Discernment

Readings for today: Jeremiah 49-50, Hebrews 5:11-6:12

I love what Hebrews 5:12-14 says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” Discernment rests on our ability to become “skilled in righteousness” or skilled in God’s ways. If we walk in His love. If we obey His commands. If we submit our lives to Him, we can know the will of God for our lives. 

One of the most important gifts we can exercise is an ability to discern between right and wrong. Good and evil. God’s will and our own will. Consider the proliferation of fake news. The tacit acceptance of deceit as a necessary means to a greater ideological end. The promotion of false information in both the mainstream and social media. It’s literally tearing us apart as a nation. Why? Because our powers of discernment have not been trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Tragically, this has been a problem for God’s people for centuries.

Anyone remember King Saul? The first king of Israel. Saul is the man God hand-selected from among the twelve tribes to lead His people. Saul is a strong man. A valiant man. He literally stands head and shoulders above his peers. But he is not a wise man. He is not a discerning man. He makes rash decisions. He takes vows in the name of the Lord that come back to haunt him. He is often his own worst enemy and it eventually costs him everything. For example, consider the time his son Jonathan won a great victory for Israel. He and his armor bearer undertook a dangerous, potentially even suicidal, mission. They invaded the camp of the Philistines. They killed twenty men and the result was chaos. The Philistine army started to panic and raced in every direction. Saul sees the confusion and takes advantage of it. He marshals the rest of his army and sends them after the Philistines. God gives them a great victory. However, in his zeal, Saul issues an edict that no Israelite shall eat until their defeat of the Philistines is complete. The battle is hard. The fighting is fierce. God’s people grow faint. In the midst of it all, Jonathan - who didn’t know about his father’s command - eats some honey and it strengthens him. He openly questions his father’s wisdom. The people follow his example, slaughtering animals for a feast. The news gets back to Saul. He interprets their actions as sin. He attempts to talk to the Lord who remains silent through the whole episode. In response to God’s silence, Saul casts lots to determine who has broken his command. It’s Jonathan. In his foolishness, he decides to kill him but the people of God stand in his way. 

The whole story is a mess. It’s a confusing jumble and hard to follow. But it points to what happens when human beings take matters into their own hands. When we fail to discern the difference between God’s will and our own. How often do we make this mistake? How many times over the course of my life have I pursued something out of pride or selfish desire, foolishly assuming it to be God’s will? How often have I grown impatient and rushed into a decision I later regretted? If I am completely honest, there have even been times in my life where I chased something I knew to be sin but did it anyway, hypocritically asking God for forgiveness in advance. 

So how do we discern the will of God? First, we have to know God’s Word. We have to study His commands. We have to commit ourselves to obey His divine Law. It is never God’s will that you disobey Him. It is never God’s will that you live out of alignment with Jesus. Second, we have to ask God for wisdom. The wisdom to faithfully follow Jesus. God promises in James 1:5 to give this wisdom generously to all who ask. So we pray in faith, trusting God to keep His promises. Finally, we learn through constant, daily practice to discern the difference between good and evil. Right and wrong. God’s will and our will. There is a process of trial and error here as we get better at listening to God’s voice above our own or the voices in our world. Friends, let me encourage you to put Hebrews 5 into practice. Train yourself for righteousness. Strengthen your powers of discernment. Then teach others to do the same.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 51-52, Hebrews 6:13-7:10

Our Great High Priest

Readings for today: Jeremiah 46-48, Hebrews 4:14-5:10

God is eternally consistent. From the beginning to the end of Scripture, a single story unfolds. God creates the universe and all that is in it. It is good. It is beautiful. It is right and true. He makes a man. Made in His own image. Places him in creation as a “priest” of sorts. One who exercises dominion over all God has made. One who keeps the Garden and makes it flourish. One who lives for God and His glory. But Adam fell into sin. The original high priest unfaithful. The impact is devastating. All of creation falls into ruin for lack of a faithful high priest who will present her to God holy and without spot, wrinkle or blemish. 

Time moves on. Another priest is called. Noah. Set apart by God to exercise dominion over a new creation. The new world that emerges from the flood. But again, the high priestly line fails. Rather than be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth; they stick together. They build a tower. A temple to their own name. God looks down. Confuses their languages. Scatters them across the earth.  

More time passes. Another priest. Abram. Called out of Ur, he will be the father of a new nation. They will become a holy priesthood. A people for God’s own possession set apart to exercise dominion over the earth. They are to walk in the light of God and teach the other nations to do the same. Once again, the high priestly line fails. They turn inward. They hoard the blessings of God. They become entitled. Prideful. They scorn the Gentiles they are called to serve. God punishes them and sends them into exile. 

God goes silent. Hundreds of years pass. God raises up yet another high priest. His only begotten Son. Jesus becomes one of us. Takes on human flesh. Assumes a broken human nature. He lives among us. Walks among us. Teaches us. Heals us. Suffers for us. Dies for us. He experiences all that human life has to offer. The good. The bad. The ugly. All so He can fully and rightfully represent us before the Father. At the same time, He remains God. His divine nature is never relinquished. So He can fully and rightfully take on the sins of the world. Jesus is the perfect high priest. His divine and human natures satisfying every aspect of the covenant God first made back in the Garden. 

Listen again to how the author of Hebrews describes it, “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 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…In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 4:14-15, 5:7-10)

Friends, this is what makes Jesus unique. Superior to every angel and every prophet who has come before or after Him. He plays His unique, high priestly role even now on your behalf. He lives to make intercession for you. His sacrifice on your behalf has been accepted. All the necessary work of salvation is finished. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews‬ ‭4:16‬)

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 49-50, Hebrews 5:11-6:12

Running from God

Readings for today: Jeremiah 42-43, Hebrews 2

Deion Sanders is one of the most amazing athletes of all time. He is the only person to participate in both a World Series and a Super Bowl, winning two of the latter. He was a nine-time All-Pro cornerback and kick returner who moonlighted as a professional baseball player. Everything the man touched seemingly turned to gold and he had the ego to match. He gave himself the nickname “Prime Time.” He was loud and brash and cocky to a fault. And yet, all that success could not satisfy so in 1997 - at the height of his success - he drove his car off a cliff in an effort to commit suicide. Incredibly enough, he survived the 30-40 foot drop with no significant injuries and it was then that he began to turn his life over to the Lord. I once heard him remark in an interview, “I was one of the fastest human beings on the face of the planet but I could not outrun God.”

I imagine all of us know what it’s like to run from God. All of us at one time or another in our lives have tried to run as fast and as far as we can from Him. Perhaps we were running from faith like Sanders. Perhaps we were running from obedience like the rich young ruler Jesus met one day. Perhaps we were running from hardship and suffering like the disciples in the wake of the crucifixion. Perhaps we were running from His call on our lives like the Old Testament prophet, Jonah. Whatever the circumstances, I imagine all of us can think of a time where we ran from the Lord. Here’s my question…how’d that work out for you? ;-) I know how it worked out for me. God was relentless. He pursued me tirelessly. He ran me down. I never did have much of a chance.

Neither did Israel or Jeremiah. You can understand their thinking. You can sympathize with their point of view. Their whole world has just been destroyed by Babylon. They’ve witnessed firsthand the horrors of war. The futility of trying to resist. And now the very governor Nebuchadnezzar appointed to rule in his stead has been murdered. Surely his vengeance will be swift and total and final. Surely he will return and wipe out everyone who’s left. So they make a plan. They will flee to Egypt. Take refuge in a rival empire. Surely the arm of Nebuchadnezzar cannot reach them there. But before they go, they seek the Lord. They want the Lord to confirm their well-laid plans. God tells them something different. He calls them to surrender. He calls them to humble submission. He calls on them to plead for mercy. If they will trust the Lord with their lives - even in the face of their fear and anxiety and hardship and suffering - He promises He will deliver them. Listen again to what the Lord says to His people, “If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there,’ then hear the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭42:9-17‬)

God is giving His people a clear choice. One with real life consequences. Obey the Lord even in the face of their fear and anxiety, suffering and hardship and they will be blessed. God will protect them. God will re-plant them. God will build them up in the land. Disobey the Lord. Run to Egypt. And surely God’s judgment will find them. The violence they are trying to escape will follow them. The famine they are trying to avoid will be waiting for them there. All who go to Egypt will die there. None shall escape. It’s a choice between life or death and Jeremiah implores them to choose life. Sadly, they choose death and bring on themselves further judgment. All because they tried to outrun God.

