Faith of Jesus Christ

Readings for today: Luke 23-24, Psalms 119:129-152

As Christians, we often talk about placing our faith in Jesus Christ. This is a core component to salvation. We must confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead. (Romans 10:9) At the same time, there is an oft-overlooked dynamic in Scripture that talks about the faith of Jesus Christ. For example, Galatians 2:16 CSB says, “we know a person is not justified by works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ.” Or consider Romans 3:22 CSB which says, “The righteousness of God is through the faith of Jesus Christ.” Now to be sure, if you were to look both of these passages up in your Bible, it mostly likely is translated “faith in Jesus Christ.” Technically speaking, there is a debate raging in Biblical scholarship as to whether the phrase is an “objective genitive” (faith in Jesus Christ) or a “subjective genitive” (faith of Jesus Christ). For my part, I believe the latter is more accurate and this is important because it is not our faith that saves us but our faith in the faith and faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Faith is a gift not a work according to Ephesians 2:8-9. It comes from God and it enables us to believe in all Christ has accomplished for us. And as we place our faith in the faith of Jesus Christ, we are saved.

I thought about this debate when I read the chapters assigned for today. The faith of Jesus is not something I often pause to consider as He stands before Pilate and Herod and the religious leaders. Probably my default is to assume Jesus has access to some kind of supernatural peace because He is God or I assume because Jesus is God, He refuses to recognize the jurisdiction or authority of any human court. However, when I pause to consider Jesus’ humanity, I realize it took faith for Him to face His accusers. It took faith for Him to look Pilate in the eye and say “You say so” when asked if He were a king. It took faith for Him to remain silent before Herod and refuse to perform for Him like some kind of circus act. And, of course, it took faith for Jesus to hang on the cross and pray for the forgiveness of those who tortured and mocked and crucified Him. Jesus had to walk by faith just as we have to walk by faith. He had to place His trust in His Heavenly Father just as we have to trust our Heavenly Father. Jesus was made like us in every way, was tempted like us in every way, suffered like us in every way and still He believed. He clung to faith.

What about us? Do we place our faith in the faith of Jesus Christ? Do we believe He did everything for us? Do we believe He was baptized for us? Kept the law for us? Suffered for us? Died for us? Rose again for us? Even believed for us? If we do, we place the whole work of salvation in His more than capable hands and claim no boast for ourselves. Not even the boast of faith.

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

Generosity

Readings for today: Luke 21-22, Psalms 119:97-128

One of the many things I get to do is travel to remote villages in the Horn of Africa twice a year to preach the gospel. The organization I serve alongside holds training conferences in Ethiopia, Uganda, and South Sudan. We gather hundreds of church planters and train them in theology, Bible, pastoral leadership, discipleship, and other disciplines. As part of the experience, they send us out to villages around the training center to preach on Sunday mornings. On a typical Sunday, we arrive with the worship service already in progress. The indigenous people have gathered earlier in the morning to begin singing and praying and praising God. Once we arrive, we join them, often being given seats of honor in the worship service. At some point in time, they take up an offering. Remember, these men and women are subsistence farmers. They have little to nothing to call their own. Quite often, their offering consists of the first fruits of their hard labor. Maize. Squash. Wheat. Perhaps a chicken for the wealthier families. Then there are the people who come forward with nothing. They have empty hands. They hold them over the offering basket and pantomime the act of giving as practice for the day when they will have something to give. It’s incredibly humbling and powerful every single time.

I think about those men and women every time I read this passage out of Luke about the widow’s offering. It’s so easy in my culture to get caught up in the size of the gift. It’s so easy where I live to honor the rich who give generously. But Jesus takes us deeper. He reminds us it’s not the size of the gift that matters as much as the size of the sacrifice. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For all these people have put in gifts out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” (Luke‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬) Imagine the faith it takes to give when you have little to nothing to live on. Imagine the faith it takes to make your offering when you know you may be choosing to go without as a result. I remember when my wife and I were living on public assistance early in our ministry. We felt the pinch every month as we gave. It wasn’t always easy. There were times we went without as a result. But we never regretted our decision. Now we have been blessed with much. We have far more than we could ever need. And this verse continues to challenge us. Do we give out of our excess or do we give sacrificially?

