I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
The Lamb of God
Have you ever waited a really long time for something important? Maybe you spent weeks waiting to see an old friend, for news about a medical diagnosis, or for someone to respond to a message you sent them.
In the first century, the people of God had waited hundreds and hundreds of years for the coming of a Savior. John the Baptist was sent to be the forerunner of that coming Savior. God planned for John to prepare the people for Jesus’ arrival, and call them back to repentance.
John waited his whole life for Jesus. He spent his days in eager anticipation of the coming of a Savior who would save his people. And on that day when Jesus did arrive, John the Baptist cried out in excitement.
John calls Jesus the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. In the old covenant, lambs were sacrificed on behalf of the sins of the people. Their sacrifices were a temporary means to restore a person's relationship with God.
But Jesus' coming heralds a new covenant between God and His people.
Jesus’ death is a sacrifice on our behalf, but one that is permanent and complete. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection pave a path for us to enjoy a restored relationship with God, and to live in freedom from sin. This is the new covenant that John the Baptist is describing—Jesus takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Take a moment this morning to thank God for the amazing gift that Jesus gives to each and every one of us. Because of Jesus’ faithfulness, we can walk in new life and enjoy a restored relationship with God.
Think of one small step you can take to share this good news with someone who doesn’t know Jesus. This free gift is great news for every single person, and we are given the privilege of sharing it with everyone.
The Mission of God
All of our lives are spent on something.
Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building a career, or amassing possessions. While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life.
In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s transformation in Christ. As a result of meeting Jesus and being changed by His grace, Paul spends the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus.
For Paul, God’s grace and salvation were so great that nothing on this earth could compare to doing His work.
Paul said that nothing in his life mattered as much as telling others about God’s grace. His goal in life was to finish his own race well by faithfully accomplishing as much of the mission of God as possible:
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
Acts 20:24 NIV
The mission of ...
