"What Manner?"

 "The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" (John 6:52 KJV)

  "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." (1 John 3:1 KJV)

 First of all, their big issue that they must deal with, is the fact that Jesus was not just a man! If they could possibly get past that, then at least they might have some sort of chance of understanding that this was something far greater than just flesh and blood. Besides that, there were forces at work to cause them not to see what they should have otherwise seen: because Jesus came to be sacrificed on the cross! 

 Not sure how much we truly understand how important it is for people to understand why Jesus came; it was not possible for us to be set free from sin and death, had He not died in our place upon the cross! I have shared this before, but I had one of my wife's nurses ask me once, with much distain, "Why would God need to come and die on a cross for us?" 

 Somehow, I really hope she is able to see why and how much that needed to happen! For those that do not understand, it is not only inconceivable, but it is foolish to even try and figure it out. I know this, because I was once there too; thinking I knew God, yet I did not know God's love, and the total sacrifice that was given on my behalf! 

 Do you understand what this means? Is it real enough for you to grab ahold of and make it your own? It has got to be ours, personally, ours for the taking, or it does not even count. I know way too many people that do not think God loves them; even though they still believe that, "God so loved the world," they somehow do not see themselves included. 

 May we have the heart enough to reach out and share God's love, especially to those who do not think they are loved by God! Things are getting seriously closer and closer to the Lord's return, so I think it should be time to step it up a bit: Share the Good News...

"For Moses writes that the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commandments. But faith's way of getting right with God says, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will go up to heaven?' (to bring Christ down to earth). And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead' (to bring Christ back to life again)." In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:5-9 NLT)