#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.

#183

Criticism Can Give You a Headache

I heard a preacher once say that some folks live like they were born in vinegar and weaned on sour pickle juice.

I believe that one of the ways that Satan is very effective in defeating individual Christians, or at the very least rendering them as an ineffective witnesses,  is with a constant bombardment of negative criticism. He puts negative people in our lives that can turn us into continual critics ourselves if we are not careful.

In his book, “Three Simple Steps: A Map To Success in Business and Life," author, Trevor Blake, describes what happens in the brain when a person is exposed to constant criticism. Now before I go any further, I will admit that some will use this study to say there should be no criticism. That is not the intent of Blake’s study and it is not the intention of this article. What he and his study dealt with was what happens to us when we are in an environment of constant negativity.

Have you ever left with a headache after being cornered in a negative environment for a long period of time?

“A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; Proverbs 27:15 NIV.” I use this passage not as a characterization of women, but because of the use of the visual - "a constantly dripping faucet.”  A quarrelsome anyone would be compared to this “drip, drip, drip.”

"The brain works more like a muscle than we thought," Blake says. "So if you're pinned in a corner for too long listening to someone being negative, you're more likely to behave that way as well."

This is the danger for Jesus people. The study reveals that if exposed to constant negative criticism, we could end up becoming negative critics ourselves. We know that “bad company corrupts good character, (I Corinthians 15:33 CEB).” Paul’s point is that we should not be bad company, but it is also understood that we should not be in bad company for fear it would rub off on us.

Blake’s study reveals that constantly being in highly critical company can rub off on us.

I wonder how many of us became negative people because of constant exposure to negativity.

The kind of criticism we are referencing is not constructive input, but criticism where the critic is typically not interested in a solution, but only vocalizing his or her negativity and getting others to join in. The negative criticism may not be about you, but directed to you about who knows what: politics, sports, garbage pick-up, telephone service, etc.

The source of this type of bombardment is not limited to those we interact with. It can come from all forms of media. Much of what comes into our lives is accessed via the “on” button on our communication devices; and much of that input is constantly negative. So how can we insulate ourselves to some degree from this constant barrage? We can turn off the computer, the television, the radio, mP3 player, etc, but there is no “off” button for people.

The reason this is so important is because it affects our witness for Jesus. Who wants to become a member of a family full of constant critics?

This really presents a double-barreled dilemma. How do we not become enmeshed in negativity, and how do we help this person escape the prison of being constantly critical?

Our solution, I believe, is to, “Come out from among them.” We cannot allow ourselves to be continually exposed to continual criticism for fear it will turn us into a negative monster.

Then we need to carefully help a person out of that mire with love and patience, describing the impact, or potential impact, they can have on the people in their life circles. I really don’t think they want to, nor do they realize that they are, giving people headaches with their constant criticism of virtually everything that goes on around them – turning us into negative and constantly critical people.

#182

There Is Simply No More Room Under the Bus

Bosses sometimes do it to employees. Sometimes, employees do it to bosses, though probably behind their back if they want to keep their job. Sometimes it’s done employee to employee. We see politicians do it to their fellow politicians almost on a daily basis. Where ever it occurs, it creates a toxic environment. To put it in milder terms it’s called making your fellow human being look bad in order to make yourself look good. Another more concise and precise way to put it is “throw them under the bus”. And there’s just no more room under the bus.

I guess there was a time when “saving face” was something someone did for you. They acted or spoke in your behalf to make you look maybe not quite so bad. Now we take it upon ourselves to save our own face by throwing people under the bus.

And it’s even more tragic when you see two followers of Jesus Christ treat each other that way. To some degree it’s what turned me off from debates. It seemed at some point the debaters quit debating the issue, and started gouging each other’s eyes out - throwing each other under the bus.

We continue to see it in publications as editors and writers resort to name-calling and demeaning statements when addressing their side of an issue.

I believe the one who is doing the throwing is the one who is self deceived. They believe they are better than everyone else and they are, therefore, going to make sure that everyone else knows it no matter whose dignity and self-worth is at stake.

Too many times this takes the form of outright lies. They simply make up things about the other person which are not true. But for the self deceived person, the truth is not the goal - others thinking highly of them is.

