WHAT IS YOUR IMAGE OF JESUS?

 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Colossians 1:15 (NIV)

               I like to read mystery stories. Not the spooky kind that has ghosts and zombies, but the kind that has a mystery to be solved, like a murder or a lost item, and a detective who has to solve the case. I currently have three mystery series that I am reading through. One takes place in the 1800’s, one takes place around 1919-21, and the third is modern. Each series has a main character who is the “hero” of the story. Each of these characters lives in a different time period. Two live in England and one lives in Quebec, Canada. In addition to the main character there are secondary characters that continue from book to book.

               In each of these series, the author has given the reader a basic description of the main characters. From these basic descriptions I have formed a mental image of each of the characters. My image is vague and incomplete, but it has grown and matured with each new story. Now, if the author were to make their story into a movie, they would cast a person who they feel best portrays the character they have created. I can guarantee that that person will not be the image I have in my head. I’m sure that in most cases, I would be disappointed with how the movie depicts these characters that I have come to know and admire.

               If you grew up in the church, you probably have an image in your head of Jesus. It has most likely been shaped by children’s Bible stories and artists’ depictions of Jesus. Most of them portray Jesus as rather European with long, light colored hair. If you did not grow up in the church, you too will have an image in your mind about who Jesus is, although it will probably be very different from the standard “church” image. In our modern age, many different groups have created an image of Jesus that fits into their agenda. Surprisingly for a blatantly non-religious world, everyone seems to want to enlist Jesus for their cause.

               Interestingly, the Bible never gives us a physical description of Jesus. The closest the Bible comes to describing Jesus’ physical appearance is found in Isaiah 53:2.  He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. All that we know for sure is that Jesus was Jewish and grew up in Palestine. Therefore, most of our “church” images of Jesus are probably wrong. Instead of giving us a physical description of Jesus, the Bible gives us an image of Jesus’ character and demeanor.

               One of the dangers we face in putting together our image of Jesus is that we are prone to impose our current culture and values onto the picture. In other words, we tend to create a Jesus in our own image. If we are going to get an accurate image of Jesus, we need to set aside our preconceived ideas and look carefully at what the Bible really says.

               When we look at the biblical account of Jesus’ life, as recorded in the Gospels, we see that Jesus was a man of contrasts. He is depicted as having great compassion but also one who demanded justice. Jesus invited the little children to come to him and he blessed them. He reached out his hand and healed the leper, the lame, the blind, and the sick. He also violently cleared the Temple, possibly twice; once at the beginning of his ministry as recorded by John and once at the end of his ministry as recorded by the synoptic Gospels. Jesus held people to a high standard, yet was quick to forgive. Jesus openly engaged with “sinners” and openly rebuked the religious elite. Jesus grew up in Nazareth and was trained as a carpenter. Yet he was well-versed in the Hebrew Scriptures and amazed even his enemies with his insight and wisdom. Jesus demonstrated his power over death by resurrecting Lazarus from the grave, yet he allowed himself to be nailed to a cross and to die an agonizing death. Jesus had the authority to confound both the people and the religious authorities of his day, yet at his own trial he refused to defend himself. As he himself stated, he had the authority to call down legions of angels to protect him, yet he chose to be arrested and mistreated.

               Many people today want to reduce Jesus to the embodiment of some kind of sentimental love, like an indulgent grandparent who grants every wish for their grandchildren. That image is far from accurate. Jesus was hard on sin and gentle with sinners. Jesus refused to be a legalist, yet he perfectly upheld the law. Jesus faithfully engaged in worship, yet he refused to conform to the religious systems of his day. Jesus was the most complex person who has ever walked the earth. All of our attempts to pigeonhole him into a particular mold will fall. We cannot put Jesus in a box. He will not allow us to.

               The most important thing to understand about Jesus is not that he was the perfect man, but that he was the incarnation of God in human form. Jesus said, I and the Father are one. It was that statement that nailed him to a cross. It was the one image that people refused to even entertain. Many people still do. Yet the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is the very author and sustainer of all that we know and experience. He is the creator of all things, and he chose to enter his creation in bodily form in order to restore what was twisted and broken by sin.

