Lessons from the Road to Emmaus

One of the most significant events after the resurrection was an encounter between Jesus and two men on the well traveled road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. It happened on that very Sunday afternoon, the day of His rising from the grave.

The encounter is profiled in Luke 24:13-35. Two men walking... one by the name of Cleopas and his traveling companion who is never named in any biblical reference to this extraordinary encounter.

These two men on the road to Emmaus had just experienced a faith-shaking body blow by seeing Christ die on the cross. Like all the disciples, they couldn't understand the death of Jesus. Like most all followers of Christ, they had high hopes that Jesus would restore the throne of David, repel the Romans and restore Israel to power and prominence. For them... Christ had failed. He was gone and that was the end of their confidence. While walking, they would have been discussing the "what ifs" of the final week in Jerusalem, wondering "why this and that" had happened the way it did. Their walk home to Emmaus, was a walk of discouragement, a walk of sadness, of disillusionment, of lost hope, broken dreams and stolen futures.   Verse 17 sums up their condition... “they stood still, their faces downcast.” The stage is set for this timely encounter with the risen Lord Jesus.

Along comes Jesus heading towards Emmaus. He walks right up to them. But they don’t recognize him at all. Why didn’t they recognize him?

We know they’re extremely downhearted about the death of Jesus. Can pain and anguish cloud a person’s ability to see something you would otherwise easily recognize? Human pain and suffering can do that. It can give the illusion that we're all alone and we do not recognize those around us, even our closest friends. Could it have been their lack of expectation regarding Jesus? Jesus had died. They believed death was final, so they did not expect to see Jesus again. Even if this man looked like Jesus, it could not be Him. He was dead. Or could it be that they were kept from recognizing Him? Could it be that they were being taught a new way of seeing Jesus?

It’s worth noting that they weren’t the only ones who, in their pain and anguish, had a problem recognizing Jesus after His resurrection. Mary Magdalene thought Jesus was a gardener at first, until He said her name. The eleven Disciples thought He was a ghost until He invited them to touch Him. Thomas wouldn’t even acknowledge the possibility that Jesus was alive and said he won’t believe until he saw and touched the wounds. In each of these encounters, Jesus was not recognized right away. In each case something happened that opened their eyes to the startling realization... it's Jesus!

The Bible does not suggest that there was any form of disguise or intentional clouding of the eyes of these two fellows. So it’s reasonable to conclude that their obsession with Christ's perceived failure at Calvary and being so self-absorbed in grief, led to their failure to recognize Him. They simply couldn't recognize Jesus because they rejected His death and clung to their own ideas of who Jesus should have been and what He should have done.

So, what does Jesus do? He engages them in conversation by asking them many questions. They couldn't believe that anyone could have been in Jerusalem during the past week and not know what had happened. Nonetheless, they faithfully recounted to Him what they knew. As they did, it was obvious they had first-hand information. They were eye witnesses. Everything said was in harmony with Gospel teaching about Jesus’ final week. They even made reference to Christ's possible resurrection, although they did not acknowledge it as a possibility.

These two guys walking along with Jesus, had the benefit of Christ's personal tutoring. However, Jesus delivers a stern rebuke, but in a tender light-hearted way. As they continue to walk together, Jesus, through the Word, gave them a divine and positive perspective on what they had witnessed in Jerusalem.  

So what happens as they draw closer to Emmaus? They invite Jesus, yet unknown to them, to their home to share a meal. Jesus would probably have walked on if not for their insistent and urgent extension of hospitality. Then, once at the table, their respective roles reversed. Jesus, the invited guest, becomes their host and they became his guests. When He broke the bread, their eye’s were opened and they recognized Him and then He vanishes!

Once their eyes were opened to the truths He has taught them, Jesus became visible to their physical eyes.    This was more than simple recognition of His physical features.  They came to recognize Jesus in all His significance as the Messiah, the Son of God, and their risen Lord and all that it means for them and their lives!  And it came through understanding the Word as Jesus instructed them on the road. Now what do they do?

