Savior and/or Lord? Passover and weddings.

Two other pictures of the relationship between conversion and discipleship.

passover.

6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire—head, legs and inner parts. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover. Exodus 12

Israel killed the lamb, painted the doorpost with its blood, ate its meat with their sandals on and their bags packed.

This is another picture of the journey with God. Conversion and discipleship. The command from God was 2-part: blood on the doorpost gives you salvation, and then be ready to travel.

I experienced conversion and then i started into discipleship. That was God’s intent. He doesn’t want Israel painting the doorpost with His blood, and then going back to bed. He has ordered us to take the step of faith in His blood, and then walk with Him out of Egypt.

The plan is accept His salvation and His discipleship.

wedding.

On December 18, 1987 I walked onto a stage at my home church with my closest friends. My future wife walked down the aisle of the church to meet me, and we we entered a very meaningful service, a time where we pledged our lives to each other in the presence of God, family, and friends.

We said “I Do”, and gave each other rings.

It was a very simple matter to wed each other.

But what if, at the end of the ceremony, I had said, “Chris, it was such a joy marrying you today! Thanks for the honor! I’m going to head on out now, I have some plans. I hope you have a great life. Let’s keep in touch. And I tell you what, let’s meet back together in about 50 years, and I’ll arrange a quaint little nursing home for us to retire in.”

You - and she - would think I was crazy.

Marrying someone implies there is a “marriage” to follow. The wedding simply begins the life-long journey together.

It is a very simple matter to wed each other - but it takes a lifetime to live out the commitment that has been made.

And so it is with salvation. Conversion begins the process, discipleship carries it out.