“And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NLT)
“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Mark 1:15 (NLT)
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, [Or all peoples.] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 (NLT)
“Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Matthew 25:23 (NLT)
Did you ever stop and think how these passages tie together? God made a promise way back in Genesis 3:15 as He was talking to Satan. Satan is our enemy. He will do anything he can to get us to follow his evil, deadly path. The phrase “you will strike his heel” refers to Satan’s repeated attempts to defeat Christ during His life on earth. “He will strike your head” foreshadows Satan’s defeat when Christ rose from the dead. A strike on the heel is not deadly, but a blow to the head is. Already God was revealing His plan to defeat Satan and offer salvation to the world through His Son, Jesus Christ.
And, what is the Good News? These first words spoken by Jesus in Mark gave the core of His teaching: that the long-awaited Messiah had come to break the power of sin. Most of the people who heard this message were oppressed, poor, and without hope. Jesus’ words were good news because they offered freedom and the hope of eternal life with God in heaven.
So what are we to do? We are to go --whether it is next door or to another country--and make disciples. It is not an option but a command to all who call Jesus “Lord.” We are not all evangelists in the formal sense, but we have all received gifts that we can use to help fulfill the great commission. As we obey, we have comfort in the knowledge that Jesus is always with us.
The parable of the “talents/loaned money” describes the consequences of the two attitudes toward Christ’s return. The person who diligently prepares for it by investing his or her time and talents to serve God will be rewarded because what he or she does reflects the faith, the relationship, which he or she has in God. God rewards faithfulness. Those who bear no fruit for God’s Kingdom cannot expect to be treated the same as those who are faithful.
It is my prayer that someday we will all hear the words: “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Click here for the August Newsletter.
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NLT)
“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Mark 1:15 (NLT)
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, [Or all peoples.] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 (NLT)
“Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Matthew 25:23 (NLT)
Did you ever stop and think how these passages tie together? God made a promise way back in Genesis 3:15 as He was talking to Satan. Satan is our enemy. He will do anything he can to get us to follow his evil, deadly path. The phrase “you will strike his heel” refers to Satan’s repeated attempts to defeat Christ during His life on earth. “He will strike your head” foreshadows Satan’s defeat when Christ rose from the dead. A strike on the heel is not deadly, but a blow to the head is. Already God was revealing His plan to defeat Satan and offer salvation to the world through His Son, Jesus Christ.
And, what is the Good News? These first words spoken by Jesus in Mark gave the core of His teaching: that the long-awaited Messiah had come to break the power of sin. Most of the people who heard this message were oppressed, poor, and without hope. Jesus’ words were good news because they offered freedom and the hope of eternal life with God in heaven.
So what are we to do? We are to go --whether it is next door or to another country--and make disciples. It is not an option but a command to all who call Jesus “Lord.” We are not all evangelists in the formal sense, but we have all received gifts that we can use to help fulfill the great commission. As we obey, we have comfort in the knowledge that Jesus is always with us.
The parable of the “talents/loaned money” describes the consequences of the two attitudes toward Christ’s return. The person who diligently prepares for it by investing his or her time and talents to serve God will be rewarded because what he or she does reflects the faith, the relationship, which he or she has in God. God rewards faithfulness. Those who bear no fruit for God’s Kingdom cannot expect to be treated the same as those who are faithful.
It is my prayer that someday we will all hear the words: “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Click here for the August Newsletter.
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