EPIPHANY

 

Matthew 16:15 (NIV)
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

               Traditionally January 6 is known as Epiphany; a remembrance of when the Magi traveled from the east and found the infant Jesus, proclaiming him to be the one born king of the Jews.

               The word epiphany means an awakening or a divine appearance. Sometimes, when a person makes a discovery, they will say that they had an epiphany. The Magi had an epiphany when they believed the prophetic signs and traveled to Bethlehem to find Jesus. When they saw him, they knew that he was the one that had been foretold.

Matthew 2:9-11 (NIV)
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

               Each person who encountered Jesus at his birth had a different kind of epiphany; a different response. The Magi responded to Jesus with genuine worship. Herod responded to Jesus with anger and malice. The religious leaders responded to Jesus’ birth as if it was the answer to a religious trivia question. The shepherds responded to Jesus’ birth in awe and wonder. Mary and Joseph responded to Jesus’ birth with amazement.

               Many years later, Peter had an epiphany of his own. Jesus had posed the question to his disciples, who do people say that I am. The disciples gave a variety of responses.

Matthew 16:13-14 (NIV)
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

               Then Jesus posed the most important question of all. Who do you say that I am? At that moment Peter, speaking for all of the disciples, voiced his epiphany.

Matthew 16:16-17 (NIV)
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

               Jesus is still asking the same question to us today. Who do you say that I am? Many people are willing to see Jesus as a good, moral teacher. Others see him as a prophet or spiritual leader. Still others see Jesus as a threat to their way of life. But many still take their place alongside of Peter and declare that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

               Traditionally, Epiphany is the end of the Christmas season. It is the wrap up of the story for another year. This week we began to take down all of our Christmas decorations. They will go back into boxes to be stored for another year. But Epiphany is not the end of the story, only the beginning.

               For many people, as they box up their Christmas decorations, they will put Jesus away for another year. They will not give much thought to the significance of his coming into the world. But for those who have had a genuine epiphany, the journey of faith is just beginning for another year. It is a reminder that Jesus came not to be a religious leader or a good moral teacher, but to seek and to save that which was lost. Jesus came to change the course of human history forever.

               Each year, at Epiphany, we are faced again with the question, who do you say Jesus is? The Magi knew the answer. Mary and Joseph knew the answer. Peter and the disciples knew the answer. How about you? Have you had your own personal epiphany?

Romans 10:9-13 (NIV)
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

 

THE JOURNEY MATTERS

 

1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV)
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

               Last night Suanne and I watched a movie called The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. It is a fictional story about a man who receives a letter from a friend telling him that she is in hospice and dying. He struggles with how to respond to this friend. Through a chance encounter he is inspired to walk the 600 miles from his home to where his friend is, believing that his effort will extend her life. Throughout this incredible journey, Harold learns about himself and others. He faces his own grief at the tragic loss of his son by suicide. Near the end of his journey, he almost gives up, discouraged and spent, but his wife challenges him to finish his journey, which he does. His encounter with his dying friend is anticlimactic, but Harold is a changed man.

               At several occasions on his journey, he is offered a ride that would make his trip shorter and easier, but each time he declines, simply saying, I made a promise. He endures the 600-mile trip on foot, sleeping rough and depending upon the kindness of others.

               We are all on a journey through life that requires of us perseverance, stamina, and the will to keep going. Along the way, we have the choice to take short-cuts or to stay the course. There are parts of our journey that we would rather move through at a rapid pace or skip altogether. There are other parts of the journey that refresh us and renew our energy. We often wonder why God allows us to walk the paths that we do, but each situation is a part of our personal pilgrimage. Although we may want to rush to the end, the journey itself matters. It is the journey that shapes us as people. It shapes our character. It shapes our relationships. It shapes our faith. Without the challenges of the journey, our faith and our character will be weak and ineffective. It is the challenging times that build the spiritual muscles we need in order to endure to the end.