Overwhelmed with joy... they rushed the seven miles to Jerusalem... a risky journey in darkness. There they shared their testimony with the other disciples. What a change had taken place. Earlier on that day... they had left Jerusalem heading home to Emmaus, full of sorrow and sadness at the death of Jesus Christ. Now they were overjoyed at seeing Him and learning the true purpose of Jesus mission and the meaning of the cross.

These two men aren’t the only people who have a hard time seeing Jesus because of confusion, pain, sorrow, and maybe a bit of resistance and stubbornness.  You and I often react the very same way. 

When we are in pain, when things aren’t going well in life, when problems seem to never go away, it is hard to recognize Jesus’ presence in our lives. We are more likely to cry out like Jesus Himself did, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” than to say, “Thank You, Jesus, for being with me in everything I’m experiencing in my life right now... the good and the bad.” 

Let’s face it... life is sometimes hard and painful. But that is when we experience the most learning and growing, if we let ourselves.  That is when we have the greatest opportunity to encounter Jesus – to be witnesses to His power and presence in our lives... if we will just allow our “eyes and ears” to be opened.

It’s hard to see things from a spiritual perspective, especially when we’re going through hard times. Our perspective will almost always lack the needed spiritual dimension to see and comprehend the things God is trying to teach us. We become self-absorbed in our suffering and fail to see the bigger picture.

The same God who spoke the words that created all things, speaks His Word again and again to us every day.  How many of us have lived apart from God’s Word, and then wondered why we’re in the messes we find ourselves in?  How many times have we cried out to God wondering where He is, while His Word... our Bibles sits on a book shelf collecting dust?

What these disciples on the road to Emmaus learned is essential for us to learn. The way in which they were taught to “see” Jesus is the way we, who have never seen Jesus physically, are to “see” and recognize Him. In Christ we have the grace and senses needed to see Him. Just because we don't recognize or hear Him physically doesn't mean that He is not with us. We need to learn where and how we can see and hear Him.

We all travel a bumpy road through life with many curves and turns.  It is not unusual for us to feel at times like everything is out of control in our lives. It’s so easy for us to forget that Jesus is with us.  We spend way too much time beating ourselves up, feeling that God is a long way off and wondering if everything we’re trying to do is an exercise in futility. 

The whole time, Jesus is always available to walk with us on our road. He is waiting for us to ask Him for help along the pathways of a life lived in commitment to Him.  When we listen we hear... when we ask for help we understand.  Talk with Him daily... in prayer.  Walk with Him, totally dependent on Him... through the travails of your life and you will find joy, peace, contentment and “a heart burning with desire” because... we clearly see Him.

Once more... Remember the Cross

The ancient prophet Isaiah described a most unusual picture of a man, a suffering servant, who would be offered up as a literal sacrifice, an offering for guilt to God Almighty. The 53rd chapter of Isaiah records a poignant picture of the events that would mark the life, servant spirit and final moments of Jesus, a man from Nazareth, our Savior and Redeemer, the Christ.

This Easter week which culminates in Resurrection Sunday, may you never forget what was done for you in tears, pain and blood to free you from the toil of sin.

Jesus made the way... paved the road and built the bridge to God the Father by the Cross.

Isaiah 53
 1 Who has believed our message
       and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
       and like a root out of dry ground.
       He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
       nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
 3 He was despised and rejected by men,
       a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
       Like one from whom men hide their faces
       he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
 4 Surely he took up our infirmities
       and carried our sorrows,
       yet we considered him stricken by God,
       smitten by him, and afflicted.
 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
       he was crushed for our iniquities;
       the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
       and by his wounds we are healed.
 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
       each of us has turned to his own way;
       and the LORD has laid on him
       the iniquity of us all.
 7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
       yet he did not open his mouth;
       he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
       and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
       so he did not open his mouth.
 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
       And who can speak of his descendants?
       For he was cut off from the land of the living;
       for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
       and with the rich in his death,
       though he had done no violence,
       nor was any deceit in his mouth.
 10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
       and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
       he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
       and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
 11 After the suffering of his soul,
       he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
       by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
       and he will bear their iniquities.
 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
       and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
       because he poured out his life unto death,
       and was numbered with the transgressors.
       For he bore the sin of many,
       and made intercession for the transgressors.

