“Who Are You Really?”

Scripture: John 20:11-18

The glory of Easter had arrived; Jesus had defeated the tomb; his enemies believed that his challenge to their orthodoxy had ended; his disciples had heard the truth of this day before, but they needed more if they were to fully believe.

God has never been one to leave those who want to believe in the darkness of doubt, so the Risen Jesus would begin revealing himself – not just in Spirit, but in the flesh. But he would look different in some way, and the people couldn’t recognize him at first! 1 Corinthians 15:3-6 tells us that over 500 believers, in addition to the apostles, would meet him in his life beyond death.

During the next 6 weeks, in this time that leads us to Pentecost, we will be considering some of these encounters and what they are given to mean for each of us. Today, we spend some time with Mary Magdalene as she mourns at the empty tomb.

Read John 20:11-14

Mary had come to the tomb that morning, prepared to finish caring for the body of her dead Teacher. But instead of burial ritual, she would find herself in a new form of discovery. She would find that the stone that sealed the tomb had been rolled away, and the body was gone. She ran to tell the disciples, all of whom were appalled at the news, but still not believing in what Jesus had told them about his resurrection. Peter and John ran to see for themselves, but confusion still reigned in their lives, too, and they left the garden, still without any hope.

Mary was left alone, filled with sorrow, struggling with the unbelievable things that were happening all around her, and weeping uncontrollably over the huge void that now filled her heart. And who meets her there, but two angels! And they ask her a typical “Jesus” question – “Why are you crying?” – as if they didn’t know!

This poor distraught woman doesn’t recognize these men in white as heavenly beings. But then, why should she? This is a totally new experience for her – after all, she isn’t exactly accustomed to having conversations with the angelic host! And on top of that, her vision has been clouded with her many tears, and the hope that Jesus had always been for her had yet to lift this dark veil from her heart.

“Someone has taken his body! Why would anyone do this terrible thing? Do you know what they have done with him?” The words tumble off her tongue – there is no thought controlling them, no plan to guide them – only brokenness and heart ache. And when she turns around, not even waiting for an answer from her first question, she sees another man standing there. Not only doesn’t she recognize the angels for who they are, she doesn’t see Jesus for who he is – her RISEN Lord!

Nearly all of humanity, including believers, go through this same struggle during times of strife. Sorrow has a way of blinding us to the truth of God, and all we can think about is the great loss that we are dealing with. “O God, why did this have to happen? I know that you could have prevented this – why didn’t you?” We know that the Lord has great power at his disposal, and for some reason, we think that he is supposed to use it to keep us, and our loved ones, from being hurt. But that isn’t how the Lord works. He doesn’t destroy pain, he doesn’t prevent loss – instead, he brings comfort and hope to us as we go through these labors of life.

Glory is always here – we just have to believe that it is here – we need to look for it, to seek it, expect it, and let it fill us, especially in times of great burdens.
Mary would soon discover that her Lord was doing this very thing – filling her, loving her, revealing his gracious glory to her. She just couldn’t see it yet.

Read John 20:15-16

As she continues her pleas with who she believes is the garden’s caretaker, she still doesn’t remember the truths that her Lord Jesus had been teaching for 3 years – that this life is temporary, but that a life in him is eternal, and that nothing can change either of these truths.

Her words are still confused and jumbled – believing that the gardener may have been the culprit who stole the body, she accuses him of the theft, and tells him that if he tells her where he has hid the Lord, she will go and bring him back to where he belongs.

If she could find the body, how would she ever be able to carry the dead body back by herself? And how would she ever move the stone back into it previous position? And what about Pilate’s seal? There is no reality in her questions, and even less in the implications contained within them! And then it happens.

Mary discovers just who this strange man really is! And the revelation comes when the Lord speaks her name. It’s interesting that in every one of us, there is a trigger that can prove the truth of Jesus for us. As we continue through our six week series, we will see that whatever it is that a person needs to trust in Jesus, he will use it as soon as we are ready to receive it.

I believe that, in Mary’s case, she needed to know that he still knew her and loved her. The Lord had freed her from seven demons quite a while before this (Luke 8:1-3), and she had been following him as part of his entourage for months now. She knew Jesus, but until she knew that Jesus wanted to continue as an important part of her life, she couldn’t recognize him.