               When Jesus came into the world, he could have come as a fully grown man, displaying all of his power and glory. But he took the hard road instead. He took on our humanity and lived our life. At the beginning of his ministry, the Holy Spirit led Jesus out into the wilderness to face Satan. Satan offered Jesus several shortcuts to his end goal. It would have saved Jesus much pain and grief if he had accepted them. But he did not. Instead, he stayed committed to the journey that was before him. He literally walked his “unlikely” journey through the parched countryside of Palestine. He slept rough and depended on the kindness of strangers. He never wavered in his commitment to follow the path set before him all the way to the end.

               As followers of Christ, we have been called to walk our own “unlikely” journey of faith. Along the way we will face challenges that will require us to lean upon God and others. There will be times of discouragement and even disillusionment. At those times, God will send others to come along side of us and encourage us to keep going. As the writer of Hebrews put it, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

               The year that is ending was a year of challenges, disappointments, and set-backs. There were some highlights along the way, but it was a hard year in many ways. It is natural for us to ask for an easier path ahead of us, but that is probably not going tom happen. There will be more challenges ahead. They are all part of our journey and the journey matters. It is the journey that is shaping us into the people we will be for all of eternity. As C.S. Lewis has said, we are either moving toward being such glorious beings that if we saw them today, we would be tempted to worship them, or toward being such distorted, twisted people that we would recoil from them in horror. The shape we will take as we enter eternity will be formed through the journey ahead.

               Harold Fry was a very different man when he finished his journey than when he began it. God has invited us into a journey that will transform our lives, if we don’t give up. The journey is essential. The journey matters for all of eternity.

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

 

Encounter the First Christmas

                The first Christmas was a confusing, bewildering, exciting, amazing time. The known world was thrust into frantic activity by the decree of Caesar to take a census. It would have been easy enough except everyone had to travel to their ancestral home. The Jews are very clannish, like the Scots. To make the census more palatable to the Jews, the authorities tapped into their ancient loyalty to their patriarchal tribes. So it was that Joseph and Mary had to travel, at a most inconvenient time, to the town of Bethlehem.

                The trip would have been an ordeal. It would normally take 3-4 days to walk to Bethlehem from Nazareth, but with Mary being very pregnant it took longer. Like all expectant fathers, I’m sure that Joseph didn’t want Mary to overdo it. So they made their way, slowly, to Bethlehem because Joseph came from the line of David, the King.

                Joseph may have puzzled over the irony of his connection to Bethlehem. He was anything but the son of a king. A simple carpenter, living in a small, obscure village on the fringe of the nation. He was a man who worked with his hands, not one who gave orders and ruled a nation. Of the line of David. A more unreal thought couldn’t have passed through his mind.

                When they finally arrived, Bethlehem was bedlam; there were people everywhere. It had not been designed for this influx of humanity. Every available accommodation was taken; occupied by some weary traveler, anxious to get registered and go home. The atmosphere was not festive, it was tense. Nerves were on edge, tempers were short. Roman soldiers roamed the streets adding to the uncomfortable feeling in the air. A young couple, arriving late, were viewed as a nuisance, an inconvenience, an unwanted burden.

                They found shelter in a stable. It was probably a cave that had been enlarged, with a fence and gate to keep the animals in. Like most caves, it would have been musty, slightly damp and dirty. The stale air, mixed with the aroma of the animals, would have made for a pungent atmosphere. But near the back of the stable, the young couple would have a measure of privacy. Privacy that they dearly needed, for the time for the baby had arrived. Had they been accommodated in the inn, they would have been crowded in with other guests, exposed to the curious stares of strangers. In a strange way, God provided a private room for his son to be born into our world. Possibly shielded by the oblivious animals, Mary gave birth to the son of God. 

                In the villages of Israel, the birth of a child was a major event. The whole village would be in anticipation of the arrival. When the baby entered the world, it was customary for some local musicians to gather outside of the house and herald the birth with music. Soon the whole village would be informed and a collective celebration would take place.

                There were no mistrals waiting to announce Jesus’ birth. But God was not going to let His son’s birth go unnoticed. He sent His messenger to a group of Temple shepherds who were staying with the flock out in the field. The sky blazed with the glory of God and one or two of these hardened men may have wet their tunics. We know that they were not just startled, they were terrified. The message the angel gave was one of comfort and joy. Don’t be afraid, God has just fulfilled his promise to send the Messiah into the world. Here is the really good news. You marginalized; blue collar laborers are included. The Messiah has come, not for the religious elite, but for the common people; for all the people! He is just over there in Bethlehem. You can find him, wrapped tight in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger.

