Relinquishing our Rights

Readings for today: Nehemiah 5:14-7:72, 1 Corinthians 8, Psalms 33:1-11, Proverbs 21:8-10

We live in a nation founded on the notion that human beings are endowed with inalienable rights. Life. Liberty. The pursuit of happiness. We further enshrine our rights in the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights which includes the right to freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition. The right to bear arms and the right to refuse to quarter soldiers in one’s home. Protections against unlawful search and seizure and self-incrimination. The right to a speedy, public trial by a jury of one’s peers where the accused gets to confront those testifying against them. So on and so forth. It’s a transcendent document that forms the basis of our legal system where we go to protect our rights. Fight for our rights. Defend our rights.

But what if God calls you to give up your rights? What if God calls you to relinquish your rights? To lay them down for the sake of others? Would you be willing to do so?

The Apostle Paul lays down his rights and he calls his Corinthian brothers and sisters to do the same. Especially in the matter of meat sacrificed to idols. It seems some in the church felt that any meat sacrificed to idols was tainted. Impure. Unholy. To eat such meat was to participate in pagan practices that dishonored God. Paul disagreed but willingly gave up meat in order to prevent his brothers and sisters from stumbling into sin. “But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak…And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭8:9, 11-13‬)

Nehemiah lays down his rights. He understood that if he took what was his right as governor, it would place an undue burden on the people. It would increase their suffering. So he deliberately relinquishes what was a major part of his salary in order to provide more for the people. He deliberately goes without - sending his servants to work on the wall - so that work of protecting Jerusalem can be finished more quickly. He understands that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few and he sacrifices for the greater good. “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. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. Now 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. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭5:15-19‬)

What about us? We are in the midst of a national gun debate once again. Mass shootings are far too common in our country and statistically speaking, the single greatest contributing factor seems to be the ease by which people gain access to these dangerous firearms. Yes, the Second Amendment clearly protects our right to bear arms. But might I suggest our founders could never have envisioned a world where weapons can kill at such a rapid rate and cause such mass destruction? Furthermore, there are clearly people in our society who have no idea how to handle the responsibility of bearing arms. Can we not lay down our rights for the weaker brothers and sisters among us? Put in place some basic protections to restrict access only to those who are willing to take their responsibilities as gun owners seriously?

We are also in the midst of a national debate about income inequality. The gap between the rich and poor is growing despite our robust economy. CEO’s of the nation’s largest firms continue to see dramatic increases in compensation while lower level workers don’t get a fair shake. Unrestrained capitalism is a scary thing because of the nature of human sin. Left to our own devices - with no restrictions whatsoever - we will look out for ourselves rather than for others. We will seek to get as much as we can while we can and leave others behind. Can we not lay down our rights for those who are less fortunate? What would happen if CEO’s and corporate titans willingly relinquished their right to high pay, stock options, etc. in order to serve their employees?

The answer is not demonization. Christians must categorically reject the calls from certain political leaders to demonize gun owners and corporate leaders just as we categorically reject calls from other political leaders demonizing people on the basis of race or immigration status. Instead, all of us must search our own hearts to find ways we can lay down our rights for the sake of those we serve. Governmental coercion is not the answer as it only breeds resentment and fear. What we need is for the people of God to step forward as Paul did in his day and Nehemiah did in his day to lead a movement whereby we lay down our lives for the sake of our friends, neighbors and communities. We relinquish our rights so that those who are weaker, less fortunate, less able, less privileged can rise up. We sacrifice to create a rising tide that lifts all boats. This is the call of the gospel.

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 7:73-9:21, 1 Corinthians 9:1-18, Psalms 33:12-22, Proverbs 21:11-12

The Hard Work of Prayer

Readings for today: Nehemiah 3:15-5:13, 1 Corinthians 7:25-40, Psalms 32, Proverbs 21:5-7

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. He should organize protests! Pass laws! Crash the system! 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. It makes space for wisdom. 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. 

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 5:14-7:72, 1 Corinthians 8, Psalms 33:1-11, Proverbs 21:8-10

Bought with a Price

Readings for today: Ezra 10, 1 Corinthians 6, Psalms 31:9-18, Proverbs 21:3

“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:19-20‬)

Our world is increasingly moving away from God. We reject God’s Law. We ignore God’s commands. We purposefully and intentionally rebel against God’s will. Take the Ten Commandments for example. Our culture celebrates greed or what the Bible calls “coveting.” We are becoming more and more comfortable with deceit, fake news, or what the Bible calls “false witness.” Stealing is acceptable as long as we don’t get caught. Sexual immorality is okay as long as it feels good. Murder is considered a “choice” especially when it comes to the unborn or the elderly. Families are breaking down as we dishonor our parents. Sabbath-keeping is a total lost cause. As are the first three commandments about honoring God. When one takes a step back and surveys the landscape, one can easily see the coordinated effort of the enemy.

Nothing is new under the sun. Our world today is no better or worse than the 1st century. The enemy is not all that creative. His tactics always remain the same. He does all he can to destroy the works of God in every culture, in every time, and every place. So if the words of the Apostle Paul to the believers at Corinth sound familiar at all, that shouldn’t surprise us. We are still dealing with sexual immorality. Still dealing with idolatry. Still dealing with stealing and deceit. Still dealing with addiction and suffering.

The great news is that God is still at work as well. Still reaching people. Still transforming hearts. Still changing lives. Why do we keep the Law of God? Why do we live lives of honor and honesty? Why do we live lives of faithfulness and sexual purity? Why do we live lives of kindness and humility? We do these things not to earn God’s favor. Not to gain our way into heaven. Not to make God love us. We do these things because we’ve been bought with a price. We do these things out of gratitude for what Christ has done for us. Laying down His life in order to save us from our sin.

I love how Paul puts it, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:11‬) You see, without Christ we are enslaved to sin. We can’t help ourselves. We are broken people. Our desires are all disordered. Our minds are warped and twisted. Our wants and needs are self-centered. It’s not that we can’t do anything good. Of course we can. It’s that even at our best we are corrupt. Even our best laid plans go awry. Even our greatest ideas for human flourishing fall short. Human history is replete with legions of examples.

So how are you intentionally glorifying your body? More importantly, why are you glorifying God in your body? Does it flow from a deep well of gratitude for what He’s done for you? Does it rest on His finished work on the cross? Do you have the sense that you are building your life on the foundation He has poured? Or are you trying to white-knuckle your faith? Trying to keep the Law of God in your own strength or because you’re trying to earn your way into God’s favor? Let me encourage you to reflect deeply on Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Pay attention to the progression. You are not your own. You were bought with a price. So glorify God with your body. Resist the temptation to reverse engineer the process. Let His grace fill you. Lead you. Guide you. Secure you.

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 1:1-3:14, 1 Corinthians 7:1-24, Psalms 31:19-24, Proverbs 21:4

Cultural Blinders

Readings for today: Ezra 8:21-9:15, 1 Corinthians 5, Psalms 31:1-8, Proverbs 21:1-2

Today’s reading - which finishes in chapter 10 - 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 men to take more than one wife. Polygamy is not God’s design for marriage so when given the chance, 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?

Readings for tomorrow: Ezra 10, 1 Corinthians 6, Psalms 31L9-18, Proverbs 21:3

True Greatness

Readings for today: Ezra 7:1-8:20, 1 Corinthians 4, Psalms 30, Proverbs 20:28-30

“For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭4:9-13‬)

These are some of Paul’s most powerful words. I love the vision he sets for himself. He clings to nothing in this world. He refuses to trade his soul for any material gain. He relinquishes power and privilege. He easily lays down his rights as an apostle. He embraces weakness. Folly. Shame. He lets go of the need to be wealthy and healthy and wise. He doesn’t care about his reputation. When attacked, he responds with kindness. When persecuted, he perseveres. When people speak or think ill of him, he extends grace. This world holds nothing for Paul. He understands it will all pass away. We enter this world with nothing. We will depart with nothing. From dust we came and to dust we shall return. The only thing that matters is Christ. The only work that will endure is that done in His name and for His glory. The only wealth that will last is that which we store up in heaven. The only reputation we should care about is our reputation before God.

Scum of the earth. The refuse of all things. The first shall be last. The greatest among you shall be a servant. If any would come after me, let him take up his cross. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul? Friends, the Bible cannot be more clear. The path to true greatness is the path of service. The path of humility. Downward mobility. We must decrease so Christ can increase. This is why Jesus said the path was so narrow that led to salvation.

Many years ago, in a time of prayer, I asked the Lord to reveal His specific will for my life. He gave me three words. Obscurity. Anonymity. Insignificance. I asked the Lord, “What do these words mean?” He answered. “Be content to labor in obscurity. Let go of your need to be respected and well-known. To be successful in the eyes of your peers. To have the biggest and best church.” Second, “Embrace anonymity. Let go of your need to make your own name great. To make a name for yourself in the world. Instead, do all you can to lift up My Name. To make My name famous.” Third, “Recognize your insignificance. Even at your best, your work is but a drop in the bucket. A blip on the radar screen. It will come and go in a moment. Your significance is not derived from what you do or what you have to offer or what you accomplish in this life. You have significance only through Me.”

It was a powerful moment for me. One that I will never forget. These three words have guided my life. They are the guardrails that keep me humble. They keep my pride from rising up and driving me from the presence of the Lord. Whenever I feel distant from God, I return to these words. I evaluate my life. And I confess my sins. Through Christ, my ambitions have crumbled. My desires have changed. My addiction to worldly success has been broken. I’ve been set free.

I want nothing more in life than to be a fool for Christ. Weak for Christ’s sake. Shamed for Christ’s sake. For Christ is the Lord of my shame. Christ is glorified in my weakness. Christ’s wisdom is magnified in my foolishness. All that I have. All that I am. All that I desire. All for Christ. This has become my prayer and my plea.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezra 8:21-9:15, 1 Corinthians 5, Psalms 31:1-8, Proverbs 21:1-2

Cult of Celebrity

Readings for today: Ezra 4:24-6:22, 1 Corinthians 3:5-23, Psalms 29, Proverbs 20:26-27

Our culture is obsessed with celebrity. Entire news cycle are devoted to the latest gossip. What’s he or she wearing this season? Who’s hooked up with whom? When is she due and what are they naming their kid? What’s the latest scandal? Who’s life is crashing and burning? We follow them on Instagram and Twitter. We repost and retweet. We are desperate for their attention. Desperate to be associated with them. Desperate to be like them.

Sadly, the same is true in the church. Celebrity preachers amass thousands of followers. They are measured by the number of people who come on a Sunday morning. The number of sites they launch for their church. The number of hits on their podcast. The number of followers on social media. They sell books. They sell merchandise. They do everything they can to promote their brand.

Over and against all this come the words of the Apostle Paul, “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.”‭‭ (1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:5‬) Paul gets it. Of all the leaders in the early church, Paul was probably the most prominent. His missionary journeys were the stuff of legends. His church planting prowess second to none. His influence was global. His words were read and distributed all across the Mediterranean. His personal story of sacrifice and perseverance in the face of incredible persecution was inspiring. And yet, Paul considered himself nothing. He called himself a servant. He never gave into the temptation of self-promotion. He never tried to advance his “brand.”

How was Paul able to stay humble in a world hellbent on the accumulation of fortune and fame? He kept his eyes on Christ. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” (1 Cor. 3:6-7) Paul understood all of his success came from God. He simply played his role. He planted the church. Apollos watered the church through his charismatic preaching. Others joined in and lent a hand. And it was God who brought the increase.

Paul understood this wasn’t about him. “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.” (1 Cor. 3:10) God had saved him. God had literally turned his life around. God had taken the greatest persecutor the church had ever known and turned him to her greatest missionary. Paul had been a Pharisee. A leader among the religious elite. His zealousness for the Law of God was beyond question. His passion for Yahweh and the Jewish faith unmatched. His devotion to the traditions of his people unwavering. And then the Risen Christ confronted him on the road outside Damascus. Changed by God’s amazing grace, Paul’s life literally took a 180 degree turn. Now he was called to lay the foundation for the early church. Others would come after him to build on what he started. All of it belonging to God.