Of course, this is, to a degree, speculation, but don’t we all need to know that we are loved? And how do we ever know? The best way is to hear, as well as see, that we are loved. Words can sometimes deceive us, but when we see the truth through the eyes and the voice and the actions of the one we love, it is then that we can believe. Mary saw, and then heard, the very words that she needed if she was to believe – it was her name spoken in the fullness of her Lord and Savior’s love.

Read John 20:17-18

There has always been a lot of controversy over Jesus’ admonition to Mary, that she shouldn’t touch him because he has yet to ascend to his Father. One of the best explanations that I have read is that the Lord is telling Mary that he has a more important task for her at the moment, that there will be time for worship later. But now, the word must be shared with all who believe - that Jesus lives, that life in the Lord is still on track, and that all who believe must now pick up the mantle of ministry in his name.

Mary, a woman, a follower of Jesus Christ, is the first to actually recognize the risen Lord, but she won’t be the last. Many more will see him in that time, and throughout the centuries to come, Christians, over and over again, will meet the Lord by his means and in his ways and time. And it will be in ways that we need, if we are to see him. It’s an assurance that Jesus is not only real and living, but that he wants to be a part of our life.

And this creates an opportunity for each of us. Mary was to go to the disciples to share this new found truth with all of them – she was to tell them what her experience with the Living Lord had brought to her life, and she did. And that is what our witness must be, too.

Be a witness for Jesus. Share your experience of revelation with others; share the surprise and blessing that you felt; share the call that he placed on your life, and what you have done about it. And no one who has faith in Jesus Christ can say that they have never had a time with their Lord. We might not have come to the realization yet, but we all have had his hand, his eyes, his voice, his love come to rest upon us.

Mary never hesitated in the call that Jesus gave her, to share her story with the others. Are we ready to do as much?

“The One and Great Hope of Easter

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Scripture: Daniel 6:4-5,13, 15-16, 19-22; Luke 24:1-12; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26

Today is the day when our hope for eternity became a reality! Friday was the day when Jesus’ sacrifice broke the hold that sin had on our lives, and this is the day when his love for each and every one of us was made complete. Life has overcome death, forgiveness has overcome sin, love has triumphed over hatred, joy has overwhelmed sorrow, and heaven has been opened for all who will accept Christ’s invitation to follow him there by the way he has prepared.

How could any day get any better than that?

The powers of earth, even as limited as they are, did their worst to destroy the hope of that way and the thrill of this day. Their vile goal has always been one that will keep us imprisoned in sin and death, but the grace and mercy of our Almighty God is far greater than anything the world can ever conceive. Satan, the power behind the earth’s loathing of Godly ways, has known this for eons, but he has never stopped trying. Scripture is full of his story of opposition and disruption and sowing of doubt, and in every instance, he fails.

Remember the story of Satan’s attempt to destroy Daniel in the den of lions?

Read Daniel 6:4-5

Daniel was in exile in Babylon, but as was the custom, if the king discovered that he could use one of his conquered subjects, he would. Daniel had been chosen to serve in a very high position, but what wasn’t typical, is that he had become a favorite of King Darius, and the other administrators didn’t like it. He would be one of three “presidents”, or regional governors if you will, to oversee 120 lesser administrators. This was a very high honor, and he distinguished himself in his management of the king’s affairs - so much so, that the king was about to appoint Daniel to be his second in command over his entire kingdom. And so the plotting began.

The others convinced the king to have a statute built in his likeness, and to order the entire nation to worship him.

Read Daniel 6:13, 15-16

Daniel, in his obedience to his Jehovah God, refused, and continued to pray and fast as he always had. And this is the basis for the trap that would be set for this faithful man. And the “snitches” ran to the king, reminding him that the law required death if anyone refused to follow the edict he had signed. Death in the lion’s den would be the means of his punishment.

Read Daniel 6:19-22

And Satan’s henchmen failed again, and not only is their attempt to remove God’s man Daniel - this irritation - from their lives, but they, and their entire families, would lose their own lives in the same den of lions. And Daniel? He would be honored, and the king would declare that Daniel’s God, the God who was more powerful than any they had ever known, would now be the God of Babylon.

The faith that Daniel lived, regardless of his position in this foreign land, had been challenged by Satan’s purpose, and not only did the attempt fail, the great and only Jehovah had prevailed in a powerful way, and would be worshiped by the very people Satan had once controlled. Daniel’s life would come under attack, but he would not only live, he would be blessed.

