Jesus: Perfecter of "social networking"

We are grateful for the technology of social networking companies that allows access to one another. This connection spans the globe and instantaneously puts us in touch without any cost to us. Posting pictures, telling a story, griping about an unfortunate incident, or just wanting to make a statement, we are glad for social media platforms that gives us this outlet.

This is nothing new. It just a new means of expressing a time-old tradition of communicating with one another.When Jesus gave us the "Great Commission" to "go unto the world" to make disciples, he was initiating what we would call, today, "social networking." I guess you could say that Jesus invented it...sorry Facebook!

I think the Great Commission is much like "Facebook" and a lot like "Twitter" where we share our lives and our faith by everyday, ordinary means of communication and socializing with one another in verbal and visual ways. Helping a neighbor in their garden, giving a ride to a friend, saying a kind word to the cashier at Walmart, and giving directions to a total stranger who is lost and wants to know how to get back on the Interstate.

I also firmly believe that the "social networking" of our faith is sharing our lives with others. We are to be given to "hospitality" and being a loving neighbor. We follow the example of Jesus (such as with Zacchaeus) to also met the felt needs of others through fellowship and hospitality.

Whether that is a dinner in your home or inviting them to church events outside of Sunday Worship such as the men's and women's prayer meeting, youth group, or even sending them the audio/video MP3 file of the Sunday worship service, there is a way to share your faith beyond just getting them into the Sanctuary on a Sunday Morning or walking them through "The Romans Road."

You don't have to "win" someone to Christ on the first encounter. Through the everyday, ordinary way of "social networking" of living in fellowship with our neighbor can be one of the greatest ways to introduce them to Jesus and to introduce to them His wonderful plan of Salvation. Amen!

Learn from Lydia

There are a lot of interesting mentions of women in the Bible. Whether it is the Old Testament or New Testament, there are many strong, yet oddly missed, lessons from women that we can familiarize ourselves with to strengthen our faith. One such woman is named Lydia. She provides a very powerful lesson for us. We find one particular mention of her in the book of Acts. Acts 16:14 , says that Lydia “reverenced God, and the Lord opened her heart to accept what Paul was saying.” Lydia is actually a significant person in the New Testament. She is described as “a dealer in purple goods” (Acts 16:14). Pointing that out is quite a clue. Dealing in “purple goods” was considered a luxury in the ancient world. It is probably safe to say that she was both a woman of great financial means and able to deal successfully with the influential people of her time. She was also noted as having a great gift of persuasion. I think she might have been the only perso...

Tetelestai!

Just before Jesus gives up His spirit on the cross, He utters a very powerful word. The word that He cries out is “ tetelestai” (tih-tellis-tie). When literally translated, this word means, “It is finished.” It can also refer to something completed or accomplished. The word occurs in John 19:28 and 19:30 and these are the only two places in all of the New Testament where it is found. In the John19:28 passage, it is translated, “After this, when Jesus knew that all things were now completed , in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, he said, ‘I thirst.’” Two verses later, he utters the word himself: “Then when he received the sour wine Jesus said, ‘ It is finished ,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” Did you know that the word tetelestai was also written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to show indicating that a bill had been paid in full? The Greek-English lexicon (by Moulton and Milligan) sa...

Asking "What" Instead of "Why"

Life is not easy and it is not void of struggle, challenges, pain, sorrow, loss, grief, and suffering. I am sure I can come up with more words than that, but this article would soon blossom to two to three pages in length. I am sure we are familiar with the trials and frustrations of Job in the Old Testament. Some of us might even be familiar with the words of Habakuk in 1:2 , “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” When things don’t go well or something tragic or unfortunate befalls us, we are faced with the struggles of crying out to God, “why me?” “Why, God, did you let this happen?” Many times, we too, grow frustrated and angry at God, for how He chooses to work within our situations and circumstances. We sure do end up asking God a lot of “why” questions. I believe “why” could be the wrong word to be using. Asking “why” seems to imply a lack of faith, ungratefulness, and, somehow, that we think God owes us an explanation, an answer or reaso...

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