Spiritual Unity

Readings for today: John 14-17

There is power in unity. There is power when God’s people abide in Him. There is power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. This power is not our own. It is a divine power. Tearing down every stronghold and every high thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. Tearing down every dividing wall of hostility that stands between us and God. It is the power of salvation for all who believe. It’s a power that regenerates hearts. Justifies our very being. Sanctifies our lives. It is a power to make those orphaned by sin into children of the Most High. This is the power of God.

Jesus knew this power. Jesus drew on this power. Jesus understood this power. He lived in close, deep, intimate communion with His Father His entire life and He drew on this power constantly to heal, forgive, cast out demons, calm storms. He drew on this power when He multiplied the loaves and fishes and turned water into wine. He drew on this power when He suffered. Died. And this same power was at work when He was raised from the dead.

This is the power Jesus offers to those who follow Him. Throughout His farewell discourse in John 14-17, Jesus refers constantly to the unity He has with the Father and the unity desires to have with His people.

“If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.”

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?”

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you…the Spirit of truth…You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

“In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John‬ ‭14:7, 10, 16-18, 20, 23, 15:5‬)‬

The gift Jesus offers us in Himself is beyond comprehension. He literally offers us the same power that created the universe. The same power that raised the dead. The same power that will one day bring all things together and make all things new. This same power is available to us through our relationship with Christ and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. This is why no weapon that is formed against us can stand. This is why no flaming arrows of the evil one can pierce the shield of faith. This is why we have nothing to fear. We abide in the Vine. We stand on the Rock. We drink from fountains of Living Water. Amen?

But what does union with Christ look like? Agreement. Submission. Surrender. It requires us to take our lives - all our thoughts, words, deeds, and desires - and align them with Jesus. Make His will our own. Allow His Spirit to determine what is true and noble and right rather than continuing to do what is right in our own eyes.

As we draw close to Jesus, we will find ourselves drawing close to one another as well. The Body of Christ will discover a collective power in its unity that will make a huge impact on the world. I firmly believe this is the secret to the revival taking place in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Djibouti. Over 6,500 churches have been planted. Over 1 million lost people have been saved. God is changing the landscape in places like Gojo, Dire Dawa, and Borena. He is changing the landscape in Torit, South Sudan and in northern and southeastern Uganda. He is just getting started in Djibouti and will move into Somalia in the next few years. All because believers in these regions have put aside their differences and come together as one in Christ. Does this mean they agree on everything? Absolutely not! Unity is not the same as unanimity. No, their unity comes from a deeper source. A spiritual source. A well that never runs dry. Their common faith in Christ.

I love the words of Psalm 133. How good it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity. It is like precious oil that overflows. Dew that drenches the mountains, bringing new life. There God commands His blessing…life evermore! In these fractured and divided times, the church has a great opportunity to show the world the power of the gospel in our unity with Christ and each other. May we answer the call of Jesus’ prayer.

Readings for tomorrow: None

Humility

Readings for today: Matthew 26:1-5, 14-35, Mark 14:1-2, 10-31, Luke 22:1-38, John 13

I remember one of the first times I washed another person’s feet. I was in seminary at Princeton. I was working as a prison chaplain at New Jersey State Prison. I was leading a Bible study on Thursday nights and we were studying the gospels. When we got to today’s readings about Jesus washing the disciple’s feet, I pulled out a bucket and suggested we do the same for each other. The reaction was overwhelming. Several men started to weep. Some resisted but eventually gave in. Some were ashamed of what their feet looked and smelled like. One man was so overcome with emotion that he got up and walked to the corner of the room. It was a powerful moment for us all. After we were finished, we spent some time talking about why foot-washing is so hard for us and what we learned by following the command of Jesus that night. Here are just a few of our takeaways…

Foot-washing is humbling. We don’t like being served. Being served places us in a passive position where we have little to no power. It makes us feel uncomfortable. Vulnerable. Exposed. We live in a culture where feet are largely covered up. We wear socks and shoes most of the time. Our feet are not considered the most beautiful or attractive parts of our bodies. They are sensitive to touch and heat and cold. The experience feels deeply intimate. Like something you would do with a close friend and we frankly don’t have a lot of close friends.

Foot-washing turns power dynamics on their head. Several of the men remarked on how deeply it touched them to have a white, upper middle class, highly educated, non-incarcerated pastor kneeling before them to wash the feet of incarcerated, largely poor, black, lower-educated men. I felt the same way when our roles reversed and the men served me. There was a sense in which foot-washing placed us all on the same level as people in desperate need of the grace Jesus offers in Himself.

All of these dynamics were in play when Jesus took the towel after supper and tied it around His waist. He was intentionally taking the place of the humblest servant. He was performing the service that none of the rest of the disciples would ever want to perform. No one wants to wash feet! Especially in ancient near east culture where feet were grimy and dirty and calloused and rough from daily activity. The reaction of Simon Peter is a common one. “Lord, you will never wash my feet!” We don’t want to be vulnerable. We don’t want to be exposed. We don’t want to be put in an uncomfortable position. But Jesus is relentless. He pursues us. He serves us in the deepest and most profound ways imaginable. And our spiritual condition doesn’t seem to matter much to Him. He washes the feet of those who betray Him. Those who deny Him. Those who do not understand Him. Those who resist Him. He simply, lovingly, graciously kneels before us right where we are to wash us clean. This is His heart for us.

Readings for tomorrow: John 14-17

Reality Check

Readings for today: Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, Luke 21:5-38

Today Jesus gives us a reality check. In this world, we will suffer. There will be trials. There will be tribulation. The culture will reject God. Nations will defy God. Kings and rulers and authorities. Presidents and Congressional Representatives and Supreme Court Justices will go their own way and do what is right in their own eyes. There will be wars. Violence. Natural disasters on a devastating scale. Drought. Famine. Disease will afflict so many. People will embrace injustice. People will love ungodliness. People will chase unrighteousness. They will call good “evil” and evil “good.” And these are just the beginning of the birth pangs of the new age.

In this confusing time, many will claim to speak for Jesus. They will claim to speak for God. They will push their own agendas. They will offer up their own ideas in place of God. They will promote selfishness and pride and narcissism. They will promote unrighteousness and lawlessness and unfettered freedom. They will sound so good that many will be led astray.

There will be abominations of desolation. Incredible acts of self-worship and idolatry that would make the ancient Canaanites blush. Worship will grow cold. Honoring God will become rare as people choose to do what feels good or what seems right in their own eyes. It will be like the days leading up to Noah. The days when the Judges reigned in Israel. Hatred. Rage. Violence. Pain. Suffering. All will become the norm as the world rebels against the authority of God.

Any of this sound familiar? How are we to respond as Christians? We respond the way my Ethiopian and Ugandan and South Sudanese brothers and sisters do. They endure to the end. They persevere in their faith. They cling to Jesus. They sacrifice it all for Him. Friends, Jesus couldn’t be more clear. The world will hate us. The world will persecute us. Throw us into prison. Torture us and even kill us. They will restrict our rights. They will label the gospel “hate speech.” They will make faithfulness to the law of God a hate crime. They will drag us into courts. They will put us on trial. They will do all they can to force us to abandon our faith. Things will get so bad that if they weren’t cut short – if God somehow delayed His return – no one would be saved.

