difficult to understand.  It does, however, have an impact that goes far beyond the simple wording.  Consider these three simple, but huge, statements.
                First, Jesus is Lord.  Jesus claimed that, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18) and Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).  If Jesus really is lord, then that changes how I live, what I do and how I treat others.  Who is the Lord?  Is it you or God?  Understanding who is in change changes everything.
                Second, the cross makes us acceptable.  Ephesians 2:13 says, “In Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ”.  We do not have to get our lives in order so that we can come near to God.  We come near to God because we realize that our lives are not in order.  When we make our performance the basis of our acceptance, we miss the grace and the hope of the message.  Jesus paid the debt and the cross is our invitation to participate in the life that God wants for us. 
                Third, Jesus will come again.  Much of the teaching in churches today centres on how to live a better life now.  In the Bible, though, most of the preaching focused not on the present, but rather on the future.  In fact, 1 Thessalonians chapter four talks about the resurrection and then says, “Encourage one another with these words” (verse 18).  Understanding that there will be a resurrection, that Christ will return and that we will live on eternally is what makes the first two statements in this article important.
                Obviously, these three phrases do not cover everything that we need to know, but their simple messages can get us started in the right direction. 
                “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: Twenty-three Descriptions of God (Psalm 145)

  Let’s play a quick game.  Take 10 seconds and list 5 or 6 words to describe God.  Got your words?  Good!   Here comes the game part.  I will list twenty-three ways that David describes God in Psalm 145, and we will see how many of his words match yours.   David says that God is, the king, great, majestic, wonderful, powerful, awesome, abundant in goodness, righteous, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, rich in love, good to all, glorious, mighty, trustworthy, faithful, supporting, generous, providing, near, saving and watching.     How did you do? This is not a useless exercise.  The words we use to describe God not only indicate something about how we see him, but they also influence how we interact with him.  For example, if I know that God is “Gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love” (verse 8), I will not fear him, and I will not assume that he is against me.  When I remember that...
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: What is so Great About Grace?

If you were to drive by our house, you would see that Sara loves plants.  Our yard is full of flowers, and Sara lovingly tends every one of them. Which is why I was so afraid when she left town and put me in charge of keeping things alive. She must have been a little concerned, too, because she sent me two videos with specific instructions on how to water, when to water, and what to do.  Honestly, those first two videos helped, but the third one she sent was the one I liked most.  In that one, she said, “Please do your best. I want the yard to look good for the family reunion in two weeks.  However, if something dies, we will dig it out and pretend that it never existed!” That is what grace looks like!  Try your best, do what you can, but if it goes wrong, it will be ok. Sometimes we talk as though grace and effort are opposites.  That is not true.  They are partners. In one place, scripture asks, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone c...
Post a Comment
Read more