The Offense of Fruitlessness - February 29 Readings: Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:12-19, Luke 19:45-48,

Today’s Readings

Context

Fresh off the heady moment of glory, when Jesus rode in on the donkey with the adoring crowds shouting "hosanna," he headed into the Temple area and found things were not as they should be. There were merchants turning the the worship of the Lord into a money-making opportunity, bilking the people of God for personal profit. Jesus was not going to put up with this and he drove these men out in the most forceful way.

It was quite a beginning to "Passion Week." Jesus did not play to the crowds or seek to build on his popularity, but he sought to glorify God and call the nation to obedience to him.

Devotional - The Offense of Fruitlessness

It was an odd moment for our Savior. He was walking with his disciples from Bethany the morning after his Triumphal Entry and he was hungry. He spied a fig tree along the way but it had nothing but leaves - no figs, no food. Jesus "cursed" the tree (no, he used no foul language - he just spoke a word of judgment against it). "May it never bear fruit again." (Mark 11:14).  

Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? We know he was not petulant - he did not pout or lose his cool. There was a message behind this activity. And it seems to me the message is pretty clear.

A lack of fruit is an offense to the Redeemer. 

Jesus Christ bought us with a price, his own body sacrificed for our sins. According to 1 Corinthians 6, we are obligated, having been redeemed by his blood, to honor him with our bodies, our very lives. We are redeemed to serve Christ, to make a difference in this world in his name. 

We are planted to bear fruit. And fruitlessness is an offense to our Savior. He is not going to curse us as he did the tree, but we can rest assured that when our lives are not invested in eternal things, when we are not answering the call he has on us, when we are not reproducing our faith, it is offensive to Christ. 

Jesus, my Savior, may I never offend you by failing to bear fruit. 

Think and Pray

If Jesus was inspecting the fruit of your life, what would he say? 

For Heaven's Applause - February 28 Readings: Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:1-19

Today’s Readings

Context

The beginning of the end - that is what the Triumphal Entry is. Jesus came over the Mt of Olives and down into the city with the crowds cheering. It was a great way to start a week that would turn ugly quickly - a fulfillment of prophecy and a portent of a future return when Jesus will be accepted by all as King of kings and Lord of lords. 

Devotional - For Heaven's Applause

Jesus rode into Jerusalem with crowds cheering him (Mark 11:1-11). "Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." They lined the streets to celebrate him, spreading branches to pave his way. It was a glorious and joyful moment.

It is a heady thing to have people cheering you on and most of us would have found the temptation to play to the crowd and seek to keep the applause coming. Jesus did not. He was not going to Jerusalem to receive adulation but to make a sacrifice. He was about the Father's business and the approval of people was not his goal.

That was good because we know that the mood changed in the Jerusalem crowds by the end of the week. It is unclear whether any of the same people who cheered Jesus at his Triumphal Entry also called for his blood before Pilate, but we know that the public mood changed drastically. They cheered him one day and called for his blood a few days later.

If human applause was Jesus' goal it would have been a frustrating week. But Jesus sought to please only one - the Father in heaven - and that was what he got.

The religious elders of Jerusalem, they were another matter entirely (Mark 11:27-33). For them, it was all about power, popularity and public opinion. They came asking Jesus by what authority he did his work. Jesus told them he would only answer their question if they answered his - whether John's baptism was from heaven or earth.

They did not know how to answer the question. True men of God would just seek to speak the truth, to declare God's word. Not them. They debated how to answer because of their fear of public opinion. If they said John's baptism was from heaven, Jesus would ask why they resisted him. If they said it was of earth, people would be angry at them. "They were afraid of the crowd."

Jesus lived for the Father and did not seek the approval of man. Because of that, he redeemed a people for God and changed the course of the world. Those who lived for man's approval never pleased God.

Father, may I learn to live for your applause, and yours alone. May I be kind, compassionate and give my life in service to others, but may I never live for their approval or pleasure. 

Think and Pray

Consider this: Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing all that would follow. He willingly gave himself over to the Father's plan for his life. Have you given yourself fully and completely to the Father's plan for your life?

Hands-on Ministry - February 27 Readings: Luke 18:35-19:27

Today’s Readings

Context

Today's readings take place in Jericho, on the west side of the Jordan, at the north end of the Dead Sea. Jesus was headed to Jerusalem, determined to give himself for the sins of the world, and so he walked in the Jordan River valley, the easiest way to walk. In Jericho, Jesus healed a man born blind (a story we read yesterday in other gospel accounts) and the story of Zaccheus, the repentant tax collector. He also, while in Jericho, told the parable of the nobleman who gave his servants "minas" to invest. It is about being faithful to use that which God has given us in the kingdom.

From Jericho, Jesus will head up the hill toward Jerusalem and his Triumphal Entry and the eternally significant events that followed.

Devotional - Hands-on Ministry

Zaccheus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he...

It's one of the stories that we church kids heard in Sunday School, about the little guy who climbed the tree to see Jesus. As is often the case, our familiarity with stories like this often causes us to miss the bigger picture.

The heart and soul of this story is the nature of the kingdom of God and the nature of Jesus Christ's mission in this world. He was locked in a constant battle with the religious leaders who had, by this time, decided he had to go and were plotting his demise. They disdained him for many reasons. But he was not focusing on them, not trying to appeal to them. They were not the primary targets of his message. Jesus came for the lost sheep of Israel, those broken by sin.

He came for Zaccheus, a tax collector. A cheater. A thief. Someone everyone else hated, rejected, and avoided. But Jesus dined with him. That drew the ire of the Pharisees but it was the heart of Jesus to reach out to men like him.

It ought to be the heart of the church as well. The poor. Minorities. Refugees. Addicts. Those whose lives have been totally broken by sin. We need to not simply speak a gospel message to them, but we need to engage their lives. Jesus did not stand at the doorway of Zaccheus' home and shout the message inside to him. Jesus went in and stayed at his house. He accepted Zaccheus' hospitality. He built a relationship and from that relationship he declared the message of repentance...effectively.

We cannot proclaim the gospel at arms length. We cannot simply send gospel tracts to the other side of the tracks. We have to get our hands dirty. We have to engage the sinful world personally, lovingly, and genuinely. Anything less than that will not only be ineffective, it will be unChristlike.

Father, forgive me for how I have often tried to engage in Christ's work at arm's length. Help me to find a way to minister in this world as Christ ministered to Zaccheus. 

Think and Pray

Think through the implications of "hands-on" ministry.
What is required of you to minister to sinners in this world as Christ ministered to Zaccheus?

Bound for Jerusalem - February 26 Readings: Matthew 20:1-34, Mark 10:32-52, Luke 18:31-34

Today’s Readings

Context

Today's readings mark the clear turning point in Jesus' ministry. The hints have been leading up to this point, but now all doubt is gone. After a parable about rewards for serving God and his kingdom, Jesus predicts his death a third time, with a firm prediction that they are headed to Jerusalem. The Galilean portion of the ministry is over and the march to Jerusalem is beginning.

The story of the request of James and John (evidently pushed by their "stage mom" according to Matthew) is quite a contrast to the intent of Jesus. Jesus is planning to go to Jerusalem and die for the sins of the world while these two are scheming to see who can become the "greatest" when Jesus takes over the government. Not only is their attitude wrong but they demonstrate that they have no understanding of the nature of the kingdom of God.

