"Abiding in Christ" August 31 Readings: John 15

Today's Reading - John 15

Background

Jesus continues, in his "Farewell Discourse," to prepare his disciples for the explosion that would take place the next day, as their lives would be blown apart. In today's reading, Jesus focuses on our abiding in him, and on the consequences of that - the reality of persecution. He returns to the topic of the work of the Holy Spirit as well. 

Devotional - Abiding in Christ

I love Christmas trees. Last year was sad - we were traveling so there was no tree! The house was so bland. Decorating the tree, packing on the lights and ornaments, is one of my favorite parts of the season.

But the trees we get have a problem. They have been severed from the roots. They are nice and green when we get them, but as the weeks go on they begin to turn brown and brittle, and the needles begin to fall to the ground.

There is a reason for this, a pretty obvious one. It has been cut. The roots are severed. Even though it looks good for a while, once it is disconnected from the roots the process of death has begun. The tree cannot survive without connections to the root.

Jesus used an illustration like this, except that he used a vine and its branches. A branch that is attached to the vine will bear fruit and produce grapes. But if the branch is not attached to the vine there will be no fruit and no life - like my Christmas tree.

Jesus is life and life flows from him. When we are properly abiding in Jesus Christ his life will flow through us and we will see the fruit of Christ produced in our lives and through us in this world. But, as Jesus made clear in John 15:5,

"...apart from me you can do nothing."

It is a truth we all too often forget as we try to do the best we can for God, relying on our own strength, power, and resources. It is the power of Jesus through us that produces Christlike fruit in our lives.

So, what does it mean to abide? Of course, it all begins with being born from above, with putting your faith in Christ and receiving his salvation. That connects us with God. But the abiding Jesus spoke of here also includes a daily walk of seeking him (starting here, with the Word and prayer is a great beginning) and walking in him. Relying on and trusting him for all things is also crucial.

But what is most important is that we realize that the measure of the Christian life is not what we do for Christ on our own, but the fruit that he produces in us.

Lord, prune my life and work in me that I might bear much fruit as I abide in Christ and he reproduces his life in me.  

Think and Pray

Are you abiding in Christ daily, trusting him and seeking him constantly? 

"When Your World Explodes" August 30 Readings: John 14

Today's Reading - John 14

Background

I've always loved mountains. Maybe it's because I lived so long in flat places like Florida, but the majesty and awe-inspiring beauty of mountains move me. John 14-16 is a mountaintop of scripture. Like Romans 8, Psalm 23, 1 Corinthians 13, or John 3, it is among the Himalayan peaks of God's word.

It is a message that Jesus preached to his disciples the night before he died, his last words to them, preparing them to handle life when he went away. The entire sermon is about the peace that God gives in tough times. He knew the disciples' lives were about to be shattered into a million pieces and so he wanted to give them peace - real peace, God's peace. Is peace possible when storms rage all around? Do we have resources beyond those of our circumstances? According to Jesus, we do. From the opening words (Let not your hearts be troubled) to the last, "Take heart, I have overcome the world," Jesus is preparing his disciples for what lay ahead.

Every resource we need is ours both now and in eternity through Christ.

Devotional - When Your World Explodes

The sermon's first words border on the absurd. "Let not your hearts be troubled." In the next 24 hours, they would watch Jesus be arrested, tried, convicted, sentenced, beaten, condemned, mocked, tortured, paraded to Golgotha, and nailed to a cross. Well, to be honest, they wouldn't watch it because they would flee in fear. But their lives would be shattered completely as Jesus died on the cross in agony. Their world was about to explode. For Jesus to tell them not to be troubled by that is ridiculous.

Or it is miraculous. Either Jesus' words were cruel or he had provided all his disciples needed to walk in peace even when their world had been blown apart. What were these resources?

First, Jesus told them that he was going to prepare a place for them - one of the most misunderstood passages in the Bible. People assume that Jesus is in heaven working on a home improvement problem. But he was going to the Cross when he said that, not to Heaven. He was going to the Cross to prepare a place for us in eternal Heaven. You have an eternal home that nothing in this world can shake because of what Jesus did on Calvary. Take heart, my friend. No matter how bad the storms, you have a glorious future ahead regardless of how difficult the road is that lies ahead.

Second, Jesus let them know that he was all they needed. "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (14:6) Jesus is not the means by which we attain these things. He IS these things.

Third, Jesus assured us that in his name we could pray and the Father would hear and respond to our requests. What a blessing that is. God, the Creator, and Sustainer of the Universe hears my prayers when I pray in the name of Jesus. He hears and he cares. (14:13).

One of the most common themes throughout the entire sermon is the present ministry of the Holy Spirit - the comforter, our counselor, our Helper sent from God. When Jesus left he would be sent to the disciples. Jesus makes the remarkable point that we are actually better off having the Spirit in us than having Jesus with us.

