Complete Surrender

Readings for today: Acts 20:4-23:35

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

Everything Points to Love

Readings for today: Romans 13-16

I spend a lot of my days talking to people who are exploring what it means to follow Christ. They ask a lot of great questions. They wrestle with significant doubts. They are honest about their fears. One of the most common questions I get has to do with the Christian’s relationship with the law. The law of God is complicated. There’s much about it that feels foreign, mainly because it was written originally to a people living in the ancient near east. There’s much about it that has changed over time especially as it relates to the civil and ceremonial sections of the law. And then there is the moral dimension that remains consistent and eternal. It’s not always easy to tease out. It’s not always easy to understand. It’s not always easy to grasp. As a result, the most important part is often lost and that is love. The end of the law is love. The purpose of the law is to protect love and foster love. The goal of the law is the creation of an alternative society marked by love.

Listen to how the Apostle Paul puts it, “Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love.” (‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Love others as you love yourself. This is the summary of the law of God. This is why the law of God exists. This is what the law of God is seeking to encourage and foster in the hearts of those who are faithful. The law of God sets healthy boundaries around the lives of believers. Those who commit to following the law with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength do not earn God’s favor. They don’t work their way to heaven. No, they become the kind of people God created them to be all along. They become healthy and whole and kind and generous and selfless and patient. Most of all, they embody love. Love of God. Love of others. Love of neighbors. Love even of their enemies.

Everything points to love. All 613 laws in the Old Testament seek to foster an environment where love flourishes. Every law Jesus Himself affirms when He reinterprets Torah in the Sermon on the Mount is directed towards love. The Greatest Commandment is all about love and the Second Great Commandment proclaims the same. All of it love. All of it from God. Because God is love. At the end of the day, the true test of any Christian is how we love. Love God. Love others. Love ourselves. Following God’s law is the way to the deepest and most fulfilling love imaginable.

Readings for tomorrow: Acts 20:4-23:35

Trusting God

Readings for today: Romans 9-12

One of the biggest questions one has to grapple with in reading the Bible has to do with the nature and character of God.  Is He a God who can be trusted? Is He a good God? A righteous God? A holy God? If one concludes the answer to these questions is “Yes”, then these narratives begin to make sense. If one concludes the answer to these questions is “No” or “Not sure”, then these narratives get messy and really difficult to understand. Why does God allow Noah to curse his grandson for something his father did? Why does God seem to overlook Abraham’s lying? Why does God turn Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt simply for a glance backwards and yet seemingly does nothing to Lot’s daughters when they rape their father to get pregnant? How could God allow Hagar and Ishmael to be treated so terribly by Sarah? And what are we to make of the conflict between Esau and Jacob which began before they were even born? 

These are all honest, real questions that should be raised by any reflective, thoughtful, engaged Christians. They press us to the primary question which has undergirded our entire journey through the Bible this year...Will we let God be God? Can we agree His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts? Can we agree that in standing outside of time and space, He has a perspective we can never grasp? Can we agree that God is infinite in wisdom and understanding? Omniscient and omnipotent? Again, will we let God be God? Will we trust His sovereign decision to choose Israel and not the other nations? Will we trust His sovereign plan to use Israel for the sake of the other nations? Will we trust His sovereign decision to use this particular family, the family of Abraham, with all of its baggage and dysfunction?  

This is essentially what the Apostle Paul says we should do in our reading from Romans today. “Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn’t talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, “Why did you shape me like this?” Isn’t it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans?” (Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Now, does this mean we can’t ask our questions?  Is Paul trying to shame us all into silence? I don’t think so. He simply calls us to place our faith in the character and nature of God. He calls us to faith rather than doubt when it comes to the goodness and faithfulness of God. He calls us to believe God has a plan, even when we don’t understand it. 

All of this is running in the background when Paul writes his letter to the Roman Christians. Essentially, he argues that when we let God be God, everything else falls into place. We can look back into the Old Testament and see the guidance of God as He leads the servant of Abraham miraculously to Rebekah. We see the hand of God as Abraham settles his estate and dies peacefully among his people. His funeral attended by his two boys, Ishmael and Isaac, who reunite to bury their father in what must have been a tender scene. We see both Ishmael and Isaac receive the blessing of God as their families grow. We see God heal Rebekah’s barren womb in what will become a pattern throughout the Old Testament. We witness the sovereign choice of God to elect Jacob to carry on the promise even though Esau is the firstborn. We see Esau confirm that decision as he despises his birthright, selling it to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Finally, we see God renew His covenant with Isaac, almost immediately followed by Isaac’s repetition of the same mistakes his father had made. Time and again we are reminded that unless God acts to preserve His promise, we are doomed. The human race is just too dysfunctional. Too prone to evil. To easily seduced by sin.

This should challenge us as well as comfort us. God calls us into relationship with Himself because He wants to use us as His instruments to fill the earth with His glory. And this demands something of us. Actually, it demands everything from us! At the same time, the successful completion of God’s plan doesn’t depend on human effort. Again, I love what Paul says in Romans 9:16, “Compassion doesn’t originate in our bleeding hearts or moral sweat, but in God’s mercy.” (Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭16 ‭MSG‬‬) Thankfully, God is moving ahead of us, always with His plan in mind. And as we link arms with Him, align our will with His will, the Kingdom of God comes on earth as it is in heaven.