              

Colossians 1:15-20 (NIV)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

 

WHAT IS YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM?

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

                Every computer, large and small, has an operating system. The computer that I am using has a Windows system. That system sets the parameters for what I can do with my computer. It allows me to run certain programs, but not others that are incompatible with Windows. The operating system is the brain of the computer; sorting out information and putting it into meaning order.

                The Bible tells us that we all live our lives under one of two operating systems. One of these systems can be likened to an Apple system, which is a closed system with well-defined boundaries. The other can be likened to an Android system, which has many different variations. The “Android” system is referred to in the Bible as “the world” or “the flesh”. This system has many variations, but all of them stand in opposition to the other system. The Bible refers to the other system as “in Christ”.

                Living under the world’s operating system is the natural state of every person. We are born with this system hardwired into our soul. Simply, this system operates as if God is not a part of the equation. This system opens the door for sin to control our lives. It runs in the background, like every operating system, so that we are unaware of its activity. The engine or power behind this system is human power. It is the desire to live for ourselves in whatever way we think fitting. For many people, the outcome is to live according to some standard of moral and ethical conduct. These are good people who believe in their own goodness. For some, this system leads them down a darker path. They reject the moral and ethical values of others and instead choose to live totally for themselves. These people believe in their own power. There is an entire spectrum of variations with the world’s operating system, which seem on the surface to be distinct, separate pathways. But those who live by these variations have one thing in common. Whether they recognize it or not they are living in rebellion against God and his rule and reign in their lives.

                Living in Christ is a radically different operating system. First, it begins with total surrender to God. As Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” Luke 9:23-25 (NIV) This goes against our natural instinct to be our own boss. Total surrender is the exact opposite of the world’s operating system. It is a major stumbling block to so many people. But total surrender is the only way to install a new operating system in our lives.

                Why would we want to do this? The old system seems to work fine, even though there are periodic glitches in the system. Jesus made it clear that the world’s operating system is flawed. In fact, it has built-in malware, which has the purpose of luring a person in and then destroying them. Jesus put it in terms of two pathways in life that a person can choose to follow.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

                Whatever system we choose to follow, it has an end built in. Each system is leading us somewhere. The question is where? Paul clarifies the end game for each of the systems. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV)

                Jesus came into the world to repair the operating system of humanity. When God created humanity, the operating system was perfect. But when sin entered the world it corrupted that system and sent it heading in a different direction. Jesus came to restore the original operating system. When a person puts their trust in Jesus, he wipes their hard drive clean and installs a new operating system that changes the way a person lives their life. As Paul has said, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

                This new operating system is not something we can create by our own efforts; it is gift from God that He implants in our hearts. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) Once this new system is in place, it changes how a person views life, the world, and those around them. It gives a person a whole new perspective that incorporates the reality of God’s presence and work in their life. As a person learns how to use this new system, it transforms them and radically changes the course of their life. At first, learning a new system seems hard, but the more a person invests in it, the more they experience its benefits. Paul puts it this way. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)

                Everyone has an operating system in their life. One system offers all the pleasures of the world, but in the end leads to death. The other system offers a life of discipline under the control of Christ, which leads to life and life eternal. Which system would you like to control your life?

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10 (NIV)

FRIENDSHIP: THE LOST LOVE

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15 (NIV)

                I have been rereading The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis as a part of my daily devotions. For the last several days I have been slowly working my way through his chapter on friendship. The Four Loves was written in 1960, but it could have been written today. Lewis saw the demise of friendship back then. It has almost completely disappeared from the landscape today.

                In our highly sexualized world of today, friendship has been squeezed out of the equation.  If two men are close friends, it is automatically assumed that they are gay. It is not so prominent with women, although it seems to be leaning in that direction. As Lewis has put it, “It's all love or sex these days. Friendship is almost as quaint and outdated a notion as chastity. Soon friends will be like the elves and the pixies - fabulous mythical creatures from a distant past.”

