Jesus invited people from every background and status to follow Him—rich people, poor people, sick people, well people, people who were spiritual, and people who were not spiritual. He didn’t place a bunch of conditions on His offer. The difference between rule-keeping and rule-following is where the focus is placed. His invitation tells us something about where our focus should be.
The story of Christmas is that Jesus is the source of true joy! As one writer said, “He has come for us, for us. He’s come—amazingly, shockingly—because he loves us. That’s the startling joy of Christmas.” (Finding Christmas – James Calvin Schaap)
Love is often talked about and more often misunderstood. Love in our world is primarily a feeling. Biblically speaking love is so much more than a feeling. From a Biblical point of view love moves. It is an action toward others, on behalf of others, and for the benefit of others. In it’s purest form it is self-sacrificing without the expectation of return. What does it look like to live a love “FULL” life?
Being “at peace” means different things to different people. For some, it means a lack of stress in life. For others, it means financial security—money in the bank, nice things, and good retirement plan. Ask a mother of young kids and she might describe the hour after the kids have gone to sleep as being peaceful. From a Biblical point of view, peace comes first from a person, not from right circumstances.
Revelation 1:8 says “I am the Alpha and the Omega” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” This morning as we look at this verse we will find that the hope of Jesus is not some intangible thing that we have to hope someday comes true. The hope of Jesus is right here, right now. Jesus was the hope back then, the hope today, and the hope for tomorrow. Christian hope is powerful because it is certain. Our hope is driven by faith in the living God who is, who was, and who is come.