Thanks for Engaging!

I'm back from vacation!

Thanks to all who participated in our Summer challenge to engage the Scriptures. I hope you all got as much out of it as I did.

With summer behind us, Community Groups will be restarting very soon. We will hold a Group.Link event on Sunday Sept. 21st to give all of you a chance to join in. I challenge all of you to be there that Sunday for lunch at Zion Christian School.

That's all for now.

I pray that you continue to engage the Scriptures!

PEACE,
Pastor Josh

Hanging with Gustav

I feel I have a responsibility to let my 'thousands' of readers know that I'll be taking a break from blogger so that Brianna and I can spend some quality time on vacation with our friend Gustav. Till then, happy reading. -Josh

Thurs. Aug. 28th :: Acts 25 :: Stay on Mission

Paul answered: "I am now standing before Caesar's court, where I ought
to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know
very well. 11 If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death,
I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews
are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to
Caesar!"

(Acts 25.10-11)

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Some might wonder why in the world Paul would choose to appeal his case to Caesar. After-all, Caesar Nero was by all accounts a certifiably psychotic whack-job who would ultimately order the death of both Peter and Paul. In this way, Acts 25 is in some sense analogous to an American soldier who, after being captured, appeals for a hearing before Osama Bin Laden himself. It was suicide. So why appeal to Caesar?

A couple reasons perhaps.

1) Appealing to Caesar would guarantee Paul the opportunity he had longed for, to end his life proclaiming the message of King Jesus before the most powerful King of this world. By doing this, the gospel would have made its way from the tiny hick-town of Nazareth to the most powerful city in the world. Just as Jesus saw it as his destiny to die in Jerusalem, Paul seemed to see it as his destiny to die, bearing witness to Jesus, in Rome itself.

2) Second, the appeal to Caesar was almost sure to buy Paul some time to do the most important activity of his life. It would buy him time to write. 2 thirds of the NT was penned by Paul, and we would not have much of that had it not been for the time the apostle spent in prison—awaiting trial—with plenty of free hours to write what would become our Bible.


So why does this matter?

For me today, it strikes me as another example of how committed Paul was to his mission. If appealing to a despotic maniac helped Paul fulfill his calling, then it was an easy decision. He would appeal to Caesar, even if it meant certain death. The goal was always the same: “stay on mission, period.”

I don’t do as well at that as Paul does. Not even close. Yet it’s something worth striving for. As a pastor the mission of our church is to develop and deploy ‘non-religious’ followers of Jesus Christ. That means we want to dedicate all our resources and energy to discipling and sending out folks who look a little more like Jesus, and a little less like the dead and false ‘religion’ that sometimes pervades the church. That’s the mission, period.

Given that, here’s a question for today:

What would it look like for you this week to contribute in some way—through a conversation, or a commitment—to that singular mission?

Wed. Aug. 27th :: Acts 24 :: The Convenient List

Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent
for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul
talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was
afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it
convenient, I will send for you."

(Acts 24.24-26)

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Most of us have a list of things we do only when it is convenient.

For some of us the convenient list applies to exercise, housework, changing the oil, calling mom and dad, vacuuming the rug, etc… We all have a list, and the logic behind every item on it is the assumption that these things are worth doing, but only when they fit into the schedule of other MORE IMPORTANT things. And the scary thing is, our schedules (like our bank accounts) don't lie.

For the Roman governor in this passage, hearing the gospel was an activity placed firmly on the convenient list. He apparently sensed that he should listen to Paul, but when things got a bit too close to home, he backed off until it was 'convenient' to come back.

And if we're honest, we do the same.

For many of us, hearing God’s Word proclaimed (i.e. attending regular worship gatherings), spending time in the Scriptures, giving, serving, etc…are items we relegate to the convenient list. While other activities, you know, the really essential ones (for me that’s watching The Office, playing my guitar, getting my morning coffee) are placed on the priority list.

Yet it strikes me that the sign of Christian MATURITY is measured largely by the way in which we synchronize our priority list with God’s priority list. And that’s not easy for most of us.

So here’s my request today:

Take some time to think about what’s on your ‘convenient list’ and what’s on your ‘priority list’. Then ask yourself:

What’s good about this picture, and what’s not?
How do I need to reorder my priorities to pursue maturity?

Because as it was with Felix in Paul’s day, the cultural and monetary signs of success are often far different from the ones God uses to judge us by.

PEACE.

Tues. Aug. 26th :: Acts 23 :: Taming the Shrewd

Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees,
called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from
Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead."
When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees,
and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,
and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these
things.)

(Acts 23.6-8)

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For the second time in the book of Acts we witness the apostle Paul utilizing his cunning to extricate himself from a sticky situation. In the first instance he waited until being stretched out for flogging before mentioning: “Oh by the way…you know I’m a Roman citizen right? No?”

Now in the second instance Paul takes advantage of a longstanding family feud between the Sadducees and the Pharisees to avoid being strung up. Just as it seemed the two groups were ready to have Paul convicted, the apostle brings up the thorny issue that is sure to garner him support from the Pharisees (who up until now want to kill him). Knowing that the Pharisees believe in a resurrection while the Sadd’s do not, he shrewdly brings the issue up as the reason for his arrest.

“You wanna know why I’m here?” Paul asks in essence; “It’s because I believe in the resurrection.” Unlike these stinking Sadducees, is the unspoken corollary.

So what does any of this have to do with us?

Well for one, it seems that cunning is often looked down upon as a somewhat ‘less than Christian’ virtue. Being overly shrewd is rarely considered something to be proud of.

And yet Jesus commands us to “be as shrewd as vipers, and as innocent of doves.”

I often focus on the second part of the verse. But there is another half. Paul knew this, and he used his cunning in specific instances for the glory of God. He wasn’t opposed to leveraging his Roman citizenship (or an ancient disagreement betweens Pharisees and Sadducees) if it furthered God’s purposes.

He never veered into deceit. But he proudly used his shrewdness. Because he knew there was a difference.


So here’s what I’m thinking about today:

How can I be both shrewd and innocent in seeing God’s purposes fulfilled?

How about you?

Is it possible to hold these two parts of Jesus’ command in tension?

Mon. Aug. 25th :: Acts 22 :: Your Story

"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city.
I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law
of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are
today. I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death,
arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison…

(Acts 22.3-4)

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When we left Paul he was standing in front of an angry mob preparing to give an account for why he was proclaiming the message of Jesus. And it was the way he did this that I find intriguing.

I find Paul’s speech intriguing because despite the fact that he was an expert lawyer/theologian, when it came time to give his account, Paul simply told his story. When it came time for Paul to speak he didn’t launch into a detailed theological argument (though he was certainly capable), and he didn’t enter into a historical narrative like Peter did in Acts 2. He simply told his story. He gave his testimony.

1) Here’s how I was before Jesus
2) Here’s what happened
3) Here’s what I’m up to now


Of all the methods of evangelism, I suspect this one is still the most effective.

No pamphlets.

No magic questions or one-liners.

No emotional buildup toward an altar call.


Just a regular person telling their regular story of how God changed them.



So here’s a question for you and I:

When was the last time we did that?

When was the last time we simply told our story and asked God to do the rest? It doesn't always result in mass conversions of course. It didn't in this chapter. Yet I suspect God was pleased with Paul nonetheless.

Fri. Aug. 22nd :: Acts 21 :: Sometimes it’s Never Enough

When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: "You see,
brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are
zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews
who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to
circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do?
They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There
are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their
purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads
shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you,
but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile
believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from
food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and
from sexual immorality." The next day Paul took the men and purified himself
along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when
the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of
them.

