IF THE LIGHTS WENT OUT

What would happen if your lights went out? How would your life change if you no longer had electricity? Considering how dependent we all are on the energy passing through air and wires into our homes, what would happen if it all stopped? Would we know how to live? Would we have enough basic needs such as food and water even for two weeks? 

Jesus' death on calvary's cross put the disciples' lights out. They already knew how to live without the electrical power we take for granted each day, but His death took away their daily Light of life. The death of the One who gave them purpose for each day nearly destroyed their world of hope.

Consider what life would be like if God no longer was there to help us. Skeptics, agnostics and atheists like to repeat empty phrases such as, "God is dead," or "There is no God." What if that were true? Would we even be able to exist? Thanks be to God He is not dead, but lives to give us life.

We store just about everything electronically. Without it we'd have no communication system, no banking system and we would have to change the way we heat our homes or power our businesses. Governments would have to change, as well as hospitals, factories and educational institutions.

We don't think twice as we flip a switch for heat, news or entertainment. Most churches wouldn't even know their membership and most would have to change the way they worship. Virtually every part of our earthly life involves some kind of electrical impulse. Let's face it, we are hooked on electricity!

While electricity is a means through which we receive earthly blessings, more importantly Jesus gives us the means for receiving eternal blessings. Through His Holy Word, Holy Communion and Baptism, we receive the Bread of Life, are washed of our sins and have the power to live each day. Jesus made this plain when He said, "I am the Light of the World; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).

We praise God this Easter season that God gave the world back its Light in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even if, God forbid, our lights would go out due to some massive electromagnetic disaster, you and I would still have the Light of the World in Jesus Christ. God created electricity when He created light. When we trust our Lord Jesus for salvation each day, He will make sure we have what is needed for eternal life.

It's still good, though, to have a readiness plan in case your lights did go out!

-- 

Rev. Robert L. Tasler

http://www.bobtasler.com/

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE

I wish you all a blessed Easter time and hope you experienced some joy being in the presence of our Risen Lord and His people during the extended weekend just past.

Have you ever been the one in the middle, the person "in between?" Perhaps it was in a family quarrel, or a work dispute, or even trying to keep two people from physically fighting each other. Whatever the case, being the one in the middle can be uncomfortable and even dangerous.

This past Good Friday Christians recalled that Jesus died on the cross, the Holy One between two thieves. On Calvary He was also the One between God and humanity, suffering and dying to bring people back to God. That was where Jesus intended to be. From the time of His incarnation, He was destined to be the "Man in the Middle," the One who would bring peace and reconciliation between God and people.

Two thieves were crucified with Him on Good Friday, but only one saw the "Man in the Middle." Most thieves see things around them, their surroundings, who has seen them and what is taking place. Both of those thieves knew they belonged there on Calvary, But only one realized the "Man in the Middle," shouldn't have been here. 

Despite his hopeless condition, the observant thief doesn’t want to die alone. He rebuked the other thief and reached out to Jesus, the One who really does belong there. Jesus offers him eternal life because of his faith, and He does the same to all who realize they need forgiveness and seek Jesus in faith.

Jesus came to earth to be the "Man in the Middle," the Mediator between God and people. 1 Timothy 2:5 says, "There is one God, and there is one Mediator between God and people, the man Christ Jesus." A mediator goes between two faction to resolution and peace, and no one has done it better than Jesus. "He was put to death for our sins, but raised again for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

Sin separates people from God, but Jesus' resurrection brings us back to together again. The resurrection of Jesus is proof He is God's Son and has done all necessary to restore people to God through the forgiveness of sins. He is risen indeed!

Maybe being the middle is exactly where God wants you to be.

GOD'S SURPRISES

God's little surprises help us know He really does care. Terry had enjoyed the non-profit organization's "Silent Auction," but when it came time to pick up her purchase, she found she'd bid on a wrong item. Instead of getting the chess set she wanted, she'd spent $60 on a set of ceramic Christmas bells. Who needed those! She was further irritated when she was told there was nothing that could be done to change her mistake.

