Tag: Newbirth

The Light of Life p2: MT e54

One event, which I may have shared already, that was very rememberable was when, as a youth, my father and mother took me to Mammoth Cave in western KY.

We took a multi-hour tour of these caves and it was nothing short of amazing.  There was one moment where the tour guide gave everyone ample warning that he was going to turn out the lights and even let us know how long it was going to last and when everyone was ready, the lights went out.

It was the thickest, most blackest darkness I have ever experienced.  It was a darkness you could feel.  I literally could put my hand in front of my face, centimeters away, and if that hand was not attached to me, I would have no idea it was there.

Monday we were in John as it was talking about Jesus, the Word and that he was the light of men and that this light was shining into darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.

What was the first thing created at creation?  Genesis 1, The earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

The same Spirit of God who created light in the darkness of the Creation, is the same Spirit of God who created light in the darkness of the new creation.  (repeat) Every believer is a new creation.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)

I like to think of that experience I had as a young boy in Mammoth Cave in seeing that thick darkness like Jesus.  The LIGHT. A light that could not be overcome with darkness but rather aggressively chased darkness away.

S.D.G.

A Peculiar People: MT episode 17

On Monday’s episode I closed our time together noting that while it is great Christ that was born into this world, it is more important Christ be born in you.  Let’s consider this thought further and from a different angle.

“Jesus, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous for good works.”  Titus 2:14

I picked this passage because it uses the word “peculiar.”  As Kenneth Weust says, “Christians are the peculiar people of God.”

This is a word sometimes we use for people who are odd or strange.  I have definitely met some people who claim Christ and are strange but that is not what is meant here. 

The word here in the original language is a compound of two words, “around” and another word “to be”.  Mentally, picture a circle with a dot in the middle.

As the circle is around the dot, so God is around His people.  He has the dot all to himself.  These people are His own unique possession. Peculiar!

There are days when my obedience and pursuit of God, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would put at a 7 or 8.  Then there are those days or seasons, where things just are not going well.  I might put it at a negative 5.

God is the constant.  In speaking about the believer’s security, Jesus says, “My Father, who has given me (the sheep) is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” John 10:28

Good seasons and bad, we are circled by the Father.  Keep that picture in your head and let it be and encouragement.  As a believer, we are God’s circled people. His possession.

So, the different angle is, this season, it is not only to have Jesus in us (Colossians 1:27) but also, us in Christ (Colossians 2:6).  What a beautiful gift!

S.D.G.

The Sunday Message: Hebrews 2:1-4

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. English Standard Version