REACHING ‘GOOD PEOPLE’

I happened to be listening to Glenn Beck in the truck this morning. I only listen occasionally and can hardly be considered a fan. When I first heard Beck my ears perked up when he made referred to Jesus, reading the Bible and praying. I wondered, “Is this guy a Christian?” I soon learned that Beck is a Mormon. I’ve known some who have completely turned him off when they learned that, but I still listen from time to time when I’m driving somewhere during his show.

I wonder, how do you reach a religious guy like Glenn Beck with the truth about who Jesus is? I mean here’s a guy that was an alcoholic and had a drug addiction on top of that, who has found religion and cleaned up his life. He’ not the same guy he used to be (and he’s not ashamed to talk about it). Most people, liberal and conservative, would probably say that now he’s a ‘good person’ (a little crazy maybe too).

I will probably never have the opportunity to meet Mr. Beck but there are people just like him who are still just as lost. They too are ‘good people’ and may attribute the change in their lives to a religious experience. Yet if a person has not acknowledged Jesus Christ as savior and Lord then they are still lost and on their way to hell regardless of how good they might be. What can we do to help people like that?

• [19] Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: [20] religious, nonreligious, [21] meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, [22] the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life.
  1 Corinthians 9:19-22 (MsgB)

According to Paul the most effective way to bring people to Jesus is to enter their world as a servant. In other words Paul would encourage us to build relational bridges into people’s lives, live an authentic Christian life, and be there when they have a need.

Can I be honest with you? I need to do better at this as most of my relationships are confined to family and the church while my neighbors are strangers. How about you are you limited to only having friends within a ‘holy huddle’ of church folks? What can we do to be more like Paul and become “all things to all men” in order to save some? What do you think?

KNOW IT ALLS

‘Know-it-all’ has an answer for every question and an opinion on everything. And the word of ‘Know-it-all’ is final. He or she is always right and you can’t say anything to change it. If ‘Know-it-all’ says, “The moon is made of green cheese” just smile and nod your head. Sometimes it’s better to just not say anything. Besides ‘Know-it-all’ will either try to convince you that you are wrong or will give you yet another monolog of their superior knowledge.

Sometimes ‘Know-it-all’ gets saved and finds him or herself sitting in church beside you. What then are we to do when ‘Know-it-all’ speaks up? Or dare I even say it; what are you and I to do if we happen to be 'Mr. or Ms. Know-it-all’? Let’s see if we can’t learn something new.

• [1] Now let's talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols. You think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. [2] Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much.
  1 Corinthians 8:1-2 (NLT)

Paul had to deal with some know it alls in the church at Corinth. The issue focused meat sacrificed to idols. ‘Know-it-all’ knew that an idol was nothing in comparison to God and that the meat was just mean, so let’s just eat up and enjoy. “Besides,” says ‘Know-it-all,’ “We have freedom as Christians that keeps us from being bound by pagan worship.”

I find it interesting that Paul didn’t just tell the Corinthians that ‘Know-it-all’ really was right. If you read what Paul says he actually agrees with ‘Know-it-all.’ However, while we have freedom as Christians, Paul points out that we also have a responsibility to each other. What is most important is that we have a love for one another and live our lives in such a way that will strengthen and build others up in their faith in Christ.

Paul didn’t say that knowledge wasn’t important, and that’s not what I’m saying either. We need to study God’s word and know not only what we believe but also why we believe it. However, what makes our church strong is not superior knowledge but an unfailing love that puts others first. It is love that helps ‘Know-it-all’ to know when to speak and when to just be quiet and serve others. What do you think?

Dear Abby

You remember “Dear Abby” Ann Landers don’t you? These syndicated advice columns were written by twin sisters Pauline and Esther Friedman. Every day they gave common sense advice to those who had shared their stories and questions with them. “Dear Abby” continues to be written by Pauline’s daughter Jeanne Phillips and is read by more people than any other newspaper column in the world.

You’ve got questions you would like answers to don’t you. Everyday we face problems that need fixing in one way or another. It might be at home, work, school or anywhere in between. I once tried writing an ask the pastor column in the local paper called “Word on the Street.” Like the Friedman sisters it was set up in a questions/answer format. While all the questions were real to life with biblical answers, they were just my invention because no one ever wrote to ask about their issues. “Dear Abby” your job is safe.

