Lesson 5 - Easter Sunday

Lesson 5

Bob:

Once we learn and use this blog, this technology becomes user friendly.
How can we make becoming a Christian, accepting Jesus Christ user friendly?

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

Does John 3:16 have anything to do with our celebration?
Everything.

Easter Celebration
God gave his only son and paid this price. Jesus Christ is a gift of from God.

It is the gift that continues to give. It never runs out. It never stops giving and being a gift.

At the Last Supper Jesus said someone will betray me.

Luke 22
20In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." 23They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

The disciples were scared.
Jesus was telling them he was leaving
They had been with him three years. They walked with Jesus for three years. They ate what he ate, slept where he slept.
Now Jesus was going to leave them.
Jesus is going to prepare a place for you so you can be where I am. John 3:16
"I am the way" If you follow Jesus, what other way is there?

No one comes to the father except through me. God gave us a gift of his son.

What is the greatest love?
John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

What did Jesus do for us?

Was Jesus obedient to God?

Is that a lesson for us in obedience?

Jesus could have stopped the humiliation, the crown of thorns, the cross any time.

Your will not mine?

One thing is certain we either believe in him or we go to hell. This is a either/or decision.

He loved us; there is no way we could love him until he loved us.


God controls all things, but he gives us a choice.
God gives us directions and promises.

They are promises, but we can change our minds.
A rich man was going to build a new barn. An Angel comes and says the rich man will die that night, and the angel will take his soul that night. The man repented so God gave the man 15 more years. God loved that man.

Peter rejected Jesus. How many times do we reject Jesus like Peter in the lesson

Are we obedient?

Are we afraid to tell people about Jesus?

Are we born with a fear of rejection?

We don't what to hurt someone's feelings.

They are not rejecting us. They are rejecting Jesus.

How many people only hear God or Jesus Christ as a swearing comment. They do not hear God and Jesus Christ in the light of God's love.

Just as mountains protect Jerusalem we want God's love to surround us and protect us.

Bob told us about a man who had three tours of duty in Vietnam. The man said that God can never forgive him for what he did. God can forgive him for what he did there.

Some people are afraid to get out of their seat and walk up to the altar. Some people are afraid to make that commitment.

Opposition from Satan keeps us from making this commitment and from taking action.

Some people feel they have only so much love, and like a battery if they give too much love, the battery will run down. The truth is that the more you give love the more love you have to give.

What about children that are brought up in a family with no love Love comes from God. How can the children learn love and feel love if no one shows them love?

How were we brought up?

We talked about the safety in our towns growing up.

Going to movies, thumbing rides, candy on Halloween - we trusted people. We listened to the radio and our values were reflected back to us.

Fear of turning your life over to Jesus Christ holds people back.

If you don't turn your life over to Jesus, you will live with no life, no love, and no peace.

What are kids listening to now? What are they watching on television and at the movies? What messages does our society send to them?

In our travels in life what gives us our direction?

Friends and family, the community where we live, our society, our leaders all give us directions.
Do these directions lead us to follow Christ?

We want to get really good at being obedient
If we get good at being obedient, we may not do what we want

Bob: I got Satan as mad as I could get him When I jumped off that ship and swam ashore. I got Satan mad

Judge not for you shall be judged.

Jesus has done the work for us. Now it is up to us.

BIBLE - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

B-I-B-L-E
That is the book for me.

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Lesson 5

Lesson 5

Objective: To discover God's reliability and to commit to living with a constant awareness of his presence in your daily life.

Scripture Focus:

John 14:1-31 (King James Version)

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

Isaiah 55 (New International Version)

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD's renown,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed."

Lesson 4 Discover God's Relentless Love and Commit to Living in a Right Relationship with God

Lesson 4

Hosea 3:1-5
Deuteronomy 7:7-8
Ephesians 3:18-19

• What is a contract? What is a covenant?

• Child Sacrifice

" 'Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.' " Leviticus 18:21

The Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 2 Kings 17:31

36 The Lord said to me: "Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices, 37 for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them. 38 They have also done this to me: At the same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my Sabbaths. Ezekiel 23:36-38

Could sacrificing children be an evil counterfeit of John 3:16? "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

• How do you see God's love?