And it seems that there are those who constantly find themselves under the bus. How long can they take it? Many would say it is their fault for not being more assertive. Since when do we shift the blame to the victim and away from the culprit? Oh yes. I forgot. This is the 21^st century.

Surely we, at least intellectually, know this is not the way to treat people. But what about if you are the one being treated this way?

The words of Jesus, “Love your enemies, pray for those who harass you” (Matthew 5:44 – CEB)

The words of Paul, “Bless people who harass you - bless and do not curse them.”  (Romans 12:14 – CEB)

Easier said than done, I guess. There’s just no more room under the bus.

#181

Jesus and Sacred Selectivity

The man has been sick for thirty-eight years. Whether factual or not, there was the belief that if one was the first to be immersed in the pool of Bethesda after the water has been disturbed he or she would be healed. This infirm man had a problem. His illness debilitated him from getting into the water by himself, and there was no one around to help him, so someone else would get into the pool first and be healed. Then the waiting would start again until the water was once again disturbed and the disappointment that would follow when he would not experience healing.

John records this for our reading in chapter 5 of his Gospel. Verse 3 indicates that there were many people at the pool waiting to be healed. Perhaps there were others who were of the same debilitation as this fellow. Maybe there were some who had been waiting just as long as he had – maybe longer. At any rate this is the one that Jesus focuses on and heals.

Are we not at least tempted to ask, “What about the others?” “Why does this fellow get preferential treatment?” “How could Jesus walk away from the rest of those who were suffering?” “Couldn't He just have waved his hand and healed all of those who were at the pool?”

In Matthew 8:16 and 12:15 we find Jesus in two different locations and he healed all the sick that were brought to him. Here in John 5 we find Jesus walking into a location where there were plenty of sick, yet he healed only one.

Of course, there were plenty of sick who were never touched by Jesus’ healing hand. There were many who were demon possessed and did not experience exorcism at the hands of Jesus. There were many who died and were not raised. Even those who were raised eventually died again without Jesus around for a second resurrection.

Today we hear stories, and maybe this is a personal experience for you, of those who have been miraculously healed. They give praise to God for this healing, and rightly so. But it does beg the question, why them and not my loved one? Is God being selective? If one is healed, why not all?

It may be that we are making too much out of this incident. Could it be that the healing is not the important message here, but rather it is Jesus recognizing the hopeless plight of this individual? His hopelessness was wrapped up in what he considered to be his source of healing. His hopelessness was a matter of the right, or wrong, timing. His hopelessness was exaggerated by his absolute dependence on some other human being. His hopeless state would be the state he would die in if he had not come in contact with Jesus.

The assurance that we take away from this incident is that Jesus will step into our hopeless situations – any time - any place. In the middle of your hopelessness, have you invited Him in? Are your prepared for His healing?

#180

The Faith Expert

Yesterday our church family sat in heat because the A/C was not working. I guess we all survived and I did work through my sermon perhaps more speedily than normal. We discovered on Monday that a series of breakers had popped off which did not allow the compressors to do their thing in the chiller (Yes, that is the system we have). As soon as the switch was thrown, compressors start compressing, chillers start chilling, pumps start pumping, valves start...uhm...valving, and we now have cool air. That simple! All we needed was an expert who knew what to do.

Of course I am trying to use this as an illustration.  I am wondering what it takes to make our spiritual system work at peak performance. I am wondering how many of us have just become content with the way things are spiritually. Have we just puttered and muttered along out there when there was so much more success available if we can just find the switch.

I know one thing that really excited Jesus, the expert on faith. He was electrified, and said so, when he observed or interacted with someone demonstrating great faith in Him and/or His Father. At some points He “marveled” at faith. At other points He compared it to the lacking faith of the Israelites.

He gets after us when our faith is replaced by senseless worry. The very ones that should have had faith, or at least a growing faith, were the ones that were chastised. At various points He asked them, “Where is Your Faith?”

Sometimes I think I am acting on faith when in reality I have made a decision based on reason or logic, or on personal preference (what I wanted in the first place) and I, not the expert, have christened it “faith.”

A troubling statement that Jesus makes to two blind men was, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” Why is it troubling? Those words were said in response to positive actions of faith on the part of those two blind men. Wonder if it still applies to those of us who at times have little or no faith, “According to your faith will it be done to you?” What are we missing when the faith breaker has been tripped “off?”

