Endurance

Readings for today: Hebrews 9-13

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” (Hebrews 12:1)

The world is not a friendly place for those who follow Jesus. In some places, the hostility is veiled. It’s an undercurrent. It manifests itself subtlety. In such places, Christianity might be perceived as quaint or old-fashioned. Christians themselves are perceived as odd or a little weird. In other places, the hostility is more open. Christianity is perceived as a threat to the wider culture. Christians are accused of being hateful and bigoted. Their way of life is perceived as a clear and present danger to others. Laws are passed to protect the culture from the “threat” of Christianity. Christians are subject to public shame. Some lose their jobs. Some are outcast from their communities. The pressure ratchets up. Finally, there are places where the hostility turns violent. Christianity is perceived not just as wrong or misguided but as evil and heretical. In such places, Christians often suffer tremendous persecution. They are imprisoned. Tortured. Even killed for their faith.

The first Christians faced all these things and more. In those early centuries, there were periods of widespread, intense persecution followed by periods of relative peace. However, even in those peaceful times, Christianity was always perceived as a cultural threat on some level because their way of life was so different. Almost everything they did was baffling to the pagans around them. The way they treated the poor, cared for the sick, or rescued abandoned infants in the countryside seemed strange to those around them. Their moral and sexual ethics definitely placed them at odds with their neighbors. The way they worshipped and gave and held all things in common was confusing in a world of idolatry, greed, and exploitation. And this is why Christians were often targeted. The world simply doesn’t tolerate what it doesn’t understand.

This is why the author of Hebrews focuses so much attention on faithful endurance. He knows their struggles. He faces them himself. He knows their sufferings. He’s probably experienced them as well. He knows life in a hostile world is hard and difficult which is why he continually points them to Jesus as the “author and perfecter of faith.” It’s why he encourages them to “draw near to Christ with a true heart and full assurance of faith.” It’s why he exhorts them to “hold fast the confession of hope without wavering.” It’s why he offers up an entire chapter detailing the lives of the saints who have gone before them who have endured so much. And it’s why he warns them against falling into sin lest they find themselves under God’s judgment.

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” (Hebrews 10:39) Ultimately, the author of Hebrews wants to encourage his brothers and sisters. He wants them to lay aside every weight. Untangle themselves from every sin. Endure with joy every hardship. Lift their drooping hands and strengthen their weak knees. He wants them to straighten their paths. Strive for peace. Love one another. Lay hold of the Kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Friends, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” which means these words are as much for us today as they were for the Christian believers back then. The world around hasn’t changed much since those early days. Here in America, the hostility against Christians only grows. It will take great courage to live out our faith in the years ahead. It will take great endurance to suffer for the sake of Christ. It will take great humility to continue to confront our own sin. But through it all, we have a high priest who is faithful! One who has shed His own blood to open the way to the very throne room of God. He is more than able to save to the uttermost those who place their trust in Him so keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, friends! He will carry you all the way home!

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Timothy 1-4

The Best Story

Readings for today: Hebrews 5-8

The gospel is the best story because it is a true story. Anchored on the promise of God. Sealed by the oath of God. Grounded on the fact that God cannot lie nor change His mind. Throughout human history, God has made many promises. He promised Noah deliverance. He promised Abraham a child. He promised Moses victory. He promised David a descendant to sit on his throne. In each case, He swears an oath by Himself. He puts His glory and His honor on the line. And in every case He delivers. He fulfills His promise. Even in the face of our doubts and fears, disobedience and sin, God never wavers. He is faithful.

This is why the author of Hebrews says “We have this sure and steadfast anchor of the soul…” He knows God can be trusted. He knows God has made a promise. The promise of a Savior. The promise of a Messiah. The promise of a King to sit on His throne and a High Priest to intercede in the heavens. God not only made this promise but He swore an oath. He put His glory and honor on the line. He will not let it fail. So by these two “unchangeable things” - the oath and character of God - we have assurance. We have hope. We can hold fast to what God has set before us.

