Get it, the Second Time Around - June 5, 2010

Good Saturday morning! The sun gets up kind of early these days in June. I couldn't quite get up the hill in time to catch sunrise this morning. Since it occurs at 0520 and I must walk a bit to get up on the hill, I'll give myself some slack on that... and try again another day. This morning we also have a herd of kids with long sticks headed for the park to join in Kid's Fishing Day. If you resemble a fish in any way, avoid the park at all costs today.

Today, we have John 1:10 - "He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him." How could the world not recognize the Creator? Didn't the events of his birth give away his identity? Yes, the hosts of heaven singing to the shepherds, the wise guys, and the star in the East certainly said that something special was up, but time erases knowledge and memory of some things. The people also knew that Herod had killed all the children born around Bethlehem at that time. That one had escaped to Egypt may not have been known until much later. Jesus was also about 30 by the time he began his ministry; three decades is long enough to forget some things. Whatever excuse the people had, by the time Jesus arrived to teach, the glad tidings of great joy had passed from memory. Few recognized the Son of God when he arrived to teach. John the Baptist saw him and made the announcement, but many refused to believe his message.

The next time Jesus comes, the Bible tells us that all of us will recognize Him without a doubt. There will be no choice at Christ's second coming. Every one of us faces the choice to recognize him now in this time, or to wait for all doubt to be removed at the end. Waiting does have some dire consequences though. The Creator came into the very world he created to save it. In order to make salvation possible, He walked around with a magic cloak of darkness and stayed hidden from all but a few... We know better. Jesus walked about plainly, teaching and doing great miracles. When questioned directly, Jesus plainly stated that He was the Messiah, the Son of God, and King. The choice to believe is the same now as it was in the first century A.D. To those who will believe, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to enable us to recognize Him.

Praise God for the opportunity to recognize Jesus now; this is one case where we don't want to get it, the second time around.

Bucky