God's love is a thought pattern. God's love is right is front of us. It is finding things we have lost. God"s love is shown in other people when they help you.

• Why does God love us?

God wants our fellowship. God uses people to do his work. We share God's love with others.

• But

We can't be obedient if we do not know the rules. The rules are in the Bible.

• In what ways are we cheating on God?

We give excuses. We don't dare to try something new. We worry about being equipped. God wants us to volunteer. God will equip us to meet the challenges we will face.
I can do all things in Christ.

10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-12

5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. 1 Corinthians 8:5-7

David Wilkerson in the book The Cross and the Switchblade describes how he served as pastor in small churches in Scottdale and Philipsburg, Pennsylvania until he saw a photograph in Life Magazine in 1957 of seven New York City teenagers charged with murder. He later wrote that, as he felt the Holy Ghost move him with compassion, he was drawn to go to New York in February 1958. It was then that he began his Teen Challenge, a street ministry to underprivileged inner-city youth.

Here are some David Wilkerson Quotes.

As I look back over fifty years of ministry, I recall innumerable tests, trials and times of crushing pain. But through it all, the Lord has proven faithful, loving, and totally true to all his promises.

Eighteen years ago, the Holy Spirit led me to establish a church in the heart of Times Square.

How quickly we forget God's great deliverances in our lives. How easily we take for granted the miracles he performed in our past.

I believe in walking in the Spirit.

Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.

• What takes us away from God's duties?

Our class responded with:
We know but do not believe. We all have lessons to teach. Power, drugs, alcohol, greed, pride, sex, all lure people away from God's duties.

We ended the class with the last words of Jesus on the Cross.

• The Sayings of Jesus on the Cross

The seven sayings form part of a Christian meditation that is often used during Lent, Holy Week, and Good Friday. The traditional order of the sayings is:

1. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).
2. Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).
3. Woman, behold your son: behold your mother (John 19:26-27).
4. Eli Eli lema sabachthani? ("My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?", Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34).
5. I thirst (John 19:28).
6. It is finished (John 19:30).
7. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46).

Comments on Lesson Three

There is so much we can learn from this lesson, however, it isn't, or at least it shouldn't be anything new to any of us who call ourselves Christian. There is so much that all of us can do to reach out to others, especially the kids, but... I think mostly it is just easier to sit and discuss the problems than it is to get off of our duffs and do something. We all have been given different gifts and the way that may seem right for me may be completely different than what you can do. That doesn't mean that one way is better than the other, but various persons will respond better to some than to others.
Don't let this keep you from trying though. Gaining a person's trust and friendship is the first step. Without that, little else can be accomplished.
I encourage everyone to get out of their comfort zone and do what YOU can do, whether it be helping an elderly or handicapped person with chores and repairs around their house, or whether it is just caring or words of encouragement that you can give to someone. What ever we do, as long as it is done in God's name and for His glory, the blessings will be yours.
God bless,
Don

March 13, 2008 12:25 PM

Covenants and Contracts as Conversations

Contract versus covenant

From confused of calcutta
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by J.P. Rangaswami
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April 6th, 2006 · No Comments

A few days ago, Doc Searls wrote another of his trade-mark thought-provoking posts, this time on business as morality. And the Lakoff-Searls snowball took off in style after that, with a number of conversations and posts taking the ideas and making it their own.

Doc also told me about the relationship-before-conversation-before-transaction model he learned from an African pastor, something he refers to in his post and something I have always believed in. Following on from that original post, Doc pointed those that were interested to a post from AKMA, which “affirmed the priority of grace (generosity, gratuity and giving) over other modes of interaction”.

This reminded me of something I have often discussed with my pastor, and something that in my mind brings together what Doc said and what AKMA posted.

For mode of interaction read type of relationship.

Contract versus covenant.

Both types of relationship use conversation as a basis to extend the relationship and to discover potential transactions. But there the similarity ends.

