A Heart to Serve

An Unconvincing Resurrection

2011-04-26T11:34:00.001-04:00

In my devotional time this week, I read the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. This parable describes a dialogue between two men who have died. The rich man who lived a selfish life by ignoring the needs of others was now begging mercy from the poor man whom he had refused to serve. It is an interesting account, but what caught my eye was the very last statement made by Abraham.
The rich man, seeing that his plight was permanent, requested that someone warn his brothers who were still living so that they would not make the same mistake resulting in the same eternal torment. He justified the request by saying,

"if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent." (Luke 16:30)

In response, Abraham said to the Rich Man,

"If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead." (Luke 16:31)

Having just celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ this past Sunday, this passage gave me pause. I thought about our message of hope that we have in Jesus Christ because of His victory over sin and death. I considered all the people who come to church for this special occasion that may never enter the doors of a church outside of this holiday. As a pastor, I think about the responsibility I feel to communicate with utmost clarity the message of salvation through faith in Christ alone. Like Lazarus, I want to believe that if people understand what Jesus did on the cross and the miracle of His rising from the dead...surely they will repent and believe.
But then I am reminded, if we don't acknowledge the message of truth that speaks to our need for a Savior, the resurrection itself has no direct impact on our life. In other words, if we don't recognize our need for a Redeemer, we can hear the story a thousand times and never be changed. The life and death of Jesus Christ only matters when it becomes personal - when we understand what we lose without Him and what we gain because of Him. We simply don't see the miracle unless we need the miracle.
I believe we often experience the greatest work of God in our life at our greatest point of need. We are lifted up only when we bow in worship. God is opposed to the proud but He gives grace to the humble.

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. ” (Hebrews 4:16, NASB95)

Prayer of Praise

2011-04-11T10:02:00.000-04:00

O Lord God,
Teach me to know grace precedes, accompanies and follows my salvation,
that it sustains the redeemed soul,
that not one link of its chain can ever break.

From Calvary’s cross wave upon wave of grace reaches me,
deals with my sin,
washes me clean,
renews my heart,
draws out my affection,
kindles a flame in my soul,
consecrates my every thought, word, work,
teaches me thy immeasurable love.

How great are my privileges in Christ Jesus!

Without Him I stand far off, a stranger, an outcast; in Him I draw near and touch his kingly scepter.
Without him I dare not lift my guilty eyes; in him I gaze upon my Father-God and friend.
Without him I hide my lips in trembling shame; in him I open my mouth in petition and praise.
Without him all is wrath and consuming fire; in him all is love, and the repose of my soul.
Without him is gaping hell below me, and eternal anguish; in him its gates are barred to me by his precious blood.
Without him darkness spreads its horrors in front; in him an eternity of glory is my boundless horizon.
Without him all within me is terror and dismay; in him every accusation is charmed into joy and peace.
Without him all things external call for my condemnation; in him they minister to my comfort, and are to be enjoyed with thanksgiving.
Praise be to thee for grace, and for the unspeakable gift of Jesus.

Arthur Bennett, The Valley of Vision

Living Life Outside the Sweet Spot

2011-03-28T14:55:00.000-04:00

My family and I had the privilege to spend a week in Mexico with our very own tour guide, translator and babysitter all in one person. Meredith Hardy is quite a girl and she sure made our trip extra special by being there. But the time with Meredith also gave me a chance to get to know her heart a little bit more. And what I saw was a heart for the world and a desire to follow God wherever He might lead her. She remained in Mexico, in part, to see if that is a place He just might want her to be.
This was so refreshing and somewhat unique in the conversations I have had with people her age. More often, I see her peers looking for that “sweet spot” where God uniquely places them in a career that perfectly matches their passion so they go to work every day knowing they are doing exactly what God wants them to do. It usually includes a comfortable salary with familiar surroundings, a house, 2 kids...you know the rest of the story. Somehow, this “sweet spot” lifestyle is equated with being in the center of God’s will.
But what if God calls you to do something outside of the “sweet spot”? Something outside the familiar surroundings, comfortable salary or even outside your driving passion. Are you willing to live outside of the “sweet spot” if that happens to be the center of God’s will? Meredith reminded me how important it is to follow God, trusting His passion more than our own, and seeking His will for our life as the only “sweet spot” we should desire.

Writing on the Wall

2011-03-23T11:51:00.001-04:00

This morning, I read from Deuteronomy 8 as Moses recounted God's loving discipline of His people in order that He might "humble them" and "test them" so that "He might know what was in their heart." (v2) All the while, God continued to care for the Israelites with food to eat and water to drink. Moses reminds his people that even "their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell." (v4)
As a result, the nation prospers. They multiply in both number and wealth. And so Moses warns them: "Beware lest you say in your heart 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth'. You shall remember the Lord your God is the one who gave you this wealth. And if you forget the Lord and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God." (vv 17,20)
Having just returned from Mexico City, I couldn't help but consider these verses in the context of this trip. I look at the decay of the Mexican culture - the governmental corruption, the sexual immorality, the drug induced violence and the oppressive economic disparity - and I see a culture that has not obeyed the voice of the Lord. But then I look at my own country and I wonder, "Is this the writing on the wall? Are we on a path that perishes as we follow the pattern of spiritual decay of nations that have gone before us? Will our outcome not be the same if we too proclaim, "My power and my might have gotten me this wealth."?
Please understand that this is not a political commentary or the platitudes of someone who believes that America is a Christian nation. For I do not. Moses even warned the nation of Israel, "Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them (your enemies) out before you, 'Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to the possess the land,' but it is because of the wickedness of those nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you." (9:4)
This is an issue of God's kingdom work and the call of His people to live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ. The call for Christians to stand firm in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. (Phil 1:27)
I am not one to predict the coming of the Lord but one thing I do know because of the testimony of scripture - the day of His return has been set. Therefore, today is one day closer to that day! And as we look at all the events on the world scene, I can't help but see the birth pains of His imminent return.
May we hear the words of Moses as if He speaks them anew to us today: “Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always." (Deuteronomy 10:14, 20–21, 11:1 ESV)
As followers of Jesus Christ, may we be that people. Especially in times like these...and even more as the day draws near.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 21:15-25

2011-02-21T10:52:00.002-05:00

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. ” (John 21:15–25, NIV)

I find it interesting that God inspires John to end his gospel with this interaction between Jesus and Peter. Interesting, and I believe, purposeful.
These are the last words that Jesus intends to have resonating in the heart of Peter for a very long time. And as we read them, they should resonate in our heart as well. For which one of us cannot relate to the pain that Peter feels? He walked with Christ. He confessed Him as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. He witnessed His miracles and then in a moment of panic and despair, he denied that he ever knew Him.
We do the same when we see our problems as too big for God to handle. When we know the right thing and choose to do the wrong thing. When we, like Peter, fail the Lord and flee from His presence. And it won’t happen just once - for we are prone to wander.
But listen carefully to the words of Jesus. He speaks not with criticism, but with acceptance. Not with humiliation, but with love. He asks us to consider our response to Him in view of His great love for us. He doesn’t tell us to “try harder”, He calls us to find our identity in Him. Not our perfection, but His.
This message of worth and value should resonate for a lifetime. God loves us not because of what we do (or don’t do) for Him. Our value is based on who we are in Him: Covered in grace, completely forgiven and deeply loved. Nothing we do, as a child of God, can diminish His sincere affection for us and it will not alter His promise of redemption and our glorious inheritance as God’s own possession.
These are Jesus’ parting words that He intended for Peter to hold onto for a lifetime. As we read them, He intends the same in our life as well. You are not holding on to Him…He is holding on to you.
To the praise of His glory!!!

Life of Christ Devotional - John 21:1-14

2011-02-14T09:38:00.003-05:00

“Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. (John 21:1–14, NIV)

The last few days for the disciples have been a whirlwind. They walked into Jerusalem with Jesus in a triumphal entry. People lined the street and palm branches were laid at their feet as the jubilant crowd called out for Jesus to be their king. This was a glorious day and one the disciples had long anticipated. The Messiah has come and He will reign forevermore.
But as soon as they crested the hill of rejoicing and entered the city of Jerusalem, they began a descent into a pit of despair. It began with treachery of Judas - a trusted friend and fellow disciple. His seed of deceit would being in a harvest of betrayal as the crowd who called out to have him crowned as a king now turned and demanded his crucifixion as a criminal.
The disciples were lost in despair, Peter denied his association with Jesus and they all wondered what just happened as the One they believed to be their Savior now hung on a cross. His life had impacted so many but His death was not helpful to anyone…or was it.
Three days after having kneeled at the cross, they now stood at an empty tomb. This was even more confusing to the disciples than the crucifixion. But then the resurrected Jesus appeared to them in the upper room and even Thomas was able to verify that Jesus would have the last word. He had risen from the grave trampling over death by death.
But what now? There was silence in Jerusalem and the religious leaders walked proudly I the streets with a haughty smile. Peter couldn’t take it anymore and so he went to do what he knew best in hopes that he could get back to life as he once knew it. Something simple and predictable again. Fishing.
He launched his boat onto the Sea of Galilee. He had not done this in the past 3 years but it all came back very naturally to him. Peter cast his nets, one after another, and pulled them into the boat. But like the emotion in his heart, they all came up empty.
And then a voice called out from the shore with instructions for the fishermen in the boat. They did as the strange man suggested and the nets where filled with fish and their hearts overflowed with joy. The man on the shore was not a stranger…it was their Savior.
He had not forgotten them after all. This was not the end of the story. In fact, as they sat and listened the risen Messiah, they would learn that it was only the beginning.
We too reach those moments of despair, where life seems confusing and our expectations of our Savior don’t match our experience. We may even find solace in the routine – something simple and seemingly meaningless. And yet, that is where we find Him. Our nets are empty but He can make them full. Our life is aimless, but He gives us direction. Our circumstances seem desperate but His life gives us hope.
Don’t just stand there! Jump out of the boat and go sit with your Savior. He is waiting for your fellowship and He is willing to feed your soul.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 20:19-31

2011-02-07T11:02:00.001-05:00

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. ” (John 20:19–31, NIV)

One thing to be sure, God knows the limitations of man. He understands our weaknesses and struggles. He recognizes our barriers to belief. And He has gone to great lengths, short of removing the necessity of faith, to give us every reason to believe. He appeared to the disciples, He gave Thomas hard physical evidence and He inspired the words of scripture for you and me.
What you have in front of you was given to you with the stated purpose of writing these words so that “you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name”.
Now there is another reality not stated in this passage. As much as God would desire for you to believe, you also have an enemy whose goal is to prevent your understanding and experiencing this truth. “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1Pet 5:8) This adversary comes to “steal and kill and destroy”. (Jn 10:10) “He does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Jn 8:44)
This is the cosmic battle for your soul. God has given us truth and yet our adversary seeks to hide this truth with lies. But you need to know that no matter how hard he works, it is not possible for the devil to hide the glory of God. “For the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky displays his handiwork. Day after day speaks out, night after night reveals His greatness.” (Ps 19:1-2) “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.” (Rom 1:20)
So here is what this should tell us: The truth of God cannot be hidden! Even when our circumstances seem hopeless, the sunrise shouts the glory of God and demonstrates His faithfulness to all mankind. Even when everyone does what is right in his own eyes and selfishly determines that life can be lived without God, He still sends His Son to show us what we are missing. Satan is never allowed to get the upper hand. “Greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world.” (1Jn 4:4)
You are being pursued with a great affection. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” ( Jn 15:13) . He understands our weaknesses and struggles. He recognizes our barriers to belief. And He has gone to great lengths, short of removing the necessity of faith, to give us every reason to believe.
So look hard. Even in the deceit of Satan lies a kernel of truth. “Know the truth and the truth with set you free.” (Jn 8:32)

Life of Christ Devotional - John 20:1-18

2011-01-31T16:12:00.002-05:00

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. ” (John 20:1–18, NIV)

From the moment they laid Jesus in the cold stone cave, Mary Magdalene awaited the opportunity to fill the room with the fragrance of her love. It was a customary practice to place the spices on the body and the very least she could do for the one who had saved her life from the demons that had once plagued her. (Luke 8:2) She had to do something even though nothing she could do would accomplish what her heart ultimately longed for. This wasn’t about the spices…this was just one last opportunity for her to look upon the face of the one who loved her more deeply than any other. Jesus had saved her soul and she missed Him with all her heart.
They placed Jesus in the tomb the day before the Sabbath. For Mary, the Sabbath became a day she thought would never end. She didn’t even wait for the sun to rise in the morning. She stepped into the darkness to make her way to the tomb, her heart growing with anticipation with every step she took. But when she arrived at the tomb, her steps were frozen with in a moment of unexplainable fear. Her heart pounded in her chest and ice cold blood coursed through her veins. The demons, who had once plagued her, now assumed their position and awaited the opportunity for hopelessness to open the door to her heart.
She ran for the others as the enemy nipped at her heals. Tears dripped from her eyes, saliva dripped from their mouths. She alerted the disciples who arrived to find their worst fears confirmed. Jesus was gone. They left to find the others and now she was alone, once again, with darkness as her only companion.
She had to see for herself. She looks into the empty tomb only to find the dark space filled with light. The brightness of the two angels filled the room and a ray of hope peaked into her soul. The demons stood silent as the deceit of their lies could not be spoken in the midst of God’s Truth.
Mary recognizes a silhouette by the light of the divine beings. She assumes he is the gardener and the one most likely to have stolen her hope. But then He speaks and all He had to say was her name...”Mary.”
It was the same voice who called her out of the demonic darkness of her past and unveiled a glorious light of salvation in her soul. The demons recognized it as well and now they were the ones scurrying away to herald the news of their doom. The light of Christ had restored her hope and Mary was once again protected by the power of the promise of God.
Hope has risen from the grave and is alive in the hearts of His people. We are protected by His promises and the demons of deceit are made silent in the presence of His truth. Praise the Lord!!! He is alive for evermore!

Life of Christ Devotional - John 19:31-42

2011-01-24T14:50:00.002-05:00

“Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. ” (John 19:31–42, NIV)

Crucifixion is an agonizingly painful death because it is slow. After hours of hanging by the nails pierced in your hands, occasionally drawing the strength to ignore the pain in order to push yourself up with your legs so that you can catch a breath, eventually it is too much and your body collapses over your lungs and you suffocate to death. In order to expedite the process, the soldiers would take a hammer to the femur, eliminating the ability lift up for a breath and death comes more quickly.
There is nothing pretty about this process and when the soldiers came to Jesus to perform the inhumane duty, they found it would not be necessary. He was already dead. But to make sure, they drove a spear through His side and into His heart causing blood and water to flow from the wound. Like many of the events of the life of Christ, all these things happened according to the prophesy spoken hundreds of years before the events actually took place.
And why is this important. John tells us, “this testimony is given so that you also may believe.” You see, these events are being recorded based on eyewitness accounts. They are telling you just what they saw that day and they even go as far as to help you understand that what they saw was expected long before it ever happened.
You and I were not there to see it with our own eyes. And for most of us, we do not know the Bible well enough to understand what the Old Testament saints had written that spoke of these events to come. But John is writing so that you can hear it from someone who was there and who also lived with an understanding of what God said would someday take place. This person is telling you why he believed so that you may also believe.
The greatest tragedy in the world would be for an event of such significance for the whole of humanity to disappear into oblivion. If no one tells the story, eventually, the story will be forgotten. Take the time this week to tell someone why you believe. If you are reading this and you do not believe, ask someone who does why they came to their conclusion. The least you can do is make an informed decision. Ignorance does not absolve any of us from guilt.
Listen to the story. Tell the story. Look with eyes of faith so that you may also believe.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 19:16-30

2011-01-17T11:54:00.000-05:00

“Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, “They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” So this is what the soldiers did. Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. ” (John 19:16–30, NIV)

Humanity is represented at the foot of the cross. Ardent enemies, uninterested bystanders, those who were intrigued because of what they could gain and those who loved Him with all their heart. Within one of these groups we find ourselves.
The chief priests wanted nothing to do with Jesus. They didn’t even like the sign Pilate put in place because it tied the Jews to Jesus. The reason for having Him killed was to eliminate this association. He was a distraction to their lifestyle and the success they were striving for in the world. Even today, the name of Christ is shunned by many. He still disrupts the lifestyle and conscience of those who want to make their own way. Jesus is a stumbling block that exposes their guilt and it would be better for them if He was all together eliminated.
Still others would not go as far as to eliminate Him, they just barely notice He is there. It’s hard to miss His message and influence in the world but if you can become busy enough with other things, you can simply take a glance and keep on walking. Don’t stop to look because then you’ll start to think. Just keep walking and pretend He isn’t there.
Or maybe you are like the soldiers who took the time to pay attention. You listened to what He had to say including the offer of salvation He gave to the thief on the cross. “It’s all very interesting, but what’s in it for me.” His clothes are nice enough and probably worth something. The guy is practically a rock star and so at least I can say I have His robe. Perhaps you too follow Jesus for what you can gain from Him with no regard to what you must first receive. You like all the miracles and the blessings but yet you are unwilling to deny yourself and follow Him.
But only those who love Him know what it means to be loved by Him. They are the ones who understand that the man hanging on the cross is there so that you don’t have to be. He paid the penalty for your sin and the only right response to this sacrifice of love is humble worship and adoration. A surrendered life to He who surrendered His life.
Which one are you? Humanity is represented at the foot of the cross. Where do you stand?

Life of Christ Devotional - John 19:1-15

2011-01-10T11:11:00.000-05:00

“Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face. Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. ” (John 19:1–15, NIV)

The root of all sin is selfishness and everything about this scene drips with this disease. The religious leaders brought the charges against Jesus because they wanted Him eliminated. Jesus was disrupting their system and power and influence among the people. The more that followed Him, the less would follow them. And yet, they were dependent upon Roman rule to execute Jesus. It was a punishment they could not carry out on their own. They needed the help of their enemy in order to preserve their power among the people.
Pilate, on the other hand, saw no reason to enforce this punishment. Nothing Jesus did was deserving of death. And yet, the Jews manipulated the circumstances to force Pilate into the corner. If he did nothing to Jesus, he was not honoring Caesar since Jesus claimed to be a king. The Jews appeal to the rule of Caesar in order to prevent the rule of Jesus. Pilate was in a predicament and the best he could do was turn Jesus over to the Jews. He washed his hands of the situation and let the influence of the crowd take its course. His position of authority took priority over the protection of the innocent.
Both the Jews and the Romans were manipulating the circumstances under the false pretense that they were in control. Each sought to fulfill their selfish desires for the preservation of their perceived power and influence. But where are they now? What they considered to be of great gain has now become their greatest loss. Mercy held out His hands and pride drove nails through the offering.
But the reality behind the story was spoken by Jesus. Despite the perception of being in control by issuing decisions that would ultimately determine the outcome, nothing was happening that God did not first determine to take place. The ultimate authority came from heaven and the characters of these events were simply fulfilling what God had ordained to unfold. In mercy, God did not expect mankind to understand this in the moment. Instead, He spoke through the prophets long before the events ever occurred. Isaiah would proclaim:
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. ” (Isaiah 53:7–9, NIV)
In love, God always reveals what is necessary for us to have life in His name. Pride will always perceive His requirement of submission as a threat to the security we create by our own self protection. In other words, as long as we are in control, we feel we are secure. It is a lie of the enemy that continues to this day.
Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? ” (Matthew 16:24–26, NIV)
The religious leaders accomplished their goal. Pilate preserved his power. They both relished in the glory of having succeeded in life only to face the reality, upon death, that they forfeited their soul for all eternity. Control is an illusion that disappears at death. Submission is the path to freedom in Christ and life eternal.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 18:28-40

2011-01-03T12:04:00.002-05:00

“Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled. Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion. ” (John 18:28–40, NIV)

This is all about political maneuvering. But don’t miss the hypocrisy which opens this scene as the religious leaders avoid ceremonial uncleanness while seeking to murder the one who promised to make them clean. The Jewish leaders had become so tied to a system of religious ritual that they came to believe that the system saves and not the person. But before you condemn the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, understand that their sin of substitution is equally as prevalent today. Religious ritual in the form of denominational alliance, church attendance, sacrament observation or even ministry service are all modern means by which we seek salvation in a system and not in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus alone is our salvation, and nothing we do in the ritual of our religion either merits His favor or secures His obligation. Don’t miss that!
As you continue in the dialogue, you can sense the irritation of the political leaders. The Romans are the ruling party of the day and they really don’t want to mess with the trivial religious squabbles of the Jews. The Jews, however, are on a mission that they cannot carry out without the assistance of their hated oppressor. As much as they would like to take care of Jesus on their own, they cannot crucify Him unless He is convicted by Roman law.
And so Pilate reluctantly fulfills his obligation by speaking to Jesus in person. The charge against Jesus is one of insurgence and so Pilate seeks to validate the threat of a revolt against Caesar. The response of Jesus makes it clear that He has no intention of inciting a revolution. He admits that He is a king, but not a king with any earthly kingdom. That’s much too small. Jesus reigns from heaven in accordance with everlasting truth.
Truth? “What is truth,” asks Pilate as he leaves the room. For him and so many others, truth is relative. The Romans had a pantheon of gods and you simply chose the ones to best meet your needs at the time. Did you need something for success in your business…we have a god for that. How about sexual indulgence…we have a god for that. Would you like to improve your outlook on life…yep, we’ve got a god for that. This whole idea of only one way to salvation for your soul was the core of the offense. It was offensive to the Jews, it was offensive to the Romans…and it is offensive to most Americans today.
But the claim of Jesus has not changed. He is the way, the truth and the life and no one will find salvation for their soul except through Him. There is no religious system, no social agenda, no lifestyle choice that will satisfy the longing of your heart. Our pantheon of gods in America today is no different than that of Rome. Our idol worship easily rivals theirs. People still seek to satisfy their life with wealth, sexual pleasure and personal improvement. Jesus stands in the midst of all these choices and He invites you to submit to His rule as the one true king. There is a truth… and it is found in only one person.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 18:12-27

2010-12-27T22:55:00.002-05:00

“Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people. Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest. As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.” One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. ” (John 18:12–27, NIV)

How could he? Just days before this denial Peter was passionately proclaiming his unfailing devotion to Jesus the Messiah. It was Peter who would be the first disciple to confess with clarity that Jesus is the Savior, the son of the living God. But now, during the time when Jesus needs him the most, Peter denies he ever knew Him. How could he?
Maybe he dropped his guard. Jesus had asked His disciples to join Him in prayer while they were in the garden, but they did not feel the same sense of urgency. Instead of kneeling beside Jesus, they laid down their heads and they soon fell asleep. Perhaps if Peter understood the spiritual warfare that was being waged for the souls of man, he would have stood strong in the battle before him.
Maybe it was pride. He was offended when Jesus predicted his denial. Instead of asking for Jesus’ help, Peter impulsively claimed more courage than he possessed. Not too different than his offense when Jesus offered to wash his feet. Perhaps if Peter would have more readily admitted his weaknesses and fears, Jesus would have helped him understand what it means to find strength in Him when we are weak in ourselves.
Whatever the case might have been, Peter failed to proclaim what he claimed to believe…and we are no different.
Most of us will never face as intense a trial as Peter did. But moments of truth occur in our lives most every day. How will we respond to:
• Embarrassing circumstances when exposed as one who loves and follows Jesus?
• A situation that exposes your pride and calls you to admit your failure?
• A call to prayer even when you’re tired?
We all know the feeling of being paralyzed by surprise, fear or possible shame. And many times, like Peter, we confess Jesus as Lord, but by not relying on Him in our moment of need, we deny His power. May we always be on guard for the battle never sleeps, and spiritually speaking, neither should we. Let us humbly go before the Lord and find strength in Him that we do not possess on our own. Do battle on your knees and find strength in your walk.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 18:1-11

2010-12-21T14:51:00.002-05:00

“When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” “I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” ” (John 18:1–11, NIV)

