Thoughts from the Moderator - Stan Rodabaugh
If Jesus of Nazareth would like to share truth with you, would you want to know what he had to say to you?
If there is sin in your life that is disrupting your relationship with God the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and your friends and neighbors, would you want the Lord to show it to you? If the Lord would help you remove the sin from your life, would you be willing for Him to help?
If He wanted to teach you about your part in cooperating with removing the sin, would you want to learn what he has to teach you?
Do you want the “Mind of Christ”? (See 1 Cor. 2:16)
Do you want His thoughts to be your thoughts? Do you want to think about others and feel about others the way God the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit do?
Do you think it strange to believe that the living Lord Jesus wants to be involved in every moment of your life and that He is the best friend you will ever have?
In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If this is true, are you willing to know it? If it is truly true, do you want to know it?
In Colossians 1:15-20( NIV), Paul writes “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” If this is true, are you willing to know this truth? If the Spirit of Christ witnesses to your spirit that this is true, are you willing to accept it?
Why am I asking questions like the ones above? Our theme for District Conference comes from John 15:1- 17. In verse 4 Jesus says “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain (abide) in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain (abide) in me.” I am asking these questions to help focus our attention on the importance of Abiding (remaining) in the “Vine” (Jesus). This is a very serious admonition from Jesus. Our intimate relationship with Jesus is not optional according to this text. Abiding in Jesus, his words abiding in us, our abiding in his love are not optional in our walk with him. This abiding in him is essential; according to Jesus it is a matter of life or death! Jesus says our fruitfulness - answered prayer/ joy/ loving each other - depends on our remaining in him and his words remaining in us. If we believe these words of Jesus are true, as we live together and witness to others, this relationship with Jesus, the Vine, will be our primary focus.
Is truth our bottom line?
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