If Only: Faith Like a Mustard Seed!

Thursday morning, January 31, 2008
This is what Jesus said to the apostles in response to their request for Him to increase their faith: “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you. But which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down and eat’? But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me until I have eaten and drunk; and afterward you will eat and drink’? He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’” Hmmm! I think I understand the apostles’ question and I also think I have some (not much, but some) insight into the first part of Jesus’ answer, but what in the wide-world does the second part of His answer have to do with faith, especially increasing faith?
In the first place, the context of this question is important: “Be on your guard! If you brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (vs.3-4). In light of this, I can easily see why they asked Jesus to increase their faith; otherwise, they would never live up to this requirement. If “faith” and “trust” are kin folk (relatives), then I have no problem understanding their request for more faith! I mean, this is a pretty tall order: if your brother sins against you seven time a day (with the implication being for several days in a row!) and comes to you each time, asking for your forgiveness, then forgive him (note that nothing is said about the gravity of any of the offenses!). What else could they have said but, “Lord, increase our faith (if you expect us to obey this!)”!
Jesus’ initial response (“If you had faith like a mustard seed . . “) is really not too difficult to understand. Notice that He did NOT say, “If you had faith as small as a mustard seed. . .”; instead, He said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed. . .”, which in my opinion is somewhat different. Yes, we know that a mustard seed is a very small seed (about 1mm in diameter) but the size of one’s faith is not Jesus’ point. His point is this: Even when our faith, like a mustard seed, is infinitesimally small (which is most of the time), even smaller than a mustard seed, we can expect these small seeds of faith to produce incredible results. In other words, the fact that you have faith is enough, more than enough to enable you to forgive your brother seven times a day for seventy days, or more, if need be.
You see, if we have any faith at all, it is His faith, not ours, and this means that we have all faith, the kind of faith that moves not only mulberry trees, but also mountains, the kind of faith that enables us to believe the absolutely unbelievable—Jesus died that we might live in perfect relationship with Him, glorify Him, and enjoy Him for ever! Just for the record, it is much easier to believe that a mulberry tree will respond to our command and uproot itself and replant itself in the sea, than it is to believe that life is in Jesus. Well, it is until—until He gives you the faith to believe and, then, you can do no other because His faith ALWAYS produces His desired results!
If you had faith like a mustard seed. . .! Listen up: YOU DO, if you are His!



(Because I am out of space, I will continue tomorrow, if He gives me something to say! If ONLY I had faith like a mustard seed!! (=:

Follow Me and I Will Make You Fishers of Men

Wednesday afternoon, January 30, 2008

This is what Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, as they were casting their net into the sea, fishing for sea bass or speckled trout or whatever might have been swimming, in the hopes of bringing in a huge haul to help feed their families: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Hmmm, say what now? Surely, this thought passed through their minds: “Do you mean that you want us to leave our vocation, to stop doing the ONLY thing we know how to do to earning a living, in order to follow you and begin doing something about which we know nothing?” Even if it didn’t, it should have! I mean, it is one thing go be bi-vocational (have something else to depend upon, in case this new venture fails!), but it something else to altogether leave a sure thing in order to pursue some pipe dream.

Regardless of my opinions and feelings, this was their response: “And they immediately left their nets, and followed Him” (vs. 20). There was none of that, “Let me first tell my family goodbye” or “Let me first bury my father” or “Let me first get my bills paid” or “Let me first put my boat in dry dock”—none of that; instead, they immediately left their nets and, obviously, their vocation and stepped in line to follow Him and to become fishers of men (I doubt that they had any idea, as to what that meant!), a journey that launch them into a career that would carry them much farther down the road of life, than they ever dreamed. Even so, to my knowledge, they never looked back, wishing they could return to “fishing for fish,” as Israel looked back, wishing they could return to the “garlics and leeks and onions” of Egypt. Yes, Peter was impetuous and he did color outside the lines a few times, but he was committed to the journey and to the leader of the journey. John was too clingy, and he, too, colored outside the lines on occasion, but he, too, was committed to the journey and to the leader of the journey.

You see, most of us struggle with this passage because it is so difficult for us to imagine how these men managed to leave everything and follow Jesus, especially with such haste; however, it is even more difficult for us to imagine how we would follow their example, should the call come. Well, just for the record—YOU AND I HAVE BEEN CALLED TO THE SAME CALLING!

Realizing the dangers of paraphrasing Scripture, please allow me to take the risk and suggest that Jesus could have said this (who knows, maybe He did!): Follow me because I have something better for you to do with your life—something much better—something that will profoundly affect your life and the lives of those that come after you, and that “something” is this: I will teach you how to be My witnesses not only at home, but also to the ends of the earth.

Regardless of your or my vocation, Jesus has something better for us to do with our lives than to spend them trying to earn a living! Hold on and don’t run away! Earning a living is a good and Godly thing—a necessary thing—however, there is more, so much more, but, unfortunately, most of us get so involved in and dependent upon “catching our own fish” that we never even realize that He has something better for us to do—something much better.

