SPIRITUAL WEEKEND WARRIOR

 

Colossians 3:17 (NIV)
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Sports is a huge part of our society. From the time children can walk they are introduced to sports; soccer, football, baseball, hockey, basketball, tennis, golf, etc. Many children are enrolled in sports programs that can dominate their lives. The message that they receive is that sports is an important part of their lives, if not an essential part.

As children grow into adulthood there is a shift. As the demands of work take center stage, sports is relegated to some evenings and weekends. Many adults cease to be active participants and become avid spectators. Others fall into the category of weekend warriors who participate in some organized form of their chosen sport.

There is a big difference between a professional athlete and a weekend warrior. For the professional, their sport is their life. It dominates everything that they do. For the weekend warrior, their sport is a hobby that they indulge in periodically.

I think that many of us are more like weekend warriors than pro athletes when it comes to our faith. We gear up for Sunday and possibly some weekday small group or Bible study but focus on other things the rest of the time. Our faith is not the dominant force in our everyday lives. It isn’t that we don’t believe or that our faith is not genuine. It does mean that we approach our faith more like a hobby than a lifestyle.

The Bible is clear that our faith should permeate every aspect of our lives. It should shape our personality, our character, and the way we interact with others and the world around us. As Paul states in his letter to the Ephesians, we are to live a life worthy of our calling in Christ. (Eph. 4:1)

In essence, Paul is challenging us to move from being weekend warriors to the pro level. He challenges us to up our game to a new level of spiritual reality. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)

Paul doesn’t leave us in a vacuum to figure out how to be a spiritual pro. He gives us practical guidance about what is involved in living our faith as a daily experience. First, he instructs us to put on the right equipment.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

He also translates this into specific actions that we can incorporate into our everyday lives.

Ephesians 4:25-32, 5:1-2 (NIV)
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

I was running the other day and a man rode up next to me on his bike. He said, I could never do what you are doing. I told him that I started running many years ago and have just kept it up. In sports, a person doesn’t go from a weekend warrior to a pro athlete overnight. It takes discipline, consistency, and hard work. A person starts with the basics and gradually refines their skills. Each step taken moves a person closer to the goal.

In the same way, we do not move from being a spiritual weekend warrior to a spiritual pro overnight. In fact, it is a lifelong journey. The more we discipline our daily lives to be in line with God’s design, the more we will move toward being a full-time believer of Christ. When it comes to sports, it is okay to be a weekend warrior. But we should never settle for that as a follower of Christ. Our walk with Him is far too important.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

 

DEVELOPING SPIRITUAL MUSCLE MEMORY

 

Philippians 4:9 (NIV)
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I like to watch football and baseball. I am constantly amazed at the skill of those who play the game well. A quarterback steps back to pass. He is surrounded by defensive players all trying to tackle him. Just before they get to him, he sends a perfect spiral down the field to a wide receiver who extends his arms and pulls in the pass. It seems effortless at times. The bases are loaded. The game is on the line. A player steps to the plate and awaits the pitcher’s first offering. It is close but just outside. He refuses to swing. The next pitch comes in a little low, but right over the edge of the plate. He swings and connects, sending the ball flying over the fence for a grand slam.

When we watch these amazing athletes, we are tempted to think that they just have natural talent that allows them to do what they do. Although natural talent plays a part, it is only the starting point. The ability for these athletes to perform at such a high level is the product of hours and hours of practice. The quarterback spends hours throwing balls to his receivers in order to refine his throw. The hitter spends hours in the batting cage perfecting his swing. They are developing what is called muscle memory, which allows them to perform under pressure without having to think about the mechanics of what they are doing.

As followers of Christ, we can learn an important lesson from these amazing athletes. If we want to perform well under pressure, we need to develop spiritual muscle memory. We need to practice the components of godly living when we are not being put to the test. The more we consciously practice living as Jesus would have us live, the less we will have to think about how to respond when the pressure is on.  

Throughout church history, people have used spiritual disciplines to shape their lives, just as athletes use practice to train for the game. The goal is to so infuse our lives with godly character that we will naturally respond in a godly way. If we have not practiced spiritual skills in advance, when the pressure is on, we will fail.

Paul set an example for the people of Philippi when he told them to observe what he did and then practice those things for themselves. We too can learn from watching others who have performed well spiritually and follow their example. But just knowing what to do is not enough. We have to practice those skills over and over until they become a part of our life.

Spiritual muscle memory comes as we intentionally practice character building activities in our life. As we make the effort, over and over again, to live like Jesus, our character and life will be shaped. Our actions will conform to those things we practice the most.

Paul makes the point that just as physical training is a benefit to us, so spiritual training is of even more benefit. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 (NIV)

Paul fleshes out some of the training exercises that we should include in our daily lives. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13 (NIV) Each of these practices can develop our spiritual muscles so that we respond appropriately in any situation.

A key area where we need to develop spiritual muscle memory is in prayer.  Too often for us prayer is an afterthought. We pray when we feel challenged or when we are facing a difficult situation. But we have not made prayer a regular part of our daily life. Paul calls us to make the practice of prayer a regular part of our daily lives. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) If we are to develop spiritual muscle memory in prayer, we have to pray often, pray broadly, and pray intentionally on a regular basis. We cannot wait for the crisis to come before we pray. Prayer needs to be an integral part of our daily life, so that we can draw upon it when the crisis comes.

