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Sunday, April 23, 2017

“Peace!”


Scripture: John 20:19-31

That first Resurrection Sunday had been quite a day. The women who had gone to the tomb to complete the burial ritual were overcome with the discovery that Jesus’ body was missing. And not only that, but the Roman guards were gone, and the huge stone that sealed the entrance had also been moved. When they told the disciples about it, the men went to see for themselves, but they couldn’t find any evidence of what had happened either!
Then Mary meets a man nearby, who she thinks might have seen something, but as it turns out, it’s the Risen Christ Himself! And they now clung to the reminder that they are to meet Jesus in Galilee in the very near future. The rest of the day was, for the most part, a waste. Word of the resurrection began to spread through the ranks of the faithful. Everyone began to seek out Peter and John for an explanation, and discussions would center on the numerous opinions as to what had happened. But the day would continue to be a mystery to them all.

The only thing that they knew for certain was that the body of their Lord was missing, just as the Roman guards were. They would begin to hear reports of searches being mounted for those deserters, but they were yet to be found. The fear began to grow again – fear that they would be blamed for all that had happened – fear that there would be a general round up of all believers – a renewed fear that they would soon suffer the same sentence that the Lord had. By the time evening rolled around, they were all exhausted – tired of talking, tired of crying, tired of trying to stay out of sight, tired of not knowing.
Was Mary’s story right? Were the rumors about the solders right? Were the temple guards really out in force, searching for them? Could Jesus really be alive? What was the truth?

And just about the time they were all ready to fall into a turbulent and restless sleep, it happened.

Read John 20:19-20

No one had dared to go back out on the streets of Jerusalem that evening, and as they began to settle down together, fear would be replaced with an overwhelming joy – Jesus would appear right there, in the room, with them. And he offers them his peace. And they would remember the words of assurance he gave during the Seder – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

And the peace that passes all understanding came over them, replacing the fear, the apprehension, the doubt, the uncertainties of that day. The Spirit of God was already beginning to work his wonderful way in their hearts. And the Lord shows them the marks in his hands and side to dispel any uncertainty that might still be lingering in their souls. This is the proof that the Jesus they had known for years, the one they had mourned for these past few days, truly was living – it wasn’t that the human Jesus had been replaced with the Godly version – he had been reunited with the Godly.

And they began to remember other words he had spoken at Seder – that “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little whlle you will see me. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” (John 16:19-24) He had promised them that this joy would be theirs forever, no matter what happened, and that they could ask for anything in his name, and the Father would honor their request.

Jesus was alive! And everything he had told them was coming true! And the Church must remember that these promises weren’t limited to only the faithful of that day – they are given and confirmed for all who believe in Jesus Christ.

Read John 20:21-23

The Lord’s repeating the offering of Peace isn’t just a reiteration of the original greeting – it is part of the commissioning that he places upon them in that moment. He confirms that he had been sent by the Father, and in that confirmation, there is the implicit thought that there had a specific purpose in that “sending”. And his “peace” becomes a part of his call on our lives – that we, too, are being sent by the Father, also with a specific purpose.

Jesus always seemed to understand his purpose – even in his younger years. Remember that day when he stayed behind in Jerusalem and scared his parents half to death? When they asked him why, he replied that they should have known that he would be in his “Father’s house”. (Luke 2:41-52) But as focused as he was on the mission that had been given to him, he also understood that as obedient as he had to be to Divine authority, he also must submit to his parents – to earthly – authority. And that submission would lead him to Calvary.

So where are each of us being sent? And everyone is called to some task in the Lord’s name - there are none who are too young, and none who are too old, none who aren’t gifted enough, none who aren’t faithful enough, none who aren’t smart enough – and if you aren’t certain, then begin praying that the Lord might instruct you, and you might even discover that you are already there!