The next day, however, as Terry examined her "mistake," she saw there was one small delicate hand-made Christmas bell for each year starting from the 1970's, a complete set. Each one was signed by the designer and in it's original box. Online research revealed that her "mistake" was worth over $1000! Later that day in the newspaper, she found the chess set she'd wanted on sale for $15! God's little surprises help us know He really does care.

Five weeks ago I wrote of having a water pipe break in our finished basement and how I reacted with my usual anger and stress. I am happy to report the leaky mess has become a surprise blessing. Besides the cracked waterline, a leaky sewer line was also discovered and repaired, so with fresh paint and new carpet, our former damp, musty basement is now dry and fresh. Instead of a just being a huge mess, the lower half of our house will be refinished and in better condition, courtesy of our insurance company.

Last winter I'd planned to have my suits and sport coats cleaned, and this past Sunday morning I attended worship wearing a freshly dry-cleaned jacket, a small but enjoyable result of our basement "disaster." God's little surprises help us know He really does care.

The Bible says, "Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) The next time something seemingly bad happens, look for God's little surprises in it, and then remind yourself that He really does care for you.

It is April 15. What will its blessing will be?

JUST DO IT!

(From DAILY WORD FROM JESUS, devotions based on Jesus' Words from St. Matthew - www.bobtasler.com)

Matthew 10:19-20 - “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

Polls tell us there is almost universal fear about public speaking. Nearly everyone is frightened of standing before a group and delivering a message. Pastors and professors prepare detailed manuscripts so they won’t forget. Politicians and actors memorize line or use teleprompters.

Jesus tells us not to worry about all that. He says when we are called on to share our faith, He will give us the words to say. But we can still be prepared. Even if we don’t have it memorized, we need to think about what we say, and we need to pray for the right words to say.

Few of us will be required to stand before the wealthy and powerful of the world to defend our faith in Jesus. But nearly all of us at some time will stand before friends or fellow workers and be asked, “Why do you go to church?” “Do you really believe in God?” Or, “How can you handle that problem so well?”  That’s when Jesus’ Daily Word helps us.

When we defend or share our faith, the Holy Spirit will give us words to say. God will speak through us, so we need not be afraid. We may be uneasy, or concerned someone will take offense at what we say, but God will speak through us, and His message will have its good effect.

God said through the prophet Isaiah, “For as the rain and snow come down from heaven and water the earth, so it shall be with My Word. It shall accomplish the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11) God’s Word is powerful and will change people in amazing ways.

If you are called on today to tell what Jesus means to you or defend your faith, don’t worry. Just do it! Through your words, God will accomplish His purposes.

Lord, give me words to speak when others ask. Amen

SIXTEEN TONS

In the 1950's, singer Tennessee Ernie Ford popularized a song by Merle Travis titled, "Sixteen Tons." It was a coal miner's lament that no matter how hard he worked, he felt trapped and unable to change his situation.

Early coal miners worked long, hard hours deep in the earth under severely unhealthy conditions. They often lived in company owned houses and were paid in "scrip," coupons that could only be used at the company store. Their children grew up in squalor and seemed destined to work in the mines also. Hence, they felt trapped by their world of work.

The Company embodied the world's evil, and the miner felt possessed and unable to change his situation. Even if he were summoned to heaven, he couldn't go because the Company "owned" him. The final line in the chorus went, "St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go - I owe my soul to the Company Store."

Sin traps us all. No matter what we think we can do, we cannot remove the consequences of our sin. We can change, but we still need a Savior, One who can transcend the squalor of our sin and bring us cleansed to God. Jesus is that Savior.

People of all ages have struggled with feelings of hopelessness and bondage due to lack of finances, poor health and a bad relationship. Sometimes the bondage is imagined, but more often it is actual, such as when nations shackle certain peoples who do not fit their national needs.

Jews have struggled with bondage since the Egyptians enslaved them 3500 years ago. Since the time of the Romans, Christians have been enslaved and killed for their faith, and even today today many believers are "owned" by cultures who believe they should be removed or even destroyed.

