True Story

Readings for today: Hebrews 5-6, Psalms 27

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 who have fled for refuge have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews‬ ‭6‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭CSB‬‬‬‬) 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.

Readings for tomorrow: Hebrews 7-8, Psalms 28

The Gospel is the Essential

Readings for today: 1 Timothy 3-4, Psalms 20

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 went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith. Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on.” (1 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB) 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, “The mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached 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 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 Ecclesiastes - 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 nature of 1st century culture. 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.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Timothy 5-6, Psalms 21

Turning the World Upside Down

Readings for today: 1 Thessalonians 1-2, Psalms 15

“For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full assurance. You know how we lived among you for your benefit, and you yourselves became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit. As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB‬)

There is no greater compliment than to be known as an example of faith for other believers. To be set apart by God as a witness to His power and His glory and His love and His grace is the greatest privilege in a Christian’s life. The Christians in Thessalonica were known by their reputation. Acts 17 tells us Paul and Silas traveled through their city on their way to Athens. They stopped and peached for three consecutive Saturdays on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many Jews and Greeks and several leading women came to faith as the Word came in power and authority and conviction. However, some disbelieved and they stirred up a mob to attack Paul and Silas. When they could not find them, they attacked Jason and a few others. Dragging them out of their homes into the streets. They brought them before the city authorities with the hope they would be charged with treason for proclaiming a king other than Caesar but Jason paid off the officials and they were released. They then helped Paul and Silas escape during the night. This is the affliction Paul is referencing in his letter to them. But despite the persecution, they held onto to their joy in the Holy Spirit and clearly remained steadfast in their faith to the point that their reputation had spread thus making a return trip from Paul unnecessary. 

I love how the crowd puts it in Acts 17:6, describing the Thessalonian Christians, “These men have turned the world upside down...” This is my prayer for my own life. I want to be known for living the kind of gospel-centered life that turns the world upside down! You might not be sure such a thing is possible anymore. Not true! I’ve met countless men and women all over the world who are turning their world upside down through their witness to Jesus Christ. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that “turning the world upside down” is exactly what the gospel does. It completely reorders all we love. It redirects all our thoughts and desires. It reorients all our priorities. The things we used to hold dear no longer have much of a hold on us. The idols we cling to so tightly become empty and worthless. All our pride and achievement are cast down before the throne of Jesus. All our wealth and privilege and influence and power pales in comparison to the riches and authority Christ offers us in Himself. Our concern for our reputation and the esteem of others diminishes as our fear of God increases. This is what happens when we come to Christ. He fills us with His love. His affections. His joy. His peace. His righteousness. As these things begin to flow in and through our lives, we are transformed. We are renewed. We are set free. And because we have been set free, this world no longer has anything for us. No longer has any leverage over us. No longer can threaten to undo us. For we live for Christ and if we die, we gain! 

So what does this all mean for you today? How are you turning the world upside down at your work or school? In your home or neighborhood? As you gather around your table with friends and family for Thanksgiving, what will the conversation sound like? Will the people you spend time with feel blessed for having been with you? Will they hear and experience the love of Jesus through you? Will you set the example for those who do not yet believe through your sacrifice and willingness to serve?

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Thessalonians 3-4, Psalms 16

Pro Gospel

Readings for today: Galatians 5-6, Psalms 7

I went to the retirement party of some dear friends this past weekend. A couple who have served the Lord faithfully for decades all over the world. They began their careers as missionaries behind the Iron Curtain in Communist Europe. They finished as the president of a prominent U.S. seminary. So many people attended the event and several speeches were given honoring the couple. Stories were told. Affirmations were offered. Praise given. Tears shed. The couple was rightfully honored and blessed for all they had accomplished. For me, the most meaningful line of the evening came during one of the speeches. A former student got up to share a story about how during one class many years ago, one of my friends was challenged to choose a side on a particular social/theological issue. He was asked, “Are you pro-these people or pro-those people?” The tension was thick. It was a contentious topic. She never forgot his response. “I am pro-gospel”, he said.

