This week I find myself thinking of an event that took place in the life of Thomas Edison. One December evening the cry of 'Fire!' echoed through Edison's plant. Spontaneous combustion had broken out in the film room. Within moments all the packing compounds, celluloid for records, film and other flammable goods had gone up with a whoosh. His son recalled…. "When I couldn't find Father, I became concerned. Was he safe? With all his assets going up in smoke, would his spirit be broken? He was 67, no age to begin anew. The I saw him in the plant yard, running toward me. "'Where's Mom?' he shouted. 'Go get her! Tell her to get her friends! They'll never see a fire like this again!'" This week I am writing a column that is cleverly disguised as an invitation for you, your family and friends as well. You don’t want to miss a dramatic musical like this! At the Plymouth Heights church where I Pastor in Franklin Furnace, we are for the sixth year in a row presenting a musical Drama entitled “Bow The Knee”. It is the story of a Centurion named Anthony who’s trusted servant Eli comes to faith in Christ and even becomes a follower. This starts a chain reaction of events that call Anthony into the arena of faith, coming face to face with the truth of Jesus begins to unravel his life and the outcome is life changing! It always is really. I mean, each one of us at one point comes face to face with the reality of Jesus. Who he is, where he’s from and why he came? Each soul will deal with this truth in their lifetime and how each individual reacts will set the direction of ones life not just here in the setting of this life but eternity as well. I invite each of you to this event because it not only embodies what I and every Pastor preach each Sunday, but because this story, this truth can change your life.
Truth is something you just have to deal with. Jesus in his last moments with those he was so close to said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Now I just know how this rubs my dear liberal thinking friends the wrong way. It’s it perhaps a little enticing to believe you can just make up your own truth for living, or that if you choose not believe or accept Jesus as Savior you are only relegating him to the status of one, or perhaps one of many ways you can choose to get to heaven or what ever you want to accept as a “View of life after death”! Problem is though, in arriving at your conclusion you have to deal with the truth. You have to look at who the scriptures way that Jesus is and you have to make a decision. Do I believe or not. Do I accept the notion that Jesus was God’s only son who chose to come to this earth and die for my sins. And after His death, he arose from the grave to make a way that we could have a personal relationship with the God who created us. It’s your decision to make and believe you me, you’ll make it. Each of us will deal with truth.
Paul in his letter to the church at Phillipi would in one fell swoop look back to Jesus in his incarnation and in just a few verses carry us forward into eternity when every creation of God would face the truth of who Jesus is. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” C.S. Lewis wrote, “When the author walks onto the stage, the play is over. God is going to invade, all right; but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else comes crashing in? This time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. That will not be the time for choosing; It will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side.” I want to invite you to come this weekend and experience the timeless message of Easter’s truth. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening at 7:00 PM you are personally invited to experience “Bow The Knee” at the Plymouth Heights church of the Nazarene in Franklin Furnace Ohio. The number to call for more information is 740.354.9021 or you can visit the church website plymouthheightsnaz.org
To Whom will your knee bow my friend, to whom will you bow?
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