(Acts 21.20-26)

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If you didn’t read through all of this, here are the cliff notes:

Some fellow Christians come to Paul and tell him that he needs to reassure the Jewish believers that he is still authentically Jewish. (In political terms, he needs to firm up his ‘base’). He needs to show off his Jewishness by going to the temple, taking a Nazarite vow, and (what’s more!) footing the bill for some other dudes to do the same.

So in an effort to bring unity, Paul does all this. Or at least he tries.

What happens after vs. 26 is interesting to me. After jumping through the religious hoops to bring unity, Paul is attacked at the temple by an angry Jewish mob and beaten so badly that only a group of Roman soldiers step in to spare his life.

End of cliff notes.

Now in the past I’ve heard this passage preached—somewhat out of context—to prove that it’s a good thing for Christians to take vows and go through special spiritual rituals to dedicate themselves to God. And indeed there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just not the point of the passage.

One of points of the passage—in its context—seems to be that sometimes (no matter what you do to bring unity) conflict will come. Sometimes it's never enough. You can try to make everyone happy (at work, at church, in your family, etc…) but sooner or later reality is going to kick you in the face like it did to Paul in the temple courts. Conflict comes for all of us. And when it does, the important thing is how we deal with it. We shouldn’t go looking for conflict, but we shouldn’t expect to entirely avoid it either. It’s coming. And anyone who asserts that the absence of conflict denotes good leadership never read the book of Acts. It’s that simple.

So how did Paul handle this conflict?

The answer comes in the way Paul responds to the angry mob. But we don’t get that till chapter 22.

To be continued…

Thurs. Aug. 22st :: Acts 20 :: Off the Flannal-graph

"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the
kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am
innocent of the blood of everyone. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you
the whole will of God.

(Acts 20.25-27)

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If you spend enough time in religious settings you are tempted to stop viewing some of the individuals within the Bible as real-live people and start viewing them as something else: “Bible characters”—cardboard cut-outs Velcro’d to the flannel-graph, and painted up on stained glass windows.

This may not be the worst thing in the world but it tends to do something negative for me. That is, it keeps me from seeing Paul, Timothy, and others as ordinary dudes—guys like me—who simply allowed God to use them more than most. They weren’t supermen or comic-book heroes. They were just some guys that God chose to use when He started his movement of restoration.

This passage reminds me of Paul’s humanity. Here he is preparing to leave for Jerusalem (where he expects to die) and he just wants to make sure he ties up all loose ends.

The long section after verse 27 is even a little indulgent as Paul goes overboard making sure everyone knows that he’s been an honest fella. It’s the kind of thing I’d say, but not want written down. Except for Paul it was. And it shows his humanity.

Perhaps that’s a good thing. We need to remember that the individuals within the scriptures were not so different from us. If it that motivates us to step into the storyline then perhaps even passages like this one can be deemed inspired.

What say you?

PEACE.

Wed. Aug. 20th :: Acts 19 :: The Idol Biz

The Riot in Ephesus:
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis,
brought in no little business for the skilled workers there. He called
them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said:
"You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this
business.

(Acts 19.23-25)

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Here in Acts 19 we have the story of a man in Ephesus whose profession it was to make idols.

This may sound strange to some of us in the 21st century, but I’m wondering if it should...

Acts 19 tells how this man, Demetrius, took great issue with Paul—not so much out of devotion to Artemis (his idol-god)—but more out of devotion to the MONEY that his idol-god brought in. Sound familiar? Money is perhaps the oldest and most worshipped of the idols, and I'm as guilty as the next guy.

But beyond that obvious takeaway, I'm thinking of another question after reading this story.

That is:
What industries today might we say EXIST for the sole purpose of constructing idols?

And beyond that: How do I contribute to the idol-biz by valuing my own possessions above and beyond the gospel?

I don’t have any cut-and-dried answers today, just questions I’m thinking about for myself.

How about you?

Tues. Aug. 19th :: Acts 18 :: Ego and Advice

...A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was
a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been
instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and
taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila
heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of
God more adequately.

(Acts 18.24-26)

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Here in Acts 18 we begin to hear of a young preacher named Apollos who was apparently quite good with the face mic. In other words: He was a powerful speaker, a great orator and people flocked to hear him. Yet he was also a bit unschooled in some areas. He needed some more theological training to go with his rhetorical gift. And that’s where Priscilla and Aquilla came in.

I admire the way these two older Christians came alongside Apollos and instructed him, without wounding his spirit. They recognized that he had something they didn’t (that ability with the face mic). And in turn, Apollos recognized that they had something he lacked as well (a more in depth understanding of the Scriptures).

So they helped each other. And all without ego getting in the way.

This kind of thing is all too rare both inside and outside the church. It’s more common that someone comes along to knock a young punk off his pedestal. Or more likely, it is common for the young punk to disregard anything conveyed by an old timer.

Yet Acts 18 shows a different way.

I’m thinking about this today:

In what ways can I be more receptive to the correction of others, without simply becoming a slave to the ever shifting winds of ‘public opinion’?

How can I be more like Apollos, Priscilla, and Aquilla – accepting correction without the ego?
How about you?

Mon. Aug. 18th :: Acts 17 :: Athens and missional living

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People
of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked
around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an
altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of
the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven
and earth and does not live in temples built by hands…

(Acts 17.22-24)

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Acts 17 is unique when compared to much of the Bible.

It’s unique because for the majority of the Bible God’s preachers or prophets are speaking to people with a common worldview. Moses, Isaiah, and even Jesus spoke almost exclusively to people who believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

But Acts 17 is different.

Here Paul explains the gospel to people who don’t know or believe the Bible. They are pagans. And since these folks have more in common with non-Christians of the 21st century, I find it interesting where Paul starts.

He starts by quoting a pagan poet, which means he must have read this pagan poet. (I find this interesting because there are some out there who seem to suggest that Christians should only read, listen-to, and study supposedly ‘christian’ media. Apparently Paul didn’t share that belief.)

But Paul doesn’t stop there. He starts with an allusion to something familiar (this unnamed pagan poet) and he goes on to show how a Christ-centered philosophy makes better sense of the world around us than does the dominant cultural thinking of the day. He isn’t necessarily rude. But he does push back against the assumptions of the pagan worldview.

I’m wondering what this means for us today.

Here’s a random list of possible takeaways:

1) As Christians, we should spend some time reading, conversing with, and generally becoming knowledgeable in the ‘scriptures’ of a pagan world. Paul did that. And we should too.

2) As Christians we must overcome our aversion to conversing with people outside our religious sub-culture. Paul did that too.

3) As Christians we should ask the probing questions that reveal why Jesus makes more sense of our world than the prevailing philosophies of our day. Paul did that.

4) And lastly, perhaps we should learn to count conversations over conversions. Athens didn’t yield the mass conversions that other cities did. Probably because some relationships and people require more than a single sermon or conversation before coming to faith. Some things take time. And in the end we’re responsible for planting seeds. God grows. And Paul seemed OK with that as well.


What do you think?

Fri. Aug. 15th :: Acts 16 :: Paul, Timothy and Michael Phelps

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived,
whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. The
believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along
on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area,
for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

(Acts 16.1-3)

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If you remember last chapter, the big decision made by the early Christians was that Gentiles (like you and I) need not undergo the painful and sometimes humiliating process of rejecting their ethnic identity in order to become followers of Jesus. Converts need not become Jewish and men especially need not be circumcised in order to be Christians, etc…

That was the takeaway from Acts 15.

And that’s what makes Acts 16 so confusing.

Fresh off telling Gentiles they need not be circumcised, Paul does something seemingly inexplicable. He turns around and has his Greek friend Timothy ‘go under the knife’. Why? Because he knew other Jews in the area would raise a stink if he didn’t.

Anyone else smell hypocrisy?

So why did Paul do this?