Jesus sums it all up this way.

"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful."

Father, thank you for providing all I need to have peace in this troubled world.

Think and Pray

What situations or circumstances in your life are troubling you?
What are the promises and resources in this chapter that can help you in those circumstances?

"Read Christianity" August 29 Readings: Luke 22:31-38, John 13:31-38

Today's Reading -  Luke 22:31-38, John 13:31-38

Background

As the end drew near, as the supper wrapped up, Jesus engaged his disciples in several ways to prepare them for what lay ahead. John tells us that Jesus laid out a new commandment, one that would be the dominant mandate for the church that his disciples would establish. They were to "love one another."

Unfortunately, after he set out this wonderful command, he then had to give Peter some bad news. Confident that he could follow Jesus to the ends of the earth and endure whatever he had to, assured of his loyalty to Jesus and his kingdom, Peter was shocked to hear Jesus tell him he would deny him three times before the sun came up the next morning.

Luke then tells us of a warning Jesus gave to the disciples about the days ahead, how things were about to change. Scripture was to be fulfilled and Jesus was to become all he had been intended to be.

Devotional - Real Christianity

What is the marker of true spirituality?

To some, it is sound doctrine. A good Christian is someone who has his theology in order and who ticks all the doctrinal boxes. And of course, theology matters. We must be well-grounded in the word of God, able to discern truth from error, right from wrong, good from bad. In a world filled with the enemy's lies, the truth of God's word is not optional. But Jesus did not tell us that the world would know us primarily by our correct doctrine.

To others, the marker of a genuine Christian is some kind of miraculous display of power - be it tongues, or healing, or something else. Again, our God is powerful and he can do anything. Those who deny or doubt God's power or simply ignore its reality are not honoring him. But when Jesus defined his followers, he did not do so on the basis of their miraculous manifestations.

For many the decisive evidence of true Christianity has been following a set of rules. Read this version of the Bible, not those ones. Do these things, don't do those things. Don't drink or smoke or dance or go to the movies. Go to church whenever the doors are open. But it is not adherence to rules that Jesus set as his defining quality.

No, Jesus set a higher standard. He said, in John 13:34-35:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Jesus set a new standard for his disciples, a law different from that the Pharisees tried to enforce. It grew out of, completed, and fulfilled the Jewish law, but it also rendered it practically obsolete. "Love one another." The church is built on love.

God so loved the world...
God demonstrated his love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us...

That love that God had for us, a love demonstrated in sacrificial, redemptive love, is meant to be the marker in our relationships with one another. We are to love one another as Christ loved us.

That is why broken relationships, power struggles, church fights, pride, grudges, and anger are so damaging - the betray the identity of the church. The world should look at us and see something that isn't seen in the world at large. They should see love, real love, God's love. When they come into the church and see anger, prejudice, division, rancor, and bitterness, it is no wonder that our churches don't grow, our evangelism doesn't work, and our world continues its march of sin.

Those of us who have experienced the love of God through Christ need to revel in that love and let it flow through us in this world. 

Father, may this world see you and your love through me and through us day by day. 

Think and Pray

When you world looks at you, does it see the love of Jesus? Does it see redemptive, sacrificial love, or does it see selfishness, anger, and fleshliness?

What would it look like for the love of Jesus to be displayed in your life daily?

"A Moment of Shame" August 28 Readings: Matthew 26:20-29, Mark 14:17-25, Luke 22:14-30, John 13:21-30

Today's Reading - Matthew 26:20-29, Mark 14:17-25, Luke 22:14-30, John 13:21-30 

Background

For nearly 2000 years people have gathered in homes, in tunnels, in caves, in cathedrals, in forests, in churches, and in many other places to take a piece of bread and drink the fruit of the vine to remember the body of Christ which bore our sins and the blood which washes us white as snow. In today's readings, Jesus initiates the Lord's Supper, the ordinance which has been such a blessing (and a source of much controversy) through the years. 

There were two significant events that the gospels record as a part of the meal. First, Jesus revealed to the group that one of their number would betray him and identified Judas as the one though it seems that the rest didn't understand it completely. Judas slipped away to complete the single most despicable deed in world history - betraying the Son of God. 

At the end of the meal, after Jesus has washed the disciple's feet and after he has served them the bread and the cup, they do one of the most mind-blowing things they could do. They get into an argument over who would be the greatest in Jesus' kingdom. The arrogance of these Galilean fishermen, tax collectors, political extremists, and other riff-raff arguing over who would be the greatest in the kingdom while Jesus is washing their feet and preparing to die is amazing. 

Devotional - A Moment of Shame

 Unbelievable. Ridiculous. 

