Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Try reading one of my stories. It'll knock you right out! Sadly, today's story is about falling asleep, but because we can't help it.
Have you ever taken an accidental nap? You know. You're sitting in your comfy living room chair and you're watching the Packers game. Suddenly you wake up and the game's over.
"Did you have a nice nap?" your spouse asks. You wipe the drool off your lip and try to pretend that you're awake. Jesus' disciples had that very same problem.
"Then He (Jesus) returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter." - Matthew 26:40
I can imagine the Disciples got VERY tired, trying to keep up with Jesus and His ministry schedule. Walking everywhere, serving meals of fish and bread to 5,000 men, etc. Plus being persecuted everywhere they went.
There is a different type of "narcolepsy" that has crept into our world in these last days. Even into our churches. We are being lulled to sleep by Satan and his schemes. Just look at the world around us.
Lawlessness, wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, the murder of innocent lives, sexual perversions, deceptions, idolatry, I could go on and on. And many of these things have so invaded our society that they have woven their way into our laws. Even into The Church!
It is just as Jesus asked, "Couldn't we keep watch for even one hour?" Apparently not. So, what do we do? Jesus tells us.
“Watch out that no one deceives you." - Matthew 24:4
Too late. The world has already been deceived. So, now what? There is only one hope. His name is Jesus.
Yes, Jesus died. He was crucified. The same thing happend to many Christians in Jesus' day. The difference, and it is a HUGE difference, is that Jesus rose from the dead.
Yes, there are other examples of this happening to others in the Bible. Lazarus, for example. Only God has the power to raise the dead.
We Christians believe that Jesus IS God, along with God The Father and The Holy Spirit. Consider closely these words from Jesus.
"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” - John 10:17-18
Have we laid down OUR lives for Jesus? Have we left our life of sin and turned to Jesus, our blessed hope, to have it raised again?
This is not a time to be sleeping. Rather, it is a time to be waking others up, in Jesus' name. So get up and get out there!
“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” - Ephesians 5:14
Throughout the Bible, God has ALWAYS left a remnant of believers, through persecutions, sickness, strife, and war. I encourage you today . . . become part of today's remnant. Believe in Jesus.
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12
No comments:
Post a Comment