Something Completely Different—Part 4

Yesterday, I was talking about my favorite C.S. Lewis book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and today I’d like to talk about something else I love about this book…its symbolism.

In this book, the Lion, Aslan, is the figure of Jesus Christ. We find from other of the Narnia novels that Aslan created Narnia from the breath of his mouth, and that he established rules that would hold for all eternity in the Narnian realm. As the White Witch had plunged Narnia into a curse where it was always winter, but never Christmas, there was only one thing that could break the curse…Aslan’s coming.

As the four children arrived in Narnia, the curse began to break and spring was coming to the land. The snow was melting and the trees were waking up. But Edmund, the brother who had issues with his honesty, had betrayed his sisters and brother to the White Witch, and as such, he was now her property, by the laws of Narnia. So Aslan, in an act of true love for the betrayer, Edmund, offers himself in his place.

As a result of that transaction, Aslan is killed by the witch at the stone table. He’s is killed and the girls, Susan and Lucy watch it happen. After all the evil horde leaves the site and Aslan lays dead on the stone table, the girls go up and weep over him. Mice come and, at first, the girls are horrified and try to keep them away from Aslan. But then they find that they are simply gnawing away at his restraints. Once the ropes had been removed, a great earthquake shakes the ground where the girls sit.

They spring up at once and the stone table cracks in two. When they get their wits about them, Susan and Lucy see that Aslan is gone. Terrified, they look about and a beam of sunlight pierces the darkness and they see him, Aslan, alive again and whole! He rejoices with them, but the quickly sets to work making Narnia as it was supposed to be. He seats Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy as Kings and Queens of Narnia and they rule there for years with love and goodness.

The reason I love this book so, is that it so clearly portrays who we are in Christ. We were Edmund; bitter, cold and calculating. We were the ones who had betrayed the family, who had given in to our selfishness and sin. We deserved to be handed over to enemy. But Jesus stepped in and took our places. He paid the punishment for sin that we could not, but He didn’t stay dead. Oh no! He rose! He is alive and He has seated us as His co-heirs in both this life and next. He has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us. He has given us our spiritual gifts to help us accomplish the tasks that He has for us.

I guess that’s why I love this book so much. Because I see myself in it, and hope that you can, too. If you’ve never read the book, I would encourage you to do so, either to yourself, or to your kids or grandkids. You won’t be sorry you did, nor will they!

God bless you all and we’ll see you on Sunday!

Trust

We are a nation that has very little in the way of trust of those who are in authority over us. We feel that most people are looking out for themselves and that whenever they react with us, it is always for their advantage and not ours.

But the sad part is that many times we wind up equating that same thought process to God. When He breaks through our defenses, we tend to think, “He’s after something.” I think that’s why so many people in our culture have a hard time coming to God and giving over their lives to Jesus…they simply do not trust Him (or anyone for that matter).

But Jesus came into this world for no other reason but to give His life as a ransom. PLEASE keep reading, because what I’m about to say here might very well change the course of your life.

You see, you and I and every other person who has ever lived had a huge problem. That problem is that we were born into sin. Because of what Adam did when disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, the nature of sin has been passed on to each and every one of Adam’s descendants…including you and me. And so, we are sinners because that is the inheritance that we receive.

It has nothing to do with whether we’re good enough or not, because we aren’t. We are born into sin, and we are plagued with it until the day we die. But Jesus came into the world as a ransom…a payment for our sin. That baby that we celebrate in the stable went on to grow up over the course of 33 years and become a man who would lay down His life on the cross. And on that cross, He took the punishment for your sin and mine.

Paul said that “the wages of sin is death.” That means that we deserve death because that’s what we have earned through our sinful nature. But he also went on to say that “the gift of God is eternal life.” That means that God wants to give us eternal life as a gift…not because we have earned it or because we are good enough (because we’re not), but simply because He wanted to.

