The gospel of Paul

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.  This is my gospel.    --2 Timothy 2.8

The apostle Paul was a man of action.  He knew how to get things done.  But he also knew what it was like to fail.  He knew what it felt like when the whole world seemed to crumble around him: some people said evil things about him, untrue things; some people asked him to leave their places of worship, others threw him out of their town.  Some took the law into their own hands, and threw stones at him until they thought he was dead.  Some people called the authorities and had Paul thrown into jail.

Yet through all of this persecution, Paul kept on believing.  Not only did he believe, he kept on telling others about Jesus.  Not only did he tell whoever he met, he went to other towns and cities to meet more people, so he could tell them about Jesus.  When he was thrown in jail, he told the jailer about Jesus.  When he was shipwrecked, he told his shipmates about Jesus.  When the men of Lystra and Derbe--two towns in Asia Minor that he preached in--when these men took Paul outside the city and tried to stone him to death, Paul got up, dusted himself off, and went back into the city to tell them about Jesus.  That's dedication!

Five time I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move.  I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. (2 Corinthians 11.24-26)

Yet through all of this persecution, through all of this danger and  peril, Paul kept on thinking in his mind, "Remember Jesus...remember Jesus...remember Jesus."  The exhortation Paul gave to young Timothy was likely what had kept Paul going throughout his ministry.  Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Chosen One sent from God.  Jesus, who had the power over death, yet He submitted Himself to the rulers and allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross.  Jesus, who came from the royal line of David, who is Lord over all creation, and who will come again one day to rule as King of kings and Lord of lords.

If Jesus is at the top of our minds, if He is the first thing we think of when we wake up and the last thing we think of when we go to sleep, does it really matter what happens to us in between?  If we are lied about, or gossiped about, didn't Jesus already endure that?  If we are persecuted, physically tortured for our faith, Jesus has borne that, too.  If we are sent far from home, to a lonely foreign land whose customs we do not understand, that shrinks in comparison to Jesus leaving Heaven to come to Earth for us.  Paul knew this, and went way out of his comfort zone to share the gospel.

Even if it seems your whole world is crumbling, falling down around you, remember this:

Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows who are His," and "Everyone who confesses the Name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." (2 Timothy 2.19)

In Isaiah 28, verse 16 says, "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed."  Jesus is our foundation; He is the rock of our salvation, and a mighty fortress against His enemies.  All who trust in Him will be saved.

But Paul gives a second pillar to our foundation, a different inscription than the first.  "Everyone who confesses the Name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."  To the church at Galatia, Paul said this:

But now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? (Galatians 4.9)

Paul was not saying you could lose your salvation.  Their place in God's family is secure.  But turning back to your sinful ways is like voluntarily going back into slavery after you have been redeemed and set free.  A friend of mine used to say "This is freedom" as he raised his hands in praise.  But then he would drop his hands and hold them out in front of him, as if he were handcuffed.  "And this is slavery.  Which would you rather be?"  God has freed us from the slavery of sin, but like Lot's wife, we are always looking back, longing for the days of sinful pleasures.

The encouragement Paul gives is to shun evil and pursue good.  The example Paul gave was to go all out, and to not be dissuaded from doing good even when he was persecuted for it.  The exhortation Paul gave to young Timothy is found in 2 Timothy, verses 11 through 13 (this might have been a first century Christian hymn):

If we died with Him
     we will also live with Him;
If we endure,
     we will also reign with Him;
If we disown Him,
     He will also disown us;
If we are faithless,
     He will remain faithful
     for He cannot disown Himself.

The wrath of God

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God.  Your sins have been your downfall.  --Hosea 14.1

Have you ever thought that God hated you?  That He was doing everything He could to see you fail?  Sometimes the popular message that "God is Love" rings hollow in your ears.  You may feel like you are experiencing the Wrath of God more than His unfailing Love.

During the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century, a man named John Calvin, a theological leader in France and later in Geneva, actually taught that God hated some people and loved others, and there was nothing you could do to move from one group to the other.  The five points of his theological foundation are sometimes known by the acronym T.U.L.I.P.:

• Total Depravity, or Total Inability.  This is the concept of Original Sin.  All men are born into sin, and they have no ability to reach God on their own.
• Unconditional Election.  If God has destined you to become His follower, there is nothing you can do about it.  You can't lose your Salvation, because it was ordained by God.
• Limited Atonement.  Not everybody is going to be saved.  Jesus died for all the ones that were destined to become Christians, but the others cannot claim Christ's atoning blood for themselves, as God has rejected them.
• Irresistible Grace.  Again, if God has destined you to become a Christian, you can't choose not to participate.
• Perseverance of the Saints.  This is akin to Security of the Believer.  God has ordained your Salvation, and no one or nothing can separate you from it.