Jesus and His 11 disciples (minus Judas who had slipped away in the night to betray Jesus) were gathered in a familiar place. It was the Garden of Gethsemane just on the other side of the Kidron Valley. From where they stood, they could see the temple just on the other side of the valley. It was a quiet and peaceful night…so they rested.
Little did they know that on this night, everything was about to change. Their world would be turned upside down and the valley beneath them would become a valley of confusion. Nothing that happens next would make sense in their eyes.
They heard the rumble of footsteps that grew louder by the minute. You can’t miss the sound of 600 Roman soldiers fully armed and in battle gear. The light of the torches and lanterns would have lit up the sky.
It would be similar to the feeling we might have when we hear the sound of sirens screaming down the street. Police and Firetrucks. SWAT teams and armored vehicles. Someone must really be in trouble. But then you notice…they are coming for you!
What have the disciples done? They are not guilty of any crimes. If anything they are guilty of healing, not hurting. They are guilty of spreading hope, not disarray. And yet, the massive army and the flaming torches were coming for them. How startled they must have been to find themselves surrounded by such and awesome display of force.
Apparently the soldiers thought they would find trouble, but when they arrive, Jesus makes the first move. He steps forward and asks, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.
Jesus simply tells them, “I am He.” But the response of those who came to arrest him was highly unusual. John says, “…they drew back and fell to the ground.”
Maybe they were expecting a fight and they found a willing volunteer. Maybe Jesus raised His hand and they flinched in response. Whatever the case, we know the tension was high and their response tells us that they knew the power of the innocent man they had come to take prisoner.
Over 600 armed soldiers and they hit the ground. It foreshadows a day when all humanity will do the same. A day when the resurrected Jesus will stand before mankind and every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus is Lord.
On that day, will you bow in worship or will you bow in fear? In gratitude or in grief? How you respond to Christ today will determine your answer to that question. But make no mistake…we will all be on our knees.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 17:20-26

2010-12-13T10:04:00.002-05:00

““My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” ” (John 17:20–26, NIV)

As a body of Christ, we need to understand: God sent His son…Jesus sends His disciples…and through the great commission, we are sent as well. Our goal is to do the Father’s will. And I think we often make doing the Father’s will more complicated than it has to be. Think about all He has done to help us in this.
He gave us His Word which openly reveals His plan and purpose in the world. He gave us His Spirit to guide us in all truth. He set us apart as a New Covenant community of believers in Jesus Christ. Designing us with many parts, each one equally valuable in His eyes and all equally necessary for the healthy function of the body to carry out that mission. God uses all these things to make His will known.
But I think the most important thing He has done for us is what Jesus is demonstrating to His disciples right here in our passage. We know the Father’s will by abiding in the vine. We cannot have oneness with God (or with each other for that matter) if we don’t have an intimate and abiding relationship with Christ. We cannot do the Father’s will if we are not spending time in His presence. We do not have the strength to endure if we are not finding our strength in Him. We will not speak the truth in love if we do not learn to love His truth.
But when we do…when we are abiding in Him and walking in the good works He has prepared beforehand…it is a beautiful thing. Our oneness in purpose bears fruit that glorifies God. And when each cluster of good works is added to the other, the vineyard of God’s church sends a powerful message of hope to a lost and dying world. That is the divine mission of God we are called to carry on.
Follow the example Jesus has given us and find yourself often and the feet of our Father. Surrender your will to His and do nothing on your own accord. Live comfortably in dependence of His faithful care. Remember…The saint that advances on his knees never retreats.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 17:9-19

2010-12-06T08:49:00.003-05:00

“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. ” (John 17:9–19, NIV)

So Jesus recognizes that His disciples were given to Him by God and they belong to Him and so He prays for their protection, knowing that only God has the authority and the power to answer His prayer. He says, “Protect them in the power of your name so that they may be one as we are one.” So what does this mean to be one as Jesus and His Father are one?
When Jesus prays for oneness, He is speaking of the unity He has with the Father in both will and purpose. It is this unity that guides Him to complete the mission that He was sent to accomplish. Just think about His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He said, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” ” (Luke 22:42, NIV)
Unity of will and purpose. Oneness.
I think what He says about Judas confirms this idea. Judas was doomed for destruction because he was not united in the will and purpose of God. Clearly, Judas had his own plans motivated by his own selfish desires. There was no unity of will and purpose. No oneness with the disciples or with God. And so He perished by choosing to go his own way. And this tells us that any path away from God is a path that leads to destruction.
And so Jesus prays that His disciples, given to Him by God, would continue the mission, united in will and purpose, even after He is gone. “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world,” Jesus says, “but keep them safe from the evil one.” Jesus knows that the hostility that He has encountered will soon shift to the disciples. The easiest thing to do would be to remove them from the world. But when there are no disciples, the mission of God dies. Remove all the lights and sin is unexposed. And where there is no perception of sin, there is no need for a Savior.
A follower of Christ must believe that God is strong enough to preserve His people and His mission is dependent upon their trusting Him enough to live in the world but not of the world. Christians are not called to segregate from society nor are they commanded by Jesus to try and make the world a better place. The mission of the disciple of Christ is not to recreate the Garden of Eden by restoring heaven on earth. There is something much deeper than peace and comfort, not to mention the fact that Jesus said this world is not our home. This idea reminds me of the burial rights of the ancient Egyptians. When they discovered the tomb of King Tut, for example, they found him buried in beautiful ornate clothes. He was surrounded by gold and jewelry. They made his grave into a palace. When our goal is to make this world a better place in order to live a happy and peaceful life, we too are making a grave into a palace.
Jesus calls His followers to something different. Something deeper. Jesus left His disciples in the world to be unified in the will of God so that they might carry out the purpose of God. That has to be our undivided focus. What happens in the world is up to the creator of the world. Whatever part I play is up to Him to decide. My involvement is under His authority, based on His calling, according to His plan of redemption.
Whose plan are you following today. Like Judas, do you follow your own plan for your own purpose ultimately motivated by the selfish desire of “what’s best for me”?
Or do you surrender your will to the will of God. Trusting in His promises and relying on the hope of something far greater than anything this world has to offer?

Life of Christ Devotional - John 17:1-8

2010-11-29T08:57:00.002-05:00

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.” (John 17:1-8, NIV)

Jesus’ prayer for Himself is that He would surrender to the will of His Father. Ultimately, that’s what prayer is for all of us…an act of surrender. The surrender of our will to His will. I’ve heard it described like this: If I throw out a boat anchor from my boat and catch a hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore toward me or do I pull myself towards the shore?
Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but instead, it is aligning my will to the will of God. Jesus prays that He might be glorified in what is to come, which we know is His death, burial and resurrection. When He came to earth, and the word became flesh, he set out on a mission, given to Him by God. Up until this point, He has told His disciples and others following His ministry that the time had not yet come…now is not the time. But here He says, “The time has arrived.”
Jesus came to earth to establish a new covenant community, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, made possible by His sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus will glorify God as He completes His work on earth that His Father has given Him to do. He is obedient unto death…even death on a cross.
But as amazing as the life and testimony of Jesus was, it was just a shadow of His glory. We know this because he prays in verse 5 for his glory to be restored when He is seated at the right hand of His Father. You see, when the word became flesh, He did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but He emptied Himself…of what? Of His glory. The incarnation veiled the glory of God.
He took on the form of bond servant, in the appearance of a man and He humbled Himself to become obedient unto death….even death on a cross. And notice that the disciples were given to Jesus as a part of that mission. They were chosen with a purpose. Their faith was manifested in their obedience to Christ’s words because they believed in His divine mission. What we know of the Messiah has been given to us by His disciples who were inspired by the gift of the Holy Spirit God had promised them - the mission for which Jesus came. Jesus has surrendered to the will of the Father…his disciples are learning to do the same, and so are we.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 16:17-33

2010-11-22T08:57:00.000-05:00

“Some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while 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. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” “You believe at last!” Jesus answered. “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ” (John 16:17–33, NIV)

Jesus says that the world will rejoice and in the very same verse, he tells the disciples, “Your sorrow will be turned to joy.” So what we have here is 2 sets of people rejoicing for 2 different reasons.
The world rejoices because they have eliminated Jesus. They have protected the peace of their society and the security of their religious system. But the followers of Jesus are rejoicing for a different reason. They rejoice because they have been granted peace with God and the security of His forgiveness is beyond what any religious system could ever provide.
Both the world and the Christian are joyful…but for different reasons. Both claim freedom…but for different reasons. Both declare truth…but for different reasons.
And here is the essential difference between the two: One is based on what man accomplishes apart from Christ…the other is based on what Christ accomplished on behalf of man.
So we should ask ourselves: “When I look at my life, where does my joy come from? Does my peace and security come from what I can accomplish apart from Christ or have I relinquished control and confessed that apart from Him I can do nothing?”
You see, the best we can do is patch things together. And that never lasts very long. Eventually our best efforts fall short. But that’s not how God works. God makes things new. And Jesus just said, “that day is coming…”
As we read that passage today, we need to know that “that day” is here. Jesus has done for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Our peace not based on our faithfulness, but on His. Our joy is not based on our accomplishments, but on His. Our prayers are not answered based on our obedience, but on His.
Our joy is made complete in Christ. The sorrow of His departure turns to joy when He resurrects us into a new life with Him.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 16:1-16

2010-11-15T08:40:00.000-05:00

““All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” ” (John 16:1–16, NIV)

Jesus says, “I tell you the truth…It is to your advantage that I go away.”
Can you imagine how strange this must have sounded to the ears of the disciples? Jesus, the Messiah, had finally come and now He is saying that it is better if He goes away. I really do feel for these guys because all this has to be overwhelming to them. Just think about it. Step in their sandals for just a moment.
One day you are a fisherman. An average Jewish man fulfilling his daily trade. Some strange man comes along and calls you by name. “Simon, throw the net on the other side of the boat.”
“You’re kidding, right? I have fished all day and you are going to tell me that the reason for my failure was that I was fishing off of the wrong side of the boat. What? Do I need to stand on one leg when I cast the net? Will that help?” (I really think Peter would have said something like that!)
And then you pull in the catch of your life. “What…just… happened?”, you say. And that was just the beginning. For years now you have repeated that same question over and over again…what just happened?
Until you realize…this is the hope of all Israel. Jesus is the promised Messiah. In fact, He asks you one day, “Who do you say that I am?” And without hesitation, you answer, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
“Blessed are you, Simon Barjona,” said Jesus, “flesh and blood did not reveal that to you. That was from My Father in heaven.”
You think to yourself, “I am walking with my Savior”…and then He tells you, after years of deepening love and friendship, “I must go away now, and you cannot come where I am going.” Can you imagine? Deflated, confused, anxious… What does this mean?
From our perspective, we know what it means. We understand through eyes of faith what the disciples would soon learn for themselves. What Jesus did on the cross, and God validated by His resurrection, ushered in a new era never known before in all of human history. He didn’t put new wine in an old wineskin. Or a new piece of cloth on an old garment. He didn’t just fix a sin problem by patching things together. Jesus made something new.
The church of Jesus Christ is experiencing the blessing of God that exceeds even the unimaginable privilege of knowing Him in person and seeing Him face to face. If you are a follower of Christ, you are experiencing the greatest work of God in the history of the world. This is a day that the patriarchs and the prophets longed for… and God has now made possible through the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit in your life as a believer in Jesus Christ.
We don’t grasp the magnitude of this privilege do we? But its true!
To say that it is to “our advantage” may biggest understatement that Jesus ever spoke. The indwelling Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is the greatest work of God in the history of the world. And his going away…His death burial and resurrection…is what made it possible. You are no longer foreigners to the promises of God. As a Christian, you are the recipient of His greatest work in the history of mankind. Rejoice today and share this good news!

Life of Christ Devotional - John 15:18-27

2010-11-08T13:04:00.000-05:00

““If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. ” (John 15:18–27, NIV)

Persecution… Nobody likes it and so we do our best to avoid it. Many of us live very peaceful lives in the absence of persecution and so let me give you 3 reasons why this might be the case.
First of all, we can avoid persecution if we can transform the world into a collection of godly people who are unified in the truth of God’s word. If everyone is faithfully following His truth without compromise, then the truth is not offensive. However, this option will not work because we cannot create heaven on earth. Only God can do that. And He promised, “In the world you will have trouble.”
Trouble exists because of the presence of sin and until Jesus returns to establish a new heaven and a new earth where sin no longer reigns, we must accept the reality that we live in a sin cursed world and persecution is inevitable. Because sin exists, truth is distorted, Jesus is rejected and your identification with Him means the same for you.
But what if we isolated ourselves? Couldn’t we avoid persecution if we created protected communities of like minded people? This is the mistake we often make in our churches. We create a community where we live and interact with people like us and avoid any exchange with people “not like us”. In doing so, we can avoid persecution but we must sacrifice the great commission to do so. Jesus said,
“When there is a need for light, no one takes a lamp and then hides it under a bowl. No, they put it up high on a stand so that it can illuminate the whole house. In the same way, let your light shine before men so that they may see your good deed and glorify your Father in heaven.” Mt. 5:15-16
So now we’re down to the third way to avoid persecution: Knowing the truth, but not speaking the truth. That way you never offend anyone who is not living the truth. This is the one I believe we have crafted into an art form and have invented every possible justification.
“I don’t want to judge them… We should be tolerant of different beliefs… I’m not responsible for other people’s decisions…”
Actually… all those statements are true. But none of them are an excuse not to speak truth into people’s lives. Christians have been chosen and appointed. Chosen to be a distinctive people, a holy nation, a kingdom of priests. Appointed to be ambassadors of Christ, as though God were entreating through us, calling all men to be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ. Everything about us should declare the story of forgiveness and grace through faith.
Speak the truth. It is the calling of every believer in Jesus Christ. But speak the truth in love. Suffering is a badge of true discipleship. Very often, your unapologetic identification with Him will be an inevitable offense to those who refuse to walk in truth… but only as long as you are living and speaking that truth in love.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 15:12-17

2010-11-01T14:26:00.000-05:00

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. ” (John 15:12–17, NIV)

Unimaginable!

He who spoke the universe into existence. He who breathes life into every living creature on earth. The One in whose image every human being has been created. This high and mighty God, looks at those who follow Him and says, “I no longer call you servants…I call you friends.”
As a follower of Christ, you are a friend of God. Now think about that for a minute. Because it is, in fact, the distinguishing characteristic of our faith.
Examine any other religion in the world, and you will not find a god that is being served whose compassion so moved him to condescend from his throne on high to dwell among his creatures. Not only that, our God willingly enters into the sufferings of His creatures in order to redeem them and this world. No other theistic religion in the world will make this claim!
You are a friend of God and no greater love has anyone than he who lays down his life for his friends. And that is exactly what He did for you and I.
We did not earn His favor. We did not merit His love. We were dead in our trespasses and sins and dead people don’t move!
And so, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He love us, God moved first. He made us alive together with Christ. For by grace you have been saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Did I already say unimaginable?

If this is true, and it most certainly is, do we need any greater motivation for us to go out and do the same? That’s the point Jesus is making!
Those who have received this great love must share this great love. Those who have been forgiven much, must forgive much. Those who have been given mercy, must show mercy. In other words, do unto others as it has been done unto you. Jesus is our example. Go and do the same. He withholds nothing from those who walk in the ways that He has prepared beforehand.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 15:1-12

2010-10-25T11:57:00.002-04:00

““I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ” (John 15:1–12, NIV)

“I am the true vine...remain in me.” What a profound statement! When Jesus says He is the true vine, what He is proclaiming is that there is no life outside of Him. In fact, He clearly states that “apart from Him, we can do nothing”.
But yet, we often try to attach ourselves to different vines don’t we. We try to find life in religious systems. For the Jews, it was Judaism. In our culture, Christians attach to denominations and ritual church routine. We look for the meaning of life in science or the way of life in politics. We seek security in relationships. And we find satisfaction and contentment in our hobbies, or our possessions, or our wealth.

How’s that working for you?

Jesus says that every option we choose apart from Him will leave us empty inside - like a disconnected branch that withers and dies. Oh, we can choose to attach ourselves to many things… but only one will give us life.
“Remain in me,” Jesus says, “and I will remain in you.”
Take some time to look at your life and examine the fruit of the vine. Do you see evidence of life in healthy relationships, peace during difficult times, and hope in something bigger than yourself. Or has the branch become heavy with the decay of a failing marriage, an uncontrollable habit or an unfulfilling job. Jesus is the only true vine. There is no life outside of Him. You can try….but you will find that apart from Him, you can do nothing.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 14:15-31

2010-10-18T12:04:00.002-04:00

““If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 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. “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.” (John 14:15–31, NIV)

Now, if you’re one of the disciples and you’re listening to Jesus, even though you may not understand everything He just said, what you do know is that Jesus is not going to abandon you. His departure is temporary. And when you see Him again, He has something to give you that will change your life forever.
Trust me… the disciples could not comprehend everything Jesus was telling them. But Jesus didn’t expect them to. He is just keeping His promise of letting them know things ahead of time so that when they do happen, they will understand. The light will come on…their faith will be confirmed and they will say, “Surely this is the Son of God!”
Is it not amazing that Jesus spoke about things before they actually happened so that when they did occur, it would validate who He is as the promised Messiah? Is it not equally amazing that these very accounts have been preserved in such a way that 2000 years later you are still reading them in order to fulfill the very same purpose – so that you may believe?
That tells us something about Jesus, doesn’t it! He wants you to believe… and to follow Him in faith… and to be strengthened in your faith.
You see, when these things unfolded for the disciples, it served to confirm their convictions and ignite their passion to the point that most every one of them would be martyred for their faith. These guys hit the tape running. The distractions of the world would not slow them down and convince them to pull over and park. No compromises…they were all in!
What about you? Does His truth still confirm your convictions and ignite your passion? Are you willing to lay down your life, your dreams, your desires for His sake? Are you all in?
Know that you don’t get there by taking control. You get there by relinquishing control. The Spirit is given, not gotten. Did you notice that Jesus did not give the disciples a list of requirements to meet in order to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? The fact is, the disciples were mostly confused and had no idea what was going to happen.
So, it’s not a reward for good behavior is it? It’s not a second blessing. It is THE blessing as a result of faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of His promise not to leave us as orphans but to continue to guide us in truth and love. Your submission is the only limiting factor for your experience of His resurrection power. The Spirit is given, not gotten. Are you all in?

Life of Christ Devotional - John 14:1-14

2010-10-11T12:50:00.000-04:00

““Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. ” (John 14:1–14, NIV)

Betrayal, denial and now departure. This is the news the disciples have received from Jesus in the past few minutes of conversation. One of them would betray Jesus, one would deny Him, and in the end, Jesus would be going to a place they could not go. To suggest that the disciples were confused and troubled would be an accurate understatement.
And the words of Jesus were intended to bring comfort to their troubled hearts. Although His disciples could not follow Jesus right away, they would eventually go to where He was going and in the meantime, Jesus was making the necessary preparations.
As you and I read this, we probably have the same mental image as the disciples. We picture a physical place… maybe a mansion. It is found at a specific location and it is furnished and prepared for lots of guests. So the question Philip asks is logical, “How do we get there?”
Great question! “Can you at least give us a map Jesus? We definitely want to meet you there, but having never been to this place, we need some directions.”
But Jesus explains, “The destination is a person, not a place. It is not a list of things to do, it is a person to follow. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life.”
What Jesus would accomplish through the cross was not limited to a heavenly mansion. It was life giving relationship with God that would begin at the moment of faith. We don’t need directions to get to this place because we have a guide who has shown us the way and unless we follow him, we will never find what we are looking for.
Jesus then explains to His disciples the unique relationship He has had with the Father, who was living in Him and doing His work. “If you have faith in Me, you will do what I have been doing,” Jesus said.
Amazing! This is the reality of those who have found life in Jesus - His Spirit lives within those who believe in Him so that we may do what He demonstrated in His life and ministry. He made disciples, and we are called to go and do the same. The work He does through us is greater than anything we could ever do on our own. Each day He is still leading us. He is offering to be our guide.
Not through a map or a set of directions, but through a relationship. His Spirit guides us in all truth and life. Are you following Him?

Life of Christ Devotional - John 13:31-38

2010-10-04T11:45:00.002-04:00

“When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! ” (John 13:31–38, NIV)

“Love one another as I have loved you…”
Now that’s a tall order! How many examples of that do you see around you?
The honest truth is that not many of us have loved someone else to the point that we have been falsely accused, tortured and cruelly crucified on their behalf. For that matter, I don’t know that many of us have even lowered ourselves to the point of washing another person’s feet as an expression of humble devotion. Is it really possible to love others like Jesus loved us?
If the picture you have in your mind is our personal commitment to mirror the life of Jesus by following the example of His love for others, then I would say that we are setting ourselves up for failure. Asking ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” is a great question, but the fact of the matter is, nobody has the ability to match the pattern of His life. His ways are not our ways and the depth of His love is humanly incomprehensible. The example of Peter’s denial seems to illustrate this point.
Peter was a courageous man whose faith stood out boldly in the landscape of the disciples. When Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?”, it was Peter who replied, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” His confession is one of the great professions of faith in all of scripture. And yet, Peter would not risk ridicule for the sake of following Jesus, much less give His own life.
At least not yet…
In just days, Peter would stand before the people and boldly proclaim Jesus as the promised Messiah. It was a step of faith that could (and eventually did) end his life. So what is the difference between the Peter who fearfully denied Jesus and the Peter that stood up on Pentecost and fearlessly proclaimed salvation in Christ alone?
The difference is the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Without it, following the example of Jesus is only wishful thinking. It’s an admirable effort to live a good life, but it will always fall short of what is necessary to be a child of God.
Following Jesus, loving as He loved, is based on the power of the Holy Spirit and not the power of the human will. It is accomplished not by valiant effort but by willing surrender. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life by trusting Jesus will find it.
Each day, every one of us has to make the choice of who will be in control. Choose today to surrender to God so that He can do in you what you cannot do for yourself. Your life literally depends on it.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 13:18-30

2010-09-27T10:54:00.000-04:00

““I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. “What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. ” (John 13:18–30, NIV)

We see from this passage that Jesus chose every disciple, even the one who would betray him, in order that scripture would be fulfilled. The point here is Jesus is not surprised by the betrayal. In fact, He chose Judas knowing He would betray. Jesus knew it would happen because God said it would happen. But where did God reveal this betrayal? The verse Jesus quotes out of Psalm 41 seems vague at best…or is it?
The verse Jesus uses is one written by David as he reflected on the betrayal of His friend Ahithopel. (You’ll find the details in 2 Samuel, chapters 16 and 17.) Ahithopel was a friend of David’s who used that friendship to gain information in order to inform David’s son, Absalom, in his sinful rebellion against his father. If you read that account of betrayal, you will find that the guilt of Ahithopel’s sin so overwhelmed him that it became more than he could bear. Guess what he did in the end?
He hung himself…just like Judas will do.
Jesus is reminding His disciples, you remember the events surrounding David and the betrayal of his friend? Watch closely…It’s about to happen again.
The disciples are all listening trying to make sense of what He is saying. All the disciples…including who? Judas!
Judas is still in the room and the passage says that Jesus was troubled in His Spirit. I believe Jesus was troubled because there was one He truly loved who would reject that love for personal gain…and it broke His heart.
You’ll notice that the disciples were quick to look at each other, not themselves. John (after being prompted by Peter) finally asks Jesus, “Lord, who is it?”
And look what Jesus does…he answers John by fulfilling the verse He quoted from Psalms. He takes the bread and he offers it to Judas.
It’s important to see: this as act of friendship. Jesus is fulfilling scripture but He is doing so through an act of love. One final offer to Judas, which he once again, refuses. Judas has been following Jesus for years. But throughout this time, he has been more interested in what he could gain than what he could give. In his pride, he pilfered money he had been given the responsibility to steward. Probably small compromises at first…but persistence disobedience hardened his heart to the point that his mind became calloused to the truth…the truth that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The truth that the verse Jesus just used was a verse about Him. Judas had let sin reign and he was responsible for his decisions. Jesus says, “Do quickly what YOU are about to do.”
Satan may be directing his path, but Judas is willing to follow, and both of them are doing what God knew would happen in order for His plan of redemption to be fulfilled.
Faithful obedience flows out of humility but pride comes before the fall.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 13:1-17

2010-09-20T16:38:00.002-04:00

“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. ” (John 13:1–17, NIV)

