Struggling with questions about our relationship with Jesus, how this all points to our development in Him, and how that points us to our own personal great commission.
#Jesus, #relationship, #questions, #developing, #edification, #deepcallstodeep, #ironsharpensiron, #HCJC, #HCJCministries, #LovingJesus, #LightsToTheWorld
Link to Lesson on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3kWW5Nl2Ivs
“What if is a good question to ask.”
What if I:
Had more faith? (like Abraham)
More discipline? (like Paul)
Was closer to Jesus? (like John)
Judas betrays Jesus
Jesus says in Matthew 26:24:
Judas ends up hanging himself. I struggle with this. Maybe I shouldn’t. But I do.
As I think about it, we betray Jesus with our choices when we sin.
So, I ask myself questions like, what if:
I am sick with sin? (like Judas)
Have done something terrible? (like Moses)
Wrestled with following God? (like Jacob)
Jesus never stays the night in Jerusalem
Is this a metaphor for us? (let’s unpack this)
Jesus always seemed to be tired when He visited Jerusalem?
Why? (conflict between sin and God)
Where did He go to rest? Garden of Gethsemane (which is where He was handed over)
It’s easy to fault the Jews or the leaders of the temple But if we do that, I think we miss what God is trying to teach us here.
Suppose Jerusalem is us.
And within us we have all of these dark corners
The illness of sin - who wants to be cured of sin?
Didn’t we receive the cure when we received Jesus?
So why do we give authority to spirits of the enemy?
Do we exhaust Jesus? Make Him sleep in the garden? Hand Him over as we choose the temptations of sin instead?
Are we fair weather friends of Jesus?
Is Jesus just a visitor?
Let’s convert “day” and “night” into a metaphor for the spiritual world.
Day can be times like:
Sunday at church
Here at Bible study
Others?
Night might be times like:
When we’re alone?
When “nobody” is watching?
In the imaginations of our head?
During the day, Jesus is great! But then, what happens?
What are the desires of our heart REALLY? (Security in this world?)
Are we like Judas?
What is our relationship with Jesus like?
Is it what others see? Or are we just as messed up as everyone else?
I’m NOT saying sin is okay.
I AM trying to have an honest thought experiment though
God understands we struggle. Think about the names of Jacob / Israel.
I know God isn’t expecting us to be perfect. But. He wants to see us improve.
Why isn’t Love easy?
The two most important commandments?
Love God with all your heart (soul, and mind)
Love others as ourselves
Jesus says if we do these two things, we’ve fulfilled the law. (easy right?)
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