I love how Paul concludes this section of his letter to the Corinthians. “So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:21-23‬) What amazing promises! God has sent His Christ into the world to reclaim His own. Christ has sent His people into the world to proclaim the gospel. All things are therefore ours not by virtue of our faith but because Christ Himself is faithful. Do not place your trust in any man. Do not place your trust in any woman. Do not put any human being on a pedestal. Fix your eyes on Christ! Make Him your supreme treasure!

Readings for tomorrow: Ezra 7:1-8:20, 1 Corinthians 4, Psalms 30, Proverbs 20:28-30

Rebuilding

Readings for today: Ezra 3:1-4:23, 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4, Psalms 28, Proverbs 20:24-25

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 disrupted. 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 followers. Those who would eventually be called “Christians” 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? What about our country? How are you at work in the midst of the chaos and hate and violence of our culture to bring joy and peace? Love and hope?

Readings for tomorrow: Ezra 4:24-6:22, 1 Corinthians 3:5-23, Psalms 29, Proverbs 20:26-27

Divine Foolishness

Readings for today: Ezra 1-2, 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5, Psalms 27:7-14, Proverbs 20:22-23

I recently read a book titled, “The Enigma of Reason” where the authors argue persuasively that reason - far from being the evolutionary superpower we make it out to be - is deeply flawed and never objective. In fact, they believe what we call “reason” is simply one way of drawing inferences about the world around us. It’s far more instinctual than we like to think. It is driven by desire more than logic and we are far more likely to use “reason” to confirm our existing biases than we are to actually make decisions based on the evidence presented to us.

I thought about that book again this morning as we read about the differences between God’s wisdom and human wisdom in 1 Corinthians. God’s way are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. What human beings consider “wisdom” results in all kinds of tragedy. Consider the “logic” of racism. The persistent idea that the color of one’s skin determines the value of one’s worth. Consider the “logic” of greed. The persistent idea that we should spend our days accumulating as much as possible and those who are successful are somehow “better” than those who are not. Consider the “logic” of gender dysphoria. The idea that we can choose our own gender and deny our chromosomal reality. Consider the “logic” of sexual freedom. The idea that we should offer our bodies to whoever we wish as long as their is consent. Such logic is terrifying and tragic and deeply heartbreaking. It is resulting in deep loneliness, suffering, and pain. It should not surprise us as we pursue human wisdom that things only seem to be getting worse. Rates of depression and suicide are on the rise. So are rates of reported mental illness. At what point do we stop and reflect on the fact that following human “logic” may be the latest form of self-harm?

Paul says “the message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction. But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” This is not a triumphalistic statement rather one written in tears. Paul surveys the landscape of his own culture and his heart breaks to see so many enslaved to their sinful desires. He spends his life trying to break their chains and set them free. He longs for the day when Christ will appear and all things will be made new. Until that day comes, he calls us Christians to proclaim the “foolishness” of God. God has put to shame the wisdom of this world. He uses the foolishness of preaching to proclaim His victory over sin and death. The idea that God would give His life to save His people makes no human sense whatsoever. Why would God do such a thing? How in the world can this be just? Righteous? Even logical or rational? Furthermore, why would God gather HIs church from the all the poor and powerless? Why does He use the weak to shame the strong? Why does He use the foolish to confound the wise? Why does He use those who’ve been despised to expose the vanity and empty pride of our world?

He does it for His glory. He does it in order to make HIs glory known. No one can take credit for what God has done. Why would anyone even want to? God left heaven and came to earth. Relinquished all His power and authority in order to become a human being. He humbled Himself in obedience to the point of death. Even death on a cross. The worst and most shameful death ever devised by the wisdom of man. Because Christ embraced this descent, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above every name. And now He calls those who follow Christ to walk the same path. To take the same journey.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezra 3:1-4:23, 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4, Psalms 28, Proverbs 20:24-25

Can Jesus Hold the Center?

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 33:14-34:33, Romans 16:10-27, Psalms 26, Proverbs 20:19

I am often struck as I look out on my congregation on Sunday mornings by the diversity present in the room. Old and young. Rich and poor. Men and women. People coming from different backgrounds and life experiences. People who grew up in church sitting next to those who’ve had no experience with the church. Democrats and Republicans. Highly educated and less educated. White collar and blue collar and no collar. Families from different nations around the globe like India, Malawi, Vietnam, and Costa Rica. We are still predominantly white but have a growing number of black and brown brothers and sisters in our midst. We are abled and disabled. We have LGBTQ friends who join us each week. It’s an amazing mix of people coming to meet Jesus.

The church of Jesus Christ is a miracle. In Christ, every dividing wall of hostility has been torn down. Every identity that separates us one from another set aside. For Paul, it meant laying aside the centuries-old divisions between Jew and Gentile. Circumcision. Food laws. Sabbath keeping. All de-centered in order to make space for Gentile believers who did not know and had not grown up in a covenant community governed by the Mosaic Law. Sexual immorality. Idolatry. Sorcery and witchcraft. These things Gentiles were called to lay aside as they represented the former life they had before Christ. Only Christ is powerful enough to make this happen and the same is true today. We are so very different from one another. Each one of us unique in our own way. Each one of us sees the world a different way. Growing up in a highly individualized and highly commercialized culture like the US shapes our worldview. We don’t know what it means to live in authentic community with each other. And this is why being part of a church is so important.

The church is where we actually get to live out our union with Christ. It tests the depth of our faith on a regular basis. What do we do when someone hurts our feelings? How do we respond when someone lets us down? What happens when we get into a fight with someone because they see the world differently? Will we let the worldly identities we cling to divide us or will we let Christ reign in our hearts and draw us together? This is what Paul is calling for at the end of Romans when he says, “And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.” (Romans‬ ‭16:17‬)

Of course, all of us are sinners. All of us can be the source of division if we are not careful. So how do we make sure to guard our own heart? Two things. First and foremost, seek the mind of Christ in all you say and do. Make sure every word you speak and every action you take is guided by His wisdom revealed in His Word. When you fall short - as you inevitably will - rest on His forgiveness. Be humble. Extend grace to yourself and others. None of us are perfect. Second, constantly search your heart to make sure you are motivated by the love of Christ. Are these words going to build up my sister or brother or tear them down? Am I really seeking their good? Am I seeking to serve them in love or out of selfish ambition? If you are like me, the temptation to manipulate others to my own ends is strong and has to be resisted on a daily basis.