Jesus has just shown his heart and his purpose in two incredible ways. He bowed down and took a towel and washed the feet of the disciples. Then he shared a meal with them and included a loaf of bread and a glass of wine that carried the greatest symbolic message in history. His body was about to be brutalized as he bore the sins of the world - yours and mine included - and his blood would be shed for the forgiveness of our sins. 

They were completely clueless about what they were doing and what Jesus meant. "This is my body which is for you." "This is the new covenant in my blood." It meant nothing to them. They simply had stars in their eyes, visions of glory. They were in Jerusalem, the seat of power, and they believed that things were about to start turning around. When Jesus was gathering the crowds in Galilee it was exciting, but then things turned bad, the crowds dwindled and their hopes faded. Then Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the adoring crowds shouted, "Hosanna," and their excitement began to rise again. Maybe he would rise up and take the reins of government as they had expected all along and establish himself as the true King of the Jews. 

And, of course, they would be his trusted assistants, his cabinet, his court. They would be running things while he sat on the throne. Only one thing remained. Who would be the greatest? James and John had already fought for the places on Jesus' right and left, but now they all joined the fray. Who is the greatest? Me. No, me. No, me. Luke 22:24-30 tells the shameful story of their argument and Jesus' reminder that greatness in his kingdom comes from service. 

Wow, how ridiculous those disciples were, right? I'm glad I never act like that, aren't you? I'm glad I never forgot what really matters? I'm glad I never get my eyes off the real kingdom onto my own kingdom, off of eternity onto the here and now, off of the things of God and onto the things of Dave. I'm so glad I never go on ego trips or become self-centered or...oops. 

It would be easy to condemn the disciples if we didn't imitate them so often, wouldn't it? We may not be quite as crass as they were, but we follow their ways instead of walking in the ways of Christ. We join together in the Lord's Supper while also engaging in crass power wars in the church, fleshly behavior, and self-centeredness. When we give ourselves to Jesus, his will should become the only will that matters. But so often we, like the disciples, struggle for earthly greatness instead. 

Father, forgive me for my failures to follow Christ on the way of the Cross. Help me to realize when I actions and attitudes do not flow from Calvary. 

Think and Pray

Does your life flow from the Cross? 

Do you live in service to others as Christ did, or in selfishness and ambition, like the disciples? 

Are you walking in the way of the Cross or in the way of the world? 

"Suicide of Evil" August 27 Readings: Matthew 26:1-19, Mark 14:1-16, Luke 22:1-13, John 13:1-20

Today's Reading -  Matthew 26:1-19, Mark 14:1-16, Luke 22:1-13, John 13:1-20

Background

And now it gets serious. 

To this point, the religious leaders have hated Jesus.  They've schemed and plotted against him. But now they actually are planning his death. They have put feet to their hate and set in motion the scheme that would result in the passion of the Christ. 

They get a break when Judas got upset with Jesus over a financial matter. A woman anointed him with expensive perfume and Judas wanted it given to the treasury (which he kept and dipped into according to John 12) for his own selfish purposes. When Jesus did not do as he said and perhaps after hearing Jesus talk about dying over and over again, Judas despaired of Jesus' ability to establish a successful earthly, political kingdom and he threw in the towel. He went to the Pharisees and agreed to betray Jesus for money - 30 pieces of silver. 

Thus begins the fateful day, as Jesus sends his disciples to begin preparations for Passover. The end is near, Jesus knows it, and he faces what is to come with bravery and determination to fulfill God's purpose. 

The story in John 13 of Jesus washing his disciples' feet is remarkable. We've seen him do miracles and teach deep things of God, but now he bends down to wash the dirty feet of the men who had pledged to follow him. It demonstrates the humble greatness of Christ. 

Devotional - The Suicide of Evil

Luke 22:3 contains five interesting words.

"Then Satan entered into Judas..." 

The time of the death of Jesus Christ was drawing near and Satan was at work to bring his enemy down. He had set himself against the Creator and was committed to bringing all of the Father's work to nothing.

So, he "entered" Judas, one of Jesus' own disciples, to lead him to betray Jesus. This did not absolve Judas of his guilt in Jesus' death, but it did produce one of the greatest ironies in history.

Think about it. Satan, the great enemy of God, moved in the heart of Judas to betray Jesus to the Romans and bring his life to an end. It must have seemed like a great victory. If Satan can feel joy or glee, it must have happened as he saw Jesus tried, convicted, tortured, ridiculed and eventually crucified. But here is the irony. The events that Satan put into place when he entered into Judas, the events he thought were his moment of glory, were actually suicide. He was destroying himself. When Jesus died, Satan was finished. When Jesus rose, Satan's death blow was inflicted. He is still thrashing around and seeking to destroy, but Jesus has mortally wounded the enemy.

