A Thought

“Jesus said to the Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” John 8:31-32

It’s very simple.  The “word” is the Scripture, and Jesus is the “word made flesh”.  Therefore if we never spend time in the “word”, we cannot be disciples of the Messiah whom we know nothing about and will not follow.  An intellectual and/or historical acknowledgement that a man named ‘Jesus’ existed is not “abiding” in Him.  Refusing to attend worship of the Holy Father to hear and celebrate the “word” in fellowship with other disciples is not “abiding” in Him.  Refusing to share in the sacraments given to us by Him is not “abiding” in Him.  Having a “bumper sticker relationship” with Him (that is, knowing some short verses such as “the truth shall make you free”, or “God so loved the world …’”) is no relationship at all because each little saying has a context.  And it is often that we toss short phrases carelessly about with no knowledge of what the phrase actually means.  If this is the case, there is no knowledge of Messiah Himself; only the knowledge of some empty words.

Understand this is not about heaven or hell, being saved, or being unsaved.  This is about living the fullest of the life which has been given to each of us to fulfill a divine purpose.  Knowing Messiah is about knowing the fullness of the Holy Father’s love for His creation and understanding why He chose to humble Himself so.  Abiding in the fullness of Messiah Jesus is abiding in the fullness of Divine Love.

Do not neglect those simple means of grace by which we remain constantly and intimately connected to our Holy Father.  He came to us for a reason; and that reason was, indeed, YOU and the Life He means for you to have.

Blessings,

Michael