Prayer is just one example of a spiritual discipline that needs to be a part of our spiritual training regimen. There are many other spiritual skills that we need to develop as we progress on our spiritual journey: service, solitude, giving, fasting, study, etc. The key is practice, practice, practice. The more that we actually, intentionally practice the skills of godly living, the more they will become a natural part of our life. We will develop spiritual muscle memory so that when the time comes, we will respond in the right way, without having to think about the mechanics of what we are doing.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE?

 

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.

What does it mean for us to love God and love others? The concept of love is a real mixed bag. We all know that we use the word love in many different ways. We might say, I love my car, I love my dog, I love my job, I love ice cream, I love my children, I love my spouse. In each case we mean something very different by the word love.

Infortunately today, the word love is most often equated with sexual desire. A catch phrase today for some people is, no one has the right to tell me who I can love. What is really meant by that is no one has the right to tell me who I can love sexually. This is very unfortunate and also misleading.

This really comes into play when we talk about loving God. Many men find it hard to talk about loving God because of how the word love is used today. Yet we are commanded to love God with all that we are.

I read a book years ago called Why Men Hate the Church or something like that. One of the reasons is that much of the language we use in church makes men very uncomfortable. It is often very feminine language that most men cannot identify with. That is especially true when we talk about loving God.

So, what does it mean to love God, and from there to love others?

The first step is to expand our understanding of the word love. In English we have only one word; love. In Greek, and other languages as well, there are multiple words that describe what we call love.

In its simplest form, love is an expression of appreciation or liking. To say that I love any object, such as my car or ice cream, is to say that I appreciate and value those things. Even this has some breadth to it. When I say that I love ice cream, I really mean that I really like the taste of ice cream. But to say that I love my house is to mean that I appreciate the sense of warmth and security I get from my place of dwelling.

When we turn from objects to people, the word love takes on different meanings. At a very basic level love expresses the positive relationships that can exist within a family unit. Parents love their children and children love their parents. It is the natural connection that occurs because we are related to one another in that special bond of family. In many cases this kind of love is extended to aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. This love is what holds a family together. It is a sense of place and belonging, which we all desire. In many ways, it shapes our identity.

When we move outside of the family, love takes on a different meaning. In this sense, love is the expression of genuine friendship. It is more than mere acquaintance. When two or more people connect with one another on a deeper level, a bond of love is formed that has nothing to do with sexuality. Many men who have served in the military have experienced this kind of love for their fellow soldiers. There is a deep bond of shared experiences and shared values that sets this relationship apart from others.

Of course, there is also sexual or intimate love. Unfortunately, this level of love has taken center stage as the only real meaning of love. God created men and women to be connected in the most profound way through sexual and intimate love. This is a love that binds two people together in a unique way. It is the foundation for family. This love goes beyond just sexuality. It is a deep commitment to honor, serve, and care for one another above others. It is intended to be exclusive. It is the glue that binds a man and a woman together for a lifetime. This kind of love goes beyond feelings, although feelings are an integral part of it. When we isolate out the sexual component of this kind of love as the most important part we devalue it. This love, when experienced genuinely, is the closest to sacred love.

That brings us to the highest level of love; love for God or sacred love. This love is not physical, as the other loves are. It is spiritual. It encompasses most of the aspects of the other loves but takes them to a much higher level. To love God is to acknowledge who He is as the Creator and Sustainer of all that is. It is to give Him His rightful place on the throne of our lives. It is to celebrate His value, worth, and perfection. It is to Hold God in the highest regard, above all others. It also means to draw near to God in an intimate, close relationship where He can speak into our lives and shape who we become. To love God is to value what He values. It is to seek His glory and honor. To love God is to trust Him with our very life. To love God is to serve Him with all that we are and have.

When we sing or speak about loving God we are expressing our allegiance to Him. We are expressing our commitment to live in relationship with Him.

When we genuinely love someone, we are willing to sacrifice for them. We are willing to go out of our way to please them. We are willing to help them in whatever way we can. We are willing to stand with them through thick and thin. Genuine love is not about what we can get from the other person, but experiencing the pure joy of sharing life with them. That is the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated for us. It is the kind of love that He desires from us.

John 15:9-13 (NIV)
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

 

Colossians 3:17 (NIV)
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

When I say the word name, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For most of us, our first thought is about what we call someone. My name is Dave. We see a name as an identifier.

Last Sunday at our church we sang a song about the name of Jesus. It made we wonder what people were thinking as they sang that song.

For many people the name of Jesus is just that, his name, his moniker. For some people the name Jesus is like a magic incantation that we use at the end of their prayers to get God to act on our behalf. But the truth is that the name of Jesus is far more than just an identifier or a period at the end of a prayer.

In the Bible names were taken very seriously. A person’s name shaped their life. God often changed a person’s name to reflect a new direction. Abram became Abraham. Jacob became Isreal. Jesus gave Simon the name Peter to reflect the role he would play in the early church. The name of Jesus is significant; it represents the entirety of who He is.

