Put on Christ

Readings for today: Philemon 1, Colossians 1-4

We got our first winter blast in Colorado yesterday. As I put on my coat to go to work, I thought about this passage from Colossians 3. One of my favorites. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭17‬) We do not accidentally become like Jesus. We don’t just stumble into more faithful discipleship. Growing in Christ-likeness is not a product of random chance or a roll of the dice. It’s an intentional effort every day to put on Christ. To put on the same qualities and characteristics that mark Christ. To put on the same attitude that is in Christ. To put on and seek out the mind of Christ.

Jesus isn’t hard to find. He’s actually not hard to follow. He’s not confusing or unclear about His expectations. He even promises to send His Spirit to lead us into all truth, produce good fruit in our lives, and complete the work He’s begun in us. All we have to do is surrender. All we have to do is empty ourselves of “self.” All we have to do is “put off” the old self and embrace the new self, the new identity, Jesus promises to give those He loves. I love how Paul starts with an affirmation. We are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved…This is the fundamental reality of our existence as believers in Christ. This is how God sees us. Before we say or do or think or feel anything at all, we are already chosen, holy, and beloved. This is the foundation of our identity. As such, we “put on” the qualities and characteristics that mark such people. Compassion. Kindness. Humility. Meekness. Patience. Forgiveness. Grace. Love. Putting on these things every day begins to change us. As we practice these things, we actually become a different kind of people. And as we become a different kind of people, the peace of Christ begins to rule in our hearts. We live from a place of deep gratitude and thankfulness. The Word of Christ dwells in us richly and we are able to encourage others along the way. Finally, whatever we do or say becomes an act of devotion to our Lord and Savior.

It’s a beautiful picture of discipleship. And, again, it doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a long obedience in the same direction. It’s a lifetime of daily devotion to Jesus. It’s an intentional decision day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year to “put on” Christ. We put on Christ when we don’t feel like it. We put on Christ in the midst of our doubts and fears and anxieties. We put on Christ as we struggle and suffer and experience heartbreak and pain. We put on Christ when we fail and fall short. We put on Christ consistently, constantly, regularly, persistently and He transforms us from the inside out. This is how the Christian life works and thankfully, it rests not on our ability to make it happen but on God who is faithful to use all things - the good, bad and ugly of our lives - for our good.

Readings for tomorrow: Ephesians 1-4

Pressing On

Readings for today: Philippians 1-4

“I press on to make (the righteousness that comes by faith) my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” - Phil. 3:12

Years ago, some Mormon missionaries happened to come to my door. They wanted to talk about faith which I happily obliged. I let them know right up front that I was a Christian. I let them know I was headed into ministry. I wanted to make sure I didn’t waste their time. They told me they still wanted to talk so we sat down and began to compare notes on the differences between Christianity and Mormonism. We talked about what happens after we die. We talked about the Person of Jesus Christ. We talked about forgiveness of sin. Most of all, we talked about grace. I never will forget how they described it. “Grace”, they said, “is what God gives you after you’ve done all you can to live a good life. It’s what closes the gap between us and God after we’ve made every effort to obey His commands.” “That right there is the difference between our faiths”, I replied. “Grace for the Christian covers it all. We can do nothing to get any closer to God or move any farther away. God’s grace is what covers our lives from beginning to end and out of gratitude for God’s grace, we seek to obey Him.”

So many Christians today fall into one of two traps. Either they fall into the “works” trap, like my Mormon friends, thinking they can somehow earn their way to God or they fall into the “cheap grace” trap thinking nothing they do matters so why even try. The Apostle Paul shows us the better way. We “press on” towards righteousness, meaning we work as hard as we can to obey Christ and serve Christ and honor Christ with our lives. We take every thought captive to Christ. We run every feeling through the grid of our love for Christ. We evaluate every decision and every action through the lens of Christ. All that we say or do or feel or think must be submitted to His Lordship. At the same time, we acknowledge that the only reason we are able to “press on” is because Christ has already made us His own. Christ has already performed the work of righteousness for us. Christ has already done all that is necessary to fulfill the law of God. Therefore, our “pressing on” is not an attempt to win God’s already won favor but an act of gratitude for what He has already done on our behalf. We also recognize to not “press on” is to make a mockery of Christ’s sacrifice and we never want to cheapen His grace.

I love how the great Russian novelist and Christian believer, Leo Tolstoy, once described the Christian life. He wrote, “If I know the way home and am walking along it drunkenly, is it any less the right way because I am staggering from side to side?” In my experience, most Christians (including myself) seem to stagger from the side of works to the side of cheap grace and vice versa. Thankfully, it is Christ who keeps us on the road! It is Christ who keeps us on the way! It is Christ who promises to bring us home!

Readings for tomorrow: Philemon 1, Colossians 1-4

Evangelism and Mission

Readings for today: Acts 27-28

A few years ago, a young missionary named John Chau was killed as he tried to reach an unreached people group with the gospel. His death kicked over a hornet’s nest of controversy. Some saw him as yet another martyr to the cause of Christ on par with the Jim Elliott’s of the past. Others saw him as yet another example of colonial Christianity seeking to impose his views on a tribe who clearly didn’t want him on their island. The inhabitants of North Sentinel killed John Chau as he attempted to befriend them, bring them gifts, and, most of all, share Christ. Why the controversy? First and foremost, we live in a culture where evangelism is cast in a negative light. The idea that one person’s views are superior in any way to another’s is anathema. The Sentinelese had a right to be left alone. Their religious views are no one else’s business. Christian missionaries should stay out. Second, we live in a culture where “Christian missions” have too often been used as a cover for Western European colonial expansion. The evidence is legion in Africa, Latin America, and other places around the globe. Western powers using the gospel as a pretext to overthrow governments, manipulate economies, and enslave entire people groups. Third, too many missionaries are naive in their approach. They don’t take seriously the potential of introducing life-threatening disease to the local population. They don’t take the time to understand the language or learn the culture or use intermediaries who are culturally closer to the unreached group to help make first contact. 

By all accounts, John Chau truly made an effort to overcome these barriers and address these concerns. He spent a great deal of time in training. He trained his body. Trained his mind. Trained his spirit to endure the isolation he would experience should he make successful contact. He got the proper immunizations and quarantined himself to protect the Sentinelese from any potential disease. He studied their culture. Studied what was known of their language. He made multiple trips to the region to familiarize himself with the area. He made enough local contacts to provide transport. He clearly was not an agent of some foreign government seeking to extend their influence. Once the dust settled, the picture that emerged was that of an earnest, sincere believer in Christ who clearly felt called to reach one of the most isolated tribes left in the world with the gospel. Time will tell if his death will bear any fruit.  

What does this have to do with today’s Bible reading? I imagine Paul faced similar challenges in his own journey to Rome. I think about his encounter with the indigenous people on Malta. Having been shipwrecked in a storm, Paul escapes with his life along with the other sailors and soldiers who were aboard. They make their way to the beach where they were greeted with kindness by the locals. A fire was kindled. Food was probably brought. Paul even gets bit by a poisonous snake and survives! Eventually, they are taken to the leader whose father was dying of disease. Paul heals him. Word gets out. The people bring all their sick to Paul to be cured and this gave Paul an opportunity - though the passage doesn’t make this explicit - to preach the gospel. 

I imagine the same people who criticize John Chau would have criticized Paul as well. The only difference is enough time has past to see the fruits of Paul’s labor. His efforts clearly succeeded. The seeds of the gospel he planted bore fruit. An empire was converted. The world was changed. But now Paul’s come to the end. The race has been run. The cup emptied. He will be executed in Rome. The latest in a long line of first century martyrs who gave their lives for the cause of Christ. 