His call is simple, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men,” and there is no higher calling, and, I might add, you probably won’t even have to abandon your vocation in order to obey!

More of Corporate America?

Tuesday morning, January 29, 2008

This is THE ACCURATE MODEL of the early (very early, as in newborn) church: “And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles” (Acts 2:42-43; emphasis, mine). For some reason, we have been led to believe that there are better models than this one, as it evidenced by the popularity of today’s “church modeling syndrome.” Of course, this is understandable (albeit regrettable), especially in light of the competitive atmosphere that exists today among churches.

In my opinion, the Holy Spirit was well-aware of what He was doing when He gave birth to the church and established it as a living organism within our world, a living organism with a mission and a purpose—to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Sadly, this mission and purpose has long-since been abandoned and replaced by something that looks so much like competitive corporate America, that one would be hard-put to distinguish between them.

The tragic end of this mindset is a “church” whose mission and purpose is no longer to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever, but to reach the masses in an effort to increase income and to, thereby, have enough money to finance the programs and staff that are necessary to succeed in such a competitive environment. Of course, this is never admitted; instead, the goal of reaching the masses is done under the disguise of evangelism, which just might be the worst of all sins.

There is no wonder that so many people are leaving “church” with no plans of ever returning! It is no surprise that so many Christians—very sincere Christians—are frustrated, aggravated, and disappointed with “church”! Look at the obvious: the people who work in corporate America (for the most part) are long-past burned out from the treadmill of performance, weary from trying to reach the just-out-of-reach goals, and exhausted from attempting to maintain balance between family and work, not to mention fearful of losing their jobs. It is my guess that the last thing the really want from their local church is more of corporate America.

Anyway, in my opinion, it is time (actually, past time) for the Church to return to its roots—fellowship, worship (that sense of awe!), teaching the Word, and the sacraments—to that place where HE is glorified (not man!) and the Bride enjoys HIM forever—the genuine work of the Holy Spirit and not the manipulative efforts of man!

The fact is the church should be a haven of rest for the weary, not another place of frustration, aggravation, and disappointment; after all, Jesus died to set us free not only from sin, but also from its power—the power that fuels the competitive spirit of what we call church today, the power that drives us away from that place of intimacy with Him, wherein we find rest for our weary souls—and that for this good reason—that He might empower us to rest in His finished work.

Simply, simple church, as I see it!

REJOICE: Your Name is Written in Heaven!

Saturday morning, January 26, 2008

This is what Jesus said to those He sent out as frontrunners (His disciples plus the “seventy others”), in response to their enthusiasm: “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightening. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven” (Luke 10:18a-20). Hmmm, it is my guess that when one has this kind of authority, it is terribly difficult to stay focused on what is really important, which is probably why He has not given most, if any, of us this kind of authority. Well, now that I think about it, maybe He did give us this kind of authority but we let it go to our heads, even before we used it, and, consequently, we lost it. In either case, I have NEVER seen this kind of authority used in ANY believer’s life, not yet anyway; however, I am continuing to wait and to watch!

As you can tell, these “frontrunners” (as I call them) were very excited and enthusiastic about this new-found authority (I, certainly, do not blame them!); listen to what they said to Jesus: “And the seventy returned with joy, saying, ’Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name’” (vs. 17). Interestingly, however, Jesus, Himself, was also excited—very excited; take a look at His response: “At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit. . .” (vs. 21a; I would love to have witnessed this!].

Now listen to the words He used to express His enthusiasm: “I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes. Yes, Father, for thus it was well-pleasing in Thy sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (vss. 21-22). And turning to His disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see” (vs. 23). The first part being enthusiastic praise (probably even dancing!) for any and everyone to see and to hear; the last part being a private, whispered comment to the twelve; albeit, an powerfully, explosive word of encouragement.

Again, with this kind of authority and with these kinds of words of encouragement, it would probably be very difficult to stay focused on what is really important, thus His—REJOICE, NOT IN THESE THINGS, BUT IN THE FACT THAT YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN!

You know, when all is said and done, only one thing really matters and that one thing is this: Jesus chose to reveal Himself to us and, thus, to write our names in Heaven, in the Lamb’s Book of Life. It is one thing to be chosen to receive such incredible authority, and it is another to be chosen to have eyes to see what most never see, but it is quite another to have been chosen to have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life!

So, I would say this: do not rejoice that you have been given authority over the spirits, or that you can see what others miss; instead, rejoice in the fact that your name, that’s right—YOUR NAME—has been written in Heaven!

Wow!

No More Excuses!

Friday morning, January 25, 2008

This is what Jesus said (at the Pool of Bethesda) to the man who had been sick for 38 years: “Do you wish to get well” (John 5:6b). The sick man’s response, although ridiculous, was this: “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me” (vs. 7). This is how Jesus responded to his ridiculous statement: “Arise, take up your pallet, and walk” (vs. 8). This is how the man responded: “And immediately the man became well, and took up his pallet and began to walk” (vs. 9). There was this one “minor” problem: It was the Sabbath Day and it was unlawful for this man (or any other man, for that matter) to carry his pallet on the Sabbath Day, as doing so was considered work (talk about ridiculous!).

