2021-04-04
Ecclesiastes 10:12 NIV
Aesop, the famed fable author, said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, ever is wasted.” As one pastor writes, “It costs to be unkind, but it pays to be kind.”
Now, being kind doesn’t mean tolerating wrong or refusing to confront a problem in order to be politically correct. Sometimes we must confront. But it should always be done in a gracious way. A calm demeanor will go a lot further than a harsh comment or an ugly tone of voice. You can make your point with a kind spirit, and even a sense of humor.
Don’t be like the guy who was standing in line to buy an airline ticket. When he reached the counter, he said, “I’d like to purchase a ticket to New York City.” The agent said, “No problem, how many pieces of luggage do you have?” The passenger replied, “I have three.” The agent asked, “Would you like me to check all three to New York?” The guy replied, “No, I want to send the first bag to Phoenix, the second to Seattle, and the third to London.” Dumbfounded, the clerk looked at him and said, “I’m sorry, sir, but we can’t do that.” The man smiled and said, “I don’t see why not; that’s what you did last week.”
You will always make your point more effectively with a butter knife than a butcher knife. Remember: “Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.” If you’re serious about living by the teachings of God’s Word, today try to be gracious.
Soul food: Num 19-21; Mark 6:30-44; Ps 37:16-24; Prov 11:4
Johannes 20:7 NLV
In die Bybelse tyd het jy iemand met ‘n reputasie van uitnemendheid uitgesoek wanneer jy ‘n mooi meubelstuk gemaak wou hê – ‘n meesterskrynwerker of -afwerker. Hierdie skrynwerkers het egter ‘n interessante gebruik gehad. Wanneer die skrynwerker ‘n werk voltooi het, het hy sy voorskoot afgehaal, dit opgevou en dit op sy voltooide werk gesit as ‘n teken dat die werk voltooi is.
Met daardie prentjie in gedagte, lees die volgende: ‘Vroeg die Sondagoggend toe dit nog donker was, kom Maria Magdalena by die graf aan en merk op dat die klip voor die graf weggerol is. Sy hardloop toe en kom by Simon Petrus en die lieflingdissipel… Petrus en die ander dissipel het uitgekom en na die graf toe gehardloop. Die twee het saam gehardloop, maar die ander dissipel het vinniger as Petrus gehardloop en eerste by die graf aangekom. Toe hy vooroor buk, sien hy net die linnedoeke daar lê, maar hy het nie ingegaan nie. Simon Petrus het ná hom ook daar aangekom en by die graf ingegaan. Hy sien toe ook die linnedoeke daar lê, én die kopdoek wat om Jesus se kop was. Die kopdoek het nie by die ander doeke gelê nie, maar was eenkant opgerol. Daarna het die ander dissipel wat eerste by die graf aangekom het, ook ingegaan, gesien, en geglo. Hulle het nog nie die Skrif verstaan dat Jesus uit die dood moet opstaan nie’ (verse 1-9 NLV).
Let op die woorde: ‘Die kopdoek het nie by die ander doeke gelê nie, maar was eenkant opgerol’. Die meesterskrynwerker het die werk voltooi. Ons verlossing is voltooi. Jy hoef nie te werk om gered te word nie, jy moet slegs jou vertroue in Christus plaas en jou sondes word vergewe en jou plek in die hemel verseker.
Sielskos: 1 Kor 15; Matt 28:1-10
2021-04-03
1 Corinthians 15:17 NCV
In 1 Corinthians 15 we read these words from Paul: ‘If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is worth nothing, and your faith is worth nothing. And also, we are guilty of lying about God, because we testified of him that he raise Christ from the dead…And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith has nothing to it; you are still guilty of your sins’ (v.14-17 NCV). How can we be sure that Jesus was resurrected? Let’s take a look at some of the evidence.
