Life This Side of Heaven

In Psalm 27, David says that the one thing he seeks in this life is to spend all his days in the presence of God. Why? "To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.” Consider for a moment what that means. Like David, this is true for us, not simply as a future longing, but also as a present reality. And here's why.

When John tells us of God’s incredible love we may hang our heads in shame and fail to hear what comes next.  We recognize how stingy we are at sharing love. To overcome this discomfort we may find ourselves putting these words out of our mind and trying to think of something else. It doesn’t help.  We may mistakenly double down and try even harder to show our love. But that’s like trying to rinse the water out of a dirty dish cloth. John does something else and invites us to do the same.

Is it arrogant to say that Jesus is the only way to eternal life?  Wouldn’t it be more loving, instead, to teach that all religious paths lead to the same God?  Wouldn’t this be a more tolerant, a more educated or more enlighten approach?  After all, we live in a pluralistic society today and things have changed. If that’s the case, then what Peter said here in these words might sound out-of-step with the times, hurtful or even intolerant...

Jesus told the disciples, “My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” I suspect that hearing these words made the disciples very happy just as they make you and me happy to hear them again today. But it’s also clear that what this means didn’t begin to fully sink in for the disciples until our Savior appeared alive to them again at Easter...

It's understandable that you and I want to know what it will be like at the resurrection when Jesus comes. We look at ourselves and wonder what we will be like. What answer are we given? If you notice, Paul answers this question by pointing us, not to ourselves, but to our risen Savior whom we will then see face-to-face.

Episode Artwork in Public Domain (Armstrong1113149, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

In Acts, Peter addressed a crowd at the Temple. He told them, "You killed the author of life." As you and I hear these words, we're reminded that it wasn’t one particular person, such as Pontius Pilate or any of the other leasers of that day, or even the crowd standing before Peter that was solely responsible for Jesus’ death on the cross.  It was our sins that also led Him to be there. However, Jesus' death wasn't an accident...

Does it feel like the rest of the world is looking up while you're looking down? Last Monday, the "Great North American Eclipse" took place. Chances are good that many of you may have been among those dawning special glasses and looking up to the sky. However, for those of you looking down at that moment, you may have noticed another incredible phenomenon...

When Jesus drew His last breath on the cross He paid for our sins in full. He also conquered death. What does this mean? Three days later and just as He promised, He rose from the dead – a real physical, bodily, resurrection. He stepped out of the grave alive. Now consider the words that John shares, here in his first letter, and all that this means when Jesus promises that at the resurrection you, too, shall rise.

On the day that Jesus rose, the very next thing He did after announcing "peace" to the disciples was to show them His hands and side. These were the hands through which the nails had been driven.  This was the side into which the soldier thrust his spear to ensure that Jesus was dead...

When it comes to Easter, Paul tells us about the eyewitnesses who were on hand and the historical facts of Jesus' resurrection. However, faith is more than acknowleging the fact that we have a living Savior. As the apostle goes on to point out, faith lays hold all that this precious fact brings with it - forgiveness of sins, life and salvation! Knowing this changes not only history, but your life each and every day right now.