This is how some interpret the 15th chapter of the book of Jeremiah.

Then the Lord said to me: "Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people.  Send them away from my presence!  Let them go!  And if they ask you, 'Where shall we go?', tell them, 'This is what the Lord says: Those destined for death, to death; those to the sword, to the sword; those to starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.'" (Jeremiah 15.1-2)

No one was more favored by God than Moses and Samuel.  Yet God told Jeremiah that even the intercession of these two saints could not sway Him from His plan to punish them.  A bit of background.   Verse four says that all these curses were due to what Manasseh, king of Judah and son of Hezekiah, did in Jerusalem.  In I Kings 21, we get this bio:

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty five years.  His mother's name was Hephzibah.  He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. (I Kings 21.1-2)

These detestable practices included rebuilding temples to foreign gods that his father had destroyed, erecting alters to Baal and symbols of the goddess Asherah.  He worshiped the stars, and desecrated the Temple of God, even going so far as to offer his son as a sacrifice to the gods.  He practiced sorcery, and consulted mediums.  Bad king, bad decisions, bad actions.  Because of this man's actions, God's wrath was poured out upon the whole nation.

But that's not all.  The wrath of God not only extended to the entire nation, but also to the third and fourth generations.  Manasseh's son Josiah was king after Manasseh died, and he tried to reverse some of the evil practices his father had brought into Jerusalem.  He tore down the altars to Baal, and removed the Asherah poles.  He killed all the priests devoted to the foreign gods.

Nevertheless, the Lord did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to provoke Him to anger  So the Lord said, "I will remove Judah also from my presence, as I removed Israel, and I will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose, and this temple, about which I said, 'There shall My Name be'." (I Kings 23. 26-27)

How depressing!  Even if Josiah followed the Laws of God, the Wrath of God was so great that there was no blessing.  The Bible does not say that the people of Israel followed Josiah, or whether they were too happy about losing the idols they had worshiped for the last half-century.  Tearing down their beloved shrines and killing their priests may not have endeared the king to his people.  This may be why God did not turn away His wrath.  And the son and grandson of Josiah did not follow in the ways of God.  Again, this passage may be used to teach Calvinist doctrine.

But I don't think so.  See, God had already sent the prophets to preach that a Remnant of Israel would return to Israel, and rebuild Jerusalem.  These were the people who Jeremiah said were destined to be taken into captivity.  Just like water is purified by being flushed through a filter; just like gold is purified by fire, the people of Israel were purified by the fiery Wrath of God, and by being forced into captivity.  Only those who were faithful to God and to their Jewish faith would survive.  Not because God hated the people, but because He hated their sinful practices.  God wanted their behavior to be honorable to Him; if their behavior did not honor God, then there were punitive consequences.

I think if God were a psychologist, He would be a behaviorist, not a Freudian.  That makes me an Armenian theologically, not a Calvinist.  I believe that God always gives us an out, a way to repent.  In Jeremiah 15, after God had destined the evil men to death, starvation, sword or captivity, he said this:

The Lord said, "Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress." (Jeremiah 15.11)

This verse tells me two things.  First, all people--all individuals, all families, all nations--will experience hard times.  It is how we respond that matters.  If we honor God, He will deliver us.  Not only will He deliver us, he will draw others to Himself by making an example of you.  Secondly, I don't think this message was to Jeremiah only.  I don't think that the prophet was the only one of the Elect, while the others who heard this message were eternally damned from the beginning of time.  I believe everyone has a choice to follow God.  The blessing may not come in this life, but if you have faith in God, your blessing will come.

I heard a story about a businessman in a sporty convertible that got lost.  He was zipping along the Farm to Market roads, trying to read his map and get back to the freeway.  As he was distracted by his GPS, he drove his car into a ditch, and try as he might, he couldn't get it out.   So he started walking toward the nearest farmhouse.  He knocked on the door, and asked the farmer if he could help pull his car out of the ditch.  The farmer led the man to his barn, and there they found an old, broken-down, blind mule. "This is Warwick, the mule," the farmer said.  The man wondered how this dilapidated old mule could help him, but he watched as the farmer led him to the car.  After tying the yoke to the car, and securing the mule to the yoke, the farmer yelled, "Pull, Ned!  Pull, Henry!  Pull, Frank!  Pull, Warwick!"  The businessman watched in amazement as the lone mule puled the car out of the ditch.  "That's amazing," said the man.  "But tell me, why did you call out the names of four mules, when only one was there?"  The farmer reached over and scratched Warwick behind the ears.  "Well, Mister, it's like this.  Ole Warwick is blind, see.  If he knew he was the only one pulling, he wouldn't be able to drag the car out by himself.  But if he thinks he has a whole team pulling with him, then there's no limit to what he can do."