The name of Jesus represents his identity as the Son of God. When we call of the name of Jesus, we are accepting who he is and giving our allegiance to him. As Jesus said in John 10:30 (NIV), “I and the Father are one.”

Peter emphasized this quality of Jesus’ name in his first sermon in Jerusalem when he called the people to call on the name of Jesus to be saved. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:37-38 (NIV)

The name of Jesus represents his character. We often say that a person has a good name, meaning that they are trustworthy. When we believe in the name of Jesus, we are affirming his character and worth. The writer of Hebrews touches on this when he referred to Jesus as our great High Priest. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Hebrews 4:15 (NIV)

The name of Jesus also represents his authority. When we send an ambassador to another country they act under the authority of or in the name of the US. This is what Paul is referring to in 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV). We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. When we invoke the name of Jesus was tapping into His authority.

The name of Jesus also represents his power. To call on Jesus’ name is to tap into his power. When Peter and John met the crippled man at the gate of the Temple, they called on the power of Jesus to heal him. Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Acts 3:6 (NIV)

When we sing about the name of Jesus, we are acknowledging something far more than just the name, Jesus. We are acknowledging who He is. We are calling upon his power and authority to act in our world in our time. The name of Jesus can unleash all the power of God into our lives and into our world. It should never be used lightly or flippantly.

Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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 God the Father.

 

 

Reflecting on a 50-year journey

 

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

               Recently I attended my 50^th class reunion at Wheaton College. It was great to reconnect with the campus and with former classmates. On Saturday night, our class had a banquet. During that time the question was asked how many of us ended up working in a field other than our major. An amazing number of hands were raised. I was one of them.

               In preparation for my reunion, I pulled out my collage yearbook. At the beginning of the yearbook was an article titled, Under Construction: You. The gist of the article was that our graduation was not an end in itself, but a beginning. As I reflected upon my time at Wheaton, one of the things that stands out is that every professor stressed that the goal of our education is to be a life-long learner. We were laying a foundation at Wheaton that we could build upon for a life-time.

               When I went to Wheaton, I had my sites set on being a medical missionary in Haiti. With that in mind I chose biology as my major, with the intention of going into Medical Technology. God had other plans. Once I finished my degree (with a side trip back to a community college along the way) I did not feel prepared to be a missionary. At that time, a friend of mine from High School was attending Bethel Theological Seminary. He encouraged me to join him there, which I did. That decision resulted in a major shift in the direction of my life.

               I enrolled at Bethel in the Master of Christian Education Program. My plan was to work in the background in a lab and do some youth ministry on the side. That was not God’s plan. During my first year at Bethel two of my professors challenged me to pursue preaching. By the end of that year I had transferred to the Master of Divinity program.

               Fast forward, that decision eventually landed me in Mankato, MN where I pastored a church for 31 years. During that time God gave me the opportunity to invest in the lives of international students from all over the world. He also opened the door for me to travel to Ukraine and minister to the people there. In the end I made 16 trips to Ukraine, building a solid relationship with two small churches and helping to train church leaders. God fulfilled my desire to be a missionary, just not in the way I had planned.

               As I reflect back over the past 50 years, I can see God’s hand at work directing and redirecting my steps. He knew that my plan was not the best one. I was able, through a classmate at Bethel, to see firsthand what life would have been like as a missionary to Haiti. God also challenged me to use the gifts He had given me, even though I was reluctant to do so. In the end His plan was and is far better than my plan.

               We are all on a journey. It is a journey with many twists and turns. It is rarely, if ever, a straight line. But when we submit our plans to God and yield to His plan, we discover that His plan is always the best.

               When I was in High School, I adopted Proverbs 3:5-6 as my life verses. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. The KJV is slightly different from the NIV translation. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) When I put these two versions together, I can see how God has been working His plan in my life. He has led me along the straight path, which is not always the easiest path to follow. He has also been directing my path all along. The words of the prophet Isaiah have truly been validated in my life.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

A TIMELY WORD FROM AN UNEXPECTED PLACE

 

Titus 3:9 (NIV)
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

               As a part of my daily devotions, I have been reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. This book was first printed in 1942. It consists of a series of letters between a senior demon and a junior demon. The senior demon, Screwtape, is instructing his nephew, Wormwood, in the art of tempting humans. The goal is to turn them away from “the Enemy” (God) so that they would be absorbed by the Evil One.

               By looking at temptation from the side of the tempter, we see more clearly Satan’s attacks on all of humanity and especially on those who believe in Christ. These letters can alert us to the more subtle and often unnoticed tactics that Satan uses to lead us astray.

               I have been challenged by many of the letters, but recently one of then stood out as particularly apt for today. In this letter Screwtape considers the question of whether “the patient” should be pushed toward being a pacifist or a patriot. Screwtape says that either route is acceptable as long as it becomes the most important thing. The most important thing is to make the thing take on a life of its own and becomes “a cause” to fight for. Screwtape ends the letter with the following advice.

“Whichever he adopts, your main task will be the same. Let him begin to treat the Patriotism or the Pacifism as a part of his religion. Then let him, under the influence of partisan spirit, come to regard it as the most important part. Then quietly and gradually nurse him on to the stage at which the religion becomes merely part of the “Cause,” in which Christianity is valued chiefly because of the excellent arguments it can produce in favor of the British war effort or of pacifism.