The final story, of course, is a healing in Jericho, in the plain just north of the Dead Sea, as Jesus was headed toward Jerusalem. 

Devotional - Bound for Jerusalem

Judged solely by human wisdom, it was a foolish move. Jesus had been popular in Galilee, and he's been relatively safe. He could have stayed there surrounded by the crowds, but that is not what he was on earth to do. His had a purpose higher than popularity, higher than "success," and higher than safety. He was there to do the Father's work and that took him on an ominous uphill journey.

So, he headed to Jerusalem where the people with power dwelled, the people who hated him and wanted him dead. Things were not likely to turn out well for him there, but that did not deter him. he did it on purpose because that is what the Father called him to do. Look at Mark 10:33-34.

See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.

It was Jesus' intent to go to Jerusalem knowing that he would be arrested, condemned, mocked, and killed. It was his plan to die. Jesus did not think like we do. He was not about popularity or the admiration and adulation of the crowds. He was here to do the Father's work and to accomplish the eternal plan of salvation, and that required his death.

Ultimately, the only path to life - both life eternal and life abundant - required his death. Jesus could have enjoyed his life of popularity in northern hills of Galilee, but had he chosen that path we would have all died in our sins. The Father's plan required a sacrificial death and Jesus offered himself as the Lamb for that purpose. He came to die so that we might live.

And those who receive the life that comes from Christ's death are called to live as he did. We do not seek the things of the world. Instead, we die with Christ and are raised to walk a new life in which serving God and seeking his kingdom is the center of all that we do.

Jesus abandoned the adoring crowds to walk the lonely road of death for our sake. We must lay down our lives for the cause of Christ as he laid down his life for us.

Father, for the death of your Son I can never say thank you enough. But I can give the one response that is appropriate and fitting - my body as a living sacrifice. My life is yours!

Think and Pray

When Jesus commanded his disciples to take up their crosses and follow him, he meant that we must walk as he walked - obeying the Father's will even to the point of laying down your life.
Think and pray about how that commitment will affect your life. 

Jesus Demands ALL! February 25 Readings: Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30

Today’s Readings

Context

Today's story, the rich young man, also known as a rich ruler in Luke, is a key story when we study the gospel as Jesus preached it. Here he turned away a young man who wanted eternal life because he would not give up the idol of money. Jesus demands to the only love, the only passion of our lives. He will not accept second place and will not share first place!

Devotional - Jesus Demands ALL!

 The story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19) has been used to make some very wrong conclusions. No, it does not teach that we are saved by following the rules encoded in the law. And no, we do not have to give away everything we own to come to Jesus. In fact, this passage does not even teach that God loves poor people more than rich people. None of those common ideas are the point of this passage. 

But it does make some important conclusions, ones that we need to remember as we come to Christ and as we lead others to him. 

First, we cannot hold on to our idols as we come to Christ. The problem with the rich young ruler was not that he was rich, but that he loved his riches. He wanted to be right with God, but not enough to give up his wealth and privilege. Money was his idol, and Jesus confronted that. 

When you come to Christ, you repent of your sins and yield your life to Christ. You cannot open your arms to Christ while continuing to hug your idol! Christ becomes Lord of our lives when we trust him, and there is no room for the god Ego (worship of self), or Mammon (devotion to money and things money buys), or Venus (love of pleasure, of sex) or any other modern version of the pagan gods. 

Second, it is important to note that Jesus was strict in his evangelization of the rich young ruler. This young man came to him wanting to have eternal life, but Jesus would not discount the gospel to gain a convert. He held the line. If you would come to me, Jesus said, you must leave behind the false gods you have worshiped. We err when we offer people God's salvation while they continue their devotion to other things, other gods. Jesus let this young man walk away - sorrowful perhaps, but not repentant. 

In my recent trip to Senegal, I saw this illustrated clearly. The people with whom we shared Christ were almost uniformly positive toward Jesus. They liked him and they liked the stories about him. But most were not willing to give up the "bashin" - the false gods of animism that they worshiped. To follow Christ is to reject the bashin, both in West Africa and in Sioux City!

Finally, salvation is of God, not of works or human effort. In the long run, we all fall short. Rich or poor. Black or white or any shade in between. Male or female. Whatever language or tribe or nation. Salvation is impossible in and of ourselves. Fortunately, with God, all things are possible (19:26). 

That verse is badly misapplied and misused as a personal motivational tool. "I can do whatever I want to do because with God, all things are possible." While it is true that God empowers and enables everything he calls us to do, this passage is not about motivation or attaining our personal goals. It is about salvation. 

Salvation is impossible for all of us because of the idols that hold our hearts. Love of self, of money, of pleasure, of power, of success. But God can take our sinful hearts and overwhelm them with his love. He can free us of these impure passions so that we may put our faith wholly in him. 

With God, it is possible!

Father, I thank you that you saved a sinner like me. Forgive me for those times I try to return to the idols of this world when you deserve all of my worship. But I thank you that not only is your saving power sufficient for me, but it is sufficient for every man or woman on earth, no matter how sinful, hardened or self-righteous they might be. I thank you that the Great Commission task you have given us is possible because of your power and grace. 

Think and Pray

 Are there things that you are trying to hold on to while you are also serving Jesus? 

Do you want to have Jesus AND the other passions of your heart? 

Think through what it means to love God with ALL your heart and ALL your strength and ALL your mind. 

Prayer-ables - February 24 Readings: Luke 18:1-14

Today’s Readings

Context

Jesus shares two parables here about prayer and key qualities in successful, acceptable prayer. 

Devotional - Prayer-ables

In Luke 18:1-14 Jesus tells two "prayer-ables." Sorry, is that too corny? Okay, parables about prayer? These stories tell remind us of some important lessons about prayer.

The first parable, in verses 1-8, tells the story of a hardhearted judge who neither feared God nor respected people. He didn't care a bit about the people whose cases he heard. There was a widow who had been wronged by another but she could not get this man to listen to her case. But she would not let him be. Day and night she harassed him, begging for justice. Finally, because he was annoyed with her pestering, he listened to her plea and gave her what she asked for.

Of course, our God is not cruel or hard-hearted. He is kind and loving; a judge who hears our prayers willingly. But the message of this parable is plain. If even a cold-hearted judge is moved by persistent entreaties, will not our good God be moved by our prayers? The point is made in the introduction to the parable; it is reminder to "pray always do not be discouraged." Our God listens. He hears. He answers.

Verses 7 and 8 tell us that his attitude is very different from that of the hardhearted judge.

And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.

The God who loves us listens and responds to the prayers of his people.

The second parable, in Luke 18:9-14, focuses on the posture of prayer. Jesus tells the story of two men who approach God in prayer. The first, a Pharisee, is convinced of his own righteousness and worth. Of course God is going to hear him. As good a person as he is, God just has to listen!

The second man is a lowly sinner, a tax collector. He did not stand in pride and self-righteousness, but called out in humility and repentance. "God, turn you wrath from me, a sinner." He knew who he was and what he deserved from God - nothing!

