#186

The Connected Savior

There is probably more to the thoughts of Hebrews 4:15, “He was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin” than we traditionally think.  We usually go to Jesus’ interaction with Satan in the desert to demonstrate His various temptations and comeback. What I see in this Hebrews passage is an attempt to describe our High Priest as one who is connected. The preceding statement, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,” communicates connection. That glorious first chapter vision given to John in the Apocalypse places our connected Savior right in the middle of His churches.

This ought to resonate with a postmodern world. A world where it seems one cannot be connected enough. Our Savior didn’t have, and for that matter didn’t need, digitized connections. He connected with an adulterous woman, a tax collector, a synagogue ruler, a house full of friends, blind people, deaf people, possessed people, a nighttime Pharisee, and many others, so I feel secure in saying He wants to be connected to you and me.

It seems that the connection was lost for the most part with the religious elite of His day. It seems that the connection with most of His closest followers was tenuous at best at times. That connection eventually was secured. Resurrection will take care of that.

He is the example of being connected while disconnect seems to be what we are good at. I wonder in all of our religiosity and ritual if we think we are connected to Him. I wonder in all of our business and cliquishness if we think we are even connected to each other. Do we connect only along age, racial, belief or economic criteria? Do we hang with those in our demographic and then call ourselves connected?

There are a lot of “C” words that come to mind; community, culture, closeness, camaraderie, compassion, completeness, common, come, etc.

A connected Savior surely calls His church to be connected. Some Bible speaks to this; “come to me all you who labor and are heavy burdened,” “I became all things to all people that by all means I might save some,” “let the little children come to me,” “love your neighbor as you love yourself,” “that whoever believes might not perish but have eternal life,” “how often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,” “I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy,” “do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together,” and many more.

Connection is a two-way street. No wonder those who come in after worship begins and leave as the last AMEN is still hanging in the air don’t feel connected. I know we have a connected Savior who wants secure a connection to you and me. Is the disconnect on your end?

#185

Surprisingly Dependable

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever, (Hebrews 13:8)” was my scripture for today. I think I have discovered that I was being simplistic in my understanding of this simple sounding teaching. To some degree it takes me back to the “What Would Jesus Do” days. I even remember seeing in a religious catalog a “What Would Jesus Do” Ouija Board – seems incongruous to me.

We read the testimony of the Gospels regarding the ministry of Jesus, and how He interacted with people, and we think we have it figured out. Because of these examples in scripture we think we have pinned down just how He would act if presented with the same or similar situation again.

One the one hand He rescues in violation of the law an adulteress from capital punishment, and on the other hand He brings ones' sins to the forefront pronouncing “woe” after “woe” on them.

Maybe we really don’t know what Jesus would really do. Did He ever do anything that surprised people? That’s almost a rhetorical question. Just maybe there are some things He knows that we don’t know. Maybe?  Maybe He is surprisingly dependable. Maybe that is what is “same” about Him. His varying displays of dependability just might surprise us.

Maybe there are some folks he expected more from, and rightly so. He reprimands His closest associates for their lack of faith even though they think they are about to drown, and He congratulates some unlikely folks for their demonstration of faith; those who would be considered very much on the fringe of the “acceptable” spiritual crowd.

We can always depend on Him to do His Father’s will – say what His Father wants Him to say, but would that involve always saying or doing the same thing when confronted with what we may think are similar situations? Again, maybe He knows something we don’t.

There are some things that we can depend on Jesus to do every time from now on. He will always do what is right for the situation and person at hand to help them to see the light and make mid-course corrections – “same yesterday.” That may look different from one person to another or one situation to another. What He does/says in His interactions with people will always be an expression of love for them– “same today.” That love may come in the form of discipline rather than blessings  He always considered Himself a servant of, and to, others even to the point of washing the feet of those who would betray/deny/forsake Him– “same forever.” Then He turns around and chastises the very ones He is serving - that is a form of serving.

So if you’re looking for the love that Jesus has for you which He has for all His faithful followers (same), look for the method that He is using to show you that love, and stand ready to be surprised. His dependability just might be displayed in surprising ways.

#184

Signed, Sealed and Delivered

In Revelation 7 we are introduced to a huge crowd of, “144,000 from all the tribes of Israel, (7:4)” - 12,000 from each tribe. A quick analysis highlights that this is not intended to be literal Israel because the roll call of tribes is different from that in the Old Testament, and Judah is mentioned first rather than the traditional listing from the oldest to the youngest sons of Jacob, which would have Reuben first.

That added to the process of sealing each person on their forehead tells us that something important is being demonstrated to John, and us, in this vision. Its urgency is emphasized by the fact that this is a heavenly interruption (Chapter 7) between opening the sixth (chapter 6) and the seventh seal (Chapter 8) on the scroll. All of these symbols add up to a very powerful representation of God, and His relationship to His people.

In the previous chapter (6:12-17) a future ferocious and earth-devastating series of events is shown. Things are going to change, and it is being facilitated by God. While it is not the purpose of this post to explore the specifics of those devastating changes, it is quite natural that these faithful ones might be asking how they would survive through this traumatic turn of events. What will happen to them?

The seal on their foreheads (7:3-4) lets them know full well that God knows who His faithful ones are. He has His eyes on them/you – never out of His sight - similar in some respects to the picture of Jesus walking in the middle of His churches (represented by lampstands- 1:12-20).

Some might say that if indeed He knows those who are His, He would protect them from the coming trauma. That has never been a promise. The church in Smyrna would "suffer persecution for ten days," (2:10), and is exhorted to faithfulness. What He has promised is, “I will never leave you, I will never forsake you, (Hebrews 13:5).”

Just as God gives the assurance of His presence with these 144,000, He gives us the assurance that His eyes have not left us even when life has turned our world upside down. We have been given a seal just as these had received. “Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession -to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:13b-14).”

There will be times in the life of each Christian when things get difficult – life has slapped us in the face or punched us in the gut. It is important that we know that God has not turned His back on us. He knows you and recognizes your faithfulness in both the good times and when the hard knocks of life come our way. You are signed, sealed and delivered into God’s presence and loving hands.