Where do you find yourself today? Are you still running from God? Are you still seeking to flee His presence? Live life your own way? Follow your own heart? Satisfy your own desires? Or perhaps you find yourself exhausted? Worn out by the rat race? Tired of chasing the brass ring? Maybe like Sanders, you’ve caught the ring. You’ve achieved success. You’ve made your way to the top only to find it lonely. Isolating. Deeply unfulfilling. Friends, God is going to relentlessly pursue you until the day you die. He will never stop fighting for you. Never stop reaching out to you. Never stop coming after you because He longs for all to be saved and come to knowledge of His truth. He longs for all to know the love and grace He offers in Jesus Christ. Will you stop running and turn to Him today?

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 44-45, Hebrews 3:1-4:13

My Will or Thy Will?

Readings for today: Jeremiah 36-41, Philemon 1, Hebrews 1

God’s grace is truly amazing. No matter how bad things get. No matter how far we fall. No matter how fast we run. God is always quick to forgive. Quick to relent of the judgment our sin rightfully deserves. Jehoiakim is another in a long line of evil kings. Kings who reject the will of God. Kings who worship idols. Kings who seek their own glory and power instead of humbly serving God. Judgment is coming. Jeremiah has been sent to proclaim the impending doom. The sins of Israel have piled up over the years, creating a mess God intends to use Babylon to clean up. It’s going to be ugly. It’s going to be tragic. It’s going to be painful. Many will suffer. Many will die. All they hold dear will be destroyed as God’s justice rolls down on the earth. 

But even now at the eleventh hour, there is hope. God’s mercy makes one last appearance. God commands Jeremiah to speak a word of grace to the nation. To speak words of life instead of death. He gives them one last chance to repent and turn from their wicked ways. “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin." (Jeremiah‬ ‭36:2-3‬) Jeremiah obeys. He writes everything down on a scroll and gives it to his servant, Baruch, to proclaim. Baruch goes to the Lord’s House and reads it in the presence of all who’ve gathered. Officials from the king’s household hear the news and they ask Baruch to come and read the scroll to them. Eventually, the scroll makes it’s way into the king’s presence for one final hearing. The tension builds. How will the king respond? Will he repent? Will he turn back to the Lord? Will he humble himself and bow the knee? Sadly, the answer is no. He takes out a knife and cuts the scroll to pieces as each line is read and then proceeds to burn it in his fire pit. His rejection of the Word of God is complete and final. So is his doom.

One cannot so easily dispose of God’s Word. It has a power all its own. Coming from the Holy Spirit, it is eternal. Unquenchable. Unflammable. Unbreakable. The grass may wither and the flower may fade but the Word of God endures forever.  (Isaiah 40:8) So again the Word comes to Jeremiah. Only this time, judgment has replaced grace. Justice has replaced mercy. God’s wrath is about to be fully unveiled. “Thus says the Lord, You have burned this scroll, saying, "Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cut off from it man and beast?" Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night. And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the people of Judah all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭36:29-31‬)

I believe it was C.S. Lewis who pointed out that when we appear before the throne of God on Judgment Day, we will either say to Him, “Thy will be done” or He will say to us, “thy will be done.” There are no other options. Furthermore, it is critically important to remember that our answer on Judgment Day is conditioned by the choices we make right now in our everyday lives. You see, each and every day we are faced with this same choice. Will we obey God’s will for our lives or will we go our own way? It is a serious matter to reject the Word of God. To disobey His commands. Whether by ignorance or by deliberate defiance, we rebel against God to our own peril. God takes our sin seriously. Far more seriously than we know. He is so holy. So righteous. So just. His nose cannot bear the stench of sin. His eyes will not behold the stain of sin. His presence will not endure even the appearance of sin. It must be dealt with. It must be done away with. A price must be paid. A sacrifice offered. It will either be us or it will be Christ. Either you receive Christ as your perfect sacrifice. Receive Christ as your perfect substitute. Receive Christ’s atoning death on your behalf or you will bear the punishment yourself. You will receive all the judgment and righteous anger of God. It will be eternal and unending because the depth of your sin and rebellion is eternal and unending. 

I know this sounds harsh. I know this doesn’t feel good. What about God’s love? It is there! In Christ! One cannot separate Christ from the love of God for Christ Himself is the love of God! “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John‬ ‭4:10‬) God has provided a way for you to escape the coming judgment just as He provided a way for Jehoiakim to escape his coming judgment! Repentance! Faith! Accepting the perfect sacrifice God Himself has offered on your behalf! Do not reject the Word of God, friends! Receive Christ and live!

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 42-43, Hebrews 2

The Plain Meaning of Scripture

Readings for today: Jeremiah 33-35, Titus 3

One of the most important things to keep in mind when you are reading Scripture is to remember that the Bible was not written to us. It was written to different groups of people in different cultural contexts throughout history who had radically different ways of seeing and understanding the world around them. At the same time, while we acknowledge the Bible is not written directly to us, we do believe the Bible was written for us. Meaning we believe the lessons God was teaching His people throughout history are just as applicable today. What God was revealing about Himself is just as true for us as it was for them. This is why after thousands of years, we still find ourselves reading and studying this sacred book. It is inspired. It is infallible. It is inerrant on the matters on which it speaks. It is our only rule for faith and life.

In order to understand God’s Word, there are often times when we have to dig deep into the cultural context to understand what’s going on. We have to look back and try to understand how the original hearers of the Word would have received what the Biblical authors had to say. What frame of reference would they use? What worldview did they have? And the more obscure the text, the harder we have to work. However, there are other times when the Lord makes things very clear. There’s little left to chance. Little left to interpretation. Little left to the imagination. There are times when the Lord speaks directly to us. He leaves no ambiguity. No wiggle room. No confusion. Today is one of those days. Listen to what the Apostle Paul has to say to Titus…

“Remind God’s people to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” (Titus‬ ‭3:1-11‬)

Titus is a pastor. He leads a church planting movement on the island of Crete. Paul charges him to raise up leaders for these churches. People of godly character. People of good reputation. People who will be effective at leading God’s people to live and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. What will such a people look like? Paul makes it very clear. They will be humble and submissive to their governing authorities. They will speak evil of no one. They will avoid arguments, quarreling, and fights. They will be gentle and will treat all people with respect. Why will God’s people act in this particular, even peculiar way? Because they recognize they were once foolish and ignorant and enslaved to their passions. They were once angry and violent and given over to malice and hate. They too were once lost and wandering in helplessness, hopelessness, and fear. But now they have been found! The goodness and tender loving kindness of the Lord reached down to them and delivered them from their sin! They have been set free by Jesus Christ and have now been made heirs according to His promise! This is why Paul insists that Titus insist that God’s people walk in newness of life. They must devote themselves to good works. They must avoid unprofitable and worthless arguments that only lead to division.

I am a pastor. I lead a church in Parker and I help lead a church planting movement in the Horn of Africa. I train future pastors and church planters and missionaries in my work at Denver Seminary. Just as Paul charged Titus to raise up leaders for God’s church in his context, so he is charging me to do the same. To raise up leaders of godly character. Leaders of good reputation. Leaders who will be effective in living and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. Such leaders will be humble and submissive to their governing authorities no matter whether they are Democrat or Republican. They will speak evil of no one no matter their ethnicity, socio-economic status, political affiliation, religion, or sexual orientation. Such leaders will avoid arguments, quarreling, and fighting especially on social media. They will be gentle and treat all people with respect, refusing to make flippant and rude comments or share snarky and profane memes designed to tear others down. Why are these things out of bounds for the people of God? Because we too were once lost and wandering. We too were once enslaved to our passions. We too were once foolish and ignorant. But God was gracious towards us. He showed kindness and mercy towards us. He was good to us and therefore we must be good to others. We must exhibit the same tender loving kindness that God showed us to those around us. This is our calling as Christians. There are no exceptions. There are no excuses. There are no extenuating circumstances that give us a pass. We either obey Jesus or we do not. It’s that simple.