But make no mistake…God will return! Things will get so bad even nature itself will feel the effect. The sun will darken. The moon refuse to shine. It will seem like the stars have fallen out of the sky. And just when it seems like we cannot go on, Jesus will appear. He will come on the clouds with glory and power! A trumpet will sound and the angels will gather His family from the four corners of the earth. We do not know exactly when this day will come but we know it draws ever closer. Seemingly with every single breaking news story! Climate change. Political corruption. Racism and hatred. Economic upheaval globally. Now more than ever, the world stands on the brink.

So again, what’s a Christian to do? Stay wise. Be prepared. Make sure we keep doing the work God assigned to us. Caring for the least among us. The hungry and thirsty. The naked and ashamed. The sick and imprisoned. As we care for them, we care for Jesus. Seek the lost. Fulfill the Great Commission. Take the gospel to every tribe, tongue, and nation in the world. This is the work the Master has assigned to us and when He comes again, may He find us faithful!

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 26:1-5, 14-35, Mark 14:1-2, 10-31, Luke 22:1-38, John 13

Questioning Jesus

Readings for today: Matthew 22:15-23:39, Mark 12:13-44, Luke 20:19-21:4, 13:31-35

Let me start by saying God welcomes honest, heart-felt questions. God loves nothing more than comforting His people when they come before Him confused and hurting. Struggling to understand. Trying to make sense of life and tragedy and suffering. He understands our doubts and fears. He can handle our anger and frustration. When we are honestly seeking Him. Honestly asking Him. Honestly and transparently and vulnerably bringing all our insecurities before Him, He gently gathers us in His arms and lets us know it will be okay. He is with us. He is here for us. He will never leave us or forsake us.

However…if we set out to test God. To put Him on the witness stand and demand He answer to our notions of what is right and good. If we put Him on trial and require Him to answer to our human notions of justice. If we doubt His integrity and character and nature. If we push Him and press Him and seek to discredit Him. We are playing a very dangerous game. One that places our eternal souls in jeopardy.

The religious rulers of the day had no interest in following Jesus. Their only aim was to discredit Him before the eyes of the people. They were seeking to trip Him up with their questions. They wanted to make a public spectacle of Him. Humiliate Him in the eyes of the people. Stamp out His ministry and movement and send Him back to Nazareth in disgrace. Their questions are designed to get Him in trouble politically – “is it lawful to pay taxes or not?” Their questions serve as impossible riddles – “a woman married seven times goes to heaven…whose wife will she be?” Their questions present logical impossibilities – “which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” But Jesus is not limited to human understanding. His answers reveal a divine wisdom that silences those who would seek to destroy Him. Then Jesus goes on the offensive, exposing their hypocrisy. They are the ones in violation of the Law! They are the ones who lack understanding! They are the ones who play political games! Woe to you scribes and Pharisees! Judgment is coming!

It’s sobering to say the least. And it forces us to self-reflection. What lies at the heart of my own questions? An honest desire to understand? Or a selfish desire to justify my own actions? A tender insecurity for which I need God’s comfort? Or an arrogant desire to go my own way and do my own thing? A doubt or a fear that keeps me from experiencing the peace that passes all understanding? Or a sinful desire to cling to an idol in my life? What is it that drives my questions? What lies at the heart of my doubts and fears and confusion? Am I putting God on trial or am I truly seeking His will?

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, Luke 21:5-38

The Patience of God

Readings for today: Matthew 21:23-22:14, Mark 11:27-12:12, Luke 20:1-18, John 12:37-50

I’ve been thinking a lot about the patience of God. The endurance of God. The perseverance of God. One of God’s great desires is that all should be saved and come to a knowledge of His truth. He’s been working towards this great end since the Fall of humankind into sin. He will never let us go. Never abandon us to our fate. Never stop reaching out to us. Never stop relentlessly pursuing us. Jesus says as much in one of my favorite parables. He talks about a man who planted a vineyard and leased to a particular group of people and then went into a far country, entrusting what he had made into their care. Unfortunately, the tenants got it into their heads that they deserved to keep the fruit of their labor so they rebelled against the master. They beat his servants. They treated them shamefully. They even killed a few along the way. Still the master was patient with them. He kept reaching out to them. Kept calling them back to covenant faithfulness. Eventually, the master sent his son, hoping to convince the tenants to listen to reason and repent of their ways. Tragically, those wicked tenants took the opportunity to kill the heir and secure the vineyard for themselves.

Isn’t this how humanity operates? Our inhumanity to one another knows no bounds. I am ministering in a recent conflict zone over in Ethiopia this week. The people here have suffered tremendously. Their homes have been looted. Their city stripped bare. War crimes have been committed. Attempts at ethnic cleansing have taken place. It’s horrifying on so many levels. The same thing is happening all over the world. It happens in nations like Ukraine. It happens in major cities where violent gangs run the streets. It happens in homes where abusers take out their anger on the innocent and vulnerable. So much violence. So much pain. So much heartbreak. Why doesn’t God step in? Why doesn’t God pour out His righteous wrath and judgment on those who perpetrate such evil? Why doesn’t God lay waste to the wicked tenants of the earth?

According to Jesus, it’s because God is still holding out hope for some of us to turn to Him. It’s why He continues to send servants into the deepest, darkest places on earth to spread the good news of the gospel. I think of the men and women we are training this week. They already face persecution on levels I will never come to understand. They live under constant threat. They face beatings and torture and imprisonment. Some will possibly even die. The wicked tenants of this region are very resistant to God. Not that it’s any different back home where I happen to live. The resistance is just not as obvious. The reality is we are all “wicked tenants” to some degree. Taking what God has entrusted to us and seeking to usurp God’s rightful claim. I know I’ve caused my share of suffering over the years with the things I’ve said and done to those I love. I wish I could take it back. I carry a lot of regrets. I know God is going to hold me accountable when I stand before His judgment throne. Thankfully, however, I did not reject His Son. When Jesus confronted me on the University of Colorado in Boulder in February of 1993, I responded with repentance. I got on my knees and gave my life to Him. The stone I had once rejected became the cornerstone of my life. It was the Lord’s doing and it remains marvelous to my eyes to this day. What about you? Where do you find yourself in this story today? Are you like the “wicked tenants” claiming ownership over your life or have you responded in faith to God’s Son?

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 22:15-23:39, Mark 12:13-44, Luke 20:19-21:4, 13:31-35

Rightful Ownership

Readings for today: Matthew 21:1-22, 26:6-13, Mark 11:1-26, 14:3-9, Luke 19:28-48, John 2:13-25, 11:55-57, 12:1-36

I raised my kids to be independent thinkers. Strong-willed young men and women who can make their way in the world. I love how each of them is finding their way in the world and it is a privilege to walk the journey with them. One of the many lessons I’ve tried to teach them is the difference between stewardship and ownership. When we grow up, we don’t own much. Everything from food to clothing to a roof over our heads is provided. Our job is to be good stewards. Clean our rooms. Follow the house rules. Take care of what we’ve been given. When we get older. Graduate from high school. Become legally responsible. We start to become owners. We get a job. We pay the bills. We buy things like our own cars or cell phones. As a parent, I no longer have much authority over how my child takes care of their home or how much money they spend on gas or the number of apps they download on their phone.