Sin is suicide; it always destroys itself. When Satan rebelled against God, his destiny was sealed. When he moved in Judas to betray Jesus, he was actually causing his own destruction. That is the nature of sin. It presents itself as fun, as pleasure or as profit. But in the end, it is nothing but destruction. Self-destruction.

Christians are often called unloving when we identify sin as sin. But if the Word of God is true, then we are simply trying to prevent people from engaging in spiritual suicide. Is it love to stand by and watch as someone destroys themselves?

Satan's schemes resulted in his own destruction. My sinful choices may seem fun at the moment, but they are spiritual suicide. Each time I choose sin I am not only offending God but hurting myself.

Father, you are the Creator of Life and the one who blesses me with life both eternal and abundant. Help me to remember that rebellion against you is not only offensive, but destructive to all that you have intended to bless me with. 

Think and Pray

It is easy to despair and to think that the world of evil is overwhelming and that good can never prevail. Remember that sin destroys itself and that God has destroyed evil in Christ. We stand victorious in him and can face this world with confidence and hope, by faith in Christ. 

Give praise to God today for his triumph in Christ. 

"Ready and Waiting" August 26 Readings: Matthew 25

Today's Reading - Matthew 25

Background

The end is near. 

Well, to be honest, we don't really know precisely how close it is, because to the Lord, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a time. Time isn't the same for him as it is for us. But we know that the world we live in has an expiration date and that it will be consummated to the glory of God. 

In this chapter, Jesus tells three stories that deal with aspects of the end. First he tells about the Ten Virgins and reminds his disciples that since they do not know when the end is going to come they must be vigilant and always ready to meet Christ. Then he tells the parable of the Talents, which has nothing to do with talents as we think of them. A talent was a measure of silver. This parable speaks of faithfulness, reminding us that as the end draws near we must invest everything we are and have into the service of God. Finally, he speaks of the awaiting judgment in which Jesus will separate the sheep and the goats, reminding them that at the end there is one person to whom each of us much answer. 

Watchfulness. Fidelity. Preparedness for God's judgment. 

Devotional - Reading and Waiting

 It would be hard for the Bible to be clearer about anything than this fact: no one knows when Jesus is going to come back. There is a lot about the Second Coming that remains shrouded in mystery, but God has made it clear that this mystery will not be revealed until the moment the trumpet sounds. In spite of the unequivocal and adamant assertions of Jesus that no one knows the day or the hour of his return, people continue to be fooled by those who announce that they have either received some kind of new revelation or gotten a new insight into the Scriptures that renders Jesus’ words null and void. From Edgar Whisenant in 1988 to the failed and embarrassing predictions of the late Harold Camping more recently, the parade of false prophets has continued.

But the Word is clear as crystal. There are some things that we can know today about the end. We know that as time goes on, deceivers will arise and the world will grow more evil. We know that one day, Jesus Christ will ride from heaven to assert his authority over all the world and that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. And we know that it could happen today. We know THAT Jesus will return as King of kings and Lord of lords, but we do not know when. I don’t. You don’t. No one does.

And that is the way Jesus wants it. In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus told a parable about the end of time, about the establishment of the kingdom of heaven, to prepare the disciples for what lay ahead.   

It was a story about 10 young women who were betrothed for marriage – five of whom were wise and five who were foolish. They were awaiting the arrival of their bridegrooms, and the five wise women had flasks of oil to keep their lamps lit. But the others were not prepared. I do not have time today to go into the wedding traditions of the day, and those details are not really germane to the point. Five were ready, five were not. Five were wise; five were fools.

When the bridegrooms came, the wise virgins were ready and rejoiced, but the foolish virgins were left out of the marriage feast. It is easy to over-interpret a parable. This is not about the timing of events of the end-times or anything like that. A parable is told to make a particular point and the point of this one could not be clearer. Jesus states it directly. He says, in verse 13:

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Keep watch. Be ready. O Bride of Christ, Church of the Living God, we have a marriage feast prepared for us. One day, the Bridegroom will come to take us to that feast that we might rejoice with him. But we do not know the day he will come or the hour. I don’t know if I will even be alive when he comes, or if I will go to him when my life is over. But I know that Jesus is coming one day and my duty today is to prepare, to watch and wait, to hope, and to look up for our bridegroom’s appearing. We are to keep our lamps ready, our souls prepared and our hearts expectant.

Father, some days I love this world and some days I long for that day, the day when the bridegroom comes. Purify and strengthen me that I might be ready on that day, whenever it is. 

Think and Pray

Are you living each day ready and watchful for the return of Christ?

Are you investing your life, your spiritual resources, and all God has given you to receive the maximum eternal return? 