If we are going to flip the switch that springs God into action, it will be when we turn on our faith.

Hebrews 11:6

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

At least, that is what the expert says.

#179

Focus, Focus, Focus

So many times my peripheral vision gets in the way. I can’t seem to stay focused on what is in front of me because of the sideline distractions that surface virtually every day. Right now, Tuesday, I am at my desk trying to get my sermon for Sunday at least to the simmering stage so that by Saturday it will be well done. However, there are too many distractions. My son called, always a welcome distraction. Someone called about church softball league. I have a book that I am into on the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and it is begging me to read the next chapter.

If anyone had to deal with distractions it was Jesus – hardheaded disciples, traitors, pharisaic religious leaders, the Romans, etc. But He remained focused.

John 4:34

          My food, said Jesus, is to do the will of Him who sent me.

Apparently this scene was a distraction for His disciples as they noticed he was talking to a woman, a Samaritan woman at that.

John 6:38

          For I have come down from heaven not to do my will,

          but the will of Him who sent me.

It seems that He might have been saddened, but not distracted, by those who could not accept His teaching (John 6:66).

Luke 9:51

          As the time approached for Him to be taken up to

          heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

You can almost see Jesus looking in the direction of Jerusalem, if not looking right at Jerusalem, and setting one foot in front of the other totally focused on the will of His Father.

Even in the garden Jesus did not lose focus on His mission. He so understood the ramifications of His mission that He asked for new orders if possible. It wasn't!

Have to wonder if we as individual Christians or as a collective body have lost our focus. Observation tells us that we have. Out there in our peripheral vision are many things that distract us; politics, materialism, self-promotion, idolizing human beings, entertainment, programs, worship styles, preaching styles, etc.

It appears that Jesus gave us our marching orders when he predicted the manner of His death.

John 12:32

         But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will

         draw all men to myself.

Focus! Focus! Focus! We've lost our focus on our mission, and seem to be focused on a host of other lesser missions which will not produce the results of drawing men to Jesus.

Focus! Focus! Focus! Let’s get it back! I can’t even begin to imagine the impact Christianity can have on the world if we stay focused.

Hebrews 12:2

          Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter

         of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the

         cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand

         of the throne of God.

#178

From God to Servant

As I’m sitting here determining how to begin our study of Philippians for class tonight, I have landed on Philippians 2:5-6.

             Who, being in very nature God, did not consider

             equality with God something to be grasped, but

             made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a

             servant, being made in human likeness.

How could He? How would He? Should He? How could he give up God, or the very nature of God, and become a servant, or take the very nature of a servant? Those two natures are about as opposite as any two natures could possibly be. I remember when my wife and I moved to New Mexico from Dallas, Texas. Our change in location resulted in culture shock.

How could Jesus take that-moving from the nature of God to the nature of man-moving from the position of master to the position of slave? I wonder if He experienced nature shock. Did he even know what that would involve? Had he experienced the nature of a servant before, or had he just witnessed it from his position with God?

2:8 tells us that this required humility. That almost sounds like an understatement. It was a level of humility that no humanity has ever developed. Sometimes we find ourselves humbled when the police officer has pulled us over for a traffic violation. We feel pretty sheepishly humble when an error on our tax return has been found not by us, but by the IRS. Jesus’ humility did not come as a result of a mistake he had made, but from a heart that was more than willing and anxious to carry out the Will of His Father.

One who was in very nature God, humbled himself, and put on the nature of a servant. No, I don’t know how he could do it. But I do know that in order for us to be saved, and have a relationship with God, he should have done it!

The result of this is,

        “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

         in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and

         every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to

         the glory of the father (2:10-11).”

Don't know how He could have, but He did. Don't know how He would do it, but He did. Don't know if He should, but He thought He should and did.

#177

Sees What You Are - Not What You Were

I am not sure of all the psychological reasons as to why we can’t let go of our own pasts with all of our failures and glitches. The writer of Hebrews says we need to put all of that stuff down so we can get focused on Jesus (Hebrews 12).

At his invitation, Jesus has dinner with a Pharisee named Simon (Luke 7). It is during that meal that a sinful woman comes in and begins to cleanse the feet of Jesus. She was a prostitute. Simon knew this about her and, as far as he was concerned, that’s what she would forever be. “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman that she is – that she is a sinner.” He saw her for what she was.

