Eternal Coach

~~~ Ephesians 4:7-16 ~~~ Psalm 122 ~~~ Luke 13:1-9 ~~~

But I tell you, if you do not repent,

you will all perish as they did!

Jesus was honest and sometimes considered blunt.

It reminds me of tough love...Was Jesus using "tough love"?

Tough love... is an expression used when someone treats 

another person harshly or sternly with the intent 

to help them in the long run.

It is typical after the tough love is dispensed to feel upset.

If Jesus was using 'tough love' he did not know it 

because it was first used in 1968 by the author of the book Tough Love.

Jesus was intending his words to be a warning

 for us to change our ways.

He might have been intending to scare 

his opponents into making a change.

Perhaps Jesus was giving out a warning

 to those who were not taking him seriously.

Parents and coaches are among those who make use of 'tough love'.

Jesus is almost like a coach for our soul.

Our Eternal Coach, because he wants nothing 

more than to make it to heaven.

Do you believe the words Jesus spoke in the Bible?

Do you feel those words were addressed

  just to the people who were listening that day?

It seems that Jesus delivered a very strong message of grim

 dire consequences if we do not repent.

Repentance is a change of heart that allows us to get closer to God.

Without a change of heart there is no repentance.

It is easy to see why others should repent, a little harder

 to see why we should repent.

Later in this gospel we hear about the fig tree

 being given another chance.

The poor fig tree had not been bearing fruit;

  the order was given for it to be cut down.

The fig tree was given more time for the owner

 to cultivate and fertilize the ground

Jesus gives us extra time 

to repent through the words 

of his warning.

The Eternal Coach is treating us with 'tough love' 

because he knows the rewards for getting to heaven 

are so worth whatever it takes to change.

Jesus himself is making an earthly request, repent, 

to attain our heavenly goal.

If anyone is capable of coaching us into heaven

 it can be no other than Jesus himself.

 ...living the truth in love,

we should grow in every way into him 

who is the head, Christ...

Living in truth we have the courage to repent.

It takes 'tough love' sin order for us to grow to our full potential.

Blessed with 'tough love' from the Eternal Coach.

The message is repent we want you in heaven.

~~~Peace~~~