WEDNESDAY'S WORD - SEMINAL - Sadell Bradley - 4/28/2021

WEDNESDAY'S WORD SEMINAL 4/28/2021 "The essence of a religion can be discovered by asking its adherents one question: 'What to your mind, was the seminal moment in the history of the world?'" - Meir Soloveilchik -American Clergyman

THIS FRIDAY, April 30th at 7:30 pm   My Heart's Desire:  A Virtual Worship Experience Join us a we gather to declare that Jesus Christ is our heart’s desire. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

SEMINAL means- a work, event, moment, or figure that strongly influences later developments; relating to or denoting semen; or derived from the seed of a plant. Everyone has seminal events in their lives—they are seeds which grow trees that produce either good or bad fruit. The show THIS IS US begins with a seminal event. Jack and Rebecca Pearson are about to have triplets, but lose one at birth. Their doctor convinces them to adopt an African-American boy whose father has left him at a fire station after his mother's overdose. They adopt and raise Randall, Kate, and Kevin together. We learn how that decision impacts them all. The second seminal event is when the Pearson's house catches fire. Jack goes in to save his family, then their pet. Everyone comes out unscathed. Then they find that Jack has smoke inhalation. He dies in the hospital. Jack's death is a seminal event that changes all of their lives forever. As their stories unfold we see how each family member has been impacted by these two seminal events. In addition to mourning and good memories, their grief brings on loss, anxiety, addiction, and relational strife. What are the seminal events in your life? How have they impacted you for good or bad? Jesus is a healer, a mender of broken hearts, and a liberator. (Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 4:18-19) Christ's work is to separate us from the negative, oppressive, effects of seminal events. Jesus said said, "Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire." (Matthew 3:10, NLT)

JESUS CHRIST: A SEMINAL FIGURE It is indisputable that the LORD Jesus Christ is a seminal figure in history. How many people do you know who are so impactful that the world measures time from before or after they were born? Yeah, just one. I know there's BCE (before the common era) and CE (common era), but billions of us were taught Before Christ and Anno Domini (the year of our Lord). Jesus' arrival on the scene was THE main seminal event. The angelic hosts proclaimed, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will to all men!" (Luke 2:14) Jesus' crucifixion was His second seminal event which atoned for the sin of mankind once and for all. "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:21, BSB) One day we will all be judged by how we have decided that these two seminal events will impact our lives. The answer to that question will determine our eternal home in Heaven or in Hell. For Christ followers, the day we identified with Jesus was a seminal event— a turning point that changed the trajectory of our lives for the better, forever.