THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE

        I wish you all a blessed Easter time this year. Have you ever been the “one in the middle,” the one between two others? Perhaps it happened in a family quarrel, a work dispute, or trying to keep two people from physically fighting. Whatever the case, being the one in the middle can be uncomfortable and even dangerous.
        On Good Friday Christians recall that Jesus died on the cross, the Holy One of God between two thieves. That was where He intended to be. On Calvary He was the Divine One between God and humanity, suffering and dying to bring people back to God. From the time of His birth He was destined to be the “Man in the Middle,” the One who would reconcile people and God.

  Two thieves were crucified with Him on Good Friday, but only one recognized the “Man in the Middle.” Most thieves see their surroundings, who is watching them and what is taking place. Both of those thieves knew they belonged on Calvary, but only one realized the “Man in the Middle,” shouldn’t have been here. Despite his hopeless condition, the observant thief didn’t want to die alone. He rebuked the unrepentant thief and reached out to Jesus, the One who did not belong there. Jesus offered him eternal life because of his faith, and He does the same for all who realize they need forgiveness and seek Him in faith.

  Jesus came to earth to be the “Man in the Middle,” the Mediator between God and people. “There is one God, and there is one Mediator between God and people, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) A mediator tries to bring factions 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 unites us. The resurrection of Jesus is proof He is God’s Son who has done all that is necessary to restore people to God through forgiveness of sins. He is risen indeed!

         

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

Rev. Bob Tasler

www.bobtasler.com

GOING ALONG WITH THE CROWD

        “Going along with the crowd” has been a human trait since days of old when hunters discovered a group could take down a large animal faster that one person could alone. Ever since, crowds have gathered to do battle, greet celebrities and push for change they feel is needed to better their lives.
        Yesterday Christians all over the world gathered to remember the day a crowd hailed a young Jewish Rabbi’s entrance into a great city. Jesus of Nazareth rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the transportation of kings who humbled themselves before their people.
        As He rode through the eastern Golden Gate, they cut down branches from palm trees and shouted slogans showing their political wishes. “Hosanna” meant “God save us,” and not from their sins, but from the sins of the government. “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” meant, “Blessed is He who will save us from the Romans.”
        Less than a week later a different crowd was gathered (NOT the same people, despite what preachers may tell you) to call for the young man’s crucifixion. In both cases the crowds seemed for a moment to have gotten their wishes. Later that Sunday, Jesus knocked over cash registers in the Temple Outlets, raising hopes of His followers that maybe, just maybe, this Rabbi would be The One to lead the revolution needed to give them what they wanted. A week later they saw their hopes drain away on a bloody cross as the Good Friday mob believed they had gotten their wishes. Both crowds were wrong.
        People today continue to go along with the crowds. Rallies have been organized over the past months in the never-ending hopes that they could help bring into power someone who would save them from reckless government, terrible past leaders, or dreadful candidates. Modern Hosannas have come to mean, “Blessed is (s)he who will save us from the Beltway.”
        Every night my wife and I do something politically different. We pray for God to bring our nation better leaders, that ones He wants, no matter who they are. We’ve always been able to see how bad the last leaders have been, so we lay on God’s heart our desire that He bring us the leaders He wants for us.

“Blessed is He who will save us from the crowds.”

Rev. Bob Tasler
www.bobtasler.com

JESUS THE ROCK

        Jesus lived in a land of rocks and stones, so He used word pictures that remind us of this. He is the “cornerstone” for believers, but to unbelievers He is a “stumbling block.” He even re-named His disciple Simon “petra” to show he would become a rock of faith.
        My wife and I live our summers on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. To the east is the arid, flat Colorado land of ranches and farms, and in the west are the mountains. Those of us living there, from Denver north to Ft. Collins, and south to Colorado Springs, are close to the mighty Rocky Mountains.
        Nearly every spring a few people driving in the mountains undergo the shattering experience of having pieces of a mountain fall on them. These large rocks have been dislodged by frost and fall on the roadway, sometimes smashing cars and injuring or even killing the occupants. Spring driving in the Rockies can be risky.
        When God offers us a place in His Kingdom by faith in Jesus Christ, we can do no better than accept His gracious gift. Refusing it is fatal. Jesus warns us in Matthew 21:44 that if we resist God’s grace, the Rock of Salvation will crush us. Strong words are necessary to warn people of imminent spiritual danger. Failing to heed God’s road signs leads us to destruction.
        Jesus died and rose again to give us a place in God’s eternal Kingdom. The alternative place is unthinkable, and unless we heed His warning we will miss God’s joy and end up in Satan’s domain. He is the true Rock of our salvation.
        Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 7:24, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 9:33, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”
        Do you think people take Satan and hell seriously these days? Do they understand what it means to reject Jesus? Do you?

"Jesus is the Rock of my salvation, and His banner over me is love."

Rev. Bob Tasler
www.bobtasler.com

DEALING WITH YOUR DOUBTS

        Everyone has doubts, especially about God. To experience times of doubt about God or our relationship to Him is part of being human. Doubt is a feeling of uncertainty about the truth, reality, or nature of something. We can’t see God, so we wonder if He really exists. We may see His hand in creation, yet feelings of uncertainty may sneak into our thoughts. Human beings seek more proof. We’d like to be certain.
        So, is doubt sinful? True, doubt can show a stubborn pride if we insist on having proof for everything. Yet we live every day without proof. We turn on our electronics and expect they will work. After all, they worked yesterday. We live with our loved ones believing they will act or feel about us today as they did yesterday. Yes, if we hear or see something different, we might wonder. Even wondering can be a form of doubt, but it’s not necessarily sinful. It all depends on whether we pridefully demand proof.
        Some doubts are like temptations. They come to us through images, thoughts or words and it’s hard to stop them. Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that temptation is common to all people, but God will give us a way to overcome it if we let Him. I believe we can say the same about doubts.
        Remember how Jesus prayed in the Garden if there was another way to accomplish salvation? What He saw coming was terribly painful and He prayed for another way. Was that temptation or even doubt? Whatever the case, we know His Father didn’t condemn Him for it.
        Luther once said temptations are like birds flying overhead. You can’t stop them from doing that, but you should stop them from making a nest in your hair. I believe the same can be said about the occasional doubts that creep into our thoughts. It’s only when we insist there must be proof for everything that we betray our sinful pride.
        In a sermon yesterday I heard the pastor say if doubts keep troubling us we’d better deal with them. He gave three principles to do this: 1) Recognize that we all have doubts. Don’t run from them or think having them makes us less Christian. 2) Deal with doubt through God’s Word. Address your doubts using the Bible and God will help you clarify those uncertainties. 3) Doubts are overcome by a person, not by a situation. Jesus is that Person. He helps us deal with our doubts in a beneficial way. But don’t expect doubts to disappear just because things change.
        Don't be afraid of doubt. The greatest of God’s servants had doubts, and God helped them get through to the other side, the place of more certainty and Godly peace of mind.

“Have mercy on those who doubt.” (Jude 1:22)

Rev. Bob Tasler
www.bobtasler.com