                It is easy for genuine friendship to get lost in the shuffle of life. Most people settle for acquaintances or pseudo-friends. (I have 1000 friends of Facebook) Genuine friendship gets lost because it doesn’t play an obvious role in the advancement of life. Lewis calls it the most unnatural of loves. Affection naturally springs up within a family. Eros needs little promoting to blossom. But friendship tends to hide in the shadows. Again, Lewis puts it succinctly. “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”

                Ironically, we all sense the need of friendship, although we don’t always find it. One reason for that is that when we put our focus on finding friendship, we short-circuit the process. In many ways, friendship is the by-product of other endeavors in life. It is nurtured in the soil of companionship. But once it begins to grow and blossom it goes far beyond companionship. “Friendship arises out of mere Companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden).” (Lewis)

                In many societies, friendship is seen as a threat to the whole. Friendship draws a few people out of the crowd. It separates their relationship as different from the others. This is the threat to those who value uniformity or conformity. But friendship is not completely exclusive. In fact, friendship is always open to anyone who shares the same interest or passion shared by two friends. Friendship is enhanced when it is expanded to include three or four or five.

                There is a limit to the bounds of friendship. As Pastor Leith Anderson has said, we are all like Lego pieces; we each have a limited number of snap-on points. When our snap-on points are filled, we cannot add another relationship. We can always expand our circle of acquaintances, but our circle of genuine friends is limited.

                God designed us to live in relationship with one another. We cannot be fully who God created us to be without them. We are born into the relationship we know as family. Many of us will be privileged to enter into that exclusive relationship of marriage. What is missing for so many is genuine friendship.

                Jesus changed his relationship with his disciples when he called them friends. They became his friends because they shared a bond built out of shared experience and extended companionship. They had moved far beyond being mere acquaintances.

                Solomon highlighted our need for friendship in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

                We need to recapture the gift of friendship. It is a gift that God has given to us, and one that He wants us to share with others. We cannot be close friends with everyone, but we can be close friends with someone. Genuine friendship enhances our lives. It draws out aspects of our life that we could never discover on our own. It opens doors of opportunity to experience life in new ways.

                Cultivating genuine friendship takes time and effort. Not every relationship will blossom into friendship, and that is okay. But being intentional about sharing life with others will open the door for friendship to blossom.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)

“Those who cannot conceive Friendship as a substantive love but only as a disguise or elaboration of Eros betray the fact that they have never had a Friend. The rest of us know that though we can have erotic love and friendship for the same person yet in some ways nothing is less like a Friendship than a love-affair. Lovers are always talking to one another about their love; Friends hardly ever about their Friendship. Lovers are normally face to face, absorbed in each other; Friends, side by side, absorbed in some common interest. Above all, Eros (while it lasts) is necessarily between two only. But two, far from being the necessary number for Friendship, is not even the best. And the reason for this is important.
... In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets... Hence true Friendship is the least jealous of loves. Two friends delight to be joined by a third, and three by a fourth, if only the newcomer is qualified to become a real friend. They can then say, as the blessed souls say in Dante, 'Here comes one who will augment our loves.' For in this love 'to divide is not to take away.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

  

SET AN EXAMPLE

 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

                As I was driving in to church this morning a State Trooper passed me. I had my cruise control set at 70, which is the speed limit. The trooper passed me easily, which means he was exceeding the posted speed limit. This is not the first time I have had that experience. It made me wonder what kind of an example that sets for other drivers. If the State Trooper can drive 5-10 miles over the speed limit, maybe it is okay for me to do the same.

                I use this illustration to point out that our actions are constantly setting an example for others. This is particularly true of adults for children. Children are great observers. This is the primary way that they learn. They are constantly watching what the adults in their lives are doing. Instinctively, they will begin to pattern their lives after the examples set by those around them. Many of these learned behaviors are just the normal activities of life, but not all. The way that children see adults respond toward one another will set the stage for how they will react in similar situations.

                As believers in Christ, we have a responsibility to set an example for those around us about how we are to live. Unfortunately, the church has not always done a good job of this. We often portray a negative or combative attitude. This can be seen within the church as well as the way some believers respond to the world around them. It is no wonder that many young adults today have walked away from the church. They have heard us preach one thing and live out something different.