Sometimes (actually, most of the time) we are so busy judging others for their failure to maintain our standards, which we believe are also God’s standards, that we completely fail to see the miraculous, even though it is happening right before our eyes. It might be to our benefit to accept the fact that our standards are not always His standards, and it will surely be to our benefit to accept the fact that judging others is God’s business, nor ours; at the very least, we might see more of the miraculous.

In my opinion, Jesus’ question is more than intriguing; surely, He knew that this man wanted to get well, or was it the other way around and He knew that he was enjoying his sickness? Probably the latter; however, in either case, he was about to be healed—like it or not! Notice that this sick man did not say, “Yes, I want to be healed!”; instead, he responded with that all-too-familiar excuse—”Woe is me because nobody will help me!” In case you missed it, I will tell you: Jesus put an immediate end to his excuse! He could no longer say that his well-being depended upon others being more considerate of him.

I must say this: although the Pool of Bethesda was a very legitimate place of healing (at the right time), it was inadequate for this man and it was because he could not (or was unwilling to) get into the pool and, as we might imagine, none of the others were going to help him because they were more interested in getting themselves into the pool than they were in getting him into it. Fortunately, Jesus paid the pool a visit—the only person on the planet, who was more interested in others that He was in Himself!

Now, for the really difficult part: as far as we know, Jesus chose to heal this man and only this man, leaving the rest, as they had left the man Jesus healed—to fend for themselves. You remember the rules of the pool, I feel sure; only the first person to get into the pool, when the waters were troubled, was healed—the rest were left to deal with their malaise the best they could. Disappointing, to say the least! Interestingly, for the very first (and last) time, two people were healed at this annual “Pool of Bethesda” event. I say this is difficult because for the life of me, I cannot understand how Jesus managed to pull this off, without causing a riot, and I, certainly, do not know how He did it without leaving the rest feeling that He was unfair, disinterested, and without compassion.

Well, He almost caused a riot among the Pharisees, as they were not happy with His healing on the Sabbath and they made it quite clear—”For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus because He was doing these things on the Sabbath” (vs. 16). “For this cause, therefore, the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him. . .” (vs. 18a).

I do have this question: Has Jesus intervened in your life and put an end to your excuses? If He hasn’t, He will, so be prepared with a not-so-ridiculous response.

Relationships

Wednesday morning, January 23, 2008

This is what Jesus said (out of His foreknowledge and resulting concern for you me!) in a prayer He prayed just prior to His betrayal and ultimate crucifixion, a prayer He prayed because it was very important to Him that we live together in healthy relationships not only with the Triune Godhead, but also with one another: “. . .that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. And the glory which Thou has give Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me” (John 17:21-23). From what I have been able to observe and experience, it is a good thing—a very good thing—that Jesus prayed this prayer; otherwise, the witness the Body of Christ makes, concerning healthy relationships, would be much worse than it already is, and that would be a bad thing—really, bad!

Whether or not we like it, Jesus’ prayer makes it abundantly clear that Christianity is about relationships; namely, God’s relationship with us, our relationship with Him through Jesus, and our relationships with one another. Surely, there is no getting around the fact that we must become proactive in our quest to enter into the kinds of relationships that Jesus desires for us, both with Him and with one another. As you know, He paid a terribly high price to clear the way for both!

In our proactive quest to enter into these relationships certain “hurdles” always seem to present themselves, hurdles that appear much too high for us to hurdle. As a result, we tend to shy away from healthy relationships by hiding in the shadows of our own fears and the resulting insecurities. Again, I am very thankful that Jesus prayed this prayer and for obvious reasons!

As you know, these paralyzing, controlling fears tend to surface anytime we feel that someone is getting too close to us and, therefore, might find out our well-kept secret, the secret that has been controlling us for far too long—should you really get to know me, you would not like me, and if you did, something would be wrong with you!

Our hiding places are those places of emotional insulation that lie behind the facades of pretense, places that keep me inside and you outside, places that keep me just out of range of your snooping, eagle eye. These hiding place take many and varied shapes, such as anger, control, passivity, indifference, and, especially, denial.

Deep down inside, fear has convinced us that, if our facades are removed, the real truth about us will be revealed, leaving us naked and exposed before the very people from whom we are hiding—the people we least want to find out the truth—the end result being the very rejection that we so desperately want to avoid.

When a person lives and breathes to protect himself from the very thing for which his heart cries—to know and to be known—you can bet that he will (sooner, rather than later) finally give up in the aftermath of burnout and begin to look for “fantasy island” —the place far-removed from those who would threaten to exacerbate his already-intense fear of rejection. Sadly, this is where most Christians live—every moment of every day!