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 13-16

Expanding our View

Readings for today: Romans 5-8

My view of life can be so narrow at times. I am limited by my lack of understanding. Limited by my lack of experience. Limited by my finite abilities. Limited by my emotions. Limited by the sin that so easily trips me up. All of these things and more conspire to narrow my field of vision. Foreclose on options I otherwise might consider. Shot down possibilities I might otherwise take advantage of. Close doors I might otherwise walk through. I’ve seen it happen in my life. I’ve seen it happen in the lives of those I love and serve as a pastor.

Recently, I was talking with a friend who is locked in conflict with their spouse. Neither of them can see the forest for the trees. Both of them are locked into a particular point of view. Their field of vision has narrowed to the point where their “way” is the only “way” they can see. It may end up destroying their marriage. I was talking to another friend who is frustrated with a colleague at work. They are wrestling with all kinds of emotions. They are battling their fears and anxieties and assumptions. When they let these things get the upper hand, they start to feel like the situation is hopeless. They start to believe the lie that there’s no way forward. Their vision begins to narrow unnecessarily and options they might otherwise consider no longer seem to be in play. It’s amazing how often we fall into this trap as human beings. It’s part of our sinful, broken condition and it impacts us all.

This is why I love what Paul shares in Romans 5 today. Listen to how the Message version translates it, “By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.” (Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭MSG‬‬) I love the language of “wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory.” All kinds of images flash through my mind when I read these words. Summitting a 14’er here in Colorado and being able to see for miles. Standing on the Great Plains and seeing the wheat fields stretch out before me in every direction. Looking out the window of a plane and being able to see entire cities come into view. This is the difference between God’s view and my view. His view is unlimited, mine is limited. His view is infinite, mine is finite. His view is unobstructed, mine is obstructed by all kinds of tension and stress and anxiety and fear and sinful desires that I struggle with almost every day.

Friends, God wants to give us His eyes to see. His ears to hear. His heart to understand all that is going on in the world around us. He wants to expand our view, not only of our own lives, but the lives of those we love and live among and work alongside. He wants us to live in the wide open spaces of grace rather than the cramped spaces of sin. He wants us to live in freedom rather than in slavery. He wants us to see all the possibilities and all the opportunities He has prepared for us. He has promised to do more than we can ever ask or imagine! All He asks is that we let go of our hopes and dreams - which are small and petty by comparison - and turn our lives over to Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 9-12

True Faith

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

What is true faith? What does it mean to believe? Many point to the definition out of Hebrews 11:1,“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” That’s a good one for sure. In recent years, I’ve come to rely on one that comes from Romans 4:20-22, “No unbelief made Abraham waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” That part in the italics is always what gets me. Am I fully convinced God is able to do what He’s promised in Jesus Christ? In other words, am I fully convinced the sacrifice of Christ is enough to save sinners like me? Am I fully convinced Jesus’ blood is enough to cover all my sins? Am I fully convinced there is nothing left for me to do? Nothing left for me to achieve? Nothing left for me to earn? Am I fully convinced it is by God’s grace alone that I am saved? Am I fully convinced of these things? What Christians historically have called the truths of the gospel?

Paul was convinced the gospel was literally the power of God. Powerful enough to save Jew and Gentile alike. Powerful enough to hold them together when everything in the world threatened to tear them apart. Powerful enough to bring the dead back to life. Powerful enough to bring light to dark places. Powerful enough to break the chains of sin that enslave us. Powerful enough to destroy the works of the devil. Like Abraham before him, Paul was fully convinced God was able to do what He had promised and this is why his faith is counted to him as righteousness. It wasn’t because Paul knew more Scripture than anyone else. It wasn’t because Paul planted more churches than anyone else. It wasn’t because Paul suffered more than anyone else. This isn’t what constituted the ground of Paul’s faith. No, Paul believed God. Paul trusted God. Paul never wavered when it came to God’s promises. He knew God would always deliver which is what made it easy for him to place his life in God’s hands.

What about you? Do you trust in the promises of God? Are you fully convinced God is able to do what He’s promised? Do you believe God will do what He says He will do? Provide like He says He will provide? Protect like He says He will protect? Redeem like He says He will redeem? Love like He says He will love? Bless like He says He will bless? Forgive like He says He will forgive? God makes so many promises throughout the Bible and He’s made good on every single one. God’s delivered on His promises over and over again throughout history. In fact, one might even argue the Bible is a written record of God’s faithfulness throughout the generations.

