Ethos NJ

Eph. 2: 8-10 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Many times we take grace for granted. In our ignorance we do not think there is much wrong with the human race. Because of that ignorance, we choose to ignore the need for grace. Once in a while, we allow God to help us out of  a tight spot. We ask for his help to find a job, to get us out of a ticket, or even help us in a failing relationship! But most of the time we think we can do just fine without Him.

This thinking has made God out to be a “spiritual enhancement” in our lives. We have made him to be a five hour energy drink, a shot that gets us by but that doesn’t really solve the whole problem. It’s a quick fix, but it never fulfills the real need. We turn all that God has to offer us into a little blast of energy, instead of the radical rescue from total disaster that he truly is! Think about it!

In the first few verses of Matthew 9, Jesus healed a lame man simply by saying “get up, take your mat, and go home” (v. 6). When I read this passage of scripture, I look at myself and all other believers as being that lame man. Jesus is telling us to get up and do something!

Isaiah 2:5 says “walk in the light of the Lord.”

Galatians 5:16 says “walk by the Spirit.”

Ephesians 5:2 says “walk in Love.”

Colossians 2:6 says “walk in Him.”

1 Thessalonians 2:12 says “walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you…”

1 John 2:6 says “walk in the same manner as He walked.”

Acts 3:6 says “in the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk!”

See, Jesus is calling us to get up and walk, to get up and do something, even if it means giving up everything we think is important in our lives. But BIG things happen when we get up and walk! Israel walked on dry land. Enoch walked with God and never experienced death. Peter walked on water! BIG things happen when we fully trust God!

In Matthew 19 a rich, young ruler approached Jesus and ask him what he needed to do to have eternal life. Jesus’ response was simple: “go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” If you don’t know the rest of the story, the young ruler sadly walked away from Jesus because he had great riches and couldn’t part with them.

So the question is simple. Are you the rich, young ruler, unable to part with your earthly riches? Unwilling to give up your comfortable life to go do something that shows love to someone? Or are you the lame man, who when told to get up and walk jumps up at Jesus’ call and runs home, proclaiming what Christ had done in his life? I ask myself this question everyday as well, trust me! But think about this the next time you’re confronted with an opportunity to show Christ’s love to someone who may never see it any other time! Remember, you may be the only Jesus the world sees!