When hope really matters. Life is full of hopes and dreams like the warm, fuzzy feelings of a Hallmark movie. But when death is near and you’re uncertain what’s next? That’s when the need for hope gets real. When it really matters.
Years ago, just before Christmas, my friend Ken shared some bad news. He had incurable cancer. No time frame was mentioned and there were medical measures to take. But even better, he and I believed in an Almighty God, the power of prayer, the miracle of divine healing.
As a young pastor, I offered encouraging words. But a question burned in my mind that I wanted to shout out loud.
WHY GOD? IT JUST ISN’T FAIR!
When hope really matters. When you intellectually reject hope you’re probably young and healthy.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (ESV, Romans 15:13)
I once attended a panel discussion that included an Evangelical Christian and an Atheist. It was a healthy, civil dialogue between two attractive, intelligent young people. Both presented reasonable arguments supporting their position and the debate, though passionate, was respectful. There was humor, good natured teasing, and great interaction. It was an engaging encounter that was intellectually stimulating. But that’s all it was—intellectual.
It’s a different scene with people in the hospital facing life and death. Intellectualism is stripped away. Raw emotions are bare and honest. And regardless of religious convictions, prayer is always appreciated.
There are two categories. People who approach death with hope and confidence and people who don’t. Yes, there are varying levels of intensity in these feelings, differences in attitudes, and degrees in level of assurance. But there is a clear separation between the two.
I’ve been with people so confident and assured in their faith that they radiate joy. And seen uncertainty and fear in the eyes of those with none. You may shrug your shoulders with a cavalier attitude that rejects Christianity. Or embrace a busy lifestyle that doesn’t think about the end of life. But when you face the most profound moment of your life, it matters. A lot.
When hope really matters. Jesus Christ provides a reason for it.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faithinto this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (ESV, Romans 5:1-2)
Scripture explains the reason we need hope. Because sin disqualifies us from the presence of a holy God. But God sent Jesus to die as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. And by confessing our sins to Jesus and asking him to be our Lord and Savior, we are forgiven of sin.
Many of the people I encounter with uncertain or no hope don’t understand this idea or simply reject it. And hang on to the idea you earn your way to heaven through personal merit. They say things like, “I’ve tried to live a good life. I’ve tried to do the right things.” Honestly? They are often decent people who live good lives and do the right things.
Still, doubt nags at them like an unscratchable itch. Can they be sure all their good deeds will outweigh the bad on God’s cosmic scales of justice?
When hope really matters. God offers hope beyond wishful thinking
But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. (ESV, 1 Peter 3:15)
Ken lost the fight against cancer, but I’m confident he is now fully healed and living joyously in heaven. For me, this makes Christian hope more than Pinocchio’s “When you wish Upon a Star.” Because it’s based on the truth of God’s word.
Ultimately, of course, it requires a step of faith. But it’s not blind faith or warm and fuzzy, hopeful feelings. However, a confident, unshakeable hope in Jesus Christ. I’ve seen this faith demonstrated over and over at the bedside of believers living their last moments. The confidence, joy, and peace as they prepare to step into eternity. But I’ve also witnessed the uncertainty and absolute terror in the eyes of those with no hope.
And it’s heartbreaking. Because that is when we all want hope. And when it really matters.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
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When you tell God you quit. After the death of Jesus, Peter quit. He abandoned three years of ministry with the Son of God and returned to fishing. But Jesus wasn’t finished with him yet. Here’s what we learn from the encounter.
When you tell God you quit. He meets you where you are.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, everything went crazy. Jesus, the one that held everything together was gone and no one knew what to do. Fear gripped them. Would the leaders who crucified Jesus come after them too? So, all the disciples of Jesus scattered.
In John 21:3-19, Peter quits and returns to the familiar. Fishing. Because…well, isn’t that what we do when we lose our bearings? Our safety feels threatened? Go back to what makes us feel safe and secure like comfort food?
Fishing was an honest trade and a sensible fallback plan. Except when you follow Jesus, what we consider sensible is not always how he leads. But rather, pushing into the uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Because he wants us to trust him and exercise faith.
And even when we mess it up, he comes after us to restore our relationship with him.
That’s what he did with Peter.