Sound familiar? Satan opposed the prophets. He opposed the disciples. He has opposed the apostles and the Church in many different ways, throughout these thousands of years. And all because of faithful service in the name of the Father and the Son. And the contrived conflict has always ended in abject failure, and the glory of God has always risen above the fray.

Read Luke 24:1-12

While the Lord has spared many from the specter of death, and has been with others who must endure this physical struggle, he revealed even greater glory in his Son, by raising him from death and into a life that will never end. But the followers of Jesus Christ didn’t understand this yet. The women came to the tomb that Resurrection morning in sorrow, expecting to be greeted by death and finality. But death was nowhere to be seen!
Then confusion entered their hearts – what could possibly have happened to the body or our Master? Who in their right mind would have broken Pilate’s seal? Was he stolen? Had the tomb been looted? Where were the guards?
Then fear became their greatest concern – would they be blamed for this outrage?
And then the heavenly reminder of hope was delivered, and the emotions of earth vanished from their lives.

But isn’t this the reaction of nearly everyone when they first feel the call of Christ on their life? First, the concern that this is a man who is dead – why would I want to follow him?
But as they began to learn more and more about him, confusion enters the picture – how could this be possible? People just don’t live after they are dead! It’s impossible, unless he was never actually dead to begin with.
Then, as they grow in understanding, fear begins to settle in – what will their friends think, if they know that Christian faith is becoming important to their life. Will they laugh at me? Will they ridicule me? Will they stop inviting me to their parties and get-togethers? Will they “unfriend” me?
But just as with the women, as the reality of Christ’s truth begins to settle into our hearts, the world’s sense of reality will slowly be replaced with Godly reason, and Godly hope, and the world’s perverted version of “sense” will no longer matter.

That’s where Mary, Johanna, and the others were that morning. And hope? Hope didn’t suddenly appear for them – “Hope” had been theirs right along, and it had grown stronger every time they listened to Jesus teach them about God’s love for them, and how it would be revealed in powerful ways.
The truth is that the Hope of Christ had been obscured by the pain of loss that they were feeling. Remember that Sunday School song “This Little Light of Mine”? In one of the verses, we sing “Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m going to let it shine.” The bushel of darkness had settled over their faith, but on that morning, it was slowly being lifted by the Spirit of the Living God, and fear and doubt and confusion and loss was being lifted right along with it.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:19-26

Jesus never promised his followers that the going would be easy, or that in their faithfulness, they would be honored with authority, power, wealth, possessions. The world had other plans for those who gave themselves to “The Way”. They would definitely receive something, though – like hatred, animosity, beatings, stoning, torture, crucifixion and other unspeakable atrocities. But there was one more thing that they had that no one else could ever receive – and that is the promise of eternal life.

The hope that Jesus offers is unique, and is totally based in his life, death and resurrection to eternal life. No other faith believes that God left his eternity, to come to earth as one of us, to teach, to heal, to be blatantly opposed, to be falsely tried by a religious court, to be sentenced to beating and execution, and yet, to still come back to life as a promised example to all who would simply trust in him and his word.

Our true and deserved fate for all that we have done, those things that stand in direct conflict with God’s commands is, appropriately, death, We were born to sin, we stand convicted by the very life we all live. And yet, if we simply believe in Jesus and accept all that he taught, if we accept the sacrifice that he made on our behalf at Calvary, if we let him change our life from one of condemnation to one of righteousness, we can know and live in his life for all time. In him, death is defeated, but we have to be standing with him in this life – there is no way to love the world’s way now, and still know the salvation of Jesus Christ on the Day of Judgment.

Easter is the evidence of his promise, and the hope he offers has now become a certainty. He gave his life to guarantee that certainty for us – but are we willing to give our life to him, that we might receive his promise?

It’s the only way, you know.

“The Servant”

Scripture: John 13:1-9

Maundy Thursday is the time when we celebrate the servant’s heart that Jesus so aptly exhibited. I mean, he is God, after all! He should be honored and served and loved above all other things, and should never be called to serve the sinful likes of you and me!
But within the very nature of Jesus Christ beats a heart of love – a love of both power and grace that would allow nothing to come between the death we deserve and the life that he offers, nothing between our limited existence and his eternity, nothing between our arrogant pride and his servant’s heart.

As we read through the gospel accounts of Jesus and his mission to earth, we catch glimpses of his character. We read of the intimacy that he had in his connection with the Father; we read of the authority that resided in every word he spoke and in every lesson he taught; we read of the vision that allowed him to understand the deepest secrets within the darkest recesses of the human heart. But our passage for this evening may provide the best view of the passion and compassion that defines the very soul of our Almighty God.

