No Life Without Jesus

I recently received a large, colour brochure about an upcoming performance of Shen Yun which is an outreach funded by the religious group Falun Gong.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, alarm bells start ringing when I read of this group and how all spiritual authority is vested only in teachings of Falun Gong's founder, Li Hongzhi.  While the dance performance looks to be very colourful, performed by skilled dancers and accompanied by orchestral music, going to a show does not interest me in the slightest because of the clear connection with a group whose teachings are not of Jesus Christ.

The flier contained a quote that grabbed my attention more than the vivid colours which encouraged people to see the show:  "Go see it to believe it, because otherwise, you are going to miss the most important thing in your life."  This is a very interesting thing to say as it runs absolutely contrary to the revelation of Jesus who was born of a virgin, died on the cross, rose from the dead and ascended to heaven 40 days later before hundreds of witnesses.  When Thomas said he would not believe unless he saw Jesus in person, touched His hands where the nails pierced them and reached into Jesus' side where a spear pierced Him.  8 days later Jesus appeared in the midst of His disciples, said "Peace be unto you," and singled Thomas out because He knew (without being informed) what Thomas had said.

John 20:27-29 reads, "Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." ²⁸ And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" ²⁹ Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  After Christ's resurrection, Thomas did not see Jesus or know how to find Him to believe, but Jesus graciously sought him out, found him and spoke with him.  Jesus made Himself unmissable to Thomas and all humanity since, for the heavens declare His glory, and His word and disciples have spread the message of Jesus being the Way, the Truth and the Life everywhere.  Thomas was blessed to recognise Jesus as His LORD and God, and we are blessed to believe in Him even when we have not touched His hands or side.

How could watching a show or adhering to the teachings of Li Hongzhi or anyone else provide what Jesus freely gives all who believe and follow Him?  Who else provides assurance of eternal life by dying and rising from the dead?  John 20:30-31 says, "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."  There is nothing wrong with going to a show or watching skillful performers on a stage, but it could never be the most important thing in your life the Bible compares to a vapour, grass that grows and quickly withers, a breath exhaled in the light of eternity.  Through God's word and this post the message of grace, forgiveness, and salvation through the Gospel has come to you.  Do you believe Jesus is the Christ?  Without Him, there is no life!  Jesus has come that we may have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

Holiness in Christ

Under the Law of Moses, God commanded to keep the sabbath day holy (Exodus 20:8).  After creating the heavens and earth in 6 days, God rested on the seventh day, blessed it and made it holy.  Later in the book of Exodus, God explained how the sabbath was a sign to the Jewish people, not only that He created the heavens and earth in 6 days but that He made them holy, sanctified as His people.  Exodus 31:12-13 (LSB) says, "Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ¹³ "But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall surely keep My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am Yahweh who makes you holy."  Even under the Law of Moses, it was God--not the keeping of ordinances--that made them holy, set apart and sanctified.

God's people were made holy by God, and they were also commanded to be holy--to sanctify themselves unto God by keeping His commands, doing what is right in His eyes.  Their privileged position was to be adorned by a lifestyle of holiness to God.  Passages like Leviticus 19:1-4 emphasise this point:  "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ² "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. ³ 'Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. ⁴ 'Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves molded gods: I am the LORD your God."  Having been made holy by God, they were to lead holy lives.  God chose them, and their choice was to trust and obey Him.

The covenant of Law God made with Israel was fulfilled by Jesus who established a new covenant in His own blood, that all who repent of sin and trust in Him will be forgiven, redeemed and adopted as children of God by His grace.  Consider what Peter wrote to Christians--both Jews and Gentiles who have received Jesus by faith--in 1 Peter 2:4-5:  "Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."  He continued in 1 Peter 2:9-10:  "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

God blessed the sabbath and hallowed it, and Jesus is the Sabbath rest for all who have received the Gospel, those whom Peter referred to as a "holy priesthood" and a "holy nation."  Rather than submitting to ordinances or traditions of men, we are made holy by faith in Christ and are called to submit to Him by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Since Christians have been raised to life with Christ, the Law that condemned us was nailed to the cross, and Jesus triumphed over all satanic power and authority, Paul wrote in Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV), "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."  Holiness is not obtained by keeping the sabbath day according to Law but by faith in Jesus Christ.  It is by spiritual regeneration and obedience to Him that we heed His command to "Be holy, for I am holy."

