Disrupt
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
A time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, Ecclesiastes 3:7 (NIV)
In the “Quiet” devotional, I mentioned that Jesus would go to a quiet place to pray, and be with God. This is a true statement, but Jesus also knew how to disrupt the social norms for the sake of righteousness!
Every aspect of Jesus’ life disrupted the order of things in the world, and to this day His life is still just as impactful. From the time of birth, throughout His lifetime, to His ascension back to Heaven you will find Jesus disrupting what the world expected. Let us take a look at how Jesus set the world on a new trajectory.
- You can’t begin the story of Jesus without mentioning His conception. Mary, His mother, became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. See Matthew 1:18-25
- At His birth you would expect the Messiah and Savior of the World to be brought into a lavish life of luxury. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger. Luke 2:4-7.
- As a child, Jesus amazed the teachers in the temple with His understanding and His answers. Luke 2:47.
- Jesus healed people on the Sabbath, challenging the way some religious leaders interpreted and applied Sabbath law. Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11; Luke 13:10-17.
- He overturned tables in the temple, and cast out those who turned the temple into a marketplace. Matthew 21:12-13
- He walked on water and disturbed laws of physics. Matthew 14:22-33
- He died on a cross and rose from the dead on the third day. Matthew 27:45-54; Matthew 28:1-10
Of course these are only a few examples of how Jesus challenged the norms of society, physics, and life itself! John 21:25 says it best, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
Christianity gives us a clear message of salvation in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament sacrificial system taught the seriousness of sin and the need for atonement, but the New Testament teaches that animal sacrifices could not provide the final, once-for-all removal of sin. Jesus fulfilled what those sacrifices pointed toward by offering Himself for us. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace received through faith in Christ.
Romans 10:9 tells us that if we declare with our mouths, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.
If you are reading about salvation for the first time, I encourage you to begin talking to God, read the Gospels, and connect with a Bible-based church or a mature Christian who can help you grow in your relationship with Christ.