ARCHIVE.PHP

Tag: Jesus Christ

The Lamb

Posted on by Bob Christopher

Revelation 5 shows us more of the heavenly scene introduced in chapter four. John saw a scroll sealed with seven seals in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. John could see writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll. The scroll contained God’s plan for the world that was soon to be revealed.
But who will break the seals? No one is worthy. John wept bitterly at this thought. One of the twenty-four elders consoled John and directed his attention to Jesus Christ. The elder described Jesus as

  • The Lion of the tribe of Judah
  • The Heir to David’s throne
  • The Victor
  • The One worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.

John looked at the Lamb. The marks of His death were visible.  He had seven horns, indicating His complete and absolute power, and seven eyes, representing the complete work of His Spirit. The Lamb was standing between the throne and the four living beings and the twenty-four elders.
Jesus stepped forward and took the scroll from His Father’s right hand. At this, the four living beings and the elders fell down before the Lamb. Each elder had a harp, and held a gold bowl filled with incense, which represented the prayers of God’s people.
The four living beings and the elders sang a song of praise. As they did, angels joined the chorus. Even those under the earth, known as the place of the dead, and in the sea, a reference to evil, joined in. Isaiah spoke of this vision (Isaiah 45:23-25), as did Paul in his letter to the Philippians (Philippians 2:10-11) when every knee would bow and every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
They sang that all blessing and honor and power belong to God and to the Lamb. The four living beings gave the “Amen”, and the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped the Lamb.
Revelation for You
How does this revelation of Jesus change your understanding of His worth and power?
In what ways does the victory Jesus won through His death, burial and resurrection impact your day-to-day life?

I Have a Dream…50 Years Later

Posted on by Bob Christopher

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech. This speech ranks as one of the most inspirational and compelling speeches ever delivered. Dr. King touched hearts with his words and sparked change in our country.
dreamCongress passed the civil rights bill. Integration became the policy for public schools. And a people group, oppressed simply because of the color of skin, began to taste the freedoms our constitution spelled out for every American citizen.
Fifty years later, everyone agrees there is more work to be done. Even though we have traveled many miles down the road of social equality, there are many miles left to go.
The issue is near and dear to my heart. I was 5 in 1963, living near Atlanta, GA. I experienced integration first hand. By the time I reached high school, our school system was fully integrated. I felt the deep tension of two groups trying to figure out how to live harmoniously. Some school days were frightening. Fights in the hallways were common, and on several occasions riots broke out.
I graduated high school in 1976. Some changes had occurred. The way previous generations thought about those of a different skin color was giving way to a new mindset. Going to school together, competing against each other both academically and athletically, and learning to be friends changes the way you view each other. We were starting to see each other as equals.
One would think that our country was well on its way to seeing Dr. King’s dream fulfilled. Headlines news today tells us that is not the case. Racism still plagues this nation and prejudice still resides in the hearts of people. Is there a solution?
Jesus Christ is the cure to our heart problems. He alone is the One who can bring healing to our souls and empower us to live and love as one. Paul spelled out this reality in his letter to the Galatians. To this group rife with divisions and prejudices, he wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
In Christ, we have new hearts. As the writer of Hebrews stated, Jesus Christ has placed his laws of faith, hope and love in our minds and has written them on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10). In Christ, we have the Holy Spirit, the One who takes the things of Christ and makes them real to us. In Christ, we live in His love spelled out in the New Covenant. In Christ we find unity and harmony. In Christ, racism finds its end.
Jesus Christ is the solution.
Every Sunday, at our church service in Carrollton, TX, we see this reality as believers from all walks of life and every ethnic group come together to worship as one the One who loves us and gave His life for us.
God so loves the world. His grace is there for the “whosoever wills”, regardless of skin color or ethnic background. This is why we do what we do as a ministry. This is why I’ve given my life to the proclamation of Jesus Christ. The world needs Him!