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of all mankind, was whipped, beaten and nailed to the cross for our sins. He gave up his life freely and by his blood alone paid an unimaginable price for the sins of humanity.

Jesus didn't come as a king or a mighty warrior, but as a humble servant and teacher. He was then on the cross and is today in heavenly glory... our gateway to an eternal and everlasting relationship with the Living God.

We are all sinners in need of the forgiveness that is extended to us through the simple belief that God loves us and sent His one and only Son to die in our place on the cross, as payment for all the sin of humanity. By this selfless act of love... Jesus in his pure and undefiled sacrifice... restored man to God.
 
Remember Him today, this week and throughout the years to come. Live your life in harmony with His will and purpose. May you have a joyous Easter as you celebrate and remember the glory that Jesus, the Christ has purchased for you!

The Shadow the Cross... is it Working in Your Life?

As Easter approaches... it’s again time to reflect on the events and symbols of that momenteous day and time in human history.

The Cross stands eternal. A monument of suffering and victory, of sacrifice and salvation, of unimaginable love and promise. Nothing that has ever existed in wood or stone, no ediface of man’s hand, no natural wonder of creation casts such a powerful and far-reaching shadow over the entire world... as does the Cross of Christ.

The Cross is much more than a symbol and monument, it’s an agent of change. However, even in it’s powerful shadow, any change it can prompt, motivate and shepherd is entirely up to you. Availing yourself of the benefits of the Cross of Christ is a personal choice. Its power and healing looms large for anyone who desires to embrace it.

Have you realized a personal victory from your old and sinful nature since you've become a Christian? Or are you still "stuck" in a major rut, trapped by your old thinking patterns and unhealthy behaviors?

Romans 6:6-7 is a reminder that your "old" nature, your "old" manner - your "old" self - was crucified and died with Jesus when He was crucified on the cross. Anyone who embraces the Cross of Christ can be free from the powers of sin. You have only two options that will rule your life... you must choose. Christ or the things of the World. The world is in the hands of Satan and will eventually consume you by its corruption and sin. However, committing your life to Christ brings true freedom. Because of His love in going to the cross for you, He has defeated the power of sin and its hold on you. You can escape its influence in your life if you want to. In Christ, your old nature has died, you are now free from sin and the way you used to live before you accepted Jesus into your life.

Our old nature, our old self did things that alienated us from God. This old nature was inherited from Adam and Eve, who brought sin into the world. (Romans 5:12) We used to live life without the help of God's Holy Spirit, who can now live inside every Christian. We were unable to live the kind of life that glorified God. We were unable to make behavior changes that we knew would be healthy for us... healthy in mind, body and spirit. Before the cross... nothing we could do could please God. But now with the benefits available because of the cross, we are acceptable and pleasing to God... thanks to the Cross of Christ.

Because of what Jesus did on the cross at Calvary, we now have a new nature and we can live in triumph over death and sin and our old ways of living. (Romans 5:17-19) Committed, faithful and obedient Christians enjoy a right-standing with God. We are now righteous in His eyes, because of what Jesus did and our faith in what the Word of God says. We are free to live in the power of the cross. This, accompanied with the power that we have within... God's Holy Spirit, enables us to live life fully.

It should enable us to live life with less frustration and turmoil. Sure, we will still struggle in some areas, and we may experience personal pain, anguish and sorrow, but we should be able to enjoy significant victory over the way we used to live, because of the cross and because of the power that we now have.

Life’s difficulties are minimized and marginalized as we bask in the transforming powers of the leading and guiding Holy Spirit. We have the same power in us that raised Jesus from His tomb! The Holy Spirit living in us gives us the power to live the Christian life. (Ephesians 1:19-20) This is a benefit of the Cross of Christ. The indwelling Holy Spirit is only available to those who choose to let Christ lead your life. This power can enable us to make the kind of behavior changes that we know will make us spiritually healthy.

A key for all of us is to continuously acknowledge to God, in prayer, that we can do nothing without Him. We are unable to make transforming life changes by our own strength... in the abilities of our old nature and that we are strongest in our weakness and that the ability to experience change comes only in God's strength and power... the Holy Spirit. (2 Cor. 12:9 and Isaiah 40:28-31)

Thank Jesus everyday for what He did on the cross.