"Our God Wins" August 25 Readings: Matthew 23:37-24:22, Mark 12:41-13:20, Luke 21:1-24

Today's Reading - Matthew 23:37-24:22, Mark 12:41-13:20, Luke 21:1-24

Background

fter the familiar story of the widow's offering which appears in Mark and Luke, Jesus turns his attention to Jerusalem. He laments it's sin and rebellion in Matthew 23:37-39, a significant passage which indicates his rejection by the people. When he rode in at his triumphal entry he was hailed as the one who was blessed, as the one who had come in the name of the Lord. But now he knew that the leaders and even the people were rejecting him, and he lamented the sin of Jerusalem and asserted that the city would not see him again until they meant what they said that day, until they truly proclaimed, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

Then Jesus stepped forward and gave prophecies about the destruction of the temple and then about the end times. Matthew 24 and the related passages in Mark and Luke are important parts of any study of the end times. 

Devotional - Our God Wins!

Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better

John Lennon wrote this very moving song for his son, Sean, expressing deep love and hope for the future. Of course, John's idea of prayer did not involve calling out to the God of heaven for grace, mercy, and help, but instead the expression of positive hopes and dreams. Somehow, he believed, if you expressed those wishes they would eventually come true.

We all want that. We all want the world to get better and better every day. I want my children to have a better world to live in than I had and my grandchildren to live in an even better world. I think one of the reasons. The Star Trek series gives us a view of the future that is both positive and appealing.  

Unfortunately, the dreams of Lennon, though powerfully emotive, have no basis in biblical truth. The scientific utopia of the future envisioned by Gene Roddenberry in which our problems have been solved by humanistic achievement is just as elusive and illusory as Lennon's dreams. 

The Bible presents a much less rosy view of the future of the world, in Matthew 24:4-12. 

4 Then Jesus replied to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. 6 You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these events are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “Then they will hand you over for persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold."  

Jesus sees a future that involves false messiahs and false prophets who will attempt to deceive people and divert them from God's truth. He warns of wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes and all kinds of difficulties. People will reject God's law and embrace false religions which do not have the true fire of God's holy love. And, as the icing on this depressing cake, there will be persecution for the people of God. 

Not real encouraging, is it? 

Oh, yes, my friend, it is! In spite of this prophecy of destruction, dissipation and departure from God, there is much for the believer to hope for. Our hope is not and never has been in the things of this world; its pleasures, its riches or even its future. Our hope is in what God is doing. There are three key truths we need to remember as we approach a difficult future. 

1) Our God wins. 

Look at the words of verse 14. 

And then the end will come.

Let's not get bogged down at this point on the details of the Second Coming, but let us simply revel in the truth that Jesus will one day burst out of heaven in radiant glory and assert his Lordship over all the world. Wrong will be made right and truth will vanquish all lies. No matter how bad the world gets it is nothing compared to how good things will be when Jesus returns. 

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you have a bright future! Things make look grim today and they may even get worse, but do not doubt that when the end comes, it will be Jesus who stands supreme, Victor over death, hell, and sin - King of kings and Lord of lords. 

2) God is with us. 

This truth is revealed in other Scriptures, but must be recalled here. "I will never leave you or forsake you." "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Over and over again, God makes us the promise that whatever we go through on this world, his grace is sufficient, even in our weakness. 

No matter what, you are not alone. 

3) We have a job to do. 

Verse 14 also gives us insight into the task God has left us. 

This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations.

We have been given our marching orders from Christ - to preach the gospel to all nations. Though we may suffer and struggle, we must keep our eyes on the goal. We are not here to get rich or to have fun. We are here to make the name of Jesus known in this world. 

So, yes, this world might be a tough one and it will certainly get tougher as the world inevitably draws toward the end, whenever that will be. But these things we know - that God wins, that God is with us, and that we have an eternally important task to do gives us hope and joy. 

It is interesting that most passages about the end describe the horrors that will come, but they also tell us to draw comfort from the truth. A right understanding of end times does not create curiosity or fear, but confidence, hope, and comfort. Jesus wins!

Father, as I face the difficulties of this world, I testify of my hope in your glory and your victory. Whatever comes, help me to stand strong in that hope. 

Think and Pray

It is easy to get bogged down either in picayune details of the end times or to despair at the sin of the world. Remember that we live in a world that which it is in rebellion against the savior is destined to be ruled by him. Rejoice in the victory of Christ.
Remember the presence of Christ as you do God's will every day.
Rejoice even in hardship, because our God wins. 

"A Pharisee's Heart" August 24 Readings: Matthew 23:1-36, Mark 12:38-40, Luke 20:45-47

Today's Reading - Matthew 23:1-36, Mark 12:38-40, Luke 20:45-47 

Background

I wish I had a nickel for every time someone has used Matthew 23 to justify their angry words toward someone else. "Look what Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 23." It's true, of course, he says some pretty harsh about his religious antagonists here. But it is well to remember a few things. Jesus was perfect and so was his judgment. Our judgment is often colored by our own pride, anger, and selfish perspective - Jesus was seeking only the glory and purposes of God. Unless I am absolutely sure that my judgment is as just as Christ's I would do well to guard my words.