Jesus looks at her and sees a redeemed soul. “Your sins are forgiven.”   He saw her as saved. “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

We can take a great deal of solace in the fact that Jesus sees us as we are and not as we were. I can hate what I was. I can get as far away as I can from what I was. I can teach others to not be what I was, but with Jesus I am seen as I am. I don’t need to wear what I was around my neck. I can rejoice in the reality that I am no longer what I was.

If Jesus can see me for what I am, then I should too. If Jesus could look at this prostitute (formerly) and see a redeemed and saved individual, then I can too.

This comes into play in both scenarios mentioned in the previous paragraph; how we look at ourselves, and how we look at others. Sometimes in our dealings with others we only see them as they were. It seems we can’t get past their past. It’s a good thing that Jesus can.

Could it possibly be that we can’t get past their past because we can’t get past our own past? The first step is to hear Jesus say to you now regardless of what you were and did then, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you, go in peace.”

#176

A True Reflection

It seems he was pretty intent on seeing the Father. Philip made the request of Jesus, “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” I’m thinking that many of us feel the same way. If God would just reveal Himself to us, if He would just let us see Him then “that will be enough for us.”

Jesus’ response to Philip is somewhat curt. “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you for such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the father.” If I may borrow words from a song by Acappella (though in a different context), He (God) was “standing right in front of him (Philip),” apparently had been for some time.

Hebrews 1:3 states that truth this way, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being…” This is more, much more, than being a chip off the old block.”

I am wondering if in our intent to come to know God that we skip right over Jesus. And can I say that it is impossible to come to know God without knowing Jesus. Someone should start a blog called, “Who is Jesus?” Oh yes, someone has.

You want to know how God would react to rebellion? Take a look at how Jesus reacted to rebellion. You want to know how God would respond to faithfulness or faithlessness? Remember how Jesus responded to faith demonstrated and faith failures. You want to know how God would respond to our hurts and pains? Follow Jesus as He stops to ease the hurts and pains of so many people. You want to know how God would respond to Satan? Just watch Jesus kick him in the teeth.

Sometimes I think we are looking for something different from God. Maybe we know how Jesus would react or what He would say in certain situations, but we are hoping just maybe God would react or speak differently.

Maybe we think if we go to God we are going right to the top. Don’t forget that Jesus is there too, seated at the right hand of God - now!

Oh yes, we can learn about God from His creation, (Romans 1). If we start with creation, we should be able to reason to a creator. But the ultimate revelation of God comes through His Son.

If we get to know Jesus, we will get to know God. Jesus speaks what His Father speaks. He does what His Father gave Him to do. That’s what the “exact representation” does. As a matter of fact it is difficult if not impossible to tell them apart. Who is Jesus? The exact representation of God – a true reflection.

#175

Behind Enemy Lines

A movie in 2001 portrayed a Navy navigator – Lt. Christ Burnett played by Owen Wilson - being shot down behind enemy lines. The movie is the story of him working his way back to the point of rescue without being killed by Bosnian soldiers. His commanding officer has to go against politics to launch a rescue mission. He is ultimately rescued and renews his desire to continue to be a Navy pilot.

I know the story of another one who went behind enemy lines – a couple of differences here. He did it voluntarily, and He did it universally.

In this plot the enemy territory was death,

I Corinthians 15:26

26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

                                 and the enemy commander was the devil himself.

Hebrews 2:14

14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil

One risks much going into enemy territory. Perhaps the greatest risk of all is that those you are trying to save have no appreciation for the hazardous nature of the mission. You are meeting the enemy face to face. Jesus met his enemy head-on, and came out on the other side victorious!

Jesus had more power than death could handle.

Acts 2:24

24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

  

He considered you and me worth the risk. There was too much at stake to shrink back from this mission.

Romans 4:25

25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

II Timothy 1:10

10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,  who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

And it was "mission accomplished." We can taunt the enemy with these questions and assurances  from Paul!

I Corinthians 15:55

55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

  

Romans 8:38-39

38 For I am convinced that neither death…, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Enemy lines have been breached!!!