Once you have made the World an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing. “

(The Screwtape Letters, chap. 7, page 35)

               As I read those words, I was struck with how much they reflect the current state of affairs in our country. Christianity has become a means for attaining nationalism, or equal rights, or whatever cause you like. We have bought into the lie.

               When I was actively pastoring a church, I developed what are called plumblines for ministry. I got the idea from Larry Osborne. A plumbline is a way of deciding if something fits with our overall ministry vision and goals. One of my plumblines was, we will be a Christ centered church, not a cause centered church. As many pastors are, I was bombarded with requests to promote this cause or that cause. Each one was presented as the most important thing to focus on. No matter how important a cause is, it is secondary to the Gospel. Whenever we make a particular cause the most important thing in our life, we have made it into an idol.

               There are many worthy causes out there. But when we make our cause the most important thing to pursue, we have gotten off base. We are to be devoted to the cause of Christ above everything else.

1 Timothy 1:3-7 (NIV)
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

Colossians 2:20-23 (NIV)
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

 

I’M NOT SO BAD

 

Romans 3:23 (NIV)
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

               In our world today, we have discounted sin. We have found multiple ways to get around the reality of sin. One of the most common ways is by comparing ourselves to others. We can always look around and find someone who is worse than we are. We look at them and think, I’m not so bad.

               For many people, sin is defined as overtly breaking the law. If a person has not obviously stolen, murdered, or cheated on their spouse, then they don’t feel that they have sinned. Sin is transactional. If I have lived a decent life and not intentionally hurt anyone, then I am not a sinner. This kind of self-righteous attitude makes it easy to excuse ourselves and find fault with others who are not doing as well as we are doing.

               Although breaking the law is included in sin, it is not the sum total of sin. In fact, sin is far more serious than we often imagine.

               There are two Greek words used in the Bible to describe sin. The first is hamartia. Hamartia comes from archery and means to miss the mark. If a person shoots an arrow and fails to hit the bullseye, then they have missed the mark. They have sinned. This is an important concept because it causes us to define what the bullseye is. For most people the bullseye is leading a decent life. As long as I don’t intentionally hurt anyone, then I am hitting the bullseye. Their understanding is a far cry from God’s definition of the bullseye. For God, the bullseye is perfection. Jesus clearly set that as the standard. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 (NIV)

               William Barclay, in his commentary on Ephesians helps us to see the implications of hamartia. Are you the best husband or wife that you could be? Are you the best friend that you could be? Are you the best worker that you could be? If you have not been perfect in any of these, then you have missed the mark. As it says in Romans 3:23, we have all fallen short of God’s perfect standard.

               The other word that is used for sin is paraptoma. This means to slip or fall. It is often translated as trespass. It is related to getting off track and losing your way. We have all at some time taken a wrong turn and gotten off track.

               We were created to be image bearers of God. We were created in His image and expected to live lives that align with His image. But that has not been our reality. We have all gotten off the track and chosen to walk our own way. Paul puts it very graphically in Romans 1.

Romans 1:18-23 (NIV)
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

               When we compare ourselves to others, we can make a case that we are not doing so bad. But when we compare ourselves to the image of God, we all fail. We have all gotten off track and replaced the image of God with something of our own design.

               The bad news is that no matter how well we think we are doing, we still fall short of the goal. We have all missed the mark and gotten off track. What we deserve is God’s wrath. The good news is that Jesus came into the world to deal with our sin. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV)

               When we finally come to the reality that we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory, then we are in the place to receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. As long as we think we are good enough, we will depend on ourselves. When we realize that we could never be good enough, we open the door for Jesus to step into the gap.

Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

CAREFUL, DANGER AHEAD

 

Romans 12:3 (NIV)
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

               On Sunday, we heard an amazing testimony from a young man whose life has been transformed by the power of the Gospel. It was encouraging to hear how God has worked in this young man’s life.

               After the service I began to reflect upon the effects of hearing this kind of testimony. The best response is to rejoice with this young man and celebrate how God has entered into his life and totally changed its direction. But that is not the only possible response.

               From my experience, there are two other responses, both of which are negative. The first is to be intrigued by the sinfulness of life. You could equate this to the younger brother in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. Growing up in church I have heard many of these transformation stories. As young person, my response was often mixed. I sometimes felt like I was missing out on some parts of life, not having indulged in the kinds of things the person had been set free from. The more dramatic the conversion, the more enticing it was. There was a feeling that in order to have a real compelling testimony for God I needed to first indulge in sin.

               I didn’t really think that through, but it seems to be reflected in Paul’s letter to the Romans. Paul had been talking about how the Law makes us aware of sin and makes it possible for us to experience God’s grace. Then he addresses an unspoken response. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? Romans 6:1 (NIV) Paul’s immediate response is an emphatic NO!

               The other negative response to a dramatic conversion testimony can be illustrated by the older brother in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. The temptation is to indulge in pride in our own faithfulness and exemplary lives. In our heart, we can judge the other person and inflate our own sense of righteousness.

               Luke’s Gospel records a parable of Jesus that directly addresses this idea of having and inflated view of ourselves.

Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

               It is so easy for us to fall into the spiritual comparison trap. Like the Pharisee and the older brother, we laud all of our faithful service, as if this puts God into our debt. Look at how good I am, God. Don’t I deserve more of your grace than this “sinner?”

