Lets Get Real

Are you really serious? 

Hello. Welcome, today. You know, I was coming into the church building the other day and there was my Son and his friend, sitting on the floor of the lobby, and they were actually texting each other. Now I really want you to understand what I mean. Here is my 16-year-old son, and his friend, sitting on the floor, side by side, next to each other, texting, each other. What?

We have come into this era of convenience and comfort. Technology is just one little piece of this. It makes our lives so easy that we start losing stuff along the way. Money is another. Especially in our country. We are the richest people to ever walk the earth. Even our poor are rich. AC, self-driving cars, smartphones, and even smart houses. The problem is, sometimes, the smarter our technology gets, the dumber we get. As Covid showed us, we can even work, go to school, and even go to church, in our pajamas, never leaving the house.

It is time to get serious. It is time to get real. I understand that some of this series may seem offensive to some. I get that. That is not my intention. However, if you get offended, please take some time to read the Word for yourself. Research what I say for yourself. Pray about it. Ask God to show you the truth.

Are you a good person? I always thought of myself as a good person. If you ask, most will look at the question in an earthly, worldly sense. They would reason it out. "Let's see, I haven't been arrested. I love my spouse and kids. I give to charity, uh, when I can. I go to Church on Sunday, uh, most of the time. I try to never speak ill of anyone. Yes. I would say I was a good person."

I went to church. Sundays and Wednesdays, most of the time anyway. You know, life interrupts sometimes. I try to say my 3 to 5-minute prayer a day. I try. I do not think I am any less or more a "Christian" than anyone else. Let me ask you some questions.

Are you feeding Jesus? Did you give Jesus some shoes for His feet? When He was sick, did you visit Him and bring Him some Soup? Did you give Him your seat at church when He came in for the first time? Wait. I hope He was there at the church. But maybe He came in to sit next to you. What do I mean? Jesus said this.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46

I believe that these may be a bit important to God. If your very Salvation depends on them. You see that right? Those that do such things, enter into heaven, and those that do not, do not. What does that mean? Does that mean that it is by doing these things, you can earn your way to heaven? No of course not. For the word declares this.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God," Ephesians 2:8

Without Jesus, you have no chance at all in entering heaven. Without His sacrifice and His death for you, you can never enter heaven. You know the passages,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." John 3:16-18

Without God, there is no way you can earn your entrance fee to go in. Your entrance fee is the very blood of Jesus. However, let's say you have accepted this. Do you call yourself a Christian? Now what? Is it ok to just go to church on Sundays if you have time and there are no other obligations? Well, lets' talk about this. Jesus said to the people that He allowed entering into heaven.

"I was hungry and you gave me food."

To those, He did not allow entrance into heaven.

"For I was hungry and you gave me no food"

But wait, do they both not think of themselves as "Christians," and do they, not both claim to be followers of God? Look what Jesus says here.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

James tries to explain it to us this way.

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 2:14-17

Remember what Jesus said to the church in Sardis, last I checked, most people in a church see themselves as saved.

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ Revelations 3:1-6

Yes, of course, you need Jesus. Without Him, there is no God, because He is God. How can you go to be with God in heaven if you leave out God Himself? However, it was never God's intent for you to go "Oh, I get it. Ok. Jesus came and died for me. Whew! I'm sure glad about that. So glad I do not have to go through all that. So glad I do not have to go to hell. Ok. I accept. Now I have a bunch of stuff to do so see ya next week.

I understand that to a lot of new "Christians" it can be a confusing time. What are God's plan and purpose for your life? Ask Him. What does He want you to do individually? Ask Him. But let's look at these statements from Jesus Himself.

"I was hungry and you gave me food,"

"I was thirsty and you gave me drink, "

"I was a stranger and you welcomed me,"

"I was naked and you clothed me,"

"I was sick and you visited me,"

"I was in prison and you came to me.’

Remember Jesus stood up in the midst of all the congregation and read this.

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21

Then He gave us the great commission right before He left to go back to heaven.

"And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Doesn't sound too much like it was meant to be, just accept and live on. Does it? Join us for the next six weeks as we dive into these statements from Jesus, and try to get a better understanding of what they actually mean, and do not mean, and what can we do right from the beginning to try to get real.

Like my son on his phone texting to his friend who was sitting next to him, there is a better way. Get real. Put the phone down. Turn and look at each other. Talk to each other using WORDS. spent time with each other in reality. Are we playing church? Are we sitting on a floor and watching? let's get real.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!