Holy Saturday- Here But Not Yet

Today is Holy Saturday of Holy Week.  To review what we've done this week: Holy Monday we looked at the bad news that makes the Good News great, on Holy Tuesday we thought about being made in God's image rather than making Him in ours, on Spy Wednesday we looked at the dangers of disordered love, on Maundy Thursday we saw a prayer of courageous surrender, and on Good Friday we remembered how Christ died to replace us on the cross.  On this Holy Saturday we're going to look at the state of our Christian life between the cross and the empty tomb.

Holy Saturday is the day that most mirrors our everyday Christian life.  Holy Saturday represents the here but not yet reality of our current faith.  Good Friday is the day that Jesus purchased our redemption and our future home in Heaven and Resurrection Sunday is the day we think about death's reality being changed and all the hope of Christianity being fulfilled.  Holy Saturday is that wholly strange day in between.  It is the day when our hope in the promise is tested.

Below is a post I wrote six years ago that highlights the lesson of Holy Saturday.

Saturday

Yesterday was Good Friday and tomorrow is Easter.  Today is Saturday.  "Duh, Matt."  But let's think about that a bit today.

On my Good Friday post I wrote about Jesus' victory cry of "It is finished!"  Tomorrow we will celebrate Easter which is the experience that the victory cry is truth.  Saturday we are left unsure.  If Jesus just dies for us He is just one of the most loving people in history, but He is not Savior.  Good Friday is great but it is only a neat story without Easter.  But what about Saturday?

Sometimes I feel like I'm living in Saturday.  What I mean is I know the victory is mine to claim with Christ, but I haven't seen its completion.

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6  I know that He will completely perfect me, but it hasn't been completed yet.  I'm stuck in Saturday.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or morning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4  I know this is true but I see cancer and heartache every day.  I'm stuck in Saturday.

"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." Romans 16:20  I know I will crush Satan's head but right now he's tormenting me.  I'm stuck in Saturday.

We live much of our life in Saturday.  The victory has been declared but we can't realize or see it fully yet.  That is why we must hold on to the promise of victory in faith.  Easter will come into its fulness in everything that was promised.  Until then believe the truth of Good Friday, "It is finished!"  Saturday will pass and the sun will come up tomorrow.  The Son will return and we will see that "It is finished!"

Hold fast to the promises of Christ because they will come to pass.  Look forward to tomorrow and in doing so endure today.

Good Friday- Propitiation

This is Good Friday of Holy Week.  On Holy Monday we looked at the bad news that makes the Good News great, on Holy Tuesday we thought about being made in God’s image and not making Jesus in ours, on Spy Wednesday we looked at the dangers of disordered love and on Maundy Thursday we looked at a prayer of courageous surrender.  Today let’s take a good look at Good Friday.

I recently heard a pastor say that Good Friday is about how God loved us so much.  God loved us so much that He died on the cross so He could relate to all of our human suffering, even death on an awful cross.  He said that Good Friday tells us that no matter what suffering we’re going through that God is with us in it and understands it. 

Much of what this pastor said is true.  We do have a high priest who can relate with all of our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).  Good Friday is a loud proclamation that God loves us so much.  But I disagree that this is the core of what Good Friday is about.

Jesus didn’t die to relate to us, He died to replace us.

Propitiation has become a dirty word for some Christian circles but this is what Good Friday is about at its core.  Good Friday does indeed announce that God loves us so much, but it also proclaims that we needed someone to die for us.  The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), so we needed someone to take what we earned.  Before Christ we were by nature objects of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), so we needed someone to die to satisfy the just wrath of God.  In Adam all men die, but in Christ men live (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).  Adam’s life started the death-making curse of sin; Jesus’s death started the life-making power of grace. 

Propitiation is not a four-letter word.

Propitiation is what we needed.  Without the cross we aren’t in danger of having a God that couldn’t relate to us, no without the cross we are in danger of being crushed as an enemy of Almighty God.  Christ replaced us.  It was the Father’s will to crush His Son (Isaiah 53:10) and not Matthew Thomas Ray.

This Good Friday the love of God will be magnified before us because the wrath of God was satisfied by the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Good Friday is at its core about justice and grace intersecting in the shape of a cross.

We needed Jesus to die for us.  Worship Him with awe, wonder, sorrow and thankfulness for replacing us today.

Maundy Thursday- A Prayer of Courageous Surrender

This is Maundy Thursday of Holy Week.  On Holy Monday you and I thought about the bad news that makes the Good News great, on Holy Tuesday we examined how we are not to make Jesus in our own image and on Spy Wednesday we looked at how disordered love can steal our faith and trust in Jesus.  Today on Maundy Thursday let's look at how we are called to give up control of our lives and follow God.

Many events occurred on Maundy Thursday including the Last Supper and the washing of the disciples' feet and the new commandment given to Jesus' followers.  But I want to look briefly at the prayer Jesus prayed in the garden before He was betrayed by Judas and arrested. 

"'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.'  An angel from Heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.  And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." Luke 22:42-44

Jesus' prayer is a prayer filled with earnest pleading and beautiful, courageous surrender.  Jesus badly wanted to avoid all the pain and suffering of the cross.  He didn't get pleasure from being scourged and spit on and hit and nailed to a cross and suffocated to death naked in front of a crowd of mockers.  Yet He courageously surrendered to the plan of the Father.

