If
you look at the world through this crystal, the world seems
up-side-down. Its a strange thing to see, but quite a normal thing
for a crystal. I grew up in a godless household, that exemplified
everything the word godless implies. Drinking, swearing, cheating in
all sorts of ways were the norm. When I became a Christian I was
never REALLY welcome there again. Why? Well, I just didn’t do the
things my family did anymore. I prayed, attended church and tried to
please God in every way. I still remember trying to reconcile several
times with my father, only to be cursed and spit upon each time. I
could tell that the rest of my family didn’t accept what I
believed, but just thought that it was just something I was “into”
and ignored both God and his message. All of them just couldn’t
understand how I could become a “good for nothing” Christian.
In
short my world had turned up-side-down. But that is nothing new, for
becoming a Christian has always involved a complete change of ones
life. Consider these two passages from the book of Acts…
Acts
17 ( World English
Bible )
[1] Now
when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to
Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. [2] Paul,
as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days
reasoned with them from the Scriptures, [3] explaining
and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from
the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the
Christ.”
[4] Some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas, of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women. [5] But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people. [6] When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the rulers of the city, crying, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also, [7] whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus!” [8] The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. [9] When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
[4] Some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas, of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women. [5] But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people. [6] When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the rulers of the city, crying, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also, [7] whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus!” [8] The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. [9] When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
AND
Acts
26 (WEB)
[1] Agrippa
said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.”
Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense. [2] “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews, [3] especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
[4] “Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem; [5] having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. [6] Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, [7] which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa! [8] Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?
[9] “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. [10] This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. [11] Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
[12] “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, [13] at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. [14] When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
[15] “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. [16] But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; [17] delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, [18] to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
[19] “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, [20] but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. [21] For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me. [22] Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen, [23] how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”
[24] As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
[25] But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness. [26] For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner. [27] King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
[28] Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
[29] Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”
Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense. [2] “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews, [3] especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
[4] “Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem; [5] having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. [6] Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, [7] which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa! [8] Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?
[9] “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. [10] This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. [11] Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
[12] “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, [13] at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. [14] When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
[15] “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. [16] But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; [17] delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, [18] to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
[19] “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, [20] but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. [21] For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me. [22] Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen, [23] how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”
[24] As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
[25] But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness. [26] For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner. [27] King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
[28] Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
[29] Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”
People
will react in different ways when introduced to the
real king of the universe.
Some will accept Jesus for who he is and turn from the darkness of
sin to the light of God and others
will not. Those who do change will be different, because Godliness is
different from god-less-ness. Their
eyes will be opened to a better way of living now and to an eternal
reward in heaven. Paul wrote these words to the congregation at
Corinth…
2
Corinthians 4 (WEB)
[1] Therefore
seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t
faint. [2] But
we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in
craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the
manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s
conscience in the sight of God. [3] Even
if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish; [4] in
whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving,
that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the
image of God, should not dawn on them. [5] For
we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves
as your servants for Jesus’ sake; [6] seeing
it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,”who has
shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Only
one thing remains to be said: have you seen the light of God yet? If
not, I pray that you WILL, for your eternal soul is at stake. Why not
obey the Gospel of Christ today? You will see…
the
world will look better
UP-SIDE-DOWN