THE COLORFUL MESSAGE OF LIFE
Our Minds and Hearts are like out-of-tune radios. Understanding the message of the Jesus turns our internal
dial away from the dark-noisy-lies of this world, and brings us in-tune with the sweet, simple,
and beautiful truth of the Word.
What is the Bible?
The Bible was written over 1500 years, by many men who were inspired by God’s Spirit. It is an amazing collection of different types of ancient writings. Although it was written by many authors, it tells one singular story which reveals the spiritual darkness that entangles all humans, and the beautiful light of Jesus who has the power to defeat that darkness. The following is the foundational historical and spiritual narrative we find in the Bible.
Who is God?
The Bible teaches us that God is beautiful, holy, glorious, and worthy of our praise. He created everything by the power of His Word and Spirit. He made boys and girls with a heart, mind, soul, and body to enjoy His light through a deep relationship with Him and others. The righteous light of God is pure love, joy, peace, patience, wisdom, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and orderly control. This is what God is like. The Bible teaches us that God is the light! Being with Him feels like living in a beautiful garden filled with life, where you are free to create, play, and explore.
The Unfolding Plan
After the time of Noah, God began unfolding his plan to rescue humans from the darkness of their sin. He chose a man named Abraham to become the father of a great nation that would represent God’s light on the earth. Abraham had a son named Isaac, and Isaac had a son named Jacob. Then, after wrestling with God one night, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. Israel’s children, grandchildren, and many, many great-grandchildren became known as the people of Israel.
The Israelites were called God’s chosen people to represent His glorious light on the earth, even though they were often rebellious. They were known as the children of God. God protected and cared for the people of Israel, just as a father would care for and protect His own children.
In The Beginning
In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve; the first humans. They lived in a beautiful garden, where they spent time caring for all of God’s creation. It was a wonderful time of discovery and joy. God only gave Adam and Eve one rule, “don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” However, one day “The Evil One” tempted Eve to disobey God. This evil serpent told her that she could be like God if she ate from the forbidden tree. Eve then ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and offered the forbidden fruit to Adam, who also disobeyed and ate the fruit. Because they listened to the evil tempter and disobeyed God, they were corrupted by the darkness of sin. Adam and Eve were then cast out of the garden. From that point forward, humans lived separated from the beautiful light of God.
As Time Moved On
The earth became full of the darkness of sin, as the mind of man was filled with evil thoughts continuously. God then decided to flood the earth because of how evil it was, destroying humans and the influence of the darkness that lived in their minds and hearts. Yet, God had mercy on a man named Noah and his family and saved them from the flood.
The Law, The Lamb and The Temple
The Law
God gave the people of Israel laws to follow through His prophet Moses. God’s laws were beautiful, while human behavior was ugly and dark. The laws helped them control their evil rebellious behavior; however, the laws didn’t destroy the darkness of sin that still lived in their hearts and minds.
The Lamb
God also instructed the people of Israel to perform special sacrificeial rituals. One ritual involved taking away the life of an innocent lamb. The taking away of the lamb's life taught the Israelites how sin takes away the beautiful life humans were meant to live with God. This symbolic act was used to temporary cover the darkness of Israel's sin, as this ritual needed to be repeated regularly. However, in the future God was going to provide a sacrifice that would permanently clean the mind and heart of sin and darkness.
The Temple
God then instructed His chosen people to build a temple, a beautiful building where His Spirit would live. The temple was decorated with palm trees, open flowers, guardian angels, and a bright almond-tree-shaped candle, glowing with light. The spiritual leaders of Israel would go to the innermost room in the temple to be in the presence of God. It was designed to look like a beautiful garden.
God used the law, the lamb, and the temple to teach Israel about important internal spiritual truths.
Israel's Continued Rebellion
Because of their sinful rebellion, the people of Israel struggled to follow the laws, perform the ritual and care for the temple. For this reason, God's Word came to prophets. The Word of God spoke the prophets, telling them to warn the people of Israel about their disobedience; however, the people rejected the prophets, and so God had to discipline the people of Israel, by allowing other nations to take them captive.
The Word Became Flesh
When the people of Israel were held captive by the nation of Rome, God did something amazing. God's Word was revealed. This is who Jesus is: God in human form. The Bible teaches that the Word is God; and the Word became flesh, when he was born of a virgin. This is what we celebrate at Christmas.