                At that moment the sky exploded with the praise of heaven. If one angel is enough to terrify a person, consider what a whole army of angels would do. God sent his angelic army to celebrate the most amazing miracle that has ever happened, that will ever happen. God invaded our world in the form of a vulnerable baby.

                The shepherds were stunned and amazed. As the night sky returned to its normal appearance, the shepherds were moved to do something they would never even consider doing. They left the flock, unattended in the field, and rushed to town. They searched every cave, stable and barn looking for the baby. When they found him, they were stunned into silence. At the sight of the baby, they knew it was all true. Their silence was broken with uncontrollable praise. They left the bewildered young family, and raced through the sleepy streets proclaiming the good news. Although everyone who heard the news was amazed, there is no record that they went to check it out for themselves. The morning was dawning. The busy day was ahead of them. The census demanded all of their attention. So they forgot what they had heard and went on with life.

               God chose a very unlikely cast of characters to participate in this monumental event. A young girl, a rough carpenter, a group of smelly shepherds. He didn’t choose the elite, the informed, the upper crust. He chose common people, and he still does.

                Paul reminds us that none of us have a claim on God’s gift because of our social status or reputation. We are recipients of the gift because of His great love. 1 Cor. 1:26-31

    Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

                Christmas is a time for giving and receiving gifts. God has given us the greatest gift of all, His son. The Christ of Christmas is our Savior purely as an unmerited gift from God.    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. Ephes. 2:8-9

 

               You know the story; you have been invited into the story. How will you respond? Will you respond like the people of Bethlehem, and go on with life as usual? Or will you take your place with Mary, Joseph and the shepherds?

AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH

 

Luke 2:8-12 (NIV)

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."      

               In a couple of days, we will celebrate Christmas. For many it will be a day of fun, excitement, presents, and family. For others it will be a day of disappointment, regret, and loneliness. Our secular world has hyped up Christmas to a fever pitch. The focus is on gifts, decorations, and presents. The hype of Christmas stirs many emotions within us. It gets our emotional adrenalin pumping. We can become frantic in our attempts to live up to all of the expectations that come along with the season. When finally we are past Christmas there is both relief and let down. As our adrenalin subsides, we feel drained and sometimes empty.

               All the fun and excitement, hurry and busyness of Christmas can obscure the true meaning of this celebration. It is a time to stop and reflect upon the reality that in one moment God changed the course of human history forever. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV)

               The Christmas story emphasizes the reality of the incarnation. The story of Jesus is not a myth or a legend. It is a historical fact; a reality that we all must deal with. In the Christmas story, the unapproachable God became approachable. The unknowable God became knowable. The untouchable God became touchable. In the Christmas event, God became tangible for all of humanity. John summarized the reality of Jesus in the opening lines of his first letter. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 1 John 1:1 (NIV)

               The Christmas story is not a legend, but an invitation to take our place in the story.  It is a living story that continues to expand even today.

               On that very first Christmas there was an unlikely group of people who were called to take their place in the story of Jesus; and there were shepherds living out in the field, watching their flocks by night. The shepherds were common people. They lived on the fringe of society. Because of their occupation they were excluded from worship in the Temple. Yet they played a vital role in the worship of God. It is very likely that these particular shepherds were temple shepherds, keeping watch over the sheep that would be used in the Temple as sacrifices.

               On that monumental night, God sent his birth announcement, not to the priests in Jerusalem, but to common shepherds out in the field. The message that God sent to them was profound and unexpected. The Messiah has been born! The long-awaited Messiah had finally arrived. The Messiah has been born to you! Yes, you common shepherds have been included. You have been invited into the inner circle of God’s kingdom. You get to be the first to welcome the Messiah into the world.

