Christmas is Central to God’s Plan

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Christmas is central to God’s plan. This is literal since Christmas came in between God’s creation and God’s kingdom to come.

This Christmas day, do we think about Christmas as part of God’s wonderful plan for us? In Ephesians 1:3-10, Paul wrote this fitting message of understanding God’s plan for you and me: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace,which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Do we then understand God’s plan for us? 

First, God desires for us to live a blameless and holy life (1 Thessalonians 3:13). A holy life is a life of Christlikeness. We do not only live our lives on our own but on behalf of Christ Himself. Such life reflects not the human weaknesses and fleshly will, but the mind, the heart, and the representation of Jesus Christ. 

God’s wants to include us in His family through Jesus Christ (John 1:12). God wants us to enjoy the fellowship of a family in Heaven, with Jesus Christ as both our Savior King, and co-heir of the kingdom of God.

God wills that we all be redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:22). The holiness of God does not agree with the unrighteousness, wickedness and disobedience of humankind. There has to be a payment of debt. The blood of the lamb is the payment of sin for ancient Israel. But for all the world, the blood of the Lamb of God, His own choosing, His own Son Jesus Christ, is the only payment enough for a one time remission. 

He plans that we know His will in everything that we do (Matthew 7:21). God wants to direct our lives into the path of righteousness and Christlikeness. He wants us to follow His will in our lives. That obedience to receive Christ and to follow the Father’s will is a doorstep to eternal life.

He plans that we belong to Him in all eternity (1 Corinthians 15:53). God wants to build His eternal family, that is why He created Heaven as His abode (Matthew 5:16) and Jesus Christ prepared the mansions in Heaven (John 14:2).

In Jeremiah 29:11, God expressed His perfect plan for us when he sent this message through the weeping prophet, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

God’s plan is for our good. How then do we achieve God’s plan for a blameless and holy life? His plan for adoption and redemption? I came across a card many years ago that says “God my Father does not intend me to be rich or famous, He only intends me to be His child.”

God’s original and perfect plan was to create a world, a paradise where His will reigns in the hearts of humankind. But because God gave humans their own will, the will to obey and the will to serve Him, humans chose their own to disobey and to serve themselves rather than God. Humans have ever since wanted themselves to be the gods of this world. Because of this human will, sin entered the world. Because of disobedience, humans are totally lost.

But God has in mind, as part of His plan, a redemptive move for humans who He loves. Christmas. 

Christmas is a celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth. Its word origin is derived from the Latin “Christus” and Greek “Christos”, which refers to the Messiah (John 14:6), and the Old English suffix “maesse”, which means festival, feast day or a mass. Christmas, even when a lot of people believe that it does not have a biblical history, is for us a celebration of Christ.

Jesus is the promised Messiah (John 4:25-26; Mark 14:60-62). He has to be born in human form in order to fulfill God’s plan of redemption (Hebrews 10:4). He was born a human from a human parent through the divine act of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18). He has to be human in order to serve the ultimate sacrifice for the payment of sin (John 15:13).

While living on earth, Jesus Christ showed us God the Father (John 14:8), and exercised the model of compassion (Matthew 9:36), love (Luke 6:27-36), sacrifice (John 15:13), forgiveness (Luke 23:33-35) and tolerance (2 Corinthians 5:19). Ultimately, he showed to us picture of total obedience to the will of God, the Father (Luke 22:42).

We celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus Christ with the same fervor as we also celebrate Holy Friday as His death and sacrifice on the Cross. We celebrate Christmas during this season but we also connect the celebration to Easter Sunday when we celebrate His resurrection from death. Central to the plan of God between His creation and His coming Kingdom is the birth, the life, and the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In order to fulfil God’s ultimate plan for humankind, Jesus Christ has to be born in human flesh. He is in fact, never an apparition or a ghost to everyone who believes and will believe in Him. He is God in human form.

Christmas has to happen in order to bridge that loss during the creation when sin  entered. With the birth of Jesus Christ, humans earned the hope of salvation, of redemption, and of eternal life in heaven. With the birth of Jesus Christ in human form, we now have a Savior, a Redeemer, and King. Christmas reminds us that Jesus Christ alone can bridge us back to the Father, back to His original plan, and back to His great plan of life in Heaven.