Remember this: Jesus prayed for us, specifically about this issue of relationships, so hold on for the ride and go ahead and give up the fight—He wins!

On the Subject of Humility

Saturday morning, January 19, 2008

This is what Jesus said to His disciples concerning their desire for Him to feed the hungry multitude: “You give them something to eat” (Luke 9:13a). This was there response: “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people” (vs. 13b).

As you remember this “multitude” consisted of 5,000 men, plus women and children, which by anyone’s standards, is quite a crowd to feed, especially when the nearest McDonalds is half-way around the world and not yet under construction! They did suggest that a trip to the local supermarket would be beneficial, but Jesus didn’t seem to be too impressed with their idea; in fact, from what I can see, He completely ignored it! Apparently, He had better, more exciting plans.

In my mind, this is one of those occasions, where Jesus wanted His disciples to get a first-hand look at just how dependent they were upon Him. The truth is by the time they made the trek to the local supermarket, bought the food, returned to the site, cooked it, and, well, you get the point! Even a casual look at the five puny loaves and two soggy fish convinced them of their helplessness. They knew and they knew very well that they could not feed this multitude—period.

You know, as I read this story and meditate upon it, for some reason, the word “humility” comes to my mind. To be sure, these disciples were about as humble as a proud peacock, at least most of the time, but this was not one of those times. The fact is, pride was not a part of this party, and that is for sure—Jesus saw to it. I mean, when you are facing the daunting task of feeding 5,000 hungry men, plus women and children, and all you have is five loaves and two fish, pride is out to lunch, maybe even to supper!

To complicate matters even more, these guys are with Jesus (you know, the creator of the universe) and He is the one who is telling them to get off their duffs and use whatever they have to feed the multitude, while He apparently wanders off to have a quiet time. Again, I can only imagine that these guys were practicing humility, the kind of humility that makes one well-aware of his lack of resources!

Now, you might be wondering why I (of all people) would be commenting on the subject of “humility” when humility is not one of the first things you would notice about me (probably, not even the second or third), and if you are, here is the answer: Although I might not project humility, I am well-aware of my dependence upon Him, specifically that I will not make it through the day, much less Home, without Him. You see, I do not equate humility with passivity or compliance or tameness, even meekness; instead, I believe humility is recognizing and accepting my absolute dependence upon Him, and doing so in the light of His holiness.

Whether or not I like it, this is where He has me living: I am well-aware that the meager resources I have can contribute nothing to His “you feed them” directive to me. Trust me on this: if He doesn’t come through for me, as He did for the twelve in our text, I will not make it, and I know it very well.

This is what God said: “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble of spirit, and who trembles at my Word” (Isaiah 66:2b).

At least, you cannot say that I did not tell you!

You are Freed from Your Sickness!

Thursday morning, January 17, 2008

This is what Jesus said to a certain woman, who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit—she was bent double and could not straighten up at all: “Woman, you are freed from your sickness” (Luke 13:12). This is what Jesus did after speaking words of healing to her: He laid the most precious, tender, loving, powerful hands God ever created—His hands—upon her. This is how she responded to His words and to His touch: IMMEDIATELY SHE WAS MADE ERECT AGAIN, AND SHE BEGAN GLORIFYING GOD!

There is something so incredible about this story that mere words are inadequate, even to attempt to address it. I almost feel that I am trying to dissect a butterfly in order to understand its inner workings, rather than simply enjoying the beauty of the butterfly; even so, I cannot resist making a few comments, so please bear with me.

First off, I really do not think she came to the synagogue expecting Jesus to heal her; instead, I think she was, merely, making her usual religious visit. The truth is, she like many of us, had probably long-since given up on Jesus (or anyone else, for that matter) ever restoring her to health. Maybe there was that flicker of hope but I have the feeling it was just that—a flicker of hope.

Admittedly, my ailment is nothing, compared to hers; however, I have asked God many times to heal my eyes (I have severe myopia and, therefore, have worn glasses for the past 55 years) but thus far, He has chosen not to do so. Truthfully, I have that “flicker of hope” but for the most part, I have long-since ceased to expect Him to heal them (yes, I know that some of you will think that that is why He hasn’t but I disagree).

Secondly, I really do not believe this woman was too concerned as to “how” or “why” Jesus managed to heal her; instead, I believe (and it is written) she was much more interested in glorifying God and enjoying her new life (and in that order!). After all, 18 years is a long time to live with any sickness, especially this one!

To be sure, if He should decide to heal my eyes, the last question on my mind would be “how” or “why”; instead, I would shout, “Hallelujah” and throw my spectacles into the river and, then, make a spectacle out of myself!

Thirdly, no one had to tell her that Jesus had healed her; no one, not even Jesus, had to tell her to stand erect; and, certainly, no one had to tell her to spend the rest of her days glorifying God by bragging on Jesus; and you can rest assured that no one had to tell her that her new condition was much better that her previous one! For this precious lady, it was time to stand erect and move on with life—real life!

