The First Taste

Pastor’s sermon last Sunday mentioned that he has been the first to give each of his grandchildren their first taste of ice cream. Perhaps such bribery does make a difference, but I want Christians reading this to think of their first taste of fulfilled scripture. The one where you realized that John 3:16-18 and Acts 16:30-33 included you.

How did you feel when you knew you brought joy to heaven:

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:7 KJV)

When I read of a person’s acceptance of Christ as savior, that’s the verse that comes to my mind. I know that person could do as Paul did before Agrippa – give a personal witness to God’s plan of salvation. In Acts 26, Paul told Agrippa what he probably already knew of Paul’s background. The he closed with the prophesies, Christ’s suffering death, and the culmination in the resurrection – proof of which changed Paul from a killer of Christians to a missionary for Christ:

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. (Acts 26:22-23 KJV)

Agrippa missed this opportunity:

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. (Acts 26:28 KJV)

That wasn’t your answer – at least once in your life – was it Christian? You believed! Then you made that belief public in a congregation of Christians. After that you followed His example in baptism, and continued on with your life. At least I did. I forgot about the joy of our salvation. But over the years, I’ve been reminded and revived. It’s easy when we recognize we need to pray with David:

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (Psalms 51:12 KJV)

David had lost joy through the sins of adultery, concealment, and murder – culminating in the death of his new baby son. Our sins may not appear to be as “bad”, but sinfulness is being disobedient to God. I don’t think there are categories of sinfulness, just a separation in our relationship with God when we keep our sins to ourselves.

Psalm 50 begins with David’s confession of his sinfulness:

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalms 51:1-4 KJV)

Wasn’t that first taste of joy filled with the knowledge that our sins were gone? But we have an adversary that reminds us that we did not remain sin free. That’s not enough to keep us from God. We can accept his forgiveness as we regret and leave our sin. We can pray for restoration of the joy of God’s salvation and taste again the joy spoken of so often in the Bible.

Once again we can sing with fervor “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”, not only meaning it, but taking joy in our ability to sing it and share it with others.

That’s what Christians are supposed to do:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)