Indulge me a parable of sorts:

Probably because I was up late watching swimming, a story comes to mind. Four years ago at the US Olympic trials Michael Phelps and another US swimmer Ian Crocker went head to head in the 100m Butterfly. Crocker won, and with that, he earned the right to swim the event in the Athens Intermediate relay. But then things changed.

A few weeks later in the Olympic Games, Phelps beat Crocker in the final, and with that, he re-earned the right to the relay (and an almost certain Gold). It seemed cut and dried. Crocker would be off the team and Phelps would get ANOTHER medal.

But then something strange happened. In a show of sportsmanship Phelps walked over to Crocker and offered him his relay spot. In other words: Phelps had earned the right to be there. But having earned the right, he promptly gave it up in an act of unity and friendship.

So what does this have to do with Paul and Timothy?

It seems that simply earning the RIGHT to do something does not always mean that one should do it. Sometimes there is a greater good to be achieved by giving up what is rightfully yours.

In this passage Timothy ‘goes under the knife’ NOT BECAUSE HE HAD TO, but because doing so showed his Jewish friends that he was more concerned about seeing the gospel go forward than simply claiming his RIGHTS as a Christian.

So here’s the question:
Is it possible that God is calling you to give up one of your RIGHTS so that his work might go forward? In what way?

Thurs. Aug. 14th :: Acts 15 :: Yokes

Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles
a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We
believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just
as they are."

(Acts 15.10-11)

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In what was probably one of the most crucial moments in church history, Paul stood up and confronted the other disciples, saying essentially: “Stop with the yokes.”

Which is nice. But what is this about?

By confronting the legalism of Jewish Christians who wanted Gentiles to become Jewish, Paul says something important to us about the legalisms of our own day.

In essence: “Make nothing essential for membership in God’s family that you cannot backup with a careful reading of Scripture.”

Unsustainable legalisms are like heavy yokes tying us to dead religion while keeping us from remembering that it is by grace we have been saved.

I’m thinking about what this may mean for us today.

What legalisms are you tempted to cling to, even when they have no basis in the Scriptures?

Wed. Aug. 13th :: Acts 13 :: Mixed Results

The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders
incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city.
They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from
their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went
to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

(Acts 13.49-52)

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We sometimes thing about the book of Acts as the golden age of Christianity. And in some ways it was. Yet even then, the Jesus-followers had to deal with mixed results. I don't know why, but this gives me hope, especially when my own endeavors end with less than total success.

In Pisidian Antioch Paul and Barnabas foster a great deal of excitement about the Jesus message. Yet their stay ends with them getting kicked out of town by some angry women (see verse 50 for proof that this is not a sexist comment :) ).

Yet even in the midst of mixed results, the disciples are filled with joy (vs.52).

Take heart this morning that we can find joy in God, even when our own plans do not always go exactly ‘as planned’?

When and how have you experienced this?

Tues. Aug. 12th :: Acts 12 :: One Year Later

On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and
delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, "This is the voice of
a god, not of a mere mortal." Immediately, because Herod did not give praise
to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms
and died.

(Acts 12.21-23)

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In reading this chapter today I was struck by a small detail. Early in the chapter Luke mentions that Herod put James (the disciple, brother of John) to death. This alone would be a difficult blow for the disciples to absorb, but then Luke notes the timing: “It was during the Feast of Unleavened bread.”

In other words, all this happened during the Passover, or more precisely, virtually one year exactly after Jesus was crucified. (Remember Christ was arrested on the very night of the Passover meal.)

One year exactly after the death of Jesus, the first disciple is executed by the same poser king that tried Jesus.

Side-bar:
My wife Brianna has an aunt who just a few years ago lost her husband to a car accident. To this day the family marks that day on their calendars and works hard to see to it that the aunt is not left alone on the yearly anniversary, of her husband’s death. Because as most of us know, that day (the anniversary of whatever) brings back all kinds of memories.

So James is killed and Peter is imprisoned virtually one year to the day after Christ’s death.

This alone would be enough to ruminate on. But the chapter doesn’t end there. It ends with Peter being miraculously freed from jail, and Herod—the poser king—falling over dead in his royal robes. (And in case you missed it, Luke wants us to know that not only did Herod die, but his body was subsequently eaten by worms).

So what do we make of this chapter?

It’s a lot to take in, but perhaps we should grasp this:
One year after the cross the disciples are reminded that a difficult road lies ahead. Tragedies will still befall them even though they serve a risen Savior. James is murdered. Peter is imprisoned.

Yet despite the tragedies Luke ends with a reminder that, as followers of Jesus, our King is still on the throne. In the closing scene the wannabe ruler topples off his gaudy throne and dies. Jesus died too. But the worms never got their chance with him.

Translation:
As Christ followers we should EXPECT difficulties. Despite what any TV preacher tells you, we don’t get a free pass. But rest assured, our God is on the throne, and one day even the worst of tragedies (the unfortunate anniversaries) will be remembered no more.

Mon. Aug. 11th :: Acts 11 :: Bringers

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him,
he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with
the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called
Christians first at Antioch.

(Acts 11.25-26)

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Almost every time we meet Barnabas in the New Testament he is bringing someone to Jesus, or in this case, to a lifetime of ministry.

Barnabas is constantly pulling someone else along with him, and in that way, influencing others for the Kingdom of God. (For evidence of this simply look up Barnabas' name in a Bible concordance and notice how his whole life seemed to revolve around bringing others along with him, to experience a possible life-changing experience.) In a world of self-promoters Barnabas wasn’t out to be a celebrity or a savior. He was content to be a bringer—and to simply invite others to join him as he encountered God.

I’m wondering how we might be a bit more like Barnabas today.

In what way this week can we invite someone to join us as we encounter Jesus—at church, over a family meal, or over a shared lunch with friends and colleagues.

What would it mean for you to be a bringer this week?

Fri. Aug. 8th :: Acts 10 :: Religion and Racism

Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not
show favoritism but accepts those from every nation who fear him and do
what is right.

(Acts 10.34-35)

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In two verses, we have what should have been the epitaph on racism within the Christian church. In Acts 10 God says definitively that we are no longer to be privileged or discriminated against on the basis of racial differences. End of story. Unfortunately, many of us have not done a very good job of engaging the scriptures at this point.

A couple years ago I was talking with Kathy Keller, the wife of Timothy Keller, a pastor and writer from New York. She told me of the first church that Tim Pastored in the backwoods of Kentucky. It was a very different culture than the mosaic hat is Manhattan. And they fielded questions often on the issue of race and religion.

One woman, with a teen daughter who had recently started dating a black man approached them after church one Sunday night and asked a loaded question: “Pa-sterr,” she said, in a way that added at least an extra syllable to the word, “what’da you think about inter-ra-cial marriage???”

Tim responded: “Well, the Bible is strictly against it.”

The woman looked relieved.

Then he went on:
“Of course you know that according to scripture there are only two races after Pentecost… There are those who have been adopted by Christ, by way of the cross, and those who haven’t.”

If you have ears to hear, then do so.

Thurs. Aug. 7th :: Acts 9 :: We are Christ’s Body

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

(Luke 9.3-4)

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Korean theologian Seyoon Kim argues that this one sentence shapes Paul’s entire view of the church. This one sentence gives Paul an insight that he would spend his whole life fleshing out. Here’s why:

When the risen Jesus confronts Paul, he doesn’t ask: “why are you persecuting the church?” He doesn’t even ask: “Why are you persecuting the Christians?” No. He asks: “Why are you persecuting ME?” In other words, Jesus says: As you do unto my church, you do unto me. It’s a powerful sentence that we often overlook.

And this one sentence, at the beginning of Paul’s conversion, propels him to spend his life (literally) in service to the beautiful and messed-up church of Jesus. Why? Because as you do unto the church, you do unto Jesus. We (in the church) are Christ’s Body.

I’m thinking about the implications of this today.