And wherever you do go, carry the Lord’s forgiveness with you. But understand that this isn’t just a moralistic forgiveness – John saw the darkness of sin as the blindness that comes through disbelief. It isn’t the sin that the book of Leviticus speaks about – it’s the sin, the death, that comes from the failure to accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.
And the forgiveness that we can bestow is the salvation message that comes from Jesus. We are to present it to the people of the world, and if they accept it, they are forgiven, but if they reject it, they are not forgiven. Wherever we are sent, wherever we may go, whatever our task, whatever our mission, it must always include this very message of forgiveness through salvation by faith.

But wherever that may be, know that the Lord’s joy and peace and Spirit and breath will cover you all the way.

Read John 20:24-27


We don’t know how long Thomas had been missing, but it could very well have been since the day of crucifixion, and we have no indication at all as to where he had been or why he had left the others. We only know that he missed out on all that had happened, and only showed up again after Jesus appeared to the few on Easter evening. And his disbelief is no different than the doubt which the others had when Mary came with the same message. The difference is that Thomas identifies the proof that he will need to believe. And it comes.

Would Jesus ever withhold anything that we ask for? He said that he wouldn’t, so Thomas, by his own words, has set the stage for the next appearance. Jesus, once again, offers “peace” to the entire gathering, including Thomas, but then he directly addresses the one who has yet to believe. And while he showed his hands and side the first time he appeared in the locked room, this time he actually invites Thomas to touch the wounds. If that is what it will take for him to believe, then Jesus will honor it. But the Lord cautions the man that if he does, that will cause him to believe, and that there will no longer be any “unbelief” within him.

Belief in Jesus includes commitment and acceptance. There can be no half-hearted, partial, limited belief – that Jesus may be a good prophet, that he was a good teacher, that most of what he taught is OK, but other parts can be ignored. It must be all, or nothing.
And Thomas would quickly come to understand that, and all that it would entail.

Read John 20:28-31

The offer to touch the hands and side of Jesus would be enough – Thomas never actually takes the Lord up on his proposal. And in essence, he makes that great statement of faith without a touch - “I do believe!” And Jesus’ response to the disciple’s renewed faith is similar to the words he spoke to Nathaniel after Phillip brought him to meet the Lord – “You believe because you have seen!” (John 1:43-51) Was this a put down, a slight toward them, a way of demeaning their testimony? Not at all. It was simply an acknowledgement that faith comes in different ways – for some, it is by sight or by hearing or by experience, and for others who will come to him later, it will be purely by faith. It doesn’t matter how we come to the Lord – the importance is that we come.

During Jesus’ time in resurrected presence, John writes that there were many other occurrences and miracles attributed to him, but that these few things that he describes should be sufficient. You may know a skeptic who claims that these few events aren’t enough for them to believe. The truth is that the telling of the resurrection story, and the reports of his working in people’s lives, including your own personal testimony, is enough. And if someone still hesitates to believe, find out why, and let the Spirit work within their life to change their unbelief into full belief, all though the confession and naming of their personal obstacle.

“Peace be with you!”
“May the power of the Holy Spirit fill you!”
“Let your fear and hesitation go by the wayside!”
“Jesus is Risen!”
“Believe, and doubt no more!”

What more should anyone need? Know that Christ’s peace and call on your life is within you today, and Rejoice!

Sunday, April 16, 2017

“The First of Many” (Easter)


Scripture: John 20:1-18

We know so little about life and death. We live, certainly, but the intricacies and the interactions in life are still a great mystery. We breathe, we feel our heart beat, we experience some of the body’s energy and workings, but most of it happens without our ever knowing. And as life comes close to its end, and we know that death is approaching, the mystery grows even greater. And this unknown can be frightening, to say the least.

Years ago, our youngest son asked me what this life is all about. It caught me off balance, and I told him something like “It’s about walking with the Lord, and discovering his plan for our lives.” That wasn’t exactly what he was looking for, and definitely wasn’t as profound as I had hoped, but in retrospect, it was probably the best answer that I could have given. And I’m glad that he didn’t ask me about death, because I still haven’t got a clue about that one.

