MY FRIENDS, HOW HARD ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR CHRIST?

Jan 17, 2017

MY FRIENDS, HOW HARD ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR CHRIST?

The religion of Christ means more then the forgiveness of sin. It means that sin is taken away, and that the vacuum is filled with the Spirit. It means that the mind is divinely illumined, that the heart is emptied of self, and filled with the presence of Christ.” (E.G. White, Our High Calling p 154) My friends, the religion of Christ and the key to our salvation is, self dying daily as God’s Spirit takes full control.

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left. When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.” Luke 11:24-26 (NIV) But, The religion of Christ means more then the removal of our sins.

Because if God’s Spirit does not fully occupy our life while portraying God’s plan of redemption within us daily in-order to restore us into the image of Christ, as we allow Him to have full access while making the necessary changes that will make us “safe to save” then we have no concept of what “the religion of Christ” is all about or maybe we don’t care as those sins begin to gradually return.

Luke 8:1-2 (KJV) Jesus traveled about proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve disciples were with Him also some women one was named Mary Magdalene from whom seven demons had come out. My friends, Mary understood the “religion of Christ” because of what He had done for her.

At the Cross when Christ disciples had deserted Him. Mary Magdalene was there. John 9:25 (KJV) What a terrible night she must have had after His death thinking that the presence of Christ had been lost forever. Then early Sunday morning, “while it was still dark Mary went to the tomb and saw the stone rolled away.

Running to the disciples she cried out…. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” John 20:1-2 (NIV) the narrative continues in John 20. The disciples rush to the tomb only to also fine it empty. No one realizing “from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”

Mary, along at the tomb again “stood outside crying “she bent over, look inside,” and there, two angels seated where Jesus body had been. They ask “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away” she explains. She turns around, someone else is there “why are you crying?” He ask?

She repeats her dilemma not knowing she was speaking to a risen Savior. “They have taken my Lord away, and I don’t know where they have put Him.” She thinks it is the gardener, she cries out again where is He, “if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him.” Then the sound of comfort and hope comes from the Saviors lips with one word, “Mary”

She realizes she is in Christ presence once again, she cries out, “Rabboni” which means Teacher. And then, Christ appoints Mary as the first person to be commissioned to go and tell the good news of a risen Savior. My friends Mary knew the religion of Christ. “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:13 (KJV) and then with all her heart she did. My friends, what about you.