Jesus shined His righteous light by modeling love, joy, peace, patience, wisdom, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and orderly control. He taught that entering into the kingdom of heaven only comes from turning from evil, and receiving His teachings like a humble child. Jesus also told his followers that they must become born again of the Spirit.
The Lamb of God
Many of the spiritual leaders of Israel rejected the teaching of Jesus, just as they had rejected the prophets of God. However, Jesus continued to model His light, and continued to teach about the true nature of the kingdom of heaven. Which is a kingdom of love, joy, peace, patience, wisdom, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and orderly control.
Then, Jesus did something very unexpected. He willingly gave up his life, and became the forever lamb sacrifice when He died on the cross. Meaning His body became the place where man's sin could be permanently destroyed by God. This is how Jesus fully defined love and defeated the powers of darkness.
Defining true love, thus freeing man from judgement, was God's plan all along.
Then, after Jesus died on the cross, He was raised back to life by the power of the Spirit. His resurrection proved that He’s not just a good teacher, but that He is truly God, with power over everything, even death.
He then ascended to heaven, and promised to return one day to rule the earth with His righteous light.
A Message For All Nations
Even though many of the leaders of Israel rejected Jesus as their God and savior, the Spirit was first given to the people of Israel that believed in Jesus; then, they shared the message of Jesus with the people of the other nations, who were now able to be adopted as children of God by placing their faith in Jesus.
The rest is just history....
This is the most beautiful story ever told about how Jesus (the Word of God) defeated the powers of darkness and sin.
The best part is that it isn’t an imaginary story—it truly happened. As you grow older it will be important to study, and learn more about the real history of the Bible.
What does this message mean for you and me today?
We are invited to turn away from the twisted message of our world, and accept the very real message of Jesus.
The invitation to follow Jesus by placing your faith in him is a gift that is offered to all boys, girls, men, and women.
By admitting that we have sinned against God and asking Jesus for forgiveness,
we “open the door of our heart” and release the darkness of our sin.
Those who ask for forgiveness, and truly place their faith in Jesus, are freely forgiven by God and given the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit reconnects us with God’s light now and in the forever life to come.
If we deny that we have sinned, refuse to ask for forgiveness, and reject the light of Jesus, we remain in darkness.
The Bible teaches that those who remain in darkness face the judgment of God.
First Steps of Faith
If you can understand this message, you should think about it deeply, and when you are ready to take your first steps of faith, take these:
Believe: Know that God is beautiful, good, pure, and holy. Believe that the Word has been made known to us in the person of Jesus, and that you need the light of the Word in your mind, heart, and soul.
Receive: Confess your sin, ask for forgiveness, and receive the free gift of God’s Spirit.
Turn from evil: Walk away from the rebellious deeds of darkness and walk in the light of the Spirit, who will continually transform your mind and renew your heart.
A Simple, Sweet, and Beautiful Prayer
If you are ready to place your faith in Jesus, with a trusted friend, parent, or spiritual leader, you could say a prayer like this:
Jesus, I know that you are good, holy, and pure. I choose to believe in you. I know that I’m not perfect, and I want to confess my sin and ask for your forgiveness as I place my faith in you. Please, I ask for the help from your Spirit as I turn away from the things that you say are wrong. I need my heart to be renewed by your light. Jesus, I believe in you. Thank you for your message of life. I know you to be my God and savior. -Amen
The Light Growing In Our Heart
If you have chosen to place your faith in Jesus as your God and savior, know that the Spirit will start to fill you with the beautiful and righteous light of His love, joy, peace, patience, wisdom, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and orderly control. And he will continue to lead you into all truth!
These virtues which color your mind, heart, and soul are called the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus says that you will know who is truly connected to Him by their fruit. We all learn to glow brighter as we grow in spiritual knowledge, wisdom, and understanding through prayer, study, and obedience.
Our purpose in this life is to enjoy God’s light in a close loving relationship with Him and others— while we fight against the darkness of this world by sharing the message of His light.
Now we are like garden-temples for the Holy Spirit to live, where, over time, the light of the Word and Spirit will transform every region of our heart. Having the Word inside you is like having “The Colorful Music of Life” flowing out from your inmost being.
As you journey through this life, the Spirit will guide you, lift you up as you overcome internal challenges, comfort you in seasons of sorrow, and help you to glow with the ever-increasing glorious light of Jesus.
The way, the truth, and the very Word of life Himself. Jesus is always the answer.