I watched a movie last night called “Chasing the Star”, intrigued by a possible story of the Magi in search of the Star of Bethlehem, proclaiming the birth of the Messiah, the Christ child. I wish I could tell you I liked it, I really had high hopes. As I thought of why, or what made me not like it, I realized it wasn’t so much the unusual artistic style, it was more than that. It was a sense of knowledge cloaked in shallow truth, but lacking in Spirit. The Magi of the bible were in search of the Christ child, and were very sure of their purpose and destiny. The story line in the movie portrayed the Magi in search of their own path to salvation (sounds nice, right) – except the “salvation” they received in the end had nothing to do with Christ. It was a “universal god” instead.
I don’t claim to be a biblical scholar or historian. I don’t have a formal degree in theology. What I do have is the mystery of God within me, the presence of our Lord and Savior, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He is the One True God of this universe, and the only path to the Father above. With His Holy Spirit living inside of me, to be my teacher, my guide, my comforter, and the one who completes the work of redemption within me, I realized that through my intimate relationship with the living God, I had more insight to the truth than the message this film delivered. I realized, too, that in my desire to know God, my daily reading of scriptures provided me with answers this film was lacking.
Why do we so often find ourselves satisfied with half truths, gobbling up half baked speculations as easily as we would a Thanksgiving turkey? We have been conditioned by our culture and society to not think independently, allowing ourselves to be shamed into not holding an opinion contrary to the popular flow of ideas. The path of least resistance makes it easy to believe in a god who is only merciful and loving but somehow not just or holy, one who would allow any and all paths to lead to a blissful eternal dwelling whether it was deserved or not.
Even in this movie we find the character representing Satan arrogantly boasting that, although God may have cast him out of Heaven, He would never destroy him. I have news for you, Satan, your days are numbered! I know that because the Word of God through scripture has spoken it, and the words of God never fail, they always accomplish His purpose.
The message of the Universal Church is not aligned with the teachings of scripture.
Have you found what you are looking for? Do you have a drive within you that you cannot explain, one that is leading you to seek and to know what is truth? The message of the Universal Church will tell you there is no absolute truth, that all is relative, and each person must discover what is their own truth. How is that working out for you?
The bible tells us that we can know the Truth, and that the Truth will make us free. There is only one God, and one path to Him, and that path is through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ Himself. Why? Why is His blood necessary? We don’t like to think in those terms today because it seems gruesome (and yet we often can watch horror and violence on TV all day long). Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. Yes, I said sin in a singular tense, not a plural. Sin, as a whole.
Sin is the thing that keeps us separated from God. Jesus Christ shed His blood to save us from our sin, and to reconcile us with the Father. He paid the price required, because He knew that there was nothing we could do in and of ourselves to earn it. The sacrifice He made is a gift, offered freely to all individuals throughout time. The choice is ours.
Are you chasing after the Messiah this Christmas? Have you found Him?
“Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6, NASB
“But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29, NASB
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8
Alabastersky 