That first Easter morning was just as full of confusion and mystery as that day with Nate. The difference, though, was that the disciples were beginning with their confusion over Jesus’ death, and didn’t have a clue that Life was going to complicate their misunderstanding even further.

And the Lord’s closest followers were going through this same struggle on that “third day”.

Read John 20:1-9

In Mathew’s gospel (Matthew 27:62-66), we read that the Jewish leadership asked Pilate to secure the tomb so that his followers couldn’t steal his body. The stone that closed the entrance to the tomb had been sealed, and a Roman guard had been posted to keep everyone away.

As Mary made her way to the tomb to complete the burial ritual, her only thought, and fear, was of how she was going to get inside to do her work. Imagine her dismay when she discovered that the guards were gone, the tomb was no longer sealed, the large stone had been moved, and Jesus’ body was gone! Memory of Jesus words had completely left her mind – that after he had been killed, he would come back to life on the third day of death (Matthew 16:21).

Resurrection was the last thing on the believers’ minds, so if the Lord’s body was gone, as improbable as it was, it must be due to theft. After Mary delivered her announcement to the men, Peter, John, and she returned to try to figure out a reason for the mystery. But on that day, as confusing as their Lord’s death had been, life was even more perplexing.

These three people had been given very explicit positions in the gospel narrative. Peter is known for his expression of faith, as well as his failure and denial in faith; John is known more for his relationship and trust, the love and intimacy, that he shows in Christ; and Mary as the first evangelist and witness to Christ’s resurrection. Each was well suited to carry out their part, especially Mary.

And I expect that there is some of each of them in all of us, including their confusion and doubt.

Read John 20:10-14

For some unknown reason, as the others returned to their safe place, Mary stayed behind. Perhaps it was to mourn, perhaps it was to be close to the last place they had seen Jesus, perhaps she just didn’t know what to do next! Without thinking, she happened to glance inside the now empty tomb, and it was no longer vacant – it was filled with two glorious angels, who, it seems, had a message for her.

Now I don’t know about you, but if I had just gone through all that she had, I doubt that I would still be standing! They ask about her tears, she responds that her Lord’s body is missing, but this gospel never records the message that the heavenly messengers have for her. But the other three gospels do (Matthew 28:5-7; Mark 16:6-7; Luke 24:5-8) – that she is to tell the others that Jesus is risen, and will meet them all in Galilee. John, however, chooses to use her encounter with the “Gardener” as the pronouncement of his resurrection.

As the “gardener” and Mary begin their conversation, it is quite evident that Mary is still missing the message that God is sending to her – that this life is defined by neither our birth nor our death, but rather by what comes from our faith in Christ.

But faith tends to be a progressive experience for us, just as it was for this woman. First, she comes seeking the truth of Christ, and even though she witnesses the unrecognized truth of all that she had learned, it had all been forgotten. She shares her misgivings and concerns with others, but because of their own issues, they weren’t much help. But then, the Lord sent a messenger to her – one who knows the truth, one who could solve her dilemma with a simple sentence.
It’s not that people don’t want to believe. It’s not that they haven’t the capacity – the intellect - to believe. It’s just that the evidence, the testimony that is routinely offered by believers, doesn’t register in the person’s life. So what are we to do about sharing the message of Jesus Christ with others?
Second, we have to pray, that we are the one who the Spirit wishes to work through.
Third, we have to seek the Spirit’s help to become someone who can be trusted. If we don’t make sense, if our life isn’t reflecting the words that we speak, why should anyone believe us about Jesus?
Fourth, we have to offer a message that registers in the life of the one we witness to. Everyone has their own barriers to faith, everyone hears and reacts to faith in different ways, and everyone has a different trigger for their “A-ha!” moment in Christ.