But Jesus made it clear that it was the repentant sinner, not the self-righteous and arrogant Pharisee, was heard by God.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.  18:14

So, in these two prayer-ables we learn to be persistent in prayer because our good God desires to hear and respond. We also learn to be humble in our approach to God. We can be confident, but we must not be self-confident or arrogant. We come clothed in the righteousness of Christ not our own worth. He responds to the prayers of repentant sinners, not the self-righteous and arrogant. A key to prayer, then is PERSISTENT HUMILITY! We must approach God with humility, as beggars asking what we do not deserve, not as those demanding our rights. But we must also be persistent and faithful in prayer. Persistent humility!

Father, I come to you as a sinner in need of grace, one with no righteousness of my own to merit a hearing with you. Help me to be faithful and persistent in prayer, not to become discouraged. 

Think and Pray

What is your prayer-attitude? Are you a petulant child, demanding things from God as if he were your grandfather in heaven? Or do you approach him in humility as a repentant servant?
Are you persistent and faithful in prayer, continuing to come to God and not giving up? 

The Majority Isn't Always Right - February 23 Readings: Luke 17:11-37

Today’s Readings

Context

The die has been cast and now Jesus is beginning to prepare his disciples for the future. After the healing of the lepers, Jesus begins to teach both about the fact that he was going to leave them and about his second coming, broaching a new topic. The end is drawing near and the focus of Jesus' ministry is changing. 

Devotional - The Majority Isn't Always Right

In one of the better known stories of the life of Jesus, one that we tell our children often, Luke 17:11-19 records the story of Jesus healing ten lepers. Each of them returns to their lives rejoicing in the fact that they are no longer exiled and ostracized from home and family. It is my guess that each of them was immensely grateful to the one who had healed them.

But only one of them bothered to take the time to go back to Jesus and actually express that thanksgiving. The other nine were not evil, ungrateful or thoughtless jerks. They just forgot to take the time to tell the Healer how thankful they were to be healed. I'm guessing they were so excited to go home and tell their families the good news that they just forgot. But whatever the reason. They forgot. They did not return to say thank you to the Savior.

That is me, far too often.

I have a few issues going on in my life right now - some stresses, trials, confusion and struggles. That is called normal, I guess. But I also have a truckload of blessings that have come from the hand of God. If I lost everything else in this world, I would still have Jesus who saved me and gave me forgiveness, reconciliation with God and an eternal home in heaven. If there was nothing else, I could spend all day giving thanks for that. But there is so much else. My home and family. My job and my church (for me, those are actually the same thing). God answers prayer and provides for my needs. My life has been one blessing after another.

But I tend to forget that. I've been having cluster headaches recently - they are disruptive to life! The best way to describe them is that it feels like someone is stabbing me in my left eyeball. These headaches come and go randomly for a month or two (hence the term cluster) and while they are here they can dominate my life. And my attitude isn't always the best about it. I get discouraged, angry, and resentful when another starts to hit. All too often I fail to thank God for the multitudinous blessings that mark every day of my life - even those that have a cluster headache! His blessings vastly outweigh my hurts - even on my worst day.

Count your blessings, name them one by one.
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. 

The words to that hymn are a fitting warning to me. I need to count my blessings day by day to remind myself that God's work in and through me is always more intense than whatever opposition I might face. God's grace is more powerful than life's hardships. God's goodness is more significant that people's meanness.

Father, forgive me for how often I've been among the nine, those that receive your blessings but fail to thank you for them. Thank you for every good and perfect gift which flows from you. Help me to consider your goodness and give thanks for it. 

Think and Pray

Are you actively grateful?
The question is not whether God has been good to you, but whether you have spent more time counting your blessings or complaining about your hardships.
Even as you pray about your needs, your burdens and your struggles (all legitimate), take some time today to count your blessings. 

When Jesus REALLY Got Angry - February 22 Readings: John 11

Today’s Readings

Context

A while back, I walked with my oldest son and my wife through the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts. As I walked around reading tombstones, many 200 or more years old, I was struck with the brevity of life. For most of these people, the only memory that remains is their name engraved on a tombstone. Of course, that cemetery also has "Author's Ridge" where famous writers like Louisa May Alcott, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne are buried with their families. People come to see those graves (and leave pens and pencils at the graves as a tribute) and still read their books. But they, like the unknown masses, are still gone and still buried.

Life is short. Death awaits each of us at the end of life and there is nothing we can do about that. "It has been given to man to die once and after that to face judgment." There is nothing you can do about.

But Jesus changed everything.

In two hundred years, if this world continues, I will be laying in a grave somewhere, unknown except for what is chiseled on the marker. Perhaps someone will pass and wonder about my life as we wondered about those folks whose graves we walked past today. But I will not be in that grave that day. Oh, my body still will be (perhaps). But I will be in the presence of the Lord, in glory, awaiting the resurrection of the dead. And it is all because of Jesus.

In the story we read today we see a sharp turning point for Jesus. The tension building with the Pharisees became a plot, a plan for open war when he brought Lazarus out of the grave. Jesus did two things that day - he revealed who he was and he revealed who they were not.

In verses 25-26 he gave another of his great "I Am" statements, one that comforts all who grieve the loss of a loved one in Christ.

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

This is, in a sense, the beginning of the end for Jesus. After this, the Pharisees are no longer opposing him, they are plotting to kill him. Jesus had to go out into the wilderness to teach and the events that would lead to his crucifixion were set in motion the day he raised Lazarus.

Devotional - When Jesus REALLY Got Angry

It was something I'd never seen before, the description of Jesus' mood in John 11:38, as he strode over to Lazarus' tomb and looked at the ultimate fruit of human sinfulness.

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb.

Most translations give this translation, that Jesus was "deeply moved" - feeling emotional about the death of his friend. After all, he has just wept at the grave. But the word has a meaning stronger than simple emotion. Jesus was angry, agitated, enraged, indignant. It was more than just sorrow that was in Jesus' heart that day. He knew that he would see Lazarus again in a few moments and all would be well.

Jesus was angry deep within. 

Jesus was angry, upset, indignant at the horror that sin had wrought upon his glorious creation. God created this world glorious and idyllic, without sin, sorrow and certainly without death. Then the Serpent showed up in the Garden and started whispering in Adam's and Eve's ears. God is just holding you down, trying to keep you from reaching your full potential. If you would just throw off the yoke of his oppressive rules, rebel, and what you want you will find joy, contentment and peace beyond your wildest dreams. They bought into his lies, sin broke the beauty of God's perfect world and death came through sin.

Death was not part of God's plan, not part of the creation he called "very good." And standing there staring at the enemy of life, the last enemy to be destroy, the wages of all sin, Jesus was indignant. This was not what he wanted for us and it provoked him to see what our sin had done to his plan.

But he was also excited, a concept carried within the meaning of that word as well. In a few minutes he would give a brief glimpse into the purpose of his life. People thought he came to establish a political kingdom and defeat Rome. Jesus came to do much more than that. He came to defeat death eternally and redeem a people who, through him, would never face death. In a moment he would give one man a brief reprieve from death. Lazarus would be restored to life and to his family for a time - how long we do not know; nothing is known of Lazarus from this moment on.

But bringing Lazarus to life was just a hint, a foretaste of the glory that awaited in the future. Not long from that day, Jesus would be led to death at the cross and brutally murdered. He would be placed in the tomb and then, the death of death would come. Jesus would burst forth from the tomb never to taste death again. And, he was the firstfruits of those who would believe on him.

