This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who cannot see the video, click here.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who cannot see the video, click here.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see this video, click here.

The transcript for this video is not yet available.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

Sorry. The transcript for this video is not available yet.

This is a video post, for my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

Transcript of the Video

Hello and welcome to giveattentiontoreading.com, where you can get your daily dose of the Great Physician’s medicine. Today’s reading is from Acts chapters 3 and 4. Today, I’d like to give attention to Acts 4:11-12. The text says:

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

There it is. The bold and possibly arrogant claim of Christianity.

Jesus is not merely a savior in the midst of many saviors. His is not merely a name in the midst of many names. His way is not merely a way in the midst of many ways that lead to God. He is the only one. His is the only name. His is the only way that leads to God.

Ra won’t get you to God. Mithra won’t get you to God. Zeus won’t get you to God.  Buddha won’t get you to God. Krishna won’t get you to God. Confucius won’t get you to God. Mohammed won’t get you to God. Joseph Smith won’t get you to God. The Pope won’t get you to God. Oprah Winfrey won’t get you to God. I won’t even get you to God. Jesus Christ is the only way to God.

But this doesn’t fit too well in our post-modern, ecumenical, universalistic society. Today we are told that every way is right from a different perspective. What works for you may not work for me, and vice versa. We’re told that every way is merely a spoke in the wheel that leads to the hub of God.

BALDERDASH!!!

And I will admit, freely, that it is Christianity that throws a wrench in those works. Let’s think through this for a moment.

If every way is right, then Christianity is right. But as we read, Christianity claims that every other way is wrong. “No problem,” you say, “We’ll just say that Christianity is wrong.” But if Christianity is wrong, then you can’t say every way is right, and how many other ways might be wrong as well.

The fact is Christianity keeps us from making this weak and watered-down excuse for avoiding the challenges of the spiritual questions of life.

If Christianity is wrong, it is wrong. Say that it’s wrong. If it’s right, face up to it, follow it with all your might. But please do not be the weak and spiritually cowardly person who says, “I refuse to face the challenges of Christianity. I’m just going to pretend like it’s one way among many. And I get to pretend to have the high moral ground.”

If it’s right, then accept it and follow it. If it’s wrong, then treat it as a lie straight from the devil. Because you just can’t have it both ways. As for me, I’m going to follow Jesus. His is the only way. His is the only name. He is the only way to God and salvation.

I invite you to take the journey with me. Or, I invite you to say that I’m wrong. But please don’t patronize me by saying it is wrong for you but right for me.  Christianity simply won’t allow that.

Thanks again for checking out giveattentiontoreading.com. I’d love to know what you thought of today’s post and what else you got out of today’s  reading. Feel free to drop down to the comments section and join in the discussion. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for another dose of the Great Physician’s medicine.

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P.S. Here is a version of my favorite song that teaches this same message.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

Transcript of Video

Hello and welcome to giveattentiontoreading.com, where you can get your daily dose of the Great Physician’s medicine. Today’s reading is from Acts chapters 1 and 2. Today, I’d like to give attention to Acts 2:36-38:

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

I fear that I’ve read this passage so much that I might gloss over the amazing exchange that takes place here. Peter had just accused these Jews of murdering the Messiah, the hope that they had been waiting generations for. And some of them had believed him. They cried out, “Brothers, what shall we do?” But I’m just reading that off the page. I don’t get to hear their tone of voice; I don’t get to see their body language. And if I’m not careful, I can just read it as someone matter-of-factly saying, “Alright then, what do we do?” I don’t think that’s what’s happening at all.

This is going to be a cry of despair. These folks believed Peter when he said they had murdered their only hope. This is a rhetorical cry of despair. They’re not expecting an answer. They don’t think there is anything they can do. They killed the Messiah. And so, I don’t even think I can act it out here for this camera.

“Brothers, what shall we do?!”

I bet there were tears, moaning, groaning, weeping, gnashing of teeth, tearing of clothes, beating of breasts, wailing…and there was no expectation of an answer. But Peter had one.

Imagine their shock when they heard there was something they could do, and Peter said, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Do you see what that means for you and me? That means whatever we’ve done, we can be forgiven. If even slaughtering the Messiah could be removed in the watery grave of baptism, then whatever sin you’ve committed can also be washed away. It doesn’t matter how bad you’ve been, how far you’ve gone, how low you’ve gotten. When you’re down at the bottom in despair looking up and crying, thinking there will be no answer, “What can I do?”, there is. Repent, be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. As the next verse says, the promise is for you.

Have you done what Peter said? If not, I encourage you to spend more time in these chapters. Surrender to Jesus. Let Him wash your sins away.

Thanks again for checking out giveattentiontoreading.com. I’d love to hear what you thought of today’s post. I’d love to know what else you got out of today’s reading. So drop down to the comments section. Feel free to join in the discussion. And don’t forget to check back in tomorrow for another dose of the Great Physician’s medicine.

James 2-3 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is James 2:1-3:18.

“But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18).

That Wordle really makes the point, doesn’t it? Is that giving us the picture of faith and works? No, I can’t help but notice it demonstrates exactly what James says: “Faith works!”

My brother-in-law recently pointed out to me what I’ve often overlooked in this passage. James didn’t say, “I’ll show you my faith and my works,” as if these are two completely separate things. Rather, he said, “I’ll show you my faith by my works.” James is not actually saying that faith needs something added to it in order to justify us. Rather, he is telling us what kind of faith justifies us.

Mental assent, minor agreement, and mere acceptance do not justify. I can acknowledge the truth of God’s Word all day long. But that faith provides no victory at all. Even the demons do that. Justification comes from a faith that walks, a faith that works. Faith is the victory, but only when that faith changes my life, leading me to surrender to the one who I truly believe will justify.

At the same time, we do need to recognize that if I’m doing works without faith in Jesus, those works accomplish me nothing. After all, I can’t justify myself. I can get baptized, attend assemblies of the church, avoid adultery, give to charity all in the attempt to establish my own righteousness without faith in Jesus’ power to justify and I won’t be justified.

I need to see both sides of this. Faith alone (that is mere mental agreement) doesn’t justify. But then again works alone won’t justify either. Only a working faith justifies, because only a working faith surrenders to the only one who can justify.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Post a Comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.