Why did Jesus come? He came to restore us to relationship with the Father, to be “God with us”. Please enjoy this modern parable entitled, “Stranger at the Door”, about why He came to earth to become a man.
It was a snowy Christmas Eve. Inside the warm house, the Christmas tree was cheerfully ablaze with lights and surrounded by dozens of presents.
The man’s wife and children were dressed and ready to leave for church. “Come with us,” they urged, for they loved him.
“Not me,” he snapped. “I don’t believe all that religion garbage.”
For many years the man’s wife had been trying to tell him about Jesus Christ and the salvation he offers – how God’s Son had become a human being in order to show us the way to heaven.
“Nonsense,” the man always said.
The family left for church and the man was all alone in his cozy country home. He glanced out the window at the cold snowy scene outside. He turned to warm himself by the fire.
But as he turned, his eyes caught a movement in the snow outside. He looked. Cats! Three young cats walking slowly past his window.
“The fools,” he thought. “They’ll freeze for sure!” The man put on his hat and coat and opened the door. A blast of wintry air sent a shiver through his body.
“Come here, cats! Come inside where there’s warmth and food. You’ll die out there.” But the cats ran away, frightened by the stranger at the door.
He walked outside. “Come back! Don’t be afraid, I want to save you.”
But the cats were gone. It was too late.
“Well, I did everything I could for them,” the man muttered to himself. “What more could I do? I’d have to become a cat myself in order to reach them and save them. If I became a cat, I could tell them and show them. They would have to believe me then, unless they were fools.”
Just as he reached the door, the church bells rang in the distance. The man paused for a second and listened. Then he went in by the fire, got down on his knees, and wept.
And that is what Jesus coming to us and becoming one of us means. The man finally realized what Jesus had done for us. God the Son, the Creator of the universe loved us so much that He came to earth to show us how to be saved. If we surrender to Him and follow Him, we will not perish, but instead will be given everlasting life (John 3:16; Philippians 2:6-8). Let us rejoice in this awesome truth and live it each day in this New Year.
“He must increase and I must decrease" (John 3:30). May John the Baptist’s prayer be our prayer each day in 2024. Please invite someone to join you at 10:35am in the building or online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook (Honolulu AG) or our YouTube channel (Honolulu Assembly of God). We livestream every Sunday to both locations.
The “Joy of Belonging” classes for current and new members continue this Sunday, January 14, in the 9:30am Adult Bible Class. If you are interested in, or simply curious about, membership, this series of four classes is for you.
On Sunday, February 4, everyone is invited to stay for an “ono-licious” Lunch in the Fellowship Hall. (No need to bring anything for the meal; everything will be provided.) After the lunch, all members are invited and encouraged to stay for our Annual Meeting of the congregation. Please don’t miss it!
Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!