               In Romans 12, Paul challenges us to take a good look in the mirror. Instead of having an inflated view of ourselves, we need to have a realistic view of ourselves. We should always remember, but by the grace of God, that could have been me. We can celebrate God’s dramatic work in another’s life, while also rejoicing in God’s work in our own life.

               As a young man growing up in church, I struggled with what is called works righteousness. I felt that I had to earn God’s favor. When I heard dramatic testimonies, I often felt inadequate. My life had always been pretty compliant. I was a good rule follower. There came a time when I had to let go of the rules and repent of my own self-righteousness. I had to learn that true humility was not beating myself up, but accepting that I can’t fully follow Christ on my own. I had to recognize that the grace of God was as powerfully at work within me as it was in the former drug addict.

               I rejoice whenever I hear of a person whose life has been transformed by the Gospel. I also rejoice that God is doing that same transforming work in my heart. It is not a competition to see who has the most dramatic testimony. When it comes to sin, we all stand on a level playing field.

Romans 3:21-24 (NIV)
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

AN AMAZING INVITATION

 

Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

               I continue to reflect upon the amazing act of love demonstrated by Christ’s death on the cross. Jesus foreshadowed it to His disciples as He was preparing them for His departure. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 (NIV)

               Often, when we think about the crucifixion, we focus on Jesus’ suffering on our behalf. It is right for us to recognize that. But there is more to the cross than just suffering. The cross was Jesus’ way of demonstrating the depth of His love for us.

               On the surface it looks like Jesus was a helpless victim of cruel circumstances, but it was not. It was actually an intentional act of love on Jesus’ part.

               Jesus went to the cross voluntarily and willingly. He could have chosen another way, he could have opted out, but He chose the cross for us. Jesus made it clear that no one was forcing the cross upon Him.  ^“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:17-18 (NIV)

               Jesus voluntarily went to the cross to atone for our sin. Jesus willingly took upon Himself the burden of our sin. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) We had an enormous spiritual debt that we had no way of repaying. Jesus, who had no debt, paid the price for us. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

               At the end of both Matthew and Mark’s accounts of Jesus’ death on the cross there is a curious statement. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Mark 15:38 (NIV) This simple statement is really both significant and amazing. The curtain referred to was the curtain in the Temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple. The Holy of Holies represented the very presence of God. It was forbidden for anyone to enter there except for the High Priest. He was allowed to enter once a year on the Day of Atonement to offer an atoning sacrifice for the people’s sins.

               When Jesus died on the cross, God Himself tore that curtain in two, from top to bottom. He opened the way for us to enter into His very presence. Jesus offered the ultimate sacrifice that cleared to way for us to encounter God face to face. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV)

               We have been offered an amazing gift. We have been invited to encounter God personally. Every religion on earth keeps God at a distance; unapproachable, unknowable. Jesus changed that. Jesus opened the way for us to know and be known by God. All we have to do is walk through the curtain by faith; to fully trust that what Jesus did on the cross was enough. To fully believe in the greatest act of love every made.

John 1:10-13 (NIV)
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

 

               While Jesus was on the cross, He cried out in a loud voice, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? It was cry of desperation, but it was also a cry of hope. Jesus’ words come from the first verse of Psalm 22. Psalm 22 is an amazing Psalm because it clearly depicts Jesus’ death on the cross. But it also proclaims the hope we can have even in the face of despair.

Psalms 22:1-31 (NIV)
¹ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
² O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
³ Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
⁴ In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
⁵ They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
⁶ But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
⁷ All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
⁸ "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
⁹ Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast.
¹⁰ From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
¹¹ Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
¹² Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
¹³ Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.
¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.
¹⁵ My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
¹⁶ Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
¹⁷ I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
¹⁸ They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
¹⁹ But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
²⁰ Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
²¹ Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
²² I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
²³ You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
²⁴ For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
²⁵ From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
²⁶ The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him-- may your hearts live forever!
²⁷ All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
²⁸ for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
²⁹ All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-- those who cannot keep themselves alive.
³⁰ Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
³¹ They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn-- for he has done it.

GIVE US BARABBAS

 

Matthew 27:21-22 (NIV)
"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered. "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!"

               I am preparing this week to preach on Good Friday. Good Friday is a day to reflect not only upon what Jesus did for us, but also upon what our response is to Jesus.

               If you are familiar with the story of Holy Week, it began with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. They people hailed Jesus as a king. They expected him to clear out the Roman invaders and re-establish the political nation of Israel. Things started out promising, as Jesus cleared the Temple of the people who were taking advantage of the common people. But as the week went along, and people watched, Jesus quietly slipped back into the role of Rabbi, teacher. The people had to be wondering when Jesus was going to make his move. Jerusalem was packed to overflowing. If there ever was a time for a successful revolt it was now.

               By the end of the week even one of his own disciples had lost hope. Judas, maybe as a way to force Jesus’ hand, agreed to turn Jesus over to the religious leaders for 30 pieces of silver. As the week began to draw to a close, the sentiment of the crowds shifted away from Jesus.