Because of Jesus Christ, death has been ultimately, completely, radically, and eternally defeated. Throughout our walk with Jesus through the birth narratives, through his early Galilean ministry, through the decisive days as people began to turn away and the conflicts with the Pharisees intensified, to this moment when things came to a boiling point, Jesus had revealed himself. He'd shown himself strong, and pure, and powerful, and wise. But nothing he ever did in his earthly work revealed Jesus as clearly as his work at Lazarus' tomb. He stood there and conquered death - only for a moment, but it was a foretaste of glory divine.

That's what Jesus came to do, and as he stood at Lazarus' tomb he was both angry at the effects of sin that brought him to that point and excited about the work he was about to do by his resurrection.

Father, I thank you that Jesus defeated death for me. I have the sure and certain hope of the resurrection through his work on the Cross. Death is defeated, Jesus is victorious, I am bound for life and nothing in this world can stop that work. Praise your holy name. 

Think and Pray

Spend some time thanking God and praising him for the eternal victory you have in Christ, the victory over death - no matter what this life brings you have nothing to fear!

The Faith to Forgive - February 21 Readings: Luke 16:1-17:10

Today’s Readings

Context

Today's passage begins with a series of parables and teachings about money, one of which is among the hardest to interpret of Jesus' parables. The story of the shrewd manager, who seems to be praised for cheating his master's customers, is an enigma. Fortunately, in verse 9, Jesus gives us a hint about the parable's point. He has praised the shrewdness of the dishonest man, and then warns his followers to use earthly wealth shrewdly, to gain heavenly reward.

That is followed with two teachings about money. First, if one is faithful in small things he will be faithful in greater things, and second, we cannot serve both God and money. We can only have one master - a truth Americans often fail to realize.

The Pharisees were offended by these teachings and ridiculed Christ, who responded by confronting them and reminding them that God thinks differently than man does.

The teaching on divorce is included here. Part of more extensive teachings in Matthew it is just a simple statement, without any context here, except for Jesus' statement about the law (similar to the context in Matthew). It is possible that this was part of a longer teaching similar to Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount that Luke pared to fit here.

The story of the rich man and Lazarus is also unique. Some debate whether it is a parable. It lacks the "the kingdom of heaven is like" formula that introduces many parables and it is odd to have a man named in the story - no other parable has a named character. There is also debate about whether Jesus is giving us a glimpse of the way things are in the afterlife today, or simply illustrating the principle that the unrepentant wouldn't repent even if the dead returned to speak to them.

The early verses of chapter 17 contain teachings that are found elsewhere in this gospel and others - on the importance of not leading others into sin and of forgiveness, on the power of faith (the grain of a mustard seed illustration is used again) and the place of servants in the king's house. 

Devotional - The Faith to Forgive

What is the hardest thing a Christian is called to do?

Perhaps it is just a coincidence and there's a gap between verses 4 and 5, but it seems that they are backed up to each other. In verse 4, Jesus commands the disciples to forgive someone 7 times for the same thing on the same.

Think about that. Would you be able to do that. Imagine if someone came to you and said one morning, "I want to ask your forgiveness for gossiping about you and spreading lies against you." You forgive him, then an hour later he comes back and asks for forgiveness again. And again. And again. Seven times - in one day. Do you think your patience would run out?

It seems that the disciples were thinking theirs would, because in verse 5, they made a simple request of the Lord. "Increase our faith." Strengthen us, O Lord. This is a job that is bigger than we are.

There are many hard things in the Christian life. In fact, pretty much everything in the Christian life is harder than our abilities and efforts can handle. I can't do it and neither can you. Only the power of the Spirit of Christ who dwells within can do that work in us.

But there is nothing less natural and more Christlike than forgiveness. True forgiveness is a work of God wrought in the life of the redeemed. It's something I can only do when I've received the grace of God and I pass it on to those who need it from me. It is a true miracle - something only God can do.

So, I can understand why the disciples said what they said. When confronted with the need to forgive the sinner, that is exactly what I say.

Lord, increase my faith.

Father, I need the strength that only you can give to do what only you can do through me, to forgive those who have hurt me.  

Think and Pray

Are there people who have deeply injured you, against whom you hold grudges or harbor unforgiveness?
Ask God to increase your faith that you might forgive them!

A God Who Seeks Me - February 20 Readings: Luke 15

Today’s Readings

Context

The interpretation of parables can be so confusing, especially when we try to allegorize them. Was the prodigal son a saved man who backslid, then returned? Or was he saved when he returned to the Father in repentance? And who is the older brother - the already saved in the church?

That is not how parables are meant to be read.

First of all, they are about life in the kingdom of God and are seldom about salvation issues. When you read about the prodigal son, don't try to figure out issues of salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. Jesus wasn't teaching evangelism here.

Second, parables are illustrations of one, or perhaps a couple of major points about the nature of God and the kingdom. Look for those key points here.

Third, context often helps. Sometimes, Jesus interprets the parable - that helps a lot! But sometimes we can learn great lessons from parables.

So, what lessons can we learn from the prodigal?

• The love and forgiveness of God. The father runs out to great his son even after all he did. The context shows this to be key. Jesus just told the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Now, this is about a lost son. Each story is about the joy of a sinner repenting. 
• But there is another story here, and that is the older brother and his resentment, clearly meant as a barb toward the religionists, those who did not believe they were sinners or in need of forgiveness. Self-righteous and resentful, he did not understand the joy of seeing sinners return. 

These are the key lessons of the parable. While there may be more to learn, there is no need to try to find allegorized meanings behind each character.

Devotional - Sought By Heaven

It is one of the great ironies of modern life that we spend so much time seeking and trying to convince ourselves of our self-worth; to build our self-esteem. We look inward for our worth, ignoring the reality of our sin and its effects. 

The irony is that the gospel that confronts us with our sin and guilt before God also is the only source of true worth and value we have. Our worth is not found in ignoring our sin but in admitting it and receiving the glories of God's forgiveness and grace. 

Look at Luke 15:1-10 which tells two stories. The first is of a sheep that is lost, having wandered away from the other 99. The second story is similar, a story of one coin of ten that has been lost. In both stories, the owner goes looking for what is lost and does not quit until it is found. 

Jesus leaves no doubt about the meaning of these parables when he says in verse 10:

I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.

That is an amazing love. We are sinners who have rebelled against God and lived for ourselves instead of for his glory. But still, heaven rejoices when a guilty, stained, sin-saturated sinner repents.

Our value is found in God's love, in the fact that he seeks us out when we are lost. He pursues us. Salvation is not so much about me finding God as it is about God seeking me and my response. God doesn't sit back demanding that we work our way back to him, but he desires us and seeks us.

My worth and value is found in that love. When I look at my failings and weaknesses I can become insecure and discouraged. But when I remember the amazing love of God I am secure in him.

Think about this, my friend. Ever hear someone talk about "seeking God?" I was seeking God, looking for God, on a hunt for God. NO! No, no, no! We are running from God in sin. It is God who is seeking us. We are the lost coin and he is hunting for us. We are the lost sheep and the Good Shepherd seeks us. We are the prodigal whom the father runs to greet. And heaven rejoices when the sinner repents!

