The Eleven O Clock Parable

The Eleven O Clock Parable

It’s eleven o clock. Inside the court house a judge is about to make his ruling. A community, a nation waits.
Will the new law be legal?
Outside the court house men and women with placards chant. On one side of the street stand a group of gay men and women. All in favour of the new law.
On the other side of the street separated by a line of police stand radical evangelicals, denouncing the new law.
One man among them screams angrily . “HOMOSEXUALS ARE GOING TO HELL!!!”
Approached by the media he says it again, “homosexuals are going to Hell.”
From my office window I watch asking myself the question, ‘is this man an Christian?”
Wasn’t it Christ who told us not only to love our neighbour but our enemy also?
Wasn’t it Christ who told us not to judge, lest we be judged likewise?
Wasn’t it Christ who said go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation?
Is this man showing love?
Is this man judging another?
Can this man be effective in reaching the whole world?
A question keeps rolling through my mind for which I know the answer, “Can we truly know what is in someone else’s head?
Do we really know why a person is like they are?”
For a moment I stare down at the crowd. All the time asking myself who is on the way to Hell this day, and how can I reach them for my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
Turning away from my window I kneel down and pray, “Lord guide me this day. Let me make the right decision on this law.”

The Way to Heaven

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” 
                                                          John 3:16-18.
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
The above verses make it abundantly clear what Christians believe with respect to getting to heaven. There is only one way to get to heaven, through Jesus Christ the One and Only Son of God.
The Apostle Paul writing to the Romans states,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and (those who believe Jesus is God’s One and Only Son) are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus”
                          Romans 3:23,24
John’s epistle quoting Jesus, makes it clear that,
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” 
                              John 10:10
Paul writing to the Corinthians said,
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”  
                              1 Corinthians 15:3,4
John writes,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
                            John 1:12
Paul makes it clear that we do not have to work for our salvation it is a free gift from God himself to mankind.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” 
                                                                        Ephesians 2:8,9
Knowing you are going to heaven is as simple as a prayer. I have included such a prayer below,
Dear Heavenly Father.
I recognize I am a sinner. That I fall short of what you want for my life. Please forgive my sins. I recognize and believe that Jesus Christ is your One and Only Son. That he died for my sins.
I ask Him now to come into my life and show me how I can love and serve you better. 
Amen. 
Jesus never said a gay man or woman couldn’t get to heaven. He didn’t say a bigot couldn’t either. 
In Matthew seven he told us not to judge anyone. He made it clear we were to love our enemies as well as our neighbours. 
And ultimately he has made it clear that there is only one way to heaven. The way through belief in God’s One and Only Son Jesus Christ. 
The way I have explained above.
Think about it.

Loves Check List

Loves Check List

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 
Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 
                                                                                            Proverbs 3:3-6

“All you need is love, all you need is love, love is all you need” the words to a Beatles song.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”  1Corinthians 13:4-8a the words of the Apostle Paul.
All of scripture comes down to one word “LOVE”
Love is the central theme of the gospel. It is only when we have love for God, our fellow man and ourselves that we can truly do the work Christ has given us.
There is no such thing as half way with God’s Love.
Eddie Cantor an actor once said, “Love isn’t like a reservoir. You’ll never drain it dry. It is more like a natural spring. The longer and farther that it flows, the stronger and deeper and clearer it becomes.”
That being said the love of God has flowed from the beginning of time. It is as pure as pure can be.
It is the love of Christ that motivated the early apostles. It is that same love that motivates true Christians today.
That is why followers of Christ from the day of Pentecost to the present do what they do, present the word of God to all creation.
That is why many endure persecution of every type, from simple verbal abuse, to being thrown into prison to death.
Christians know they have a message that must be heard by the world. God’s message of Love and forgiveness.
You cannot be a Christian and hate even one person. To hate even one person no matter how vile they may be is not in keeping with God’s love. Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              Matthew 5:43-48
No matter how much we hate what a person does we must still love the person.
Paul’s description of love is really a check list for pure love. It is a check list every believer need’s to look at frequently and see how they stack up. To see if they truly love.
Take a few minutes now to have an honest look at the words of Paul’s check list for love and see how you stack up.
Love’s Check list,
                            Love is Patient,
                            Love is Kind,
                            It does no envy,
                            It does not boast,
                            It is not proud,
                            It is not rude,
                            It is not self-seeking,
                            It is not easily angered,
                            It keep no record of wrongs,
                            Love does not delight in evil,
                            It rejoices in the truth,
                            It always protects,
                            It always trusts,
                            It always hopes,
                            It always perseveres,
                            Love never fails,

Where do you stand? Is the love you show to others a stream or reservoir?