So when we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate Jesus Christ who is God’s perfect gift for eternity. Our Christmas is not measured by the presents we received, or a lavish feast that we prepare. Our Christmas is measured on how we give love, spread the good news of salvation, and how we seek to obey God’s will in our lives. Our Christmas is measured on how well we define our lives according to the plan of God.

Celebrating Thanksgiving is more than turkeys and Macy's (or perhaps, Walmart)

On September 6, 1620, the English Pilgrims left Plymouth, England to seek both civil and religious liberty in the New World. The 102 brave passengers traveled for more than two months across the perilous sea until their faith in the Almighty ushered them into the land of the free, their New England. Arriving in the shores of Massachusetts in late November of that same year, the started their own colony. Finally establishing a rough community of believers on quick shelters and the harsh exposure to the coming winter, the Pilgrims struggled to keep half of the number of their family members and community. In constant prayer and with steadfast faith and solid fortitude, they painstakingly tilled the ground. With the help of the local natives, they were reaped a bountiful harvest the summer that followed. 

Grateful for the divine guidance and bountiful influx of blessings, the Pilgrims celebrated a three-day feast that started on December 13, 1621, which marked America's first Thanksgiving festival. Thanksgiving services, though were believed to have started as early as 1565 in Florida and been held in Virginia as early as 1607. Considered as a harvest festival, the Pilgrims celebrated the bounty with their native friends. The festival, which started on a Thursday, ended in three days, and gave the Pilgrims the following day, Sunday, a time for worship.

Under a new constitution, America celebrated its first Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, following a proclamation by President George Washington. The annual national Thanksgiving Day came about when Godey's Lady's Book editor Mrs. Sarah Joseph Hale consistently suggested to the American presidency a national day of Thanksgiving. Finally, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed in 1863 the last Thursday of November as a national Thanksgiving Day. Ultimately, in 1941, Congress established the fourth Thursday of November as a national holiday. 

At present, Thanksgiving is considered the biggest celebration in the country.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving each year, we hope we retain the original gratefulness to God displayed by the Pilgrims, and remember that it is to those early Pilgrims that we owe not only the traditional Thanksgiving holiday but also the concepts of courage and gratefulness to the God who brought us in to the rightful place that we dreamed and hoped to be.

Wisdom to a Storm-Proof Life

Wisdom to a Storm-Proof Life

Matthew 7:24-29 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

With all the possible storms in life, believers can storm-proof their lives, although expecting that their lives are never storm-free.

In his sermon titled “Storm Warning”, Keith Krell tells of the story of a 1992 Hurricane Andrew survivor. In the midst of thousand of destroyed homes in South Florida, in an area where the wreckage look like a war zone, there was one house that remained standing, still firmly anchored to its foundations. When a news reporter asked the homeowner why his house has not been blown away, he replied. “I built this house myself. I also built it according to the Florida state building code. When the code called for a 2”x6” roof trusses, I used 2”x6” roof trusses. I was told that a house built according to the code could withstand a hurricane---and it did!

In the same way that house builders have provisions for building a house, believers also have the provisions for a storm-proof life. Like the homeowner who strictly followed the building code, believers should also follow a strict spiritual code to survive the storms of life. When the homeowner followed the specifications of the materials that should use for building his home according to the building code, he built the home with such assurance that it can withstand the fury of the future hurricanes. When a believer follows the specifications of the spiritual requirements of living a righteous and holy life, the believer is building his life on a sure foundation that can never be shaken by any storm of life.

Believers also have the truths of the word of God to live by. The truth in the Scriptures tells us that can not have a storm-free life. There will always be storms in life that will batter, threaten, and shake the believers’ faith and devotion. There will always be trials, burdens, weaknesses, illnesses. There will always be persecution, false accusations, painful remarks. There will always be sorrow, a loss, a death of a loved one. There will always be failures, heartaches, defeats, disappointments.

The truth of the Scriptures on the other hand, tells us that our God is our sure foundation during the storms of life. God does not allow us to be tempted beyond our capacity (1 Corinthians 10:13). God does not forsake His people, but He is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). God is the strength of the believer’s heart. God is forever the believer’s portion, whenever his flesh and heart fails (Psalm 73:26). God works all things for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Although believers can not have a storm-free life, they can actually have a storm-proof life.

