A Sunday Morning Prayer

Lord Jesus, I want to worship You today. I realize that it is my greatest privilege to worship You every moment of every day of my week. Yet, today is special in that I will join with my family of friends to focus on You.

We will sing to You. We will pray to You. We will listen to You as Your Word is taught and preached by folks who have studied at Your feet. We will also make the necessary adjustments in our thinking, behavior and attitudes as we hear from You.

I guess what I'm saying is that today is all about You, Jesus. It's about me enjoying You and praising You for the experience. In fact, I'm convinced that the way that I can show how wonderful You really are to me is to enjoy You today ... not just 'show up for church.' I pray that I will be able to really enjoy and experience You today in the congregation of Your people.

For that to happen, please cleanse me of any sin in my heart that would hinder me from enjoying You. As You bring specific sins to my mind, I will confess and forsake them specifically. Experiencing You today in an incredible way is worth any preparation it will take to make it happen. Amen.

Bearing a striking resemblance to God

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to read certain verses in the Bible and how infinitely difficult it is to

actually put them into practice? I certainly have!

In my prayer time, I often use "Handbook to Prayer" by Kenneth Boa to guide my prayers. In today's prayer guide, he offered Matthew 5:44 as a verse to pray through. That verse says:

Matthew 5:44 (New Living Translation)

"But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!"

Easy to read. Extremely difficult to put into practice.

After all, it comes natural to hold grudges, doesn't it? It feels normal and we feel justified when we avoid (ignore) those who have hurt us. It might even be easy to go so far as to undermine them by talking badly about them to others.

But, if you look in the neighborhood in which Matthew 5:44 camps out, you'll see that there's more on the line than just being merciful and gracious to those who have hurt us. The big idea is this: When we are merciful and gracious to others, especially those who have hurt us, we are evidencing the qualities of a true child of God. 

God loves His enemies. Do you want others to see the family resemblance when they look at you? Do the same thing.

Matthew 5:43-48 (New Living Translation)

"You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I (Jesus) say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect."

Periodically, folks look at one of our three boys and say something like, "Wow! The resemblance is striking! He sure looks like his dad!"

Do you want to look like your Heavenly Father? Love the unlovable today.

The Temptation of Jesus

We all know what temptation is, don't we? We've been there, done that and could write a book about it.

As far as what temptation is in its essence, it is when desire meets opportunity. 

If I have a desire for a Diet Coke (that Kim tells me I'm supposed to avoid) but don't have access to one, then there is no temptation. If, on the other hand, I have access to a Diet Coke but don't have the desire to consume it, there is no temptation. Yet, if I am craving a Diet Coke and one is placed in front of me ... walla! ... temptation!

From that we can understand what sinful temptation is. It occurs when we have a sinful desire and an opportunity to indulge that desire. 

But what about Jesus? In my Bible reading this morning, I came across Luke 4:1-13 where it gives the account of Jesus' temptation. This is a point of much debate and has been for centuries. 

Why? Because Jesus is God in the flesh. As God in the flesh, He was fully human yet lacked one thing that every other human had/has - the sin nature. We are all born with a sin nature that explains our sinful cravings. We sin and violate God's laws because there is within us what the Bible sometimes calls "the flesh" that wants to focus upon gratifying self regardless of what God has said. Even though God's laws are given for our good, we often violate them to our own harm ... because of the sin nature.

Well, Jesus didn't have a sin nature. Thus, the question: "How could Jesus be tempted if He didn't have a sin nature? He was given opportunities to sin by Satan in Luke 4:1-13 but if He didn't have the desire, then how could it be temptation?" But, an even bigger question than that is, "How could it be said that Jesus was tempted when He was, in fact, God?" God can't be tempted, right (James 1:13)?

Luke 4:1-2 (New Living Translation)

"Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry."

For starters, the Word of God calls it "temptation" so, well, um, that's what it was whether we understand it or not.

Second, Adam and Eve were not created with a sin nature. They were created neutral to sin. They could take it or leave it. Unlike us, there wasn't a driving force within them that compelled them to sin. Yet, they sinned. 

I believe that it is in this way that we are to understand Jesus' human nature. He was fully human. Yet, He had more in common with Adam than He did with you or me. (In fact, Jesus is compared/contrasted to Adam in the New Testament - see Romans 5:12-21 & 1 Corinthians 15:45-49). He did not have the driving force to sin within Him that you and I have. He was neutral to sin like Adam and Eve in their original state. In His human nature, He could take it or leave it.

Yet, that being the case, one can see how even though Jesus was neutral to sin could be tempted in the three areas that Satan hurled at Him.

Jesus was hungry (He hadn't eaten for 40 days!) and Satan tempted Him with the idea of recklessly using His divine power to turn rocks into bread (Luke 4:3-4). That would be VERY tempting!

Jesus knew that claiming a position of authority over the world would require His substitutionary death (see Philippians 2:5-11). Satan provided a shortcut (Luke 4:5-8). We can see how this would be tempting, can't we?

In the third and final temptation, it seems as if Satan was calling upon Jesus to prove that He really was a person of divine value. He could find out by jumping off the highest point of the temple and seeing Heaven's angelic host come to His rescue (Luke 4:9-12). The assurance from Heaven could be tempting. 

