JOHN & ACTS

Well, I read this morning, but it's the afternoon before I'm able to write down anything.  Here are a few thoughts: 1) ALL POWERFUL YET SERVING- What an example the Lord Jesus Christ gives us in His ministry here on earth.  In John 13:3 it states: "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;"  Here we see that Jesus has all power and authority, and that He knew from whence He was come, and whence He was going... yet... He chose to serve others.... for verse 4 says: "He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself."  He goes on to wash the feet of the disciples!!  WOW!!  What servitude is manifest by our Savior. He is LORD of all and yet He serves others.  This is the example that we should cling too. 2) SHOWS UP AT HIS DEATH- Well, we know that no one had room for Jesus when He was born.  Even His own family members did not show up to welcome Joseph and Mary, though they too would have been in Bethlehem because of the taxation.  He moved away while in Egypt and then settled in Nazarathe, not Bethlehem.  Jesus had one cousin we know about, John the Baptist, and he did not see Him until Jesus began His earthly ministry at about 30 years of age.  But, when Jesus is crucified, here in John 19:25, we read:  "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene."  She shows up at His death, but at least she showed up.  Just like the brothers of Jesus were reluctant, they too followed Him as their Savior. 3) LET JESUS BE YOUR FISHING PARTNER- In John 21:3-6 we see the disciples fishing after the death of Christ and that night they caught nothing, but when Jesus shows up the next morning, he says to cast the net on the other side of the boat, and they catch a multitude of fishes.  Here is the simple moral to the story.... Let Jesus be your fishing partner!!  Especially when you are fishing for men, Jesus is who you need to take with you!  You can work hard and come up empty, but Jesus makes all the difference in the world. 4) Matthias-  The little known twelth disciple chosen to take Judas' place.  He was faithful, he was solid, he was experienced, and God did the chosing!  Let us be faithful and solid as he was. 5) TO BLESS YOU!!  Acts 3:26 says: "Unto you first God, having raise up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities."  "Sent him to bless you", did you catch that phrase?  God sent His own Son Jesus to bless us!!  Praise God for His manifold blessings!! 6) ADDITION-MULTIPLICATION- In Acts 5:14, "And believers were the more added to the Lord,..." In Acts 6:1, it says: "when the number of the disciples was multiplied,"  When you share Christ and people get saved, that adding... when the people you lead to Christ start sharing Christ and people get saved, that multiplying!! See you tomorrow!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler