When we discuss marriage, desire marriage and devote
ourselves in marriage…we come very close to God himself. Marriage comes very near
to the character and nature of God and comes directly in line with his design
for man and woman.
We have the privilege today of living out a very important aspect of our Creator’s design for us and
it should ignite something deep within each one of us.
God’s first miracle for man was the creation of a woman for him out of his own rib and the performance of a marriage ceremony.
Jesus’ first miracle for man was the creation of wine out of water and the salvation of a
marriage celebration.
Today we are here to witness God, once again, perform a miracle at a wedding ceremony, the uniting
of two souls into one.
Live first for God
When asked what the ‘greatest commandment’ was Jesus said: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.'
Live second for each other and your children
After being asked what the greatest commandment was Jesus added
a second and said: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
Major or the majors...minor on the minors
There are major things that should consume our time, our energy, our emotions and our wallet:
our love for God, our spouses’ desires and well being, our children’s faith and
upbringing, our concern for God’s will being ‘done on earth as it is being done
in heaven’.
And there are minor things that should not take up nearly as much space in our hearts and plans: where we
should vacation this year, whether we should renovate the basement, ‘whose
movie’ we watch this Friday.
Resolve to spend major portions of your time, energy, emotions and money on the major things of
your life…and resolve to delegate an appropriate amount of concern for the
minor things of life.
Jesus said: “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more
than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?... But seek
first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to
you as well.”
When we keep our priorities straight, that is, inline with God’s word and will…the
rest will fall in it’s correct place.
Commit yourselves to true love
We can only know what true love is from God. He is love and
he is love’s best designer. The world knows very little of true love, a mere
shadow.
Paul writes: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.”
True love has to do with making the first move. If you have been hurt, wronged or offended do
not wait for your spouse to approach you…you demonstrate your love by seeking
out the one ‘in the wrong’.
Jesus said: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.”
True love has to do with dying to self and serving others. You no longer exist for yourself,
but for your spouse. True love is laying down your rights, your preferences, and
your comforts for the sake of your spouse. You exist to lay yourself down for
your spouse.
Husbands and wives must recognize that in marriage you have
become one flesh. If you live for your private pleasure at the expense of your
spouse, you are living against yourself and destroying your joy. But if you
devote yourself with all your heart to the holy joy of your spouse, you will
also be living for your joy and making a marriage after the image of Christ and
His church.
Finally, Paul writes: “No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in
all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God.”
True love has to do with security. We are eternally secure in our Heavenly Father’s love and in
your marriage your spouse should know that they are secure in your love and
commitment to them.
Staying married, is not mainly about staying in love. It is
about keeping a covenant. “Till death do us part” or “As long as we both shall
live” is a sacred covenant promise – the same kind Jesus made with His bride
when He died for her.
This means doing whatever necessary to uphold and defend
this sacred covenant, just as God has promised to do for us.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Friday, February 21, 2014
10 ways to stagger your spiritual life in your 20’s and 30’s
I recently read a great article about “10 ways to ruin your life in your 20’s”.
Some of you may have also read it. It was very good, but I think it was
missing some items…here is an amended version called...
10 ways to stagger your spiritual life in your 20’s and 30’s. I wrote it in preparation for our small group. Let me preface by saying that I do not do any of these well and all of them apply BIG TIME to me...so don't be hatin'. I know which ones are our weak points, because they are my weak points.
1. Believe that the Bible can be compartmentalized.
We all do it. We read the Bible and we pick and choose the things that we want to apply to us and the things that we do not want to apply to us. Most likely we do this subconsciously without even really thinking about it. I know I do! It goes something like this: ‘Those verses about ‘personal holiness’ ‘giving’ ‘prayer’ ‘world wide missions’ well those are for the really mature Christians…or ‘God understands my difficult situation and why I just can’t do that…’ God wants ALL OF US to be holy, to pray, to give and to be sold out for world missions and to apply all of scripture, in correct context, to our lives.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” 2 Tim 3:16
2. Jesus doesn’t expect radical commitment.
The second is much like the first, and may actually be the biggest spiritual problem in our American Christian sub-culture. That is; believing that Jesus doesn’t really call for radical commitment…and casual or lukewarm Christianity is ‘ok’. The truth is, it’s not ok. Quit lying to yourself.
There are many radical statements in the gospels. Statements not made by the zealous Paul or the over-promising Peter…statements made by Jesus…the guy that you’re banking your eternity on. Statements like “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Or “whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father” Or “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
God says he will spew the lukewarm out of his mouth(Rev 3:16)…and oh, how often am I so very lukewarm…because I think that half-hearted discipleship is ok…and it isn’t.
“You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with me unless you love me more than you love your own life.” Luke 9:26
3. Live outside your means.
When you spend more than you can afford, you still have to pay for it—plus interest. By living the “good life” now, you ensure you’ll be living the bad life of debt payments, downsizing, financial worries, and delayed/nonexistent retirement in your future decades. A similar problem is failing to save or prepare for a crisis or disaster…whether it be a savings account, an emergency fund or additional insurance.
The biggest two areas that I see my generation regularly over spending on is ‘too much house’ and ‘too nice of cars’. The second is devastating because of the devaluation over time. Many people feel like they need to do #3 (buy a new car (or house)over their budget…to prepare for #10…the ‘god-baby’ on the way).
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. – Proverbs 22:7
4. Feed an addiction.
Whether it is alcohol, food, money, drugs,pornography, shopping, or whatever, it seems like most people have an addiction of some kind. These addictions bring death: either literal death, or death to relationships, to freedom, and to joy.
How do addictions happen? You feed them: it takes repetition, just like exercise. The more you do a thing, the stronger the addiction grows, and the harder it is to stop doing it. Stop now; it will only be harder with “one last time.”
Addictions go hand in hand with #3…trust me,I have addictions…and many of them cost money. Even simple addictions like coffee, clothing or comforts…and the more addictions the more chance of living outside of your means (and more footing for the enemy).
The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. – Proverbs 11:6
5. Run with fools.
Fact: you are becoming who you hang around with. It’s been said you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You do what they do (because you’re doing it together), you pick upon their ideas and beliefs, and you even learn their mannerisms and language.Make a list of your five closest friends…and see what you look like.
If you hang around with idiots, or addicts,or criminals, that’s what you will become. But if you hang around with wise people, who are committed to following Christ and to making a difference with their lives, then that is what you’ll become.
Jesus does want us to love the world, and win the world…including all kinds of foolish, depraved, dirty people…but he doesn’t want us to be won by them.
Something that get’s lost in this is that the same is true for the Christians that you hang out with. If your five closest Christian friends are lukewarm and are doing much of the things on this list often things…you will soon be lukewarm and doing the same.
