When a person comes to the Lord, he is coming out of the world of darkness and sin. It is revealed to him just how damaged he is and how degenerate is the world he is coming out of. He learns that he was born into a very fallen world, to fallen parents, into a fallen and wicked society, and that all that he knows is tainted by the fallenness of it all, by which he is has been corrupted. He comes with a huge weight of "baggage," he is bound in chains, the result of his interactions with the world, his sins and the sins of others. He is weighed down, hurt, crushed, hopeless, and helpless, and all he had to look forward to was more of the same. He is a prisoner, helplessly weighted down by the chains that bind him. But when he is born again into the Kingdom of God, the believer discovers a whole new world. Instead of being brought low by the fallenness of the world around him, he finds he has been born into a world whose God is a God of love, of healing and of deliverance. Though he comes with a heavy load, he finds he has come to the Healer and Deliverer who begins a work of restoration in him. Little by little the chains are broken and little by little the prisoner is set free. "The Lord opens the eyes of the blind, the Lord raises those who are bowed down." Psalm 146:8 A person new in the Lord finds that suddenly he can see. Those things that were closed to him, the Word of God which he could not understand, is now opened to him through the eyes of the Spirit of God who teaches him and reveals truth to him that he had no idea of. It is the beginning of a journey of learning and growth that will last for the rest of his life. Though he reads the Bible from beginning to end, still more is unfolded to him the next time around. It is forever new as more and more light is shed upon it. In the Word of God he finds life, and that - more abundantly. It changes everything. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed;" Luke 4:18 As the new believer begins walking with the Lord, he finds in him the transformation of his whole being. First, the Lord will "preach the Gospel to the poor," as his eyes are newly opened to see what he never was able to see before. And then in Christ he finds healing for his broken heart. We come out of the world a broken people, and we find that the love of God contains restoration and healing as the Lord moves from one wound to another within, and heals and soothes and changes everything. Christ breaks the chains of those things that held him captive, and sets the prisoner free. The Lord proclaims liberty to him as he restores sight to the one blinded by the darkness and lies of the world. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 In Christ is the totality of salvation, not only the ticket out of hell, but the healing of all that hell did to the captive. In Christ one will find freedom from what has oppressed him and tormented him and driven him. When a person is born again, all is made new. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW." 2nd Corinthians 5:17 If you are broken, if you are weighted down, if you are carrying a load of baggage, bring it all to the Lord Jesus Christ your creator, and surrender your life to him. He will receive you no matter what is in your past. The judgment on all your sin he has taken upon himself as he was crucified on a bloody cross bearing that judgment in your place. With his blood you will be made clean - for some, clean for the first time in your life. Yes, the blood of Jesus is that powerful and the heart of God that merciful. He has drawn you for a long time but you didn't come because Satan put excuses into your mind, Satan LIED to you about God. Turn from Satan now, turn from the corrupt world now, and surrender all that you are and all that makes up your life to the One who gave you life, and he will make you whole.
"A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger."
Proverbs 15:1
It is very difficult to remain quiet when someone speaks angry words to you. It's well nigh impossible because angry words sting. They hurt. And they only prompt more anger. Much damage can be done with an uncontrolled tongue.
"And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.
The tongue is so set among our members
that it defiles the whole body,
and sets on fire the course of nature;
and it is set on fire BY HELL."
James 3:6
So what does one do when someone speaks to him in anger? Well, there are two possibilities. The more likely is that he will respond in more anger and light the fires of hell with argument. But what has he gained? When you're in a position like this, keep in mind that responding with angry words will avail you absolutely nothing. You will only stir up your opponent to more anger, and yourself to more anger, and the only thing that can possibly come from this is bitterness, anger, and hatred.
The Word of God tells us to do the very opposite. The Word of God tells us to respond with a soft answer, because a soft answer will quench the wrath. I saw this in action one day. I saw a man with raised voice speak angry words to his wife, and I saw her respond softly, not at all raising her voice, speaking slowly with all gentleness. And I witnessed the man calm down and listen to her. The whole atmosphere changed. This was such a beautiful a thing that I have never forgotten it.
"The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness."
Proverbs 15:2
When a person pours forth angry words, those words are foolish. Have you ever seen angry words accomplish what the speaker desires? Of course not, because they only stir up further emotion and nothing good can come from it - but terrible damage can be done by it.
"See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity."
James 3:5-6
A soft answer quenches wrath. It can change the whole situation. When someone speaks words of anger to you, lower your voice and speak a soft answer and see how it changes everything. It is extremely difficult to do because we are emotional people. But if we keep in mind the total futility of wrath against wrath, and respond instead according to the Word of God, the whole atmosphere will change and you've gained your opponent instead of making him an enemy.
Friends, when you know you're going to be in a hostile setting, pray. Ask God for grace to diffuse the setting by granting you the strength to surrender your emotion to the Word of God. For most people, this can only come by the grace of God, and that's why I say pray. ASK for that grace. It could change everything.
"The stone which the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes."
Matthew 21:42
The context of this verse is the continuing conversation the Lord was having with the Pharisees. He was telling them outright that they, the builders, will reject the One upon whom all is built, and in fact, this rejected stone will turn out to actually be the Cornerstone. They understood what he was saying, that HE is the One upon whom all is built, and that HE is the Cornerstone. Yet they continued to reject him because they feared he was going to take over the hearts of the people. In fact, when he said this, they decided in their hearts that they must kill him.
Vs 45-46:
"Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables,
they perceived that he was speaking of them.
But when they sought to lay hands on him,
they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet."
Why were the Pharisees so adamant in their intent to destroy him? Well, for them the stakes were too high. Here comes this proselytizer whom the crowds are following, yet toward themselves Jesus had only scathing criticism. They feared he was going to take over and they'd lose their positions of honor and glory in the eyes of the people, not to mention the financial support the people brought. The cost was way too high, they had to get rid of him.
Friends, the cost of following Jesus Christ indeed is high. You might lose everything. You might gain the scorn of family and friends. These Pharisees just couldn't accept the price, so they turned against him, and that is what the world is doing today, they're trying to banish all reference to him everywhere. His way is just too narrow for them.
When one surrenders his life to the Lord Jesus Christ, a whole new story is initiated. He demands to be Lord. Lord over all. It's all or nothing.
"Christ is either Lord of all, or he is not Lord at all."
~Hudson Taylor
But the alternative is far more dire.
Vs 44:
“And whoever falls on this stone will be broken;
but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
If you fall upon this stone, you WILL be broken. But the intent of the breaking is to deliver you from yourself. The one thing people don't realize is that the Lord doesn't break you because he likes breaking people. He breaks you because he intends to remake you. What you are up to this point is the accumulation of all that has gone into your development as you were influenced by the world, the flesh, and the devil. We live in a FALLEN human nature, and the Lord can't leave us like this. He LOVES us too much ...to leave us as we are.
For those who will surrender to him, they will be remade into something beautiful, they will be brought to their highest potential in him. And when they see what he has done in them they will marvel, and they will come to love him above all.
But for those who reject him, they will be ground to powder, they will be destroyed.
Make the right choice, for you will live with the choice you make ...for all eternity.
More:
Who Is Jesus Christ?