Now I don't want to get off on a rant here...

End of the Beginning

This is for a friend from Youth Group. She has a friend who is a non-believer and she is struggling to communicate to him. To give her hope I shared the fact that I once was just like her friend. I was not only a non-believer; I was a champion for agnosticism and a professing atheist. There was no doubt in my mind that I was right and her friend is the same way.

What he fails to see and what I once failed to see is the freedom that comes from submitting yourself to Christ. I thought I had freedom because I refused to acknowledge his existence and I would not be controlled by him. How little did I know, that I was consumed by my desire to be in complete control and was thus imprisoned by own self-righteousness. Christ gives us the freedom to be who we were made to be and not have to wage the war of our own path to righteousness. He comforts us with his grace and forgiveness, and blesses us with his holiness.

I reminded her that it is not us who makes the change in other people’s hearts and it is usually futile to try to change someone’s mind, but rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to work in her and her friend’s heart. It is such a comfort to know that we do not need to do this alone.

So this song made me think of her situation and reminded me that patience, understanding, compassion and passion are the tools set before us to minister to non-believers. The story does not change; it has always been the same. Christ did not die on the cross just for me, but for you too.

David Phelps – Self-Titled (2002)

End of the Beginning

I was taking a trip on a plane the other day, just wishin' that I could get out, when the man next to me saw the book in my hand and asked me what it was about. So I settled back in my seat, "A best-seller", I said, "A hist'ry and a myst'ry in one." Then I opened up the book and began to read from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

He was born of a virgin, one holy night, in the little town of Bethlehem. Angels gathered 'round Him, underneath the star, singing praises to the great I AM. He walked on the water, healed the lame, and made the blind to see again. And for the first time here on earth we learned that God could be a friend. And though He never, ever did a single thing wrong, the angry crowd chose Him. And then He walked down the road and died on the cross and that was the end . . . of the beginning.

"That's not a new book, that's a Bible," he said, "and I've heard it all before. I've tried religion, its shame and guilt, and I don't need it anymore. Its superstition made up of tales just to help the weak to survive." "Let me read it again," I said, "But listen closely, this is gonna change your life."

He was born of a virgin, one holy night, in the little town of Bethlehem. Angels gathered 'round Him, underneath the star, singing praises to the great I AM. He walked on the water, healed the lame, and made the blind to see again. And for the first time here on earth we learned that God could be a friend. And though He never, ever did a single thing wrong, the angry crowd chose Him. And then He walked down the road and died on the cross and that was the end . . . of the beginning.

"The end of the beginning," he said with a smile. "What more could there be? He's dead. You said they hung Him and put nails in His hands and a crown of thorns on His head." I said, "I'll read it again, but this time there's more and I believe that this is true. His death wasn't the end, but the beginning of life, that's completed in you. Don't you see, He did all this for you?"

He was born of a virgin, one holy night, in the little town of Bethlehem. Angels gathered 'round Him, underneath the star, singing praises to the great I AM. He walked on the water, healed the lame, and made the blind to see again. And for the first time here on earth did you know that God could be a friend? And though He never, ever did a single thing wrong, He was the one the crowd chose. And He walked and He died, but three days later, three days later, three days later . . .He rose. Three days later, He rose.

"You see, He came and He lived and He died, but that was the end of the beginning."

Posted by price at June 29, 2004 10:05 AM