Friends, Jesus can and does hold the center of our life together. He is strong enough to keep us together when everything else in the world threatens to pull us apart. Christ exerts a gravitational pull on our lives that keeps us in orbit no matter how diverse our fellowship may be or how vast the differences between us. Cling to Christ. Seek the mind of Christ. Be motivated by the love of Christ. Live from your union with Christ that He died to secure for all eternity.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 35-36, 1 Corinthians 1:1-17, Psalms 27:1-6, Proverbs 20:20-21

Kingdom-work requires Teamwork

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13, Romans 15:23-16:9, Psalms 25:16-22, Proverbs 20:16-18

No person is an island. No Kingdom leader every goes it alone. As one celebrity Christian leader falls after another, it is good for us to reflect on Paul’s words from Romans 16. Paul is surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. The burden of Paul’s work is shared by many. The names are listed for all to see. Phoebe. Pricilla and Aquila. Epenetus. Mary. Andronicus and Junia. Ampliatus. Urbanus and Stachys. These are just a few of the leaders Paul surrounded himself with as he carried the gospel throughout the Mediterranean basin. We also know he journeyed with Barnabus, Luke, John Mark, and several others. The early church was wise to set apart teams of missionaries rather than commission these men to go out on their own.

We would do well to follow their example. We live in a culture that celebrates the myth of the self-made woman or man. The woman who does it all. She has a fast-track career. Perfect kids. Volunteers on the local school board and teaches Bible study at church. The man who does it all. He climbs the corporate ladder. Prays with his kids every night. Serves his wife sacrificially. And is a leader in the community. We celebrate these women and men. We place them on pedestals. We follow them on social media. We read their books and take their advice. We seek to emulate them in all we do. Then they fail. They fall. They have an affair. They embezzle money. Their carefully curated public persona comes crashing down. And we are shattered. So disappointed. So discouraged. So let down.

Why do these things happen? The pattern is now fairly clear. These men and women start to isolate themselves. They separate from their team. They believe their own hype. They put themselves beyond any kind of real accountability. The results are disastrous.

Friends, Kingdom-work is teamwork. Not even the Son of God could do it by himself! Throughout the Scriptures, we see the great leaders of the Bible sharing authority. Moses raises up elders to serve alongside he and Joshua. David has an abundance of counselors to share the load. Jesus calls 12 disciples and the Apostle Paul thanks numerous people at the end of his letters for their support and encouragement and labor in the work of the gospel.

Who’s on your team? With whom do you share the burdens of your life with? Are you and your spouse a team in your home? Do you give your children as much authority and responsibility as they can handle as they grow up? Do you share leadership at work? Are you intentionally raising up leaders to take your place? Do you give people around you the freedom to fail and learn from their failures? Do you empower your team to make real decisions and then hold them accountable? Do you submit yourself to accountability? These things are critical if you are going to do God’s work over the long haul.

For my part, I am deeply grateful for a group of elders who hold me accountable. They ask about my marriage. They pray for my family. They are not afraid to tell me no. I am deeply grateful for a wife who is a true partner in life and ministry. She gets in my face. Doesn’t believe the hype. Brings me back to earth when I need it. I am thankful for my children and the honest relationships we are cultivating with each other. I am thankful for colleagues who ask great, probing, personal questions that make me reflect deeply on life. I am thankful for an accountability partner of almost 20 years who knows everything about me and who challenges me to live more faithfully for Christ.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 33:14-34:33, Romans 16:10-27, Psalms 26, Proverbs 20:19

The Danger of Expediency

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 30-31, Romans 15:1-22, Psalms 25:1-15, Proverbs 20:13-15

I don’t know about you but I find it far too easy to take short cuts. Life is too busy. The world is too crazy. The pressures and demands I face on a daily basis too much. I am often anxious and afraid for our future. So I look for life hacks. I look for ways to save time and money and energy. In such moments, I am tempted to compromise. Compromise my convictions. Compromise my values. Compromise my faith simply for the sake of getting things done. The late, great Roman Catholic monk, Thomas Merton, was once asked what he thought posed the greatest danger to the church. “Efficiency” was his answer. Mine would be similar. Expediency.

Expediency is the process of getting things done quickly and efficiently but often at the expense of our moral values. We sacrifice for the sake of moving on. We crater for the sake of convenience. Sure, we tell ourselves the “ends justify the means” but that answer never quite satisfies. We know when we’ve taken the low road. We know when we’ve given in to our baser instincts. And even though things may have gotten done or decisions made that we support, it never feels good.

“All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.” (Psalms‬ ‭25:10‬) How I wish we believed this truth! How I wish we held fast to righteousness! How I wish we refused to take the paths of this world and instead clung to God no matter the cost! Reading through the Kings and Chronicles of the Old Testament feels so familiar these days. We too have compromised with the Baals and false gods of our age. We too have turned aside from seeking God with a pure heart. We too are trying to have it both ways. The kings of Israel and Judah were not necessarily bad people. Yes, the Bible often calls them evil but that is because they fail in their one true duty and that is to seek the Lord with a whole heart. A single-minded devotion. Judged by this standard, all of us are guilty. All of us are evil. No, these kings we read about were real people just like you. Just like me. They were given great responsibility. Just like you. Just like me. They had access to great wealth and influence and power. Just like you. Just like me. But they too often privileged expediency over faithfulness.

