Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem

 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!

Luke 13:34 ESV

Jesus laments as he travels toward Jerusalem. He is on His way to face the cross. What he talks about in this verse will certainly come true for Him, as it had for so many that God had sent as prophets and leaders. His people will reject Him too.

There is a huge difference this time though. This is the Son of God going to Jerusalem, God in the flesh and yet they still will not respect Him. In the second half of the verse we hear the voice of God; “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” He is looking back over the centuries and the many ways He had reached out to Israel and yet they continued to wander away from Him. Jesus knows this will happen again even though they have seen and heard of all the miracles. Even though all the parables and lessons have been heard, they still will not see, they still will not hear. Jesus knows the hardness of heart that His people suffer with and it breaks His heart.

When Jesus went to His people and their religious leaders, they would not listen, they would not repent. They cast him out and killed Him. They crucified the one that would save them. They denied their Messiah.

Have you ever read this passage and wondered how Jesus' church would react to Him today if He were to come to us one more time to show us what we should be. Would we react in the same way the religious leaders of Jesus day did? Would we want to tell Him what was Holy and Right? Would we disagree with Him about what is good and true?

Today think about how Israel responded to their savior. Think about how you respond to His teachings in His word. Do you fight against what He teaches? Do you disrespect His authority as the pharisees did? Or, do you want to learn from Him, love Him, respect Him and obey Him? Every day we all stand at a cross-roads and have to make the choice as to whom we will follow. Will we follow Jesus or will we follow our own ways?

Lets not have Jesus lament us as individuals that have been shown His love and denied it. Lets accept His authority and follow Him.

© 2012 Leo J. Woodman

Sincere faith

 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

2 Timothy 1:5 NIV

Paul is speaking about faith being passed on from generation to generation. Paul gives a lot of the credit for Timothy's faith to his mother and grandmothers faith. We see that he is talking about a third generation faith in God and His word. Third generation, wow! How many of us can claim such a great spiritual lineage?

A lot folks are first generation Christians. So, those of us that fall in that category should look at this verse and see the importance of living out our faith for our descendants to see. Timothy's mother and grand mother had modeled their faith in God for Timothy to learn from. Because of their example Timothy had been raised in a way that helped him to be receptive to the gospel when he heard it.

Our teaching in our daily lives will have far reaching effects beyond our time. We must raise our children in the teaching of the Lord and when we have grandchildren we should teach them as well. Christianity is more than just a religion, it is a culture, a counter culture. Counter to the ways of the world and its ruler Satan.

We not only pass on our faith from generation to generation in a very physical sense, but also in a very spiritual sense as well. Every person that we share the gospel has the opportunity to become the next generation in the church.

We live in a country where people put great stock in their culture. Most people you meet are happy to share their ethnicity and culture with you on some level. We should do likewise. While most people experience other cultures through the people they meet, people that come in contact with Christians can not only experience our culture they can become a true part of it. They can become a part of it by being born into it. To be born again is to clam a new nationality, a new culture, a new identity.

Share your faith, share your culture, share Jesus.

© 2012 Leo J. Woodman