‘SOME THINGS HARD TO UNDERSTAND’

In what is commonly referred to as Jesus’ sermon on the mount, referring to His resurrection promises, Jesus said to His disciples, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:3-14).

In the same way that God has called us as believers in Christ to be salt and light to the earth despite what opposition may come, both the Apostle Peter and the writer of Hebrews spoke of the long-suffering nature of Christ being our Salvation.

GUARD YOUR LIPS FROM TELLING LIES

When I was a young child, my parents bought a number of Scripture in Song music tapes distributed by Scripture in Song recordings Ltd. in New Zealand. These songs were taken straight from Scripture and recorded by David and Dale Garratt of New Zealand. We used to play and sing their music often in our home. They helped to instruct us as children in the right ways of living according to the word of the Lord and brought God’s presence both into our hearts and into our home. One of the songs I clearly remember learning was taken straight out of 1 Peter 3:10 (TLB). “If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard your lips from telling lies, and guard your lips from telling lies, and guard your lips from telling lies, if you want a happy good life.” That particular song had made such an impact on my young life, because as a young child and for a period of time, I had been having great difficulty in the area of lying. It was a sin that had become progressively worse over a period of time.

OUR GREATEST NEED

Our greatest need, is for each one of us to know and believe that we are loved and that we are fully accepted IN Christ Jesus. That means, we can ‘walk out’ our own spiritual walk, with humility, minding our own business, doing only what Christ has called us to do, whilst keeping a right standing with God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is our own obedience for which we are answerable to God, not someone else’s. Doing things this way, will bring much increase, not only into our own lives, but into the lives of others as well (and it makes us much nicer people to be around). In his letter to the church of the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul writes,

“But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you” (1 Thessalonians 4:9-11).

A MESSENGER FROM THE KING

All four Gospels of the New Testament, in their first few chapters, testify of one whom the prophets had spoken of, saying, “Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me” (Malachi 3:1, KJV). This messenger was known as John the Baptist, He was “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God’” (Isaiah 40:3, NKJV).

John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2). Clothed in camel hair, with a belt of leather about his waist, John preached a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, preparing the hearts of the people to understand that they were in desperate need of a Saviour. All this took place before the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross, when their redemption would be made complete! John then baptized in the Jordan River, all those who came to him.

“John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1:4-6).

• JOHN’S BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE CAME BEFORE THE ATONING SACRIFICE OF CHRIST.
• BUT THOUGH MANY WERE BAPTIZED, NOT ALL WERE PRODUCING LIVING FRUIT!