I think that’s why it’s so refreshing to read about Hezekiah. Here’s a king who chose the paths of righteousness. He chose the paths of the Lord despite the cost. He called Israel back to true worship and obedience despite being mocked and ridiculed. He re-instituted pure worship and even led the way by giving generously so the people could make the right sacrifices. I love how the author of the Chronicles describes him, “Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭31:20-21‬)

Hezekiah prospered because he sought the Lord with a whole heart. He wasn’t perfect. In fact, when the people of God failed to purify themselves prior to celebrating the Passover, Hezekiah was quick to acknowledge his mistake. As king, he was responsible. As the one with authority, he was culpable for their failures. So what did Hezekiah do? Did he make excuses? Play the victim? Claim ignorance? Justify himself? No. He prayed for forgiveness. "May the good Lord pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness." And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭30:19-20‬)

One of the main reasons we fall for the temptation of expediency is because we confuse holiness with perfection. We confuse righteousness with always getting it right. We live in fear of making a mistake. And because we know deep down we cannot live up to this impossible standard, we settle for less. We give up. We lose hope. But the Bible clearly teaches us through Hezekiah’s example that the sacrifices God desires are broken spirits and contrite hearts. God wants our devotion. God wants our full attention. God wants us to seek Him with our whole hearts. God wants our worship to be authentic and real. He has no interest in us going through the motions. He wants us to serve Him not from a sense of duty but from a deep desire to love and please our Savior.

Love is a choice, friends. It is not so much a feeling or an emotion as much as it is a conscious decision to put God first in our lives. In our families. In our work. In our hearts. Are you seeking the paths of the Lord? Are you committed to walking in His steadfast love and faithfulness? Does your devotion to Jesus trump every other relationship in your life?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13, Romans 15:23-16:9, Psalms 25:16-22, Proverbs 20:16-18

Spiritual Journey

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 29, Romans 14, Psalms 24, Proverbs 20:12

I recently hiked a 14er with my family. It can be a grueling exercise mentally and emotionally and physically. You find yourself often wishing you were further along than you actually are. In fact, I encourage my children not to look ahead lest they get frustrated. Just focus on your feet and take each step. Once you reach the top, it is a surreal experience. There is nothing quite like feeling like you are on top of the world. As you head back down the trail, you meet others who are on their way up and you try to encourage them. You know how they feel.

I think our spiritual life is similar to hiking a 14er. You have people strung out along the trail. Some are at or near the top. Others are just getting started. Some have reached plateaus where they rest. Others are toiling away. Some are battling exhaustion with every step. Still others are making their way back down having experienced the exhilaration of the summit. The key is not to judge a person for where they are but to encourage, challenge, and exhort them along the way.

I love how the Apostle Paul describes it in Romans 14. He’s speaking to a community of Jews and Gentiles who are struggling to get along. Struggling to honor one another. Struggling to recognize and encourage each other on their journey towards God. Some are stronger in their faith. Some are weak. Some are knowledgeable in their faith. Others are not. Some cling to certain laws pertaining to food and drink and days and seasons for comfort. Others do not find comfort in these things. In fact, they often feel restrictive. The point Paul makes to everyone is not to judge. To not use your “rights” to put a stumbling block in front of a brother or sister. To instead seek to serve them in love. To put aside anything that might get in the way of true and authentic fellowship.

“Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand…For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us will give an account of himself to God…Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Romans‬ ‭14:4, 7-12, 18-19‬)

Ultimately living together in Christian community puts our faith to the test. Do we truly believe only God can judge the human heart? Do we truly believe our unity rests on Christ alone? Do we truly believe all of us are required to die to self? Do we truly believe no matter what happens, we are the Lord’s?

I have traveled the world. Met Christians in many different cultures and countries. I have worshipped in many different languages. I have fellowshipped with new believers and old believers. Christians who’ve been walking with Christ for a few days and Christians who’ve been walking with Christ for decades. My life has been enriched by these experiences. Do I have my own opinions? My own preferences? My own ideas and way of doing things? Of course. But I surrender all that to Christ. I recognize so much of what I take for granted is culturally conditioned by the world I grew up in. So I surrender it to Christ. And I seek to the paths that make for peace and mutual encouragement. How can you do this for your church family today?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 30-31, Romans 15:1-22, Psalms 25:1-15, Proverbs 20:13-15

Faith and Politics

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 26-28, Romans 13, Psalms 23, Proverbs 20:11

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 29, Romans 14, Psalms 24, Proverbs 20:12

Conform vs. Transform

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 24-25, Romans 12, Psalms 22:19-31, Proverbs 20:8-10

I recently came across this quote from one of my favorite pastors, “I more and more find the precious part of each day to be the thirty or forty minutes I spend each morning before breakfast with the Bible. All the rest of the day I am bombarded with the stories that the world is telling about itself. I am more and more skeptical about these stories. As I take time to immerse myself in the story that the Bible tells, my vision is cleared and I see things in another way. I see the day that lies ahead in its place in God’s story.” (Lesslie Newbigin) It reminded me of what Paul says in Romans 12 about not being conformed to the patterns of this world but instead be transformed by the renewal of the mind through Spirit.

What does such transformation look like? It looks like the life Paul describes at the end of chapter 12. “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans‬ ‭12:9-21‬)

This is the difference Christ makes in a person’s life. He changes us from the inside out. He shifts our outlook and understanding of the world. He transforms our thoughts and our attitudes as we surrender more and more of our hearts to Him. Because we are so deeply satisfied in Christ. Because Christ meets our every need. Because Christ is the object of all our devotion and affection, we are set free. Set free to love. Set free to do good. Set free to honor one another. To put one another’s needs above our own. We are patient in affliction knowing it is but a season. We are constant in prayer because we know our Father hears our every word. We are set free to be generous because money has no hold on us. We can bless those who attack us or seek to do us harm because Christ Himself is our defense and our reputation is secure in heaven. Christ gives us the confidence to grieve with those who grieve and celebrate the success of others. Because we rest in the forgiveness and grace of Christ, we can extend it out to others which leads to unity and harmony. Humility rather than pride is our constant companion. And we can release the need to get even or get back because we trust in the justice of God.

I get asked all the time, “What makes a Christian different?” Friends, this is it! When Paul talks about not being conformed to the patterns of this world, he means rejecting the way of hate. The way of outrage. The way of selfishness and pride. He means rejecting the ways of sin and evil for the ends never justify the means. He means rejecting any compromise with godlessness and instead living a life of unconditional love and grace. He means laying aside our desire for control. Our desire for power. Our desire for wealth and privilege and position and instead humbling ourselves before God. Christians understand our lives our not our own. We have been bought with a price. We have been purchased by God. We are slaves to Christ. We have no will of our own. No desires of our own. We exist to serve Christ and to bring Him glory. This is our highest calling. Our life’s passion. Our greatest priority. And it is the world’s most desperate need. Salt and light, friends. This is what you are in Christ. Believe this! And live your life for Him!