There is a great difference between a storm-free life and a storm-proof life. A storm free life is a life that does not experience storms. Meaning to say, this life does not experience trials. This life does not suffer persecution. This life does not worry about meeting the needs because the needs are abundantly provided. This life does not face “danger and famine and sword” as how Paul described the life of a believer (Romans 8:35). This is the life that surely does not depend on a greater power.

A storm-proof life, on the other hand, is a life that constantly experiences trials. A storm-proof life is ripe with persecution. A storm-proof life is bereft by self needs and worldly desires that build up confidence on one’s self. A storm-proof life depends on a greater power for foundations of faith and strength.

The difference between the two ideas of life is the foundation that builds each

life. The storm-free life is not founded on the faith of God. The storm-proof life is founded, grounded, soaked and specified on the true faith in God. So whenever trials, persecution, death in the family, financial burdens, loss of a job hit this storm-free life, it is shaken to the very core of its foundation, and the individual falls apart. But whenever trials, persecution, death in the family, financial burdens, loss of a job hit this storm-proof life, it is not shaken to the very core of its foundation, and the individual experiences peace and security amid the storm of life.

In order to storm-proof our spiritual lives, we need to build our spiritual foundations.

Just the homeowner who followed the hurricane code and building specification, believers should follow the storm code and life specifications. So it is important that we take a look at our spiritual foundations. Matthew 7:24 goes, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. What are these words that Jesus Christ claimed to be the basis of the foundation of Christian faith?

There are three elements to building our spiritual foundation.

Element 1: Study

Christian faith starts with hearing. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ (Romans 10:17). The basis of our spiritual foundation, our spiritual strength, our strength to battle the storms of life, is the earnest search for the biblical truths of the Scriptures. Why do we read the Bible? Why do we attend Sunday School? Why do we attend bible study groups? Why do we hear the Sunday sermon? Hearing the truths in the Bible is the source of our foundation. Truths in God’s Word reveal what God can do to a believer who is suffering, who is wavering, who is alone and rejected. Truths in God’s Word inspire the believer to hope and believe, and never to falter.

                                    Knowing God’s Words through the Scriptures as our codes, rules,

and principles in life is one way to build our spiritual foundation, our faith. Whenever trials and temptations come, whenever persecutions and trouble arrive, we know where to find our strength and our ever present help (Psalm 46:1). This builds up our faith, and shields us from the devastation of the storms of life.

Element 2: Obedience

Obedience is a requirement of approval from God. 1 Samuel 15:22 records “And Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams’.” Hearing the words of God is not enough. Hearing alone is an empty. Hearing and  obeying are a complete experience of a victorious Christian life. Applying the teachings in the Bible, and living the life of obedience based on the laws of God builds up the spiritual foundation of life. Obedience is a foundation of our faith, with which we can live through the storms of life.

Element 3: Wisdom

Wisdom is the results of obeying God’s word. When believers hear and obey God’s word, they receive the wisdom of life.  When believers hear and obey God’s command, they build their lives according to the spiritual codes that allow life to battle the storms of life. No matter how pure and promising the Scriptures are, or how rewarding and compelling the laws of the Lord, it is still our decision to embrace these teachings and promises. It is wisdom to follow God’s commands. It will never bring us to destruction. It is never the intelligence of the world that builds the foundation of our faith, but the wisdom that comes from knowing God and living His promises.

There is a popular joke that tells us that intelligence alone does not save a person. “A minister, a boy scout, and a graduate student were the only passengers on a small plane. The pilot came back to the cabin and said that the plane was going down but there were only three parachutes for four people. The pilot added, “I should have one of the parachutes because I have a wife and three small children.” So he took one and jumped. The graduate student said, “I should have one of the parachutes too because I am the smartest man in the world and everyone needs me.” So he took one and jumped. The minister turned to the boy scout and with a sad smile said, “You are young and I have lived a rich life, so you take the remaining parachute, and I’ll go down with the plane.” The boy scout said, “Relax, Reverend, the smartest man in the world just picked up my backpack and jumped out!

Matthew 7:24-27 provides us an important illustration of the foundations of life.