The story of Jesus is no fairy tale. It is no myth or legend. It is not fiction or something any human being made up. Jesus was born. Jesus lived. Jesus suffered. Jesus died. Jesus rose again. These are historical events. You can actually go and see where they took place. You can visit Bethlehem where Jesus was born. You can walk around Galilee and see where Jesus ministered for three years. You can go to Golgotha and see where Jesus was crucified. You can touch the slab where His body lay. Not only that but you can read about these events not only in the Bible but in extra-biblical sources as well. No one disputes that they actually happened. This is what makes the gospel so compelling after all these years. It’s true! It’s real! It happened! And that’s why we celebrate at Christmas!

Readings for tomorrow: Hebrews 9-13

Incarnation

Readings for today: Hebrews 1-4

It’s Christmas. A season where we celebrate something called the “Incarnation.” It’s a big word but then again we need big words to describe the miracle of God becoming flesh and blood. God taking a human body for His own. God becoming one of us. How does one begin to describe the infinite becoming finite? The invulnerable becoming vulnerable? The all-powerful becoming powerless? How does one begin to wrap one’s head and heart around the reasons why the Creator would empty Himself to become one with His creation? Why the Lord of the universe would leave His throne and humble Himself to become a servant? Why the immortal God would subject Himself to mortality and suffering and death? Then again, perhaps that’s the point. The Incarnation is not something we can ever fully or truly understand which keeps us coming back each year to marvel at what God has done.

The author of Hebrews helps us probe the mystery a bit. These first four chapters give us a deeper glimpse into what it means that Jesus made Himself one of us. Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature and He upholds the universe by His power. (Heb. 1:3) Jesus is the eternally begotten Son of God who is given dominion and authority and power over all God has made. (Heb. 1:5, 8) Jesus is the Creator who was and is and is to come. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb. 1:10) At the same time, Jesus is also subject to death and was made perfect through suffering. (Heb. 2:9-10) Jesus was made like us in every respect so that He might identify with us and represent us before God as a faithful high priest. (Heb. 2:17) Jesus is tempted in every way just as we are tempted and though He remains without sin, He can sympathize with us in our weaknesses. (Heb. 4:15)

Why is all this important? What difference does all this make? Again, the author of Hebrews clues us in. Because Jesus is both God and Man. Because Jesus has both a fully divine and fully human nature. Because Jesus offers the perfect sacrifice to God on our behalf. We can approach the throne of grace with confidence and receive mercy and help in our time of need. (Heb. 4:16) We have a faithful, eternal high priest constantly interceding for us in the heavens. We who share in Christ are offered Sabbath rest in Christ which means we can let go of our all fears and anxieties and strivings. This is why Jesus came, friends. God looked down on His creation and saw the creatures He had made in His own image living lives of quiet desperation. Hopeless. Helpless. Struggling. Suffering. Hurting. Wounded. And He loved us so much He refused to let us remain in our pitiful state. Not content to send a servant, He sent His Only Son to show us the full measure of His great love and to deliver us from the power of sin and death and the devil. This is why the Incarnation is so important. This is why we celebrate at Christmas.

Readings for tomorrow: Hebrews 5-8

Following the Example of Christ

Readings for today: 1 Peter 1-5

“To this you have been called…” What thoughts follow this phrase in your mind? A life of blessing? A life of comfort and relative ease? A life of success and achievement? A strong and intimate marriage? Deep relationships with family and friends? I think these are the things I most naturally gravitate towards when I read a phrase like this from Scripture. It’s why reading verses in context are so critically important.

“To this you have been called…” The Apostle Peter is not talking about a life of blessing and comfort and relative ease. He is not talking about achieving personal and professional success. He is not talking about marriage and family and friendships. He is talking about suffering. He is talking about following the example of Christ who suffered for us. He is talking about walking in His footsteps. Following His narrow way. Intentionally patterning our lives after His life. Jesus committed no sin nor was deceit found in His mouth. Though we are unable to remain sinless, nevertheless we are called to be holy even as He is holy. Jesus was reviled and beaten and persecuted yet refused to return evil for evil. Refused to threaten or take revenge. He simply entrusted Himself into His Father’s hands. If we are serious about our faith, it is highly likely we too will be reviled. Mocked. Attacked. Accused. Depending on where one lives in the world, it is likely one will face persecution and beatings and torture and imprisonment. Maybe even martyrdom and death. In the face of all these things, we are not to repay others in kind. We are not to resort to worldly methods to get our way or get back at those who seek our harm. We are not to threaten or coerce or use violence to protect ourselves. We are to entrust our hearts and our lives into God’s hands. Jesus bore our sins on the tree so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness and it is by His wounds alone that we are healed. We place our trust in the gospel. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else.