"yet not my will, but yours be done."

Jesus is the perfect example of what we are called to.  Jesus trusted God the Father's plan enough to submit to it even to though it led to His death.  Jesus is and was and always will be co-equal to the Father and the Spirit and yet He submitted to the Father's will.  You and I are not and never will be anywhere near equal to the Father and it's not even close; yet we too often fail to submit to God's will.

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane models what beautiful, courageous surrender looks like.  It is surrender even if suffering is caused by following God's will.  It is surrender that looks not to our own rights, but to the glory of the One to whom we surrender.

See this week we've remembered how we are all sinners in need of saving.  We've examined how we are all guilty of trying to bend God to our own desires rather than bending to His.  We've remembered how disordered our loves can be and how that causes sin and grief to ourselves and others.  This prayer of courageous surrender is a response to where we've already been this week.  We are sinners in need of saving.  Today and tomorrow we turn our remembrance from our need for saving and to the historical events that led to the purchase of our redemption.

Be like Jesus and pray a prayer of courageous surrender today.


Below is a post from two years ago on Maundy Thursday I think is worth a reread.

Maundy Thursday

Today in Holy Week is called Maundy Thursday.  This day we remember Jesus' Last Supper with His disciples before the crucifixion and His washing of their feet.  Maundy is a word derived from Middle English and Latin meaning mandate or command.  On this day we remember a command Jesus gave.  Let's look at that command found in the book of John.

"It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father.  Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love.

The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?'

Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.'

'No,' said Peter, 'you shall never wash my feet.'

Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.'

'Then Lord,' Simon Peter replied, 'not just my feet but my hands and head as well!'

Jesus answered, 'A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean.  And you are clean, though not every one of you.'  For He knew who was going to betray Him, and that was why He said not every one was clean.

When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place.  'Do you understand what I have done for you?'  He asked them.  'You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than His master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."  John 13:1-17

So, what is the command or Maundy in this passage?

We must first examine what Jesus did.  Jesus, the greatest in the room by far, assumed the role of the least and washed the feet of the disciples.  In that culture the servant that washed the feet of people had a crummy job, the guest of honor would never do this job nor would the least honored guest if there was a servant around.  Jesus assumed the role of servant even though He was aware of His actual place amongst the other men in the room.

Jesus also washed the feet of Judas Iscariot, who He knew would betray Him that same night.  Jesus assumed the role of servant even for His enemy.

So, what is the command?  The Maundy of Maundy Thursday is to do as Jesus did.  Christians must be the servant of all, both high and low.  There is no one too low for the Christian to serve.  If the Almighty can wash the feet of some lowly men from Israel, then you can and must serve anyone.

Christians must also not only tolerate our enemies but also serve them.  If Jesus can wash the feet of the man who would betray Him in a matter of hours then so we must follow suit.  You might not use the word 'enemy' but is there someone you'd be shocked to have to serve?  Is there someone you'd rather avoid than serve?  Maybe it's the Syrian man or woman needing refuge.  You may be scared because of what had happened recently, but Jesus commands us to serve them.  Maybe it's the person who votes differently than you.  Maybe it's the one whose sexuality differs from yours.  We aren't commanded to bend the truth in any way, He's not asking you to call right what is wrong; He's telling you to serve them anyway.

Here's what Jesus is not commanding:  "I served you, so you serve me."  This would be easy.  There are a billion reasons to serve Jesus.  Jesus said, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet."  Jesus commands us to serve one another, even when the one anothers in our life don't deserve it.  Remember in Matthew 25 Jesus said "Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sister of mine, you did for me."  We serve Jesus by serving others, especially those that society deems are below us or our enemies.

Remember Jesus' Maundy or mandate for us.  Be a servant like your Master Jesus today.

Spy Wednesday- Disordered Love

We are continuing to experience what God has in store for us this Holy Week by studying about each day.  Monday we talked about the bad news that makes the Good News great.  Tuesday we warned ourselves not to make Jesus in our own image but to be transformed by Jesus who created us in His image.  Today I'm going back to a post from two years ago about Holy Wednesday or Spy Wednesday.  I pray this gets your heart ready to commemorate and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Spy Wednesday

Today in Holy Week is known as Spy Wednesday.  This day invites us to remember how Judas Iscariot went to the Sanhedrin to bargain a price of Jesus' head.  This day we remember how Judas turned on Jesus.

Often when we think of Judas we think of a horrible man, and that is what he is because he betrayed God Himself, but I want to look more closely at Judas and what made him commit one of the worst deeds in history.

When you and I think of Jesus and the twelve disciples we think of Jesus, eleven pretty nice guys and one seedy character named Judas.  It is as if it were Jesus, eleven saints and Hitler.  This is an easy picture to make in your head, but let me argue that it's likely way off.

"Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to Him those He wanted, and they came to Him.  He appointed twelve... designating them apostles... that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.  These are the twelve He appointed: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alfphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him."  Mark 3:13-19

Notice that Judas fit right in with the other eleven (other than the fact that Mark says right out what Judas would later do and the fact that he gives Judas his full name like Lee Harvey Oswald so as not to confuse him with another Judas).  Judas was designated an apostle.  Judas went out and preached and drove out demons and spent three years personally with Jesus.

