Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
Preoccupied With Others
Pastor Scott
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
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"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain."
(1 Corinthians 15:14)
Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. People say that Jesus died for us, but His death is not just about the sacrificial atonement. He was raised victoriously according to the Scriptures, and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain and you are still in your sin! But if He's raised, one truth beyond all others has been established. If you go out and face any other religion (I don't care what religion it is) and get them to say, "Jesus Christ is raised from the dead," guess what that makes Him? He is now Lord! The rest of them are all dead! If Jesus Christ is raised, then He is Who He said He was--God--and what He said is true--there are no other gods. "I am the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). The issue is settled.
What is it in our lives that indicates that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead? It's our obedience to Him and the love that we have one for another. Now in context, the love that we have for one another is not just patting others on the back, giving hugs, baking cakes, and wiping noses. It's the absolute obsession with and commitment to doing whatever it takes to get you to heaven. I will die to myself. I'll die to my ease and my comfort zone to do whatever it takes to get you to heaven. I'm going to tell you the truth. I'm taking you to heaven if you're kicking and screaming. The only way you can get away from me dragging you into heaven is for you to get away, but I'm not going to turn you loose. And God said He would never leave us nor forsake us, and no man can pluck us out of His hand. How committed are you to getting those people around you to heaven? Are you as committed to that as finding out who you really are, experimenting with life, and being able to enjoy the pleasures and your liberties? What are you living for?
The true manifestation of love prefers others better than ourselves. We're not preoccupied with ourselves. How can I get them to heaven? What can I do to reach the lost? What can I do to bring sanctification to those that are around me? Do you know what the first thing is? The first thing is for me to become more like Jesus. The first thing I can do is to start on me and become the best believer I can.