How Can They Know If No One Tells Them

The recent anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic produced at least one surprising reaction. A number of young people tweeted their surprise that the disaster was more than just another Hollywood film.

While this did make the news, perhaps it is not quite as newsworthy as we may be inclined to think. Another blogger wrote a fine piece on what this really demonstrates in American culture here.

But there is something else this helps demonstrate; The importance of education and the ease which knowledge can be withheld. I am in particular thinking about the Gospel. Americans live in a “Christianized” culture, but how many Americans know the Gospel? How many can tell us just what the mission of Jesus time on this earth was all about? I even wonder how many in our churches could tell us.

This just demonstrates the importance that we take the time to learn the Gospel ourselves, then go and share it with others. We cannot assume that because a person says they go to church or that they are Christian means they know and have accepted the Gospel message. I guarantee these people would have said they knew about the Titanic before this past month, but there source was only Hollywood (and we know how historically inaccurate they can be). So true is it that people may claim to know Jesus, but not really know him. And the only way they will hear is if we go and tell them.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel.”

A Reminder to Remember

A reading from Deuteronomy 9:

"Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my righteous-ness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. (vs. 4)

"Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteous-ness, for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD. (vs. 6-7)

You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you. (vs. 24)

Moses is speaking to the nation of Israel just prior to their entering the promised land at this point and is giving his final admonition to them to remember who the are, whose they are, from whence they came, and to where they are going. Most important in this message is to remember that their esteemed position with God has nothing to do with they as a people. If anything, based on their merit, they should have long before been destroyed. But there they are, sitting along the Jordan River opposite of Jericho. It will become as history shows very important for the people to spend time reminding themselves of how they got there.

This is truly a message of grace. God is  bringing them into the land based on His character, not theirs. God made a promise to Abraham and now his is fulfilling it (in part at least).

In the same way it is with us. We are a sinful people, at war against God and yet he still brings us deliverance from ourselves and our bondage to sin. Our salvation is based on no merit of our own righteousness, for as Isaiah says; they are but filthy rags (64:6). Instead our salvation is brought to us solely based on the grace of God. To him alone belongs the glory, honor, and praise.

A Celebration and Sobering Reminder

Today is known as Palm Sunday. It is the day Jesus arrives at Jerusalem, and as he comes down off the Mount of Olives, people lay their blankets before him and cry out praises for the arrival of a new king. All this is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9;

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

The salvation he bore though was not what Israel desired. They wanted deliverance from Roman rule, to be their own kingdom again. The salvation Jesus brought was much greater and something we should celebrate on this Palm Sunday.

But in the midst of this great celebration comes a sobering reminder – the nature and gravity of our sin. In just a matter of days the people who are proclaiming and celebrating the arrival of Jesus will desert him. Others will turn against him. And many will call out “crucify him.” It is an important reminder of how our sin and selfish desires can blind us to the mind, will, and love of God.

May this day be one of celebration and thanksgiving to God for saving us, for opening our eyes to see his salvation, and our minds for understanding it, and our hearts for responding positively to it.