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. – Proverbs 13:20
5. Find your value in earthly relationships.
Too often we define ourselves by what we have,what we look like and have accomplished…but most often I think we find our value in our relationships ‘who’s with me’. I have found that this is a much bigger struggle for women, than men (but it still happens for us guys, I know,I’ve struggled with it). Often woman base their entire identity, happiness and security on their significant other (boyfriend, fiancĂ©, husband).
And what happens is, those people will always, always let us down in some way or another. Our value must be found in Christ. Our value must be found in what God has declared to be true about us…not what we have, what we have done…or who is with us. Why this could ‘ruin your life’ is because you could spend a lot of time, emotion, money and energy etc.chasing the wrong people and wrong relationships because of a false sense of security you get from their presence in your life…meanwhile, God is on the back-burner of your life and all those resources could've be and should've been poured into pursuing him.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. – Proverbs 4:23
6. Tolerate evil.
You’ve probably heard the quote: “The only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.” Well,it’s true. Because there is evil in the world, actively seeking to destroy others, and if nobody opposes those actions they will succeed. And then eventually you’ll be the target.
“Tolerance” is a big word right now. Some promote ideas of genocide or infanticide, or argue that they should be able to sleep with whomever they feel like. God does not tolerate sin; He paid for it.Stand against evil, or one day there may be no one left to stand for you. God rewards (in this life and the next) those who stand against evil, even if no one else takes notice, or if it appears to be of no avail.
This should include ‘not standing against things that are not beneficial.’ Follow me on the double-negative. "I have the right to do anything," you say--but not everything is beneficial."I have the right to do anything"--but not everything is constructive.” 1 Cor 10:23
I hear of Christians who have alcohol at their Bible Studies in the ‘name of cool’ or ‘we don’t want to appear to be legalistic’. I love beer…I will come out and say it. I love the flavor; I love all kinds of beers. As believers we are allowed to consume in moderation,privacy etc. etc. But just because something isn’t evil/wrong doesn’t mean that it is beneficial, or always beneficial in every situation. We do the same thing with movies, music, friends, etc. Don’t tolerate evil…but also don’t tolerate things that are just bad ideas and are very unbeneficial.
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:13
7. Make secondary things ultimate and ultimate things secondary.
If an outsider were to observe how you spend your time and resources, what would they end up saying your life is about?Making money? Looking good? Fantasy football? Would they say you worship God,or worship that 60-inch HD TV?
There is nothing wrong with working, or working out, or having hobbies, or being interested in the opposite sex. Those are all good things, if you don’t go overboard and make them the focus of your life. They are all secondary, the side dishes of an eternal life. God is ultimate, is the very reason you are here, and is the only one of those things that will last forever. This is why #10 is such a problem.
My generation, myself included, store up way too many treasures on earth...and not in heaven. Another problem (in relationship to #7 and #10) is that we make taking pictures of our kids and tracking their development such a priority...but oh, how few parents teach their kids the Bible regularly. We are making primary things (teaching them about God) secondary and making secondary things (art, soccer, dance, their comfort) primary.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” Matthew 23:23
8. Believe that this life is all about you.
You are one of seven billion people alive currently, and though you are special, so is each of the other6,999,999,999—(and most of them live and die outside of the gospel...all the while we are sipping coffee, and taking picture of our kids, living beyond our means).
You are not the star of this show. You have a cameo that will be forgotten as soon as the screen changes.
People who become the biggest thing in their world are dysfunctional. They have a skewed view. They will always end up either disappointed or delusional. And when they go, their world disappears;they don’t actually leave any impact.
If you do want to be important and make a difference, live for God. Resolve to give your life away for something bigger,and make an impact on the people around you.
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18
9. Live for immediate gratification.
Almost nothing truly worthwhile comes quickly.It takes time and discipline to become an Olympic athlete, or to simply get in shape; to get a degree, or become a great husband or wife. And any of the things you truly want long-term can be derailed by indulging yourself in the moment.
Do you want an amazing marriage, or just one amazing night? Do you want to retire in 36 years, or drive a luxury car for the next 36 months? Because in each case, choosing the latter makes it more difficult (or impossible) to have the former.
The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. – Proverbs 21:20
10. Make your children your god. (Caution,this one may make you very mad…and if it does…it is probably because you struggle with it.)
We all have the tendency to make an idol of just about anything. That is because we were made to worship. We have an innate,God given desire to place our desires, emotions, awe, time, resources, and energy at the feet of the thing(s) that we desire most. Now, God wants to be that thing that we desire most and that we put everything under—and we were made to worship him. And life will never make sense or be full satisfying until we do. But, very often, many other things occupy that space in our heart.
The greatest new stumbling block among my generation is making our children our god. You can see it everywhere. Young couples can’t go to Church or sit in Church because ‘little Johnny’ just can’t sit still or ‘he doesn’t like the nursery workers’.
Young couples can’t afford to tithe or give money to worthy causes…but they can buy expensive Baby Bjorn & Carters etc!Or are too high and mighty to have their kids wear used clothes!
Just watch on Facebook. Some of the rooms we are decorating for our kids look more like shrines than anything else…these parents are making way for their new little god to arrive.
We document every second, every moment of our kid’s existence. “Here is ‘baby Sue’ she’s the size of a pea, now a marble, now a tomato”…“here’s how my belly looks today, in case you forgot from yesterday.”These things are ok, to an extent. But do we document our Bible reading this intense? Do we document our prayers and answer to prayers? Heck, do we even read the Bible or pray with the same fervor or with the same amount of time?
Yes! Our family and our kids are a high priority. But they are NOT FIRST! GOD IS! Or should be.
“You must not have any other god but me.” Exodus 20:3
10 ways to stagger your spiritual life in your 20’s and 30’s. I wrote it in preparation for our small group. Let me preface by saying that I do not do any of these well and all of them apply BIG TIME to me...so don't be hatin'. I know which ones are our weak points, because they are my weak points.
1. Believe that the Bible can be compartmentalized.
We all do it. We read the Bible and we pick and choose the things that we want to apply to us and the things that we do not want to apply to us. Most likely we do this subconsciously without even really thinking about it. I know I do! It goes something like this: ‘Those verses about ‘personal holiness’ ‘giving’ ‘prayer’ ‘world wide missions’ well those are for the really mature Christians…or ‘God understands my difficult situation and why I just can’t do that…’ God wants ALL OF US to be holy, to pray, to give and to be sold out for world missions and to apply all of scripture, in correct context, to our lives.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” 2 Tim 3:16
2. Jesus doesn’t expect radical commitment.
The second is much like the first, and may actually be the biggest spiritual problem in our American Christian sub-culture. That is; believing that Jesus doesn’t really call for radical commitment…and casual or lukewarm Christianity is ‘ok’. The truth is, it’s not ok. Quit lying to yourself.