All four Gospels tell the story of Jesus cleansing the Temple. John’s Gospel, however, contains a very important nugget of information. When Jesus drives out the money-changers and turns over the tables of the loan sharks, the Jews ask Him an important question. What sign do you show us that justifies your actions? In other words, by whose authority do you do these things? Who gave you the right to disrupt the Passover? Who told you to bring in the blind and the lame and begin healing? Will you not put a stop to the praises of the children? Jesus’ reply could not be more clear, My house shall be called a house of prayer but you make it a den of robbers. Jesus is claiming His rightful ownership of the Temple. He is making it clear to the religious leaders that their stewardship of the sacred places has come to an end. The rightful owner is now on the scene and He will do with His House as He wills. And what is His will? His House will be a place of prayer. A Hospital for healing. A sanctuary for praise.  

Imagine how you would feel if someone lived in your home and trashed the place. I have a good friend who owns a rental house in the Denver area. Several years ago, a tenant used his house to grow weed and cook meth. After going to court to get his tenant evicted, my friend had to gut the house and start over. It cost him thousands of dollars not to mention the time and effort he had to put in to get his house back in working order so it could be rented again. Now put yourself in Jesus’ sandals. The people you’ve entrusted your Home to have trashed the place. They have turned it into a den of robbers. Exploiting the pilgrims who come for Passover each year. They make hefty profits by price gouging the people, especially the poor. So He makes a whip of cords and drives them out. He turns over the tables and throws them out. Do you understand now why Jesus is so upset? Zeal for His own Home has consumed Him and He will do whatever it takes to restore His House to it’s former glory.  

Now let me give you an even more radical take. Jesus doesn’t just assert His authority over His House, He asserts it over all of creation with the fig tree. Not only that but He tells His disciples that if they have faith and embrace the Kingdom life, they will be able to operate with His authority in the world. They will be able to do to the fig tree what Jesus did or throw mountains into the heart of the sea. Most importantly, whatever they ask for in prayer will be given to them. Why? They are no longer tenants in God’s Kingdom but sons and daughters! In a sense, we’ve been given an “ownership” stake in all of creation and God expects us to exercise dominion and authority and responsibility in His name and for His glory.

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 21:23-22:14, Mark 11:27-12:12, Luke 20:1-18, John 12:37-50

The Tragedy of Transactional Thinking

Readings for today: Matthew 20, Mark 10:32-52, Luke 18:31-19:27

Today’s devotional builds off of what I wrote yesterday as Jesus continues to expose the hardness of our hearts. He tells a story about day laborers who are hired to work in a vineyard. They are hired in waves. Some at first light. Others mid-morning. Some come at lunchtime. Others mid-afternoon. Finally, there are those who arrive an hour before closing time. Each and every one receives the same wage. If you are like me, you probably feel the Master is being a bit unfair. Maybe even exploitative, especially for those who’ve been working all day. This isn’t equal pay for equal work and those who put in more hours deserve higher pay. It just goes to show how little we understand the ethics of God’s Kingdom.

Our problem is that we tend to think “transactionally.” This is a natural consequence of growing up in a capitalist system. We work hard so we can earn a paycheck. We use our paycheck to pay the bills that fund our lifestyle. If I want more, I work harder. If I want to enjoy the finer things of life, I get more education, work my way up the corporate ladder, always be on the lookout for the better deal. Sadly, we approach relationships the same way. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. You do for me and I will do for you. I’ll hold up my end of the deal as long as you hold up your end. As soon as one party reneges on the agreement or doesn’t fulfill their obligations, we are free to terminate the arrangement and move on. This happens in marriage. Family. Friendships. Business partnerships. Church. Even our relationship with God.

Jesus wants us to grasp the wideness of God’s mercy. The abundance of God’s generosity. The radical nature of God’s unconditional love. Our relationship with God is not based on works but purely on His grace. Whether we come to faith as a young child or on our deathbed, God gives us the same gift of eternal life. Whether we live a life of full devotion to God or we struggle to remain faithful along the way, God mercifully and graciously prepares a place for us. This is why Jesus is so appealing to tax collectors and sinners, prostitutes and beggars, the lame and the lepers. They all know they have nothing to offer God and have no expectation of being invited to be part of God’s Kingdom. It’s much different for those of us who are successful and wealthy, healthy and strong, popular and famous. We believe we’ve done well and have rightfully earned our spot in God’s Kingdom.

Again, I want to challenge you pray this simple prayer. Pray it as often as possible until it you believe it. God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Every single human being – no matter their position or the number of their possessions – is a sinner. Utterly guilty of breaking God’s perfect Law. We rightfully deserve God’s judgment and our only hope is a divine pardon. Thankfully, God promises to show mercy to all who humble themselves before Him. I encourage you to cry out like the blind beggars of Jericho today and receive the mercy of Jesus as He heals your heart and makes you whole.

Readings for tomorrow: None

All the Wrong Questions

Readings for today: Matthew 19, Mark 10:1-31, Luke 16:1-18:30

I’ve often marveled at the patience of Jesus. Our questions must seem so silly to Him at times. Our concerns so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. He must shake His head at the way we respond to conflict, interruptions, or those in need. He must grieve at the multitude of ways we try to find loopholes in His Law. His heart must ache when all we seem to want is the absolute minimum when it comes to salvation. Especially when He has so much more in store for us! We are so like the Pharisees and the first disciples. We are no different than those who followed Jesus in those early days. We are selfish and self-absorbed. We are far more caught up in “getting” something from God rather than “giving” our lives to Him. At a fundamental level, we believe we are good people. We believe we deserve God’s attention. We believe we have done enough to earn God’s favor and love. How much better if we were simply like the tax collector. Slumped in the shadows. Faces in our hands. Never daring to gaze heavenward. Praying a very simple, very ancient prayer, God be merciful to me, a sinner. (Luke 18:13)

In our readings for today, we see all sorts of different people approaching Jesus asking all the wrong questions. The Pharisees want to know under what conditions a man can divorce his wife. The better question would be how can a man reconcile with his wife when their relationship seems irretrievably broken? The disciples try to shoo away children who are coming to Jesus for a blessing. A better response would be to pause in their journey and lovingly welcome each and every one of them into His presence. A rich young man asks what he must do to gain eternal life. He seeks to accumulate eternal riches like he has his earthly ones. Jesus sees right through him and challenges him to exchange his “transactional” life for a life of utter dependence on God. Over and over again, their questions betray how little they understand God’s Kingdom and the same is true for us as well.