Fourthly, and as you might imagine, the religious folk were not happy with her healing, not at all happy with it, nor were they happy with Jesus, and they were not (so they said!) because it was unlawful to work on the Sabbath Day! The truth, however, is this: they were unhappy because He healed her and they were still sick—really sick—but couldn’t (wouldn’t) admit it! This is the way religious folk always respond to Jesus and to those He has healed—always! Jealousy, I believe, is the word!

Finally, if Jesus has healed you from your infirmity (and you know it, if He has!), He did so not only to set you free from it, but also to usher you into a new and exciting life—the life He has dreamed for you, since the foundation of the world. Do not be afraid! Do not look to the left or to the right! Do not be distracted from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus! Follow your heart and begin to live—really live!

Finally, finally, before you “set sail” stop just long enough to feel His precious, tender, loving, powerful hands, as they embrace you and send you on His way!

Sitting at Jesus' Feet, Clothed, and in One's Right Mind!

Sunday afternoon, January 13, 2008

This is what Jesus said to Legion after He had cast the “legion” of demons out of him: “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you” (Luke 8:39a). This is Legion’s response: “And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him” (vs. 39b). To be sure, this man was well-aware of the great things that God had done for him—very well-aware! He had been demon-possessed, had not worn clothing for a long time, lived in tombs, instead of a house, and most of the time he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard (see vs. 27 & 29); however, now he is sitting at the feet of Jesus—clothed and in his right mind (vs. 35b)! There is no wonder that he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city the great things that God had done for him!

I really do not mean to hurt your feelings (seriously) but the truth is this: before Jesus rescued you (and me!) and set us free, we were in the same fix as Legion—even worse! No, you might not have lived in tombs and you might have been fully clothed; however, you (and I!) were indeed bound with the chains and shackles of sin, hopelessly doomed to such a terrible existence. In other words, if Legion had something to tell, then you can bet your life that you and I have something to tell, something worth telling not only an entire city, but also the entire world!

There is something about this “sitting at Jesus feet, clothed, and in my right mind” that sets my feet to dancing! In my opinion, this is newsworthy—world-wide newsworthy! I mean, to go from living in tombs, shackled, and demon-possessed, to sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in my right mind is quite a leap!! The miracle of miracle, is my guess!

Anyway, when I read this tonight, I couldn’t help but think about the contrast between our response to the good news and Legion’s response; we spend so much time trying to dissect the Scriptures, debating whether “this” is truth or not, and trying to convince others that we have it right and they have it wrong, but Legion had only one thing on his mind—telling anyone who would listen about the good things that God had done for him.

I really do think there is a message in this for you and for me and it is probably past time for us to hear it: God did not call us to dissect and debate the Scriptures; instead, He called us to be His witnesses not only at home (Jerusalem), but also to the remotest parts of the world. In other words, He called us to go into all the world and tell everyone about the good things He has done for us.

You see, a credible witness can witness only to what he/she has seen; the debate is fine, as is being a student of the Scriptures, but in the end our task is to be His witnesses—to tell others what we have seen with our own eyes (the great things He has done in our lives!).

Please allow me to issue this challenge to you: be on the lookout for opportunities to tell others about the good things He has done for you, and tell them! Be His witness! Remember this, if you choose to take the challenge: most of those to whom Legion witnessed, were scared out of their wits (vs. vs. 35b)! You think about that—

Jesus' Final Instructions

Saturday morning, January 12, 2008

These are the final instructions Jesus gave to His apostles before His return to His Father: “And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5). Hmmm, this has been a source of debate, even confusion and division, for longer than I can remember, which is a rather long time; however, that shouldn’t deter our brief look at His words this morning.

This is the context of our text: Jesus is preparing for His immediate departure from this earth—the Ascension, as theologians call it—and He is well-aware that He cannot leave these men without first empowering them for the task that is before them—being His witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth (vs. 8). As a result, He tells them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised—the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will baptize them with a baptism far greater than John’s, a baptism that will equip them to be powerful and effective witnesses to what they had both seen and heard, as they journeyed with Him over the past three years.

Sadly (in my opinion), many believers, rather than simply accepting Jesus’ words for what they are, have missed His real message by trying to figure out how to make this happen again not only in their lives, but also in the lives of other believers. As one might expect, trying to reproduce this event, begged this question: How will we be able to distinguish between the genuine and the false? I won’t attempt to enumerate all the options that resulted but I will say this: as a result of trying to answer this question, the church suffered much division and confusion and probably for this good reason—some things are better left to Him.

With that said, what are we to glean from this passage? Obviously, Jesus’ words were directed to His apostles, not to you and me, and for a particular time and purpose. Unmistakably, Jesus was preparing His apostles for His immediate departure, for His return to His Father. There is absolutely nothing said in this passage that would cause me to think that Jesus expected this experience to be replicated in our lives, some 2000 years later. So, what is in this text for us?