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 5-8

Going Where No One has Gone Before…

Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 10-13

I’m in Portland attending the annual board meeting for the Petros Network. One of the key verses that guides our work comes from the end of 2 Corinthians 10, “We aren’t making outrageous claims here. We’re sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you. We’re not moving into someone else’s “territory.” We were already there with you, weren’t we? We were the first ones to get there with the Message of Christ, right? So how can there be any question of overstepping our bounds by writing or visiting you? 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 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭13‬-‭18‬ ‭MSG‬‬) We aspire to the same mission Paul aspired to. He wanted to take the gospel to places where it had never gone. He refused to spend his life planting and sowing and reaping in the same harvest fields of others. He wanted everyone to have access to the gospel. I love his heart. I love how Paul sees the whole world as his parish and yet recognizes that even he has limits. He knows he is not the end all, be all of God’s mission. God isn’t 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’ve 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 failing and 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 and have done my best to remain true to that mission.

‭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

Weak Vessels

Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 5-9

I’m still thinking about the reading from yesterday. The part about jars of clay. Ordinary pots in whom God deposits the treasure of the gospel. Or, as Paul puts it in today’s reading, earthly bodies that get folded up like tents before being replaced with our eternal bodies. Until that great day comes, we endure the cramped conditions of this world with our eyes fixed on the vast spaces of the world to come. It’s a powerful vision that gives us the strength to keep going no matter how much our “pot” might chip or crack or even break. Years ago, a dear friend gave me a clay pot that she purchased on a trip to the Middle East. She bought it from a local vendor who literally spent his days forming vessels out of clay and letting them bake in the sun before taking them to market to sell. It’s simple. Ordinary. Fairly fragile. I imagine if I used it day in and day out like most people over in that part of the world, it would become chipped and cracked. Eventually it would break apart altogether.

I think about that pot every time I read Paul’s words to the Corinthians. You and I are no different than the pot that sits on my desk. Simple. Ordinary. Fairly fragile. It doesn’t take much to wound us. Hurt us. Chip us. Crack us. Break us. And yet God in His unsurpassed wisdom and grace has entrusted to us the treasure of the gospel. Through His Spirit He has deposited Christ into our hearts. And we now carry Him with us wherever we go.

There is a lot of pressure in our world to be perfect. To never let anyone see you sweat. To pretend like we have it altogether. On the flip side, there seems to be just as much pressure to be “real” and “authentic.” To publicly curate our brokenness on social media in service of self-promotion. Both views are deeply misguided because they both focus on the pot rather than the Potter. They focus on the jar of clay rather than the treasure hidden within. They both flip the script and ascribe power to the person rather than to God which is why all such efforts eventually fall apart.

We are weak and feeble. We are foolish and ignorant. We are anxious and afraid. Each one of our “jars” is chipped and cracked and broken in so many different ways. But when we see ourselves through the eyes of faith, we see past all the hurts, wounds, and scars to the treasure deposited within. We see the light of Christ shining through all our imperfections giving light and life and blessing to those around us. We understand that the “vessels” we inhabit are ultimately not what’s most important. Rather it is Christ in us that is the hope of glory! So it doesn’t matter what hardships we suffer or what injustices we face. We recognize this world has nothing for us. It is not our home. So we can spend our lives in service to Christ. We can wear these bodies out for the sake of Christ’s mission in this world. We can exhaust our resources and our time and our energy. We can leave it all on the field so to speak, trusting there is a greater prize awaiting us in heaven. I love how Paul describes it, “For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Paul gets it. His whole life has prepared him for this moment. All his training. Upbringing. Wealth. Power. Privilege. All of it is now poured out like a drink offering before Christ. He must die so others may live. He must give away all he has for the sake of those who do not know Jesus Christ. He must surrender all his needs, wants, and desires for the sake of the mission of proclaiming Christ. He understands the true worth of the treasure he carries inside and he lets his life become a living testimony to the surpassing power of Christ.

This is how the gospel spreads from one generation to the next. From one region of the world to the next. Through ordinary men and women who come face to face with the pearl of great price and sell all they have as a response. Ordinary people like you and me who grasp the infinite worth of the treasure we hold and do all we can to give it away to others.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 10-13

Eternal Impact

Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 1-4

When I appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ at the end of my life or at the end of days (whichever comes first), I believe God is going to ask me a series of questions. What did you do with the woman I gave you as your wife? Did she become the woman I created her to be through her relationship with you? Did you love her and support and create an environment for her to thrive? What did you do with the children I entrusted to your care? Did they become the women and man I created them to be? Did you love them and support them and encourage them and create an environment for them to thrive? What about the congregation I entrusted to you? Did the people who called PEPC home become more like Christ under your leadership? Did you create an environment through your preaching and teaching and leading that gave them a chance to grow in their faith? Were you faithful in your meetings with them to love and encourage and confront and point them to My Son Jesus?

Why do I believe this? Because, like Paul, I believe all the relationships God has given me in my life are living “letters of recommendation.” The testimonies of my wife and children and congregation are all I need to rest secure in how God is using me to make an eternal impact for His Kingdom. I love how Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 MSG, “We couldn’t be more sure of ourselves in this—that you, written by Christ himself for God, are our letter of recommendation. We wouldn’t think of writing this kind of letter about ourselves. Only God can write such a letter. His letter authorizes us to help carry out this new plan of action. The plan wasn’t written out with ink on paper, with pages and pages of legal footnotes, killing your spirit. It’s written with Spirit on spirit, his life on our lives!” Though Paul faces hostility both outside and inside the church, he is secure in his mission. He is secure in his leadership. He knows he is in the center of God’s will because of the impact God used him to make on the lives of the Corinthian Christians. Despite all their brokenness and sin, the Corinthians have come to know Christ. They are growing in their faith. They are moving towards holiness. And this is all the encouragement Paul needs to keep going.