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 26-28, Romans 13, Psalms 23, Proverbs 20:11

Echoes in Eternity

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 21-23, Romans 11:13-36, Psalms 22:1-18, Proverbs 20:7

 “And he departed to with no one’s regret.” Woof. That’s rough. To come to the end of your life with no one to mourn your passing. No one to make fire in your honor. No words shared at your funeral. Nothing to say in your obituary beyond your birthdate and death date. Perhaps Jehoram earned his fate. After all, he killed all his brothers when he ascended the throne. He enticed the people to abandon the worship of the Living God. He lost several battles. Suffered terribly at the end of his life, dying in great agony. He left Judah far worse than he found it. All in all, a terrible king.  

I’ve performed these kinds of funerals. Funerals where very few people attend. Very few words are said. Very few kind sentiments expressed. I remember a tragic funeral for a young woman who was kidnapped and murdered. She ran with a rough crowd all her life and it tragically caught up to her. All her closest friends could talk about was the way she partied. How much she could drink. It was heartbreaking. I remember a funeral for an older man who died from alcoholism. About three or four people showed up for his funeral and they all wanted it over as soon as possible so they could get out of there. No words to share. Nothing about love. Compassion. Family. He died pretty much alone. To no one’s regret.  

These moments are burned into my memory. I cannot shake them no matter how hard I try. They serve as a lesson to us all about how we live and why we live. To honor what’s truly important in life. God. Family. Friends. To take the time and make the time to live not for ourselves but for the sake of others. To give ourselves away in an attempt to make this world a better place. To leave this world better than the way we found it. It may be breaking a generational pattern in your family. Speaking kindly to friends in need. Helping a stranger. Maybe it’s serving in a particular mission endeavor at home or abroad. Or just taking the time to tuck your kids into bed at night and tell them a story. Sometimes the most significant moments of our lives are the simplest. 

Through it all, the most important thing we can do is seek after God. Ask Him for His wisdom to show us the way. To help make our lives count. Serving Christ is the best way to leave a legacy as we have seen over and over again throughout the books of 1&2 Kings and 1&2 Chronicles. The legacies of each king is measured primarily by how they honored God with their lives. Honor God and their lives and subjects are blessed. Dishonor God and their lives and subjects are cursed. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33) Sounds like a great way to live! 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 24-25, Romans 12, Psalms 22:19-31, Proverbs 20:8-10

Singing our Faith

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 19-20, Romans 10:14-11:12, Psalms 21, Proverbs 20:4-6

One of my favorite professors in seminary was an African-American man by the name of Cleophus LaRue. He was beloved by many and well-known for launching into sermons in the middle of class. There’s nothing quite like listening to great African-American preaching. There is a timbre and cadence that inspires and lifts the soul. Such was my experience in this man’s class. I remember one day a fellow student asking Dr. LaRue if there was anything worth preaching in the Old Testament. “It’s full of all kinds of archaic rules and laws and histories that have no relevance to today’s world.” Dr. LaRue looked at him in shock. “Nothing worth preaching? Do you not know? Have you not heard of the time Jehoshaphat sent his army into battle led by the choir?” And off he went! It was awe-inspiring and I’ve never forgotten it.

Jehoshaphat is one of my favorite kings. He’s not perfect. He makes mistakes along the way. He makes alliances with the wrong kind of people. And yet, his heart is for the Lord. “Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭19:4‬) I cannot imagine the daily pressures a king faces. Pressures to make decisions. Pressures to provide for his people. Pressures to defend against his enemies. Pressures all around and yet Jehoshaphat made it a priority to go out among his people and bring them back to the Lord. He obeyed the Great Commission long before Jesus spoke those words. He taught his people to obey all the Lord had commanded. He believed one of the defining priorities of his kingship was the ability to make disciples. To foster an environment in his nation where his people would grow spiritually. It’s truly stunning when you take a step back to think about it.

Now some might ask what purpose did it serve? Some might question if this is really the king’s job? Shouldn’t he be attending to affairs of state? But then we run across the story my professor preached on that day in class. The story of Jehoshaphat sending his army out in battle led by the choir. They are outnumbered. They are outmatched. They are outgunned. But rather than despair, Jehoshaphat turns his heart to the Lord. He calls on the Lord to be faithful to His promises. He walks by faith, trusting God to deliver him from all his enemies. And his people - having been taught the faith by Jehoshaphat himself and seen his example firsthand - follow him. Listen to what Jehoshaphat says and does, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed." And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, "Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever." And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:20-22‬)

Imagine trusting God so much that you can literally face death with a tune on your lips! Imagine believing God so much that you can walk into battle with a song in your heart! Imagine facing whatever overwhelming odds you may face in your life with joy because you know…YOU KNOW…the Lord is good and His steadfast love endures forever! How does one get to such a place in their faith? By worshipping God. Spending time with Him regularly and frequently. Never neglecting the gathering of God’s people. Seeking to serve God in all you say and do throughout the week. Keeping God’s will and God’s glory as the overarching priority of your life not because you are trying to earn anything or have something to prove but simply because you love God and you want to live for Him. Will you do this perfectly? No. Neither did Jehoshaphat. But God’s not asking for perfection. He’s asking for your heart. Give Him your heart today.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 21-23, Romans 11:13-36, Psalms 22:1-18, Proverbs 20:7

Election

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 14-16, Romans 9:1-24, Psalms 19, Proverbs 20:1

Today’s reading begins a challenging section. Paul is asking deep questions about the promises and purposes of God. So much of which is shrouded in mystery. So much of which we will never know this side of heaven. Has the Word of God failed? Is God unjust? How can God fault those whom He has not chosen? These questions are important. It is vital to wrestle with them honestly and vulnerably. True faith welcomes such challenges and doesn’t settle for easy answers. 

To begin, we must check our assumptions at the door.  There are no standards of justice outside of God. God is not answerable to any human legal code nor does He subject Himself to human notions of universal fairness. God is the Potter. We are the clay. This fundamental principle undergirds everything Paul will say in these few chapters. The baseline for this discussion begins with God being God and human beings being human beings. The Creator is not the same as His creation. The creation is not the same as its Creator. There is a massive, ontological distinction between the two that must be maintained if we are to find our way through this quandary.  

