Skip to main content

One

             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. (Ephesians 1:9-10)

 

Imagine that you have created the ultimate theme park. As one fictional theme park declared, you “spared no expense.” Like that theme park owner, you didn’t want the park to be just fun; you wanted it to benefit all humanity. You spent billions on the infrastructure and billions just on dressing things up for the opening day. Everything was perfect, then the first visitors walked through the gates, and all hell broke loose. No, it wasn’t dinosaurs having escaped from their pens; it was the guests themselves.

For some, it was too warm, for others, too cool. Some didn’t like the music, food, colors, restroom locations, some of the other guests, or you. The food is free, but they have to sit next to someone who is too ____ or who is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction that they don’t approve. I’m just as bad. Consider your own household or mind. The reality is that no matter how wonderful a place the theme park owner builds, it won’t please everyone in every way all the time. The shows aren’t spicy enough, too spicy, or they aren’t the star. The harder the owner (or you) works to make it “just right,” the more others will find fault.

God’s answer to this problem is Christ. Jesus is a type of ticket; this ticket not only gets us free rides, free food, and free shows (spiritually speaking), but He also guides, instructs, and cares for each visitor. But we all want to complain about something, if nothing else than that the owner should consider us a little better than children, with a Babysitter assigned to us who doesn’t let us do what we want. It’s unreasonable. It’s, it’s…we want to speak to the owner/manager!

Even if we weren’t selfish, bigoted monsters, this problem would still exist. We might handle it better, but it would still exist. Unless we are denied personhood and individuality, the only way we can be at peace with one another or even ultimately happy is for Jesus to bring us together, for there to be one sufficient sacrifice and one sufficient law.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Way, The Truth, and The Life

              Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me . (John 14:6)           If “I am the gate of the sheep…I am the good shepherd” from chapter 10 is a double whammy, this verse is a triple whammy. And its first victim is the notion that any other so-called god was acceptable or the same as Jesus. He, and He alone is the way, the truth, and the life, and the only way to get to the Father. There is no other Savior, or Redeemer, according to Jesus. Now, to be fair, other religions will claim that their religion or god(s) are the only way. That is the nature of gods and of religions. If this and that are equally good and agree on what’s necessary, then this and that are the same thing, so there’s no need to from the other to one. If that’s the case, then why speak against the other or promote the one? There’s a song I’ve been listening to i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen To Him

              The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him . (Deuteronomy 18:15)           Today, we switch from Jesus’ claims of “I am” to prophecies made about Him. My Bible platform is starting in Deuteronomy. I’d start in Genesis, where we would learn that the one who would save us would be a descendant of Eve (Genesis 3:15), of Noah (by default), Abram and Sara(Genesis 12:1-3). Isaac (Genesis 17:19), Jacob (Genesis 25:23), Judah (Genesis 29:8), and David (II Samuel 7:12-16). There were also references to a new covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-32). In addition, there were prophecies about when and where the prophet/Messiah would be born and what would happen to him.           Of course, naysayers will claim that Jesus’ life was retrofitted or reverse enginee...
Post a Comment
Read more