609 Jesus: Both Here and There! Apr 20, 2025

Key Scripture: Luke 23:46

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Relevance

Approximately 2000 years ago, our Lord and Saviour went to be with His Father. His time on earth came with a calling to humankind: Salvation free of charge, followed by a life dedicated to God through Christ.

Jesus went through His trial of love for people to find Salvation. His hope was also for disciples to continue their spiritual growth as a life course, the end of which happens when we pass through that glorious oxygen wall to be with Him. What a magnificent eternal event. 

His passing created a simple yet sole way to enjoy His company in this life and beyond.

When we accept Jesus, we turn from one way of life to another. However, before that, we go through a time of consideration.

At first, we're walking in a direction away from God, but we turn at an invisible line of demarcation. This is the moment we about-face and begin to contemplate a new way of life. Salvation may still be a day, week, month, or longer away, but we're on that line. Even though we have not yet come to the Cross, we make that U-turn in faith.

Then, we near our decision-making point, where we come to the first principles of our spiritual life—the basic pillars of solid Christianity: Belief, Repentance, Water Baptism, and Baptism of the Holy Spirit. At this time, wise counsel from others should impart those principles in such a way that they are neither ambiguous nor watered down, with no lack of understanding about the earnestness of our new commitment to the walk.

Belief is a dual belief. It couples belief in the existence of Jesus Christ with the conviction that His every Word must be obeyed, both in Letter and Spirit.

Repentance is not only a blanket repentance at the time of baptism but is ongoing so that every further act and thought of unbelief is cleansed as we progress. This kindles our passion for rejecting all forms of sin and keeping our eyes on God and Christ Jesus.

Water Baptism is for the remission of all past sins. Acts 2:38.

Somewhere around this time comes God’s seal on a person’s belief, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, which is mentioned in Acts 2:37-47. John the Baptist said that the Lord Jesus was the giver of this baptism (Matthew 3:11).

These principles lead to a new life of dedication to wisdom, understanding, and a beautiful servile relationship of love, peace, and joy that one cannot get elsewhere.

The finished products are preachers of love and righteousness with hearts for the lost, who are desirous of winning souls and teaching new Christians to seek the Kingdom of God first and foremost.

Much teaching came from the Cross and the trials our Lord and Saviour went through. His love for us put Him there, and our love for Him will shape us in His beautiful image. 

Prayer

Dear Father, I can never fully appreciate what your precious Son endured to create the doorway to my eternal relationship with the Trinity. Please help me forever put my life in your hands.

Photo by Gift Habeshaw