J-E-S-U-S

I was working on my sermon series for April, Jesus: The Best Friend, and during the preparation of my PowerPoint I noticed a problem. Can you?

Here's a closer look:

Those of you who use Microsoft Office products probably immediately spotted that jagged little red line underneath the name Jesus. You know what that means. It means that I misspelled "Jesus". So I went back to it, looked over it, and said it out loud to myself.

J-E-S-U-S

Yep, all the letters are there. I retyped it. Still, that annoying little line appeared underneath it.

Now this happens from time to time. I'll type in the name of an obscure Bible city or person, and that little line shows up. I understand why in those situations. It's as simple to fix, though, as "right-clicking" and selecting "Add to Dictionary" to resolve. But this one had me perplexed. Hasn't Microsoft heard of Jesus?

Now before you go off to war against Microsoft, let me explain why this happened. I had my text set to type in "ALL CAPS" within the PowerPoint software. Because of that I didn't hit the "Shift" key when I spelled the name of Jesus. It was trying to tell me that I was wrong because I didn't type His name starting with a capital "J". Of course I couldn't see that because of the disconnect between what I was typing on my keyboard and what my computer was telling the text to be. If I hit "ALL CAPS" in the software, shouldn't it just make the letter a real capital letter instead of appearing to be a capital letter, but not really being one?

Still, it got me to thinking. In light of these things, ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I really know Jesus? John writes in 1 John 2:1-5 what it takes to "know" Jesus. It's not as simple as clicking a menu option. It takes first obedience, then courage and endurance. "And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments." So, do you?
   


2. Am I making a difference in other people's lives so that they can answer the above question to the affirmative? How am I helping others to "know" Jesus?
   

As Christians we understand the responsibility to make sure that others know about Jesus and His Gospel (Mark. 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Timothy 4:1-5). Remember, though, that the day will come when everyone will know with a surety the name of Jesus, and that he is Lord!

(9) Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,(10) so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,(11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:9-11 ESV

 

(10) Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;(11) for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."(12) So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.- Romans 14:10-12 ESV