Let Jesus live as Jesus though your life! ( Matthew 1:18-25 )
Long time ago a painter lived in Germany. He was searching for a model to portrait. His choice became a gypsy girl on a street.
It was the first time for her to be invited to an artist’s studio. Amazed eyes rounded here and there and suddenly stopped at the painting of the crucifixion. Stermburg was promised big pay for that from a church and it was about to completion.
“Who is it?” She asked. “The Christ,” the artist said carelessly. “But what are they doing to Him?” “Crucifying Him,” he answered and asked her to stop speaking while he is working. After posing, Pepita continued for other questions. Once for all he hurriedly explained the facts of Christ's death.
One day, both the portrait and the one of the crucifixion were finished. For the last time Pepita came to the studio.
Standing at the masterpiece she turned to Stenburg. “You must love Him very much, Sir, when He has done all that for you; do you not?” Then she was gone.
Stenburg stood still looking after her. All week he heard the question but could not answer. One night a sudden awakening stoke him that Jesus Christ had died on the cross for ‘STERNBURG’ himself! At last the artist could say, “And how much I love Him!”
The next morning, he painted that again. He gave it a free to his native city. It was hung in the Public Gallery.
Long years after, a gay young nobleman dropped into the gallery on his journey. Standing in front of the picture, he read and reread the words at the foot of the frame.
‘All this I did for thee; What has thou done for me?’ The words arrested him to throw his life, fortune, fame, at the feet of Jesus. He was Zinzendorf who was the father of the Moravian Missions.
One artist’s penitence made a new history of Christianity. Zinzendorf’s mission impressed John and Charles Wesley who founded the Methodist Church.
We praise, “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Then I would like to ask you “Did you receive Jesus as your own savior? Can you feel His wounds that mean to purchase you?” I think that not all, just a few can answer to my question with confident ‘yes’.
Many Christians are accustomed to hearing the name of Christ. So there is no difference from the lives of nonbelievers. This time I ask you to meditate the confession of Zinzendorf. “I have loved Him for a long time, but I have never actually done anything for Him. From now on I will do whatever He leads me to do.”
In fact the life-changing moment waits in front of us. But by no chance we can receive that without the change of ourselves.
We have become deaf and blind with the noise and colors of this world. They say in plausible sound and play a blinder. Since Jesus came up to Heaven over 2,000 years ago, this world has suggested numerous other ways for us adding ‘easier and better’ to their invention. But the unchangeable promise over the period is only what God made- Only Jesus is the savior of all people and only way into the kingdom.
God never changed his law. By his grace we could meet Jesus. Before Jesus, we had to cleanse our iniquities by the sacrifice of animals. You could ask us why only by the blood of living things we could be redeemed from sins? That’s the will of God who created us and the world. There is no other way for his creatures.
Heaven is the kingdom of God. His law enters some and not others.
The declaration about the entrance has already resounded. Through Jesus we can get into there. The law of U.S. asks you visa for entrance. Like that the law of creator asks you Jesus.
Then the problem is whether you are with Jesus when you are called by your Father. No one knows the time of the second coming. But we know that the time is near.
A young pastor, Ricardo Cid in Chile wrote about his special experience. Hearing the voice of Jesus he had met Him in Heaven. He stayed in there for 8 hours with Christ who wanted him to send His message to people on earth that He exists in the heavenly realms. And Jesus explained the truth about the time for the Advent. He said, “The time has passed away but by the Grace of our Father, people can have some more time to save more spirits and store up the rewards in Heaven.”
At this crucial moment, we must remember that God had warned us the number of the chosen from foreigners is fixed. In the history of Bible we can notice the rareness of the righteous to the sight of God. At the great flood, only Noah was selected. Out of all human beings on earth he and his few family members were chosen for continuous life. Before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the had Noah entered the ark; they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.
That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of man. (Matthew 24:38, 39)
How about God’s wrath for Sodom and Gomorrah? By the earnest asking of Abraham, God saved only Lot and his family members. And in the time of Exodus, just 2, Joshua and Caleb out of all the people of Israel who came out of Egypt were permitted to get into the promised land, Canaan.
Then you may understand the difficulty to be taken at His coming.
Jesus described, “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. So we must be ready in full for the day, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when we do not expect him.” in Matthew.
To get prepared, we must live with Jesus. After receiving the power of God through the Spirit, you can extinct the fire and forget the words of God. God never allows people to have something eternal on this earth.
Though you were appointed for the great work of God, you could be fallen into sins. We are living here committing sins. Your mind and body are changeable and feeble to the temptation of your neighbor.
To loud the silent truth and lighten the light of God, we must be renewed again and again. Without changes, you may be like a dead one. But the change in your belief means eternal death.
It says that there is a narrow path to meet Jesus and get into the kingdom. Grow up in belief and strengthen your faith. Getting cleaned by repentance, remind of the meaning of Jesus’ name. He died for you. Keep watch for the victorious moment of meeting Him.
All this I did for thee; What has thou done for me?
Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour
Copyright 2002 Jesus Centered Church All rights reserved.
376, Gonghang-daero, Gangseo-gu, Seul / zip 07648 / Tel.+822-533-9191
Seoul Yongsan P.O.Box, 37, Yongsan-gu Seoul(Seoul 140-600 Korea)
Old Newspaper