People often ask me about the biblical standard for giving. Is it the tithe? Is it more? Is it less? Is there a New Testament standard at all? My answer is always the same. God calls us to sacrifice. God calls us to give like the widow in Luke’s Gospel. We are called to prayerfully consider what that might look like in our lives for it looks differently for each of us. The goal is not to hit some arbitrary number like 10% but to give in such a way that we feel it. Give in such a way that we go without. Give in such a way that we learn to depend on God. For most people in my situation, I believe that it involves giving far more than 10%. This is scary I know. Especially if you are not trained in the spiritual discipline of giving. So the key is to begin where you are and commit to grow your giving with each passing year. As you do, you will find yourself learning to live on less and less while receiving the freedom that comes from knowing your life depends on God not on the stock market or your ability to produce or your retirement account.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 23-24, Psalms 119:129-152

Seeking to Save the Lost

Readings for today: Luke 19-20, Psalms 119:65-96

I can remember times in my life when I felt lost. When I was a young boy, it often had to do with being in strange places that I was not familiar with and not being able to see my mom or dad. When I was a young man, it often had to do with a sense of purpose or direction in life. Before I became a Christian, it often had to do with the choices I made that led to depression and despair. Even after I became a Christian, I would often feel lost when I would try to go my own way or do my own thing apart from Christ and His wisdom and strength. Thankfully, Jesus says He came to seek and to save the lost. He came to find us and bring us back home. He leaves the comfort of heaven and comes to earth like a Good Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine in their safe pasture to go to the wilderness to find the one.

Imagine how the world might be different if Christians did the same? Imagine if we put aside our petty theological squabbles and instead focused our energy and resources on seeking and saving the lost? Imagine if we put aside our own culturally or generationally bound preferences and did all we could to seek and to save the lost? Imagine if we deployed more of our energy and time and money and resources on seeking and saving the lost rather than on ourselves? We don’t have to imagine it. We have seen it in action. We see it in the Person of Jesus Christ. We see it in His disciples after the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. We see it in the Book of Acts with the churches that are planted. We see it throughout Christian history. Sure, it’s never perfect. Not this side of heaven. We make tragic mistakes and costly errors and even horrific decisions along the way that result in a lot of pain and suffering but still God works in and through us. And when the church gets it right, even if but for a moment, it is beautiful.

Perhaps that’s why I love the church I serve so much. This past weekend, we celebrated our annual Missions Weekend. We flew in mission partners from around the world and platformed them so we could hear their stories, pray for them, and celebrate all God is doing in and through them. The miracles they’ve seen encouraged and blessed us. The number of lives God has used them to change is breathtaking. The number of churches and ministries they’ve planted is awesome in scope. So many of them asked me why our church is so engaged in God’s mission. They asked me why our people are so obviously passionate about God’s Kingdom. I told them it’s because we have a heart here to seek and to save the lost. We have cultivated the heart of Jesus over the years and it is bearing tremendous fruit. We don’t let ourselves get caught in the weeds on secondary issues of piety and theology like the Pharisees and Sadducees and religious leaders of Jesus’ day but instead keep the main thing, the main thing. What about you? Where do you spend most of your time, energy, and money? Is it on yourself or are you seeking to advance God’s Kingdom? What about your church? Where does your church spend most of it’s time, energy, and money? On itself or on the mission to seek and to save the lost?

