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Following in the footsteps of the Acts of the
Apostles, written by St. Luke, Shepherd's Cross Christian Helps Ministry
exists by the grace of God to further the first century Apostolic tradition
serving in the Great Commission. |
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Part 3
The Toll Road to Salvation The Price Has Been Paid
Would you identify more with an average person, a member of the global working class in pursuit of providing for his nuclear family’s basic primary needs, career security and so forth who is coming from an attitude of an intellectual ideal base toward religious tolerance still not having the heart converted away from sin and towards the living Savior, Christ Jesus the Lord or would you identify more with an average person, a member of the global religious class in pursuit of providing for his religious tranquility, approval, security and so forth coming from an intellectual ideal of a God concept, still not having the heart converted away from sin and towards the living Savior Christ Jesus the Lord. From Jerry’s story we learn that Jerry exemplifies any number of world citizens whose goal at the end of the day seeks a place to lay his head, provide food for he and his love ones stomachs and provide for the necessary possessions within the given culture that he and his peers may expect of him to afford. From Jerry’s story we learned also that Jerry exemplifies any number of world citizens who have learned not to be afraid of hard work. For Jerry, he developed a work ethic starting as a small boy, when he first began to bus tables at his family’s owned and operated deli. In adding from Jerry’s story we may deduce that Jerry transferred the valued acquired work ethic he cultivated as a young man up throughout his adolescence and after that into his young adulthood by working hard earning a college education. Once achieving a college education, a successful career leading to a well deserved promotion, a significant other, (Sondra) and his family’s prideful approval, one may conclude for Jerry, he had “arrived” fulfilling successfully within his mind’s eye what his American society had made accessible to him, "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Alongside Jerry, the Ruler, living in his Roman occupied Judean society with his family, friends and peers and living amongst the Roman soldiers may have felt as fulfilled with success within his mind’s eye at first as Jerry, when hearing the response the Lord Jesus provided to him in answer to his inquiry, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"… quickly recognizing that he had in fact kept the Law from his youth, from the time of his bar mitzvah, making him a son of the Law. “You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" Luke 18:20 (EVS) For Jerry his whole life was built upon a man made philosophical notion inscribed in a man made document called the United States of America Declaration of Independence. "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," which was based upon the writings of John Locke, an English philosopher found in his book Two Treatises of Government (1680-1690) ISBN-13: 9780521069038. John Locke’s expressed that "no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.” For the Ruler, his whole life was built upon how he discerned how the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob’s WORD inscribed in a God breathed volume of books called today the Pentateuch or Hebrew Scriptures were to be lived as. When Jerry’s world was tested, by Sondra leaving him, inwardly, he found everything that he had previously envisioned; worked out completing by setting goals in his life, held no spiritual base. When he needed to rely on his soul the most with this one tilt, Jerry found within, that his being was made of glass being built upon a foundation of sand. Slipping, he shattered. "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." Matthew 7:24-27 (EVS) For the Ruler, he found too that as the Lord Jesus continued with his answer that what he had been living by from his youth up was strictly speaking, religious values absent of faith. Why is this understood to be about the Ruler that he found himself to be a man living by religious values absent of faith? Simply that when asked to give up all that he owned and follow Israel’s True Messiah, the Ruler found that he could not. That his soul was held by an anchor tied to his wealth. He did not show the faith of his father Abraham by trusting that this same God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob who supported, guided and supplied for these Hebrews would do so for him as well. Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Genesis 12:1-4 (EVS) The message of the Ruler is about a “religious person” that seems from all outward appearances may look as if he is following God’s will, however, once tested inwardly by God’s Word may be found wanting, not having what it takes. What you may believe to be made of gold, silver and precious jewels may in actuality be discovered made from fools’ gold, pewter and costume jewelry. The Ruler is a Hebrew believing that he in fact is following the faith of his father Abraham. Still, when called by the same God who called for his father Abraham to follow him, this Hebrew Ruler turned away sad unlike his father Abraham who accepted His call. Remember Jerry had the opportunity of choice to go to the Bible Study after work of which he declined. Secondly, Jerry had the opportunity of choice to telephone his co-worker from whom he received his phone number before leaving work. Killing himself was a choice from which he had others to draw upon. Jerry was a simple man; a person that believed in working hard and from his labor, life would bring him his due reward. “And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:17-19 (EVS) “In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." Genesis 4:3-7 The Ruler is a simple man also like Jerry. He had the opportunity of choice to follow in the footsteps of his father Abraham, of which he declined. “For there is no distinction between Jew and non-Jew; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:12-13 (ESV) Admit that you are a sinner: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 Understand that you deserve death for your sin: "...The wages of sin is death..." Romans 6:23a Ask God to forgive you and save you "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23b "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!" Romans 5:8 Call out to God in the name of Jesus: "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!" Romans 10:13 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which the testimony is given at the proper time.” 1Timothy 2:5-7 (ESV) God is knocking on your heart's door, ask Him to come into your heart: Jesus knocking on your heart's door: Jesus said,” Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him..." Revelation 3:20a "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." Romans 10:9-10 "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. … Isaiah 55:6-9 (ESV) Prayer of Repentance "God the Father, You have given Jesus Christ your Son authority over all human beings, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I ask you, Lord Jesus to come into my life as Lord and Savior. I turn away from my sins. I ask that you make known to me your forgiveness and love. I ask that you keep me from the evil one. Set me apart for holy service that my life may glorify You. In Jesus name, Amen. Please contact the ministry if you have prayed this prayer. city_of_david_outreach@yahoo.com |
Shepherd's Cross Christian Helps Ministry