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A person praying for another person.

Not Pharisee or Sadducee but You and Me

By / 2 minutes of reading / , ,

“The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves.”

Hebrews 10:1 NLT

From the law of Moses, God established laws that showed humanity two things. First, no one can be good enough to enter heaven. Secondly, it has been God’s intent from before Creation to have a Champion0 for His created people.

An exciting and vitally important aspect of Christianity is that of Jesus being the 1st, making the way for us to follow Him. Rather than being nagged by my grammar checker for writing a convoluted and difficult-to-read sentence, let me first provide a few examples.

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps..” – 1 Peter 2:21 ESV

The Firsts of Jesus

Jesus is the first fruit of God’s resurrection1, but all who have put their faith in Him will also be resurrected2. Jesus is the 1st to receive a glorified body, but we, too, will receive one3 at our resurrection. Jesus ascended into heaven and “is seated in the place of honor next to God4” God, too, “raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.5.”

You and Me’s

The Messiah, Jesus, was always the answer, was always our hope, always the “way, truth, and life” for the children of Adam. To have God “in” us would only happen when “God was with us” came into the world. Clothed in flesh6, Jesus made the Pharisees and Sadducees obsolete. He became the eternal “first,” and as followers, we became the object of His love; His Church, His Bride. Jesus replaced the Pharisees and Sadducees with you and me’s.

Good News

Jesus uses you and me. Together with all people that belong to Jesus, we tell the world of His Good News and minister to people’s spiritual and physical needs. And we to go into all the world and make disciples in every nation.

Photo by AKT World

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[0]: Hebrews 12:2
[1]: 1 Corinthians 15:20
[2]: 1 Corinthians 6:14 ESV
[3]: Philippians 3:21 ESV
[4]: Hebrews 1:3 NLT
[5]: Ephesians 2:6 NLT
[6]: John 1:14 ESV

footprints in snow

You Follow Me

By / 2 minutes of reading / ,

Very early in our marriage, my wife told me that she’d follow me anywhere. Neither of us knew at that time how much her promise would be tested. Since that time, we have moved from the Mid-West to the East-coast to the West-coast and from America to Eastern Europe and back again.

Amazingly, each place to which we moved my wife built a “nest” to provide safety for our children and comfort for me. And in each location, my wife thrived. She has a deep relationship with Jesus and hears the Holy Spirit’s directions, so God blesses the work of her hands.

Today, my wife and I met with my sister. We reminisced and had a wonderful time. As we were heading home, I started thinking about, “I’ll follow you anywhere.” I pray that I will always say this to Jesus.

We find a great example of following in the twentieth chapter of the book of John. After Christ’s resurrection, Jesus restored Peter to his “office” as an Apostle. Then we read in John 21:20-22 (emphasis added): Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved (John) following them…When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!“

We mustn’t measure our calling by how God is using other Christians. This concern is such an easy trap in which to fall. It makes no difference if God chooses a believer and gives them a great ministry or sends them to another country or marvelously prospers them. What matters is our obedience to our calling. Jesus says to each one of us, “You follow me!”

Photo by Bartosz Gorlewicz on Unsplashhttps://rockexcavationservice.org/2019/10/29/draw-near/

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