1st John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life.
One of the results of the current pandemic is that it has caused many people to reassess, and reconsider what is, and what is not important in life. As the toll numbers keep rising, and as country after country is battling the virus, individuals have been moved to regroup, and restructure their priorities.
Persons, who had in times past, lived without any thought of the great hereafter, are now seeking a better understanding of the meaning of life, and in doing so, some have discovered that the things they cared about greatly in former years, are not really the things which matter most in life.
The holiday season is usually one of joy, celebration and gladness, but instead persons find themselves overshadowed by thick clouds of uncertainty and an ominous foreboding about what the future could hold, and when, if ever, we would be returning to normal.
Folks are indeed weary and tired from the endless restrictions, testing, lockdowns, social distancing, and the other difficulties by which we are hedged in. In addition to which, many nurses are leaving the medical profession in droves, because of the stress, death, and suffering they must endure every day.
Yet, as the holiday season wears on, and as people are earnestly seeking for a brief reprieve from the constant barrage of bad news, we should take good cheer in the thought that God did not leave us alone to do battle with the hosts of darkness that are now arrayed against the human family.
Even though some persons may not understand His Providence in the current issue, yet, God has made ample provision so that what matters most in life can be realized and obtained by any who would see the value in what God is offering to us.
God took several proactive measures to solve all of our problems permanently, and Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the solution to our perplexities. This sacred truth has been recorded quite often in the Bible, and yet very few persons have taken the time to investigate what God has done, and is currently doing to give us eternal life.
Just recently, Jamie Dimon, chairman of JP Morgan Chase made a skeptical statement regarding Bitcoin by saying “It’s got no intrinsic value”. The fact is that many of the things, persons hold dear, do not have any intrinsic value, because, in most cases, value is a relative word, being fluid, because of market forces that often pull values in either direction.
Homes that are valued at sky high prices now, were not doing very well in 2008, when the stock market crash had rattled the markets and had shaken down so-called value from off its high horse. This teaches us that values do fluctuate, and that what matters most in life today can be worthless tomorrow.
Hence the reason why our opening passage gives us the bottom line when assessing what matters most: “He that has The Son has life.” Life and all that could pertain to living, should be assessed in the context of having Jesus enshrined in our hearts, for it is He who gives to our lives both value and any meaning.
In other words, to live without The Son of God is to live an empty and hopeless life, regardless of one’s achievements, for what shall it profit a person, if he or she would gain the whole world and lose their souls?
Thus, the truth about what matters most in life will come vividly to the forefront when, as the scripture states, the final day of reckoning comes to a head. As persons, and merchants alike, would assess what they have been scrambling and fighting for all their lives, they then see that it was all worthless, if they never included the God-factor in their assessments. Let’s read:
Revelation 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buys their merchandise any more.
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Therefore, if one’s happiness, contentment, joy and hopes are tethered to material things, then, when such things lose all their value, then the purpose for living is lost, and life can become a dead-end, when there is nothing else to lean upon.
Therefore, the following parable must be given due consideration, especially in the context of the many perplexities which are now knocking on our doors. God is beckoning us to take some time to consider where our energies and focus are centered, for if this is done, many will discover that what we think is important isn’t really that important. Let’s read:
Luke 12:16 And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
There are several fundamental problems with this man’s perspective on life, and when his views are observed carefully, we would see that they are all centered in the here and now. Not only does he not acknowledge God as the Giver of his goods, but he seems to be consumed about retirement.
Now, it is wise to plan for your retirement, because the grim reality is that if Christ does not come soon, then folks would have to count the cost of living in the latter years, with inflationary pressures tugging at one’s savings and investments.
But while this is true, it is not what matters most in life for there are higher interests and things of much greater value to be considered. Just recently, about thirty tornadoes touched down in the Midwest, and utterly demolished hundreds of businesses, homes and vehicles. In a few moments of time, everything that some persons worked and saved for, vanished without a trace.
Thus, if we find ourselves in such an unfortunate situation, and we do not “Have the Son”, then our our world could go up in smoke, and it can become very difficult and challenging to pick up the pieces, especially if one is a senior citizen, living on social security.
But when one “Has The Son of God” though he/she may very well lose everything this life has to offer, yet, because of the blessed hope of eternal life, and the earth made new, such losses can then be taken in stride, for we know that God would create a new heaven and a new earth, where tornadoes, wildfires and viruses will be things of the past, and would be no more.
But, if like the man in the parable, all our hopes and dreams are only centered in the here and now, and if what matters most to folks is the accumulation of material things that are perishable, then, when the carpet is pulled out from under our feet, we will be left holding a bag of nothing burgers, that will send us into panic mode. Let’s read:
Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
This takes us to our study for today: What Matters Most in life”. Christ was soon to be born, and in the east, the minds of some wise men were astir as they pondered and anticipated the arrival of King Jesus, who was predicted to enter the human experience to save us.
As they studied the scrolls of scripture, and some of the prophecies handed down though generations, they became convinced that the time of Jesus’ birth was near, and as such, they dedicated time, energy, and resources, to avail themselves of the heavenly gift, for as far as they were concerned, this is what mattered most in life.