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 21-22, Psalms 119:97-128

Letting Go

Readings for today: Luke 14-16, Psalms 119:1-32

I used to be that guy. The one who would elbow his way to the highest place of honor no matter what the occasion. At work, I would weigh in on every matter whether I knew what I was talking about or not. At school, I would try to answer every question. On the athletic field, I did my best to stand out. My god was achievement. My goal was success. My greatest fear was failure. All because I wanted to be known. I wanted to be praised. I wanted to be the center of attention. This was true in my work as a pastor as well. When I went to seminary, I felt like I had something to prove so I did my best to outwork and outshine my classmates. After I graduated and started serving the church, I would look for opportunities to demonstrate I was more effective than my colleagues. I was constantly in competition with those around me. Constantly on the lookout for potential threats. It was exhausting. Then the Lord called me to plant a church in Wisconsin. It was the most painful, heartbreaking experience of my life. He crucified my ego. He broke me of my pride. He stripped my life down to the studs. I had nothing left. I was at the end of myself. I was a complete and utter failure.

Perhaps that’s why I resonate so much with the parable Jesus tells in Luke 14. I spent most of my life trying to claim the seat of highest honor only to have the Lord send me back to some of the lowest places over and over again. I was put in my place frequently by those with much more experience at work. My teachers stopped calling on me at school. My athletic career eventually ended as those better than me took my place. Even among my pastoral colleagues, I often made a fool of myself. Then, when things were falling apart in Wisconsin, I remember reading this story and thinking to myself, “Wow, God has sent me to the lowest possible place. Where do I go from here?” The answer comes at the end of the parable. Seek the lowest place. Don’t try to raise yourself up. Stop competing with those around you. Stop jockeying for position. Stop trying to prove yourself. Instead, embrace obscurity and anonymity and insignificance and let the Master raise you up.

Honestly, I’ve not looked back. My life from the fall of 2009 onward has been one grace after another. As soon as I relinquished my need to be successful, my need for achievement, and my need for attention, I became far more open to God. Instead of exhausting myself trying to show everyone how smart and capable I am, I was able to let go. God spoke to me very clearly, commanding me to labor in obscurity, embrace anonymity, and pursue insignificance. These three words have guided my life ever since. Not only that, but He made it clear to me that I am not to seek another position nor ask for another raise. Instead, I am simply to trust Him to take care of me. Every opportunity I’ve had professionally over the last fifteen years has come from the Lord. I have not pursued a single one. Every financial blessing I’ve received from my church has come from the Lord. I’ve not asked for a single raise. In fact, I’ve turned several down. These are not points of pride for me but rather examples of what it means to live out the parable of Jesus. What about you? Where do you need to relinquish and let go? Where do you need to stop your striving and rest in God? Where do you need to give up control so the Lord can raise you up in His time and according to His will?

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 17-18, Psalms 119:33-64

The Source of Jesus’ Power

Readings for today: Luke 10-11, Psalms 117

It’s one of the most challenging questions I face as a pastor and believer in Jesus Christ. How can a good God allow evil and suffering in the world? My atheist friends rightly press the question even further. “The existence of evil and suffering in the world leaves two possibilities...either your God is good but not all-powerful. Impotent in the face of evil and suffering. Helpless to stop it. Or your God is all-powerful but not good because He chooses not to step in. Either way, your God ceases to be god. Heads we win, tails you lose.” 

The Pharisees and religious leaders were essentially asking Jesus the same thing. Does He truly have the power and authority to defeat evil? And is His power good? Does it come from God? The reason they asked these questions is because they had just seen Jesus perform an exorcism. It’s not the first time. They’ve probably heard reports of other miracles of deliverance. But now they are seeing it with their own eyes. A mute man released. Set free. Words literally tumbling out of his mouth. It’s like everything he’s wanted to say for so many years comes rushing out in a torrent all at once. Exorcism wasn’t a common practice in Israel in those days but it wasn’t unknown either. There were other Jewish exorcists running around, claiming to cast out demons but something about the way Jesus did it was different. The power and authority He exercised was clearly unique and set the religious leaders on edge. What were they seeing? The demons obeyed this man’s every word. What did that mean? Grasping for understanding, they accused Jesus of being in league with Satan or Beelzebul himself. Perhaps the reason the demons obeyed is because Jesus’ power came from the prince of demons? Jesus shoots that theory down. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Why would Satan fight against himself? That leaves only one other option. Jesus is confronting evil and darkness and the devil with the power of God. 