There is a growing group out there that supposedly LOVES JESUS while wanting NOTHING to do with the CHURCH. They’ve had bad experiences in the church (who hasn’t?) and so they’ve purportedly said yes to Jesus, while saying no to the church. And I’ll admit, there have been times in my life when this approach to Christianity has appeared quite appealing.

There’s just one problem with this: JESUS.

In Acts 9 the risen Savior identifies himself with his Body on earth, the church. “Why are you persecuting ME?” he asks Paul. Translation: As you do unto my church, you do unto ME.

So here’s the takeaway for us:
You cannot love Jesus without loving his body.
You cannot love Jesus without loving his church (despite all her flaws).

So may we respond to this Scripture as Paul did:
May we spend our lives serving Christ by serving his church on earth. Amen.

What say you?

Wed. Aug. 6th :: Acts 8 :: Scattering as an opportunity

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem,
and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

(Luke 8.1b)

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It’s ironic that the early persecution of the church probably sped up the spread of the gospel as much as any other factor in the first century.

Church historians say that the pell mell flight of Christians away from Jerusalem ultimately contributed to the planting of churches in the outlying areas that up to this point had little or no contact with Christianity.

More recent events have triggered similar results. Not too long ago in China, Mao’s so-called ‘Cultural Revolution’ kicked out all western missionaries. Yet the communist plan to kill Christianity actually had an unintended consequence. With the Westerners out of the picture, Chinese Christians began to take ownership of their faith and contextualize the gospel in a way that we Americans—because of cultural differences—were simply unable to do. The result is an underground evangelical church in China’s urban areas that puts many of us to shame.

So perhaps there is a formula at work here:
With scattering comes opportunity for Gospel expansion.

But what does this mean for us?

Perhaps we should remember this in times of personal trial. When things begin to fall apart, new opportunities arise for God to be made real to us and others. Persecution and trial can actually result in God being glorified.

Tues. Aug. 5th :: Acts 7 :: Know the Narrative

So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law.
They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced
false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this
holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of
Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down
to us."

(Luke 6.12-14)

------------------------------------------------------------

I’m reaching back to Acts chapter six to gain the context for chapter seven.

What I find fascinating about these two chapters is the way Stephen chose to respond to the accusations leveled against him. Like Jesus, he was charged with blasphemy, and with the even more serious crime of ‘speaking against the temple’.

This may not seem like that big of a deal to us, but to the Jews of the first-century this ‘building’ was nothing less than the visible proof that God was on their side. In the temple, the Jews has come to believe—quite literally—that they had God ‘in a box’. He resided in their building. So as long as they had their temple, they had a leg up on all the pagan rabble. It was a source of religious self-righteousness. But before we judge them too harshly, perhaps we should consider what idols function this way in our own lives.

But back to the point.

I find Stephen’s response to the charges to be fascinating. Like Jesus before him, he evades an answer at first (think back to Christ before this same Sanhedrin), and instead launches into a very long and detailed history lesson. He recounts the narrative of God’s people beginning with Abraham and continuing all the way to the present.

Why?

For Stephen the point is clear. By re-telling the story he shows where the religious leaders have missed the point. God has never been contained in buildings built by human hands: He wasn’t in the days of Abraham when the patriarchs didn’t even own a foot of land. He wasn’t in the days of Moses when a drafty tent was the symbol of his presence. He wasn’t even in the days of Solomon as the prophet says (vs. 49). The point is clear: Our God doesn’t do boxes. He blows them up. And never more so than when he came in the Person of Jesus.

So what’s the takeaway?

For me it’s this: I want to know the narrative—to know the Scriptures—as Stephen did. I don’t want to distort and misread the Bible like the religious leaders of the first century. I want to read rightly so that I might act rightly in turn. But to do that, I need to know the narrative with the help of God’s Holy Spirit.

Perhaps this is a convicting issue for you as well.

The plain fact is, most Christians just don't care much about the Bible. If we did, we'd read it. For many of us, we know far more about the children of Brad and Angelina than we do about the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So hear the words of Stephen: As Christians it isn’t enough to ‘love God’ if we don’t ‘love his Word’. We need to know the narrative by God's help.

So be encouraged. And dive into the Scriptures.

Mon. Aug. 4th :: Acts 6 :: Waiting Tables

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic
Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows
were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered
all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the
ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

(Luke 6.1-2)

------------------------------------------------------------

When I first read this passage my reaction was a little negative. It almost seems at first that the disciples are diminishing the importance of what we might call more ‘menial’ tasks within the life of the church, i.e. ‘waiting tables’ (taking care of the food needs of widows, etc.)

Yet on second glance I don’t think that’s the point of this story at all. I think it’s more about the importance of delegating wisely so that all needs can be met, and all members of God’s church can serve in areas where they are gifted. The apostles were called to preach. They were not necessarily the most organized or the most empathetic. So they were called to preach, not exercise hospitality as their primary ministry.

But what does this mean for us?

Perhaps this passage ought to encourage us to serve in ways that engage our strengths in the cause of the gospel. This doesn’t mean we won’t have to do some things we don’t like. We will. And we should. But perhaps it does mean that we ought to ask God to show us where our gifts and passions intersect with our communities’ needs.

So what about you?

What gift of service do you have that is currently lying dormant?

Thurs. July 31st :: Acts 5 :: Why your marriage might kill you

Ananias and Sapphira
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also
sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back
part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the
apostles' feet.

…Peter said to her, "How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the
Lord? Listen! The feet of those who buried your husband are at the
door, and they will carry you out also." At that moment she fell down
at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead,
carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized
the whole church and all who heard about these events.

(Acts 5.1-2; 9-10)

------------------------------------------------------------

Two stories.

1) Notice that creation begins in a garden. In the beginning we have Adam and Eve (a husband and wife) in communion with God and each other. But something happens. The wife sins with the full knowledge of her husband. Yet out of love for her, Adam says nothing and humanity falls.

2) New creation begins in a garden also (where Jesus is resurrected). Restoration begins and the disciples live in communion with God and each other. But something happens. A husband sins with the full knowledge of his wife. Yet out of love for him, Sapphira goes along with the lie.

Here’s what I’m thinking about today with these two stories.

Tim Keller writes that sin consists primarily, not in the doing of bad things, but in the making of good things into ultimate things.

In other words, for Adam and Eve (or Ananias and Sapphira) their marriage relationships were good things. Yet in making these good things (their spouses) into ultimate things (obeying them rather than God) they wind up dead.

This may seem like a stark realization, but I’m wondering how I do the same thing in different ways. Perhaps not in my marriage, but in other areas:

Here's the question I'm asking today:

In what ways do I take a good thing and turn it into an ultimate thing?

What about you?

Wed. July 30th :: Acts 4 :: A cure for cowards

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach
at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, "Which is right in God's
eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help
speaking about what we have seen and heard."

(Luke 4.18-20)

------------------------------------------------------------

One of the more interesting changes from Luke to Acts is the way the disciples seem to go from spineless cowards to brave proclaimers of the gospel. Just a few chapters earlier Jesus’ followers are running from cover, sending women out to do their bidding, and denying they’ve ever heard of Jesus. But something changed. I’m wondering what it was.

Perhaps it had something to do with the resurrection and God’s Holy Spirit. After all, when you’ve seen someone come back from the dead, there isn’t much else to be afraid of.

I’m thinking about this in the context of my own fears today. Despite the fact that I’m a pastor I hate the feeling that comes over me just before I invite someone to church or bring up spirituality. It’s not that I’m ashamed of the subjects. I just hate feeling like a tele-marketer for Jesus. I hate feeling like one of those annoying types that is always looking for an ANGLE to make THE PITCH. It seems wrong to treat people like projects, or like notches on your gospel gun-belt (how’s that for a folksy image?).