First, it is obvious that the future of the church depended upon the power of the Holy Spirit working in the lives of the early believers; without Him there would be no church, and in my opinion this holds true today. It is the Holy Spirit, who gives power and credibility to our lives, as we witness to what we have seen and heard.

Second, the evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives is seen not in our speaking in tongues or in our handling snakes, but in the power and credibility of our witness, which (by the way) often goes unseen.

Third, we are to be His witnesses wherever we are and, as believers, we should expect our witness to be credible and powerful because the Holy Spirit DOES live in each of our lives—all day and everyday!

Finally, forget about trying to replicate the Pentecost experience and, simply, accept the fact that you are living in Pentecost; you are the Temple of the Holy Spirit! YOU ARE HIS POWERFUL, CREDIBLE WITNESS AND THIS WITNESS IS EVIDENCE ENOUGH!

The Scriptures and Eternal Life

Friday morning, January 11, 2008

This is what Jesus said to some Jews, probably Pharisees, about the Scriptures and their relationship to eternal life: “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life” (John 5:30-40). Hmmm—this is interesting, so let us look at the context of His words!

As you know, the Jews, especially the Pharisees, were very adamant about the importance of keeping the Ten Commandments, and they were because they believed not only that they were the “heart and essence” of the Scriptures, but also that obedience to them was necessary for pleasing God. Just for the record, Jesus knew this, too, even better than you and I know it, which makes this “context” so interesting.

As the centerpiece for this exchange, He healed a lame man at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath Day, which was a definite violation of the fourth commandment—Remember the Sabbath Day to Keep it Holy—and, as you might imagine, the response He received from the Jews (Pharisees) was not exactly warm and fuzzy!

Anyway you cut this, on the one hand Jesus was pushing the envelope with these Jews about as far as it could be pushed, and for good reason; on the other hand they were reacting harshly, also for good reason—they sincerely believed that He was desecrating what they held as Holy—the Ten Commandments! However, we must remember this: Jesus was correct and they were incorrect, notwithstanding they were sincere.

To make matters worse, Jesus called God His Father (vs. 17-18), thereby, making Himself equal with God, which really infuriated these Jews, even to the point of seeking to kill Him! Then to make matters even worse, Jesus told them that He gives life to whomever He wishes (with the strong implication that they were not on His “wish list”!). We can only guess, as to their response to this!

Now back to the text and to the matter that REALLY infuriated these Jews (this is my paraphrase): “I will concede this much: you guys really are good students of the Scriptures—very good—but your reason for being such good students is incorrect, seriously incorrect; consequently, you have missed their message. You sincerely believe that you will find eternal life in the Scriptures (mainly by keeping the Ten Commandments); however, you are sincerely wrong and you are for this reason: the Scriptures bear witness of Me, clearly telling you that unless you come to Me, you are not on My “wish list” and the obvious fact is that you are unwilling to come to Me.”

To be honest, when I encounter people, who are so sincere that they are not teachable, I get the “willies,” especially, when it is obvious that they are sincerely wrong. Yes, in many instances there is room for debate and discussion; however, when it comes to eternal life, there is no room for either. There is but one way and that way is Jesus—period!

Now, let me infuriate you (well, some of you!): Unless He has placed you on His wish list, you cannot come to Him—period! Remember? “The Son gives life to whom He wishes” (vs. 21b). I might as well go ahead and add this: He doesn’t add you to His wish list simply because you want Him to, or because you walk an aisle, or because you pray the “sinner’s prayer”, or because you do something to attract Him (obedience, for example); instead, if you are on His wish list, you are “in order that His choice, according to His purpose might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls. . .” (Romans 9:11b).

If I succeeded in infuriating you, there is a good chance that you are on His wish list; otherwise, you wouldn’t and couldn’t give a damn (Now, take that to the context!)

One's Possessions

Tuesday morning, January 8, 2008

The following is an excerpt from what Jesus had to say about anxiety, worry, and priorities: “Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also” (Luke 12:32-34). There is a portion of this that, shall I say, stands out, at least in my view, and it is this: Don’t be afraid; sell your possessions and give to charity. Of course, Jesus said this within the context of telling us that His Father had chosen gladly to give us the entire kingdom, which in my opinion ain’t too shabby; however, I still can’t persuade myself to sell all of my possessions, give the proceeds to the Salvation Army, and, then, to wait on the kingdom (whatever it is) not only to come, but also to materialize and cover my nakedness. I know He prefaced this with, “Do not be afraid” but, gosh, this scares me to death.

Let me tell you why it scares me: When Jesus tells us not to be afraid, He usually does so because He knows that we will have every reason to be afraid, and in this instance, I can think of many, not to mention those He knows, to which I am not privy. In other words, I have every reason to believe that my obedience to this passage would scare the life out of me (and probably you, as well), which is probably why I have not been obedient, and, I might add, my disobedience probably tells you much about where my heart is—or my treasure.