So, in case you didn’t know, the land of Palestine is basically a dusty desert. People walked around in sandals all day. It was hot and sweaty and so when you come into someone’s house, you basically had mud all over your feet. And so it was customary for the host of the house to provide a servant to wash people’s feet. It was a mark of honor and respect for your guest.
But in our passage, no one is willing to lower themselves to do this menial task because verse 2 says they were already eating supper. Instead of washing someone else’s feet, they decided to sit on the floor and eat with stinky, dirty feet. (Typical men, right)
Well, Jesus uses the occasion to teach a very important lesson. In the middle of supper, He stands up and the text says, “He laid aside his garments and girded himself with a towel.” Some versions say, “He removed his outer clothes” or “laid aside his robe”.
I don’t think Jesus had to do this. I think He did do it because He wanted to make sure His disciples didn’t miss the point. When He removed his robe and girded himself with a towel, he assumed the dress and posture of a slave – a servant for the guests. Had a servant been in the room, this is what it would have looked like and Jesus is saying, “I am that servant.”
And then He went to each disciple and washes their feet in a servant’s dress and a servant’s posture. I can only assume that there was complete silence in the room… until Jesus came to Peter.
Peter’s question was more of a protest. “Lord, you…wash my feet?” You notice that Jesus doesn’t try to explain. He just says, “It doesn’t make sense right now Peter, but it will soon enough. Just trust me.”
What does Peter say? “Never shall you wash my feet.” Peter challenges Jesus.
This was his pride talking. He was certain that He would never dishonor Jesus. Peter was saying, “Maybe these other guys in the room are willing to dishonor you, but not me! I’m different. I am uncompromising!”
We learn from the other gospel writers that during this same meal, Jesus will tell uncompromising Peter, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me 3 times.”
Pride comes before the fall…Faithfulness flows out of humility.
You see…When we think we have all the answers. When our theology is wrapped with a nice little bow. When we look at others and say, “Maybe them Lord, but not me!” Watch out!
If we are not humble in our relationship with God and with others, admitting that apart from Him we can do nothing, our enemy grabs a foothold that he will undoubtedly use against us.
He’ll convince you that community within the body of Christ is really not that big of a deal. That’s for people that are weak. I am strong enough to do this on my own. And when the lion can section you off, he will chase you down for the kill.
And what about our dependence on God? Isn’t it pride that keeps us from spending just 5 minutes a day in the truth of God’s Word? Let’s be honest. When we can’t seem to find time for God, what we are saying is “You know…I’m pretty good on my own. If I get in trouble, I’ll give you a call. And I will definitely see you on Sunday. But otherwise, I think I can do this without you.”
No you can’t! Be careful!
Pride comes before the fall…Faithfulness flows out of humility.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 12:37-50

2010-09-13T11:28:00.000-04:00

“Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. “As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” ” (John 12:27–50, NIV)

Dead, Playing Dead, or Living in the Light. Which one are you?
That’s what John describes in this passage. He turns first to those who refuse to believe. Their consistent denial of God’s truth has hardened their heart and their conscious has been seared. Truth is literally standing right in front of them as Jesus speaks, but just as the prophet said it would happen, they did not believe. Even the miracles of Jesus did not penetrate their hardened hearts. They were dead because of their choice to deny life in Christ.
But others decided to take the step of faith only to turn around and pretend like they were dead. They put their trust in the message of Jesus and His promise of redemption. And yet, because of their position of influence, they kept their decision a secret. The fear of man’s condemnation prevented their ability to rejoice in God’s redemption. How can this be!
If we live to please people, our reputation will be our only reward. Oh, we’ll get a pat on the back and an “attaboy” or two. We will receive some awards and recognition. But it will always fall short. It will never meet the need that our heart desires. It will always leave us wanting. Our strength will be reduced, our outlook confused and our joy taken from us.
Only when we walk in the light are we truly satisfied. Only then do we experience the love of God that is beyond all comprehension – exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine. Only then do we truly live the life that He has made possible.
Make the choice today not to divide your life between the sacred and the secular. What you do Monday through Saturday is just as sacred as what you do on Sunday. This undivided life of Jesus is the perfect example. Everything He did was to please His Father. He did nothing on His own accord or out of selfish ambition. So should it be with us. May His kingdom in your heart be undivided.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 12:20-26

2010-09-06T09:21:00.002-04:00

“Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, 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 replied, “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. 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 also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. ” (John 12:20–26, NIV)

“Now there were some Greeks…”
What an interesting observation. Keep in mind that we are in the midst of preparation for the Passover Feast and there are thousands upon thousands of people who were arriving for the celebration. Jesus has already entered into town with a hero’s welcome as large masses of people laid palm branches at His feet and cried out in loud shouts, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
And then, almost as a side note, John tells us that there were some Greeks who went up to worship at the feast who wanted to see Jesus. Now we know this seemingly insignificant inquiry was actually a huge turning point in the Life of Jesus because up until this point, Jesus had consistently informed His disciples that “the time has not yet come.” And now, in response to having been told about the Greeks, Jesus says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
What is so special about the Greeks? What was it about their inquiry that triggered this response from Jesus?
Perhaps we can get a clue from early in the life of Jesus. He calls His disciples together and He gives them instructions about how to spread the good news of the Messiah who came to seek and save that which was lost. He says, “Do not go to the Gentiles (Greeks), and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
You see, God came to call His chosen people to repentance. Not because He didn’t care about the others, but because they were established by God with a specific purpose in mind. God had set them apart, made them a great nation, so that they could represent and usher in the promised kingdom of God. The people of Israel were to be the megaphone through which Jesus would announce His plan and purpose for the world. And yet they turned from the blessing of God to do what was right in their own eyes. They lost sight of their mission and became a people who were righteous in their own eyes. They no longer depended upon God for redemption and so they rejected the offer of their Redeemer – Jesus.
And as a result, those that Jesus originally told His disciples to avoid, now became those most interested in seeking His truth. The rejection of the Jews swung the door wide open for Samaritans and Greeks. The time had arrived for the Son of Man to be glorified so that anyone who believes in Him shall be saved. From this point on, there was neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for all became one in Christ Jesus.
Some might look at this and suggest that Jesus had a “plan A” to usher in His kingdom through the nation of Israel. However, since they rejected His offer, He went to “plan B” to fulfill His mission. We should not make such an assumption. Jesus knew how the Jews would respond, and from eternity past, He has never deviated from “plan A”. He cannot deviate from doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons. He only gives His very best…He knows no difference.
So you need to know, the same is true for your life. God is not restricted by your choices. He knows every decision you will make before you ever make it. In His perfect way, He has the ability to miraculously work all things together for those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose. He will always offer you His very best. Will you choose to follow Him or seek instead to do what is right in your own eyes?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

Life of Christ Devotional - John 12:12-19

2010-08-29T14:39:00.000-04:00

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” ” (John 12:12–19, NIV)

It is called the Triumphal Entry of Jesus because that is literally what it is. The palm branches laid at His feet were a traditional greeting reserved for soldiers who were returning from a victorious battle. It was a hero’s welcome of the highest magnitude.
But notice what Jesus does with the pomp and circumstance. How easy it would have been for Him to ride the emotion of the crowd, mount a white stallion and ride in victorious, sword in hand, as the King of all Kings. For in fact, that is who He is.
Yet Jesus was not a king who came to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom. The donkey He rode in on was a sign of humility. A symbol of peace. Jesus had not come to be exalted on a throne but lifted up on a cross.
But oh how the crowd wanted something different. They like the idea of a Savior on their terms. A valiant King who performs miraculous signs and wonders. A King who overcomes the oppression of their enemies and restores the nation of Israel to a place of prominence among all other nations. They want a King who dominates their enemies and so they shout out to Jesus, “Be our King”, “Save Us”, “You have been sent to us by God”.
Yet in just a matter of a few hours, this very same crowd who is calling out to crown Jesus as King will raise their voices once again to crucify Him as a criminal. They want victory through dominance, Jesus will provide victory through sacrifice. They want deliverance from their enemies, Jesus will provide deliverance from their sin. They want peace through a ruler on earth, Jesus will give peace through His rule in our hearts.
It’s a choice we still make today: Do I serve God on my terms or on His? Do I bow before Him as Lord and Savior or do I simply call on Him when I get in a bind? Does my obedience flow out of worship or out of obligation?
Take time this week to approach the throne of grace with humility and worship God on His terms. Recognize His self-sacrificing love, His peace through forgiveness and His joy in redemption. Worship these attributes of our Savior and… then go and do the same.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 12:1-11

2010-08-22T08:35:00.000-04:00

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him. ” (John 12:1–11, NIV)

Martha and Mary. We are first introduced to these sisters in Luke’s gospel where we find them bickering with one another for “not doing their part”. Actually it was Martha who was bickering because Mary is just sitting at Jesus’ feet. Jesus rebukes Martha's harsh words and explains that Mary has made the better choice.
Apparently she got the message because we see them here again with a different outcome. Martha is still serving and Mary is still at Jesus’ feet.
But there is no rebuke from Jesus this time because the service that Martha is rendering was never the problem…it was the heart behind the service. Last time she was complaining because Mary wouldn’t help. This time, she allowed Mary to worship at His feet while she worshiped by serving Him at His table. There is a new attitude of humility and meekness with Martha, and it has made all the difference in the world.
But, Mary is not only at the feet of Jesus. She has taken a vile of very expensive perfume which John tells us it was worth about 300 denarii – the equivalent to about one year’s wage. Mary takes it, breaks open a $30,000 bottle of perfume, and used it to wash the feet of Jesus.
Judas, a thief, sees money he could have pilfered, go down the drain and so he protests. Jesus turns His rebuke to Judas this time and says, “Leave her alone. She has saved this for the day of my burial.”…..
Did she? Did she know that in just 7 days, Jesus would be crucified?
No, probably not. But it is likely that she had saved this perfume for a special occasion. Some suggest maybe it was the dowry she would need in order to marry. What we do know, is that this is no small gesture. It is a self sacrificing act of adoration and Jesus uses it to reveal to His disciples what was coming.
Mary used it as an act of love. Jesus used it to reveal the ultimate act of love…His death on their behalf.
Stop and think about the 4 individuals in this scene and their interaction with Jesus: Mary, Martha, Lazarus and Judas. Three are worshiping, one is not.
Martha, still serving, but with a changed heart. In humble gratitude, she looks at Jesus with affection and expresses her love in preparing a meal for Him to eat.
Lazarus, the man Jesus raised from the dead, is probably looking at Him and still wondering, “How did you do that?” Do you think he was worshiping? Most definitely! He knew firsthand the power of God and something tells me he was still in awe.
And Mary… such self sacrificing adoration. She just gave more than a bottle of perfume for Jesus. She gave Him all her hopes and dreams.
But then there is Judas. He’s not worshiping because he is more concerned about what he could gain than what he could give.
Now you tell me, which one are you? A worshiper who eyes are fixed on Jesus…serving with your hands, serving with your testimony of His power, serving with your obedient love.
Or are you more concerned about what you can gain than what you can give?

Life of Christ Devotional - John 11:45-57

2010-08-15T08:42:00.001-04:00

“Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 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 then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 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.” 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. So from that day on they plotted to take his life. Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Feast at all?” But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him. Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ” (John 11:45–57, NIV)

Isn’t that ironic! The religious leaders sought to kill Jesus in order to save their nation. Yet, God would turn this misguided intention into the means by which the whole world would be saved. Amazing is it not?!
You see, the goal of the religious leaders, while under Roman rule, was to keep the peace. As long as they maintained the status quo, the Jewish community had been given relative autonomy. But as soon as they started causing a scene, Rome would not look so favorably upon this religious sect. The religious leaders appointed themselves as those who must protect the peace.
And along comes Jesus. To say He was causing a scene would be an understatement. He was drawing large crowds, performing miraculous signs and making some amazing claims about being sent by God. Just days from now, he would be ushered into Jerusalem with palm branches, a traditional welcome for soldiers returning from victory in battle. They would shout “Hosanna” in hopes that Jesus was the long awaited king who would deliver them from the oppression of a foreign ruler who served foreign gods. They were beginning to place a great amount of hope in this man Jesus.
“Too much hope,” was the opinion of the religious leaders. They knew that Jesus was causing such attention that it threatened the autonomy of the Jewish society. In order to keep the peace, they would need to eliminate Him. It appeared to be the only satisfactory solution. One man must die for the peace of a nation.
But that was too small. God knew that one man would die for the salvation of all mankind. God would take the evil intention of the religious leaders and turn it into the gracious eternal purpose of God. The sacrifice of Jesus, at the risk of the peace of a nation, would become the means for ultimate peace with God.
Even today, there are those who would embrace His sacrifice with an understanding of what it accomplished on their behalf while others would choose instead to push it aside in hopes of maintaining the status quo.
Where are you? Too often, we are like the religious leaders who would rather not make any waves and so we choose to live life without incident. Just keep the status quo. We see that a life committed to following Jesus may cause more trouble than good and so we “eliminate” Him by turning our attention to all that the world has to offer instead.
Without question, following Jesus is a risky move. He may stir some things up in your own heart that you might rather He leave alone. Releasing your selfish desire for control can be a painful departure. It will require everything.
Jesus said,

“He who wishes to save his life will lose it and he who loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

Life of Christ Devotional - John 11:17-45

2010-08-08T08:43:00.000-04:00

“On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. ” (John 11:17–45, NIV)

“If you had been here...”
I am sure those words resonate in the hearts of so many who have faced deep disappointment in their life. Some have seen disease ravage the bodies of those whom they love so dearly. Others have seen their dreams change in an unexpected blink of an eye. And because we know what God has the power to do, it is easy for us to look at Him in our moment of grief and despair and ask, “Why didn’t you do something?”
We have in our mind what would be best…and when our expectations do not match His plan, we are disappointed and even hurt by what we experience. This must have been the emotion and Mary and Martha. They saw the life of a brother they loved end too soon. They see the man that could have changed their circumstances but He is too late.
They weep.
Jesus knew what was coming next. It was the reason for His delay. Lazarus would rise from the grave. And yet, when He saw the grief of His friends whom he loved, in their moment of pain, he joined in their sorrow as tears flowed from His eyes.
Jesus wept.
Despite His sovereign control of all things and His power to perform the miraculous, Jesus still felt the pain of seeing the suffering of those whom He loved. He does not turn a blind eye to the dark places of our life even when He knows the beauty of what lies ahead through His redemptive power. He meets us in our moment of need and He cares for us tenderly with great sympathy toward our limited understanding.
I know this to be true as I prayed this same prayer when my brother died of cancer. "God, why didn't you do something?" I have not received an answer to that question. And yet, God has tenderly taught me to trust in him even when I don't understand. He didn't arrive too late, He had something better in mind. He cared for me in the moment of need and the many moments to follow.
Take comfort in knowing this tender love of Jesus. Rejoice in His power to redeem. Trust in His perfect timing.

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. ” (Titus 3:4–7, NIV)

Life of Christ Devotional - John 11:1-17

2010-08-01T17:15:00.000-04:00

“Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.” After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ” (John 11:1–17, NIV)

Lazarus was a close friend of Jesus. A man whom Jesus loved and a family that He regularly spent time with during His ministry. It makes sense, in a time of their greatest need, for them to call upon the One who has invested so much of His life into their lives. In a moment of desperation they cry out, “Jesus, we need you.”
When Jesus received the news, He reflected on what God had prompted Him to do. He regularly went before His Father in prayer in order to align His will with the will of His Father. He did nothing on His own accord and God was in sovereign control of His ministry on the earth. Since God had not directed Him to go to Bethany, when Jesus received the news, He did not react to the crisis. Instead, He trusted in the faithful guidance of His Father.
And 2 days later, God said it was time. Jesus prepared His disciples and told them they would be traveling to Judea, but the disciples protested. They were looking through the eyes of reality and based on what they had experienced in the recent past, Jesus and the disciples would be walking into a death trap. Something tells me that Jesus knew that the disciples were right about the death that awaited them. But what they didn’t understand was who was in control.
That seems to be an important point of this passage. You see, the timing of events indicated that Lazarus would have died before Jesus could have arrived even if He would have left right away. But if this were the case, everyone would have concluded that Jesus did everything He could but simply arrived moments too late. “It was outside of His hands,” they might say. “He did the best He could.”
His intentional delay, as guided by His Father, would reveal a different conclusion. It is not out of His hands…God is in control…and everything was happening according to His perfect plan. “Walk by the Light of the Lamp at your feet and God will guide your every step,” Jesus said. “But step away from His leading hand, and you will become lost in confusion and darkness.”
What a great lesson in trust. Are you walking in the light of the lamp at your feet?
This may mean that you can only see one step at a time. Do you trust His sovereign control? Perhaps the circumstances appear as if God has chosen something less than what is best. Do you believe that He ordains everything for His eternally good purposes, even if they do not make sense in the moment?
This was the lesson God intended for the disciples. I believe He is still teaching this lesson today. Trust in His sovereign control and His eternal goodness. As Thomas concluded, God’s plan for your life is worth dying for.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 10:22-11:1

2010-07-25T08:32:00.000-04:00

“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 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 my 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.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus. (John 10:22–11:1, NIV)

John continues in His gospel now recording events which occur 2 months after the previous verses. The Feast of Dedication is what is known today as Hanukah. Once again, people are gathered to celebrate the feast in Jerusalem and Jesus uses this opportunity to address the crowd.
But notice that there is a cumulative effect that is occurring. The people have heard what Jesus has said, they have seen the miracles He has performed and they have observed His character in the midst of both admiration and accusation. Their conclusion: “This is no ordinary man! In fact, He is so extraordinary, it just might be possible that He is the Christ!”
The suspense was too great. We don’t know who it was but some brave soul had the courage to ask what was on everyone’s mind: “Are you the promised Messiah?”
Jesus responds by saying, “I have already answered the question by what I have said and what I have done. The evidence is sufficient, but you do not believe.”
Jesus then draws their attention back to the analogy He spoke to them just 2 months earlier. “Faith must precede understanding. You do not understand who I am and what I have done because you refuse to believe. Those who believe know my voice and they follow me. God is in control and whatever is true of God is true of Me.”
Well...they got their answer! But they didn’t like what they heard. This exposes the fact that those who asked the question had already made up their minds about Jesus. More accurately, they should have asked, “Since we know who you are not the Messiah…then who are you?”
It is clear from their response that they understood what Jesus said. He claimed to be God (because He is) and so they did what the law prescribed: “Kill anyone who makes a false claim about God.” (Ex 24:15-16)
Don’t miss this! Jesus has now openly declared, “I am God with skin on.”
The people responded with blinded eyes, “No you are not. We do not believe you.”
And so their confusion turned into frustration and their frustration into anger. Their anger would eventually lead to the unforgivable sin – denying the person and work of Jesus the Christ.
But on that day, the scripture says, “Many believed”. Did they believe because they understood? Did it all make perfect sense to them? In a word, “No”.
The difference between the two groups was this: One chose to lean on their own understanding and refused to trust in someone who had given them every reason to believe. Their understanding prevented their faith.
The other chose to believe even though they didn’t fully understand. There was no good reason to deny what Jesus had said to be true. Their faith preceded their understanding.
Where are you? Are you walking in faith with the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen? (Heb 11:1)

Life of Christ Devotional - John 10:1-21

2010-07-18T08:37:00.001-04:00

“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?” But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter. ” (John 10:1–22, NIV)

As Jesus continues His ministry, the revelation of who He is becomes increasingly clear. He has just performed a miracle (healing a man born blind) that could only be done by the promised Messiah. This “Messianic Miracle” was anticipated by all the religious leaders but not accepted once it was performed. Instead, they found every reason not to believe.
Now Jesus explains who He is with an illustration. It was a story to help them understand what is difficult for their minds to comprehend. To do this, He takes a very familiar scene from their everyday lives. The shepherd was a common figure in this society and everything Jesus describes would have been well known to His audience. In the story, 3 main characters are identified – a thief, a hired hand and a shepherd. Each of these characters has a specific motivation toward the sheep.
The intention of the thief is clear. His goal is to steal and kill and destroy. He is does not enter in through the gate but climbs the wall in order to deceptively lure the unsuspecting sheep into his hands. The story does not explain his tactics but the people would know that a stranger among the sheep would cause some alarm unless he was able to entice them with a promise to satisfy a need. Maybe it was food or water but whatever it was, the goal was to separate the sheep and isolate them so that they could be removed. Once in his hands, the thief had a single minded goal of destroying his prey. He is more cunning than the wolf that boldly attacks and scatters the sheep. The thief is most successful because of his stealth and his deceptive promise of something good.
The hired hand is just doing his job. He is watching the sheep. He does not know the sheep and they don’t know him. He’s really not that interested. Remember…its just a job. And as long as he gets a paycheck, he’ll make sure everyone stays happy. But as soon as it costs him something, his commitment comes to an end. As long as everything is peaceful and calm, he is dedicated. But his loyalty ends when he is asked to sacrifice something for the well being of the sheep. His life is more important than those he protects.
But this is not the case with the good shepherd. He considers the needs of those under His care as more important than His own. His motivation is pure - He desires what is best for the sheep. He protects and nourishes them, not just so they can exist, but so they can live life to the fullest. To do this, the Good Shepherd leads them to places that the sheep have no ability to find on their own. In fact, they will not leave the safety of the protected pasture, unless he guides them to new places of green fields and still water. His loyalty is of such depth that He willingly sacrifices His own life in order to save His sheep.
The audience must have been listening and picturing in their mind the reality of the story Jesus just told. They could see the image He had painted, but they did not have eyes to see the truth within this masterpiece. And so Jesus explains, “I am the Good Shepherd. I have come that you might have an abundant life. I lead you beside still waters. And in the end, my life must be sacrificed so that your life can be saved.”
But what good is a dead shepherd? If this was the end, the sheep are destined to die at the hands of the thief. Therefore, Jesus goes on to explain, “No one can take my life without my willing submission to the plan of God. What you intend for evil, He will use for good. My death is temporary because my life is eternal. I will rise again.”
The reaction of the crowd would indicate they understood the magnitude of this statement. Some called Jesus a devil or a lunatic. Others are beginning to see that the miracles He has performed and the words He now speaks lead to an obvious conclusion. He must be the promised Messiah.
As you read these words and consider the life of Jesus up to this point, one cannot overlook the sincere effort of Jesus to explain who He is and why He came. Our reaction should be just as dramatic as what is witnessed in the crowd that day.
As C.S. Lewis writes,

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him (Jesus): "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

Jesus came to give us life and to give it abundantly. His death is what gives us this life. As the Good Shepherd, He cares for you in the tenderest way and He fights for you with His arms spread wide.
Rest in His care. Trust in His love. Follow His lead.
Know today that you are the object of His deepest affection.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 9:20-41

2010-07-13T11:30:00.000-04:00

““We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (John 9:20–41, NIV)

The interrogation from the Pharisees continues and the consequences are stiff. The Pharisees go to the parents to confirm the man healed was in fact born blind from birth. This was critically important because no man born blind had ever been healed. This miracle could only be done by the promised Messiah.
The parents confirm two things: The man was definitely their son and he was, in fact, born blind. But they were reluctant to say more because the Jewish leaders who were doing the questioning had made it clear that whoever confesses Jesus to be the Messiah, would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated). They must have known that Jesus was the healer, and what it meant for Him to heal a man born blind, and so they kept silent.
And so the Pharisees go back to the man who was healed for a second interrogation. This time they essentially tell him what to say. “We know Jesus is a sinner. Just affirm this to be true and you are free to go.”
The response of the man challenged the Pharisees, “I was born blind. You are the ones who taught me that only the Messiah was able to heal someone born blind. The man named Jesus healed me. You tell me who He is.”
Now he was getting testy. And the Pharisees did not like to be insulted. They belittled both Jesus and the man He healed and established their superior position of authority as disciples of Moses. In other words, “We make the rules around here…you and that ‘miracle man’ are nobodies compared to us!”
The man insists that the religious authority made the rule that He could only be healed by the Messiah. The Pharisees refuse to accept their own teaching. They are changing the rules because their position of control is threatened by Jesus. They have determined that He is a sinner and not the Son of God. If this is so, how did a sinner just do what the Pharisees have taught for decades that only the Messiah could do? Their pride has blinded their eyes. They are the ones in need of healing!
Pride blinds our eyes to the truth. Only humility will give us eyes to see. The man born blind demonstrates to only right response when faced with the Truth that brings life. He said, “Lord, I believe.” And He worshiped Him.
Jesus continues to heal the humble. Do you have eyes that see?