There is nothing better than being part of the Spirit’s work to change lives. There is no better feeling in the world than to be used by God to make an eternal impact in the lives of those we love. As I look back over the years, I am in awe of how God has used me to bless my parents and in-laws, my wife and children, and the families in the congregations I’ve had the privilege to serve. I am not perfect by any stretch. I’ve had to ask for forgiveness numerous times for the mistakes I’ve made. Thankfully, however, God has been faithful and as I’ve surrendered more and more to Him, He’s used me in ways I could never have imagined. What about you? How is God using you to make an impact on those you live with, live among, and work alongside? Ask Him today to show you how to be a blessing in all your relationships.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 5-9

Resurrection

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 truth 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 everything he has to face. He considers all of it nothing compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. What about you? Do you believe in the resurrection?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 1-4

A Humble Life

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 12-14

One of the curses of our current age is self-righteousness. Whether we’re talking politics or social issues or cultural norms or personality traits, there is this drive within all of us to be right in our own eyes. And this need to be right or righteous is elevated to an almost sacred level which means anyone who may disagree with us is wrong. And not just wrong but unrighteous which means they’re evil. And if they’re evil, they cannot be tolerated and must be destroyed. We see this dynamic on display in the rhetoric from many of our current political leaders who claim those who differ from them are out to “destroy democracy” or are enemies of America. This dynamic seems jet fueled by social media which only serves to channel outrage and hatred and anger. This, unsurprisingly, leads to violence and conflict which is justified if it serves your particular agenda but gets labeled an insurrection if it doesn’t. One would think with all the information we have at our fingertips that we would humbly acknowledge the deep complexities of our world and other human beings. One would think because we all share the same fundamental nature that we would assume the best of one another rather than the worst. Sadly, this approach to life seems beyond us.

Of all people, Christians should understand the danger of self-righteousness. We should be the first to relinquish the need to be right in our own eyes. We understand, as the Apostle Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 MSG, that “We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.” This side of heaven, we don’t have a clear view of ourselves much less the world around us. We can only see the outward appearance of a person, we cannot see their hearts. And this should create a deep sense of humility within all of us. A willingness to let go of the need to justify ourselves. A deep longing for the day when “the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!“ On that great day, every wrong will be righted…not by us but by God. Every injustice will be rectified…not by us but by God. Every tear will be wiped away…not by us but by God. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work for these things in the here and now - of course we should - it simply means we should approach these issues with humility, recognizing the deep complexities of the human condition that lead us to our choices.

I love how Paul describes the way we work for justice and righteousness in our world. He says, “But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.” Trust God. Always hope. And love as generously and lavishly and unconditionally as possible. What a great recipe for life! I know in my own life, things changed for the better in my marriage and with my kids when I decided to approach them with love rather than the law. When I let go of my need to be right and instead chose the way of love and encouragement and blessing. The arguments in my home went away. The conflict in my home died down. The tension and stress decreased significantly. It doesn’t mean we don’t speak the truth to each other. On the contrary, we have family meetings quite often where we have to talk about hard things. But we always do so with love first. We find ways to affirm and encourage first. We hug first. We seek to understand rather than be understood. We seek to meet the other person where they’re at rather than demand they meet us where we’re at. We recognize we don’t often know all that’s going on in that other person’s heart and we give them room to express what they are feeling. Ultimately, we show each other a lot of grace and trust the Lord to do the work only He can do in each of our hearts.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 15-16

Keeping our Bearings

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 9-11

I love how the Message version describes Paul’s approach to ministry in our reading this morning. “Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭19‬-‭23‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Paul may be one of the most “free” persons to have ever lived. He refused to live by other’s expectations. He refused to bow to other’s demands. He refused to live one way when he was with the Jewish people and another when He was with the Gentiles. He refused to walk away from those who were struggling the most in life. He didn’t ever worry about his reputation. He simply kept his bearings in Christ.

“Bearing” is not necessarily a word we use often. It can mean many things but Paul is using it here to describe direction, orientation, heading, the trajectory of his life. He takes his bearing from Christ. Christ is the fixed point. Christ is his North Star. Everything he does is for the sake of knowing Christ and making Him known. There is no other calculus for Paul. There are no other factors in play. There are no other issues at stake. Christ is everything for Paul. And this allows him to maintain his “bearings” in the midst of a world of chaos, fear, and violence. Paul is very aware of how his life in Christ will set him apart. He’s very aware of how his life in Christ will make him different. And yet, because Christ is his firm foundation, he is free to enter the world of the least reached and least resourced around him and experience things from their point of view. He is free to engage and interact with them in an effort to win them to saving faith. It’s why he becomes a servant to all in order to save as many as he can.

