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'More than two thousand years ago, there was a Man born contrary to the laws of life. This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He did not travel extensively. Only once did He cross the boundary of the country in which He lived; that was during His exile in childhood.He possessed neither wealth nor influence. His relatives were inconspicuous and had neither training nor formal education.
In infancy He startled a king;
in childhood He puzzled doctors;
in manhood He ruled the course of nature, walked upon the waves as pavement, and hushed the sea to sleep.
He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His service.
He never wrote a book, and yet perhaps all the libraries of the world could not hold the books that have been written about Him.
He never wrote a song, and yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all the songwriters combined.
He never founded a college, but all the schools put together cannot boast of having as many students.
He never marshaled an army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun; and yet no leader ever had more volunteers who have, under His orders, made more rebels stack arms and surrender without a shot fired.
He never practiced psychiatry, and yet He has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors far and near.
Once each week multitudes congregate at worshiping assemblies to pay homage and respect to Him.
The names of the past, proud statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone.
The names of the past scientists, philosophers, and theologians have come and gone. But the name of this Man multiplies more and more. Though time has spread nearly two thousand years between the people of this generation and the mockers at His crucifixion, He still lives. His enemies could not destroy Him, and the grave could not hold Him.
He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints, and feared by devils, as the risen, personal Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
We are either going to be forever with Him, or forever without Him. It was the incomparable Christ who said:
"Come to Me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28)
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through Me."
(John 14:6)
"There is one God and one mediator
between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus."
(1 Timothy 2:5)
THEREFORE:
"Believe in the Lord Jesus,
and you will be saved."
(Acts 16:31)
'This Man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He did not travel extensively. Only once did He cross the boundary of the country in which He lived; that was during His exile in childhood.He possessed neither wealth nor influence. His relatives were inconspicuous and had neither training nor formal education'.
ReplyDeleteThe Church has come a long way from its origins. Has it missed the point somewhere?
Thanks, Anonymous, for stating the obvious, though from an outsider's point of view, else how could you ask the loaded question "Has it missed the point somewhere?"
ReplyDeleteWe know that the institutional church in all of its manifestations is "a city set upon a hill that cannot be hid," and so anyone passing by can look at it in the glory or in the humiliation of its past and present condition. It takes as much faith to believe that what we are seeing as the Church is the Body of Christ as it does to look upon the man Jesus of Nazareth and believe that He is God, the Almighty. Yet He is, and so where does it leave us with regard to the Church?
Mocked, derided, stripped, scarred, gashed, sundered and pierced, the Body of Christ suffers with Jesus throughout all ages till the end of time and His return. Where we stand, what our response must be to His question, "And who do you say I am?" will also show us where we stand with regard to the Church. Though we see its faults, we also see and participate in its faith, and if we wait for Him at all, we must wait for Him with her, His Bride.
I wonder who has really missed the point.