Mark 16, John 20, and Matthew 28 all give accounts of Jesus appearing first to women after He was resurrected. In those times, women were often considered to be less reliable witnesses than men, and their testimony didn’t carry as much weight. If the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection were made up, they would have been more believable to people of that time if the writers had said Jesus appeared to men first. Therefore many biblical scholars believe that women being the first witnesses points to the truth of the resurrection accounts.
There’s also the number of accounts of Jesus appearing to different people in different circumstances. As well as the women, He appeared to the twelve disciples, to Cleopas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus, and 1 Corinthians 15:6 tells us that he appeared to 500 people at the same time. But for us, the best proof of His resurrection can be seen in how He changes lives.
Paul wrote: ‘You have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by the same Spirit living within you’ (Romans 8:10-11 NLT).
Num 21:4-9; Matt 27:51-66; Ps 69:7-21; Deut 21:22-23
1 Korintiërs 15:17 NLV
Fox nuus het berig oor ‘n professor in Florida wat sy studente aangesê het om Jesus se naam op ‘n stuk papier te skryf, die papier op die vloer te sit en dan daarop te trap. Al die studente het dit gedoen – behalwe een! Uit liefde en lojaliteit aan Jesus, het hy gesê dat hy nie bereid was om dit te doen nie.
Dit lei ons na die volgende vraag: ‘Hoekom sal ‘n onderwyser, selfs ‘n ateïs, so ‘n ding doen?’ Die antwoord: Omdat ons dit wat ons vrees, soms probeer beveg. Dit word ‘n lewe van ontkenning genoem.
Dink daaroor: Haat en gegriefdheid eindig gewoonlik by die graf, omdat die persoon dood is en geen mag meer oor jou het nie. Hoekom haat sommige mense dan steeds vir Jesus? Vrees! Diep binne-in hulle vrees hulle dat Hy lewe en dat sy invloed in die wêreld aan die groei is. Sy invloed sal aanhou groei! ‘Soos die water die see vol maak, so sal die aarde vol wees van mense wat die Here ken’ (Jesaja 11:9 NLV).
Die geskiedkundige waarheid van Christus se opstanding word nie betwyfel deur enige eerlike, oop gemoed nie. Die grootste bewys van sy opstanding kan egter in lewens wat verander, gesien word. Paulus skryf: ‘As Christus in julle lewe, is julle liggame wel nog as gevolg van die sonde aan die dood onderhewig, maar julle gees is die ene lewe omdat julle saak met God reggemaak is. Omdat die Gees van die God wat Jesus uit die dood opgewek het in julle woon, sal Hy… ook julle dooie liggame weer lewendig maak deur dieselfde Gees wat in julle woon’ (Romeine 8:10-11 NLV). Die liedjieskrywer Alfred Ackley het dit só gestel: ‘You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.’
Sielskos: Num 21:4-9; Matt 27:51-66; Ps 69:7-21; Deut 21:22-23
1 Corinthians 15:17 NKJV
Fox News reported that a professor in Florida told his students to write the name Jesus on a sheet of paper, put the paper on the floor, and stomp on it. All of the students did – except one! Out of love and loyalty to Jesus, he said he wouldn’t do it. Even when threatened with dismissal, he refused to submit.
This leads us to ask the question, “Why would a teacher, even an atheist, do such a thing?” Answer: Because sometimes we fight what we fear. It’s called “living in denial.”
Think about it: Hatred and resentment normally end at the grave because the person is dead and no longer has any power over you. So why then do some people still hate Jesus? Fear! Deep down they fear He’s alive and that His influence in the world is growing. And His influence will continue to grow! “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9 NKJV).
The historical truth of Christ’s resurrection is beyond dispute to any honest, open mind. But the greatest proof of His resurrection can be seen in changed lives. Paul writes: “You have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by the same Spirit living within you” (Romans 8:10-11 NLT). Songwriter Alfred Ackley put it this way: “You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.”
Soul food: Num 21:4-9; Matt 27:51-66; Ps 69:7-21; Deut 21:22-23
