A couple of weeks ago Marsha and I attended a program put on by Emma’s day care. Emma is my youngest grand daughter at 2 ½ years old. As she stood on the stage with the other little ones, she was anxious to perform her part. The teacher began to talk about the flag and where they put their hand. Emma put her right hand on her heart and recited the pledge of allegiance without missing a word. Some day Emma will understand what our flag stands for and the meaning of those words.
A few years ago I went on a business trip to the Pacific Rim and as our plane approached our first stop the pilot announced if we look out the window on our right side we could see Tokyo, Japan. As we flew over the city, I couldn’t help but think about Pearl Harbor and how that attack by the Japanese altered the lives of many that day. The Tokyo airport was a stop over to change planes as I was going to Seoul, South Korea. I spent a few days in Seoul and then boarded a train that would take me to Pusan at the southern end of Korea. The train ride would take about 5 hours. As the train traveled deep into the country, I was surrounded by mountains. Korea is 75% mountains. As I looked out the window at the beautiful scenery, I thought about the Korean War and the thousands of Americans who fought in those mountains and the conditions they were exposed to. My uncles were in that war and returned home safely. Why would men travel so far to fight in a war?
On another trip I flew into Brussels, Belgium and was picked up by an employee of a French company where I was to go to conduct an audit of their manufacturing facility. The car ride would take about 4 hours through the wooded area of Northern France. My driver could speak no English and I could speak no French, so it was a rather quiet drive. As we traveled along, the driver directed my attention to a beautiful farm house with the biggest round topped barn I have ever seen. The whole hillside was manicured like a golf green. He was trying to tell me something about this place but I couldn’t understand him until he said one word I did know and that was Napoleon. I later learned that this was the birth place of Napoleon Bonaparte. As we traveled, I thought about D Day and the battle of Normandy and the thousands of US soldiers who fought there and extending into this rugged country of Northern France. What drives men to go so far to fight in a war so far from home?
For those of us who live in the USA we value our freedom and regard it as something worth fighting for. But what is it all about? If I could lump it all into one word I would say it is about the people? People all over the world are worth fighting for. It’s about our little children and future generations being able to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and more importantly it is having freedom of religion. Men and women today have joined the military and are willing to give their life to preserve these freedoms for us and to give these freedoms to others. It’s about people and the value of people.
One of many parables of Jesus is Matthew 13:44 where Jesus says “the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field: the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” As we study the bible, we learn that the kingdom of heaven is Christ’s church. Jesus gave all he had. He gave his life. Let us ask ourselves the question; Who did he give his life for?
The answer to this question can be found in John 3:16 that says “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God loved the treasure of the world didn’t he? Did Jesus, His son, come to find the diamond fields of Israel? Did he come to find the gold in California? Is that the treasure in the field that God gave his son for? Did Christ give his life for these kinds of treasures?
The answer to that is of coarse no. For God so loved the people of the world. It is about the people. God created man in his own image, male and female he created. In this same verse, John 3:16, those who believe in Jesus, one should not perish but two will have everlasting life.
Yes there is value in people. Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost. Those, meaning people. He gives us freedom from our sins. We love living in the USA but we should love living in Christ more. What is going to happen to the things of this world? It is going to vanish away isn’t it. But what will happen to the soul of a Christian? It will live forever won’t it.
What should we do with the gospel of Christ? One we should take it to all the world and two teach it to every person. Again, It is all about people. God is no respector of persons is he? Everyone deserves the chance to hear the gospel. God’s word will endure forever, won’t it. God warned his disciples not to fear that which will destroy the body but fear that which will destroy the soul.
What did Jesus say we should do if we love Him? “if you love me, keep my commandments.” The 12 apostles faced persecution, they were beaten and thrown in jail, they were ship wrecked, tortured, ridiculed, mocked. Any one of them could have quit. Who would blame them. They could have lived an easier life. But their love for Jesus prevailed. We enjoy the benefits of their hard work and we give the same to our children and the people of the world by doing the same work. The commission that was given to the apostles is also given to us. “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be condemned.”
It’s good to live at peace on earth, but it’s better to live at peace spiritually as the song says “when the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.” Remember it is about people.