What about us? Do we walk in the same freedom or do we worry too much about what others might say? Do we humbly seek to serve those around us, no matter their manner of life, in an effort to win them to Christ or do we hold back out of fear of the damage it might do to our reputation? Do we maintain our “bearings in Christ” as we navigate the challenges of this world or do we allow ourselves to be tossed about like a small ship on a raging ocean? Lean into Christ, friends. Make Him the fixed point of your life, your North Star, the firm foundation on which you stand.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 12-14

Let’s Talk about Sex

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 5-8

Homer’s Iliad. The poetry of Sappho and Ovid. Pindar’s Odes. Plato’s Symposium. The Sacred Band of Thebes. Horace’s Odes. Without a doubt the Greek and Roman world was a highly eroticized one. Sexuality in all its forms was celebrated and embraced. Men were encouraged to build homoerotic relationships with young protégés. Homosexuality and lesbianism was known and commonly practiced. Temple prostitution was normalized as farmers slept with high priestesses to ensure the fertility of their crops for the coming year. Sexual promiscuity and adultery were not seen as taboo. Sexuality was a widespread theme permeating art, comedy, poetry, and philosophy. Sex was even used to bond men together in some of the great militaries of the period. 

By contrast, Jews and Christians practiced sexual restraint. They saw sex as a sacred act that bonded one man with one woman for a lifetime. Created to symbolize the “one flesh” God intended for man and woman to experience with each other, Jews and Christians maintained a healthy respect for its power. This is why they established strong taboos against any sexual activity outside the bonds of covenant marriage. They recognized that sex was not purely physical but bonded people emotionally and spiritually as well. To disregard the depth of the sexual experience or share it with more than one partner was to commit a sin against one’s own body which itself was a temple of the Holy Spirit. Sexual promiscuity was therefore intimately tied to ritual purity which is why transgressions took on a more serious tone. 

The Apostle Paul was steeped in the Judeo-Christian world of sexual restraint. The Corinthian Christians were coming out of the Greco-Roman culture of sexual promiscuity. You can easily see where these two worlds would clash. Paul confronts the Corinthian believers with some of his strongest language yet. Calling for the excommunication of a man who slept with his father’s wife. Commanding the Corinthians not to associate with the sexually immoral. Most certainly they should not avail themselves of the temple prostitutes and local fertility cults! At the same time, husbands should not deprive their wives of sex nor should wives do the same to their husbands. Celibacy is not God’s design for marriage. I see this as Paul at his pastoral best. Applying the gospel to the complex social and cultural realities that existed in his particular part of the world. 

What about us? Do these same principles hold true for us today? Absolutely. The Bible is univocal in both Old and New Testaments about the sanctity of the sexual relationship. It is to be shared between one man and one woman within the covenant of marriage over the course of a lifetime. Certainly one could point to deviations from this pattern throughout the Scriptures like the polygamy of the patriarchs. But those exceptions only serve to prove the rule. As Christians, we are called to sexual purity. We are called to sexual holiness. We are called to honor the sexual act as one of God’s great gifts and thereby exercise it under His divine authority. In our current day and age, we are witnessing one of the great moral shifts in history. Western culture is becoming increasing hyper-sexualized as it reverts back to ancient, pagan sexual norms. Sexual promiscuity has been on the rise since the so-called sexual revolution of the 1960’s. Serial divorce is rampant. Same-sex relationships are celebrated. The concept of “throuples” is quickly being embraced as definitions of marriage shift and change. The impact of all this rapid change is devastating. Sexually transmitted disease. Unplanned pregnancies. Broken relationships. The objectification of the human body. Pornography. Harassment. Abuse. Violence. Depression. Anxiety. Fear. These are a lot of the reasons the Greco-Roman world embraced the Judeo-Christian sexual ethic in the first place! They could clearly see the positive impact on families and communities who committed to practicing Biblical sexual restraint. Sadly, our world has no such examples as many Christians themselves do not seem committed to practicing sexual purity.

As our world rapidly plunges into sexual chaos, it is imperative for Christians to follow Paul’s words to the Thessalonians that we read earlier this week, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God...” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:3-5‬) Lust is defined biblically as those emotions/passions that drive one to behavior outside the will of God. In the area of sexuality this means any sexual activity outside the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman.

All of us, no matter what our sexual orientation may be, suffer from the same disordered loves. Sexual desire, like all desires, were originally created good and pure by God but were corrupted by the Fall. As such, our desires are now in conflict with what God has clearly revealed in His Word and the only response for the Christian is to submit our sexuality to God like we are called to do in every other area of our life.

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Commandment We Can’t Seem to Keep

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 1-4

Unity. The Bible makes it clear that God’s people are to be one even as He is one. We are to experience unity in community even as He experiences unity in community - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are called to ground our identity in Christ crucified. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. In Psalm 133, God declares it to be good when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity. In fact, He even says He commands His blessing upon the unity of His people. In John 17, Jesus prays for our unity. He asks the Father to send the Spirit to make us one with each other even as we are one with Him. And here in 1 Corinthians, Paul challenges the early church to overcome their divisions and lean into their unity in Christ together.