God does not abandon His people when they become trapped. God told the enslaved people of Israel in Exodus 6:6, "I will rescue you from their bondage and will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments." We may feel trapped by a relationship, debt, or a hospital bed, but God is always there to rescue us.

God rescues His people in many ways, but the best way is through His Son Jesus Christ. St. Paul said, "While we were powerless to help ourselves, Christ died for sinners." (Romans 5:6 - Phillips) When life is at its lowest ebb, we are not without hope because we have God's grace by faith in Christ Jesus.

No one is hopeless whose hope is in God.

SHREK THE SHEEP

Shrek the New Zealand sheep was lost for six years. Its owner said it hated being shorn and was able to hide in caves on the ranch. But Shrek had a problem. It could not shed its wool. When found, Shrek had six years growth and looked like a huge dirty snowball with tiny feet and a barely visible nose. When shorn, its wool weighed sixty pounds, enough to make twenty suits. If it hadn't been found, its wool would just have kept growing and growing.

Unlike their wild cousins, domestic sheep have been bred not shed their coats so the wool can be used for clothing. It is doubtful domestic sheep can keep all their wool and live an normal life. Too much wool can cause overheating, and its weight causes mobility problems. If an unshorn sheep of many years falls down, it might not be able to get back up. A sheep's face can be covered with so much wool it can't see or even eat.

When shorn, Shrek was thin but weak. Its owner stated it died at the age of sixteen, a normal sheep life. But without its wool being removed regularly, it would have died sooner. The weight of wool can be deadly for a sheep. 

So also, the weight of sin can be deadly for us people. We often carry a load of sin that weighs us down. Sins of anger, resentment and regret, sins we have done and those we have left undone, all can combine to make life difficult. Without its removal, sin is truly deadly. The weight of unforgiven sin can crush us eternally.

Almighty God our Heavenly Father knew this, so He sent His only son Jesus to take our sins upon Himself. He went to the cross so that we might not be crushed by the weight of our sin. Jesus is truly our Savior, who has removed the weight of our sins. "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) This is the message of the season of Lent.

Think what you'd feel like carrying an extra sixty pounds on your back, every day and every night, its weight only increasing and never becoming lighter. Even the strongest of people would be crushed under its weight. People need Jesus and need to trust in Him as their saving Lord. 

Give thanks to God you don't have to live under all that unnecessary weight like Shrek.

THE REAL MESSAGE

The national news this past week carried a story about a Bible that saved an Ohio man's life. Rickey Waggoner, an RTA bus driver, was fixing a mechanical problem outside his bus when three assailants approached and tried to kill him. It was likely a gang initiation.

Waggoner was shot twice in the chest at close range, but a contemporary version of the Bible he was carrying, The Message, absorbed the bullets that otherwise should have killed him. Upon hearing of this story in the Dayton Daily News, Eugene Peterson, age 81 and editor of The Message said, "That's wonderful. I've heard stories about something like that happening during the Second World War. I'm glad to be in the club."

"There was obviously some kind of intervention involved in this incident because Waggoner should probably not be alive," a Dayton Police Sergeant told a reporter at the scene. Waggoner told police that one of the assailants told another to kill him, "if you want to be all the way in the club."

Waggoner was shot once in the leg and twice in the chest, bullets which were stopped by his Bible. He was also stabbed, but was able to grab both the gun and knife as the teenage suspects fled. Waggoner then called police from inside his bus.

While this kind of protection by a Bible is quite unusual, protection by God's Word is not. God's Word always protects those who read and value it. Actually, it gives people real life. The Bible's words are timeless and real, because Jesus Himself is the Word of God in human form. He died to give salvation to all, even those who wanted to kill Him or His people.

We give thanks to God that Waggoner was saved by The Message, but we especially give thanks that Jesus Christ, the heart of The Message, has saved the millions of people all over the world by giving them faith through the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle John once wrote, "The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish." (John 1:14, The Message)

We pray those two young man will one day trust the real Message, Jesus.