We can love others because God first loved us and He wants no one to perish. We love and care for others because He does!
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.
The New King James Version
God has a special place of peace and perfection waiting for those who love Him. We all deserve nothing but because of God’s amazing mercy and grace, He restores us to Himself through Jesus Christ. Trusting in His salvation is the key to our salvation.
Luke 14:4-7 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
We must know that we are lost and without hope to accept the righteousness of Jesus to save us. God rejoices whenever one of His creation gives up the direction of our life to Him in faith. Without Him we are like sheep without a Shepherd and without hope.
Romans 1:16-17 I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” The New King James Version
We are all sinners in need of a Savior. There is no one righteous, no not one. We are only justified in His grace. The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to save to everyone who believes in Him to do what we cannot do.
Romans 3:23-26 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
It is not our good works it is the grace of God in Christ Jesus so that no one can boast. We are justified freely by faith in His blood sacrificed for all who in faith believe. We are justified by faith without the works of the law. Faith plus nothing is the salvation of Christ.
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Abraham believed and it was counted to him as righteousness. As believers we have been given right standing and peace with God.
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. We walk with Holy Spirit who is able to raise us up to live forever with Him.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
This is the Gospel of Christ…Christ died for our sins. After three days He was resurrected and is now seated at the right hand of the Father in glory. He alone had the power of overcoming death and sin and through the power of Holy Spirit He raises all who believe in His salvation. The simplicity of His Gospel saves all who in faith believe. Carla
Jesus’ point is that the religious leaders will work to save that which is important to them, so He too should work in order to restore a life. Faithlife Study Bible
In ancient times the best seats at a meal were those next to the host. True hospitality and service are given to those who cannot repay. Disciples must have a special concern for the poor, maimed, lame, and blind, as Jesus does. The NKJV Study Bible
Even in the common actions of life, Christ marks what we do, not only in our religious assemblies, but at our tables. We see in many cases, that a man’s pride will bring him low, and before honour is humility. Our Saviour here teaches, that works of charity are better than works of show. But our Lord did not mean that a proud and unbelieving liberality should be rewarded, but that his precept of doing good to the poor and afflicted should be observed from love to him. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Luke 13:15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
Matthew 12:11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?
Luke 11:43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
Deuteronomy 22:4 “You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fall down along the road, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely help him lift them up again
Through faith in Christ, believers are raised from spiritual death to new life (Romans 6:4). And believers are called to live in a way that actively reflects this new life.
With that reality in mind, we don't just "sleepwalk" through life today: We act, interact, speak and love others in ways that reflect the gospel of Christ and display His goodness, righteousness and Truth (Ephesians 5:9).
The way Christ's light illuminates every area of our lives can also make unbelievers aware that they are living in spiritual darkness ... and Jesus wants to wake them up too! Just as the sun shines on the earth, the Son of God shines His light on and through believers so we become the "light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). As we proclaim and live out the gospel, the light of Christ that shines through us impacts lives now and for eternity! We get to participate with God in His ultimate plan of redemption and reconciliation for humanity (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Jesus is our hope of restoration, our source of strength, and our freedom from the bondage of sin both now and forever. First5
Sanctuary does not remove us from life. But allows us to be fully alive smack dab in the middle.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin reminds us, “One could say that the whole of life lies in seeing.”
Yes. Smack dab in the middle. But now I am seeing, living, sacramentally. Sabbath Moments
"This morning, outside I stood
And saw a little red-winged bird
Shining like a burning bush
Singing like a scripture verse
It made me want to bow my head
I remember when church let out
How things have changed since then
Everything is holy now
It used to be a world half-there
Heaven’s second rate hand-me-down
But I walk it with a reverent air
Cause everything is holy now"
Peter Mayer
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