Has The Message Been Lost? Prepared by Daniel Keeran, MSW
Has The Message Been Lost? Prepared by Daniel Keeran, MSW Victoria, Canada
The most important elements of the mission and message of Jesus of Nazareth can be lost if not recalled: 1. The Identity of Jesus of Nazareth Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed.” For more on the deity of Jesus see https://www.academia.edu/33144811/The_Deity_Of_Christ 2. Love Love your neighbour as yourself. Love your enemies. Love one another. God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 3. Nonviolence The wages of sin is death. God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. If anyone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. For more on nonviolence see https://www.academia.edu/27661808/Nonviolence_in_Early_Christian_Thought 4. Care for the poor Sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Son, remember that you did receive good things in your lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted; and you are tormented.
5. The collegial nature of Christian community leadership But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave…” I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ; to all the saints in Christ Jesus, who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. 6. The meaning of the death and resurrection of Jesus The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 7. Baptism Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit….”
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.' Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life… Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins… …while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ… 8. Eternal Judgment He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
HIS MEANING IS ESSENTIAL TO YOUR HAPPINESS