Jesus challenges us to shift our perspective. To lift our eyes above the horizons of this world, above the horizons of this life, above what we think is reasonable or rational to the impossible possibilities God offers to those who authentically and honestly seek His Kingdom. His Kingdom is not of this world. His Kingdom doesn’t run on earthly power. His Kingdom has no need of earthly resources. The values of His Kingdom often seem incomprehensible to us and yet when we begin to align our lives along them, we find incredible freedom, irrepressible joy, and a peace that passes all understanding. Can you imagine how your life would be different if you asked Jesus for the strength to reconcile rather than a way out of a conflicted relationship? Imagine if you welcomed interruptions from little children or those of little earthly significance in your life? Imagine trusting God so fully and completely that earthly possessions had no hold on you? How do we get from here to there? We simply pray the prayer of the lowly tax collector. God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Pray those words over and over again until you believe them about yourself. Only then will you find yourself living in the boundless horizons of God’s Kingdom.

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 20, Mark 10:32-52, Luke 18:31-19:27

Honor God

Readings for today: Luke 12:1-13:30

One of the real benefits of coming to Africa is I learn to think in different ways. Ethiopia is an honor-shame culture like much of the rest of the world. What this means is they tend to think collectively instead of individually. Morality is determined relationally rather than internally. The focus is not so much on how to get something right as it is to honor the person and/or community in the process.

The Bible is written in an honor-shame cultural context. It cannot be fully understood apart from this. The stories Jesus tells are less “morality tales” and more about how to honor God and one another through the gospel. The story of the rich fool is a prime example of what I’m talking about. The traditional interpretation is that the man placed his trust in his riches. His sin was to build bigger barns. He was greedy and therefore fell under God’s judgment. But a close reading from the honor-shame perspective reveals even deeper truths.

What was the man’s primary sin? What was it that would have been obvious to everyone listening to Jesus that day? It was when he said, “I know what I will do…” His refusal to honor the community was his major mistake. Whenever a person had a bumper crop in the 1st century, he would make his way down to the village gate to seek advice from the elders. He would tell of the abundant blessings God had poured out on him and he would ask them what he should do. They would deliberate and discuss but eventually would suggest things like making an extravagant offering to the Lord, throwing a party so the whole village could celebrate, and giving to the poor. The man would then go out and do all these things in an effort to bring honor to his community. If, after giving to God and giving to the poor and throwing a party, he still had too much for his current barns to hold then perhaps it would be time to throw up new barns. Perhaps the whole community would come out to help. And everyone would experience the blessing.

As American Christians, we tend to think far too individualistically and we tend to read the Bible far too individualistically. We turn everything into a personal morality tale and while that isn’t all bad, it certainly doesn’t get to the heart of the gospel. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, they realized they were naked and immediately felt ashamed. The heart of the story from Genesis 3 onward is of a God who is on a mission to remove our shame. Remove our guilt. Remove our sin. He seeks to cover our shame with His own honor and that’s why Jesus tells the stories He does. This is the central message at the heart of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. It’s the primary driver behind this parable of the rich fool and so many others like it. Jesus takes all His divine honor and glory and gives it away to tax collectors and prostitutes and other sinners.

How then do we respond? We respond the way a tax collector named Zaccheus did. He gave away half of his possessions and made restitution to those he had defrauded. We respond the way a prostitute did, breaking a jar of costly ointment – her most prized possession – over Jesus’ head in an extravagant act of devotion. We respond the way the first disciples did, leaving everything behind in order to follow Jesus. This is how those who have been honored by God seek to honor Him in return.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 14-15

Cutting Through the Noise

Readings for today: Luke 10, John 10:1-11:54

Noise. There’s a lot of it in our lives. From the moment our alarm clocks go off until we finally put down the phone or turn off the television at the end of the night, our lives are full of noise. So many voices. Telling us all kinds of things. Much of it not good for us. The bully at school who tells us we’re worthless. The co-worker who’s so negative all the time. The spouse who badgers or berates us. The child who screams when they don’t get their way. The commercials that tempt us to think life is all about us. The subliminal messages coming through on social media that constantly invite comparison. The news outlets spinning world events to bolster a particular worldview. The proliferation of fake news, gossip, and a rumor mill run wild. And, in the middle of it all, the still small voice of God whispering continually to our hearts.

Can you hear Him? Can you hear His voice? Amidst all the noise and distractions? When was the last time you sat in silence? I mean true silence. No one around. No devices present to distract. No radio. No television. Just you and God sitting in silence together. “My sheep hear my voice…” Perhaps one of the main reasons we struggle so much with our faith is we do not take the time to listen for God’s voice. We expect Him to compete with all the other voices in our lives. Shout them down. Yell over the top of them. We expect Him to make Himself known to us but we refuse to create space in our lives for that to happen. Instead, we expect Him to push His way in. Elbow His way to the front of the line. Then and only then will we turn and acknowledge Him.

Jesus doesn’t work that way. There’s a great story from the Old Testament about a man named Elijah. He went out to meet with God. A great storm whipped up. God wasn’t in the storm. A great fire raged. God wasn’t in the fire. A great earthquake shook the very ground. God wasn’t in the earthquake. Then a still small voice. Elijah covered his head. He knew he was hearing the voice of God. “My sheep hear my voice…” Do you want to hear the voice of God? Make time for solitude and silence in your life.

For me, this often comes at the end of the day. My children are in bed. My wife as well. I sit in my favorite chair in the living room. Nothing is on. I read God’s Word. I meditate. I pray. I think back over the events of my day. The people I met. The conversations I had. The work I was able to accomplish. I pay close attention to how I experienced each moment. And I lay those feelings before the Lord. I ponder what’s to come the following day. What am I excited about? Nervous about? Who will I be meeting with and how can I serve them? What challenges will I be facing and how do they make me feel? All of these things I simply lay before the Lord and ask Him to speak into them. Sometimes He does. Sometimes He simply reaches out and takes my hand, letting me know He’ll be with me no matter what.

My sheep hear my voice. I know them. They follow me. There’s nothing more comforting than walking through life with the Good Shepherd at your side.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 12:1-13:30

No Condemnation

Readings for today: John 7-9

We’ve all probably heard the phrase, “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” I don’t know about you but I have not found it all that helpful. First of all, those who do not believe are not convinced they are “sinners” and tend to resent the moniker. Second, it’s really hard to do. Separating one’s behavior from one’s identity is growing more and more difficult in our world. In fact, there are many who would argue it is impossible. And yet Jesus seemed to do it all the time.  

The beginning of John 8 is a famous story. Maybe one of the most famous in all of Scripture. And though it’s origin is questionable - it doesn’t appear in the earliest and best manuscripts - it just sounds like Jesus so we tend to keep it in. A woman caught in the very act of adultery is brought before Jesus. The Pharisees and teachers of the law are almost gleeful in their condemnation. They can’t wait to pick up the first stone. They throw her down before Him, pretty convinced He will have mercy which in turn will allow them to accuse Him of breaking the Law. Of course, anyone familiar with the Law can already see the problem. If they caught this woman in the act, where is the man? According to Leviticus 20:10 both parties deserve the death penalty. Perhaps that’s what Jesus is writing in the dust? Maybe He knows the man’s name? If they caught her in the act, why have they not carried out her punishment? The Law is clear. What’s stopping them? Perhaps it’s because they don’t really care about her crime but are far more concerned with trapping Jesus? 