What can we learn from the example of Paul? Or the modern day example of John Chau? First, we must have a passion to reach the lost at all costs. There is an urgency to our mission because eternity is literally on the line. Christ Himself commanded us to make disciples of all nations. He told us we would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth. This commission has never been revoked so we must obey. Second, we must be willing to sacrifice comfort, safety, reputation, and resources if we are to accomplish this mission. Evangelism will not make us popular. Many will reject what we have to say. They will criticize us and call us names. They may accuse us of promoting white supremacy, neo-colonialism, etc. But we must fear God more than man. Finally, we have to be wise. We cannot confuse the mission with the methods. We cannot be so wed to a certain way of doing things that we make it more important than the mission itself. We must be culturally sensitive and aware. We must be willing to relinquish power and authority to indigenous leadership. We must be humble in our approach and not pretend we have all the answers. We must study the culture we are trying to reach diligently and honor as much as we can. We must openly acknowledge when we make mistakes and ask for forgiveness. 

The 29th chapter of Acts is being written even as we speak…what stories will be told about your mission work?  

Readings for tomorrow: Philippians 1-4

The Resurrection Changes Everything

Readings for today: Acts 24-26

(Photo: Caesarea Maritima where the Apostle Paul was held prisoner and put on trial.)

“It is with respect to the resurrection from the dead that I am on trial before you this day.” (Acts 24:21b)

Everything for Paul hinges on the resurrection. When he met the Risen Christ outside of Damascus, a door opened in his heart that could never be closed. He was transformed. Suddenly all his zeal and passion for the Law was re-focused as he realized everything the prophets foretold had come true in Christ. His hope as a Pharisee for the eventual resurrection of the dead had actually taken place in his lifetime. Jesus was the firstfruits. He was the forerunner. He was the Messiah whom God had sent. And with this knowledge, all the tumblers fall into place. Jesus is the key that makes sense of the Law and Prophets. Jesus is the filter now through which all of Scripture should be read and understood. The Risen Christ brings new life and new meaning to everything Paul had learned over the course of his lifetime. And with this knowledge Paul is transformed from a violent, raging Pharisee intent on destroying Christianity to its foremost evangelist, pastor, and theologian. 

Of course, wrapping your life around the resurrection will not make you popular. Paul found himself at odds with the Romans who believed he was nuts. Paul found himself at odds with his former friends and colleagues in Judaism who tried to have him killed. Paul even found himself at odds - as we have already seen - with some of his fellow Christians who could not grasp the depths of his message of unconditional love and grace. Living the resurrection life will certainly make you strange. Weird. Odd. Because your values and priorities and thoughts and attitudes and actions are shaped by another Kingdom. A Kingdom not of this world. Ruled by a King who is not of this world. Submitting your life to Him means living an “other-worldly” life. A life not ruled by fear. A life not centered around self. A life untangled and unecumbered by the cares and worries of this world. 

Can you imagine living a life without fear? That’s the life Jesus offers. The resurrection life. Resurrection places us beyond the fears of this world. No longer do we fear death. No longer do we fear danger. No longer do we fear hunger or nakedness or prison or sickness. No longer do we fear the loss of possessions, reputation, position and privilege. No longer do we fear failure or pain or suffering. These “fears” are what the world uses to keep us in line. Squeeze us into its mold. Shape us into its corrupt image. But the resurrection sets us free from all of that! Now we are transformed as our hearts and minds are renewed by the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead now lives in us and is at work through us! This is what Paul understood. This is what Peter understood. This is what millions of Christians have understood throughout history and it is why the Kingdom of God continues to move with power on the earth. 

Readings for tomorrow: None

Sent

Readings for today: Acts 20:4-38, 21:1-23:35

What does total surrender to Christ look like? It looks like the Apostle Paul. Paul leaves his home. His friendships. His business. His ministry all behind in order to suffer for Christ. He was compelled by the Holy Spirit to return to Jerusalem where he knew he would be put in chains. Prophecy after prophecy had been made. Warning after warning had been given. There was no more dangerous place for Paul to go and yet he went. Not out of pride or arrogance but out of obedience to His Lord. It was Jesus who sent him to testify in Jerusalem and it would be Jesus who would send him to testify in Rome. From the heart of Judaism to the heart of the empire. Paul was Jesus’ chosen instrument to declare the good news of the gospel in front of kings and rulers and authorities. Though it would eventually cost him his life, Paul considered it a privilege to serve. 

I have met many “Apostle Paul’s” in my life. Men and women who sacrifice everything for the sake of the gospel. They leave their homes. Their families. Their friendships. Their businesses. And they go to faraway places. Towns and villages who have never heard the name of Jesus. They place themselves in danger. They endure persecution. Many of them will bear the scars for the rest of their lives. Some of them even lose their lives. Why do they do it? They feel compelled by the Holy Spirit. Constrained by His will to go to the places He shows them in order to share Christ with those who are lost. They do not act of pride or arrogance. They do not trust in their own resources or strength. They are not naive or ignorant. They go with the understanding that they may not return. But they cannot help themselves. It is Jesus who commands them. It is Jesus who sends them. It is Jesus who calls them into the harvest field. They are Jesus’ chosen instruments to make His gospel known among a people who have never heard. They preach in places that do not show up on any map. They cross borders into places where the gospel has never gone. They confront principalities and powers we cannot fathom, armed only with the gospel. And though it costs them their health. Their wealth. Their family. Sometimes their lives. They consider it a privilege and honor to serve. 

All of us are called by Jesus. All of us are sent by Jesus. All of us have a field to harvest for our Lord. Sadly, too many of us never show up for work. Our fields are wild and overgrown. They have gone untended for far too many years. Sure, we mean well. We think we’ll get to it one day. Once we’re financially secure. Once our kids are grown. Once we get married and settle down. Or we work the edges of of the field. Close to the gate. In the places where it’s safest. After all, we wouldn’t want to place ourselves at risk, right? God wants us to be safe, right? He would never call us to sacrifice our comfort or lifestyle or livelihood or family or friendships for the sake of His mission, right? Isn’t the dangerous work reserved for the truly holy? The super Christians? Surely that’s not me. Surely that’s not what Jesus wants me to do. 

The Word of God is clear. It leaves us very little wiggle room. All that we have been given. All that we’ve earned over the course of our lives. All our success. All our wealth. All our possessions. All our relationships. All our friendships. Everything in our lives must be surrendered and laid at the feet of our Lord. It has come from His hands and must be returned to Him. This is the price of following Jesus. We relinquish it all. We surrender it all. We let go of it all and walk with open hands and open hearts before Him. Our first call is to serve Jesus. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else is allowed to get in the way. Not our families. Not our careers. Not our friendships. Not our possessions. Not our retirement. Not our fears. Not our failures. Not our anxieties. Not our worries. Not our doubts. Not our questions. Nothing. Jesus is Lord. When He calls me, I will answer. Where He sends me, I will go. I am Jesus’ chosen instrument to make His will known in my community and to the ends of the earth. And it is a privilege and honor to serve. 

Readings for tomorrow: Acts 24-26

A Heavenly Kingdom

Readings for today: Romans 13-16

Imagine you are the Apostle Paul. Writing to a group of Christians living in Rome in the late 50’s AD. The Roman Empire has suffered tremendously since the reign of Augustus Caesar. Successor after successor has tried and failed to live up to his legacy. Political opposition is met with violence. The Praetorian Guard (think Secret Service of the first century) assassinates the very emperors they swear to protect. Tax rates rise and fall depending on public opinion polls. The borders of the empire are starting to crumble. The government is unstable and rulers are often certifiably insane. Nero rises to power. The initial signs are good. He seems to care about the poor. He often takes the side of the little guy. It looks like he’s being advised well by Seneca. By all accounts, things are looking up. Then he murders his stepbrother. Murders his mother. Murders rival senators who oppose him. He initiates building projects that exhaust the treasury and overtax the populace. Rumors spread about the Great Fire that burned Rome for a week in July of 64 AD. Nero blames the Christians. He starts systematically persecuting them. He imprisons them. He throws them to the lions. He burns them alive in his gardens. It’s a rough time. 