In a contract relationship, at the first sign of breach you look for recourse: What am I going to be get as a result of his error, how can I make money from his failure?

In a covenant relationship, at the first sign of breach you look for ways to fix it: What are we going to do together to solve this problem?

Covenant relationships exist between parents and children. They exist between family members, between people who have known each other for many years (such as schoolmates or past neighbours) between people who have shared life’s pleasures as well as pains.

When you work with a start-up, having a contract relationship makes no sense at all. So when I experimented with young companies, it was always about “how to fix it” rather than “how to kill them”.

I used the same terms to think about relationships at work. Contract versus covenant. And I realised that some of my relationships were contract and some were covenant.

Now, as the years have passed, I wonder. I wonder why people have contract relationships at all.

If you can’t commit then don’t call it a relationship. For a relationship to exist there must be commitment on both sides.
And if you can commit and do commit, then live by grace.

Covenant Versus Contract

Father Stanislaus Maudlin, O.S.B.a founding member of the Blue Cloud ( Benedictine) Abbey in Marvin, South Dakota, wrote "Covenant Versus Contract" under his Indian name Wambdi Wicasa.

Bio of Father Stanislaus Maudlin
After ordination to the priesthood in 1942 Fr Stan returned to the Dakotas and was invited to a Naming Ceremony by the Yankton Tribe. He was given the Indian name, Wambdi Wicasta, Eagle Man which name reflected his leadership capability. He then became an associate pastor with the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe, Belcourt, North Dakota. For the 7 years there he wore many different hats, priest, liaison with the Tribe, scout master. In 1950 he was chosen by the archabbot of St Meinrad to be a co-founder of Blue Cloud Abbey in Marvin South Dakota.

Covenant Versus Contract
by
Wambdi Wicasa
1974

A CONTRACT is an agreement made in suspicion. The parties do not trust each other, and they set "limits" to their own responsibility. A COVENANT is an agreement made in trust. The parties love each other and put no limits on their own responsibility. Indian Leaders made Treaties with the Great White Father and called them Covenants, sealing them with the smoke of the Sacred Pipe. The trouble began when the Great White Father, his Lieutenants and Merchants, looked on the Treaties and called them Contracts. Thus began -- in the basic religious difference -- the conflict between Cultures. Other Covenants made in respect and love:

Covenant With Adam God blessed them, saying: "Be fertile and multiply: fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth." God also said: "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food, and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food." And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.

Covenant With Noah God said to Noah and to his sons with him: "See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth." God added: "This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth."

Covenant With Abraham The Lord said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you."

Covenant With Moses "Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation."

Covenant In Jesus Matthew--The Beatitudes "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Men do not light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket. They set it on a stand where it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, your light must shine before men so that they may see goodness in your acts and give praise to your heavenly Father. Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets. I have come not to abolish them, but to fulfill them. Of this much I assure you: until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of a letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true." "Full authority has been given to me both in heaven and on earth; go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always, until the end of the world."

Our Group's Reflections on Lesson Three, "Hope for the Hard Heart"

Bob, our group leader, led us into the lesson by telling the story of the golden calf found in Exodus.

Exodus 32:1-35

The Golden Calf

1When the people saw that Moses^(A) delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him,^(B) "Up, make us gods who shall^(C) go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." 2So Aaron said to them, "Take off the^(D) rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." 3So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4^(E) And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden^[a] calf. And they said,^(F) "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" 5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron^(G) made proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD." 6And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And^(H) the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up^(I) to play.

7And the LORD said to Moses,^(J) "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have^(K) corrupted themselves. 8They have turned aside quickly out of the way that^(L) I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'" 9And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold,^(M) it is a stiff-necked people. 10Now therefore^(N) let me alone, that^(O) my wrath may burn hot against them and^(P) I may consume them, in order that^(Q) I may make a great nation of you."

11But^(R) Moses implored the LORD his God and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12^(S) Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and^(T) relent from this disaster against your people. 13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you^(U) swore by your own self, and said to them,^(V) 'I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.'" 14And the LORD^(W) relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

15Then^(X) Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the^(Y) two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. 16^(Z) The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17When^(AA) Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp." 18But he said, "It is not the sound of^(AB) shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear." 19And as soon as he came near the camp and^(AC) saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.