In response, Jesus does this extraordinary thing. He puts the onus back on them. “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.” He hasn’t condemned her nor has He affirmed her. He hasn’t condemned the Pharisees nor has He affirmed them. Instead, Jesus brilliantly lobs the ball back in their court and forces them to make their own decision. The Pharisees put down their stones and slowly walk away. The woman is left all alone, prompting this famous exchange. “Woman, has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord.” “Nor do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” 

I simply love this about Jesus. He accepts people for who they are but loves them too much to leave them there. He meets us right where we are, takes us by the hand, and leads us to a better place. He accepts us, warts and all, without affirming our sin. To the Pharisee, he says, “Are you really without sin?” To those caught in sin, he says, “I do not condemn you.” And to both, he says, “Go and sin no more.” 

As Christians, there is a lot in this world we simply cannot affirm. Changing attitudes in gender and sexuality. Abortion on demand. Racism and sexual abuse. Deceit and falsehood. Anger and hate. These things are not of God and yet so many embrace them. Defend them. Use them as means to a greater end. The answer cannot be rejection. Jesus simply will not allow us to walk away from anyone, including our enemies. So we must find a way - as Jesus found a way - to accept people for who they are without affirming their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. Thankfully, this is the heart of the gospel. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. While we were enemies of God, Christ made peace with us. While we were pushing Him away, Christ embraced us. May the Spirit give us the courage to do the same!

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 10, John 10:1-11:54

True Greatness

Readings for today: Matthew 17-18, Mark 9:2-50, Luke 9:28-56

We all want to be great. We all want to be known. We all want to be significant. In large or small ways, we all desire success. Achievement. Recognition. We want to be the best. Finish first. Get to the top of whatever mountain we’re trying to climb. We want respect. We want the people around us to think highly of us. We want to be able to look in the mirror and be proud of what we see.  

The same was true for the disciples. They signed on - or so they thought - to this new kingdom movement. They believed Jesus was the Messiah. They believed He was the Christ. And for them - Jews living in the 2nd Temple period of Israel’s history - this could only mean one thing…Jesus would lead a revolution. He would cleanse the Temple. Toss out the religious elites. Overthrow the Romans. Re-establish the throne of David. Win Israel’s independence from foreign powers. This is what had happened throughout their history and they wanted in on the ground floor when it happened again.

So they asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” It’s a loaded question. Freighted with all kinds of cultural and relational baggage. On a personal level, they are asking for themselves. Which of us is the greatest? Which of us will get to sit at your right hand? On a cultural level, they are asking for discernment to find out who’s in and who’s out. Who among the crowds that are following them are worthy to be part of this new kingdom? And who do we need to keep out? On a political level, they want to know who will hold the power and positions of influence in this new kingdom?  What cabinet positions will we occupy once you’ve established your rule and reign? They want to know so they can prepare. They want to know so they can start jockeying for position. They’re probably looking around at each other, measuring the competition. 

Jesus’ response had to be mystifying. The humblest are the greatest? The last are the first? The least have the most? We have to become like children to enter the kingdom? Remember, in that culture, children were non-persons. More like property. They had no rights. No freedoms. At the same time, children were deeply loved. Showered with affection. They were considered God’s greatest blessing for a family. So what is it about children that makes them so great in Jesus’ eyes? 

First and foremost, trust. Children, especially when very young, find it easy to trust. They accept what their parents say without question. If you tell them the sun will rise at midnight, they will wake up fully expecting it to happen. They believe easily. They are not skeptical. At least not until they get older. They’ve not had all the life experiences that can make us cynical and bitter. They see the world through rose-colored glasses. They believe the best about those around them. And this is what Jesus wants from His disciples as well. 

Second, humility. Little children do not harbor ambition. They do not need to be rich and famous. They do not grasp for power or influence or authority. They are not wrapped up in achievement or success. They are not self-conscious or even self-aware. Self has no place in their thinking at all! I believe it was CS Lewis who once said “true humility is not thinking more highly of yourself than you ought. Nor is it thinking less of yourself than you ought. It is simply thinking of your “self” less.” This comes naturally to a child and Jesus wants it to come naturally to His disciples.  

Third, wonder. Children live with a sense of wonder and awe at the world around them. They love to explore. They love to adventure. They are naturally curious. Naturally inquisitive. They want to know why things work they way they do or why things are the way they are. I remember when my four children went through their “why” phase. Every question. Every day. For weeks on end. Why this? Why that? Why? Why? Why? Sure, it got annoying but when I stepped back, I could see the wonder underlying it all. They simply wanted to know more about this grand world in which we live.  

There are probably many more lessons we can draw from our passage this morning but I have to believe Jesus - coming off His transfiguration moment - wanted to cement in His disciple’s hearts the truth of His Kingdom. It would not be like the kingdoms of this world. It would not be run like the kingdoms of this world. It would not hold to the same values of the kingdoms of this world. It would be radically different. Wholly other. And their entrance into such a kingdom would come only as they left their old lives behind and embraced the new life Jesus offers in Himself.  

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Cross-Shaped Life

Readings for today: Matthew 16, Mark 8:11-38, 9:1, Luke 9:18-27

Following Jesus requires sacrifice. It requires self-denial. It requires picking up a cross. Jesus pulls no punches in our reading today. When Peter takes up the tempter’s role and tries to convince Jesus to forgo the way of suffering laid out for Him, Jesus rightly perceives the presence of Satan behind Peter’s words. He rebukes Peter harshly just as He once rebuked Satan in the desert, just as He will rebuke him again in the Garden of Gethsemane. Satan is ever-present in Jesus’ life. Always seeking to turn Him aside from His Father’s plan. Satan knows who he’s dealing with. He’s under no illusion as to Jesus’ identity. He may not understand the full implications of the cross. He may not be able to see the resurrection. But he knows Jesus is the Son of God. He knows Jesus holds the power and authority of God. He knows Jesus is on a mission from God. And he does all he can to derail Him along the way.

Satan is ever-present in our lives as well. Always seeking to turn us aside from the Father’s plan for our lives. It’s why he tempts us constantly to choose a path without suffering. A path without pain. A path without sacrifice. Satan knows what happens when Christians take up a cross. His power is made perfect in their weakness. His Kingdom comes through their surrender. His will is done as they willingly relinquish all they are and all they have to Him. This is what Satan fears most. True believers who pursue a lifestyle of self-denial in the name of Jesus. True believers who willingly lay down their lives for the sake of the gospel. True believers who find their greatest joy in giving it all for the sake of the Kingdom.

We cannot avoid the cross-shaped life. Not if we want to follow Jesus. On the contrary, Christians understand our lives are not our own. Our possessions are not our own. Our money is not our own. Our time is not our own. Our talent and ability is not our own. Our gifts are not our own. All our achievement and success is not our own. All of these things have been given to us by God so that we might share them with those around us. All of these things have been entrusted to us by God so that we might steward them for His Kingdom purposes. And all of us will one day have to stand before the Lord and give an account of what we did with all He has given us.

