You Have Been Subpoenaed!!

By now, due to the maddening issues involving our Federal Government, many of us have become well versed in the use and understanding of the word “subpoena.”

Witnesses, committees, legal teams, and various elected officials have issued and received their share of subpoenas involving the affairs of various leaders within the Federal Government. It is quite challenging to keep it all straight.

As Christians, did you realize we have been subpoenaed? Yes! If you will just simply look throughout the book of Acts, the Lord repeatedly commands us to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8; 2:32; 3:15; 10:39; 13:31). In a spiritual context, we are being subpoenaed…we are being compelled to be a witness for Jesus Christ and the Gospel!

As we understand this context, I think it is appropriate to ask ourselves whether we have obeyed the Lord's command to be His witnesses and have adjusted our commitments to allow room to live out this command daily. Hopefully, we are finding ways to do this more intentionally and with greater passion.

If you were subpoenaed as a witness by a human court, would you obey? If not, you would face contempt of court charges. Each Christian is subpoenaed daily and even more frequently to witness for Jesus. If we refuse to obey, we potentially face not contempt of court charges but contempt of God charges...and, one day, be held accountable for those decisions. We must obey and be witnesses.

Plain and simple….we are called to witness for Jesus and invite others to accept Jesus. Witnessing for Jesus is an essential part of God's plan. If we love Jesus and people, we must live as witnesses for Jesus. You have been subpoenaed! May you be compelled to respond and tell others this wonderful news of God’s love and salvation in Jesus Christ.

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...

The 50-Days of Easter

Jesus rose from the dead. Period! He is alive. We are “easter people” and live daily as proof that He is risen from the dead. He did walk out of the grave. He conquered death. Jesus not only came back to life, but He stayed on earth to be seen by many witness. 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 , “ He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.” After the resurrection, Jesus spent forty days on earth before He ascended back to His rightful place (1 Peter 3:22), and then there were ten more days after that before the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47). Jesus accomplished many things in this time between His resurrection and return to Heaven. One of the most important was actually a command to us. We refer to this impor...

Not Rejected

I think we could spend hours, if not days, in just the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. If there is one thing that is made clear in this writing is that God is passionately pursuing us and bidding us to have a relationship with Him that is restored by His Son, Jesus. There is one verse, in particular, that stands out to me. John 6:37 , “However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” Those that come to Jesus will never be rejected. If you come to Jesus, just as you are now, he will not turn you away. He gladly welcomes you to come to him. It is not God’s design or plan that we live separated from Him. He makes the way for that relationship to happen. He initiated the plan. He paid the price. He gives freely. He gives us free-will to choose or reject that offer of reconciliation through Jesus, His Son. God makes His intent clear: Ezekiel 33:11 , “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the ...

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