Readings for tomorrow: None

Recovery

Readings for today: Jeremiah 31-32, Titus 2

This morning I was thankful to read the recent report on the number of jobs added to the economy in the last month. It’s good for people to go back to work. It’s good for employers to fill empty positions. It’s a strong sign that we are recovering from the devastation of the pandemic. But there is still so much work to be done. Not just in the economy. The last eighteen months has been traumatic for so many. I think of the first responders I know who’ve had to carry an enormous load of stress as they served on the front lines of this pandemic. I think of the healthcare professionals who have risked their lives and worked countless overtime shifts to care for their patients. I think of teachers who find themselves in the crosshairs of the culture wars that rage all around us. I think of our political leaders who work so hard to try to find a way out of this mess. Not to mention the parents who’ve had to balance homeschooling with working remotely or the business owners who’ve had to find ways to remain operational during enforced lockdowns. It’s not been easy. We’ve experienced a collective shock to our system. A traumatic event that significantly impacted all of us emotionally, mentally, physically, even spiritually. It will take time to recover. It will take time to heal. It will take time to rebuild trust and find peace both as individuals and as a nation.

That’s why I find such comfort in Jeremiah’s words this morning…“Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭32:37-41‬) Yes, God in His divine Providence has allowed this pandemic. The pandemic, in turn, has exposed some of the deepest, darkest sins of our nation. The stain of racism. The vast economic inequalities. The injustices so many face on a daily basis. Layer in all the hatred and outrage and violence and vitriol we expose ourselves to through cable news, social media, or even some so-called “Christian” preaching. What you end up with is a toxic brew that we drink to the dregs. This is what God’s judgment looks like in real time. It’s when He simply withdraws His protective hand. Gives us over to the lusts and desires of our sinful hearts. Forces us to come face to face with the deadly consequences of our narcissism. And we would be lost but for His faithfulness.

Thankfully, the same words God gave Jeremiah to speak to the nation of Israel are the same words He speaks to us through His Son Jesus Christ. They are words of comfort. Words of hope. Words of promise. They speak of a future day when God Himself will wade back in. He will intervene to save us from ourselves. Save us from our individual and collective sin. He will restore the nation. He will renew His church. He will remember His people. How will we know the Day is drawing near? We will see a great movement of repentance. God’s people will come together in humility to confess their sin, forgive each other, and reconcile their hurts. God’s people will humbly confess their sins on behalf of our nation. They will work towards righteousness and justice which are the foundation of God’s throne. They will show mercy and compassion to those who are poor and orphaned and abandoned and abused. They will sacrifice and serve and give generously, even extravagantly, for they God is their Protector and Provider. Most of all, they will walk in the fear of the Lord, giving Him all the reverence and honor He is due.

Our “recovery” is fundamentally tied to revival, friends. And revival can only come as God’s people humble themselves before the Lord. Confessing their sins. Admitting their mistakes. Acknowledging how far we have fallen short. God is gracious. He will forgive. God is faithful. He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And God expects the same from His people. To whom much is given, much is expected. To whom much is forgiven, much is expected. The healing and recovery we all long for - both individually and collectively - will only come as we extend forgiveness and grace and work to reconcile every relationship in Christ.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 33-35, Titus 3

God’s Good Plans

Readings for today: Jeremiah 29-30, Titus 1

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬)

If only I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard this verse quoted at a graduation, wedding, seen it on a t-shirt or coffee mug. It has become cliche. A platitude we like to use to support the fulfillment of our dreams and desires. It’s also exhibit #1 as to why proof-texting can be so dangerous. 

Jeremiah 29:11 is a verse embedded in a story. A tragic story. The story of Israel’s exile. They have lost their home. They have been forcibly removed. (Think Trail of Tears or something like it...) Their leaders have been tortured and put to death. All of their cultural icons - including the Temple of God itself - have been razed to the ground. In short, their collective identity as the people of God has suffered a massive hit, leaving behind an emotional and spiritual crater that will not be easily filled. Especially as they try to rebuild in a foreign land. 

Think about the collective shock we all felt on 9/11 when the planes hit both towers and the Pentagon. Think about the grief. The rage. The anger. Now multiply that many times over. Imagine terrorists taking over our country. Capturing our leaders. Torturing them on national television and executing them. Imagine them systematically destroying every monument we’ve ever built. Washington. Lincoln. Jefferson memorials all destroyed. Arlington. Mount Vernon. Monticello. All burned to the ground. Imagine them trying to erase “America” from the face of the earth. This is what the Israelites experienced and as they begin to settle into captivity…into slavery…into their new lives as refugees in a foreign land, they receive this letter from Jeremiah… 

• “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭29:5-6‬) In essence, live your lives. Do what you’ve always done. Don’t spend your days looking back at where you’ve been but forward to the future.

• “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭29:7‬) Pray for your enemies. For those who destroyed your way of life. For those who killed your loved ones. Conquered your land. Burned your cities. Destroyed your nation. And don’t just pray. Actively seek to bless them. Bless their city. Bless their communities. Be salt and light in this new place.

• “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭29:10‬) Settle in for the long haul. This is not going to quick or easy. You will be in exile for generations. Your children and children’s children will be born here. You may actually never return home yourselves.

Woof. Those are hard words when you know the context. And it is only AFTER all these difficult things have been said that Jeremiah pens the words we love to quote so much, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11-14) 

Friends, the hard truth we don’t like to think about very much is that God’s plans for us sometimes include exile. Suffering. Hardship. Pain. God uses these things to smooth out the rough edges of our lives. To refine out all the impurity. To strain out all the sin. His “good” plan that gives us a “future and a hope” include taking us through the fire so that we can be made pure and holy as He is pure and holy. Seeking God with all our hearts means trusting Him with the direction of our lives...even when that direction doesn’t appear to be comfortable or safe. It means letting Him lead and guide us into dark valleys where all we have is His presence. It means trusting the Good Shepherd to eventually find us green pastures and still waters though the journey may be long and arduous to get from here to there. This is what Jeremiah is trying to communicate to his people as they start their heartbreaking, gut-wrenching exile in Babylon. God is with them. He has not forgotten them. He will eventually redeem them. This is their hope! This is their future! And though they themselves may not actually get there, they can trust God will bring their descendants home.   

Can you see some of the parallels to our day and age? Think of all the conflict raging in our nation today. Think of the competing worldviews and ideologies. Think of how challenging it is becoming to practice our faith in the public square. Think of how easy it is to be cynical or pessimistic and depressed about the future. And yet, isn’t God still with us? Surely God has not forgotten us? So even though it may feel like we are entering a period of exile, we can trust that Jeremiah’s words to his people hold great value for us today. We too should build our homes and plant our gardens. We too should get married and have families. We too should seek the blessing of the communities where God has planted us. We too should pray for them and work for their welfare. We too should settle in for the long haul for our current cultural drift is only picking up steam. Things will never go back to the way they once were. It’s only going to get more challenging in the years ahead but God will be faithful! He will visit us! He will gather us! He will bring us back home!

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 31-32, Titus 2

False Prophets

Readings for today: Jeremiah 27-28, 2 Timothy 4

Lately, I’ve been listening to the podcast titled, “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” and my heart is heavy. Though I do not Mark Driscoll, I certainly have met too many like him. They are arrogant. They are narcissistic. They do not listen. They refuse any kind of real accountability. They abuse those around them. They groom and gaslight. They manipulate congregational systems for their own personal gain whether it be a lavish lifestyle or a influential platform. They are often celebrated until they fall. The warning signs dismissed because of the size of their “reach” or “impact.” The victims who do have the courage to come forward often suffer further abuse as those in power close ranks around the abuser in order to protect themselves and the reputation of their ministry. I think of the systematic coverup by the Roman Catholic Church. Hundreds of priests abusing thousands of children over decades. I think of the late Ravi Zacharias who sexually abused hundreds of women over the span of his ministry. I think of spiritual abusers like Mark Driscoll or James MacDonald or many others who’ve caused so much suffering. Frankly, it all makes me want to vomit.  

