[…] though Jesus was a great teacher and his words are full of profound truth, it was his dying in virtual silence and his resurrection to glory that constituted the fountainhead of Christian revelation. The message of Jesus about the meaning and purpose of human existence is centered in that crucial event and in its implications for the true meaning of human success and happiness. […] Jesus said many true and important things but the real message of Jesus is in what he did!
Demetrius Dumm, Flowers in the Desert, Page 24
Hello Readers, hope all’s well. Time for another #shorts post.
I’m now reading a book called Flowers in the Desert by Demetrius Dumm. (AFFILIATE LINK) It was first published in 1987.
I found this book at my parents house the last time I was there, in a bag of books. I saw it at the top of the pile, and randomly decided to pick it up. I only learned it was a Christian book when I read the subtitle: A Spirituality of the Bible. Knowing these books were headed to the used bookstore to be sold, I helped myself and grabbed it.
And I’m very happy I did, because it’s a great book so far. This book is short and to the point, and I like that. Each chapter is twenty pages of straight-to-the-point Spirituality and Bible study. It’s a great book.
Today’s topic comes from chapter two, which explains how our God is a God of actions. He is also a God who speaks Truth and revelation, so yes He is also a God of Words. But first, our God is a God of actions. The Bible shows this quite clearly. So what does that mean for us as Christians?? Let’s think about it.
A God Who Does more than Talk
Demetrius Dumm starts by explaining how God revealed Himself to the Israelites, through His actions. He didn’t only speak to them, He intervened for them and took action on their behalf in the real world. He made things happen in our world, the physical world. He did more than talk.
And I would add myself that the LORD had Moses perform many actions too as part of the plan. God did not send Moses to Pharaoh to debate with Pharaoh. God didn’t send Moses to persuade, convince, negotiate with, or coerce Pharaoh. God sent Moses to go take action right in front of Pharaoh, to take very specific actions which would be warnings. And so God, through Moses, spoke to Pharaoh by actions and not words. Because actions speak louder than words.
Anyway, here’s what it says in Flowers in the Desert:
God revealed himself to the Israelites by acting in their history. He did not just speak consoling words or offer advice or teach eternal truths. He did that too but, first and foremost, he entered their terrible situation of bondage, shared their pain and frustration and then severed those bonds and led them to freedom. “I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk upright” (Lev 26:13).
Demetrius Dumm, Flowers in the Desert, Page 22
I italicized the action verb in the Scripture quote. God says in Leviticus 26:13 that He broke the bars for Israel and delivered them to freedom. He did something, He made an impact on our physical world on behalf of those who loved Him.
So God has been a God of actions, ever since the Old Testament. Ever since Genesis chapter 1, actually, when He created the world. But how about the New Testament??
The Loudest Action of all
Of course the New Testament tells the story of God’s most dramatic and meaningful action. And this would the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. This is the most important action in the Bible, and in the entire history of the whole world. This action is the most meaningful one ever taken, with the most implications for humanity. Since actions speak louder than words, the action of Jesus’ Sacrifice and Resurrection speaks with a deafening shout that has reverberated for the last 2,000 years and counting.
In the words of Demetrius Dumm, Jesus was most eloquent when He silently acted out the new Exodus event delivering us from death into Life. Jesus spoke loudest by His actions, not His words.
The revelation of God in Jesus is seen most clearly, not in his spoken words, but in his actions, and essentially in the actions of the climactic Paschal event of Passion, Death and Resurrection. Jesus “spoke” most eloquently when he was virtually silent as he acted out the new and definitive Exodus event of passage from death to life.
Demetrius Dumm, Flowers in the Desert, Page 23
Demetrius Dumm makes it clear that, although Jesus spoke many Truths and Wisdom, His actions are what matter the most. What He did is central not only to the story of Jesus, but to the story of the purpose of human existence. Jesus’ Resurrection changed everything for humanity. Eternal Life with the LORD is now an option for us; we’re Saved. And that all comes from what Jesus did, not from what He said.
[…] though Jesus was a great teacher and his words are full of profound truth, it was his dying in virtual silence and his resurrection to glory that constituted the fountainhead of Christian revelation. The message of Jesus about the meaning and purpose of human existence is centered in that crucial event and in its implications for the true meaning of human success and happiness. […] Jesus said many true and important things but the real message of Jesus is in what he did!
Demetrius Dumm, Flowers in the Desert, Page 24
No one, including Demetrius Dumm, is saying that what Jesus said is not important too. Of course not; what Jesus said gives us so much Wisdom and guidance to study, meditate on, and live by. But Jesus’ mission was centered around what He did, not around what He said.
What about Us??
So what about us?? How should us Christians today take this knowledge??
Well, the more we understand our God is a God of action, the more we should take Faithful action in our lives. Ideally, anyway. But since our God is a God of action, and He has offered us salvation through the actions of His Son, we must respond with actions of our own. First, we must take the action of recognizing, confirming, and accepting Jesus’ Sacrifice for us. We can start there.
After that, we’ll want to take part in God’s actions by putting our Faith into action. We can do that by loving others as Jesus told us to. And the Acts of Mercy in Matthew 25 (feed the poor, visit the prisoners, etc.) are a great guideline on how to do that.
Evangelizing is an action too, of course. When it’s done right it will be motivated by love for others. Having accepted God’s free Gift of Salvation, it’s only natural we want everyone to have it!!
I hope you get the idea. How should we respond to the actions of our God of action?? We should take Faithful action!!
Because those Faithful actions show our Faith is alive and well. Because as we all know from Scripture, Faith without works is dead. On that note, let’s close out with James 2.
(14) What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (15) If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, (16) and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? (17) Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 2:14-17 (NKJV)
That’s it for #shorts Part 46.
Like my content?? Leave a tip at https://ko-fi.com/999_the_end_is_now
Well that’s all for today. If you enjoyed today’s post, be sure to Subscribe using the link below. And please consider Supporting My Blog using the Tip Jar: https://ko-fi.com/999_the_end_is_now. Any amount is much appreciated!!
Until next time, be strong and do good!!
Your new best friend in Christ,
99:9
<<<EXALT THE LORD OUR GOD AND WORSHIP AT HIS HOLY HILL; FOR THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY>>>
Follow My Blog
Subscribe to my FREE Substack newsletter so you never miss any of my posts!!
https://999f64.substack.com/
99:9 Exalt El Shaddai 