This parable of Jesus teaches us of what happens to believers and nonbelievers whenever the storms of life test their respective faiths. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Jesus Christ himself taught us that He is our spiritual foundation. “Anyone who hears these words of mine” is a great revelation of the most important survival tool in human’s spiritual life. How many of us have ever thought that our spiritual foundations are found in our good works, in our own kindness, in our own wisdom, in our own generosity? It is only by hearing Christ words and following these words that we learn to depend on Him during our storms of life. Jesus Christ in fact, is our very own foundation. Jesus Christ is the rock of our life, our sure foundation (Psalm 18:2; 1 Corinthians 3:11).

As our rock and our salvation, how does Jesus Christ lift us up during the storms of life? First and foremost, Jesus Christ purchased our life with his sacrificial love, with his own life, with his own righteousness imputed upon us, and his willingness to take upon himself our very own filthiness. This alone, shows that Jesus Christ is the foundation of our faith. No amount of storms in life, trials, persecutions, famine, nakedness, perils, dangers, even death, can ever shake our spiritual foundation when it is grounded on the solid rock that is Jesus Christ.

Bryan Chapell tells this story that happened in his hometown: Two brothers were playing on the sandbanks by the river. One ran after another up a large mound of sand. Unfortunately, the mound was not solid, and their weight caused them to sink in quickly. When the boys did not return home for dinner, the family and neighbors organized a search. They found the younger brother unconscious, with his head and shoulders sticking out above the sand. When they cleared the sand to his waist, he awakened. The searchers asked, "Where is your brother?" The child replied, "I’m standing on his shoulders". With the sacrifice of his own life, the older brother lifted the younger to safety. The tangible and sacrificial love of the older brother literally served as a foundation for the younger brother’s life. Isn’t Jesus Christ a brother to all of us, a brother who is willing to laid down his life as the very foundation of our faith and our eternal salvation (Hebrews 2:10-12)?

The storm of life brings about trials and hardships from all around us (Matthew 7:25). Trials and temptations, hardships and dangers, can come from above, from below, or from every side of our lives, but our faith in Jesus Christ will allow us to batter the storm. Our foundation is secure, our rock is immovable.

            It is always true that storms destroy! It is true that a loss of a job is unimaginable. It is true that death in the family is very painful. It is true that rejection hurts. But in Jesus Christ we know comfort in our pain, joy in our adversities, and strength in our weaknesses. This is what we call standing on solid ground! While others drown in sinking sand of desperation, believers have the peace that the world can not give and the hope of eternal live beyond the temporal.

The storms of life may rage but we have our faith in Jesus Christ.

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you're prepared spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?

Following Christ is True Discipleship

FOLLOWING JESUS IS TRUE DISCIPLESHIP

Matthew 4:18-21

One time, Neil Marten, who is a member of the British Parliament, was once giving a group of his constituents a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament. During the course of the visit, the group happened to meet Quintin Hogg or popularly called Lord Hailsham, then Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, wearing all the regalia of his office. Hailsham recognized Marten among the group and cried, "Neil!" Not daring to question or disobey the "command," the entire band of visitors promptly fell to their knees! Because of his regalia, his clothing that could fit for a king, Lord Hailsham was mistaken as the King of Great Britain! The lesson here is very clear: People are naturally obedient to an earthly king!

But the greatest question one can ask is, “Can we be obedient to the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who is our Lord Jesus Christ?”

            Jesus Christ Himself said that if we love Him, we keep His commands (John 14:15).  Jesus Christ emphasized the expression of following Him, obeying Him, keeping His commands whenever we decided to follow Him.

But why is it difficult follow Christ? Why is it easy to abandon our faith when our allegiance to Jesus Christ is questioned and our comforts are at stake? Simple. Following Jesus Christ means that we need to conform our lives to the will and the precepts of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our text in Matthew 4 illustrates how the first disciples Peter and Andrew, and James and John were called into the ministry. The historical account by Matthew is simple and direct. Jesus Christ called them while they were working on their trade, and immediately they left their trade and followed Jesus Christ. Following Jesus Christ, therefore is a mark of a true discipleship. Indeed, we can never be a disciple of Jesus Christ if we do not follow Him.