I wish I could say such incidents are rare but they are not. There are far too many false prophets running around these days. They masquerade as end times prophets, health and wealth preachers, and sexual predators who prey on their congregations. They are cult leaders. Religious charlatans. People who claim to speak for God but in reality are purveyors of hate. They defend the indefensible. They justify their abuses. They claim special anointing and protections from the Lord himself. And they lead many astray with their lies. Unfortunately, the religious life seems to attract such shady characters. Men - and it is almost exclusively men - whose character is utterly corrupt and who see the church as an easy mark. A soft target because of the grace she proclaims. 

Sadly, it seems like such has always been the case. Throughout the book of Jeremiah, we have encountered many a false prophet. People claiming to speak for the Lord who are, in reality, seeking to hold onto their power. The man we meet in today’s reading - Hananiah - is simply the latest in a long line of court prophets who seek to advance their position by flattering the king. Hananiah’s message to Zedekiah is that he will defeat the Babylonians. God will break the yoke from their necks and set them free. It is clear pandering to maintain political privilege and power and it bears a striking resemblance to the many pastors of our day who sell out the gospel for a place at the political table. Both progressives and conservatives are guilty. Think Al Sharpton and Robert Jeffress and many others we could name. These are the kind of men of whom God speaks when He says, “I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭23:21‬) 

Friends, God will not be mocked. When Hananiah falsely prophesied a great victory over Babylon, Jeremiah foretold his doom. "Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the Lord: 'Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the Lord.'" In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭28:15-17‬) Over the course of my short life, I have seen this pattern repeated over and over again. Those who speak falsely in the Lord’s name are eventually exposed for the religious hucksters they have become. They fall into disgrace and the examples are legion. God will not allow His name to be spoken in vain. God will not be manipulated for our purposes or bent to our will. He will not share His glory with another and woe to any man or woman who declares falsely a Word from the Lord! Woe to any man or woman who calls evil “good” and good “evil!” Woe to any man or woman who would subvert the Word of God and twist it to serve some other purpose! God is watching! He sits on His throne even now! He will expose what is done in secret! He will bring to light the sinful agendas of every human heart! Nothing is hidden from His sight!

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 29-30, Titus 1

A Prophetic Word

Readings for today: Jeremiah 24-26, 2 Timothy 3

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a good friend about my views on the state of the world. He felt I was taking too dismal an approach. He felt I was too down on humanity. Too cynical about her future. Too pessimistic about her ability to make progress. He is not a Christian so he does not believe in original sin. He does not believe in total depravity. He believes human beings are essentially good and just need to be loved in order to be successful in this world. So I challenged him in return. What evidence does he see in the world today that would suggest to him humanity - as a whole - is essentially good? One only has to consider the greed of the ultra-wealthy. The corruption rife in every human government. The lust for power and control. The objectification and abuse of women. The persistent hatred between tribes and ethnicities. The penchant for violence - physical, emotional, professional, personal - against those we consider our enemies. The selfishness of the average person. Shall I go on? Certainly, individuals are capable of great good as our groups of individuals but on the whole, on balance, when one honestly considers the natural state of humanity, it isn’t good. It’s almost as if the Apostle Paul had caught wind of it…

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” (2 Timothy‬ ‭3:1-5‬) Not much has changed in two thousand years. Humanity is still a wilderness calling for a voice. Still a dumpster fire desperate for water to put out her flames. Yes, we’ve made some progress. Yes, life expectancies have gone up. The amount of wealth we create on an annual basis is staggering. Technology has made life so much easier. But to what end? Why live longer in misery? Why pursue wealth when it so easily snares our hearts? Why innovate when such technology can be turned to horrifyingly destructive ends?

Please hear me out. I am not saying we shouldn’t do these things just that we need to rediscover our purpose. Our chief end. Our primary goal which is “a godly life in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Without Jesus as our North Star. Without Jesus as our True North. Without Jesus leading the way, we fall into all sorts of error. We fall into all sorts of self-inflicted suffering and pain. We fall into all manner of evil and sin. Only Christ can lift us up out of the hole we’ve dug for ourselves. Only Christ can set our feet on a firm foundation rather than the shifting sand we too often choose for ourselves. Only Christ can satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts which is to be loved.

My friend was right about one thing. We all long to be loved. We all need to be loved. We all were made to be loved. Loved by God. Loved by others. The lack of love in our world is the fundamental issue we face. It is the scarcity of love that creates so much of the world’s problems. None of this is new to God. He saw it in Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and all the generations down to Noah. He saw it in humanity after the Flood and identified a family through which He would reveal His great love to the world. But Abraham and Isaac and Jacob struggled with to love as well as did Moses and Joshua and David and Solomon and Israel. So God sent His one and only Son into the world. Jesus came with a mission to show the world the heights and depths of the love of God. He gave His very life to make God’s love known. And all who look to Him in faith have received the gift of God’s faithful, steadfast, everlasting, loyal, covenant love in return. This is the story the Bible tells and it’s why we must spend time in God’s Word every single day. To remind ourselves we are loved and to remind ourselves of the charge to go and tell the world about the love we have found in Christ. This is why Paul tells Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy‬ ‭3:16-17‬)

Friends, God is equipping you for every good work. God is preparing you to be His instrument of love and grace in our world. God is getting you ready to endure the persecution that will come to all who truly seek to follow Jesus. Abide in God’s Word and let His Word abide in you. Abide in God’s love and let His love abide in you. Do all you can to live a godly life in Christ Jesus and you will find the peace and joy your heart longs for.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 27-28, 2 Timothy 4

War with God

Readings for today: Jeremiah 20-23, 2 Timothy 1-2

“I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, in anger and in fury and in great wrath.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭21:5) These might be some of the scariest words in all the Bible. Can you imagine what it must be like to be at war with God? To be in complete rebellion against your Creator? Not just ignoring His will but consciously, intentionally, even eagerly seeking to disobey? The sons of Josiah knew full well what they were doing. The priests and prophets of Jeremiah’s time were fully aware of their actions. The people of God who lived in the cities and villages were not ignorant of the commandments of God. They simply chose to ignore them. They simply chose to reject them. And the consequences of their actions are devastating. 

Israel will go into exile in Babylon. They will lose their land. They will lose their homes. Their Temple will be raised to the ground. Their glory pounded into dust. Even worse, their God was now fighting on the side of the Chaldeans! No longer their Protector. No longer their Warrior. He who was for them is now against them. Who can resist His might? “I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls...I will strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast. They shall die of a great pestilence...I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword. He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭21:4, 6-7‬) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a Holy God!

And yet, even amidst this national catastrophe, Jeremiah sounds a note of hope. There will come a day when the sins of Israel have been paid and the Lord will visit His people once more. “I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The Lord is our righteousness.'” (Jeremiah‬ ‭23:3-6‬) As is so often the case in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament; it is always darkest before the dawn. The promise of a Messiah rises out of the ashes of their sin like a phoenix spreading it’s wings. David will not be abandoned. A righteous Branch shall come from his line. A king who will reign with justice and righteousness and wisdom. One who will restore the fortunes of God’s people. One who will defeat their great enemy once and for all so they may finally dwell secure. He will even have a name...יְהוָ֥ה צִדְקֵֽנוּ...“The Lord is our righteousness.” 

Jesus is our righteousness, friends! God made Him who knew no sin to actually become sin on our behalf. To bear the full weight of the world’s sin. Past. Present. Future. He took all my sin. All my brokenness. All my fears. He took all my rebellion. All my rejection. All my disdain. He took all my selfishness. All my greed. All my lusts. And He nailed them to the cross. By His wounds, I am healed. By His brokenness, I am made whole. By His chains, I am set free. By His death, I am given new life. 