Take some time today and reflect on all God has given you. Open up your schedule and prayerfully ask God how He wants you to spend your time. Are you spending daily time with Him. Are you engaging in weekly, in person worship with other believers? Are you regularly finding ways to serve your church family and community? Review your bank statement and latest update to your investment portfolio and ask God how He wants you to spend your money. Are you giving Him the firstfruits of your hard work? Are you giving at least ten percent of your income to the Lord? Are you seeking to be more generous and more sacrificial with each passing year? Sit back and ponder the gifts and talents and abilities God has given you. How are you using these gifts for God’s Kingdom purposes? How are you offering these gifts in service to God? As you spend time in prayer, make sure to take every thought captive to Christ through His Word. Satan will do all he can to derail this process. He will do all he can to disrupt and distract you along the way. He wants you as far away from the cross as possible. Rebuke him and instead cling to Jesus.

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 17-18, Mark 9:2-50, Luke 9:28-56

Sent Ones

Readings for today: Matthew 10, 14, Mark 6:7-56, Luke 9:1-17, John 6

I leave Sunday for Africa. I will fly out of Denver around 9PM and arrive in Dessie, Ethiopia on Tuesday at 4:15PM. Tee to green, it’s a journey of about 36 hours. Dessie is located in the Amhara region of Ethiopia in the northern part of the country where a conflict has been raging off and on for a couple of years. Dessie itself was occupied for a period of time before the government recaptured it last year. We are heading there to train church planters. Last spring, we launched fifty new church planters into the area and we are planning on launching seventy-five more next week. We will spend our time praying for them. Worshipping with them. Training them. Interviewing them. Partnering with their local, indigenous denominations to make sure they have the resources they need. It’s a hard work. They will be ministering in an area where there is not only political conflict but religious conflict as well. They will face persecution. They will face opposition. They will face hostility. But they are not alone. Jesus is with them. The Holy Spirit empowers them. They’ve been given authority to heal the sick, cleanse lepers, cast out demons, and raise the dead. It’s why I love being around them so much. They remind me of the first apostles.

Apostle is a word that simply means “sent one.” It’s less a title and more a description of a role. Apostles are emissaries. Their purpose is to convey a message. It was commonly translated “messenger” in ancient times. One can easily see why Jesus picked up this term. He was sending His disciples out on a mission. Their job was to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God in word and deed. They were to speak God’s Word and then demonstrate the authority of God’s Word through the performance of miraculous signs and wonders. It was a powerful combination. One that put them at odds with the local political and religious authorities. As a result, they would face hostility and opposition and persecution and yet many would believe their message and receive saving faith.

Every single Christian is called to be an apostle. Every single Christian is sent out by Jesus to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God. Every single Christian is called to risk everything for this endeavor. Our lives. Our livelihoods. All our worldly wealth and possessions. We are to hold nothing back in our attempt to reach the world with the gospel. This is what set those first disciples apart. It’s what set the early church apart. It’s what still sets apart Christians in places like Ethiopia, Djibouti, or South Sudan. They are changing entire villages and regions as they faithfully and sacrificially give their lives to answer the call. Are we not called to do the same? In whatever village, town, city, or region where we’ve been planted?

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 15, Mark 7, 8:1-10

Riding Out the Storm

Readings for today: Matthew 8:18-34, 9:18-38, Mark 4:35-41, 5:1-43, Luke 8:22-56, 9:57-62

Every year around Christmas or my birthday, my wife and I talk about how notoriously difficult it is to buy a gift for me. I have a few hobbies like hiking or reading or working out but those don’t come with a lot of needs. I’m not big into clothes. I don’t have a lot of toys. I live a pretty simple life at the end of the day. However, last year something changed. I found an organization that employs artists to re-produce famous artwork in the same medium. I told my wife about it and she asked if I would ever want something from them. I asked for an oil on canvas reproduction of The Storm on the Sea of Galilee painted by Rembrandt in 1633. She agreed. She got our whole family to pitch in. It took fourteen weeks to arrive and it now hangs in my office next to the rocking chair where I spend time with God almost every morning.

I love looking at that painting as I meditate and pray. I often find myself identifying with one or more of the disciples in the boat. Sometimes I’m near the front trying with all my might to keep the sails up in the midst of the storm. Sometimes I’m in the back holding onto the rudder. Sometimes I’m the guy puking over the side. ;-) Through it all, Jesus just sits there calmly letting me know He is with me. I am in no danger because He is in control. The wind and the waves pose no threat to Him or to those who call on His name.

Take a look at the painting below. Let yourself marvel with the disciples at the One who controls every storm. Let yourself rest in His presence. Let His peace flow over you. No matter what you may be going through in your life right now, He is with you. You are in no danger. He can heal every disease. He can cast out every demon. He can even raise the dead! Nothing in this world can snatch you out of His hand!

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 10, 14, Mark 6:7-56, Luke 9:1-17, John 6

The Kingdom of God

Readings for today: Matthew 13:1-53, Mark 4:1-34, Luke 8:1-18

Have you ever wondered what the Kingdom of God is actually like? And how it differs from the kingdoms of this world? In our readings for today, Jesus takes up the subject of the Kingdom of God and describes it from a number of different angles.

• The Kingdom is like a field full of different kinds of soils, some more fruitful than others.

• The Kingdom is like a paddock where both wheat and weeds grow up together.

• The Kingdom is like the smallest of seeds that blossoms into one of the largest of trees.

• The Kingdom is like the little bit of leaven one puts in bread to leaven the whole lump

• The Kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field.

• The Kingdom is like that one pearl of great price.

• The Kingdom is like a net that captures all kinds of fish, some good and some bad.

It is striking how different Jesus’ kingdom is from the kingdoms of this world. The world’s kingdoms value wealth and power and success. They measure themselves according to their size and influence. Their goal is to achieve as much as possible. To sit atop the rankings. They jockey for position. The compete with one another. They take delight on another’s fall even as they scramble for a higher rung on the proverbial ladder. 

Sadly, too many churches fall into this trap as well. We value attendance. The size of our annual budgets. The number of people on staff. The beauty and attractiveness of our property and facilities. We jockey for position on Outreach Magazine’s Top 100. We seek to expand our brand by planting churches in communities where many other gospel-preaching churches may already exist. We define success by the number of new attendees even though statistics show they are often transfers from the churches around us. So our “success” is really another church’s “failure.” The American church is particularly susceptible to this line of thinking. I heard a pastor recently argue that we should pull back from missions around the world so we could focus on planting churches in America. After all, he said, imagine what God could do with all the resources we have in this country? As if God needs our resources to accomplish His mission. 