Now imagine receiving this letter from Paul and reading these words, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” (Romans‬ ‭13:1-7‬) How would you respond? What thoughts would go through your mind if you were living in Rome under Nero watching the country descend into chaos? How would you feel about the “governing authorities” when you see them carrying your friends off to be tortured and executed for their faith? How likely would you be to submit to them? Continue to be a model citizen? Pay your taxes? Honor the emperor? Is Paul serious? Does he not understand who’s in power here? Is he ignorant of what’s actually happening on the streets of Rome? 

Clearly, Paul understands. He will be imprisoned in Rome by 60AD himself, awaiting his eventual torture and execution. He has been flogged. Stoned. Beaten. Left for dead. He has been falsely accused. Falsely imprisoned. He knows what it’s like to suffer and yet, throughout his own life, he seemed to model the very words he just wrote to his Roman friends. Jesus did as well. Jesus submitted himself to the governing authorities of this world. Herod. Pilate. The Sanhedrin. All driven by a lust for power. All corrupt to the core. And yet Jesus refused to call down legions of angels to fight at his side. He allowed his farse of a trial to stand. He refused to advocate for Himself before Pilate. He ignored Herod when he asked for a sign. Why? Jesus and Paul both understood they belonged to a Kingdom not of this world. They were citizens of a heavenly empire that transcended any earthly one. Their sole allegiance was to the God of the universe who had given all authority in heaven and earth to Jesus so there was no need to fight the power. No need to lead a rebellion. Because at best you would be replacing one sinful system with another. 

At the same time, Paul is not advocating apathy. He is not calling for Christians to become doormats for the empire. What he calls for is a very proactive way of living that sets an example before culture and society of humble godliness even in the face of persecution. We are never to surrender the moral high ground. Never to surrender our deeply held Kingdom values. Never to give up Jesus for the sake of political expediency and gain. Why? First and foremost, we recognize all authority comes from God. It serves His purposes. God is able to bend both good and evil intentions to His will. God is able to use even the most corrupt to accomplish His plan. No matter what happens. No matter who gets elected President. No matter who serves in Congress. No matter who gets confirmed to the Supreme Court. All of them serve at God’s pleasure. He takes them down just as easily as He raises them up. All of them rule under His sovereign authority and command. 

Second, Paul understands the power of a godly witness. Even corrupt rulers cannot deny the power of the gospel. This was the genius behind the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights struggle. He believed by engaging in peaceful, non-violent protest of unjust laws that African-Americans and their allies would hold a mirror up to the corrupt soul of segregation. They believed their godly example would expose the evil legacy of slavery. They believed their political “enemies” needed salvation not destruction and this set them apart. The same was true for Nelson Mandela in South Africa. The same was true for Pope John Paul II when he led the Solidarity movement against communism in Poland. The same was true for Ghandi - though not a Christian, he based his resistance on the example of Christ - in India. In each and every case, these leaders led movements that transformed the course of nations and they were almost entirely based on the “good conduct” of their followers. “Do what is good and you will receive (the ruler’s) approval, for he is God’s servant for your good.” (Romans 13:3) This is the power of a godly witness.

Finally, Paul elevates the cardinal virtue of humility. Submission. Subjection. Offering respect and honor to the office even if the person in the office is corrupt. Paul believes we should model our lives after Jesus. As he will write to his Philippians friends, Jesus is by nature God. But Jesus did not hold onto His equality with God. He relinquished it. He gave it up. He emptied Himself of all His divine rights and riches in order to become a human being. And not just any human being but a servant. A slave. But even then Jesus wasn’t content. He took it one step further. Humbling Himself to death. The most humiliating death possible. Death on a cross. Paul sought to pattern his own life after Jesus and he calls all Christians to do the same. “Follow me as I seek to follow Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) Just as Christ rendered to Caesar what was Caesar’s, Paul now calls on Christians in Rome to pay their taxes. Keep honest financial records. Respect the authorities. Honor the emperor. For in so doing, we honor Christ.

Of all the things we’ve read this year, this may be the most difficult passage for us to accept. Hate is the political currency of our day. Rage. Anger. Condemnation. Character assassination is our national pastime. We rejoice when our enemies fall. We defend our allies at all costs. We will sacrifice everything - including our Kingdom values - on the altar of political power and gain. Scorched-earth resistance is now the norm when the opposing party is in power and it is crippling our nation. And this is true for both Republicans and Democrats. Sadly, Christians seem no different than their non-Christian neighbors in this respect. In fact, we often seem to be out front leading the way and our blatant hypocrisy is on public display. Jesus weeps, friends. He weeps to see us so easily fall prey to the lust for power, influence, and control. He weeps to see us so easily sacrifice our witness and for so little. He weeps as He watches His people - citizens of the Kingdom of God - so easily and readily give up the moral high ground.  

Thankfully, the truth of God remains. Though the grass withers and the flower fades, the Word of God is eternal. He is still on His throne. He still reigns from on high. He still sits at the right hand of the Father. He will bend even this time to His will. He will use even the corrupt politics of our day and age to accomplish His plan. There is nothing any human being can do that will thwart His purposes. So submit to the governing authorities, friends. Live godly lives before them. Witness to them by working for justice and righteousness. Pray without ceasing for the Spirit’s work in their hearts. Give them the respect and honor due them by virtue of the office they hold. 

Readings for tomorrow: Acts 20:4-38, 21:1-23:35

The Radical Inclusivity of God

Readings for today: Romans 9-12

So many people read these passages from Romans and think about the people God is seemingly excluding. They question the justice of God’s election. How could God elect some to glory and not others? How could He treat some people with honor and some with dishonor? How could God love some - like Jacob - and hate others - like Esau? How could God play favorites with humanity? While these questions are real and honest and authentic, they miss the point Paul is trying to make.

First and foremost, we have to hear Paul’s heart. “You need to know that I carry with me at all times a huge sorrow. It’s an enormous pain deep within me, and I’m never free of it. I’m not exaggerating—Christ and the Holy Spirit are my witnesses. It’s the Israelites. . . If there were any way I could be cursed by the Messiah so they could be blessed by him, I’d do it in a minute. They’re my family. I grew up with them. They had everything going for them—family, glory, covenants, revelation, worship, promises, to say nothing of being the race that produced the Messiah, the Christ, who is God over everything, always.” (Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭MSG) Paul cannot fathom why so many of his fellow Jews refuse to believe. He cannot understand why they can’t see what he sees. How did they miss their Messiah? Their entire way of life was supposed to prepare them for when He appeared and yet when He appeared, they killed Him rather than worshipped Him. And even now, after Jesus has been raised from the dead in power and glory, they still will not accept the good news of the gospel. It cuts him like a knife. He’d rather the Lord curse him if it would help save them.

Second, we need to hear Paul’s argument. We need to take his line of thinking seriously. Paul’s newfound faith in Jesus Christ is not a departure from his Judaism but rather the fulfillment of it. In true rabbinic style, Paul engages in midrash. Midrash is oral tradition that engages and exegetes the Scriptural text and seeks to apply it within a particular cultural context. Paul is clear. The Word of God has not failed. In fact, the opposite is true. Abraham’s family was built on a promise not genetics. It was defined by “Isaac” and not “Ishmael.” His descendants become his children by faith and not by the flesh. The same was true for Jacob and Esau, God making it clear His purposes are not random but intentional. Now some may complain this makes God unfair but they don’t see the bigger picture of what God is doing. They don’t see the grander plan God has in store. They are missing the forest for the trees. God’s goal, according to the prophet Hosea, has always been to take nobodies and make them somebodies. To take the unloved and call them beloved. This is why so many Gentiles are coming to faith! Though they didn’t seek God, He sought them. Though they didn’t know God, He knew them. Though they didn’t love God, He loved them. And it’s not like God somehow forgot Israel along the way. Not at all! Day after day, Paul says at the end of Romans 10, God opened His arms to His people only to have them reject Him over and over again. Still that didn’t stop God!

