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Two Thieves

3/26/2019

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 "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.  I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine." (Psalm 50:10-11) 
   A thousand hills, just imagine a thousand hills with cattle.  Almost too much to comprehend.  That's how God is.  He's larger and more magnificent than the mind can conceive.  Try as hard as you might and it's impossible to wrap the mind around just how all-encompassing God is.

     And, yet, his son, the Son of man, hung on a cross and died the death to save all who would come to him.  What it means is that Jesus was the sacrifice (the blood sacrifice) for everyone on this earth--past, present, and future.  That's a gazillion people.  Wrap your mind around that one.  If everyone believed that God sent his Son to save us, we would all be spending eternity in heaven.  If only the Earth and it's population was one hundred percent sold out to Jesus.  Everyone.
       E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E.

     The downside is that the day will come when everyone will believe but it will be too late for some.  Philippians 2:10-11 says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  The day has already come and gone for many to make their profession of faith in Jesus.  But there are many others who are on the sidelines.  It's important that we pray for their souls.
     It's like the day of Jesus' crucifixion.  Two thieves hung on crosses on either side of him.  The story is in Luke 23:34-43.  The thief on one side cried out against Jesus and complained bitterly that if he was really the Christ why didn't he save them (the thieves) and himself.  This was at the same time that the soldiers and others were mocking Jesus and shouting out similar jeering.  Hanging on the cross, spikes driven through his hands and another in his feet.  The crowd had turned on him.  He was dying but he was also carrying out the will of his Father in heaven.  This had to be a moment of heartbreak for God.
     And yet, in a moment such as this, Jesus answers the request of the thief on the other side of him.  The thief, the one on the other side, knew that he was getting what he deserved.  He was guilty.  He didn't believe that this man, Jesus, next to him was guilty of anything.  Surely he was who he said he was, the Son of God sent from heaven to save mankind.  Who else would go to such a horrific death and not be yelling at the top of his voice that he was innocent?
     And, so, in these last moments of breath, he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  And Jesus said to him, "Verily I say unto you, today you will be with me in paradise."  They hung there for three more hours and then it was over.  Jesus gave up his life here on earth.  And the thief and Jesus walked hand in hand to paradise.  Thank you God for such blessings.

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Bread of Life

3/18/2019

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     George Soros is a billionaire.  He is Hungarian-American.  He is an atheist.  And he wants to establish a New World Order.  He has been upset that Trump has succeeded in "...presiding over the return of Christian morals, ethics, and values in American society..." (from an article by Andrew Korybko.  He is an American Moscow-based political analyst.)  The attack on Jesus continues.  Will Satan ever give up?  No, of course not.  He didn't give up over 2000 years ago.  And he's not going to start now.
     Jesus spelled it out for us in John 6:51-65.  He was frank, brutally so, and very direct.  There was no mistaking his message.  Pastor Josh made His points quite eloquently.  Jesus is the bread of eternal life.  Verse 51 also says that the bread that he gives is his flesh.  Just prior to this Jesus had fed the Five Thousand with five barley loaves and two fish.(John 6:1-14) It was a miracle.  
     Jesus left them but they followed and wanted to know why he left.  He answers that they are not paying attention (in my own words).  He performed miracles and they missed it.  Don't follow him just to eat, but realize that you're tagging along after the Son of man who can give you everlasting life.  Ignorantly they continue and want to know what they can do.  Jesus says it real simple, "believe on him whom he (God) hath sent.  Now they want a sign.
      Okay.  It's beginning to look like Jesus could talk to these folks until he's blue in the face and they won't get it.  There's a little discourse on the manna in the wilderness.  Jesus is trying to get them to see with their spiritual eyes.  He says it.  "I am the bread of life:" (John 6:35)  He repeats himself  "I am that bread of life." (John 6:48)  The bread that came down in the wilderness was not living bread.  The ones who ate that bread are long gone.  Jesus is offering them living bread.  If they eat of this bread, they will not die.
     This is living bread.  Jesus is giving his life (flesh) for the sake of the world.  By now, they're getting peevish.  Jesus had fed them earlier just like Moses fed their forefathers in the wilderness.  Now he was offering them the bread of life and all they could focus on was eating flesh.  How repugnant.
     Jesus was not asking them to be cannibals.  He was asking them to believe on him.  Back up to John 6:27.  Jesus warns against working for the meat of this world because it will perish.  Instead work for the meat that endures forever.  Their response:  what can they do to work the works of God?  He answered, "This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he hath sent."  
     All of that discourse from John 6:24 to 60 was a pointed talk to open the spiritual eyes of those following Jesus.  Even the twelve disciples grumbled among themselves.  But when Jesus confronted them, Simon Peter spoke up and said that Jesus had the words of eternal life. (John 6:68-69)  He got it along with others of the twelve.  So, there it is.  Jesus is still in the soul-saving business.  Today the adversaries are no different now as then.  One billionaire is an atheist and the other is a Christian.  One believes that Jesus is the bread of life and the other one doesn't.  It's a story that has yet to come to a conclusion.  But it will.  It's in John 6:40.  It's called the last day. ​