The apostle Paul got some questions from the church in Corinth that he gave godly counsel to in response. Some of the questions we might think would be better talked about by the likes of “Dear Abby” than a preacher like Paul. I can imagine their question being something like this:

Dear Paul, I miss going to visit the temple prostitutes to honor the goddess Venus. I know she isn’t really a god but we sure had fun up on the hill. What’s a guy or a girl to do?

Alright their question may not have been quite like that, but take a look at Paul’s answer. He tells it to us straight.

• [2] . . . It's good for a man to have a wife, and for a woman to have a husband. Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder. [3] The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality—the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband. [4] Marriage is not a place to "stand up for your rights." Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out.
  1 Corinthians 7:2-4 (MsgB)

So do you think your ‘problems’ are too personal for the Bible to offer any answers? Is there anything more personal than sex? Don’t just look to “Dear Abby” or common sense for advice. Look to God’s word for answers and direction in all areas of life. Who knows, you might even want to ask the pastor! What do you think?

FASHION SHOWS AND POPULARITY CONTEST

The General Council of the Assemblies of God will be electing a new General Superintendent in two weeks. The process is simple enough. All ordained ministers in the AG are eligible to be considered as there is not a nominating committee. Therefore all the delegates at Council cast a nominating ballot. After that ballot only those nominated may be considered for election. If someone receives two-thirds of the votes on the nominating ballot they are declared elected. If no one is elected the first elective ballot follows from those nominated. Once the votes have been counted we will consider only the top 15 candidates on the second ballot and then only the top 3 until someone receives the necessary two-thirds.

Our prayer is that the election does not just end up being a popularity contest among those with name recognition. It’s one thing to know someone’s name and another to know the person. Nevertheless Paul warns us about how we judge one another as servants of Christ.

• So don't get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgments before all the evidence is in. When he comes, he will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we never even dreamed of—inner motives and purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear the "Well done!" of God.
  1 Corinthians 4:5 (MsgB)

The Corinthian church was debating who the super-apostles were. Paul, Apollos and Cephas were the top three vote getters. Paul put a stop to the popularity contest. He reminded the Corinthians and us as well that God has set a day of judgment. The Lord knows the hearts of His servants and will make our motives known. Those filled with pride and self-achievement will be exposed. Those who humbly serve the Master will be rewarded.

Let’s not make the mistake of thinking one minister is better than another, or for that matter one Christian over another. We are all just servants.

Yes there is a place to judge one another in regard to sin (see 1 Corinthians 5:12-13), but judgment is not about choosing favorites. We are all equal before God. What do you think?

BABY BABIES

We recently brought a new baby into our family . . . a baby Dachshund that is. Oscar is as cute as ever and of course wants to bite everything. This includes Lucy our twelve year old Dachshund. Lucy has been her good natured self and plays along with Oscar from time to time, but with a stern bark Lucy will also let the puppy know when to quit nipping at her heals.

I happened to think, what if Lucy were still like Oscar? What if she were a ball of none stop energy, chewing everything, getting under foot, leaving puppy surprises everywhere (only bigger), cried all night and woke me up early each morning? Lucy would have been in the dog house years ago! You accept puppy behavior from a puppy.

Like Lucy’s bark at Oscar, Paul had to direct some stern words to the Corinthian church.

• Brothers and sisters, I couldn't talk to you as spiritual people but as people still influenced by your corrupt nature. You were infants in your faith in Christ.
  1 Corinthians 3:1 (GW)

The believers in Corinth were still acting like babies. They were immature in their faith and not fully developed spiritually. Paul said they were still influenced by their “corrupt nature.” The word Paul used was “sarkikos” an adjective form of the Greek word for flesh. Literally Paul was telling the Corinthians that they were still motivated by carnal or fleshly desires. In other words they were still self-centered.

Paul pointed out one of their “baby messes.” He said they were jealous and quarrelling with each other (see verse 3). This was not the kind of behavior you expect from those who have grown up. Enough was enough. It was time for them to begin to act like the people that they were. As believers they were “God’s temple” and the Holy Spirit lived in them (see verse 16). It was time to stop living for their own desires and start letting God’s desires be what motivated them.

Do you know anyone who still only thinks of themselves? How much influence do our desires have in our day to day lives? Have we made God’s desires our desires? Are we still acting like infants in our faith? It’s one thing to baby babies, but its time that some Christians grew up. Let’s go look in the mirror. Are you or I one of them that needs to stop being so self-centered living only for our fleshly desires? What do you think?