When you tell God you quit. He challenges your thinking
There’s something familiar about the scene in John 21:3-19. Because it’s a repeat of Jesus’ first encounter with Peter recorded in Luke 5:1-11. Peter was cleaning his fishing nets nearby as Jesus preached to a crowd on the beach. And Jesus asked Peter if he could use his boat as a preaching platform. They pushed the boat into the water and Jesus sat and taught the beach crowd. And when Jesus finished, he told Peter to put out to deep water and let down his nets.
A bit audacious for an itinerant preacher to tell an experienced fisherman how to fish. I can imagine Peter smiling at Jesus a bit condescendingly. “Dude, you’re a preacher and I’m an experienced fisherman. I won’t tell you how to preach. Don’t tell me how to fish.”
But he didn’t. Why not? Perhaps there was something about Jesus that compelled Peter to do what he said. A sense that Jesus was beyond ordinary. And his thoughts were higher than Peter’s thoughts. So Peter complied and the huge catch of fish nearly broke the nets.
And you wonder. How could an itinerant preacher know better than a seasoned fisherman where the fish were and how to find them?
He didn’t have to. Jesus simply commanded the fish where to swim. It made Peter a believer and he immediately left everything and followed Jesus.
When you tell God you quit. He revisits your calling and demands your commitment.
There were times as a pastor in church ministry when I wanted to quit. Because I was discouraged by failure. Treated unfairly. And questioned my calling. Ever been there?
But I remember the wise counsel of a mentoring pastor: Whenever you doubt your call and think of quitting, go back to the moment you first sensed God’s call. And that’s exactly what Jesus does with Peter. He revisits the scene of Peter’s original call to ministry. And once again, the nets almost tore apart with a huge catch of fish.
But Jesus goes further by demanding Peter’s commitment. “Peter, do you love me? Then feed my sheep.” And after repeating the question and demand for commitment two more times, the point was clear.
Jesus doesn’t suggest we try him out like sampling ice cream flavors before a purchase. He doesn’t offer unlimited “you are blessed” passes for a pain free Christian experience. In fact, he tells Peter that his commitment will include a cost. And the same may be true for us.
What Jesus wants to know is this: Are you all in?
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
Are you saved? It’s a question Christians often ask. But if you’re unfamiliar with Christianity it may seem strange to you. Saved from what? Here are three Bible teachings that explain its meaning and why the answer is important.
Are you saved? The Bible teaches sin is the main problem.
Let’s start with a fundamental question. Is humanity basically good or evil? The answer is debated. Some people are kind and generous. Others mean and vindictive. But no one is good or bad all the time. Our behavior changes based on circumstances, desires, relationships, and emotions. And they all fluctuate every day. So, in reality, everyone is both in different times and situations.
The Bible says this is because of sin.
Are you saved? The Bible teaches we all sin and it separates us from God
Sin is moral behavior that disobeys God’s law. And we are all guilty of it. The most familiar sins are the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. But both the Old and New Testaments discuss other forms of sin too. And it includes both our actions and our thoughts.
Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (ESV, Matthew 5:28)
Furthermore, sin has a penalty, which is eternal separation from God.
For the wages of sin is death. (ESV, Romans 6:23)
So, we all sin, which carries the penalty of eternal death, And it’s why we need salvation. But how?
Are you saved? The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is Savior to the world
Jesus Christ is God’s provision. And scripture calls him the Son of God. In other words, God in human flesh. Jesus lived a sinless life, died on a cross for our sins, and rose from the grave three days later. What we call Easter. Why is this significant? Because Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and conquered death. So, we can conquer it too.
Therefore, you are saved by confessing your sins, asking Jesus for forgiveness, and receiving him as Savior and Lord.
Eternal life is not a matter of whether your good deeds outweigh all the bad. But if you believe in and trust Jesus for salvation. And it takes us back to the first question.
The death and resurrection of Lazarus is recorded in the Gospel of John. It’s one of many extraordinary miracles performed by Jesus during his three year ministry. And has important lessons for us today.
The death and resurrection of Lazarus teaches that God’s timing is always perfect
Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany are mentioned several times in the New Testament. And it’s clear they had a special relationship with Jesus. So it seems odd when a messenger rushes to tell Jesus that Lazarus is critically ill, Jesus didn’t leave immediately and go to him.
Instead, he stays where he is and shows up in Bethany four days later!
Why?