So, Judas was a man that preached and drove out demons; he was part of Jesus' inner circle.  Don't miss that all of the twelve gave up what they had and what they were doing to follow Jesus, even Judas did this.

Judas looked like a very nice guy and one that you and I might have respected had we known him.  Notice this story from Matthew:

"When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.  And while they were eating, he said, 'I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.'

They were very sad and began to say to him one after another, 'Surely not I, Lord?'

Jesus replied, 'The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me."  Matthew 26:20-23

Notice that none of the disciples suspected Judas.  Bartholomew didn't respond to Jesus' statement by saying, "Dude, it's got to be Judas.  Definitely Judas, everyone knows that guy is a jerk!"  No, no one suspected him.  Even after Jesus said it's the guy who dipped his hand into the bowl with Him (which basically meant the guy sitting next to me sharing my salsa bowl), even after that they didn't suspect Judas.  Even as Judas got up in the middle of the meal to go betray Jesus they didn't suspect Judas.

My point is that sometimes we read the Bible and think, "I'm more like the good guys than the bad guys", I'm telling you that you're not and I'm not either.  Judas, though John tells us that he secretly stole from the money box, probably would look and act a lot like us in church, if fact likely better.

So, how did Judas become the traitor?

Saint Augustine says that sin is disordered love.  Judas obviously loved money more than Jesus.  Judas sold Jesus out for money, and not very much money at that.  30 pieces of silver was Judas' asking price for the life of Jesus.  30 pieces of silver was the price someone had to pay if a slave was gored by a bull (Exodus 21:32).  Judas sold Jesus' life for the price of a dead slave.

Judas likely loved the idea of Jesus when he thought it would come with political power and wealth, but when Jesus started talking about dying Judas bailed.  Judas didn't love Jesus enough, he loved what he thought Jesus could do for him but not Jesus Himself.  Judas didn't hate Jesus and may have really liked Jesus as a friend, but Judas loved money more.

This is what we need to meditate on today on this Spy Wednesday: do we love Jesus?  What kept Judas from staying faithful to Jesus was that his love for money trumped his love for Jesus.  Like a man that says he loves his wife but really loves his mistress more, Judas preferred money to Jesus.  It's not enough to like Jesus.  To stay faithful to Jesus we must love Him above all else.

Disordered love is deadly.  Disorder love left Judas "doomed to destruction" (John 17:12).  Disordered love threatens us, too.  It's not enough to change your life to follow Jesus, Judas did that.  It's not enough to preach and cast out demons, Judas did that.  Spy Wednesday implores us to love Jesus above all else, to trust that Jesus has something better for us and is that something better.

Do you love Jesus?  Or, what would you trade for Jesus?  Think about that and ask Him to give you sufficient love for Him today.

Holy Tuesday- Hijacking Jesus

This Holy Week I want to take us down a serious path of preparing our hearts for all that is in store for us this week.  Holy Monday we looked at the bad news that makes the Good News great.  Today I want to cultivate the soil of our hearts in another way.

"Who do men say that I am?" Mark 8:27

When Jesus rode in on the donkey on Palm Sunday many people were abuzz with excitement.  People were shouting "Hosanna" in the streets and waving palm branches to welcome Him into Jerusalem.  However, as we all know some if not many of these same folks shouted "Crucify Him" less than a week later.  Why?

Many people in Jesus' day expected Jesus to fulfill their agenda.  Their agenda at that time was to overthrow the Romans and created a free Jewish state of Israel.  Jesus didn't do that and wasn't going to do that and that angered and frustrated people to the point of abandoning the Jesus movement.

Many of us are in danger of abandoning or missing Jesus today for similar reasons.  We, like them, have hijacked Jesus.  In fact, the very first post I ever did on this blog was entitled Hijacking Jesus and eight years later we're still in danger of hijacking Jesus.  What I mean is we've attempted to take Jesus and make Him support our agenda.  We've tried to make Jesus fulfill our purposes rather than following Him as He fulfills His.

Jesus is not about your agenda.

Are you using Jesus to support your cause or are you a servant to His cause?

Many of us try to make Jesus in our image when really we are made is His.  If we hate guns we use Jesus to support that cause, if we love guns we use Jesus to support that cause, if we vote Republican we make our Jesus ride in on an elephant, if we vote Democrat we make our Jesus all about the donkey's platform.  But Jesus isn't a tool to be used, He is a Master to be followed.

This is not to say that following Jesus won't affect our politics and culture.  But here's the truth: if nothing about Jesus' statements in the Gospels sting you, then you must not understand them.  No political ideology or man-made worldview is in full alignment with King Jesus.  If following Jesus doesn't make you counter-cultural in any way then I either want to join your culture or, most likely, you're breaking the first commandment and making Jesus in your own image or the image of your culture.

On this Holy Tuesday prepare your heart to accept Jesus as He is, not as you wish Him to be.  People missed Jesus in the flesh because they refused to see Him for who He said He was.  Be warned by the example of the Pharisees, the zealots and the average Joes in Jerusalem.  Ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you honestly through the Scriptures this Holy Week.