It wasn’t the empty tomb that convinced Mary that Jesus was risen. It wasn’t the men who had spent so much time listening to Jesus teach who could convince her. It wasn’t even the two angels who came to her of the truth of that day.. It would be far simpler than that.

Read John 20:15-18

It wasn’t even the presence of Jesus, in the form of a stranger, who showed her the way. It was when she heard her name spoken that she finally knew.
John 10:3-4 tell us that it is the Lord’s “voice” that convinces us of his truth. For Mary, it wasn’t the physical evidence that changed her life, it wasn’t some deep theological explanation that convinced her of the resurrection, it wasn’t even some miraculous and unexplainable event that opened her eyes to the Truth before her. It was the calling of her name.

How many times had Jesus spoken her name since casting out those seven demons (Luke 8:1-2)? How many times had Jesus revealed something within her that changed her life? She knew his voice, and she knew that she could trust that voice to speak truth. But is it always our name that turns our life around?

For Cleopas and his traveling companion, it was when Jesus broke the evening’s bread, just as he did at the Passover Seder (Luke 24:13-35). For Thomas, it was the offer of the exact sign that he asked for that led the disciple to proclaim “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:26-29) For the fishermen, it was the excessive gift of exactly what they were unable to gain for themselves that allowed them to see the Lord clearly (John 21:1-14). And for me, after years of struggling to understand what it was the Lord wanted from me, it was the simple, but unexpected words “Trust me.”

What is it that opens us to hear the Lord’s call on our lives? For those believers, it was Jesus’ intervention in the middle of what they were doing that showed them the truth of Christ. For me, it was the prayers of three men, who were sent to me in my “darkness”, that enabled the Light of Christ to awaken me to his truth. Each of us has some need that must be exposed in our life, but only the Spirit knows what that may be. And the problem for each of us is that we never quit trying to be that awakening for others, when the Spirit may be ready to work through someone else.

Some plant, some water, some will harvest, but we all have a purpose in the Lord’s plan of salvation. Mary was the first to share the resurrection truth, and if she had been the last, the Church would never have been. If the disciples had been content to remain in Jerusalem, if they had refused to let the message of Jesus Christ be spread throughout the world, the Church would never have been. If Saul had chosen to remain committed to the Law of Moses instead of to the Truth of Christ, the Church would never have been. And if we choose to be satisfied in the comfort of our own salvation, and never take the risk to let the Holy Spirit work within and through us, the Church will never survive the next generation.

Mary would be the first evangelist among many. Are we willing to let it end with her? Or with the one who shared Jesus with us?
Or are we willing to be the first of many to come? Open the miracle of Easter, the Hope of Christ, the life that comes by faith, not by our high sounding words or by trying to prove just how wonderful and strong our faith is. Instead, we need to let our example of love and grace toward others be the stimulus, and when we do, watch the Spirit go to work, and marvel at what can come from it.

May the Spirit of the Risen Christ take the lead in your life today, and may each of us be the first of many more.

Sunday, April 9, 2017

“Humble Majesty”


Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

The arrival of the Lord in Jerusalem had been prophesized years before by the prophets. Zechariah wrote that he would come “righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Isaiah said that Messiah would come as a mighty and powerful child-king (Isaiah 9:6-7). But the people would focus on the “mighty” part, and would choose to forget the “gentle and humble”. The only means to freedom that they understood was through victory in war, therefore Messiah must be a mighty warrior. Psalm 35:3 calls upon the Lord to “Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.’”, and in Psalm 62:2, we read “He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken”. The salvation that would come from God’s Chosen One was always seen as being gained through strength in battle, and freedom always came out of the oppression within this life. A humble and gentle Savior was generally only professed by the prophets, oppression was seldom seen as our bent toward the sinful life, and freedom was almost never for the life to come.

Zechariah had it right, and this is the day when we celebrate the faithful word that came though the faithful prophet.

