It’s All About Jesus

Readings for the day: John 3-5

From the moment I was saved on the campus of the University of Colorado up in Boulder, I’ve had a passion to share Christ with others. I evangelized my family. My college buddies. My co-workers after college. I even found myself evangelizing while at Princeton Theological Seminary if you can believe it! Over the years, I’ve shared with Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Mormons. More recently in my trips to Africa, I’ve encountered and shared Christ with those who follow more traditional tribal beliefs. And the one thing I’ve learned over the years is this...it really is all about Jesus. 

I remember meeting with Mormon missionaries in college. Every year I would walk up to their information desk the first week of school and ask to meet. I would be up front and honest with them about my motivations. I wasn’t interested in converting but rather having a dialogue about the differences between Christianity and Mormonism. It is tempting in these conversations to major in the minors. To talk about all the esoteric beliefs they hold to vis a vis our own. None of those conversations bore much fruit to be honest. Where we really gained traction is when we started talking about Jesus. Is He God? Or simply the Son of God? Is He the Creator? Or a created being just like us? Is He the Word Incarnate? Or just an enlightened teacher?  

Today’s reading makes it clear how Jesus saw Himself...

• Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
• For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.
• For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
• For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
• For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
• I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 
• I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.” (John‬ ‭5:19-23, 26-27, 30, 43‬)

These are stunning claims that would have put Jesus right in the crosshairs of the religious leaders of His day. They knew He was claiming to be God. Claiming a kinship with the Father that was unique to Himself. Indeed, just a few chapters later in John, Jesus will sum it all up by stating, “I and the Father are one.” Not just in spirit. Not just of one mind or one accord. But actually one in essence. In being. Which is why the Jews pick up stones to kill Him for blasphemy. 

My Mormon friends and I went round and round on this point. Is Jesus God? My Muslim friends and I have gone round and round on this point as well since they revere Jesus as a prophet. But Jesus isn’t just an enlightened teacher. Jesus isn’t just a great prophet like the others mentioned in the Bible. Jesus isn’t just one of the sons of God. He actually is God! As such, He alone has the power to give us new life! He alone has the authority to judge! He alone can raise the dead! He alone can deliver us from sin and evil! And if we still harbor doubts, Jesus calls witnesses to His defense. “If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John‬ ‭5:31-32, 36-40‬)

Friends, Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan of salvation. He is the one to whom all human history points. He is the climax of the covenant. He is the telos of the Law. He is the capstone of creation. He is the Alpha and Omega. The First and Last. The Beginning and the End. All who believe in Him shall be saved. All who reject Him stand already condemned. This was his message to Nicodemus. To the woman at the well. To the man at the pool in Bethesda. It is His message to us as well. 

Reflecting Jesus

Readings for the day: Matthew 4:23-25, 8:14-17, Mark 1:21-39, Luke 4:31-44

 “So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them.” (Matthew‬ ‭4:24‬)

The news broke today of a dramatic increase in suicide threats being reported in my home state of Colorado. A ninefold increase in the last six years. It’s heartbreaking. And it only confirms what I hear from law enforcement and professional therapists in our area about rates of depression and anxiety skyrocketing, particularly among young people. Adding to this toxic brew are climbing rates of substance abuse. Recent studies show Colorado ranks #1 among all 50 states when it comes to opioid painkillers, alcohol, cocaine and marijuana. Deaths related to overdose increased significantly from 2002-2015 with 904 Coloradans dying from drug use and 847 from alcohol in 2015 alone. According to an article posted on drugrehab.com - (https://www.drugrehab.com/colorado/trends) - Colorado is home to some of the worst rates of drug-related deaths in the country. It’s tragic and terrifying. 

I have felt for a few years now that we are seeing the beginnings of a tsunami of pain that is just starting to hit our shores. Our children are suffering and dying all around us. Our culture is filled with an increasing amount of rage and anger. Death threats are now common against those who disagree. (Witness what Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh’s family are both going through at the moment.) It seems like everything is taken to the extreme. It makes for a very hostile and dangerous environment. Of course it must be acknowledged that what seems new to many of us has been the normative experience for so many of our friends of color or members of the LGBTQ community. They have lived with these threats for decades or more. But is this all there is? Are we doomed to live our lives under such threats? Constantly withdrawing or drawing our boundaries ever tighter in order to protect those we love? Or is there a different way? 

First century culture in Palestine was little different than our own. Pharisees. Saduccees. Essenes. Herodians. Roman collaborators. It was a divided society where different religious/political factions dotted the landscape. Each vying for power. Each seeking supremacy so they could eradicate their opposition. This was the world into which Jesus was born. This was the world in which Jesus launched his ministry. And what a ministry it was! So different than all the rest! Jesus welcomed the outcast. Ate with sinners. Spent time with the ritually unclean. He lifted up women. He cleansed lepers. He restored the isolated and lonely to community. As his fame grew, many people came from all over to bring him their sick. Their diseased. Their hurting. Their wounded. The demon-possessed were set free. He healed all their afflictions. And this only drew more hurting people to him. God was glorified. The Kingdom drew near. Salvation came to so many. All in the name of Jesus.

Could the church serve a similar role today? What if the church made it her aim to serve her community? To go out each and every week - having been filled and equipped in worship - to share the good news of the gospel? Bring healing in Jesus’ name? Freedom in Jesus’ name? Hope in Jesus’ name? What if the church was known as a refuge? A place of safety and security amidst the turmoil and violence of our world? What if the church was known for love rather than hate, even as she called the community around her to greater faithfulness? Would not the fame of Jesus increase? Would not people be drawn to the care and comfort we provide? What if we laid aside our internal theological fights and squabbles and instead linked arms to serve? What if we stopped stabbing our wounded in the back and instead embraced grace as a way of life? What if we put aside our need for political influence and power and instead sought to prayerfully and thoughtfully engage across the political spectrum? And what stops us? Why not start right now? Even today?  

Friends, true followers of Jesus should be known more by what they’re for than what they’re against. Jesus was certainly against many things in his day but he was known for his love and compassion and ministry among the poor. The outcast. The sinner. What is your church known for? And how can you - as a member of that local church - represent Christ more faithfully today?  

Temptation

Readings for the day: Matthew 4:1-22, 13:54-58, Mark 1:12-20, 6:1-6, Luke 4:1-30, 5:1-11, John 1:35-2:12

 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews‬ ‭4:15)

Jesus was fully human. He took on a fully human nature. With all its weaknesses. All its brokenness. All its vulnerabilities. As such, He knew temptation. He knew the temptation to provide for Himself. To satisfy His own needs. To put Himself above the will of His Father. “Command these stones to become loaves of bread.” He knew the temptation to make a name for Himself. To perform spectacular feats and miraculous deeds in an effort to extend His “brand.” To lift His name up above that of His Father. “Throw yourself down from the pinnacle of the Temple.” He knew the temptation to compromise. To accomplish His Father’s will by means other than the cross. “I will give you all the kingdoms of the earth and their glory if you will but worship me.” Jesus suffered these temptations and more throughout His life and ministry. And yet, He remained without sin. He remained faithful. Steadfast in His love for His Heavenly Father. 

Can you imagine the frustration of the devil? Here is his chance. Here is his opportunity to wreck it all. To take down the very Son of God and destroy the eternal plan of God. He knows he’s no match for God. He knows he is a created being. He knows he exists only because God’s mysterious will allows for it. And yet, he is so bitter and angry and prideful, he wants to do all he can to kill and destroy that which God loves. And what does God love most? His Only Begotten Son. So if the devil can get to Him. Get Him to sin. Corrupt Him in some way, shape or form. Turn Him from the cross then he wins. But Jesus peeps his game. Sees right through his schemes. He raises the shield of faith and extinguishes every single flaming dart of the evil one. He counters every thrust with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and parries every blow. And what happens? The devil flees. 

Friends, you and I face temptation every single day. 1 John 2:16 describes it as “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” and these things are not from the Father but are of the world. They are part and parcel of our experience as human beings. It is a weakness we bear from conception. A vulnerability we all share due to our broken, sinful, fallen natures. None of us escapes. None of us is immune. The temptations may take on different forms or different shapes but, at their root, they remain the same. Learning to identify and then resist temptation is a key part of the Christian life. It is one of the keys to deeper intimacy with Christ. 

How does one resist temptation? How does one take their stand - as Christ did - against the devil and put him to flight? We do what Jesus did. First and foremost, we cultivate a deep and intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. Through prayer. Meditation on God’s Word. Worship with God’s people. Regular participation in the sacraments. These ordinary means of grace become extraordinary sources of strength when temptation comes. They are the wells we draw on for water when the devil would put us under siege. Second, we identify the lies the devil is trying to get us to believe. Lies about ourselves. Lies about who God is. Lies about life in this world. The devil is the “father of lies” according to Scripture and he is constantly seeking to deceive us so we will fall into his traps. Third, we counter the enemy’s lies with the truth of God’s Word. When tempted towards self-reliance, we remind ourselves every good gift comes from God. When tempted towards self-promotion, we remind ourselves it is God who lifts up and exalts those He loves. When tempted towards self-protection, we remind ourselves it is God who is our fortress, our sanctuary, our Protector. When tempted to build our self-esteem, we remind ourselves we are not our own. We were bought with a price. When tempted to focus on our self-image, we cling to the truth that we were made in the image of God. These temptations are all around us. We are inundated by them every single hour of every single day. Social media. Peer interactions. The different voices in our heads. We are under constant bombardment to define ourselves outside of Christ. 

And that is why the writer of Hebrews is so quick to remind us that our great High Priest is faithful. Jesus, though tempted in every way as we are, remains without sin. He lives to intercede for us for He knows the struggle is real. He knows the power of your compulsions and addictions and predilections. He knows what draws you away from Him. And He is faithful to strengthen us. He stands ready to guide and protect us. He is with you always. Even to the end of the age. 

John the Baptist

Readings for the day: Matthew 3, Mark 1:1-11, Luke 3, John 1:15-34

 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction." (Malachi‬ ‭4:5-6‬)

John the Baptist is one of the most fascinating figures in all the Bible. He is Elijah reborn. The one whom Malachi prophesied would prefigure the coming of the Messiah. He is the messenger. The final Old Testament prophet. Like the prophets of old, he lives an ascetic lifestyle. He dwells in the desert. Survives on locusts and wild honey. Wears clothing made from wild camel hide. From birth, he was set apart as a Nazarite which meant no wine touched his lips nor would he cut his hair. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and he was sent to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. 

John preached a message of repentance. In keeping with his prophetic forebears, he pulled no punches. He showed no fear. In the face of political and religious opposition, he spoke the truth. He called out the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He called out the immoral behavior of Herod the tetrarch. He called out the sins of the people as they came to be baptized. He called them to obedience. Called them to surrender. To sacrifice. To devote their lives to Yahweh. And revival began sweeping the region. 

God called John to serve a very special purpose. Though it meant prison. Though it would eventually cost him his life. John was called to prepare the way for Jesus. To make His path straight. To lift up every valley. To tear down every mountain. To straighten out the crooked and smooth the rough edges. He was called to lay the groundwork for the ministry of the Messiah so that all people might see the salvation of God. His calling was not to fame. Fortune. Safety. Security. Comfort. Peace. As soon as his ministry gets rolling, he hands it off. As soon as he is becoming popular, Jesus shows up on the scene. As soon as he really starts getting traction, he steps aside.

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John‬ ‭1:29‬) This is our calling as well. To step aside. To get out of the limelight. To do all we can to point everyone to Christ. It may not make us popular. It may not gain us fame or fortune or a good reputation. It may cost us some of our rights. Some of our freedoms. Some of us may indeed be put in prison. Some of us indeed may lose our lives. (Not necessarily here in America but certainly in many places around the world.) The calling John received from God has been given to the church. To preach the good news of the gospel to the ends of the earth. To call people to repentance before the Lord. To call people to surrender their lives to Jesus before it’s too late. Before the day of judgment comes. Before the ax is laid to the root of the tree and the wicked are cut off. We too must make straight the path for Jesus. We too must lift up every valley. Tear down every mountain. Straighten out the crooked and smooth over the rough edges. In short, we must do all we can to remove every barrier to Christ. We must ourselves get out of the way so that others will see Jesus. 

Favor with God

Readings for the day: Matthew 2, Luke 2:39-52

Jesus evokes the strongest reactions. Wise men from the east. Probably pagan astrologers who watched the skies over Babylon. Men who possibly had been raised on the stories of their fabled Jewish forebears, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, come to Israel following a star. The heavenly sign was so compelling they traveled who knows how many miles over how many weeks to worship and offer gifts to a newborn king.  

Jesus evokes the strongest reactions. The king of Israel. Descendent of Esau through his father who had converted, Herod was raised a Jew. However, he was not of the Davidic line and therefore was considered a pretender at best to the throne. Furthermore, he reigned at the whim of Caesar, his first allegiance being to the Roman Empire rather than Yahweh. He received the news the wise men brought and was troubled. The news of a new king being born would be a threat to his own power. So he marshals his forces and lays waste to the entire region surrounding Bethlehem, killing all the male children under two years of age. 

Jesus evokes the strongest reactions. Joseph and Mary are traveling home from their annual trek to Jerusalem. After they make camp for the night, they realize Jesus is not with them. He has remained behind. So back they go frantic in their search for their now 12 year old son. For three days, they searched high and low throughout the city only to find him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening and asking questions. “Why have you treated us like this?” Why disrespect us? Why not obey us? Why did you not come when it was time to go? Their anger and frustration is palpable. And Jesus humbles himself and returns with them to Nazareth. 

Jesus evokes the strongest reactions. The Heavenly Father looks down on His Son. Sees him in danger and sends an angel to warn his parents. Sees him at the Temple listening and learning from the teachers of the Law. Sees him as he grows up under the love and guidance of Joseph and Mary. The Father sees it all and grants the Son favor. Blessing. Wisdom. Strength. Preparing him for the day when he would launch his ministry. Laying the groundwork for what’s to come. 

What’s your reaction to Jesus? How do you receive Him? Is it with a glad heart? Do you feel yourself compelled to seek Him and grow a relationship with Him like the wise men? Is it fear? Do you, like Herod, respond in fear and anxiety to the idea that Jesus would be your Lord and Savior? Is it frustration? Like Joseph and Mary, does Jesus sometimes confound your expectations? Or do you respond with love and devotion? Is Jesus finding greater “favor” with you with each passing year? 

Promise Keeper

Readings for the day: Matthew 1, Luke 1-2:38

 “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet…” (Matthew‬ ‭1:22‬)

God always delivers on His promises. God is always faithful to His covenant. God is always true to His Word. The birth of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan. This is the primary message of the gospels. It is why Matthew begins with a long genealogy tracing all the way back to Abraham. It’s why Luke will trace his genealogy all the way back to Adam. It’s why all the gospel writers connect the miraculous birth of Jesus to the promises God gave to the prophets. Matthew cites Isaiah and the virgin who will conceive. Luke summarizes Malachi and the one will come in the spirit of Elijah. It’s why Mary and Zechariah both sing songs recalling the great things God has done.

The advent of Jesus reveals the full measure of God’s radical commitment to His creation. To the people who bear His image in the world. The advent of Jesus is God’s “Yes” to our rebellious and defiant “No.” He is God’s declaration of unconditional love and grace and mercy. He is God’s affirmation in the face of our fear. He is God’s acceptance in the face of our loneliness and struggle. He is God’s answer to all our questions.

The road to Jesus was a long and winding one. All one has to do is go through the list of names Matthew sets out and recall their stories. Each of them is broken in their own way. Each of them struggled with fear, uncertainty, pain, and heartbreak. Each of them struggled and suffered. None of them are clean or pure or holy in and of themselves. And yet God uses all of them to tell His story of salvation. God uses the barrenness of Abraham and Sarah. The incest of Tamar. The prostitution of Rahab. And an unclean Moabite named Ruth. God uses the adultery of David and Bathsheba. The arrogance of Rehoboam that divides a kingdom. And the blasphemous idolatry of Ahaz and Manasseh that leads to exile. God uses another barren couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth to prepare the way for His Only Begotten Son who will be born of a young virgin named Mary who is betrothed to a poor carpenter named Joseph. This is the lineage of Jesus. It is dysfunctional. Full of brokenness and sin. And yet it is through this rather ordinary line of people that God makes good on His promise to bring salvation to the world.

What about you? What is your story? What is your life like? What is your family like? What skeletons lie deep in your closet? What fears keep you locked up inside? What wounds do you carry? What dysfunctions do you grapple with? And how have you seen God at work through it all? Or do you see God at work through it all? Friends, the promise of the gospel is this…In Christ, God works together all things – ALL THINGS – for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Cling to the promise of Christ today! Trust in the promise of Christ today! Believe in the promise of Christ today!

Reading the Bible Wholistically

Readings for the day: Psalm 106, John 1:4-14

For decades, maybe even a few centuries, there has been a strong push among biblical scholars to break the Bible down into it’s component parts. To atomize the Scriptures so we can get to the truth.  To divorce each word, each phrase, each passage from the rest of the material around it so we can put it under the microscope. When I was in seminary we were taught to stay within the text. To stay within the particular chapter we were reading. We most certainly were not encouraged and, in some cases, not allowed to draw from other books of the Bible to make our exegetical case. Such efforts were dismissed in favor of a “dis-integrated” approach that frees the interpreter from the constraints of the overarching narrative. 

The problem, of course, is this notion is completely foreign to the Biblical authors themselves. Clearly whoever composed Psalm 106 had no trouble drawing on material from all over the Bible as he prayed to God. Egypt. Exodus. The wilderness wandering. A golden calf. The great sin at Peor and the valiant actions of Phinehas to stay the plague. The conquest of Canaan. Inhabiting the Promised Land. Kingdom. Exile. Return. He basically is telling and re-telling the story of Israel as he prays. Recounting the great faithfulness of God as he remembers and cries out for salvation once again. He understands his place the larger narrative. He understands his role in the larger story. He sees Scripture “wholistically” and draws great comfort from the text. 

Jesus himself took this approach. He saw the Scriptures a “unified” whole that could not be separated or broken down into hermetically sealed little packages, one having nothing to do with the other. Listen to what he tells two disciples on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection.  “And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke‬ ‭24:25-27‬) Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection makes no sense if it is not connected to the larger story of God’s salvation. The greater plan God has been working out since the foundations of the world. Jesus’ birth seems random and even capricious - at least to Mary - unless it remains anchored in the prophetic witness of the Old Testament. Jesus’ teaching seems like it comes out of left field unless it remains linked to the Law of God revealed on Mt. Sinai. The cross - divorced from the context of the Old Testament system of sacrifices - becomes a horror rather than a hope. The resurrection, rather than sounding the death-knell of sin and death and evil, becomes this strange, other-worldly, super-spiritual, psychosomatic event that doesn’t really change much at all. 

It is without question that every single author of every single book of the Bible believed with all their heart, soul, and mind that the events they recorded were part of the eternal plan of God. The Apostle John especially understood this great truth when he wrote these immortal words, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John‬ ‭1:14‬) With the advent of Jesus, John knew the world had changed. The curtain had closed, so to speak, on human history as God Himself took the stage. Light now shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. Good stood toe to toe with evil and backed him down. God had now entered our world of brokenness to mend it and make it whole. And the great news for all of us is this, “To all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gives the right to become children of God, who are born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John‬ ‭1:12-13‬)

A Dark Ending

Readings for the day: Nehemiah 11-13, Psalm 126

I grew up watching Star Wars as a kid and it is generally accepted that The Empire Strikes Back  is the best of the original trilogy, if not the best in the entire series. It’s a very dark movie. Evil is on the move and in fact, seems to be winning. The end of this second installment finds the heroes in disarray. Luke Skywalker has lost a hand and his innocence as he finds out Darth Vader is his father. Han Solo has been captured and frozen in carbon so he can be delivered to Jabba the Hut. Leia, Chewbacca, the droids, and Lando aren’t quite sure what to do and the hopes of the rebellion seem very slim. It’s all a set up of course. The final installment of the series will see the heroes overcome all these obstacles to win an improbable victory against a seemingly invincible enemy. Stop me if this plot seems familiar at all. 

The Old Testament - whether you read it chronologically as we have this year or you simply read the books in order - doesn’t end well. Israel is in disarray. Despite their return to the Promised Land, they simply cannot get it right. They are unable to remain faithful. They intermarry. They profane the Sabbath. They worship other gods. The whole point of the Old Testament on some level is to drive us to complete and total despair. To bring us to the end of ourselves. The end of our strength. The end of our resources. The end of our wisdom so we will cry out for God. It’s to prepare God’s people for the coming of the Savior who is Jesus Christ. Because it is impossible for us to remain faithful, He must do it for us. Because it is impossible for us to obey God’s Law, He must do it for us. Because the sacrifices are only temporary, Jesus must become the perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Hanging between heaven and earth. Representing both God and humanity. He intercedes for us even as He takes our place.  