A possible reason is because there was a common belief that when someone died, their soul hovered over the body for three days hoping to re-enter it. But finally left for good when decomposition started. Martha confirmed this had started when Jesus arrived and asked them to open the tomb. She warned that by now there would be a bad odor.
This means when Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, no one could claim a hovering soul managed successful re-entry. But rather, the resurrection of Lazarus was solely by God’s miraculous power. It shows that God’s timing is perfect. And we can trust his timing in our lives today.
The death and resurrection of Lazarus teaches that God’s miracles are not about your faith but his power
We all have moments when we struggle in our faith. Implore God for a miracle. Ask him why? And even though Mary and Martha both believed in Jesus, this was a moment they struggled too. They fully believed Jesus could have healed Lazarus while he was alive and sick. But weren’t so sure when Jesus talked about raising him from the dead.
Martha deferred to the end of time when God would raise all believers. But Jesus talked about the present.
And what further complicates the matter is we have this tendency to mistakenly believe God works based on our level of faith. He will answer our prayers if we just have enough of it.
But Jesus didn’t require a certain level of belief in this Bible story. Or chastise Martha for lacking it. He simply affirmed her belief in him. And in this case–whatever that amount– was enough.
Because it’s not the level of our faith that is important. But God’s omnipotent power.
The death and resurrection of Lazarus teaches God uses our circumstances to Glorify his name
In John 11:14, Jesus appears to demonstrate divine knowledge because he knows Lazarus already died. And perhaps it helps explain why he was not in a hurry to leave. And in John 11:4, he reveals the purpose for it: So the Son of God may be glorified through it.
In other words, God had a plan and was already working to carry it out. Although it didn’t look like it, considering Jesus’ lack of action.
Mary and Martha had a plan too. Get Jesus to Lazarus before he died. Because they knew Jesus could heal him. But God’s plan was even better. Because it glorified him in a spectacular manner. And led even more people to believe in Jesus.
Sure. It’s easy to read of a miracle like this and claim to trust God. Much harder when you’re actually struggling through difficult circumstances. But this story should gives us hope. Because it says God always has a plan. He’s working even when you can’t see it. Only asks you to trust and believe in him. And he will cause all things to work together for good. And his glory.
The Christmas Baby Jesus came on a mission. And the reasons for it are not just important. But the difference between life and death. Here are three of them.
The Christmas Baby Jesus Came To Establish A Kingdom
But it was not an earthly kingdom as most expected. And this was hard for people of that day to see and understand. Because there was no royal reception. Expensive pomp and splendor. Or Red carpet treatment.
Instead, the Christmas baby Jesus humbly arrived in a common stable for animals. And greeted by shepherds–the lowest class of social standing. But bathed in the glory of God.
For it was a humble beginning followed by a ministry of service that ended in a sacrificial death and resurrection. And that brought more confusion and misunderstanding. Until finally, the truth of his kingdom broke through like the dawning light of a new day. And it changed everything.
For the new kingdom that Jesus established was spiritual. And the throne he ruled within the human heart.
The Christmas Baby Jesus Came To Rescue Us
Jesus came because the world is broken. Because we are broken. And sinners who are helpless to fix it. Therefore, we need a savior. And Jesus came as that savior. God’s Son in human form. The only one who could live a perfect life. And qualified as a perfect sacrifice to save us.
But many people still reject this idea. Convinced that we can fix the world. And fix ourselves too. By simply trying harder. Tapping the power within us. And following the path of enlightenment to become our true, godlike self.
However, Jesus said, “no you can’t.” And claimed to be God’s exclusive solution. The only solution to sin. A gift you receive by invitation. By believing and acting on faith. And making a choice to follow him.
The Christmas Baby Jesus Came To Offer Grace
Grace is an eternal game changer. Granted by asking God’s forgiveness of sin. Received as a gift from Jesus.
And it’s absolutely amazing! Why? Because you can’t earn it. Don’t deserve it. Yet, God offers it in infinite measure.
Through the Christmas Baby Jesus, God’s grace pours over you like a fresh, cleansing shower. And washing away the old. Which makes you new. And reclaims a spiritual relationship blocked by sin. The transformation into a child of God.
It’s here you discover that submission is not subjugation. And walking with Jesus is the path of true freedom. Because of the joy the angels sang about that first Christmas day 2,000 years ago. And it’s a joy you now share.
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