The late Adrian Rogers, who pastored Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, preached a sermon entitled "The Stars and Scars of Christmas." The star points to way to the Child, and the scars point the way to heaven.
Desk of Pastor Adrian Rogers, housed at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth |
"You picture the baby in the manger, and you see those little, dimpled feet. Those little, dimpled feet would someday be pierced with a searing, cruel nail. Those little, chubby hands would one day bear scars, so important that He carried them with Him to heaven as a souvenir of His visit to earth. The only man-made things in heaven are the scars of Jesus Christ, telling thw world that Jesus suffered, He sympathizes, and He saves." Bob Billups, publisher of GC2 Press, has graciously invited me to write again for the Bible Study material to come out in June of 2023. The first time was from my favorite book of the Bible, the Gospel of John, and this time on my favorite topic: heaven. By the way, you can save shipping and get today a DIGITAL version of "The Beauty of Restoration," an in-depth study based on the final chapters of the gospel of John, leading right up to the beginning of Lent, which begins February 22, 2023. OVERVIEW: "Was there a time you were committed to Christ and actively served the Lord with gladness? Was there a time you met the Lord each day for a quiet time of prayer and study? "But not now. "Have you wandered away in your walk with Jesus? Here’s the good news. Jesus will restore you if you meet Him at the Cross. That’s what happened to the Apostle John. He ran away. He deserted the Lord, but he met Jesus back at the cross. And Jesus restored John…and Jesus also restored Peter…and Jesus can restore you too. "Do you want to be restored? Like John, you may have known the Lord for a long time, but something caused you to slip away from the side of Jesus. It’s time for you to come back. The Bible says, 'Come near to God and He will come near to you.' (James 4:8 NIV) "Come to the cross. It is only there that you can witness how wide and long and high and deep is the love that Christ has for you. And when you meet Him there, the first thing Jesus says to you is, “I’m glad you are back. I’ve missed you. I want to restore you to a place where you lean on me. Now, I have a job for you. Take care of my people. Serve me again. I have a cross for you. Take it up and follow me” and discover The Beauty of Restoration $3.50 SKU: GC2001350-PDFSG