               Jesus was arrested and put on trial by the Sanhedrin. Although they could not find any legitimate reason to condemn Jesus, they did anyway, out of fear and hatred. They took Jesus to Pilate and demanded that Jesus to executed as a rabble rouser. Pilate was puzzled and bewildered by all of this. He tried several times to let Jesus go, but the Pharisees and chief priests kept putting pressure on him.

               Finally, Pilate tried one last tactic. He would allow the people to chose one prisoner to be released. He knew that the Pharisees had brought Jesus to him out of jealousy. He expected the common people to side with Jesus. But when it came to a vote, the crowd chose Barabbas. For Jesus, they chose death.

               As I reflect upon that event, I am drawn to the events of our current day. Barabbas represented what the people wanted, a political leader. Someone who would take charge and accomplish what they wanted by force. I don’t think anything has changed. Today, people are still choosing Barabbas over Jesus.

               Even some who call themselves Christians are rejecting the way of Jesus in favor of the more robust and aggressive way of Barabbas. Our society as a whole approaches this Easter, not with Jesus’ name on their lips, but with the name of Barabbas. Political power and force have replaced love and compassion.

               If we look back at the outcome of the crowd’s decision, we see that those who chose Barabbas lost in the end and those who stood with Jesus won. The religious/political leaders who called for Jesus’ crucifixion were soon displaced by the very power they appealed to. But Jesus won the victory. Three days later, He rose from the dead, triumphant. He accomplished by His death on the cross what political power never could. Jesus conquered sin and death and offers eternal life to all who will place their faith and trust in Him.

               As we near Good Friday, and even look forward to Easter Sunday, the question we have to ask ourselves is who are we turning to for our salvation. Are we still calling for Barabbas or are we calling upon Jesus.

John 1:10-13 (NIV)
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

John 3:19-21 (NIV)
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

 

THE SUFFERER’S PSALM

 

Psalms 22:1 (NIV)
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?

               In preparing for Good Friday, I have been struck again by Jesus’ cry from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” His words come right out of the first verse of Palm 22. As it happens, in my devotions today I was directed to read Psalm 22. In addition to that, I have been reading Philip Yancey’s book, Where is God When It Hurts, which dovetails with Psalm 22.

               The big question that we all struggle with when pain and suffering come into our lives is why? It hangs in the air over our head demanding some kind of an answer. Yet, the answer rarely comes. We might get a partial answer. I had a heart attack because I allowed my cholesterol to get too high. In one way that answers the question, but it isn’t very satisfying. The real question we are asking is, why did God allow this to happen to me? It is the question at the heart of the book of Job and it is the question on the minds of a majority of people, whether they believe in God or not.

               I had a friend who claimed to be an agnostic. He suffered from clinical depression and was on permanent disability. He challenged me with the age-old question, if there is a good God, why would he allow me to suffer like this?

               Neither the book of Job nor Psalm 22 answer that question. Instead, they both point us beyond the why question to call us to examine our response to our circumstances. Jesus literally brought all this together on the cross.

               When Jesus cried out those words on the cross, he was directing us not to His despair, but to his response. If we look carefully at Psalm 22, we can see two things. We can see a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death on the cross. In graphic terms, the Psalm depicts what Jesus endured on the cross. It is as if the Psalm writer were standing by recording Jesus’ experience.

               Jesus often pointed back to the Scriptures to show that they were speaking about him. He did this both before and after his death and resurrection. His cry on the cross was one more example of Him saying, look! This fulfills what was predicted long ago. Jesus’ cry of desperation would not have been lost on the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. They would have instantly recognized those words. They were an indictment against those who sought to silence Jesus.

               But I think there is something else here. Something we can hang onto in our times of suffering. Jesus is giving us a pattern to follow. A path through suffering to faith.

               When we suffer, the first place we should take our suffering is to God. We often complain loudly about our suffering and imply that God is not fair, but do we talk with God about it? Complaining to others is not the same as taking our suffering to God. It is both okay and right for us to express what we are suffering to God. He understands and He can handle it. Jesus experienced our suffering on the cross. He stands with us in our suffering.

               As we unburden our hearts to God, we need to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness in the past. The Psalmist remembers that God helped the people of Israel in their time of suffering and that God had been present in his life from the beginning. When we face suffering, we need to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness in the past. We can look back at times when we faced a challenge and God got us through, even though it was hard. It is easy to forget that in the midst of suffering, but it changes our response to suffering when we remember.

               This brings us to a critical choice. Will we trust God in the midst of this situation or not? The Psalmist pleads with God to be present in the midst of his suffering, but he also expresses his trust that God will indeed act on his behalf. Psalm 22 ends with a call to praise God for who He is. The Psalmist is confident that God will act on his behalf.

               Jesus was honest about His suffering, but He was also confident that the Father would not abandon Him. According to the Gospel of Luke, the last words of Jesus before He died were, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Jesus died in the confidence of the Father’s love even in the midst of great suffering.

               In our times of suffering, we can choose to become bitter and turn away from God or we can choose to turn toward God and seek comfort from Him. The path of bitterness only leads to more pain and suffering. The path of faith, although it may not alleviate the immediate pain, will lead to hope and comfort.

               We live in a fallen, broken world. It is a world filled with pain and suffering because of sin. Paul places our suffering in the context of living in a broken world.

