By Joe McKeever
joemckeever.com
Wouldn’t it be great to have people turn to Jesus as a result of beholding our lives? That’s the plan actually.
Jesus told the former Gadarene demoniac, “Go home to your people and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and that He has had compassion on you” (Mark 5:19).
Sadly, we need to point out the opposite is also true. Some turn away from Jesus when they see how we live. They see our hypocrisy, that we say one thing and do another. They see the absence of Christlikeness in us, and they want no part of Jesus.
The father of a troubled child had a story to tell. He had brought his son to the disciples, asking them to heal him. Give them credit — they tried. But they were unable to effect a cure.
As a result of their inability, the man was giving up hope. He said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, help us” (Mark 9:22).
Don’t miss that. The failure of the disciples made the father doubt Jesus.
The Lord, however, turned it back on the man. “Sir, if you can believe, all things are possible” (v. 23). The “if” is on you, on us, not on Him.
When people look at you and me, they should see new life, spiritual life, a power that has changed us forever from who we used to be into a new creature who is like Jesus.
They will believe we have been raised to new life when they observe our changed behavior. Our transformed values. Our reordered lives.
When David sinned with Bathsheba, he felt sure no one would know of his misdeed but the two of them. Later, as his treachery escalated, he added manslaughter to his list of sins. When the man of God confronted him, David crumbled and admitted what he had done. The prophet Nathan assured him that although God had forgiven the sin, there was collateral damage that had to be dealt with.
“By this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme,” Nathan said (2 Sam. 12:14). Instead of their turning to God because of his faithfulness, they were scoffing at the Lord due to his sin.
The enemy has no answer for the power of the resurrected life. Hear the Apostle Paul: “Death is swallowed up in victory. ‘O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Cor. 15:54–57).
So let us live boldly, Christian. Let us fear nothing on this earth except displeasing the Master. Let us live like the newborn people we are, exhibits of His grace and mercy and transforming power.
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