#174

Walking in His Steps

I John 2:5-6

But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

Impossible! Doesn’t it sound that way to you? Walk as Jesus did. Go where he went. Do what he did. Say what he said. I’m not sure that we fully understand who Jesus was and is to the point that we could walk just like him. But that is probably not the issue.

We know enough about Jesus to see him as someone totally different… Revolutionary… Out-of-the-box. I think what we are dealing with within ourselves is not that we do not know enough about Jesus, but a reluctance to be like him.

To walk as Jesus did means to take steps toward the religious establishment and confront it with truth, truth that sometimes and perhaps many times is in direct conflict with established religious practice and teaching.

To walk as Jesus did means to step right up to the sick and hurting and bring them healing regardless of what the “Sabbath” practice demanded, or supposedly demanded.

To walk as Jesus did means to come face-to-face with some pretty ordinary people and encourage them to follow Him.

To walk as Jesus did means to have intentionality in our steps. Too many of us on too many days let the pressures and strategies of the world take us here and there without ever standing up to them and saying, “Jesus has other things in mind for me today.”

To walk as Jesus did means to have an open line of communication with the Father. And though that is a two-way path for communication with God, it is primarily for God speaking to us.

And of course, to walk as Jesus did means a complete sacrifice of self to the will of God, the salvation of man, and ministering to the hurting.

That may explain our reluctance, but it doesn’t excuse it. It would be unfair of God to put this expectation out there without a reasonable hope of fulfillment. And there is hope!

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.

Ephesians 1:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

#173

One Who Deserves More Than We Give

It’s a very old song (I Gave Me Life for Thee – Harvard and Bliss, 1858). Each of its four verses ends with a question, and the question is repeated. It’s like we really need to give this some serious time and consideration.

Verse one

“I gave, I gave my life for thee, what hast thou given for me?”

Verse Two

“I left, I left it all for thee, what hast thou left for me?”

Verse Three

“I’ve borne, I‘ve borne it all for thee, what hast thou born for me?”

Verse Four

“I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, what hast thou brought for me?

I don’t think I need to rewrite these verses in modern English. I believe we get the point.

I played enough sports that I cannot even begin to count the times my coach said give it 110 %. I guess it is obvious to most of us that to exceed at anything we must push beyond the normal.

If you are that rich young ruler, don’t be satisfied with liquidating your holdings and giving to the poor. There was something else. Come follow Jesus (Matthew 19).

That woman caught in adultery was found without any accusers. But that wasn't the end. Stop sinning (John 8).

How much of us does Jesus deserve? Well, just how saved are you? Are you slightly saved? Are you saved just on Sunday? Are you saved as you dig in your pocket for the little bit you put into the plate. No such thing as being “sort of” saved.

                                            Hebrews 7:25

                    25 Therefore he is able to save completely  

                    those who come to God through him, because

                    he always lives to intercede for them.

We expect everything from Jesus while at the same time we expect Jesus to accept so little from us. We offer to him the leftovers, few leftovers at that, and expect Him to be so joyful that He jumps head over heels.

He Gave His Life, He Left Heaven, He Endured Agony, He Brought Blessings. What have we given, left, endured, or brought for Him?

#172

One Who Accepts Children

 (The Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting) 

On Friday, December 14, 2012, 26 innocent people living their daily Newtown, CN routine had their lives taken away from them by an individual ( I cannot and will not say his name – he deserves no notoriety for this senseless act of violence) who infiltrated their normalcy and blew it all to pieces. All lives lost in this incident represent a tragedy, individually and collectively. The slice of this tragedy that I want to make some effort to digest has to do with the children – and I’ll have to admit that digestion gets interrupted frequently by sickness in the pit of my stomach.

One thing that helps is remembering the title of my blog, “Who is Jesus?” If at all possible I want to go back to Jesus in this tragedy. In doing so, I remember what Jesus said at a time when some children were sensing and feeling their own disenfranchisement.

Of all people His very own disciples we the ones sweeping the children under the rug. They were the ones that were hindering the children from what was very likely the children’s parents plan for them that day – go see that man Jesus. In essence Jesus barks at His disciples, “Get back there. Do not interrupt their plan.” He says (Matthew 19:14)…

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

"Do you not know, Peter, Andrew, James, John, etc, that only children come to me? The ones you are blocking are the very ones I want, and, by the way, take an example. This is the only way anyone will get to me – child likeness."

