Posted on

Our God, He Is Alive

Because it acts like He is dead or never existed, the world tells us that everything we see exists by accident or macro-evolution.  But, no matter how smart or advanced man thinks he has become, he cannot explain how something came from nothing, complexity evolved from chaos, how life arose from non-life, or how morality developed from instinct.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:19-22).

Rather, because “Our God, He Is Alive,” God is able to help us in many ways here and in eternity.

I.  John 1:1-3.  In the first and second stanzas of the song, God is able to help us as our Creator (Isaiah 40:28-31) and Communicator (2 Timothy 3:16-17):

There is, beyond the azure blue, A God, concealed from human sight, He tinted skies with heav’nly hue And framed the worlds with His great might.

There was, a long, long time ago, A God the prophets heard, He is the God that we should know, Who speaks from His inspired Word.

II. Colossians 1:15-20.  The third stanza shows God as Omnipotent (1 Corinthians 1:21-25) and Omniscient (Isaiah 55:8-9, Matthew 7:7-8):

Secure, is life from mortal mind, God holds the germ within His hand, Tho’ men may search, they cannot find, For God alone does understand.

III.  John 8:34-36.  The fourth stanza explains that because Jesus was our Sacrifice, He can also be our Savior (Romans 3:21-26):

Our God, whose Son upon a tree, A life was willing there to give, That He from sin might set man free, And evermore with Him could live.

Because we know that we serve a risen Savior, we see how He continues to help us in our daily walk with Him and prepares us for eternity, so we can declare to an unbelieving world that …

There is a God, He is alive, in Him we live, and we survive; From dust our God created man, He is our God, the great I AM.

Posted on

So That You Might Follow

I remember trudging behind my dad in the deep snow when I was little.  My short legs had a hard time just lifting out of the hole.  At some point he must have looked back to see me struggling because he began encouraging me and lessening the length of his stride.

We think of the gospel as only Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, but His incarnation and intercession are essential as well.  John 1:14 tells us, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us ….”  There’s more than just His work on the cross and tomb; Jesus’ example shows us how to live our lives in the flesh (1 Peter 2:21-24) … and His footsteps are not always easy to follow!

I.  1 Peter 3:8-11.  We are called to follow Jesus’ example, but His steps lead through Gethsemane and onto Golgotha.  He did all that because of our sin and for our sin.  What a heavy burden it was to bear, and what a burden we too must bear if we truly place our feet in the deep depressions His feet have made.  But, we see the cross as God’s wisdom and power.

II.  1 Corinthians 1:18-29.  Jesus led by facing whatever challenges were before Him by faith.  He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly, and so must we!  Through that same lens of faith, the ‘nots’ see the world differently.  As Jesus’ suffering brings a blessing to us, we consider wise the things the world finds foolish and find a stepping stone in what the world considers a scandal.

III.  Acts 2:22-39.  Jesus did all of that so we might die to sins and live for righteousness.  Many choose not to after they initially obey the gospel by believing, confessing ‘Jesus is Lord,’ repenting, and being baptized into Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.  Faithful living, however, must characterize the lives of the ‘nots’ as all we have to boast in is Jesus’ faithful walk while in the flesh.

Obeying the gospel is an event; living as a new creation takes a lifetime.  Jesus gave us an example of how to do it.  The path is difficult, but He is with you.  Are you willing to follow in His steps?

 

Posted on

Where He Leads, I’ll Follow

In A Christmas Story set in post-WWII America, Ralphie swears while helping his dad change a flat tire but doesn’t want to let his parents know that he had heard that word from his father when his dad daily battled their ancient furnace.  Fathers can be a bad example or a good one to their kids; they are certainly always influencing and leading.  Our heavenly Father’s example is always good, and He always leads us in good ways.  Are you following where He leads?

I. Matthew 8:18-22.  As Jesus urges His disciples to go across the Sea of Galilee when the Capernaum crowd begins to press in upon Him, a scribe asks to follow.  Jesus tells him of the hard life that will befall those who obey the gospel (Ephesians 2:1-6) and don’t make this world their home (2 Corinthians 5:1-4).  But it is a life full of sweet promises as the title song tells us:

Sweet are the promises, Kind is the word, Dearer far than any message man ever heard; Pure was the mind of Christ, Sinless I see; He the great example is, and pattern for me.

II. John 13:12-38.  Another disciple coming to Jesus at the same time desires to follow Jesus as well but wants to wait until his father dies.  Jesus tells him that following Jesus has urgency and priority in life.  So much love did He have for the living that He doesn’t want us to die outside of Him.  So, He led the way for us to love others by giving us the example of dying for them (1 John 3:16-18).

Sweet is the tender love Jesus hath shown, Sweeter far than any love that mortals have known; Kind to the erring one, Faithful is He; He the great example is, and pattern for me.

III.  Matthew 11:25-30.  Peter state emphatically that he will follow Jesus even to death but is told that he will soon deny Jesus three times.  Actions speak louder than words, and Jesus’ led to the cross.  So, we have a traveling companion in our following so we won’t grow weary.  We can believe or trust or lean upon our Savior who leads the way (is the Way) to our eternal home (John 14:1-6).

List to His loving words, “Come unto Me!” Weary, heavy laden, there is sweet rest for thee; Trust in His promises, Faithful and sure; Lean upon the Savior and thy soul is secure.

There’s determination in the chorus: Where He leads I’ll follow, Follow all the way; Where He leads I’ll follow, Follow Jesus ev’ry day.  You may sing, “Where He Leads, I’ll Follow,” but do you?