Yes, I feel sure that many of you are thinking that Jesus did not mean for us to take this literally, and you might be correct; however, if we have any desire to live beyond anxiety and worry, we would, probably, do well not only to take this text literally, but also to get our priorities in order. Yes, I also know that some of you just had this bright thought: “If I get my priorities in order, I will no longer need to sell all of my possessions and give the proceeds to the Salvation Army!” Unfortunately, if you had this thought, you also have the cart before the horse. I have the very strong feeling that there is a indirect relationship between my owning possessions and my priorities being in order—the more possessions I believe I own, the less orderly are my priorities. In other words, ownership requires caretaking and caretaking requires time and, therefore, caretaking become priority—almost always! Yes, it has its subtle way of operating, but it is very effective!

Have you ever considered the lilies of the field—how they grow? Have you noticed that anxiety does not increase one’s life-span by even a minute; if anything, it decreases it by years? Have you noticed that even when one has an abundance of possessions, his life does not consist of his possessions? Have you considered the ravens and how they survive? Do you know how much more valuable you are than a raven, especially to God?

Then of course, there are those who are quick to say, “I do not own any possessions, therefore, I am in good shape!” If you are one of these, you might do well to remember this: PRIDE COMMETH BEFORE THE FALL.

I fully expect to see the coffers of the Salvation Army overflowing with the proceeds from the sale of our possessions! Yea, right! We much prefer to be anxious and to worry and, I might add, the proof of the pudding is in the tasting of it!

Jesus Needs a Jackass!

Wednesday afternoon, January 9, 2008

This is what Jesus said concerning His means of transportation into Jerusalem for His “triumphal entry” into that city: “Go into the village opposite you, in which as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one yet has even sat; untie it, and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ thus shall you speak, ‘The Lord has need of it’” (Luke 19:30-31). Hmmmm—interesting, to say the least!

In the first place, it is very difficult for me to believe that Jesus ever really NEEDED anything, certainly not a jackass; however, this text indicates that, well, He needed this particular jackass.

In the second place, His reason for “needing” this jackass, really blows me away—it would be His means of transportation for His triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem! Surely, He could have chosen a black stallion, or at least a Pinto, even a Palomino, but no, not Him—nothing would do Him but a common, unbroken jackass, aka a donkey!

In the third place, if (and I do say IF) He really needed this donkey, He could have very easily said, “Let there be a donkey” and there would have been a donkey, I mean a jackass of a donkey—in the right place and at the right time. I mean, shucks, this would have been a “piece of cake” for Him, but no, He NEEDED this jackass—the one that was tied to the tree over by the synagogue, the one that had never been ridden because he wouldn’t let anyone ride him.

In the fourth place, the men who asked why the donkey was being untied, owned the thing (vs. 33), and it is my guess that they stood scratching their heads, as a result of the response they received—”The Lord has need of it”. I can only imagine the look on their faces, as their donkey was being led away, and I would love to have seen the look on their faces the next morning when they opened the “Jerusalem Gazette” and saw Jesus riding their donkey into Jerusalem, along a path strewn with coats and palm fronds!

One more thing before I get to my point: When Jesus NEEDS something that you think is yours, even if it is only a jackass, you might as well do as these guys did and give it up without a fight, and, I might add, you (like these guys) will in all probability be amazed at what He does with your “jackass”!

Now, the fact is this: Jesus does not NEED anything. He is completely self-sufficient; however, He sometimes pretends to NEED something in order to let us get in on the action, in order to bless us with the gift of participating in what He is doing. Again, I can only imagine how those two disciples (vs. 29b) felt when they “found it just as He had told them” (vs. 32). Because I know nothing about the men who owned the donkey, I cannot say how they responded; however, if they loved Jesus, I can tell you that they were mighty proud that He was riding on their donkey (probably wishing they had received an advance notice, so they could have offered Him one of their finest horses!).

So, quit concerning yourself with whether or not Jesus NEEDS anything and make up your mind to be ready to untie your “jackass,” if He should pretend to need it and send someone for it. I can only tell you this: you will be glad you did—really glad. Not to mention this: you will probably get the surprise of your life!

God's Promise Fulfilled

Thursday morning, January 10, 2008

This is what Jesus said (among other things) about His church: “. . . I will build My church and the gates of Hades (Hell) shall not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18b). Soon (very soon) after making this declaration, He told His disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ (vs. 20, in case you don’t believe me!). Please allow my paraphrase: “I and I alone will be responsible for building My church and nothing will stop me or hinder me, not even the gates of Hell, but don’t tell anyone who I am or what I am about; let’s keep this a secret.”

Funny how none of the politicians, be they Democratic or Republican, are taking this approach today. Oh, to be sure, each of them is making it clear that he (or she) will rebuild America and do it in such a way that no one, not even the radical Muslims (the gates of hell), will be able to overtake her; HOWEVER, none of them has said, even implied, “Let’s keep this a secret!” Each of them is spending more money, than most of us can even imagine, for the sole purpose of letting everyone know who they are (the best candidate by far) and what they are about (being America’s “messiah”!). To be sure, His ways are NOT our ways—period.