A chapter earlier these same disciples are arguing about who is greatest. Jesus again brings children to the forefront as He says (vs. 3)…

“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Children and Heaven – now there is a connection. Jesus says it twice. His arms are wide open to children. The welcome mat is out for children. Don’t even ring the doorbell; the door is wide open!

There is unmistakable wailing on the part of parents who lost their children. You may be able to make sense of it, but I can’t. But what I do know is that these are the very ones that Jesus welcomes into heaven. Can’t you see it? The Son of God, while grieving and feeling for the parents, welcomes these 20 children into a place they will never have to leave. Can’t you just hear Him say, “Let these little children come to me. I've got you!"

#171

One Who Starts Where You Are

When I first started playing football, quite a while ago, the coach did not expect me to be an automatic superstar – which I never was. He did determine what I already knew and began to build on that. In other words he took me from where I was. This process is pretty common in every area of life. When it comes to a new job there is a learning curve. Brand new parents do not reach parenting expertise overnight. In each case one is taken from where they are and developed into what they need to be.

We need to remember this process in our attempts to bring our friends and neighbors into a relationship with God through Jesus. Of course Jesus is our prime example of using this process in dealing with people. “Come down out of that tree,” Zacchaeus, “I’m going home with you.” Jesus took him from where he was – a thief – to a recipient of salvation.

The woman caught in adultery was exactly that – an adulteress. “Go and sin no more.” She received mercy and it was exactly what she needed where she was.

How many of his disciples were hard working fishermen who became fishers of men? They couldn’t start out being fishers of men. They needed to grow.

If we are not careful we want to baptize super Christians without allowing time for growth and development. We think that they must be straightened out on everything, not limited to but including; eschatology, propitiation, however many acts of worship there are, what women can and cannot do, marriage-divorce-remarriage, communion at the beginning or end, etc.

I just remember the bottom line for the man born blind and healed by Jesus in John 9. “I was blind but now I see, (vs. 25).”  Isn’t that the bottom line for all of us? At one point we were totally blind, and now Jesus has made us see. Now that we can see, we can begin the process that Paul describes in Galatians 4:19.

               My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of
               childbirth until Christ is formed in you.

Spiritual formation is a process – a lifelong process. We have yet to become what we will be.

If you’ll understand who I am and where I am and help me see Jesus, I will become what I am supposed to be. If you make me begin by trying to be what I am supposed to eventually become, I will fall all over myself.

Start with people where they are.

#170

In his 2010 book, “Jesus, Unleashed,” Joel Killon quotes from social science professor and catholic priest, Andrew Greeley.

    “Much of the history of Christianity has been devoted to
     domesticating Jesus, to reducing that elusive, enigmatic,
     paradoxical person to dimensions we can comprehend,
     understand and convert to our own purposes.”

To put it other words, and in the form of a question, “Have we tended to dumb down Jesus?” We all believe and try to show the relevance of Jesus and His teachings to today’s world. In so doing, have we gone too far? Have we made Him so much “one of us” that we have lost the significance of who He truly is?

The Jews of His day were looking for someone totally different to what they were experiencing. Jesus came into this world as a radical – a spiritual radical. That would make Him hard to explain in human terms. Words would fail us.

Jesus comes into this world, healing, facing down the religious leaders, touching the wounded and afflicted, accepting the outcasts, giving His life, leaving the tomb, sitting at God’s right hand, and somehow we think we can explain all of that inhuman activity in human terms.

There is something more than special about being supernatural - Certain aspects of Jesus remaining an enigma make Him just that much more out of this world. We have tended to say that Jesus was all human and all God. That’s hard, if not impossible, to explain, and that is the way it should be.

I have reached the conclusion that I don’t need to try to explain everything about Jesus. I can’t do it. I want to believe it, enjoy it, bask in it, and tell it to others.

Do we really want a “domesticated Jesus,’ or do we want a glorious supernatural mysterious Savior?

Who is Jesus? #169

Someone Who Has Faith in Me

We can’t escape the teaching from Scripture that indicates how important our faith in God and Jesus is. “Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). So, let’s grow our faith.