There are many radical statements in the gospels. Statements not made by the zealous Paul or the over-promising Peter…statements made by Jesus…the guy that you’re banking your eternity on. Statements like “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Or “whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father” Or “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
God says he will spew the lukewarm out of his mouth(Rev 3:16)…and oh, how often am I so very lukewarm…because I think that half-hearted discipleship is ok…and it isn’t.
“You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with me unless you love me more than you love your own life.” Luke 9:26
3. Live outside your means.
When you spend more than you can afford, you still have to pay for it—plus interest. By living the “good life” now, you ensure you’ll be living the bad life of debt payments, downsizing, financial worries, and delayed/nonexistent retirement in your future decades. A similar problem is failing to save or prepare for a crisis or disaster…whether it be a savings account, an emergency fund or additional insurance.
The biggest two areas that I see my generation regularly over spending on is ‘too much house’ and ‘too nice of cars’. The second is devastating because of the devaluation over time. Many people feel like they need to do #3 (buy a new car (or house)over their budget…to prepare for #10…the ‘god-baby’ on the way).
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. – Proverbs 22:7
4. Feed an addiction.
Whether it is alcohol, food, money, drugs,pornography, shopping, or whatever, it seems like most people have an addiction of some kind. These addictions bring death: either literal death, or death to relationships, to freedom, and to joy.
How do addictions happen? You feed them: it takes repetition, just like exercise. The more you do a thing, the stronger the addiction grows, and the harder it is to stop doing it. Stop now; it will only be harder with “one last time.”
Addictions go hand in hand with #3…trust me,I have addictions…and many of them cost money. Even simple addictions like coffee, clothing or comforts…and the more addictions the more chance of living outside of your means (and more footing for the enemy).
The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. – Proverbs 11:6
5. Run with fools.
Fact: you are becoming who you hang around with. It’s been said you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You do what they do (because you’re doing it together), you pick upon their ideas and beliefs, and you even learn their mannerisms and language.Make a list of your five closest friends…and see what you look like.
If you hang around with idiots, or addicts,or criminals, that’s what you will become. But if you hang around with wise people, who are committed to following Christ and to making a difference with their lives, then that is what you’ll become.
Jesus does want us to love the world, and win the world…including all kinds of foolish, depraved, dirty people…but he doesn’t want us to be won by them.
Something that get’s lost in this is that the same is true for the Christians that you hang out with. If your five closest Christian friends are lukewarm and are doing much of the things on this list often things…you will soon be lukewarm and doing the same.
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. – Proverbs 13:20
5. Find your value in earthly relationships.
Too often we define ourselves by what we have,what we look like and have accomplished…but most often I think we find our value in our relationships ‘who’s with me’. I have found that this is a much bigger struggle for women, than men (but it still happens for us guys, I know,I’ve struggled with it). Often woman base their entire identity, happiness and security on their significant other (boyfriend, fiancĂ©, husband).
And what happens is, those people will always, always let us down in some way or another. Our value must be found in Christ. Our value must be found in what God has declared to be true about us…not what we have, what we have done…or who is with us. Why this could ‘ruin your life’ is because you could spend a lot of time, emotion, money and energy etc.chasing the wrong people and wrong relationships because of a false sense of security you get from their presence in your life…meanwhile, God is on the back-burner of your life and all those resources could've be and should've been poured into pursuing him.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. – Proverbs 4:23
6. Tolerate evil.
You’ve probably heard the quote: “The only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.” Well,it’s true. Because there is evil in the world, actively seeking to destroy others, and if nobody opposes those actions they will succeed. And then eventually you’ll be the target.
“Tolerance” is a big word right now. Some promote ideas of genocide or infanticide, or argue that they should be able to sleep with whomever they feel like. God does not tolerate sin; He paid for it.Stand against evil, or one day there may be no one left to stand for you. God rewards (in this life and the next) those who stand against evil, even if no one else takes notice, or if it appears to be of no avail.
This should include ‘not standing against things that are not beneficial.’ Follow me on the double-negative. "I have the right to do anything," you say--but not everything is beneficial."I have the right to do anything"--but not everything is constructive.” 1 Cor 10:23
I hear of Christians who have alcohol at their Bible Studies in the ‘name of cool’ or ‘we don’t want to appear to be legalistic’. I love beer…I will come out and say it. I love the flavor; I love all kinds of beers. As believers we are allowed to consume in moderation,privacy etc. etc. But just because something isn’t evil/wrong doesn’t mean that it is beneficial, or always beneficial in every situation. We do the same thing with movies, music, friends, etc. Don’t tolerate evil…but also don’t tolerate things that are just bad ideas and are very unbeneficial.
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:13
7. Make secondary things ultimate and ultimate things secondary.
If an outsider were to observe how you spend your time and resources, what would they end up saying your life is about?Making money? Looking good? Fantasy football? Would they say you worship God,or worship that 60-inch HD TV?
There is nothing wrong with working, or working out, or having hobbies, or being interested in the opposite sex. Those are all good things, if you don’t go overboard and make them the focus of your life. They are all secondary, the side dishes of an eternal life. God is ultimate, is the very reason you are here, and is the only one of those things that will last forever. This is why #10 is such a problem.
My generation, myself included, store up way too many treasures on earth...and not in heaven. Another problem (in relationship to #7 and #10) is that we make taking pictures of our kids and tracking their development such a priority...but oh, how few parents teach their kids the Bible regularly. We are making primary things (teaching them about God) secondary and making secondary things (art, soccer, dance, their comfort) primary.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” Matthew 23:23
8. Believe that this life is all about you.
You are one of seven billion people alive currently, and though you are special, so is each of the other6,999,999,999—(and most of them live and die outside of the gospel...all the while we are sipping coffee, and taking picture of our kids, living beyond our means).
You are not the star of this show. You have a cameo that will be forgotten as soon as the screen changes.
People who become the biggest thing in their world are dysfunctional. They have a skewed view. They will always end up either disappointed or delusional. And when they go, their world disappears;they don’t actually leave any impact.
If you do want to be important and make a difference, live for God. Resolve to give your life away for something bigger,and make an impact on the people around you.
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18
9. Live for immediate gratification.
Almost nothing truly worthwhile comes quickly.It takes time and discipline to become an Olympic athlete, or to simply get in shape; to get a degree, or become a great husband or wife. And any of the things you truly want long-term can be derailed by indulging yourself in the moment.
Do you want an amazing marriage, or just one amazing night? Do you want to retire in 36 years, or drive a luxury car for the next 36 months? Because in each case, choosing the latter makes it more difficult (or impossible) to have the former.
The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. – Proverbs 21:20
10. Make your children your god. (Caution,this one may make you very mad…and if it does…it is probably because you struggle with it.)
We all have the tendency to make an idol of just about anything. That is because we were made to worship. We have an innate,God given desire to place our desires, emotions, awe, time, resources, and energy at the feet of the thing(s) that we desire most. Now, God wants to be that thing that we desire most and that we put everything under—and we were made to worship him. And life will never make sense or be full satisfying until we do. But, very often, many other things occupy that space in our heart.
