Would You Like to Know More About Jesus?  #002  Connecting with Jesus

I occasionally like to treat myself to a BLT. I think most people know, but in case you don’t, that is a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. I was introduced to the BLT many years ago by my mother who made them on toasted white bread with a little mayonnaise. The BLT was one of my favorite sandwiches as a teen and I thought it was perfect in its simplicity with no need for improvement. Then one day my mom brought home a ripe avocado and offered to include that on my BLT. Why? The BLT is a perfect sandwich. Why would you add avocado?  My mom told me it takes the BLT to a new level and of course she was right. To this day, I can’t eat a BLT without avocado.

I know this has happened to you somewhere at some time; you were going along with your life thinking all was well, until you discovered something new that changed everything. From that day forward, you couldn’t live without that new ingredient, or that new tool, or that newly discovered technique that makes your world complete. We can’t know what we don’t know.

We can’t appreciate the experience of something we haven’t experienced. It isn’t until we step out in faith and try something new that we make those kinds of life changing discoveries.

Our Designer and Creator

Before I became a Christian, I didn’t know very much about Jesus; therefore, I discounted stories about God and the Bible as unnecessary information.  It made sense to me that there was a God who created us.  The complexity of planet earth, and our human bodies could not have come about by random chance – there had to be a designer and creator.  But Jesus being crucified in order to pay for our sin and provide us with eternal life seemed like an enormous stretch of reality.  How is that possible?  Why would that even happen?

God is Spirit

Let’s back up to something I talked briefly about in my last message.  The person we look at in the mirror is not who we are.  We were made in the image of God who is spirit.  In the Bible we are told,   “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  (John 4:24 NASB)  We are spirit beings living inside these mortal bodies. The Bible tells us, “If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”  (1 Corinthians 15:44 NASB)  Our human bodies are merely a vehicle in which we are traveling through this world. When our time in this world is complete, we will return to our spirit body.  This understanding completely changed my way of thinking about Jesus.  Jesus cannot be understood in human terms – Jesus can only be understood in spiritual terms.

The spirit of God, our Creator, is extraordinary beyond imagination.  God is omniscient; meaning he knows all things. God is omnipotent; meaning he is all powerful. God is omnipresent; meaning he is everywhere at all times. The spirit of God surrounds the earth and is watching over us all.

Child of God

The most astonishing part of all of this is the simple fact that God wants to make a spiritual connection with all of us.  When we develop a relationship with Jesus, we become children of God. The Bible tells us, “But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”  (1 Corinthians 6:17 NASB)  As children of God, we are connected to God through a spiritual connection called the Holy Spirit.  Once you have made this connection, you will experience life in a completely new way. This connection is one of those things that you don’t know you’re missing until you experience it first-hand. When you are connected to God, you have become part of an eternal spirit existence that will continue far beyond this world.

I hope I’ve sparked your interest further and you’ll be looking forward to my next message.

There is much more to this story…

Don’t keep this to yourself.  Share it with a friend.

Here’s some great music that celebrates being a child of God.

“Crazy” – Newsboys

All scripture references are linked to Bible Gateway so that you can read each verse in context.  Bible Gateway allows you to change the verse to your favorite translation and compare it side-by-side with multiple translations.  In addition, you can select to hear an audio version of any verse by clicking on the speaker icon.  Keep the Bible Gateway App on your phone so that you can visit the Word of God at any time during your day.

Following Jesus