My Favorite Bible Passages — #2

Posted on by Bob Christopher

How would you define eternal life? The next of my favorite Bible passages answers this question. The passage (verse) is John 17:3.
“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3 ESV).
There is no other passage or verse that defines eternal life in such plain language. The word eternal forces you to think of life that lasts forever. And certainly it does. But here Jesus speaks to the quality of eternal life. Here are just a few of the reasons I love this verse.

  • Jesus’ definition helps me see that Christianity is all about relationship. For two thousand years, believers have been quick to say that “Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.” This verse makes that point better than any other.
  • I think all roads in the Bible lead to this verse. Knowing Jesus, knowing His love, forgiveness and grace, is the pinnacle of human experience. The Gospel opens this door and delivers us to this end.
  • This relationship with Jesus, eternal life, impacts every area of my life – attitudes, thinking, actions and relationships. Knowing Jesus changes us.

If you haven’t given this verse much thought before, hopefully this post will inspire you to give it a fresh look. When I did, it helped me see that I could experience eternal life here and now.

The Three Characteristics of a People Pleaser and How to Avoid Them

Posted on by Bob Christopher

Please people or please God. This was the issue that prompted Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Peter, the one who boldly delivered the first gospel sermon and the one who ended the heated debate at the Jerusalem Council with a stunning claim that Gentiles were saved by grace just like the Jews, had become a people pleaser.
The believers in Antioch witnessed Peter’s lapse in judgment. When he first arrived in there he enjoyed fellowship with all of the believers, Jews and Gentiles alike. He ate with the Gentiles regularly. However, once the men sent from James showed up, Peter’s actions began to change.
At first Peter drew back. But soon he separated himself from the Gentiles altogether. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray.
Paul could not let this gross misrepresentation of the gospel go unchallenged. He confronted Peter to his face. This was not a private meeting between the two leaders. No, Paul admonished Peter in front of all the believers in Antioch. You can imagine the tension that filled the assembly, but it had to be done. The truth of the gospel was at stake.
Why did Peter cave? What provoked this blatant display of legalism on his part?
Galatians 1:10 answers clearly: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Plain and simple, Peter had decided it was more important to please people at that time than it was to be a servant of Christ.
Shockingly, Peter at that moment had become a legalist. He placed on his neck the yoke of the law that he had already concluded neither he nor his forefathers could bear (Acts 15:10). We’ve all been there. We conducted ourselves as “grace Pharisees”, or reverted back to our old legalistic tendencies. The question is this: How do we recognize when people pleasing is more important to us than being led by God’s Spirit? Paul points to three signs.

  1. Fear — Peter separated himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those men that had come from James. If you are afraid of others and are living to please them you are on the fast track to becoming a legalist.
  2. You do not act in line with the truth of the Gospel – Peter knew separating from the Gentiles was wrong. The Gentiles had heard the Gospel message from his lips. He saw that God added them to the church and that He does not show favoritism. Yet his fear of the Jewish leaders that had come to Antioch caused him to play the hypocrite. Trying to please others will cause you to act in a way that does not line with the truth of the Gospel.
  3. You lead others astray – Peter’s actions influenced others. All the Jews, and even Barnabas, joined Peter in his hypocrisy. The old adage, misery loves company, applies here. To help justify your decision to give in to the legalistic demands of others, you will encourage others to follow suit.

These are the tell-tale signs that you are on the road to becoming a legalist. But you don’t have to go down that road. You don’t have to live as a people pleaser. Here is how to avoid that trap.

  • Recognize that you have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. You are already right in God’s sight (Galatians 2:16).
  • Die to the law so that you can live for God (Galatians 2:19).
  • Since Christ lives in you, live by faith in him, the one who loves you and gave himself for you (Galatians 2:20).
  • Fully embrace the grace of God (Galatians 2:21).

In Antioch, Peter caved to the pressure of those he deemed important. God, however, never intended for our beliefs, attitudes or actions to be shaped by the opinions of others. We have been rescued from that realm and have been placed in Christ. We are to live by his indwelling presence, being shaped by his death, burial and resurrection. This will keep you from becoming a people pleaser and will help you avoid the snare of legalism.