What is it about us human beings that makes us so prone to division and why is it that Christians often seem to lead the way? There are over 26,000 different denominations in the Western Church and we seem to have exported division to the Global South. We go our separate ways so easily. Some divide over the fine points of theology. Some divide over church government and organization. Some divide over church hurt and disappointment. Some divide over ethnicity or culture. Some divide because relationships with other believers have gone south. Some divide simply because they like the newest preacher and/or newest church in town. I am absolutely convinced it breaks the heart of God and brings down His judgment because division, simply put, is sin.

Paul is direct with his Corinthian brothers and sisters. They have fallen prey to the temptation to divide over personality. Some claim to follow Apollos. Some claim to follow Peter. Some claim to follow Paul. And the super-spiritual claim to follow the Messiah but clearly at the expense of the other groups! This kind of behavior cannot be tolerated! Not in the family of God! Paul makes it clear towards the end of chapter one that the root of division is pride. Listen to how he describes it and think about your own experience with the church, “Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭31‬ ‭MSG‬‬) God clearly had done a mighty work in saving them from the powers of hell and death and the devil but still it was not enough. The Corinthians were engaged in the age-old sin of self-promotion. They were fighting over status and power and influence and control. And the result was devastating to their witness in the larger community.

Sadly, not much has changed in two thousand years. Christians are still fighting the same battles. Still engaged in the age-old sin of self-promotion only now this particular sin has been super-charged by social media. We are still engaged in fights over status, power, wealth, influence, and control. We continue to leave churches over the smallest of slights rather than forgive. We constantly major in the minors and make non-essentials of theology essential. Meanwhile, the Great Commission continues to go largely unfulfilled. The Great Commandment to love God and love each other seems largely forgotten. And that’s why the Great Declaration about the gates of hell not being able to stand against the church no longer seems to apply as churches in the West decline and even die in many cases.

That’s the bad news. What’s the good news? Paul is clear. It’s right in front of us. “Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭MSG‬‬) If we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, He will hold us together when everything else in the world threatens to tear us apart.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 5-8

Spirit-Filled

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

The Christian life is a Spirit-filled life. There simply is no other way to live it. It is not just a system of ethics. It is not just another human philosophy. It is not just a man-made religion with all sorts of rules and regulations on how to get to heaven after you die. It is a life animated and empowered by the very Spirit of the Living God. It is a life full of miracles and signs and wonders. It is a life blessed by the Creator and Sustainer and Redeemer of the universe. It is a life that looks like the one Jesus led.

In our reading from the Book of Acts today, we run across a curious story. A gifted Christian preacher named Apollos was proving to be very effective in sharing the good news of the gospel but his message was incomplete. He taught the way of Jesus “up to a point but only went as far as the baptism of John.” (Acts 18:25 MSG) What does that mean? Paul explains it in the very next chapter. John preached a baptism of repentance, of radical life-change, in order to prepare the way of the Lord. John was the last Old Testament prophet sent by God to prepare people for the coming of the Messiah. He was Elijah reborn as it were and God used him powerfully to prepare the soil for the message of the Kingdom of God. John’s message served a particular purpose for a particular season but that season ended with the coming of Jesus. Jesus was the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. John himself said he was unworthy to untie his sandals and by clinging to and teaching John’s message, Apollos was actually leading potential believers astray.

Thankfully, Apollos was humble and teachable and submitted to the leadership of Priscilla and Aquila. It made his preaching even more powerful because now he was armed with the message of grace. Grace, friends, is the key difference between John’s baptism and Jesus’ baptism. John’s baptism is a baptism of repentance. It is a baptism based on our desires and our thoughts and our actions. Jesus’ baptism, on the other hand, is much greater and much more profound. It is a baptism based on grace. God’s unmerited favor towards those He loves. God’s unconditional pardon and forgiveness of our sins. God giving us the free gift of righteousness in Jesus Christ. God transforming us from the inside out through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. This is what those “almost believers” who were responding to the preaching of Apollos had missed and it is what the Apostle Paul corrects when he arrives in Ephesus.

I meet so many believers today who align more with John’s baptism than the baptism of Jesus. They rely more on their own works rather than on grace as they seek to win God’s favor. They come to the end of their lives and they trust they’ve “done enough” or been “good enough” for God. These are all signs we are still struggling to believe rightly about the Christian faith and we still need the Priscillas and Aquilas of the world to teach us the true way of Jesus. The way of grace.

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

Empathy

Readings for today: 1 Thessalonians 1-5

As crazy as it sounds, I recently ran across a corner of Christian social media critiquing “empathy.” It seems there are a certain segment of pastors who are very concerned that Christians might show too much empathy for those who are struggling or lost or poor or marginalized in some way. I have to say going down that rabbit hole was one of the most discouraging things I have done in a long time. It was brutal to see such a lack of love and caring from Christians who have been called to imitate Christ in how they lead and serve. Such a difference in tone from what we read in 1 Thessalonians today!

