https://odb.org/MY/2023/01/12/the-rest-of-our-story
One of the things I am fascinated with our faith is that God did things through Jesus the unconventional way. Instead of a king in a white horse coming from heaven brandishing a sword dressed in full armour, Jesus came to the world as an infant born to a virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit. Jesus came to us as Immanuel (God with us), but as a vulnerable baby born in a manger among animals and was welcomed by shepherds in the night. Yet the 3 kings of orientland, the Magi, were also there to give Him gifts to honour and worship. On a day celebrated today as Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey welcomed with shouts of Hosanna! He was meek and yet strong. He was sacrificed on the cross, bruised beaten with His flesh torn and His blood flowing, mocked with a crown of thorns. Yet someone gave Him a nice tomb to place His body, but His body was no more found after 3 days, for He was resurrected!
In Revelation 5, in the vision given to him, John saw the Lion of Judah as the only one worthy in heaven and earth and under the earth to open the Scroll and yet He was the wounded Lamb of God, bruised for our transgressions. The Lion of Judah was the Lamb of God!
As believers, we live lives that are “right-side up”, you could put it as “upside down” – in comparison to the world. People are selfish, but we are selfless. People are materialistic, but we are spiritual. People have earthly concerns, and we have eternal goals. People build up treasures on earth, but we build riches in heaven by sowing good on earth. People live their own lives, but we are a living sacrifice unto God for He had redeemed us by the blood of the Lamb. People enter by the wide gate while we choose the narrow one. We are different and not conventional because our Lord is not. Our fight is not against flesh and blood. We are not to conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We live in the promises and plans of God for our lives.
The message this morning is that we are different as we are in the world and yet not of this world. Ultimately, we are pilgrims passing through this temporary home in our journey to our permanent and eternal abode. Thus, Paul reminds us that whatever we may be going through in our sufferings for who we are pales in comparison to the glory that awaits us in Christ heaven. It’s OK to be different as that’s our destiny once we accept Jesus. Christ was different, and so we are and will be different too!
Ronnie's Thoughts 