THE SECRET

“Shhh! It’s a secret.” We like to be in on knowing a secret. What we know is not to be openly shared with just anyone. You can pass your secret on to some people, but others can’t be told because they just don’t know how to keep a secret. And of course some people should not be told about a secret because it concerns them.

Do you remember how you felt the last time you had a secret that wasn’t a secret anymore? Someone let the secret out of the bag and now the surprise is ruined, or worse someone has been hurt by hearing the secret from the wrong person.

We recently involved everyone at the church in the secret gift for Pastor George and his family. The excitement was building as the big day approached. Unfortunately when the day came a couple of little voices blurted out, “We’ve got a surprise for you today!” Ahhh! You’re not supposed to tell someone about their surprise—that’s part of the secret!

So can I let you in on a secret? It’s God’s secret wisdom.

• God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene.
  1 Corinthians 2:7 (MsgB)

God’s secret was His plan of salvation for all people. It was God’s idea right from the very beginning, so it’s not anything new. Salvation was the secret in God’s heart from day one. God did not want sin to separate us from Him, so in His love He planned for His only Son, Jesus, to die in our place. Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins makes it possible for us to be forgiven, to be friends of God.

God kept His secret well. Oh He dropped some hints about what His plan was through the prophets, but no one fully understood exactly what God had in mind. Paul goes on to say that if the rulers of this world had known what God was going to do they would never have nailed Jesus to the cross. They had no idea the cross was part of God’s plan (see verse 8).

Now the secret is out. When Jesus rose from the dead God’s secret of salvation was revealed. Surprise! Now, what will you do with God’s secret? Will you keep it to yourself, or will you tell somebody about it? What do you think?

Hold onto the towel!

From time to time we all feel discouraged. We feel like throwing in the towel and just giving up. What’s the use of persevering?

Perhaps you are feeling that way even today. Maybe you want to give up on your marriage. Perhaps your adult children have turned away from God, or you have a teenager in the midst of rebellion. Maybe you find yourself at a financial dead end. Or it could be that the doctors have not given you a favorable report. You want to escape but none can be found.

In the midst of all our trials and the shortcomings of life we sometimes even want to give up on God. Why are these things happening to us? Does God even care? We withdraw from going to church; we stop praying and reading our Bibles. It seems that hope is lost, and our faith is fading fast.

What should we do in moments like these? How should we respond to the speed bumps of life that stop us cold? With only a mustard seed of faith, look to God.

• [8] He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
  1 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NIV)

The Lord will strengthen those who are weak, so don’t try to make it in your own strength. But that’s not all! God will also keep you from sin. We can know that with God’s help we will one day stand before the Lord blameless and pure. Though we feel like giving up, God never will. The Lord is faithful.

Stop and reflect on the goodness of the Lord. Don’t dwell on the negative thoughts that so easily fill your mind. Push them aside and choose to remember what God has done for you. As you do let praise begin to fill your heart and overflow. Even if you don’t feel like it begin to praise the Lord and give Him thanks that He is faithful to the very end. God will never give up on you.

• To all who mourn . . . [or just feel like giving up], he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.
  Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)

So you don’t feel like praising the Lord. Act on faith and let the Lord fill your mouth. He will keep you strong to the very end and help you overcome. Hold onto the towel. As a matter of fact wave it as a victor's flag with the sound of praise. What do you think?

Looking Deeper

What happens to a person when they become a Christian by faith in Christ? As believers, you and I would all give testimony of a changed life, but what exactly happened when we were saved? How should this change be described?

Talking to Nicodemus, Jesus referred to a necessary transformation that would have to occur in order to inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus said the believer must be “born again” or literally born from above. Nicodemus wondered how this new birth would take place. A grown man could not re-enter his mother’s womb to be born again. Jesus answered Nicodemus’ question by saying a person must be born of “water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). Jesus added:

• Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
  John 3:6 (NIV)

What does Jesus mean here by flesh? The context would indicate that Jesus is referring to the human body; in other words, through natural childbirth human always gives birth to human. But is it possible that Jesus has more in mind than just the human body? Could it be that Jesus wants us to understand that the human nature gives birth to itself; in other words it is impossible for us to be born again through human effort or strength. Only the Spirit can bring about the new birth that Jesus is talking about.

Jesus’ statement that an individual must be born of “water and the Spirit” is curious. As a religious leader Nicodemus would have most likely been familiar with Ezekiel 36:25-26 which speaks of the cleansing of the Spirit and the renewal of life that God will bring to those whose hope is in Him. “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (NIV).