I love what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2:8, “We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.” This is the very definition of empathy. Empathy has to do with feeling the feelings of others. It literally means entering their hearts and experiencing what they experience. It’s why we talk about “grieving with those who grieve” and “weeping with those who weep.” When we sit in the dust and ashes of a person’s life with them, we are expressing not just sympathy and compassion but something even deeper and more profound. Empathy levels the ground. It puts us all in the same boat together as we experience the challenges of navigating this life. Again, Paul puts it well, “Even though we had some standing as Christ’s apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. We weren’t standoffish with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭7 ‭MSG‬‬)

As I watched the videos and listened to the podcasts and read the articles/blogs written by the anti-empathy crowd, I found myself wishing I could sit down and read through 1 Thessalonians with them. I would want to listen to how they process not just “what” Paul shares in this letter but “how” he shares it. As far as I can tell, these pastors are responding out of fear. They fear the compromises that often come when one courageously enters into another person’s heart or condition or experience. It’s tempting to soften our own convictions in order to come alongside someone who is hurting or broken or feeling all alone. I get it. I really do. And yet, the Apostle Paul makes it clear from his own life that it’s possible to maintain one’s deep convictions while showing empathy to those who are struggling. I know my life has been immeasurably enriched by the time I’ve spent with the global poor, the socially/politically oppressed, the struggling and hurting, and other marginalized groups. I’ve learned so much about God and His heart that I otherwise would have been blind to had I not engaged in empathetic listening and learning with these brothers and sisters.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Thessalonians 1-3

Conflict

Readings for today: Acts 17:1-18:18

Jesus was clear that His followers would face trials and tribulation. We will face hostility and conflict and persecution. People will attack us for our beliefs and they will consider our way of life a threat. They will not understand why we live the way we do and even try to have us thrown in prison for our faith. We’ve seen this happen throughout history and even in many places around the world today. Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart. It will place you in conflict with the principalities and powers of this present age. It will not win you friends or make you much of an influencer. If it does, you’re probably doing it wrong. The way of Jesus remains a “stumbling block” to the religious and “foolishness” to the irreligious so you will take heat from both sides. This is why so many struggle to remain faithful over the long haul. Frankly, it’s why so many of my pastoral colleagues are burning out, washing out, or opting out of full-time ministry. They get tired of taking the shots. They get tired of having to wake up to yet another fight. They get tired of being beaten down and targeted for their faith.

There is a growing hostility in our nation today towards followers of Jesus. Our beliefs and our ethics pose a threat to the emerging moral order. Our views on gender and sexual ethics, in particular, have not just come under fire, they are considered abusive and dangerous. Our beliefs about God and His final judgment on sin and death and evil are considered laughable, intolerant, and unacceptable. Our commitment to Jesus as “the way, the truth, and the life” is considered exclusive, biased, and narrow-minded. It’s becoming increasingly clear that anyone who holds such views will be denied positions in government or business or the classroom. Anyone who proclaims such views will be sanctioned or cancelled in the public sphere. They will be labeled a hate-monger, immoral, and a bigot. So what’s a Christian to do?

We follow the example of Paul. Everywhere Paul went, he faced hostility. He dealt with conflict. He was shouted down. He was disrespected. He was chased by lynch mobs and dragged before the courts. He was attacked and ridiculed for what he preached and still he persevered. He endured. He refused to repay evil with evil. He resisted the temptation to use human means to achieve divine ends. He turned the other cheek. He stood his ground without lashing out. He kept on preaching even in the midst of all his pain and suffering. He trusted God with the results. We would do well to learn from him.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Thessalonians 1-5

Essentials

Readings for today: Acts 15-16

It’s so easy for human beings to divide. We’ve been doing it for centuries. We divide over language, culture, ethnicity, and tribal affiliation. We divide over land, money, wealth, and power. We divide over politics, social action, and religious faith. We divide over disappointments, hurts, and fears. Christians are no different. Despite the fact that we are bound by a spiritual bond in Jesus Christ that is thicker than blood or water, we cannot seem to help ourselves. We are vulnerable to the same pressures that divide every other group of human beings.

The early church had to fight to stay together. Despite the cultural forces arrayed against them and the persecution they suffered at the hands of their enemies, they still found the time and energy to fight amongst themselves. Circumcision was the pressing issue of the day. The cultural practice had set apart the Jewish people since the beginning. All the way back to Abraham. It was essential to their identity as God’s covenant people. But now Gentiles are coming to faith in droves. Their numbers are threatening to overwhelm the early church. The Jewish Christians are rapidly becoming a minority and probably feeling under threat. Like all these new people had stolen “their” church. So a group of them band together and begin teaching the new Gentile Christians that faith in Jesus Christ was not enough. Baptism was not enough. They needed to be circumcised in addition to these things if they truly believed and wanted to belong. This created all kinds of controversy. Paul and Barnabas go nuts. The early church is wracked by conflict and so they call a meeting of all the leaders in Jerusalem. The case is presented. They seek the mind of Christ together. The Holy Spirit makes His will known. And the mark of circumcision is rejected as a requirement.

