To Boldly Go
Early in the morning, I could hear the rain dripping from
the Eaves trough. The rooster’s crow rang loud through my open window. There I
lay in the dark with my eyes open, snuggled cozy in my bed. Then my mind starts
to wander. I am reminded to pray for this person and that person. Next, my mind
is off on a star trek type journey. This is a lifelong mission, to
explore this strange planet, to seek out life for all, to boldly go where many
have gone before. I know it is not the same wording as the Star Trek
introduction. I memorized it when I was
a child. My brother and I watched that television show every day after school.
Yes, back then, it was in black and white.
Where
is this journey taking me? I don’t know. I just know that I had to get up out
of the dark bedroom and come and write this down while the rooster still crows.
Did I count the rooster’s crows? No, but he actually has been crowing nonstop
since about four o’clock this morning. There is no correlation that I am aware
of to the disciple Peter who denied Christ three times. Each time he denied
knowing Jesus, he heard the rooster crow. Every morning, I hear that crow. Lord
help me if I deny Christ Jesus that many times or at all. I know Jesus forgave
Peter because Peter became the rock that the Christian church was built on. Jesus, after his resurrection from death, met with Peter and the other disciples. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. Peter
was extremely convicted of his sin and he truly did love the Lord and Peter answered
Jesus with an emphatic, “Yes Lord, I love you”.
See reference in John 21. Click on link
Peter served God for the rest of
his life. He certainly had many trials and testing during his life of service
to God. Jesus had promised He would leave a helper to be with his disciples. That
would include those who died for their faith.
Yes, I believe God was there at
the end of Peter’s life when they hung him upside down on a cross. While there
may have even been times when he questioned, his faith remained to his last
breath. The same can be said of Paul and others who have been martyred for
their faith. I am told that when people
are martyred for the faith in Christ that God (HOLY SPIRIT) is there with them
and does help them endure. We have heard of many martyrs. The first one
mentioned as the early Christian Church began was when they stoned Stephen to death
because he preached a very convicting message from God to the people. They did
not want to hear the message God had for them.
You can read the entire account
of Stephen in the New Testament- Book of Acts chapter 6 and 7. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+7&version=ESV
The Stoning of Stephen
54 Now when they heard these things they
were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he,
full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus
standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I
see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But
they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[b] at him. 58 Then they cast
him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments
at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were
stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And
falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this
sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Wow! That is
amazing Grace)
In my research when I typed in
martyrs, this website came up. I found it interesting to see these priest who were
martyrs and this was in Ontario in the 1600’s
Many have travelled the globe to
give the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the great commission to every
believer. We don’t all have to go all over the world. We can begin right in our
home town. I am thankful also to the brave apostles who went out in boldness to
spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many men and women have also been martyred
for their faith over the centuries for fulfilling that great commission.
What is the Great Commission? This phrase is taken from the Words
of Christ Himself as instruction to the disciples who became known as apostles.
These men by spreading the gospel and teachings of Christ Jesus formed what is
called Christianity. Basically, the word Christianity covers a great many
people who use this name. For the early church, to be called a Christian, held
great responsibility. A Christian was to follow and live out the teachings of
Christ and not just recite them to the people.
The Great Commission – Matthew 28:18-20 English Standard
Version - The basic doctrine of every Christ centred Church is based on these
verses.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching
them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, to the end of the age.”
I have attended so many funerals and it always seems the
preacher uses the verse from John 14:1-7. I sit and listen and because I know
Jesus I am comforted. I often wonder how many people sitting there also know
this truth within the words. We have come to lay our loved one at rest and we
are given the great words of hope and eternal life to comfort us in our grief.
For some, we have lived our lives
and explored everything on the planet and now our proud song is played. “Regrets,
I’ve had a few. I’ve travelled each and every byway, but more, much more than
this. . . . The grand finale’ “I did it my WAY”. We are called to do life “God’s
Way”. In doing life our way, we all must ask ourselves where does God find a
place in the “my way” of our lives?
We are not told to do things our way.
I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life
John 14: 1-7
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled.
Believe in God;[a] believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are
many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place
for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am
you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”[c] 5 Thomas said to him,
“Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the
way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.[d] From now on you do know him and have seen
him.”
These are the words I was inspired to write about this
morning. Part of my life long mission to explore this planet and spread the
words of life and seek out new generations to also go out for generations to
come and spread the Word of Life. I suppose that if all those who have died for
their faith in Jesus, would have lived different lives, the gospel would not
have been spread across the globe for the last 2000 years. If they had lived
their lives their way, instead of the way of Christ, what would the
world look like today? Would it still be here? We can also ask ourselves if we
lived our lives according to how God has called us to live, how would our lives
be different right now?