If you are wired like me, you find the end of the Old Testament incredibly unsatisfying. It goes over like a lead balloon. A wet blanket. It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The reason I feel this way is because deep down I want to believe I can be a good person. Deep down I want to believe that if I work hard enough, stay disciplined enough, read the Bible enough, pray enough, worship enough, you name it; I can work my way to God. I can find favor with Him. I can earn His praise. But Ephesians 2:8-9 confronts me with the truth, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Saved by grace. Saved through faith which itself is a gift from God. None of my works matter in the grand scheme of thing because God will not allow me to boast in anything except Christ. 

We’ve spent nine months in the Old Testament. It’s a long, hard slog no doubt. We have watched the same pattern repeats itself over and over again. God raises up His people only to watch them fall into sin. Adam and Eve. Noah and his family. Abraham and Sarah. Moses and the Exodus. Joshua and the Judges. Samuel and Saul. David and Bathsheba. On and on the list goes until you get to Ezra, Nehemiah and the Exiles. All of them sin and fall short of the glory of God. All of them are like sheep who have gone astray. All of them unworthy of anything but God’s judgment. So how does God respond?  

 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”‭‭ (John‬ ‭1:14‬)

Tell the Old, Old Story

Readings for the day: Nehemiah 8-10

Creation. Abraham. Egypt. Exodus. Judges. Promised Land. Kings. Temple. Priests. Prophets. Exile. Return. Whenever the people of God renew their covenant with the Lord, they take time to remember their story. They understood their current situation was but the latest link in a chain of events stretching all the way back to the Garden. All the way back to God Himself at the dawn of creation. But for God, they would have been destroyed. But for God, they would have been erased. But for God, there would be no history. No story to tell. Listen to them tell it again and think about how far they’ve come...

 “You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. You are the Lord, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham. You found his heart faithful before you, and made with him the covenant to give to his offspring the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite. And you have kept your promise, for you are righteous. "And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day. And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go. You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant. You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them. "But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, 'This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,' and had committed great blasphemies, you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. "And you gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner. So they took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. You multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and you brought them into the land that you had told their fathers to enter and possess. So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would. And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness. "Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies. And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. "Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them. Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works. Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭9:6-37‬)

Those of you who have been tracking with us through the Bible this year know these stories. You read them in great detail. You pondered them. You prayed over them. You listened for the voice of God in them. Many of you grew frustrated at times. You couldn’t understand why they kept making the same mistakes. You got angry at times. You couldn’t understand the righteous judgment of God. Many of you laughed and cried and wrestled and struggled with the lessons the people were learning. About themselves. About their God. About His plan and His future.  

It’s important for us to remember this story. To read it over and over again for it is our story as well. As Christians, we are grafted into this story. Adopted into this family. Warts and all. These people are our people. They are our mothers and fathers. Sisters and brothers in the faith. And we are so like them. If we’re honest with ourselves, we too make the same mistakes over and over again. We too sin and fall short of the glory of God. We too deserve judgment and death. Punishment and exile. But we have the benefit of living after Christ. Jesus Christ took the punishment we deserved. He went into exile for us. He endured the righteous wrath of God so we do not. He stood in our place just as surely as He stands in the place of the Old Testament saints who came before us. He is Savior of the world. Past. Present. Future. He is the Alpha and Omega. Beginning and End. His blood is sufficient to cover every sin. As we head into the New Testament, we must hold onto our history. Christ came as the climax of this history. He is the One to whom the Old Testament points. He is the One in whom all prophecies are fulfilled. He is the One every single saint from Abraham forward looked to by faith. 

Relinquishing our Rights

Readings for the day: Nehemiah 5-7

The call of the gospel is to lay down our lives for others. To do as Jesus did. Jesus is God. As such, He could have chosen to hold onto His divine right to rule. His divine right to reign. His divine right to wield authority and power and compel obedience. But Jesus relinquished those rights. He laid them aside. Taking on the form of a servant. He became obedient even unto death. And not just any death but the most humiliating, degrading death possible. Death on a cross. At any time, He could have called down legions of angels to crush His enemies. At any time, He could have taken back up His authority and destroyed His enemies. But Jesus relinquished His rights because He had a greater prize in mind...the approval of His Heavenly Father. Jesus put no stock in the ways of this world. The accolades of this world. The kingdoms of this world. The treasures of this world. He placed no value on anything this world had to offer and instead looked to the world to come for His hope. This is why His Father exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above every name. His willingness to lay everything down in humble obedience to His Father’s will was vindicated by His resurrection, ascension, and exaltation.  

I see Christ in Nehemiah. A man who was willing to relinquish his rights and lay everything down for the sake of God’s people. A man who put service to His nation above his own well-being. He had every right to demand tribute as governor. He had every right to levy taxes and exact a heavy toll on his constituents. He had every right to demand a portion of the interest the wealthy had placed on the poor. But he gave all that up and by doing so, set a godly example before the people.  “From the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah...neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver...But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work...we acquired no land...what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭5:14-19‬) And how did the people respond to such godly leadership? The rich forgave the debts of the poor. Land was restored to their rightful owners. Interest was no longer accrued. The people were set free. Such acts of generosity were a sign to everyone that God was in their midst. 

What about us? We live in a nation consumed with selfishness and greed. Everyone seems out to get “theirs.” Everyone is concerned about protecting their “rights.” Everyone wants justice. The problem is we don’t all share the same view of justice. We believe all truth is relative. We all want an equal share but often refuse to make equal sacrifice. Too many feel entitled to what they have rather than view it as a gift from God. Too many do all they can to protect what they have rather than walk with open hands. Too many hoard all they have rather than give generously. And here I am just talking about the Christians! The very people who claim to follow Christ!  

It is estimated that if every American who called themselves a Christian tithed, an additional 165 billion dollars could be raised? Think of the global problems that could be solved with that kind of money! According to the United Nations, 25 billion dollars could relieve world hunger, starvation and death from preventable disease within five years. 12 billion could eliminate illiteracy in five years. 15 billion could solve the world’s water and sanitation issues. 1 billion could fully fund all overseas mission work. Do all that and you would still have almost 100 billion left over! (Source: www.relevantmagazine.com/love-and-money/what-would-happen-if-the-church-tithed) Imagine how the reputation of the church would change if we got serious about following the example of our Savior and laid down our lives for others? Imagine how the world would change if the church would relinquish her rights and instead sought to serve? Imagine how many lives would be saved if we truly embraced the heart of the gospel like Nehemiah and so many others who have gone before us? 

The Work of Prayer

Readings for the day: Nehemiah 1-4

What is your first response when facing a crisis? What is your initial instinct when you receive bad news? When life seems to be falling apart, what do you turn to? For many, it is alcohol or drugs. Opioids. Marijuana. Psychedelics. All are readily available in my community. For many, it is sex. Porn. Tinder. Hook-up apps. All pose very real temptations to those who in need of a “fix.” For many, it is work. Longer hours. Longer days. More gratification. More achievement. More success. It can be intoxicating. However, all these behaviors only postpone the inevitable. At some point in time, we have to face our fear. We have to enter the darkness. We have to deal with the heartbreak and pain. 

Nehemiah receives the worst news imaginable. He had asked about his people. How many had survived? How many were still living in Jerusalem? What was life like for them? The news was grim. The people were helpless. Vulnerable. Weak. They were barely hanging on. Without a wall to protect them, there was no way they would survive. So how does Nehemiah respond? With prayer and fasting. Weeping and mourning before the Lord for days. Many would argue he’s wasting valuable time. He should use his position of influence to get what he needs to save his people. He should run to the king immediately to let him know what’s happening. Why waste time in prayer? Surely God understands! And can’t Nehemiah pray along the way? Why now? Why wait? When there’s so much work to be done? 