But it appears to me that something else we have going for us is Jesus’ faith in us. He left the establishment and teaching of the early church in the hands of his apostles who had bungled things a time or two while following Jesus in His ministry (that gives me some hope as a fellow bungler).

Jesus tells Peter to feed the sheep (John 21). He has confidence that Peter will do just that – and he does.

Jesus has faith that He will have future believers who did not have personal contact with Him during His ministry, but believe anyway (John 20:29). I’m one of those, and you are too if you have accepted Him.

Jesus has faith in me that I will obey Him more and more each day out of love rather than duty.

Jesus has faith in me that I will share His Gospel story with others.

Jesus has faith in me that I will consider everyone better than myself.

Jesus has faith in me that I will, as a preacher, be faithful to the Word of God no matter what.

Jesus has faith in me that I will encourage the one-anotherness (made up that word) of  His Kingdom.

Jesus has faith in me that I will be guided by the Spirit that has been given to me.

Jesus has faith in me that I will let His light shine.

Jesus has faith in me that I will be the husband/father/grand father that He has made me to be.

Yes, as a follower of Jesus, I have faith in Him, and He has faith in me. He hasn't disappointed me, and I hope I haven't given Him too much opportunity to question His faith in me. I know there have been those times.

Who is Jesus? #168

One Who Counted No One Out

It appears to me that all too often we judge whether someone is or is not receptive to the Gospel before we decide to share it with them. Perhaps we think it will be a waste of time to share because they are not “ready.”  However, maybe this is an area where we really need to remember what Jesus said, “Thou shalt not judge.” Maybe, just maybe, this is the most dangerous judgment we can make. Have we somehow decided that we are the authority as to who can or cannot receive the saving message of Jesus Christ?

Can we not all recall the non-Jewish people that Jesus interacted with? It seems that only his Jewish associates had a problem with this. There was that Greek woman (Mark 7) who wanted Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. The interaction between her and Jesus seems at first to be rather hurtful, but Jesus had this discourse with her to teach His disciples that salvation is available to everyone.

Jesus apparently spent quite some time talking to a sinful Samaritan woman (John 4) about living water and her life with her significant other/s and, once again, His disciples take exception to Him even giving her the time or day. If He had responded to her like they wanted, not only would she not have had the good news, but neither would those other Samaritans who came to believe.

Jesus had time for children. It appears that His disciples felt Jesus would be too busy or too important to interact with kids. Jesus would deal with royalty as well as the poorest of the poor. He invited Himself to the home of a tax collector.

As far as I can tell no one was “off the map” as far as Jesus was concerned for receiving Him. Even those religious leaders of His day would have found salvation if they had been willing to do but one thing - repent.

I wonder who we have written off. Oh, they are too busy, too ignorant, too educated, too poor, too rich, too close, too distant, too skeptical, too high maintenance, etc.

Jesus, rather than counting Saul out, confronted him face to face with who He was. I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting (Acts 9:5).”   I wonder if introducing people to Christ rather than church doctrine or dogma would prove that more people are “ready” than we think they are.

We tend to count out, entertainment celebrities, politicians, prostitutes, etc. Would Jesus? Don’t they deserve a chance to hear? We know that is what they need.

I am glad someone counted me “ready” to hear the story of Jesus.

Who is Jesus? # 167

One Solitary Life

Adapted from a Sermon by James Francis

(This has been around a while, but it is worth sharing once again.)

He was born in an obscure village the child of a peasant woman.

He grew up in still another village

where He worked in a carpenter shop

until He was thirty, and then for three years

He was an itinerant preacher.

He never wrote a book.

He never held an office.

He never had a family.

He never owned a house.

He never went to college.

He never visited a big city.

He never traveled

two hundred miles

from the place

where He was born.

He did none of the things

one usually associates with greatness.

He had no credentials but Himself.

He was only thirty-three when

the tide of public opinion turned against Him.

His friends ran away.

He was turned over to His enemies

and went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.

While He was dying

His executioners gambled for His clothing,

the only property He had on earth.

When He was dead

He was laid in a borrowed grave

through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone,

and today Jesus is the central figure

of the human race,

the leader of mankind's progress.

All the armies that have ever marched

All the navies that have ever sailed

All the parliaments that have ever sat

All the kings that have ever reigned

put together

Have not affected the life

of mankind on this earth

as much as that

one solitary life.