The greatest new stumbling block among my generation is making our children our god. You can see it everywhere. Young couples can’t go to Church or sit in Church because ‘little Johnny’ just can’t sit still or ‘he doesn’t like the nursery workers’.
Young couples can’t afford to tithe or give money to worthy causes…but they can buy expensive Baby Bjorn & Carters etc!Or are too high and mighty to have their kids wear used clothes!
Just watch on Facebook. Some of the rooms we are decorating for our kids look more like shrines than anything else…these parents are making way for their new little god to arrive.
We document every second, every moment of our kid’s existence. “Here is ‘baby Sue’ she’s the size of a pea, now a marble, now a tomato”…“here’s how my belly looks today, in case you forgot from yesterday.”These things are ok, to an extent. But do we document our Bible reading this intense? Do we document our prayers and answer to prayers? Heck, do we even read the Bible or pray with the same fervor or with the same amount of time?
Yes! Our family and our kids are a high priority. But they are NOT FIRST! GOD IS! Or should be.
“You must not have any other god but me.” Exodus 20:3
Thursday, September 26, 2013
The Second Greatest Promise, Ever
I am here to
speak to you today about the second greatest promise in the Bible.
The greatest promise in the Bible is found in John 3:16 “God
so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
The greatest promise in the Bible
purchased and guaranteed the second greatest promise.
The greatest second greatest promise,
and much less known, and not believed in promise, in the Bible is found in Romans 8. “…we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose... He who did not spare
his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
The greatest promise in the Bible is that by believing in
Jesus Christ’s accomplishments on the cross on your behalf, you can have
eternal life.
The second greatest is that by being brought into the
household of God through faith in Christ, ensures
that your heavenly father is working mightily on your behalf to cause all
things, easy, hard, painful, light, difficult…for your ultimate good. And
the fact that he did not spare his infinitely valuable son on your behalf to
purchase the first promise, ensures that he will not spare any other lesser
thing to ensure all things for your continued good.
Let’s
examine this further by reading John 11
My life had two major directional
shifts. The first
was when I heard and understood the greatest promise for the first time when I
was in High School and placed my faith in it. That is, I believed it to be
true.
The second
was when I heard the second promised preached for the first time while I was in
College.
John Piper
had been invited to a Men’s Breakfast while I was in my freshman year at Moody
Bible Institute. I heard one
of the best messages I ever heard on the text we read. John 11. That message totally flipped how I viewed God’s
love, God’s intentions, suffering, disappointments, rewards… And it has been
burned into my mind, I remember it more than any other message I have ever
heard.
I truly
believe that this second promise is greatly over looked and under believed in,
in most Christians lives today.
Consider six observations from this God-inspired story—the first two of them painfully obvious and some of them shocking.
First, Lazarus was ill. Indeed, he was mortally ill. Verse 1: “Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.” We are not told what Lazarus’ illness was.
Second, Lazarus’ family sent for help to Jesus. Verse 3: “So the sisters [Mary and Martha] sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’”
Third, Jesus intentionally did not come as they asked, but let Lazarus die. Verse 6: “So, when [Jesus] heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” He did not go as asked. He stayed. And Lazarus died. Jesus did not come the way they asked him to come. He withheld his mighty healing hand.
Fourth, shockingly, Jesus calls this behavior of his love. Notice the connection between verses 5 and 6: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So [= therefore], when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” John says that Jesus delayed because he loved them. He loved them all: Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So [= therefore], when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed.”
It was his love that let Lazarus die. Jesus has not ceased to love this
family. Christ did not come the way they asked, because he loves them to a
greater end than simply protecting them from pain and suffering. How can that
be? What is this greater end? What can be better than saving them from this
pain and misery? (Human love would say, do whatever you can to save him...that
is real love) The last two observations give us a clue.
Fifth, Jesus said that this sickness was for the glory of God. Verse 4: “When Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’” This must mean, then, the manifestation of the glory of God, as the all-satisfying treasure of our faith, is a greater act of love than preventing Lazarus’ death would have been. Jesus did not come, because he loved them. And he said his aim in not coming was the glory of God and the glory of himself, the Son of God.
Sixth, in spite of Jesus’ choice to let Lazarus’ die, he wept. Verses 33-35, “When Jesus saw [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’” Jesus is not a simple person. He chooses to bring about a painful situation. Then he walks into that situation and weeps with those who weep. Jesus, potentially, overcome by the death that awaited him, or overcome with sorrow over the sin cursed world which brought death and sorrow into the world (which God, Jesus himself, never ever intended), wept.
For the sake of love—not just love to Lazarus, but to Mary and Martha and the watching Pharisees, and all of you listening to my voice today—for the sake of the greatest love to the greatest number, Jesus manifested the glory of God and raised Lazarus from the dead. That is, he brought Lazarus from infinite joy back to a life fraught with sin and sickness, stress and frustration, and, in the end, to face the horrible enemy of death a second time...so that Larazus' life might bring the ultimate glory to God possible. And when our lives bring most glory to God, we are most satisfied.
Conclusion: To summarize this, God loves us. But his love is not in human terms of understanding or showing love. God loves us to the greatest end, to the end that is absolutely best for us.
Fifth, Jesus said that this sickness was for the glory of God. Verse 4: “When Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’” This must mean, then, the manifestation of the glory of God, as the all-satisfying treasure of our faith, is a greater act of love than preventing Lazarus’ death would have been. Jesus did not come, because he loved them. And he said his aim in not coming was the glory of God and the glory of himself, the Son of God.
Sixth, in spite of Jesus’ choice to let Lazarus’ die, he wept. Verses 33-35, “When Jesus saw [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’” Jesus is not a simple person. He chooses to bring about a painful situation. Then he walks into that situation and weeps with those who weep. Jesus, potentially, overcome by the death that awaited him, or overcome with sorrow over the sin cursed world which brought death and sorrow into the world (which God, Jesus himself, never ever intended), wept.
For the sake of love—not just love to Lazarus, but to Mary and Martha and the watching Pharisees, and all of you listening to my voice today—for the sake of the greatest love to the greatest number, Jesus manifested the glory of God and raised Lazarus from the dead. That is, he brought Lazarus from infinite joy back to a life fraught with sin and sickness, stress and frustration, and, in the end, to face the horrible enemy of death a second time...so that Larazus' life might bring the ultimate glory to God possible. And when our lives bring most glory to God, we are most satisfied.
Conclusion: To summarize this, God loves us. But his love is not in human terms of understanding or showing love. God loves us to the greatest end, to the end that is absolutely best for us.
What is
absolutely best for all mankind? That our lives bring glory to God. Plain and
simple.