            Karl Barth, a Swiss Reformed theologian who is often regarded as the greatest Protestant theologian of the twentieth century, once said of Jesus Christ. “The Word became flesh--and then through theologians it became words again.” God’s people are guilty of reducing Jesus Christ as mere “word” as God’s people do not make this word a living experience in each of their lives.  Believers only listen to the word, but they do not follow the word.

            The kingdom of God needs followers, not pioneers. Jesus Christ needs followers as his disciples. He needs disciples who know how to follow Him and not to dictate their wills upon Him. S. I. McMillen, in his book “None of These Diseases”, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application blank that asked, "Are you a leader?" Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, "No," and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: "Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower."

What does it mean then to follow Jesus Christ? There are three insights to learn about following Jesus Christ in this message today.

Following Christ requires self-denial.

Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24). Jesus Christ requires us to carry our cross. The cross on Calvary was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He carried His own cross for the sins of the world. Not only is the cross the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is also His death. Without His death on the cross of Calvary, then there is no salvation for humankind.

If you were to look at Rembrandt van Rijn’s painting of The Three Crosses, your attention would be drawn first to the center cross on which Jesus died. Then as you would look at the crowd gathered around the foot of that cross, you'd be impressed by the various facial expressions and actions of the people involved in the awful crime of crucifying the Son of God. Finally, your eyes would drift to the edge of the painting and catch sight of another figure, almost hidden in the shadows. Art critics say this is a representation of Rembrandt himself, for he recognized that by his sins he helped nail Jesus to the cross.

Jesus Christ has to carry His cross from Jerusalem to its outskirts to what they called the place of the skulls, or Golgotha. Golgotha is the Aramaic name of the place, while Calvary is the Latin name of the place. Jesus Christ showed to us that in accomplishing God’s plan in people’s lives, He has to undergo the carrying of His cross. The carrying of the cross is a prelude to His death.

So what is our cross to us? Is it our own burden to carry, sometimes throughout our lifetimes. Is it our sacrifices, our disappointments, our pain, what else? How can we get rid of it? Why are we not so comfortable having to carry our cross? Gilbert K. Chesterson once said that the cross can not be defeated, for it is defeat in itself. Charles Spurgeon, on the other hand, said that there are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross- bearers here below. That is why carrying our cross means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. This is called “dying to self.” It’s a call to absolute surrender.

Jesus commanded each one of us to carry our cross. Luke 9:24-25 records, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” In being a disciple, we first deny ourselves, and take up our cross. We first need to die to our selves, and then we count the burdens as a cost for following Jesus Christ.

Does this reality encourage us to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Or do we just want to sit at the back of our comfort zones and not serve Him at all?

Jesus Christ requires us to follow Him. What are the things that we can follow in

Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ loved the world sacrificially that He was willing to give Him life. He came to pay a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay.  Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly, but our true commitment to Him is revealed during trials. As Jesus Christ assured us that trials will come to His followers, discipleship therefore demands sacrifice, and Jesus Christ never did hide that cost from His disciples.

Following Christ requires listening to His voice.

            Jesus Christ claimed that His sheep listen to His voice, and He knows them, and they follow Him (John 10:27). We are like sheep as Jesus Christ is a great Shepherd. Why does the Scripture call the children of Jesus Christ as sheep? Learning the characteristics of sheep would reveal that they are best known for their strong flocking and following instinct. They would follow one sheep without question. When one sheep moves, the rest will follow, even if it is not a good idea. Sheep also have a poor depth perception, simply described as “three dimensional vision”, especially if they are moving with their heads up. This is why sheep will often stop to examine something more closely. Sheep have difficulty picking out small details, such as an open space created by a partially opened gate. They tend to avoid shadows and sharp contrasts between light and dark. They are reluctant to go where they can't see. Since most of their body is covered with wool or coarse hair, only the sheep's lips and mouth, and maybe their ears, lend themselves well to feeling behavior. This is why electric wires on a fence need to be placed at nose height of the sheep!  Sheep though, have the ability to differentiate feedstuffs and taste may play a role in this behavior. 

Generally, sheep are the dumbest animal because of these inadequacies in their sensory capabilities. Sheep though, have excellent hearing to compensate these inadequacies. They can amplify and pinpoint sound with their ears. This is their best quality!