Read Matthew 21:1-5

Jesus enters the city from the Mount of Olives. This was more than just a coincidence, more than just the best route – Zechariah also offered a prophecy regarding this place, but one that would have to wait until a future time. In Zechariah 14, he says, in reference to the Lord’s Second Coming, that following a time of war and tribulation, Messiah will stand before Jerusalem, on this same Mount, and will begin his millennial reign from there. From this same place, Jesus would initiate both the “completionof the beginning”, as well as the “beginning of the completion”.

And on this Day of Palms, he would enter the city, riding on a donkey. The next time he stands on the Mount of Olives, he will be the Sovereign King, the eternal Lord, the Hope of heaven and earth! Then, he will be majesty and power unlike anything the earth has ever known, but for now, he arrives in peace and humility. Israel expected Messiah to come as a king, which Jesus certainly is, but for now, he has redefined what “kingship” is all about.

A king’s primary responsibility is to be a leader for his people. And while that is true, most earthly kings are in it more for their own glory and power than for goodwill toward the citizens of their nation. Earthly kings gather prestige and honors for themselves, but Christ’s kingship takes on a whole new meaning. In his realm, He already has infinite authority and esteem, so his focus is on what he can bring to the lives of his people. Earthly kings see the purpose of their subjects as being contributors to their kingdom, while Jesus sees his subjects as recipients of his blessings.

This may very well be the reason that Jesus has always been so misunderstood. He doesn’t fit the mold that the people of earth try to force him into. The prophets and the gospel writers have all tried to explain this difference, but we seem to be stuck in what we have always known, instead of what we can learn.

A gentle king. A humble king. A mighty king, but one who deals in love and blessings, and not solely in authority.

Read Matthew 21:6-9

Jesus was being welcomed as a great king (2 Kings 9:12-13, 1 Maccabees 13:51 (Apocrypha)). The ride that he took on the donkey signified victory; the palm branches and cloaks were laid down to separate the king from the common dirt of earth. They cried “Hosanna to the Son of David”. Hosanna meant “Save now”, which was a cry for help, a cry for deliverance, that was lifted up to either their king or their god, and “Son of David” was the traditional name given to Messiah. As Jesus entered Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, the people seemed to be proclaiming him as the Anointed One of God, the Savior of Israel, the Christ.

But how heart-felt was that cry? Were they truly acknowledging Jesus as the long awaited Christ? Were they calling out to the great Power of heaven for salvation? Did they actually want Jesus to be their King? Or were they just caught up in the moment?

When we respond to Jesus as Lord of our lives and Savior of our souls, do we understand that this is a moment of surrender for us, or are we just trying to make a good impression in the presence of others? We need to remember that while a public confession of faith is vitally important, it can’t just come through our voice – it must be based in our heart. And the people that day were a long way from the heart.

Jesus was a rabbi that everyone had heard about, and he was coming to Passover with a large entourage. Word of his arrival preceded him, and many came to see the famous man. Their words implied a desire to be his disciples, but their faith was so shallow that it wouldn’t survive the next 5 days.

Read Matthew 21:10-11

So maybe the people weren’t aware of who this exalted man was – some hadn’t heard of him at all, and others only saw him as a prophet, which wasn’t all that bad, but he was from that small, dusty town of Nazareth, which wasn’t all that good. Remember Nathaniel’s suggestion that nothing good could ever come from Nazareth? (John 1:45-46).

So what should the people have seen in Jesus’ arrival that day? In William Barclay’s commentary on Matthew, he lists three attributes that should have been obvious in Christ that day.