Is there any truth more blessed that this one? It is not you who must seek God, but it is God who is seeking you!

Lord, thank you for your amazing love that gives me true and eternal worth. 

Think and Pray

Doing for Me and Mine? February 19 Readings: Luke 14

Today’s Readings

Context

There you go again!

Jesus begins Luke 14 with a miracle. Nothing strange about that, of course. But he also begins it with a miracle that happens on the Sabbath. That is not unusual either. Seems like just about every miracle he ever did took place on the Sabbath, infuriating the petty religiosity of the Pharisees and their buddie

He followed that with two parables, one about a wedding feast and the other about a banquet, both intended to skewer the religionists again. They thought they were God's special favorites and Jesus was telling them they were anything but that.

Another reminder of the cost of discipleship and a repetition of the teaching on the importance of disciples as the salt of the earth retaining their saltiness.

Devotional - Doing for Me and Mine?

In one of my favorite movies, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" One of the main characters betrays another, his cousin. He justifies his actions by saying "I got to do for me and mine." Most aren't as cold and crass as that man was, but it is a common sentiment, even among the disciples of Christ.

But as Christians we are called to something higher than simply taking care of ourselves and our families. Of course, a believer must provide for and protect family, but that is not our highest calling - the advancement of the kingdom of God and the proclamation of the name of Christ is.

There is nothing wrong with having friends and enjoying them, but in Luke 14:12 Jesus told his disciples to lift their eyes beyond those who would return their love, or even their rich friends who could give them something in return.

Too often our lives are focused on the people whom we enjoy, those who bless our lives or those who can do something for us. It is easy to invest our lives in those people who give so much to us and to think we are serving!

But Jesus said this in Luke 14:13-14.

On the contrary, when you host a banquet, invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Again, it is not wrong to have friends or even to serve them. But godly service is given to those who truly need to be served - the broken and beaten in life - and those who can do nothing in return. 

This sinful world leaves a lot of hurting and wounded people as a consequence of its wickedness. Those are the people we need to serve. We will get nothing back from it - there's no profit, no fun, no earthly reward. But there is heavenly blessing. 

The church, and every one of us who comprise the church, needs to look to this world and find the hurting, the needy, those who can give nothing in return and pour out the love of Christ to them. 

Father, may I not simply love those who can give me something in return, but may I truly pour out your love on those who can give nothing in return. 

Think and Pray

Is your life focused mostly on "you and yours" or on the hurting, needy, lost people of the world? 

Our Good Shepherd - February 18 Readings: John 10

Today’s Readings

(For some reason, this may not have posted as it was scheduled to this morning)

Context

If the life of Jesus were a movie (and, of course, it has been many times), John 10 would play with ominous and foreboding music behind it. Yes, the chapter begins with what seems like a beautiful teaching about Jesus being the good shepherd for the sheep, a thought we will explore in the devotional. But there is much more working there.

Jesus is describing himself as the Good Shepherd, but it is not in a vacuum. He is contrasting himself to the thieves and robbers who come to "steal and kill and destroy" (verse 10). His teaching again divided people, some renewing the accusation that he was demon-possessed and others identifying how silly that idea was.

Things began to come to a head at the Feast of Dedication, another precursor to the eventual moment of his death. People gathered around him and asked for a clear declaration. "Are you the Christ?" He told them he had been clear but they did not hear him because they were not of his flock and only his sheep hear his voice (verses 26-27). It is not hard to imagine that the religionists were not thrilled with this insult.

But when, in verse 30, Jesus said "I and the Father are one," they were horrified and picked up stones to carry out the sentence for blasphemy. It was a declaration of Jesus' divinity, an affirmation that underpins the doctrine of the Trinity. Since it was not the time for his self-sacrifice, Jesus simply walked away from them and continued his ministry.

Devotional - The Good Shepherd

John 10 describes Jesus as the Good Shepherd who takes care of his sheep, even laying down his life for them. He calls us by name and we follow him. He leads us to pastures where we can find the food we need and protects us from the thieves and predators who seek our destruction. He gives life to his sheep - eternal and abundant.

And it is a good thing, because we are sheep. When we are described as sheep in the Bible it ought never to be taken as a compliment. Sheep cannot survive without a shepherd and we cannot live without our Savior, Jesus Christ. Think about the conditions of sheep and why we need a shepherd.

Sheep are prey. Just about every predatory, carnivorous animal in the world loves the taste of mutton. If sheep were not watched over, they would quickly become lunch. This world is full of spiritual predators who would seek to deceive us, distract us, divert us and destroy us. False apostles and false teachers abound who seek to use the sheep for their own purposes. We need a shepherd. We need a Good Shepherd.

Sheep are wayward and not that bright. Sheep are not like other creatures. They do not have a great sense of danger or direction. They wander off into trouble when left to themselves. It is interesting that we are so prone to seek independence when, as sheep, that is the last thing we need. We require a shepherd to guide us and keep us from harm - a Good Shepherd.

Sheep are defenseless. Most animals have some sort of defense mechanism to protect themselves. Some can run fast to escape danger. Some have sharp claws to fight. Some have hard shells or quills or, like the skunk, the ability to make predators pay through the nose. Sheep have no such defenses. They are not fast, they cannot jump and bound away. They don't have hard shells or bad smells to protect them. They are helpless. We are helpless in this world without the help of our Savior and Lord, without defense against all those spiritual predators.

Sheep need a shepherd. We need a Good Shepherd. That's the bad news. The good news is that we have one - Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

Father, thank you for my Good Shepherd who leads me to green pastures and calms me beside still waters. He protects me from the predators who would destroy me loves me enough to lay down his life for me. I need him, oh, I need him. Every hour I need him. 

Think and Pray

Think about what it means for you to be a sheep and for Jesus to be your good shepherd. Consider your dependence on him. 

Who Was Really Blind? February 17 Readings: John 9

Today’s Readings

Context

What a contrast is seen in today's story, an escalation of the conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, a man who had been born blind and had never seen a thing his entire life. The Pharisees did not rejoice at the goodness of God or the mercy shown to this man. In fact, they abused him and treated him shabbily. No, they were angry because Jesus healed on the Sabbath, breaking their rules.

They were more concerned with their human rules and their power and control over others than they were about the good of the people they led. That is a marker of dead religion. Christians are concerned about people, about their needs. But religionists simply care about keeping control, about keeping people in lockstep with their system, their rules, and under their authority.

A blind man was healed and they were angry. Unbelievable! 

Devotional - True Blindness

So, who was really blind in John 9?

In the story, Jesus healed a man who had been born blind, and just to annoy the Pharisees and their ilk, he did it on the Sabbath day. Jesus loved the Father and would never think of doing a thing that would violate any of the Father's laws, but he took special glee in poking holes in the system of self-righteousness created by the Temple leaders. Most of the great miracles he did recorded in the New Testament were performed on the Sabbath for good measure.

It's an amusing story. In their fury at Jesus' work in healing the man, they harassed the man's parents, who passed the buck to the man himself. They bullied the man who had been healed, calling him names and insulting him. The man had been healed and all they could do was try to tear him down! But there was nothing funny about their sinful, selfish, evil hearts.