What a simple, yet powerful line. It’s one the Apostle Paul fully affirms. “But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.” (Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Paul lived in a world not unlike our own. A world full of different parties and factions and groups, all vying for his allegiance. In his Jewish context, there were the Pharisees and Sadducees and Essenes and Zealots. In his Roman context, there were the Senators and Emperor and free people and slaves. In the church context, there were Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, male and female and everyone wanted to know if Paul was “pro-these people” or “pro-those people.” Paul was pro-gospel. He was pro the cross of Jesus Christ. He had been crucified to all worldly distinctions. They no longer had any hold on him. This is why he can speak so compellingly of the freedom Christ offers those who follow Him. Paul had been set free from the world. All the ties that might have bound him or tripped him up or set him apart had been cut. All of the identity markers he once held dear had been erased in favor of his identity in Christ. Christ alone held Paul’s allegiance.

What about us? Are we pro-gospel or are we pro-these people or pro-those people? Do we find ourselves choosing sides more than choosing Jesus? Do we find ourselves choosing worldly identities over our identity in Christ? Do we find ourselves associating only with those who look like us, act like us, spend money like us, vote like us, agree with us or are we willing to cross all kinds of divides to meet people where they are with the goal of loving them like Christ?

Readings for tomorrow: Ephesians 1-2, Psalms 8

The Power of God

Readings for today: Acts 1-2, Psalms 119:153-176

The promise of the Holy Spirit is the promise of power. Divine, supernatural power filling us so that we might be Jesus’ witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. It’s a good thing Jesus gives us His power because we couldn’t accomplish His mission without it. The stakes are too high. The challenges too great. The obstacles too daunting. The trials too hard. The suffering too painful. Whether you’re walking across the street to share Christ with a neighbor or you are at work sharing Christ with a co-worker or you’re headed across the world to share Christ with someone who’s never had access to the gospel before, it requires power to accomplish. God’s power not our own.

Every Christian I’ve talked to over the years wants this power. They want to experience the miraculous power of God in their life. They want to see the miraculous power of God on display. They want to feel the miraculous power of God within them. But for so many Christians, God’s power remains an abstract concept. An elusive idea. Something they acknowledge as possible but don’t expect to actually ever experience. Why is that? What is it that holds us back? What is it that keeps us from living and walking in God’s power as His followers? Simply put, we aren’t serious enough about God’s mission. God grants us His power not to use for ourselves. Not to use to enrich our own lives. Not to make us healthy and wealthy and wise. This is where the prosperity preachers have it all wrong. God’s power is not given to us so that we can spend it on ourselves. No, God gives us His power so that we might be His witnesses to a dead and dying world. He gives us His power so that we might serve His Kingdom purposes. He gives us His power so that we might spread the good news of the gospel.

Being a witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth requires risk. It requires us to take steps of faith. It requires us to sacrifice. When we do these things for the sake of God’s mission in the world, we see miraculous things take place. Hell is emptied and heaven is filled as people come to saving faith. The blind see. The deaf hear. The lame walk. The diseased are cured. The demon-possessed are set free. The dead are raised. I’ve seen all these things and more in my travels around the world as Christians put themselves at great risk in order to proclaim the gospel and plant churches where the name of Jesus has never been spoken or even heard. I’ve also seen some of these same things in my own home town as believers that I know and love take risks to share their faith, stand for the gospel, proclaim truth, and sacrifice in incredible ways to reach the lost and least resourced.

If you want God’s power in your life, there is only one way to get it. Get on mission for Jesus! Join Jesus on His mission to reach the lost and serve the least resourced. Intentionally go to places and meet people who need Jesus desperately. Take risks. Prayerfully sacrifice. Find ways to serve. Step out in faith. God will meet you there in a powerful way and you will experience Him in ways you never thought possible.

Readings for tomorrow: Acts 3-4, Psalms 120 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Save us!

Readings for today: Mark 11-12, Psalms 100

Hosanna. It’s a beautiful word and a powerful prayer. It’s the cry of the people as Jesus rides into Jerusalem. And it’s also the culmination of the prayers of so many generations of God’s people. Think of all the people of God have suffered throughout the ages. From the nomadic existence of Abraham and Sarah to brutal slavery in Egypt to the wars of conquest in the Promised Land to the ebbs and flows of sin and redemption under the leadership of different kings and judges to the destruction of the northern kingdom and the exile of the southern kingdom. It’s an unbelievable story that testifies to the miraculous intervention and preservation of God as He guided and protected His people over the years. And now they find themselves back in the Land but under occupation. They find themselves able to worship at the Temple but under the corrupt leadership of the religious authorities. They find themselves able to practice their faith but God’s salvation seems as distant as ever. Then along comes Jesus. He heals. He feeds. He casts out demons. He teaches. He points people to the Kingdom of God in very tangible and practical ways. It’s powerful. No wonder they looked to Him for salvation.