First, he was courageous. Jerusalem, even though they gave him a warm welcome, was hostile to Jesus. The Pharisees and the Sanhedrin were committed to eliminating this threat to their orthodoxy. “Smart money” would have been on avoiding the city altogether, but Jesus would never veer away from the mission. He could have snuck in during the night, avoiding the main streets and public places, and go into hiding until Passover could be prepared by his followers. But he was never one to hide, and besides, sticking close to the dark places would never reveal the light of salvation that he carried. Jesus came to the city in the same way he comes to individual lives – obviously, humbly, boldly, lovingly, and deliberately. It didn’t matter that betrayal, denial, doubt, lies, pain, abandonment, humiliation - and death awaited him. He couldn’t run from any of it - the mission depended on it.

Second, Jesus revealed his claim. Yes, he showed that he is Messiah, that he was the one who would cleanse the Temple of commercialism (Matthew 21:12-13), but he would prove that, while he was certainly a great prophet – the greatest prophet - he is far more than that. For Jesus, it had to be the entire package, nothing more and nothing less.

And third, he had appeal. Even though the faith of the welcoming crowds was shallow, there was something that still drew them to him. He came riding on a donkey – a sign of the peace that their lives had never known. “He came, not to destroy, but to love; not to condemn, but to help; not in the might of arms, but in the strength of [divine] love.” (Barclay)

Jesus came to Jerusalem, prepared to give his all for the people he loved so much.
He came to the city where he was despised, prepared to bring a hope that is beyond description.
He came to the city that would soon cry out “Crucify him!” so that he could bring them forgiveness and eternal life.
He came to face his human death, that the people might know divine life through him.
He came as an invitation to us to welcome him as king, not by opening the doors of a palace, but by opening the door of their hearts.

And on this Palm Sunday, that is the Lord’s greatest desire for us – that we might open our lives to his glory and forgiveness and salvation, and life. And if we do, that will bring overwhelming joy to our Lord.

Sunday, April 2, 2017

“Pursuit of Life”


Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:11-21

Humanity, at least in America, has historically been conditioned by society to dream big. But more recently, our “big dreams” of life have become a bit tainted, in that we want to receive big, but few are willing to work big to obtain it. One of the central songs from the Broadway musical “Man of La Mancha”, “The Impossible Dream”, speaks of giving your all to gain that which is impossible to achieve, and when we give our all, it won’t be so impossible. People of today have forgotten what that song is all about, but in the first letter that Paul wrote to Timothy, that is exactly what he is telling him – to never stop striving and living for all that God desires to give him, even when he becomes discouraged, even when he comes under attack by evil, and especially when he begins to doubt that the Lord’s reward will ever come.

But perseverance in this world, when it goes against all earthly wisdom, is difficult, at best, and nearly impossible at times.

Read 1 Timothy 6:11-16

In the previous few verses (1 Timothy 6:3-11), Paul tells Timothy of the traps that earth sets for the faithful – he calls them “false doctrine”, and encourages him to be content with the simple and necessary things of life – food, clothing, righteous living, and contentment. Our life’s focus on anything else, such as riches, prestige, and power, is foolish and harmful to our faith.

As our text for today opens, Paul tells his young friend to flee from these things, and to strive for the better ways of righteousness, godliness, and so on. The world’s attitude is that these things are foolishness, that a gentle spirit and a humble heart will gain you nothing! But the Lord would have us know that his way is eternal, while earth’s way is temporary and brings with it a false sense of hope and peace.

Fight the good fight of the faith.” Faith is a contest for eternal life, and it is, without a doubt, a struggle – a GREAT struggle! It takes energy, it takes discipline, it requires a significant portion of dogged determination. And what comes of that faithful and intense focus? Paul reminds Timothy of both his public confession, presumably his public acceptance of the truth of Christ, as well as the confession that Jesus made before Pilate. (John 18:33-37) When Pilate acknowledges that Jesus is a king, but from a different kingdom, the Lord replies that this is the very reason for which he was born – that he came to proclaim the truth of God, and that anyone who desires that truth will listen to him. And this is what Timothy claims for his own life.

