Shiny Gem Stones

1 Corinthians 2:6-10

 (Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%202%3A6-10&version=NIV;NLT

 

When I was a little boy, my parents took me on a vacation out west. We stopped at a tourist trap where a small, clear plastic box of gem stones caught my eye. They had been polished and were shiny. My parents bought one of the boxes for me. With my interest peaked by those shiny gem stones, I later decided to become a geologist.

 

Flash forward to college; it was a technological school with 10 guys for every one girl. Not very good odds if you didn’t already have a girlfriend. Not to worry though because I had one; until she dumped me.

 

The downward spiral that followed was life changing. Eventually it led me to commit my life to Christ. A year later, I dropped out of college briefly and moved. This resulted in a dramatic shift in what I wanted to do with my life.

 

From a small town white boy who wanted to be a geologist, I spent 25 years in full time urban youth ministry. A lot of independent, unforeseen pieces fell into place as a result of that clear plastic box of shiny gem stones.

 

They say that God works in our lives in mysterious ways. I’d have to agree, and I think Paul would too.

 

⁷ …the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God — his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.                 NLT

 

The Bible tells the story of God’s plan of redemption. He revealed that plan, piece by piece, through His Spirit, until at just the right time, Christ came.

 

Oftentimes, God’s plan is revealed piece by piece to us. A little boy who saw a box of shiny gem stones had no idea what God’s plan was until years later. Don’t miss the

shiny gem stones in your life.

 

¹⁰ But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.    NLT

 

²⁴ But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.          1 Corinthians 1:24 NLT

 

 

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You’re Fired

Hebrews 9:9-15

 (Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%209%3A9-15&version=NIV;NLT

 

“You’re Fired” was the phrase made famous on the reality TV show The Apprentice starring our newly inaugurated president, Donald Trump.

 

The premise of the show was that two teams of young business people competed against one another on a project or task. Whichever team lost had to face Trump in the board room to determine who contributed the least to their team; whereupon Trump would immediately tell that person, in no uncertain terms, “You’re fired”!

 

By doing this, the team would theoretically be a newer, stronger version of itself that

should be able to compete and possibly win the next contest. This concept of improving a faulty system by eliminating or changing the members can be seen in the Hebrew passage today.

 

In the Old Testament, God provided a sacrificial system through Moses. It involved the High Priest entering the Holy Place once a year to make a blood sacrifice for his sins and for the sins of Israel. But this was not enough because it had to be done year after year after year. The system was flawed.

 

⁹ This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. ¹⁰ For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.            NLT

 

The perfect system came through the blood of Jesus Christ. He was the perfect lamb that was sacrificed once and for all. Nothing you or I can do, or have done, is too sinful or shameful for the blood of Christ to wipe away forever.

 

¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!       NIV

 

In The Apprentice, Trump fired participants because they were weak, because they

failed or because they weren’t good enough. In real life though, Jesus, through the Holy

Spirit, provided the perfect way for the weak, for those who fail and for those who aren’t good enough; to be perfected, to live with purpose and to spend eternity with our Heavenly Father.

 

  

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No Pain, No Gain

Hebrews 12:1-3

 

 

“No Pain, No Gain.” That’s what my high school football coaches used to say to us in order to motivate and push us beyond what we would have done otherwise. Human nature, especially teenage human nature, would have said, “This is too much work”! Then given up. But our coaches pushed us beyond our pain.

 

Nobody subjects themselves to pain willingly, but my wife Debbie did. During the past year, she had full knee replacement surgeries on both of her knees. Although she is currently making good progress from the most recent one, it has been much more difficult than the first, as she has suffered excruciating pain at times.

 

Jesus willingly submitted himself to excruciating pain. If you ever saw Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion, you got a very real sense of just how much pain Jesus would have gone through. Besides the physical pain, he experienced the pain of rejection, not only of his closest friends, but also his Heavenly Father.

 

The pain had to be unbearable, but still he did it. Why?

 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  NIV

 

What was “the joy set before him” that motivated him to endure such pain and suffering? Being with his Father again? Knowing that he had been faithful no matter what? Knowing that he had completed his mission so that you and I could be forgiven and live in eternity with our Heavenly Father?

 

“No pain, no gain”. That was certainly true for Jesus. Except, in addition, he suffered our pain so that we wouldn’t have to; he suffered our pain so that we might hear the same words he did from our Father God.

 

“You are my Son (my daughter), whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”         NIV

 

 

 

 

 

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The Twelve Days of Christmas

Matthew 2:1-12

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%202%3A1-12&version=NIV;NLT

 

 
 

According to our consumer oriented society, the “Christmas season” begins in November well before the over commercialized Black Friday. It includes a big push for Santa Claus and the “spirit of Christmas” until December 25.

 

In contrast to this, the traditional Christian celebration of Christmas begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas with the season of Advent. Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of Christ. Christmas Day then ushers in 12 days of celebration ending on January 6 with the celebration of Epiphany. 

 

The word epiphany is a noun that refers to “the manifestation of a divine or supernatural being”. In the Christian church Epiphany is “the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi”.  

 

I always thought The Twelve Days of Christmas was just a cute little song that referred to the twelve days before Christmas. But the real twelve days of Christmas is a time of reflection on the incarnation of the Living God through Jesus after Christmas.  

 

In Matthew 2, the incarnation means different things to different people. For the Magi, it was a quest to find the “King of the Jews”. For King Herod, it was “disturbing news” that sent him into a frantic paranoia. For Mary, it was extremely personal. She had carried Jesus for nine months, gave birth to him and nursed him as a baby.  

 

What does the incarnation mean to you? Will it be a quest; a disturbing time; or something personal that will change your life? How will you respond to Christ incarnate? 

  

 

 

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