Have you fully recognized and understand what He did? If you've accepted Christ as your Savior and been baptized for remission of your sins, then your "old" nature died on the cross with Him. Are you living life in the shadow of that enabling power?

Are you allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to work in your life to make the lifestyle changes in you that God desires to make in you?

Are you regularly admitting to God that you do not have the ability to live a life pleasing to Him without His power to do so?

Now is the time to renovate your life and enjoy a life of freedom in the Shadow of the Cross.

Walking in Step with the Lord

I came across this affirmation of one man’s faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe... it should be posted on a wall in our houses, so we can see it everyday.

I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed.
I have the power of the Holy Spirit within me.
The die has been cast.
I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made.
There's no retreat... no going back.
I'm a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure.

I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity.

I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded.

I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, live by prayer and labor by [His] power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I love Him deeply.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know and work till He stops me.

And when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me -- my banner will be clear!

Are you a Christian? Can you relate to the words of this unnamed man who toils for the Lord in some remote and desolate region of Africa? Maybe it's time to think about renovating your heart and living your life in the middle of His Will and Purpose.

Serving God... is great gain!

Life’s Journey in the Shadow of the Cross

“Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:38

Not worthy of me? Jesus sets the standard and requirements to be accepted as one of His genuine sanctified and spirit empowered followers. We have nothing to do with it. Our role is to "bear our cross".

It’s starts with our willingness to pay the price to follow Him. To live a life in sacrificial love and obedience to His will, not ours. His cross and His sacrifice for us gives Him the rightful basis for setting the standards so high. No one is forced or coerced into accepting a life in the shadow of the cross... but if you do, then you must live your live as Jesus requires.

This is the pivotal issue when it comes to our devotion to Christ. Jesus set this in cement when He said, “anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:38). If we refuse to bear the cross we are given, then we can’t really call ourselves followers of Christ.

Since the stakes are so high, let me take a minute to clarify what it means to bear a cross for Christ. Cross-bearing is when I am willing to endure suffering that comes as a result of being known as a Christian. Cross-bearing requires a willing heart. Our experiences in life will bring us to many crossroads where we must choose: Christ or comfort, Jesus or ease, worship or wealth, our gods or the one and only true GOD. Followers of Jesus make these hard choices because of who Jesus is—the Son of God, He is eternally worthy of our whole existence.

Being Christian is not easy. I wish it was! Don’t you often wonder why Jesus drew such a hard line in the sand when it came to cross-bearing? I mean, why couldn’t the Christian life be just a bit more of a cakewalk?

And then I think it’s because He knew that living to please our Father in heaven would be a rough assignment in a world controlled by the arch enemy of God... Satan. During His ministry on earth, Jesus endured painful rejection, cruel and unfair criticism, marginalization, physical torture, and finally humiliating crucifixion—all to be faithful to God the Father. For Christians, spiritually speaking, this world is a tough and and hostile place to live.

It’s not all gloomy, cross-bearing does not exclude us from the grace of good times and the enjoyment of things He has provided for us. Thank God for the grace of seasons where our crosses can be lighter. But cross-bearing that pleases our Master, will always mean that, when push comes to shove, we choose the “Jesus way” even if it means loss, pain, sorrow and suffering.

Regardless of life’s challenges and maybe suffering, we can use these “seasons of difficulty” to lift Jesus up to a skeptical world. There is no better time to influence people to Jesus, to proclaim the gospel than during the times of our lives when the going is hard. It is during these times that we can point to Christ as our source of strength and our power of everyday living, because there’s no way we could be faithful and obedient, persevering through hardships, without the Holy Spirit working in our lives. The Holy Spirit will only be in us, working through us, IF we are “bearing our cross” as Christ has commanded. if He is the central focus of our lives, then we can be assured of his constant assistance in every part of our lives... including finding joy amidst suffering.

A hard question.... is Jesus worth everything and anything to you? What will you decide the next time you have to choose between carrying your cross and laying it down for a more comfortable stress free life?

Authentic followers of Jesus are joyful to bear their crosses... to prove to our Master that He is more important than anything else in this life! 

Can you say NO to yourself?