Now we enter really dangerous territory. If the Kingdom of God has come. If Jesus is casting out demons by the finger of God Himself. If the Holy Spirit is at work in these miracles then to deny them is to deny God Himself! An unforgiveable sin! An unpardonable offense! If the religious leaders persist in their skepticism and unbelief, they will find themselves on the outside looking in when the Kingdom of God finally comes. This is why Jesus is so confrontational with them at the end of Luke 11. He wants them to believe. He wants them to come around. He wants them to lay aside their skepticism and disbelief and embrace Him as the Son of God and Son of Man. To see what He’s doing as the work of God in confronting evil and suffering. To see what He’s doing as the goodness of God in action in destroying all the works of the devil. The blind see. The deaf hear. The mute speak. The lame walk. Those who are opppressed and possessed are set free. These things are not random miracles. They are intentional acts of God to break the power of evil and suffering in our world.

And the work Jesus is performing here is just the beginning. After His death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus pours out His Spirit on the church. The people of God. The Body of Christ. We now are called to go forth - with the same power and authority - to confront the darkness! To defeat evil! To work for the good of the world. This is the commission given to us by our Father. So you ask what God is doing to defeat evil and relieve suffering in the world? I say look in the mirror. He has put you on this earth to make that happen. He has given you His Spirit to empower you and strengthen you and give you wisdom for the task. He has planted you in your neighborhood. Sent you into your school or workplace. Brought different people into your life and across your path for this very purpose.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 12-13, Psalms 118 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Confronting Demons

Readings for today: Luke 8-9, Psalms 116

The world of the Bible can seem strange at times. Today’s passage is filled with stories of Jesus confronting demonic powers and we aren’t sure quite what to make of it. Should we take these stories literally or figuratively? Are these encounters real or just a first century, rudimentary understanding of mental illness? Is Jesus casting out demons or is He healing the mind or is it a bit of both?

It’s important to read these stories in context. Jesus has just exercised His authority over creation as He calms the wind and the waves on the sea. Interlaced between these stories are miracles of healing and resurrection as Jesus exercises His authority over physical illness and even death itself. It shouldn’t surprise us then that Jesus would exercise His authority over the spiritual forces of evil in our world. In addition, we need to remember that though these stories were written for us they are not written to us. They are written to people living in the first century with a first century understanding of the world around them. For most of human history and for most cultures around the world today, there is no separation between the physical and spiritual world. Human beings are integrated creatures with no division between heart, mind, body, and soul. The fracturing of the human person into these component parts is a thoroughly modern, Western concept.

For example, whenever I travel to rural villages in South Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia, I frequently hear the indigenous people describe illness or disease in terms of demonic activity. When they pray for healing, they pray for the whole person. They pray for the Spirit to heal body, mind, soul, and heart. It’s powerful and it is a far more holistic way to approach healing. The same was true for the people Jesus encountered all over Galilee. They lived in a supernatural world where science and faith were not mutually exclusive but deeply intertwined with each other.

Why is the Western world so different? The renowned philosopher, Charles Taylor, outlined a powerful argument in his monumental work, A Secular Age, in which he traced the “disenchantment” of the world back to the Enlightenment. During that period, science and religion began to compete rather than collaborate and the result was a deep fracture that exists to this day. This, of course, creates all kinds of cultural distance we have to overcome when we read the Scriptures. In the Bible, we re-enter an “enchanted” world where the supernatural and natural overlap. This understanding is critical if we are to understand what’s happening when Jesus performs His miracles. He is not just addressing physical issues but mental, emotional, and spiritual issues as well.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 10-11, Psalms 117

Kingdom Values

Readings for today: Luke 6-7, Psalms 115

God bless you. God bless America. God bless this nation, this land, this people, this tribe, this family. All of us want the blessing of God on our lives. All of us want to experience the blessing of God. All of us want to live in a country that is blessed by God. But how do we get from here to there? How must we live so the blessing will come? What must we value? What must we treasure? What must we prioritize in order to make ourselves “blessable?”