Take time to repent of hijacking Jesus today.

Holy Monday- The Bad News

At the beginning of Holy Week I find it helpful to remember what I am without the Gospel.  In order to appreciate the Good News I must know the bad news.  Below are a few things the Bible says were are/were before Christ's sacrifice for us.

Blind

"I will keep you and make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind," Isaiah 42:6b-7a

"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Corinthians 4:4

Captives

..." to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." Isaiah 42:7b

Dead

"As for you, you were dead in all your transgressions and sins," Ephesians 2:1

"For the wages of sin is death," Romans 6:23a

Objects of Wrath

"... Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath."  Ephesians 2:3b

Enemies of God

"For if, when we were God's enemies..." Romans 5:10a

Slaves to Sin

"When you were slaves to sin..." Romans 6:20a

Hopeless

"remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." Ephesians 2:12


Before Christ paid the ultimate price to remedy the bad news we were in dire straits.  We had no hope, we were enemies of God, we were objects of His wrath, we were slaves to sin, we were blind, we were captives and we were dead.  But thanks be to God that the events of Holy Week happened.  Thanks be to God that these verses and fragments of verses are accompanied by good news that more than offsets the bad news.  Thank God that Jesus didn't just fix the bad news but He went above and beyond and gave us great news that could never be outdone.

On this Holy Monday let us begin to prepare our hearts for what God will reveal to us by taking a good, hard look at the bad news that needed fixing and couldn't be fixed by us. 

Remember what you and I were before Jesus intervened today.

Alone

Today is Palm Sunday.  Today was a great day of worship again.  This morning we heard a great message, I got to watch my little boy wave a palm branch during a song and that warmed my heart, but I tell you my favorite part of worship was the connection between Discipleship Class and two songs during music worship.

In Discipleship Class we're studying the book of Galatians.  Today we talked a lot about how we cannot earn salvation.  We discussed how those who teach that we must earn salvation preach a false gospel.  The Gospel says that we are saved by God's grace alone.

During music worship we sang "Rock of Ages" as adapted by Charlie Hall and "Cornerstone" by Hillsong.  The word that stuck out to me was the word "alone".  These two songs could easily have been the lesson during Discipleship Class. 

Listen to these songs and take to heart the times when they say "alone".  Pay attention to the way, especially the traditional words of "Rock of Ages", these songs highlight that the Gospel is good news about what God has done for us, not what we do for God. 

Worship and thank God that He alone saves today.

Heavenly Storehouses

I woke up this morning to a lot of snow.  At 8:00 a.m. I had 8 inches at my house and now it's up to about a foot of snow and it's still falling.  The snow seemed to come out of nowhere even though it was forecasted.  We had walked around our neighborhood without coats just a couple of days ago and now we have a Winter wonderland.

As I look out the window at the mounting snow and see the huge evergreen's branches bending under the heavy, wet snow and I see my patio table buried in snow a line from the book of Job comes to mind.

"Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of the hail?" Job 38:22

The poetry of Job chapters 38-41 contains some of my favorite lines of poetry in all of Scripture.  Chris Tomlin taps into this poetry in his song "Indescribable": "Who has told every lightening bolt where it should go?  Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow?"

Well, the heavenly storehouses were emptied a bit on us on this fine "Spring" day.

I love the image of heavenly storehouses.  But I'll be honest, snow was not what I was looking for today.  I need grace.

Pastor John Piper has written about and talked about Future Grace.  Future grace is the idea that in order for God to keep all of His promises to us we need Him to have grace available for us to live day-by-day and moment-by-moment.

Imagine, if you will, the poetic picture of a storehouse in Heaven full of the grace you need.  Ignore the fact that grace isn't tangible and that this isn't how it really works and just imagine with me.  Imagine shelves marked with the grace you need to endure every trial in your life and to do every good work from now until you die.  Do you see the big box marked "Patience with Co-Workers"?  Did you find the chest marked "Enduring and Thriving in the First Year of Teaching"?  Have you gotten to the bin labeled "Unforeseen Expenses"?  Did you smile when you knew there was a box with "Raising Foster Children" scribbled on the side?  Continue to peruse the rows and rows of shelves and you'll see containers of grace for everything your future will hold.

God will get us through whatever He calls us to.

"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen." Hebrews 12:20-21

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.  Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." 2 Peter 1:3-4

Getting through what we're called to is not a promise of ease.  No, life will be hard.  Following Jesus leads many through the valley of the shadow of death.  Many of the great Christians of history were martyred.  But that does not negate God's many great promises.

This idea of a storehouse filled with all the grace we will ever need in the future should make us bold.  We will never have to do anything for the Lord with our own power.  God provides ALL the grace we need and He does it by giving it to us when we need it.  Many of us have watched another Christian graciously get through a tough situation and thought "I could never do that."  Well, you could.  The reason we think we couldn't do it is because we haven't been supplied with the grace necessary to do it yet because our Heavenly Father hasn't yet handed us that grace, but He will.  He has storehouses of grace ready for whatever our future holds.

Thank God for His grace.  Know that God will get you through whatever He calls you to.  And let the knowledge of God's infinite grace that is ready to be given to you, His child, make you a bold Christian today.