I will confess my own failings here as well. It is so tempting for me to focus on the crowd that gathers on a Sunday morning. To dwell on how they receive the message I preach and whether or not they are putting it into practice. I spend a lot of energy daydreaming over what God could do with the resources of my church family and how that would impact not only Parker but the whole world. If I am not careful, my passion to reach the lost with the gospel and see God awaken every heart in my congregation could spill over into a sinful trust in our strength. Our wealth. Our resources. It is good to be reminded that the Kingdom cannot be measured by the number of people who attend. The number of dollars given. The ability to expand programming and update facilities. The Kingdom is measured in much smaller, more subtle ways. It is the man set free from addiction. The abused woman who finds a listening ear. It is a marriage saved by counseling. A child who invites Jesus into their heart. It is a person going on a mission trip for the very first time or volunteering to serve in a classroom even though they feel so inadequate to the task. It is men and women stepping forth to lead and serve in all sorts of ways. This is what the Kingdom is like. It is often hidden. Often under the radar. Often under the surface. It is messy and complex. Never clean or neat or easy. It is often two steps forward, one step back. The people we think have so much potential often are the most resistant and the people we often overlook become the true heroes and heroines of the faith. 

In my experience, good soil is always mixed in with concrete, gravel, thorns and thistles. Wheat is always mixed in with weeds. Mustard seeds often get lost in the shuffle. Leaven disappears into the dough. The treasure sometimes stays hidden for years. Finding that one pearl can take decades. Casting a wide net brings in all kinds of fish. Such is life in the Kingdom and thank God it’s not up to me to sort it all out. 

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 8:18-34, 9:18-38, Mark 4:35-41, 5:1-43, Luke 8:22-56, 9:57-62

A House Divided

Readings for today: Matthew 12:22-50, Mark 3:22-35, Luke 8:19-21, 11:14-54

“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” (Matt. 12:25)

Abraham Lincoln quoted this verse in his famous campaign speech delivered in 1858 at the Illinois Republican State Convention. Though largely unknown, he had just won the nomination to run for U.S. Senate against Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln was referring to the issue of slavery, of course. Douglas wanted to find a middle ground between the North and South but Lincoln knew better. He knew the issue had to be settled once and for all. He knew there could be no compromise. He knew the United States could not continue with half in support of slavery and half in support of freedom. A nation divided cannot stand.

The same was true in Jesus’ day. The house of Israel was divided along all kinds of political lines. Some supported collaboration with Rome. Some refused to entertain any such thing. Some advocated for a violent overthrow. Others eschewed violence altogether. Some believed the answer was Torah faithfulness. Others withdrew into the desert because they believed the religious authorities were corrupt. And then along comes Jesus. A miracle worker. A healer. An exorcist. He performs His signs and wonders publicly and it must have felt to the scribes and Pharisees like He was throwing gasoline on the fire. It’s why they tried so hard to discredit Him. Accusing Him of casting out demons by the power of the devil. But Jesus was ready for them. He knows their kingdom is divided and is about to be laid waste. He knows the glorious city of Jerusalem is a tinderbox waiting to explode. He has no desire to act as an “accelerant” rather He wants them to see and experience the Kingdom of God. He points them to the fruit of His actions. The blind see. The mute speak. The deaf hear. The lame walk. These are not acts of the devil that result in further pain and suffering and division and brokenness. No, the fruit Jesus bears is healing, wholeness, and restoration. All signs of the Holy Spirit at work.

I’ve been thinking about this verse a lot recently. We are raising teenagers in our home so it can often feel like we are living in a “house divided.” Sometimes the conflict is almost too much to bear. It’s in those moments when things seem hardest that God speaks to me. He reminds me His mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness is great. I can cast all my anxieties on Him because He cares for me. His perfect love casts out all my fear. He sets me free to bear the fruit of healing, wholeness, grace, and peace as I raise my children and they are blessed. A family divided cannot stand.

I am also the pastor of a church. It’s not easy leading a church in these tumultuous times. The COVID pandemic exposed all sorts of divisions politically and socially among God’s people. Many of our political leaders stoked the fires of fear and anger and hatred and division and sadly those fires are burning bright in many churches. It’s heartbreaking to receive some of the emails I’ve received from people I’ve known and loved for many years. It’s painful to watch families and communities split apart over issues that have nothing to do with the gospel. Many pastors are leaving the ministry. Many churches are closing their doors. A church divided cannot stand.

How does a follower of Christ respond in this cultural moment? We respond like Jesus. We make it our aim to act as agents of healing in our communities, doing all we can to come alongside those who are hurting. We act as agents of unity in our communities, doing all we can to bring people together. We act as agents of wholeness in our communities, binding up the broken and helping them put the pieces back together. We act as agents of blessing in our community, bearing the fruit of the Spirit which is good and righteous and true.

Readings for tomorrow: None

Dining with Jesus

Readings for today: Matthew 8:5-13, 11:1-30, Luke 7

Imagine you’re having Jesus over for dinner. You send out invitations. Line up a caterer. Clean your house. Put out tables and chairs. Light your scented candles. Maybe even spring for some live music. You leave nothing to chance. You want Him to be impressed. The day of the affair arrives. Your home is packed with people. These are your friends. Your colleagues. Your family. All of whom cannot wait to meet Jesus. He walks in. What do you do? Do you greet Him? Offer to take His coat? Get Him a drink? Give Him the seat of honor? Do you make sure to serve Him first as your guest? Introduce Him to all your friends by name? Make sure He feels welcomed and honored? Of course you would. You would be embarrassed if you didn’t. Your friends would be ashamed of you. 

Let’s take it up a notch. Imagine what would happen if a homeless man wandered in to your home that evening. Or a prostitute. Or a drug addict. Imagine them disrupting things. Imagine the crowd parting as people stumble over themselves so they don’t have to touch them. Imagine the room going silent and all eyes turning to you to see how you will respond. Now imagine those same eyes shifting to Jesus as the homeless man/prostitute/drug addict falls at His feet. Weeping. Shedding so many tears, Jesus’ feet literally become drenched. Now imagine the homeless man taking out a dirty handkerchief to wipe His shoes. The prostitute letting her hair down to dry his feet. The drug addict using his ratty t-shirt. You would probably be uncomfortable with the whole scene. Unsure of what to do or how to respond. Embarrassed by their behavior. After all, this whole affair is supposed to be about impressing Jesus! 

Imagine Jesus turns to you and tells you a story. Two people went into deep debt to a loan shark. One for five hundred thousand and the other for fifty. Neither could afford to pay. In a shocking move, the loan shark forgave both their debts. Which would love him more? The one who owed him the greater amount, of course. This homeless man. This woman of the night. This poor addict struggles with many things. Their lives are a trainwreck. Your life, on the other hand, is good. You live in a nice home. You are surrounded by people who love and respect you. You make a good living. You enjoy some of the finer things of life. Yes, you know you are not perfect. Yes, you have your own struggles. Yes, life is not always easy. But you have been given much whereas this man. This woman. This addict has been given little. And even what little they did have has been squandered away. Who do you think will love Me more? 