We live in a busy world. A world that puts the pedal to the metal 24/7. A world that sets a relentless pace. It is easy to get caught up in the race. It is easy to pull up anchor and let yourself be driven by all the activities and opportunities the world puts in front of us. It’s easy to go from crisis to crisis without ever stopping to ask why? Why am I trying so hard? Why am I running so hard? What am I trying to avoid? Who am I trying to impress? What’s the cost? Prayer forces us to slow down. It forces us to sit in the Lord’s presence and wait for His Word. Prayer silences the cacophony of voices that fill our head every single day. Or at least quiets them for a few moments. Prayer brings us in touch with what is truly real and noble and true and allows us to identify the lies we so often believe. Prayer gives time for wisdom to sink in. For plans to be made. For actions to be mapped out. 

Consider again the example of Nehemiah. After praying and fasting for days, he wipes his tears and resumes his post as cupbearer before the king. The king sensed his mood however and asked him what was wrong. Nehemiah clearly had prepared for this moment. When asked, he laid out his concern and his plan. “I said to the king, "Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it." And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), "How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy." And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭2:3-8‬) Nehemiah left nothing to chance. In prayer, he had sought the wisdom and counsel of God. He waited for days until the Lord revealed His will. He emptied himself through fasting in order that he may receive. And God was faithful. God gave him a plan to present to the king. Furthermore, because Nehemiah appealed to God first, God gave him favor when it came time to appeal to the king. 

Too often prayer is an afterthought. A last resort. Something we do when it’s time to “break glass in case of emergency.”  Too often we look at prayer as a passive exercise. We assume it is a way of avoiding hard work or hard conversations. We don’t value prayer as we should. Instead, we are people of action. We want to move and move now! We want to act and act now! We demand instant gratification and instant success and instant feedback. Especially in a social media world. But prayer is vital to the life of a believer. It slows us down. It calms us down. It gives us perspective. All good things in our world today! 

What’s your prayer life like? Do you make time to pray each day? What do you pray for? Wisdom? Understanding? Insight? Strength? Peace? All these things and more are available to you through our Heavenly Father. All you have to do is ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened. 

Racism in the Bible?

Readings for the day: Ezra 7-10

Today’s reading definitely presents a challenge. Particularly since we live so far removed from the specific cultural situation Ezra faced as the Israelites returned from exile. It is deeply offensive to our 21st century sensibilities to imagine a group of men initiating a mass divorce simply over race and/or nationality. We rightly wonder what happens to the women and children who are kicked to the curb? Are they left destitute? Is this of the will of God? Or was this an example of early Pharisaism rearing it’s ugly head? Zealousness for the Law of God taken to a logical extreme? Moreover, many wonder if this is yet another example of God’s Law remaining culturally bound? Irrelevant to our modern lives? After all, how can we respect a God who commands the breakup of so many families?  

This is what makes Bible reading such a challenge. We can’t just read the words on the page and accept them at face value. We have to dive deeper to understand the cultural currents of the day and how this story fits if we want to understand. Furthermore, we have to acknowledge the cultural assumptions we ourselves bring to the text. We are not objective observers. We too have biases and perspectives that are shaped by current cultural movements like #MeToo, feminism, and, at a more fundamental level, the US Bill of Rights that will shape how we respond to the text. It’s hard to lay these things aside and try to walk a mile in Ezra’s shoes.  

So why was Ezra so upset over the intermarriage of Israel with their pagan neighbors? And why does he call for them to “put aside” the foreign women and their children? And what were the social ramifications of such a drastic move? First and foremost, we need to understand that in ancient near east culture, ethnicity, tribal identity, and religion all overlapped. You see something similar in the world today where Islam is so closely identified with the Arabic ethnicity. Tribal kingdoms were defined in a very real sense according to the god they worshipped. Each nation had their own god and their own unique religious practices. Their god ruled over a specific territorial boundary which defined the geographic limits of a particular kingdom. Other features that defined tribal and/or national identity had to do with the personality of the king who ruled, the language they spoke, and then, downstream from the rest, the particular physical features of the people themselves. One can see how different this is from modern racial theory forged in the wake of the horrors of the Holocaust and ethnic purges of the last 150 years.

From a Biblical standpoint then, if one married a pagan, one pledged allegiance in a certain sense to their god. This obviously represents a fundamental break with the First Commandment which is why Ezra reacts so strongly to the news. Furthermore, intermarriage also brought into question one’s tribal and/or national identity. It was an open question whether one could actually be an Israelite if one married a non-Israelite. One would always be suspect as would one’s children. If/when an invasion took place, whose side would you be on? Could you be trusted? All these were very real questions for a fragile group of people seeking to reestablish themselves and rebuild their nation. Certainly there were options for non-Israelites to become Israelites. The book of Ruth is a great example and a story the people in Ezra’s time would have known well. However, in order to become an Israelite one had to renounce any connection to their former god and their former people. “Where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16)

Hopefully, this helps us understand Ezra’s dilemma and heartbreak. He is ashamed. He is afraid. He knows his history well and he knows what happens when God’s people are unfaithful. "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.” (Ezra 9:6-7) He tears his robe. He rips his beard. He falls on his face before God and intercedes for the people. 

As he prays, a few men come forward with a solution. What if everyone who has taken a foreign wife puts her aside? What if they separated out the foreign women and children as an act of repentance? This seems good to Ezra. The proclamation goes forth. Those found guilty repent. And the story ends. We don’t know how it turns out for the women and children. Are they simply cast side? Left to fend for themselves? Surely not as God’s Law is just as clear about how we treat the foreigner and stranger and most vulnerable in our midst as it is about intermarriage.

So what happened? No one can say with certainty. I can only here offer a modern day analogy. In many places in Africa, it is common for the men to take more than one wife. Polygamy is not God’s design for marriage so I’ve encouraged them to choose one wife and essentially “put away” the others. They remain in the household under the economic care and protection of the man of the house but he lives in covenant faithfulness with only one woman. He provides for them. He takes care of their children. He still fulfills all his responsibilities as a husband and father so they are not left destitute on the streets. It’s not a perfect solution but it is one offered in an attempt to bring the family into covenant faithfulness to the gospel. 

So where do you find yourself today? What does covenant faithfulness look like for you? Where are you living in covenant obedience? Where are you living in disobedience? Is your heart grieved by the brokenness and sin of your life?  

Offering

Readings for the day: Malachi 1-4, Psalm 50

I am the parent of four teenagers. They are all strong-willed. All independent thinkers. They are all straining at the leash, longing to be on their own. I love it. It’s exactly how it should be. But they aren’t ready yet and my job in this phase of life is to coach them. To encourage them. To guide them. How do I know they aren’t ready? Because their attitude and effort is still subpar. They don’t complete their work all the way. They leave far too many things undone. They struggle to submit. They struggle to take responsibliity. They are afraid of - in their words - “adulting.” I get it. I remember feeling the same way when I was their age.  