Romans 8:18-28 (NIV)
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

               Jesus gave us a reality check and a promise regarding our life on this planet. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV)

               Jesus lived out Psalm 22 on the cross for us. He fully entered our suffering so that He could comfort us in the midst of suffering. Pain and suffering throw us off balance. Faith in God can restore that balance if we will have the courage to trust the one who gave His life for us.

Job 13:15 (NIV)
Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.

 

OUR CHOICES MATTER

 

Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV)
"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

               One of the things that sets humanity apart from the rest of creation is our ability to make choices. Animals live according to their instincts. Plants live according to strict boundaries. But humans have the ability to choose their course of action. It is a significant part of being created in the image of God.

               God, in His sovereignty, chose to give humans free will. Our free will opens up all kinds of possibilities for us. We are not bound to follow one course of action. We are free to choose among many. But ultimately our free will confronts us with the most important choice. We can choose to follow God or to do our own thing.

               The choices that we make every day shape our lives and our character. Our choices may be subtle or dramatic, but each choice is shaping us into a particular kind of person. At the end of our life, that is the person we will carry into eternity.

               C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity, articulates the significance and the enormity of our choices.

“People often think of Christian morality as a kind of bargain in which God says, ‘If you keep a lot of rules I’ll reward you, and if you don’t I’ll do the other things.’ I do not think that is the best way of looking at it. I would much rather say that every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowing turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war with God, and with its fellow-creatures, and with itself. To be one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at this moment is progressing to one state or the other”

               I read this passage recently in my daily devotions and it caused me to stop and take stock of my own choices. We make so many choices every day that we do not give much thought to. Out of habit or convention, we follow a path that has been made for us by our choices. We do not necessarily think about the eternal impact of the choices that we make. Yet, as Lewis states, each choice is shaping us for eternity.

               When a person is in rebellion against God, his or her choices are dictated by their sinful nature. Although they think they are free to do their own thing, they are really slaves to sin. They cannot help themselves. It is their nature.

               When a person comes to faith in God through Jesus Christ, they are set free from their slavery to sin. At that point they really do have the option to choose. But that does not mean that we always choose correctly. Often, we slip back into old, sinful patterns. By God’s grace, we can be forgiven and set right again. But those choices still shape our character, the essence of who we are. It is worth contemplating.

               In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he grapples with this idea that our choices matter. Just because we are under grace, and no longer under the law, that does not give us the right to continue to go on sinning.

Romans 6:1-2 (NIV)
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

               Paul goes on to remind us that we have a choice daily to follow Christ or to yield to sin. We are not powerless to choose. We have an obligation to choose.

Romans 6:11-14 (NIV)
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

               One of the heresies of the past was the idea that only the spirit was good and the body was evil. Therefore, a person could do with their body whatever they liked. This led to two extremes. On one side of the equation were those who mistreated their physical body, denying it normal pleasures, and even abusing it, as a means of purifying their soul. On the other extreme were those who openly indulged their physical body because it didn’t matter anyway. Both extremes are wrong. As Paul makes clear, we are honor God with our physical body. We are to care for it and not abuse it. But we are not it indulge it either. We can choose how we treat our body, whether for good or for evil.

               The Bible tells us that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. Tim Keller makes the point that we often limit sin to breaking the rules. But sin is so much more than that. Sin is placing anything in our life in the place of God. Because we were created to worship, we will either worship God or we will find something else to worship. When we worship anything other than God, we sin. The choice that is before us every day is who will we serve. Either we will serve God or we will serve sin. The choice is ours to make, and it matters for all of eternity.

Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)
Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

LIVING IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

                We are living in very uncertain times. The war in Ukraine has entered its fourth year. The recent attacks against Iran have reinflamed the Middle East. There is internal upheaval within our own country as ICE continues to arrest immigrants. As followers of Jesus, how should we respond?

               It is easy for us to get caught up in all of the rhetoric and political upheaval. If we are not careful, we will respond in ways that undermine our faith and our witness in the world. Unfortunately, many people who claim to be Christians have chosen to endorse this negative path. We need to take a step back, away from all of the political rhetoric, and try to view things from a biblical perspective.

               First, we should not be surprised by what is going on. Jesus warned us that we should expect exactly what we are seeing. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Matthew 24:6-8 (NIV) Jesus’ message is don’t panic. In fact, He gave us an assurance that we can weather this storm.  "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV)

               Here in America, we have lived in relative peace and prosperity for quite a while. We have come to expect this as the norm. That norm is being challenged every day. We are surprised and shocked by the events of our world, yet Jesus warned us that this is what we should expect.

               Knowing this does not make what is happening right or easier to handle. But it should put things into perspective so that we can approach things from a godly perspective. When we are overly anxious about events, we are off balance and find it hard to respond in appropriate ways. We live in a sinful, fallen world and we should expect people to act in sinful, fallen ways.

               Second, don’t buy into the blame game. The pattern of this world is to blame others for what is wrong; to condemn them and demonize them. It is right to point out things that are wrong, but it is wrong to put ourselves in the seat of judgement. Jesus warned us to refrain from a judgmental spirit.

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-5 (NIV)

               We often judge others to make ourselves feel better or to justify our actions. We need to remember that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace. Buying into the blame game only makes our situation worse, not better.