Life of Christ Devotional - John 9:1-21

2010-07-04T08:36:00.000-04:00

“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided. Finally they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. (John 9:1-21, NIV)

The reaction of the disciples to the man who was born blind should seem unusual to us as we read. Did you notice that they didn’t even ask Jesus if He would heal the man? Instead, they questioned Jesus about the sin that caused his blindness.
The concern that it could have been the sin of his parents was likely related to the Mosaic Law where the sins of the fathers were passed down from generation to generation. (Ex 34:6-7) But if the man was born blind, how could it be his own sin that caused his blindness?
The disciple’s question reflected a teaching of the Pharisees which suggested that a fetus inside the womb had two inclinations – one to do good and one to do evil. In the case of a man born blind, he had chosen the evil inclination and the blindness was a result of his rebellion in the womb.
The response of Jesus denied all possibilities given by the disciples. It was not a particular sin that caused his birth defect. Instead, it was God who allowed the blindness so that Jesus might be glorified in the healing.
And so Jesus makes mud and smears it on the man’s eyes. Now, chances are, it was at this moment that the man could see. The problem was that he didn’t know it because he couldn’t open his eyes. They were covered with mud! And so, the man born blind never saw the person who healed him. Instead, he was instructed to go down to the Pool of Siloam. Again, this is unusual because it was not the nearest pool of water. In fact, it was a good distance away and the path was steep and difficult. But Jesus knew that since this was the feast of Tabernacles, the priests of the Temple and others involved in the celebration would all be at the Pool of Siloam filling jars with water. It was here that the greatest number of Jewish people would be present to witness the miracle. And so while they are filling jars, in walks a man with mud on his face and all eyes are on him.
He removes the mud and his blindness was washed away. But instead of rejoicing, the religious leaders begin an interrogation. And when they didn’t get a satisfying answer, they steal the man away and present him to the Pharisees.
Did you notice the focused attention on the fact that the man was born blind? The Pharisees even went as far as to interrogate the man’s parents about this fact. “Are you sure this is your son? Can you validate that he was born blind?”
And here is the reason this was such a big deal…this was a Messianic miracle! There were those who became blind who regained their sight but never had a man born blind been healed. That miracle, as the religious leaders well knew, had been reserved for the Messiah. They must validate the miracle and then they had to find the one responsible for the healing. But they had a problem. The healing had occurred on the Sabbath and the Pharisees had determined that this was not allowed.
Thus the dilemma: If they accept the miracle, they must admit the falsehood of their manufactured law to do so. If they reject the miracle, they must find something to discredit the healer because their own teaching made it clear that only one man could do what Jesus had done. In either case, they would have to relinquish control and allow humility to replace pride in order to accept the truth about Jesus. That is no accident. Jesus knew what He was doing.
And for you and I, the choice is the same. We can only follow Christ when we relinquish our own control and allow humility to lead our way. Pride will always prevent us from seeing the miracle of His redemptive work.

“Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” (Luke 17:33)

Life of Christ Devotional - John 8:31-58

2010-06-27T10:47:00.002-04:00

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.” “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” “You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. ” (John 8:31–58, NIV)

Confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart are two different things. This passage in John’s gospel makes this point clear. Jesus proclaims that He is the light of the world and whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness. In response, there were Jews who believed that Jesus knew the way and so they confessed with their mouth that what He was saying was true.
The problem is this: the Jews believed what Jesus said was true for someone else, but it didn’t apply to them.
“We believe that Jesus is a light for those who walk in the darkness. But this does not apply to us because we are children of Abraham - Children of the light.”
Jesus turns to them and says, “Your life of obedience will reflect the belief in your heart and true belief will set you free from the bondage of sin in which you now live.”
Now we’re getting too personal! The Jews were willing to believe as long as the condemnation of Jesus applied to someone else. They wanted to follow Jesus but they were not the ones who needed His work of redemption.
Jesus tells them that they are deceived and immediately their “belief” turns to anger. In one moment they were testifying that Jesus is the Light, and in the blink of an eye, their testimony changes.
“Jesus is not the Savior,” they proclaim. “He is a man who is demon possessed and does not speak truth.”
Let me get a little more personal. As much as 80% of Americans claim to follow Jesus as the Light of the world. And yet, the moral and ethical decline of our society is ever increasing. Not unlike the Jews in conversation with Jesus, we too like the idea of the redemptive work of Jesus. But once His condemnation turns on us…we don’t like Him so much. We compensate by reinventing grace and calling it tolerance. Jesus is attractive just so long as I don’t have to change.
As Jesus will repeatedly proclaim, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in my love.”
Our tongue is deceitful but the fruit of our life cannot lie.
As John will later write in his epistle, “If we say we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1Jn 1:6)
The true heart of a believer is one who confesses belief in Jesus because they are overwhelmed by their own depravity and their heart cries out for a Savior. In gratitude for their redemption, they repent of their sin and daily seek to find strength in Jesus and His continuing work of sanctification, knowing that apart from Him, they can do nothing.
Faithfulness flows out of humility…pride comes before the fall.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 8:12-31

2010-06-20T08:23:00.000-04:00

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come. Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?” But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been claiming all along,” Jesus replied. “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” (John 8:12–31, NIV)

As we read this account, the words of Jesus are familiar to us but likely do not have the same gravity as they would have in the context in which they were spoken. On the first night of Tabernacles and apparently on each night of the feast except on Sabbath, the worshipers awaited the signal of the special lighting of the festive golden lamps in the court of women. The lamps were intended to remind worshipers of God’s leading the people of Israel through the wilderness at night by a pillar of fire. The lighting of lamps also signaled Israel’s recommitment to the God of light, and it was accompanied by festive music of the Levites and special dancing by chosen men of piety.
It is within this context that Jesus speaks to the crowd and announces, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
OK…you tell me! Does he have your attention?
I suspect that all of the people (and if we were there, that would include us as well), have their eyes fixed on Jesus. And you don’t just hear His words…He is speaking to a need inside your heart. In the midst of the water ceremony, He says, “If you are thirsty, come to me and you will never thirst again.” And now, in the midst of the lighting ceremony, He says, “If you want to find your way to God, follow me. I am the way. You will never walk in darkness again.”
These are people who have come to worship God. Some have traveled hundreds of miles on foot. They are thirsty to know God. Their heart longs to be satisfied in Him. But they have done this ritual year after year and they still haven’t found what they are looking for.
And now Jesus stands before them and announces, “I am what you are looking for.” As a gentle, yet clear invitation, he calls on those who are searching to find their way to follow Him in faith. And on that day, many chose to take that step of faith.
But yet there were others who stood in opposition - those who had satisfied their thirst for God with religious routine. Those who did not need to know the way because they had created their own path to God…or so they thought. They did not hear the words of Jesus because they had convinced themselves, they did not need the words of Jesus. And until a person recognizes that they are lost, they will not accept the invitation to follow someone who says they know the way.
Consider today how you approach God. Have you created your own path to spiritual satisfaction or do all roads lead to Jesus?
Now be honest! The best way to answer this question is to examine your life. How do you begin your day? Do you start by centering your heart on God and His truth or do you fall out of bed thinking about the things you need to get done that day? Once your day is started, do you look to see where God is at work or does your work keep you from seeing God? When you close out your day, do you thank God for His faithful provision or are you anxious about tomorrow and what the day will bring?
Remember, Jesus is the light of the world. When we follow Him, we will never walk in darkness. Sometimes His light at our feet only reveals the next step or two. But choosing to walk without Him will always lead us into a path of destruction. Follow the Light.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 8:1-11

2010-06-13T08:41:00.002-04:00

“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” ” (John 8:1–11, NIV)

It’s a trap. Jesus has the attention of the crowd. Everyone is listening to Him teach… and in walk the religious leaders.
Picture a college classroom. Hundreds of students listening to the teacher and in the middle of the lecture, the Administration walks in.
“Excuse me. We have a question.”
Behind them is a woman. Disheveled. Humiliated. Turning her face to the ground.
“This woman was caught in adultery. The Law of Moses says we should stone her. What do I you say?”
It’s a trap! They want him fired. Discredited. If he tells them to let her go, they condemn him for ignoring the law of God. If he instructs them to stone her, then they will condemn him for ignoring the law of Rome which prohibits such action. Either way, He’s a lawbreaker. There is no right answer and this is exactly the reason they ask the question. It’s a trap.
But Jesus understands their motives. If they were truly concerned about the law, they would know that the law requires both the man and woman to be stoned. The man is missing. Not to mention the fact that they said she was caught “in the act”. How did that happen?
The fact of the matter is, the religious leaders were quick to point out the sins of others and yet they were so blind to their own defiance of the law by arresting the woman without the man – not to mention their unwillingness to accept Jesus as their own Messiah.
So Jesus is silent and He begins to write with His finger in the sand. No one knows what He writes but whatever it was, it made the accusers uncomfortable. Suffice it to say, whatever He did was supernatural because the accusers relinquished their position of authority. Jesus answers the question by instructing the one who has not sinned to cast the first stone. The tables have turned.
The one who casts the stone is an obvious liar and therefore defies the judgment of God who says all have sinned and fallen short His glory. By making the accusers examine themselves, He exposed their true motives. Now they stood condemned and rightly chose to walk away.
Jesus doesn’t ignore the woman’s sin, but His compassion does reveal that she is more important than the wrong she had done. Jesus had not come to judge the world but to save the world. Because of this truth, the woman could still repent and her life could be redeemed. One day, however, Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead and on that day, there will be no time to repent. Jesus is patient, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to eternal life. Jesus is offering the woman the forgiveness she needs to avoid this day of judgment. Her lifestyle will reflect the response to His offer.
Here is what we need to see: Sin is blinding. It leads us to judge others with a standard we refuse to apply to our own lives. Self justification reveals our pride and we cannot live in humble obedience when the sin of pride reigns in our heart. It is the choice to look in the mirror with our eyes closed.
On the other hand, humility brings compassion. It does not condone sin but calls us to repentance and a life of faithful devotion by trusting in His forgiveness and love - An obedience which flows out of gratitude.
Jesus drew a line in the sand. What side of the line are you on?

Life of Christ Devotional - John 7:37-52

2010-06-06T08:41:00.000-04:00

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Others said, “He is the Christ.” Still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards declared. “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” ” (John 7:37–52, NIV)

It’s the last day of the feast. For the previous 7 days, each morning, priests drew water from the pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher and then marched in a parade behind the High Priest to the temple and around the altar. The trumpet was blown and psalms of praise and thanksgiving were sung to God for the harvest. This was an important day because the festival took place during the dry season as the cisterns used for drinking water were running dry. The prayer for rain was necessary for their survival. But not only water for the cisterns, the crops in the field would not survive if God did not send the rain to bring in a harvest.
For 7 days, the “water parade” took place as the priests marched to the temple each morning and the people were called to pray for the necessity of water that only God could supply. It was in this context that Jesus stands among the people to make His stunning announcement. “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”
The people were celebrating the ritual of prayer that recognized their dependence on God for life giving water. Jesus stands in the midst of the ceremony and says, “I am the answer to your prayer. In me, you will find life giving water for your soul! Drink from the cup of my salvation and an endless supply of water will satisfy your thirst for God…forever.”
John explains to us that the living water Jesus spoke of was the promise of the Holy Spirit which resides in the heart of every believer.
Well…when a man stands in the midst of a celebration of this magnitude and makes a claim of such significant implication, you would expect that it would get people’s attention. And that it did! In fact, it divided the crowd into two groups. Some who heard this announcement rightly understood that the only one who could make such a claim was the Messiah himself. Perhaps Jesus was the Messiah – the fount of living water.
Yet others opposed this view. They argued that the Messiah must be born from the family of David in the town of Bethlehem. Here’s the problem with their argument. He WAS born from the family of David and his birthplace WAS the town of Bethlehem. They knew the scripture. They just didn’t take the time to know the person to see what the scripture spoke of was standing right in front of them.
You need to know that the offer still stands. Jesus is the answer to our prayer. He is the One that quenches the thirst of our soul as we yearn to be satisfied with that which only God can supply. Are you satisfied in Him alone? Or have you fallen into the trap that Jeremiah speaks of when he reveals the heart of God:

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. ” (Jeremiah 2:13, NIV)

Are you satisfied with living water or have you dug your own cistern?
Drink deeply from the only water that satisfies. Find your hope in Christ alone.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 7:25-36

2010-05-30T08:31:00.000-04:00

“At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ? But we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.” Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.” At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. Still, many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, “When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?” The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him. Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.” The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?” ” (John 7:25–36, NIV)

Confusion had become the norm in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus was claiming to have been sent by God to fulfill His purpose on the earth. He was calling people to follow Him, and to do so, they would need to turn away from the religious tradition of their day. He was performing signs and miracles that validated His authority to make such claims.
And yet, the religious leaders were trying to kill Him instead of believing in Him. The average person looked to Jesus and said, “Isn’t He the one they are trying to kill? Well…here He is. Why aren’t they doing anything?”
“If He is truly sent from God as He claims, they should follow Him. If He is not, they should silence Him. But they are doing neither. Why is this so? I’m confused.”
Some might reason, “Perhaps the authorities are doing nothing because they believe that Jesus really is the Messiah.”
Others contend, “The Messiah? How can that be? He is a carpenter from Nazareth, not a Messiah!”
Still others suggest, “But the miracles!? Just think about the miracles He is performing. These are “God sized” miracles. Maybe He is the Messiah!”
You get the point. But here is the often overlooked reality: Jesus clearly stated His divine origin and His divine commission. Not only that, Jesus was born of a virgin (as prophesied), the angels announced His birth (as prophesied), the shepherds recognized Him as the Messiah, as did the wise men from the east along with Simeon and Anna when Jesus was brought to the temple. (Luke 2) The revelation of Jesus as Messiah was quite clear at this time. It was the opposition of the religious leaders that was the source of the confusion. The voice of tradition was very loud in the hearts of the people.
What about your heart? Is your faith based on what others have told you to believe or have you personally become convinced of the Truth that has been revealed?
What speaks louder in your life: the voice of tradition or the revelation of truth?
As Jesus has emphasized, your faith must become your own. Believe because you have become convinced of the truth. It is this kind of faith that stands strong in the face of opposition, trials and tribulation. It is the faith proclaimed in the hymn:
But “I know Whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.”

Know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 7:15-25

2010-05-23T08:29:00.002-04:00

“The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?” Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?” Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? ” (John 7:15–25, NIV)

When we encounter something amazing, something that is outside of our normal experience, we begin to look for an explanation. This was the case as Jesus began teaching in Jerusalem.
He purposefully delayed his arrival to the feast so as not to create a scene, and at the time God determined, he began to quietly teach among the people. Over time, more and more gathered to listen to Jesus and they were “amazed”.
“There must be an explanation. How did Jesus come to know the truths he spoke so clearly and with such authority? What Rabbinical school did He attend?”
This is a logical question. Every Rabbi (Jewish Teacher) was educated by a certain school. Not unlike today, they were often assessed by the “school” they attended.
“Oh, he graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary or Masters or (insert your favorite seminary here).”
Where you went to school gave you the necessary credibility to teach among the people. But here’s the problem: Jesus didn’t go to school. He was uneducated. The truth He taught was not passed to Him from other people.
“Well, then he must be a prodigy. He was self taught and learned all that he knows from endless hours of studying with exceptional devotion. Jesus must be a genius.”
No…Jesus was not self taught. If he was, the attention would be directed away from His father and would be centered on the child prodigy. The goal of Jesus was to honor His Father, not Himself.
What Jesus proclaims is that He was “God taught”. The truth He teaches did not originate with Him or with other men. What He taught originated with the Father. The words of Jesus were the words of God. No wonder they were “amazing”!
But the Jews could not allow themselves to believe what they could not explain. They had no room for faith. They had an explanation for everything and they had developed a habit of trusting in themselves to the point that they were unwilling to accept the testimony of Jesus and the truth He spoke as directed by God.
In a similar way, we too can miss the truth of God when we develop the habit of judging what we believe based on a certain school of thought. We can work hard to have an explanation for everything that we deem spiritually important and any suggestion outside of our box of understanding becomes “demon possessed” and unworthy of consideration. The result is that we too leave no room for faith and are at equal risk of missing the truth of God.
Look at the life of Jesus. Listen to what He taught. Follow the truth of His message. In Him is the truth of God and our only hope is trusting in Him.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. ” (Proverbs 3:5–7, NIV)

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 7:1-14

2010-05-16T08:42:00.001-04:00

“After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him. Therefore Jesus told them, “The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come.” Having said this, he stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, “Where is that man?” Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews. Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. ” (John 7:1–14)

“Lord, give me patience. And give it to me now.”
Sound familiar? How easy it is for us to wrongly assume that God should operate on our terms. That somehow we know what is best for us and if He would just cooperate, everything would turn out to be OK.
This was the opinion of Jesus’ brothers who try to convince Jesus that it would be best for Him to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles in order to make a public demonstration of His amazing miracles. It seemed to be a reasonable suggestion for someone who needed to “show himself to the world”.
But why would Jesus’ brothers want Him to make a public display? Did they understand the significance of who Jesus was and what He came to accomplish?
The scripture answers that for us and tells us that they “did not believe in Him”. Therefore, the motivation of the brothers was not that of humble worship. They were out for personal gain. If Jesus puts on a show in front of huge crowds, he becomes a public spectacle. We’re talking “rock star” status here. And if I am his brother, I am one degree away from instant stardom. Lights! Camera! Action!
Yet notice how Jesus responds. “The right time for Me has not yet come; for you any time is right.”
How easy it is to follow Jesus on our terms. When we want something to happen, any time is right. Jesus becomes our “Genie in a bottle” and if we rub the lamp, He will grant us wishes of miraculous proportion.
But the humbling reality of this attitude is that it reveals a heart of selfish unbelief. For if we knew and understood that Jesus was God, then it would seem foolish to instruct the all knowing, all powerful, creator of the universe in what He should do in our lives. We would be the first to confess as Job did, ““You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. ” (Job 42:3, NIV)
A true heart of belief is one that rests in the hands of a sovereign God. Oh, we may pray for a miracle because we know He is capable. But we humbly submit to His timing and trust in His promise to work all things for good for those who love God. Rest in His promises and trust in His timing.

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 6:60-71

2010-05-10T11:41:00.001-04:00

"On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)" (John 6:60-71)

Many of those who followed Jesus had reached a crisis of belief. They were initially drawn in by curiosity. There was an interesting man in town. Friendly, gentle and he had a way with words. He was the kind of person everyone wanted to meet and be around.
And then he began to do the miraculous - Feeding the 5000, healing incurable disease, turning water into wine. This is not an average man. There is more to Jesus than meets the eye.
His popularity grew to such an extent that large crowds would gather to hear Him teach. And here again, He captivated their attention. He told stories with intent and His message made you stop and think.
And then it got hard! His message became more direct and His claims more difficult to accept. He said, “I came from heaven as God’s provision for your deepest spiritual needs. If you believe in Me, you will never die.”
He was no longer the new friendly face in town who had a way with words. He was not just a miracle worker.
It was becoming increasingly clear that Jesus was asking people to move from shallow interest into to deep faith. If people were going to follow him now, they would need to abandon their own conclusions to the meaning of life and the source of peace and begin instead to trust in that which was being offered by Jesus.
It was a crisis of belief. They stood and waited. Will they follow him or will they walk away?
Many walked away. The faith required to follow Jesus was too much. It cost them something they were unwilling to relinquish. Namely, they could not bring themselves to trust in Jesus more than they trusted in themselves.
The large crowd now dwindled to a few.
And yet Jesus was not sad in this moment. Sadness comes from an unexpected tragedy and there was nothing that happened that Jesus didn’t already know was coming. People are predictable. We all want to be on the “winning team”, we like the latest fad. If a crowd gathers, we want to know what is happening…until it requires something from us.
For this reason, we all have our own crisis of belief. And Peter asks the question we all face in this moment. “Jesus, where would we go?”
We all have the same choice. We can choose to accept the claim of Jesus as the One who came from heaven to give us eternal life – OR – we can walk away and find the answer to our deepest needs through someone or something else. Either way, it is a step of faith – Faith in the promises of God or faith in your own ability to find answers apart from God.
What will you choose in your own crisis of belief?

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 6:25-59

2010-05-02T08:38:00.000-04:00

"When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum." (John 6:25-59)

There was always the temptation, and still is, to seek Jesus for something he can give you but not because of who He is. His reputation continues to grow, and now the crowd seeks him out. Specifically, they are hungry and they hear Jesus was known to feed people. So they show up for the free meal, literally.
Jesus confronts this reality and instructs the people to understand that food will spoil. It has a shelf life. And although they are hungry in their stomach, they are starving in their soul.
Jesus understands the distraction of food and takes the time to redirect their focus. And, since food is on their mind, he uses this as a metaphor to make His most important point: “I am the Bread of Life.”

It may seem like an odd statement to us as we read with full stomachs in our warm homes. Yet to these people who were hungry and looking for food, Jesus had their attention.
His claim was nothing short of amazing! “He who comes to me will never grow hungry.”
Well… who wouldn’t sign up for that?! A lifetime supply of food from Jesus. And not only that, Jesus said He would turn no one away! And all who come, without exception, will never be lost in the crowd or walk away disappointed!

This all sounded wonderful except for the part where Jesus said He came down from heaven. Well, they all knew why that could not be true because Jesus was the son of Mary and Joseph. The couple who lived in Nazareth, that had a baby they named Jesus, who is standing in front of them right now!
They were confused as they talked among themselves but no one dared to ask Jesus directly. Yet, they did not have to. He heard their grumbling and he went on to explain.

“I came from heaven because I am God and the food you seek that gives everlasting life is found through faith in me. But you must eat of this bread and this bread is my flesh.”

Now that’s strange! Those in the crowd responded just as we do in reading this statement from Jesus. We must eat His flesh? That makes no sense?

And so Jesus explains further: “Your forefathers were starving in the desert. They prayed, and God heard their cry. Manna (bread) fell from heaven and they ate until their stomachs were full. But the next morning, they were hungry again. This was the case every morning. And eventually, all of them would grow old and die as not a single one of those people stand before you today.”

Jesus brings it all together in the end and says, “Today, God has once again heard the prayer of His people and Bread has come down from heaven. I am that bread. If you believe in me and accept what I am telling you in faith and trust of my promise, you will have eternal life. And on the day your body dies, like a person who sleeps, I will wake you up to spend all of eternity with Me in heaven along with all those who follow in faith.”

This was the strongest and most difficult claim Jesus has made in His ministry thus far. With the utmost clarity, He has declared that He is God “with skin on”. He has come from heaven and is offering himself as the very sustenance of life. In essence, He is telling us, everything we need…everything – is found in Him. His life on earth exists to give life eternal.

Is your soul satisfied in Him?

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 6:16-24

2010-04-25T15:09:00.003-04:00

"When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus." (John 6:16-24)

From Mark’s gospel, we have a little more information than what John records. Specifically, we know that Jesus urges the disciples to go across the Sea of Galilee without Him. It is important to Jesus, having just cared for a very large crowd, to take some time to be alone. It is necessary for Jesus to step away from all the activity and pray. This was His pattern.
Somewhat reluctantly, the disciples head out in a boat to cross the large body of water on their way to Capernaum. The Sea of Galilee is known for its sudden storms. In the blink of an eye, they can roll in without warning. Nobody knew this more than the disciples. Many of them were fisherman, and this lake was very familiar to them.
The total distance of the trip was about 5 miles. However, the story tells us that the disciples had been rowing against a growing storm and they had only travelled 3 miles in about 6-7 hours. At this point in the account, they are literally in the middle of the lake and undoubtedly exhausted. Even for an experienced fisherman, this was a dangerous place to be.
It was about 3am and the night was very dark. The sea continues to grow angry and the disciples had been rowing for hours with very little progress. They were frightened for their lives, but they soon became terrified when the unimaginable occurred. Someone was coming toward them while walking on the water.
Jesus understood their fear and he answered their cry. “Don’t be afraid…I am.”
I am? I am what? What does Jesus intend to communicate with this announcement?
Well, to us, this is an interesting statement. “I am”. But throughout His ministry, Jesus explained this in many different ways. He says “I am the bread of Life”, “I am the light of the world”, “I am the door”, “I am the good shepherd”, “I am the way, the truth and the life”, “I am He”. On many occasions, in many different ways, Jesus declared His identity as Messiah and Savior. He is the God of all creation who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Make no mistake. Jesus proclaimed this truth very clearly and quite often.
From this account, we are reminded that He is God and we are not. Like the disciples, we live in a dangerous and desperate world. It is dark and the sea of sin that surrounds us threatens our soul. We can row as hard as we would like, but we will only become exhausted and frustrated with the lack of progress we are able to make on our own. Like he did with the disciples, Jesus appears in our life to make Himself known. If you are reading this devotional, you should know this is just one of many ways He has revealed Himself to you in order to explain, “This is who I am…”
In response we can either let Him in the boat and give Him the wheel so that by his power, you can make it to the other side. Or we can continue to navigate life on our own without Him. He has made Himself known – the choice of faith is ours. Who is directing the wind of the sails in your boat?