Shepherds are generally gentle to their sheep.  They in fact, would tend to be sacrificial for the whole band of sheep. The parable of the Good Shepherd illustrated how important one sheep is, that the shepherd is willing to lock up ninety-nine of them to go search for a lost one. Jesus Christ is our Great Shepherd. The Psalmist was inspired by this experience that he wrote Psalm 23.

In Moody’s Anecdotes, Dr. Andrew Bonar shared Dwight Moody how, in the Highlands of Scotland, a sheep would often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they couldn't get out of. The grass on these mountains is very sweet and the sheep like it, and they will jump down ten or twelve feet, and then they can't jump back again, and the shepherd hears them bleating in distress. They may be there for days, until they have eaten all the grass. The shepherd will wait until they are so faint they cannot stand, and then they will put a rope around him, and he will go over and pull that sheep up out of the jaws of death. Moody asked Bonar, "Why don't they go down there when the sheep first gets there?" Bonar answered, "Sheep are so very foolish they would dash right over the precipice and be killed if Shepherd go after them!" And that is the way with men; they won't go back to God till they have no friends and have lost everything. If you are a wanderer I tell you that the Good Shepherd will bring you back the moment you have given up trying to save yourself and are willing to let Him save you His own way.

In order to follow the Great Shepherd, we need to dumb down our faith in ourselves and recognize the power of the Great Shepherd. Just like sheep, we need to focus on our best ability, i.e., hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd. We are like sheep that know and follow the voice of the Shepherd. The sheep knows the voice of the shepherd. The sheep follows the voice of the shepherd.  As Jesus Christ is our Shepherd, we as His disciples, should listen to His voice.  And His prompting wants us to love in the same way He loves.

What better way to illustrate this truth than this story told by Carl Ketcherside. He served with and was instrumental in a strict branch of the Restoration Movement. However, the Lord made a lot of changes in his life. In his later years he moved to St. Louis and ministered among the down and out. At this time, Ketcherside began to work with a group of teenagers he described as "a crew of ripped off long haired kids," with a history of drug addiction. He loved them, listened to them, and one by one baptized them into Christ. An affluent member of the church asked, "How are you making out with the hippies--those long haired, sad looking specimens you have been meeting with?" Carl responded, "Those are not specimens, they are children of God. You are talking about my brethren in the Lord." Condescendingly, the other man continued, "They look to me like something the cat dragged in." And Carl replied, "They look to me like someone the shepherd brought home."

Following Christ requires following the examples of others.

            Paul encouraged the disciples to follow his example, as he follows the example of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Following Christ is an ultimate Christian response. Paul illustrated this in his request for a good spiritual role modeling. He asked the believers in Corinth to follow his example because His own example is Jesus Christ. As disciples we do not only have the need for self-denial, we also need to follow other’s example of real Christlikeness (Hebrews 6:12).

Following the lives of others who follow Christ is an inspiration to life. And for believers who desire to mature in the discipleship class of Jesus Christ, being a good role model of faith and virtue is not an option but a command (I John 2:6).

Kyle Idleman, in his book "Not a Fan", wrote: One way fans try to follow Jesus without denying themselves is by compartmentalizing the areas of their lives they don’t want him to have access to. They try to negotiate the terms of the deal. I’ll follow Jesus, but I’m not going to sell my possessions. Don’t ask me to forgive the people who hurt me; they don’t deserve that. Don’t ask me to save sex for marriage; I can’t help my desires. Don’t ask me to give a percentage of my money; I worked hard for that cash. And instead of following Jesus with their financial life, they follow Money magazine. In their relationships, instead of Jesus they follow Oprah. In their sex lives, instead of following Jesus, they follow Cosmopolitan. They follow Jesus, just not with every area of their lives. Here is a challenge to all of us who desires to be a disciple of Jesus. We follow our Master’s lead.

On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription: "James Butler Bonham--no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom." No literal portrait of Jesus exists either. But the likeness of Jesus the Son needs to be seen in each one of us! A disciple is one who follows, embraces, copies, reflects and acts like their master.

Are we willing to follow Christ today? If we are, then we are worthy to be called His disciples.