When I read Malachi, it feels to me like God is dealing with a bunch of adolescents. Believers whose attitude and effort is subpar. Yes, they bring their sacrifices to the Lord but they are blemished. Yes, they meet their obligations in worship but it’s not their firstfruits. They say and do all the right things but their hearts are not pure. They are just going through the motions. And God knows all this! He sees the sacrifices they have to offer. “When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil?” (Malachi‬ ‭1:8‬) He sees right through all the BS. “Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.” (Malachi‬ ‭2:3‬) He knows their tears are simply for show. “You cover the Lord 's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless...” (Malachi‬ ‭2:13-14‬) He can count. He knows they aren’t giving in accordance with His commands. “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions.” (Malachi‬ ‭3:8‬) And yet, when confronted with their sin, what do the people do? They protest. Throw up their hands. Stomp their feet. Raise their voices. Shift the blame. It’s typical adolescent behavior. 

What is God’s desire? He wants His people to grow. He wants them to be strong. He wants them to be wholly devoted to His great name.  “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts...For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.” (Malachi‬ ‭1:11, 14‬) He wants His people to be pure of heart and true in faith. “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi‬ ‭2:5-7‬) His desire is to bless and not curse. To give and not withhold. To pour out abundance upon them so that they nations will see all God has done. “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi‬ ‭3:10-12‬)

But God also knows our hearts. He knows what He expects is impossible for us to achieve. He knows the corruption that exists at the core of our being. The sin that so easily entangles. We brought this on ourselves and God has been trying to teach us how helpless and hopeless we are without Him. So He will send His messenger to accomplish all that we could not. He will be the Faithful One. He will be the True Israelite. He will be the Messiah and Savior of all who believe.  “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.” (Malachi‬ ‭3:1-3‬) He will purify our offerings. He will sanctify our hearts. He will make us righteous before the Lord. 

Divine Reversal

Readings for the day: Esther 6-10

At a fundamental level, Esther is a story of divine reversals. God turning things on their heads in order to save His people. Mordechai is lifted up. Haman is brought low. Esther becomes Queen after Vashti is deposed. The Jewish people go from mourning to joy. From defeat to victory. From death to life almost overnight. Purim is inaugurated to commemorate the incredible miracle of God’s deliverance and many Jews believe this is the one festival they will continue to celebrate even after Messiah comes.  

It is impossible to imagine the emotions behind such a dramatic turn of events. One moment, you are cowering in your home in fear as the mob gathers to bring death and destruction. Local authorities are no help. In fact, they are leading the charge at the king’s order. I think of my African-American friends who tell stories from their own family histories about the lynchings they witnessed during the Civil Rights struggle of the 20th century. I think of my South Sudanese friends who live in fear of violent retribution by their own government. I think of my Somali friends who are planting churches under the shadow of Islamic extremism. They know this fear well. It is a constant companion. I think of the women I’ve met who’ve suffered abuse, sexual or physical or otherwise. They often feel trapped and alone and afraid. I think of the children I’ve met who’ve been violently treated within their own family. I have seen the same fear in their eyes. It is crippling. It is paralyzing. It is dreadful. 

But then a new edict is read! A new proclamation is issued! Freedom! Deliverance! Salvation! Think of the joy the Persian Jews, living in the midst of a hostile, pagan empire must have felt! They were not helpless! They were not alone! God had raised up a deliverer! A savior! A messiah! In the person of Esther. In the person of Mordechai. God was acting anew to protect His chosen people. Now think of the joy that accompanied the Emancipation Proclamation or the Civil Rights Act or the election of President Obama in our own time. Think of the joy that accompanied the permanent cease-fire agreement in South Sudan. (The terms of which where unfortunately violated almost immediately...) Think of the joy that comes when entire villages are saved by the gospel and delivered from the influence of Islamic extremism. Think of the joy that comes to a woman when she finally finds the courage to leave her abuser, seek healing and help, and start a new life. Or the joy that comes to children as they experienced love for the first time. These too are Purim. 

And what about your life? What about the bondage you have faced or currently are facing? Is it addiction? Is it slavery to sin of some sort? Is it the darkness of depression? The painful affliction of a mental, emotional, or physical illness? Where do you need deliverance today? Where do you need a savior? In what corners of your heart do you still cower in fear? Afraid of what tomorrow may bring? Le Esther give you hope! Even at the 11th hour, God is still working to bring salvation! 

Persecution

Readings for the day: Esther 1-5

 “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them.” (Esther‬ ‭3:8‬)

God’s people have always been at risk. The systematic murder of the Hebrew children in Egypt. The battles they fought on their way to the Promised Land. The invasions of the Assyrians and Babylonians. This genocidal order from Haman the Agagite. The Jews will suffer under the Seleucid empire in the intertestamental period. They will be persecuted by the Romans for their “atheism.” (The Romans couldn’t understand the lack of idols.) There will be pogroms in Europe during the medieval period as anti-Semitism became popular culminating in Hitler’s Final Solution. Even after the modern state of Israel was created, the Arab nations surrounding them promised to annihilate them completely. There is just something about the people of God that sets the pagan world on edge. 

The same is true for Christians. In the early days, Christians were understood to be just another Jewish sect. Rising out of the synagogue, they proclaimed to worship a Jewish Messiah. Like their Jewish brothers and sisters, they didn’t worship idols. Refused to bow down to other gods. Willingly went to their deaths in the arena rather than recant their faith. They answered to a higher law than the laws of the kingdoms of this earth and that set the empires of this world on edge. They were killed in Rome. Killed in China. Killed in Japan. Killed in the Amazon. All over the world, Christians have spilt their blood and continue to do so to this day. All for the cause of Christ. 

Esther is a heroic story. The story of how one teenage woman was positioned by God in order to deliver His people. Esther is a savior. A messiah in a sense. She was raised up “for such a time as this” and she answered the call. She was courageous. She was brilliant. She was faithful. And even though God isn’t mentioned in this story, He certainly hovers in the background sovereignly orchestrating all things.  

Esther is our story. All of us - young and old alike - have been positioned by God in some way to be salt and light in this world. Salt not only brings out flavor but acts as a preservative. Light not only illumines the night but provides safety as it chases away the darkness. The church of Jesus Christ has been sent into the world to help preserve and protect. We heal those who are hurting. We visit the sick and dying. We minister to those in prison. We provide for widows and orphans. We take the side of the downtrodden and oppressed. We fight for those in bondage and slavery. We take up the cause of God’s justice in the world. This works itself out in large scale, globally significant projects and it works itself out in everyday encounters at the office, in the classroom, with our neighbors, friends, and family. 

Why do we live the way we do? Why do we keep laws no other nation or kingdom or tribe understands? Why do we embrace our unique identity as God’s chosen people? For the Jew, it is because they remember they were once slaves in Egypt and God delivered them with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. For the Christian, it is because we remember we too were once “separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12) But now God has delivered us with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. He reached down from heaven and saved us by the blood of His Son. He “who has made us has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians‬ ‭2:14) and become our peace. This is what sustains us through every trial and temptation. Through every persecution and pain. Through all struggle and suffering. I consider all things rubbish for the sake of knowing Christ.