It may seem like you are alone.  It may seem like your family, your nation, even your whole world is experiencing the Wrath of God.  But don't get caught up in what you can see.  Like Ole Warwick, the mule, do your best for God, and He will multiply your efforts.

The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.  (Hosea 14.9)

Son of God and Son of Man

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be thine.

In the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus and His disciples were having some good times, some spiritually high times.  Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead, and Lazarus' sister Martha had prepared a meal for Him and His disciples.  Martha's sister Mary had just anointed Jesus' feet with perfume, and Jesus said it was in preparation for His death.  Then Jesus had ridden through the streets of Jerusalem on a donkey, and all the people there were shouting Hosanna to Him and laying palm branches in front of the donkey, so that Jesus would have a smoother ride.The Pharisees were standing back watching all this take place, and all they could do was wonder at it all. "Look how the whole world has gone after him," they said. (John 12.19)

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast.  They came to Phillip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request.  "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus."  Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.  Jesus said to them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds."

What a strange answer to these Gentile men, who have come to Jesus with questions.  Had He come only for the Jews?  Must the Gentiles become Jews before they could be a disciple of Christ?  Or could they be His disciples and remain Gentile?  I can imagine they had heard of His miracles.  Maybe they wanted to know when He would come perform some for their people.  But when Jesus spoke to them, He spoke of dying.

"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am my servant will also be.  My Father will honor the one who serves me." (John 12.25-26)

So he was giving some measure of hope to the Greeks (and, ultimately, to us as well).  But then Jesus started talking about His own death.  "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me."  Again, this was an encouragement to the Greeks, who did not share the country, the language, or the presence of Jesus when He was ministering in Israel.  But the Jews in the crowd did not understand.

The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'?  Who is this 'Son of Man'?"  (John 12.34)

They had heard Him say He would go back to His Father.  They thought that "lifted up" meant that somehow he would fly away to heaven.  But their prophets had said that the Christ would rule the world forever.  How could this be?  Was he talking about another person when he said "Son of Man"?  It would only make sense later to them.  He was not talking about leaving them; He meant that He would be raised up on a cross to die. And death, for Him, would not be permanent.  So yes, he would be "lifted up" and also would fulfill the prophecies about the Christ ruling forever.

But why did Jesus use the phrase "Son of Man" to describe Himself?  Jesus refers to Himself in this way 81 times in the Gospels.  No one but Jesus ever referred to Him in this way--the Jews in the above verse used the term, but they were quoting Jesus when they did it.  They did not understand that Jesus meant it as a Messianic title, a name that would point to Himself as the one and only Messiah.

The first use of this phrase was in the book of Daniel.  In the 7th chapter of his book, Daniel describes all kinds of heavenly beings and spiritual beasts.  One looked like a lion, but with wings like eagles.  A second looked like a bear, and a third looked like a leopard.  The fourth beast was too terrifying to describe: it had iron teeth and ten horns, and each of the horns had an eyeball in it.  But when The Ancient of Days came, He slew the scary beast, and stripped the lion, bear and leopard of their powers, although the three animal-like beasts were left alive for awhile.

In the midst of all this, another being arrived, this one with a human form.

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.  He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

So Daniel saw this human figure, this son of man, that could approach the Almighty God, the Ancient of Days, without fear.  He was not destroyed like the scary beast; He was not stripped of His power like the other beasts in Daniel's vision.  Instead, He was given power, glory and authority, that all men of every nation and language would worship Him forever.

Jesus was speaking of Himself in these terms.  He was trying to give encouragement to the Greeks, who felt like they were on the outside looking in.  He was also trying to let the Jews know that although the Pharisees would succeed at killing Him, He would have power over death.