Deep Truth in Little Songs

Songs and poems have a way of getting lodged in our minds.  I love listening to ministers like my Dad or Alistair Begg who quote poetry and song lyrics in their sermons.  I love worship leaders who pick songs with deep truths in them.  I love how when I'm searching for answers a melody or rhyme comes to my mind.

Don't discredit the songs we sing and the poems we memorize.  These latch onto our minds like barnacles.  Don't underestimate the lyrics of a song to teach even if the song is for children.  Too often we think that we move beyond the lyrics of our Sunday School room and on to the songs of "adult" worship never to look back.  But friends, take time to look back at the theology of our little songs.

Just over two years ago on a Palm Sunday I spent time with my wife's Grandpa John on his deathbed.  At one point he starting faintly singing "Jesus Loves Me" and I'll never forget it.  John was wise enough to know that he didn't graduate from the words of "Jesus Loves Me", rather he held on to those lyrics tightly in his last hours.

"Jesus Loves Me" is just one of the wonderful songs we teach our children.  Take time to think about the great truth being song in just the one verse most of us have memorized forever.

"Jesus loves me!"  

"The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing." Zephaniah 3:17

"But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions... it is by grace you have been saved." Ephesians 2:4-5

This is one of the greatest facts in the universe.  Jesus loves us!  The God of all the universe, the God of galaxies and sub-atomic particles, the God of the tangible and the intangible, loves us.  What a great truth to sing.

"This I know, for the Bible tells me so."

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," 2 Timothy 3:16

This song teaching us that the inerrant Bible is our source of knowable Truth.  We know Jesus loves us because the Bible tells us so.  We can trust the Bible.

"Little ones to Him belong."

"Know that the LORD is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture." Psalm 100:3

"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world.  They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.... Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am and to see my glory, the glory you have give me because you loved me before the creation of the wold" John 17:6, 24

"You are not your own; you were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a

Sing that you belong to God and no one can snatch you out of His hand.  He prizes us as His chosen possession.

"They are weak but He is strong."

"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12:9-11

Little children aren't the only ones who need to sing reminders that they are weak.  A thirty year old is no closer to God's strength than a three year old.  We all need to learn to rejoice in the strength of our God and not our own supposed power.

"Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so."

I love how kids sing this chorus.  They shout it, they scream it, they wail it as loudly as they can.  And they should.  What greater truth is there?  What is more worth yelling than, YES, JESUS LOVES ME!

Next time you hear the little people at your church singing this, I suggest you sing along.  The next time your kiddos sing this in the car, join them.  There is great truth in many of our songs.  Bury that truth in your heart and let it rise to the top in those moments you need it.

Remember, Jesus loves you today.

Australia, Early Edition and the Future

My sister lives in the future... kind of. 

Right now as I type this it is 7:51 p.m. on Thursday here in Iowa, but in Adelaide, Australia it is 11:22 a.m. on Friday.  So, my sister lives in the future. 

When the Cubs were in the world series I'd video-chat with her and ask if they won or not so I could know whether or not it was worth staying up to watch the game.  Now, of course even though she was in the next day she didn't actually know what happened in the Cubs game yet.  That's not how time works and it's a bummer because I could make a good living playing the lottery if it was.

Do you remember the show "Early Edition"?  Kyle Chandler the guy from the show "Friday Night Lights" would get tomorrow's newspaper today and would fix a little of the world with that knowledge.  You know, stuff like getting people out of harms way.  The show ran four seasons and was decently well received and that's partly because we all would love to have the ability to see a day into the future.

Wanting to know what life has in store for tomorrow is not a new concept.  Knowing the future is something all of us, with in reason, have the desire to know.

Well, I do have one part of the newspaper, if newspapers still exist, I'm nearly 100% guaranteed to show up in one day: The obituaries.  I have an appointment with death (Hebrews 9:27).

"Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath.
Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it."  Psalm 39:4-6

It's been said that death and taxes are life's two guarantees.  We are all going to die and our lives are much shorter than we think.  As a kid the years seemed to drag on but every year older we get we realize how short life is.

"The thief comes only to steal and to kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

Jesus tells us that the thief, a.k.a. Satan, wants to steal and kill and destroy, but that He came to give us life to the full.  Life is short.  Which route of life do you want to follow: the route of the thief or that of the Good Shepherd?  The thief presents his route as one of fun and enjoyment and that of the Lord as one of dull repetition.  But that couldn't be further from the truth.  Jesus' path is life to the full and Satan's is a killjoy.  It's just for some reason Satan's path seems to be better marketed.

Not only does Jesus give us a better life here and now but He gives us eternal life.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

I've seen the future; I die and so do you.  I've seen the length of our days; they are short.  You and I are given a choice, a fork in the road as it were.  Which future do you choose?  One of destruction and killjoys or one of abundant living during this life and eternal life to follow?  As for me, the choice is clear. 

Choose wisely today.

The Scourging of Jesus

"He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Surely He took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered Him stricken by God,
smitten by Him, and afflicted.
But He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:3-5

Tonight I spoke to the high schoolers a bit about the agonies that Jesus experienced on the cross and during His scourging.  It is so hard to imagine the physical, much less the emotional, pain that Jesus experienced for us. 

