Encountering Jesus

Posted on October 9, 2020 by jesustrek

Many people are familiar with the story of the biblical character Zacchaeus, perhaps more so from the children’s song than from the account in Luke 19. Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector, wanted to see Jesus, but because he was a short (wee little?!) man he had trouble seeing through the huge crowd of people who followed Jesus as he traveled along the way.

Not to be deterred, Zacchaeus ran ahead of the throng and climbed a tree in order to get a better view. Now he could get a really good look at Jesus when he passed by. His plan seemed to be working until something unexpected happened. Jesus did not pass by. Instead, he stopped, looked up in the tree and spoke to Zacchaeus. He told him to come down from the tree so that they could go to Zacchaeus’ house. Zacchaeus came down at once and gladly welcomed Jesus into his home.

Meanwhile, people began to mutter and gossip about Jesus going to visit such a sinful man as a despised tax collector. Why in the world would Jesus do such a thing?

At some point during his encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus declared that he was giving half of his possessions to the poor, and that if he had cheated anybody, he would pay them back four times the amount.

Jesus was impressed with the reaction of Zacchaeus. He stated that salvation had come to his house and declared, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10).

What can we learn from this encounter with Jesus?

First of all, don’t let any short-coming (pun intended), real or imagined, deter you from seeking Jesus. Many people come up with various excuses not to pursue an encounter with Jesus. Show some determination and do whatever you have to do to get close to Jesus.

Secondly, don’t pay attention to the naysayers. Many will question why Jesus should care about people like you. Just know that he does. No matter what sins you might have committed in your past, Jesus wants to come into your life and have a relationship with you.

Third, we should know that Jesus rewards those who seek him. If we show that we are serious about getting close to Jesus, he will invite us to an even closer relationship than we ever imagined!

Fourth, we must realize that a true encounter with Jesus will bring dramatic and lasting change to our lives. Zacchaeus was very likely a greedy man before he met Jesus. After he spent time with Jesus he became extremely generous. The change was indeed remarkable! Jesus still changes people for the better, transforming his followers in ways that are observable, and quite often rather amazing.

Finally, let us understand that the ultimate purpose for having an encounter with Jesus is to experience that salvation that we all so desperately need; the salvation that only he can give.

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Resolving Conflict

Posted on October 8, 2020 by jesustrek

In his book, “Making Things Happen”, Bob Russell relates the following story about how he and his wife handled a disagreement:

“When my wife and I were first married, she wanted to put up the Christmas tree two weeks before Christmas. To me that was sacrilegious, because in my home you put up the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve! We argued about that and finally we came to a compromise. She put up the Christmas tree two weeks in advance by herself! Compromise is not a matter of weakness. It is a matter of wisdom; a matter of tolerance.” (p.72).

Conflict is not pleasant, but it can’t be avoided. Whenever people have differing opinions, there is the chance for disagreement. It happens among friends, in families and in the church. Whenever conflict arises, we shouldn’t try to ignore it. Let’s deal with it quickly, before the situation escalates. Let’s try to remain humble and respect the wishes of others.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”—Philippians 2:3-4.

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”—Psalm 133:1.

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Blessed Are the Poor

Posted on October 6, 2020 by jesustrek

I recently attended a youth sporting event. Once I got there I realized that I had left my billfold at home. Having no money and no credit card left me feeling humbled. I could not purchase a bottle of water from the concession stand. I could not stop for gas on the way home. I felt needy and helpless.

That’s how we all should feel in the presence of God. We come before him spiritually penniless. We can purchase no favor from him. We cannot buy our way into good standing with the Lord. We are totally helpless and must completely rely on his grace and mercy.

Thankfully, through Jesus, God’s grace and mercy are available in abundance. God’s amazing grace is all we need to see us through!

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:3.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”—Ephesians 2:9-10.

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Can’t Stop Talking!

Posted on October 5, 2020 by jesustrek

Dennis the Menace had this to say about Margaret, his chatty little friend—“Margaret always has something that she can’t stop talking about.”

I suppose that we all have a friend who likes to talk a lot. Perhaps others could say that we are their talkative friend!

Much of what we talk about has little significance—the weather, our little aches and pains, the latest local news, how our favorite team is doing, etc.

However, we Christians have something very important to talk about—the salvation that we have received through Jesus. Jesus says that we are to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8) and that means that we should be talking about him. The Jewish leaders ordered the apostles not to teach in the name of Jesus, but that did not prevent them from filling Jerusalem with the gospel message (Acts 5:28).  This is what his followers had to say about Jesus—“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).

