From:
Date: January 13, 2021
Subject: It's January 13; Good Morning Union


Luke 3

“You are my Son whom I love, with You I am well pleased.” Vs 22

John began his message to the people who had come to listen to him by giving the conclusion before the main points of his riverside sermon. “If you want to find the Messiah I need to teach you that the first step is to:

  1. realize the value of repenting of your old ways and,
  2. realize that God’s grace is all you need to move forward with Him.”

Then all he did was answer their questions. “What do I do now that I have accepted God’s grace?” What a good question. John helps me:

  1. not get trapped in cheap grace, thinking that all I have to do is accept Jesus and then I can live my life as I wish, and
  2. It also keeps me from the other extreme of thinking that whatever good I do earns me forgiveness or salvation.

John made it clear, the grace of God saves me AND it teaches me how to live.

Four groups asked John the same question and John gave four different answers. That was also a good reminder that the journey to God might come in different packages as we travel together toward Him. I summarize his four answers as follows:

  1. Share
  2. Be fair
  3. Be honest
  4. Be content

Sounds like Sesame Street or the book, “All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”

  1. Remember the children’s Sabbath School song, “I have two dollies and you have none… I’ll share my dolly for I love you, and that’s what Jesus wants me to do!” Some things never change.
  2. Every “good deal” I get in life because I cheated someone or fudged a bit on the truth might just come back to bite me. What if I just treated everyone the way I would like to be treated?
  3. Someone once said (that’s my way of saying I heard this from someone but can’t remember who!), “If I only tell the truth I’ll never have to try and remember what I said.”  Honesty really is the best policy.
  4. If I always want more I’ll never be satisfied. Contentment is a great gift I can give myself by learning to be happy with what I have rather than always wanting more.

So there’s Luke 3; lessons to live by as I get closer to Jesus coming on the scene.

Have a great day discovering balance in Jesus,

Pastor Rich

 

Quote for the day:      "We must never forget that He is God. He is majestic and holy and sovereign. He is accountable to no one. He is not an errand boy who chases the assignments we dole out. He is not a genie who pops out of the bottle to satisfy our whims. He is not our servant—we are His. And our reason for existence is to glorify and honor Him. And He says, 'Trust Me.'"      James Dobson

 

PS        IRR leaves for Alaska today. Let’s pray they have a safe (and warm) experience.