God knows
that he is our best. God knows that he is the most wonderful, mighty, holy,
incredible thing in the universe that anyone can know and come into contact
with or commune with.
If his love
for us was to any other end, other than us knowing, befriending and glorifying
God...he would not be truly loving us, because he would be loving us to some
lesser, weaker end (comfort, painlessness, earthly pleasures and personal
desires). But God loves us truly and perfectly and loves us to the
point/purpose that we get what is best for us, and what is best for us is that
we know him and glorify him with our lives. So, he may very well bring us
through pain and sorrow, or things that seem "unloving" to us, to
bring us to what is ultimately best for us.... his glory in our lives.
This is the aim of Romans 8:28-32
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
This is the aim of Romans 8:28-32
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
This says
that God is working all things together for the good, or for what is BEST for
the believer. He goes on to say that what is best for the believer, or the good
thing that he is causing all things to come into conformity to are
1) the
believer being conformed into the image of Christ and
2) the
believer having a right standing with God and
3) the
believer experiencing and obtaining God's own glory.
This verse
shows that God's love is the greatest love, and it is rooted in bringing us to
him, conforming us to his image and allow us to glorify him and experience his
glory.... because those things are what is absolutely, completely what God
knows is BEST for us. So, God will cause/allow suffering, sorrow, circumstances
that seem "unloving" to us earthy people (like Lazarus and his
family), who only experience love in a selfish, earthly manner in order that
what is actually truly loving and best for us may happen: God's glory in our
life.
And
Genesis 50:20
"As for you, you meant it for evil against me;
but God meant it for good."
The same theme is present in 2 Corinthians 4:17
“For
momentary, light affliction is producing
for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison…”
And
Hebrews 12:2
“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat
down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
And Hebrews 10:34
“You
sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your
property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting
possessions.”
We need to
We need to
1) Redefine
true love. We need to realize that love is doing what is absolutely best for
others.
2) Realize
what is absolutely best. What is absolutely best, for all mankind (our wife,
our husband, our kids, our boss, our friends) is that they know God, come to
God, be friends of God, be conformed into God's image and glorify God.
3) Reach out
in absolute love. We need to love to this best end. We need to love others in
the same way God loved/loves us....that is, that their lives would bring glory
to God (not possessions and comfort and affection) but the knowledge of and
glorification of God!
This idea is the aim of John 15:8-13 as well
"When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. 9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Jesus says, "What I am about to say will allow you to bring great glory to God, my father". Then he jumps directly into speaking about his love for us and God's own great love for us. He says that this glorification of God, which his love for us is rooted in, occurs when we follow his commands.
This idea is the aim of John 15:8-13 as well
"When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. 9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Jesus says, "What I am about to say will allow you to bring great glory to God, my father". Then he jumps directly into speaking about his love for us and God's own great love for us. He says that this glorification of God, which his love for us is rooted in, occurs when we follow his commands.
He says that
if we do this, we will be filled with God's own joy and our joy will overflow,
more than any other other lesser earthly thing (which is not our best) can do
for us. He then closes by saying, this is the model that we should follow in
loving others, loving them to best end...God's glory and showing them how to
know and obey God, so they too may have his joy.
God loves us to the best possible end, that is, that we are glorifying him with our lives and enjoying his best for us.
God loves us to the best possible end, that is, that we are glorifying him with our lives and enjoying his best for us.
When our lives are most inline with God's best instruction/intention for us, and are bringing the most glory to God, we can and will be most satisfied and joyful.
God wants us loving other to this exact same purpose. Even to the extent that we give our lives for them to obtain it.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
I Have Another Dream...
Though the sound waves are 50 years old, Martin Luther King's voice
continues to travel through time. The voice still echoes through the
Lincoln Memorial and through the red hills of Georgia. And though some
of those dreams have become a reality...many have yet to be fulfilled.
Racism and inequality continue to exist in our great nation and most
likely will continue to exist as long as we insist on governing
ourselves apart from God's word.
As great as the continuing need is for racial harmony and equal opportunity when it comes to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness for all men and women who are citizens of the United State of America...there remains an even greater injustice in the world.
Martin Luther King was a voice for thousands and hundreds of thousands who had no voice...and he used that voice to make one of the greatest speeches of all time.
But where are the rallying cries for the millions and millions who are born, live and die without a single moment in, a single interaction with, or a single word from the Bible. Where is the voice echoing through our churches for the millions who have suffered generation after generation for over 2,000 years without a single word of the gospel in their language.
200 years of racial inequality pales in comparison to 2,000 years of living and dying apart from any knowledge of the gospel. Yes many horrific things have happen during those 200 years; but even Martin Luther King benefited mightily from being born in the realm of the gospel reach. His name was changed early in life, after the great reformer 'Martin Luther'.
If we would only truly understand how much worse, how much more awful, traumatic and desperate is it being born in a land where there is no gospel light than being born black in America in any era. Being born in a land where there is no gospel...means you never have the opportunity to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. And you if can not call on the name of the Lord...you perish. You lived eternity apart from him, in torment. That is much worse than anything we can imagine or suffer here in America. (Never mind that most of those same people don't have access to clean drinking water and medication never mind the right to vote, health care and flat screen tv's and the 1,000 other luxuries we have!!!!)
The lack of fervor by supposed born-again believers for world evangelization is a much worse atrocity than any social injustice we face in America. The lack of interest in living for God's dream because we are too busy living for our own dreams is a much worse injustice than any social issue America is up against today.
I have a dream...that one day America Christians will wake up to their disobedience and realize that there are still over 2,393 whole languages in the world that do not have a Bible. They do not have the message of sin through Adam and salvation through faith in Christ alone! 2,393 whole languages can not call on the name of the Lord and be saved today! But we are more worried about our cell coverage.
I have a dream...that one day America Christians will wake up to the reality that there is only 1 missionary per 1 million unreached people in the world today!
I have a dream...that one day soon Southern Baptist Christians will wake up from their stupor and realize that there are over 6,686 Southern Baptist Christians per unreached group in the world today!!
I have a dream...that we would start caring less about our own comforts and desires and more about God's desires.
I have a dream...that we would be more concerned about people in Kenya getting the gospel for the first time than if we are treated fairly today, or if our clothes are just right and our lives are turning out exactly the way we planned.
God has a dream. Will it be your dream?
God has a dream...that all the nations that he has created will come and worship him. (Psalm 86:9)
God has a dream...to gather all his sons and daughters that he created for his glory. (Isaiah 43:6-7)
God has a dream...that one day there will be a great multitude from every tribe, tongue and nation worship him in Heaven! (Rev 7:9, 5:9)
God has a dream...that the church would abandon their own pursuits and obey him at all cost to make disciples of all nations. (Matt 28:19, Matt 16:24, Matt 19:29)
To close...amongst all the hype of continuing social injustices in America that do need to be addressed, don't forget the greatest injustice and inequality of all... that we have over 100 translations of the Bible in English, while 2,393 languages don't have a single one.