Jesus Christ's Last Words at the Cross: Getting the Mind and the Heart of the Father Across!

Jesus Christ was God’s sacrificial Lamb (John 1:29). He poured out His precious blood (Matthew 26:28) and took upon Him the punishment of the sin of humankind (1 Timothy 2:5-6) so that humankind can be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:19), achieve His righteousness (Romans 3:22), and be healed from their illnesses (1 Peter 2:24).

As a sacrificial Lamb, he suffered death on the cross. During these hours of sacrifices that no man can ever bear to see (Isaiah 53), Jesus Christ uttered His last words.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

Jesus Christ was sentenced to be crucified by Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, by the demands of the chief priests, the leaders and the people of Judea. Prior to this final verdict, Pontius Pilate sent Jesus Christ to Herod Antipas, being the governor of Galilee. Antipas wanted to see Jesus, not for His judgment but to witness His miracles. Not witnessing any miracle from Him, Antipas sent Jesus Christ back to Pilate. The mob demanded that Jesus Christ be crucified and release the criminal Barabbas instead. Worse, Jesus Christ was crucified between two criminals. Despite being falsely accused, treated with contempt, mocked and whipped, abused and beaten, and viewed as a criminal, Jesus Christ asked forgiveness to the Father on behalf of His people.                                                                                  

Jesus Christ appealed to God the Father in this prayer. Jesus Christ, in the Arabic version, called out “My Father’, to signify Himself as a Son of God. He then directed His prayers for forgiveness. As a suffering Christ in the flesh, His affection was still for the sinful humankind, and with such desire and prayer, He was consistent with His divine will for forgiveness. With this prayer, Jesus Christ demonstrated His priestly office of showing compassion on both the sinful and the ignorant of His divine purpose. 

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

While Jesus Christ was hanging on the cross, the people continue to mock Him, questioning His power to save Himself. The soldiers mocked Him and offered Him sour wine. One of the criminals insulted Him and demanded that Jesus Christ miraculously save Himself and the two of them from death. The other criminal rebuked the first, claiming that Jesus Christ is innocent of the punishment that they both deserve. He manifested his faith in Jesus Christ and asked for Him to bring him to His kingdom in heaven. Jesus Christ’s response was one with compassion and assurance. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Not only did Jesus Christ demonstrate compassion and forgiveness during the grave hours before His death, he also demonstrated the assurance of His place in God’s grand design. This story of the penitent criminal is considered the most surprising, most suggestive, and most instructive encounter with the loving Savior. The salvation based on the Cross is instant, direct, and immediate. In providing the instant salvation to the repentant criminal, Jesus Christ showed humankind theology at its finest. There was no sacramentalism, no religious practices, no church ceremonies, no good works! Although these are equally important in the growth of believers, the penitent criminal on the verge of death received salvation without them! 

“Woman, behold thy son, Son, behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27) 

          Jesus Christ’s earthly mother, Mary, witnessed every single suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.  Along with the other women and John, the beloved disciple, Mary bore the pain of a mother seeing her son humiliated, slapped, flogged, and sentenced a criminal. For a mother, the sight was totally unbearable. The prospect of the day that will follow is totally dark and hopeless. Jesus Christ understood His mother’s plight---broken-hearted and losing a son. So He addressed her among the crowd, “Woman, here is your son!” Different thoughts arise from this statement. Some people find it repugnant for Him to deny the very nature of His relationship with Mary, His mother. But Jesus Christ addressed His mother this way for three possible reasons. One reason is that the term “woman” was such an honorable remark among the crowd than a heart-wrenching maternal reference for this moment. Secondly, calling her “woman” eased her pain as a suffering mother for Jesus Christ wanted her to detach herself from Him being a universal Savior to all humankind. Thirdly, addressing her “woman” in a crowd saved her from insults, shame, and embarrassment as the crowd would involve in the crucifixion the mother who raised up a blasphemer and a criminal!

Entrusting His mother to John, the disciple whom He loves, is an act of concern. Jesus Christ knew that His mother needed the emotional and spiritual support in her journey to recovery from a broken heart. Jesus Christ could not afford to leave her with anyone else but to John. As Jesus Christ knew the hearts of men, He knew that John would take care of her even when He will be gone physically. And John willingly did!