At the time Jesus spoke these words, the people did not understand.  Their eyes were blind, and they were confused by the rules of nature.  If Jesus were to die, then He would not live forever.  Their minds could not fathom the concept of a resurrection.  Sometimes we today get caught up inside the box of laws, rules and limits to what is possible.  But with God, all things are possible.  In our day, the power of God is hidden from us by leaders like the lion, the bear and the leopard; but The Ancient of Days has already defeated them, and rendered them powerless. O God, open our eyes so we can see.

The family of God

"Mr. Corleone is Johnny's godfather. To the Italian people, that is a very religious, sacred, close relationship."

That line is from the 1972 film, The Godfather, popularly viewed as one of the best American films ever made.  This multi-generational crime saga is a touchstone of cinema--one of the most widely imitated, quoted, and lampooned movies of all time.  Marlon Brando plays the title role of the godfather Don Corleone. The line quoted above is spoken by the character Tom Hagen, who is Don Corleone's informally adopted son, and the family lawyer and consigliere, or counselor.  He was trying to explain the dynamics of the relationship to Jack Woltz, a powerful Hollywood producer. 

I couldn't help but think of the movie when I read my daily Bible reading this week.  In the 30th chapter of Exodus, as God is instructing Moses all about the Tabernacle and its furnishings, He inserts specific instructions on how to take a poll tax.   

Then the Lord said to Moses, "When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted.  Then no plague will come on them when you number them.  Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half-shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.  This half-shekel is an offering to the Lord.  All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the Lord.  The rich are not to give more than a half shekel, and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives.  (Exodus 30.11-15)

Talk about "an offer you can't refuse"!  Each adult male had to pay a "ransom" to "atone for his life".  This was the Law of God.  Unchangeable.  Unforgivable.   Either you paid the ransom, or you forfeited your life.  And the cost was the same whether you were rich or poor.  This was the price of their redemption.

After God had led His people out of Egypt, and after he had led them across the sea on dry land, and after He had swallowed up the Egyptian army in the sea, Moses and his sister Miriam sang a song to the Lord.  Part of that song said, "In your unfailing love, you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling." (Exodus 15.13).  So when Moses received the Law from the hand of God, the Redeemer asked for a little payback.  He wanted the people to have some "skin in the game", to participate fully in their redemption, so that they could identify with God.  In turn, God wanted to be exalted among His people.

"Do not be afraid, O little Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 41.14)

The study notes in my copy of the Bible says this about the term Redeemer:

The Hebrew for this word refers to an obligated family protector and thus portrays the Lord as the family protector of Israel.  He is related to Israel as father (Isaiah 64 and 64) and husband (Isaiah 54).  As Redeemer (or family protector), He redeems their property, guarantees their freedom, avenges them against their tormentors, and secures their posterity for the future.

Isn't it so much better to have a relationship with our Father God than it is to be beholden to a godfather?  Immortal is better than immoral.  Omnipotent is better than Organized. Don Corleone's son was a renegade; God's Son came as a Ransom for many. (Matthew 20.28)

Think about that for a minute.  Jesus gave His life as a ransom for many.  So if you want to be counted among the family of God, Jesus has paid your atonement for you.  The rich are no more deserving than the poor--all are in need of a Redeemer, a family protector, a guarantor when we reach death's door.  God the Father sent His only Son to die for you.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3.16)  You can substitute your name for "the world" in this verse, because God loved you that much.

Another quote from the movie goes like this: "I don't like violence, Tom.  I'm a businessman.  Blood is a big expense."  The movie character was talking about losing the lives of hit men and outlaws.  How much more precious was the blood of Christ that was shed for you.  Yet God was willing to make that sacrifice so that you could become a member of His family.

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The unwitting prophet

The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt, by a prophet He cared for them.  But Ephraim has bitterly provoked Him to anger; his Lord will leave upon him the guilt of his bloodshed and will repay him for his contempt.  Hosea 12.13-14

I wonder sometimes how people with the gift of prophecy know when they have said something significant.  I'm not talking about so-called psychics, who try to foretell the future for profit.  Nor am I talking about Nostradamus or Edgar Cayce, whose "predictions" are eerily close to the truth, but recognizable only after the event happens.  In those cases, the "prediction" was so vague that almost any tragic event could be applied to the words those men used.  Many have been led astray by reading these men's books and giving them the same weight as the Word of God.

There are other skeptics who will trace back the history of canonized Scripture, and will note that committees of sinful, politically-minded Church leaders "voted" on which books to include in today's Bible.  These committees, or "canons", debated furiously over whether to include books such as Jude in the Bible, and whether to exclude books such as The Gospel of Judas.  Whether the early Christian Church Fathers selected members of the canon based on spiritual knowledge and commitment, or on devotion to certain Church teachings, I do not know.  But I'll bet one thing for sure.  When David wrote his Psalms, or when Paul sent his letters to individual pastors like Timothy, or to individual slave-holders like Philemon--they did not know at the time that what they were writing would end up in the Bible. 

