In Enemy Territory - June 14 Readings: 1 Chronicles 14-15, John 15:18–16:15, Psalm 73:11–17, Proverbs 15:5–7

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Notice two verses from our readings today, one in John 15, and one in Psalm 73. It is easy to forget that we, as Christians, live in hostile territory. This world is not our home. American Christians have too long been lulled to sleep by a society that was at least nominally supportive of our values and beliefs. We are just now waking up to the reality that we live in enemy territory and are loyal to a kingdom distinct from any in this world.

John 15:18-25 makes it clear that it is the norm for God's people to be hated in the world. Jesus tells his disciples that he was hated and that they would receive the same treatment if they served him. If we walk in Christ and in his ways, we will face hostility, ridicule, and disdain from this world. That is just part of living for Jesus in a world that is living in rebellion against him.

We get bothered at the first sign of any suffering in the name of Christ. Perhaps it ought to cause us more consternation when we do not suffer. Perhaps that is a sign that we have become too much a part of this world, shaped by its values and walking in its ways. We fit in so well the world hardly sees the distinctions that would make it reject and hate us.

In Psalm 73:11-12, the Psalmist asks a question. Why do the wicked act as if there is no God? They live their lives as if the God of Heaven does not see what they are doing and does not know their actions. They live their lives to please themselves and forget that there is a God to whom each of us must answer.

That is the other side of the John passage. We live in hostile territory and can expect to face suffering and disdain in the world. But the world must be reminded that there is a God in heaven to whom they must answer. So, while our sufferings in this world might be increasingly strong, they do not compare at all to the sufferings in eternity of those who forget God and live their lives as if he did not exist.

Father, I thank you that you have brought me into your kingdom. May I live for you regardless of what anyone in this sin saturated world thinks about it or says about me. 

Abiding - June 13 Readings: 1 Chronicles 12-13, John 15:1–17, Psalm 73:4–10, Proverbs 15:3–4

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I love Christmas trees. A couple of years ago, because we were traveling at Christmastime, we did not even have a tree and it was sad. I love decorating the tree with lights and ornaments - one of my favorite aspects of the Christmas 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. Right now, our Christmas tree is in a gully beside our home, brown and ugly.

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 to 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.  

The Peace of Jesus - June 12 Readings: 1 Chronicles 10-11, John 14, Psalm 73:1–3, Proverbs 15:1–2

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I was a senior in high school, ready to graduate from DeLand High School, and our youth group took a bus trip - the coolest thing ever. It was called a Lynx bus. This ministry had converted buses to sleep 40 or 50 teens. We'd sleep on the bus and wake up each day at a new place to do fun and exciting things. The first morning, we awoke at Chimney Mountain a few miles outside of Gatlinburg. We started climbing. Back then, I was in pretty good shape and before long I was out in front of everyone else. I reached the top of the mountain 5 or 10 minutes before anyone else arrived. It was awe-inspiring - a "religious experience" for a guy who wasn't really walking with the Lord back then!

John 14 is a scriptural mountaintop. The last couple of days we've been reading 1 Chronicles 1-9 and the genealogies. They are inspired, important, but not necessarily inspiring. That is not the problem here. Jesus, the night he was betrayed, hours before he died, gathered his disciples together and gave them his "Farewell Discourse" (John 14-16) which gave them the spiritual resources needed to handle the turbulent and terrible days that lay ahead. With Romans 8, Psalm 23, 1 Corinthians 13, John 3 and several other passages, it is among the breathtaking Himalayan peaks of Scripture. It is almost a shame to read it all in one day!

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.

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.

Boring? Maybe. But Crucial! June 11 Readings: 1 Chronicles 6-9, John 13:21–38, Psalm 72:11–20, Proverbs 14:33–35

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Okay, let's admit it. The genealogies of 1 Chronicles 1-9 we've been reading the last couple of days are not exactly the most riveting and soul-stirring portions of scripture. When my soul is discouraged, when my heart is heavy, I seldom think to myself, "What I really need is to focus my heart and soul on the 'begats' and find the blessings there."