Jesus makes it very clear. Blessed are those who are poor, hungry, grieving, and hated because of the “Son of Man.” That last point is key. It is the critical qualifier that governs everything that comes before it. As Christians, we walk by faith not by sight. We are called to give all we have unto the Lord. We are to dedicate every single dollar, even to the point of impoverishing ourselves, to the work of the Lord. We are called to give regularly and cheerfully and sacrificially. And when we do this, Jesus tells us we are blessed because what we will receive in return is nothing less than the Kingdom of Heaven. We are called to share our food and resources with those around us. To the point where we ourselves may go hungry. And if we do, Jesus says, we will be filled. Fulfilled in ways we cannot begin to imagine. We are called to grieve over the state of the world. Grieve over the lostness of our friends and family and neighbors. Grieve over the injustice and oppression and violence and hatred and rage. Grieve over the rampant sin and immorality. And if we find our hearts breaking, Jesus says we will begin to see beyond the horizons of this world to the world to come and we will rejoice. We should expect persecution. We will be hated. We will excluded. We will be insulted. We will be slandered. We will be called evil as we seek to follow Jesus. But those are simply signs that we stand in good company. The company of the ancient prophets of Israel. The company of the saints who have gone before us. And we can rejoice and leap for joy on that day even in the midst of all we are suffering for we know the reward waiting for us in heaven will make it all worth it.

So…is this the blessing you seek? Is this the blessing you desire? Are you willing to live a life that is blessable? A life of daily sacrifice? A life of service? A life of humility and compassion and grace and love? A life of radical generosity? A life of radical faith? Or, have you chosen a different way? Do you want to have it both ways? Do you want to be rich in this world while still trying to follow Jesus? Then you have received your comfort already and small comfort it is! Do you want to be full in this world and never in need? Then you will find yourself hungry. Hungry for more out of life. Do you find yourself laughing, without a care in the world? Then you will find yourself grieving as the eternal consequences of your decisions start to set in, both for yourself and those around you. Do you enjoy a good reputation? Do you make it a point never to rock the boat or stand up for the truth of Christ? Then you most likely have compromised in some way and “gone along to get along” and will not find yourself in the company of the prophets and saints who gave everything to pass along the faith you now enjoy. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you might repent and make the turn back to Jesus.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 8-9, Psalms 116

Making Jesus Famous

Readings for today: Luke 4-5, Psalms 114

We live in a world that is rapidly spinning out of control. A tsunami of pain is about to hit our shores, if it hasn’t already. Our children are losing any sense of healthy identity. Mental health crises are on the rise. Suicide rates are trending upward. Substance abuse is skyrocketing. Our culture is filled with an increasing amount of rage and anger. Death threats are now common against those with whom we disagree, including two assassination attempts on a former President. It seems like everything is taken to the extreme. It makes for a very hostile and dangerous environment especially for those living in marginalized communities. So what’s next? Are we doomed to live the rest of our lives under threat? Constantly drawing our relational boundaries ever tighter in order to protect ourselves and those we love or perhaps withdrawing altogether? Surely there has to be a different way.