               In the midst of all that is going on, we need to have the courage to live out our faith in practical ways. We have been called to be salt and light in our world.

               When we look at the big picture, we can feel overwhelmed and helpless to make a difference. That sense of helplessness can immobilize us. That is exactly what Satan wants to happen.

               The early church lived in a chaotic, violent world, even more so than the world we live in. Yet, they transformed that world by showing compassion and kindness to those who God brought into their circle of influence. We can do the same. If we want to turn things around in our world, we need to commit to living lives of compassion and kindness where we are. We can all make a difference in our world, one person at a time.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.          1 Peter 2:11-12 (NIV)

               Remember who we are. Our citizenship is in heaven. We are only aliens and strangers in this world. There is an old hymn titled This World is not My Home. It expresses the attitude we should have as we face the challenges of life. One warning! This does not mean that we are to circle the wagons and hold on until Jesus comes. We have been called to be actively involved in the affairs of this world in order to be God’s presence. God is our King and no other. Not only that, we are His beloved children. He cares about us. We can trust Him.

               Finally, we need to strengthen our trust in God and His Sovereignty. Ultimately, God is control of this world and He will accomplish His purposes through it. God can and will take all of the things that are going on and use them for our good and His glory. Especially when we can’t understand what is going on, we need to hold onto our faith in God.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah Psalms 46:1-3 (NIV)

               What can we do to make a difference in the face of unsettling circumstances? Here are a few practical suggestions.

1. Pray for God’s will to be done.

2. Pray for those in power that they would have wisdom and discernment to know what is right and to the courage to do what it right. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV)

3. Refuse to get caught up in all of the political rhetoric.  Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Psalms 146:1-4 (NIV)

4. Guard against letting anxiety take control of your thinking. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:4-8 (NIV)

               We are living in very challenging times. There are many things that discourage and even frighten us. We feel helpless. What we feel is real. But we serve a God is not helpless. God is ultimately in control of this world, even when we cannot see His hand at work. God can and will use these circumstances for His glory and ultimately for our good. We can trust Him.

 

I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalms 121:1-8 (NIV)

 

I WAS A STRANGER

 

Matthew 25:35 (NIV)
I was a stranger and you invited me in,

               We are experiencing a crisis in our country as those who have the power have decided to use it against those who do not. Immigrants and people of color have become a target for unfair and illegal practices. This has been going on with the full approval of our government. It is not right!

               I have struggled with how to address this issue. I have been praying fervently for an end to the abuses and the removal of those who are perpetrating them. But I feel compelled also to speak out in support of the stranger among us.

               Many years ago, God laid on my heart Matthew 25:31-46; the parable of the sheep and the goats.

Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV)
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
³⁴ "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

               The part the grabbed me was, I was a stranger and you invited me in. At the time, I was serving a church in a university town. The university had a growing number of international students attending there. God laid it on my heart to begin an outreach to those “strangers” among us. For almost 30 years we actively tried to be a welcoming presence for the internationals in our community. It was one of the most enriching parts of our ministry.

               Today, I am seeing the foundations of what we helped to build being eroded by the actions of our government. Instead of inviting the stranger in we are expelling them. It is a direct contradiction to Jesus’ words. Unfortunately, many people who call themselves Christians are lining up behind what the government is doing. I am not one of them.

               The Apostle Paul tells us that the history of Israel has been recorded as an example for us to learn from. Israel was specifically forbidden to take advantage of the alien among them. "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt. But they failed to listen to God’s command. If we look back carefully at the actions of ancient Israel, what we see is an abuse of aliens and strangers. Because of that, God unleashed His wrath on Israel, eventually resulting in their exile for their land.

               I can say, without qualification, that God is not pleased with the course of action our government is taking. I don’t know what action God will take in response to this abuse, but I fear we will all suffer for it if we do not repent and change course.

               As private citizens, we often feel powerless to effect what goes on at the higher levels of our government. Outside of choosing who we will vote into office, we are left to watch the results. But we have a God who is not powerless. The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. Proverbs 21:1 (NIV) When His people truly humble themselves and seek His help, He always responds. It may feel like our prayers are powerless, but they are not.

               For whatever reason, God has allowed the current government to be in place. We can argue all we want about that, but ultimately God is in control of those who are in control. There are many things that are wrong with the direction our nation was headed before the current President took office. But the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction; much to our detriment. God may be allowing us to reap the consequences of our own choices.

               But the good news is that God is a God of grace. He rebukes, not to destroy, but to redeem. I believe that God is in the process of purifying His people. It is painful, but necessary. He is calling us to forsake our love affair with political power (whichever side of the equation we are on) and to return to allegiance to Him alone. As follows of Christ, we are called to be salt and light in a dark and decaying world. We cannot do that by embracing the ways and means of that dark and decaying world. We can do that only as we draw near to Christ and seek to live out His values in our world.

1 Peter 2:9-12 (NIV)
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

               In the parable of the sheep and the goats, the defining factor was not what people claimed to be, but what they demonstrated by their actions. When you did this to the least of these brothers of mine you did it to me. We will ultimately be judged not by what political banner we wave, but by how we lived out our faith in practical, loving, compassionate, and gracious ways.

Psalms 146:1-10 (NIV)
Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.