I encourage you to take five minutes and watch this piece from a History documentary about scourging.  This will give you a little better understanding of some of the suffering that Jesus went through for you and I. 

Watch this short video today.

Courageous Characters

Often when we read the Bible we forget that those living in the pages didn't know the end of the story.  We read the stories as if they had some sort of assurance of success.  This is many times not the case.  The men and women in our Bibles were men and women just like us. 

Over the last several months this has been one of my favorite lines in the entire Bible:

"Elijah was a man just like us.  He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.  Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." James 5:17-18 (emphasis added)

"Elijah was a man just like us."

I love that line because too often I read Bible stories like I'm reading Marvel or D.C. comics.  I read about the Hulkish faith of Elijah or the Wonder Woman-like faith of Esther or the Human Torch-like faith of Daniel's friends.  But these men and women, even those of whom we don't get a portrait that includes their flaws, were men and women like us.  Other than Samson's extra-human strength there are no supermen in the Bible.

Yet there are courageous characters like Esther and Daniel's friends.  Let me show you.

"Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me.  Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.  I and my maids will fast as you do.  When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law.  And if I perish, I perish."   Esther 4:15-16 (emphasis added)

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."  Daniel 3:16-18 (emphasis added)

"And if I perish, I perish."
"But even if He does not..."

The people in these stories were never given a promise of success or rescue from God.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego weren't given a revelation from God that they wouldn't be burned to a crisp in the fiery furnace.  Esther had no promise from God that her moody, egotistical husband wouldn't have her killed; in fact, God isn't ever mentioned in the book of Esther.  Yet these men and this young woman had courageous faith.

The common line that I heard again this Sunday is that faith is spelled R-I-S-K.  What is God calling you to faith in?  Where are you being asked to take a risk for your faith?  Do you ever take a risk in faith?  The men and women of the Bible were women and men just like you and I.  These people were not members of the Marvel Universe but they were members of the weak, flawed human race.  If they can have courageous faith you can, too.

Examine your life and ask God where He is asking you to live out a courageous faith today.

Following Jesus' Teachings to Hell

Could someone follow the teachings of Jesus and go to Hell?

I've heard many times of those who "follow the teachings of Jesus."  Now, I try my best to follow the teachings of Jesus, but when these folks I'm referring to say this they mean they simply follow His teachings.  I do not simply follow His teachings.  I cannot simply follow His teachings.

If the Jesus movement was only about following His teachings then the Jesus movement sends us to Hell.  Those who put their minds to or hope in only following the Law are in no worse a place than those who practice this form of Christianish religion.  This may sound strange to you, but following the teachings of Jesus is not enough. 

Now, Christians, this is not to say that we don't follow the teachings of Jesus, because we do.  This is not to say that Jesus' teaching is in anyway void of the power to save.  Rather, I'm saying that those who say their religion or actions are guided by the teachings of Jesus are wise, but those that put their hopes simply in the teachings of Jesus are liable to miss Heaven.

Here's the crux of the issue: I love the teachings of Jesus and strive to follow them, but I NEED the actions of Jesus. 

I dedicate my life to listening to Christ's voice in the Scriptures, but my life is saved by Christ crucified, not by my following His teachings.  I need the Gospel.  Gospel is the Greek word translated "Good New" not "Good Counsel".

What is the Gospel?

"Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the Gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.  By this Gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.  Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time..." 1 Corinthians 15:1-6a

Some of you may be confused by what I'm talking about.  I don't want you to be ignorant of movements like Cultural Christianity or Christian Atheism led in the past by men like Thomas Jefferson or in the present like Richard Dawkins.  This movement is present in "churches", too.  It is estimated that 42% of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (that is a denomination name) do not believe in God or the divinity of Jesus and that non-belief does not keep them from being clergy as 1 in 6 clergy hold the belief.  This belief in "Jesus' teachings" only is an actual thing and it is an eternally deadly thing.

The sad part is to believe in "Jesus' teachings" but to not believe that He is God is to not believe in His teachings at all.  In response to this movement in his lifetime C. S. Lewis famously made the "Liar, lunatic or Lord" argument in Mere Christianity which basically claims to hold this belief is to call Jesus one of the three because Jesus called Himself God.  Jesus taught about so much more than morality.

We as Christians are to follow Jesus's teachings, but we are to follow them because we've been reborn and a new heart has been put in us.  And we can only be reborn if we have been crucified with Jesus and raised with Him to walk in newness of life.  We need the actions of Jesus.  We need the life, death and resurrection of the historical Jesus.  We need God made flesh not just a wise teacher.

Some of my words might seem harsh but our theology is important.  We mustn't accept deadly theology simply because the name of the one we love is mentioned in it. Reject bad theology like this when you see it.  Hold fast to the true Gospel today.

My Dad Comes Through Always

Today at church we spent time in Discipleship Class discussing our adoption as sons of God and in service we talked about how to spiritually mature.

During musical worship my mind was drawn to think of the reality that God is my Father.  That I can call Him Dad.  The first song we sang (and this wasn't planned to be connected to what was taught in Discipleship Class) was "Good, Good Father" by Chris Tomlin.  That song was a God-send, but the song I want to share today is not that song.