“Many people spread their clothes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬) It’s hard to get our heads and hearts around what the people in first century Palestine must have felt. The Roman Empire was peaking under the leadership of Caesar Augustus. The religious authorities were firmly entrenched. There were several revolutionary movements underway. It must have felt like they were living in a powder keg that could blow at any time. Jesus was one of those “revolutionaries.” All they knew about Him was that He was a worker of miracles and a powerful preacher. They knew He had gained a significant following in the Galilean countryside. Now he was coming into Jerusalem riding on a colt just like the ancient prophets foretold. He was deliberately invoking the echoes of King David and the golden age of the Israelite kingdom. And they must have had such high hopes.

All of us experience those same hopes. We long for Jesus to save us. Save us from our sin. Save us from our pain. Save us from our fears. Save us from our circumstances. And whether we realize it or not, we all cry out on some level, “Hosanna!” We all cry out to Jesus for salvation. But are we willing to receive the salvation He offers in the way He offers it? Through the cross? Through His suffering and death and resurrection? That’s what tripped up the people cheering for Him back in the first century. They wanted a king. They wanted someone who would throw out the Romans and depose the religious elite. They wanted someone who would build up the military power of Israel and re-establish her ancient borders and dominate the pagan nations around them once more. This was not the salvation Jesus offered and that’s why so many turned on Him. If we aren’t careful, we can fall into this same trap. We want Jesus to exercise His authority and restore our nation. We want Him to depose our own corrupt political, social, cultural, and even ecclesiastical leaders. We want Jesus to rebuild our power and influence so we can dominate the world once again. But that’s not the salvation Jesus offers.

So why do you cry Hosanna? What kind of salvation are you actually looking for? What would happen if Jesus did actually give you your heart’s desire and would that have any kind of eternal significance?

Readings for tomorrow: Mark 13-14, Psalms 101

The Gospel of the Old Testament

Readings for today: Isaiah 18-22, Psalms 113

Egypt. The land of slavery. The land of oppression. The land of attempted genocide. For hundreds of years, the people of Israel labored there under the whip. Beaten. Abused. Dying young. Their children born to a life of hard labor. Powerless. Helpless. Hopeless. It was a life of constant pain. Constant torment. Constant suffering. Even after they were delivered by God, Egypt continued to be a thorn in their side. Invading. Killing. A perpetual threat on their southern border. It’s tough to overstate the hatred and enmity between these two nations. And yet, God loves the Egyptians.

Assyria. One of the most powerful and brutal empires in the ancient world. They fielded the world’s first professional army. Developed advanced technology like iron weapons and war chariots. They weaponized terror as a military tactic. And they were absolutely ruthless when it came to putting down resistance. They would sack cities. Displace entire people groups. Employed horrific public torture as a means of psychological warfare. Israel hated them. Israel feared them. It’s why Jonah ran to Joppa rather than go to Nineveh. He simply couldn’t stomach the sight of his enemies. And yet, God loves the Assyrians.

The Book of Isaiah is often called, “The Gospel of the Old Testament” and today’s passage is a good reason why…“On that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the center of the land of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord near her border. It will be a sign and witness to the Lord of Armies in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and leader, and he will rescue them. The Lord will make himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know the Lord on that day. They will offer sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing. Then they will turn to the Lord, and he will be receptive to their prayers and heal them. On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. Assyria will go to Egypt, Egypt to Assyria, and Egypt will worship with Assyria. On that day Israel will form a triple alliance with Egypt and Assyria — a blessing within the land. The Lord of Armies will bless them, saying, “Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance are blessed.” (Isaiah‬ ‭19‬:‭19‬-‭25‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