21And Moses said to Aaron,^(AD) "What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?" 22And Aaron said, "Let not the anger of my lord burn hot.^(AE) You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23For^(AF) they said to me, 'Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' 24So^(AG) I said to them, 'Let any who have gold take it off.' So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."

25And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose,^(AH) to the derision of their enemies), 26then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, "Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you^(AI) kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.'" 28And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. 29And Moses said, "Today you have been^(AJ) ordained for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day."

30The next day Moses said to the people,^(AK) "You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD;^(AL) perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." 31So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Alas,^(AM) this people has sinned a great sin. They have^(AN) made for themselves gods of gold. 32But now, if^(AO) you will forgive their sin—but if not, please^(AP) blot me out of^(AQ) your book that you have written." 33But the LORD said to Moses,^(AR) "Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. 34^(AS) But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you;^(AT) behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them."

35Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

After all the Israelites had experienced leaving Egypt, how can they turn from God and worship a golden calf? "Out of sight; out of mind." "Stinking thinking." Did the Israelites think the golden calf they made led them out of slavery? Did the Israelites think the golden calf would lead them to the the promise land?

• What does God feel about this?

"We are Time Keepers; God is the Time Maker." "If you can't see it or touch it, it isn't real."
The Israelites wanted a physical God of their own making. Do we make golden calf gods and then worship them? What are some of our "golden calf gods?"
What happened to Aaron? "The devil made me do it." "The people wanted to do it; what could I do."

• What is wrong with us? We have been on this path for a long time.

Kids in the mall are called "Mall Rats" by the local paper. Years ago parents would have gone after the editor and challenged that description.
Why do some kids hang out at the mall?
Some problems are broken homes, materialism, Mothers work, Grandmothers raising children, peer pressure, too much television, low self-esteem, and a parental agenda where the job comes first.
At the mall food court kids do not make eye contact with adults, kids do not relate to adults, there is safety in numbers for kids so they band together.

• We must become Christian Soldiers. We must plant seeds. We must stop being judgmental and take action.
  

Some families might benefit from Jo Frost's Supernanny (the ABC television show).

Max Lucado Launches John 3:16 Movement

From The Christian Post

Max Lucado, author of 3:16: The Numbers of Hope, calls the well-known verse "a 26-word parade of hope: beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same."

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life," John 3:16 states.

"[It] is such a great verse because it gives us an itemization of the key doctrine to the Christian faith," he added.

The key doctrine, Lucado indicated, is that the invitation to receive eternal life is for "whoever" and the belief has to be in "him" – Jesus Christ.

As part of the outreach initiative, Lucado has started a 3:16 movement, inviting individuals to join and add their names to the "I Believe in 3:16" list and post video clips on YouTube answering the question: "What does 3:16 mean to me?" Churches are also being encouraged to join the 3:16 Church Experience and to capitalize on the fact that Palm Sunday falls on March 16.

"If we could only share one verse with the world, wouldn't it be John 3:16?" Lucado challenges.

In 3:16, Lucado tackles issues of life and death as he leads readers through a word-by-word study of the passage. He addresses such questions as "Don't all roads lead to heaven and God?" and "What must we do to gain everlasting life?" and also devotes chapters on heaven and hell.

"This life is so brief. We are here to make a decision about where we spend eternity – either with God or apart from God. That is assignment No. 1," Lucado said on CBN. "It's really just a warm-up for the world that is to come."

Challenging both nonbelievers and veteran Christians to explore the "Hope diamond of the Bible," Lucado says, "If you know nothing of the Bible, start here (John 3:16). If you know everything in the Bible, return here."

Max Lucado was dubbed "America's Pastor" by Christianity Today magazine in 2004 and has written more than 60 titles published in more than 28 languages. Last year, he stepped down as senior pastor of his San Antonio megachurch, Oak Hills Church, where he remains on staff.