1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the cross Swat devotional. We're glad 2 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: to have you listening with us. Today's topic is about 3 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: knowing who Jesus Christ is when we meet him? Will 4 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: we turn with the devotional after a message to our 5 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:43,240 Speaker 1: sponsors if we only knew written and read by Alexis 6 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:48,160 Speaker 1: a goring. He came to his own people, and even 7 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: they rejected him, But to all who believed him and 8 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 9 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: They are reborn, not with the physical birth from human 10 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. 11 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: John Chapter one, Verses eleven through thirteen, n l T. 12 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: While scrolling on social media a few weeks ago, I 13 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: saw several illustrations with similar themes. A hotel coffcierge or 14 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: a fancy perse store employee who treated someone poorly based 15 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: on their appearance and denied service to them. However, after 16 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: finding out who they were famous, prominent, important, and influential, 17 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: these people apologized profusely, but it was too late to 18 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: take back their bad behavior and negative comments toward that person. 19 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: A real modern day example of how people may treat 20 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: you when they don't know you're rich and famous or 21 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: influential happened a few years ago when a famous American 22 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: broadcast journalist was traveling in Europe. She visited a lot 23 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: store to shop for a purse. When she saw a 24 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: purse that she liked, she recrossed it to see it, 25 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,679 Speaker 1: but the clerk said no because it was too expensive. 26 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: The clerk proceeded to try to show the journalists other 27 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 1: persons that she assumed were in the customer's budget. The 28 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: journalists decided to leave the store. Later, when management received 29 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,799 Speaker 1: news of what had happened and realized who this famous 30 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: person was, they'd apologize and so they didn't know it 31 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 1: was her. They implied that if they only knew who 32 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: this famous person was, then they would have treated her 33 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: better and let her see the purse that she wanted 34 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: to see because she could afford it. After all, this 35 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: woman was a billionaire. Reflecting on this real world situation, 36 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: cosmitted think of the Bible stories about how most people 37 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: didn't recognize the Messiah. I realized how often we can 38 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 1: be just as shortsighted as the Pharisees and other Bible 39 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: carriacters who didn't recognize our savior, Jesus Christ when he 40 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 1: was there with them. When Jesus was living on earth, 41 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: his own people rejected him and treated him poorly because 42 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,119 Speaker 1: they didn't know who he was. It was until Christ's 43 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:16,519 Speaker 1: death on the cross that a Roman soldier nearby said 44 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,519 Speaker 1: in March chapter fifteen, verse thirty nine and IV, surely 45 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: this man was the son of God. This made me think, 46 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: if Jesus Christ were standing right in front of us, 47 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: would we know him? Would we recognize him as our 48 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: Lord and savior? Would we know him as the most 49 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: faithful friend we ever had? Would we treat him well? 50 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: Or would we treat him poorly? Based somehow he appeared. 51 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: It bobbles my mind to know that when our Savior 52 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: came to say humankind, most people didn't recognize him. Even 53 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: the disciples of Jesus Christ had trouble realizing they were 54 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,119 Speaker 1: walking with Jesus on the road to Hemaeus after his resurrection. 55 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: You can read about this leaps up to twenty four, 56 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 1: verses thirteen through thirty five. Did they not feel his 57 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: comforting presence? Did they not experience his peace? Did they 58 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: not feel that familiarity with the man whom they followed 59 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: for several years? How did they not know that this 60 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: was their Savior, who had risen from the dead and 61 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: now live forever, just like he said would happen when 62 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: they were part of his ministry on earth prior to 63 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: his death. Perhaps the disciples of Jesus were too traumatized 64 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,840 Speaker 1: and depressed by all the events that unfold it leading 65 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: up to Christ's crucifixion. Maybe they felt too hurt to 66 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: see the hope that was walking right beside them. I 67 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: can understand that, because I also have felt too way 68 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: down by the willes of the world at times, making 69 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: it nearly impossible to since God's presence in our broken planet. 70 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: But the goodness is that Jesus is here. The Bible 71 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: says that God is abmissing it, which means he knows 72 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: all and nothing is hidden from him saw Tutor Hunt 73 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 1: thirty nine, verses one, thy four and Jeremiah Chapter twenty three, 74 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: verse twenty four. God is also on the present, which 75 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: means his presence is everywhere. Psalm chapter one hundred and 76 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: thirty nine, Verses seven, thy ten. God is omnipotent, and 77 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: that means he is the most powerful force in this 78 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 1: entire world and universe. Psalm chapter one hundred and forty seven, 79 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: Verse five. What a Mighty God we serve. When you 80 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: feel burdened by the problems in our world, turn to Jesus. 81 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: Know hembre who he is, our Lord, Savior. We deem 82 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: her and most faithful friend. It is my help in 83 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: prayer that we will always recognize God in our life. 84 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: Let's not be like the people of the Bible era 85 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: who missed the Messiah even when he was with them. 86 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: Live be like the ones who recognized the Son of 87 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: God and welcomed him with open arms. Will allow the 88 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: bright light of Jesus Christ to shine through us and 89 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 1: the world with his pure love for humankind. Maybe also 90 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: treat each other with a gobby love, kindness, and respect, 91 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: no matter how we look. Leviticus chapter nineteen, verse eighteen, 92 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: and closing, I like for you to listen to these songs. 93 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 1: Song of reflection number one, How Beautiful by Twila Paris, 94 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: Song of Reflection number two, Love God, Love People by 95 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: Danny Gogi, Song of reflection number three Each one which 96 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: One by Babby Mason, intersecting faith in life? Will you 97 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: know Jesus Christ when you see him? Further reading Micah 98 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 1: chapter six, verse eight, Matthew chapter five, verse sixteen, Second 99 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:51,799 Speaker 1: Corinthians chapter five, verse twenty, Hebree chapter seven, Verses twenty 100 00:06:51,800 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 1: four through twenty five, Romans Chapter ten, verse nine. The 101 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and Salem Media. 102 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: If you liked what you heard today, please take a 103 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: second to rate and review this podcast in your favorite 104 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: podcast app so that more listeners like you can find 105 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, visit us 106 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: at lifeaudio dot com.