Secondly, because God is God, He has every right to exercise His sovereign choice over all He has made. He chose Abraham and Sarah out of all the families on the face of the earth. He chose Jacob over Esau before they were born. He chose Israel over Egypt. Moses over Pharaoh. The full witness of Scripture makes it clear that God freely chooses some vessels for honor and some for dishonor. Scripture makes clear that God endures with patience the “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” so that He might “make known the riches of glory for His vessels of mercy.” Over and over again, we see this played out in the Old Testament. There is simply no other way to honestly interpret it. 

Thirdly, what are we then to make of what’s happening with Israel? God’s elect? God’s chosen? “To them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all...” (Romans‬ ‭9:4-5‬) Furthermore, what are we to make of the Gentiles? God’s non-elect? The pagans who’ve rejected God all their lives? Though they have not pursued righteousness somehow they attained it by faith! Does this mean God’s elect have been rejected? By no means! “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring...” (Romans‬ ‭9:6-7) Ethnicity no longer matters! What matters is faith and God has maintained a remnant - of which the Apostle Paul is one - who have been saved by grace. 

Fourthly, God isn’t done! God’s plan for Israel is not yet complete! So the Gentiles who have been grafted into God’s family should not become prideful or take God’s grace for granted.  “Remember it is not you who supports the root but the root that supports you.” (Romans 11:18) Instead, they should wait and pray for the day when the partial hardening on Israel is softened because the full number of Gentiles have finally come in and God saves all of Israel.

How will that happen? Paul has no idea. He simply knows God is faithful. He will never abandon His people. His love is steadfast, loyal, and true. So at the end of all this deep wrestling there can only be an exclamation of praise. God is God. We are not. Thanks be to God! Or as Paul puts it, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans‬ ‭11:33‬)

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 17-18, Romans 9:25-10:13, Psalms 20, Proverbs 20:2-3

What’s the Point of Church?

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 11-13, Romans 8:26-39, Psalms 18:37-50, Proverbs 19:27-29

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this question. Usually from people who’ve been burned or frustrated or wounded by an experience. Sometimes from others who find church boring or old-fashioned or useless. And the answers I hear so many give are unsatisfying. Church is for inspiration. Church teaches you how to be a good person. Church is where I get my needs met. Notice the common theme? Church is about me? Sometimes I hear better answers. Church is where I find my community. Church is where I worship God. Church is where I am challenged to grow in my faith. Yes, those are deeper realities but still too self-centered for my taste.

Listen to the words of Jesus. “You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth.” He is speaking to His disciples. The nascent group that will become the beating heart of the church after His death, resurrection, and ascension. Notice the church is not designed to meet their needs. Not designed to fulfill their longings. It’s not about them at all. It’s about the world. It’s about bringing light to world darkened by sin and despair. It’s about preserving (the role of salt in the ancient world) a world from complete and total corruption.

Jesus’ words came to mind as we read through 2 Chronicles this morning. “And those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭11:16-17‬) You may remember from our readings in 1 and 2 Kings the decisions of the kings of Israel to depart from the true worship of God. They set up their own temples. They established their own priesthood. They developed their own rituals. In short, they disobeyed the Lord and refused to worship Him in the way He deserves and demands. As a result, the priests and Levites left the nation of Israel and came to Judah. They sacrificed homes and lands and community in order to stay true to God. The impact they made on the southern Kingdom was enormous as was the void they left in the northern Kingdom. Their departure hastened the northern kingdom’s plunge into ruin while their arrival in the southern kingdom strengthened it significantly. Such is the nature of salt and light.

Now consider our own situation. Consider what is taking place in our own country. Consider the anger and hate and bitterness and rage of our cultural moment. Sin and corruption are on the rise. More and more people seeking to throw off any biblical restraint as they pursue their own desires. Each person doing what is right in their own eyes. The gospel is now considered a threat. The church is being accused of fostering hatred and intolerance. Christians are beginning to be marginalized. They are losing jobs. Businesses are being discriminated against. Suggestions are being made that holding to a biblical faith disqualifies one for public service. And too many churches are confirming the worst fears of the world by sacrificing deeply held convictions for political power

So what’s the Biblical response? How should the Church respond? She must recover her God-given vocation. Listen to how Lesslie Newbigin describes it, “In the Old Testament story, God chooses Abraham and a nation that will come from him to bear the blessing for all nations. Israel is called to be a sign and instrument of God’s redemptive purpose for all humanity, but they fail in their calling. And so God judges Israel, and “from the beginning there is a process of elimination. . . . There is a covenant between God and Israel, and those who flout the terms of the covenant are no part of the chosen people.” There is a narrowing until, at the cross, “He alone on that day is Israel.” Jesus fulfills the purpose of election, faithfully doing what Israel did not do—disclosing and effecting God’s renewal for the whole world. “But this is not the end of the story of Israel. It is the beginning of the story of the true Israel.” For Newbigin, “Jesus does not found a new people of God, a new society,” but restores Israel to their calling. His mission is to Israel, and he appoints twelve as a representative number to make known the beginnings of the true Israel. Following the cross and resurrection and the mighty event of Pentecost, the way is clear for all nations: “Now at last the ancient promise that Israel shall be a light to the Gentiles and salvation to the ends of the earth is to be fulfilled.” The “Church is the Israel of God, not a newly founded society.” Gentiles are incorporated into the true Israel that is gathered, renewed, and sent by Christ. They are like branches engrafted into an olive tree. “There is only one Israel of God, one olive tree of God’s planting.” What our world needs now more than ever is a restored and renewed Church. A Church with a deep sense of calling and a fundamental conviction to be who God has declared her to be. Salt and Light. Will we do this perfectly? Of course not. Can we do this faithfully? Absolutely. What will it require? A radical re-orientation away from Self and towards God and the world He loves so much.