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

What if the church took a similar stance today? What if the church made it her aim to serve her community? To share the good news of the gospel? Bring healing in Jesus’ name? Freedom in Jesus’ name? Hope in Jesus’ name? What if the church was known as a refuge? A place of safety and security amidst the turmoil and violence of our world? What if the church was known for love rather than hate? What if she were known for grace rather than judgment? Faithfulness rather than hypocrisy? What if we made space for people to come as they are? Wherever that may be? What if we committed to walk beside anyone…anytime…anywhere…for as long as they will let us? Would not the fame of Jesus increase? Would not people be drawn to the care and comfort we provide? What if we laid aside our agenda? Our internal ideological squabbles? Our insider theological tussles and instead linked arms to serve? What if we stopped stabbing our wounded in the back and instead embraced the Jesus way of life? What if we put aside our need for political/social/cultural influence and power and instead sought to prayerfully engage across these various spectrums? What if our posture were humility rather than pride? Peace rather than war? Kindness rather than outrage? Service to others rather than to self?

True followers of Jesus are known more by what they’re for than what they’re against. Jesus was certainly against many things in his day but he was known more for his love and compassion and ministry among the poor. The outcast. The sinner. Thankfully there are many churches who follow his lead. What about you? What about your church? How can you represent Christ in your community more faithfully today?

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 6-7, Psalms 115

Songs of Salvation

Readings for today: Luke 2-3, Psalms 113

I love to sing. I’ll sing just about anything, any style, from any era. I have a deep appreciation for music which I learned from my mother who taught elementary music school music for forty years. Perhaps that’s why I love worship so much. I love to sing the great hymns of our faith. I love to sing the praise songs currently being written. I love to sing Gregorian chant, the Psalms, and other meditative, prayerful music. I love the pipe organ. I love praise bands. I love brass and woodwinds and percussion. I love the human voice most of all. I’ve sung sung songs in small groups, sanctuaries, cathedrals, even stadiums. I’ve songs in different languages around the globe. All of it fills my heart and stirs my soul.

One of the features I appreciate most about Luke’s Gospel is all the singing that accompanies the birth of Jesus. He records four separate songs from four separate people, all of whom are responding to the birth of the Messiah. Traditionally, these songs are known as “canticles” from the Latin term which means “little songs.” They are the Benedictus of Zechariah from Luke 1:68-79, the Magnificat of Mary from Luke 1:46-55, the Gloria in Excelsis Deo of the angels from Luke 2:14, and the Nunc Dimittis of Simeon from Luke 2:29-32. All of them praise God for what He has done. All of them express the wonder and awe at the great plan of God that is being fulfilled. All of them marvel at God’s steadfast love and faithfulness towards His people.

There is something about singing that taps into the deep places of our hearts. Something about music that moves our souls. I’ve sat with people in advanced stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s who can still remember the songs they sang when they were little. It’s miraculous to listen to them sing the Doxology or Gloria Patri or a hymn like Amazing Grace. It brings incredible comfort to those they love who stand vigil as they pass from this life to the life to come. And I’m quite confident that when they finally reach those heavenly shores, they will be met by the saints who’ve gone before them with even more singing. They will learn new songs, songs of glory known only to the residents of heaven who worship Jesus face to face. I can’t wait for that day and believe with all my heart that our worship here on earth is just the warm up act for the worship service we’ll join when we too cross over from the dimension of earth to the dimension of heaven.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 4-5, Psalms 114

Rational Faith

Readings for today: Luke 1, Psalms 112

I often meet and talk with people who struggle with the concept of faith. Typically, they are more “left-brained” in their thinking. They are more analytical and methodical and scientifically and/or mathematically minded. They want to know what evidence exists for the Christian faith and how one can believe in events that, by definition, defy the laws of physics. They tend to bracket out, a priori, the existence of miracles. And they tend to think of faith and reason as oppositional concepts. I love talking with them. Mainly because these are my people. I too am an analytical thinker. I too want to know the evidence that exists for the Christian faith and if Christianity presents the best explanation of what’s available. I too struggle to accept events that defy the laws of physics, though admittedly my struggle has diminished the more I travel to places like South Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia. I too used to think that faith and reason were opposing concepts.