The one who is forgiven much, loves much. The one who is forgiven little, loves little. Friends, ask the Father to show you the full measure of your sin. Ask Him to show you how far you have fallen short of His glory. Not so that you will despair but so you can more deeply appreciate the sacrifice He made to save you. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it. He sent Jesus so the world might be saved through Him! All of us from the richest to the poorest. From the most privileged to the most oppressed. Perpetrators and victims alike need forgiveness. We all need grace. And Jesus stands ready to offer it to us in abundance. Know your sins have been forgiven and let that fan the flames of your devotion to Jesus. 

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 12:22-50, Mark 3:22-35, Luke 8:19-21, 11:14-54

Building a Strong Foundation

Readings for today: Matthew 5-7, Luke 6:20-49, 11:1-13

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke‬ ‭6:46-49‬)

The Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon ever preached. Period. In it, Jesus casts His vision for His Kingdom. He defines what life looks like under His rule and reign. He sets boundaries around human desire and behavior to protect us from self-destruction and to teach us how to build a life that will last forever. Sadly, too many of us believe we can choose our own path. Defiantly, we try to chart our own course into eternity. Foolishly, we attempt to bushwhack our way through the wilderness of this world only to quickly lose our way. The results are tragic and heartbreaking.  

I wonder sometimes why we find our culture’s pact with sin and death so enticing. What is it about our culture that draws us in? We all know it’s not good for us. We all know the pace we set isn’t healthy. We all feel the effects of isolation and loneliness. We all struggle under the pressure that’s created and exasperated through social media. So why do we persist? Why can’t we seem to opt out? Are we truly so addicted we cannot stop? 

How many families have to break up? How many pills do we have to take? How many children have to suffer before we wake up from the nightmare we find ourselves in? When will we stop believing the lie that life is all about me? All about my wants? All about my desires? The world tells us to “follow your heart” and “be true to yourself.”  I can think of nothing more devastating. The world tells us we “can be whoever we want to be” and to do “whatever feels good.” I can think of nothing more heartbreaking. Do we not see the pain we are leaving in our wake? The broken relationships? And for what? So we can selfishly pursue our own happiness at the expense of others? Do we not see the toll this is taking? The high price we are paying? The cost to those around us, especially those we love most? (If you need examples, do a google search on the New York Times and divorce. They have published several articles over the last couple of years extolling the virtues of divorce as an act of “self-actualization.” Ugh.)

I meet them every single day. In coffee shops and bars all over town. Men and women and children who are suffering. Struggling. Wrestling with a deep sense of existential loneliness because they have tried their best to do life on their own. They “believed in themselves” but that belief took them nowhere. Like Sinatra, they did life “my way” only to find themselves at a dead end. They tried to be the captain of their own destiny. The master of their own fate. The ruler of their own domain only to discover their reach far exceeded their grasp. In the words of Jesus, they built their entire lives on sand and their ruin was great.  

Perhaps that describes you today. You are looking around at the ruins of your marriage. The ruins of your family. The ruins of your professional career. Your bank account is overdrawn. Your energy levels are dangerously low. Your emotional reserves are tapped out. Your relationships are broken. Your heart is aching. And you feel so very alone. Depressed. Angry. Frustrated. Anxious. Afraid. Perhaps you’ve even been tempted to put an end to it all. Don’t believe the lie! God is with you! Even in the valley of the shadow! Even in the darkest of nights! His presence is always there to comfort and to guide and to bring us back into the light! 

So how do we get from here to there? We start building on the rock. We start by surrendering our hearts and lives to Jesus. We invite the Holy Spirit to come and take up residence within us so He may transform us from the inside out. Only God can re-orient the desires of our hearts! Only God can re-prioritize the values of our lives! Only God can redirect our loves. As He does this deep work in us, what comes out of us begins to change. Life on the outside begins to reflect the new life that’s emerging on the inside. Regenerate actions flow from a regenerated heart. New wine is poured from new wineskins as God removes our hearts of stone and gives us new hearts that beat for Him alone! 

How do we know if we’ve received this new heart? Look at the Sermon on the Mount. Rather than treat it as a list of “do’s and don’ts“ instead consider it more of a diagnostic. Let the words of Jesus dissect your every thought. Your every deed. Your every emotion. Let it stand like a plumb line in your life against which you are constantly measuring yourself. Not because you must earn God’s favor but because you long to bring glory to God. Not because you have to follow some law but because you want to chart the progress the Holy Spirit is making in sanctifying you for His Kingdom. Not because you have to clean yourself up before God can love you or accept you but because you trust He has already done so and is hard at work to present you blameless before His throne. 

One can spend a lifetime learning from these few chapters and still never arrive. This isn’t about perfection, friends. It’s about the journey. It’s about following the way of Jesus. And if you are like most, you will find yourself stumbling down the road like a drunk man, swaying from one side to the other. That’s okay. That’s actually quite normal. The key is to keep walking down the road. 

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 8:5-13, 11:1-30, Luke 7

Mercy over Sacrifice

Readings for today: Matthew 8:1-4, 9:1-17, 12:1-21, Mark 1:40-45, 2:1-3:21, Luke 5:12-6:19

“Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous but sinners.” (Matt. 9:12-13)

This is what I love most about Jesus. He absolutely loves sinners. He loves the lost. He loves the wandering. He loves the confused. He loves the doubter. He loves the questioner. He loves the hurting. He loves the broken. He loves the oppressed. He loves the enslaved. He loves the imprisoned. He loves all those who find themselves struggling with unbelief. He not only loves them but He comes to be with them. He comes to heal them. He comes to rescue them. He comes to deliver them. He comes to set them free. He comes to reclaim them. He comes to redeem them. He will never rest until He chases down every single person who is lost and brings them home again. This is His heart and we see it on full display in today’s reading.

Jesus is the Great Physician. He has come to heal the great sickness infecting all of humanity. He knows sin is more than what we do or say or think. It is a disease that corrupts all it touches. A pervasive power at work inside us, poisoning our very souls. It is a terminal illness we cannot escape. A pandemic for which we have no effective treatment. Thankfully, Jesus sees our helpless condition. Jesus knows the hopeless condition into which we are born. And He alone has the power to heal us. Even more importantly, Jesus wants to heal us. It is the great desire of His heart. It is the fundamental reason behind why He came.

Can you imagine what might happen if the followers of Jesus became known more for mercy rather than right sacrifice? Known more for love of sinners rather than condemnation? Known more for compassion towards those who are lost and wandering, doubting and deconstructing than judgment?This is Jesus’ call to us today. As we go about our daily lives, we meet all kinds of people. Lepers, paralytics, tax collectors, sinners, Sabbath-keepers and Sabbath-breakers, Pharisees, scribes, men and women with withered hands and withered souls. How do we respond to them? Do we treat them with the dignity and love they deserve as human beings made in the image of God? Do we have compassion on their helpless and hopeless estate? Are we willing to extend grace and mercy and embrace them as Jesus did? Pray for God to open your eyes to truly see the spiritual condition of those around you. Pray for God to fill your heart with His love and compassion so you might minister to their deepest needs. Pray for opportunities to introduce them to the Great Physician who longs to heal them and make them whole.

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 5-7, Luke 6:20-49, 11:1-13