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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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.]

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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)

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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)

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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)
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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)
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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?


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