If you don't take care of Yourself…..no one else will. Say no to others and yes to Yourself. When you give to others, it reduces the amount of resources you have left for Yourself. It’s all about balancing selfishness with selflessness. Always remember... YOU first.

I got your attention, didn’t I? So... what do we have here... self-centered deeply flawed worldly thinking. While it may be flawed... it is a very popular and alluring philosophy of the world.

Can you say “no” to yourself? What about spending money? What are the priorities in your life for spending your money? Where does it go? Can you walk through the local Mall without dropping a few hundred bucks on things you don’t really need? We lust after many things... a new car... a boat... the time-share condo... luxury vacations... latest fashions... jewelry... anything and everything to make us feel good. Things, stuff, pursuits, become like gods to us. I once heard someone give this advice... “hey, when you’re down and feeling sad, go out and buy yourself something nice and you’ll feel better.”

How about over-indulging in food and drink...over-eating? Can you back away from the dinner table when your body signals that your hunger is satisfied, or do you keep shoveling it in? If you’re looking in the mirror and complaining about your weight, then maybe you’re not saying saying no often enough.

Followers of Christ, must become experts” at saying “no” to things that distract us and deflect our time and attention away from the direction our lives must take to please God. Jesus provided a large dose of “shock therapy” on the subject of saying “no” for his followers, as He journeyed to the cross. In a nutshell, here’s what He said...

Deny yourself, carry your cross, and be willing to give your life for Me.  (Matt. 16:24,25; Mark 8:34,35; Luke 9:23,24) Harsh words... tough to hear and hard to understand.

What did Jesus mean when He said... to be His disciples, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and give our lives for Him? In the context of these passages, Jesus had been predicting His death. Peter rebuked Him, and Jesus responded to Peter. Then Jesus made these profound statements... in effect, raising the bar... the standard required to be a true follower.

What does it mean to “deny ones self”? Denying self requires us to give up anything that we would want that would hinder our doing the will of God. This does not mean that if we want or need something, it is necessarily a wrong desire. It means we must take our wants and desires down from the high places in our lives and place Jesus and His will at the center of all we think, want and do. It’s a matter of leadership in your life. Do you control you, or does Jesus control you? Jesus must become the governing power in your life. There is room in our lives for only one master (Matt. 6:19-24). If God is to rule in our lives, then our will must be made subservient to His. We must be willing to give up anything in our life in order to please God. (Rom. 12:1,2; Matt. 6:33; Luke 14:25-33; 2 Cor. 5:14,15)

Can you say No? The starting point in a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ is to "deny" ourselves. Do you want a deeper spiritual relationship with Jesus? It starts with making “you” and what you want the least, and Him and what He wants the most. It starts by saying "NO" to yourself. This is a complete denial of self in favor of Jesus. Peter had objected to Jesus dying. Jesus told Peter and His disciples simply that they must be willing to die to themselves in every way - including the real possibility of physical death. The early Christians did die to themselves... by torture, fire, and in the Roman Coliseum. Ask yourself... what are you willing to give up, to be an effective witness for Jesus? Are you willing to deny yourself the pursuits of pleasure, wealth and material possessions? Are you willing to put the Great Commission and the needs of widows and orphans... first... ahead of everything you want, everyday of your life? Denying Self... learning to say NO to yourself leads to a life of bearing one’s cross, another part of Jesus cryptic words. What does “bearing one’s cross” mean?

Let’s begin with what Jesus didn’t mean. Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives, such as a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness. With self-pitying pride, you often hear, “That’s my cross I have to bear.” Such an interpretation is not what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”



When Jesus carried His cross up Golgotha to be crucified, no one was thinking of the cross as symbolic of a burden to carry. To any person in the first-century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only... death by the most painful and humiliating means human beings could develop.



Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented nothing but torturous death. Because the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion, bearing a cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death.



Therefore, “Take up your cross and follow Me” metaphorically means “dying to self” in order to follow Jesus. It’s a call to absolute surrender. Taking up your cross means... giving your whole life to God, as Jesus was about to give His life for all humanity. Certainly this involves bearing personal burdens, but it is much deeper than that. It is a total dedication of your life to Christ’s will and purpose, not yours. Your whole life is given over without conditions to His service. Following Him requires us to live our lives as He lived His life (I Pet. 2:21; Matt. 10:34,35; I Cor. 11:1).