In the eleventh chapter of John, there is a story of a secret meeting between the acting High Priest of the Jews and some members of the Sanhedrin.  Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead, and a good many Jews were there to witness it.  The story doubtless spread like wildfire throughout the land.  Something had to be done about this--it was getting out of control.

Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.  "What are we accomplishing?" they asked.  "Here is this man performing many miraculous signs.  If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." (John 11.47-48)

The concern was not for truth, but for maintaining their position as leaders in their region.  Some scholars believe that when they said "our place", they were referring to the Temple.  Ironically, even though they were successful in arresting Jesus and putting Him to death, their Temple would eventually be destroyed anyway.  But whether the phrase "both our place and our nation" was meant as "our Temple and our Country", or if they were emphasizing their own positions of power ("Our place, and our nation"), they were primarily concerned about themselves.

Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all!  You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish." (John 11.49-50)

As a religious leader (Caiaphas was a Sadducee--by the way, historian Josephus commented on the rudeness of Sadducees generally), the high priest was concerned about keeping his job.  His plan was to put Jesus to death at any cost, so that the status quo could be preserved.  There would still be a Jewish nation (such as it was--subservient to Roman rule and all that entailed), and the Sadducees and Pharisees would still be leaders in it.

But John, who recounted this story, wrote his own commentary on the statement:

He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.  (John 11.51-52)

So Caiaphas meant one thing by his statement, but John read a different meaning into it.  Caiaphas presented an ultimatum--it's Him or us.  Either we put this man to death, or he will be the death of us.  But God used his words to predict that Jesus would die for the sins of the world, and that many, both Jews and Gentiles alike, would be saved through His sacrificial death.

I am grateful that Jesus died for me.  His sacrificial death atoned for my sin, so that when God looks at me on the Judgment Day, He will only see the Blood of Christ, not the stain of sin.  We used to sing this hymn in church:

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in his grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you walking daily by the Savior's side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb.
There's a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

The prophets foretold of the coming of the Son of God, who laid down His life for you.  The prophets also foretold of His return to earth, to take us all home with Him.  Give your life to Him today.  And be careful what you say--the words you use may be used by God to foretell His will in someone's life.

God's face, and grace, shine like the sun

When I was in high school, I took the certification course to become a lifeguard.  I was working as a staffer at a summer camp, and had hopes of being assigned to pool duty.  I had seen others at the camp work very hard with camp activities, food service, and cabin clean-up, and I hoped to be one of the lucky ones that got to sit in the sun all day and watch the swimmers have fun.

However, when it came time to take the "final exam", all us candidates were told to swim 20 laps in the pool.  It was more than a mile, total.  I considered myself a strong swimmer, but about halfway through, I gulped for air and took in a lungful of chlorinated water.  I gagged and sputtered, trying to stay afloat.  I finally had to put my feet down and walk to the edge of the pool, where I promptly vomited on the sidewalk.  If I had been in deeper water, I would have needed someone to save me.

In the 80th Psalm, the prophet Asaph led the congregation in a prayer for salvation.  The whole northern kingdom of Israel was in over its head.  They were in need of a Savior.

Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.  Awaken your might; come and save us.  Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.  Psalm 80.1-3

The italicized verse (emphasis mine) is repeated three times in the prayer.  This refrain is a confession that the people had a need, a confirmation that only God could meet that need, and a contrite petition that God would restore them as His people.

Many years later, Jeremiah (known as "the Weeping Prophet"), mourns for the people because they did not follow the words of the Lord.  He writes these words to the people:

Hear and pay attention, do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken.  Give glory to the Lord your God before He brings the darkness, before your feet stumble on the darkening hills.  You hope for light, but He will turn it to thick darkness and change it to deep gloom.  But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the Lord's flock will be taken captive. (Jeremiah 13. 15-17)

Most people who are drowning in a swimming pool know they need help; they know to cry out to be saved.  But most people's eyes are blind spiritually, and they don't know they are in over their heads until it is too late.  So when a missions minded person goes into the marketplace and preaches Jesus as the Savior of the world, people go on about their business, ignoring the message and ridiculing the messenger.  Savior? I don't need no stinkin' savior.  I'm doing all right by myself.  And if I get in trouble, my friends or my family or my government will bail me out.