If by water Jesus means natural birth then He has perhaps overstated the obvious. A person must be born, that is a living human being in order to then be born again of the Spirit. But if Jesus has in mind the cleansing of the human nature by the Spirit through the rebirth, then it seems likely that flesh could refer to the human nature and not simply the body. What do you think?

The Flesh

Ponder this: “there are different kinds of flesh.” This is my understatement of the day. I’ve spent the better part of the day studying what the word “flesh” or as the in the Greek “sarx” means. I’m tempted to say, “It’s all Greek to me” (I guess I said it didn’t’ I).

Paul said, “All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another” (1 Corinthians 15:39 NIV). The meaning of flesh here is obvious; it is the body or tissue of a living creature. Yet all “sarx” is not the same!

In the New Testament (and especially in Paul’s epistles) flesh or “sarx” is defined four different ways: [1] bodily flesh or tissue, [2] human decent or relationship, [3] mankind or the human race, and [4] human nature. It’s that last meaning that is hard to get a handle on (well at least for me). In many modern translations “sarx” is translated as sinful nature (that’s what gives me a problem that I’m trying to figure out).

The flesh as human nature can be thought of in three ways: [1] weak human nature, [2] the human nature of Christ, and [3] unregenerate humanity. Just where does flesh as “sinful nature” in so many of our English Bibles fit in? Obviously it would not apply to the human nature of Christ. Jesus took on the “likeness of sinful flesh” but was free from sin (Romans 8:3 KJV).

But how might “sinful nature” apply to the flesh that is unregenerate humanity or the flesh that is the weak human nature? I can accept that a non-Christian the unregenerate has a sinful nature, but does the believer still have a “sinful nature” or is it just the weakness of the flesh? Think about this:

• [16] So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view [“sarx”-the flesh]. Though we once regarded Christ in this way [“sarx”-the flesh again], we do so no longer. [17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
  2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NIV)

Paul had a transformation in his way of thinking about people, and especially about how he thought about Jesus. Why? In Christ he became a new creation; the old way of thinking according to the flesh was gone and a new way of thinking (by the Spirit) had taken its place. Being in Christ dramatically changed the way Paul thought, but did it also change his flesh? That is did Paul cease to have a “sinful nature” because of his relationship with Christ? How had Paul’s conversion (and in turn our own) changed him because he no longer lived according to the flesh but by the Spirit (see Romans 8:4-5)?

I want to invite you to take a journey and ponder with me this week about the change that has taken place within our lives. Has our sinful nature been done away with or is it still there trying to regain control of our lives? Together let’s try to unravel what it means to live in a body of flesh and blood, no longer controlled by the flesh but by the Spirit. What do you think?

Injustice

A Christian named Lorenzo Lopez (20) was killed by local tribal people in the region of San Juan Chamula, Chiapas state on June 11. Surrounded by approximately thirty local people who suspected them of being evangelists beat Lorenzo and his companions Juan Lopez and Juan Diaz Mendez who were able to escape but Lorenzo was captured, tortured, stoned and hanged.

Government authorities demolished a church belonging to the "Orang Asli" tribe of indigenous Christians in Kuala Lumpur, on June 8. The authorities claimed that the church was built without state permission.[1]

INJUSTICE. Just the sound of the word makes us cringe. Few of us have experienced the injustice and persecution described by The Voice of the Martyrs. When we hear of the inequality experience by others, regardless of how big or small, we wish there was something we could do to make things right.

• [50] Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, [51] who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.
  Luke 23:50-51 (NIV)

I find the description made about Joseph of Arimathea interesting. Both Luke and Mark make the same point about him; Joseph, a member of the Council, was “waiting for the kingdom of God.”

Like other Jews Joseph was looking for the coming of God’s promised Messiah. The anger of the other religious leaders toward Jesus, the attempts to trap Jesus in the things He would say, the false witnesses who lied, the stirring up of crowd to ask for Barabbas to be set free and Jesus crucified, watching Jesus die. Could it be that when Joseph saw the injustice poured out on Jesus he finally had seen enough?

Is it possible that in that moment he connected the dots and thought they had just murdered the Messiah? The least they could do now was to give Jesus a proper burial. For Joseph to take Jesus dead body from the cross would make him unclean and unable to participate in the celebrations of this Passover Sabbath. A small price to pay for the injustice he witnessed. What do you think?