The same passage as recorded by Luke adds frequency... "take up your cross daily" (Luke 9:23). Christians must give their lives to God every day. Daily renewal, recommitment, reaffirmation, submission. When you commit to Christ, it’s not about you anymore... it’s all about what you can do in willing obedience to Him. Whatever He wants with your life is what you must do with it. What you want no longer matters, you give yourself to Him, just as He gave Himself for us.

Each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He issued a warning... “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:24-25). Although the call to follow Jesus is tough and the requirements are very high, all of us can do it if we want to. The reward is matchless.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly. However, the quality and depth of our true commitment to Him is revealed during hardships and trials. Jesus assured us that trials will come to His followers (John 16:33). Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost from anyone who would seek to become one of His followers.

Think hard on this harsh reality of commitment to Christ.... We are not following Jesus if we are not saying no to ourselves and being willing to suffer with Him. Jesus says it is not possible to really be one of His followers if you are not denying yourself, in favor of Him.


Are you Willing...?

If you wonder if you are ready to take up your cross, consider these questions: Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends? Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family? Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation? Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job? Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?


In some places of the world, these consequences are reality. But notice the questions are phrased, “Are you willing?” Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but are you willing to take up your cross, accepting that they might become your reality?

If ever there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?

Christians are NO part of the World and it’s Ways

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Has someone ever asked you why God in the Old Testament is portrayed as cruel and God in the New Testament is all full of love? Critics of the Bible try to make the argument that God is inconsistent from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

In the Old Testament He had the Israelites kill men, women and children when they conquered other nations. For example... "When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations--the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you... and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy." Deuteronomy 7:1-2

People take these harsh edicts out of context and use them in an attempt to prove flaws and inconsistencies in God's character. Yet if you look at the circumstances in context and try to understand why God commanded what He did, it is much easier to see what was really going on.

The Israelites were a weak people. Case in point... they succumbed to temptation many times while in the desert after leaving Egypt. God was leading them, with them, and yet they were afraid they would die. You know the stories... while Moses was up on the mountain receiving the ten commandments from God, the Israelites had Aaron make a golden calf so they could worship it. That is just one instance where they did not remember or trust God. Their weakness as a people plagued them throughout their existence as a nation.

God told them that He would give them the land of their enemies, but they must kill everyone they conquer. Conquest was assured. They were to leave no one alive. On the surface, this seems pretty cruel of God, but you don't get a true sense of what God was doing if you stop at the apparent cruelty. The people who God was going to give over to the Israelites had rejected God and were wicked evil idol worshipers who offered human sacrifices to their false gods. They had brought judgement on themselves and their children. God was using Israel’s army to carryout His judgement on these people. With this understanding, God’s actions seem more reasonable and legitimate. It is His right to judge the nations and to execute punishment for their unrepentant wickedness.

Another reason that God did not want anyone spared, was that the Israelites were so weak that even a few of these people left alive would have been enough to corrupt the Israelites into sinful acts, including worshiping idols. In fact God even stated that He did not want any of the Israelites to intermarry with any foreign peoples. This edict had nothing to do with preserving the racial purity of blood lines, and everything to do with trying to protect his chosen people from being morally and spiritually corrupted. “Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.” Deuteronomy 7:3-4

You might be thinking... this seems like an unnecessary command since the Israelites were told to destroy the people inhabiting the land God was going to give them. Again the problem was with the Israelites, not God’s commands. They had this nasty habit of not doing what God told them to do. As this passage from Judges clearly shows... “The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods. The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.” Judges 3:5-7

Moses fell on his face in the dirt many times pleading with God not to destroy the Israelites. Moses repeatedly asked God to have mercy on the Israelites. They kept sinning by succumbing to the world around them. The Israelites saw the mighty hand of God with their own eyes. Think about that... they were eye witnesses to the actions of the one, true and only living God. Yet they were quick to fall into sin and worship false gods and worthless idols.

