Wake Me!

By Larry Pasley

     A man who was taking a flight from L.A. to Dallas, but the plane he was on was to continue to N.Y.
The man was not continuing with the plane to N.Y. but had an important meeting in Dallas.
     He was very tired and was very concerned that he might fall asleep on the plane and sleep right through to N.Y. So, he instructed the flight attendant that he was going to nap, but that she must be sure to wake him up when they stop in Dallas. He warned her that when he is woken up he is often very grouchy and uncooperative, but that regardless of how ugly he might be at the time, make sure he gets off at Dallas. She said she would and he was asleep before they reached cruising altitude.
     Well, the next thing he knew he awoke to hear the pilot say, “Welcome to N.Y.” He couldn’t believe it. He was livid. He went to that flight attendant and read her the riot act, veins popping, and using every nasty word in the book.
     After the irate man left, another passenger apologized to the flight attendant saying that he had never seen anyone so angry. She said, “Thank you, but that was nothing compared with how mad the man was that I forced off the plane in Dallas.”

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

     We have probably all had cases of mistaken identity in our lives at some time or another. Hopefully the results were not as serious as the story above.
     There is a case of mistaken identity in the Bible which had much more severe consequences than that above.
     God came to this world, in the form of the man Jesus, and the world did not know who He was.
John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
     Jesus existed in the beginning with God, the Father, and was the Word. The Word was God and verse 14 says the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The world was made through Him and yet the world did not recognize who He was. Even His own people (town) did not accept His for who He really was.
     It is a very serious thing not to know who God and Jesus are. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9  and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
     Not knowing Jesus as our Lord and God and not obeying the gospel will keep us from being with Him in heaven for eternity.

     May we all make it our aim to know Jesus and be obedient to His gospel.
With love and concern,

- Larry Pasley serves as a minister with the Jackson Street Church of Christ in Alexandria, LA. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at http://www.JacksonStAlex.com