Yet there’s a problem with this fear. It keeps me from doing what God has commanded. And it masks the fact that perhaps the resurrection isn’t as real to me as it should be.

The resurrection ought to embolden us as it did Christ’s first followers. It ought to turn us from cowards into missionaries.

So here’s my prayer today:
Lord may you grant us the courage to speak about you the way the first disciples did—not as a product we’re ‘selling’ but as a friend and Savior who brings good news.

Amen.

Tues. July 29th :: Acts 3 :: The Accusation

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers,
has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed,
and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.
You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be
released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.

(Acts 3.13-15a)

------------------------------------------------------------

It’s sometimes startling to see just how seeker-insensitive the first Christian sermons actually were. Here’s how Peter introduces the gospel to the crowd in Jerusalem:

“You killed the author of life.”

It’s an accusation aimed at every person in the crowd that day. Jesus was murdered, by you… It doesn’t get much harsher than that.

But perhaps a gospel message must always involve an accusation. The reality is that my sins (& yours) contribute to the unseemly reality of Christ’s death. As Isaiah 53 states: “He was pierced for our transgressions.” We killed the author of life.

Here is the giant take-away for me today: The gospel is only good news if we can stand to hear the bad news first. My sins are serious. They are more than momentary indiscretions or temporary moments of weakness. They are unknowing accomplices in a homicide. As Peter states: We killed the author of life.

But I’m glad the message doesn’t stop there either. As verse 15 says: We killed Him, but God raised him to life. Christ conquered death and in that our forgiveness is certain. As Romans states: there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

So here is the question I’m meditating on today:

In what ways do I need to hear both the accusation and the forgiveness of the gospel message?

What sinful corner of my heart or actions needs to be called by name and brought into the light?

And on the other hand, what area of nagging guilt do I need to trust God with?

How about you?

Mon. July 28th :: Acts 2 :: The Gift

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter
and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit.

(Acts 2.37-38)

------------------------------------------------------------

Peter promised those who heard the gospel that if they would repent and be baptized they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

But what is that?

What does it mean to have God’s Holy Spirit working inside you?

To be clear, I don’t believe that the Holy Spirit can be identified with something as external as a ‘babbling tongue’ or a ‘tingling feeling running down your leg’. It’s something more than that. But what? What is the gift of the Holy Spirit?

What do you think?

Perhaps the gift of the Holy Spirit is the literal presence of God with us. Perhaps it is that still small voice urging us—if we listen—to live as God’s children, bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth. Perhaps the gift of the Holy Spirit is the ability to hear the voice of Jesus not only through the Scriptures or through preachers, but in our own hearts as we quiet ourselves before God.

Since I believe that, I suppose the next question is the more important one: What is God’s Spirit telling me today? What word do I need to hear from God, and then act upon?

How about you?

Fri. July 25th :: Acts 1 :: Three Part Harmony

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:
"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you
have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days
you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

(Acts 1.4-5)

------------------------------------------------------------

In a very general sense, it might be helpful to think of the Bible in three parts.

In the first part, the Old Testament, Yahweh (or God the Father) reveals himself to the family of Abraham and promises to use them to bless the world.

In the second part, the gospels, Jesus (or God the Son) steps onto the scene as a part of Abraham’s family and, through the cross and resurrection, becomes the means by which God blesses the world. Through his atoning death he reconciles humanity to God the Father and provides a way for us to in right relationship with our Creator.

Then in the third part, the rest of the New Testament, beginning here in Acts, the ‘Breath’ of Jesus (or God the Holy Spirit) fills ordinary people like us, and empowers them to join their Creator in fixing a broken world.

This is of-course an oversimplification, but it may be helpful in understanding the three-fold nature of God, and the Bible.

Now for the obvious question:
WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ACTS CHAPTER ONE?

I find it interesting that even after the disciples have seen Jesus resurrected, Christ tells them to wait before beginning to spread the good news (gospel). They are to wait, on the Holy Spirit.

It’s as if Jesus is saying to them: “You can’t do this on your own! It’s not enough to know the facts about me. You need my Spirit (or breath, or wind, in the Greek language) moving you along, or this whole project is doomed to fail. You can’t do it on your own! All the planning and knowledge in the world is not enough!”

I need to hear that too.

Often in the church we think that if we can just get the right strategy or game-plan, then we will reach people for Jesus. If we just attend the right conferences or read the right 7-step books on leadership or whatever, then we’ll be successful.

Yet Jesus contradicts that mindset.

And he tells us now, as he did back then: to wait on the Holy Spirit.

Because we can’t do it alone.

So here’s what I’m praying today:
Lord send your Spirit to guide me.
I can’t do anything on my own.
I need you.
And through that Spirit, reveal to me how I can serve you today.
Amen.

What's your prayer?

Acts starts tomorrow!

If you've gotten behind, you can start fresh tomorrow in Acts 1.
Peace.

Thurs. July 24th :: Lk.24 :: The Gardener

[Short sidebar: Rather than sticking to Luke 24 exclusively, today I’ve posted some meditations on Jesus resurrection in general. I wrote this some months ago but decided it was applicable to the chapter we read today. That’s all.]

------------------------------------------------------------

The other day I was listening to a weathered old recording of a Rich Mullins concert. The sound quality was hardly the best but somewhere in the middle of the concert there is a part where Rich starts to tell a story about how his dad passed away, of all places, in the family garden.

It’s a sad story, and as Rich starts telling it the audience begins to voice their sympathy. But in his strange way Rich corrects the crowd (and me) for their lack of understanding. He says that when you think about it, his father died rather well. He died well, Rich says, because the last thing he saw before meeting Jesus was the face of his lovely wife, pulling weeds beside him, and the cool black dirt of the garden he loved to tend.

I don’t have a garden, but even if I did, I don’t think that’s where I’d like to die. Still I do kind-of like the idea of having Brianna’s face be the last thing I see before God.

Nevertheless, they buried Jesus in a garden. And for the longest time that didn’t seem the least bit interesting to me. The other day though I was reading another writer who made a very good point. He said that it makes sense for Jesus to come back to life in a place like this, because creation starts in a garden, and if God really is putting the universe back together, then a garden would be a splendid touch of creative irony. In fact, it would almost make you think that God is a Story-teller at heart.[i]

So Jesus is resurrected, of all places, in a garden. And as the story goes in John’s version, he appears first to a flustered woman named Mary. She’s flustered because she has come to prepare the corpse for permanent burial, only to find that it isn’t there. Someone has heisted it away! Mary is crying. And so it is through salty tears that she sees Jesus, and confuses him for the gardener.

Or does she?

I find it interesting that the resurrected Jesus doesn’t correct Mary’s words. He doesn’t say, “No actually Mary I’m not the gardener; my name is Jesus. Remember?” He doesn’t say that at all. Instead, Jesus says only her name:

“Mary.”
And she knows it’s him.

It’s when Jesus says her name that Mary realizes the great truth behind the gospels: the Gardener is Jesus, and he’s alive.

My prayer today is that you would sense Jesus saying your name, and in that you would sense also the power and truth of his resurrection.
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[i] For more on the garden as the setting for Jesus’ resurrection, and much more, read all 738 pages of N.T. Wright’s, The Resurrection of the Son of God (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2003).

Wed. July 23rd :: Lk.23 :: God Dies

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him:
"Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said,
"since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly,
for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done
nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you
come into your kingdom."

(Luke 22.19a)

------------------------------------------------------------

We often look down on the thief who hurled insults at Jesus while dying (and for good reason). After all, who decides to be so cruel in their final moments?

Yet perhaps the response of the unrepentant thief is more logical than the one I often choose. It is easy after many years to begin to think about the crucifixion as just another part of the religious storyline. It happened. It’s important. We acknowledge it. And yet it doesn’t shatter us quite the way it used to—the fact that God died once, for us. We become slightly calloused toward the fact.