Thank God there are always people who pray.  These prayer warriors constantly call to God for their country, for their families, for individuals just like you.  The Psalmist intercedes for the people in this way:

Let Your hand rest on the man at Your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.  Then we will not turn away from You; revive us, and we will call on Your Name. Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. Psalm 80.17-19.

God is ready to place His mighty right hand on you.  And remember, Jesus called Himself "the Son of Man".  He is ready to resuscitate you, to breath into you the breath of Life everlasting, if you will simply call on His Name.

If you feel like you are drowning, like you are circling the drain of Life; if you feel you are going down for the third time, rest assured that someone is praying for you.  Like a mother on the edge of the pool, waving and shouting to get the attention of the lifeguard to save her child, there is someone who is interceding for you right now.  You may not know it.  You may not even realize you need it.  But it is happening behind the scenes.  What you do when the Savior touches you will make all the difference.  Will you let Him pull you to safety? Or will you send Him away, confident that you can get yourself out of this mess you are in.  Arrogance like that can lead to Hell.

John Wesley said that God offers us three types of grace: preparing grace, accepting grace, and sustaining grace.  Preparing grace (or "prevenient grace" as Wesley called it) is offered to us before we know we need it.  Ephesians 2.8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, let any man should boast."  This grace is prepared for you before you even realize that you need it.  And when you do realize that you need God's forgiveness, His salvation, He accepts you just as you are.  This is the accepting grace.  And after He has saved you, He goes about sustaining you, by His grace, and preparing you for His kingdom.  This is sometimes called "sanctifying grace", or the grace that makes you set apart.

I did finally get to finish my certification as a lifeguard, but I was assigned other duties in the camp.  I was told that I could be a "reserve" lifeguard, in case one of the kids assigned to that task became ill or quit in the middle of the summer.  Perhaps God knew that I would spend more time and effort looking at the pretty young girls in their swimming suits, and that I would not be very attentive to those who might need help in the water.  Thank God for His attentiveness to our needs, for His grace to meet our needs, even before we knew we had a need!

 

Jesus' identity with the Father, and with us.

Who exactly is Jesus?  Many of us identify with Peter, whose confession is found in Matthew 16.16: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."  We have heard that verse and that statement so often that we just repeat it by rote.  But what does it really mean?  Do we actually know who Jesus is?

We as Christians place our faith in Jesus to save us from Hell and to give us access to Heaven.  We strive to be like Him in all that we do; but in order to do that, in order to really identify with Him, we must know Him completely.  Most of us don't take the time to explore that truth fully.

This week I read a short passage in the Gospel of John that is so deep, so full of meaning, that I have to share it here.  It really speaks to the identity of Jesus.

The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense?  If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."  Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe.  The miracles I do in the Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.  I and the Father are one. (John 10.24-30)

In this passage are three great truths about the identity of Jesus.


Jesus' identity with the Father

Deuteronomy 6.4 is a phrase repeated in the daily prayers of all practicing Jews.  "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One."  In the Hebrew, the first two words are Sh'ma, Yisrael, or "Hear, O Israel".  The Sh'ma is a ritual prayer in almost all Jewish services and synagogues.  It is something every Jewish child is taught, and certainly something every Jewish leader is familiar with.  It identifies them as mono-Theistic, as opposed to their pagan neighbors who worshiped many gods.

Yet here is a man who says he is sent from God, and is given authority to perform miracles by the One God that they serve.  This message is repeated twice, once in verse 25 (the miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me), and again in verse 32 (I have shown you many great miracles from the Father).  Only the creator of Nature could exhibit such power over Nature.  Only Nature's God had authority to do this.  Jesus used it as a proof that He was sent from God.

Yet he went a step further, stating in verse 30, "I and the Father are One."  In this way He showed that he was not some kind of Viceroy, sent in place of the King.  He was the King, sent in human form.  Follow me, here, because this is bed-rock important.  We do not serve three gods, whom we call the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  All three of these "persons" or "personalities" or "entities" are actually One God.  This is a mystery that many could not comprehend in Jesus' day.  It is an enigma that still keeps many away from Christianity today.  Yet it gives us a certain comfort, as we will see later.


Jesus' identity as the Good Shepherd

Jesus said that the miracles He performed in the Father's name speak for Him, "but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  My sheep hear my voice and listen to my voice, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life." (verses 26-28).  Jesus uses a metaphor of the shepherd.  It is the shepherd's job to take the sheep into the fold, and to keep them safe  from predators.  It is also the shepherd's job to keep out any creatures who don't belong to the herd, whether they be wolves (predators), goats (sheep wanna-be's), or other sheep (pretenders).