As great as the continuing need is for racial harmony and equal opportunity when it comes to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness for all men and women who are citizens of the United State of America...there remains an even greater injustice in the world.
Martin Luther King was a voice for thousands and hundreds of thousands who had no voice...and he used that voice to make one of the greatest speeches of all time.
But where are the rallying cries for the millions and millions who are born, live and die without a single moment in, a single interaction with, or a single word from the Bible. Where is the voice echoing through our churches for the millions who have suffered generation after generation for over 2,000 years without a single word of the gospel in their language.
200 years of racial inequality pales in comparison to 2,000 years of living and dying apart from any knowledge of the gospel. Yes many horrific things have happen during those 200 years; but even Martin Luther King benefited mightily from being born in the realm of the gospel reach. His name was changed early in life, after the great reformer 'Martin Luther'.
If we would only truly understand how much worse, how much more awful, traumatic and desperate is it being born in a land where there is no gospel light than being born black in America in any era. Being born in a land where there is no gospel...means you never have the opportunity to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. And you if can not call on the name of the Lord...you perish. You lived eternity apart from him, in torment. That is much worse than anything we can imagine or suffer here in America. (Never mind that most of those same people don't have access to clean drinking water and medication never mind the right to vote, health care and flat screen tv's and the 1,000 other luxuries we have!!!!)
The lack of fervor by supposed born-again believers for world evangelization is a much worse atrocity than any social injustice we face in America. The lack of interest in living for God's dream because we are too busy living for our own dreams is a much worse injustice than any social issue America is up against today.
I have a dream...that one day America Christians will wake up to their disobedience and realize that there are still over 2,393 whole languages in the world that do not have a Bible. They do not have the message of sin through Adam and salvation through faith in Christ alone! 2,393 whole languages can not call on the name of the Lord and be saved today! But we are more worried about our cell coverage.
I have a dream...that one day America Christians will wake up to the reality that there is only 1 missionary per 1 million unreached people in the world today!
I have a dream...that one day soon Southern Baptist Christians will wake up from their stupor and realize that there are over 6,686 Southern Baptist Christians per unreached group in the world today!!
I have a dream...that we would start caring less about our own comforts and desires and more about God's desires.
I have a dream...that we would be more concerned about people in Kenya getting the gospel for the first time than if we are treated fairly today, or if our clothes are just right and our lives are turning out exactly the way we planned.
God has a dream. Will it be your dream?
God has a dream...that all the nations that he has created will come and worship him. (Psalm 86:9)
God has a dream...to gather all his sons and daughters that he created for his glory. (Isaiah 43:6-7)
God has a dream...that one day there will be a great multitude from every tribe, tongue and nation worship him in Heaven! (Rev 7:9, 5:9)
God has a dream...that the church would abandon their own pursuits and obey him at all cost to make disciples of all nations. (Matt 28:19, Matt 16:24, Matt 19:29)
To close...amongst all the hype of continuing social injustices in America that do need to be addressed, don't forget the greatest injustice and inequality of all... that we have over 100 translations of the Bible in English, while 2,393 languages don't have a single one.
Friday, August 16, 2013
Two Criminals, Two Crosses, Two Choices...
Two Criminals, Two Crosses, Two Choices...
I love the allegories in the Bible. The analogies. I have come to learn that everything that happened in the Bible (from the smallest, seemingly most insignificant account to ---> the greatest) has a specific, intended spiritual lesson. I really love the ones that increase the understanding of the significance of Jesus' death. One of my favorites is the comparison of Jesus and Barabbas to the scapegoat and sacrificial goat in Leviticus 16. I would really encourage you to study up on that one. The account of choosing of Barabbas over Jesus seems so insignificant and random that you can totally miss it; I know I did for the longest time. The fact was that the High Priests were the first to cry out "Free Barabbas - Crucify Jesus" (Mark 15:11) while the two men stood at the front of the Temple...and they were literally performing the Old Testament instruction for the Priest to select the appropriate animal for an atoning sin sacrifice at the front of the Tent of Meeting. (Lev 16:7-9)
If I asked you "Who was the first person to be set free because of the sacrifice of Christ?" You may flip through your Bible to look for the first disciple who expressed clear understanding after the resurrection. You may look for a name of someone at Peter's speech at Pentecost. A really observant person may even say "the Roman Solider who was at the foot of the cross" and after Jesus died, said "Surely, this man was the Son of God!" (Luke 23:47) Truly the first person to benefit from the sacrifice of Christ, in a very real way, was Barabbas.
This note isn't about Barabbas (though I should probably write one about that account)...this note is about the first person to be spiritually set free because of the sacrifice of Christ.
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:38-43
The two criminals represent all humanity. All of humanity will be categorized along side of (with) these two criminals...and the determining factor will be how we each, individually, respond to the savoir in the cross in the middle of us.
Notice how similar they are. Both are suffering the pain of crucifixion. Both are guilty of a crime ("we are getting what our deeds deserve," v. 41). Both see Jesus, the sign over his head ("King of the Jews," v. 38); they hear the words from his mouth ("Father forgive them," v. 34). And both of these thieves want desperately to be saved from death.
Things are then divided between these two criminals and between two categories of people by how they each respond to Jesus on the cross, next to them.
All of us have all these things in common with these two criminals: there is suffering in our lives because of sin and we are dying because of it. We are guilty of many crimes. Most of us have seen Jesus on the cross in some way, shape or form and have heard his claim to kingship and his gracious words of forgiveness. And all of us want to be saved from death and suffering in one way or the other.
To him right and wrong, praise and blame, good and bad are of no interest: his one objective is to save his earthly skin. He might even believe Jesus is the Messiah, the King of the Jews. But, it's only a matter of convenience to him: he'll take anybody as king who can get him off the cross. Just another way to serve his own worldly purposes. He fails to acknowledge that he is on that cross because of his own doing.
Notice however the other criminal: this one is the one Luke and Jesus want us to be like...
Second, he fears God.
'the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? '
God was real to this man and he feared the holy wrath of God.
It didn't make any difference to the first criminal if Jesus was right or wrong. We must say with the second criminal: "This man has done nothing wrong." This man only does what is good. This man only speaks the truth. This man is worthy of our faith and allegiance and imitation.This man was perfect and died in my (a criminals) place. This man acknowledged that Jesus was who he said he was; the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, righteous and holy as God alone is righteous and holy...and we must do the same.
And finally, the second criminal does one more thing. He fears God, admits wrong, accepts justice, acknowledges the goodness and power of Jesus. Now he pleads for help.
