Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Not All the Same

 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

All world religions are not the same—some have truth & beauty in them —but they're not the same.

  • Buddhism no god, no final existence, has countless rebirth— no end to the cycle.
  • Hinduism—impersonal god— only approached thru deities/statues/idols
Neither offer forgiveness of sins or supernatural help— it's karma.
  • Muslim—worships  Allah— is a personal god—no secondary gods Your standing depends on religious devotion and works.
  • New Age—not personal god, higher consciousness—universe or cosmos.
  • Christianity—is a personal God—sent Jesus to show us love and forgiveness.

JUST CONSIDER JESUS

Not asking you to consider a certain church, or even the religion of Christianity. Jesus didn’t come to start a religion.
I'm not asking you to look at Christians either. I know there are a lot of out of touch Christians—narrow minded— judgmental.

Don’t look at my life either—I’ll let you down for sure!

  • CONSIDER THE MINISTRY OF JESUS.
16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw [Jesus] eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:16-17

They despised these people that Jesus was with, Jesus loved them and He accepted them!
Remember the woman caught in adultery, Jesus defends her and say he without sin, throw the first stone!

Jesus opened blind eyes, healed deaf ears, made the mute to speak, healed lepers, when others wouldn't even go near them.

He turned water to wine, walked on water, Raised the dead!

Critics didn’t question his miracles—they just wanted him to stop!

Many of us are miracles!

I was a cheater— I stole—couldn’t stop drugs and drinking!
Been arrested for several things, did way to many drugs, wonder to be a live. Never imagined God was use me the way He has and does.
I'm a new creation—not a better version of an old me— I'm new and different!

  • CONSIDER THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.

He Loves us—but hates sin!

Even while being crucified, He says, Father forgive them.
The centurion who helped him carry the cross seen it after just spending a shirt amount of time with him. 
He said surely this was the son of God!

In Acts 3:15 Peter says
You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.

Some thought Roman soldiers stole body—His enemies would have loved produce a dead body, but it never happened.

Some thought the Disciples took the body, but there is no way they could have overpowered trained Roman guards.

Do you really expect any rational thinking person to believe
11 small town, uneducated average men devised the most elaborate and deceptive plan and then pulled it off and it was kept a secret.

These men led the world to being a better place, they had no personal motives and were willing to die for the cause.
Most of them were put to death! Peter was crucified upside down.

The only one who doubted was Thomas, he became an evangelist to India and was speared to death.

2000 years later the church is still under massive persecution—more than 2 billion people follow Jesus!

  • CONSIDER THE ETERNAL MESSAGE OF JESUS.

22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. Romans 3:22 NLT

No matter who you are. It isn't Jesus and your good works, it isn't Jesus and your tithe, it isn't Jesus and your good church attendance. 
It is Christ + nothing. It is Christ Alone!

Religion is
What I do
About me
If I obey God will love me

Relationship is
What Jesus has done
About Jesus
Because God loves me I can obey


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