Amelia Student Ministries - Amelia Church of Christ

So I am quite certain that by now almost all of you have heard of the shocking loss of the statue of Jesus on Interstate 75.  This is quite a loss for everyone wanting to make a joke in Cincinnati because now we have one less thing to poke fun at. However, there are a lot of simple truths that “Touchdown Jesus” will teach us and even in death can teach us still. Let’s take a look at some now.

The first I would like to share is this. DO NOT make the name of Jesus Christ laughable! Essentially, this statue merely served as a reminder to non-Christians all over the Cincinnati area that Jesus is a scary lake dwelling monster and might potentially make his way into Cincinnati to destroy buildings and such.  I have yet, in the 6 years of its life, heard anyone speak of it in a serious, no joking manner.  As Christians, we are called to spread the Gospel, not make it a laughingstock.

The second thing I would like to point out is that as Christians, we should not spend $700,000 on a ginormous styrofoam statue, even if it is of Jesus. “Where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.”  And I suppose there is something to be said that their heart is on Christ. However, I do not believe that Jesus would have been ok with wasting $700,000 on a giant, ugly statue. I am all for spending money to glorify the Lord, and to honor Him, and to show others the wonderful love of Jesus our savior.  However, this statue was not the way to do it. I mean, what are people seeing this supposed to think. It had NO message whatsoever. I mean what screams “repent” or “forgiveness” or “love” like a 6 story statue of Jesus with his arms raised like he is airing himself out.

Now please do not think I am saying that I do not want to honor Jesus. On the contrary, I want to honor Jesus and God in all that I do. However, I think that all this statue is accomplishing is taking glory away from God and putting it on man. If I can rock the KJV for a second, Ex 20:4a “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” Not saying that this was an idol, but it sure had a following.

Hey guys, just wanted to let all of you know that we are going to be having a 4th of July Lock-in on Sunday night. If you couldn’t guess what Sunday, it will be on July 4th. This is open to any student going into 6th grade to High school. We will be going to the fireworks in New Richmond that night as well. Just figured I would let all of you know to keep that night open. Should be a whole lot of fun. More info to come later.

Have you ever heard it said, “Well, they did it with the best intentions”?  Generally this is used to explain when someone does something wrong, but were doing it for “the greater good.” In Situational Ethics there is a common question that is “would you steal bread to feed your family?”  This question will likely be forever debated.  The funny thing about this great debate is that God has already answered for us.

God does not condone sin for “the greater good.”  Its that simple. For an example of this, lets take a look in 2 Samuel 1. A young man is coming to tell David that Saul has died. Even though Saul fell on his sword, he called this young man over to finish him so that he would not suffer. Seems noble right? WRONG!! This is how David responds: 2Sa 1:14 David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. It would appear that David didn’t appreciate justifying a sin, even if his ultimate goal was accomplished. David was hunted by Saul, but he didn’t want him to be murdered for that to end. He was waiting on God to redeem him.

Then a little bit later in the book, David does the same thing to two men who murdered David’s enemy in his sleep. This is what David had to say to them: 2Sa 4:9 David answered Recab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of all trouble, 10 when a man told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! 11 How much more– when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed– should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!” 12 So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron.

So when God says don’t steal, He means it. It isn’t “don’t steal … UNLESS” Sin is sin, no matter your reasons for doing it.

Ok, so this is really more of a rant than anything, or rather a plea to stranger’s everywhere, but I feel as though it must be said.  Strangers… stay out of my  personal bubble!!! Stop standing awkwardly close to me and hovering over my back. If you can’t tell, yes, this did happen to me a couple of days ago.  I had a waitress hangin’ over my shoulder. I don’t like that.

Now clearly there is a difference between hugs and invasion of the personal bubble. I am not saying that there are never times when that breach is acceptable, but strangers are not allowed in that little area. It goes about 2 feet around me in any given direction. That is where I ask strangers to stay.

Also, please stop hovering.  Even if you aren’t doing it on purpose, sometimes I feel like you are spending far too much time in any given area around me.  I don’t know why, but you are sending the wrong message and it is a creepy one.  I have no problem with a person introducing themselves, that is great, but stop hanging around awkwardly.

Now I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression. I love meeting new people and getting to know them, but I can’t say that I really want people hanging inches over my back until the “getting to know them” occurs.

Thank you for hearing me world. This is all.

Ok, so we are a very blessed people. Just looking at my own life, this is very evident. I have never considered myself particularly wealthy, especially by US standards, but I have also never really been in want. I have always had a place to stay and a roof over my head. I have always had a car to drive. I have always had food to eat (I am literally eating a McFlurry right now).  So even though I WANT a new  bass, and I WANT to drive a new BMW, I am clearly blessed already with what I have.

And I would say that for the most part the US as a whole is in this same boat. Now I have seen personally areas in the US that this isn’t the case, but overall, it is. I am even going to assume that all of you are in the same boat as me. For all I know, you might be reading this while eating Cheetos and sipping on a Coke.  Many of us look to God and thank Him for what we have.

However, this is a very dangerous place to be. Deuteronomy is pretty much Moses final words in monologue form. Honestly, when I die, I want my final words to be like Moses’, an epic speech of ever important thing I know… seems like a good way to go out. That’s what I call going out swinging. So when you read it, you can assume that it is all good stuff and quite important. Well, one of the things that Moses talks about is a warning about being in the exact situation we find ourselves in. Deut. 8:11-14 reads like this, “11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

Basically, when we are blessed like we are, it can be very hard to remember the Lord and humble ourselves. However, it is very important that we do because He is the one that gave all this stuff to us. We didn’t earn it, despite what we might think. Don’t forget this because Proverbs 3:34 says that God “mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.”  If God gives grace to the humble and we are saved by grace, what does this say about being humble. Anyway, something to think about.