The reality is my flesh is at war with God. The desires of my heart are bent towards evil. My thoughts and attitudes and actions are corrupt. And God is at war with me. His Spirit waging a battle for my heart. He has invaded my life. Invaded the innermost depths of my being in order to cleanse me. Purify me. Refine me. He is a consuming fire. He will not rest until my life reflects His glory. And the more I surrender. The more I submit. The more I cooperate with the work of the Spirit, the more I will experience the freedom Christ promises. This is no easy task. The flesh and its desires must be crucified. Put to death. There can be no safe harbor for them in our souls. We must allow the Spirit to “save to the uttermost.” We must open ourselves up fully and completely to His work. Only then will we be truly set free.  

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 24-26, 2 Timothy 3

Follow Your Heart?

Readings for today: Jeremiah 17-19, 1 Timothy 6:2-21

“Just follow your heart.” It makes for a great Disney tune but it’s not a great philosophy for life. Unfortunately, our culture promotes this lie relentlessly. Everyone from Silicon Valley icons to Hollywood entertainers to academic luminaries to political activists to sports stars all share the same advice. “Follow your heart.” “Trust your gut.” “Believe in yourself.” “Do what your heart tells you and your mind will follow.” It sounds really good, doesn’t it? Almost biblical. It taps into our innermost longings. It affirms our secret desires. It seems like the only path to true happiness and joy. 

Sadly, the opposite seems to be true. How many stories do we know of men and women who “followed their heart”, achieved international celebrity and great success, but lost their families in the process? How many stories do we hear of the secret lives of famous men and women that are filled with addiction, abuse, neglect, and trauma? How many experiences have we had where our “hearts” led us to some pretty dark and twisted places? Shoot, I could give you several examples from my own life where “following my heart” led me into a ditch. None of us start out intending to go there of course. None of us begin with bad intentions. We are simply human. We make mistakes. We are prone to failure. We can’t seem to get out of our own way.

So here’s the question…Why? Why is it that human beings seem so naturally bent towards self-destruction? Why, after tens of thousands of years, do we still exhibit a penchant for cruelty, hatred, greed, violence, and an unbridled lust for power? Jeremiah 17:9 offers us a clear and compelling diagnosis. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” These ancient words ring so true, do they not? We simply cannot trust our hearts. We cannot trust our feelings. We cannot trust our emotions. They change with the wind. They are influenced far too easily. The endorphin rush they create overrides our rationality. Eats away at our commitments. We find ourselves doing the very things we hate and not doing the things we love. We find ourselves wrapped up in all kinds of “wrong” when we know there’s a better, truer path to “right.” We find ourselves compromising or rationalizing all sorts of sin. It’s craziness. Literal insanity to trust in an organ that is so fickle and yet we seem to fall into this same trap over and over again. 

So what’s the answer? We turn to the Lord. The One who made us and shaped us and formed us and fashioned us. The One who called us and claimed us as His own from eternity. The One who first established us and gave our lives purpose and meaning and showed us the way to true fulfillment. The One who would not abandon us in our sin but came to us. Suffered for us. Died for us. All to set us free so that we might live again. "I, the Lord, search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." (Jeremiah‬ ‭17:10‬) 

Here is the fundamental question we have to answer on a daily, even hourly basis. Do we trust the One who created us and loved us or do we trust ourselves? Do we trust in the One whose love is always steadfast, loyal and true or do we trust our fickle, human hearts? Do we trust the One who never makes mistakes? Never falls down on the job? Never fails to deliver on His promises? Or do we trust the guy or gal in the mirror with the incredible spotty track record? The great news of the gospel is that we have a Good Father in heaven who delights in giving good gifts to His children. We have a gracious Savior who gave His own life to deliver us from slavery to sin. We have the Holy Spirit living inside us who promises to guide and direct and show us the way to true joy and everlasting peace. Trust Him today!

Readings for tomorrow: None

Discouragement

Readings for today: Jeremiah 14-16, 1 Timothy 5, 6:2

There is a myth many Christians believe. If we are walking faithfully with the Lord. If we are obeying His commands and living according to His Word. If we are praying and worshipping and serving Him then we will not face hardship. We will not struggle or suffer or endure any pain. Life will be good and blessed and we will be happy. Fundamentally, we believe if we do our part, God is bound to do His and our lives should reflect His favor. 

But then we read a passage like this one from Jeremiah today... “Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me...Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?” (Jeremiah‬ ‭15:10, 16-18‬) Jeremiah is angry with God. He’s bitter and frustrated. He’s fulfilled the call of God. He’s been faithful. He took God’s Word and proclaimed it to the people at great personal cost. They beat and persecute him. They spit on him and mock him. He has no friends. No family. He sits alone. Who knows how long he has suffered? We only know he’s finally reached a breaking point. He is in anguish. He is in pain. He is depressed. He is discouraged. He accuses of God of being deceitful. Lying to him. Pulling a bait and switch. 

It’s real. It’s raw. It’s honest. It’s not uncommon. I’ve been there myself. I remember well the 19 months we spent in Wisconsin. We were fully convinced God called us to go there to plant a church. We were excited. We were passionate. We couldn’t wait to get started. God had given us a vision. He had given us plenty of resources. We were confident we would do great things for Jesus. Within a few months, our dream became a nightmare. For the first time in my life, I became a man of “strife and contention” to those I worked for. I felt cursed. Afflicted. Unjustly accused. I didn’t handle it well. I complained. I grew frustrated. I got angry with God. I felt like He had let me down. I felt like He had broken faith with me. After all, I had given up a thriving ministry and uprooted my family and poured my heart and soul into this new work. All to no avail. I ended up broken. Battered. Bruised. I contemplated throwing in the towel on ministry altogether. My wife was in an even darker place. It was the most painful time of our lives.  

In the midst of our heartache, I cried out to God and this is what He said. In essence, “Should you accept good from me and not hardship? Did you think this life I called you to was only going to be up and to the right? One success after another? What if it is my will to crush you? To break your pride? To make you suffer so you learn to depend on Me? Am I not enough for you?” It was sobering and convicting and strangely...comforting. Even in our darkest moments, God was there. Though His presence was a refiner’s fire, it felt good. The kind of good one feels after a hard workout or when one has overcome something incredibly difficult. You may still bear the scars but they become badges of honor along the way. 

Such was true for Jeremiah as well. Listen to the Lord’s response to him in the midst of his pain.  "If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord. I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless." (Jeremiah‬ ‭15:19-21‬) The call on Jeremiah’s life will be a hard one. God is relentless. He will use Jeremiah as a hammer to break the nation’s pride. He will be ostracized. Isolated. Hated. Persecuted. He will suffer and struggle and endure tremendous pain. But through it all, God will be with him. God will give him the strength he needs to bear up under the burden. 

Only you know the burdens you carry in life. Only you know the source of those burdens. Sometime we suffer because of our sin. The choices we make lead us down dark paths. We have to own those choices. Take responsibility. Repent and turn back to the Lord. Sometimes the Lord leads us into suffering. To refine us. Test us. Break sinful patterns of pride and self-sufficiency in our lives. In those times, we must submit. Accept. Surrender to His sovereign will and trust even the hard times serve His purposes in our lives.  

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 17-19, 1 Timothy 6:2-21

COVID Fatigue

Readings for today: Jeremiah 12-13, 1 Timothy 4

For months I’ve been praying for dear friends in ministry across the country. I’ve had countless conversations with pastors and ministry leaders from all walks of life. All kinds of churches. Across all sorts of denominations. For years they’ve served their congregations faithfully. They’ve wept with those who weep. They’ve laughed with those who laugh. They’ve mourned with those who mourn. They’ve rejoiced with those who rejoice. They’ve baptized, married, counseled, and buried countless people. They’ve been invited into some of the most sacred and tender spaces in people’s lives. They’ve been trusted with secrets. They’ve born incredible burdens. They’ve done all they can to model Jesus to those they love and serve. But the last 18 months has taken a toll. They’re burned out from the stress. Broken by the pressure. Beaten down by the constant conflict. They feel betrayed by the very people to whom they’ve dedicated their lives. According to most estimates, 30% of them are now considering leaving the ministry. Almost 70% report feeling overwhelmed on a regular basis. 40% struggle with anxiety. Another 40% feel exhausted most of the time. It’s heartbreaking.