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 6:1-15

2010-04-17T09:39:00.000-04:00

"Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Feast was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself." (John 6:1-15)

It is a rhetorical question. Jesus stares out into the crowd of thousands of people who had gathered, and he asks, “How will we buy enough food for all these people.” In order to understand the magnitude of the dilemma, we must understand the condition of the people in the crowd.
The verse begins by explaining why the crowd had assembled. It says. “the people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.” Not only does this describe why the crowd had formed, but it also describes who is in the crowd – those who are sick! This is not a crowd of nobles who could each donate enough to feed the crowd if an offering was taken. No, these are the outcasts - the sick and needy.
So look again. You are with Jesus on the top of a hill and you see a valley full of people. They are sick, impoverished and hungry. Jesus turns to you and says, “How will be buy enough to feed all these desperate people?”
It’s impossible! And that is what Jesus wants you to understand! The crowd of people has no means to provide for their greatest need. The disciples are helpless to do anything to solve the crisis. The question Jesus asks is intended to make this point as they stare at the crowd: “This is our responsibility. These people are looking to us for help. And yet, in and of ourselves, we cannot meet the needs of all those looking to us for our care. We must do something. But the need is greater than we can meet on our own. We need a miracle!”
So they turn to Jesus. This is what He wanted in the first place. Apart from Him, they could do nothing. Because of Him, they can do more than they could ever ask or imagine. The people are fed until their empty stomachs were full and there was food left over for later.
The people in the crowd decided together: “This is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
They were oppressed and He understood their need. No one else with such authority paid any attention to people of such low and despised social status. “If Jesus was King,” they concluded, “we could have bread every day. He is the answer to our social bondage. Let’s make Jesus King so that we can break free from this life of poverty and live in prosperity by His miraculous rule!”

It was the height of Jesus’ popularity. Could He have the kingdom without the cross? May it never be! Jesus slips away knowing that the crowd would crown Him as King for all the wrong reasons. They wanted Jesus to make their life better by meeting external needs – food, health and prosperity. Jesus came for a different reason. He came to restore spiritual health, to feed our hungry souls and to help us realize that although we may be poor in the eyes of the world, we are rich in Him… if we believe. Jesus did not come to reign from the throne of a castle…he came to reign on the throne of our heart.

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 5:31-47

2010-04-12T08:30:00.003-04:00

"“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid. “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. “I do not accept praise from men, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God? “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”" (John 5:31-47)

It’s hard to accept the testimony of a person who self proclaims that he is God. Even if it is true, we naturally seek more “proof”. Jesus understands this need and so he reminds the people that there was a man who spoke about Him before most people even knew he was. Not only that, the people followed this messenger by the multitudes and many repented of their sins in preparation for the coming Messiah just as he asked them to. And yet, even though they accepted the testimony of John the Baptist, when what he spoke of finally arrived and made Himself known in the person and work of Jesus, they rejected Him.
Oh sure…it sounded great until He arrived and perhaps…well…he wasn’t exactly what they expected.
Jesus was a simple man from Nazareth, the small Galilean city of no special significance. His parents, Mary and Joseph, were everyday citizens of this small, nondescript city. He was not the royal king they anticipated who would make His introduction with pomp and circumstance – a sight to see - something no one would miss – a majestic ruler par excellence.
But it doesn’t stop there. John the Baptist was not the only witness. The ancient prophets, who spoke to the people of Israel, recorded their testimony in the sacred writings of the Old Testament. The religious leaders of Jesus’ time where scholars and they knew the scripture well and the words written by Moses. They were motivated by the assumption that in knowing the Bible, it would be credited to them for salvation. In other words, the more you know, the more likely it is that God will extend favor upon you and invite you into heaven based on the merit of your diligent pursuit of knowledge and religious duty.
Yet, despite their vast knowledge and religious ritual , they had missed the forest for the trees. Just as a person walks amidst a heavily wooded area surrounded by a multitude of trees, and even though he is able to describe every species and detail of the nature that surrounds him, but yet still scratches his head wondering why he cannot find the forest he has been searching for…so it is with the people Jesus is now speaking to. They knew all about Jesus…they just didn’t know Jesus.

Before we point a judgmental finger, we should realize how much we share the blindness of the audience to which Jesus speaks. In our current day, we have significantly more information and testimony about Jesus than they ever did. We too have the sacred scriptures of the ancient prophets like Moses. But we also have the New Testament testimony like those we are reading in the book of John. We can follow the formation of the early church through the letters of the apostle Paul to Christians in Corinth (1 and 2 Corinthians), Galatia (Galatians) and so many others. We have thousands of years of testimony of those whose lives have been changed, miracles of transformation, the validation of science and the created order of our universe. In other words, we have many more trees that surround us than they did. For us to miss the forest would be an even greater tragedy.
And yet what we also learn is that knowledge and miraculous signs are not the key to belief. Every decision to believe, no matter what facts may exist, is ultimately based on faith. One must exercise faith in evolution or politics. In fact, faith is even necessary to believe that there is no God. The question is not, “Are you a person of faith?” You most definitely are. The better question is, “Where have you placed your faith?”
Just as we seen in our verse today, Jesus knows our heart. He has paid the ultimate, most vivid, and public display of His love for us as He was crucified on the cross. The evidence is clear. The question is – Do we have the faith to believe? Pray for that faith today.

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 5:16-30

2010-04-04T08:37:00.002-04:00

"So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me." (John 5:16-30)

The religious leaders missed it. A miracle was walking right before their very eyes and all they could see was his mat. A lame man could now walk and instead of thanking Jesus or asking him how this could be, they persecuted him. They ridiculed him in order to discredit him in public. It seems to me that it would be an odd conversation to listen to.
“Jesus, how dare you, healing this man on the Sabbath. Now he walks and carries his mat. You have not healed him! You have caused him to sin by working on this most holy day,” said the religious leaders.
“This man has been lame for almost 40 years,” said Jesus. “Shouldn’t we all be rejoicing that he can walk at all?”
“Why would we?” argue the religious leaders. “You say he has been lame for almost 40 years. Why didn’t you wait one more day to avoid the Sabbath?”
“It would not matter,” Jesus said regretfully. “You would have found something wrong with that as well. You do not have eyes to see beyond your law, to observe the miracle and to seek the source of the one who has performed it. Do you not understand who I am? I am not a magician, or a criminal, or one who ignores the Law. I came that you may have life that only I can give. I am here for you! Everything I do is as my Father has instructed me. I do nothing outside of His perfect will. When you see me, you see God. And if you reject me, you reject God.”
The religious leaders understood what Jesus said and their anger raged. Jesus is claiming to be God in human form. This does not fit their expectation. They believed God would come as a powerful cosmic ruler from on high to restore peace on earth and give his people dominion over all the nations. Jesus is just a man. He did not meet their expectations and they left no room for faith.
They whispered to one another about what they could do to kill him in such a way that they could remain innocent in the eyes of the people. This was not going to be easy since Jesus was becoming so popular. All the more reason to do something quick before the loyalty of the people turned from the control of the religious leaders to the freedom found in the love of Jesus.
You and I can be guilty of the same mistake. Like the religious leaders, we can draw a conclusion in our own mind about how God should work. We can become so convinced in our own expectations that we leave no room for faith. This sinful pride and arrogance is an insurmountable barrier to believing and trusting God.
Instead, the one who is humble, who recognizes that he does not have all the answers and asks God to give him eyes to see and the faith to believe. This is the one who experiences the greatest miracle of all.
Today, put your expectations aside, humble yourself and ask God to give you eyes to see and the faith to believe.

life of Christ Devotional - Jn 5:1-15

2010-03-28T08:36:00.000-04:00

"Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well." (John 5:1-15)

What is worse: having a false hope or having no hope at all? It’s difficult to say, but having a false hope seems worse in my opinion. With a false hope, the disappointment is recurring. Each time the promise of something miraculous comes along, hopes are dashed when the miraculous turns out to be just another empty promise and once again, nothing changes.
Such is the case of this poor paralyzed man who was waiting by a pool with the false hope of healing from the superstition of miraculous water. If only he could be the first person in the water, he would be healed – or so he believed. Unfortunately, as an invalid, he could not move. His hope was false and his life was filled with repeated disappointment. What a miserable situation.
Miserable, that is…until Jesus arrives. I doubt many of the other travelers that day made their way by the Sheep Pool as they entered the city gates of Jerusalem. If they did, they would not waste their time with the outcasts of the city. “Just don’t look at them and keep walking,” they might say.
But not Jesus…His eyes turned to the helpless and the poor and he was compelled to care for those in deepest need and in a most hopeless condition. As he turns to the man who could not move, he asks an interesting question, “Do you want to get well?”
Why, that seems like a silly question, doesn’t it? He has been an invalid for 38 years and he is so desperate to be healed that he has placed all his hope on superstition – magic water. Yet there is a deeper truth to this question. It is this: our greatest problem as a sinful human race is that we either do not recognize we are sick or we do not want to be healed. The first step to be taken in order for this man to be able to walk again begins with a desire to be healed.
The implied answer to Jesus from the crippled man was, “Yes, I want to be healed but I have no hope unless someone helps me. In and of myself, it is not possible. But if someone could do for me what I cannot do for myself, maybe a miracle is possible.”
For the first time, his hope would not be lost in an empty promise. Jesus did for the man what the man could not do for himself. He tells him to stand up and walk and in that moment, his atrophied muscles were restored, his brittle and crooked bones were made strong and straight. And for the first time, his hope in restoration was placed on the only One who had the legitimate power to heal. Jesus would not disappoint.
What is disappointing, however, is the response of the religious Jews who were just as disabled. Unfortunately, they would not admit their blindness and had no desire for healing. When they encounter the man they had no doubt seen by the pool (38 years is a long time to go unnoticed), they completely missed the fact that the man who was once lame was now walking in their midst. Instead, all they could see was his mat and they were completely blind to the miracle walking right before their eyes.
Don’t miss the miracle in your own life. Like the disabled man, it begins with the desire to be healed. But desire alone is not enough. The disabled man had desire long before Jesus arrived…but He had no hope until Jesus stood before him. Where do you place your hope?

"If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”" (Romans 10:9-11)

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 4:43-54

2010-03-20T14:25:00.001-04:00

"After the two days he left for Galilee. (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there. Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.” Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and all his household believed. This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee." (John 4:43-54)

Well, this is where it all began. This is the place where Jesus performed his first miracle when He turned the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Jesus returns to this same area and His reputation now precedes Him. The news of the “miracle man” had spread and the rumor of his wonder working power had saturated the land. They anticipated His arrival and when the people saw Him, the announcement was made, “He is here! He is here!”
This was the perfect opportunity for Jesus to display His power among the people. His reputation had preceded Him and a crowd was gathering. What an ideal chance for Him to perform life changing miracles among the people so that they might believe that He was the Messiah. He alone could awe them with His authority over all creation. Like a huge fireworks display, let His power be made known for all to see!
Yet, that is exactly the reason he did not perform such attention grabbing miracles. He was not a magician who came to perform for the people. He was not the village witch doctor or Shaman who had special powers to heal and speak to spirits. He was much more! He was God in the flesh who came to save their souls from certain death. A public miracle in this setting would only distract from this purpose and lead people to seek signs instead of seeking a Savior. Jesus knew this and withheld the display of His power at the risk of His reputation (as He did with the woman at the well). He chose instead to rebuke the excited crowd for their misguided intentions.
“You have to see to believe. Blessed is the man who does not see, but still believes.”
Just then, an important leader steps forward and says, “I care less about me and more about my son. I love him deeply and he is dying. You are my only hope and I beg you to save him. Please come to my house and heal my son!”
With the utmost compassion, Jesus looks into the troubled man’s eyes and says, “You may go. Your son will live.”
Now the man had a choice. Jesus had not met his request. He would not make the trip back to his house to lay hands on his son. And yet, Jesus said he was healed. If he did not believe he would stay and beg, “No! Jesus! You must come. You must come and heal my son.”
Instead, he stood silent. To turn and walk away and begin the 20 mile journey to his home would begin with a single step of faith. A simple trust and hope in the promise of Jesus. “If He is the promised Messiah, it will be done as He said. He is my only hope. To obey His direction, I must walk in faith.”
And so he does. And soon his faith becomes sight as his son greets him at the door of his home. And as the man tells his story, all in his household believe.
A miracle had been performed - A miracle of faith where a man chose to believe that which he could not see. He trusted the promise of Jesus and the miracle of faith spread throughout his home.
Can you believe without seeing? Are you seeking a sign or a Savior? Know today that His greatest power is demonstrated in an act of simple faith. Trust Him today and begin the journey with a single step of faith.

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 4:27-42

2010-03-14T08:31:00.000-04:00

"Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”" (John 4:27-42)

This account in the life of Jesus is a contrast between the insiders and the outsiders. The disciples, the insiders in the story, were men from the chosen nation of Israel. They, of all people, had an “inside track” to understand and know the creator God of the universe. They followed strict rules of diet and purity that gave them their identity as a people of God. This was the reason for their concern about Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. It was an action at conflict with their insider status.
The woman, on the other hand, was an outsider. Three obvious qualities separated her from the disciples: (1) she was a woman (2) she was a Samaritan woman (3) she was a Samaritan woman with a questionable past. If it was the goal of Jesus to choose people who met a certain standard in order to qualify them for them for his love, this woman would not have a chance with 3 strikes against her.
Yet Jesus reveals that His love has no boundary. He saves, not based on reputation, but based on need. The woman was searching and she had a need for unconditional love and forgiveness. Jesus came to meet that need. He came to seek and save the lost.
Yet the disciples were more concerned with their own physical hunger more than they were the spiritual hunger of the people. They were ready to leave this land of the outsider and get back to people they preferred. But Jesus had a lesson in mind.
The woman had created quite a stir by going around telling everyone in her city about her encounter with Jesus. As she does, Jesus remains outside the city teaching His disciples an important illustration about sowing and harvesting. His lesson was intended to teach the disciples that their new focus must now be shifted from their own personal welfare to a greater concern for others - seeking the needs of others as more important than their own. Even if the “other” is an outsider.
As He gives His message, he directs the attention of the disciples to the city of the Samaritan woman. One by one, people become visible in their white garments as they leave the city in search for the Messiah. It was like a field white and ready for harvest. The sea of people came to Jesus to find answers to their questions and the parable of the harvest had now become a reality. It was time for the disciples to learn what it means to work in the field white for the harvest.
But it was also time for the outsiders to understand the mission of God. They would learn of the redemption of all mankind through Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Like the woman, they would drink deeply from the well that never runs dry, and through faith, they would never thirst again. Their souls are satisfied.
Is your soul satisfied in Him?

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 4:1-26

2010-03-06T08:32:00.000-05:00

"The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”" (John 4:1-26)

Segregation is not a new idea. It occurred all throughout the ancient near east during the time of Jesus- perhaps none stronger than the separation of Jew and Samaritan. Those who hear of this account in the biblical culture would have been appalled at the thought of Jesus (a Jew) initiating a conversation with a Samaritan (a Samaritan woman no less!). It would have been a scandal no less offensive than the thought of our President sitting down to have dinner at a nice New York restaurant with Osama Bin Laden. The public outcry would be huge. The same would be true of the encounter with the Samaritan woman and Jesus.
So why would Jesus risk it? Why threaten the integrity of his reputation and ministry? Maybe it was because Jesus did not come to promote his own reputation. His mission was to offer something that would change the reputation of others, not only in the eyes of man, but more importantly, in the eyes of God.
The Samaritan woman was thirsty. Like everyone, she came to a well to draw water. But unlike everyone else, she avoids the convenience of the city well and she travels a significance distance outside the city to avoid the ridicule of her neighbors. By all accounts, she was ashamed.
And Jesus knew why. He breaks the social tradition and asks her for a drink. It was a way to introduce a conversation and her surprise could not be over estimated. This is the reason she so boldly asks Jesus, “Why are you, a Jew, speaking to me, a Samaritan?”
Jesus tells her the reason. He explains that she is coming to quench the thirst of her lips, but He has come to satisfy the thirst of her soul. She is seeking water, Jesus is offering life.
But the woman does not understand at first. In fact, she is distracted by the thought of her reputation. If she did not have to come to the well, she could avoid the ridicule of others who judged her. “Please give that water so that I don’t have to come to this well,” she tells Jesus.
In what seems to be a rude interruption, Jesus tells the woman to go get her husband.
“Here we go again,” she thinks. “My reputation precedes me and I must once again reveal that no one wants me. I don’t have a husband and have been abandoned more times than I can count. Don’t remind me…I know. I am worthless and completely empty inside.”
“You mean you’re thirsty inside?” Jesus probes.
“I am,” she says. “And I have been seeking answers in the only way I know how. I know the Messiah is coming and perhaps He can give me what I am looking for.”
“He can,” says Jesus. “I who speak to you am He. You have worshiped what you do not know. Now you know.”
All creation worships God. The only difference is that some worship God in ignorance and others in truth. The woman at the well was thirsty because she was ignorant of the only source of life that would satisfy her soul. Jesus reveals that He is the one sent to satisfy the thirst of every soul.
Now He turns to you. What is your reputation? Do you have something to prove? Do you have something to hide? Jesus continues to make the same offer as He did to the woman at the well. Satisfy your soul in Him. Worship Him in Spirit and truth. Drink up my friend.

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 3:22-36

2010-02-27T21:45:00.000-05:00

"After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. (This was before John was put in prison.) An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”" (John 3:22-36)

For a brief period of time, the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus overlapped. In this scene the disciples of both John and Jesus are baptizing people in different parts of the country but for the same reason at the same time. Baptism, for these disciples, was performed for those who repented of their sin in preparation for the coming Messiah. It was a promise made for hundreds of years and now, both John and Jesus were announcing that the time had come…repent and prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Baptism was simply the action taken by the people saying, “I am not worthy, but I am ready.”
Some recognized the need to be humble, while others questioned the need to do anything different than usual. “Why would I need to wash again?” one asks. “As a Jew, I take purifying baths all the time.” And to press the issue even further, “Even if I did want to be baptized, which is better – the one performed by John’s disciples or the one performed by Jesus’s disciples?”
John the Baptist steps in and explains that this poor man has missed the point all together. The reason his traditional baths were not acceptable is because this man, like most all the Jews, had formed a ritual habit with no meaning. They performed the act but they did not know why. For if he truly understood, he would not be comparing baptisms. For it was not the baptism that mattered…it was the humility and repentance one’s heart. The water was simply and outward sign of the inward motivation of a person’s heart. IF the heart was not humble before God, the baptism had no meaning.
John then explains how his life reflected this humility. He tells both the questioning man as well as his disciples that he had come to serve a purpose. The purpose of announcing the coming of the promised Messiah. Now that Jesus was here, John recognized that he must decrease in popularity so that he would not distract from the attention given to Jesus. They were not in competition (as John’s disciples had begun to believe). Instead, John willingly steps aside so that full attention can be given to the one whom he had come to announce.
Truth be known, most people did not understand that Jesus was the Messiah. To them, he was just another man like John. But John knew this was not so. He tells his followers that Jesus is “not like us”. He is from above and the words He speaks are the words of truth. The one who believes in Jesus, believes in truth. The one who does not believe in Jesus, believes a lie. “And remember,” John might say. “Not everyone who is washed with water is really clean. Only those who are humble and believe what is true. In the same way, anyone can say they believe in Jesus, but if their heart is not humble and their life is not obedient, their words betray them and they do what has become ritual but not what they believe to be true.”
The choice is simple. We either trust in Jesus or we reject him. Jesus’s life and ministry has the single purpose of declaring the truth of who He is and his love for you so that you will chose the first.

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 3:1-21

2010-02-20T10:46:00.000-05:00

"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”" (John 3:1-21)

Nicodemus was a man just like you and me. A man who heard of Jesus and knew He was someone special. A man who was curious and interested in learning more.
And Nicodemus was an intelligent man. He was a teacher, a religious ruler and a member of the Sanhedrin (similar to the Supreme Court of the United States). He knew enough to know that Jesus was unique - someone special - perhaps even sent by God. But his curiosity was not satisfied with just a passing knowledge. He needed to know more.
And so he went to meet Jesus at night. Perhaps he desired to go unnoticed by the cloak of darkness. We do not know. But the point should not be missed - while everyone else remained at home and created their own opinion of who Jesus was, Nicodemus left the safety of his surroundings to meet the great teacher in person. He did what we wish we could do and he asked the question most of us are asking as well: “Jesus, who are you?”
The answer Jesus gave may seem odd. “You must be born again,” he said.
That didn’t answer the question…or did it. It was as if Jesus was helping Nicodemus understand that who he was could not be understood like one who learns physics. Jesus is not a subject to be studied, He is a person to be known. If you want to understand physics, study the principles of physics. If you want to know God, then come to know Jesus.
Unlike the mystery and uncertainty of much in the world of physics, Jesus has gone to great lengths to reveal the mystery of his redeeming love for all the world to see. His death on the cross has been lifted high so that whoever believes, will not be punished for their sin but will be forgiven by the grace of God.
“It’s as simple as being born of water and Spirit,” Jesus tells Nicodemus.
Nicodemus knew well the water of baptism. John the Baptist had made that clear. “Repent,” he said, “Admit that you need a Savior. For you cannot be saved by some other god, you cannot be saved by your own efforts and you cannot claim ignorance because the truth has been revealed in Jesus. Choose today whom you shall follow. As for me and my house, we will follow Jesus.”
The repentance of John’s baptism is the beginning. One cannot believe in Jesus if they do not need a Savior. But once they admit a need, the way is made to be born of the Spirit. Born again!
As humans, we produce other humans. But only God, can give new life through freedom found in the Spirit. A Spirit that gives us eyes to see and ears to hear. A Spirit that releases us from the bondage of sin and gives us the power to follow Jesus with all our heart and soul. It is a light that reveals our path to knowing God. And without the Light, we cannot see truth.
But Jesus is a light we often avoid because the darkness of ignorance and disregard is much easier to accept. Ignorance is bliss…so they say. Darkness excuses our sin. But the light of Jesus exposes our need for a Savior. And once His light is revealed, every man is without excuse.
Be like Nicodemus. Don’t hide behind your accomplishments, influence and success. Do not be satisfied with ignorance. Seek to find Jesus and in your prayers, ask Him yourself, “Who are you?”
Read these verses again and again. For in them, he answers your question.

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 2:12-25

2010-02-13T13:13:00.000-05:00

"After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man." (John 2:12-25)

After the wedding at Cana, Jesus would travel (along with thousands of other Jewish people) to the capital city of the Holy Land – Jerusalem. The pilgrimage took place every year in celebration of Passover. This important festival event was significant for the Jews because it served as a memorial to their exodus out of Egypt. This exodus took place many years earlier as God miraculously delivered the Jews from oppressive slavery and led them to a new land of freedom. The Passover was a celebration of God’s faithful redemption. Jerusalem would serve as the center for worship and celebration of this most important occasion.
Like any big celebration where people travel from far off places, this must have been a festive occasion. So many people and such a blessing to remember God’s faithful protection. For most, it was probably one of the few times they were able to see each other. What a reunion and exciting festival this must have been!
But it was to be more than just a big party. At least it should have been.
In order to preserve the intent of the celebration, God instructed the people to bring a sacrifice. And not just any sacrifice. It must be an animal from their own flock that was without blemish. In other words, the people were supposed to give their very best to God.
The sacrifice had a number of purposes, but one of the simple reasons was that it helped the people remember what they were celebrating. When they had to give up something of such value within their culture, it caused them to ask the question, “Why am I doing this?” The sacrifice was God’s way of helping them remember His faithful blessing and avoid getting lost in a big party atmosphere.
Yet, over time, the original intent of this sacrifice was missed. Instead of worrying about the hassle of bringing your own animal, the people could travel in and buy one at the temple when they arrived. It was a great opportunity for the religious leaders to make lots of money and people could avoid the personal sacrifice of using their own animal.
When Jesus witnessed what had evolved over time, he became angry. He was angry because the people had missed the point. Instead of celebrating God, they simply showed up to party. Instead of redirecting the people, the religious leaders actually made it worse by promoting the indulgence and made money from the ignorance of the people. Their own satisfaction and pleasure became more important than God. Jesus knew this was not right. He turned over the money tables and said, “You will not make God’s holy place a market place!”
It’s important to understand that religious activity is meaningless in and of itself. God cannot be appeased by simply going through the motions. He deserves our very best and anything less is an unworthy sacrifice. He would soon demonstrate the most worthy sacrifice of all – His own life for you!