But like all gifts, it had to be paid for. And the payment for our eternal life was eternal death. So Jesus, the God-Man, allowed Himself to be crucified so that the eternal death and separation of a man from God the Father could be born out in Him. God the Father turned His back on God the Son so that in that moment when Jesus cried out, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?!” He experienced a separation of Himself with the Father. It boggles the mind, actually, but that’s what was necessary for you and me to be able to have that gift.

Now, there is no other who could have purchased this gift, and because of that fact, there is no other who can offer it. Mohammad cannot offer you eternal life because he did not pay the price for it. Buddha cannot offer you eternal life because he did not pay the price for it. New Age cannot offer you eternal life because it did not pay the price for it. L. Ron Hubbard (the author and founder of Dianetics) cannot offer you eternal life because he did not pay for it. Satan cannot offer you eternal life because he did not pay for it. There is only One who paid that price, and that is Jesus Christ our Lord. That’s why Paul says at the end of that verse that the gift only comes “through Jesus Christ”.

So, my friend, as you read this, have you been moved to think about your life and your eternal soul? There is no better time than now to make that decision to give your life to Christ, to trust in Him, and to allow Him to have full rule and reign in your life. Do it today!

And we’ll see you on Sunday!

What I Am Thankful For--Part 4

On Monday, I started talking about the top four things I am thankful for. Number four was the great country in which I live. Number three was the friends that God has put in my life throughout my 46 years on this earth. Number two was my family, both church and my wife and kids. Today, I want to share my number one thing that I am thankful for.

#1—Jesus Christ and the Salvation I have through Him

Back in 1984, on January 4th, I gave my life to Christ. Oh, I had prayed a prayer when I was three, but it was just that...a prayer. I had not truly surrendered my life to Jesus. So on that day in 1984, at the W.L.D. Ranch in Fairview, Pennsylvania, I prayed to receive Jesus as my savior, and allowed Him to have control over my life.

A lot of things happened after that. I began to be more serious about time with God. I spent more time in reading my Bible and more time in prayer. I looked forward to church days and youth group where I would learn more about following Jesus. I spent time talking about Jesus with my friends and encouraging them to be more about following Him, too.

But I think the biggest change of all in my life was in the way I lived. I didn't really live for myself anymore, but for the people around me. I began to see them as vital to my life and to the life of church. I began to put their needs ahead of my own and treat them the way I would want to be treated. And all of this was because of that day in January, 1984. 

I'm thankful that Jesus took my life and changed it for the better. I hop that He has done the same with your life. If He hasn't, today could be your January 4th. All you have to do is admit your sin, tell Him that you believe that He is the Son of God and that His death on the cross and the shedding of His blood was enough to pay for your sins, and then receive God's great gift of Salvation! It's up to you, but I know for experience that there isn't a great feeling than knowing that your sins are forgiven, and that your life now has true meaning.

If you want to make that decision today, please let me know by either commenting below, or by commenting on the link you were directed here from (Either Facebook or Google+). It would really be a blessing to me.

Thanks for reading the blog, and we'll see you on Sunday!

The New Person

Today I want to talk to you about the New person that Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 5:17. In this verse, Paul tells us that "if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."

Paul tells us that those who have Christ in their lives become new people. The old person that was is gone and a new person takes his place. God has taken that which is of ourselves and replaced it with Himself. We are now a part of His body, and His Spirit lives inside of us. Because of this, we now are free to walk in obedience to Jesus Christ. We have been given the hope that is in Christ...the salvation of our souls. We now have the ability to live the life that God wants us to.

But as with anything new, there is a learning curve. Paul also talks to us about the war that is waged within us when we go about trying to do the right thing. In Romans 7, Paul says that the good things that he wants to do because he desires to obey God are in battle with the things that his body wants him to do. We are war within ourselves to continually do the right thing...and many times we fail in the capacity.

But God is rich in mercy. He has saved us from the death of the earthly body by giving us new life through the death of His Son, Jesus. I don't know about you, but that makes me feel like I could do anything that God asks me to do today.

So take the time today and tell God you are willing to do whatever He asks...no matter what...because of the new person He has created you to be!

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!