“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life” – 1 John 1:1

Make no mistake, the words of the New Testament are the true, firsthand accounts of what the Apostles saw and heard! John is emphatic about this as he begins this letter. Jesus is the Word of Life made flesh (see John’s Gospel, chapter 1). John heard Jesus. John saw Jesus. John looked deeply at Jesus for years. John touched Jesus.

John’s testimony about Jesus is the reliable eyewitness account of someone who knew Jesus from the beginning of His earthly ministry all the way through His resurrection from the dead. The New Testament isn’t a collection of stories, myths, and fables. Matthew, Peter, James, John, and Jude all knew Jesus well and encountered Him after His resurrection. Paul met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. Mark and Luke were close associates of the Apostles who painstakingly recorded their memories and testimony.

You can trust the good news contained in your Bible. It is true. It is supported by many faithful witnesses who invested their lives in telling people what they recorded in it. The Bible has been carefully transmitted across the centuries and faithfully translated by people of great learning and faith. Trust in the Bible. More importantly, trust in Jesus! #FollowJesus

“So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” – Hebrews 9:28

Don’t grow weary! Just as surely as Jesus was born in Bethlehem, lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on a cross to atone for your sins, rose from death, and rules from heaven, He WILL return. Jesus will appear on Earth a second time. When He does, it won’t be like the first time. It won’t be to deal with our sins. He’s done all that work. It also won’t be quiet. It will be unmistakable to everyone.

His next visit will be to complete the sanctification and glorification of His people and the renewal of creation. He will wipe away all the sin and evildoers on earth. He will usher in a world without the curse of sin. He will usher in the glorification of our bodies to be like His. He will usher in an eternity of joyful fellowship and service to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. So, be patient – better days are coming!

Yes, this fallen world can be miserable at times. Our bodies, minds, and hearts inevitably betray us. We’re surrounded by sin and its devastating effects. We see and hear about horrors and disasters around the world. It can certainly be discouraging. Don’t let the noise and sufferings of the present distract you from the glorious future ahead. Keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus. Your Savior is with you. He loves you. He will one day be physically present and visible with you.

In the meantime, use these evil days well. Share your hope with those who have none. Offer the good news of Jesus to those overwhelmed by the world’s bad news. Live a quiet life of holiness and devotion. Use your gifts, talents, and treasure to serve the Lord. Worship and fellowship with other believers. Devote yourself to growing closer to Jesus. #FollowJesus

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” – Hebrews 4:14

If Jesus is your Lord, then He’s also your great high priest. He made a perfect, atoning sacrifice on the cross to clear your debt of sins forever. Now, He represents you in Heaven before God the Father. Your great high priest intercedes for you. He prays for you. He speaks up for you. When you sin and seek God’s forgiveness, Jesus declares that He’s already paid the penalty for your sins.

Jesus represents you. He understands you and your struggles, because He was tempted in every way. Though Jesus never sinned, He understands and cares deeply about your ongoing battle to crucify whatever sin tempts you. He has made you holy by covering you with His precious blood. He makes it possible for you to boldly come before God’s throne any time of day or night with your prayer requests, praises, fears, and anxieties.

With all that being true, hold strongly to your faith. Don’t let the hard events of life in a fallen world shake your faith in the goodness of God, the love of Jesus, or the power of the Holy Spirit. Hold firmly to the truth that Jesus died so that you may live forever. He conquered sin and death so that you could be free of them. He defeated Satan so that you will also defeat Satan. Hold firmly to the truth that in Christ, you have been adopted into God’s family. You are loved by God. You have an eternal inheritance in God’s presence waiting for you. In the meantime, He’s always with you and He’s in you. He will sustain you through every trial and test. Hold firm and #FollowJesus!

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” – 1 Peter 4:8

How’s your love for other Christians??? Is it earnest and fervent or vague and generic? Does it have a face? Is it deep and enduring or shallow and transactional? Is it strong enough to forgive mistakes, insults, and minor offenses? Is it a priority for you to know and love other believers?

Peter says we are to keep loving one another “above all”. Sadly, many Christians live in a kind of isolation from other Christians that makes it impossible to do this thing that’s supposed to be “above all”. So, do you have close friends from your church community? Do you have deep, rich, healthy relationships with other Christians?

If not, what are you going to do to begin cultivating this love which is supposed to be “above all”? You can’t form these kinds of relationships in one hour a week of a gathered worship service. You can’t do it worshiping in isolation. You need to join or create a group of believers committed to growing and living together. This will seldom happen by accident – you must be intentional. You need to love and be loved by others who love Jesus. It’s a vital part of thriving in Jesus Christ. So make a plan, if necessary, and #FollowJesus into real Christian care and community.

“As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him.” – Titus 3:10

This is a really stark reminder of how important unity is to God! The Bible repeatedly praises the importance and value of unity while condemning those who divide families, friends, and congregations. Jesus prays for unity. We’re told to fight for unity. Unfortunately, some people seem to thrive on division. There are people who try to promote and use division for their own personal benefit.

A Christian can’t be such a person. We must not be. In fact, such a person doesn’t belong in our churches if they won’t repent of their sinful ways! The Gospel will naturally divide those who believe from those who don’t, however, believers must not be causing division amongst themselves. It’s a sin that must be addressed and resolved, one way or the other. For yourself, always remember how much Jesus wants His churches and families to be unified. Strive for unity. Where you see division, be a peacemaker. Don’t contribute to the division, don’t pass along gossip about possible division, don’t take sides other than the side of Jesus. Make peace.

Every Christian has the Holy Spirit within them. Every Christian is commanded and empowered to make peace, resolve conflicts, and heal division through the power of the Gospel. Every Christian can make a difference in bringing people together. It’s too easy in our culture today to jump on the train of dividing over trivial matters. Resist that temptation and all its pressures. Let us all work together to make the church of Jesus Christ spotless and unified. #FollowJesus