If an advertisement were to appear in the local newspaper that free family photos and a giant box of detergent were being given away, you can imagine the crowds which would jam the streets. Even if the rain were pouring down, still the people would come.
The God of heaven has given a free offer of much greater value that family photos and detergent, but there is a similarity to the offers.
After His resurrection, Jesus left with us His own Spirit which, if you and I accept into our hearts, we can become members of His family. His Spirit lives within us (John 14:20) to make us pure and clean because of His blood shed for us. As detergent cleanses our clothes, His Spirit cleanses our hearts to make us part of His world church body. A body without a head is lifeless, and a church without Jesus as its Head cannot live either!
As we view the world church, we see it as a family photograph with people of all nations and all colours, each portraying the beautiful smiling face of Jesus. Even though tried and persecuted as Jesus was, nothing can erase the smile from their blood-stained faces. They believe, as did the Apostle Paul "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom.8:38-39).
We often fail to appreciate our religious freedom. Only as we hear of those Christians in other countries who have been thrown into jail or killed because they teach about Jesus can we realize the price our fathers paid for our freedom.
Many who claim to be part of this body leave much to be desired. However, when we see our own sin, we become more determined to get out our box of detergent--the blood of Jesus-- to wash up the church of Jesus Christ.
The early Christians "were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented of whom the world was not worthy; they wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth" (Heb.11:37-38).
Not only were there martyrs in the past, but it is reported there have been more people killed for their faith in recent years than in any period of history. Often they are forbidden to preach the gospel or to perform miracles.
Much Christian preaching today does not equip us to die for our faith. If the full gospel message is not taught, the photograph of its people will show faces without joy which do not look like Jesus.
Let us be sure we pick up our free gift to set us free from sin and guilt so that our family photo will turn out well!
© 1999, Doreen Palmer