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 2:1-11

2010-02-13T13:11:00.000-05:00

"On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him." (John 2:1-11)

In these verses John records the first known miracle of Jesus. It takes place at a wedding in the city of Cana. And it’s important to know that weddings in this culture were a very special event. In fact, they usually lasted an entire week and the celebration was a significant social occasion. Even more so for the host, who had the responsibility to keep everyone well fed and entertained.
Jesus’ mother, Mary, must have shared this responsibility of hosting as she comes to Him with an urgent concern – they are out of wine! This is no small issue. It was the main drink of the meal and an insult for the host not to be able to provide for the guests. Not to mention, this family was not wealthy. Therefore, they couldn’t go out and just buy more wine. Mary knew they needed a miracle. Mary knew they needed Jesus.
But Jesus had a dilemma of his own. There was a specific time in his ministry where he would reveal his true identity to the world. A time where everyone could see that he is the promised Messiah - But this was not that time.
Yet, he loved Mary, and his desire was to help her in her time of need. And so He did. His newly chosen disciples watched Jesus take 6 stone jars used for ceremonial washing. These are large jars kept at the house of the host, so that as the guests come in with dirty feet from walking in sandals all day, they could use this water to wash as they entered the house.
Now, the instructions Jesus gave the servants of the house was not abnormal. He simply told them to fill the jars with water. But then he told them to dip into the jar… and when they did, the servants did not find water, they found wine. And not just any wine, but the very finest wine. The servants could not explain what they saw, but they knew it was a miracle.
Nothing Jesus ever did was random. He always had a purpose. Perhaps this miracle was used to build faith in his disciples, because when they witnessed what he did, John says, “they put their faith in him”. And the use of ceremonial washing jars was no accident either. Jesus came to make people clean. The Jews believed the water cleansed not only their feet but made them right before God according to the Law of Moses. In this way, they believed they were purified – inside and out.
Now Jesus uses these same jars and gives them something, not to cleanse the outside of their body, but instead, something new. Something unexpected. Something no one else in that room could give them.
This miracle would be a sign of what is to come. A glimpse of the reality that the Savior of the world has come to purify us from our dirty, sinful lives in a miraculous way that no one expected or could ever do on their own. He sees our problem, he understands that we need a miracle and he provides a way that only he can provide. Jesus understands that we need a miracle and only he can give us what we need. Like his disciples, may we witness the miraculous life of Jesus and “put our faith in him.”

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 1:35-51

2010-01-31T16:28:00.000-05:00

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
John 1:35-51

John the Baptist had been announcing that the Messiah would soon be revealed. And when he witnessed Jesus with his own eyes, he knew who He was. More than that…he knew why He had come. It was for this reason that John says, “Look, the Lamb of God.”
To us, this phrase may seem confusing, but for the Jewish people, it was packed with significance. The reason is because the lamb was used in the sacrificial system for the forgiveness of sins for the Jewish people. Instead of punishing the people for their sins, God accepted a sacrifice of a lamb each time the people came before him seeking His forgiveness. The lamb was a symbol of a substitutionary sacrifice that the Jewish people knew very well. The lamb was substituted in order to cover the payment for the sins due to the people.
And now, John the Baptist says Jesus is the “Lamb of God”. By saying this, John declares that Jesus would be the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. It was an amazing announcement that most people would not fully understand at this time. But in time, as Jesus spoke to the people and performed miracles to validate His claims, they would understand more and more who Jesus was and why He came.
And so Jesus began His ministry by inviting men to follow him. These men are known as His disciples.
A disciple is a student and Jesus was the teacher. As the disciples learned from Jesus, they would then teach others so they too could understand who Jesus was and why He came.
The teaching about Jesus would be important because most people found it difficult to accept that Jesus was the promised Messiah. They had come to expect a mighty ruler, a king or someone of great influence who would come to destroy their enemies and make their nation great throughout all the earth. Instead, Jesus was a humble man, the son of a carpenter, from a small insignificant town called Nazareth. Could this truly be the Savior of the world?!
John writes this book of the bible in order to explain who Jesus was and why He came. Without hesitation, he insists, “Yes, Jesus is the Savior of the World!” And now he will reveal the life, the teachings and the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus to give evidence to support this amazing claim.
You be the judge. Examine the evidence and decide for yourself: “Who was Jesus and why did He come?”

Life Of Christ Devotional - Jn 1:19-34

2010-01-25T08:26:00.000-05:00

"Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ” Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”" (John 1:19-34)

The bible consists of an Old Testament and a New Testament. The New Testament was written about the life of Jesus and the early years of the church. The Old Testament dates back some 1500 years before Jesus was born. What is important about these verses today is that they teach us that Jesus coming to live on the earth was not a surprise. The writers of the Old Testament predicted that a Savior, also known as a Messiah or Christ, would come to deliver people from sin and death. They did not know who this would be, when he would come or how he would deliver his people. They just knew he would come when God said it was time. But to help the people know when it was time, the Old Testament also predicted that there would be a person who would come before Jesus to prepare the way for the Messiah. His name, as we learn in these verses, is John the Baptist.

The role of John the Baptist was simple: Tell the people to get ready because the promised Messiah, Jesus, would soon be revealed. This caused quite a disruption among the people because they were living normal everyday lives and now a strange man announces that everything is about to change. John the Baptist goes from city to city making the amazing, almost unbelievable announcement that the One they had been waiting hundreds of years to see, has now arrived.

As you might expect, most people found this announcement hard to believe - especially the religious leaders! The coming of the Messiah would change everything including the power and influence of their leadership role among the people. This power and influence is not something the religious leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees) were willing to give up. They thought that John the Baptist was either a liar, a prophet (teacher), or the return of a prophet who died many years earlier (Elijah). John the Baptist tells them that none of the options are correct. He is only the messenger. He once again confirms that Jesus is, in fact, the promised Messiah - the Savior of the world! And this is not simply his opinion. It’s important to know that John the Baptist didn’t meet Jesus before he began making his announcement. God spoke to John and told him to tell the people, “Jesus is coming!” John simply did what God told him to do. Therefore, this was not simply John’s opinion. The importance of this event came straight from God. God decided…it was time.

Life of Christ Devotional - Jn 1:1-18

2010-01-16T09:06:00.000-05:00

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ” From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known." (John 1:1-18, NIV)

The Gospel of John was written by John, a disciple of Jesus Christ. He was able to witness the life of Jesus first hand and he wrote about what he witnessed so that those who read it might believe as he did.

John wants his reader to hear the good news of Jesus. Yet, he also knows, that no one can understand what Jesus says unless they know who Jesus is. Therefore, he starts out by declaring that Jesus is God. Jesus was in the beginning at creation, all things were made through Him. In other words, there was never a time when Jesus did not exist, but only a moment in time (His life on earth) that we were able to witness Him first hand. And John, as one of Jesus’ most trusted friends, writes to tell us about what he witnessed Jesus do and what he heard Jesus say.

John describes Jesus as the light. If you have ever tried to feel your way around a dark room or walk through the forest on a night when there is no moon, this image makes perfect sense. In the dark there is confusion, frustration, danger, and it is easy for people to lose their way. But Jesus is the light in this dark world. He brings answers to the confusion. He gives peace in the midst of frustration. His message of hope saves us from danger and He guides us in the right path so that we will not become lost in the darkness.

Yet when Jesus came to earth as a man, the people did not recognize Him. They were so lost in their religious systems and preconceived ideas about what God would be like, so distracted by the daily activities of their life (too busy to stop and notice) that they thought he was just another Jewish man no different than anyone else. Unfortunately, the same is true today. Even though we have the Bible to tell us about who Jesus, most people are too busy to listen, and so not unlike the people of Jesus’ day, we miss it as well. This is a tragedy since the message of Jesus is the most important message in the history of the world. Jesus has made Himself known so that we can know Him. And for those who take the time to consider and believe in the message of hope that He brings, to these Jesus treats as family. As a Father loves his son, so is the love of Jesus for His people. To know Jesus is to know God. And to know God is to have life. Not by following a law or code, but by believing in the good news Jesus brings. John writes to share this news.

Accepting the Challenge - Day 5

2009-10-23T08:25:00.001-04:00

Here we are at the end of the week! It's Friday...and Sunday's Comin'!
I pray that it has been a good week for you. And that does not necessarily mean it has been an easy week. Some of the best weeks are the hard weeks when God gives you the strength to endure and increases your faith in Him. But only if you have eyes to see, ears to hear and you are anticipating His work in and through your life. Remember to keep your eyes on him. C.S. Lewis is good at drawing it down to the simple:
There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way."

Psalm 86
"Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Ps. 86:11) With so many things happening in our lives at once – school, work, marriage, family,ministry, etc. – it is so very easy to be distracted and go from one “good” thing to the next.
Yet, in the rush of activity, it is easy for my heart to become divided, my attention diluted and I do not fear the Lord. He becomes a source of strength for me to accomplish all that I do and not the reason for all that I do.
I confess that in my busyness, God is often reduced to a passenger that I take along in the journey. I pray this morning, as the psalmist did, to have an undivided heart. A heart that is focused on the One whom I follow and fear and worship.
As I consider this verse in reverse order, it becomes my prayer for this day: “God, may I fear you because my heart is undivided, undistracted and focused on You. May this focus on you allow me to walk in your truth. But only if you teach me, will I know the way."

Accepting the Challenge - Day 4

2009-10-22T08:12:00.000-04:00

I often stare at a task list on Monday and convince myself, "There is no possible way for me to get all this done." I put my nose to the grind and I get to work. As the week rolls on, I finally confess, "I think I might be able to do this."
Perhaps it was because the list was not all that bad. Maybe there were some things on the list that didn't need to be there. Or more often than not, I just needed to chill out and take it one day at a time.
So here we are near the end of the week. Maybe you have knocked off some important tasks. Maybe you had something unexpected show up. Do you still have eyes to see? Have you protected the margin in your life necessary for you to have time to be still and listen?
Well there is no better time to start than today. Make a commitment to seek God with all your heart knowing that unless He is involved, it is not worth doing.
(PS I would love to hear stories of your week that have surprised you or encouraged you. Stories of how God gave you strength to endure a difficult circumstance. If it is something that honors God, I have a place in my sermon on Sunday to share your story. Please email them to todd@meloniepark.org)

Psalm 73
I continue to be struck by the witness of the sovereignty of God in the Psalms. I have not seen an example of the writer praying for God to give him strength so that he can defeat his enemy. Instead, the prayer is that God Himself would defeat the enemy. The implication being that unless God does it, it cannot be done, no matter what the strength of man. Even understanding is from God. Psalm 73 describes logical thoughts of Asaph, but his confession is that “when I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me”. Only when he entered the sanctuary of God did he understand the final destiny of his enemies. He later confesses his utter dependence on God when he says, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And being with you I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” I pray that I might also come to the end of myself. A place where my only hope is in God, my one desire, my strength and my portion forever.

Accepting the Challenge - Day 3

2009-10-21T08:59:00.002-04:00

One characteristic that marks the average church today is lack of anticipation. Christians when they meet, do not expect anything unusual to happen; consequently, only the usual happens, and that usual is as predictable as the setting of the sun...
We need today a fresh spirit of anticipation that springs out of the promises of God. We must declare war on the mood of nonexpectation, and come together with childlike faith. Only then can we know again the beauty and wonder of the Lord's presence among us.

-A.W. Tozer

Are you anticipating his Spirit to work in and through your life today? Have you seen the evidence of His Spirit among you in ways you may have missed in the past?
Monday night the elders prayed for a need in our church. I came to the office the next morning and someone stopped me and said, "Can I talk to you about something on my heart?" That "something" was what we prayed for the night before.
Later in the day, I was praying about a particular individual and was perplexed about how I might care for this person in a very difficult situation. In walks a mutual friend who says, "Can I talk to you about a situation?" The "situation" centered around the friend I was praying for and the conversation answered my question.
Those are just 2 examples. And here is the point. Those things happen every day. And yet, most of the time I miss them. It's not that God is not at work. It's just that I am not anticipating it with eyes to see and ears to hear. I am in a hurry and I walk right by. Can you relate?
I pray that today is different for all of us. May we live with anticipation.

Psalm 50
Psalm 50 serves as a good reminder that God does not need our sacrifices and prayer. For He is self sufficient within himself and there is nothing that we could add that would make him more pleased or more content or more satisfied. Instead, the sacrifices and prayers ordained by His law were not for Him but for us. They existed to teach us to honor Him and humble ourselves before His sovereign control. They point to the ultimate sacrifice of the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.
In verse 16 He rebukes the wicked who go through the motions as if to appease God by offering sacrifice and then live life normally within their own desires. God is not treated as an almighty God but as “one of them” who can be calmed down and soothed. Yet, it will not be so since He promises to destroy the wicked in the end. The true test of a genuine sacrifice is one made in thanksgiving, not in petition or placation. Only then is the sacrifice given not expecting something in return but simply giving honor and praise to the only one to which it is due.

Accepting the Challenge - Day 2

2009-10-20T10:02:00.001-04:00

Well...Day 2 of the Living in the Spirit Challenge. How are you doing? Have you been able to slow down enough to recognize where God is at work? Have you been still enough to hear His voice? Are you humble enough to obey His prompting when He speaks into your life?
The Psalm I read today helps to simply our focus. Here is how God spoke to me through His Word this morning.

Psalm 27
As David writes this Psalm (prayer), it is clear that he is in a difficult situation. His enemies are advancing against him (v2), he is in trouble (v5), his parents have forsaken him (v10), and false accusations discredit his integrity (v12). Yes...I would say that describes a difficult place!
And yet, what struck me is that David focuses his prayer on ONE THING. Verse 4 says that his one request amidst his difficult circumstances was the desire to experience fellowship with God.
OK...Let's be honest here. I'll start! If this is me, I would have a much longer prayer list. It would begin with a request to stop the advancing enemy and move on to the removal of my troubles, the reconciliation with my family, the vindication of my integrity before the people.
You get the point. I would be distracted by the details of my circumstances that I just might miss the ONE THING - the refuge of fellowship with God.
Because here is what I see in this Psalm. David does not necessarily expect his circumstances to change. "For in the day of trouble, He will keep me safe." Not the removal of trouble but protection amidst the trouble. So much so that he can pray that "His head be exalted above the enemies that surround him." In other words, the enemies are still there, but he expects to live above them through his fellowship with God.
His confidence is this: "I WILL (strong expectation) see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." What confidence David has that God will be faithful.
What a reminder! I pray for all of us today that amidst all the details of our day - and for some of us, the turmoil of our troubles - we may have the heart of David and seek ONE THING: a deeper fellowship with God made possible through our faith in Christ. May we share His confidence that God will be faithful. Wait on Him and rest in that assurance today.

Accepting the Challenge - Day 1

2009-10-19T08:51:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday, our church family took a challenge to awaken our sensitivity to the work of the Holy Spirit in and through our lives. To live in the newness of the Spirit made possible by Christ's death and resurrection as we have been learning through our study in Romans. (www.meloniepark.org)
We made a commitment to look to see where His Spirit is at work, to listen for His voice in our life, and when we hear Him speak, to obediently follow His lead.
This may be as simple as slowing down to recognize the beauty of God's creation or as difficult as forgiving those who have offended us. In either case, we are going to ask God's Spirit to empower us to live this new life He has created in us. For apart from Him, we can do nothing.
Now that we have been released from the law so that we might be led by the Spirit, in humble submission, we will let Him have His way in our life and be transformed. We are all in!
One of the committments I made was to share my reflections as I spend time in the Psalms this week. You are welcome to add your thoughts about your time in the Psalms or any of the other ways God might be prompting you this week. Whatever we do, let's glorify God by recognizing His power in our life as we live in His realm of grace.

Psalm 1

This morning, my attention was drawn to verse 3 where the psalmist describes the outcome of those who trust in the Lord when he writes: “whatever he does prospers”. Yet, in a moment of despair, the psalmist will later write in verse 5 of Psalm 10 the very same attribute of the wicked when he writes: “his ways are always prosperous”.
The contrast seems to focus on the heart. For it says of the wicked, “he is haughty and your laws are far from him.” Yet of the person of faith, “his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night.”
The wicked trust in themselves. Their branches become stiff and their hearts hardened by the wisdom of the world. Their leaves wither like chaff and what once appears to be prosperous now leads to destruction.
The person of faith trusts in God who sustains. They yield fruit in season and their leaves never wither. What may appear to be barren will soon spring to life as it nourished by the truth of God's Word.
May we delight in the Lord today and trust in Him alone.

You Are Not In Control

2009-10-16T09:23:00.004-04:00

As we are spending time as a church seeking to understand the amazing gift of God’s grace, I am convicted that we don’t often live in the fullness of that gift. Even more specifically, the gift of God’s grace super-abounds in us through the presence of the Holy Spirit which energizes, empowers us to live in a newness of live and service to our Redeemer King. (Rom 7:6)

But just stop and consider our common conversation and let’s see if what we say reflects this reality of new life empowered by the Spirit.

How many times have we been in a situation or encountered a difficult person and said, “When they did that…it made me so mad!”

Or how about the circumstances of our job or family life or finances and we say, “This is just overwhelming me. It is stressing me out!”

But here is the deal…No one can make you mad. There is no situation or circumstance that has power over you to cause stress. Here’s how I know this is true. The Bible says that anger and anxiety as we have described them here are sins. (Eph 4:26, Col 3:8, James 1:20, Phil 4:6, Luke 21:34) And as a Christian, since these are sins, they do not possess the power to control you. (Rom 6:14)

The only way these sins can control you is if you let them reign. (Rom 6:12) Therefore, no one can make you made. There is no situation or circumstance that can stress you out…unless you allow it to. You have to give that person or that circumstance permission to control you. Based on your decision to follow Christ, sin’s power has been broken and it cannot control you…unless you invite it to do so.

So next time you hear yourself say, “She made me so angry.” OR “That really stresses me out.”, remind yourself: they didn’t make you do anything. You did that to yourself. And because the Spirit of God lives in you, it does not have to be that way. His power, when you submit instead to Him, is sufficient to bear a different kind of fruit.

Instead of being controlled by anger, be controlled by love. Instead of being controlled by sadness, be controlled by joy. Instead of anxiety, peace and patience. Let kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control rule and reign in your life. It is life in the Spirit made possible by His grace through faith. (Gal 5:22-23)

The End of Our Resources

2009-09-21T11:06:00.000-04:00

This poem was written by my friend Chad Huddleston. What a gift he has. Read slowly and soak it in. Chad wrote this following a conversation he and I had over lunch as we discussed our desire to walk in the way God has prepared before us. He took thoughts from this conversation and the sermon I did the following sunday and wrote this poem. Thank you for the blessing Chad!

The End of Our Resources

The flask, almost empty, sits dusty on a log.
The last gasps of resource are exhausted
soon, and the burning begins. Smoky
wisps from the charred remnants of an hour's
distance chalk the horizon, the memory
of safety disappearing and melting in the gray
approaching clouds.

We have left the known behind,
and what remains
is unfathomed.

Those who lay claim
to bravery
fall quickly in the moon-sown light,

those who are left huddle
in clutches, in brambles,
under the rigid limbs of trees.

What is left for us this night
but to walk by the light
of the lamp at our feet,

this time no pillar of
incandescent fire in the sky,
no struck rock gushing streams,

but an open field,
a path revealed, a voice
behind us wherever we turn,

saying,
"Yes, this is the way--
walk in it."

The Power of the Parable

2009-08-27T18:04:00.008-04:00

As we finished our Summer Series on the Parables of Jesus, I’ve was struck by the power of these stories with intent. The truth wrapped in the parable is a powerful truth. A life changing truth. A truth that corrects our distorted vision and realigns our focus on things God has determined to be of utmost importance. I’ve learned that there’s power in the parable.

And the power in the parable was often charged by scandal. This was something that I didn’t appreciate until we began the study. The stories Jesus told grabbed people’s attention because, very often, it is not what they expected. A Samaritan helping a Jew…even risking his own life to render aid. Why, that’s unheard of. In fact, it was socially unacceptable.

Praise given to an Unjust Steward. A man who was shrewd as a serpent but not innocent as a dove. Why, there is nothing to learn from the pagan world! Oh, but Jesus says the people of the world are often more shrewd than the people of the light. Tell me that shouldn’t grab our attention.

The Parables of Jesus: Powerful truths wrapped in a captivating story with an unexpected, sometimes scandalous conclusion.
I’ll be honest, there is more packed in a parable than I ever realized…and I have a feeling we just scratched the surface.

I hope you enjoy,
Todd

http://www.meloniepark.org/audio.asp

If your mouth is a fountain, what kind of water springs forth?

2009-08-25T11:24:00.006-04:00

The “Corporate World” and the “Church World”. Is there a difference? I mean, really. They both have people and, if anything, the church world should be a polished version of the Corporate World because, in theory, the people in the church world are a redeemed people. Is there a difference?

Well…let me give you my opinion. Admittedly, I have limited experience in the church world but at least I can say I have live both long enough to say, “Yes, there is a difference.”

Now to be fair, there are a number of similarities. The Corporate World and the Church World are mostly benevolent. When a need arises, people want to help. I can remember a number of occasions at the hospital where I worked when a family experienced a tragedy. Maybe a fire in their home or an unexpected death. Overwhelmingly, people would give of their own resources, donate vacation time or simply offer notes of encouragement. The outpouring was consistent.

In the church, I see the same. People are inclined to care for others and meet needs as they arise. The church may be more proactive (or at least it should be) by meeting the needs of others before the crisis occurs. For example, they may have a “Clothes Closet” where people in the community who have a need might come by the church for clothes at no cost. No crisis, just proactive love.

I also see that the Corporate World and the Church World both need sound leadership. The church and the business need people who are setting a vision and direction. People that have earned the trust of those whom they lead. And the best leaders are humble leaders – in both the Corporate World and the Church World. People who lead by serving and getting their hands dirty with those who are out on the front lines.

Along with this, communication seems vital in both the Corporate World and the Church World. People feel safest when they know what is going on. They want to feel valued by being “included in the conversation.” A lack of communication in both the Corporate World and the Church World always breeds distrust and misperception. Communication seems important in both worlds.

In many ways, there is more in common than there are differences in the two worlds. Both involve people and people have innate needs no matter what world they live in.

But here is the biggest difference I have experienced so far. In the Corporate World, people operate within boundaries and they filter their communication. In the Church World, I am finding that there are no boundaries and the filters are removed. In other words, people feel the right to say whatever they want however they want to say it.

For example, in one week I received two letters from people I have never met who have nothing to do with our church family. Yet they felt compelled to tell me what I should be teaching, what movies we should be promoting and how often we should have prayer meetings and what should be there content. Another person wrote to ask for prayers. He describes a difficult family situation and despite the fact that he lives in another city two hours away and has never been to our church, he felt like it was important for me to know his situation so I could remember him in my devotions.

Now, I’m not offended by this at all, I’m just amazed. I never once received a letter in my 15 years at the hospital with advice on how I should be running the cancer center. Perhaps there were people who had ideas, but I didn’t receive random letters advising my direction and oversight. There were boundaries and filters and these seem to be removed when it comes to the church.

Maybe it’s healthy, people in the church world seem to be much more apt in letting their feeling be known. In fact, I have watched more venom spill from the lips of a church member than I ever did in the workplace. Hurtful, unkind words that seem to be permissible in the church world that I never heard in the Corporate World (at least not to my face… i.e boundary). People in the church seem to be more inclined to say what they think and how they feel about it without boundary or filter.

Personally, I think we can do better. Perhaps, people in the Corporate World have the same emotion and they just hold it inside. They have to protect their job you know. And to keep that bottled up may not be good. But I still think the Church World could stand to consider the power of their words and seek to use them for healing more than hurt.

Why is forgiveness such a rare commodity in the church? How do we justify the gossip and backbiting? Perhaps we need to be reminded of the wisdom from Proverbs 16.

23 A wise man’s heart guides his mouth,
and his lips promote instruction.
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

And as James guides us:

James 1:19 (NIV)

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

James 1:26 (NIV)

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

James 3:3-12 (NIV)

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

So here’s the question: If your mouth is a fountain, what kind of water springs forth from your lips?

Thy Kingdom Come

2009-07-10T10:10:00.003-04:00

I admit. It is very difficult to write a blog and a sermon in the same week. I guess I am still getting my feet wet with the whole preacher thing. In case you are wondering, I would describe the first 4 weeks as follows:

Week 1 - "I'm lost."
Week 2 - "I can't believe I am getting paid to do this."
Week 3 - "Ohhh...Now I understand why they are paying me."
Week 4 - "They are not paying me near enough."

Actually, it has been a blessing in so many ways. It has challenged me to trust God in ways I would have overlooked in the comfort of my known world of health care. I have always been dependent on God. It's just that I realize that more now than ever. It's a good place to be because God always proves Himself to be faithful beyond what we can ask or imagine. We realize that most when we relinquish our control in exchange for His promised provision. To the praise of His glory!

As for the blog, let's talk about the recent sermon series.

We are in the middle of the parables. A great summer series and I have personally benefited from the preparation. Here is something that surprised me though. Each of the 3 parables we have done so far were used by Jesus to teach us something about the kingdom of God. Three parables, chosen randomly, from different points in the gospel narrative, all pointing to the kingdom.