It’s no coincidence that they are referred to as wise men for even though they had come from the upper echelons of society, and were well learned, yet they were humble and willing enough to search in the scriptures for what they understood as the greatest treasure, and, in this sense they were wise indeed. Let’s read:
Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
The reason why all of Jerusalem were troubled by the inquiry of the wise men is that they were at that time consumed with other things that had absorbed their best energies and resources. They were busy with buying and selling and laying up their treasure where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves do break through and steal.
In addition, their religion had devolved into a cold formalism devoid of the life-giving energies of The Spirit, and as an inevitable result, they had become sticklers for rites and ceremonies and celebrations, the husk without the kernel, the letter without The Spirit, very similar to our current situation today.
The inordinate pursuit of temporal interests often tends to put the higher eternal values on the back-burner and whereas the chosen people should have been at the forefront the announcement of Christ’s birth, they were overtaken by others who held the kingdom of God in preeminence.
And now, the chosen people are sent into full panic mode, because, what had been prophesied for so long, and the information they had at their disposal had already been fulfilled, yet, they were none the wiser. Thus, a mad scramble to establish the truth in the matter ensued much to the embarrassment and chagrin of the elders. Let’s read:
Matthew 2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
Before we proceed to the next verse, two preceding phrases must be juxtaposed together in order for us to understand why Herod is now on full alert, for it seems as if a deep-laid conspiracy to overthrow his government is underway. Here are the two phrases together: “Herod the king” …. “A Governor that shall rule my people”
Matthew 2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
[The Desire of Ages pp 60] As these magi studied the starry heavens, and sought to fathom the mystery hidden in their bright paths, they beheld the glory of the Creator. Seeking clearer knowledge, they turned to the Hebrew Scriptures.
In their own land were treasured prophetic writings that predicted the coming of a divine teacher. But in the Old Testament the Savior's advent was more clearly revealed. The magi learned with joy that His coming was near, and that the whole world was to be filled with a knowledge of the glory of the Lord.
The wise men had seen a mysterious light in the heavens upon that night when the glory of God flooded the hills of Bethlehem. As the light faded, a luminous star appeared, and lingered in the sky.
It was not a fixed star, nor was it a planet, and the phenomenon excited their keenest interest. That star was a distant company of shining angels, but of this the wise men were ignorant. Yet, they were impressed that the star was of special import to them.
They consulted priests and philosophers, and searched the scrolls of the ancient records. The prophecy of Balaam had declared, “There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.” Numbers 24:17.
Could this strange star have been sent as a harbinger of the Promised One? The magi had welcomed the light of heaven-sent truth; now it was shed upon them in brighter rays. Through dreams they were instructed to go in search of the newborn Prince.
Again, the pronouncement of Christ’s birth is not given to the general public, nor are the angels sent to the Jewish headquarters to meet with the high-priest, executives and religious leaders, for God is a Spirit, and angels won’t usually go where they are not welcomed.
In other words, if business and temporal interests are absorbing our best energies, to the neglect of what matters most in life, then, when it’s time to give a heads-up on the fulfillment of prophecies, it will be to “shepherds” and wise men who correctly value God’s greatest gift, that angels will be sent.
God declares: “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground.” And “Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness.” Thus, it is to those who are seeking for light, and who will accept it with gladness, that the bright rays coming from the throne of God will shine. Let’s read:
[The Desire of Ages. pp 47] In the fields where the boy David had led his flock, shepherds were still keeping watch by night. Through the silent hours they talked together of the promised Savior, and prayed for the coming of the King to David's throne. “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them.
We are gravely concerned about the chosen people of God in our day, for like the Hebrews in the days of Herod, many seem to be consumed with rites, celebrations and ceremonies, while God’s greatest treasure to us, in the person of Jesus, who should matter most to us in life, is too often relegated to a second fiddle position.
Anything, and everything except Christ is earnestly sought after, and celebrations and ceremonies take the place of that deep, abiding relationship with The only One who could make life worth the living.
Thus, when it comes time for the announcement of the fulfillment of those prophecies which herald the second coming of Jesus, many persons, like those in Herod’s day will be going into panic mode and many will be found scrambling at the last minute, to find out that which would have already taken place.
It is in this life that our priorities are to be made manifest by the choices we’ll make. Throughout the pandemic, God has been urgently seeking to call our attention to that which matters most in life. Yet, for all of His efforts, many seem to be consumed with temporal interests, just as it was, when Christ first came to this earth.
Amid all the hustle and bustle of life, the shepherds and the wise men never lost sight of that which matters most in life, and even though they too had to work, and pay their mortgage, and send their kids to college, just like everyone else, they never lost sight of what matters most in life, God’s great gift to us in Jesus.
Let us therefore take a page out of their experience, and try to refocus our attention on Christ, on what God is now doing for us in the heavenly sanctuary, and let us seek to understand the prophecies which pertain to the last days of earth’s history, so that we would not be “Troubled” like Herod, and all those who lived in Jerusalem at the time of Christ’s first advent.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which cautions us against having our priorities mixed up, for at the end of the day after the dust has settled, it will be those who earnestly sought out God’s gift to us, who will be saved eternally. Let’s read:
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
God Bless!