Friends, “to this you have been called…” What does this look like in real time in your life? Well, if you are a church planter in areas of the world where the gospel has never been proclaimed, it is likely you will face some of the same suffering our Lord faced. You will be threatened. You will be attacked. You will be beaten. You will potentially put your life on the line. Make sure to remember, God is faithful! He will preserve you and protect you and guide you and go with you! You will never be alone! If you live in the West, in a country like America, it is likely your suffering will be more spiritual than physical but it’s no less real. I am convinced I live in one of the most spiritually dangerous places on the planet. A community where it is far too easy to become complacent. Far too easy to settle into ease and comfort. Far too easy to avoid risk. A country where it is far too easy to compromise. Where far too many Christians think they can achieve godly ends through ungodly means. Where just about anything seems permissible so long as it aligns with our political, social, and/or cultural ideology. We too need to remember God is faithful! He will preserve us and protect us and guide us and go with us if we will simply trust Him! If we hold His hand even in the dark valleys of our lives, we will not need to fear any evil for He is with us! Always. To the end. This is His promise and it is sure and it is why those who place their faith in Him and follow His example will never be put to shame.

Readings for tomorrow: Hebrews 1-4

Keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing

Readings for today: 1 Timothy 1-6

Imagine you’re Timothy. A young man 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 is warning Timothy about as he begins his 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)

Why is this so important? First and foremost, eternity is on the line. The primary message of the gospel is “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...” (1 Timothy‬ ‭1:15‬) Nothing should be allowed to get in the way of Jesus and those He came to save. Not the myths of the Ephesians nor the Law of the Jews. Second, what we believe shapes how we live. Throughout this letter, Paul will offer Timothy advice on a variety of subjects. Prayer. Leadership. Spiritual discipline. Teaching. Mentoring. Money. All of these are very practical, down to earth realities in the church Timothy serves. All of these probably caused Timothy a rash of headaches from time to time. Most of the conflict in the church even today revolves around many of these issues. And Timothy is young, as Paul points out. He is green. He probably doesn’t have a ton of experience to fall back on as he looks to lead his congregation. So Paul encourages him to fall back on his faith. On his call to be a pastor. One that was confirmed by the council of elders when they laid hands on him. Timothy is not to let himself get bogged down but instead is to pursue “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy‬ ‭6:11-12‬)

These words are as much for us as they are for Timothy. Unity in the essentials. Liberty in the non-essentials. Charity for all. The reality is it is just as easy for us to get bogged down. We read a letter like this and we 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. We get so hung up on making sure the finer points of our theology align that we forget the major point Paul is making. “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Timothy‬ ‭1:5‬) Get this part right and the rest has a way of taking care of itself. 

Readings for tomorrow: None

Walk in the Light

Readings for today: Ephesians 5-6, Titus 1-3

One of the things I’ve been asked to do over the years is intervene in churches struggling with conflict. It could be a conflict between the pastor and the board. It could be conflict over how to handle the moral failing of a leader. It could be conflict over vision and values. It could be conflict resulting from years of dysfunctional behavior. Whatever the roots of the conflict may be, the symptoms are almost always the same. Rampant distrust resulting in an inability to listen to each other. Lots of triangulation, gossip, and slander. Half-truths and sometimes outright lies. An overwhelming need to “protect” the organization or the abusive leader through NDA’s, gag orders, etc. Clandestine meetings in the parking lot after board meetings formally finish. Hard hearts that are unwilling to forgive and reconcile. A trail of victims whose concerns were ignored or dismissed. And most of it happens in the dark. Most of it is kept out of the light for fear of legal, professional, or personal exposure.

In our reading for today, the Apostle Paul encourages us to “walk as children of light…and take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness.” (Eph. 1:8, 11) He tells us that the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true while the fruit of darkness brings one under the judgment of God. He challenges us to seek what is “pleasing to the Lord” rather than compromise our convictions by doing what is expedient to limit our exposure. He reminds us that once we walked in darkness. Once we walked in ignorance. Once we had no inheritance in the Kingdom of God because we were enslaved to sin. But now we are the “light of the Lord.” Now we serve as God’s representatives in the world and our lives should be a reflection of His light and love and glory.