Then Paul makes his own confession of faith – that Jesus is the blessed and only true Ruler, that he is King of kings, Lord of lords, that he is living and forever alive, that he and he alone is the indescribable, inaccessible, and indisputable glory of heaven and earth. Living in these truths of Christ is to be our life’s goal until the day that the Lord returns and makes all things true.

Does faithfulness to the truth of God really consist of such a horrendous battle in our lives? Do we really need to be constantly on the alert to challenges against what God says is true? Paul believed that living a life in faith is a major contest for us, a contest that could be lost any time we lose our focus on Christ. And if there is any doubt that this can happen, remember Peter when his faith led him to leave the safety of the boat and take a few steps on the waters of that stormy lake. (Matthew 14:22-33) As long as Peter kept his focus on Jesus, his faith sustained him on the waves. But as soon as his eyes strayed to the storm tossed waves, he quickly began to sink.

Remember the hymn?
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.”
This isn’t just a commandment – it is also a promise. And we have to remember that the converse is also true – when we turn our eyes upon the things of earth, our vision of Jesus will “grow strangely dim” in the darkness of sin and death.

Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Notice that Paul offers nothing of condemnation against wealth! In verse 10 of this chapter, Paul cautions that “money is the root of all kinds of evil”, not that it is evil in and of itself. Wealth brings with it a false sense of personal security and power and authority, when in reality, these riches hold no supremacy of their own, and can be lost just as quickly as can life itself. Jesus warned against our seeing wealth as our personal “treasure”, as it can corrode and be stolen as quickly as it first appeared. (Matthew 6:19-21)

But Paul takes a slightly different tact regarding riches – he says that we are to use it to help others and to do good in the world. But even at that, it is so easy to begin to lose focus on what we are supposed to be doing, and to start letting our focus turn to how wonderful and benevolent we are! If the Lord blesses us with some gift, it must never be seen as a sign of our righteous nature, but rather as an opportunity to reach out to the people of earth, and to share that gift with others.

Once again, Jesus is our example. In Philippians 2:5-11, we read that Jesus emptied himself of every ounce of glory and power so that he could become a servant to the people of earth. Interestingly, power and authority and prestige and glory bring nothing of any consequence to any of us here and now. It only builds up our ego, our pride, and 1 John 2:15-17 warns us that “For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world.” And nothing of permanence exists here, either.

Read 1 Timothy 6:20-21

Be careful, Timothy – the world is out to get you! And that is a pretty good warning for us, too. Human knowledge is nothing more than personal opinion when it comes to the truth of God. Those who try to put the God’s word into the context of today will do nothing but pervert the truth that Jesus sacrificed so much to give us. I must admit that some of scripture is difficult to understand, but instead of rewriting the passages to reflect the understanding of modern society, we would be much better off to study the culture and perspective of that day, and to let that concept guide our thoughts.

By faith in Jesus Christ, we are offered the greatest gift of all time – the promise of glory and eternal life in his presence. But when he told us that this faith requires obedience to all that he stood for and taught (Matthew 28:18-20), that is when many folks begin to turn away. It wasn’t that his teachings were so difficult to follow – it was just that they were different than everything we had ever understood as “right”, and we choose – choose! -not to change. Oh sure, those alluring temptations still flood our soul; we are still attracted to the temporary neon and glitter of earth; we are still told, and sometimes we actually believe, that it’s OK to have some worldly fun now and then; we still try to justify what we do with the thought that we were created with “weak flesh”, so why fight it; we still fall for the lie that God is irrelevant today; and we “turn our eyes” away from Jesus.

But the hope of Christ is that when we come to our senses and confess that we have taken the wrong path, we can still be welcomed back into his grace.

But we must willingly confess that Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, and that his way is supreme. We must confess that he is alive and eternal, and that we are only temporal without him. We must confess that he is Redeemer and Savior for the world, and that we have no chance on our own.
Our pursuit of life must begin with the Lord Jesus, and when it does, the journey will also be completed in him. And there is no other way.