Paul’s final point is perhaps His most important. God is so good and so glorious that He will use even the resistance of His people for His salvific purposes. God will make sure their hardness of heart is temporary. He will use their hardness of heart to open a door to the Gentiles. The goal here is to fill the house of God with all whom He loves. Jew and Gentile. Slave and free. Male and female. All will become one in Christ Jesus and “Israel” will finally be complete. Paul is so blown away by this reality that he breaks out in praise. “Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise!” (Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬-‭36‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 13-16

A Story of Life and Death

Readings for today: Romans 5-8

The fundamental story of the Bible is a story of life and death. It’s a story of how death first entered the world. Once upon a time, there was a man named Adam. Adam lived in a garden full of perfection and beauty. He enjoyed perfect communion with His Creator. His job was to care for all His Creator had made. Alongside Adam, there was also a woman. Her name was Eve. Together they labored for who knows how long, living in perfect harmony with God, with each other, and with the world God had made. God had entrusted His world into their hands. Given them all the authority and responsibility for it. They were His image-bearers. His high priests. His representatives. But they soon grew tired of playing this role. They aspired to something more. A role they were not designed for. And when they grasped for that role, they fell. We call that fall “sin.” It was the breaking of God’s commands. More importantly, it was the betrayal of a relationship. The cost of this betrayal was high. They were exiled from their perfect garden. Their perfect communion with God was broken. The world that had once thrived under the blessing of their careful stewardship now suffered under the tyranny of their selfishness and greed. But still they were responsible. God never revoked their dominion. Instead, He held them accountable. He judged them with righteousness and justice. Death was the punishment for their sin. And so this huge abyss opened up, separating us from God. And this abyss dominated the landscape from Adam to Moses, from Moses to David, from David to the Babylonian Exile, from the Babylonian Exile to the rebuilding of the Temple, from the rebuilding of the Temple to John the Baptist.

Then something miraculous took place. The same God who made Adam from the dust of the earth and breathed His own Spirit into Adam’s lungs conceived a child in a virgin’s womb through the power of the Holy Spirit. Unlike Adam, Jesus was not born into a perfect world. He was born into a world corrupted and broken and torn apart by violence and suffering and pain. The wages of sin on full display. Death stalking around every corner. And yet Jesus enjoyed perfect communion with His Heavenly Father. In Him was life not death and that life was the light of all humankind. Through His birth, life, death, and resurrection, Jesus brings life into the world and overthrows the reign of death. He bridges the abyss that separated us from God. Death may have had the upper hand for centuries but life - God’s life - overwhelms it in the end. And those who place their faith in Jesus Christ receive this incredible gift. The gift of eternal life itself. The gift of a life beyond death. A life that overcomes death. A life that will transcend death.

Here’s the bottom line: Just as death entered the world through Adam’s sin so life enters the world through Jesus’ righteousness. Just as one person chose to elevate himself to a place he didn’t belong and so brought the whole world down around him so another person chose to humble Himself to a place He didn’t belong and so lifted the whole world up. Just as one man said “No” to God and put humanity herself at risk so another man said “Yes” to God and saved humanity from her sin. And all that is now asked of humanity is faith. Trust. Belief. Hope. God has taken the broken pieces of this world and put them back together again through Jesus Christ,

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 9-12

The Power of the Gospel

Readings for today: Acts 20:1-3, Romans 1-4

Picture: Golgotha in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jereusalem

You may have seen the news out of Europe about the Dutch man who tried to change his legal age. Biologically, he is in his sixties but he “feels” like he’s in his forties and his life is diminished because of the discrimination that happens the older one gets. You may have caught the news out of England about the man who believes passionately in “ethical veganism” and wants it to become legally protected as a religion so he can potentially force his former employer to give him his job back as well as change their investment practices so as not to violate his religious beliefs. You may have seen the opinion piece in the New York Times from the transgender woman who argues the medical ethical guildeline of “Do no harm” no longer should apply because no doctor should ever have the authority to determine what actually “harms” another person. “I also believe that surgery’s only prerequisite should be a simple demonstration of want. Beyond this, no amount of pain, anticipated or continuing, justifies its withholding.” (Andrea Long Chu, NYT, 11/24/2018) These may seem like isolated cases to you. Outliers we should dismiss. I disagree.

I believe they are the prime examples of God giving us over to the “lusts of our hearts...dishonorable passions...debased minds.” Now please hear me. I am not being mean. I am not being judgmental. I am simply pointing out the reality of what happens when we turn away from God. We dis-integrate. Body, mind, heart, and soul are set in opposition to one another, resulting in skyrocketing rates of depression and suicide ideation. Dysphoria, once considered a mental illness, is now being celebrated and embraced. The Apostle Paul knew the tragic consequences of such thinking. It was celebrated in his own context as well. Human beings, created and designed to bring God glory and honor, turned from their sacred vocation and pursued their own pleasure. They did what was right in their own eyes. They forged their own path only to find it leading them over a cliff. The most heartbreaking part of reading the New York Times story mentioned above was Andrea’s willingness, even desire, to embrace depression and suicide. She admits taking hormones and having surgery will actually take her deeper into depression but she sees no alternative. She has no hope.

This is why Paul’s stirring words in Romans 1:16 are so important! “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Make no mistake, Paul doesn’t believe the gospel is simply a good idea. One philosophy among many. One path among many to get to God. No, he truly believes the gospel provides the only ANSWER to the problem of pain and suffering of this world. He truly believes the gospel provides the only HOPE we can possibly have for a better, richer, more integrated life. He truly believes the gospel alone has the power to save humanity from itself.

Now I know this idea is very unpopular in our culture today. To suggest Christianity is somehow superior in any way to any other religious or philosophical idea is considered arrogant and condescending. Exclusive and intolerant. But let me put it another way. Imagine you develop a successful treatment for cancer. Imagine your success rate is 100% at curing the disease. Sure, there are a lot of other treatments out there. Some more successful than others but yours is guaranteed. Would it not be right to promote it as the better, more superior option? Paul believes the gospel is the power of God for salvation. He believes it actually delivers on what it promises. Is he not right then to promote it as the superior cure to what ails humanity? Namely, sin? Is he not right to promote it above the Torah? Are we not right to promote it above Islam? Hinduism? Buddhism? If we truly believe Jesus is God then how can we not declare Him as superior in every way to Mohammed, Krishna, Buddha, even Moses? Friends, this is exactly the truth that changed Paul’s life on the road outside Damascus. When he realized Jesus had been raised from the dead, he knew He could be no ordinary prophet. Jesus must be God and therefore everything Jesus said or did must be true. And if everything Jesus said or did must be true then we must believe Him. And if we believe Him then we will surrender our lives to Him. And if we surrender our lives to Him then we will submit all our thoughts, feelings, and actions to His Lordship. And if we submit to His Lordship, we will find ourselves a regenerated and re-integrated people living not for ourselves but for the honor and glory of God. This is the power of the gospel.

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 5-8

Areas of Influence

Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 10-13

I’ve recently been struck by Paul’s words at the end of 2 Corinthians 10. He says, “But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence.” I love Paul’s passion and humility. He sees the whole world as his parish and yet recognizes that even he has limits. God is not just using him but a host of others - a great crowd of witnesses - to accomplish His great work. The work of the Kingdom is not driven by celebrity. It is never a one man or one woman show. Paul isn’t interested in competing in areas where others have had gospel influence. He isn’t interested in extending his brand. He has no desire to promote himself. He simply wants to go to those places where the gospel hasn’t been preached and he knows it will take the entire Body of Christ to make that dream a reality.