Let’s join in with the apostles, who said in Acts 4:20, “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

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Time to Be Quiet

Posted on October 3, 2020 by jesustrek

A young mother was trying to impress upon her small children the need for silence at certain times. She taught them over and over, “There are three times when you need to be especially quiet: at church, in the library and when Daddy’s team is losing!”

Silence is a rare and precious commodity these days. Everyone seems to have an opinion on every subject. People raise their voices in an attempt to be heard. Commentators and politicians talk over one another. With so many people clamoring for our attention, sometimes it’s hard to even hear yourself think!

We need to get away from the noise and commotion in order to focus on God. Psalm 4:4 says, “Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.”

That sounds like good advice to me!

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Gifted to Serve

Posted on October 2, 2020 by jesustrek

A talking horse showed up at a major league baseball park and asked the manager if he could try out for the team. This team was struggling to win games, and the manager was in danger of being fired, so he thought to himself, “What do I have to lose?”

So he gave the horse a tryout, and, much to the manager’s surprise, the horse could really hit a baseball! No matter what the pitcher threw, the horse could hit it. He sprayed the ball all over the park, and even hit a few over the fence!

The manager signed the horse to a contract and put him in the starting lineup that very night. In his first time at bat, the horse swung mightily and hit a long drive into the gap in left-center field. But the horse just stood a home plate. The manager screamed, “Run! Run!”

“Run?” the horse said. “If I could run, I’d be in the Kentucky Derby!”

We can’t be good at everything, but every Christian is good at something. We have all been gifted to serve in the kingdom in ways that build up the church. Just as a human body has many parts, each with its own unique function, so in the body of Christ each part has its own job to do.

Romans 12:4-8 says, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

This is not a complete list of all the spiritual gifts, but most Christians see something in these verses that describes how God has enabled them to serve in the church. Every believer should understand their particular area of giftedness and strive to do their very best to fulfill their purpose in the church.

Those who try to serve in some way other than the way they have been gifted often find themselves frustrated and unfulfilled. They also tend to frustrate those with whom they are trying to serve.

However, those who have a good understanding of how God has blessed them to serve experience a kind of satisfaction that is found nowhere else. They find themselves in synch with God and with the people they are working with in the kingdom.

If you have not yet found out what your place of service in the kingdom is, ask a mature Christian to help you find it. And once you’ve found it, do your best to improve how you serve God and people in the unique way that God has blessed you to serve.

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God…”—2 Timothy 1:6.

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Jesus Is Still Relevant

Posted on September 24, 2020 by jesustrek

Some people have the idea that the teachings of Jesus are out of date. Oh, he may have had some good thoughts back in his day, they suppose, but times are much different now. Surely we can’t expect to adhere to the teachings of a man who walked the earth nearly 2,000 years ago! Many doubt that the words of Jesus still hold any relevance for us today.

A thoughtful consideration of Scripture would prove these people wrong. For instance, let’s take a look at Mark 10, where Jesus answers a question about divorce—‘”It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”’ (Mark 10:5-9).

Here Jesus addresses issues that are still discussed today.

First, he talks about creation. Molecules-to-man evolution is a theory that has hung around for some time now, even though it denies good science and lacks credible evidence. It is extremely far-fetched to believe that mankind exists today because of a vast number of highly fortunate changes over billions of years that have allowed one-celled organisms to evolve into fish, that later evolved into mammals, that later evolved into primates, that later evolved into man. Someone called this theory, “from goo to you by way of the zoo!” It is far more reasonable to believe, as does Jesus, that God created people at the beginning of creation.

Second, Jesus talks about gender. He names two—male and female. I have filled out medical forms that gave me more than two options for gender. In reality, there are only two. You are one or the other. Many people are confused about gender, either for themselves, or for others. We must be kind toward those who are confused about gender. They are created in God’s image and Jesus died for them. We must be considerate with those who are struggling to understand gender issues. But we have to agree with Jesus on the matter. God has created us either male or female, and we must either accept that, or find ourselves struggling against the truth.

Jesus also talks about marriage. Marriage has fallen into hard times today. Many want to redefine it. Others want to ignore it completely, and attempt to steal pleasures that do not belong to them. But Jesus says that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman that creates a special bond. Within that bond, sexual activity is blessed by God. Outside of that bond, sexual activity is expressly forbidden. Jesus also points out that the marriage bond is to be a lifetime commitment. Those who don’t treat marriage with the respect that it deserves do themselves and others a great injustice.