So, it is true that Jesus was tempted. Even though His human nature was neutral to sin, we can see how the temptation that Satan lobbed at Him was truly tempting.

Yet, how are we to understand that Jesus was tempted when we consider His divine nature? After all, since He was God in the flesh, He couldn't be tempted (see James 1:13)?

An explanation that has made the most sense to me is found in the book, "Systematic Theology" by Wayne Grudem. In it, the author states that we may understand Jesus' human nature by picturing someone in a baseball game. They are the catcher behind home plate. The pitcher winds up and throws the ball. The catcher is supposed to catch it and absolutely not let it get past him. Yet, if the ball gets past him, there is a backstop behind him to stop the ball.

It was noted that the human nature of Jesus is the "catcher." Satan lobbed temptations at Him and he combated those temptations in the realm of His human nature. (If He had combated them in the realm of His divine nature, it could not have been accurately said that He was tempted since God cannot be tempted.) If His human nature had failed and was made willing to yield to temptation, His divine nature would have stopped it from happening. Yet, that never happened. Jesus battled Satan and sin in His flesh and emerged victorious.

In fact, we could even say that Jesus knows what temptation is like even more than we do. We often only experience momentary temptation before we give in. Yet, Jesus bore the full weight of temptation because He refused to give in.

So, Hebrews 4:15 is absolutely accurate when it says that Jesus was genuinely tempted. "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin."

Since Jesus has experienced temptation and understands what it's like, call out to Him when you are struggling. Not only does He know all things as God, He experientially knows what it's like. He can help you, friend.

On Misunderstandings and Jumping to Conclusions

Have you ever jumped to a conclusion? I mean, have you ever thought you completely understood a situation, made an assessment that caused you to get hot around the collar ... and then found out that your assessment was wrong?

We all have!

Everyone of us has been guilty of jumping to conclusions (or as a former pastor friend and mentor [Wallace York] used to say - "Jumping to a concussion"). Instead of gathering as much information as possible, we recklessly gather only a few of the facts and then assume that we have enough information to make a definitive decision. Then, we justify our anger and condemnation. Oftentimes, we are wrong and must humbly apologize.

In my Bible reading this morning, I came across a story where "Jumping to Conclusions" is beautifully illustrated. It is found in Joshua 22. Here's what happened:

After the Promised Land had been conquered, the leader Joshua released the Israelite tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He told them that they had been faithful in carrying out their end of the bargain by helping the other tribes conquer the land. They were free to go back to their home on the east side of the Jordan River.

On their way back, though, they "stopped to build a large and imposing altar" (Joshua 22:10). Why did they do this? Listen to their explanation. We have no reason to doubt the veracity of their words...

Joshua 22:26-27 (New Living Translation)

“So we decided to build the altar, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a memorial. It will remind our descendants and your descendants that we, too, have the right to worship the lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings. Then your descendants will not be able to say to ours, 'You have no claim to the lord.'"

So, their motives were pure and there was nothing essentially wrong with what they did. But, before their intentions were explained, someone jumped to a conclusion! They were almost killed for their actions!

Joshua 22:11-12 (New Living Translation)

"The rest of Israel heard that the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar at Geliloth at the edge of the land of Canaan, on the west side of the Jordan River. So the whole community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against them."

Why was the rest of Israel willing to go to war again the 2 1/2 tribes who had built their altar? We see later in the chapter that they misjudged the motives of those who had built it. They assumed that it was an alternate place of worship. That being the case, there was fear that God would bring judgment upon them all for this act (Joshua 22:15-20).

But, fortunately(!), reason prevailed and they talked before taking action (Joshua 22:15-31). They went away peaceably. No one got hurt and the bond of their relationship remained strong.

So, what about you? Do you find it easy to jump to conclusions? When you make an assumption regarding someone's intentions or actions that you believe to be wrong or sinful, do you go to them and talk it out or do you hold onto your critical attitude?

As we saw in this story, there's a good chance that you could be completely wrong in your assessment.

Don't jump to a concussion! Patiently gather facts. Love others enough to talk things out. Satan would love to divide God's people. Don't let him do it.

Praying God's Word

One practice that I have come to enjoy is turning God's Word into my personal prayers. I learned this at a Promise Keepers gathering about 15 years ago.

Essentially, all it requires is to read through God's Word. When I come across something that seems particularly relevant, I change a few of the words to make it my own and then I pray it to God.

Here's how it works. I came across 1 Peter 5:8-9 this morning. Here's what it says:

1 Peter 5:8-9 (New Living Translation)

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are."

Here's how I might pray it:

"Lord Jesus, please help me to stay alert and watchful today.

I know that I had better be diligent because I have an incredibly powerful enemy, the devil. He prowls around just like a roaring lion who would love to paralyze me with fear and doubt. He spends his days looking for someone to devour.

Lord Jesus, help me to realize that while my enemy has a loud roar, he is chained and cannot touch me without Your permission. Help me to stand firm against him, to resist him as a courageous warrior of the cross. Allow me to experience that courage that comes by wholeheartedly trusting you, being strong in your faith.

And Lord, please help me to never forget that I'm not in this alone. Help me to remember that my brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering and tempting circumstances as I am.