Sadly, I see the opposite attitude at work in the American church today. Rather than ask ourselves if communities already have a gospel presence, we focus more on our brand. It could be a denominational brand. It could be a non-denominational brand. The rise of the multi-site church is a classic example of this phenomenon. The goal is to build the largest platform possible and it doesn’t matter how many smaller churches are cannibalized along the way. We desperately need a reset. We have masked entrepreneurialism as “church planting” and it’s literally killing the American church. We plant churches whose leaders have little if any accountability and they are falling in seemingly record numbers. Numerical growth is used to justify all kinds of pastoral abuse and neglect and it must break the heart of God. He must weep as He watches His children compete against each other rather than expand their areas of influence into regions where the gospel has never been heard.

Over the past several years, I’ve had a front row seat to this mess. I’ve been approached by large mega-churches asking me to come under their “brand” to reach the front range of Colorado. I’ve been told by Pentecostal churches that the Lord had anointed them - and their pastor - to bring revival to my church and my community. I’ve been hit up for money by church planters who are planting in communities that are saturated with gospel-centered churches more times than I can count. Through it all, I keep coming back to Paul’s words above, particularly as Eugene Peterson translates them in his Message version of the Bible - “We’re not barging in on the rightful work of others, interfering with their ministries, demanding a place in the sun with them. What we’re hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you’ll play a part within our expanding work. And we’ll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message in countries beyond Corinth. But we have no intention of moving in on what others have done and taking credit for it. “If you want to claim credit, claim it for God.” What you say about yourself means nothing in God’s work. It’s what God says about you that makes the difference.” (2 Cor. 10:15-18)

‭If only the American church could recapture a vision to truly reach the lost. To go to communities where there is no gospel presence. To go to the places of greatest need where the chances of “building a platform” for ourselves don’t exist. If only we were gripped by the idea that no one has the right to hear the gospel twice while there remains some who have yet to hear it once. (Oswald Smith) Then we might see revival come. Then we might see the church become the light of the world as she was created and called to be.

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Hard Work of Reconciliation

Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 5-9

Reconciliation is a radical act in our day and age. We live in such a divided world. We are divided along social lines. Political lines. Racial/ethnic lines. Sexual lines. Economic lines. Educational lines. All of it taking on a religious fervor as each person seeks to defend their position over and against their perceived enemies. Differences of opinion devolve into personal animosity. Policy differences become litmus tests for morality. Ideological purity must be maintained at all costs lest one fall down the slippery slope to compromise. Social media throws gasoline on this dumpster fire on a daily basis. Cable “news” organizations fill their programming slots with partisan opinion shows designed to reinforce confirmation bias. It even filters down to the personal level in our day to day relationships. I cannot begin to count the number of times I’ve had someone tell me about a situation where their feelings were hurt. Rather than follow the gospel-call to forgive and reconcile, they began attacking the other person’s character. Impugning motives. Words like “betrayal” and “wounded” and “abuse” get thrown around far too casually. All in an attempt to justify cutting a person out of their lives.

None of us are immune to these cultural pressures. None of us have clean hands when it comes to this issue. Reconciliation is hard, hard work. And it is impossible without Jesus Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” ‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17-19‬) The Apostle Paul lived in a deeply pluralistic world. A world of great diversity. A world full of political, social, sexual, and religious intrigue. A world where different groups literally came to blows, often in violent and brutal ways. Into this world, Paul believes God has sent His church. His people. And they have been entrusted with a very special task. Reconciliation. 

What is reconciliation according to Paul? It is God reconciling the world to Himself. It is God laying down His life for us while we were still sinners. It is God making peace with us while we were still at war with Him. It is God sacrificing Himself for His enemies...namely you and me. This reconciling work of God requires us to do the same. It requires us to relinquish our need for vengeance. It requires us to not count a person’s trespasses against them. It requires a conscious decision not to hold a person’s past actions against them. Most of all, it requires us to “regard no one according to the flesh”, meaning we no longer let a person’s political, social, sexual, or racial/ethnic identity get in the way of a relationship. We love them as Christ loves them. Unconditionally. This doesn’t mean we try to “erase” their uniqueness. This doesn’t mean we try to “whitewash” or “homogenize” everyone. This doesn’t mean we make them become like us. No, we love them as they are. We love them where they are. We love them for who they are. Image-bearers of God. Born with a dignity that, while broken utterly by sin, can never fully be lost. 

I can already hear the protests in your heart. What about an abuser? What about the man who murdered my child? Raped my daughter? Stole my life savings in a Ponzi scheme? What about the corporate criminals at places like FTX or dictators who use chemical weapons on their own people? Evil is legion in our world, are you suggesting we meet such evil with reconciliation and love? How naive! Only a white, privileged, cisgender, heterosexual male would ever say such a thing! And perhaps that’s partly true. I am fully aware of my cultural location. Fully aware I have never had to battle systematic oppression. Fully aware I have never suffered abuse. Fully aware I have never been the victim of a violent crime. But I have sat with many who have. I have listened to their stories. Perpetrators and victims alike. I worked for two years in a maximum security prison. I know many murderers personally. I have seen their hate up close and personal. I have spent the last twenty years in ministry. Spent countless hours counseling with victims of abuse. I have seen their pain up close and personal. I have been overseas many times. Met survivors of genocide. Survivors of civil wars. Survivors of holocausts no one has ever heard of. I have seen life-threatening poverty up close and personal. I have stood at the mass graves. I have listened to the stories of trauma and tragedy. It is heartbreaking on a level I cannot comprehend. 

But I have also seen the power of reconciliation. I have seen it in the Gacaca courts of Rwanda where perpetrators of genocide confess their crimes, are confronted by their victims, and the local community is able to move towards healing and restoration. I have seen it in the church plants of Ethiopia where former tribal enemies become brothers and sisters through the saving work of Jesus Christ. I have seen it in New Jersey State Prison where murderers received parole because the family of their victim was willing to forgive and reconcile. I saw it in a local church I served whose history included no record of African-American members though they were located in a neighborhood that was racially diverse. The courage of one young African-American man changed the hearts and minds of so many who had grown up with segregation. His Christ-like love overwhelmed their natural prejudice and they were set free. I have seen it in my counseling office as husbands and wives lay aside their “record of wrongs” and marriages are renewed. I have seen it in my own life as my heart is shaped and formed by the influence of godly mentors from all walks of life. An African refugee pastor who has forgiven those who persecuted and imprisoned him. A female Old Testament professor who has successfully battled misogyny with forgiveness and grace. A gay man who faithfully serves the LGBTQ community though they consider him a traitor for choosing the path of celibacy out of obedience to Christ. These are just a few of my heroes. Just a few of the men and women who are taking God’s message of reconciliation to the world. I pray for the courage to do the same. 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 10-13

Rejecting Self-Sufficiency

Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 1-4

For most of my life, my goal was self-sufficiency. I didn’t want to have to depend on anyone for anything. When I left home at 18 to go to college, I promised myself I would never go back. Not because my home life was bad but because I felt this desperate need to be on my own. Independent. I’ve always had this personality streak. My mom tells a famous story about my first day at preschool. She drove me up to the school, unbuckled me, and gave me my backpack. She was hoping for a tender moment where I would hug her and tell her how much I would miss her and how much I needed to stay with her. Sadly, it was not to be. I simply turned around and walked into school. Didn’t even look back to wave goodbye. My poor mother! Fast forward about twenty years. My wife and I are dating. There were moments when she really needed me but I had other plans. I refused to change them for her. Didn’t even think twice about it. No wonder we were told by an older, wiser couple - both were mental health professionals - that in their professional opinion, we weren’t good for each other. I was too independent. Too self-sufficient.