In this world, it may be hard to discern the "Not My Sheep" from the rest in the Church.  It may be impossible to completely separate yourselves from the "Goats" in the World.  It may seem impossible to avoid the "Wolves", but take heart.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  He will protect you from predators.  He will separate the Sheep from the Goats at the judgment.  And as for the "Not My Sheep"? Pray that they will see the error of their ways, and convert before it is too late.  At the day of judgment, you will not want to be labeled "Not My Sheep", and be sent to an eternity without God.

Jesus' identity as the Surety of our Faith

Because of Jesus' identity with the Father, he has all the powers available to the Father.  Verse 28 says, "I have given them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."  The very next verse repeats the italicized phrase (emphasis mine), with one major difference: "no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."  Do you see the interchangeability of the Son with the Father?  Do you see Jesus' total identity with God?  There is no discernible difference between the two phrases--they both mean the same thing: God holds us in His hand, and will not let us go for anything.  Yet at the same time there is a double guarantee--Jesus holds us in His hand, and God holds us in His hand.  What better security do we need?

Romans 8.35 says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" The answer to Paul's rhetorical question is a resounding "NO!"  God is able to save us, and He is more than able to keep us.  This is what our Baptist friends mean when they talk about the security of the believer.  God provides the grace, and we respond by faith.  Nothing else is necessary.  "For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2.8-9)

What say you?  Will you accept God's offer of grace?  Will you identify with Christ, who is identified with God?  Or will you be rejected as "Not My Sheep" in the final judgment? I pray you will accept Him, and grow in His grace.

In our darkest hours, He is there

This week in Phoenix there was a sandstorm of historic proportions.  Called a "haboob", it was caused by extremely high winds in advance of a rainstorm.  The winds kicked up dust and sand such that the skies were dark at mid-day.  Haboobs are frequently seen in Saharan Africa and less frequently in the United States' desert southwest.  The term comes from the Arabic,which loosely translated, means "phenomena".

I can't imagine being in a modern city (much less an ancient oasis) when the wind blows so hard that the sand blots out the sun.  All I would be able to do is cover my head and pray that God would take away the darkness, and that He would wash away the dust and debris that hung between me and the Sun.

This must have been how the prophet Jeremiah felt when he wrote in chapter 12

Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? You have planted them and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit.  You are always on their lips but far from their hearts.  Yet you know me, O Lord; you see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered!  Set them apart for the day of slaughter.  How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered?  Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished.  Moreover, the people are saying, "He will not see what happens to us." Jeremiah 12.2(b)-4.

The people were so used to the darkness that they thought even God could not see them.  Therefore they were not accountable to Him, and they continued in sin for so long that Jeremiah became weary of their behavior--so much so that he wished God would wipe them off the face of the earth.  The same sentiment is found in Psalm 79:

O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.  They have given the dead bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.  They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead. We are objects of reproach to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us.  How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?  Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your Name.  (Psalm 79.1-6)

The prophets Jeremiah and Asaph both wanted God's justice on His enemies, and His blessing on His people.  Yet even God's people were blinded.  And God promised swift judgment on them.  And yet, through all this turmoil, God's grace shines like the sun.

This is what the Lord says: "As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot them from their lands and I will uproot the house of Judah from among them. But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to his own inheritance and his own country.  And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, 'As surely as the Lord lives'--even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal--then they will be established among my people."  (Jeremiah 12.14-16).

God is just where justice is warranted, and merciful when mercy is needed.  We do not know the mind of God--why he allows suffering, or why he allows the wicked to prosper.  But we are commanded to seek the face of God in the midst of our suffering.  Only He can wipe away the dirt that blots out the Son, and only He knows the time and the place that the Son needs to shine.  We are only to obey.  Micah 6.8 says, "He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord desires of you: To know justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly before your God."

We all know justice.  As children, we learn that if we get caught with our hand in the cookie jar, we will get our hand slapped.  As adults, if we drive excessively fast, we will get a speeding ticket.  This is justice.  And we all love mercy--those times when the cop gives us a warning, or your mom forgives you and gives you a cookie.  We only need to act in all humility, for it is not up to us whether we get justice or mercy.  It is in our power to decide whether we give justice or act mercifully.  We just need God's wisdom to tell us which is more appropriate.

