John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Oh Friends, what a wonderful promise, straight from the heart of Jesus! And Christmas Day 2008 was a beautiful winter’s day in my little burgh; lots of sunshine, not too strong winds, snow on the banks and dry streets. The way it should be. But that means the season has reached its zenith. We’ve celebrated the birth of Christ. Hope we didn’t imbibe too much ‘rum and puncha creamer’ (smile) and we remembered exactly why we were making merry. The whole shebang is going to start winding down now, and the bubble will burst at New Years, when everything will just float away, and we’ll conveniently forget that we were hugging, kissing and being nice to perfect strangers only a few days before. But Friends, it ought not to be so. Jesus did not wax hot and cold; full of joy one day, then sour and being rude to others the next. Neither should we, especially if we profess to be His followers. For He declared in no uncertain manner, ‘If any man serve me, let him follow me.’ That entails emulating His behaviour if we want to be His followers, disciples, servants, whatever. He even spelled it out: ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.’ (Mat.16:24) Meaning we’re to stop being selfish, to figuratively, and lots of times actually deny ourselves for the benefit of others. Jesus came to serve, not be served, and to follow Him, we have to do likewise; die to self, and willingly and humbly serve others; take up our cross and hold it high, so that everybody can see it, and know that we’ve surrendered our lives to the Holy One who died for us. Now Friends, that doesn’t mean we have to live a drab, disgusting life of servitude. Jesus might have adopted an attitude of always being willing to help, but He never lost His pride. Whenever necessary, He stood up for His principles, and so should we, cause as He faithfully promised; ‘where I am, there shall also my servant be.’ And He later explained: ‘I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there ye may also be.’ (John 14:2-3) And all God’s people said; ‘Thank you Jesus!’ What a kind, LOVING, and generous leader we follow my Friends! He’s, without a doubt, ‘The Best of the Best!’ Not only does He promise his own rewards for faithful service, but also, ‘if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.’ Oh people, that’s the highest level to which we can aspire; ‘the Father’s honour.’ And we’ll achieve that automatically if we’re obedient to the dictates of His Son. Jesus even showed his sincerity by praying to the Father on our behalf. ‘Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.’ (John 17:24) Oh Friends, what are we waiting for eh? With the great gifts Jesus bestowed on us; cleansing our sins with His precious blood that was inhumanely spilled on the cross, and the glorious promise of salvation and everlasting life with him and the Father, we should be up and about, bustling ourselves in His service, spreading the good news, telling others, the whole world, about the wonderful Son of God, who came down to earth, was born on Christmas Day, was crucified and died at Easter, rose again three days later, then went back to Heaven to prepare a future home for all those who believe and trust Him as their personal Lord and Saviour. Oh Friends, what a joyous reunion we’ll have when Jesus returns, in full pomp and splendour this time! People, He’s done so much for us, out of the goodness and LOVE of His heart, let’s go out and show our appreciation by living a life worthy of Him, thereby bringing other sinful souls to His cleansing blood, that they may also serve and dwell with us, on that glorious day when He assumes the throne of righteousness. That’s all He asks of us. Bruh Paul puts it thus; ‘Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.’ (1 Thess.4:17-18) My Friends, consider yourselves comforted. (smile) Much LOVE!…when the roll is called up yonder…I’ll be there…hope you will too…
Oh Friends, what a wonderful promise, straight from the heart of Jesus! And Christmas Day 2008 was a beautiful winter’s day in my little burgh; lots of sunshine, not too strong winds, snow on the banks and dry streets. The way it should be. But that means the season has reached its zenith. We’ve celebrated the birth of Christ. Hope we didn’t imbibe too much ‘rum and puncha creamer’ (smile) and we remembered exactly why we were making merry. The whole shebang is going to start winding down now, and the bubble will burst at New Years, when everything will just float away, and we’ll conveniently forget that we were hugging, kissing and being nice to perfect strangers only a few days before. But Friends, it ought not to be so. Jesus did not wax hot and cold; full of joy one day, then sour and being rude to others the next. Neither should we, especially if we profess to be His followers. For He declared in no uncertain manner, ‘If any man serve me, let him follow me.’ That entails emulating His behaviour if we want to be His followers, disciples, servants, whatever. He even spelled it out: ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.’ (Mat.16:24) Meaning we’re to stop being selfish, to figuratively, and lots of times actually deny ourselves for the benefit of others. Jesus came to serve, not be served, and to follow Him, we have to do likewise; die to self, and willingly and humbly serve others; take up our cross and hold it high, so that everybody can see it, and know that we’ve surrendered our lives to the Holy One who died for us. Now Friends, that doesn’t mean we have to live a drab, disgusting life of servitude. Jesus might have adopted an attitude of always being willing to help, but He never lost His pride. Whenever necessary, He stood up for His principles, and so should we, cause as He faithfully promised; ‘where I am, there shall also my servant be.’ And He later explained: ‘I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there ye may also be.’ (John 14:2-3) And all God’s people said; ‘Thank you Jesus!’ What a kind, LOVING, and generous leader we follow my Friends! He’s, without a doubt, ‘The Best of the Best!’ Not only does He promise his own rewards for faithful service, but also, ‘if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.’ Oh people, that’s the highest level to which we can aspire; ‘the Father’s honour.’ And we’ll achieve that automatically if we’re obedient to the dictates of His Son. Jesus even showed his sincerity by praying to the Father on our behalf. ‘Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.’ (John 17:24) Oh Friends, what are we waiting for eh? With the great gifts Jesus bestowed on us; cleansing our sins with His precious blood that was inhumanely spilled on the cross, and the glorious promise of salvation and everlasting life with him and the Father, we should be up and about, bustling ourselves in His service, spreading the good news, telling others, the whole world, about the wonderful Son of God, who came down to earth, was born on Christmas Day, was crucified and died at Easter, rose again three days later, then went back to Heaven to prepare a future home for all those who believe and trust Him as their personal Lord and Saviour. Oh Friends, what a joyous reunion we’ll have when Jesus returns, in full pomp and splendour this time! People, He’s done so much for us, out of the goodness and LOVE of His heart, let’s go out and show our appreciation by living a life worthy of Him, thereby bringing other sinful souls to His cleansing blood, that they may also serve and dwell with us, on that glorious day when He assumes the throne of righteousness. That’s all He asks of us. Bruh Paul puts it thus; ‘Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.’ (1 Thess.4:17-18) My Friends, consider yourselves comforted. (smile) Much LOVE!…when the roll is called up yonder…I’ll be there…hope you will too…
SCRIP-BITS 