Regardless of the promises any of the presidential candidates might make (raise taxes, cut taxes, secure the borders, open the borders, quit the war, bring the troops home, stay the course, end the IRS, implement the Fair Tax, begin universal health care [God forbid!], decrease crime or increase crime) they will NOT keep them—not a single one of them—and they will not because it is not within their power to keep them. The fact is this: everything these politicians are saying is mere rhetoric (the ability to use language effectively, especially to persuade or influence people; fine-sounding but insincere or empty language) and, amazingly, many American really place their hope in the foolish rhetoric of these demigods.

Then there is Jesus and His, “Let’s keep this a secret!” mentality. Basically, this is what He said (my paraphrase): I am the Christ, the Son of God and I will build My church and I will build it without anyone’s help and I will do it in such a manner that nothing, not even the Gates of Hell will be able to overpower it—THIS IS MY PROMISE TO YOU—but do not tell anyone because I do not want to be bothered with unsolicited help, nor do I want there to be any question, as to who built the church, or as to who sustains her! Now, listen up: Jesus never makes a promise that He will not keep—period.

Many years ago, God promised me that He would allow me to see the true church, the one He built and sustains (I remember right where I was when He spoke to me!) but to be honest, although I remember the moment very clearly, I had almost lost hope, as to ever seeing it.

Last night the GCF group met to begin thinking about how we might best do the unthinkable—LET THE SECRET OUT that Jesus doesn’t need any help, and, thereby, make others aware of what we enjoy, as a part of the Body of Christ—no frills, no programs, no financial drives, no pressures—just church in it purest and simplest form. We gather on Sunday mornings for fellowship, for worship, for the preached/taught Word, and for the sacraments.

It took me until this morning to realize what I saw last night; finally, after all of these years (almost 30), God let me see the true church and He let me see it in action! Yes, I know that the true church exists across the entire world but, as He promised, He let me see it and see it in all its glory last night, as He manifested it in a small group of believers, who were sincerely seeking Him. I am humbled and encouraged, beyond anything mere words might communicate.

What One Would Think Ain't Always the Way Things Is!

Friday evening, January 4, 2008
This is what Jesus had to say to those of us who become weary and heavy-laden: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light” (Matthew 11:28-30; NASB). Because this is Jesus speaking, I know that it is true, BUT sometimes I do wonder if He is saying what He appears to be saying. His yoke might be easy and His load might be light (I am sure that they are!) but from all indications, I haven’t quite learned how to make practical application of this in my own life.
If you notice, He is telling us to “learn from Him,” if we expect to grasp this, which I surely want to do; however, I am beginning to think that I am a much slower learner than I have previously believed—not the brightest lamp in the room, kind of thing. I mean, gosh!, this notion of rest sounds great to me—not the kind of rest one needs after raking the yard or digging a ditch, but the kind of rest one needs when he is “soul-tired.”
To tell you the truth I have never used that phrase before now, but it is a very good one—descriptive, to say the least. It is one thing to be weary from raking leaves or digging ditches, but it is quite another to be weary and, yes, “heavy laden” from having to deal with those things that are of the soul—mind, will, and emotions. Unlike the weariness that results from manual labor, it is the kind of weariness from which recovery is difficult—very difficult—because it never seems to take a break. It is the kind of weariness that would be similar to raking leaves, not for an hour or so, but week after week after week, without any breaks, except worse. REST FOR YOUR SOULS! Now that sounds great to me but enjoying it is another thing.
You remember the story of the man who was walking down the road, carrying a very heavy backpack, stumbling along and barely able to put one foot in front of the other, when someone stopped in a pickup truck to offer him a ride, which he gladly accepted. He climbed into the back of the truck and off the driver went, merrily down the road, until he looked in the rear view mirror and saw that the man was still carrying the heavy backpack! Sometimes, I think I might be that man; to be sure, I do seem to be carrying quite a bit, in spite of the fact that Jesus offered me such an incredible ride.
Now don’t panic on me, as I do have and enjoy “spirit rest”. Long ago, I learned and believed that I am His and nothing can change that—absolutely nothing—and when I did, I stopped striving to gain what was already mine—spirit rest. I can tell you with integrity that I am not weary or heavy-laden with worry about my relationship with Jesus; I am truly resting in Him, which, I might add, is a good thing, a very good thing—the most important thing—because all this other “stuff” will pass away!
Even so, Jesus did tell us that if we would come to Him and watch Him (learn from Him) when we are soul-tired (weary and heavy-laden; mind, will, and emotion tired), He would give us rest for our souls! Well, just for the record, I am watching Him, as carefully as I can, purposing to learn from Him—quickly—because I really could use some soul-rest!
If I could just learn to drop the backpack from my own shoulders into the bed of the pickup truck—
One would think that after 50+ years as a Christian, I would have learned this long ago, but what one would think ain’t always the way things is!