When Jesus heard it, He said unto them, “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (back to wholeness).”
Mark 2:17
Are you a sinner? Of course.
We’re all sinners according to Romans 3:23 in the Bible. But, that makes us the perfect recipients of God’s grace and mercy. Jesus died to save sinners – That’s you and me. To save us from what? Well, from an eternity in hell, yes. But, to save us from the works of the flesh and the sin that so easily besets (entangles) us (Hebrews 12:1). It’s easy for us to live in sin, in our ways. But, we no longer have to live in our ways, in sin. Now, we can have the Holy Spirit living in us and helping us to renew our minds so we can live God’s ways and be free from the entanglements and consequences of sin. Yay God!
Our first reaction is usually in the flesh. That’s because we’ve been programmed by the world and our sin nature to respond that way. But, we can live ABOVE. We can learn to live in Christ. He can become not only our first reaction, but with Him, we can have “all is at rest.” ☺
The following verses aren’t just for Christmas time. They proclaim “The Life” to those on earth. Every day can be lived with Jesus and the Holy Spirit inside us. Mankind has been redeemed from slavery to sin and the death that life apart from God brings them. No longer do we have to give into and obey the dictates of this world and our flesh. We can submit our every thought, our every decision to Christ and be led by the Holy Spirit. A relationship with Christ isn’t just another religious experience. It’s true Life! Free indeed!
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Luke 2:8-15
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never felt good inside whenever I was walking in sin and darkness, whenever I was jealous, angry, striving, prideful, arrogant, discouraged, restless, scared, worried, lustful, greedy, hateful, insecure, shamed, etc. I was always impatient and uneasy during times when these things occupied my thought life, emotions and spirit. I never really did love the darkness. It never felt like home. It always made me feel uneasy.
In John 3:19, the Bible tells us that most people will not find The Life. They won’t come to Jesus. The Bible says they won’t because they love and therefore prefer the darkness (all that Satan offers them) over the light (Jesus) . Wow.
The world has it pretty much all wrong thinking Christianity is simply another religion to try, that it’s all about legalism, boring church services and a life full of limitations. The Gospel is Good News. In fact, it really is the greatest news ever given to mankind – Of course, God knows that.
The angels in the fields proclaiming Jesus’ birth to the shepherds were letting them know they will no longer need to live with the choking and death-inducing limitations of sin. No longer do they need to be in bondage with unforgiveness, despair, hopelessness, dismay, the past, fear, hate, self-pity, selfishness, impatience, vengeful hearts, worry, doubt, pride, jealousy, addictions, insecurity, inferiority, shame, anger, lust, greed, strife – And the list of fallen woes we can be redeemed from goes on and on.
Jesus, the Savior was to be born and He came to set mankind FREE! Oh, Hallelujah! Now we can have ever-expanding, abundant, eternal life and joy in the Holy Spirit. We can have infinite Jesus living in us!
Great News! Our Redeemer lives! And because He does, we can have newness of life, The Life – Every day!
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine.
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.*
God bless,
Mark
*Lyric taken from the Christian hymn “Blessed Assurance” by blind Fanny Crosby and Phoebe Knapp