The Central Moment

Jesus’ mission on earth is not first and foremost pursuing social justice or advocating for the oppressed or advancing political ideologies or even bettering people’s living conditions. It is above all a proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ by which people are turned from the power of Satan to God. Everything else flows from that!

In the consumerism that marks much of contemporary Crhristianity, too many people seem satisfied to associate with Jesus but never really serve him in a way that costs them something. That is not normal Christianity! Watch, though, what happens when Jesus appears and the supernatural becomes the missional.

They are the 3 Deadly D’s -- Denial (there is nothing wrong with me), Delusion (I can handle things on my own), Defiance (no one is going to tell me what to do). They are deadly because they represent barriers to change in our lives. But one of the greatest conversions in church history reminds us that those barriers melt away when a person comes face to face with Jesus.

Have you ever wondered what to do about your past? Have you gone too far to ever find forgiveness or hope? Are you too sinful for God to ever save? As someone who hated Christians to the point of even killing them, the Apostle Paul’s answer will be a resounding “No!”

It’s not a shame to suffer for Christ. In fact, the suffering of the first Christian martyr was accompanied by a vision of the glory of God himself. It was also the seed that was planted in the heart of a Jesus-hater who was later converted and changed the world.

What is the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament? Does the Old Testament apply in any way to us now that Jesus has come? In his genius, God has orchestrated an amazing answer!

If you had to come up with a last prophetic pronouncement of the Old Testament before the coming of the Messiah, what would you say? Of course, more importantly, what would God say? Well, Malachi tells us clearly -- remember and anticipate!

In the last few verses of the Old Testament, Jesus is prophetically pictured in a powerful, life-giving way. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared himself to be the fulfillment of both the law and the prophets. As such he has become our Savior and our healer!

Even in times of spiritual decline and deep division, God has always had a people who stay true to his heart. He remembers them, records their names in his scroll, and promises a future and hope for them.

Have you ever wondered whether serving God is worth it? How has serving God benefited you? Are the sacrifices that you have made worthwhile? Or are those even the right questions to be asking?

God’s material blessings come in two forms -- providing what we need and protecting what we already have. There is a spiritual warfare around money that we should not be naive to, and money should never become our God. Instead, we trust the Lord for the provision and protection that we need, for his glory.

What does money have to do with our spiritual condition? On one level, nothing. God’s grace cannot be bought or sold. But on another level, money has everything to do with the state of our hearts. Jesus got it right -- hearts follow treasures.

It’s been said that God created us in his image, but we decided to return the favor and recreate him in our image -- shaped around our preferences and limited perspectives. But what if our Creator wants to shake us up, clean up our lives, and give us something far better than catering to our whims?

Just before Jesus started his public ministry, another voice emerged on the scene. It was a voice calling people to ‘prepare the way’ for the Messiah’s coming. Let us, in our lives, make way for the entrance of Jesus and the spiritual renewal that his Spirit can bring us.

Divorce is a difficult subject in contemporary society. As many marriages end in divorce as stay together. The prophet Malachi deals with the subject head on in the last book of the Old Testament. But how did Jesus and the apostles look at divorce in the New Testament?

What might you be married to at the level of your affections and devotion? In spite of our religious veneers, the Lord looks deeply into our hearts. Thank God for Jesus -- who can change our hearts and consume them with the fire of his Spirit!

Few things discredit the gospel of Jesus of Christ more than spiritual leaders who do not practice what they preach, whose charisma has out-distanced their character. Thankfully, Malachi’s rebuke can become a pathway of prayer for our pastors and leaders.

Why might the Lord want to lock the doors to our places of worship? Could it be that we worship carelessly and out of grudging obligation, selling short the glory of his name? After all, his name will ultimately be great among all the nations. So let’s worship accordingly.

Are you giving your best to God -- not because you are manipulated or guilted into it, but out of honor and respect and love for who he is? And how does the Lord respond when we throw our second best at him? Let’s ask the hard questions today.

It’s quite possible to end up on the wrong side of God’s will. Although he is sovereign, our free wills can choose to resist him and rebel against him. But God will always have the last word in the end. He is not someone to be played with tritely!

Jesus commands us to love one another as he loved us… not a request or a suggestion, but a command. His example shows us that love is much more than a feeling… it’s a choice that guides our actions toward outwardly-focused, unselfish behavior to everyone around us.

One of the foundations of a healthy friendship is a willingness to serve someone else… to put someone’s needs higher than yours. Jesus modeled this by washing the feet of his disciples, proving that there is power in our expressions of love through service to others.

Friendships are great… when they’re working. But we’ve all run into times of disagreement with another. Deep, healthy friendships know the miraculous power of forgiveness. Maybe today is the day you can take a step toward mending a broken relationship.

Are you in faithful friendships with others? Do you have opportunities for honest dialog with others? Do you offer wise—and more importantly, timely—advice to those around you? And lastly, are you careful with the people God has put in your path?

Loneliness is pervasive in our culture today, but God created us for community and relationship with others. Friends can help lift you when you fall, and challenges are often more rewarding when you link arms with others.