Do you have an open door policy? Is your Christian faith just something to check off in a box you fill in on a census form? What if there is more to being a Christian than just that? What if God wants to be involved with the everyday stuff that makes up your life?
Video Transcript (Video Below)
[00:00:00] Hi there and welcome back to Daily Bible Promises with a twist. If you’re wondering what the twist is, I invite you to follow the arrow that’s just in the corner and click on the “I”, then click on the playlist. And the very first video that will pop up there will explain this all.
[00:00:16] Let’s go to today’s Bible promise written in the NIV version from the box of cards. And it is the Gospel of John Chapter 1, verse 12. “To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
[00:00:37] That’s a great stand out verse by its own. But as we’ve been doing in this series I am putting the Bible verse into context and so we’re going to be reading from the New American Standard Bible. And I’m going beginning… And I’m going to begin at verse 10 and end at verse 13. Look for the one word that was missing in the card that will be in the NASB version in verse 12. “He was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him. He came to his own and those who were his own did not receive him. But as many as received Him, to them he gave the right to become children of God. Even to those who believe in his name, who are born not of blood nor in the will of the flesh nor the will of man but of God.”
[00:01:35] You can see the word ‘but’ plays a significant part in this verse. And let’s go to verse 12. ‘But as many as received Him.’ To me, the word ‘received’ in verse 12 is not a passive word. It is a word that requires action, in the same way that I might receive a gift from somebody. It’s up to me to either hold out my hands to receive that gift, Or I need to sign for that gift if it comes in the mail, or I need to sit down and open that gift. There is an action required.
[00:02:14] Another meaning of the word received is the same as mentioned in Revelations where Jesus is speaking to one of the churches. He’s not speaking to unbelievers in this verse although many people use this verse to lead people to Jesus. But in reality, he’s talking to people who are established in a church. And he says Behold I stand at the door and knock and he was saying you have a decision to make. You need to take some action. You need to open the door. You need to receive me into your dwelling place. You need to invite me in. And when you receive somebody into your house you’re giving them permission to walk in past the doorway. You’re inviting them into your kitchen and you’re inviting them into your living space. You’re inviting them to share intimacy with you.
[00:03:14] So what does that mean in the year 2018. Open up your hands, open up your heart, open up your mind, and open up your life. Invite Him in and receive Him into your dwelling place.
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©2018 Katherine Walden
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