And finally, help me to remember that one day, it will all be over as I stand before you in glory. I want to live today in light of eternity. Amen."

Try doing this in your own time with the Lord. It takes the two basic Christian disciplines, Bible intake and prayer, and combines them. The end result is that you are essentially meditating on God's Word and allowing it to take root in your mind and heart.

Faith, Doubt and God's Glory

There will always be people who make God look bad.

While they proclaim that He is all-powerful, they will live in defeat.

While they proclaim that He is over all other supposed "gods," they will live in doubt and fear.

While they proclaim that He sovereignly works out His perfect plan, they will second guess what He is doing in their lives.

This happened when Moses sent the 12 spies into the Promised Land (see Numbers 13). Ten of them returned and said that the land was as wonderful as God had said. Yet, they also warned that the people were giants and the city walls were massive. There was no way that they would be able to take it ... in spite of the promises of their God.

So, since they doubted God's plan, power and presence, they doomed themselves to live in that reality. Their existence for 40 long years was that of wandering through the desert of life. Babies were born and old people died. They ate the same bland food for 40 years. It was a pitiful, boring existence for 40 longs years when they could have had the adventure of fulfilling God's plan for their lives.

Fast-forward 40 years to Joshua's leadership when they crossed the Jordan River on dry ground and began to take the Promised Land. Fast-forward 45 more years to a conversation that Caleb and Joshua had (the only 2 original spies who were still alive because they trusted God).

Caleb, who is now 85 years old was long past "retirement" age. Yet, He knew that God's name had been blasphemed when those 10 spies caused the nation of Israel to doubt God's plan, power and presence.

So, Caleb asked Joshua for a specific plot of land. The enemy inhabited that land and Caleb wanted it. But it wasn't just any enemy. It was the giants that caused the 10 spies to doubt their ability to take the Promised Land (Numbers 13:28). It was the sons of Anak!

Well Caleb knew that God's name had been drug through the mud. It made him sick. So, he determined to do something about it.

Caleb was going to show that with God's assistance, even a worn out 85 year old man could take down the "sons of Anak!" He wasn't going to fight those giants for his own glory. He was going to engage them to show that God can do whatever God wants to do. He wanted to show that there can be the adventure of a lifetime when we side with God and trust His plan, power and presence in our lives!

Listen closely to Caleb's words as he speaks with Joshua, the leader of Israel: 

Joshua 14:10-12 (New Living Translation)

“Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as He promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise - even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.”

So, friend, what does your life do? Does it show others how wonderful your God is or does it cause them to doubt His power ... or His existence? Are you more like the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for 40 longs years or are you like Caleb who wanted to show others how incredible His God was?

These are no small questions. Because, if you read the story, you'll see that God disciplined the doubters and blessed those who trusted Him.

What can you do beginning today to show others how great your God is?

Today's 10 mile training run

Today's 10 mile run

I'm excited about how my running habit is progressing! I was averaging about 30-40 miles a week of running before we moved to Murray, Kentucky last summer. When we arrived, the overwhelming task of getting to know, love and lead the people in my new ministry assignment along with my wife's major health concerns overwhelmed me and running was placed on the back burner.

The very habit of running that I had developed to help me deal with stress was getting squeezed out of my schedule when I needed it most!

So, now with Kim's health concerns in our rear view mirror (prayerfully!) and with the slippery roads of winter behind us (hopefully!), I'm getting back into running. I put in 21 miles this week as I continue to rebuild my weekly mileage.

As I continue to prepare for the Murray Half Marathon on April 12th (only 20 days away), I went out on a 10 mile run today. One of the thoughts that crossed my mind as I ran was: "I can't believe I'm able to do this! Only 3-4 years ago, I could barely run a city block or two without getting so winded that I had to stop and walk." I privately had wondered if I would EVER be able to run ... if there was something wrong with me."

Yet, I was running a 10 mile run in a respectable time. Here's a brief review of how today's run played out:

I hydrated this morning by drinking a cup of coffee, 24 oz of watered down Gatorade and some water. I stopped by a store to grab another Gatorade for post-run and a bag of gummy bears to put in my pocket for the run. 

As I approached 7am when I would begin the run with Jamie Mantooth, I just didn't feel like I was as mentally prepared as I would have desired. I didn't have a passion to tackle the 10 miles today. It just felt like a day that I would go out and do what I had to do ... hoping my body wouldn't give out.

For the first 3 miles, I found that my eyes kept looking at my watch to keep tabs on my heart rate. I wanted to keep it sub-170. Yet, I think I was stressing myself out. I wasn't enjoying the run. 

So, at the conclusion of mile 3, I changed my watch display to show 'distance traveled' and the 'clock.' I kept it that way for the next 7 miles. Doing so allowed me to simply get into the run and do it according to 'feel.' I noticed post-run that when I stopped stressing over my watch, my pace picked up significantly and my heart rate elevated only slightly.

Somewhere around the conclusion of mile 7 or 8, I was feeling really tired! Yet, as I turned north onto 641, I was able to run the downhill slope that leads up to the Walmart entrance with a reasonably strong northern breeze pushing me from behind.

