The Buckeye Faithful

Revelation 7:9-17

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%207%3A9-17&version=NIV;NLT

 

When we moved to Columbus in 1985, we had no idea how rabid Buckeye fans could be. However, we quickly learned when virtually every time we were introduced as moving from Lansing, Michigan, the response was invariably the same, “Well at least you’re not a Michigan fan!”

 

The center of these comments came from the rivalry between Ohio State and the University of Michigan. It was perpetuated by their coaches in the 70’s – Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. However, since the year 2000, U of M has won only three times. This was to be the year when the tide turned, or so they thought.

 

Last Saturday, Ohio Stadium was packed with 106,588 mostly Buckeye fans. It was a sea of red screaming for their team. A friend of mine, who has season tickets, said he had never heard the crowd as loud when during the game Ohio State blocked a punt and ran the ball in for a touchdown.

 

Similar to “The Game” last Saturday, here is a different kind of victorious scene.

 

⁹ After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”            NLT

 

John draws us a picture of believers who surround the throne of God worshipping Him. Because no matter what happens in life; no matter how bad our circumstances are; no matter how painful life is; when all is said and done; God is victorious. And His victory ultimately is ours.

 

The people who John was writing to were suffering great persecution. John himself had been exiled to an island penal colony because of his faith. Through this passage, he was giving them a vision of hope; of purpose; of salvation. He was giving them a reason to not compromise, but to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

 

That reason still exists today for you and for me. We may not experience victory every minute of every day, but it is there waiting for us. That’s a promise made by the Living God who is faithful yesterday, today and forever.

 

Therefore, like the Buckeye faithful, let us “shout with a great roar”, only not for the Scarlett and Gray, but for our victorious Lord.

 

 

 

 

How Do You Respond: Grace or Judgement?

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%201%3A4-9&version=NIV;ESV

 

How do you respond when… someone cuts you off in traffic and then puts on their breaks? When you feel like someone has slighted you? When your boss makes a derogatory remark about you? When your spouse doesn’t meet your expectations? Do you respond with grace… or with judgement?

 

During the first century, the Jews were steeped in the law. Grace was a foreign concept to them. As a result, Jesus had numerous confrontations with the religious leaders; Paul was beaten and persecuted multiple times; and the early church struggled with the issue of requiring circumcision.

 

There is something deep within the human heart that doesn’t want to forgive; doesn’t want to show grace; but instead wants to judge and condemn.

 

It’s somewhat surprising that Paul writes in his letter to the believers at Corinth that he gives thanks for the grace shown to them; because they show so little grace to others. The Corinthian church struggled with divisions, immorality, discrimination against the poor and many other serious issues.

 

There’s a need for introspection. The Corinthian church needed it, and we need it.

 

How did you answer the questions in the first paragraph? If you are honest, you could probably add some of your own more pointedly personal questions. But, no matter how deeply imbedded our struggles, God’s grace and His faithfulness will win the day.

 

⁴ I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge… ⁷ so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.      ESV

 

So the choice is yours. How will you respond to God’s grace and faithfulness? Will you

show grace, or will you show judgement to others? God gave His grace to us so that we might share it, not keep it for ourselves.

 

 

(If God has spoken to you through this blog, please feel free to share the link with others.)

http://lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

It’s All Good

Revelation 22:1-5

 

“It’s all good”, is a popular response nowadays that means, nothing is bad. But the irony is that some things are bad, painful, irreversible and even life-changing. Is it all good after having a still born baby or when a family member dies unexpectedly? Is it all good when you get fired from your job of 30 years? Is it all good when a relationship is irreconcilable? Is it all good when life feels like there’s no hope?

 

At the time when John wrote the book of Revelation, the believers in Asia Minor were on the verge of suffering sever persecution for being a follower of Jesus. The Roman authorities were beginning to enforce emperor worship which would be unacceptable for a Christian.  What could this persecution mean for an individual?

 

“Nero was quite insane, and is reported to have tortured Christians with great cruelties for his own enjoyment. According to the Roman historian Tacitus:

Besides being put to death they [the Christians] were made to serve as objects of amusement; they were clad in the hides of beast and torn to death by dogs; others were crucified, others set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylight failed.”

 

“It’s all good”, would seem like a hollow response at best.

 

In the Book of Revelation, John gave the persecuted church a future with eternal hope through these words:

 

“And he pointed out to me a river of pure Water of Life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, ² coursing down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew Trees of Life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month; the leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. ³ There shall be nothing in the city that is evil; for the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.”          TLB

 

For the first century believers, as well as for us, these words bring great hope. It’s not that “it’s all good”, but we can have faith in a loving sovereign God that He has a future for us without pain and suffering. In other words, evil and pain do not have the last word… God does.

 

 

 

Now THAT IS all good.