What we see in this passage is a confrontation of the Pharisees for all they were and all they did wrong. Jesus held nothing back. The devotional will deal with the high points in this, but the key point here is that the tendency toward pharisaical attitudes and actions is in each of us. We tend to pin the label on others, but what we need to do is watch our own hearts and minds for the 

Devotional - The Heart of a Pharisee

You're a Pharisee!
No I am not. You are!

Godwin's Law of Online Discussions states: "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1." In a political or social debate, someone is going to make that accusation sooner or later. In theological discussions, it's the Pharisees who come to the forefront. That's "Miller's Corollary to Godwin's Law."  "As a religious discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Pharisees approaches 1." There is no theological bomb with more megatons of destructive power than "Pharisee" bomb.

The Pharisees were the enemies of Jesus Christ, resisting him at every step. Because of this, we have developed a negative and unrealistic view of who the Pharisees were. They were not cartoon villains or gangster thugs. They were passionate and religious - the best of the best in Judaism. The problem with the Pharisees was that they pursued a righteousness based on the Law and on their own efforts. They were not evil villains, but people who were trying to find their own way to God through human effort - a path that is always destined to fail.

It is generally not helpful to accuse others of being Pharisees, and often those accusations are petty and inaccurate. But there are some tendencies of Pharisees in Matthew 23:1-7 that we might want to examine, not to use as accusations against others, but to use to guard our own souls. There are Pharisaical tendencies each of us needs to examine our hearts to identify. Jesus leveled three specific charges against the Pharisees and we ought to be sure that these qualities are never in evidence in our lives.

First, Jesus warned his disciples:

But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach. 

Pharisees talk about that which they do not do. Every one of us has a gap between what we know and what we do. But we must fight the pharisaic tendency to allow that gap to become too large. By the Spirit's power, we must seek to not only hear the Word but do what it says. 

There was a second characteristic of the Pharisees Jesus identified. 

They do everything to be observed by others. 

For the Pharisee, it was not about honoring God, but about impressing others. The Christian lives for the pleasure of God not according to the opinions of people. When I fear people more than I fear God, when I live to please people instead of pleasing God, I am living as the Pharisees would. 

Jesus pointed out a third problem with the Pharisees behavior. 

They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.

 It is Pharisaical to seek my own glory, to pursue my own ambitions, instead of seeking the glory of God. 

Of course, the Pharisees were a complex group and they cannot be easily defined. But we ought to be bothered when we see any of these Pharisaical tendencies in our own lives. 

Father, by your Spirit's power drive every Pharisaical characteristic from my life. May I be concerned with obeying you, not just talking about obeying you. May I live to honor and seek your glory alone. 

Think and Pray

Think of the characteristics of the Pharisees and examine your own life.
Are there pharisaical tendencies in your life that need to be addressed?

"What Belongs to God" August 23 Readings: Matthew 22:15-46, Mark 12:13-37, Luke 20:19-44

Today's Reading - Matthew 22:15-46, Mark 12:13-37, Luke 20:19-44

Background

Pop quiz!

How I hated those words. I was able to study for tests, cramming knowledge into my brain, spitting it out on the test, and forgetting it the moment the test was over. But pop quizzes were sprung on us when we weren't prepared. 

The religionists tried some pop quizzes on Jesus in today's readings, nearly identical in all three Synoptic Gospels. First, they asked him about whether they were obligated to pay taxes to Caesar. "Now we've got him," they thought. If he said yes, the people would hate him. If he said no, he would be in trouble with the Romans to whom the taxes were to be paid. Jesus passed the pop quiz by showing a coin and telling them to "render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." 

He then was asked a labored question about the resurrection and a woman who married each of seven brothers, who died. It was a law from the Old Testament that a brother had to take his brother's widow, especially a childless widow, as his wife. Who's widow would she be in the resurrection? Funny thing about that is that the Sadducees were the Jewish liberals and they didn't even believe in the afterlife or in the resurrection. Jesus got pretty direct with them, accusing them of knowing neither the Scriptures nor the power of God, and reminding them that what mattered most was that he was God of the living and they should give him honor and respect. 

Devotional - Things that Belong to God

Today's thought will be short, but sweet (I hope).  Jesus told the religious leaders to give to Caesar those things that belong to Caesar and to give to God the things that belong to God. Of course, this speaks to a whole of host of things - taxes, paying bills, going to work. A big part of life is doing the "secular" daily tasks we have to do. There are chores to be done, bills to be paid, tasks that must be checked off the list. 

It is not wrong to spend time on these things. To the contrary, it is obedience to Christ. We must be people of order, of decency, of hard work. 