Murray Half Marathon Route (April 12, 2014)

I fought through the last couple of miles. My body wanted to stop but my mind wouldn't let it. I noticed after my run that I was slowing on the last couple of miles but that's OK. I got it done.

Here are my paces per mile:
Mile 1  -  9:52   (168bpm)
Mile 2  -  10:05   (168bpm)
Mile 3  -  10:36   (166bpm)
Mile 4  -  9:46   (171bpm)
Mile 5  -  9:52   (172bpm)
Mile 6  -  10:09   (171bpm)
Mile 7  -  10:02   (173bpm)
Mile 8  -  9:44   (165bpm)
Mile 9  -  9:58   (173bpm)
Mile 10  -  10:17   (164bpm)
Last 1/4 mile  -  10'36"   (166bpm)

I'm looking forward to training for the next couple of weeks and then taper the week of the race. I don't think I will be able to beat my last half marathon time/pace (2:04:18 / 9'30") because my fitness isn't nearly what it should be. Yet, I hope to give it my all and try to come as close to a 2 hour finish time as possible.

Is the Lord on My Side?

This question often arises when lines have been drawn and sides taken. Some may privately satisfy themselves that they are right by thinking: "The Lord is on MY side."

You see, we are so egocentric that we question whether the Lord is on our side when the true question is this: "Am I on the Lord's side?"

Before taking Jericho, Joshua met with the Lord. We know it was God because He accepted Joshua's worship and told Joshua that the place he was standing was holy ground. God had previously told Moses the same thing at the burning bush (Exodus 3:5).

Before Joshua knew it was God in the flesh, he asked the man standing before him, "Are you my friend or enemy? Are you on my side or on the opposing side?"

God would have none of it. Listen to this brief conversation.

Joshua 5:13-15 (New Living Translation)

"When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, 'Are you friend or foe?'

'Neither one,' he replied. 'I am the commander of the lord’s army.'

At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. 'I am at your command,' Joshua said. 'What do you want your servant to do?'

The commander of the lord's army replied, 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.' And Joshua did as he was told."

Rather than spend today wondering if God is on your side, spend your time making certain that you are on His side.

Three Habits of the "Strong and Courageous"

Let's admit it. Even as adults, when we watch an adventure movie or read an action book that has a clear hero or heroine, we find ourselves wanting to be like them. We don't don superhero capes like we may have done as children. Yet, the point is clear - we want to be the kind of people who can handle whatever comes our way and serve others in the process. And we want to be able to look back over what we have done and feel really good about it.

In short, we want to be strong and courageous.

As I read through Joshua chapter 1 this morning, I came across the commissioning of Joshua. Moses was dead. The Israelites were about to conquer the Promised Land. Joshua was the new leader and God may have sensed that Joshua was feeling like he wasn't up to the task. He wasn't the hero that Israel needed him to be.

So, God gave him three very specific action points to focus on. If he engaged in these three habits, the end result would be a strong and courageous leader for Israel.

First, Believe God's Promises (Joshua 1:6)

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them." (New Living Translation)

It’s a given that in life there will be obstacles that are much larger than us. Times of decision, trial, temptation and more will come that would cause us to run in fear.

A follower of Jesus who is strong and courageous is someone who is resting in God's promises. We know what is going on around us. We aren't delusional. But, we are much more convinced of the reality of God's precious promises. We cling to a promise of God from His Word.

Second, Obey God's Precepts (Joshua 1:7-8)

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do." (New Living Translation)

Simply put, God will not bless someone who is toying with sin (no matter how big or small the sin is). Added to the seriousness of sin is this fact - someone who is a child of God and also in sin will have bouts of guilt. A guilty conscience hardly lends itself to being strong and courageous.

A follower of Jesus who is strong and courageous is someone who is obeying God's Word. We are 'sold out' for Jesus. We are passionately pursing Him and obeying His Word. There is no guilty conscience and God is free to bless our lives.

Third, Practice God's Presence (Joshua 1:9)

"This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the lord your God is with you wherever you go." (New Living Translation)

Life can feel very lonely, especially when it gets tough. Such a mindset will undermine your ability to tackle the obstacles in front of you.

A follower of Jesus who is strong and courageous is someone who realizes that God is with them wherever they go. In fact, we realize that God's Holy Spirit is actually inside our body. Just as God the Father took up His powerful residence inside the Old Testament temple, so has God the Holy Spirit taken up residence inside the body of ever believer. Rest in the fact that God will never leave you nor forsake you.

God is looking for folks to use. He's building His Kingdom. But, He wants folks who are strong and courageous who will play key roles in the story of redemption.

Will you develop the habits of the kind of people that God tends to use? You've only got one life to live. Make the most of it!

Leadership and mentoring

Every single society that has ever existed was only one generation away from complete collapse.

Thus, the absolute necessity for one generation to mentor the next!

One fact is guaranteed - neither you nor I will live on this planet forever. Sooner or later, we're going to die. Unless Jesus comes back very soon, life will carry on. Whether or not life is better or worse after we die, to a great extent, depends upon our diligence in equipping the next generation.

In my Bible reading this morning, Moses died. His time as Israel's leader and God's spokesman had come to an end. But, the nation of Israel continued. So, if there was any hope of success for the next generation, Moses would have been wise to mentor someone who could take over after his demise. He did!

