Mol it over http://molitover.posterous.com Where I write about life being a Christian, presenting lectures or what ever else I want to share with the world. posterous.com Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:16:07 -0700 A Soldier, a Firefighter, and Jesus walk into a ........... http://molitover.posterous.com/a-soldier-a-firefighter-and-jesus-walk-into-a http://molitover.posterous.com/a-soldier-a-firefighter-and-jesus-walk-into-a

You name the place... a bar, a restaurant, where ever. They sit down and start talking about their jobs and duties.

The soldier: I serve my country selflessly, willing to give my life in her defense. I train continually bleeding and sweating so that I will be strong and not fail.

The firefighter: I too serve, but I serve my community and the people who rely on us to come and help them in their darkest most horrible hours. I train for all kinds of situations and circumstances. From a small house fire, an industrial building fire, special rescues where I may find myself in a collapsed building, or hanging many stories above ground from a rope.

Jesus: I came into this world to save everyone on it from their sins and so that they may not perish but have ever lasting life.

You thought this was going to be a joke didn't you? Well I am sorry, but over the Easter weekend I did a lot of thinking about what Jesus had done for me and what I had done for him...... Short answer is that I haven't done much for him....... That is humbling. But wait! I was a soldier and fought for my county!! I was a firefighter and saved lives don't those count? They do right? If we are good people and do really good things we will be fine won't we?

The answer is a simple word, said in a soft voice...... No.

No matter how good we are or what I have done, no matter how many children I have pulled from a building or from a wrecked vehicle. No matter how much protection I have provided my country or to my family, friends, or anyone. Nothing that I do will make me good enough to put my self into Heaven. That's right nothing!

Jesus tells us this same message many times in the scriptures. Have we heard? Have we listened? I mean really listened?

John 6:47 (NIV)
I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.

1 John 5:11-12 (NIV)
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

And of course:
John 3:16-21 (NIV)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. [19] This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. [20] Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. [21] But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

This isn't really where I was going with this post when I started, but the words just started to flow. It is very important to remember that it is not our works, or what we do, no matter how great we are. We can not buy our way into heaven, we can not earn it, we can not talk our way in, there is only one way.. And that is through Jesus... period, end of story, fiƱ.

This is not to say that we shouldn't be doing good things or serving, in fact, we are commanded to do that as well.

Jesus tells us in John 15:13 (NIV)
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

In my eyes a soldier, a firefighter, police officer, all of these and more, those who readily lay down their lives for not only friends but for strangers, are reflections of Christ Jesus. So remember that and live in such a way that when the world looks at you (us) they will understand and get it, and seek HIM!!

Corey

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1711033/image.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10z6ClddgNH Corey Molinelli coreym Corey Molinelli