The Good Samaritan begins with the question, "How do I enter the kingdom of heaven?". The Wheat the Weeds, the most obvious parable about the reality that Jesus, as King, chose to establish His kingdom on earth in the presence of an evil world. And this week, the Two Builders. A parable that serves as a closing statement to the Sermon on the Mount which is an extended dialogue about the righteousness required for guess what...that's right - the kingdom of God, inaugurated at the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Kingdom, Kingdom, Kingdom. This seems to be very important to Jesus and a consistent theme of His teaching. I suggest we listen.

But did you notice, in the average church today, we don't talk much about the kingdom of God. Isn't that interesting. It was of great importance to Jesus but we often avoid the topic. I'm not sure why, but here is one possibility - judgment.

Did you wince?

You see, it's had to talk about the kingdom without accepting the reality of judgment. And to be honest, no one likes to talk about judgment. Especially not in our relativistic, post-modern society. Its a taboo topic. Judgment implies intolerance and intolerance is simply not tolerated in our society.

But think about this. If there is no judgment, there is no need for salvation. If there is no need for salvation, righteousness is a dead topic. If this is true, we can all keep doing what we want to do because we will eventually get to the same place. Now doesn't that sound familiar.

But Jesus tells a different story. He says there will be judgment and so all of this is of extreme importance. If nothing else, judgment gets our attention.

That's why we should look very closely at the words of Jesus. They are strong and sometimes offensive. But we don't have the liberty to pick and choose. We either accept what he says and follow Him in faith or we deny it all together. As C.S. Lewis says:

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse.

Then Lewis adds:

You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

Look at the parables again. Listen to the sermons online if you missed them (www.meloniepark.org). You decide.

Do You See Him?

2009-05-29T15:32:00.002-04:00

Have you ever questioned your usefulness to God? Have your worried about the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of your faith? If yes, don’t worry… you’re normal. If no, at worst you are lying. At best, you are fooling yourself.
I have had those times as well and such has been the case in recent days. Such difficult situations and tests of faith that I wonder, “Am I up for the task?”
Perhaps even more difficult is walking down the road with someone else. Those who is struggling in their marriage, or those facing hopeless situations in their job or those battling addictions. They come to you looking for answers and your best attempt at comforting words seem to all fall short. All these scenarios can leave you feeling empty.
But never underestimate the importance of being with Jesus, even during times like these. In fact, its most important for us to seek Him…especially during times like these. We need the truth of His word revealed to us in order to protect us from the inevitable lies of Satan. Those lies that tell us, “You’re not worthy. You’re a failure. You should be ashamed.”
One thing we know, our enemy is good…but he is not all that creative. He consistently attacks us when we feel weak so in those moments…especially in those moments…fill your mind with His truth so that you will not believe the lies the deceiver will whisper in your ear.
Just this morning, I read the words of Jesus when he says in John’s gospel:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”

Did you see that? Jesus is saying that He can do nothing apart from His Father. He must see His Father doing something and once this is observed, He goes and does the same thing. Jesus later reminds you and I of our same dependence on Him:

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

I read this and I prayed, “Lord, give me eyes to see. Help me to walk in the ways you have prepared beforehand. Teach me to find my satisfaction in You and live in the confidence of your promises fulfilled. By your grace may I see the evidence of your hand upon my life and may my faith be strengthened.”

Soon after, I had a conversation with a friend. One of those difficult situations that I did not have a good answer for but was compelled to be there for them anyway. I listened to the honest emotion and the desired action of this person. I could not blame them for their feelings but I could not support their desired actions. What do I say?

I told my friend, “I understand your emotion. What a difficult situation you are in. Can I ask you to consider something before you make any decisions?”

He listened.

I continued, “Before you make any decisions, filter them through God. And when you go to Him, don’t pretend. Take your raw emotion as you just shared with me - your anger, your hurt, your disappointment. Go honestly and go humbly.”
“Tell God, ‘This is how I feel…this is what I want to do…’ and then ask, ‘Is this pleasing to You?’ Make an honest commitment that you will not do anything that you are not convinced He is leading you to do. Will you do that?”

“Yes, I will” he said. “Thank you for telling me that.”

I hung up the phone and a light bulb went off in my head. I realized I had just spoken to my friend the words God had spoken to me this morning.

“Filter through Me. Don’t do anything you do not see Me leading you to do. Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Today my friend and I were both encouraged by the words of God as the hand of God was revealed in our life. He is still at work…do you see Him?

From Theory to Practice

2009-05-08T09:00:00.005-04:00

Believing in the theoretical is not so difficult. Most people do well when it comes to believing in a future possibility. Faith is safe from a distance. However, when theory moves into practice, now it costs something...not so easy anymore.

Abraham and Isaac are a good example. What must it have been like the day Abraham and his son travel to the Mountain of Moriah. Abraham had been asked by God to do the unimaginable. Take his only son, the promised son, and present him as a sacrifice. How could Abraham even bring himself to get up early that morning and prepare for that agonizing journey?

The New Testament gives us the answer. Abraham had developed a theory. Since God had promised the build a great nation from the decendents of Isaac, and now God has asked him to sacrifice his son before a single decendent had been born, then in order for God to be faithful to his promise, He must intend to bring Isaac back from death (Heb 11:17-19). What a odd explanation, but it was the best he could do and it was enough for Abraham to get up that morning and begin the journey of faith.

Each step must have been increasingly difficult as it moved Abraham from theory to practice. Its one thing to imagine what God might do...its quite another to walk in obedience in order to experience that reality.

And yet, even as they arrive, His faith remained. Abraham instructs his servants to stay with the donkey as he and his son travel up the mountain. "Wait here" he says, "Isaac and I are going to worship together and Isaac and I will return." (Gen. 22:5)

At some point, Abraham had to explain the events to his son. "Son, let me first tell you that I believe God is going to perform a miracle today. In ways I cannot explain, He is going to provide the lamb for a sacrifice. But for you and I to experience that reality, we are going to have to put our faith to the test. Do you trust me my son? More importantly, do you trust our God?"

Isaac's face grew pale as his father's theory was explained. Abraham too must have grown faint at the thought of seeing his son's blood drip from the knife he now held in his hand. But yet they each fearfully continued to take heavy steps of faith. Without a struggle, Isaac allows his father to bind him with rope and lift him to be placed on the altar.

Everything is theory until the moment of final obedience. He pulls the knife from its sheath, lifts his hand in the air, and cries out, "Oh, God is there any other way?!" His son, staring into the eyes of his father says, "Daddy please!"

In that agonizing moment, the fruit of obedience gave birth to the miracle. The angel of the Lord answered both father and son and the sacrifice was made in a way neither had planned. God made His way. Abraham and Isaac worshipped together. Abraham and Isaac descended the mountain transformed by the miraculous.

Steps of faith are increasingly difficult as they move us from theory to practice. Faith is safe from a distance. I understand this today more than ever. But obedience is the perquisite for the miraculous. Each step of faith, as we walk from theory to practice, deepens our understanding of God and transforms our assumption of "what He might do" into the reality of "what He has done". It is from this vantage point that we can say with experienced conviction, "He is able to do immeasurable more than we can ask or imagine" (Eph 3:20). I pray that we increasingly experience this reality through faithful steps of obedience. May I live it even as I write it.

...To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Leaving Room For Faith

2009-04-15T07:34:00.002-04:00

What happened to March? I look up and its April. I guess there have been a few things happening as TriTPastor2B will soon B. My "List of Lasts" continues to grow and I anxiously await the "List of Firsts". Although there is an element of nervousness as I transition from the known world of health care into the new role in ministry, I must admit that I struggle with guilt at times. I feel guilty that I get to do something I love so much and have prayed for so long and I actually get paid to do it. How could I be so blessed? I am so very thankful! Just yesterday during my jog, I was brought to tears as I considered the privilege I have of serving God as a messenger of hope at a time when so many people are searching for answers.

Which brings me to my thought today. I have been struck recently by our compelling need to have all the answers. Yet, more often than not, we simply don't have the answers - especially to some of life's most difficult questions. My parents still ask why their son did not live past the young age of 30. My sister-in-law questions why God would remove the man of her dreams from her loving embrace. I still weep at the thought of missing my brother. And we all ask why? So many others have faced similar struggles and they strive to make sense of the unexplainable - miscarriages, suicide, children with disabilities, cancer...and the list goes on.

As we face such difficulties we all ask the same question: Why? We seek answers to explain why such terrible tragedies occur. How can this be? Somehow (we assume) if we just knew the answer to why these things happen, it will give us peace.

Even this past Easter Sunday, I heard 2 very good messages on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each proclaiming the powerful reality of the our risen Savior and the evidence to support this historical fact. I wholeheartedly believe what was communicate but it does demonstrate our inherent need for answers, our opposition to blind faith and our drive to make the leap of faith as narrow as possible.

I am not against seeking answers. In fact, I don't think we can avoid it. I believe apologetics has in important role in helping to establish what I believe. But I am equally convinced that we must leave room for faith. And the reason is, we will inevitably encounter times in our life when we face the answerable question...the tragedy that has no answer. Now what do we do? When we cannot conclude with a comforting explanation, how do we keep walking?

For those who have left room for faith, we rely on "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Heb 11:1) We release our demands for an answer and we trust that He who said He was faithful, merciful, full of grace and love, is true to His claims, even when we do not understand.

Oh, but wouldn't life be easier if we were a scientist. A person who's life is built upon evidence and answers. Well, one of the greatest scientists I have ever known explained to his class the day he began his lecture on evolution with these words, "Before we get started, you need to know that our study of evolution and creationism are both theories based on faith. Although one exists in the scientific community and I personally believe in evolution, I do so based on faith because there are gaps that have no answer. Evolution and Creationism are not based on science and faith respectively. Instead, faith is fundamental to each of them. It is simply a matter of where you choose to place your faith."

Even an atheist is a person of faith. They cannot prove that there is no God, but must believe, by faith, that what they cling to is true. In that sense, every human being since the beginning of time is a person of faith. It's simply a matter of where you choose to place your faith. And the more difficult the tragedy. The more painful the loss. The more space we need for faith - blind faith. The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Faith of any color is blind. It is the conviction of things not seen. But does it give you hope? Is what you believe through faith an assurance of things you hope for?

I believe, by faith, I will see my brother restored and made new. No cancer and no regrets, waiting for me to join him in worship of the Savior who has healed him for eternity. Parents will be reunited with children, no sickness, no sorrow, no pain. Faith with a substance of hope.
That is the difference!

How else can you explain the email I received yesterday from a mom who lost her child in a terrible tragedy within hours of writing these words:

Dear Friends,
It is with great sadness and joy that I let you all know that our son went home to be with his Father today. We rejoice for him and grieve only for ourselves that we will miss his person in our home. He suffered a head injury this morning when he fell off his horse at therapeutic riding and was transported immediately to surgery where he died on the operating table. We cannot know but can only impute integrity to God that he did not intervene on our son's behalf. We can only trust that this was perhaps a tender mercy as he passed very quickly and did not suffer. Please pray for us - this is a test of fire and of faith. We will be unavailable for a few days as we need time to think and to make some weighty decisions for our family. We will let you know when the memorial will occur when we know ourselves. Our son's life was a testimony to the goodness of God and we want his memory to reflect that. Maranatha!

When life gives us questions that have no answers, do we have space for faith? A place for the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen?

Do You Believe...or Do You Believe?

2009-02-23T10:21:00.006-05:00

A royal official. We don’t know his exact role, but what we do know is that he was desperate. We know this because he was a man with power. He had many servants and it was their job to do exactly as the royal official instructed them. But in this particular situation, the man who had the authority to give any order he desired, told his men to stay put. He would take care of this himself. In his mind, he knew it was too important to entrust to anyone else.
And yet he was torn. To leave his home would be an almost overwhelming risk. His son was in bed and barely hanging on to life. Everyone knew, including his father, that he did not have much time. The life of his son was growing shorter with every subtle heartbeat. If he left to go to Jesus, he may lose the opportunity to be by his son’s side when he drew his last breath. A painful dilemma to say the least. Tears must have filled his eyes as he left the house that day. “Goodbye son. I will see you soon.” So he hoped.
There was no time to waste. 20 miles is a long journey in a desert land. The popularity of Jesus had reached such grand proportions. He knew it would be difficult to get to the man known for his miracles for a large crowd had surely formed around him. He was right…
The scene was chaos. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people gathered. Each one with a story of who this man Jesus was and what He had done. Some were true. Most were exaggerations and rumor. But now they could see for themselves. Perhaps Jesus would do the miraculous right before their eyes. This was an exciting day!
But the official was less concerned with the anticipated performance. His son was dying and he was desperate. He pushed his way through the crowd. As he did, some recognized his status and gave way. Others could care less and took the opportunity to put him in his place. None of this mattered. His eyes were fixed on Jesus.
Finally, he gets his attention. “Jesus, I beg you. My son is dying. Please, I beg you. Come to my house so that you may touch my son and he may be healed. Please Jesus. You are my only hope.”
The crowd continued to clamor and the voice of this royal official was lost in the commotion of a thousand other voices vying for the attention of the man known for his miracles. But hush rippled through the mass of people when Jesus spoke. “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
“Was he talking to me?” thought the official. Was this a cruel way to say “no” to his request? His heart sunk deep in his soul and all hope was gone. His son would surely die.
Jesus turned, looked into the desperate man’s eyes, and renewed his hope once again by saying, “Go, your son lives.”
The chaos of the crowd continued and this frantic father stood frozen and speechless as the people pressed by him following Jesus and seeking a sign. He heard nothing. Only silence in his heart.
“I must believe,” he said to himself, “I have no other choice.” “No medicine has cured my son. Each doctor has given up hope. I sit at my son’s bed and watch him labor to take each breath. Oh dear God how I love my son!” And he falls to his knees.
Like a ray of light in his mind’s eye, the official recalled the brief encounter not seconds ago. “For a fleeting moment, when Jesus looked into my eyes, I could see that same desperate love I have for my son, extended toward me in a way I have never experienced before. I think…I know…I could see…he felt my pain. Perhaps…just maybe, he cares enough to do for me what no one else can do. He is my only hope. I must believe this miracle can happen. For my son’s sake, I must believe.”
And at a pace twice that of his arrival, he returns home. Yet, before arriving, he is met by his servants. The horses halt and once again, the man’s heart sinks low. “I’m too late…”
His servants dismount, run to the official and say to him, “Your son! Your son, he lives!” While you were gone, just moments ago, the fever left him. Your son! He has been healed! It’s a miracle that we cannot explain!”
Perhaps they could not explain this miracle, but the royal official could. And that is exactly what he did when he got home – beginning with his son whom he embraced like never before.
Everyone listened intently and as if at once, they knew Jesus was more than a man who performed miracles of healing, signs and wonders. No, his greatest miracle to this family was the miracle of hope. The man now believed, not for his son’s sake, but for his own. He no longer believed because of what Jesus could do…He believed because of who Jesus was. He was the Savior. The One promised to bring hope to the hopeless. He and all his family truly believed. "I know that my Redeemer lives and in the end, He will stand upon the earth." The ancient words of Job (19:25) had now become his own.

Stop for a moment. Do you believe…or do you believe? In your own life, is Jesus a genie in a bottle, a cosmic vending machine, a magician? A person whom you follow for the miracles He can perform?
Or is He more? Have you seen the light of His love? Do you trust Him beyond your circumstances: beyond failing health, failing economies, failing relationships? Do you seek him for more than signs and wonders? Do you seek Him as Savior?
Let Him reign in your heart today, unchallenged by any lesser thing. Confess the idolatrous distractions and seek him for more than a sign. Seek Him as redeemer. Seek him as friend. Believe that your only hope is in Him and in that knowledge…rejoice!

Drink Up!

2009-01-28T08:11:00.005-05:00

"So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”" (John 4:1-26)

Segregation is not a new idea. It occurred all throughout the ancient near east during the time of Jesus- perhaps none stronger than the separation of Jew and Samaritan. Those who hear of this account in the biblical culture would have been appalled at the thought of Jesus (a Jew) initiating a conversation with a Samaritan (a Samaritan woman no less!). It would have been a scandal no less offensive than the thought of our President sitting down to have dinner at a nice New York restaurant with Osama Bin Laden. The public outcry would be huge. The same would be true of the encounter with the Samaritan woman and Jesus.
So why would Jesus risk it? Why threaten the integrity of his reputation and ministry? Maybe it was because Jesus did not come to promote his own reputation. His mission was to offer something that would change the reputation of others, not only in the eyes of man, but more importantly, in the eyes of God.
The Samaritan woman was thirsty. Like everyone, she came to a well to draw water. But unlike everyone else, she avoids the convenience of the city well and she travels a significance distance outside the city to avoid the ridicule of her neighbors. By all accounts, she was ashamed.
And Jesus knew why. He breaks the social tradition and asks her for a drink. It was a way to introduce a conversation and her surprise could not be over estimated. This is the reason she so boldly asks Jesus, “Why are you, a Jew, speaking to me, a Samaritan?”
Jesus tells her the reason. He explains that she is coming to quench the thirst of her lips, but He has come to satisfy the thirst of her soul. She is seeking water, Jesus is offering life.
But the woman does not understand at first. In fact, she is distracted by the thought of her reputation. If she did not have to come to the well, she could avoid the ridicule of others who judged her. “Please give that water so that I don’t have to come to this well,” she tells Jesus.
In what seems to be a rude interruption, Jesus tells the woman to go get her husband.
“Here we go again,” she thinks. “My reputation precedes me and I must once again reveal that no one wants me. I don’t have a husband and have been abandoned more times than I can count. Don’t remind me…I know. I am worthless and completely empty inside.”
“You mean you’re thirsty inside?” Jesus probes.
“I am,” she says. “And I have been seeking answers in the only way I know how. I know the Messiah is coming and perhaps He can give me what I am looking for.”
“He can,” says Jesus. “I who speak to you am He. You have worshiped what you do not know. Now you know.”
All creation worships God. The only difference is that some worship God in ignorance and others in truth. The woman at the well was thirsty because she was ignorant of the only source of life that would satisfy her soul. Jesus reveals that He is the one sent to satisfy the thirst of every soul.
Now He turns to you. What is your reputation? Do you have something to prove? Do you have something to hide? Jesus continues to make the same offer as He did to the woman at the well. Satisfy your soul in Him. Worship Him in Spirit and truth. Drink up my friend.

A Rude Awakening

2009-01-18T21:51:00.005-05:00

Eugene Peterson pastored the same small church for almost 30 years. He has a wealth of wisdom and insight which demands our respect and attention. His book, The Contemplative Pastor, has an obvious target audience. However, the insight he provides extends well beyond the borders of those in full time ministry. For that matter, we are all in full time ministry, so by definition, we all have something to learn. Allow me to share what impacted me most and I pray it will be the same for you.
To begin with, I must admit that I was slightly offended in reading this book. As far as I am concerned, there exists an unwritten rule between author and reader to delay the impact of the most painful content until the reader has had a chance to ease into the material. Peterson violated this unwritten rule when he spoke adamantly against the “outrageous scandal” of busyness in the life of a Christian within the first few pages of his book.
Busyness, in Peterson’s view, is not a “symptom of commitment but of betrayal.” In a metaphorical one-two punch, he talks about the vanity of busyness and laziness as its source. Busyness, argues Peterson, often exists in order for us to appear important. It is vanity. The culture insists that a crowded schedule is a measure of significance and all too often the we all buy into this lie. If not for the reasons of vanity, Peterson suggests the other option is laziness (as if that makes me feel any better!). We become busy because we let others control our time instead of resolutely deciding for ourselves. In either case, the negative results of a life without margin which constantly meets the demands of others will inevitably render all of us harmless and unable to complete the work for which we have been called. It is a dangerous trap. Beware!
Peterson does offer the antidote, however. He encourages us to remain committed to prayer, meditation and listening. Prayer, at its core, is the cultivation of intimacy with God. It is the language of relationship. Meditation, says Peterson, must finds it’s source in the immersion of scripture. Time dedicated to meditating on God’s word which cannot happen in the midst of busyness and "sound bite study obligations". Richard Foster says that one hour one day a week is preferable to 10 minutes segments of time in God's Word every day. I tend to agree. Peterson continues by reminding us that we must learn to listen. But listening requires “unhurried leisure”. A quality of spirit, Peterson says, not a quality of time. Busyness is a theif of quality time.
I was impacted by Peterson reflection when he writes, “The question I put to myself is not, “How many people have a spoken to about Christ this week?” but “How many people have I listened to in Christ this week?”’ What a poignant reminder for us all.
One of the realities of my transition is the common question: “So…When are you taking over the church?” This has always unsettled me and it is the very thing Peterson seems to address as he reflects on his friends comment about “running the church.” Although the church activity on Sunday has not changed much through the centuries, what happens between Sundays is radically different. Peterson suggests that it has “not been a development but a defection.” Pastors (but not only pastors) have inherited an attitude of ownership where the success of the church (as determined by our culture) is falsely assumed to be based on our leadership ability and skill. This attitude centers around the belief that if we do not take charge, the church will fail and the people will drift into apathy. Our skill is in our programs and our organizational prowess of motivating people to get things done for the business of the kingdom.
This is the reality of the business world from which I come. But Peterson has reminded me that it is not the way of the church. The church does not need a successful business plan with a penetrating vision and a motivational mission. I am not the CEO. Neither are you. Instead, we are the servants of souls. As such, we recognize that it is not us but God who takes the initiative. He gets things going and He is on the scene before we ever arrive.
Peterson suggests that the better questions for us to ask are: “What has God been doing here? What traces of grace can I discern in this life? What has God set in motion that I can get in on?” Instead of carrying the burden of leading positive change, I must seek to discover what He is doing and live appropriately with it. I submit to you that the counsel given by Peterson applies not only to pastors but to every follower of Christ.
Living with this humble perspective should direct what we say and how we listen. Instead of persuasive speech and a drive to motivate others to get things done and to get on with growing in faith, we must learn the language of relationship. A personal language of love and prayer. Spontaneous language that is unhurried and unforced. Peterson describes it as “the leisurely language of friends and lovers.”
Our job, as Peterson reminds us, is not to solve problems. As an Administrator, this is my job. It is my responsibility to develop better procedures, organize and administrate. But the church is different. Much of what is done in the context of the body of believers is, and should be, a mystery. It is mystery that makes room for faith. If everything has an answer and the direction is always clear, the need for faith is removed.
We live in a world of experts where everything has an explanation and a solution. But the Christian life is a pilgrimage of prayer. A submission to the Soverign and a willingness to leave unanswered questions in His capable hands. As a Christian, we are not called to answer on His behalf as much as we are to direct others to discover Truth for themselves. When it is personal, lives are changed.
Good reminders, although slightly unfair in his tactics. Every once in a while, we all need a rude awakening.

Rosemary's Questions

2008-12-26T11:05:00.006-05:00

The world is changing! Not exactly a news bulletin unless you consider the rate of change and then we might have something to talk about. And yet, as a Christian, I don't believe that is the most important topic of our consideration. Consider instead, the changing face of Christianity.
In preparation for seminary winter session class, I have been reading material specific to Christian missions. Not a subject I was naturally drawn to but it very well may be the most penetrating class of my long (7 year and counting) seminary career. Of particular interest was an article entitled, "Global Missiology for the 21st Century". Perhaps the title doesn't immediately grab your attention, but I assure you, the content would.
The author, Rosemary Dowsett, makes some very intriguing observations about the changing face of Christianity in the Western World. In one section, she comments:

"In some ways we are back where we started. Of course, that is not entirely true. There have been 20 centuries of Christian history, which have indelibly marked much of the world besides shaping the church. In that sense, we cannot go back to where we started. But in other ways, we are perhaps closer to the context of the pre-Constantinian church than we realise.
For the first time in 15 centuries, through most of Europe, the church has neither political nor economic nor educational power...We live in a cauldron of religious pluralism, with institutionalized (as well as popular) opposition to claims to the uniqueness of Christ as the only truth and the only Savior. We live in a culture where Christianity has been so marginalized that most people could not articulate clearly the core beliefs of the Christian faith...
Many Christians from the first three centuries of the church would identify with most if not all of these characteristics."