God did not want His people contaminated by the world around them. He used the Israelites to show other peoples and nations His power. If the Israelites became contaminated by the rest of the world and continued unabated in worshiping idols and acting like everyone else in the fallen world, how could they have been a beacon of hope and purity to the sinful world around them? How could they have honored and glorified the true living God who had embraced them as His own? They could not.

Christians today must live in this sin-filled world. We must have contact with it on a daily basis. However, God calls us out of the world in the sense that we are to be above and beyond its corrupting influences. He wants us to be no part of the world, its thinking and ways. We are to be a “cut above” the world, so that His glory can shine through our lives and our actions. How else will anyone ever know that God can transform people to be truly different? If Christians are just like everyone else, why would anyone want to be one? Why put any stock in a Savior whose followers are just like everyone else? God has been trying to get sinful humanity to recognize this principle, since the fall of man.

The lives of the early Christians were dramatically changed through their devotion and commitment to God. Otherwise, no one would have even noticed them, much less followed them. Once Christ returned to heaven, no one could see Him or know Him, unless they observed the lives of His followers. The early Christians did a great job of “shining like light” of Christ’s power to transform a sinful life. People looked at the early Christians and they knew they were different. Everything about them was different... their focus, their attitudes... and their concern and love for all peoples.

Can the same be said for you today? When people look at you do they see something different from the world? There are a lot of 'good' people in the world, who try to live by a high moral standard, but they don't have a relationship with Christ. What sets you apart from those ‘good’ people? Do you look just like any other person who lives by high moral and ethical standards? Or is there something about you, that is unique and different?

Many things are not necessarily wrong in and of themselves. Paul said... "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he? Everything is permissible--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive." 1 Corinthians 10:21-23

Just because something is not wrong for us, does not mean it is good for us. Maybe even more important, is it good for others to see us in such habits and practices? I will leave to your own conscience the unending debates... such as whether a Christian should drink alcohol or smoke. Think about this... what if your drinking or smoking causes someone else to look at your life and say, "He is no different then me, so why should I bother listening to him?" Is the choice of movies you go to see potentially harmful to people observing you? Is what you are doing good for the soul of the unbeliever who sees your actions? If you are well known for breaking the speed limit, and that causes someone to not see the difference Christ has made in your life, even though in every other way you shine brightly with His glory, is speeding harmful to that person's soul? If we stand around and gossip like everyone else, are we causing someone to reject our living witness for Christ?

We carry an awesome responsibility. We must be doers of the Word. We must act and live according to the commitment we have made to Christ. As followers of Christ our lives are not our own anymore. We belong to Him. Our job is to bring others into a relationship with Him. If our lives do not reflect the glory of Christ, how will we ever be able to convince others to seek Him? Our lives are the “guideposts” that will lead people to either eternal life or eternal damnation. We may be on the right road, but which way are the guideposts of our lives pointing?

Do you know one of the biggest reasons people give for not going to church? Hypocrisy! Many people think that all Christians are hypocrites. You’ve heard the saying... out partying on Saturday night... singing hymns on Sunday morning. Or maybe co-workers see the “Christian” taking office supplies home from work while condemning others for stealing. Or maybe it’s the “words” that comes out of a Christian’s mouth when they hit their thumb with a hammer. Or condemning the evils of gambling while you the Christian go about playing the lottery in the hopes of winning millions. Don’t worry, if I win... I plan to give 15% to the church... well, maybe only 10%!

The unbeliever watching the lives of Christians knows very well the standards God expects of His people. The world holds us to those high standards. What standard do we hold yourself to?

You might think this is all unfair... what you do should be between you and God. If God does not convict us over something, then why should we worry about it, why care what other people think? Is our life just about what pleasure we can enjoy from whatever we’re doing? Do we care that other people may not come to know Christ because of us? Rest assured, while it might not register with you, it does with God. He knows every soul you have touched and influenced... positively or negatively. One day... He will remind you of the list. Personally, I don’t want to endure His reading a “list” of those souls I am responsible for condemning to eternal damnation because of my behavior and actions.

Turn all your guideposts towards Jesus and there won't be anything to worry about. That does not mean that the world will not still see things in your life that they try to claim make you the same as them. Satan loves to help people think that what Christians are doing is no better than what the world is doing. DON’T give him any ammunition.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2