Have you ever caught a rainbow, or held a handful of fog?
**Have you ever been given an opportunity to have something and pass it up only to regret it later because there is no second chance?
Let's take a look today at how we can learn to walk in a way that we don't waste our time chasing rainbows and how we can avoid having the greatest gift of all slip through our hands, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is one gift, that if you let it slip through your hands, you may never get a second chance to have.
When we fix our minds on wordly or fleshly things, we spend our time literally in a fog reaching to grab handsful of it. Now matter how hard we try or how big the container, we can never seem to catch all of the fog that we want, it keeps slipping away from us and vanishing. And if the Lord should call for us, and we have spent our lives in vain chasing the fog, all we can present to him is calloused and empty hands. And we will have lived a life of empty hands, empty promises, and empty hearts.
*Bible gives us instruction in this area by recording how some individuals came up empty handed because they let Jesus slip right through their hands.
JUDAS...perhaps the greatest back stabber of all time. God let him stumble so that He could teach us how to walk. Judas has no doubt been the topic of millions of sermons since he turned his back on the Lord, and he can still help to teach us today.
Matt 26:48-50
48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. (KJV)
*When Judas put his hands on the Lord to kiss him, he let Jesus slip through his hands into those of the captors. Judas gave up his chance for a personal walk with the Lord, and never got a second chance. If you are not saved, don't let this happen to you.
*The captors in turn let Him slip from their grasp and missed their chance at knowing Christ.
*From Judas grasp, the coins he had accepted for selling Jesus out fell from his hands onto the ground. He reached for wealth, and it failed him and in selling Jesus out he reached for fame and it failed him as well. Is there something in your life that you are reaching for today that will someday slip away? Could it be possible that in Hell today, Judas is writhing in agony and in the back of his mind he continually hears the jingling of the pieces of silver that he sold out for? Let me tell you bluntly, that sound and that suffering will never cease for Judas. And if perhaps this is the last message you ever hear that tugs at your heart to accept Christ, and you pass it up, you will probably hear it played over and over in your mind as well.
PILATE
*Bible gives us another account of the man who stood face to face with Christ and chose to turn his back on the Savior.
Matt 27:24-26
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. (KJV)
*Pilate stood face to face with Christ. The text makes it appear as though he could have been convinced of the majesty of Christ. Like too many people, Pilate was swayed by popular opinion. Pilate would not commit his hands to do what may have been bidding at his heart, but, chose rather to release a common criminal to the people. He would have been a fantastic politician by today's standards.
*We can only guess, if the old Roman prison system did not do a good job of rehabilitation, what may have happened to many of those people whom Barabbas now dwelt with.
*Notice that they asked for His blood to be upon them. What further proof do we have that God gave them exactly what they asked for when we see the plagues of hunger, violence, and hatred that run rampant in our world today. We need only watch a few minutes of CNN and we can see how our forefathers let Jesus slip right through their hands.
Pilate reached for the approval of the crowd, and the crowd reached for the mentality of the mob to be a part of something, and all suffered.
Now... let's take a look at two people who did not let Jesus slip through their hands and how it speaks to us today.
THOMAS
John 20:24-29
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (KJV)
Thomas is a lot like those of us modern day Christians. We know the power of God, we have seen th power of God, and we have felt the power of God in our own lives, yet, some still small part of our intellectual mind doubts and asks more questions. God, if you'll just do this little bit, or if you'll just give me this kind of sign, and so on and so on. Just like He did for Thomas, Christ is always ready to present Himself to us to answer our questions.
Even though Thomas may have shown signs of doubt, in the end he was convinced of the majesty of Christ and like all of us should, acknowledged Him as his Lord and God.
Thomas, I would think didn't lightly rub the Lord's hands, but probably held on for dear life as he was convicted in his heart for his unbelief.
Even though Christ had proven his love on the cross, he was still willing to answer the doubts of his child.
And let us not leave this example without the picture of our Lord's hands. Scarred by those huge Roman spikes that He was nailed by to the cross. I get the mental picture of my Savior lying on that cross, his back beaten raw by his captors maybe wincing in pain, but lovingly and voluntarily laying his hand out on that beam to be nailed there because He loved me and He loved you.
His hands were pierced so that we could feel the love He has for us each and every time we put our hand in His. Don't let Jesus slip through your hands today.
THE WOMAN OF MUCH FAITH
In order to feel the touch of Jesus, we have to make the first move.
Matt 9:20-22
20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. (KJV)
*woman represents where each and every person is at this point in our lives.
* Christians are not immune to problems, doubts, and worries. We need to exercise the faith of this woman and reach for Jesus and His healing power.
The Christian who has had his faith shattered by degrees by blow after blow that the Devil has thrown at him, needs to reach if but for the hem of His garment for the healing and loving touch of Christ and be renewed to a right relationship with God.
*God fixes us when we need it, He does not make installments.
And for that wandering soul that God seeks to have communion with, Jesus has done His part, he extended his hands to the far reaches of the cross and allowed them to be nailed there for us. And now with that nail scarred hand, with that same spirit of love, he is reaching out for you today.
If you pass this chance up, none of us are guaranteed of another tomorrow nor another chance. It may be that in Hell today, Pilate stands in front of one of the hottest piles of embers rubbing his hands together and remembering when he turned his back on Jesus suffering for the rest of eternity. My friend, don't let this happen to you.
IN THAT SPIRIT OF LOVE WHAT JESUS WILL DO FOR YOU
Mark 10:14-16
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. (KJV)
This scripture shows how during His ministry, Christ was followed by even the smallest of children and that today, if we follow Him in that spirit of a child, He will hold us, keep us, and bless us. It is a wonderful feeling, when we can push the cares an troubles of this world out of our minds even if just for a little while and feel His warm and comforting arms around us. But, we have to make the first move.
In closing....today, let me invite you to make that first move.
Christians rejoice. Reach out with your arms and hold fast to our Savior because things are not getting better and with Him only in our grasp can we press on. Sit boldly in His lap like the children in Mark did and let Him wrap his arms around you and bless you.
For the Christian who has had his walk strewn with defeat, take the lesson from Thomas that the proof of His love is already there if we will look for it and accept His answer. Just like He did for Thomas, he wants you to trust Him, wants you to believe Him and wants you to feel His touch again.
And most importantly..... for any of you who have never accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, let me invite you today not to let this wonderful gift slip through your hands. His hand is already outstretched there waiting for you, all you have to do is reach out and take hold of it. If you feel Jesus tugging at your heart today, let us pray with you..(salvation prayer)
If you have confessed your sins to the Lord and you believe in your heart that God has come into your heart, rejoice by telling somebody. Let the folks who have presented this broadcast know that you have become a member of God's family. And then find you a good church home, that will teach you the truth and preach you the Bible. I am sure that Chris and the folks here at Open Door would love to have you here and to help you along your way in your new Christian life.