Now that may not be too startling to most of you, but here is her premise. Fundamentally, "the post-modern church of the West must come to terms with weakness rather than power as the base from which she operates". (Read that again...it is vitally important!)
Now, this would not be considered news to the early church. In fact, it was there daily experience. But for us in the 21st century church, we have come to see weakness as failure and power as achievement.
Just take a look! Churches (even in our own city) are considered "successful" because they are large or popular or wealthy. This is the language of power!
Instead, maybe we should be asking Rosemary's questions:

Are we (as a church) being challenged to lay down our lives for Christ?
Is this church a community which openly acknowledges its weakness, gives away its wealth, put faithfulness above popularity, demonstrates dynamic love and points to the grace and glory of God?
Is this a body of people who live out their daily lives in such a way that everything about them declares the gospel of Christ crucified?

The early Christian church understood these values. Most congregations had a precarious, often hidden, existence. But their power was in their weakness. The church has always been most vibrant where it has not been compromised by official status and political power but instead, has had to concentrate on spiritual integrity alone.

I, for one, believe the Church in America will increasingly follow the trend of weakness in our post-modern world. The political, economic and educational power of the church will become increasingly irrelevant. And personally, I feel this is a good thing. For when we can focus not on how we use our power to change the world and can instead, in our weakness, sacrifice our lives for the sake of the gospel of Christ. Perhaps then we will witness the true power of God to redeem the world. To God be the glory!

As you begin the New Year, take a moment to consider the words of Paul to the Corinthians. Perhaps not all that different than the church in America today, the Corinthian church thought they had all they wanted (4:8). And yet they continued to seek more power and influence which inevitably created an attitude of pride and judgment of one another...including the apostles. Instead of hungering and thirsting for righteousness, they were seeking to quench their insatiable appetite for power and self indulgence. Listen to Paul's condemnation of worldly power (dripping with cynicism) and his call to all of us to live lives of humble weakness so that the power of Christ may be made strong.

"For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?" (1 Corinthians 4:9-21, NIV)

The book of Revelation reminds us that Jesus, like Paul, will be coming to "find out how these arrogent people are talking about their power". In this coming year, may we relate more to the example of Paul and the apostles. May our weakness, not our power, becomes our base of operation.

Community - Be the Church

2008-11-17T07:49:00.009-05:00

Don't go to church - be the church. Because the church is not a meeting, nor a place, but a family. A community of people with diverse gifts and abilities but a unified purpose and mission. And the gifts God has given are not for me, but for someone else. And that is because, by God's design, each member of the body of Christ functions to serve the body.

"For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." (Romans 12:4-5, NASB95)

Paul reminds us that each member functions to serve the body, not the body to serve the members. The difference may be subtle but vastly important. Here is an important reason to consider.

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he reminds us that the church is "Christ's body and (we) individually members of it." (1Cor 12:27) Therefore, the supreme value of the church is to "image" Christ to the world. Individually, we give a distorted and incomplete view of this image, but corporately, as the church, when each member functions to serve the body, the image of the body, that of Christ, becomes clear. Therefore, the church is not a place for personal opinion and individualism. Instead, the church is the place where unity transcends all differences for the name of Christ to be magnified.

That is the reason why we live in community - in order to "image" Christ to the world. How we do it is a limitless conversation but let me give you 3 ways to consider

Share a Meal: Throughout the New Testament, the early church is often seen gathering for a meal. Many times this meal was the Lord's Supper and was intended to be a reminder of the sacrifice of Christ and the new life, the new community (i.e. church), made possible by His death and resurrection. But what we may not realize is that most often, this meal was at some one's house and it lasted all day. This was not just a simple tradition, it was a family affair. And the Lord's Supper was not the only time a meal was shared and yet the importance of this activity seems to carry great significance. For example, Paul addresses the issue of eating meat sacrificed to idols. He does so because sharing a meal within the community of faith is a regular occurrence and of great importance. So important, that Paul took time to teach the church about how to eat with one another. More specifically, how to avoid letting food be a stumbling block to a weaker brother. You remember the story. The conclusion of which is very simple. If eating meat sacrificed to idols causes your brother to stumble, don't do it. Technically, there is nothing wrong with eating this type of meat but the offense it may cause must be avoided at all costs. Why? Because Paul says "when we wound our brother, we sin against Christ". (1Cor 8:12) In other words, since the church is the image of Christ, offending our brother or sister is ultimately an offense to the image of God. So here is the point - sharing a meal is a practical application to living out community within the body of Christ. And when we do, let's be sensitive to consider how to encourage each other to love and good deeds. Let's be careful not to cause anyone to stumble. Let's give the world an image of Christ that draws them to Himself. Are you too busy to have someone over to spend time sharing a meal? If so, you are too busy! It is not an event you plan, it is a privilege you share. Make a point to share a meal with someone in the church very soon.
Share Your Possessions: The early church describes an environment where "the one who gathered much had nothing over and the one who gathered little, had no lack". (2Cor 8:15) In other words, no one had too much and no one had too little. Now this does not mean that everyone had joint ownership of all things in the absence of private property. Yet, at the same time, it does not suggest (nor will you find it any where else in the New Testament) that any person in the body of Christ has any "right" to have such possessions. In fact, the idea of "rights" is a foreign concept in scripture. The gospel is not about claiming a right. It is about accepting a gift. All that we own should be in view of the cross and for the service of others. It is no different than the discussion of spiritual gifts. Similarly, material gifts are not simply for me but more often are for someone else. Paul did not form communes but he was very clear about common attitudes to property. Those who entered into the community of faith could never again look upon what they owned with the same eyes. Nor should we! May we be reminded to "give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver". (2Cor 9:7) Why? Because He is a cheerful giver and when we share our possessions, we image forth the most important attribute of the gospel - an unmerited sacrificial gift.

Sharing Emotions: It is not possible to present a complete image of Christ without community because no one person (outside of Jesus himself) possesses all the attributes of His divinity. Even further, it is not possible to live in community without meaningful relationships. And finally, it is not possible to have a meaningful relationship without authenticity. This seems to be the point of Romans 12:9 when Paul instructs the church to demonstrate love without hypocrisy. (Rom 12:9) The word for hypocrisy literally means "to pretend or act". Therefore, love without hypocrisy, is love without pretending. That means when someone within your church family asks you how you are doing and you are struggling in your marriage, you do not answer by saying, "Fine. Everything is fine." That is pretending and pretending is hypocrisy. As a church, we are called to love without hypocrisy. Make a point to peel back the layers of your life and invite someone in to those places you have previously hidden. Why? So they can fix you? So we can roll in the mud of our sinful lives? No and no! It is all about the image of Christ. We cannot present a complete image of Christ outside of community. Community cannot exists outside of relationships. And relationships are not as God intends when they are not authentic. Don't be an actor, remove your mask and for the sake of Christ, live in the community He purchased with His blood in the depth of relationship He demonstrated and has called us to: "Love one another as I have love you, that you also love one another." (Jn. 13:34)

Don't go to church - be the church!

Living Missional Lives

2008-11-10T07:39:00.006-05:00

How easy it is to live our lives isolated from those who hold a different world view. Maybe its a political world view or an environmental world view or a religious world view. The division lines are often clear in our society and if they are not clear enough, we name them. That's right, we go as far as to magnify the difference by categorizing the view. We have democrats and republicans, conservatives and liberals, environmentalists, baptists, catholics, evangelical, reformed, liturgical, seeker friendly and the list goes on.

It seems as if this process of categorizing our differences is an unchangeable pattern of our society. However, as a Christian, we should avoid the inevitable trap of living our lives according to these boundaries. May we be reminded: It is not the goal of the christian church to develop a christian subculture so that we avoid relationships outside of our "category". We are not called to create our own "safe society" where all we do is hang out with other Christians, go to Christian schools, go to church to have our needs met and then meet with other Christians to talk about how bad our world is becoming. Of course it is! And in the absence of a message of life changing hope, the decay of our society will only accelerate.

Jesus made our commission very clear, "...as the Father sent me, so I also send you." (Jn 20:21) From generation to generation, we must pass the baton of faith as a representative of Jesus Christ. "An ambassador of Christ as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg (others) on behalf of Jesus Christ, to be reconciled to God." (2Cor 5:20) And the message we carry is not relevant in our subculture. The message of salvation is shared at the dinner table with sinners. (Luke 15:1-2)

In consideration of this calling, consider this:

When is the last time you shared a meal with a person in need of the world's most important message of hope? Perhaps it is a co-worker or a neighbor or that guy you always sit next to at the game. Have you taken the time to engage with that person enough to earn the right to be heard? Be honest! Because some of us need to confess that we have become so isolated in our own circle of friends that we do not have this opportunity. In fact, some of us may need to initiate efforts by rebuilding bridges we have previously burned. When we isolate, we send a message of condemnation: "You are not good enough to be in my group." So ask yourself today - Which message am I sending: Hope or condemnation?

For those who are engaging with outsiders, are you living wisely among them? (Col 4:5-6) Remember, we are in the world but not of the world. As someone once said, "Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it." None of us are immune to influence. Therefore, we must march into enemy territory only when our own soul is well fortified. Are your loins guarded with truth? Do you carry the shield of faith? Do you wield the sword of the spirit? The armor of God as described by Paul is a necessity for those "who make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel". (Eph 6:12-20)

Finally, does prayer precede your purpose? John Piper (in his book Let the Nations Be Glad) reminds us that "prayer is the communication with headquarters by which the weapons of warfare are deployed according to the will of God". Yet, all too often, we forget that we are in war. We have no sense of urgency, no watching, no vigilance. No strategic planning. Just easy peace and prosperity. Instead of prayer being a 2 way communication system in the midst of war, we have rigged up an intercom system in heaven so that we can submit our requests for safety, security and luxury - not to call in firepower for conflict but asking for more comforts in the den. Piper reminds us: God has given us prayer because Jesus has given us a mission. So ask yourself, is my prayer life more like a walkie talkie in the midst of battle or an intercom system to call in comforts for the den?

Prepared with prayer, girded with truth, engaging with outsiders. The Great Commission for all who trust in Jesus Christ. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." (Mt 28:19)

Everyone is a Theologian

2008-11-03T11:13:00.005-05:00

A prestigious biology professor once told his class during the introduction to his discussion of evolution:

“As we enter this hotly debated topic, it is important to understand that both the theory of evolution as well as that of creationism is based on the same premise – faith. As a biologist, I choose to put my faith in the theory of evolution. Others choose to put their faith in a creator. But both of us are people of faith.”

Although I disagreed with his personal conclusion, I had a tremendous amount of respect for his willingness to establish the fact that we are all people of faith. Even the agnostic must exhibit faith to conclude that there is no God.
In a similar way, we are all theologians. Buddhists, agnostics, Muslims and Christians alike. Each person, in his own way has contemplated the things of God and drawn certain conclusions. So the question is not whether you are a theologian or not - that fact is universal. The more important question is what kind of theologian are you?
The most distinctive characteristic of Christian theology, in comparison to other forms of theology, is the source of our understanding of God. In our case, it is the Bible. I love what Chip Ingram says he writes in his book God: As He Longs for You to See Him:

“He (God) has taken several millennia, inspired hundreds of pages of scripture, and gone through a traumatic incarnation to paint an accurate portrait of Himself. He obviously cares what we think about Him. He wants us to see Him clearly, attribute by amazing attribute.”

How have you developed your image of God? Is it based on what the preacher said? Did you read a good book or an article from a magazine? Maybe you have formed your conclusions on a starlit night or a glorious sunrise in the morning. Perhaps you choose to know Him by experiencing Him through quiet thoughts and meditation. All these can be used by God but none of them should ever substitute for His revelation in scripture. All things are subordinate to His word and only serve to support what He has gone to great lengths to reveal to us in scripture.
This brings us to the other distinction of Christian Theology. Our pursuit if knowing God through the truth of His word is not simply an intellectual exercise. It’s not enough to know about Him. Created within us is an innate desire for deep, meaningful fellowship with God. The truth of His word leads us to this relationship. Thus our theology is not only biblical, it is also relational. What we know about God shapes our relationship with Him and not only that, what we learn about how God sees us determines how close we grow toward Him.
And each of these truths, the biblical and relational foundations of our theology, leads us to stability amidst the chaos. Let’s face it…chances are, the times we face in the future will be more difficult than those we have faced in the past. Philosophy, science, politics and the relativism of our modern society have individually and collectively offered solutions to our current plight. What is one to believe? How do we persevere and stand firm against the devil and his schemes? There are many voices we could listen to but only one voice that is trustworthy, reliable and the same yesterday, today and forever. The voice of God in the revelation of His word.

So let’s back in to this. How is the anxiety in your heart? Do you experience fear and concern? Take time to consider what God says about His protection and provision: Ps. 55:22, Jer. 17:7-8, Mt. 6:26-34, Luke 12:22-32.

Since He created us for a relationship with Him - a closeness, love and friendship – are you experiencing that promise? If not, perhaps you should consider: Job 7:17, Ps. 103:13, Jer. 31:3, Jn. 14;21, Rom 5:8, 2 Thess 2:16.

Finally, when is the last time you spent time in his word. Not in order to know about Him but to know Him and be known by Him. Here are a few to get you started: Prov. 30:5, John, 20:31, Rom 15:4, 1Peter 3:15, 2Tim 3:15-17

Heart of Worship

2008-10-29T06:40:00.012-05:00

Worship: The adoration of that which I honor most. It is a personal pursuit requiring that I individually take time to routinely stop...be still...and listen. Tuning my ear to hear the voice of God above all others. It involves the sacrifice of anything that threatens to ascend the steps to the throne of my heart - a place we must reserve for God alone.

We have been made to worship and we must understand that we all worship something. Christian and non-Christian alike...we all worship something. Every man or woman has something or someone in their life that they adore. Something that gives their life purpose and meaning. But God is the only one worthy of our wholehearted devotion. He alone has the power to save. We live to the praise of His glory. Chosen by the Father, Redeemed by the Son, Sealed by the Spirit. (Eph 1:3-14)

Grace upon grace lavished upon us in order to make worshipers out of rebels.

As we consider the how true biblical worship concerns the whole of one's life and has its prime significance in the context of daily living, what are some of the characteristics of a life of worship? Here are just a few:

Random Acts of Kindness: Just this morning, I received a note from a friend telling me I was on his mind and that he prayed for me this morning. A short and simple note with a powerful impact on my life. Have you ever received one of those gestures of kindness? If so, you know what it feels like to be loved in this way. This is one of the attributes of a life of worship. A willing response to the prompting of God to care for others through random acts of kindness. We don't ask why, we don't over evaluate. We just simply take the initiative to tell someone - you were on my mind.

Sharing the Hope within You: When we live a life of worship, we become more and more sensitive to the heart of God. We see what He sees. And not only that, we respond to the prompting to engage with someone in the midst of our day beyond the cursory, "Hi, how are you." Instead, we are willing to sit down and invite a deeper conversation. "You seem down today. Is something on your mind?" When we live a life of worship, very often these are conversations God has prepared well in advance and they are designed for those of us who believe to share the hope that is within us. A life of worship leads us to these conversations.

Disciplines of the Inner Life: Not because we have to, but because we want to. A life of worship creates within us a desire for silence, solitude, prayer and meditation. It's as if we have a fuel gauge on our soul and we know when it is time to stop and allow His Spirit to refresh, restore and renew our passion to follow Christ with all our heart, our soul and or might. Without a heart of worship, in a rush to go to the next task, we drive right by these invitations for renewal and many times we run so fast and so hard, we wake up one morning and we are empty, dry and discouraged. A life of worship keeps us fresh and leads to the disciplines of the inner life - because we want to be there, like Mary, sitting at His feet and listening the words that give life to our soul.

Simplicity: A life of worship gives us clarity in the chaos. It protects us from being conformed by the world. It transforms us by the renewing of our mind so that we have vision to see that which is important and we are undistracted by lesser things. (Rom 12:1-2) We all know how easy it is to get caught in the rat race of the world. We have experienced the prison of living according to the expectations of others. But a life of worship leads us to a simple life and gives us both the clarity and the motivation to live with margin - a space created for the unexpected. A space that allows random acts of kindness, messages of hope and disciplines of the inner life.

Take some time to examine. Do you demonstrate these attributes of a life of true biblical worship? Begin praying today, as will I, that these attributes will be evident in your life because your life is centered on worshiping Him.

Moment of Reflection

2008-10-06T22:57:00.002-04:00

I took some time today for silence and solitude. Before you are impressed, you should know that I have been talking about doing this for 2-3 years and, up until now, it was never important enough to make it happen. Some may wonder about the purpose of a day outside the normal routine. For me, it is a decision to put everything aside and tell God, “You are most important and you have my undivided attention.” It’s not all that different than having a meaningful conversation with my wife. If I really want to connect with her and listen to what she is saying (and what she is not saying), I need to eliminate distractions. Some people can focus on multiple things happening at one time but I am not one of those people. If the TV is on in the background, the dog is whimpering and the computer sounds an alert for a new mail message…you’ve lost me. I know, we men are most handicapped in this way. Thus the reason I feel it is important to take time away and I only regret that I don’t do it more often. Even in the midst of the routine. No agenda. No sermon prep or Bible Study. Just prayer, silence and a listening heart.
One reason this discipline is important is because I believe we notice things during times like these that we might otherwise miss. Let me give you an example. I took a walk near a stream. Because we have had quite a bit of rain lately, the water was moving pretty quickly. However, as I sat there, I realized that although the water was moving at the same pace, there were some parts of the river that were noisy and others that were quiet. As I stopped to consider this, I noticed that those areas of the river where the water was boisterous usually had one of 2 things happening. It was either shallow or there was an obstacle in the path of the water. Yet, where the water ran deep, it was almost silent.
This caused me to consider my own life. When I am anxious and the current of my life is disturbed, what I witnessed in nature is often true for me as well. The noise often results from a shallow place in my life or an obstacle in my path. Perhaps I am trapped in busyness and over commitment. Maybe there is a sin issue in my life I refuse to confront. In either case, the shallow place or unyielding obstacle create a disturbance and my heart loses its peaceful tranquility. Believe me…I know when I am in this place. I bet you do to.
Yet, at the same time, if my time in God’s word has been meditative. If I have been submissive to the Spirit so that I walk in response to His leading and avoid the need to run ahead and ask Him to join me. If I have ears to hear and eyes to see what He has prepared beforehand so that I may walk in His ways. Then the river runs deep and my heart has a peaceful flow. I notice, like in the river, the pace of the water can be very quick, circumstance can be difficult and heavy – but a river that runs deep is a river that runs quiet.
I believe it is important for each of us to take the time to stop and worship. That really is what silence and solitude is. We worship that which we recognize as the center and purpose of our existence. And for that person or thing, we sacrifice so that it can be elevated to it’s rightful place of glory. We all know, this person we worship should be God. And yet, we are very familiar with the idols that so easily distract us and how easily our lives become cluttered, shallow and noisy.
Sacrifice some time and agenda items on your task list in order to be silent and listen. And when you see me again, ask me if I continue to do the same.

Acts of God

2008-09-16T10:40:00.005-04:00

"Acts of God". This is the term we usually apply to floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters. It brings with it an element of fear, and whether we admit it or not, a subtle sense of judgment from the hand of God. Thus the reason we call them "acts of God".

However, I have recently been considering a particular attribute of God - His goodness. That inherent quality of His character which inclines His heart to take pleasure in blessing His people. And "His people" is not an inclusive term but represents all His creation. "For He causes His sun to shine on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matt. 5:45)

What an amazing thought to consider that the God of the universe looks upon the earth and His hearts desire is to be generous. Not because we deserve it, but because there is something about who He is that brings infinite joy when He spreads His blessing throughout the earth.

Yet, our view of God is so warped that when we encounter a disaster that causes unimaginable pain and suffering, we call it "an act of God". And when rain falls gently upon the earth, we say, "What a pleasant rain."

And let me be honest. I'll be the first to admit that I struggle to accept His unmerited favor and blessing. I don't often relish in the knowledge that I am the object of His deepest affection.

Do you?

Do you consistently take the time to stop and appreciate the undivided attention that God directs toward you with a desire to embrace you with His goodness?

Is it not a true heart of worship when we recognize the character of God and respond in adoration and acceptance of His redemptive revelation. I for one could find myself doing this more often.

And one more thing...when we stop and consider the sinful decay of our world - to the point that even creation groans and longs for redemption (Rom 8:22) - is it not amazing that there is any semblance of order and blessing upon the earth at all? Is it not possible that the very reason any of us (believer or unbeliever) experiences goodness in a fallen world is evidence that God has invaded our space? Were it not for His goodness, would we not be plagued with the effects of sin including natural disasters of unimaginable magnitude and unstoppable frequency?

Truly then, the act of God is not in the disaster but in the peace preceding, the indwelling within and the restoration to follow.

If anything, disaster occurs because His restraining hand is lifted and the decay of sin takes it natural course as a curse leading to death. To experience a single day, a single moment of peace, is a reflection of His unfathomable goodness and unending grace.

Take time this week to read - to slowly read - Psalm 145. It ia a wonderful Psalm to remind us of the goodness of God. Here is a section to get you started:

"On the glorious splendor of Your majesty And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, And I will tell of Your greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works. All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, And Your godly ones shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom And talk of Your power; To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations." (Psalm 145:5-13)

Over Desire

2008-08-11T08:27:00.008-04:00

I have been struck recently by Romans 6:12-13 where Paul writes to Christians,

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:12-13, NASB95)

What is initially startling to me is the fact that Christians, those who have been set free, can once again experience a life of slavery. How can this be? If the Son has set you free, you will be free indeed (Jn 8:36)! Right?
To begin with, let's compare slaveries. This is important in my mind because I believe that the source of the slavery is the determining factor in our ability to experience freedom. Ephesians chapter 2 describes our condition prior to faith in Jesus Christ. To summarize, Paul says we are slaves to Satan, indulging in the desires of the flesh, by nature children of wrath. The slavery is involuntary and imposed upon us by the prince of this world, Satan.
However, what Paul describes in Romans is different. It is voluntary. It is the choice made by a believer to let sin rule and reign in their heart.
We have been set free from the slavery imposed by Satan through faith in Jesus Christ. Once delivered from the hand of the enemy, he loses all authority and power to rule our lives. However, as a Christian, we can decline the power of the Spirit in our lives and do the unimaginable. We can invite the sin that so easily entangles us and allow it to become the master of our life and eventually "dethrone" the only rightful ruler of our heart - Jesus Christ.
Understand that at the moment of faith, our eternal destiny is sealed. Paul (nor I) is suggesting that we can lose our salvation having truly believed in the gospel message. What Paul is talking about is transformation of your heart. Your heart is another way of describing your internal motivation. And Paul is telling us, your motive reveals your master.

"Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?" (Romans 6:16, NASB95)

In other words, there is no neutral ground. You and I serve the one whom we obey. We either obey our master Jesus Christ as He prepares good works beforehand so that we may walk in them or we obey our master sin which we invite to become the driving passion of our life.
But here is an important question. "How do we know who is the master of our life? What are the clues to help us determine the driving passion of our heart?"
This is where the original language is helpful. In verse 12, the word Paul uses is epithumia. The NASB translates this as "lusts". The NIV says "evil desires". The NET bible translates the word as "desires".
The root of the word, "thumia", literally means desire. An epithumia is an OVER DESIRE. In my mind, the NET bible has the best translation because it helps us understand that the desire does not have to be inherently vile. It can be a good desire. But any desire that supersedes your desire for Christ is an evil desire. In fact, if it is a driving passion of your life, it is a false god whom you serve as master.
If you are a workaholic, you serve the god of money or status or achievement. Perhaps it is an eating disorder and you serve the god of thinness or gluttony. Perhaps you look to your spouse to fulfill the deepest needs in your life and you serve the affection and acceptance of another person as god of your life. Even the duty of religious routine can be a false idol. ANYTHING that supersedes your obedience to Christ as Lord of your life is your self appointed master.
Although there is not a fool proof litmus test, here are some helpful hints to assist you in determining what is the driving passion of your life. They include the normal emotions of anger, fear and sadness. In and of themselves, these emotions are very normal and ones we all experience.

For example, when something happens in our life that is disappointing, it is a normal response to be sad. If something blocks us getting a good thing, it is OK to be angry. Or if a good thing is being threatened, we might be fearful.

BUT...when something has an inordinate value in our life, when it becomes the "ultimate something" and it doesn't happen, we don't get sad - we get epi sad. We struggle to break free from the disappointment and depression. When the driving passion in our life is blocked, we don't get mad, we get epi mad. And our fear turns into a paralyzing anxiety. We experience bitterness, unforgiveness and any variety of "epi emotions" which reveal the motive and master of our heart.
These emotions of our life can be compared to a dashboard. A series of gauges we monitor. And when they lean to the side of epithumia, or over desire, we might want to look under the hood and see what is truly the driving passion of our life. We are slaves of the one whom we obey.