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34)

          As early as 6 in the morning, Jesus Christ has been handed over to Pontius Pilate for a scornful trial. Then before 9 in the morning, Jesus Christ has been led to Calvary and at 9 in the morning, he was crucified.  For the next three hours, Jesus Christ suffered the shame and judgment of mankind. Crucifixion on the cross is considered to be the most shameful, most painful, most abhorrent, most obscene, and most disgraceful execution known to humans. In ancient times, crucifixion is not an ordinary execution, rather, it is the worst of all capital punishments, considered worse than death by burning, death by beheading, or death by wild beasts. Imagine, what Jesus Christ has felt hanging there in the most horrifying event in life as a Son of God! For almost nine hours of shameful and mocked exposure to the world, Jesus Christ did not only carry the judgment and shame of the world, he suffered the rejection of his divine God and loving Father. It is very clear that during the moments of crucifixion when Jesus Christ assumed the role of the most sinful of all sinners, God the Father could not afford to look at Him. That is why God the Father has to cover the scene from His sight by total darkness. God the Father, after all, remained a just God, even when His own Son was temporarily the sacrificial Lamb of humankind.

“I thirst!” (John 19:28)                                                                                                                                         Jesus Christ displayed all his human nature during the crucifixion.  Had He displayed His power as the Son of God, then all of humanity had lost its hope for righteousness and salvation. Aside from suffering grief, mental torture, and social embarrassment, Jesus Christ succumbed to physical exhaustion. The heat of the day and the loss of blood and sweat caused Him to thirst. His asking for water is Jesus Christ’s full proof of His humanity. He did not receive relief from His thirst. Instead, He was given sour wine. His thirst is more than physical display, though, as it fulfills the prophecy regarding Him as the Messiah in Psalm 69:21 and Psalm 22:15.                     In considering the divine nature of Jesus Christ, His thirst could be understood spiritually as His desire after the salvation of His people.

“It is finished!” (John 19:30)          
         Jesus Christ, being in constant, one accord with the Father, knew His role in the Godhead. Even when He was 12 years old when His parents found Him in the temple, He knew what He was doing and what will be doing. He knew that in the same city and the same celebration, Mary her mother lost Him as a child, yet found Him on the third day. He knew that it will happen again. The hematidrosis that He suffered on the garden of Gethsemane was a painful struggle to follow the will of the Father or to have the cup of His life passes away from Him. Nevertheless, in all of these moments in Jesus Christ’s life, He perfectly knew the will of the Father. And now God’s will had come to be fulfilled. He knew that everything was now accomplished. He knew that the Scripture was now fulfilled. The last thing that He needed to do was to give up His Spirit.  
          In Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the wonderful plan of God. Jesus Christ knew that in Him all things were made, all prophecies fulfilled, all victories made complete. It is now for us believers to seal that complete work of love, sacrifice, and salvation through faith. For without faith, it is impossible to please God, especially that the exercise of such faith cost Him His own beloved Son.

“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. (Luke 23:46)  
          When Jesus Christ finally gave up His spirit, He knew that He can commit it to no one else, except to God the Father. Just as He was about to die, He offered back to God his soul as an offering for sin. Now that He has fulfilled the will of the Father, He entrusted His soul to the Father’s divine care and protection. As prophesied in Psalm 31:5, His spirit that separated from His body now belonged back to God. And as Jesus Christ entrusted His spirit to the Father, He uttered His greeting to His entrance to heaven. This is an expression of the most profound and most blessed repose after one’s task on earth was done. This declares that the spirit, even that of the Son of God, will exist apart from the body into the hands of God. This is actually a homecoming. In fact, this is a claim to victory and rejoicing, as Jesus Christ will now return to the Father who sent Him. A what a triumphant welcome, for each of us believers to experience when in our time, we can freely and faithfully greet our Father both in the edge of death and in the entrance to heaven!
          Because His spirit was offered back to the Father by laying His life, freely and voluntarily, no man or devil, otherwise could have taken that life and victory away from Him.

This week, we reflect on the sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. These last words of Jesus Christ are His triumphant claims to victory over sin and death. These are not empty, useless words. These are not empty words of hope and promise. For the only empty legacy that He left us behind was his tomb.