But there are also things that belong to God and we must never allow the things that belong to Caesar to crowd out the things that belong to God. The things that really matter in life and in eternity, the spiritual things, the things of God - they must never be shoved to the side for the sake of the things of the world. 

The real trick to life is finding that balance between rendering to Caesar and rendering to God. None of us will be perfect - we'll always slip off to one side or the other. But we must constantly be correcting to the balance. No, we are not called to spend all our time reading the Bible, praying, and ignoring the dishes, the yard, and the bills. But neither ought we to allow the necessary things of life, the pressing engagements, and urgent activities, to crowd out what is eternal, important, and significant. 

How do we keep that balance? It's never easy and there are no legalistic rules. But we need to make time in the word and in prayer, and be careful about allowing life to crowd out Christian fellowship. When the Spirit moves our hearts to show us that we are off-kilter one way or the other, we must be careful to correct. 

Help me, Father, to keep my commitments in this world and to be faithful, but may I never give this world what belongs to you!

Think and Pray

 Examine your life and consider the balance between what is "Caesar's" (the secular, busyness, chores, and duties of life) and what belongs to God. How are you doing about maintaining that balance? What can you do better?

"Dressed for Success" August 22 Readings: Matthew 21:28-22:14, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-18

Today's Reading -  Matthew 21:28-22:14, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-18

Background

Jesus returns to his parable-telling ways, these ones not nearly as mysterious as some of the previous ones. Matthew records three parables in our reading today, each one designed to insult the Pharisees and religious leaders who were following him and trying to trap him. Jesus didn't back down, didn't try to curry favor. He trained his verbal guns at them with full force and they understood exactly what he was saying. Mark and Luke repeat only one of the parables.

Matthew first told a parable about two sons. The first son refuses to obey his father but changes his mind and submits to his will. The other assures his father of his intent to obey but does not follow through. Jesus pointed out that it took more than just talking a good game to be a true servant of God. 

He then spoke of a master who left his servants to tend his house. The tenants beat them and killed them. Finally, he sent his son to them and they killed him as well. 

The final parable concerned the guests invited to a wedding feast. Again, the parable had to do with those who were called; invited to the feast but who refused to come. 

The religious leaders were clear about what Jesus meant here. He spoke of them. They were those who talked of following God but didn't live it. They mistreated the servants of God and now his Son. Though they had been invited to the feast they were not attending. They understood what Jesus was saying and it infuriated them. 

Devotional - Dressed for Success

"Dress for the job you want." 

There is all kinds of advice for people about the importance of buying and wearing the right kind of clothing. I'm not sure how important it really is, but there are certainly those who place a high value on looks, fashion, and clothing. 

In the third of the parables that Jesus told in Matthew 21 and 22, there is a strange addendum at that end about clothing. Jesus was skewering the attitudes and actions of the Pharisees and religious leaders, telling a parable about a wedding feast and the guests invited there. At the end of that story, having made his main point, he then spoke of a man who showed up at the wedding feast in the wrong clothing. Look at Matthew 22:12. 

And he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?" 

This man got into the wedding feast but he wasn't ready to be there. He wasn't properly dressed. Unfortunately, the church is full every week of people who are improperly dressed for the feast Jesus has prepared. They come clothed in their own works or in their religious rituals and find their garments are too shabby - not brilliant or beautiful enough for the great feast of Christ. There is only one garment that is sufficient for anyone to enter that feast. Only those clothed in the righteousness of Christ may enter. Anyone who attempts to enter in any other garment will find himself cast into outer darkness. 

But praise God, through what Christ did for us, sinners such as we are can be clothed in white robes of righteousness, clean and pure! We are not only invited to the wedding feast but made fit to be there by the work of Christ. 

Father, I thank you for your work of grace, making me fit for an eternal feast of glory. 

Think and Pray

Spend time today thanking God for his grace and saving power, which not only invited us to God's heaven but also made us fit for eternity!

Think on it, meditate on it, and give God praise!

"Authority to Preach" August 21 Readings: John 12:20-50, Matthew 21:18-27, Mark 11:20-33, Luke 20:1-8

Today's Reading - John 12:20-50, Matthew 21:18-27, Mark 11:20-33, Luke 20:1-8

Background

The passage is John is first here because it is a continuation of a previous reading in John. Jesus is preparing for the end. John 12:23 is rife with irony. "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." Think of what was about to happen to him. Arrest. Trial. Beating. Mocking. A crown of thorns. Carrying his cross. Nails in his hands and feet. Agony. And he called this being "glorified." Only Jesus would say that because he realized that the path to greatness was to lay down his life for the world. In verses 25-26, he called his disciples to follow him on the path of the cross, giving up their lives to him and for the sake of others.

Jesus was sinless, but in his battle with the Pharisees, he was not exactly innocent. He did most of his miracles on the Sabbath and said many things that insulted and infuriated them. He entered Jerusalem knowing that it would force a conflict.