"Jesus, remember when you come into your kingdom." Both criminals wanted to be saved from death. But how differently they sought their salvation: 1) "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" Prove yourself to us! 2) "Jesus, remember when you come into your kingdom!" If you don't remember me, I have no other hope!!! There is an infinite qualitative difference between "Remember me!" and "Save me!"
Jesus response to these two criminals was almost as radically different as their own responses to him.
To the first criminal, there is no record of response. I take this to mean that Jesus didn't reply. He didn't respond. Jesus did not reply to the first man. Jesus did not save this man, or give any promise of future deliverance. The man did not come to Jesus in the way that God demands. Neither will Jesus respond to any sinful criminals alive on earth today who do not come to him the way that God demands.
Jesus does reply to the second man.
He promises this second man that today, this very day, without delay...the man will be with Jesus in his kingdom. If we too reply like the second man, today, this very day, we can be brought into the kingdom of God. We can be called children of the King, sons and daughters of the most high God. We can be removed from the punishment that is due our deeds.
I love the allegories in the Bible. The analogies. I have come to learn that everything that happened in the Bible (from the smallest, seemingly most insignificant account to ---> the greatest) has a specific, intended spiritual lesson. I really love the ones that increase the understanding of the significance of Jesus' death. One of my favorites is the comparison of Jesus and Barabbas to the scapegoat and sacrificial goat in Leviticus 16. I would really encourage you to study up on that one. The account of choosing of Barabbas over Jesus seems so insignificant and random that you can totally miss it; I know I did for the longest time. The fact was that the High Priests were the first to cry out "Free Barabbas - Crucify Jesus" (Mark 15:11) while the two men stood at the front of the Temple...and they were literally performing the Old Testament instruction for the Priest to select the appropriate animal for an atoning sin sacrifice at the front of the Tent of Meeting. (Lev 16:7-9)
If I asked you "Who was the first person to be set free because of the sacrifice of Christ?" You may flip through your Bible to look for the first disciple who expressed clear understanding after the resurrection. You may look for a name of someone at Peter's speech at Pentecost. A really observant person may even say "the Roman Solider who was at the foot of the cross" and after Jesus died, said "Surely, this man was the Son of God!" (Luke 23:47) Truly the first person to benefit from the sacrifice of Christ, in a very real way, was Barabbas.
This note isn't about Barabbas (though I should probably write one about that account)...this note is about the first person to be spiritually set free because of the sacrifice of Christ.
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:38-43
The two criminals represent all humanity. All of humanity will be categorized along side of (with) these two criminals...and the determining factor will be how we each, individually, respond to the savoir in the cross in the middle of us.
Notice how similar they are. Both are suffering the pain of crucifixion. Both are guilty of a crime ("we are getting what our deeds deserve," v. 41). Both see Jesus, the sign over his head ("King of the Jews," v. 38); they hear the words from his mouth ("Father forgive them," v. 34). And both of these thieves want desperately to be saved from death.
Things are then divided between these two criminals and between two categories of people by how they each respond to Jesus on the cross, next to them.
All of us have all these things in common with these two criminals: there is suffering in our lives because of sin and we are dying because of it. We are guilty of many crimes. Most of us have seen Jesus on the cross in some way, shape or form and have heard his claim to kingship and his gracious words of forgiveness. And all of us want to be saved from death and suffering in one way or the other.
The First Criminal
The first criminal says, "Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” What a picture of a spiritually destitute, worldly man. It is a matter of total indifference to him that he is suffering "the due reward of his deeds." He does not recognize that he is a criminal and that the punishment he is receiving is correct and fair.To him right and wrong, praise and blame, good and bad are of no interest: his one objective is to save his earthly skin. He might even believe Jesus is the Messiah, the King of the Jews. But, it's only a matter of convenience to him: he'll take anybody as king who can get him off the cross. Just another way to serve his own worldly purposes. He fails to acknowledge that he is on that cross because of his own doing.
Notice however the other criminal: this one is the one Luke and Jesus want us to be like...
The Second Criminal
First, he is not sucked in by the other criminal's response.
He is not basing his opinion or response to Jesus on anyone else's inaccurate babbling about Jesus. The world has a bunch of incorrect notions about Jesus and will babble all day about your "craziness" to believe in such a man. Do not let your individual response to Jesus be swayed by other dying criminals who fail to recognize their situation.
Second, he fears God.
'the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 'God was real to this man and he feared the holy wrath of God.
Third, he admitted that he had done wrong and that the penalty he was receiving was correct.
"We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve." He had no desire to save face any more; he had no more will to assert himself. He was here and laid open before the God he feared and there was no way to hide his guilt. Not only did he admit to wrong and guilt, he accepted his punishment as deserved. We must admit that we are sinful, we are criminals against the most high God and we must admit that our sentence of death and separation from him is what our deeds deserve.Fourth, he acknowledged that Jesus was righteous and the King of heaven.
"But this man has done nothing wrong....Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."It didn't make any difference to the first criminal if Jesus was right or wrong. We must say with the second criminal: "This man has done nothing wrong." This man only does what is good. This man only speaks the truth. This man is worthy of our faith and allegiance and imitation.This man was perfect and died in my (a criminals) place. This man acknowledged that Jesus was who he said he was; the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, righteous and holy as God alone is righteous and holy...and we must do the same.
And finally, the second criminal does one more thing. He fears God, admits wrong, accepts justice, acknowledges the goodness and power of Jesus. Now he pleads for help.
"Jesus, remember when you come into your kingdom." Both criminals wanted to be saved from death. But how differently they sought their salvation: 1) "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" Prove yourself to us! 2) "Jesus, remember when you come into your kingdom!" If you don't remember me, I have no other hope!!! There is an infinite qualitative difference between "Remember me!" and "Save me!"
Jesus response to these two criminals was almost as radically different as their own responses to him.
To the first criminal, there is no record of response. I take this to mean that Jesus didn't reply. He didn't respond. Jesus did not reply to the first man. Jesus did not save this man, or give any promise of future deliverance. The man did not come to Jesus in the way that God demands. Neither will Jesus respond to any sinful criminals alive on earth today who do not come to him the way that God demands.
Jesus does reply to the second man.
He promises this second man that today, this very day, without delay...the man will be with Jesus in his kingdom. If we too reply like the second man, today, this very day, we can be brought into the kingdom of God. We can be called children of the King, sons and daughters of the most high God. We can be removed from the punishment that is due our deeds.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
God is for me and that's good. God is for God and that's not bad. God's glory in me is best for me.
I decided to launch this note as a spin off of the key phrase in Wreck-It-Ralph...Boston's favorite flick.
Wreck-It Ralph: I am bad and that's good, I will never be good and that's not bad, there's no one I would rather be than me.
Here it is: God is for me and that's good. God is for God and that's not bad. God's glory in me is best for me.
There are a handful of truths that have so completely turned my life upside down that I base almost everything I do/teach on them. They are so profound and totally encompassing that you'll find their hands in all of scripture. I have found that the more I focus on these overarching few truths, the better off I am.
