A World Without Atonement

My awesome Father-in-Law, John, emailed this to me. It was pretty powerful so I thought I'd share. Also, it was cool to see a site like Splicd that allows you to make clips so easily with You Tube vids. Perfect for us youth ministry dudes!

Dear Study Group,

There are many things that you and I are thankful for because we belong to Christ. But one blessing I just seem to take for granted is atonement.

Many of us are even hard pressed to give definition to the word. It barely appears outside the Pentateuch(1st 5 books of the Bible). Yet atonement just might be the most important blessing we are given in this world.

Please watch this powerful 2 minute video clip from ER to experience a demonstration of our human need for atonement.
Watch THIS clip from E.R. (you'll have to click back to this post for the rest of this commentary).

Only through God in Christ can we know that we are forgiven. Like the dying doctor, how devastating it would be not to know that there is a God -- and that He will accept us! No other religion gives that assurance. And, the chaplain's postmodern/new age remedy was even worse: "It's up to each person to decide."

The dying doctor needed real answers now: Is there a God? What's going to happen to me when I die? How do I know I'm forgiven for killing an innocent man? He needed a real chaplain with real answers.

I never thought of myself before as a chaplain, but after that video I can't help but think of myself as one now. "Chaplains to the world" (or as Paul called us "ambassadors") -- you and I have been commissioned. All the chaplain had to know, believe and communicate was two verses from the Bible (2 Corinthians 5:19-20) and there would have been a happy ending for all instead of screams of -- "Get out! Get out! Get out!"

God was in Christ reconciling every one of us to Himself -- not counting our sins against us. We as Christians are Christ's ambassadors (chaplains) commissioned to tell those who don't know Him how they can be reconciled to God.

It is so true! No worldview accounts for the way things are around us like Biblical Christianity does. Our Heavenly Father's Love expands far beyond our understanding and nothing we do will ever be beyond His Grace! In Him there is the forgiveness of sins! In Jesus Christ, there IS atonement!

The challenge is: NOT keeping that to myself!

Star Wars: retold by someone who has never seen it.

First off, I LOVE Star Wars! This was funny to watch...especially with the animation.

It made me think of the way people seem to view the Jesus, the Bible and Christianity. From the outside, it all kinda sounds like Dark Side of the Force, Luke Skywalker, and Ewoks all over again. Weird ingredients to an even weirder story.

I mean, when all you hear is the strange stories about a God who kills thousands of people for disobeying him but really LOVES you...
That he has a son whose mom was a virgin...
That this son walked on water, and supposedly is now living inside of people who believe in him...

Without understanding the plot and context of all those things, I can see why some people have a skewed view of God and His Church. The Bible is full of weird, crazy, and mysterious things!

But, pick up the Bible, read it and soon discover...from COVER to COVER, God's Story makes sense! HIS PLOT to create the Human Race, reveal Himself, rescue us, restore us, and redeem us is clearly seen!

Nothings disconnected. Every character, every story, every victory, and every defeat is a part of HIS PLAN!!!

In the same way you wouldn't watch this video and think you've seen Star Wars...You probably wouldn't want to say you know God if you haven't spent the time to read what He says.

Get to know God by feasting on His words and His thoughts found in the Bible.

How Rich Are You?

This is a site a came across a while ago and possibly even posted about, but it's a good reminder.

If you're like me, you've probably spent an absurd amount of time wishing you had more money to buy more stuff...never content with what you already have...salivating as you think of your next "purchase"...that next "thing" that supposedly will make your life more complete...

Yes. I confess. I've been there...and probably will again.

But, the truth is...I AM blessed. I have ALL I need in Christ. He ALONE completes me and quenches my thirst. He ALWAYS provides. This world has NOTHING for me...except a grave.

My Prayer: Proverbs 30:7-9