And then Jesus began the "Battle Royale" by cleansing the temple, sending the money-changers packing. The religious leaders began to try to trip him up with difficult questions. Poor men - they brought knives to a gun fight. Their wisdom not only couldn't trap Jesus, they ended up looking foolish every time. In today's reading, Jesus' authority is challenged and their sincerity is what took the hit.

See the note at the end of the devotional for a discussion of the apparent contradictions in the gospel accounts of the passion narratives. 

Devotional - Authority to Preach

Ever heard a line and thought, "Wish I'd said that." Or, perhaps after an argument was over you thought of the perfect line, the precise comeback that would have settled the issue and won your verbal battle and you want to kick yourself for not coming up with it earlier. Jesus, full of wisdom and the Spirit, said those things when he was challenged by the Pharisees who were trying to both find a reason to arrest and kill him, and to make him look bad in the eyes of the populace.

Jesus was encroaching on their territory, teaching in the temple courts. How dare he? What right did he have to do such a thing? He was threatening their power, their control, their authority and they demanded to know who he thought he was to do such a thing.

Tell us by what authority you do these? Luke 20:2

Jesus never gave a straight answer to a question like this, challenging his authority. He answered their question with one of his own.

Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Luke 20:4

In a second, the balloon of their arrogance was deflated. That's because of what we talked about yesterday - they cared more about man's applause than God's truth. If they said John's baptism was divine people would wonder why they didn't submit to it and repent. If they denied John, an immensely popular and revered figure, they would offend many. They were in quite a bind - when you lead for the sake of popularity questions like this will always be quite a challenge. When people's opinions matter more than the pleasure of God such troubling issues will abound.

So, the Pharisees did the only thing they could, they folded their hand and admitted defeat. Since they refused to give Jesus an answer he refused to answer them.

But make no mistake, there is an answer, one that Jesus would make clear to his disciples a few weeks later, just before he was taken into heaven. "All authority has been given to me," Jesus said, and that authority he gave to us - to go anywhere to preach the gospel. Anywhere, anytime. On anyone's turf!

Father, I thank you that Jesus' death and resurrection gave us all the authority we needed to go anywhere to proclaim his name. 

Think and Pray

Remember that Jesus' work is the only authority you need for anything God has or will call you to do. Whether the world receives or rejects our message, our authority rests in Christ, not in the responses of people.

NOTE on apparent contradictions: 

Today's reading brings to light one of the key problems with the Synoptics. The story of the cursing of the fig tree appears in both Matthew and Mark, but details vary. We read the Mark story a couple of days ago and in today's reading Jesus and the disciples pass by and find the curse has had its effect and the fig tree has withered. In the Matthew reading, Jesus cursed the tree in the morning and it withered immediately. What is happening here? Were there two fig trees? That is a simple but highly unlikely solution.

The solution lies in the nature of the gospels and especially the minds of the writers. The men of that time did not have the strict sense of chronology that we do today. Both Matthew and Mark were telling the story about Jesus' curse on the fruitless tree. Mark relayed the details in two segments - the cursing on the way out of town and the observation of the withered tree on the way back in. Matthew combined these into one story as fit his theme.

All of the elements were still true. Jesus cursed the tree, which likely began to wither immediately. When they returned the next day the process was complete. He did and said what the scripture says he did and said!

"For Heaven's Applause" August 20 Readings: Matthew 21:1-17, Mark 11:1-19, Luke 19:28-48, John 12:1-19

Today's Reading - Matthew 21:1-17, Mark 11:1-19, Luke 19:28-48, John 12:1-19

Background

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" August 19 Readings: Luke 18:35-19:27

Today's Reading - Luke 18:35-19:27 

Background

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 arm's 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" August 18 Readings: Matthew 20:1-34, Mark 10:32-52, Luke 18:31-34

Today's Reading - Matthew 20:1-34, Mark 10:32-52, Luke 18:31-34 

Background

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 the 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" August 17 Readings: Matthew 19:1-30, Mark 10:1-31, Luke 18:15-30

Today's Reading - Matthew 19:1-30, Mark 10:1-31, Luke 18:15-30 

Background

While there are readings in Matthew, Mark, and Luke today, they repeat the same stories (mostly).

First, Jesus goes over the issue of divorce, with slight variations in each Gospel in some of the small details, primarily over whether there is an exception on the grounds of adultery. Matthew, the most extensive telling of the story, includes it but Mark does not.

The second story, which appears in all three Gospels, is the blessing of the children.

Then, the primary story is that of the rich young ruler, also told in each of the three Gospels. We learn different details in each of the Gospels which combine to give us the entire story. It 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!

There is a final story about the difficulty of rich people entering the Kingdom.

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.