Messianic Prophecies

Readings for the day: Zechariah 8-14

Anyone who is familiar at all with the gospel story will recognize the Messianic prophecies embedded throughout Zechariah’s visions. This is a critical reminder of the importance of the Old Testament. We have to understand the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the climax of a story that has been unfolding for centuries. Jesus is the true fulfillment of the covenant God first established with Abraham. He is the true seed. The promised Son. The faithful Israelite. He is the perfect emodiment of God’s eternal plan and its fulfillment. Throughout the Old Testament, as God interacted with His people, He dropped clues as to what was coming. The “Day of the Lord” it was often called. A day when the Messiah would come and Israel would be saved. The people of God looked for this day. Longed for this day. Prayed for this day. Especially in periods of great hardship and suffering. So again, Zechariah is prophesying at a time of great change and upheavel. Decades of exile and slavery has come to an end. The people have survived Babylon. They’ve survived attempts at genocide. They’ve survived attempts to forcefully assimilate them into a broader, pagan culture. And now they’ve returned home. To a ruined city. To ruined homes. To a ruined Temple. Time to start over. Where will life go from here? Will God remain faithful? What life will they build? These are the fundamental questions they’re asking and God sends Haggai, Nehemiah, Ezra, and Zechariah - among others - with the answer. 

He gives them a picture of the future. When Messiah’s Kingdom comes to earth. And so we read familiar words like... 

 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah‬ ‭9:9‬)

 “Then I said to them, "If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them." And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter"—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.” (Zechariah‬ ‭11:12-13‬)

 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” (Zechariah‬ ‭12:10‬)

 “And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.” (Zechariah‬ ‭14:9‬)

And these words - often quoted or alluded to throughout the New Testament - remind us God is in control. God reigns sovereign over all the earth. His plan is being worked out. His purposes are coming to pass. His will is being done on earth as it is in heaven.  

Until that great Day comes, what should then we do? Cling to hope. Cling to faith. Cling to God. He will never let us down. His promises are sure. His faithfulness is great. His steadfast love is loyal and true. Zechariah encourages us just as he encouraged God’s people so many centuries ago.  

 “Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain...Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” (Zechariah‬ ‭8:3, 7-8‬)

 “On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!” (Zechariah‬ ‭9:16-17‬)

 “I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.” (Zechariah‬ ‭10:6‬)

The Lord is our God. We are His people. When we call on Him, He will answer. When we knock, the door is always open. When we’ve sinned, there is always grace. Believe this for your life today! 

Yahweh Remembers

Readings for the day: Zechariah 1-7

Zechariah literally means “Yahweh Remembers.” And it’s an appropriate name when one considers the main message of the book. Despite all that has happened to Israel, Yahweh has not forgotten her. He has not forgotten her in her exile. Not abandoned her to destruction. Not left her for another people. He is still her God and she is still His people. Zechariah most likely returned from exile with his grandfather Iddo and father Berechiah. He came from a lineage of priests and in addition to this leadership mantle, was called by God to serve as a prophet alongside the much older Haggai. Whereas Haggai’s prophetic message had a convicting tone, Zechariah’s was more encouraging. 

 “Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts...” (Zechariah 1:3)

“And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. So the angel who talked with me said to me, 'Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.” (Zechariah 1:13-14)

“Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.” (Zechariah‬ ‭1:16-17)‬

“Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.” (Zechariah 2:4-5)

“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem." (Zechariah‬ ‭2:10-12‬)

 “And the angel said to those who were standing before him, "Remove the filthy garments from him." And to him he said, "Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments...Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.” (Zechariah‬ ‭3:4, 7‬)

 “Then he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!” (Zechariah‬ ‭4:6-7‬)

 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” (Zechariah‬ ‭6:12-13‬)

These are among the most glorious promises Israel has ever received. They speak of honor and blessing and restoration. They refer to the rebuilding of the Temple. The restoration of the priesthood. The glory of the worship that will once again fill the Lord’s house. God is raising up political leaders like Zerubbabel and religious leaders like Joshua to guide and direct God’s people to carry out the work God has planned for them. They will again be a light to the nations and will bless the people of the earth. Every obstacle that might rise in their path, God Himself will lay low. Most of all, God’s name will once again receive the glory it deserves.

It is easy at times to feel forgotten. It is easy at times to believe God has somehow abandoned us. When we experience pain and hardship. Suffering and struggle. Trials and temptation. It is easy to lose sight of God in the midst of it all. Zechariah reminds us God never forgets. God never abandons or forsakes us. He never leave us on our own. He is always with us. He will complete the work He began in us. He bring to pass the plans He has for us. He never fails. He is always faithful. No matter what you may be facing today, God is with you. The Lord of hosts is on your side. Trust Him. Believe Him. Lean on Him for strength. Remember what He said to Zerubbabel. Not by might. Not by power. But by My Spirit, says the Lord! 

Self-Centered vs. God-Centered

Readings for the day: Haggai 1-2

St. Augustine once wrote that the main problem with humanity is our disordered loves. Our misdirected desires. Our disoriented passions. Human beings were created perfect. Made in God’s own image, each man, woman and child bears His likeness. In the Garden at the dawn of time, we experienced perfect fulfillment. Complete satisfaction. True joy. Nothing threatened our peace because all our passions and desires were directed towards pleasing God. We loved Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. From this intimate relationship wiht our Heavenly Father flowed every blessing. 

Then sin entered the world. Sin wrecked us at a foundational level. Psalm 51 says we are conceived in sin and born in iniquity. This brokenness exists on a cellular level. It is present from the moment the sperm meets the egg in the womb. Everyone is born this way. It is something we all hold in common though it takes different forms in each of our lives. Whatever passions, desires, and loves we are born with, they all are ultimately misdirected and disordered without Christ. What this means is that everything is oriented inward. Towards the self. So we take the good gifts God has given us and we primarily use them to self-promote. We take the good resources God has given us and we primarily use them to self-protect and self-provide. When we struggle, we turn to self-help. We seem obsessed with self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-fulfillment. Fundamentally, we have removed God from the center of our lives and replaced Him with the false god named Self. 

We see this bear out in Haggai’s time. The people of God returned from exile. They rebuilt their homes. They replanted their fields. They made sure to take care of themselves and their families first before turning to the work of God.  “Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes...Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors." (Haggai 1:3-6, 8-11) Was there anything wrong with building homes? Of course not. Anything wrong with planting fields? Nope. Anything wrong with eating and drinking and wearing clothes and earning a wage? Not at all. The key was the attitude of their hearts. They didn’t put God first. They didn’t seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Instead, they were trying to do all life on some level without God. They were trying to make their own way in the world. They wanted to be self-sufficient. God confronts them on the sinful, selfish trajectory of their hearts. He exposes their disordered loves and calls them to repent. To demonstrate their love for Him by rebuilding His house. 

Thankfully, the people of God respond. They obeyed God. And the result is the promise of His abiding presence. "I am with you, declares the Lord." (Haggai‬ ‭1:13‬) There is no greater blessing than the Lord’s presence in our lives. The people of God have always found peace and comfort and safety in His arms. God told Abraham He would be with him and his descendents forever. God commanded Moses to build a tabernacle in the wilderness so the people would always have a visible, tangible sign of His presence. God moved from tabernacle into the Temple during the reign of King Solomon. And it was the failure of the people to truly apprehend how unique and special it was for them to have such an intimate relationship with God that gets them in trouble and leads to exile. Now they’ve returned. They’re rebuilding. They’re re-establishing themselves in the Promised Land. Surely the most important task they can set themselves to is to restore God’s house so they can lift up His name in worship and praise! 

