Sermon nuggets Monday June 2
Theme- Spiritual Heritage
Verses John 8:31-33 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
PEDIGREE DEGREE
When I brought one of our pets into the vetinarians several years ago, I was always impressed by how the vet treated animals. He made you think you had the finest animal in the world. If course, I realized that isn't true, but it made for good feelings and I'm sure excellent business. A lady had a cat to be seen before me and I observed the discussion of the owner with the Vet's assistant. The owner asked the breed of the cat. The assistant looked and said, "you have a common alley cat."
When the Vet came out the woman asked him the same question. With a big smile he announced to her pleasure, Why this is a great all American cat, your lucky to have a fine animal like this."They were pleased.
When Judi and I were given a dog by her brother we discovered this Chow-chow had a pedigree degree. Her brother had bred the mom with another registered Chow. We could take those papers and have her registered with the American Kennel Association. So we did. Why? BAsically because Judi wanted pups that were valuable to sell and to give to family. If she has the papers why not use them? Now that she cannot have puppies what's the difference?
Jesus readily points out the difference between the things that people think are important from the things that God thinks are important. A human pedigree degree doesn't mean anything to Jesus. There is a certain amount of pride that people derive when they find out some great-great-great ancestor was royalty. But what happens when they discover such a relative was a horse thief? Our family relatives have no effect on our standing before God.
Many people seek to impress others by family heritage, family money, traditions, and former accomplishments. Jesus invites us to join with Him. All those other credentails really don't matter. He is after truth, not traditions. He is after a relationship with HIm and all the status we think we get from our relatives, church membership, positions that we or family have held do not compare to what He offers freely.
Jesus discussed things like ancestry, discipleship, and further revelations of who He is as he continued his conversation with the Jewish religious leaders. I think we can benefit from His discussion.
Pastor Dale
