Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Living out the Truth

How many times have I heard someone say something like - If only God would make it more clear - If God would prove it - If God would write it in the sky - Then I would become a Christian.

I can't tell you how many times I have sat and talked with people - presented them with the truth of the scriptures and the reason why we need to be forgiven and how that has been done through Jesus Christ - only to have them respond - yes, that makes sense - I'm just not ready to make a commitment yet.

What more do you need? How can it be made more clear?

Today's reading in Luke 16:18-31 proves that this is not a problem that we have just today. It was a common problem even in Jesus' day. The final verses of this passage read like this:

27And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28for I have five brothers[b]—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29But Abraham said, 'They have(O) Moses and the Prophets;(P) let them hear them.' 30And he said, 'No,(Q) father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31He said to him, 'If they do not hear(R) Moses and the Prophets,(S) neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"

The fact of the matter is that someone has risen from the dead. And as predicted in Jesus' parable - even that is not enough to convince some people.

That being said - it does not free us from the obligation to spread and share the truth of the gospel with the people around us. I have attached a video story that brought me to tears. My challenge to all of you is this - how can you live out the love of Christ in your own life and impact the lives of the people around you?

It may make a difference - it may not - does it matter? Our job is to share the truth - it is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict the people with regard to their sins and their need for a Savior. At some point, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Which side of the Chasm will you be standing on? Which side will your friends and family be standing on?

1 comment:

Allison said...

Hey Mike --

I read this story online back in December, and I was really pumped up about it. Thanks for posting the video. You know, the Grapevine Faith dad who they interviewed (he appears toward the beginning) goes to the church I went to in Fort Worth. I taught one of his sons, actually!

Take care, bro