A few years ago I went on a business trip to the Pacific Rim and as our plane approached our first stop the pilot announced if we look out the window on our right side we could see Tokyo, Japan. As we flew over the city, I couldn’t help but think about Pearl Harbor and how that attack by the Japanese altered the lives of many that day. The Tokyo airport was a stop over to change planes as I was going to Seoul, South Korea. I spent a few days in Seoul and then boarded a train that would take me to Pusan at the southern end of Korea. The train ride would take about 5 hours. As the train traveled deep into the country, I was surrounded by mountains. Korea is 75% mountains. As I looked out the window at the beautiful scenery, I thought about the Korean War and the thousands of Americans who fought in those mountains and the conditions they were exposed to. My uncles were in that war and returned home safely. Why would men travel so far to fight in a war?
On another trip I flew into Brussels, Belgium and was picked up by an employee of a French company where I was to go to conduct an audit of their manufacturing facility. The car ride would take about 4 hours through the wooded area of Northern France. My driver could speak no English and I could speak no French, so it was a rather quiet drive. As we traveled along, the driver directed my attention to a beautiful farm house with the biggest round topped barn I have ever seen. The whole hillside was manicured like a golf green. He was trying to tell me something about this place but I couldn’t understand him until he said one word I did know and that was Napoleon. I later learned that this was the birth place of Napoleon Bonaparte. As we traveled, I thought about D Day and the battle of Normandy and the thousands of US soldiers who fought there and extending into this rugged country of Northern France. What drives men to go so far to fight in a war so far from home?
For those of us who live in the USA we value our freedom and regard it as something worth fighting for. But what is it all about? If I could lump it all into one word I would say it is about the people? People all over the world are worth fighting for. It’s about our little children and future generations being able to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and more importantly it is having freedom of religion. Men and women today have joined the military and are willing to give their life to preserve these freedoms for us and to give these freedoms to others. It’s about people and the value of people.
One of many parables of Jesus is Matthew 13:44 where Jesus says “the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field: the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” As we study the bible, we learn that the kingdom of heaven is Christ’s church. Jesus gave all he had. He gave his life. Let us ask ourselves the question; Who did he give his life for?
The answer to this question can be found in John 3:16 that says “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God loved the treasure of the world didn’t he? Did Jesus, His son, come to find the diamond fields of Israel? Did he come to find the gold in California? Is that the treasure in the field that God gave his son for? Did Christ give his life for these kinds of treasures?
The answer to that is of coarse no. For God so loved the people of the world. It is about the people. God created man in his own image, male and female he created. In this same verse, John 3:16, those who believe in Jesus, one should not perish but two will have everlasting life.
Yes there is value in people. Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost. Those, meaning people. He gives us freedom from our sins. We love living in the USA but we should love living in Christ more. What is going to happen to the things of this world? It is going to vanish away isn’t it. But what will happen to the soul of a Christian? It will live forever won’t it.
What should we do with the gospel of Christ? One we should take it to all the world and two teach it to every person. Again, It is all about people. God is no respector of persons is he? Everyone deserves the chance to hear the gospel. God’s word will endure forever, won’t it. God warned his disciples not to fear that which will destroy the body but fear that which will destroy the soul.
What did Jesus say we should do if we love Him? “if you love me, keep my commandments.” The 12 apostles faced persecution, they were beaten and thrown in jail, they were ship wrecked, tortured, ridiculed, mocked. Any one of them could have quit. Who would blame them. They could have lived an easier life. But their love for Jesus prevailed. We enjoy the benefits of their hard work and we give the same to our children and the people of the world by doing the same work. The commission that was given to the apostles is also given to us. “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be condemned.”
It’s good to live at peace on earth, but it’s better to live at peace spiritually as the song says “when the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.” Remember it is about people.
posted by Patrick at 10:42 AM
1 Comments:
Excellent thoughts, Pat! For those who are in Christ, investing in people is routine and normal. I observe how hard it is for those whose lives never touch another in a meaningful way; that during bad times, there is no one for them to turn to, so they turn towards themselves. I can't imagine life without God in it.
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