Perhaps that’s why I love Luke’s Gospel so much. He sets out from the opening lines to present a clear and compelling case, based on eye witness testimony, of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He carefully investigates all the claims. He writes in an orderly fashion. His goal is for Theophilus - which literally means “God lover” - to find assurance and certainty and peace of mind when it comes to what he or she believes. Luke certainly helped me find this assurance. His Gospel presents a faith that is rational. A faith that is reasonable. A faith that is not blind but rather the best account of the evidence provided.

Now one can certainly argue about the veracity of miracles but one also has to be honest that they are making an argument from deduction not observation. One can certainly argue over the reliability of eye witness testimony and have questions about whether the story changes in the years between the actual events and when Luke was writing but one must also be honest that eye witness testimony has been found reliable in courts of law for centuries and across cultures. Furthermore, one has to set aside their anachronism and cultural definitions of literacy and grapple with the differences between oral and textual societies. One can certainly challenge Luke’s historical chops but one must not impose 21st century standards on ancient authors but instead ask if Luke’s writings represent a compelling account of ancient biography. All of these are important questions to ask and seek answers to but perhaps most important is what one does with the basic facts of the case. What does one do with the person of Jesus Christ who lived and taught and suffered and died and was crucified and buried and whose tomb was empty three days later? No honest historian disputes these basic, fundamental facts so one has to come up with a hypothesis to explain them and to date, no one has come up with anything better than what Luke presents in his Gospel.

One may choose to reject the rationality of the Christian faith but that doesn’t make it irrational. The Christian faith is a rational approach to real events that happened in real time in human history. It is a clear and compelling way to make sense of the empty tomb and it’s implications for humanity and the world.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 2-3, Psalms 113

What’s Your Response to Jesus?

Readings for today: Matthew 2, Luke 2:39-52

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

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

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

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

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

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

God’s Call

Readings for today: Matthew 1, Luke 1:1-2:38

There’s a church in Israel built over the top of Zechariah’s home. It’s in the hill country of Judah. It commemorates the place where Mary and Elizabeth met after receiving the incredible news that their two boys would change the world. I love the statue pictured above. It’s a beautiful depiction of both women, both pregnant, marveling at all God had done for them. They were the most unlikely participants in God’s divine drama. One woman, Elizabeth, barren and advanced in years past the point of ever getting pregnant. Another woman, Mary, still very much a teenager, unmarried, and a virgin. Both women receive an angelic visitation from Gabriel who “stands in the presence of God” and is sent to deliver the good news of John and Jesus’ births. Both women are overshadowed by the Holy Spirit as their wombs are blessed with the miracle of new life.

And what a life they were given! Their boys would be great before the Lord. One would be filled with the Holy Spirit from conception. His call would be to turn the hearts of the children of Israel back to God. He would preach in the spirit and power of Elijah and he would prepare the way for his cousin who would be called “Son of the Most High.” The other child would be conceived by the Holy Spirit and would be given the throne of David in order to reign over the house of Jacob forever. He would be called holy and the Son of God. The first of these two boys would be named John. The second would be named Jesus. One can only imagine the conversations Elizabeth and Mary had during the three months Mary stayed with them.

It’s tempting to read these stories and believe that these women were somehow different than us. More holy. More righteous. More special in some way. Nothing could be further from the truth. God simply chose them to play a particular role in His great salvation plan. You and I have been called to play particular roles as well. Roles only we can play. Roles specifically suited for our unique mix of personality, passion, and ability. Yes, we may not receive angelic visitations but the call of God comes to us just the same. It comes through His Word and in prayer. It comes to us through our brothers and sisters in Christ. It comes to us as we survey the great needs of the world around us. And those whom God calls, God equips. Those whom God calls, He qualifies. He sends His Holy Spirit to “overshadow” all the work we do in His name. Friends, if you trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you have been called and invited to play a vital role in God’s salvation plan! God wants to use YOU to help bring about His Kingdom on this earth! Seek His wisdom so you may know not only what your role may be but how best to fulfill that role in your life.

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 2, Luke 2:39-52