And perhaps this attitude of near-indifference is the only illogical response to the cross.

After all, if Jesus wasn’t who he claimed to be then it makes sense to mock him. He would deserve it.

What doesn’t make sense—the only thing that doesn’t—is to tacitly believe the message of the gospel while looking upon the cross with anything other than sheer amazement. God died for us. Our sin is that destructive. His grace is that inexplicable. And it's good news.

Tues. July 22nd :: Lk.22 :: For You

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them,
saying, "This is my body given for you;

(Luke 22.19a)

------------------------------------------------------------

I’m resisting the desire to say something clever today.

You may not know it but we pastors are in a dangerous place with regard to God’s Word. That is, we need to be convicted and changed by it as much as the next person. Yet we also make our living (in part) by teaching from it. This may not sound like a conflicting situation, but it is. There is the subtle temptation to approach scriptures like this with an ulterior motive. Namely: ‘What can I find here that will sound clever enough to make someone stick around to hear what I have to say next week?’ If you’re new to the faith, we have a word for desires like that. They’re called sins.

So I’m resisting that impulse today.

The takeaway for me in Luke 22.19 is not clever, but it is profound.

Over a meal with bread and wine Jesus makes a startling claim. “This bread is my body given FOR YOU.” …for you… In other words, our situation apart from God is so dire, our sin so ugly, that only one remedy was sufficient. Jesus would have to give himself FOR US. He would have to suffer the punishment that was rightfully ours, so that we could receive the blessing that was rightfully his—to be in right standing with God the father.

That insight is hardly new or clever. But it must take hold. It must drop the thirteen inches from your head to your heart.

Tim Keller:
“The Christian gospel is that [we are] so flawed that Jesus had to die for [us], yet [we are] so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for [us].

Let’s meditate on that today.

Mon. July 21st :: Lk.21 :: 70AD

The Destruction of the Temple:
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with
beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, "As for what you
see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every
one of them will be thrown down."

…"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its
desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let
those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.

(Luke 21.5-6,20-21)
------------------------------------------------------------

How's this for a wild assertion: It is impossible to understand the gospels apart from what happened in the year 70AD. That may be a bit over the top, but it at least gets your attention. Here's why that date matters for the way you read the Bible:

Less than a generation after Jesus was crucified and resurrected, the Roman General Titus stood atop the Mount of Olives and prepared to descend the same road to Jerusalem that Jesus walked only a few years earlier. When Jesus walked it, he wept for the city. When Titus descended, he brought an army. And so in 70AD the Jewish city and temple were burned to the ground. And in this fire, many of the Old Testament promises seemed to go up in smoke also. God's people no longer had a land, a Temple, or a way of fulfilling many Old Testament commands. Everything changed in 70AD.

So why does this little history excursion matter to us?

It matters, I think, because many of us in the 21st century (myself included) are tempted to read the Bible in a way that strips God’s Word of all historical context.

That’s why 70AD is so important.

It’s important because in Luke 21 Jesus is looking forward in time (about 35 years) to the destruction of Jerusalem. He’s looking ahead to that moment and giving the disciples some crucial advice: “Don’t join the futile fight to save your city! Run for the hills (vs.21)! Stop believing that God’s salvation is going to come by a man-made political regime! It won't come by an army or a military showdown! It doesn’t work that way!” And 70AD proves it.

So what does this mean for us?

As I read Luke 21 I am reminded that our ultimate allegiance must not lie with earthly empires, political systems, or any man-made institution. Our ultimate allegiance must lie with a crucified Jew from Nazareth—King Jesus—God’s Son in the flesh. We must follow him unflinchingly. Because He alone will stand the test of time.

So here’s a question worth pondering:
In what ways have I placed my trust in earthly institutions above and beyond Jesus? And what would it look like to reorient my allegiance?

Fri. July 18th :: Lk.20 :: God forbid

"Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son,
whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.'
"But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,'
they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
"What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill
those tenants and give the vineyard to others."
When the people heard this, they said, "God forbid!"

(Luke 20:13-16)

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I’m struck by the last two words in this passage.

Just as Jesus finishes a pointed parable that describes how he will soon be killed, the crowd responds with disbelief: “God forbid!” “Surely this will never happen! Surely we will never turn on you like that!”

And yet in just a few short days, they do. In just a few days the same ones who said ‘God forbid!’ begin the chant to ‘Crucify!’ at the top of their lungs.

How did this happen?

Here’s one takeaway: We humans are a fickle bunch by nature.

It’s our nature to move constantly from bandwagon to bandwagon. The grass is always greener someplace. Like these followers of Jesus we are continually tempted to jump ship when things get tough, and this holds true in all avenues of life—in marriages, friendships, church affiliation, addiction-recovery, you name it. We tend toward the same behavior as those who one day followed Jesus, and the next shouted for his death.

So here’s my prayer today:
‘God give me courage to stick things out when times get tough--be that in a marriage, a friendship, or even in my walk with you. Break me of my fickleness, my bandwagon-hopping tendency to cut and run. Break that fickleness in me, so that I might stay faithful over the long haul.

That’s my prayer after reading this passage.

What’s yours?

Thurs. July 17th :: Lk.19 :: The House Guest

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give
half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything,
I will pay back four times the amount."

Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this
man, too, is a son of Abraham.

(Luke 19:8-9)
------------------------------------------------------------

In the church it is common to identify ‘salvation’ with a prayer that we prayed at one point or another. We prayed this prayer and we ‘got saved’. And that’s wonderfully true.

Yet for some reason that phrase has always seemed a bit strange to me. “I GOT saved.” It’s not that it’s incorrect; it’s just that the only other thing we refer to that way are really nasty diseases. For instance: in seminary I ‘GOT mono’ (Not from kissing anyone though… Seminary students are rarely that fortunate). But I digress...

All that stuff aside, I love the way Jesus talks about salvation in this passage.

For Zacchaeus salvation wasn’t just something that happened inwardly. It wasn't just a change of eternal destination. It was a change of lifestyle. For Zacchaeus, his encounter with Jesus had outward ramifications. He started giving to the poor and setting things right with his neighbors. And it was then that Jesus said it: ‘Today salvation has come to this house’.

In this passage Jesus speaks of God’s salvation not as a virus, but as a long awaited HOUSE GUEST. Salvation showed up for dinner and began to set Zacchaeus’ home in order.

So here’s what I’m thinking about today:
What would it look like for salvation come to my house? What about yours?

Wed. July 16th :: Lk.18 :: ‘However’

And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones,
who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However,
when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

(Luke 18:7-8)
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It's funny how one word can reorient an entire discussion.

God promises in this passage that He will bring justice to his children when they cry out to him. Perhaps you need to hear that today. Jesus promises that our prayers are not in vain. He hears them. And he promises to set things right.

Yet the ultimate question Jesus asks in this passage is not about answered prayers. The ultimate question hinges on that one word in verse eight—HOWEVER. After reassuring us of God's faithfulness Jesus abruptly changes the subject: “However, when the Son of Man comes will he find faith on earth?’ (Luke 18.8).

The final question Jesus asks of us is this: ‘Will we have the courage to trust God in the space between our cry for help and his just response?’ Will the Son of Man [the returning Jesus] find faith on earth?

I heard someone say recently that we do not love God because he makes life better (although He certainly does). We love God because HE is better. We do not worship God because he gives us great things. We worship God because He is great.

So here’s what I’m thinking about this morning:
Do I love God for God’s sake, or for my own?
Is there a difference?
What do you think?

Tues. July 15th :: Lk. 17 :: Kingdom

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come,
Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be
observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom
of God is in your midst [some manuscripts say ‘within you’]."

(Luke 17:20-21)
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Why don’t we hear more sermons and devotionals on the Kingdom of God? We hear a great deal on grace, growth, and salvation—but less on the KINGDOM of GOD.