                The Apostle Paul challenged Timothy to set an example for the believers in five specific ways. Paul was calling Timothy to lead the way in developing people who actually lived out their faith in their everyday lives. The challenge that Paul gave to Timothy is a good challenge for us as well as we examine our own life and what kind of example we are setting.

                We are to set an example in our speech. Words are powerful. They have the ability to build up or to tear down. Much of the rhetoric today is harsh at best and often abusive. This kind of talk used to be called mudslinging. Today, it is more like dropping bombs on one another. As followers of Christ, our speech should be radically different from the norm. As Paul put it in Colossians 4, Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV))

                We are to set an example in life. One of the complaints that I often hear about the church is that believers don’t live any differently from the rest of the world. We tend to pattern our lives after the current culture instead of after the principles of our faith. I don’t believe we should totally separate ourselves from our culture as some have done. But we should live in such a different way that unbelieving people would take notice. As Peter writes, 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 2:12 (NIV))

                We are to set an example in love. The word love has become a controversial word today. It is often used as a weapon against anyone who disagrees with a person. To confront someone with a wrong is seem as being unloving. All manner of lifestyle has been justified today by the word love. As followers of Christ, we need to recapture the true meaning of love. Much of what is trumpeted as love today is really selfishness and self-gratifying. The kind of love that we are called to by Christ is the exact opposite. We are called to demonstrate genuine love through living sacrificially. As Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35 (NIV))

                We are to set an example in faith. I don’t think Paul was talking about doctrine at this point. I think he was talking about trusting in God. Too often we live as if everything depends on us. We unintentionally leave God out of the picture. We have to intentionally focus on the reality that we are totally dependent upon God for our very life. Not only can we trust God to lead and guide us, we must. This is not optional for us as followers of Christ.

                We are to set an example in purity. The first impression that we get when we hear the word purity is sexual purity; being morally upright. That is no doubt in the mind of Paul, but I think he would take it farther. The word purity can be related to the word holy. To be holy is to be set apart for God’s service. Throughout the Old Testament the concept of being clean or being pure is hammered home. If we are going to develop in our walk with the Lord, if we are going to draw close to Him, then we need to be pure, holy, and clean. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16 (NIV))

                Every day of our lives we are setting an example for those around us. The only real question is, what kind of an example are we being? As I read through the list above, I realize how often I fail to live up to this calling. Being an example in all of these areas is something I aspire to, but often fall short of. Rather than beating ourselves up, we need to turn back to Jesus. It is only as we abide in Him that we can truly live out our calling.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Ephesians 4:1 (NIV)

 

THE MYTH OF INDEPENDENCE

 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV)

                One of the things Americans pride themselves in is their rugged individualism. We tend to believe that we can pull ourselves up with our own bootstraps. We don’t need anyone else to make it in life. We can make it on our own. All of this sounds good, but it is a myth.

                As we grow up, we strive to move from being dependent on others to being independent; making our own decisions. This is an important stage of our development. Unfortunately, many people get stuck at this stage and fail to move on to the next stage; interdependence. A truly mature person knows that they have limits and that they need others in their lives to fill in the gaps. None of us is a complete person in ourselves. We all need others to make us a truly whole person.

                Solomon highlighted this basic need in Ecclesiastes 4.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV) 

                Many people today are living very lonely lives because they have never understood their need for interdependence. They are surrounded by people, yet isolated at the same time. I had a taste of that experience when I went on a mission trip to the Philippines. I was assigned to work with a young Filipino pastor on a small island off the coast of Cebu. It took us almost a week to figure out how we were to work together. During that time, I was surrounded by people but felt utterly alone. It wasn’t until I really connected with the pastor that I was able to be an asset to him and he a support to me. We needed each other if our time together was going to be fruitful.

                The New Testament continually stresses our interdependence. Paul likens believers to the human body. Each of us needs to play our role if the body is going to be healthy. Each of us also benefits from being a part of the whole. We cannot be all that God wants us to be on our own. It is only as we are connected with others that we can thrive. There are numerous passages, highlighted by the phrase “one another”, that stress our interdependence.