Read John 13:1-5

Jesus was, at the same time, the glory of heaven, and the humility of earth. He knew that the Father had placed the full power and authority of heaven at his disposal. He could have destroyed the hatred and conspiracy that was being directed toward him, but that would have interfered with the mission that lay before him. His humanity could have been filled with pride and self-importance, but the humble heart and sense of purpose wouldn’t let anything get in the way.

Satan had tried to interrupt the mission during Jesus’ time in the wilderness. (Mathew 4:1-11) He tempted Jesus with every trick at his disposal, and the Son of God never wavered – his heart was directed toward the salvation of the world, and it was all he could think about. And that is what guided the earthly life of Jesus – his loving and passionate thoughts for you and me.

And as we reflect on the passage we just read, we realize where Jesus’ life was centered. He knew that the time was very near when he would be able to leave this hateful place behind as he returned to the glory and praise of heaven. But his focus never changed – we don’t read that he loved that fact that home was getting nearer, but rather that he loved the people of earth, and would continue to love them until the mission was complete. Even Judas was loved, in spite of the betrayal that he was about to level against the King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus broke bread with him, he shared the truth of his Father with him, he would soon die for his betrayer, and this perfectly humble heart would soon kneel in front of Judas, and wash even his feet.

Judas didn’t understand what Jesus was going to do for the likes of him. No greater love has any man than this, that he would love, to the death, the most unlovable person in all the world!

Read John 13:6-9

Peter also constantly struggled with accepting this ultimate and Godly love that Jesus had for him. Peter wanted their relationship to always be that of Master and student, but Jesus was about to show his disciple what it truly means to be the Teacher. Education can, and usually does, consist of using words to impart knowledge. And while the Lord used that approach, his most effective style was in his showing the most definitive example of what heaven was all about.

Peter was about to learn the lesson of his life – how to become the first by striving to be the least and last. “Wash my feet? That’s no job for the Master – that’s a job for the lowest servant!” But class time had come for Peter, and Jesus was going to teach him a lesson that would lead him into one of the truly great Christian ministries of all time, and without it, he would be a miserable failure. Simon Peter was about to learn what it means to be a leader and teacher for Christ.

Jesus, the heaven sent Messiah, was about to teach “The Rock” how to be a heaven sent servant. Jesus, God in the flesh, the salvation of the world, was about to take the lowest of all positions, to wash the feet of his student. Is it any wonder that Peter objected? But to the disciple’s credit, he would learn this lesson, just as he would learn all the lessons that his God and Savior would teach him in the years to come. And every time he submitted to his Master’s call, each and every lesson would grow stronger within him, as he came to grips with the call to minister in the role of a servant-leader.

May each one of us learn our lessons as well as Peter did.

“Week of Victory, Day of Pain” - Palm Sunday

Scripture: Luke 19:28-44

Have you ever had those days when you weren’t sure if it was a good day or a bad one? Like the day when you have a big family reunion picnic, and aunts and uncles and cousins and others who you haven’t seen for several years all come? It is an incredible day, with reminiscing and catching up on family news, meeting new family members who you only knew of through letters, eating until you thought you were going to burst? It was one of the best family days you could remember in a long, long time.
Then the time came when everyone started packing up their cars to head home, and you began to realize that it would probably be another 5 years before you all could get together again, and even at that, some might not be able to come, and some might not even be around then?

God knew all about those “bitter-sweet” days – he has always had them, and far more often that we will ever realize! Remember the day when Jesus healed the sick and infirm, and then preached to all who had come to him – the day when the people numbered about 5,000? And that number, of course, only referred to the men who were there – it didn’t include the women or the children who also came to see this incredible Rabbi. And he didn’t only care for their spiritual hunger, but he also relieved their physical hunger when he fed them all with only 5 small barley loaves and 2 even smaller fish? (Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14) Ten to fifteen thousand people, receiving the Lord’s healing touch, hearing the word of God straight from the Lord’s own lips, and all being fed from such a small, but faithful offering of food? What an incredible day!
And yet, Jesus knew that most had only come for healing and feeding, and only in a secondary way, to receive his teaching, and he knew that very few would stay near when the ordeals began to come. God knows the days that we endure, and he knows how they trouble us, because he has been there with us..

