Spread His Fame

 I am amazed often reading about the popularity of Jesus when He walked on this earth. In a day without cell phones, cameras, or social media His popularity spread rapidly as people flocked to hear Him teach. People brought their sick and demon possessed family and friends to Him for help. I question how people heard about Him or even where He ministered, as He did not stay in one place very long. He went to villages and cities. People had to talk about Him. News spread through word of mouth. 

He had compassion for the lowest segments of society. He helped lepers, forgave adulterers, healed the lame and blind. News spread far and wide. Crowds surrounded Him seeking help and comfort. They sensed He loved them. He cared for them and was moved by their needs. He extended love and grace when religious leaders only offered judgment and condemnation. 

Jesus still loves. His arms are open to people who have made a trainwreck out of their lives. He is patient with people who struggle to find freedom from addiction. He loves people others look past and shun. He is kind, merciful, and loving. He forgives the immoral. He welcomes the broken and bruised. Sometimes His followers do not reflect that same attitude. Many do. 

Let Jesus start moving in a community and transforming lives. People will talk about it. Let Him reclaim some of the hardest sinners and redeem them. People will talk. Small town gossip is faster than track teams. God's people should give the community something to talk about. Something positive. Spreading the fame of Jesus from family member to family member, friend to friend, and neighbor to neighbor. This is good news. 

 I read today where Jesus is the most famous historical figure in history. The Library of Congress has over 19,000 titles in which Jesus is the subject. That is by far the most of any person in history. His influence goes into artworld, spills over into the movie industry, music industry and spreads all over the world from small remote villages to massive metropolitan areas. 

In 1966 Beatles band member John Lennon made a remark in an interview that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. It is true the Beatles are the best selling band of all time. Their fame cannot compete with the Lord Jesus Christ. His fame goes back thousands of years and will go forward in the future. Let's do our part to spread His fame right where we are planted. 

The Angels Are Rejoicing

 Ten were saved at VBS. One more was saved Sunday morning at the end of our worship service. There is a story behind the one this morning. I'd like to share it with you. 

In my prayers this morning, I sensed that someone who would attend the worship service later was faking it. They knew they were not truly converted even though they went through the perfunctory motions as a child. I prayed asking God to remind me of this during the message if it was really from Him. 

Sure enough I was reminded during an evangelistic point. When I finished the message nobody responded. We wrapped it all up with a closing song. I walked to the back as I customarily do to greet people as they exit, and a nineteen year old girl met me in the back. She told me she did not think she was really saved. We walked to a quieter place across the hall and she said she faked her salvation as a child to please her grandparents who raised her. She wanted to repent and get saved right then. She asked Jesus to make her become a true a child of God. 

I was exuberant as we went back into the sanctuary right and the congregation ended the closing song. I got everyone's attention and told the good news. It was powerful. Lots of shouts. None louder than the angels in heaven. Luke 15:7 records there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous who need no repentance. If the angels rejoice over sinners repenting then we should also. 

Our enthusiasm should be unbridled as we watch God gloriously save lost people. The grace of God is powerful enough to reach the hardest heart and to transform the most untamable person. I think it is easy to lose sight of that in the midst of our religious activity. We run around to keep the program going instead of praying for God to do the work. He is able to do far more than we can. He can do more in days than we can do in decades. 

I rejoice even more because I know other sinners repented and experienced the grace of God through Jesus today as well. All over the world people turned to Jesus for salvation. The angels must be perpetually in a party state as sinners all over the globe get saved through faith in Jesus. Jesus is in the business of snatching people from the gates of hell and transferring them into the kingdom of light. We should rejoice with the angels.