John Shirk

JOHN SHIRK – From John 8:24-

Jesus had some tough words for the Pharisees. He said, “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.”

Jesus is giving both a warning to the Pharisees and an opportunity to change their mind about Him. In John 5:18, we learn that in calling God His own Father, He was making Himself equal with God. Denying the claims of Jesus as the Son of God to the very end leads us to a bitter end. But it does not have to end that way. The coming of Jesus to the world means that through faith in His name, we don’t have to die in our sins, but rather in His grace.

There is a Savior. His name is Jesus. And His death on the cross means forgiveness to all who call on Him to save us from our sins.

His resurrection means victory and eternal life. Our hope remains firm because Jesus is alive and well.

Faith in the name of Jesus is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – From Matthew 7:24 and 25.

Jesus wrapped up the Sermon On the Mount by saying, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

The words of Jesus are so dependable that we can build our life on them. He gives us a firm foundation that provides stability for our lives when the storms of life test our strength.

Jesus said we would have times of trouble in this world. He did not hide that fact from us. At the same time, He also assured us of His presence to be with us, and His grace to help us in our times of need.

There is another side of the story that Jesus also brings to our attention. “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who build his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”  In both cases, it was the storm that revealed the strength of the foundation.

Hearing Jesus’ words and putting them into practice is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – From Revelation 7:17.

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

This is the picture of the relief that awaits those who were cleansed by the blood of Jesus and have come out of the great tribulation on the earth.

Jesus was described by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. In heaven, the Lamb is also the Shepherd. Those who look to Him with a trusting heart are cleansed of their sin. As we follow Jesus, we can depend on Him to lead us to a place of righteousness, joy in His holy Presence, relief from pain and suffering, and eternal life.

In Heaven, Jesus is the central focus. We can prepare for heaven now by putting Jesus as the center of our attention and devotion today.

A life centered on Christ is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – From Isaiah 6:8.

The prophet said, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!”

God’s people have responded to God’s call differently. Jonah heard God’s call and tried to hide from God. The reason for this was that he lacked concern for the people God wanted him to confront. Moses heard God’s call and made excuses as to why he was not the right man for the job. He was focused on his personal limitations. Isaiah responded to God’s call by making himself available to the Lord for His service. He was focused on the worthiness and holiness of the LORD. This is the focus that will give us a willing heart to carry out what God wants us to do.

Worship leads us to an awareness of God’s wisdom to guide us in His will, and His strength to carry us through.

Saying “yes” to God’s opportunities is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – From John 8, verses 10 and 11.

Jesus asked a woman caught in adultery, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir”, she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you. Go, now and leave your life of sin.”

This woman must have thought her life was coming to an end as her hidden sin of adultery was exposed in public. The religious leaders used this opportunity to try to trap Jesus. Their main goal was not to find fault with the woman, but Jesus. They said to Jesus, “The Law of Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

Jesus responds by writing on the ground, and then saying, “If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

No one threw a stone at her. The woman was spared the death penalty. Jesus was offering her a pardon from her past, and freedom for her future. In a world of sin, Jesus teaches us to abstain from finger-pointing blame and to confront sin with grace. The evidence of our sin gives us no platform to condemn another person. Just like with the woman caught in adultery, the forgiveness Jesus offers is an opportunity to turn from our sin and follow Him with a pure heart.  Isaiah 30:15 says, “In repentance and rest is your salvation.”

Repentance is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – From Exodus 12:13.

Recalling the first Passover: The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

Judgment was coming on all the gods of Egypt. But the word was sent out to the Israelite community that they would be spared this judgment by taking a lamb without defect, slaughtering it, and taking some of the blood and putting it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.

As we fast forward time to Jesus, we see that He was the Lamb of God without defect, who became the sufficient sacrifice to spare us from the coming judgment. Through faith in the name of Jesus, our sins are not held against us. The wrath of God passes over us because the grace of God protects us.

First Corinthians 5:7 says, “For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore,  let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.”

Celebrating Jesus with sincerity and truth is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – From First Corinthians 1, verses 22 to 24.

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Here we learn that our racial background is not a hindrance to the Gospel. God’s love extends to all the people of the world. Jews and Gentiles are invited to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. However, unbelief is a barrier that keeps people separated from God.

The Gospel is simple enough for a child to understand, and at the same time, contains mysteries that perplex the scholar. It brings comfort to those who are disturbed, and disturbs those who insist on being comfortable.  The message of the cross is foolishness and weakness to the unbeliever, but to those who believe the Gospel, it is the wisdom and power of God.

Through Jesus, we have a testimony of God’s grace to provide for a forgiven past, a present help, and a future hope.

Belief in the Gospel is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – From John 1:14.

Speaking of Jesus, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The life of Jesus was measured in the fullness of grace and truth, which overflows into the hearts of His followers. There are key questions that we can ask ourselves to discern to what degree Jesus is influencing our lives by His grace and truth.

Do I seek forgiveness or vengeance when someone has wronged me?

Do I hunger for God’s Word as a person’s stomach hungers for food?

Does the love of Jesus for me make a difference in how I treat other people?

Am I committed to live by the principles of the Bible and promote them as truth?

Have I received the free gift of grace that Jesus offered at the cross and empty grave?

Am I willing to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to be guided by His counsel?

Our honest answers to these questions will reveal to what extent we are impacted by the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.

A life aligned with God’s grace and truth is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – From Philippians 2:14 and 15.

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like the stars of the universe.”

The Hebrews in Moses’ day learned by experience that complaining gets you nowhere fast. They did not show proper gratitude for God’s blessings, and displayed the tendency to grumble against Him. This slowed down their progress, and these tendencies to complain or argue also undermine the witness of the Christian.

Billy Graham once said, “We are the sermons the world is heeding.” Some people, who don’t step inside a church or listen to sermons from pastors, are studying the lives of professing Christians. The displays of actions and attitudes are having an impact on unbelievers, for better or worse, depending on whether or not our lives are lining up with the Bible. In the absence of complaining or arguing, the Christian witness is purified to shine brighter for Jesus with a godly attitude.

Along with the absence of complaining or arguing, the display of gratitude and love are vital signs of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – From Matthew 7, verses 1 and 2.

These are the words of Jesus, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Sometimes, this verse is misused to suggest that we should not discern behavior and character. Jesus wants us to use discernment in what we see and what we choose to embrace or reject. If we were not to use judgment in these areas, He would not have said, “Watch out for false prophets.” But He did, and He told us we could recognize them by their fruit.

What Jesus is addressing here is self-righteous evaluation, where we inspect the faults of others without choosing to see our own faults.   Another dangerous kind of judgment is to write someone off as hopeless. God has converted many people who would have been considered lost causes. A third dangerous kind of judgment is judging someone’s motives for their actions. We do not know the heart of others as God does.

If we know someone who is living as though there is no God, we can keep praying for them, keep the door open for them to change their mind about God, and keep treating them as though God does exist and cares about their soul and eternal destiny.

Love and humility are vital signs of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.