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 (New Living Translation)

"Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, 'Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.'"

You cannot help but notice as you read Exodus, Numbers & Deuteronomy that Moses spent much time with Joshua. Not only did he publicly affirm him … he also spent years teaching and mentoring him.

This is the reason why God was able to use Joshua after Moses' death. This is the reason why it was said of Joshua:

Deuteronomy 34:9 (New Living Translation)

"And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses."

Who are you mentoring?

If you are a parent, the answer is clear. You have the next generation in your house. Ask God to give you the wisdom to train them so that He could use them for incredible purposes.

If you are a teacher in the public school system, a Sunday School teacher, etc., your job isn't simply to do information download sessions. It's to equip the next generation. You are helping to increase the odds that the next generation will carry on after our generation has gone.

If you are a boss, your job is often ultimately to work yourself out of a job. If the people who work for you are growing more dependent upon you, you aren't mentoring. Ideally, you are training your employees so that they are able to continue doing their tasks if you were to miss a day or leave the company.

If you have been married for many years, you may want to "adopt" a younger married couple. You've learned a lot of lessons about marriage that the younger generation may have to learn the hard way unless you take the time to mentor them.

Ultimately, as followers of Jesus, we are to strive to be like Him. That means that we will intentionally mentor the next generation who will carry on after we depart. Remember, He chose 12 men. He mentored them for 3 years so that they could take over when He left the scene.

Strive to be like Jesus.

Sermon (video): The Secret of Power-Filled Living (Ephesians 1:19-23)

Did you know that praying for God to give you the strength to make it through a trying time is wrong and unbiblical? I've prayed that way before and I'm sure you have, too. But, for a follower of Jesus, such words shouldn't come out of our mouths.

Truth be told, we already have all of God's power that we will ever need at our fingertips. We simply fail, all too often, to experience it.

This sermon unpacks Ephesians 1:19-23. It describes the kind of power that we already have as followers of Jesus and explains how we can tap into it.

To view the sermon, simply click here.

The Bible, Rufus and puzzles

In my Bible reading this morning (Deuteronomy 30-31; Mark 15), I came across the story of Jesus' crucifixion. Specifically, I read about how Jesus had to carry His own cross to the place where He would be crucified.

There is a verse that I found intriguing. It is Mark 15:21 and it says: "A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)"

One principle that a reader of Scripture must realize is that nothing, absolutely nothing, is put in the Bible without purpose. We may not always know the purpose and may not find out until we get to Heaven. Yet, we can be assured that in the economy of words used in Scripture, everything that God said through the Bible writers is there intentionally.

So, that being said, why did Mark mention that the man who helped carry Jesus' cross (whose name was Simon of Cyrene) had two sons named Alexander and Rufus? Could it be that Mark anticipated that some of his Gentile readers would know those guys?

Could it be that one of those sons was mentioned in Romans 16:13? Could it be that at least one of Simon's sons would be an incredible blessing to the Apostle Paul? In his letter to the Christians living in Rome, the Apostle Paul wrote: "Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me."

As I pointed out in last night's Bible study, the Bible is like a puzzle that is beautifully put together. Even though it was written over a 1,400-1,500 year period by about 40 authors from all walks of life, it is obvious that a divine Author was behind it since everything fits together so perfectly.

The fun thing about Bible study is that as you get more and more familiar with the Bible's content, you will begin to see things fit together more often. Pretty cool!

Forgiving those who hurt us

It is impossible to go through life without being hurt and offended. In fact, you will be hurt by others so many more times than you will be able to count. 

Whether it's a family member, a friend, someone you don't know or someone who can't stand you, you are definitely going to get your feelings hurt as you walk through life. 

Maybe the offense will come in the form of hurtful words ... or words that were left unsaid. 
Maybe the offense will be actions that deeply hurt you ... or actions that were left undone. 
Maybe someone intentionally hurt you ... or it happened by sheer accident. 
On and on we could go with the endless possibilities of how folks will offend you.

This problem is compounded when we reflect upon what it taking place in our society. Not too many years ago, society believed that you had no right to intentionally offend someone. Now, we believe you have no right to be offended. What's the difference? Simply put, more people have a 'chip on their shoulder' these days and are unwilling to forgive someone when they knock that chip off.

So, the issue is not whether you will have hurtful things happen to you. The issue is how you will handle those hurtful things. Will you hold onto them or will you let them go?

When you think about it, it is insane to hold onto grudges as you refuse to forgive. That mindset sounds like this: "Since you hurt me, I will continue to hurt myself for a very long time. I will dwell on your offense until it adversely affects my relationships, until it affects my outlook on life ... hey, I may even hold onto it long enough that it gives me high blood pressure and a heart attack! I'll get you back by hurting me!"

For the follower of Jesus, holding onto hurts is not an option. Forgiveness is always our response. To refuse to forgive is sin.

In my Bible reading this morning, I was brought into the events of Jesus' last night with this disciples before He was led to His crucifixion. Listen to a conversation Jesus had with Peter, a man He had mentored for 3 full years:

Mark 14:26-31 (New Living Translation)
"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
And Jesus said to them, 'You will all fall away, for it is written, "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered." But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.' 
Peter said to him, 'Even though they all fall away, I will not.' 
And Jesus said to him, 'Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.' 
But he said emphatically, 'If I must die with you, I will not deny you.' And they all said the same."