I want to share the song "Always" as by Kristian Stanfill and Tricia Brock.  The song is very rich, but on occasion in songs I like to substitute various names of God.  Today my soul was warmed by this.  I switched out the word "God" and in the word "Dad".  I did this to think of my mighty Dad, not my earthly dad.

"Oh, my Dad, He will not delay, my refuge and strength always.
I will not fear, His promise is true
My Dad will come through always.
Always."

I was there holding my son and thinking about how imperfectly I love my son and yet would always do my best to come through for him.  While thinking that thought I thought a higher thought of how my Dad, my Heavenly Father, is so much more loving and more capable than my earthy dad is for me or I am for Joshua.

Listen to this song and substitute the word Dad today.

St. Patrick

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

St. Patrick's Day this year is a little extra fun for me because in August I got to go to Dublin.  Dublin was a neat town with neat sites to see like castles and pubs on nearly every square inch, 751 of them to be exact, with live music and lamb stew.  But I'll tell you the thing I enjoyed most about Ireland was its friendly people.

On St. Patrick's Day we remember a man who did more to affect the people of Ireland than anyone else in history.

In the late 4th century (the 300's for those who don't think in century numbers) Patrick was a 16 year old son of a wealthy Welshman, or more properly Briton at that time.  When Patrick was 16 Irish raiders kidnapped him and brought him back to Ireland as a slave.  Patrick was in Ireland for six years as a slave shepherd.  It was during this time as a boy left all alone with the sheep that he built a relationship with Jesus.  In his solace he found the Good Shepherd.  Then one day he, lead by a vision, walked to the coast and boarded a ship of escape back home.

After several years Patrick got another message from God telling him to return to Ireland as a missionary.  So Patrick spent eighteen years in preparation, which made him an old man for his time by completion of training, and became a priest.  

Patrick returned then to Ireland, to the place of his kidnappers and enslavers, not with a sword but with good news.  

The nation of Ireland was soon filled with churches planted by Patrick but the Church in Rome wasn't completely happy.  See, Patrick was the type of man that read the book of Galatians so when he went to Ireland he didn't go to make them like the Catholics in Rome.  Patrick went to make them Christian and not any less Irish.  Patrick dressed like an Irishman and let them do the same.  Patrick became so much like an Irishman that when billions around the world think of the island they think of Patrick.

St. Patrick died on March 17 in roughly 461 A.D.  He is remembered today very poorly but he should be remembered well.  He should be remembered as a man that loved his enemies, as a man that loved God's design for different cultures and peoples, as a man that was bold and effective in proclaiming Jesus, and as a man that affects the people of Ireland nearly 1,600 years later.

I'll leave you with a prayer attributed to St. Patrick (though the authorship isn't clear) that is known as St. Patrick's Morning Prayer.  Pray this prayer as a way to celebrate this holiday today.

"I arise today

Through the strength of 

Heaven;

Light of the sun,

Splendor of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of the wind,

Depth of the sea,

Stability of the earth,

Firmness of the rock.

I arise today

Through God's strength to 

pilot me;

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak to me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's host to save me

Afar and anear,

Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today

Against wounding

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ in the heart of

everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of 

everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in the eye that sees me,

Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through the mighty strength

Of the Lord of creation."

How Long, O Lord!

One of the great things about being a friend, an elder at the church, a brother, a husband, etc is being invited into other people's pain.  This is one of the biggest burdens and one of the biggest honors in my life.  I have been heartsick and heartbroken for others.  I pray with a broken heart now for those in chemotherapy, those looking homelessness in the eye, those in breaking relationships, those who bury young spouses, those who have made their own bed of sin and those who did nothing to deserve the mess.  On top of this, I have also been sick to my stomach about my own mess a lot.

I'm sick of sin.  I'm sick of the way it affects people.  I'm sick of it in my own heart and I'm sick of it ravaging others.  I'm sick of Satan getting his way.  I'm sick of it all.

I've been thinking a lot about prayer lately.  Perhaps you are sick of reading my thoughts on prayer, but this is where I've been meditating.  One of the greatest things about prayer is our ability to call out to our Dad and complain.  We get to shout out with tears and bury our head in our Father's shoulder and just cry and complain.  Our Heavenly Father has broad shoulders and one day Revelation chapter 21 tells us He will wipe every tear from my eyes and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away (Revelation 21:4).

Until then I'm left with a hurting heart as I watch friends and family bury and mourn and cry and feel immense physical, mental and emotional pain. 

How long, O Lord!

"How long, O LORD?  Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
for He has been good to me." Psalm 13 

I know that God wins.  I've read the end of the book, but right now at times I'm frustrated.  I'm sick and tired of waiting.  I thank God that He lets me be sick of waiting and I thank God that He alone gives me and you the endurance to make it through the valleys of life. 

If life is causing you to cry out "HOW LONG, O LORD!?" then I pray that you pray that open, honest prayer to your Heavenly Father who loves you today.

March Madness

I love the beginning of the NCAA Tournament.  I believe this Thursday through Sunday is the best four days of the sports calendar.  It is better than the World Series or Super Bowl.  These four days are the best because of the buzzer beaters and Cinderellas.