This won’t be the end of the story, of course. Human beings are notoriously rebellious and many of those early Jewish Christians will continue to cause Paul headaches as he plants his churches around the Roman world. So will the Gentile Christians, by the way! It’s just so easy for any of us to fall prey to focusing on the non-essentials rather than the essentials of our faith. It’s so easy for us to focus on what separates us rather than what holds us together. It’s so easy to focus on our differences rather than our shared convictions which is why there are so many different denominations and churches in the world today. Boil the Christian faith down to it’s essentials and what do you have? Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Readings for tomorrow: None

Never Going Back…

Readings for today: Galatians 4-6

Several years ago, I remember talking to a friend of mine who had recently gotten out of prison after serving several decades for a violent crime. He had done his time. He had paid his debt to society. He had done his best to make amends and ask forgiveness of the victim and their family. And although he knew he would never get those years back, he also knew he had many years ahead where he could make an impact for God’s Kingdom. However, it soon became apparent to him that life on the outside would not be easy. There were very few jobs to be had for ex-cons. There were very few resources available to him in his community. He didn’t have much family support and the temptation to recidivate was very real. After all, the prison life was something he understood. In fact, he had spent his entire adult life up to this point behind bars. The routine felt comfortable. He ate three meals a day. He had a comfortable bed to sleep in. He had a job to go to each day. Yes, it was a pain to be told what to do and when to do it. Yes, it was dehumanizing to be counted five or six times a day or to have your cell searched without warning. Yes, he wasn’t treated well by the guards and he always had to be careful around the other inmates. But it was a world he had navigated well and even thrived in. He had gotten his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees behind bars. He had become the inmate chaplain. He preached weekly and led Bible studies. He had earned respect. All of that was gone now that he was on the outside.

In our discussion, we talked at length about this passage from Galatians. We talked at length about the difference between a “free” mentality and a “slave” mentality. We talked at length about how comfortable we can become in the prison house of sin, enslaved to the great enemy of our souls. In fact, we can become so comfortable that even after Christ has set us free, we often find ourselves tempted to recidivate to our old ways. It’s what we know. It’s what’s familiar. It’s a world we often navigate well to a certain extent. We may even gain a certain level of respect for ourselves or others based on our success. But all that becomes meaningless once Christ has come into our lives and set us free. He reorders our desires. He reorients our values. He calls us to lay down our lives in order to gain them. He calls us to be last so that we may be first. He calls us to humbly serve and love others, even our enemies. This is what freedom looks like in God’s Kingdom.

My friend made me a promise when we talked that day. He said, “Doug, I promise you I’m never going back.” I’m never going back to prison. Never going back to that lifestyle. Never going back behind bars where every action I take and every decision I make has to be approved by some human authority. I told him how proud I was of him and how I would stand by his side to help him along the way so he would never be alone. And I asked him to do the same for me. The reality is I don’t want to go back either. I don’t want to go back to the prison of the life I led before Christ. I don’t want to go back to a lifestyle of sin. I don’t want to return to a life of slavery where every action I take and every decision I make is beholden to an enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy all God has done in my life to set me free. It is for freedom that Christ has set me free and I refuse to submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Readings for tomorrow: Acts 15-16

Christ Alone

Readings for today: Galatians 1-3

It is so easy to turn to another gospel. This isn’t just a Galatian problem. It happens every time we condition our fellowship with one another based on something other than Christ. Over the years, I’ve had Christians share all kinds of reasons with me why they can’t worship alongside their brothers and sisters. For some, the reasons may be denominational. I’m Baptist or Presbyterian or Roman Catholic or Greek Orthodox or independent. For others, the reasons may be theological. I’m Reformed or Arminian or Roman Catholic or Orthodox. For some, the reasons may be ethnic or cultural or economic or political. For others, the reasons may be relational. They hurt me, disappointed me, or let me down in some way. Finally, there are the personal preferences that keep us apart. I don’t like the music or the preacher or the style of worship. Whatever the reason, any time we allow a human reason to get in the way of our ability to gather in worship with other brothers and sisters in Christ, we are in danger of chasing a different gospel.

The Apostle Paul makes it clear that the church is built on one foundation and that is Jesus Christ. Listen to how he describes in Galatians 2:19-21, “What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.” Can you imagine what would happen if the church took Paul’s words here literally? Can you imagine a church where the human ego was not just set aside but actually crucified? Where personal preference was no longer central? Where pride and privilege and prejudice were no longer allowed to hold any influence? Where the only thing that mattered was Christ making Himself known in and through me?

The reality is the church should seek to become a fellowship only Jesus is strong enough to hold together. The church should seek to become a fellowship where radical grace and unqualified forgiveness and unconditional love is not just aspired to or talked about but actually practiced. The church should seek to become a fellowship where homogeneity and unanimity are rejected in favor of the beautiful diversity God ordains for her in Revelation 7:9 where every tribe, tongue, and language gathers before the throne. This is God’s dream for His church and it’s why the gates of hell cannot stand against her. She is built on the one, true confession which is Christ alone.

Readings for tomorrow: Galatians 4-6