A Couple of Random Thoughts

For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

I just heard a great sermon. My pastor has been doing a series of sermons just on John 3:16, and it has been soooo refreshing. It amazes me how you never stop learning, even from a verse you know by heart. Today he spoke on "that none should PERISH" and on the reality of hell. What I appreciated is that he described hell, which is not a pretty picture, and doesn't always sit well with people. He apologized for those who've heard it used (by pastors) to be an emotional manipulation, saying that anyone who could speak excitedly (and anything but grief-fully, for lack of a good adjective) doesn't truly grasp what a terrible place hell is. He tempered that with pointing out how we use it so casually (ex: " That was one hell of a golf game."), however we don't use other sources of torment and pain in the same way ("That was one AIDS of a golf game."). And he noted that those who say "How could a loving God create/allow/send people to...hell?" don't realize that we're not able to judge. The offender (which is what we all are, since we are sinners) doesn't get to choose the sentence, and the offended usually has a better grasp on what true justice would be. And then, the glorious hope: that Jesus went to hell for us, that we might not have to, if we only just believe. How incredible!

On a lighter note, we were walking through Target and overheard one young man (probably about 13) tell his friend, "Yeah, I did 150 push ups, and I was sore at first...but it just boggles my mind, the results" (as he flexes his arms)... It was so hard to walk by with out cracking up right there! Ah, if ever I heard a perfect summation for the effects of testosterone!

BTW If you're interested in more about the John 3:16 stuff, you can get the cds of the sermons through the church (www.OakHillsChurchSA.org), and eventually it'll be published in book form, which you can watch for at www.MaxLucado.com. Or message me and I can see about getting cds...