Friday, March 25, 2016

RESURRECTION 2016 - TIME TO LIVE AGAIN - Not to Denigrate Any but to Serve Many

Christians, the followers of the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, live out the privilege to be servants of humanity through Jesus' Model. Three primary texts from the Gospel and one from the Hebrew Bible provide direction for Christian behavior and activity when it is TIME TO LIVE AGAIN.

All over the world, people tend to see Jesus in the context of their culture. To some, this is a challenging point of view. History promoted through the eyes and pens of European Christians made Jesus of Nazareth, a white man. Non - White Christians hold to view more consistent with culture and context of the 1st Century. The Apocalyptic Revelation presented the likeness of a dark skinned man with wooly hair.

Africans, Asians, Latinos and Indigenous Peoples see Jesus in their likeness. All who see Jesus in their likeness do so to honor the magnanimity and genius of GOD lived out in the life of Jesus. This level of love and generosity in forgiveness of insult and injury, paved the way for the coming of the commentary of the Apostle Paul from 2nd Corinthians 5 vs 21, "For GOD hath made him (JESUS) to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in him (JESUS)."

Gospel Text Number One Matthew 22 vss 36 - 40

Because Christian Behavior has not been the most exemplary of the life of Jesus, especially in the late 20th and early 21st Century, there is no better TIME TO LIVE AGAIN than now. Living again must by moral imperative require revisiting the first order of business to be Christian.

The text says, "36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Living out these directives is indicative of TIME TO LIVE AGAIN with imperative priorities on moral foundation. The moral foundation is love.

Gospel Text Number Two Matthew 28 vss 18 - 20

Jesus' recorded words influence genuine Christian activity. It is from this text, the first spiritual marketing program emerged.

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The primary objective of all christian behavior is is the influencing of the development of Christian community. This is not to denigrate any but to serve many.

Gospel Text Number Three Luke 4 vss 17 - 20

Christian demonstrate love for God, self, and each other by engaging the activity presented in this text. This activity provides others opportunity for resurrection, TIME TO LIVE AGAIN.

17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Wherever suffering is witnessed, the Christian task is to serve those who are suffering and work to minimize their suffering. The hungry for motivation, nutrition, or information struggle to be filled. The blind by ignorance or the inability to see struggle to find their way. It is is the Christian privilege to help.

http://www.8asians.com/
2011/08/10/was-jesus-asian/
The Hebrew Bible Text Ezekiel 37 vs 10

When God calls the dead back to life, it is TIME TO LIVE AGAIN. In this text, a dead black army lay on a desert valley floor. Their bones were dried and disconnected. These are not social and morally dysfunctional as many are today. They are dead.

God charges the prophet Ezekiel to answer the question, "Can these bones live again?" There is only one logical available answer, "God only you know." 

After charging Ezekiel to speak to the bones, this followed as presented in the text. 10 So I prophesied, reports Ezekiel, as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

Might all of us who bear the mark of Christian by our lifestyle and activity assert ourselves to be available to God to raise the dead. They are those who are alive but living out dead conditions back to life. May we all hear the voice of God call us to live and love at our best all times. Amen

What time is it the Resurrection Season? It is TIME TO LIVE AGAIN.

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