It’s interesting that Jesus devoted a majority of his teachings to this one concept. He spoke of grace, growth and salvation, yes, but always in the context of KINGDOM. Here the religious leaders (with whom Jesus is constantly clashing) want to know WHEN God’s kingdom will come. They’re thinking swords and spears, booting out the Romans and judging the ‘non-believers’. Yet Jesus challenges their whole notion of what God’s kingdom looks like.

‘It’s already among you’ Jesus says. And yet it’s easy to miss.

Here’s what God’s Kingdom looks like when it takes root within you:

It’s a group of people who devote themselves to serving others before themselves. It’s a businessman who decides to use his resources on something that won’t rust or break. It’s an older women who decides to offer help and wisdom to a teenage mom. It's a suburban small-group that decides to leave the livingroom and connect in meaningful service in another part of town.

The kingdom now appears in subtle but significant ways.
No swords and spears. No grand parades or political revolutions.
Subtle but significant servanthood. That's what God's Kingdom looks like now.

So here's some food for thought today...
You may have long ago converted to 'Christianity'. That's great.
But what would it look like for you to be converted to the Kingdom of God?

Mon. July 14th :: Lk. 16 :: Law and Prophets

"The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time,
the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and people are
forcing their way into it. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear
than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

(Luke 16:16-17)
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The Old Testament is God’s Word too.

For some of us, reading the Old Testament laws and prophecies can seem a bit daunting. There are all kinds of rules on everything from avoiding pig-meat to when it’s OK to sleep with your spouse. These parts of the Scriptures seem strange to us. And maybe because of this we are tempted to just ignore the first two-thirds of the Bible. Sure we might pull out a nice story here and there, perhaps about David or Joseph or Solomon, but as for the Laws and prophecies, we seem to be in over our heads.

Yet Jesus says this in Luke 16:
The Law and Prophets were inspired by the one true God. The Old Testament is God’s Word too.

So where does this leave us? Should you reconsider that pork tenderloin? Or what about sewing together two kinds of fabric? Is that a sin?

What Jesus says here is important.
He indicates that a new chapter in God’s story began with Him. By coming in the flesh, living a sinless life, and dying a sacrificial death, Jesus opens the way for all people to join God’s family. Subsequently, this family is no longer defined by ethnic origins or Jewish cultural affinities. In the past, these seemingly strange laws of the Old Testament served to set God’s people apart from the nations. Others foreshadowed the sacrificial death that Jesus would die to redeem humanity. Both of these uses of the Law were important, but both reached their fulfillment in Jesus. Thus it is no longer necessary for us to make sacrifices at the temple or avoid pork tenderloins (unless you’re on a diet). The important thing to note, however, is that these Old Testament Laws were never bad, they simply belong to another chapter in the Story. They are like great sailing ships used to carry travelers from England to America. They were essential for the journey, but unnecessary on the new-found land. Jesus came to keep the Law and fulfill the Old Testament prophecies about God’s coming Messiah.

So in this way, even the strangest parts of the Bible point us to God’s Son.

And the Old Testament is God’s Word too.

small caveat: this whole discussion is far too complex to be explained very well in a blog post. Thus I apologize for oversimplifying some very nuanced debates within the field of Biblical interpretation.

Fri. July 11th :: Lk. 15 :: Sheep

Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep
and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and
go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it
on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together
and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same
way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over
ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15.3-7)

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Not long ago I completed what were for me the two most grueling years of my life. I finished a Masters degree in a school near Boston and just before graduation my father flew out to see me receive my diploma. He was there to celebrate.

Except he couldn’t.

He tried. But at each obligatory function his mind kept wandering. Back home my sister was going through a terrible time. Her marriage was breaking apart and dad’s heart seemed to follow suit. He loved me, but he was fixated for the moment on my sister. Because she was hurting.

According to Jesus, our Heavenly Father is a little like that. When even one of his sheep wanders from the fold, His heart goes with them. While we like to think that some people (perhaps the nice ones) matter to God a little more than the rest, Jesus says this isn’t so. God is obsessed--He is fixated--with every single one of us who has wandered from him. And more than that, HE goes after us. He pursues us till he finds us. Wrap your mind around that: God loves sinners. Every sinner. And it’s that love that brought you back to him.

With that in mind, here’s my prayer today:

God help me to see people as you do. As your Sheep.

Thur. July 10th :: Lk. 14 :: Parties

12 Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner,
do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives,
or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so
you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor,
the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although
they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the
righteous."
(Luke 14.12-14)

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I heard someone say once that: ‘the church will have precious little to say to the world, until we learn to throw some better parties.’

That may sound strange to you, but I think it’s right.

Jesus seems to say that we are defined, in part, by the kind of parties we throw. Or more precisely, by whom we invite. He instructs those around him not merely to extend invites to the beautiful people—the neatly quaffed suburban soccer moms—but to the OTHERS too—the freaks and geeks (one of my favorite TV shows by the way…).

So I’m wondering what this means for us. I’m going to a kind of party tonight. And like usual I mostly just invited people like myself. Is that bad? Probably not. But if this becomes too much of a habit, perhaps it is insufficient.

The early church was characterized by indiscriminate grace. Roman soldiers sharing bread and wine with former terrorists; tax-collectors rubbing elbows with street urchins. It was this reckless acceptance that helped an obscure Jewish sect to 'convert' an empire in less than three centuries. There were other factors of course. But the parties helped.

So back to the question:
What would it mean for us, for you, to throw one of these parties?

What would it look like for you to plan a BBQ, a block party, or just a dinner like the kind that Jesus references in this passage?

In a few weeks, some of us will be throwing one of these parties at a place called the Renouche (sp?) House in Grand Rapids. It’s a place for families to stay while visiting a critically ill loved one in the hospital. The tentative date is the first weekend in Aug, but look for more info this weekend.

Now go party.

Wed. July 9th :: Lk. 13 :: Mixing vs. Clumping

Again [Jesus] asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?
It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds
of flour until it worked all through the dough."
(Luke 13.20-21)

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Jesus spent much time describing the Kingdom of God.

I’m glad for that because for those of us in a 21st century democracy the whole concept can be a little difficult. We're not a part of a ‘kingdom’ as far as we can tell. And yet we are

Luke tells us that God’s Kingdom is breaking into our everyday life. Little pockets of this other ‘Kingdom’ are springing up here on earth. It’s like this, says Jesus: It’s like a little yeast mixed into a massive vat of dough. Proportionately the yeast is insignificant, but something happens in the mixing. In the mixing, the yeast de-clumps and spreads throughout the vat. It’s in the mixing, the spreading out of the yeast, that an extraordinary reaction takes place.

So what does this mean for us?

For centuries Christians have wrestled with opposing impulses. Many desire to withdraw from ‘worldly life’ as much possible. The intention here is often good. We don’t want to be influenced in adverse ways by the culture around us. We don’t want to rub shoulders with sinners because we’re afraid we might ‘catch’ their sin. So we clump. Yet there is a problem.

Jesus says, it’s in the MIXING that God’s Kingdom takes root. It’s only when we deploy within the culture at large that lives are changed and God’s family is enlarged.

So here’s some food for thought:

How have you clumped?

In what way do you need to re-order your life (your schedule, your recreational activities, your comfort zone) in order to MIX with those who need to know Jesus?

It's a risky question.

Tues. July 8th :: Lk. 12 :: Purses

Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out,
a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief
comes near and no moth destroys. For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.

(Luke 12.33-34)

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No matter what anybody tells you, I don’t own a purse.

I promise.

And maybe it’s for that reason that I have usually focused on the latter part of this verse more than the former. The latter part is about treasure. And that part’s true too.

But today I’m thinking about the purse part (vs.33).

What does Jesus mean?
…provide PURSES for ourselves that will not wear out.