Read Luke 19:28-31

Jesus was, once again, on his way to Jerusalem, and he knew without a doubt, that this trip was going to be one of those “Great times-Painful times”, and that there would be those moments when it was hard to tell which was which. The majority of his ministry had been in the Galilee, and every time he returned to Jerusalem, there was always confrontation with the Pharisees. And this time would be the final lesson for both Israel and the entire world.

He had just met with Zacchaeus, and after the Chief Tax Collector had confessed and repented of how he had been living, and after Jesus had proclaimed that salvation had come to rest upon his home, he would tell the parable of the Ten Servants. The master would be going away to be crowned king, and while he was gone, he appointed 10 of his servants to act in his behalf for management of his estates. Two would be faithful, one other servant would do nothing with his trust, and the other seven would not only do nothing to meet their responsibilities with the estate, they would even oppose the master’s elevation to kingship. Two would be rewarded in an exceptional way, while the others would be punished – some to the extreme. (Luke 19:11-27)

This would be the basis for his entry into Jerusalem – he would be entering into, not only the den of thieves, but into the very den of lions. And the similarity between Jesus’ last trip into the City of Zion, to Daniel’s experience with the lions (Daniel 6:1-24), would soon be revealed.

This journey, and everything that would occur in the coming week, would serve to fulfill God’s great plan of salvation as revealed through the proclamations of the prophets – all of whom the Lord had raised up for Israel and for the entire world. But even though this divine plan had been prepared for the people, and even though Jesus had revealed the overall plan to his disciples, the details, as well as the ultimate purpose, were still beyond their grasp.

Read Luke 19:32-38

Jesus’ return to Jerusalem would be seen as a personal affront to the Pharisees for a number of reasons.
1. This itinerant rabbi, whose ministry in the Galilee was barely tolerated, now had the audacity to venture into the Pharisees’ home territory – influence over Jerusalem was theirs to manage, and they hated the fact that this Jesus would come into their place to spread his venom.
2. He rode in on a donkey, which was a sign of peace. Israel’s leadership could never see him as a peaceful man – he, if nothing else, was seen as an insurrectionist! Even the Zealots, which included a couple of the Lord’s disciples, wanted him to be the one to initiate an uprising against Roman rule. Peace? Anything but!
3. Being from Nazareth, he was just one of those ignorant Galileans, and had no business teaching the people anything about the Lord God Jehovah. And yet, as he entered the gates of the city, the people cheered him. In Matthew 21:9-11, we read that they even cried out “Hosanna, Son of David”, the implication of which is “Save us, Messiah”! Can you even imagine the rage, the hateful frenzy, that the Jewish leaders were feeling over these words of adoration?
4. They saw this as a blatant act of defiance against traditional teaching, and they would have to do something – anything - to put a stop to this nonsense right here and now.

But out of all the challenges that Jesus presented to Jewish leadership was the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice…. See your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The prophet’s words, and Jesus’ presence, should have been a reason for great joy in these who knew the scriptures better than anyone else in the land, but instead, they felt threatened - all of their legal interpretation of Yahweh’s law, all of the work that they had been involved in for centuries, was at risk.
They knew quite well that at the end of a war, the conquering king would enter the captured capital, riding, not on a war horse, but on a donkey. Peace was being promised, as long as the new subjects obeyed the new law and new authority. And now this upstart Jesus was being seen as that conquering King, even though tradition proclaimed that Messiah would be a warrior King, not a peaceful one!

Something had to be done to put an end to this madness.

Read Luke 19:39-44

The cheers, the hosannas, the glory, the hopes, the peace that was implicit in all that Jesus did and taught, were irritating, at best, and the first step that the Pharisees took was to tell Jesus to reprimand his followers for their exuberance. But instead of complying, he replies that this jubilant expression is heaven inspired, it is by divine decree, and that if these people stifle their joy, the rocks will take up the chorus, and if the authorities think shutting the mouths of men is difficult, they should consider just how hard it will be to keep rocks quiet!

And then the pain of the moment takes hold. As Jesus arrives at the eastern side of the heights that overlook the gleaming city of Jerusalem, his humanity can no longer hold back the tears. The heartbreak was centered on the people’s steadfast refusal to follow the ways of God, and because of that, their great Jehovah God could no longer protect the city or the nation. Throughout the book of Joshua, the conquest of the Promised Land was always dependent upon Israel’s following the leadership of their Lord God. And when they didn’t, victory was lost, and defeat, even at the hands of a much inferior army, became their certainty.