[1] The Voice of the Martyrs, Persecution and Prayer Alert; June20, 2007. http://www.persecution.net/

Anticipating a King

“So do you want to watch me pull a rabbit out of this hat?”

I’ve always been fascinated by the magician. The tricks of a good illusionist sometimes befuddle my mind. I know that what I saw isn’t what really happened; if I knew the secret then I would see what really happens. Yes, the hand really is quicker than the eye.

Jesus was not a magician; He was a miracle worker. Jesus did not create an illusion. Jesus changed reality. The blind could suddenly see, the deaf could hear, the lame could walk. Jesus even raised the dead! But Jesus’ wonders were not limited to just curing the sick. Jesus defied the laws of nature. He walked on water, calmed the sea, and even fed thousands from a little boy’s lunch. Was there anything Jesus could not do?

Jesus was going to Jerusalem and stopped in Jericho at the home of Zacchaeus. The anticipation of the crowd was intense. What would Jesus do when He got to Jerusalem? Surely now was the time for Jesus to establish the Kingdom.

• [11] While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. [12] He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.”
  Luke 19:11-12 (NIV)

Now stop and read what Jesus said again with the anticipation that Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem where He will cause the Kingdom to be miraculously established. The last thing you would expect Jesus to say is that a nobleman had to travel to a distant country to be made king. Jesus doesn’t need to go to Rome or any other distant place to become Israel’s king. This will all happen in Jerusalem right?

Things certainly did not turn out like the people, and even the disciples expected them to in Jerusalem. Instead of the miraculous appearance of the Kingdom Jesus was betrayed, falsely convicted and crucified.

But we know the story doesn’t end there. Jesus was raised from the dead and after 40 days of being with His disciples Jesus ascended into heaven. I think heaven would qualify as “a distant country.” Peter would later tell the crowd gathered in Jerusalem that “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:26).

Jesus has been exalted as King of kings and Lord of lords. He is seated upon His throne in heaven. But one day, just as Jesus said, He will return. What do you think?

Where is the Kingdom?

Have you ever felt like the husband who can’t find his car keys and his wife tells them that they are hanging from the end of his nose? Sometimes we overlook the obvious. If it’s just missing car keys, eyeglasses, your wallet or other such things it’s an inconvenience, but you find it eventually and life goes on. But what if you overlook something that’s right in front of you, but it’s a matter of life and death? Now that’s a completely different story.

• [20] Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, [21] nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."
  Luke 17:20-21 (NIV)

Talk about misplacing your eyeglasses that are right on top of your head! The Pharisees were looking for the Kingdom of God, but they couldn’t see it. Jesus, God’s anointed One, the Messiah who ushered in the Kingdom was standing right in front of them and they didn’t recognize Him or His Kingdom.

What is Jesus telling the Pharisees? He said the Kingdom was already “within you.” What exactly does that mean? First, the Pharisees are looking in the wrong direction. They are looking for a physical kingdom, but the Kingdom of God is spiritual. The Kingdom is not found by looking around you but within your heart. Second, the Pharisees mistakenly believed that they were subjects or citizens of the Kingdom of God, but Jesus wanted them to see that their hearts were actually rebelling against God. If they had truly submitted to God’s reign in their lives then they would have recognized Jesus for who He is as the Christ.

An alternate translation of this verse says, “the kingdom of God is among you.” This would shift the focus to what the Pharisees could see around them. The Pharisees were blind to Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, thus they also could not see the citizens of God’s Kingdom who had put their faith in Jesus. Because Jesus didn’t fit their expectations they dismissed the miracles of the Kingdom that Jesus did as works of the devil. Anyone could see that Jesus was a fraud because according to the Pharisees the Kingdom of God that Jesus announced had not come like they knew it would.

Could it be that Jesus was telling the Pharisees both? The Kingdom is within you, but you are in rebellion to it. And the Kingdom is among you, but you are blind to what God is doing in and through the lives of those who believe.

How about you? Are you aware of God’s Kingdom? Has it made a change within you that will be seen by others among you? What do you think?

Fresh Bread

Most of Susie’s kitchen gadgets stay in the cupboard, but not this one. Sometime ago we got her a bread machine. This simplified bread making for her. For a busy mom with five children (one just a baby and two schooling at home with mom as their teacher) that bread machine was a blessing. Nearly everyday our family enjoyed the smell of fresh baked bread. It made the house warm and inviting.

