The Word for today:
Jeremiah 9:23-10:25
Jeremiah 9:23-10:25
mark this: Jeremiah 9:23-24--
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me."
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me."
Teacher: Why did Jesus die?
Student: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
Student: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
Teacher: Why did Jesus die?
Student: It's right there in John 3:16. He died so that we could live forever.
Teacher: You answered with an appropriate verse, but I still don't know if you know the answer.
Student (exasperated): Huh?
Teacher: Let's take a multiple choice test:
Student: It's right there in John 3:16. He died so that we could live forever.
Teacher: You answered with an appropriate verse, but I still don't know if you know the answer.
Student (exasperated): Huh?
Teacher: Let's take a multiple choice test:
QUIZ
Directions: Carefully note the emphasized words. Choose the correct answer.
Directions: Carefully note the emphasized words. Choose the correct answer.
Why did Jesus die?
A. He died to give us eternal life.
B. He died to give us eternal life.
Student: What's the difference?
Teacher: One answer is right. One answer is wrong.
A. He died to give us eternal life.
B. He died to give us eternal life.
Student: What's the difference?
Teacher: One answer is right. One answer is wrong.
***
I hope you take that short quiz, because that teacher (and this one!) is not trying to confuse the student. He is trying to clarify an essential concept of scripture.
The wrong answer is A, because all of us--saved or unsaved--have eternity.
The saved have eternity with God.
The unsaved have eternity without God.
The saved have eternity with God.
The unsaved have eternity without God.
Thr right answer is B. 'Life' in the Bible means relationship with God. What Jesus did at the cross is give us life--he restored our relationship with God which had been broken by sin.
***
Student: What does 'relationship' mean?
Teacher: It means to know someone.
Student: I'm ready to re-take the test now.
Teacher: OK. Why did Jesus die?
Student: So we could know him.
Teacher: That's 100% right!
Teacher: It means to know someone.
Student: I'm ready to re-take the test now.
Teacher: OK. Why did Jesus die?
Student: So we could know him.
Teacher: That's 100% right!
***
Life does not consist of breathing or consciousness. And life is not measured in years or dollar bills. Life consists of getting to know God:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me." (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me." (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
This concept, when applied, puts everything on a different basis:
"How's life?"
"Get a life."
"That's life."
"How's life?"
"Get a life."
"That's life."
Jesus died so you could know him. That's life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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