Christian Living
"Trans-," one of the most common prefixes in the English language, is used in words that signify change or movement from one thing or place or condition to another, and it has a lot of significant applications to the Christian walk. Here is a look at a "trans-word" that directly applies to what God expects you to do in this life: TRANSACT.
And He said to them, How is it that you had to look for Me? Did you not see and know that it is necessary [as a duty] for Me to be in My Father's house and [occupied] about My Father's business? Luke 2:49 AMP
On the road someone asked if he could go along. "I'll go with you, wherever," he said. Jesus was curt: "Are you ready to rough it? We're not staying in the best inns, you know." Jesus said to another, "Follow me." He said, "Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father's funeral." Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God's kingdom!" Then another said, "I'm ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home." Jesus said, "No procrastination. No backward looks.
You can't put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day." Luke 9:57 MSG
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death on the cross. Philippians 2:5,7-8 NKJV
To “transact” means to carry on a business matter, and it also means to carry something through to completion. As the above verses make clear, God has a specific “business” agenda that He expects us, as followers of Christ, to carry through completion.
Jesus knew this from the time he was a child – he knew that He had one overriding purpose for His life: to die for the sins of all Mankind. When Jesus was twelve years old, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. As they were preparing to return to Nazareth, Joseph and Mary thought that Jesus had gone on ahead with relatives. It wasn’t until they were well on their way that they realized that Jesus wasn’t with them. They returned to Jerusalem and, three days after they had noticed His absence, they found 12-year old Jesus sitting and talking with the teachers in the temple as if He were one of them – he had been there the entire time – and Jesus actually scolded His parents for not thinking from the outset that they might find Him there, doing “[His] Father’s business.” (See Luke 2) During Jesus’ ministry, He trained His disciples that their mission, their business, was to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom of God – to declare that salvation was at hand. Everything that Jesus did during His three and one half years of earthly ministry was for one purpose: to demonstrate God’s love for people and to teach people to love God in return. Every miracle He performed, every parable He told, every lesson He taught shows that God’s will is to restore the fallen human race to its original state of perfect relationship with its Creator. Jesus meant for His followers to copy Him: to love as He loves, to speak as He speaks, and to serve as He serves – to transact business His way. As the above verse from Luke 9 says, we are to be about the business of life – the abundant, eternal life that is found only in God, through Jesus (See John 10:10 & 14:6).
Finally, Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection from the tomb brought to completion business of our salvation. Forgiveness of sin, healing from disease, release from every form of bondage – it’s all available to us as the end result of Jesus’ obedience to His Father’s will, His Father’s business.
As a follower of Christ, you are a partner with Jesus in the salvation business. Every lost soul is an unfinished transaction – get busy!
**Adapted from the author's website at http://www.seedwords.com/pages.asp?pageid=80744
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I appreciate your awe at God's amazing love for us! And in this article, I tremble at the command to 'do something!' about lost souls. Then I remember that as I love God and am filled with His Spirit, then lost souls will know Him, not just me trying to convince them of His 'plan.' I really am not effective for Him unless and until I am moved by Him. Thankfully, that is His heart's desire! Blessings, Bella
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