The Pharisees revealed their true blindness in response to this miracle. They did not rejoice that a man was healed. They were angered that their control was threatened, that their petty rules were broken. They were not concerned with the glory of God or the good of the people of God, but with their own control over those people and their status and standing in the nation.

That is true blindness. It is blindness to think that life is about me, about my standing in the world. When God opens our eyes we see that it is about him, about his work in this world and about the wonderful things that he is doing in us and through us. We are here to serve him. God does not serve our agendas, we are here to advance his kingdom.

There is no greater blindness than self-glory and self-centeredness. I am not the creator of the world. I do not rule the world. I cannot govern the world or bring justice to it. I am not capable of consummating the world's history in glory. Only God can do that. For me to forget that, to put myself in the place of God, to take the focus off of God's work and put it on me - that is real blindness.

Father, open my eyes to your greatness, your sovereign glory, and to the work that you are doing. May I never be blinded by self-centeredness and the desire for control and power. 

Think and Pray

In our faith, in our church, in our "religion," what matters more, maintaining control and keeping everyone in line or seeing the power of God?
Think about the difference between true faith and abusive, over-authoritarian religion. What are the differences?
Is true joy in Jesus a marker of your daily walk? 

The Narrow Door - February 16 Readings: Luke 13

Today’s Readings

Context

The themes are not changing much as Jesus continues his ministry. It's about drawing the lines (the narrow door) and confronting the Pharisees over their pettiness and failure to grasp the truth of God, the nature of the kingdom of God and the ongoing miraculous work of Jesus. 

Devotional - The Narrow Door

I am not exactly a small guy - whether you measure me side to side or head to toe. I've had the privilege of exploring some ruins in places like Israel, as well as some old buildings in other parts of the world, and one of the thing I noticed with my large frame is how narrow doors used to be and how hard those doors are to get through. I like the big wide doors that I don't have to squeeze through, or duck to avoid hitting my head.

The world like s a wide door as well, the one that everyone else is going through. We like to pretend that we are individuals and style ourselves as unique, but we tend to join with the crowd and go along with everyone else.

Jesus spent a lot of time telling his disciples how his kingdom was different from the ways of the world. In today's readings he gives the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven which we've covered as they appeared in another context in one of the other gospels. Here in Luke 13:24, Jesus uttered some simple, yet profound words.

"Strive to enter through the narrow door."

This is a command that covers pretty much everything we do in the Christian life and in the kingdom of God. We are narrow door people. The whole world goes one way and we go another. The whole world floats with the tide and we swim against it. There is a giant tide of hedonism but we continue to strive to enter the narrow door of purity. The world gleefully opens the wide door of materialism but we walk through the narrow door of heavenly treasures. The world unites to pursue ego, selfish ambition, glory, fame and power while we squeeze through the narrow door of humility and self-denial. The narrow door beckons us.

The problem is that even though we've been redeemed by Christ and called to the narrow door, the world's wide door still calls as well. We are tempted to align ourselves with the world, to just go along with its values, its ways, and its thinking, instead of taking the narrow door.

But there is no way around it. The call to Christ is the call to counter-culture living, to walking the lonely road. We have a different Lord who calls us to obey him and not the siren call of what is popular and what the world defines as right and wrong. We live by different standards, different morals, and for a different purpose - the glory of God and the advancement of the kingdom of Christ.

Father, may I daily walk through that narrow door to obey you and walk in your ways. 

Think and Pray

Is your life shaped by the world and it's ideas or by the word of God and will of God?
Do you walk through the narrow door or the wide?

Wasteful Worry - February 15 Reading: Luke 12

Today’s Reading

Context

Today's reading in Luke 12 sees a continuance of many of the key themes in the later ministry of Jesus Christ, leading up to the days before he entered Jerusalem to die.

• He warns his disciples about the Pharisees and tells them not to fear the coming persecution. His teachings in John 14-16 will take these themes and expand on them greatly, but he is beginning to prepare them for what lies ahead. 
• He attempts to give them a proper attitude about money and worldly things with two teachings, one on the parable of the rich fool who lived for money and one on trusting God and not being anxious. 
• He reminds them of the importance of readiness (when he leaves - a concept that they do not yet understand). 
• He gives a series of teachings on how his kingdom divides (we focused on this a few days ago), on interpreting the times, and on settling with accusers. 

Devotional - Wasteful Worry

There are few commandments of Scripture that I violate more regularly than Luke 12:22.

Therefore I tell you, don't worry about your life.

Jesus is talking specifically here about the basic needs of life - food, clothing, shelter. But the principle goes beyond that. Worry is such a common reality in my life - worry about money, about the future, about what is happening at the church, about my family, about so many things, about what people think of me and whether they like me. How many of you understand what I'm talking about when I say I sometimes walk around with this knot in the pit of my stomach? The worry-knot?

And it is not just a sin, it is a complete waste. In verses 23-34, Jesus set forth some powerful thoughts about the pointlessness of worry for the children of God.

First, worry demonstrates that my priorities are messed up. There is more to life than the things I worry about (verse 22). When I am worrying about the things I worry about, it is clear that I am not seeking God or focusing on the big issues of his kingdom. I cannot trust God and be devoted to him while worrying at the same time. I need to remember that these worrisome issues are of less importance than the things of God.

Second, worry is useless because God loves and cares about me (verse 24,28). If my wife and I had the money we had spent on helping out our kids, we'd be living on easy street. But there is nothing we wouldn't do to help them. If we have something and they need something they are going to get what we have. Is not God a more loving Father than I? He cares about me and is not going to ignore my needs.

Third, worrying accomplishes nothing (verse 25). Worrying cannot add a cubit to my height, nor can it solve any of the issues I face. It is the most pointless, useless, stupid waste of energy in my life. Most of the stuff I worry about I can't control, so what good does worry do. And if I can do something about it, I should DO something. Worrying is unproductive.

Fourth, worry usurps God's sovereignty (verse 26). God is in control and when I worry, I am acting as if I believe that I am, that it is all up to me. If I'm not able to do little things, why waste my time worrying about the big things that are in God's hands?

Fifth, God, our good Father, is a masterful provider (verses 27-28). He provides clothes for the wildflowers and grass, he will provide all that we need. "I've never seen the righteous forsaken or their seed begging for bread."

Sixth, worry is a marker of the world's sinful values (verse 30). The "Gentiles" seek the things of this world, but our hearts and minds are to be focused on something higher and more noble - the kingdom of God - knowing that God will add what we need as we do.

Why on earth, knowing all of these truths, would I ever worry about anything?

Father, worry is one of my greatest sins. Because it is so common I might be tempted to think it is not a big deal. But it is an insult to your excellent provision as my Heavenly Father and I am sorry for my failure to remember your goodness and grace. Help me in my weakness to trust in you. 

Think and Pray

Are you a worrier?
When you are worrying, are you focusing on God and his power and goodness?
Remind yourself of the truths about the wastefulness of worry.
Review the other truths Jesus teaches and think and pray through them in your life. 

Jesus the (NOT) Peacemaker - February 14 Reading: Luke 11

Today’s Readings

Context

Today's reading is something of a smorgasbord of teachings, many of which have been seen elsewhere in the gospels. The Lord's prayer. Jesus and Beelzebul. but the key here in the overall life and ministry of Jesus is the escalation of his conflict with the Pharisees and scribes, which as we see here is not all the work of the religionists. Jesus took the fight to them in this passage, pronouncing woes on them and confronting their sinful hearts. 