What if the Bible is less concerned with how much money you have, and more concerned with 'what you put it into'. I’ve been to churches that try to make you feel guilty for owning a home, or an iPod, or a car that is held together without the use of bailing wire. And on the other hand, I’ve also been to churches that seem to question your faith if you are anything but healthy, wealthy, and cavity free. Perhaps both approaches miss the point.

Jesus says it's about purses.

In other words, God cares less about how much money you have, and more about ‘what you put it into’ (if you get my point). The question is this: Are we investing significant portions of our resources (tithe, time, talent) in Kingdom-minded ventures? Or are we simply filling purses that will wear out without doing anyone any eternal good?

It’s a probing question. Which makes me glad that Jesus asks it rather than me.

So what’s your answer?

Mon. July 7th :: Lk. 11 :: Burdens

Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you,
because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry,
and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
(Luke 11.46)

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I’ve been thinking about what precisely it was about the religious leaders that caused Jesus to confront them so harshly.

Perhaps this verse gives us a clue.

It says that while the ‘religious experts’ love to pile on ‘burdens’ (difficult commands to live a certain way), they do nothing to lift such burdens from the backs of ordinary people. They are trying to get people to ‘be good’ without ever delivering ‘good news’. And there’s no hope in that.

So what should this mean for us?

As a pastor, telling people to ‘be good’ is a part of my job description. I’m supposed to tell you to control your tongue, your thoughts, and your pocketbook. But there are two ways of doing that. The message of the gospel is that we are accepted by God, therefore we obey. The message of dead religion sounds similar, but ultimately ends in burn-out and despair. It says: We obey, in order to be accepted. The first way lifts burdens without sacrificing the need for holy living. The second way imposes burdens, without raising a finger to lift them. Both ways may produce people who ‘look good’ but only one is Christian.

So what do you think?

Which of these two approaches to right living has most often characterized your view of Christianity?

Fri. July 4th :: Lk. 10 :: Neighbors

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.
"Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27 He answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your
mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
…But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus,

"And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10.25-29)

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Who is my neighbor?

Perhaps the whole of our Christian witness will be summed up in how we answer that one question. At least Jesus thought so. So what's the answer?

Brianna and I moved into a bona-fide house last fall, so one of our tasks this spring has been to get to know the neighbors. To be honest I don’t like that kind of stuff. I’m an introvert at heart. I don’t like the 10 seconds of any relationship. After that I’m generally OK but the first ten seconds make my hands sweaty. Maddie helps though. (For the record, Maddie is my dog, not my mistress). Brianna and I have gotten to know more people while scooping poop off their lawn than by any of means of outreach. Maybe I’ll write an evangelism book about that. Something like: ‘Say no to pamphlets; Say yes to puppies.’ Anyway…

I’m wondering how you would answer that question.

Who is your neighbor?

When was the last time you made a Samaritan-like detour to reach out across town, or across the backyard fence?

Don’t use a phony religious cop-out like “that’s just not my gift.” I’ve used that excuse and it was as lame coming out of my mouth as it is coming out of yours. It’s time we retire that phrase and answer the hard questions Jesus asks of us:

Who is my neighbor?

The Forth of July would be a great opportunity to find out.

Thur. July 3rd :: Lk. 9 :: Resolutely

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,
Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. (Lk.9.51)

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Four times.

That’s how often I count Jesus referencing his death in just this chapter. Here we are not even halfway through Luke’s gospel and it seems Christ's eyes are already fixed on Golgotha. While others spend time marveling at his words or miracles, Jesus’ mind is on the cross. Verse 51 says he ‘resolutely’ set out for the city where he knew he would die. He was single-minded.

For us, the most basic truth of Scripture is not that Jesus was simply a good guy, a social activist, or a gifted ‘rabbi’. The most basic truth is that Jesus died FOR US--for humanity. His bloody death diverted the wrath of God from sinful humans like you and I. On a Roman cross he absorbed the full punishment for sin, and emerged victorious. Perhaps that’s why he fixated on it.

And perhaps that is reason enough to spend some time today meditating on what Jesus meditated on: the cross.

What does it mean to you?

In a world that is ‘resolutely’ fixated on symbols of status and power, what would it mean to be fixated on the cross of Jesus?

Wed July 2nd :: Lk. 8 :: Parables

Jesus said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the
kingdom of God has been given to you,
but to others I speak in parables, so that,
" 'though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand. (Lk.8.10)


“You wouldn’t want Jesus for your preacher.”

That’s a strange statement I know. But perhaps it’s true. We want clarity from a Sunday sermon. We want it to ‘make sense’. We want the preacher to tell us in plain language what God wants us to do. In the words of my preaching professor: ‘clarity trumps almost everything’.

But apparently not for Jesus.

Here in Lk. 8.10 Jesus says that he deliberately deals in parables (cryptic symbolic stories) so that some people will walk away without the foggiest idea what he’s talking about. How about that!

I don’t think Jesus did this to be mean. I think he did it, in part, to veil the more controversial implications of his words from those who would gladly lynch him on the spot if they understood the true meaning of his stories.

The parables weren’t just ‘sermon illustrations’ to make things easier to understand. They also made things harder to understand for those who didn’t have ‘ears to hear’.

I read recently that: “Interpreting the scriptures is difficult not just because we lack the technical tools of scholarship, but because we lack the character of God.” We don’t have ears to hear. I see this in myself. I often read a passage and hear only what I want to hear. Rather than being convicted of sin in my own life, I think of how ‘so and so’ really needs to hear this.

How about you?

This week, try asking God to reveal to you what he wants YOU to hear in his Word.

What is God telling you?

Tuesday July 1st :: Lk. 7 :: Experts?

Luke 7.29-30

29 All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right…. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves…


Here’s some food for thought:

According to this passage, a first-century con-man (tax-collector) had a better chance of accepting Jesus than did an 'EXPERT' in Biblical interpretation. Luke says that while even the tax-collectors (swindlers by any historical estimate) were flocking to Jesus, the ‘religious types’ (Pharisees / experts in the Law) were rejecting him.

This seems to be true throughout the gospels. And not surprisingly passages like this one lie at the heart of our commitment to live as ‘non-religious’ followers of Jesus.

But here’s a question for you:
Why do you think the EXPERTS rejected Jesus?
In other words, why did Jesus not sit well with ‘religious’ types?

And more importantly:
What should this teach us?


First person to comment gets my ocean-front property in Arizona.

Monday June 30th :: Lk. 6 :: Blessed?

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

23 "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.
For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.

(Lk.6.20-24)


Saturday I spoon-fed melted ice-cream to a guy named Larry. Larry is a resident at a local nursing home called Byron Manner. He's living with Alzheimer’s. It’s one of those diseases we hope we never get too familiar with. Nancy Reagan called it ‘the long good-bye’.

So I thought of good 'ol Larry as I read these words of Jesus today. We don’t preach on this passage much in evangelical circles. Probably because it doesn’t lend itself to a ‘practical take-away’. It’s not easily apparent what Jesus wants us to ‘do’ with his strange words. “Fortunate are the unfortunate?” No one crochets that on a wall hanging.

Yet here’s my thought this morning. Perhaps the takeaway for me is a startling realization that God sees things differently than we do. While we look at the big house on the corner and say “Blessed,” God says “woe” (vs. 24). He says “woe” not because there is anything wrong with having a big house (I have one), but because making much of our stuff can make it very difficult to make much of God. It’s very hard to depend solely on God when you are a D.I.N.K. (dual income, no kids) like me. But if you’re Larry, and you can’t hold your own spoon, dependence comes naturally. And God says: THAT is a blessed. The truth is, the rest of us are just as dependant as Larry. We just do a better job of faking it.

So here's to looking toward God today as Larry does.

Peace. Love. Ice-cream.