So last night I was watching a movie that I hadn't seen in seems like forever and a day. The Lion King. Filled with giggles, chuckles and soul calming melodies, it also contains all sorts of conflict and life lessons. The one that I watched most closely was the obvious, most important conflict between Scar, the twisted uncle that never shows to the family reunions, and Simba, the praised son of the King who grows into a solid ruler himself. See Simba was taught to love good, life, and righteousness by his father, to the point where he could not deny his love for the prosperity of Good. Scar on the other side was known for being against everything solid in foundation and sought after self driven goals that eventually led to his death. The story eventually comes down to an epic battle and division. Good and Love prevails as Simba claims his place on the throne by doing away with scar in an actually righteous way, showing that good and evil can't "co-exist" and share the same kingdom or dwell within the same vessel. This Disney animation may seem silly and I do sound like a dork making it so serious but it brings out a principle that most adults can't comprehend.Forget the Bumper Stickers, Jesus says, we can't co-exist.
Luke 12:49-53
49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.
53 ‘Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.", -Jesus
Who are you? Which team are you on? No riding fences.
1 John says that we can't love Light and Darkness and if you say you do, you are calling God a liar. None of us would openly say that we love something else more than we love God but we have to remember that a Judge doesn't only look at the words of the defense but he looks at the evidence brought forth. Jesus has called us to salvation, and salvation calls us to live like we're saved. Jesus isn't merely a hobby but he is life itself and anything apart from him is death. When you accept Jesus, you also accept a cross and carry that cross not only to church on Sundays but you carry it day in and day out.
Preachers, writers, and other ministering Christians remember the Great Commission. Remember that the Great Commission calls us to build Disciples of Christ, not false hopes or illusions. I encourage you to present the Gospel, the full, true, Jesus filled Gospel. Preach the blood, preach the cross, preach the impact, and most of all preach Jesus.
Jesus is Love, don't forget it! Jesus came to save but we must not forget that there is a way to live and a way to die. Jesus is the way to life and everything else leads to death. God's Grace is awesome but so many people try to use it as a license to sin. Are you saved or do you just have a false hope? Jesus is love, Jesus is God, and God loves you. Accept Jesus, Accept Love, Accept the Cross, Accept Life.
P.S.
People who confess Christ with there mouth but deny him with their lives are the number one reason for atheism. What team are you on?
No comments:
Post a Comment