Devotional - Jesus the (Not) Peacemaker

To be honest, I would not have had those fights. I'd have smoothed them over, worked them out.

In Luke 11, Jesus was beginning to lower the boom a little, teaching some hard truths that people did not like to hear. And guess what? People did not like to hear it! (Duh?) They got mad. Especially the religious leaders - the Pharisees, scribes and Temple leaders.

In verse 37, we see Jesus challenged by a Pharisee about a picky issue - he wasn't following the ceremonial rules of Jewish leaders. How would I have responded? I probably would have said to myself, "Don't make waves. Don't make enemies. It's not a hill to die on." But Jesus took another tack. He challenged that Pharisee's heart, in verses 39-40.

Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?

Wow. He called them fools, who cleaned the outside carefully but were full of dirt on the inside. That's pretty harsh. He doubled down on the criticism in verses 42-44, accusing them of neglecting justice and the love of God, of being self-important and self-centered, of being "unmarked graves" which people step and without realizing it - a strange insult but an unmistakably harsh one. 

One of the lawyers (not that kind of lawyer - someone who was an expert in the Jewish law) gave Jesus a gentle rebuke. "You are insulting all of us with those words." Surely the master would back off a little and soften his rhetoric. I would. But Jesus didn't. He went right after the lawyer and his kind, in verses 46-47. 

Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.

He goes on and on enumerating their sins and failings. Hypocrisy. Violence against the prophets of God. Deception and lack of understanding of God's truth. 

The passage ends with a statement that ought not come as a surprise to anyone. Verses 53-54 explain how the religious leaders reacted to Jesus' provocation. 

As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.

So, the question is why. Why did Jesus provoke these men? Why couldn't he be a little more politick, a little kinder, more positive? A few nice words could have worked wonders here. Doesn't the Bible itself say that a "gentle answer turns away wrath?" And there are multitudes of verses calling us to unity and humility and meekness and gentleness - all qualities Jesus seems to refuse here. What was going on? 

First of all, Jesus had one advantage we don't - complete insight into the motives of people's hearts. He knew exactly who they were and how evil their hearts were. Since I don't know men's hearts, I need to be a little more careful about acting as judge like Jesus did. Jesus is the one who judges the heart - perfectly and righteously. 

But there is something else at work here, something we all would do well to remember. Jesus realized that his primary responsibility was to God and not to man. His job was to proclaim truth and not to win favor. He was not standing for office or seeking to win a popularity contest. He was there to accomplish God's work and proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, not curry favor with people who stood in opposition to that kingdom.

It would take a book, not a few sentences of a devotional, to process this thought. We are called to peace, to love, to forgiveness and to grace on nearly every page of the New Testament. Being obnoxious, combative, condemning and harsh are character qualities we need to cultivate. And yet we are also wrong if we soften the blow of God's truth to gain favor in the world. When the church seeks popularity and acceptance in the sinful culture by turning aside from truths that the world rejects we are insulting Jesus not imitating him. We must speak God's truth faithfully and boldly, regardless of how people respond to us.

Father, give us, give me courage to stand for truth and for righteousness in this sinful world. Give me a heart of love and kindness as well and the wisdom to balance the two.

Think and Pray

Striking a balance between love and truth is a constant hardship as we live in a sinful world. Think and pray through what it means to be faithful to God's truth without being cold-hearted, divisive, or hypocritical.
How can you be a person of love without compromising truth? 

Counting Your Blessings - February 13 Readings: Luke 10

Today’s Readings

Context

Israel's failing, since the very beginning of their existence, had been their failure to understand that when God chose them to be his people it imposed on them a burden to be a blessing to the world. They thought God called them to himself because they were special and he loved them more. He called them to use them as a blessing to others. God chooses his people to channel his blessings through them to the world. 

Jesus was determined that his disciples would know better. He sent out the disciples and here he sent out another 72 disciples - six times the original 12. They were sent on mission because when anyone follows Christ they are meant not only to receive blessing but to serve Christ as a channel of his blessings to the world. 

There are two other stories in this chapter. The second, the parable of the Good Samaritan, continues Jesus' definition of his gospel and his call to service. The story of Mary and Martha, a favorite of mine, shows the importance of worship and devotion, not just hard work and service. 

As the gospel of Luke and the story of Christ goes on, he continues to push toward the end of his ministry and draw the line for his followers. This is who I am, this is what my kingdom is, and this is what my followers must be. As he drew the line, many turned away, many religious leaders got offended, and a few followed him with all their hearts. 

Devotional - Counting Your Blessings

 The seventy-two disciples of Jesus returned from their travels, having been sent out by their master and empowered by him. They were breathless with excitement on their return, rejoicing that, "Even the demons are subject to us in your name." (Luke 10:17.) Heady stuff. To be able to speak to people who are under the control of the forces of darkness, and to have those demonic beings obey your commands - that is no small thing. They were amazed and excited at the new power that they were experiencing.

But Jesus wanted them to keep things in perspective. It is easy for us to see things from a skewed perspective, a human viewpoint that fails to see things as God sees them. Jesus made it clear that there was something much more important than the fact that demons fled before them.

I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Luke 10:18-19

Defeating Satan was nothing new for Jesus Christ. He was there when after the first tragic rebellion Satan was cast from glory to earth. He defeated him at the beginning and had done so repeatedly since. And he had, indeed, granted authority and power to his disciples over all the works of the enemy.

But that was not the greatest reason that a believer ought to rejoice. There was a greater work that God was doing among them than simply giving them the ability to defeat demons.

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20

Greater than the blessing of power over demons is the joy of knowing that we have an eternal home in heaven, that our destiny is settled, our sins are forgiven and we have been reconciled with God. We ought never become so enamored with that which God gives us and that which he does for us that we forget that the greatest gift of God is himself! It is not about how many demons we can defeat but the great privilege of knowing God and walking with Jesus Christ his Son! 

The fact that we are part of the heavenly family is a privilege far greater than the anything of the other blessings we receive through our relationship with Christ, even though those blessings are many and great. None can compare with the simple of joy of belonging to God, of being part of the family, of having your name written eternally in heaven - in indelible ink. 

Thank you, Lord, for writing my name in heaven in Blood of your Son. No greater privilege exists for a sinner like me than to know my place in your family is secure because of what you have done for me. 

Think and Pray

Do you seek Jesus for things he does for you, or for the simple joy of knowing Jesus? 

Do you revel in and worship God for your eternal or temporal blessings? 

A Bonus Article - "Mother of All Baptists"

When I began my online writing ministry over a decade ago, one of the first articles I wrote was "Mother of All Baptists", based in Luke 10. It's still a favorite of mine. I'm putting it here just for your enjoyment as a bonus read for all you hard-working Baptists out there!

Historians have argued for hundreds of years about the history of my denomination. Who were the first Baptists? From whom did we descend? I think that today's reading in Luke makes that abundantly clear.

We descend from Martha, the friend of Jesus from Bethany. Luke 10:38-42 tells the story. She loved Jesus, no doubt about it and she welcomed him into her home. That's when her true Baptist-ness came to the surface. Verse 39 introduces us to her sister, one of the many women named Mary in the gospels. She sat at Jesus feet the whole time he was there hanging on every word Jesus said.