I certainly am not immune to these pressures. However, I also recognize I’ve benefited from certain built-in advantages. I live in an affluent, extremely healthy community that has weathered the COVID storm relatively well. I’ve served my church for almost twelve years and can draw on a deep well of trust. I’ve got an unbelievable leadership team of elders and staff who have shared the load. My marriage is strong as are my relationships with my teenage and adult children. Perhaps most of all, the years I’ve spent working with pastors in the developing world has helped me maintain perspective in the midst of everything. My brothers and sisters who serve in places like Ethiopia and Uganda and South Sudan have faced, are facing, and will face far more significant challenges that I ever will in my own ministry.

Perhaps that’s why these words from Jeremiah hit so close to home this morning, “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?” (Jeremiah‬ ‭12:5‬) Here God is answering Jeremiah’s complaint. He is tired. He is weary. He has been ignored, dismissed, and betrayed by the very people he feels called to serve. He serves at a difficult time in Israel’s history. The kingdom is about to fall. The line of kings has failed. Injustice, oppression, tyranny, and corruption have brought the nation to her knees. People are suffering terribly. Those he loves are dying all around him. And though he has a Word from the Lord, no one listens. In the midst of his own heartache, Jeremiah cries out to God. How long, O Lord? Why God are you allowing these things to happen? Where are you in the midst of our pain?

God’s answer is direct. If Jeremiah is already tired from racing with men on foot, what’s going to happen when God calls him to even greater sacrifice in the days ahead? If Jeremiah is losing heart while he dwells in relative safety and security, what’s going to happen when God brings destruction on Jerusalem and drives him into the wilderness? Is God being unkind? Does God lack compassion? Is God being mean? Not at all. He is preparing Jeremiah for the journey ahead. Things are only going to get harder. The suffering of God’s people is only going to increase. Pagan nations will invade and burn Jerusalem to the ground. The Temple will be destroyed. The remnant who are left will be dragged into exile. Those who remain will barely survive. And still God’s call remains. Jeremiah is to remain faithful. He is to stand at his post. He is to preach God’s Word. He is to proclaim God’s judgment. He is to minister to those who fight him and attack him and abuse him and oppress him and say all manner of evil about him.

Does any of that sound familiar? You see, I don’t think it’s just pastors and priests who are struggling these days. I can’t tell you the number of first responders I’ve talked to who feel exhausted as well. I can’t tell you the number of doctors and nurses I know who are on the verge of quitting. I can’t tell you the number of teachers and administrators who feel like they are caught in the crosshairs of all that’s going on in our culture today. It’s heartbreaking. And yet God’s call remains for us as well. If we are weary from racing with men on foot, what will happen when the pace picks up and the pressure increases in the days ahead? If we who dwell in relative ease and safety and abundance can’t seem to find any peace, what will happen if supply lines truly crash and the economy fails and our political system implodes and our lives get upended permanently? What will we do then?

God calls His people to be salt and light in the world. He never promised it would be easy. He never promised we’d be understood. He never promised we’d be liked or appreciated. In fact, being salty in a world that’s lost it’s flavor can feel very lonely. Being light in a world that grows ever darker can make us feel very alone. That’s how Jeremiah felt. That’s how many of my friends and colleagues feel. Perhaps that’s how you feel today as well. Take heart! Keep the faith! Lift your eyes above the hills, above the circumstances of this world, and look to God! He is with you. He will never leave you or forsake you. He will give you all the strength and wisdom you need to persevere to the end.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 14-16, 1 Timothy 5, 6:2

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

Readings for today: Jeremiah 10-11, 1 Timothy 3

Imagine you’re Timothy. A young man (perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties) who’s been entrusted by Paul with the church in Ephesus. Ephesus is at the zenith of its power and influence. Made capital of the region by Caesar Augustus, it is a center for learning and commerce. It is home to one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. The Temple of Artemis draws thousands of pilgrims from all over the region. They came to worship. They came to trade. They came to make deposits at the Temple which served as the largest bank in the area as well. The cult of Artemis created great wealth. An entire economy had grown up around the worship of their deity. The priestesses exercised great political and social influence. Your mentor Paul started a riot here when he preached the gospel and the church he left behind was facing some significant challenges. 

Whenever the gospel penetrates a new region, one of the real dangers that pops up almost immediately is syncretism. The merging of older, pagan religious beliefs with the truth of the Christian faith. Some of it is brought on by the missionaries themselves as they try to translate the gospel into the local language and culture. Some of it is brought by the new believers as they struggle to leave the old ways behind. What often ends up emerging is a faith that is sub-Christian or pseudo-Christian and this is exactly what Paul warns Timothy about in the beginning of this letter. “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith...Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (1 Timothy‬ ‭1:3-4, 6-7‬) Of course, the same challenge holds true in areas that are gospel-saturated. Consider the challenges of the post-Christian west. The rapid decline of Christianity in Europe and the United States. The fracturing of the church. The emphasis on non-essential doctrines. The utter lack of grace and charity for fellow believers. It’s just so hard to keep the main thing the main thing.

So what is the “main thing” you might ask? Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 3:16, “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” Put another way, Christ was born. Christ died. Christ was raised. Christ’s resurrection was witnessed by angels. Christ has been proclaimed among all the nations. Christ has been believed by all kinds of people. Christ ascended into heaven. This is the great mystery of our faith. This is the beating heart of the gospel. It has nothing to do with us and everything to do with what God has done for us. Sure, we can parse out the finer points of our theology. We can engage in all kinds of metaphysical speculation on how Christ’s two natures co-existed. We can wax philosophical about the eternal mysteries of the Godhead. We can debate the ethical implications of the Kingdom. We can argue over the specifics of eschatology. But all of it is meaningless - vanity of vanities according to Solomon - in comparison to what God has revealed in Jesus Christ.

These words are as much for us as they are for Timothy. The challenge is just as real for the church today as it was for the church in Ephesus. Unity in the essentials. Liberty in the non-essentials. Charity for all. The reality is it is so easy for us to get bogged down. Even as we read this letter, we find ourselves tempted to focus on non-essential questions like who gets to serve and in what role or what people should wear to worship or the patriarchal/misogynistic nature of 1st century culture. Friends, put aside the petty squabbles. Let go of any personal preferences. Relinquish your grip on theological certainty and instead embrace the great mystery of our faith - Christ was born, Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ ascended, and Christ will come again. Focusing on Jesus is how we keep the main thing the main thing for He Himself is the main thing! Amen?

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 12-13, 1 Timothy 4

Truth

Readings for today: Jeremiah 8-9, 1 Timothy 2

Truth is a rare commodity in our day and age. Fake news. Outright lies. Conspiracy theories. Ideologically-driven news cycles. It’s hard to discern what is true and what is false in our world. Add to that the commercially driven lies our culture sells about beauty, identity, happiness, fulfillment, etc. and we find ourselves swimming in a cesspool of deceit. Social media has only thrown gas on this fire. Exacerbating a phenomena that threatens the very fabric of our society. Sadly, the church has fallen prey to these same forces. Trading in the truth of the gospel for a more palatable, therapeutic gospel that fills the seats, sells books, and makes rockstars out of megapastors. But it’s not just the megachurches who fallen for these lies. I cannot tell you the number of small churches I know who’ve allowed themselves to be defined more by the culture wars raging around us than the truth of the gospel. I cannot tell you the number of churches I know who care more about one’s political affiliation, one’s musical preference, one’s theological camp, or one’s denominational label than the truth God lays out for us in Scripture. I cannot tell you the number of individuals I meet who claim to be Christian but whose lives exhibit little, if any, evidence of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Left without a champion, truth is lost and our world descends into chaos. 