For Jesus, who knew what would be coming to Jerusalem in a future time, the pain was overwhelming. He knew that in 40 odd years from then, the Jews, who had decided to take control of their own destiny, would be totally defeated in battle, the city would be razed, the temple would be totally destroyed, and the people would be spread throughout the known world as exiles. The last two verses of this passage perfectly describe their fate at the hands of their Roman masters, and it would be hundreds of years before they would even be allowed to come to Temple Mount for a few short days every year, and an additional 1,600 years before they could once again call this Land home.

“If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace …” And much of the world still doesn’t accept all that would bring peace to this place, and some who do know are still rebelling against the Lord’s peace. If ONLY we would learn what it means to receive the peace of Christ in our lives, if ONLY we would surrender our own arrogant, self-dependency and claim the salvation of Christ, if ONLY we would turn away from the world’s influence on our lives, if ONLY … if ONLY!

If only the people of Israel had learned the lesson that the prophets had proclaimed centuries before, if only the people of Israel had given their allegiance to Jesus Messiah on that day, the world could be a much better place to live in this day. But the pain of worldly ways, and the pain that we have to endure on behalf of Christ will have to continue, unabated, until the day that satanic influence is finally defeated and totally destroyed by the Lord’s return. And on that day, too, there will be a great outcry for just one more chance, for one more moment, but it will be too late.

This is the day when we are being called to share the message of Victory in Christ Jesus with all who have yet to know his peace. But will we? Will we tell them about the love that the Lord has for each and every one of us, or will we choose to leave them in their dark and sinister ignorance, with their only future being one filled with their own painful and hopeless tears, punctuated with their futile cries for mercy?

“Nothing Between”

Scripture: Matthew 13:47-50; Romans 8:31-38

Charles Albert Tinley, the author of “Nothing Between”, was a black Methodist Episcopal pastor in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Born in 1851, with a father who was a slave and a mother who had been set free, he grew up as a freed man, while living in a slave community. He knew what obstacles existed in a society that considered descendants of African heritage as being less important than those of European descent.

Even though he would be denied formal education, he learned all that he needed for life through personal initiative and the help of others. Even though he never earned a college degree, he would be ordained as a deacon in 1887, and as an elder in 1889, and was assigned to serve as an itinerant pastor in a number of churches until he was finally appointed to the Bainbridge St. Methodist Episcopal church in Philadelphia.
Under his pastoral leadership, the church would quickly grow from an initial membership of 130 to over 10,000 before his retirement. And as if his pastoral duties didn’t keep him busy enough, he would also write over 70 hymns, including “Nothing Between”.

He knew what a life of struggle was all about, but he also knew that he had no intention whatsoever of remaining where the world wanted to keep him. He refused to let anything come between his human life and the life that his Lord and Savior had laid out for him.

How many of us can say as much?

“Nothing between my soul and my Savior, naught of this world’s delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure; Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.”

Read Matthew 13:47-50

Charles knew that he had to make a choice, just as Matthew was pointing out, and he made it. Throughout scripture, people were given this same opportunity - to either choose the way of Jesus, or to settle for the ways of earth.

Remember the story of Mary and Martha? (Luke 10:38-42) Mary had chosen to sit at Jesus’ feet to learn from his teaching, while sister Martha busied herself with worldly chores, which we read “distracted” her from what was truly important. Mary chose to set the world aside for a time so that she could learn of “the better way” from her Lord Jesus, and she would gain immensely.
Her sister, on the other hand, allowed the world’s demands to come between her and her Almighty God, and she lost immensely!

Remember the story of Ananias and his wife Sapphira? (Acts 4:32-5:11) The faithful had been selling property and giving the proceeds to help the poor and needy. Ananias and Sapphira also sold some land, but kept a portion of the sale for their own purposes - and then lied about it. And when they were called to account for their deception, they admitted their sin, and both were struck dead on the spot. They had chosen the ways of earth over the ways of Christ, even while they wanted others to believe that they were solidly behind all that the Lord had taught. A desire for the earth’s riches had gotten between them and service to their Lord and his people.

Remember the parable that Jesus told about the ten servants who were entrusted with caring for their Master’s estate while he went off to be crowned king? (Luke 19:1-27) Seven rejected allegiance to their king, and would suffer greatly for their decision; two were faithful in their service, and would be honored greatly; and one, who tried to appear faithful, would be found to be traitorous, and would suffer nearly as badly as the seven did.
Eight of the servants choose to act against the truth of their Master, and lost it all because of their self-centered decisions. False truth and poor decisions got in the way of receiving the Master’s praise and reward.

