PASTOR JOHN COLLINS, JOHN COLLINS MINISTRIES: JESUS "MYTH"

From Pastor John Collins:

At least 58% of 10,000 people surveyed believe that Jesus Christ was a myth

This past week is traditionally recognized as Holy Week, Christians around the world reflect upon the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  Jews will begin the celebration of Passover at sundown on Friday.  Easter for most Christians is recognized as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox.  Without Easter, or Resurrection Day, Christmas is pointless.  In a broadcast, Pastor John Collins, evangelist and head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, reflected that a survey of 10,000 people revealed that at least 58% of those surveyed believe that Jesus Christ and His story is a myth. The “myth” of Jesus Christ living and dying is written in the Holy Bible, for Christians, that is enough.  However, for those who question the validity of Jesus, there are other separate and distinct documentations of Jesus Christ written by the Romans very accurately:  Romans kept detailed documentation of political issues within the Roman Empire.  Also, a man known as Josephus, or Flavius Josephus, wrote a detailed and documented text about the history of the Jews which includes validation of the life of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is not a myth.  As Pastor John Collins succinctly put it, Jesus died, Mohammed died, Buddha died, Confucius died, John Smith died….they all died.  The ONLY one who rose from the dead is Jesus Christ.  The impact of Jesus Christ continues to spread more than 2000 years later, however, those of us privileged to live in the United States have degraded the lessons He taught and twisted them to what people want to hear.  We kicked God out of government, out of family, out of school, and out of church, and wonder why we have greater issues now in our society than ever before. **

Pastor John Collins writes in daily devotions:

"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53: 4-6 (NKJV).

This world is not innocent. So, why do so many take things so personally and get so offended by the grief that comes with life? Why do so many place the blame squarely upon the shoulders of God? What is wrong with sorrow and grief? It teaches you to appreciate the joy and hope. What is wrong with sickness and death? It teaches you that there are seasons to life and health is not a guarantee. What is wrong with loss? It teaches you to appreciate what you have. There is beauty and wonder that we have feelings at all. Life is precious and filled with the ability to emotionally connect with others and death is filled with hope because Jesus has made it possible for you to continue loving those that you love.

People want to feel wounded and offended that they have suffered in this life and they want someone to blame and want to complain about it all, to be the victim. There are victims in this life and there are terrible things that happen but that is part of living among others who have the same opportunity as you have and that is free will. There are bad people in this world and there is evil in this world and that is something that we all have to deal with for now. It doesn’t mean that anyone has the right to blame God or to sit on the pity pot because as long as there is breath in your body, there is hope for salvation and you will not be gaining salvation while there is resentment for God and bitterness toward Him because you find your sufferings too big to accept.

Jesus did not grow old. Jesus did not get gray hair and lose His eyesight. Jesus did not raise a family and rock His child to sleep. Jesus did not take vacations and travel around the world to see different places. Jesus did not have the luxury of a long life. Jesus came to this world and from His earliest age was doing the work of His Father. Jesus concerned Himself with His people, His land and the salvation of this world. Jesus taught others and took the time to heal others and be kind. Jesus is perfect and yet He suffered for you. Jesus was ridiculed and mocked, beaten and hung on a cross to die. For you.

This is not a fairy tale that you have outgrown. This happened. Jesus is not just some man that lived long ago. Jesus is the Son of God and your Savior. Think about just how much you do have to be thankful for this week. As you make your plans to gather together for a meal and rejoicing, think about the times that Jesus gathered with His people for a meal. Jesus always was thinking of others, the salvation of souls. In the end that is what counts because the soul is eternal and we should all be thinking in that manner, maybe then awareness of the enormity of the gift that Christ has made possible for us all would truly sink in and gratefulness, the kind that produces life, would follow.

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’” Matthew 26: 26-29 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS, PASTOR JOHN

For more about John Collins Ministries, visit www.johncollinsministries.com.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: RESURRECTION DAY

From John Collins, Evangelist:

“But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.’” Matthew 28:5-6 (NKJV).

What makes Christianity so special? Jesus! He was crucified and He was resurrected, seen by hundreds of witnesses and left His ministry in the hands of His apostles to take to the masses and tell of the miracle of His death and His rise from that death into life. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus died for the sins of this world and was resurrected from death into life as the proof of the gospel and good news. This is what is celebrated with eggs and chocolate. This is what is celebrated with bunnies and ham. This is what has been confused with pagan rites and heathen practices in the church.

Jesus is not about bunnies and chocolate, ham and eggs or any paganism and yet it is what this world has chosen to associate with the miracle of the resurrection. Jesus is the proof that God has chosen to forgive the sinners of this world through the sacrifice of His beloved Son. The blood of Jesus was shed and His body was hung on a tree to be wracked with pain until the life left His flesh. Jesus came back to His people to prove that there is indeed life after death, there is a heaven to go home to and there is hope.

Christianity is the belief in the sacrifice of our Lord, it is the only way to the Father and it is not open to compromise. To have faith in the Son is to desire the Father and to seek to be obedient. To know who you worship is to trust in God and to know that the only way to achieve salvation is through Jesus. We need to let go of the traditions that do not honor the Son of God and to cling to the cross. It matters. The decorations and origin of the symbolism that is thought to be benign is foolishness indeed. Where traditions begin matters. Many choose to ignore the history of these pagan beliefs and think that the traditions that they have become are irrelevant. I know differently. It does matter because it is just another deception and lie that has been inherited by people who claim to know Christ and claim to love Christ above all. But, ask these believers to give up their traditions, give up the symbols and pagan ideas that represent their ‘holiday’ and see if they are willing. Too often, people cling to what comforts them and brings them joy and toss aside the beginnings with declarations of denial by claiming that, no matter the origin, they are worshiping in spirit and truth through the eggs and bunnies and chocolate and ham.

Christianity and paganism, paganism and Christianity. It is all mixed up. There is a lack of desiring purity in worship and a lack of desiring righteousness in faith. I choose to reject the trappings of this holiday and to honor my King with truth. The resurrection is a day of mourning for this world as too many have taken it for granted and too many have rejected the gift that has been offered. I will mourn for this world and yet give thanks to the humility of the King who obeyed His Father unto death and was resurrected unto life to sit down at the right hand of God.

“Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.’” Luke 24:46-48 (NKJV).

LOVE THAT CROSS PASTOR JOHN COLLINS

www.johncollinsministries.com