Have you ever wondered what times were like 2,000 years ago? We are approaching the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, resurrection from the dead, and ascension into heaven. Are times today better, worse, or about the same as they were then? That depends on a lot of different factors, correlations, and personal circumstances.
Jesus drew a following that intrigued political and religious authorities of His day. He became somewhat famous as He walked from border to border across the tiny nation of Israel. His ministry lasted only three years and He died at the age of 33. Nevertheless, we see evidence of His continuing power on individuals and in the masses today, 2,000 years later. No other individual has had even a fraction of that kind of power.
Jesus’ name and those who are called by His name, i.e. Christians have attracted a broad spectrum of attention from the very worst characterizations to ultimately the highest height of views. In America in 2023 we have seen revivals spring to life across university campuses like Asbury University, Lee University, Samford University, and most recently Auburn University. Each one began when a few people felt God calling them to pray. As others joined them the word spread and crowds of those praying exploded into thousands upon thousands.
After His resurrection, Jesus walked on earth with His disciples for 40 days. Before He ascended to heaven He told them to wait in Jerusalem for His promise to them. Ten days later on the Jewish holiday of Pentecost, 120 followers were praying in a room in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit filled every believer to the extent that all those in the city heard praises from the gathering of followers as well as a powerful message delivered in languages of all who had come to the feast.
Around 800 years earlier, Joel prophesied that God would “pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions….” The disciples believed God was fulfilling this prophecy, especially after 3,000 souls were baptized that day! The church, i.e. the body of believers instantaneously grew from around 120 to 3,000 people! That’s a lot of people, but it’s not all mankind.
While the world has been distracted by national and international politics as well as COVID, revivals have spontaneously bloomed in Christian communities around the globe. This movement is gaining momentum toward reaching out to “all mankind,” though it hasn’t broken into worldwide news cycles. This may be the biggest conundrum the human race has ever faced.
While the world continues to warn earth’s residents of climate change, famines, pestilence, and nuclear wars, Jesus’ body on earth, i.e. the church is proclaiming Jesus’ imminent return to deliver us from … climate change, famines, pestilence, nuclear wars, and other dangers and catastrophes the world has never imagined. The world says we have to save ourselves. The church says only Jesus can save us.
As we approach the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus’ conquering sin and death, we ought to pray with other believers in small groups as well as groups of thousands for Jesus’ return. The dangers we face have all been created by the human race. Only Jesus can save us.
Daniel L. Gardner is a columnist who lives in Starkville, MS. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com.
12 comments:
Im struggling to think of a single instance where a priest or minister sexually assaulted a child in a church and Jesus appeared and saved the child.
I think you hypocrite Christian types just let Jesus save your conscience in situations like praying about the Goon Squad. He also gives you a reason to suppress your cognitive dissonance over subjects such as abortion where you don’t want an unwanted pregnancy to be terminated, but you also don’t want to pay for the unwanted child.
It’s been 2000 years….he ain’t coming back
Show your math. My calculation is 2028
While I agree with the general premise of the article, I note that DL Gardner has contributed a great deal of political distraction and animosity to the world within his little orbit.
Sexual abuse is a horrible thing, whether its a child or an adult, and no matter who the abuser is. There are many situations where we may thing---why God? But we must remember: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Matthew 4:1 - 11 KJV
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
I am a Christian. Being a Christian is hard. I'm not all smiles and good times. This road is hard. But its the road I chose, thank God. There are trials and tribulation in our life. There are also joys, happiness, love, kindness, compassion, and miracles.
In all situations, I fail without turning to Jesus. In all situations, I fail unless I rely on the word of God. Not man, God. And we must always remember, this is the world, not heaven. To expect perfection here in the world is a fool's journey and its very easy to get trapped in that.
James who gave us the book in the New Testament we credit to him, wrote under God's influence in James 3:14
"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth."
In the Gospel we credit to John, the Apostle wrote under God's influence in John 4:14
"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
I am unable to adequately expound on God's wisdom. I can only determine what his word means to me, but my experience is that God os spirit and I am not. He is eternal and I am temporal, with a spiritual outcome as I leave my brief temporal physical existence into an eternal spiritual existence. Scripture tells me I can exist eternally with Him or eternally separated from Him.
I choose to leave this temporal existence, that lasted no longer than a vapor in God's mind and spend eternity with him.
Thanks be to God, Amen
Being a Christian is not hard.
Only a maybe, sometime Christian thinks it is hard.
Amen ZeroBear.
@ 9:08, this is 9:10. Resisting temptation is hard because we are humans, not perfect. Belittling others isn't very nice. Easy to do, but not the right thing to do.
September 23, 2023 at 5:23 PM, too bad we aren't all perfect like you.
I can resist everything, but temptation.
It's glaringly obvious that DL didn't go to Seminary or even study the Bible at all. The BOOK is apparently just a political tool for him that he thumps for attention.
Guess what? There are Biblical scholars that can read Aramaic. DL struggles with English comprehension.
Somehow, the " fashion" these days is to pick and choose passages , mostly from the Old Testament (that's BEFORE JESUS for those with no sense of history...so Jewish teaching) and ignore Jesus' teachings and then claim to be Christian. Don't think that's going to work but ...and clearly the camel and the eye of a needle and Jesus' attitude toward the " money changers" ignored.
And, only those who study history would learn anything about the "politics" of "faith" as written or the influence of the Catholic church by less than holy clerics along the way.
Sadly, some of you will never understand that one loves God and Jesus more , not less, with knowlege.
DL should be desperate for any hope of fixing the demons circling his rotten brain. Good luck finding Jesus DL, I’ll be praying for you. The first step is admitting you have a problem and are powerless to its control.
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