And Martha got upset. It wasn't fair! She was left in the kitchen doing all the hard work while her sister did nothing but listen to the preaching. There were styrofoam plates and cups to stack, there was coffee to make, someone had to make sure the dishes were done, the trash cans were emptied and the bags all carried out to the dumpster. There was so much to do and someone had to do it.

I've always loved verse 40. Martha was "distracted with much serving." She was a good Baptist - a busy bee, working her fingers to the bone. Her idea of relating to Jesus was measured in how hard she worked for him, how much she did, and, well, how little others did.

It bothered her that her sister was lazy. All she did was sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his words. How could Jesus let her get away with that? Didn't he see that her love was stronger and her dedication more sincere? This prototype of all Baptists, this hard-working, sweat-soaked, don't-just-sit-there, do-something-for-Jesus lady thought Jesus would back her up, rebuke her sister, and tell the lazy girl to get up get to work.

She was in for a real shock. Jesus blew her neat little Baptist world all to pieces.

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary, Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

You are so wrapped up in busywork, Martha, that you have forgotten the one thing that matters most. Mary's choice, to sit at Jesus' feet, it better than your choice, to wear your fingers to the bone working. 

No, Jesus was not advocating laziness nor was he rebuking Mary's diligence. But he was making clear what mattered most. Hard work in the service of Jesus is a good thing, but it cannot replace sitting at his feet and worshiping him. It cannot replace listening at length and in depth to the words of Christ so that we might know him. Working for Christ cannot replace seeking to know Christ. Know him first and you will serve him better!

My Baptist buddies, our passion for work, for kingdom busyness can be noble, but only if it is rooted in a deep grounding in the Word of God and a passion for spending time with Jesus. We need not abandon "Marthaism," but we must make sure that the way of Mary is also at the root of our ways. 

"I Am" February 12 Readings: John 8

Today’s Readings

Context

This chapter is significant and powerful, with a deeper theological meaning than many understand. In John there are seven great "I am" statements of Jesus.

John 6: 35, 48 I am the bread of life
John 8: 12, 9:5 I am the light of the world
John 10:9 I am the door
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd
John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life
John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life
John 15:1 I am the true vine

In these statements, one of which is found in our reading today (I am the light of the world), Jesus defines himself. But there is something much deeper at work here, something the Jews understood that we often do not. As the tensions rose between Jesus and the Jewish leaders, he dropped this verbal bomb that burst things wide open. Our Savior was direct, confrontational and in the end, made the most clear assertion of his own divinity that is found in the Gospels.

He began, in verses 31-38, to challenge the core belief of the Jewish leaders. They trusted in their special favor with God based on their descent from Abraham, but Jesus intimated that they were serving the wrong father (insinuating that they were children of Satan). They challenged him in verse 39, reasserting that they were Abraham's children, but Jesus renewed his objection to this. He told them, in verses 40-47, that if they were truly the children of God and the descendants of Abraham, then they would recognize that he comes from the Father and would honor him.

That's when the religious leaders just got angry, accusing Jesus both of racial impurity (calling him a Samaritan) and of having a demon. Jesus denied it and the conversation escalated as Jesus asserted his own place in the work of God in the world. Look at verses 54-56.

Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’  But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”

Jesus shocked the Jewish leaders by claiming that instead of drawing his greatness from Abraham that Abraham recognized the greatness of Jesus. Was he actually saying that he was superior to Abraham? No Jew would say that!

They challenged him on it. He was less than 50 years old, and he'd seen Abraham? Absurd, they thought. This man was crazed, a megalomaniac!

That is when Jesus dropped the bomb!

Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58). 

This was the most startling claim Jesus ever made. The name of God in Hebrew is Yahweh, and it is built on the Hebrew verb "to be." It was revealed to Moses when he asked God what his name was. "I am who I am," God replied. Yahweh (sometimes misspelled Jehovah) - that is God's name. He is the great "I Am."

And here was this Galilean carpenter asserting that in fact HE IS the I AM! Is it any wonder that verse 59 says that they picked up stones to stone him. They knew exactly who he was claiming to be. He was not just claiming that he was eternal or pre-existent. He did not say, "I was." No. "I AM!

Jesus is Yahweh, the Great I Am, the Creator and Sustainer of all that is, the Lord of Heaven and Earth.

SPECIAL NOTE: On the "Woman Taken in Adultery" 

It is a matter of discussion, debate, and some consternation among many that modern translations generally note that John 7:53-8:11 is not part of the oldest manuscripts. This is taken as proof by some that new translations are "cutting out parts of God's word" and should not be trusted. A few things need to be said here.

• The "books" of the Bible were all hand written scrolls or manuscripts for centuries and were copied and distributed thousands of times. We have no originals of any of the books. We can recreate those "autographa" to a high degree of certainty but there are certain places where texts diverged over the years. 
• There are two major ways of doing "textual criticism" - the science of recreating the original texts. One is called majority text theory which looks at largest number of texts and trusts them as reliable. The problem is that the largest number of texts are from later centuries. The other theory is sometimes called the "critical text" theory and relies more on the oldest manuscripts. 
• The evidence here is pretty clear that the story of the woman taken in adultery was not part of John's original gospel and only appears regularly in the text after the 12th Century. 
• It is likely that it is an old story, very possibly a true story, from the life of Jesus, that circulated from ancient times and was eventually added into John's gospel by someone copying the text. 
• If you read from John 7:52 to John 8:12 it appears that this story is an interruption. Also, there is vocabulary that is strange. At least 13 words are used here that John doesn't use anywhere else in his writings. 
• This story was almost certainly not originally part of John's gospel. Is it a true story? Did Jesus really say these words? They are completely in line with his character and it is not hard to see him doing and saying this. But the story was not part of John's original gospel. 

Devotional - Light of the World

Today's devotional thought will be shorter, since we've had a longer contextual thought and a special note. In John 8:12 Jesus made a bold claim.

I am the Light of the World.

This world is darkened by sin and only Jesus can do anything about it. Education is a wonderful and positive thing, but education can never enlighten the human soul. Only Jesus can. Philosophers argue the riddles of life and psychologists try to understand the workings of the human mind. But they cannot do anything but help people live a little better in the darkness. The neon lights of entertainment try to shine but they are fleeting and can never provide true light. The world tells us to look inside ourselves for the light but our inborn sin guarantees that this will never succeed.

We human beings will look to everything and everyone for the light we need, but too often we fail to look to the source of real life. Jesus is that light. When you are confused, look to him. When you are discouraged and depressed, look to him. When you are overwhelmed and stressed, look to him. His light is the true light.

But the fact that Jesus is the light of the world requires one more thing of us. Jesus told his disciples that they were the light of the world. Jesus is the Sun, but we are the moon. We reflect the light of Jesus Christ into this world. The light of Jesus, our Savior, shines not only on us and in us, but through us to the world of darkness.

Father, may the light of Christ shine in me to guide and strengthen me, and may it shine through me to this world of darkness. 

Think and Pray

Where do you go for wisdom and direction? Do  you look to experts? To your own wisdom and common sense? Or do you trust the Light of the World?
Are you living as the light of the world, reflect the light that the Light of the World shines on you?