This year we are without TV of any kind, so as a radio guy I'm listening to the games on the radio.  I love it.  So, today has been spent enjoying God's gift of sport and competition.  I truly believe that sport is a good gift from our Father and must be enjoyed with thanksgiving.

This great sports weekend reminds be of a post I wrote six years ago.  Little did I know six years ago that my Cubs would actually win a World Series between then and now.

March Madness

Today marks the true beginning of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  I know they tell us that those play-in games are the first round, but the round of 64 is the true beginning of the tournament.  As a sports fan I love today and Friday.  Today and Friday are my favorite two sporting days; I think they way surpass Super Bowl Sunday or anything barring the day when my Cubbies play in the World Series.

Today 64 teams are trying to become champion.  So, I looked up the word 'champion' today for some inspiration for today's post.

1 Samuel 17:4-7 says, "A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp.  He was over nine feet tall.  He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels (roughly 125-194 lbs); on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.  His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels (about 15 lbs).  His shield bearer went ahead of him."

Goliath fits the mold of a one seed.  He is big.  He's undefeated and the prognosticators see no way of beating him.

Let's meet his opponent.

David was "only a boy, ruddy and handsome."  He had, "his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in hand, approached the Philistine."

David clearly fits the mold of a sixteen seed.  In fact he wouldn't have made it passed Selection Sunday.  I wouldn't chose him to play in the NIT.

But we all know the story, David beats Goliath and cuts his head off after hitting him in the head with a stone.  This story is so familiar.  In fact, if you watch basketball today I can guarantee that an announcer will use the story of David and Goliath in his work.

I know this story is familiar and we all know that David beats Goliath.  But don't miss this.  David didn't know that he'd beat Goliath.  He had all faith in his God, but no where in the story does God promise David that he will win.  David said, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"  David believed that God was greater than Goliath, but he was never promised victory.

That is faith and courage.  This sixteen seed was eager to fight to the death with the one seed who also happened to be a giant professional killer.

Where should you show this kind of faith and courage?  Where is God asking you to step into a desperate situation where victory isn't promised?  Do you believe, like David did, that our God is greater?

Think about this.  Enjoy watching basketball.  Have faith in our God and take courage today

Take the Mad Out of March Madness

I have been thinking a lot about forgiveness lately because of my meditating on The Lord's Prayer.  What I've been dwelling on the last few days is forgiveness and anger.

Are you angry at someone?  Is there someone that you are holding a grudge against?  Is there someone that has made your blood boil?  Is there someone that you've pushed over the boiling point?

Now, there is nothing wrong with anger in and of itself.  Anger is love in motion.  We get angry when what we love is threatened.  If someone came and attacked your friend you would not be wrong to get angry and then do something about it.  If you read the news and get angry about injustice and misuse of power there is nothing necessarily wrong about that.  However, most of my anger and your anger is selfish.  Most of what makes us angry is when our pride is threatened.

"In your anger do not sin': Do not let the sun go down while you are angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."  Ephesians 4:26-27

If you are angry with someone you need to make it right.  If you are causing someone to be angry at you, then you have to make it right.  The Apostle Paul tells us that anger is something to be dealt with now.  You can be angry and not sin but most of the time anger is a source of sin.  Uncontrolled or un-dealt with anger gives the devil a foothold.  Satan loves to use our anger, even righteous anger at times, to tempt us to sin.  Deal with anger quickly.  Do as much as you can to not go to bed angry.

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.'  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.  Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca' is answerable to the Sanhedrin.  But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of Hell.

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:21-24

In Matthew chapter 5 Jesus ratchets up the seriousness of anger and unforgiveness.  He says that anger against a person is the same as murder.  He says even if we call someone an fool or 'raca', which means blockhead, they are committing a serious sin.  He says sinful anger, like all sin, interferes with our ability to worship God.

Jesus says if you have something causing anger between you and another to set it right immediately.  Jesus says that if someone were bringing a sacrifice to the temple in Jerusalem and then remembers a relationship that is out of whack that they should leave the sacrifice for later and take care of the relationship immediately.  This is radical.  Imagine someone from Jesus' hometown of Nazareth doing this.  According to Google Maps it would take someone 31 hours to walk from Jerusalem to Nazareth and that's without stopping.  Jesus tells those listening that ridding anger from a relationship is worth doing that.  What have you done to make a relationship right?

Don't let the sun go down on your anger.  Take anger against someone very seriously because Jesus does.  Fight against anger because Paul says the devil uses anger against us.  Anger is not a little issue, it is a big issue.  With whom do you have a beef?  Have you done your part to fix it?  Obviously you can't force them to not be mad at you, but have you given it a try?  Pastor Scott said on Sunday that no one can make you angry but you.  Have you given up on your anger?  My dad says holding a grudge with someone is like having a jail on a U-Haul trailer and taking it with you everywhere.  Have you unhitched the jail cell?

Do this.  Do this as soon as possible.  Anger and unforgiveness are huge problems.  Take the mad out of March Madness today.

* "Anger is love in motion." is a quote I misattributed to Tim Keller but upon further investigation I believe I took that from Jonathan Parnell