Of course, there are some nuggets woven into the genealogical records that people have found interesting. The most notable, of course, was the story of Jabez' prayer in 4:10, which may be one of the most overblown teachings on prayer ever! It's an interesting story and a reminder that God answers prayer, but it may not be the central teaching on prayer that some have made it out to be.

Reading through these chapters can become wearisome. If you read every word of these 9 chapters, God bless you. I tend to skim! People who get through the infectious skin diseases and mildew of Leviticus can find their commitment to read through the Bible bog down in these chapters. I am guessing that in all the "favorite scriptures" testimony services in history the genealogies of 1 Chronicles have never been identified. as a person's most favored text.

But do not mistake the lack of excitement these chapters provide to mean that they have no meaning or purpose. There is an important lesson to be learned from this passage, one that is buttressed and reinforced by the detailed genealogies of these chapters.

The Bible is not a book of fables and fiction. "It doesn't matter if God really created the world." "It doesn't matter if Moses really parted the Red Sea." "It doesn't matter if Jesus really walked on water." Even, "it doesn't matter if Jesus really rose from the dead." All that matters to some people is that the Bible tells great stories with good morals. It teaches us about God and helps us understand life better. Does it really matter if all the stories are really true?

Yes, my friend, it does. The Bible is not a religious Aesop's Fairy Tales! It is a record of the work of the sovereign God in human history. Every major act of God is grounded in history. Stories are not introduced with "Once upon a time," but with "In the year that King Uzziah died." It's not "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away," but "this was the time of the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria."

The Bible isn't a history textbook, but it is rooted in solid, accurate history. God really created the world. Adam and Eve were really the first humans. Moses really led the people from Egypt. David really fought Goliath and Elijah really faced the false prophets. Jesus really was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, lived in Nazareth and ministered in Galilee. It's a true story.

That's why the genealogies matter. These are not fictional characters in a movie of the week. These were flesh and blood people who lived and died, and through whom God worked his redemptive plan. The genealogies will never be exciting reading, perhaps, but that does not mean that they are not crucial Scripture. They matter. They remind us that God worked in history to redeem real people like us through real people like them. The Bible rests on a solid historical foundation.

Father, I thank you that your Word is not fiction or fairy tales, but the true story of your work in history to redeem sinners and bring us into your kingdom. Thank you!

Cleansed by Christ - June 10 Readings: 1 Chronicles 1-5 , John 13:1–20, Psalm 72:4–10, Proverbs 14:31–32

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Peter did it again. Once more he put his foot in his mouth as he reacted to Jesus Christ. This time, in John 13:1-11, his response was to Jesus washing his feet. At first, he was horrified that the Master would do something so degrading as to take a cloth and wash the disciples' feet. That was lowly, for the servants, beneath him. No matter how many times Jesus had taught about servant-leadership it just never seemed to get through to these guys.

But Jesus spoke, in verse 8, of the necessity of the kind of cleansing Jesus was doing. Peter would "have no part in me" if he did not submit to the cleansing.

To his credit, Peter wanted what Jesus was offering. In fact, in verse 9 he took it one step farther.

"Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." 

I want it all! Wash me from head to toe, Jesus. That was a noble sentiment, but Jesus told him that it was as wrong as the first thought. He needed to be cleansed, but not to be bathed.

"One who has bathed does not need to wash anything except his feet." 

Have you ever wondered why we preach that our sins have all been forgiven in Christ, and yet we also tell folks that they need to confess their sins regularly, daily? Jesus' words here draw that distinction pretty well.

I have been bathed in the cleansing power of Christ, plunged into the fountain drawn from Immanuel's vein, and like all sinners, have lost all my guilty stain. At the moment I trusted Christ as my Savior, so many years ago, I received complete, full and unmeasured forgiveness for all my sins - those I had committed previously and every sin I would ever commit until the day I die. I was washed in the blood of the Lamb and no other sacrifice for sin is every needed to pay completely for my transgressions.