A few of them are: Man must have faith in what God has said. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. I can do all things, and only things by Christ who strengthens me. We must be confident in our position, if we are to be impactful in our condition... etc.
One of the most revolutionizing that: When God seeks his own glory in my life, it is actually the most loving act possible towards me. God's aim and effort to glorify himself is very loving (not selfish) and is without fault of any kind and is very different from human self-exaltation and it is a supreme act of love.
Let me explain....
God Pursues His Own Praise
Everything he does is motivated by his desire to be glorified. God's goal in all he does is to receive praise for the glory of his name.
For my own sake, for my own sake I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.
It's pretty clear that even our salvation is under the purpose of his own gathering of glory:
Listen to Ephesians 1. There is a phrase repeated three times in verses 6, 12, and 14 which makes it very clear what Paul thinks is the goal of God in saving us from sin and for himself. Notice verses 5 and 6:
He predestined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace.
Then verse 12:
We who first hoped in Christ...have been appointed to live for the praise of his glory.
Finally, verse 14:
The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory.
His goal in the end is that he might be admired, marveled at, exalted, and praised. Christ is coming, Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1:10, at the end of this age, "to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at by all who believe."
Some people have a very hard time swallowing all this however, because it makes God appear to be selfish. And doesn't God love us? Because doesn't John 3:16 say that "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son?" Wasn't salvation based strictly on his love? Was he for us when he saved us or for himself?
It is all right for God to be praised, but it doesn't seem quite right for him to seek praise. Didn't Jesus say, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted"? Yet, God's clear purpose from Scripture is to exalt himself in the eyes of man.
There are two reasons, I think, why we may stumble over God's love for his own glory and his zeal to get men to praise him for it.One is that we don't like humans who act that way, and the other is that the Bible seems to teach that a person ought not to seek his own glory.
First, we just don't like people who seem to be very enamored by their own skill or power or looks.
Second, we are told not to be self seeking...1 Corinthians 13:5 says,"Love seeks not its own." So this, seems to create a crisis: if, God makes it his ultimate goal to be glorified and praised, how then can he be loving? How is it not selfish and self-centered for God to be seeking his own glory, and how it is in fact loving??
Scriptures that teach that God is for himself. "For my own sake, for my own sake I do it, my glory I will not give to another" (Isaiah 48:11). But if God is a God of love, he must be for us. Is God for himself or is he for us?
The Infinite Love of God in Pursuing His Own Praise
The answer is: because God is unique as the most glorious of all beings and totally self-sufficient, he must be for himself in order to be for us. If he were to abandon the goal of his own self-exaltation, we would be the losers. His aim to bring praise to himself and his aim to bring pleasure to his people are one aim and stand or fall together.
(For any other creature to seek self exaltation and praise would be SELFISH, because every other creature is NOT supremely valuable.)
Think about this: What could God give us to enjoy that would show him most (perfectly) loving?There is only one possible answer, isn't there? HIMSELF!
If God would give us the best, the most satisfying thing,that is, if he would love us perfectly, he must offer us no less than himself for our contemplation and fellowship. Because, isn't God the best there actually is??
And this was God's very intention in sending his Son.
Ephesians 2:18 says that Christ came that we might "have access in one Spirit to the Father." And 1 Peter 3:18 says,"Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God."God conceived the whole plan of redemption in love to bring men back to himself, for as the psalmist says, "In your presence there is fullness of joy, in your right hand are pleasures for evermore" (16:11). God is after us to give us what is best—not prestige,wealth, or even health in this life, but a full-blown vision of and fellowship with himself.
Therefore, if God is truly for us, if he would give us what is best... we must know that, he must make it his aim to win our praise for himself. Not because he needs to shore up some weakness in himself or compensate for some deficiency, but because he loves us and seeks our best that can only be found in knowing and praising him, the most beautiful of all beings.
God is the one Being in all the universe for whom seeking his own praise is the ultimately loving act. For him self-exaltation is the highest virtue. When he doesall things "for the praise of his glory" as Ephesians 1 says, he preserves for us and offers to us the only thing in all the world which can satisfy our longings. God is for us, and therefore has been, is now, and always will be, for himself.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Running the Wrong Way, With Eternity on the Line
I saw this video this morning and it got me thinking.
It is a video of a Kent State player, who recovers a muffed punt during the opening night of College Football!
He snatches up the ball and then displays an incredible zeal for victory and willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team win and
begins tearing down the field. He sheds a few tacklers, brilliantly
stiff arms a guy and goes 58yrds in about 6 seconds. He displayed skills
and speed that any team would want in a player.
The only problem is...
He was running the wrong way!!
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8320884/kent-state-golden-flashes-andre-parker-wrong-way-run-grabs-attention 
It happens every once in a while in football. It usually involves a turnover or scrum and the man who comes up with the ball is turned around and confused as to his position on the field. The bloopers are always hilarious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nr9hjssWwM
It is really sad when this happens, because the whole effort was IN VAIN! It didn't count!
And in fact, IT COST THE TEAM!!!!
This got me to thinking about many Christians, including myself.
We
are so eager and zealous for God. We just want him to "give us the
ball". We want to do great things for him, we want to help his "kingdom
come". We want to be and do and accomplish great things for God. We want
to help score, we want to help the Church cross the goal line.
The only problem is, a lot of times, we are running the wrong way. We are not running in the scoring direction. The direction that God, the game designer has laid out.
We are running with great desire and passion, even correct motives...but we are running against the referee's whistle.
We think that building larger Church buildings and having more attendance is how we score.
We think that cutting out more sin than last week is how we score. Sadly, some even think that winning is if the Church building uses less electric than last year.
We think that inviting a friend to an Easter service is evangelism, while failing to ever talk to them privately about their sin and savior.
We gobble up the new books from the hottest celebrity pastor, we even sign up for the next conference where we think we will hear earth shattering news that will really "give us the info we need for growth"...as if God's word hasn't already told us the MISSION and the METHOD!
All
the while we have yet to pray for the 2,000+ languages that do not have
a single word of God's message of truth in their dialect, or truly
considered if God is asking us, no commanding us, to go or get seriously
involved.
All the while we sit silent next to a neighbor who is dying apart of any true understanding of God-Sin-Satan-Salvation.
All the while we keep singing songs "where you go, I'll go..." and his word says "Go into all the world..."
All
the while asking what his will is, if we could only know...yet reading
"Seated around the throne was one from every tribe, tongue and nation."
Let's get the ball.
Let's run with zeal.
Let's run in the right direction and score and score a lot!
It is really sad when we as Christians run in the wrong direction, because the whole effort (our lives etc) could be IN VAIN! It didn't count! And in fact, THE DIRECTION AND WAY WE RUN CAN COST THE TEAM!!
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