               The shepherds were left with a choice. They could marvel at what they had heard and stay where they were, or they could follow the angel’s instructions and find the child; and that is what they did. The angel gave the shepherds tangible clues to the identity of the child; you will find the child, wrapped in clothes, and lying in a manger. The message was clear. The Messiah was real, tangible, knowable, approachable.

               So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:16-20 (NIV)

               We know very little about Jesus’ life as a child and young man. But we know that he didn’t just show up on the world stage out of nowhere. He came into this world in the same way we all did. He walked the same journey of life that we all do. He lived among us in reality.

               Luke 2:20 stands out in my mind. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. God confirmed the reality of His message in the form of a newborn child.

               For many people God is a concept, a vague idea, an unapproachable, out there somewhere entity. Christmas made God tangible and real. Jesus was born in a real place, in real time. He lived in a real place in real time.

               Christmas can be just a holiday, with a nice story to go along with it. Or Christmas can be an encounter with the reality that God invited our world; that God came near. The shepherds were told that they could find the child if they were willing to seek him. The same promise is held out to us. We too can find Jesus if we have the courage to break out of our routine and earnestly seek Him.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

 

The Gospel is not Good News unless it is for everyone.

 John 3:16-17 (NIV)

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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

               I have been rereading Philip Yancey’s book, Vanishing Grace. He talks candidly about how we have often muddled our faith by mixing it with all kinds of things so that the Gospel is no longer good news for many people. Then he masterfully talks about both why the Gospel is good news and how we can communicate that to a world that desperately needs good news.

               For many years I have struggled with the conflict between what is called reformed theology, which states that everyone’s eternal destiny is predestined, and the idea of free will. I have gravitated to the side of free will. To me, predestination makes a mockery of the Gospel. Let me try to explain.

               For me simply, the Gospel is not good news for anyone if it is not good news for everyone. If some people are arbitrarily included while others are excluded, how can we embrace that as good news?

               As I read the New Testament, I can see how some theologians have come up with the idea of predestination, but, in the process, they have to negate all of the passages that speak of a free choice given to all people. So here are my thoughts.

               God’s love is large enough to encompass the entire world. John 3:16-17 clearly states that Jesus came into the world for the benefit of the world. He didn’t come for the benefit of some of the world but for the entire world.

               God’s compassion is large enough to extend salvation to all who will receive it. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) If we take Peter’s words at face value, then God’s perfect will is for everyone to be saved. The key to attaining that salvation is repentance, which requires a choice on the part of every individual.

               God’s invitation is open to all who will receive it. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NIV) Jesus is inviting all who feel overwhelmed and discouraged to come to Him. There is no disclaimer saying that this invitation is only for those who have already been chosen to believe.

               God’s grace is large enough to include all who, by faith, receive His invitation. 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 1:10-13 (NIV) Notice that there is a clear choice given here. “To all who received Him.” The words receive and believe speak clearly of making a conscious choice.

               Throughout the entire Bible there is an open invitation for people to come to God in faith. He offers the free gift of salvation to all those who respond. God has clearly placed a choice before us. It is up to each individual to decide how they will respond. Only then is the Gospel truly good news.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV)
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

 

LIVING IN THE WORLD

 

John 17:15-18 (NIV)
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

               One of the challenges that every believer in Christ faces is how to live in the world without being of the world. When Jesus prayed for his disciples, he didn’t ask God to take them out of the world, but to make them an effective witness in the world. Jesus’ prayer applies to all of us who claim to be followers of him. What does it mean for us to be in the world but not be of the world?

               To live out what Jesus prayed for us means to live a distinctly different life in the midst of a secular world. Unfortunately, we have often chosen to be more of the world than we realize. We have been seduced by political power and influence. We have bought into the methods of the world in our attempt to “recapture” our culture. The results have been less than stellar.

               I have been reading Philip Yancey’s book Vanishing Grace. He makes the observation that the image of Evangelical Christians today is primarily a negative one. We are seen as anti this and anti that. Instead of being seen as dispensers of grace, we are perceived as dispensers of hate. It is a criticism that we should take seriously. But it is not a true understanding of who many, if not most, Evangelicals are today. In fact, Yancey gives numerous examples of how Evangelicals are leading the way in helping the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. When a person looks behind the popular caricature of Evangelicals, they often find something very different.