So there you have it—creation, gender and marriage—all issues that are still being discussed today. This passage of Scripture is just one of many examples of how Jesus is still relevant today. If we want to live the best life possible, we would do well to give close examination to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

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Day of Encouragement

Posted on September 18, 2020 by jesustrek

I wasn’t aware of it until after the fact, but September 12 was “National Day of Encouragement”. If there is anything we need in 2020, it is certainly encouragement! There is no need to go over once again that long list of woes that have caused so much discouragement in our nation. Many people are struggling for various reasons. We can’t solve everyone’s problems, but perhaps we can make life seem more manageable if we simply offer some encouragement.

The Bible talks a lot about encouragement. For one thing, it is a commandment to obey. 1 Thess.5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Every Christian is supposed to spend a significant amount of time encouraging other followers of Jesus.

Furthermore, for some Christians, encouragement is more than a duty; it is their spiritual gift. Rom.12:6-8 says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…if it is to encourage, then give encouragement…” Many believers have been enabled by the Holy Spirit to encourage others in various ways. This is their special way of building up the church.

So, if you have the gift of encouragement, you should constantly be looking for ways to exercise that gift, saying and doing things that lift people up and exhorting them to be all that they are called to be in Christ. And for those who may not be gifted in that area, remember that encouragement is still a responsibility for every Christian. We must always be seeking opportunities to fulfill that responsibility by brightening the day for other followers of Jesus.

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, was such a good encourager that he was given the nickname “Barnabas”, which means “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). If we want to be known as sons and daughters of encouragement, we would do well to look at his example.

First, Barnabas encouraged others with his generosity. He sold a field that he owned and gave the money to the church (Acts 4:37). Such a big offering would lift the spirits of the entire congregation. However, even smaller gifts can go a long way to encourage someone who is in need. A gift certificate or some other gesture of generosity might be all it takes to make someone feel appreciated.

Another way that Barnabas practiced encouragement is seen in Acts 9:26-28. Here Saul was trying to join the disciples after his conversion, but they were afraid of him because of his history of persecuting Christians. But Barnabas vouched for Saul and told the apostles that his conversion was real. Because Barnabas stood up for him, Saul was accepted by other believers. Maybe there will come a time when you can encourage someone by helping them feel accepted in the church. Your testimony of their faithfulness might be just what they need to be encouraged in their faith.

Finally, Barnabas encouraged Saul by bringing him to Antioch and putting him to work teaching the new believers there (Acts 11:19-26). Many Christians long for fulfillment. They want to use their talents in a meaningful way to build up the kingdom. Is there someone you know who is looking for a way to have a positive impact in the church? By helping others to find their place to serve in the local congregation, we encourage them more than we will ever know.

May this day, and every day, be a day of encouragement!

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Keeping Our Sense of Humor

Posted on September 14, 2020 by jesustrek

We are now six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has been an unusual six months, to say the least. You never know if someone is simply applying hand sanitizer or wringing their hands over the latest news of the day.

Having extra time to reflect, I have learned some interesting things about myself this year. For instance, I never realized that I was a dog person. It’s true; I love all kinds of dogs…hot dogs, corn dogs, chili dogs…I am a true dog lover.

I have also learned some things about other people. For example, I never knew that Bigfoot’s name was Darrell. Did you know that? I sure didn’t.

We have all learned some things about health and science. Everyone now knows that for proper social distancing you must be six feet away from the person next to you. Unless the person is super annoying—then the distance is 35 miles.

Let’s try to keep our sense of humor, even in these trying times.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”—Proverbs 17:22.

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We Remember

Posted on September 11, 2020 by jesustrek

Today is the nineteenth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States. Anyone who is old enough to remember the horrific event will never forget where they were or what they were doing when they first heard the news that America had been attacked.

Out of all the tragedy came inspiring stories of heroism. Some passengers on one flight fought back, preventing the terrorists from striking their intended target. Many firefighters and policemen rushed toward ground zero, ignoring the danger in order to try to save others. Civilians on the scene risked their lives in order to help people. Many lost their lives while engaged in these acts of heroism. We remember the courage of those who sacrificed everything in order to save others.

When we take communion, we remember the heroic sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus saw the devastation caused by sin, and he rushed to the scene. He came to earth and willingly laid down his perfect life as an atonement for the sinful life of every person who ever lived. This crucified and risen Jesus has the power to save everyone who will come to him in faith to receive the salvation that we all so desperately need.

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”—1 John 2:2.

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