Meaning of Life
Forgive me, as this is about to get long! My pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church sends these "Weekly Words of Faith" each week and I wanted to share this week's words with you all. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about the holiday season and what it means to me. I think this sums it up nicely.
Weekly Words of Faith
How Much Does God Love You?
by
Rev. Larry H. Watson
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
I heard a story about a woman who was doing her last-minute Christmas shopping at a crowded mall. She was tired of fighting the crowds. She was tired of standing in lines. She was tired of fighting her way down long aisles looking for a gift that had sold out days before. Her arms were full of bulky packages when the Elevator door opened. It was full.
The occupants of the Elevator grudgingly tightened ranks to allow a small space for her and her load. As the doors closed she blurted out, “Whoever is responsible for this whole Christmas thing ought to be arrested, strung up, and shot!” A few others nodded their heads or grunted in agreement. Then, from somewhere in the back of the elevator came a single voice that said, “Don’t worry. They already crucified Him.”
We need to remember who is responsible for the whole Christmas thing. It is all about how God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that who ever believes in Him might have eternal life. John 3:16
I believe John 3:16 to be the greatest verse in all the Bible. It is the best loved and best known verse. There are only 25 words in this verse yet no other single verse in all the Scriptures has been as blessed in the salvation of so many souls. Martin Luther called
it the miniature gospel. It has been called the gospel in a nutshell.
There are three things that we need to understand that God did for us through the birth of Jesus Christ.
God so Loved Us
What is love? It cannot be defined in words. The word "loved" occurs 56 times in the Book of John. The dictionary says love is "to have a feeling, affection, or regard for, to be strongly attached to or attracted toward, to hold dear". There are also synonyms like affection, charity, devotion, fondness, liking, and passion. All these definitions are weak when defining the word "love". The difficulty becomes greater when you add the word "so". GOD SO LOVED...
The mind of man will never grasp the love of God. All we can say is the love of God is uncaused, uninfluenced, spontaneous, and sovereign.
He Loved Us So Much That He Gave His Son
The world knows a little about giving but God’s giving costs something. We want for nothing when we keep our minds and eyes focused on Jesus Christ. God did not give the cattle on a 1000 hills or silver and gold. He gave all He had in the person of His Son. Most of the giving we know about is giving that really has no element of sacrifice in it. But God loved us so much that He gave us His son, and why you ask?
So That We May Have Life
Men of the old world perished but Noah was spared. People of Sodom perished but Lot was spared. The first born of Egypt perished but Israel was spared. Jericho’s citizens perished but Rahab was spared. Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have life, and not just life but life everlasting.
Oswalt Chambers states, “The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time."
For God so loved the world, you and I, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Let’s remember the true meaning of Christmas this year.
Let’s remember those that are listed on our prayer list this week. We have several events going on this month. Our Choir is performing its play December the 8th at 7:00, so lets keep this and all our other activities in our prayers. May God bless our work as we continue to move forward in spreading His Word. Several of our church family was sick this past week so let’s keep them in our prayers.
Have a wonderful week.
Remember:
“Focus on your giants, you stumble, Focus on God, your giants tumble.”
Until next week, may God bless and keep you.
________________________________________
I haven't been able to stop thinking about this quote all day...
Oswalt Chambers states, “The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time."
I was just talking to a client the other day about how things happen in your life and certain times may be unpleasant, but those times lead you to exactly where you are supposed to be. Because my life isn't all about my plan, it's about God's plan. This e-mail came today and it's a special day for me. Shane and I started talking one year ago today and not a day has passed that we haven't talked.
God has given me this talent. There is no way that I could do what I do without Him. And He brought Shane into my life... of that, I'm certain. He and my children have been my inspiration. Each part is just a chapter in the book. It's God's story for me...
...and I'm thankful that I have it to live.
Mt. Zion Baptist Church presents...
"Bethlehem's Child"
Saturday, December 8th at 7:00 p.m.