Did you get that? On the way to the Mount of Olives (the Garden of Gethsemane is there) where Jesus would be betrayed within a few hours, He tried to comfort His disciples. He told them they would abandon Him when it got tough but He would meet them in Galilee after it was over (as if to say that He would overlook the offense).

What did Peter do as Jesus was overwhelmed with grief? (After all, the Cross was less than 24 hours away.) Jesus could have used encouragement and affirmation in that moment but that's not what He got. Peter rebuked Jesus publicly and told Him that He didn't know what He was talking about. If you re-read Peter's last statement above, He essentially calls Jesus a liar. 

This is what Peter was saying: "Jesus, you say that I will deny you. You don't know what you're talking about. You aren't speaking the truth about me. I will never deny You no matter what you say about me!"

As that evening played out, Judas betrayed Jesus and He watched as they all ran away like cowards (if I had been in their shoes, I suspect I would have done the same thing). They abandoned Him. Their words and their actions were so hurtful that if Jesus had outright rejected them forever, we would not have blamed Him.

Yet, He DID forgive them ... completely! If you want to see how beautifully Jesus forgave these men and welcomed them back into His heart, just read John 21. There is no doubt whatsoever that as badly as those guys hurt Jesus, He loved them and refused to hold anything against them.

This is the standard by which Jesus tells us forgive others 70 x 7 (Matthew 18:21-22). And by the way, it is noteworthy that Peter was the one who asked the question about how many times we are to forgive those who have hurt us. He would reap the rewards of Jesus' incredible answer.

Today, refuse to hold grudges. Forgive. And keep forgiving. Give others the forgiveness that God has given to you.

Jesus on divorce

In my "Through the Bible in a Year" reading plan this morning, I came across the text on divorce found in Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Divorce is a heart-wrenching activity that is becoming commonplace in our society and churches.

Here are just a few of the many reasons why divorce is so harmful:
It is almost always brought about my sin.
It causes havoc and heartache in the lives of so many.
The security a child needs is tossed out the window.
Long-term financial turmoil often begins.
It violates a solemn wedding vow made before God and witnesses.
Permission to divorce seems to be given to other marriages that are struggling.
The illustration of Jesus' love for His church is broken (Ephesians 5:25-33).
Etc., etc., etc.,

Folks who have divorced for unbiblical reasons can certainly be forgiven (there are most certainly biblical grounds for divorce that are not sinful). Yet, followers of Jesus and churches should do everything they can to help marriages not only stay together but thrive(!) in light of the epidemic of divorce that is taking place in our society.

In my reading this morning, I saw where God (through Moses) spoke into this issue. In Deuteronomy 24:1-4, divorce was regulated by making it clear that if someone divorced his wife and then she married someone else, then he could never again marry his first wife (even if his first wife's second husband died! [I had to really think through this sentence to get it right]).

As you read the following Scripture from Deuteronomy, realize that the first two sentences are simply a statement of what was going on in Israelite society. This type of divorce was not condoned. It simply described a real scenario. The third and following sentences commanded what was to happen when the scenario took place.

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 (New Living Translation)
“Suppose a man marries a woman but she does not please him. Having discovered something wrong with her, he writes her a letter of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house. When she leaves his house, she is free to marry another man. But if the second husband also turns against her and divorces her, or if he dies, the first husband may not marry her again, for she has been defiled. That would be detestable to the Lord. You must not bring guilt upon the land the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession."

Fast forward to the New Testament - specifically Matthew 19:3-10. In this text, the religious hypocrites (Pharisees) came to Jesus and once again tried to trip Him up. They wanted to look for missing pieces in His theological armor … because that is where they would attack Him. So, they came to Him and referred back to the Deuteronomy text we just read.

What was going on behind the scenes was this: there were folks who were in two very different theological camps on this issue. One Jewish religious teacher had a following that believed that divorce could only happen for sexual immorality. Another prominent Jewish teacher taught that divorce could happen for virtually any reason at all.

So, the Pharisees were trying to get Jesus to pick sides ... and anger the side He opposed. Yet, Jesus wouldn't play into their hands. As always, He went to the Scriptures, not someone's teaching.

As Jesus spoke into this situation, me made it clear that marriage was always intended to be between a man and woman for life. When you get to the last verse of the follow text, you see that the disciples realized that if marriage was that permanent, they thought it would be better never to get married! Their conclusion was wrong but they understood what Jesus was saying:

Matthew 19:3-10 (New Living Translation)
"Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: 'Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?'
'Haven't you read the Scriptures?' Jesus replied. 'They record that from the beginning "God made them male and female." And he said, "This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.'
'Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?' they asked.
Jesus replied, 'Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.  And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery - unless his wife has been unfaithful.'
Jesus' disciples then said to him, 'If this is the case, it is better not to marry!'"

If you want to have a better, biblical understanding of this topic, I would recommend the book "Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage" by Jay Adams.

Following Jesus and a desire to be liked

I want to be liked. That being the case, I often struggle when I hear that someone dislikes me. For some reason, they are upset at me and holding a grudge ... and I sometimes struggle to live with that awareness.