Perhaps that’s why the words from the Apostle Paul hit home with me. “Such is the confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-6) The Apostle Paul was a self-sufficient man. He had spent his entire life progressing ahead of his peers in Pharisaism. He was on track to be one of the major leaders of his sect of Judaism. He had studied at the feet of the greatest teachers. He was born with the privilege of Roman citizenship. He was a polyglot who could speak multiple languages and interact with different cultures. He was brilliant, passionate, and deeply committed to his faith. But all of it was insufficient to prepare him for his calling as a “minister of the new covenant.” Coming face to face with the Risen Christ reminded Paul of his deep inadequacies and insecurities. As faithful as he was to the “letter” of the Law, all he could produce was death. Only by surrendering to the Holy Spirit, could he produce life.

I too spent my entire life growing up trying to chase success. Whatever I put my hand to, I tended to succeed. I was an all-state athlete. Honor student. Eagle Scout. I sang solo’s in the church choir and was the lead when we produced a version of Godspell. I was well on my way to self-sufficiency but then I met Jesus. And Jesus revealed my deep inadequacies and insecurities. He showed me that for all my effort to follow all the rules and achieve all the success, all I had produced at the end of the day was dust. Only by surrendering to Him would I ever find the significance I was looking for and longing for in my life. Thankfully, I said “yes” to Jesus that day and He made me a minister of a new covenant so that I might impart life to others. What about you? Are you still striving? Are you still waking up each day trying to win the rat race we call life? Or have you entrusted your life to Jesus? Will you let His Spirit in to give you the abundant life only He can deliver?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 5-9

The Gospel

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 15-16

Boil the Christian faith down and what do you get? A man hanging on a cross, buried in a tomb, rising from the grave three days later. This is the heart of our faith. Without it, we preach in vain. We pray in vain. We live in vain. Without the death and resurrection of Christ, we are fools. We would be better off to eat and drink and party and make the most out of life because death wins. Literally everything rests on this fundamental truth...Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again.  

This is what sets Christianity apart from all other religions on the face of the earth. It’s what makes us unique. It’s what makes us different. It’s what makes Christianity true. We preach a crucified Lord and a Risen Savior. No other faith tradition makes anything close to the same claim. Sure, we might share the same moral code. Their gods might have some of the same attributes as our God. Their worship might look strikingly similar in terms of music and prayer. They might be good people with great families who live wholesome lives. They might make positive contributions to our society. But if they do not believe in the literal, historical, bodily death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; then their preaching is in vain. Their faith is in vain. They are still enslaved to their sins. Their dead are eternally lost. All because they are found to be misrepresenting God by denying the glory of His one and only Son. 

Paul is very clear. The physical death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is THE essential cog in our faith. It is the key to unlocking saving faith. It is the lens through which we now see all of life. It is the cipher that cracks the code of the Bible. Christ has been raised as the firstfruits of the resurrection. He is the foretaste. The forerunner. The first to be raised so that He can go before us and prepare the way. His physical body was laid into the ground perishable, dishonored, and weak. It was raised imperishable, glorious, and in power. He is the first to be changed. The first to be transformed. The first to be raised. By His resurrection, we know death has lost. Sin has been defeated. The works of the evil one destroyed. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is nothing short of the total and complete victory of God! 

And it is God’s victory that makes us immovable. Steadfast. Always abounding in His work. It is God’s victory that makes us watchful. Firm and strong in the faith. Persistent in love. It is his complete confidence in God’s victory that gives Paul courage to face the stones at Lystra. The beatings and imprisonments. The shipwrecks and torments. Paul considers all of it loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. What about you, my friend? Do you share this same confidence in the death and resurrection of Jesus?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 1-4

The Body of Christ

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 12-14

I love the church. I love the people who make up the church. They come from a wide variety of different backgrounds and life experiences. They represent different cultures and ethnicities. They hold to different political and social positions. They are diverse in terms of age and economic status. They find themselves at different points along the spectrum of spiritual maturity. They wrestle with all sorts of sin issues. There’s no other organization in the world quite like it and none of it would be possible without Jesus. Only Christ is strong enough to hold them together in a world that is increasingly divided and fractured along ideological lines.

Nothing is new under the sun. The Roman Empire was intentionally pluralistic. It was made up of wide variety of cultures and ethnicities and languages and religions. Depending on where one went, one would encounter a wide variety of social and political norms. The one thing that held the empire together was a ritual that was performed once a year. Once a year a person had to present themselves before the Roman authorities, place a pinch of incense into a flaming brazier, and acknowledge the divinity of the emperor. Most of the pagan religions had no problem with this practice. They simply added the emperor to their pantheon of gods and goddesses. For Jews and Christians however, this practice was blasphemy. They refused to engage it. The Jews were largely given an accommodation due to their long history of exclusive monotheism but the Christians - being so new - were persecuted as a seditious, dangerous cult.

This is the cultural context in which the Apostle Paul planted his churches. He intentionally went to the largest and most cosmopolitan cities in the empire. Cities that sat at the crossroads of major, important trade routes that would draw people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. Corinth was perhaps the greatest of these cities outside of Rome herself. The people who responded to the gospel in that city were as diverse as you could possibly get. They had very little in common with each other which created all sorts of issues that Paul had to address in his letters. (Most scholars believe Paul wrote at least four letters to this church.) They were a gifted group of people. They were a relatively wealthy church as well. And yet they were plagued by divisions. Their fellowship was rife with competition. Their besetting sin was pride and it was literally tearing them apart.

This is why Paul writes so passionately about the Body of Christ. He wants to give them an image that will pull them together. He wants them to understand that each of them plays an essential role in helping the Body remain healthy and strong. He points out how they are “crippling” themselves when they cut off a “hand” or a “foot” or tear out an “eye” or an “ear.” He wants them to treasure their diversity. He wants them to see the variety of gifts God has given them as a strength not a weakness. Most of all, he wants them to understand that only the love of Christ can hold them together.

Some scholars suggest that the famous love chapter of Corinthians is an insert. It doesn’t seem to fit in Paul’s discussion of spiritual gifts. I think the opposite. I think it fits perfectly for it is love that binds us all together in perfect harmony. (Col. 3:14) Only the love of Christ “believes all things, bears all things, endures all things, hopes all things.” Only the love of Christ “never fails.” This was certainly true for the Corinthian Christians and it remains true for us today. The only hope we have as a church is to lean into the love of Christ together. If we try to organize our life together around anything else, we will fail. We will fall apart. The Body of Christ runs on the love of Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 15-16

Laying Down Our Lives

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 9-11

As Americans, we believe every human being is endowed with inalienable rights. Among these are a right to life. A right to liberty. A right to pursue happiness. These rights are enshrined in our Constitution. They are explored in further detail in our Bill of Rights. Indeed, one could say our entire legal code is an attempt to flesh out how we define our “rights.” We have “bills of rights” for taxpayers, patients, students, etc. When we arrest people for crimes, the first thing we do is tell them their rights. We advocate in the global community for the enforcement of human rights and we often take action if we feel such rights are violated. Most of our hottest political debates center around what we perceive to be “human rights.” Even on an individual level, we cling to our “rights” and react strongly if we feel they are being infringed upon or violated. 