Last night my wife and I were watching a movie on the Christian channel.  The woman in the story had committed her life to following God, no matter the cost.  And then she went through some terrible, tragic losses.  She asked her husband why God would treat her that way, after she had committed herself fully to him.  The husband answered, "You made a commitment to God; you did not strike a bargain with Him."  We cannot negotiate with The Almighty.  He does not want us to approach Him with an agenda: if You do this for me, I will do that for You.  He doesn't need your help.  What He does want, with all of His expansive, abundant heart, is to fellowship with you.  He desires for you to leave your sinful nature and your agenda behind, and love Him only.

You may be going through some of the darkest days you have ever known.  Call out to God.  Only He can wash away the dust and debris that separates you from Him.  The phenomena that brings you to this place may be what He has sent in order to drive you to your knees.  You are never closer to heaven than when you are on your knees before God.

Spiritual calisthenics, to be razor sharp--God needs sharp tools

Oh,what I would do to have the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is, And he's holding out his hand

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win, You you'll never win"

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

Oh, what I would do to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me time and time again
"Boy you'll never win, you'll never win."

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

But the stone was just the right size to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
singing over me

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
The Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth


I love this song from Casting Crowns.  It speaks to me.  There is always a contrast between faith and fear, between action and complacency, between encouragement and defeat.  But we can overcome all of these and more, because Jesus has overcome it all before us.  Let me tell you what I mean.


The story of Peter walking on the water is only found in Matthew.   Matthew 14.28-31 says:

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."  "Come," he said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.  "You of little faith," he said.  "Why did you doubt?"

You see, Peter wouldn't have left the safety of his boat unless he had seen Jesus.  Jesus was already there, walking on the water.

John 6.16-21shares this story, but only the part where Jesus was walking on the water.  John wanted to make it all about Jesus, not about Peter.  Mark 6.45-51 also shares this story, but leaves out the part about Peter walking on the water.  This is interesting to me because Peter had a lot of influence on the Gospel of Mark.  Many scholars believe that Mark based his writings on the sermons of Peter, or that Peter co-wrote the Gospel of Mark (but since Peter was an illiterate fisherman, Mark wrote it all down for him.) So when Mark wrote this based on the testimony of Peter, there is no mention of Peter walking on the water.  I'm not trying to say it didn't happen--I'm trying to say that John and Mark made this about Jesus, and His power over creation.  Matthew gave us what Paul Harvey used to call "The REST of the story."  This addition encourages us to be like Jesus in all that we do.  Even when we try the impossible.

The same thing happened in the story of David, when he killed the giant from Gath.  The Bible says that King Saul stood head and shoulders above his countrymen (I Samuel 9.2).  He was a tall man.  But when battle lines were drawn between the Israelite army and the Philistines, Saul trembled with fear at the sight of Goliath.  Seeing their leader cower in his tent, the Israelite army was also fearful.  But David came in and assessed the situation, and challenged the men of Israel to take heart.  In I Samuel 17.26, David asks, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"  Then David found the king.  "David said to Saul, 'Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." (I Samuel 17.32)

David's faith did not come from boastful pride.  It did not come from an attitude of, "Look, see what I can do."  It came from the anointing of God, and the Spirit of the Lord being upon him (see I Samuel 16.13).because God had already won the battle.

Being tuned in to God's will takes work.  We can't just sit back and let God take us places that we would never go on our own.  Paul admonished young Timothy in this way:

Train yourself to be godly.  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.  This is a trustworthy saying, that deserves full acceptance, and for this we labor and strive. (I Timothy 4.7b-10a)

Make Jesus your life coach.  Rather than having Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper yelling in your ear to "Reach! and Stretch!  Don't stop--you can do it!", listen to the Holy Spirit.  Don't be hearers of the Word only, but be doers of the Word as well (James 1.22).  Exercise your faith, so it can move mountains.

One of the best commercials I have ever seen is for Ace Hardware.  A fellow is looking over his To Do list, arranging his tools, and humming Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.  "Do-do-do-dooo.  Do-do-do-dooo." As the commercial goes on, he is getting the tools to complete his tasks at the hardware store.  And before the commercial is over, his humming becomes more intense.  "Done-done-done-dooone.  Done-done-done-doooone."  The point of the commercial is to use this retailer to help you get from the "To Do List" to the "Done List".  I like it because it is what God wants us to be like; to utilize the power of the Holy Spirit to do what He asks, then to look back and say, "By God's grace and through His power, it is done.  And I helped."