Wednesday, April 8, 2009

A Common Man from Nazareth

Who believes what we've heard and seen?
Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?

The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
on him, on him. (Isaiah 53:1-6; The Message)
Easter is coming! When Jesus came, there was nothing outwardly special about Him. He was born to common people, grew-up as a tradesman and only had three years of ministry. By the world's standards He was unnoticeable. But I am so glad that a few people did notice. And that they thought enough of Him to tell others. All down through history this is how the news was passed until it was passed on to me.

How about you? Do you know someone who needs to meet this unnoticeable man? If He has made a difference in your life, don't you want to allow that to happen to someone else too? This week, let's gossip about the single most important thing in our lives - our relationship with a common Man from Nazareth. Share your story, invite someone to church. People will come to church on Easter and Christmas that won't come any other Sunday. Don't miss this chance to speak hope into someone's life.

Dream Big...Pray Bigger!

Will

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