                Too many of us settle for casual, superficial relationships instead of risking actually getting to know others. Our society allows us to have innumerable “friends” without ever really developing a genuine friendship; a companion in life.

                Today in my devotions I read about a concept that prompted me to think about interdependence. The idea was having lingering relationships. What the author meant by this was having the kind of relationships where a person is comfortable to linger in others’ presence. To spend time together without an agenda or a program to follow. In our fast-paced world, we rarely take the time to linger; to engage with others at a leisurely pace. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone wants to share their story with others. But this can happen only by spending enough time together to open the door to share. Lingering relationships take time and intentionality; they don’t just happen. We have to make space in our lives for these relationships to grow.

                Interdependence is not giving up our autonomy or our freedom. It is experiencing our autonomy and our freedom at a much higher level. As it says in Proverbs 27:17, As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Allowing others into our lives actually helps us to grow and mature in ways that we never can on our own. Allowing others into our lives helps us refine our strengths and confront our weaknesses.

                The last line of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. The X factor for those of us who have placed our faith in Christ is that there is a bond between us that elevates our relationships to a higher level. That bond is Christ Himself. The more that we linger in our relationship with Christ, the better equipped we are to linger with one another. One of the signs of a healthy church is that after the service people linger. If the building empties five minutes after the service is over, there is a problem. It signals that the members are not really connecting with one another. One of the most fulfilling aspects of my pastoral ministry was turning the lights out on small clusters of people who have lingered in the building long after the service was ended.

                I have had a few lingering relationships in my life, but not nearly enough. How about you?

Acts 2:46-47 (NIV)
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

 

WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE?

Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
Philippians 3:17 (NIV)

                It is common to ask children and young people the question, who do you want to be when you grow up? The answer is usually framed in some occupation, such as a doctor, an astronaut, a nurse, a baseball player. When we get into our high school and college years our answer to that question becomes more defined. We begin to set our sights on a particular career path. As we mature our answer tends to be refined with the phrase, I want to be a successful _________. What is common with all of these answers is that they focus on what we do and not on who we are as a person.

                When the Bible poses the question of who we are to be, it focuses not on our activity but on our character. A more biblical answer to the question, who do you want to be, would be, I want to be a person of integrity and godly character. Every decision that we make and every action that we take in life is shaping and molding us. Our actions are making us into a particular kind of person, regardless of our occupation.

                C.S. Lewis suggests that all of life is a process of molding us into the people we will be for all of eternity. Our decisions and actions will lead us to be either a more patient person or a more impatient one. The course we set in life will either make us more loving and gracious or more callous and demanding. Although we tend to focus on our outward actions, God focuses on what is going on in our soul.

                Many years ago, someone challenged me with this question. Who do you want to be when you are 80 years old? Then he followed up with this statement. Whoever you want to be when you are 80, you need to start becoming now. The patterns of life that you establish when you are young will ultimately shape who you are when you are old. Someone once stated it this way. There are really no crabby old people. There are just crabby people who get old. The patterns we establish in our lives matter.

                I was reminded of this just yesterday as I spoke with my father on the phone. My dad is currently in a nursing home recovering from the shock of my mom’s death. On that day, and the several days following, my dad shut down both physically and mentally. He told us last night that he can’t remember the events of those days. But now, three weeks later, he has rebounded and is back to his old self. He has always enjoyed talking with people and that hasn’t changed. He has engaged with the staff and the residents at the home. My brother tells me that they all love him there because he is positive and vibrant, even though he is 95. He has a determination to return to his home, which will happen this week. He has not only embraced the physical therapy sessions they offer him, but he takes regular walks up and down the halls on his own. He is thankful for all of the care he has been given and has freely expressed it. His character, forged over 95 years of living, is showing through.

                Paul set an example of what it means to live a godly life. He was serious about disciplining his life in order to shape and mold his character to conform to the image of Christ.

                Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)

                Because of the discipline Paul worked into his life, he was able to challenge others to follow his example. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV) Paul also told Timothy to both model and pass on the godly pattern of life that Paul had demonstrated for him. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 1:13 (NIV)

                How we live our lives today will shape who we become tomorrow. The patterns we establish will either lead us toward a godly character or lead us away from one. The longer we continue in a particular pattern, the harder it will be to change; whether for good or bad. Who we really are is not demonstrated when we are in control and at our best. It is demonstrated when the pressure is on and our world seems to be upside down. It is then that our true character shines through.

                One day we will all stand before the throne of God and have to give an accounting of our life. Who do you want to be then? Whoever you hope to be on that day, you need to start being that person today. None of us knows how much time we have to shape our character for eternity. Therefore, what we do today really matters. When all of our achievements have been stripped away, what will be left will be our character.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:1-2 (NIV)

 

TERMINAL

 As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

Psalm 103:15-16 (NIV)

                On March 13, Suanne and I visited my older brother, Paul, and his wife, Denise. Paul was battling with pancreatic cancer and had just completed three chemotherapy treatments. We had a great dinner with them and spent the night at their house. A week later I talked to my brother on the phone and he told me that the doctors had informed him that his situation had become terminal and he was going on Hospice. On March 30, Paul lost his battle with cancer and went home to be with the Lord.

                Terminal; it is one of the most chilling words we can hear. Terminal, end of the story, lights out, game over. There is no return from terminal. It is the final period at the end of our life.

                Most of us don’t think about dying, until we are faced with the death of a loved one or close friend. Then for a time we think about what it means to be terminal. Yet, we are all terminal. We just don’t know what the time table is. For my brother, the time table was made very clear, although it ended up being much shorter than any of us expected. The clock is running for all of us and one day our time will run out.

                We live in a society that “plays” with death. We trivialize it through graphic movies that turn death into entertainment. We anesthetize ourselves against death through video games that make death seem reversable. Just reboot and start the game over. Most people spend their entire lives running away from death. Many people are looking for the “fountain of youth” that will keep death at bade indefinitely. But all of our efforts to ignore death, or trivialize it, or redefine it fail miserably. Death will always win in the end. The statistics are against us; 100% of people will die.

                The Bible is very clear that death is a reality. Death is the consequence of sin in our world. It entered our world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden and ate of the forbidden fruit. From that time on humanity has had to live with the fact that we are all terminal.

                But the Bible also tells us that we don’t have to run away from death. Unlike the fantasy world often created by us, the Bible offers us a genuine reboot. The truth of this promise rests in the events surrounding what we call Easter Sunday. On Easter Sunday, death met its match. Jesus conquered death and raised from the death. By His death on the cross, Jesus paid the penalty for all of our sin. By His resurrection He makes it possible for us to have eternal life.

                In John 11 we read of story of Jesus visiting Mary and Martha after the death of Lazarus, their brother. In the midst of Martha’s grief, Jesus offers her hope. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26 (NIV) Jesus assured her that even though a person will face physical death, it is not the end of the story. Through Jesus, there is life that transcends death. Jesus made good on His promise when on Easter Sunday He rose from the dead.

                Later the Apostle Peter affirmed the promise that Jesus made. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV) The resurrection of Jesus changed everything. No longer is physical death the end of the story. No longer do we have to live under the diagnosis of being terminal. Through Jesus we can enter into eternal life.

                The Apostle Paul made it clear that for those who place their faith and trust in Jesus, death is not the end of the story. Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV)

                Jesus has parted the curtain of death and showed us what comes next. For all who trust in Him, what’s next is an eternal home with Jesus. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:1-6 (NIV)

                In one very real sense, we are all terminal. As the Psalmist has said, our lives are like the grass of the field that is here today and gone tomorrow. But we are not hopeless. Although our physical life has a shelf-life our eternal life does not. As it tells us in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)

                When the doctor told my brother that his situation was terminal he accepted it with grace. The doctor asked him why he was so calm. He responded, because I believe in Jesus. For those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus, death is only the birth canal into eternal life.

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 (NIV)