This is an incredible passage pointing to an even more incredible reality. The unconditional nature of God’s grace. It comes to us all. Jew and Gentile alike. Egyptian, Assyrian, and Israelite alike. Republican and Democrat alike. Progressive and conservative alike. Black, white, and brown alike. It is no one’s possession. No one has a right to claim it for their own. No one is more privileged than another in the eyes of God. All have sinned and fallen short of His glory and all stand in need of His grace. This is why Jesus gives us this command…”Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons and daughters of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew‬ ‭5:43-48‬ CSB) Jesus knows there are no “enemies” in His Kingdom. No “enemies” beyond His reach. No “enemies” beyond His salvation. Jesus knows there is not a single person or single power on this earth who can stand before His love. Jesus holds the power to turn mortal enemies into family. Jesus holds the power to overcome hate and anger and the desire for vengeance with mercy and forgiveness. Jesus holds the power to transform even the hardest hearts. The question is…do we believe Him? Do we trust Him? And do our lives and our conduct and our speech and our interactions reflect this deep and glorious truth?

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 23-27, Psalms 114

The Gospel according to Ezekiel

Readings for today: Ezekiel 16-20, Hebrews 12-13

Today’s reading isn’t easy. But if one can get past the graphic imagery of chapter 16, one will see a compelling picture of the gospel emerge. A gospel that is as much for Israel as it is for the church today. In this chapter, God retells their national story from His point of view. He reminds them of their humble beginnings. Reminds them of His lavish blessings. Reminds them of their great betrayal. Reminds them of His everlasting covenant. This is their story. This is our story. This is the gospel story. 

Where does our relationship with God begin? Not with us. We did not choose to love God. We could not choose to love God. No, we were helpless like babes. Abandoned. Left all alone. Stillborn spiritually. It was not our beauty that caught God’s eye but our desperation. “And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born. And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!'” (Ezekiel‬ ‭16:4-6‬) Out of pure compassion and grace, God adopted us as His own. Brought us into His family. Took us from the field where we had been cast. Bathed us. Fed us. Clothed us. Rocked us. Sang to us. Raised us. “I made you flourish like a plant of the field. And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment. Your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.” (Ezekiel‬ ‭16:7‬)

What does our relationship with God look like as it matures? We grow up under His watchful eye and gracious care. When the time is right, God takes us as His bride. He covers our nakedness with the corner of His garment. He makes His vow and covenant with us. He bestows riches and honor and glory on us as befits the bride of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And the whole world marvels at what God has done. Just like the whole world came to see the splendor and glory of Israel. The whole world envied the relationship she had with her God. 

But Israel grew proud. She began to believe her own hype. She read her own press clippings. She trusted in her riches and beauty and power and influence. She abandoned her covenant with the Lord and began to serve other gods. God’s bride was now playing the whore. She literally took the gifts God had given her and gave them away to idols. Fed them with the bread God provided from His own hands. Things got so bad Israel began sacrificing their innocent children to appease those other bloodthirsty gods. “How sick is your heart, declares the Lord God, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute...” (Ezekiel‬ ‭16:30‬) 

Therefore God brings judgment on His bride. “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God...” (1 Peter‬ ‭4:17‬) God will not spare His bride. In fact, He holds His bride to an even higher standard. Higher than Samaria. Higher than Sodom. “Bear your disgrace, you also, for you have intervened on behalf of your sisters. Because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. So be ashamed, you also, and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.” (Ezekiel‬ ‭16:52‬) God disciplines those He loves out of a desire to see them cleansed from sin and brought to glory. "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son or daughter whom he receives." (Hebrews‬ ‭12:5-6‬) His desire is for His bride to return. To come back to Him. To be faithful and true once more. To remember from whence she came and to honor her Husband for all He has done. Why? So the world may again marvel at the intimacy of their relationship. So the world may again say, “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭4:7‬)

This is why Ezekiel 16 ends with a note of hope. “Yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant...I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God." (Ezekiel‬ ‭16:60, 62-63‬) God has atoned for His bride. On the cross, He paid for all her sin. He took all her punishment. All her shame. All her self-inflicted degradation on Himself. On the cross, the faithful Husband gave His life for the sake of His bride “so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” ‭(Ephesians‬ ‭5:27‬)

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 21, James 1