Jesus and life everlasting

 

2 Chronicles 14–15; Haggai 2; John 3; Revelation 4

My scattered mind gave me mental hiccups reading through these passages. The truths that touched me were all through them, so many blessings that focusing became a series rather than a spotlight.

2 Chronicles pointed to the peace that God gave His people because their leader, Asa, was a good man who followed the Lord and put away all idols. He ruled many years without war because he trusted God.

Haggai is a promise of coming glory to a people who have been disobedient. He speaks of God’s temple and says, “The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:9) Was this about a building? Or was this about the church who would become the temple of the Lord? Even if not, it made me yearn for God to glorify His people that we might glorify Him, and thankful that this is even possible!

John 3 is about Jesus as Savior and the need of people to receive new life from Him that we might enter His kingdom or even realize it exists. Sin blinds our eyes and puts us all on the “perish” list of condemnation, but Jesus declares the good news:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16–21)

These words are so familiar yet never lose their impact. Because of Jesus and God-given faith in Him, I will live forever. I am not condemned. Even though darkness continually tries to pull me back into itself, Jesus has rescued me, given me a hatred for sin and a love for Him.

I also know, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” (verse 18) and that:

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:31–36)

These words never fail to bring great joy and assurance to my heart, as do the words of the twenty-four elders around the throne of God in John’s vision of heaven:

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)

I thought that these readings were scattered (like my brain) but there is a focus: Jesus. He is the One to whom Asa obeyed and Haggai pointed toward. He is that Savior, the Living Message from God the Father to make obedience possible and do for us what we could not do on our own. Our nemesis ‘sin’ is defeated! Jesus came to make God’s glory visible and to seek and save those who are in darkness and separated from Him by sin. Jesus is the Creator, not only of the world but of new life for those who trust Him.

APPLY: Today, eyes front and center on the One to whom I love and owe my life, to Jesus the Savior of the world who so many years ago graciously gave this sinner new life. Jesus, I love You and bless Your Holy Name.

LATER: Received shattering news. One of my sister’s grandsons was in a snowboarding accident and is in ICU fighting for his life. His family hopes for a miracle and if not, that Jesus would take Him home. He is a strong Christian who loves Jesus. Please pray for Kyle and family.