Here We Go!!!!!!!!!

I have a sister who loves the Dallas Cowboys, actually a whole family.  But she gets tickled when, during the play, the quarterback yells, “Here we go!!!!!!!“  Unfortunately for the Cowboys, their trips to the playoffs have been cut considerably short in recent years.   I do not know if they are driving electric cars or forgot to gas up, but their ultimate goal seems evasive.   And if we, the human race are not careful, we will fall short of our ultimate goal too.  That is, of course, if our ultimate goal is heaven.  It seems the more time transpires, the less some of us get it.  Oh, we say we do, but our actions speak not of it.  Oh sure, Romans 3:23 says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”  We all do fall way short of His glory, but let us repent of our ways and fix our eyes on Jesus. 

A warning in Hebrews 12: 12-15 applies to us all,  It reads,  “Lift up your tired hands, then, and strengthen your trembling knees!  Keep walking on straight paths, so that the lame foot may not be disabled, but instead be healed.  Try to be at peace with everyone, and try to live a holy life, because no one will see the Lord without it.  Guard against turning back from the grace of God.  Let no one become like a bitter plant that grows up and causes many troubles with its poison.”   God has provided us with a way to go from death to life.  Life or death is a choice we make for ourselves.  We read in John 3:16, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”  Jesus, the Son, lived perfectly and taught us what is needed to follow Him to the kingdom.  For me,  there are three passages in particular, that undoubtedly point the way.

The first passage: In Matthew 19 we read where a rich man is questioning Jesus about eternal life.  Jesus told him to keep the commandments.  The rich man replied he was doing that and wanted to know what else he needed to do.  Reading in verse 21, “Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 

Rule following is not enough, and not following the rules is definitely contrary.  We must have a heart for God and a heart for man.  That heart is found in our actions.  There will always be poor among us.  By caring for them and building our treasure in heaven, we are following Jesus.

The second passage: In the parable of final judgment, Matthew 25:34-40 reads, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.  For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’  “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?   When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’   “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”

Jesus doesn’t want us just to cater to the well-known, popular, or rich and famous among us.  Luke 6:32 states, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.”  Jesus wants us to care about all mankind, including the struggling and less fortunate, the sick, those in jail or prison, and all who have legitimate needs.  He hung out with the neediest, not only for His word but also for provisions.  He hung out with outcasts, those some of us turn our noses up to.  He hung out with prostitutes and other sinners, some of us think we are better than.  Romans 12:16 says, “Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else”.  One thing is certain, none of us is better than Him. 

The third passage:  In John 15:13 Jesus says, “ There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” 

That’s exactly what Christ did for us.  I’ve heard others say they would die for a husband, wife, or family member, but what about your friend?  Would you die for me?  How much do you love, me?  

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The Bible reads in Romans 5:6-11, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.  For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.  So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”

Greater love has no man than this…  Jesus laid down His life for friends too.  Here we go!!!!!!!!!

Father, help us to be motivated enough to read Your Word every day, have the aptitude to discern its purpose for us, the ability to acknowledge it is Your Word, and the willingness to apply it in our lives.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.