The Apostle Paul could not be more different. Because he believes with all his heart that he is saved by the grace of Christ, he willingly surrenders all his rights for the greater glory of the gospel. Paul has every “right” to assert his authority as an apostle. Every “right” to get married. Every “right” to work for a living. Indeed, he has every “right” to make his living off the gospel just like the Levitical priests. Paul has every “right” to eat or drink whatever he wants since God has set aside the kosher food laws of the Old Testament. He has every “right” to circumcise or not circumcise, depending on the situation. If Paul were to assert his “rights”, he could claim a privileged place as a Jew among Jews, “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” (Phil. 3:4-6) But Paul is more than willing to relinquish all of his rights...why? Because “he counts everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.” (Philippians‬ ‭3:8‬) 

Part and parcel of becoming a Christian means waiving whatever rights we believe we are entitled to as human beings or American citizens or whatever other identity we hold so dear. We have to be willing to lay these things down for the greater privilege of serving Christ. Christ demands total and complete allegiance. He will not allow our “rights” to get in the way of His glory and the advancement of His Kingdom. Not even those most fundamental rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Does this mean Christians can never be happy? Never be safe? Never be free? Of course not. What it means is that even these things - as important as they are - cannot get in the way of the gospel. As Paul writes, “we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:12‬) 

Ultimately, “rights” have to do with identity. Wherever we ground our identity, we will guard and protect those rights fiercely. Think about the culture wars that are currently raging and what they reveal about where so many find their identity and thus their rights as individuals. Gender. Sexuality. Race. Political affiliation. National citizenship. Economic status. Educational level. All of these things become part of our identity. Some we are born with. Some we achieve over the course of our lives. It doesn’t matter. Christ calls us to lay all of them down. To willingly and joyfully surrender them for the greater privilege of becoming His disciple. Once our identity is grounded in Him, we realize all the rights we’ve been clinging to are rubbish compared to the magnificence of His amazing grace. This, in turn, gives us unbelievable freedom. I love how Paul puts it, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:19-23‬)

Friends, what rights are you holding onto? What privileges are you clinging to? What parts of your identity still need to be surrendered to Jesus? Let go. Open your hands. Open your heart and experience anew the freedom that comes only from the gospel.  

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 12-14

And Such Were Some of You…

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 5-8

One of the real challenges for the American church today is to overcome the perception that we are hostile and judgmental towards those who do not believe like us. Far too often, the loudest “Christian” voices seem to be the ones that are the harshest and most combative. I think of the preachers who get platformed on cable news or social media. They often make sweeping statements against entire groups of people due to their political beliefs or lifestyle choices. They are known more for what they are against than who they are for. They are often hypocritical, refusing to apply the same litmus tests to those they support or those who can get them access to power and wealth and influence. They are selective in their judgments, tending to elevate some sins and not others. And while this is an effective approach if one wishes to gain followers, likes, clicks, etc. It is counter-productive when it comes to spreading the gospel.

If only we could collectively remember where God found us. If only we could collectively remember how far God has brought us. If only we could remember the depth and depravity of our own sin perhaps we’d be more humble and gentle in our approach. In our reading for today, Paul addresses the pride of the Corinthian Christians. Though God has richly blessed them with every spiritual blessing, they have weaponized their spiritual gifts against each other. They have divided over who is the most holy. Factions have formed around wealth and influence or the lack thereof. It’s heartbreaking. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you…” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11a) Paul could easily have gone on to list a thousand more sins but his point is made. All of the Corinthians have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. All of them are unrighteous and therefore unworthy of the Kingdom of God. All of them were without hope of salvation until God delivered them through the shed blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. They were washed in His blood. They were sanctified by His Spirit. They were justified by His atoning death on the cross. It is only by God’s grace that the Corinthians have any faith at all so who are they to condemn those around them?

Yes, we should flee immorality. Yes, we should not turn a blind eye to the sin in our midst. Judgment begins at the house of God according to 1 Peter 4:17. But at the same time, we recognize we are not judge, jury, or executioner. It is not our job to pass judgment and condemn those around us. We are not given such authority. Our job is simply to speak the truth in love. To hold each other accountable with grace and truth. To walk with each other openly and honestly and transparently. Always seeking to build up rather than tear down. Always seeking to repay evil with good. Always offering a gentle answer to turn away wrath. How I wish Christians would listen to the Apostle James when he says, “The anger of man cannot bring about the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20) Two wrongs never make a right. Sin never produces righteousness. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. (Gandhi) Would that we could remember our own spiritual blindness and ignorance as we respond to the brokenness and pain and suffering and injustice and unrighteousness of the world around us! Perhaps it would result in more humility and grace and a greater, more effective witness for the gospel.

Readings for tomorrow: None

Thanksgiving

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 1-4

Today is a bonus day for many people in my country. It’s part of a four day weekend of celebration with friends and family. Many use this time to sleep in. Eat leftovers from the Thanksgiving feast they enjoyed yesterday. Decorate for Christmas. Shop the “Black Friday” sales. Of course, not everyone has the day off. Some will head back to work. Someone has to man the stores for those who shop. First responders will continue to keep our communities safe. Doctors and nurses will treat patients. Airline pilots and flight attendants will start flying people back home on what promises to be another busy weekend at the airports.

Though the Thanksgiving holiday may be coming to a close, our passage for today reminds us that “Thanksgiving” is more of a lifestyle than a one day event. It’s more an attitude of the heart than a meal around a table with those we love. I love how Paul begins almost every one of his letters with thanksgiving. “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge - even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you - so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:4-9)

The Corinthian Christians were a mess. They were immoral. They were divisive. They were prideful and greedy. They were broken in all sorts of ways and yet Paul thanks God for them. He thanks God for the grace given them. For the spiritual gifts poured out on them. For the testimony of Christ among them. It’s a great reminder that no matter how broken our churches may become, Christ is faithful. He will sustain us to the end. He will present us guiltless at the final day before the throne.

Yesterday, I gave thanks for many things. My family. My friends. The wonderful church I serve. The opportunities I’ve been given. Most of all, I gave thanks to God for the grace He has poured out on me. Without Christ, there’s a strong chance I would be an alcoholic. Working odd jobs struggling to make ends meet. No marriage. No kids. No career. I was aimless before I met Jesus. I was lost and wandering with no sense of purpose or direction. Then Christ came into my life and changed everything. He enriched me in more ways than I deserve. He lavished gifts on me that I did not earn. He provided opportunities for me I could never have achieved on my own. My life is radically different because of what Jesus did for me so I take time to thank Him. Every single day. I hope you will as well.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 5-8

A Social/Political Gospel

Readings for today: Acts 18:19-19:41

Happy Thanksgiving! As many gather around tables for food and fellowship today, there are certain subjects bound to be off-limits. Politics. Religion. Hot-button cultural issues. Then again, maybe your family is like mine and we enjoy these conversations. We have strong people with many strong opinions and the conversation can be fiery at times. ;-) Our number one is rule is that we can talk about anything, provided we remain respectful, humble, and loving towards each other. Sadly, far too many of us have a hard time navigating these kinds of conversations. The result is deep brokenness, hurt feelings, and a spoiled holiday.

I often experience the same challenges in the church. On the one hand it’s not surprising. Healthy churches are full of people from all kinds of different backgrounds and life experiences. They are strung out along a spectrum of spiritual maturity. Some are brand new to the faith and just learning to walk like Jesus. Others have been walking with Jesus for years and have more practice. It makes for a difficult environment as people try to apply the gospel to their lives. It’s equally challenging to apply the gospel to the culture around us. How many times have I heard the comment, “why can’t the preacher just stick to the gospel?” Why does he or she have to bring politics into worship? Or social justice? Or economics? As my southern friends used to say, “Stick to preachin’! Stay away from meddlin’!” The problem with this approach is clear when you read passages like the one we read for today. We’ve already seen how the early Christians were accused of “turning the world upside down” with their preaching of the gospel. It is impossible to separate the preaching of the gospel from the implications of the gospel. Preaching Jesus by definition challenges our notions of justice, power, social class, economics, etc. because He Himself challenged those same things through His preaching and the apostles followed His example.

