The RED-letters

Quote From John Wimber
"The Bread Is In The Red..."

The words of Christ in Scripture are often highlighted by being written in the color red.
As the quote above states, Wimber said that you could study just the red-words for years if you wanted a true picture of who Jesus was and how He lived His life here on earth.
In some ways, I believe that the red-words are a gift to us. TO show us how to approach daily life. How to interact with others as we are instructed by Kingdom dynamics.

To me each of those red words I read are part of the salvation that Christ brought to a darkened, sin-sick world. Red..the color of blood....His blood...was the price He paid for the words to be written. Maybe I should find a greater value to the "red-words". Let's take a look at the very first set of red-words.

Matthew 3:15
But Jesus answered and said to him (John the baptizer), "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he (John) allowed Him.

Huh? What's going on.
(1.) Jesus has not come forth to begin his ministry, or service, to mankind.
(2.) His initial act is to be baptized by John the baptizer, as to identify himself with humanity. John was the voice we read about in the book of Malachi that was sent to herald the arrival of Messiah, Jesus.
(3.) John is taken back by Jesus' request to be baptized. John feels as though he should be the one being baptized, that he is not even worthy enough to untie the shoes on Jesus' feet. Kind of reminiscent of Peter's reply after hauling in a large catch of fish that Jesus had told him he would receive if he went to the deep water and let down his nets. Putting two and two together, Peter fell at Jesus' feet and declared,"Leave me! For I am a sinful man." 

So here in this conversation between John and Jesus, we see a dynamic that is still at work today. Jesus' desire to interact and work with humanity. First declared in the book of Genesis, God's intention has always been to work with humanity in bringing about the world as planned by God. Adam and Eve were created and then given the mandate to take dominion over this earth. That mandate did not change with entrance of sin by these two fruit eating knuckle heads. All through out the Old Testament, God gives His Holy Spirit to specific people to bring about His plans. Then in the New Testament, God expands this "giving of the Holy Spirit" to everyone who believes as seen in the book of Acts.

So the first words we read....the "red-words"....is an invitation by Christ to mankind to cooperate with His plans. To allow ourselves to be filled with God's Holy Spirit and simply follow Him daily. Maybe I need to consider such a call and move on my part more often than I do. Maybe that is what 2018 is going to be all about. Listening more than I ever have for God's voice...and then simply do what I hear Him say. Maybe 2018 is going to be a year of prayer....listening...and responding. We'll see, won't we?

God on you...
mbb