• [18] Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? [19] It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."
  [20] Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? [21] It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."
  Luke 13:18-21 (NIV)

Jesus had a way of taking the simple everyday things that were a part of everyday life and filling them with new meaning. Jesus made you stop and think about things that could easily be overlooked and taken for granted. So why would Jesus liken the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed and yeast?

The expectation of the Jews was that the Kingdom of God would be established with a great victory over their enemies as God’s Messiah would take his rightful place upon the throne of Israel. Jesus brought the Kingdom in an unexpected way. It started out small. The secrets of the Kingdom were revealed to only a few; most people didn’t understand what Jesus meant. But from this small beginning the Kingdom of God has continued to grow.

I see something else about the Kingdom of God within the mustard seed and the yeast that Jesus might even liken to our bread machine. Surprising I know, but maybe that will help you understand how the people felt when Jesus first told these short parables. They would scratch their heads and wonder what Jesus was talking about. I’m tempted to leave you wondering, but I won’t.

Our bread machine would draw our family together. When the kids were little we would all gather around it to peak through the little window to see how the bread was made. Even today we’ll share time together reminiscing as the smell of fresh baked bread fills our house.

The Kingdom of God draws people together in Christ. Like the birds that make their home in the branches of the mustard tree, or the aroma of fresh bread that calls the family to the dinner table, the Kingdom of God invites people to be included. What do you think?

Free Puppies!

I’ve had many occasions to tell my kids, “There is no such thing as a free puppy.” Granted the person with the puppy isn’t asking for anything; they will gladly give the puppy away. However, once the puppy is yours you start paying for it. You’ve got to feed it, take it to the vet, get a dog license, and let’s not forget the damage a puppy can do chewing things you wish it wouldn’t or making other ‘messes.’ No, the free puppy will cost you more than you can imagine because you will keep on paying as long as it is yours.

I imagine that if you were to offer to pay for the ‘free puppy’ the owner would gladly accept whatever you might offer. After all they are giving the puppy away because it has already cost them something and they want to stop paying for it.

God has a gift that He will give to anyone who is ready to receive it. Like that puppy God’s gift will cost us something too (see “Counting the Cost”). But unlike the owner of the puppy, God will not accept payment for his gift. The kingdom must be received as a gift; you can’t buy it.

• [31] But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. [32] Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
  Luke 12:31-32 (NIV)

Jesus’ emphasis here is that we have nothing to worry about because we have been given the Kingdom. Jesus wants us to think like Kingdom people. God will meet our every need. Furthermore real treasure is not found in the things the world values but in giving worldly treasure away.

• [33] Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. [34] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
  Luke 12:33-34 (NIV)

Having accepted my share of free puppies I’ve learned something else; a puppy will also give you a lifetime of joyful experiences that money cannot buy. The Kingdom of God is a gift that is far greater than that puppy. Like the puppy it is a gift that will cost you something. But with the Kingdom you receive more than a lifetime of joy; Kingdom joy will overflow with more than you can contain. Regardless of your circumstances and no matter how great the cost may seem to be, as you seek the Kingdom, God also enables you to pay the price. It’s true; God’s Kingdom is a gift that keeps on giving.

Count the Cost

Where did we get the idea that salvation is free? We know that Jesus paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins through His death on the cross. We can do nothing to earn salvation, nor can we buy it for ourselves; it is the gift of God.

Through our faith in Jesus Christ we are saved, but salvation is more than the gift of forgiveness of our sin and eternal life. Salvation also makes us children of God and heirs with Christ. In addition to all this we are also included as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Does all this really come to us with no cost? Or is there a price that we must be willing to pay if we are to enjoy all the benefits of God’s gift of salvation?

• [57] As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
  [58] Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
  [59] He said to another man, "Follow me."
  But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
  [60] Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
  [61] Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
  [62] Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
  Luke 9:57-62 (NIV)

Three times Jesus rebukes those who want to follow Him but want to do it on their own terms. It seems that in each case there is a common thread to what Jesus tells these would be followers. COUNT THE COST. Each were welcomed to remain with Jesus and follow Him, but they had to first understand that following Jesus the Messiah and being included in the Kingdom of God would make demands upon them that they must consider.

Jesus is our Savior, but that’s not all. He is also our Lord who rules over His Kingdom. Are we willing to follow Him regardless of the cost? Will we lay down that which is most important to us in order to make Jesus Savior and Lord? Have we cheapened the value of our salvation by saying it is free? What do you think?

Why Did Jesus Come?

