As I write this it is Easter Morning.
He is Risen!
He is Risen indeed!
We have just returned from 3 and a half days of intense study on the bloody fields of Gettysburg, where on the st, 2nd, and 3rd of July 1863, there were 51,000 US military casualties. We will talk more of that in future posts, but that does catch my attention on Easter.
One of the key issues for us, is why were so many willing to DIE for a cause? Part of the answer is that these men loved someone or something. Many loved the soldier next to them--their brother, cousin, neighbor, friend. Others fought for a way of life that they loved. Others loved their families and felt that they were fighting for them, and still others were committed to ending slavery. Both the North and the South benefited from slavery, but not that many of the soldiers owned slaves.
As I look around the world today, most people seem mostly committed to "personal peace and affluence" and Francis Schaffer observed many years back. I'm not sure how many would die to that cause, but I am sure many, many LIVE for it.
The problem for many Christians, myself included, is that we are NOT in love with the Christ who gave His life for us. "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 Jn 4:18), and yet we are fearful of even being identified with Jesus at work, or shopping, or anywhere except the church grounds.
I am about to get carried away, so I'll just stop with the question, "Do I, do you, really love Me" asked Jesus in John 21:15-19. Do you? Do I?
He is Risen!
He is Risen indeed!
We have just returned from 3 and a half days of intense study on the bloody fields of Gettysburg, where on the st, 2nd, and 3rd of July 1863, there were 51,000 US military casualties. We will talk more of that in future posts, but that does catch my attention on Easter.
One of the key issues for us, is why were so many willing to DIE for a cause? Part of the answer is that these men loved someone or something. Many loved the soldier next to them--their brother, cousin, neighbor, friend. Others fought for a way of life that they loved. Others loved their families and felt that they were fighting for them, and still others were committed to ending slavery. Both the North and the South benefited from slavery, but not that many of the soldiers owned slaves.
As I look around the world today, most people seem mostly committed to "personal peace and affluence" and Francis Schaffer observed many years back. I'm not sure how many would die to that cause, but I am sure many, many LIVE for it.
The problem for many Christians, myself included, is that we are NOT in love with the Christ who gave His life for us. "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 Jn 4:18), and yet we are fearful of even being identified with Jesus at work, or shopping, or anywhere except the church grounds.
I am about to get carried away, so I'll just stop with the question, "Do I, do you, really love Me" asked Jesus in John 21:15-19. Do you? Do I?
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