I imagine that many folks are like that. But, if we are to be a serious Jesus-follower, we need to get over it.

To be sure, there are plenty of jerks in the Christian community. There are folks who, for one reason or another, make themselves easy to dislike. Don't let this be true of you.

It is also true that we all are capable of offending someone else. In those cases, we need to be humble enough to acknowledge our mess up, go to the person we offended and apologize.

Further, there are many other positive relational habits that we must have in our lives such as:
Be someone who loves even your enemies (Matthew 5:44).
Pray for God's blessings upon even your worst of enemies (Matthew 5:44).
Strive to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).
Never counter-attack when you are wronged (Romans 12:19).

On and on we could go. We are to love others and live in such a way that when we are accused of wrong, any fair-minded person will realize the accusations are unfounded.

But, in my Bible reading this morning, I was reminded of a warning Jesus gave. He said that being a serious Jesus-follower sets us up to be disliked by those around us. When we stand for truth and desire to live in it (and when we desire that others live in it so they can be blessed by God), we will inevitably have folks who will despise us. But, it's OK.

Maybe you are "too serious" about the Bible and following Jesus. Maybe you're presenting a very good illustration of what the Christian life is to be like ... and you make those around you feel guilty about their own lethargic (or sinful) lifestyles.

Maybe you see a family member or friend who is living in sin. Because you love them and want them to be a recipient of God's love and not His justice, you confront them about the sin in their life. Much of the time, they will despise you for it. You have robbed them of the activity that they were pursuing to temporarily bring them happiness. They aren't going to like you for it.

If you are serious about following Jesus (many "Christians" are not - read Matthew 7:21-23), then realize that there will be times that folks won't like you. Get used to it. They did the same to Jesus.

Mark 13:9-13 (New Living Translation)
“When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. For the Good News must first be preached to all nations. But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."

Leaders in the hot-seat

In my Bible reading this morning, I read Mark 12. This is a chapter that, if you allow yourself to get caught up in the story, will elevate your blood pressure! If we had been Jesus' disciples on this particular day, we would have watched these scenes play out with great anticipation ... wondering how it would all end.

It began when Jesus told a parable in Mark 12:1-12. Folks loved stories and Jesus didn't disappoint them. Yet, it seemed quite often that the moral of the stories typically came at the very end and it came like a sucker punch to the gut (of the Pharisees!). The story Jesus told on this occasion got the Pharisees so riled up that they wanted Him arrested and shut up.

Well, Jesus being the leader that He was didn't cower when things got a little testy. His group of disciples needed to see that when times got tough, they needed to step up and stand for truth regardless of the consequences.

However, the tension would greatly escalate in this chapter. Why? Because Jesus' enemies were trying to trip him up public. They would confront Jesus with a virtual "no-win scenario" and put Him in that hot seat when many people were watching.

In Mark 12:13-17, someone asked Him whether it was right to pay taxes to Caesar. As Jesus looked around, He may have seen fire in the eyes of the Jews who despised paying those taxes. He may have also seen the watchful eyes of Roman soldiers waiting to see if He was a revolutionary that needed to be arrested. Talk about tension! His answer was incredible!

In Mark 12:18-27, some folks who believed that this life was all that there is and did not believe in the afterlife posed a ridiculous scenario. Their scenario was so silly that is was laughable ... but it posed a serious question that needed to be answered. Jesus may have seen folks watching Him in anticipation. Would He be able to give a reasonable answer that would satisfy and silence these men? He did!

In Mark 12:28-34, a man asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was. This may not seem like a tough question but it may have been the one that created the most tension. The Roman soldiers weren't interested in this matter. The silliness of the Sadducees was over. This question would have fascinated every Jew present. There were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of laws. There were the laws that God gave in His Word and there were the laws that had been added through the years by the religious leaders. And, everyone present would have their own opinion regarding which law was the most important. No matter what Jesus said, His answer would split the crowd and He would have some that would heartily disagree with Him ... or so they thought. Jesus answered beautifully and everyone was amazed!

Wouldn't it be nice if in leadership situations (parenting, pastoring, leading a company, teaching a classroom of students, positively influencing a friend, etc.) we could make all of our decisions in the comfortable confines of a safe place? Wouldn't it be great if we could retreat to our office or bedroom or a quiet walk in the neighborhood to reflect on the options before making our decisions?

Well, that just isn't going to happen much of the time. Being a leader will mean that there are times when you will have to think on your feet. You'll need to have the presence of mind to reflect and weigh options when others are watching you and waiting for your response. You'll need to have wisdom so that the decision you make is sound and right.

For the follower of Jesus, here are some ways that we can grow in our ability to handle these sorts of situations well:

* Spend much time in Bible study (not just reading; I said "study").

* Spend much time in prayer (revealing your dependence upon God).

* Specifically pray for wisdom and believe that God will give it (James 1:5-8).

* Realize that your life experiences are what God is using to equip you (Romans 8:28-29).

* Always be in a state of trusting in the Lord; He will guide you (Luke 12:11-12).

Movie Review: "Son of God"

I watched the most recent re-telling of Jesus' ministry, death, burial and resurrection. As is expected, there were many reviews that held the movie in high regard. Yet, there were others that accused the authors of seasoning it with spiritualism and New Age theology. 