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To Inherit Eternal Life

3/10/2019

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​     The young man pursued Jesus.  We know he's rich because Jesus says that he is in Matthew 19:23.  This takes place right after Jesus blesses the little children.  It's a story worth reflecting on time and time again.  The story of the rich young ruler is what it's usually referred to and can be found in Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18.
     This man has all the attributes of a fine, upstanding young man.  He more than likely has some position of authority among the Jews.  It's obvious upon reading the excerpt that he was probably brought up in a fine family that followed the law of Moses.  He was also a fine person who possessed a good moral character.  All-in-all, he was an upright human being.
     It's apparent that he has heard Jesus and he values the opinions of this Rabbi that many are beginning to believe is the Messiah.  He's not one to test Jesus to try and find fault with him.  He sincerely wants to know what he must do to inherit eternal life.  And he believes that Jesus is the one to tell him.
     So he pursues him and asks him the question, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"  Now, remember, Jesus knows the heart of everyone.  He tells this young man to keep the commandments.  Interestingly, the man wants to know which ones.  An odd question.  However, Jesus continues and lists them.  He must be young because the next thing he says is that he has kept all of them.
     This is where it gets interesting.  Jesus looks at him and his heart goes out to him.  He loves him (Mark 10:21).  It probably grieves Jesus that he must tell this young man that to inherit eternal life he should sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him.  He already knows the man will turn away in dismay.  It must have been sad for Jesus as well.
     Now jump ahead to John 11.  Lazarus is sick.  His sister Mary, who is the woman who anointed Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair, sends for Jesus.  She says that her brother whom Jesus loves is sick.  Could this be the rich young ruler?  Who knows, but think about it.  Jesus wept (John 11:35).  Perhaps Lazarus has died and is destined for eternal death--not eternal life.  Jesus speaks a prayer to God the Father and raises Lazarus from the dead. There are others that suppose that Lazarus and the young man are one and the same.  Charles J. Ellicott who authored Ellicott's Bible Commentary is one such person.  But, it is only conjecture.  
    The sermon text was Matthew 19:16-22 but one needs to read the other accounts to really appreciate the significance of the story.  Jesus in all of his glory really has no need to save any of us.  It is only God's love which is deep and merciful that will save us.  Divine love in incomprehensible.  Thank God for it every day.
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    Linda Johnson

    Linda Johnson moved to Douglas County with her husband Tom 12 years ago after retiring from teaching. Following Tom's death in 2016, Linda began facilitating a grief support group called GriefShare through Sweden Church.​ She serves as the Sunday School teacher for our High School class. Her "Layman's Pen" articles are also published in the local paper, The Douglas County Herald. 

    Andrea Strong

    Andrea is Pastor Joshua Strong's wife. She also serves Sweden Church as Church Secretary, website administrator, and Sunday School teacher to the Intermediate Class.

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