Sunday Leasons

Kristy and I have been going to church now for awhile. It's got to the point where we don't ask "do you wanna go to church"? We just go... We've probably went for 5 or 6 straight Sunday's. Of course Kristy taught me that it's not good to brag. Just go and worship. Even if you don't feel like it... Just go.

Today was a good sermon. We wrapped up part of our studies in the book of John. We studied John chapter 13:26-38. The following is a copy of the NIV chapter we studied:

Passage John 13:26-38:
26Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
"What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, 28but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. 30As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

What I highlighted for you, I feel, is very important. When Judas left the table and went outside, it was night. Meaning that he was no longer in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ. But instead he had given into Satan and was now working for him. Our preacher spoke of how he believed that Judas could have "changed his mind" at any point. But since the Old Testament predicts such acts. God allows Satan to stay in control of Judas. So Judas was completely in the dark, sort-of-speak.

Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
31When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. 32If God is glorified in him,[a] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Once again, I've highlighted this passage because of it's importance. This was the final major commandment that Jesus gave to his disciples (us). We MUST love one another as Jesus loves us. Now that's a very hard thing to do. Just the other day, Kristy and I saw Sgt. Shannon Cairy at our church. Turns out, she's a member. We noticed her because she was that days singer. Kristy turned to me and said, "funny how God puts people right in front of us." And it was. At that point I (we) had a choice. Hate her in God's house, or love her as a sister. She had wronged me not 3 months before, yet I said a little prayer for her as she stumbled to find the courage to complete her song. Kristy sang along with her.

Maybe it was a little easier for us (Kristy and I) to accept her in the house of the Lord, than it would have been say at the local McDonald's. But everyday God puts those kinds of people in front of us and gives us a choice. Deny them your love or forgive them and love them. Every single day this happens to us. Weather is be our boss or someone else. We all have a choice...

36Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."
37Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."
38Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

I like to write....As all of you can tell. So I thought I might implement a little of the gospel in our blog. I hope everyone enjoys... Kristy and I believe our journey is almost at an end. That doesn't mean we then turn our back on God and go back to sleeping in on Sunday's. But instead, we will take what we've learned during these few month and pass it on to those who need it. People watch you during hard times. People who are not Christian's, can sometimes be in amazement when you keep your head high during stormy days. That is when they see that being a Christian is something THEY TOO would like to be.