Tag Archives: Christians

You will be my martyrs

The disciples want to know whether Jesus will now make Israel into a great and mighty kingdom (Acts 1:6).

Jesus replies that there is a time for everything. He does not deny an earthly kingdom, but first comes a time of waiting, then of witnessing in all the world and then the visible return of Jesus to this earth.

His reign begins in the place where people have decided against him (Jerusalem), then continues into the surrounding area (Judea), to the despised Samaritans and to the end of the world. Continue reading You will be my martyrs

The key to eternal life

The story of the Good Samaritan is not about caring for the sick, but about stopping my busy life for someone I meet who needs my help.

Jesus is asked what the key to eternal life is. The answer is: love of God and love of neighbour. This simple sentence sums up the Old Testament.

But the questioner immediately tries to talk his way out of it by asking who his neighbour is. Jesus responds with a story (Luke 10:25-37).

My neighbour is not a person of my choice. I do not have to seek and fulfil a specific task.

I become a neighbour by changing my behaviour towards the people I meet.

We fulfil God’s mandate together

As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word (John 17:18.20).

We cannot fulfil God’s mandate alone, but only together. Not only because the task is too great, but because we can only be a reflection of God together. God lives in perfect unity.

This means that we support, encourage and strengthen each other – even those who have received a completely different task from God than we have. Continue reading We fulfil God’s mandate together

God invites us to comprehensive freedom

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isaiah 61:1-2).

Jesus reads these words in the synagogue in Capernaum and connects their fulfilment with his person. “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).

In Jesus, God gets to the root of the problem. His death and resurrection change our thinking, our values and our attitudes. The goal is salvation and healing, freedom and well-being for the wretched, the entangled and all those with a broken heart. Continue reading God invites us to comprehensive freedom

God invites us through Jesus Christ

Verse of the day: “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

We love options. We are a culture where everyone believes only in themselves.

At the same time, there is a longing in us for overflowing love, for being held, for liberation and rest, for security.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest(Matthew 11:28).

Thank you, Jesus: I can entrust myself to you. Continue reading God invites us through Jesus Christ

God invites us through His Word

We find inspiration and encouragement in the Bible. It also speaks of limits and promises.

It always takes courage and strength to lovingly put into practice what we have heard.

Lord, give me ears to hear you and your word, a heart that can be opened and shaped by you, and the wisdom to see how I can encourage others with your word and act with my hands. Amen.

Verse of the day: I treasure your word in my heart, that I may not sin against you. (…) I have received your precepts as an inheritance forever; they are the joy of my heart (Psalm 119:11+111).  Continue reading God invites us through His Word

God invites as the Triune God

Jesus defines himself as the commissioner before his disciples with these powerful words: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me“. And “therefore” they, these eleven partly doubtful men, are to go to all the nations and “make disciples” and baptise them (Matthew 28:18-19).

The contrast between the Great Commission and the limited possibilities of those commissioned could not be greater.

The Great Commission is not primarily an activity of Christians, but lies in the nature of God, in the sending of His Son Jesus and in the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

John 20:21: As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you”.

We believe that the Gospel is God’s good news for the whole world. A sentence from the preamble of the Lausanne Covenant of 1974.

It is fascinating that God wants to make his offer of forgiveness through us. Continue reading God invites as the Triune God

Eternal life

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

Eternal life is not the reward for living a good life or being “right believing”.

Eternal life begins when we entrust our lives to Jesus (believe), thereby honouring the Father in heaven and allowing ourselves to be transformed by the Holy Spirit.

Eternal life is a continuation of our relationship with God.

Jesus is asked what the key to eternal life is. The answer is love of God and love of neighbour (Luke 10:25-28).

The other focus

Jesus does not condemn the woman who has been caught in the act of adultery in John 8. Jesus does not even raise the question of the adulteress’ guilt.

With this actions Jesus defines how to deal with the biblical law. He does not trivialise the sin. Adultery is not a “trivial offence”.

Nor does he condemn the woman. Rather, he calls for repentance: “From now on sin no more”. God’s love invites to surrender and reorientation.

This is the key to handle the divine commandments. The commandments are a goal and an orientation for us because they have the good intention of saving us human beings from chaos.

Our focus is not on guilt, but on reconciliation with God and with our fellow human beings, and on reconciliation with life.