Haggai is a very convicting read. Especially for 21st century American Christians. We are raised in a culture that prizes self-sufficiency. Idolizes the self-made man or woman. Stresses over self-protection. We are the richest nation on earth and yet, if we’re totally honest, most of our wealth is spent on selfish pursuits. Most of our times is directed towards selfish ends. Most of our energy is wasted on selfish aims. Does this mean we never help others? Of course not. We often help others...because we love, in part, how it makes us feel. Does this mean we aren’t generous? Of course not. We are a very generous nation...because we love, in part, the feelings of moral superiority it gives us.  Does this mean every good thing we do is evil? Of course not. We simply have to recognize how sin wields its corrupting influence over our loves, passions, and desires. 

So what’s the answer? Jesus. Once we submit our lives to Christ, He deposits His Holy Spirit into our hearts. And once the Spirit takes up residence, He begins to go to work. Reordering our loves. Redirecting our desires. Re-orienting our passions towards God. We start to find joy as we worship and serve Him. We experience the peace that comes along with our awareness of His abiding presence. We start to discover a fulfillment and satisfaction we never thought possible because Christ is now our greatest treasure. 

Politics

Readings for the day: Ezra 4-6

The return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon was a significant political event. Jerusalem was known throughout the region as a powerful and influential city. Once ruled by mighty kings with large armies who refused to bow the knee to the various empires who had attacked her over the years. Rebuilding her constituted a threat to the status quo. A threat to the established peace. A threat to the current political order. Furthermore, rebuilding the Temple was even more threatening. The Temple of God stood as the religious, social, and political center of the nation of Israel. To allow this structure to be rebuilt was to allow the people of God to reclaim their national identity. National identity leads to national pride. National pride would lead to calls for freedom, independence, and the re-establishment of the geographical borders laid out by God Himself. All of this created a lot of fear and unrest among the people who were living in the area at the time of the exile’s return. Not only that but when they ask to join in the work, they are rejected. Not arbitrarily but because they are unclean and impure and God’s Temple must remain holy as do God’s people. 

Thus begins a political back and forth. Letters are dispatched. Extensive searches are conducted in the archives of the empire. People leverage their influence and connections to try to either hinder or help the work. Names are dropped. Bribes offered. Anything to frustrate the purposes and plan of God. Initially, the political opponents of Israel are successful. The work ceases for a time. But God sends two prophets - both of whom we will read in a bit - with the message to resume work. To remember who has called them to this work. Who has authorized this work. And who gives them all the resources they need to accomplish this work. They answer to God alone and not to the kings and princes of this world. “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.” (Ezra‬ ‭5:11‬)

It is tempting in our world today to think we need political cover to help us accomplish God’s plan. It is tempting to cozy up to politicians and seek their approval for all we do. It is tempting to give them a platform at our events or in our churches or even in our pulpits with the hope that we will gain favor with them for the future. It is tempting to align ourselves with one political party or the other. It is tempting to rationalize the ungodly behavior of our political leaders with the hope we will gain access and influence. It is tempting to compromise our convictions in order to gain their support. Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah all remind us otherwise. Our hope is in Christ alone. Our future is held in God’s hands. Only He can provide the resources to accomplish His plans. Only He can give us the power and authority to live and to walk in His ways. We serve a greater King and a greater Kingdom, friends! We are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us! We live in this world but we are not of this world! Our citizenship is held in heaven! 

At the same time, we do live in the real world. We cannot withdraw or stick our heads in the sand. We cannot pretend like the world around us doesn’t exist. We cannot ignore the very real problems our nation faces nor the challenges that confront our political leaders. We must pray for them. We must respect and honor them. Given the opportunity, we must seek to share God’s wisdom with them. Influence them in ways that align with God’s Kingdom. Confront them gently but firmly on their shortcomings. This is our calling in this world because we serve the God of heaven and earth who reigns and rules over all. 

Rebuilding

Readings for the day: 2 Chronicles 36:22-23, Ezra 1-3

Our God specializes in rebuilding. He takes what is broken and He builds it back up. He takes what is ruined and He raises it back up. He takes what’s been torn down and He pulls it back together. We see it over and over again throughout the Scriptures. After Adam and Eve sin, humanity descends into evil and chaos resulting in a great flood. God rebuilds using Noah. Humanity scatters in confusion at the Tower of Babel when their languages are confused. God rebuilds using Abram. Abram’s descendants are enslaved and brutally oppressed in Egypt. God rebuilds using Moses. Israel plunges into complete anarchy at the end of the Book of Judges. God rebuilds using a prophet named Samuel and a king named David. Both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of Israel fall into idolatry and are invaded. Their way of life destroyed and the people carried off into exile. God rebuilds using men like Nehemiah, Ezra, and Zerubbabel.  

God rebuilds His Temple. God rebuilds His city. Most importantly, God rebuilds His people. He brings them back home just as He promised. He stirs the heart of a pagan king. A Persian named Cyrus who has destroyed the Babylonian empire. A royal decree is issued. Sacred elements are gathered. The people begin their journey back home. It’s a massive undertaking involving thousands of people. Genealogical records are consulted to make sure the leaders all come from the correct lineage. Those eligible for the priesthood are identified. Those eligible to serve from the Levite tribe are identified. The direct descendants of the temple servants and royal servants are identified so they can all be restored to their rightful place, God leaving no detail left to chance. When they arrive, the first thing they do is rebuild the altar so they can worship. They keep the Feast of Booths according to God’s Word. And most importantly, they lay the foundation of a new Temple which causes the old to weep and the young to praise. It had to be quite a moment. 

Sadly sin will run its course once more. God’s people will struggle and suffer yet again. As Daniel foretold, they will become a pawn in a much greater conflict as kingdoms clash over the legacy left by Alexander the Great. Eventually, Rome will rise and crush all in her path. Herod the Great will be installed as a “client king” set to rule over Israel. In a bid to curry favor, he will refurbish the Temple but his corruption and penchant for violence is evident to all. Tensions rise. Factions jockey for power and influence. Israel is a powderkeg ready to blow at anytime. And into this mess, a baby is born. A child grows up. His name is Jesus. Come to save His people from their sins. Come to rebuild the ancient ruins. Come to restore God’s Kingdom once and for all. He dies on a cross. An apparent failure. But three days later, He rises from the dead in glorious triumph! Delivering the final, decisive blow to sin and evil in this world. Right before He ascends into heaven, He commissions His disciples. His follower. Those who would eventually be called “Christian” to carry on His rebuilding work. Armed with tools like compassion and grace and mercy, they are to go out into the world proclaiming the gospel to every tribe, tongue and nation. They are charged to build up a spiritual house. Equipping the saints for the work of God’s Kingdom. 

So what about you? Where is God at work in your life today? Where is He rebuilding? Where is He restoring? How is He using you to rebuild and restore others in His name?