Ephesus was one of the great cities of Asia Minor in the 1st century. A commercial trading center. A major port. In the early second century, the great library of Celsus was built here, housing over 12,000 scrolls and putting Ephesus on the map alongside Alexandria as one of the main centers of learning in the ancient world. It had an amphitheater that held over 25,000 spectators. But perhaps the greatest draw was the famed Temple of Artemis. One of the seven wonders of the world. Pilgrims came from all over to pay their respects to the great goddess. As a result, tradesmen and craftsmen made a lot of money supporting the cult by selling idols and little shrines for the people to carry home with them. Enter the Apostle Paul. He comes preaching the gospel of a God not made with human hands. A God who cannot be represented by idols here on earth. A God who is the maker of heaven and earth. A God greater than Artemis (the moon goddess) and many of her former adherents came to faith. Sales drop. Profits crumble. Money is lost. A riot ensues as the entire economic structure of the city is now in danger. 

Such accusations are nothing new to Paul. He’s already been accused of preaching a “king other than Caesar.” He’s already been accused of treason and sedition. He’s already been accused of upending entire social systems and ways of life. He’s already been accused of blasphemy by his fellow Jews. No wonder he’ll remark to his Corinthian friends, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” ‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:8-10‬) Paul understands to preach the gospel places one at odds with the social systems of this world. The economic systems of this world. The political systems of this world. The gospel is the good news of a different Kingdom. A Kingdom that is in this world but not of this world. A Kingdom ruled from a heavenly throne not an earthly one. A Kingdom driven by eternal values not temporal ones. A Kingdom that is pure and noble and righteous. A Kingdom unwilling to compromise with the sinful and broken ways of this world. So one cannot preach without meddlin’ in politics, social systems, economics, and justice. The gospel cannot be privatized. Jesus will not rest until He is Lord over every facet of human existence. Until every knee bows in heaven, on earth, and under the earth and every tongue confesses that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 1-4

Persecution

Readings for today: 2 Thessalonians 1-3

Amidst a rising tide of persecution and affliction, the faith of the Thessalonian Christians was rising. Their love for each other was growing. These are not surprising developments for anyone familiar with church history. In the face of hostility, the church seems to flourish. In the face of threat or danger or torture or even death itself, the church only grows more bold. Consider the witness of the underground church in Iran today which may be the fastest growing church in the world. Consider the witness of the underground church in China which may be the largest “Christian” nation in the world. Consider the revival taking place in the Horn of Africa among the Muslims who live there as church planters risk their lives to preach the gospel to them. It’s simply amazing.

This is why the Apostle Paul boasts about the Thessalonian church wherever he goes on his missionary journeys. He wants the churches he plants to follow their example. He wants them to be encouraged in the face of opposition. He wants them to show the same steadfastness and faith that their brothers and sisters have shown amidst all the persecutions and afflictions they were enduring. It’s the same in our world today. It’s why I love coming home to share about what I have seen over in Africa. Recently, I even had an elder in our church tell me, “I wish we could bottle up a little bit of the Holy Spirit energy you bring back with you to give to everyone here.” He’s not wrong. That’s my desire as well.

Now let me be clear. There was nothing superhuman about the Thessalonian Christians. There is nothing superhuman about the Iranian or Chinese or African Christians in our world today. The power to endure hostility and affliction and persecution does not come from us. It comes from God and it is His call to every single Christian. Friends, we simply do not have the power to live the Christian life on our own. We do not have the will or the discipline to make it happen. Left to our own devices, we will struggle. Left to our own resources, we will fall. Trusting in our own strength, we will fail. Living the Christian life is not a matter of learning some new techniques. It’s not a matter of turning over a new leaf. It is about transformation. Total-life transformation from the inside out and it is the work of God. 

Jump down to verses 11-12 of the first chapter. Here Paul prays for three things for his Thessalonian friends. All of them come from God. Not a single one is rooted in the human heart. He prays God will make them worthy of His calling. Essentially, he is praying for God’s Spirit to so root and ground them in the righteousness of Christ that every facet of their lives - home, community, work, school, etc. - would reflect His glory. He prays their lives might become a living reflection of the reality God has already brought about through their salvation in Jesus Christ. In Christ we are the very righteousness of God. Those called by Christ are constantly being formed and re-formed into His image, thereby being made worthy of the initial call God placed on their lives when He first saved them.  

The second thing Paul prays for is for God to fulfill their every resolve for good. Each and every day, we are faced with a fundamental choice. Will I live for God or will I live for me? Will I live selflessly or selfishly? Will I seek to honor God or will I gratify the desires of the sinful nature? This fundamental choice works itself out in lots of different situations in every facet of our lives. It pops up in every conversation. Every task assigned to us. Every chore we perform. Every interaction we have with another divine image-bearer who crosses our path. However it manifests itself, the fundamental choice is always the same. Will we do good or evil? And because we are predisposed through our sinful nature to do evil, we need God’s help to do good.  

The final thing Paul prays for is the power to perform every work of faith. Once God has called us and set us apart for Himself. And once He has reoriented our desires away from evil and towards the good. The final piece we need is the power to actually perform the action. We need the power to actually take the next step. To confirm our calling by acting on our resolve to walk by faith and not by sight. Only by tapping the limitless power of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit will we ever find the strength to live for Christ. And this is why we must spend so much time with Him. Learning to hear His voice. Seek His wisdom. Surrender to His strength. This is why prayer and meditation on Scripture is absolutely vital to the Christian life. It’s why weekly worship with a local body of believers is essential for every single Christian. It is through these ordinary “means of grace” that God makes us worthy of His calling. Fulfills our every resolve for good. And gives us the strength to perform every work of faith.  

Readings for tomorrow: Acts 18:19-19:41

World-Changing Faith

Readings for today: 1 Thessalonians 1-5

“For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:4-8‬)

I cannot imagine a greater compliment than to be told that my witness had “sounded forth” throughout the region I live and my faith in God had “gone forth everywhere” so that the need for evangelism ceased. And yet this is exactly what happened through the Christians at Thessalonica. Paul and Silas (Silvanus) traveled through their city on their way to Athens. They stopped and peached for three consecutive Saturdays on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many Jews and Greeks and several leading women came to faith as the Word came in power and authority and conviction. However, some disbelieved and they stirred up a mob to attack Paul and Silas. When they could not find them, they attacked Jason and a few others. Dragging them out of their homes into the streets. They brought them before the city authorities with the hope they would be charged with treason for proclaiming a king other than Caesar but Jason paid off the officials and they were released. They then helped Paul and Silas escape during the night. This is the affliction Paul is referencing in his letter to them. But despite the persecution, they held onto to their joy in the Holy Spirit and clearly remained steadfast in their faith to the point that their reputation had spread thus making a return trip from Paul unnecessary. 

I love how the crowd puts it in Acts 17:6, “These men have turned the world upside down...” Would that we would live such gospel-centered lives that we too might be accused of such a thing! Turning the world upside down is exactly what the gospel does. It completely reorders all we love. It redirects all our thoughts and desires. It reorients all our priorities. The things we used to hold dear no longer have much of a hold on us. The idols we cling to so tightly become empty and worthless. All our pride and achievement are cast down before the throne of Jesus. All our wealth and privilege and influence and power pales in comparison to the riches and authority Christ offers us in Himself. Our concern for our reputation and the esteem of others diminishes as our fear of God increases. This is what happens when we come to Christ. He fills us with His love. His affections. His joy. His peace. His righteousness. As these things begin to flow in and through our lives, we are transformed. We are renewed. We are set free. And because we have been set free, this world no longer has anything for us. No longer has any leverage over us. No longer can threaten to undo us. For we live for Christ and if we die, we gain! 

So what does this all mean for you today? How are you turning the world upside down at your work or school? In your home or neighborhood? As you gather around your table with friends and family for Thanksgiving, what will the conversation sound like? Will the people you spend time feel blessed for having been with you? Will they hear and experience the love of Jesus through you? Will you set the example for those who do not yet believe through your sacrifice and willingness to serve?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Thessalonians 1-3