Luke gives us considerable background into the early life of Jesus. The account of Jesus’ birth and childhood serve two primary functions. First Luke wants to establish from the beginning Jesus identity as the Son of God; Jesus is no ordinary man. Second Luke also wants to show that Jesus is qualified as the Son of David to be the promised Messiah.

Why did Jesus come? What was His reason for being or stated purpose for His life? I suppose you might find a variety of answers depending upon who you asked and where you look. Some might be quick to point out that the purpose of Jesus life was to die for our sins; even Jesus said He came to “give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Others might say that Jesus came to “seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). Still others might point to Jesus as the miracle worker (see John 10:25; 14:11), or that Jesus came to do the will of the Father (see John 6:57; 12:49; 20:21).

None of these responses would be wrong. Of these the reason that I think stands out as uniting them all would be that Jesus came to do the will of the Father. However, Jesus does not directly say that He came with the express purpose of doing the will of the Father, and even if He had then it would still beg the question, “What is the will of the Father?” Has Jesus said anything else that might give us an explanation why He came that would also unite these various reasons into a more concise statement of purpose that defines the Father’s will?

• "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."
  Luke 4:43 (NIV)

Could this be the Father’s will for Jesus? Is the primary reason Jesus came to make known the good news of the Kingdom of God? The good news is that God’s kingdom has come. The announcement of this message is more important than doing miracles; these are just evidence that the kingdom has indeed come. Jesus seeks the lost that they might be included in God’s Kingdom; He died on the cross to make it possible for us to be accepted into the Kingdom. Everything Jesus said and did seems to revolve around the announcement of the good news about God’s Kingdom.

If this was Jesus’ purpose then as His followers shouldn’t it also be our primary purpose too? What do you think?

High Expectations

Have you ever had someone expect something of you that you could not do for them? It’s not that you wouldn’t want to; it’s just that their expectations are too high. John the Baptist found himself in just such a situation.

• [15] The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. [16] John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. [17] His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
  Luke 3:15-17 (NIV)

The people were eagerly looking for “the Christ” or in the Hebrew “the Messiah.” Literally they were anticipating God’s anointed one, the person God had consecrated to save Israel; in other words, they were looking for a powerful king to establish a new and better kingdom. John spoke as a prophet with the power of the Holy Spirit; this is what made him different from everyone else and why the people wondered if John might be the Christ.

John knew that he could not deliver what the people were hoping for in him. Instead John pointed them to someone else, someone far greater than he was. While John told them to look for someone else to be the Christ, he did not change their expectation of what the Christ would be and do for them.

What did John and the people think it meant for the Christ to baptize with “the Holy Spirit and fire” or to hold his winnowing fork in his hand to clear the threshing floor? Was this not just a picture of the judgment the Christ would bring as he would bring his people into his kingdom and destroy his enemies with “unquenchable fire?”

Jesus redefined what it meant to be God’s Christ or Messiah. We read into what John said using Jesus’ definition, but could it be that not even John fully knew what the one whose sandals he was unworthy to untie would be like? Is it possible that even John had the same mistaken expectations for the coming Messiah to establish a new and powerful kingdom in Israel?

What about you and me? Is it possible that we have some wrong expectations about Jesus? We know that Jesus was a suffering Messiah, that He died a cruel death so we can be forgiven and set free from the power of sin and death. We know that Jesus is the Son of God and that nothing is impossible for Him. But are we holding onto some expectations like John and the people of Israel that are misplaced? Are we thinking too small, too much of the here and now? How might Jesus need to redefine our understanding of Him as our Messiah? What do you think?

See for yourself

Someone said, “Seeing is believing.” Let’s not be naive though, a lot of what we see today is unbelievable. The reason so much of what we see is far-fetched and unlikely to be true is because it has been manufactured. Anyone with a digital camera and a computer can doctor photographs. Like a magician's illusion much of the “news” we see is manufactured to make things appear to be a certain way. The ‘green screen’ makes what you see at the theater questionable. We have a right to be skeptical and question what we see.

A few years ago I saw my dad laying in the ER sicker than I had ever known him to be. The doctor called us into a meeting room to discuss what measures we wanted them to take to save his life; we all agreed that dad would not want to be put on any extended life support systems. We later learned that the doctors had “white flagged” my dad. That means they had surrendered; they had done everything they knew to do and expected him to die soon. Seeing is believing. I watched dad walk out of the hospital two days later. He can still be seen living life to its fullest today.

The word of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was beginning to spread among His followers. But they didn’t rejoice at the news. They were all skeptical just like doubting Thomas.

• Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
  Mark 16:14 (NIV)

I can just imagine what Jesus might have said to the disciples. “Look guys it’s me; I’m alive. How many times did I tell you that I would die and then be raised again on the third day. If you couldn’t believe those who had seen me then couldn’t you at least count the days and believe what I had told you? Now see for yourselves; this is the third day and here I am!”

It’s surprising that Jesus’ disciples were the most difficult to persuade that He was alive again. Jesus’ enemies understood that Jesus said he would rise again, but not His followers. The fact that a bunch of skeptical and fearful disciples would later stand up and preach Christ crucified and risen from the dead is convincing evidence that the Gospel is true. What do you think?

CAN DO

September 11, 2001, a day that America seemed powerless to do anything to prevent the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and in Washington DC. Powerless that is except for the 37 passengers on board United 93. None of the passengers seemed to have stopped to think about what they couldn’t do. Could they fly the plane and land it safely? Could they save the lives of the crew who had been overtaken by the hijackers? Could they stop the hijackers from killing them in their attempt to overpower them? Instead they focused on what they could do. “Let’s roll” was heard as the passengers did what they could to regain control of the plane. To stop the passenger revolt the hijackers crashed United 93 into a field in rural Pennsylvania just 20 minutes flight time from their target in Washington DC. The passengers did what they could.

Have you ever notice how easy it is to focus on what we cannot do? When we think about what we cannot do we lose sight of what we can do.

• [40] Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. [41] They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Then they and many other women had come with him to Jerusalem . . . [47] Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus' body was laid.
  Mark 15:40-41, 47 (NLT)

These women were powerless to do anything to save Jesus life. When you think about it there was a lot they could not do. They could not defend Jesus before the Sanhedrin. They could not plead with Pilate for mercy. They could not raise their voices over the crowd. They could not prevent the Roman soldiers from carrying out the crucifixion. They could not go to Pilate and ask for Jesus’ dead body.

But these women did what they could do. They remained near the cross as Jesus died while the disciples fled in fear. They were with Joseph of Arimathea as Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and they went with him to the tomb. They prepared spices for Jesus body and went to the tomb before dawn on Sunday morning. Because they did what they could instead of focusing on what they couldn’t, they were blessed to be the first to hear the news of Jesus’ resurrection.

What are you facing today that is greater than you are? What has Jesus asked you to do for Him that you haven’t done yet? Don’t focus on what you cannot do; look instead at what you can do. Christ will not bless good intentions, but He will empower our efforts as we take simple steps of faith to just do what we can. What do you think?

The in between time passes quickly. . .

How quickly the time passes from one celebration to the next. It seems like just yesterday that Susie and I were married. We were a couple of young kids in love. Now with five babies in their teens and growing into adults we are getting ready for our next big celebration: our 25th wedding anniversary.

Before Jesus was crucified He enjoyed the annual celebration of Passover with the disciples. When Jesus came to the bread He told the disciples that it represented His body. The cup of wine was His blood. It is from the Passover Seder that we take the bread and the cup for communion to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. With the cup Jesus told His disciples one more thing; lets take a moment and ponder it.

• "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."
  Mark 14:25 (NIV)

This is Jesus’ last statement in Mark’s gospel about the Kingdom of God. His first words announced that the Kingdom was near. Through out Mark’s gospel Jesus gave many convincing proofs that God’s Kingdom had in fact come through Him: the blind could see, the deaf hear, the lame could walk, lepers were cleansed, and even the dead were raised. God’s Kingdom had come, but Jesus said He would wait to celebrate the Kingdom when He comes again.

We live in days between the coming of the Kingdom and the return of the King. You might say we are living in a time when the Kingdom is already and not yet. We enjoy the benefits of God’s Kingdom now, but we also live in anticipation of our coming King when He will do away with everything that is a part of this evil age.

Susie and I have had a lot to celebrate over the last 25 years, and we have also had our share of trials and hardships. Yet when it is all said and done the good far out weighs the bad; I guess that’s why we look with anticipation to celebrating our anniversary while wondering how quickly the time has past us by.

I think that’s a lot like Jesus anticipation of His return. Yes, we live in the in between time—the Kingdom already and not yet—but how quickly the time has past since Jesus said He would not drink again of the fruit of the vine and the coming Day of His return when we will drink together with our Lord and celebrate His return. It won’t be long; the celebration is about to begin. The time between celebrations really isn’t that long. What do you think?