Jeremiah faced a similar situation, living as he did in the final days of the kingdom of Israel. “Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity...Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully; with his mouth each speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he plans an ambush for him.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭9:4-5, 8‬) It sounds strikingly familiar, does it not? Those with whom we disagree are not just wrong, they are evil. Those who are different are corrupt. Those who will not toe the line when it comes to ideological purity cannot be trusted. Their motives are suspect. They must have a hidden agenda. Surely there is a conspiracy afoot!

“Again the Lord said to me, "A conspiracy exists among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem...” (Jeremiah 11:9) AHA! There it is! Confirmation of the deep state! Confirmation that those who don’t agree with us are plotting to take over! Confirmation of the most nefarious intentions of our enemies! SEE! It’s all right there in the Bible! But then Jeremiah confronts us with the hard truth. The “conspiracy”, as it were, exists not “out there” but “in here.” Inside every human heart. Deceit. Fake news. Blatant falsehoods. Hidden agendas. Guess what? They’re all right here. In my heart. I fight them every single day. My entire life is a battle against such evil. So is yours if you’re honest. Listen to Jeremiah’s own words, “For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men. They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭9:2-3‬) He’s describing us. He’s describing humanity. The pagans and the people of God.

The truth, friends, is much more complex than we want to acknowledge. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is none who is righteous. Not a single one. All of us are like sheep who have gone astray and it is only the love of the Good Shepherd that keeps us from destroying ourselves. Left to our own wisdom, we will become confused. Left to our own strength, we will fail. Left to our own riches and resources, we will eventually go broke. And this is why God says to Jeremiah, "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord."(Jeremiah‬ ‭9:23-24‬)

Truth can only be found in God. The only way to discover truth is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Only after our dead hearts have been revived by the Holy Spirit can we discern what is true and false about our world and about ourselves. Only as we continue to surrender our own agendas, our own ideas, our own thoughts, our own opinions, our own truth to our Lord will we come to see His Truth for what it is and rejoice. Only as we fix our eyes on Jesus will we be able to see through all the lies and deceit this world has to offer.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 10-11, 1 Timothy 3

The Pain of God

Readings for today: Jeremiah 3-7, 2 Thessalonians 3, 1 Timothy 1

Jeremiah is a hard book to read. Especially if one gets in touch with the pain present throughout. Not only Jeremiah’s pain as he watches his people and his nation struggle and suffer and eventually be destroyed. But God’s pain as well as His people betray Him by chasing after other gods. So intertwined is the pain of God with His prophet that it is often hard to know who’s speaking. For example, Jeremiah  4:19 says, “My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent, for I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭4:19‬) Traditionally, these words have been ascribed to Jeremiah himself because we simply cannot fathom God saying such things. However, when one looks closely at the text, it is clear God is speaking in verse 18 (“Your ways and your deeds have brought this upon you. This is your doom, and it is bitter; it has reached your very heart.”) and in verse 22 (“For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are 'wise'—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”) Is it possible that we are so uncomfortable with the idea that God might feel pain that we automatically bracket this reading out of the text? 

We’re going to see this dynamic pop up over and over again throughout this book and it forces us to come to grips with how we see and understand God. Classically, the question goes to the “impassibility” of God. The idea that God doesn’t have “passions” or “pathos” which has to do with suffering. Some have interpreted this to mean God doesn’t have emotions but that’s clearly not true. God expresses a whole range of emotions throughout the Scriptures. More specifically this idea has to do with the suffering of God. Can God suffer? Does such suffering suggest a change in God? Does it threaten the immutability of His nature and character? Historically, the answer has been “yes” which then forces us to find other explanations for what we read in texts like the one before us today. But what if God suffers? What if God chooses - in His freedom - to be the kind of God who moves towards suffering? Who embraces suffering? Who welcomes suffering without it changing who He is? Is this not the heart of the gospel? Is this not part of the mystery of the Incarnation? Eternal God choosing to take on human flesh? With all its weaknesses and struggles and hardships? Is this not the heart of the passion of our Christ? God suffering with us and for us even to the point of death?  

It seems to me that we lose nothing by embracing the pathos of God if we understand God has freely embraced such pathos according to His own will. Certainly, such suffering is not forced on God. It doesn’t take God by surprise. It doesn’t enact a change on God’s experience. God is beyond all these things. He truly is immutable or unchanging. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. There is no shadow or turning in Him. But at the same time, God has revealed Himself in a particular, one might even argue, peculiar kind of way. He is a God who embraces a broken creation. A God who covenants with a broken people. A God who is steadfast and faithful and loyal and true even in the face of evil. He is a God who likens His relationship with His people to a marriage and the faithlessness of His people to adultery. He frequently uses the language of betrayal and heartache and pain to express His dismay over the sinful choices His people make. No one forces God to remain faithful. No one makes God forgive. No outside force can drive God to do anything He Himself has not already chosen to do in complete freedom. Which makes passages like the one we read today and others like it throughout the book of Jeremiah so intriguing. 

What if God is in anguish over us? What if being in relationship with us breaks God’s heart? What if God’s choice to love us from before the foundations of the earth involved Him choosing unimaginable suffering? Would this change how you relate to Him? Change how you see Him? Change how you experience Him? Change how you love Him?  

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 8-9, 1 Timothy 2

Broken Wells

Readings for today: Jeremiah 1-2, 2 Thessalonians 2

For generations, my family owned land in western Nebraska. Farmers. Ranchers. Feedlot owners. We managed a fairly significant operation. Over time, the land has been broken up and parceled out. Each generation taking a piece. Children and grandchildren left home and didn’t return. The line of farmers has now died out though we still rent back what we do own to others who work the land in our place. A few years ago, I took my children back to see the land. Back to see the home where their grandparents and great-grandparents grew up. Back to see the cemetery where so much of their family is buried. It was a great trip. Filled with lots of stories. Lots of laughter. A reunion with cousins. A renewed sense of connection to a “place.”

One of the big things I talked to my children about was the availability of water. Access to water is everything in this part of the country. If you don’t have access, you are locked into a crop like dry-land wheat. The yield is poor. The value of the land plummets. It’s incredibly hard to make a living. If you do have access, you can grow crops like corn. The yield is high. The value of the land skyrockets. Making a good living becomes far more feasible. The same is true for the pasture. We have a well system that benefits the herds of cattle that graze there all summer long. Ease of access to water makes for a better beef product in the long-run. Thankfully, our wells go all the way down into the Ogallala Aquifer which is one of the largest in the world. It means we’ll have access to life-giving water decades to come.

One of the striking images from our reading today comes from Jeremiah 2:13, “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Cisterns in the ancient world were holding tanks built at ground level or just below it to capture rain water. While important, they were highly dependent on consistent weather patterns. During seasons of drought, these cisterns ran dry. If they developed a leak, they became useless. In short, they were a poor substitute for a fountain or a natural spring. Human survival depends on having a reliable source for freshwater. Without this supply, humanity suffers and dies. Their crops wither and die. Their herds grow famished and die. I’ve seen the effects firsthand in southern Ethiopia where they have to depend on the annual rains for their water supply. I’ve also seen it firsthand on our own land when wells run dry or break down and water no longer is easily available.

God essentially tells Jeremiah that the same truth holds for the spiritual life. God is like the Ogallala Aquifer. He is a never-ending source of abundant, life-giving water that flows like a spring or fountain. He is more than enough to quench any thirst. More than enough to bring life to an otherwise arid land. More than enough to supply all their needs. Why then do God’s people feel the need to make their own cisterns? Why do they feel the need to provide for their own water supply? Why do they turn to other gods who cannot supply what they need? Cannot bring life to their land? Cannot quench their spiritual thirst?

We face those same questions today. What cisterns are we building as we seek to provide for ourselves? Is it our 401k? Our rainy day fund? Our operational reserve? What happens when our cistern springs a leak? The market crashes. A pandemic strikes. A lockdown ensues. What then? What other gods are we turning to? What priorities are we placing before our Lord and Savior? Is it youth sports? Business? Leisure activity? Sleeping in? When we feel depressed or anxious, what drug do we use to find peace? Is it alcohol? Marijuana? Opioids? When we feel isolated or lonely, to whom do we turn? Pornography? A casual hookup? Friends, we are as guilty as the people of Israel. We have placed our trust in our own strength, our own wisdom, our own power to get us out of the mess we find ourselves in. We place our trust in leaders who are unfaithful. We place our trust in markets that are unstable. We place our trust in a future that is uncertain. When will we learn? The only hope we have is that we belong - body and soul - to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ! He is the only Source of Living Water that will quench our soul’s thirst.