The movie, 'Son of God', had been in theaters for a week. If I had a right to form an opinion, I needed to see the thing. So, I went with my family and friends from church and watched it this afternoon. 

Long story short, I would recommend this movie ... with some reservations.

The movie's strengths

We are a very visual society that struggles to use our creative imaginations. This movie speaks into our new way of thinking. It adds life and color to the stories of the Bible and brings them alive on the screen.

It helped paint a clearer picture of why the Jews were so "anti-Roman." The brutality of the Romans was brought alive in this movie making it clear why the Jews were looking for a Messiah who would free them from Roman domination.

The acting was pretty good. Usually, I am frustrated (embarrassed, really) at Christian movies that have a great message but lack the kind of stellar acting that can bring you into the story. This movie was well done.

I could keep going but let's look at some points where I had reservations:

The movie's weaknesses

There were small matters that really perturbed me. Like the fact that Mary and Jesus were white, Caucasians! There is also the matter of the magi showing up at Jesus' birth (something that didn't happen until Jesus was probably around 2 years of age). Or, when Nicodemus came to Jesus in broad daylight when John 3 says he came at night. And then, the most unforgivable of mistakes ... Jesus and His disciples sat in chairs as they observed the Last Supper. lol

Joking aside, there were other more substantive issues that I had with the movie.

There were many, many times in the movie where conversations or actions that happened at two distinct times where consolidated into one event. This happened over and over. It could be considered careless on the part of the writers. Yet, I will give them the benefit of the doubt and say that they wanted to get as much of the Gospels into the movie as possible - thus the need to consolidate and rewrite much of the Gospel narratives.

Yet, there were other instances where words were completely replaced. For instance, when the woman caught in the act of adultery was brought to Jesus, He is quoted in the Bible as saying: "He who is without sin cast the first stone" (John 8:7). Yet, in the movie, Jesus said: "I'll give my stone to the first man who tells me he has never sinned." 

Now, this may seem like a small matter but we must ask the question, "What justified changing Jesus' words?" Apparently, the authors thought they could improve on what Jesus said. Left alone, I could overlook this one instance but it happened quite often in the movie. I was left feeling like the actual story with the actual words used in the very Word of God weren't good enough and needed to be improved for the screen.

Another matter that concerned me was this: "What was up with Jesus' hands?!" He loved touching people and at times, it seemed as if as He touched them, they experienced something. The most obvious expression of this phenomena was when Jesus confronted Barabbas (who apparently had momentarily escaped from jail. lol). Barabbas was acting tough around Jesus until Jesus approached him and held out his hand to Barabbas' stomach. Jesus didn't touch him, but something happened. Barabbas seemed shocked at what appeared to be a force field that radiated from Jesus' hand. Whatever it was, Barabbas cowered away from Jesus' presence.

A moment I found appalling (as someone who understands a little of Jewish culture) was when Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus. He didn't stand outside and call for Lazarus to come back to life and exit the tomb ("Lazarus, come out!") like the Scripture says He did (John 11:43). Instead, Jesus actually entered the tomb with Martha, did the hand thing on Lazarus (that I have already mentioned) and then kissed his head. When Jesus opened his eyes, so did Lazarus. By this time, I began to be offended by how much literary licence they were taking with the Word of God.

Then, there was the whole issue of how Jesus, as God in the flesh, was able to interact with His divine mind without violating His humanness. Better stated, how did Jesus become conscious of things that He did not previously know? For instance, in the movie, Jesus finds overwhelming comfort when Peter says that he would never deny Jesus. While Jesus embraces Peter, it seems as if a thought came to Jesus' mind and all of a sudden, He knew of Peter's betrayal. The same thing happened at the Last Supper when Jesus, in a moment, became aware of the fact that Judas was the betrayer. In my understanding, this is not at all how Jesus was able to perceive facts that His human mind could not have known.

I'll end with this final thought: There was one primary emphasis that was strangely silent in this whole movie - the issue of redemption. There was no talk of human guilt or sin or God's judgment upon sinners. In Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, this issue could have come up (see John 3:14-21). 

If someone entered the movie theater without knowing why it was necessary for Jesus to die as our substitute on the cross, I am convinced that they would wonder why He ended up there. It wouldn't have made sense to them. The cross only makes sense when we understand the issue of human guilt before a holy God and the necessity of divine judgment. The beauty of the cruel cross was that God paid the sin debt of those who would believe. In my estimation, that message wasn't clear ... or even addressed.

In fact, as Jesus hung on the cross, Jesus recounted at least half of the seven sayings that are ascribed to Him in Scripture. The one that is arguably the most powerful is when He cried out, "It is finished!" (or literally, "Paid in Full!"). This statement revealed that the payment for sin was completed, the work Jesus came to do was over and He was free to exit. Yet, this statement was only quietly said by him for no one else to hear. Simply put, the Gospel was never presented, even one time, in this movie about why Jesus came.

Conclusion

So, having said all of that, some may be amazed that I would still recommend this movie. Yet, my counsel would be this: Know your Bible and then as you watch the movie, eat the meat and spit out the bones. Don't swallow it all!

There is much to be enjoyed in this movie, even in spite of its pitfalls.