Our Canadian culture may have known something of the Bible, God and Jesus Christ in years past.
But things have changed. My parent’s generation had many who did not believe in Jesus, but their parents had them go to church so they made their children go, even though their belief was dead.
That next generation (my generation) saw the hypocrisy of going, or in many cases just being sent, so they have not had their children go to church, read a Bible, pray or really do anything about Jesus or God.
They aren’t mad at God or Jesus, faith is just not part of their life.
What they now speak of is just their own made up ideas about God, nothing of what God has said about Himself in the Bible. Our schools have children tour buildings of various faith beliefs to learn their ideas, but they will not visit a Canadian church because we supposedly all know about Jesus.
Yet I have heard people talk “authoritatively” about Jesus and it is evident they really don’t know Him. They have had a bad experience from someone else that claims faith but also doesn’t know God’s way, and so, from misrepresentation, Jesus is written off.
May I reintroduce you to Jesus?
Jesus showed his love for young and old, rich and poor. Jesus’s life and teaching taught about love, His love, taking an interest in people’s situations, even just taking time with them. He didn’t come to condemn but to save us from evil and death. His desire for us is life, truth, hope, peace, joy, these things that seem to elude us more and more. He opposed the hypocrisy of the “religious” of his day. He taught of justice, showed mercy and gave graciously. He transformed numerous people’s lives from hurting, sickness and sorrow by miraculous acts of power, just because the people had faith in who He was.
Yet back then, as today, He was mocked by those He came to help. He suffered injustice and was sentenced to death by false accusations. He taught that He allowed this execution to provide forgiveness for the wrongs of the world.
John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” After all that Christ gave, it is sad that for many, Jesus is just a swear word.
Yet there is something that we do understand. People are right when they think of praying to God for help, because He cares. But what they do not know is that until they personally connect with God through believing and receiving His Son Jesus Christ, they do not have access to God. Their prayers do not get through. They may blame God for not doing what they ask, but they miss the fact that God cannot hear them. For many you just don’t know about Him. Attend an evangelical church in Ridge Meadows and consider getting re-acquainted with Jesus Christ, who loves you.
Greg Dalman is pastor at Maple Ridge Alliance Church.