               Each one of us who claim the name of Christ has a role to play in changing the world’s view of us. Jesus made it clear that there will always be those who see us in a negative light. But we can do much to change our image among many others.

               At the beginning of 1900’s a clash arose between those who promoted a social gospel and fundamentalists. The social gospel focused on humanitarian issues, like feeding the poor, with little or no emphasis on faith in Christ. The fundamentalists focused on proclaiming the truth of Jesus with little or no emphasis on social issues. Today, we have learned that the gospel actually blends these two into an effective strategy. Evangelicals today are often leading the way on social issues without failing to share the truth about Jesus.

               Jesus made it very clear that proclaiming the Gospel and caring for others must go hand in hand. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used the image of a city on a hill to bring these two concepts together.

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

               Notice that the way that we best communicate God’s love to the world is through our good deeds for the world. Later, Jesus made this even more clear when he equated service to him with service to others.

Matthew 25:31-40 (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.
"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.'

               Like Jesus, Both John and James make it clear that if our faith does not demonstrate itself in practical ways, it is useless. The way we treat those around us, especially those who are different from us, is a measure of the depth and genuineness of our faith.

               We have been called to carry the good news of Jesus into the world. We need to do this with both our words and our deeds. If we are going to change the image of Evangelicals, we need to change the way that we interact with the world around us. We have not been called to capture our culture, in some political way, but to live radically different lives from our culture that causes people to take notice and see God at work.

1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)
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.

 

WHAT WAS GOD THINKING?

 

2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

               There is a story in the Old Testament about a man named Gideon. God came to Gideon at a time when Israel was living under the oppression of a foreign power. God called Gideon to lead Israel against the Midianites and free them. Gideon was reluctant at first, but God convinced him to trust God and move ahead. Gideon amassed a great army to fight the Midianites, but God told Gideon that he had too many men. God began the process of whittling down Gideon’s army until he was left with only 300 men. Gideon must have been wondering, what is God thinking? This is disaster. But God had a reason and it is the main point of the story. God was going to deliver Israel from the Midianites with only 300 men so that everyone would know that God did it and not Gideon.

               I have been reading a book by Philip Yancey called Vanishing Grace. Yancey raises the question of why God chose to use the Church to be His agents in the world. Over the centuries, the Church has often made mistakes, even really bad mistakes. The Church is filled with flawed people who often mess up. Yet, the Church remains God’s plan A to reach the world. There is no plan B. What was God thinking? The point is that God uses flawed people to show that the power comes from God and not from people.

               The place where we most often mess up is when we start to think that we can do God’s work in our own power. We get an inflated view of ourselves and pride takes over. Soon we are claiming credit for whatever success we have. It is usually at that point that God pulls the rug out from under us and brings us crashing back to earth. Everything we accomplish of any eternal value happens because God is working in us and through us. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians, we are just jars of clay so that God’s glory might shine.

               The greatest evidence of God’s power in the world is when he uses flawed people to accomplish amazing things. Paul had to remind the Corinthian believers, who were struggling with an ego problem, that it was not their greatness that counted, but God’s greatness.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NIV)
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

               God is still using weak, frail, faulty people to accomplish amazing things for His glory. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things so that everyone will know that God did it. This was a lessen that the Apostle Paul had to learn. Before Paul became a follower of Jesus he had a pretty big ego. He thought that he was God’s agent to purify the people of Israel. God had to humble him and show him that all his accomplishments meant nothing if he was doing them in his own strength. Later, Paul wrote about what he had learned. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 (NIV)

               Many people today have turned away from the Church because some in the Church have chosen to use the weapons of power, politics, and personalities to wage war with the world. Historically, the Church has always been its weakest when it has the most political clout. The Church shines the brightest today when ordinary people do extraordinary things out of love for God. God is still using what the world sees as the weak and unimportant to confound the strong and to transform our world.

               Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He commissioned His less than stellar disciples to take His message into all the world. He is still calling ordinary people to do extraordinary things in His power, so that the world will know that God is at work.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Zechariah 4:6 (NIV)
So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.