But still, as I walk through the day, I get some of the dirt of this world on my feet. I'm still a sinner after all. So, having been bathed, I go to Jesus to have my feet washed. I confess my sin and he is faithful and just to forgive my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

The forgiveness of sin is both eternal and temporal. I am forgiven in Christ of all my sins, but I still need forgiveness from Christ on a daily basis.

Father, I thank you that my sins are paid for and that I have been bathed in the blood of Christ that never loses its power to save. Thank you, Lord. But I also confess my sin to you today and ask for your forgiveness and grace for this day. Lord, you have bathed me in your grace. Now, with that same grace, I ask you to wash my feet. 

Loving God's Glory, not Man's - June 9 Readings: 2 Kings 24-25, John 12:27–50, Psalm 72:1–3, Proverbs 14:29-30

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As Jesus marched closer to the end of his earthly ministry, to his death, sides began to form. Many loved him and were excited about the things he was saying and doing. Others were plotting his demise, scheming to have him betrayed and planning his execution. But there was a third group, a large group, but a sad group as well.

Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. (John 12:42)

There was a large group among the powerful and influential of Jerusalem, among the rulers of the city, who believed that Jesus was the Christ, God's chosen one for his people. But these were the silent saints who put their power and prestige ahead of their beliefs. They did not want to lose their places of honor or be kicked out of the synagogue, so they shut up about Jesus.

While the religious leaders plotted and planned, they did nothing. While they schemed against Jesus, these men did not whisper a complaint. They cared too much about themselves.

Were they true disciples? I do not know and cannot say. Perhaps later they made complete commitments to Christ and stood for him. We will only know in heaven. But this we know - at this point they put their own needs, status and reputation ahead of Christ. Look at the indictment John gave against them in verse 43.

For they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

They cared more about what other people thought of them than what God thought of them. They lived to please others instead of God. Their lives were defined by the opinions of others more than God's. And that is sin!

May we never be those who live for self and according to the opinions of man for the praise of man. May we be those who live for God's glory and to hear heaven's applause.

Father, you know that my heart loves to hear the applause of man and that all too often I am controlled by the opinions of others about me. Break me, Lord, of that sinful slavery and give me the freedom to live for your pleasure and yours alone. 

The Horror of God's Word! June 8 Readings: 2 Kings 21-23, John 12:1–26, Psalm 71:15–24, Proverbs 14:27-28

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Christians today have bought into the "everything has to be positive and encouraging" message more than we like to admit. When we read the Bible, we ignore the hard truths and simply skip to the verses that make us feel good, that give us promises we want to claim or that fit into our simplified world view. Have you ever seen a "Bible Promises" booklet - one that culls some of the great promises of God's Word? They can be helpful, but by definition they overlook many of the less palatable truths of Scripture.

The truth is that sometimes, God's word is harsh, it is painful and it can be downright horrifying. It reveals us as we are and shows us the truth that we want to ignore or hide. King Josiah found this out in 2 Kings 22:11-13.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

Josiah was leading Judah back to God and was restoring the Temple that had fallen into such disrepair under the abominable reigns of his father and grandfather. As they worked, one of the priests found the Book of the Law and it was brought to Josiah. As the Law was read, Josiah did not pick out an encouraging promise here or a pithy saying there. He listened as the full weight of God's truth fell on him.

Then, he tore his clothes.

He realized how far his nation was from the standard set in the Law, from the life God had commanded for them. He came face to face with a Holy God and saw just how far short they had all fallen. God's Word was a mirror which showed him exactly how dirty the nation had become.

He listened to the Word and restored the Temple and, at least for a time, God brought revival to the land. If we would seek revival, we must stare deeply into the Word and see ourselves for who we are. We must submit ourselves fully to God's Word and let him restore us to become again what we are supposed to be.

Father, show me who you are and who I am and what you want to make me. May your Word restore me completely and revive me again.