Consider your relationship to the Church. To the Body and Bride of Christ. What role are you playing in building up the Body? In presenting the Bride spotless and blameless before her Lord? How are you sacrificially giving of your time, talent, and treasure to help the Church fulfill her high calling?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 14-16, Romans 9, Psalms 19, Proverbs 20:1

Suffering

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19, Romans 8:9-25, Psalms 18:16-36, Proverbs 19:26

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans‬ ‭8:16-17‬)

What if I told you suffering was an essential part of the Christian life? Would it make you think twice about following Jesus? Would it cause you to re-evaluate what you believe? One of the great heresies of our time is prosperity preaching. It’s the idea that if you are faithful enough. If you are obedient enough. You will be blessed. God will grant you your heart’s desire. You will be wealthy. You will be healthy and strong. You will be successful. The television airways are filled with these messages. Prosperity preachers putting on a show and making bargains on your behalf with God. Implicitly or explicitly, they tie suffering to sin. They believe pain is a result of disobedience. They argue poverty and sickness is a result of a lack of faith. Such nonsense!

Paul makes it clear that those who follow Christ will share in His sufferings. Not because we seek suffering out. Not because Jesus demands His followers live in constant pain or poverty. But simply because the lives we lead put us at odds with the world around us. Our faith makes us aliens and strangers in our culture. It sets us apart. Makes us a target. Why? Because we serve a heavenly King. Our primary allegiance is not to king and country. Not to flag or nation. Not to tribe or family. But to God Himself. By faith, we are adopted as His sons and daughters. By faith, we become part of His family. By faith, our citizenship is transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

Jesus suffered. Jesus endured incredible pain. Jesus was tortured, falsely accused, and executed by the State because he posed a threat. His message subverted the kingdoms of this world. His preaching confronted the religious leaders of His day. He called them to repent. He called them to confess. He called them to lay down their wealth and power and position and authority for the sake of others. He called them to give their very lives away for the sake of the impure, unholy, rejected, and outcast. He upended social conventions. He tore down cultural taboos. Even the laws of nature obeyed Him! Disease disappeared. Demons were cast out. Death itself defeated. Watching Jesus work must have been awesome and frightening all at the same time.

Jesus followers - the people known as Christians - are called to the same way of life. Paul reminds us the suffering we endure for our faith is actually what makes us co-heirs with Christ! And we are not alone. All of creation suffers along with us under the curse of sin. Every single human being struggles under the weight of sin. The difference is that those who follow Christ have hope. We have hope of an eternal life waiting for us when Christ returns to claim His own. On that great day, our adoption will be complete. Our sufferings will come to an end. Every tear will be wiped away. Every hurt healed. Every pain redressed. Every injustice set right. This is why our present sufferings aren’t worth comparing to the glory that will one day be revealed in us!

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 11-13, Romans 8:26-39, Psalms 18:37-50, Proverbs 19:27-29

Praying for Revival

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 6:12-8:10, Romans 7:14-8:8, Psalms 18:1-15, Proverbs 19:24-25

 “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chron. ‭7:14‬)

Do you pray for revival? Revival in God’s Church? Revival in our nation? Revival in your own heart? For years now, this verse from 2 Chronicles has been lifted up as the model prayer for revival. We look around at our culture today. We look around our nation today. All we see are divisions. The flourishing of hate. Racism rearing its ugly head. Sexual assault and abuse. Violence against women and children. Polarization leading to dehumanization and the demonizing of those who might disagree with us. It’s painful and heartbreaking to see. Some blame social media. I do not. I believe social media has merely brought transparency to the pervasive evil that was already present.  

In the face of all the sin and evil and suffering in our nation, the evangelical church took up this prayer from 2 Chronicles 7:14. We begged God to forgive our sin and heal our land. We begged God for revival and a fresh movement of the Holy Spirit. We begged God for transformation and spiritual renewal. But revival has not come. Our nation continues its plunge into darkness and chaos. So what happened? Did God fail to fulfill His promise? Did He NOT hear from heaven? Why hasn’t healing come?  

I believe its because we’ve played the Pharisee. As much as we desired God’s forgiveness and healing, we refused to humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our own wicked ways. Evangelical leaders are failing morally in shocking numbers. Sexual temptation. Greed. Power. Influence. Fame. Fortune. Pastors purchasing private jets. Living in multi-million dollar homes. Sacrificing their commitment to Christ for political influence. Engaging in inappropriate relationships and adulterous affairs. Focusing more on building their brand than the Kingdom of God. It is brutal. Shocking. Heartbreaking. Hypocritical. We arrogantly assume we can police the moral behavior, thoughts, and attitudes of the general public while at the same time refusing to repent of our own sin. On this point, Jesus is 100% clear. We must take the log out of our own eye before we dare to point out the speck in someone else’s eye. The harsh reality is we have lost all credibility.  

So what do we do? We humble ourselves. Before the Lord. Before each other. Before the world. We are broken people. We are sinful people. We have no right to claim any moral high ground. We pray. We ask God to continue His sanctifying work in us. We beg the Holy Spirit to give us eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts to understand the mind of Christ. We seek God’s face. We stop believing the world revolves around us. We stop treating God like some on-call, cosmic concierge whose only purpose for existence is to meet our emotional needs. We stop treating worship like a consumer product and instead give God the worship He deserves in the way He demands. And finally, we turn from our wicked ways. We come clean. We confess. We repent. We make ourselves vulnerable and transparent before God, before each other, and before the world. Most importantly, we do these things authentically with no other agenda than to live openly and honestly before our Heavenly Father.  

Jesus once said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33) Too often we flip things around. Put the cart before the horse. Try to harness God’s Kingdom to advance our own agendas - personal, social, or political. God will have none of it! He will not share His glory! He will not share the limelight! He will not share the credit! He alone is worthy! He alone is Savior! He alone is Lord! He doesn’t need us. He doesn’t need our wealth. He doesn’t need our resources. He doesn’t need our knowledge or talent or ability. He doesn’t need our country. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Empires rise and fall before Him. He knows the name of each of the billion trillion stars in the heavens. And yes, He hears our prayers. Yes, He will forgive our sin. Yes, He will heal our land. But only if we repent and relinquish our vain and selfish pride.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19, Romans 8:9-25, Psalms 18:16-36, Proverbs 19:26