Readings for tomorrow: None

With God’s Help

Readings for today: Isaiah 65-66, 2 Thessalonians 1

“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power...” (2 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:11‬)

A common misconception in the Christian life is that while God performs the act of salvation, the rest of life is up to us. We raise our hands and come forward as a response to the Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration in our hearts but then leave the sanctuary with this inner resolve to live by our own will-power. How many sermons have we heard over the years that could double as motivational TED talks? How many Bible studies turn into self-help sessions with a little Jesus thrown in? How many conferences and retreats have we attended where the main message was simply work harder? Do more? Be better for Jesus? I cannot tell you how many times I have picked up a book, downloaded a podcast, or attended a conference hoping to hear the gospel only to be told overtly or covertly that the quality of my life really depends on me. My self-discipline. My ability to resist temptation. The intentional way I live my life. 

The Bible is clear. We simply do not have the power to live the Christian life. We do not have the will or the discipline to make it happen. Left to our own devices, we will struggle. Left to our own resources, we will fall. Trusting in our own strength, we will fail. Living the Christian life is not a matter of learning some new techniques. It’s not a matter of turning over a new leaf. It is about transformation. Total-life transformation from the inside out and it is the work of God. 

In the verse above, Paul prays for three things for his Thessalonian friends. All of them come from God. Not a single one is rooted in the human heart. He prays God will make them worthy of His calling. Essentially, he is praying for God’s Spirit to so root and ground them in the righteousness of Christ that every facet of their lives - home, community, work, school, etc. - would reflect His glory. He prays their lives might become a living reflection of the reality God has already brought about through their salvation in Jesus Christ. In Christ, we are the very righteousness of God. Those called by Christ are constantly being formed and re-formed into His image, thereby being made worthy of the initial call God placed on their lives when He first saved them. This involves human activity of course. A change in human behavior. But even that is not accomplished through our own willpower alone.

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 1-2, 2 Thessalonians 2

Potter’s Hand

Readings for today: Isaiah 62-64, 1 Thessalonians 5

A few years back, I had the privilege of visiting one of our mission partners outside of Kigali, Rwanda. Hope Haven is doing amazing work bringing hope and opportunity through education to some of the poorest of the poor in that part of the world. On our last night in town, we had dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking all of Kigali. It was a beautiful evening spent eating great food and sharing with new friends. Jason and Kimberly Peters were our hosts for the week and they were amazing. Jason serves as the CEO of Hope Haven and often spends his summers in Rwanda with his wife and family. We became very fast friends. Pastor Jimmy and his wife Sharol lead Potter’s Hand Church in Kigali and Pastor Jimmy was instrumental in helping build Hope Haven due to his civil engineering background and experience in construction.   

During the course of the meal, Pastor Jimmy shared his story with us. He is a trained civil engineer who has worked all over Rwanda. He has advanced degrees from more than one university. He has not only led many projects but consulted on many more and is very well-respected. In fact, prior to getting involved in ministry, he had an opportunity to go to work for some large construction firms overseeing some of the key infrastructure work in his country. However, God had a different plan for Jimmy’s life. At the same time his professional career was taking off, he was serving part-time as an assistant pastor in his church. They had a crisis of leadership. It was extremely painful and resulted in many people leaving, including several of their key leaders. Jimmy was asked to fill the gap. He had a decision to make. Should he take the exciting, lucrative job offer from the government or take the difficult, low-paying job of helping his church recover? As he prayed, God led him to verses like this one from Isaiah 64:8, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” 

Jimmy knew the call had come. He was to serve the church. He gave up his position and power and wealth and political influence to serve a church broken by conflict. A church struggling to make ends meet. A church that was coming apart at the seams. He gathered the elders and leaders together and shared the verse God had given him. They renamed the church “Potter’s Hand.” I wish I could tell you some great story of success. Some great story about how God has honored Pastor Jimmy’s choice by bringing prosperity and rapid growth to the congregation. What I can tell you is the story Jimmy shared with me. The story of God’s abiding faithfulness to a small group of people hungry for the gospel with a passion to serve God’s Kingdom. Pastor Jimmy has led his congregation well. Much healing has taken place. The church is growing. God is moving. But it is long, hard work. There are leadership challenges. Financial challenges. Ministry challenges. And yet, the verse God gave Pastor Jimmy before he stepped into this ministry continues to guide them. He is the Potter. We are the clay. The clay doesn’t ask the Potter, “Why have you made me like this?” The clay doesn’t question the Potter’s plans for it’s life. The clay doesn’t worry because the Potter knows what He’s doing. He is shaping us for His own glory.  

It’s an ancient insight that still holds true today. What was true for the prophet Isaiah has held true for Pastor Jimmy. CEO Jason. Pastor Doug. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. God is the master potter. We are his clay. He has us right where He wants us...on His wheel...and He is shaping us to serve His purposes in this world. We have no need to ask Him, “Why?” No need to question His plans. We simply are called to trust and obey. To let the Potter do what the Potter does best. What is the Potter doing in your life today? How is He shaping you? How is He forming you? Where is He at work in you? Give Him thanks no matter what season you find yourself in.  

If you want to find out more about Hope Haven or Potter’s Hand Ministries, here are the links…

https://www.facebook.com/ThePottersHandMinistries/

https://hopehavenrwanda.org/

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 65-66, 2 Thessalonians 1

Christian Hope

Readings for today: Isaiah 59-61, 1 Thessalonians 4

Hope seems so elusive these days. The world is groaning. Our nation is struggling. Our communities are hurting. Our churches are dying. People we know and love are suffering. I think of the families of those who have lost loved ones over the past 18 months to COVID. I’ve spent time with many of them. Listening to them share their grief. I think of the families of those who have lost loved ones to suicide recently. I’ve spent time with many of them as well. Listening to them share their pain. I think of the people I know who’ve had to shut down their businesses due to the lockdowns or supply chain issues or lack of a steady workforce. I’ve listened to them share their frustrations. I think of the people I know who can’t find work in their field anymore because of all the changes that have taken place. I’ve listened to them share their fears. I think of the pastors I know who’ve watched their churches be torn apart through divisions over masks, vaccines, politics, social/cultural issues, etc. Stunned by the lack of grace among the people of God, they feel paralyzed and isolated and question their call. It’s heartbreaking and soul-crushing and if we aren’t careful, we will fall into despair.

We are not the first to face such things. We are not the only ones weighed down by such burdens. The early church suffered greatly as well. They too knew hardship and pain. They were intimately acquainted with death and disease. They understood what happened when economies crashed and nations failed and divisions threatened to tear them apart at the seams. Most of Paul’s letters are written to churches who were struggling with all these things and more. They too found themselves on the brink of despair. That’s why I find his words so comforting this morning…

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:13-18‬)

We do not grieve as those who do not have hope. We do not suffer as those who have no salvation. We believe Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again. We are not fighting a losing battle. We are not engaged in a war that will never end. We are not doomed to wander in the ruins of this world with no escape. There will come a day when the Lord Himself will descend from heaven. He will sound the trumpet of God. With the voice of an archangel, He will issue His glorious command. The dead in Christ will rise. Those who are alive will join them. Together they will ascend to meet the Lord to celebrate His return just as the Roman citizens used to rush out of the city of Rome to meet their victorious generals as they returned from conquest. As Christians, we are to keep our eyes fixed on the horizon. We are to pray continuously for the Lord’s return. We place our ultimate hope in Jesus not technological advance or scientific research or political compromise or social policy or homogenous community or military might or cultural hegemony. He alone will set all things right. He alone will make all things new. He alone will wipe every tear from our eye and put an end to all evil and sin and suffering and pain. Fix your eyes on Jesus, friends, and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ to do the same.

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 62-64, 1 Thessalonians 5