Today I went to another Church in Jakarta. I attend the service with a friend of mine.
The Pastor was from Philippine. Automatically I remember my old friend in that Country and wondering how he is doing.. Okay, that's not what I want to tell. Hehe.. ^o^
I would like to share what the Pastor teach.
At the moment Jesus raise to heaven He told us:
Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and, see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.
(Matthew 28:19-20)a
He doesn't call us to just put a "Christian" as our religion. He wants more than that. He want a relationship between Him and His people. "Christian" is just written not more than three times in the bible but "disciples" written more than a hundred. "Christian" is a religion. "Disciples" is a relationship between a leader and a follower. He wants an intimacy relationship because He loves us.
How can we conclude that He loves us?
Because He gives us freedom.
God said in
John 14:15: If you love me, keep my commandments.
Any first word in the bible is written is the most important thing.
Where's the first command of God in the Bible?
Genesis 2:16
And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good.
Why He doesn't want us to eat that fruit?
- He wants us to Free.
Free is a statement of love. Free means you don't need to pretend to be liked by others. Free means you can choose anything you want. He wants us to keep choose if Him when we tempt leave Him but He never forces us to do that.
He wants we do everything because we love him instead of afraid of Him.
Don't you think that He exactly know Adam will sin against Him of eating the forbidden fruit?
Yes!!
He is surely know but why God is let Adam do the desire of Adam's own heart?
Because every relationship is based on trust. Trust is the foundation of love. Love is the motive of the relationship.
- Eat is the most enjoyable thing we can do.
So every time we eat we should remember God and thank Him for the food He is given.
- He wants to do alone to show us what we should do what we should not.
He wants a relationship like a father advice his child.
The fact, we know finally both Adam and Woman eat that fruit.
Do you know the history why Woman can't trust a Man?
Adam let the Woman eat the forbidden fruit. Why he doesn't stop a Woman to eat for he know God says that whoever eat that fruit will be died? He used the woman and watching whether she would die or no. Maybe in the CCTV of Eden shows Woman take fruit but who knows Adam hold the stair used by the Woman. And after all, When God ask Adam if he eat the forbidden fruit, what Adam said? Adam blamed the Woman and even God.
Genesis 3: 9-10
But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was naked; so I hid."
I am sure God knows where is Adam but He asked deeper than Adam physically. God asked:
Where is your heart? Where is your trust? You trust the evil? The woman? or me?
Where is our relationship?
Without trusting God, man is stupid! Adam was afraid, insecure, and the Woman lies. She said the Evil tempt her but actually she tempt by herself, admire the fruit itself.
So do we. When we do wrong, we feel afraid, insecure, and tell some lies.
God doesn't let his people died. He gives both of them pain as a signal when they do the wrong thing rather than kill them. So if we feel pain, maybe financial pain, heart pain of others, or any pains, those are a signal of God questions: "Where are you?","Where are your heart?", "Where is our relationship?".
Pain is an act of mercy.
And Finally God himself receive the pain at the cross, the pain that we should feel.
He has forgiven us because He loves us.
Forgiveness is a recipe of a relationship.
As God has forgive us we should forgive others.
:)
*What a nice preaching today