I know so many who are walking in darkness. They do shameful things in secret that they hide from those they love. They are double-minded, trying to keep a foot in God’s world while maintaining a foothold in this world. They want it both ways. I know so many churches who are walking in darkness. They make shameful decisions in secret that they hide from their congregation. They refuse to come clean out of a desire to keep everyone “safe” or maintain the “peace.” They are double-minded, paying lip service to God while managing their affairs according to the ways of this world. They want it both ways. I know so many pastors who are walking in darkness. They do shameful things in secret that they hide beneath their public persona. They are double-minded, wanting the blessings of both heaven AND earth. They want it both ways.

God calls us to a narrow way. God calls us to a higher way. God calls us to His way. There is no other path by which we may be saved. We must be imitators of God in all we say and do. We must walk in love and light and reject the works of darkness utterly and completely. We must offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. We must seek each day to discern what is pleasing to the Lord and then do it. This is what it means for us to awake from our slumber and rise from the dead.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Timothy 1-6

So Many Promises…

Readings for today: Ephesians 1-4

Blessed. Chosen. Predestined in love. Adopted. Redeemed. Forgiven. Heirs of grace. Sealed by the Holy Spirit. Saved to serve as the praise of God’s glory. These are just some of the promises listed in the first chapter of the Book of Ephesians. In the Greek, it’s one long run-on sentence. Paul essentially tosses all the rules of grammar out the window as he seeks to express the sheer immensity of what God has done. His words literally trip all over themselves as he rushes to explain the riches of God’s grace towards us. It’s a chapter to read slowly, savoring each word. It’s a chapter to read reflectively, thinking through the meaning of each phrase. It’s a chapter to marinate in especially if you are struggling with doubts and questions about your faith.

Paul wants his Ephesian friends to know they are the object of God’s eternal love. Way back before time began, God hatched a plan to save them. Way back before creation came into being, God was already in love with the creature He made in His own image. He had already purposed us to be the object of His amazing grace. He had already chosen us to be the recipients of His divine favor and blessing. He had already made a decision to adopt us into His own family. It’s truly mind-blowing when you stop and think about it.

Not only did God set His heart on us, He came to save us. He sent His only Son to die for us. He poured out His Spirit to seal us for the day of salvation. He is at work inside us bringing to completion the good work He’s begun. He’s preparing us to live with Him for all eternity. He’s getting us ready for the day when the old heavens and old earth pass away and the new heavens and new earth spring into being. When the veil of this world is pulled back and we finally see His glory and the glory of His Kingdom descend out of heaven itself. On that day, we shall receive the reward He has stored up for us. On that day, we shall receive the inheritance He has prepared for us. On that day, all hurts will be healed and all tears will be wiped away and evil will cease to exist.

Christians are called to live in such a way as to give the world a foretaste of that heavenly reality. As Paul says here in Ephesians 1:12, “We who were the first to hope in Christ are to live to the praise of His glory.” We are to give the world a glimpse of heaven in the way we live and the way we love and the way we serve.

Readings for tomorrow: Ephesians 5-6, Titus 1-3

Put on Christ

Readings for today: Philemon 1, Colossians 1-4

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: Ephesians 1-4

Pressing On

Readings for today: Philippians 1-4

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: Philemon 1, Colossians 1-4

Evangelism and Mission

Readings for today: Acts 27-28

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

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

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: Philippians 1-4

The Resurrection Changes Everything

Readings for today: Acts 24-26

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

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: None

Sent

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

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: Acts 24-26

A Heavenly Kingdom

Readings for today: Romans 13-16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Radical Inclusivity of God

Readings for today: Romans 9-12

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 13-16

A Story of Life and Death

Readings for today: Romans 5-8

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 9-12

The Power of the Gospel

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

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

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 5-8

Areas of Influence

Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 10-13

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Hard Work of Reconciliation

Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 5-9

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

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 10-13

Rejecting Self-Sufficiency

Readings for today: 2 Corinthians 1-4

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 5-9

The Gospel

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 15-16

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

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

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

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

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 1-4