Excellence of Love

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul spoke of God's love being the most important thing in the life of a believer--which must have been a shock even to the believers to whom it was addressed.  Paul began the chapter with examples of radical personal sacrifice and supernatural power, yet without God's love it such acts were empty and worthless.  Let us consider Paul's claims one at a time to see how exquisite and amazing God's love truly is above what is commonly valued in the world and church alike.

1 Corinthians 13:1 says, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal."  In Paul's day, the Greeks were known for their famous orators who were masters of the "persuasive arts."  In public speaking, they utilised the pillars of credibility, emotion and logic to develop persuasive arguments to sway men to their side.  For all their skill in rhetoric these men did not speak in the tongues of angels, yet even if they did their powers of persuasion would be like a clanging cymbal without love.  People drew near to orators at Mars Hill to hear a new thing out of curiosity, but their fine words without love were jarring, senseless noise that would drive people away.

Paul continued in 1 Corinthians 13:2, "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."  Prophets were revered and respected in Israel, for the LORD instructed, warned and spoke to His people of what was to come through their testimony.  To operate in a prophetic gift, to understand all mysteries and have all knowledge would be most notable, for even Solomon in His glory did not reach such heights.  The person who had all faith and could miraculously remove mountains would be treated as a god by some, yet without love this one with all faith in God would be nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3 concluded, "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."  People who do not do so themselves respect those who gives generously to people in need.  Paul said if he was to give all his goods to feed the poor and even gave his body to be burned to death, without love it would not profit him at all.  All the respect and honour he may receive from men would be worthless, and he would gain no heavenly position or reward from his torment.  Without God's love, all his giving and sacrifice would not benefit him at all.  He could save lives from starvation and sacrifice his own body with great pain, yet without love it would only mean loss.

It is amazing how the love of God in the life of a believer affects the words we speak, the things we do, and how we give.  Having received the love of God through the Gospel and the indwelling Holy Spirit, all Christians are able to walk in love towards all--even our enemies.  Not all have the same role in the church, and everyone does not share the same spiritual gifts, but we all are blessed to love God and love one another.  Loving others persuades others to consider Christ who first loved us, and though we may not be gifted in prophecy, we lack knowledge or faith, we are still useful servants of God by His love shown through us.  Because Jesus so loved us and lay down His life for our sakes, we benefit greatly presently and in the life to come by loving and serving others as we walk in His ways.  God's love guides us in the most excellent way to live. 

Thanks and Worship

Because we are people with needs and desires, we need to be intentional to express thankfulness to God.  If we are primarily focused on what we lack, we might not consider how God has always been faithful to meet our needs--regardless how we feel at the moment.  When we focus on what others have and we do not have, we can become bitter and without gratitude for all God has done for us.  Should we focus on what we have, we are easily lifted up with pride when our possessions exceed others or we can feel down when we have little by comparison.

I was reading through ministry material today that reminded me how thankfulness is worship.  When we worship God, freely giving Him the honour and glory He is due, it works to humble our hearts before God.  Those who humble themselves with thanksgiving and gratitude to God are those He will lift up.  We do not express gratitude to God with the aim to gain but with contentment and joy for who He is, all He has done and given us according to the riches of His grace.  What do we have that we did not first receive? (1 Corinthians 4:7)  How good it is for us give God the praise and thanks He is due!  In exalting the almighty God, we are encouraged in faith.  By proclaiming publicly what God has done for us privately, we delight to make Jesus our boast.

Psalm 100:4-5 exhorts God's people, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. ⁵ For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."  To know God by entering the Door--by grace through faith in Jesus--means to enter His kingdom and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace, very sweet fruit indeed!  We have been thankful to people for kindness shown to us:  hasn't God's goodness and kindness to us been infinitely greater?  Shouldn't we thank God and bless His name because He is always good?  All the resources on this planet are limited and soon gone, yet God's mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 95:6 says, "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker."  How blessed we are to be called and chosen as children of God, the people of His pasture.  Our awesome God is good, and we ought to express our eternal gratitude every day.  As we bow our knees before our LORD God in adoration, may we thank Him with our lips from the heart.