All of these folks had been given the chance to choose on behalf of Christ and against the busyness, against the pleasures of earth, but most had chosen poorly, and would not only gain nothing for it, they would lose everything they had ever possessed. They had allowed the ways of earth to come “between their soul and their Savior”.

And Matthew’s gospel gives us the definitive answer – that our choices in this life will come to bear on our final judgment – have we chosen the Lord in trust and wisdom, or have we been foolish and chose to follow in the ways of the earth?

Read Romans 8:31-34

“Nothing between, like worldly pleasure; habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from him ever sever; he is my all, there’s nothing between.”

What are some of the habits that we cherish most? I don’t mean drugs or theft or other illegal activities – I believe that Charles is calling us to consider those things that society believes are perfectly acceptable. Things like living together outside of marriage; ungodly speech (James 3:5-12); gossiping and lying about others; hateful acts and comments that we choose to be part of.
You know what I’m talking about – those things that heighten our personal esteem, while diminishing the integrity of others – those things that say “I’m right, you’re wrong, and you have no right to disagree with me!” Jesus, of course,
- had to deal with these same attitudes all the time, and
- it was usually from the very people who were the religious leaders of the nation.
The attitudes exhibited by the Pharisees and Sadducees fell into this category – “Don’t listen to him – he’s a liar. Trust us – we know what is best for you, and our way, the way of the law, is the only way.”

For Christians, sin is the “habit” that we find so harmless. So many people today believe that they get to define what immorality is, what sin consists of, but the truth is that sin is a violation of God’s way, and we don’t get to second guess the ways established by the Creator of all that is, both seen and unseen! And Charles wants us to know that this can never be our way – that we can never – that we “must never” – sever our ties with the Lord and his commands.

And this is the very thing that God has freed us from. At Calvary, he presented the new way – the way that is only by faith in Christ. The old way – the way of the Pharisees and their interpretation of God’s law – became a total failure. The law demanded perfection in following every nuance and every letter that it held – which, incidentally, no one can ever do! But by the way of the cross, we receive perfection, by faith in the Perfect Son of God, and by following his way and his teachings. And by faith and trust in his sacrifice, our condemnation will be overturned, and by God’s grace, we will be pronounced worthy of eternal salvation.

“Nothing between, like pride or station; self or friends shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me much tribulation, I am resolved, there’s nothing between.”

In the final beatitude from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he tells us “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:1-12) And in Matthew 10:34-39, Jesus boldly proclaims that his way is not one of peace with the world, but rather one of constant conflict and strife.

Charles Tinley knew what he was writing about. He knew that there were times that he was his own worst enemy in faith, but he also knew that it was the attack that came against him from the outside – both as a man with an African ancestry, as well as his being a bold and confident Christian pastor – that it was these things that caused his greatest persecution. And persecution, with its pain and conflict, brings with it a great temptation to do anything to make it stop.
But we will shortly sing the answer to this desire for relief from worldly opposition – that even though our faith, and a steadfast commitment to Christ-like ways may bring even more troubles, our best choice in this life will always be to allow nothing to come between us and the call of our Lord to live the righteous life.

“Nothing between, [even] many hard trials, though the whole world against me convene;
Watching with prayer and much self-denial, I’ll triumph at last, there’s nothing between.”

And here is the bottom line to the question of worldly denial and opposition to the teachings of Jesus Christ – that no matter what they say; no matter what they do; no matter how convincing their arguments may seem; no matter how great the discrimination and conflict may be – if we keep our focus on Jesus; if we stay true to his teachings; if we consider the hateful and hurtful actions of earth as evidence that we are walking firmly, arm in arm, with our Lord and Savior – if this is our life, then nothing will ever come between!

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” No one and no thing!
“It is God who justifies!” This is our eternal hope, that the world has absolutely no say in the final Judgment!
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” In Faith, nothing can ever come between!

Read Romans 8:35-38

Are we truly convinced that Christ’s victory over sin and death can be our victory, too? That faith in the Son of God, and trust in his word, will strengthen us, and empower us, and will justify us at the Judgment and for all eternity.

Nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” – nothing can ever come between our “soul and our Savior” – nothing, that is, except our own ignorance, and our own weakness, and our own self-dependency.

Will we “keep the way clear?” Will we let nothing come between?