GraceUncovered

Authors home articles Gracelife

GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

Pay What You Owe

by

Wallet With Dollar Bills

There seems to be some major confusion in our minds regarding what is free. My father told me at an early age that there is no free lunch. Somebody pays for it. Yet, there is the sentiment that some things are free.

Christians sometimes fall for such ideas because salvation is free for us. We forget that it was paid for by someone else. This distinction is especially important in our day when socialism is again raising its head and government welfare is so expensive. Please go with me for a few minutes into what the Bible says about it.

God’s Sovereign Love is Expressed in Delegated Authority

In the thirteenth chapter of Romans, Paul deals with our relationship with earthly authorities. This is in the section of the book that could be called the "how to apply" section.

For the first 11 chapters, Paul explained what God has done to have a people on earth who live as restored humans in partnership with him in blessing the earth.

In chapter 12, he tells us that our response to God's acts of grace is to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. He reminds us that it will require a whole new orientation of thought, because we are accustomed to thinking according to the values of our present culture. Our transformation in behavior comes from our minds being renewed to the new reality that has been created by the advent of Jesus who fulfills all promise and hope.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

Paul then begins to explain how we are to apply this new reality and what life in the newly inaugurated kingdom looks like. One of the issues he addresses is the whole concept of authority expressed through earthly structures. In other words, how do people who are citizens of the Kingdom of God relate to the kingdoms of the world.

We learn that God's sovereign love is expressed in delegating authority to various institutions for the benefit of the whole society. (Romans 13:1-8)

Submitting to Authority

It is vividly clear from scripture that God instituted the family as the cornerstone of human society and has given it authority to nurture and orient us to living with him in his family on his earth.

God's intention is that we get the basic lessons of life in the setting of a family where there is structure and mutual submission. Husbands are to lead as Christ leads in love. Wives are to respect God's order as joint heirs with their husbands. Parents are to rear their children with love and respect, as persons made in the image of God. Children learn how to respect authority first in the family.

The civil government is given authority to protect the citizens of society from wrong doers relating to their persons, their property, and their pursuit of their dreams. The Church is given authority to define truth and offer transformation to all persons who make up society.

Respecting these expressions of authority reflect a submission to ultimate authority. All earthly forms of authority are established by God, who rules over all. It is his mercy that grants to human instrumentality the privilege of managing life. God gives adequate authority to fulfill the role he has designed for each institution. If an institution tries to manage a part of society outside its jurisdiction, it is a form of tyranny. Refusal to honor the purpose and existence of earthly authority is a form of rebellion.

Sustaining the Structures of Society

Being a citizen of the transcendent Kingdom of God does not exempt us from our earthly responsibilities. We are part of creation and have a part in its development and its upkeep.

“Pay to all what is owed to them; taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whim revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” -- Romans 13:7

Any concept of welfare assistance that robs a person from participating in the upkeep of the structures of society is destructive to the person's soul, as well as to the sustainability of the structures. It violates God's design of humans and society. When we are the beneficiaries of the authority, we owe our part in sustaining it. We pay our taxes recognizing that we are enjoying the benefits of that revenue. Those who are so disenchanted with government that they refuse to pay or cheat to keep from paying should refuse to drive on the roads, never call the police, and never depend on the courts to protect their legal rights. They are stealing from those who are paying the bills.

We may object to such an approach to earthly authorities by pointing out how some of the humans who are in the place of authority are not good people, even sometimes evil. This is obviously true, but it doesn't cancel the purpose for the authority. History has proven that such persons will either be changed or be judged by the ultimate authority. God brings justice to all in his time. We can honor the authority without admiring the character of the individual representing it. We should never opt for anarchy. That is the goal of hell's forces. Chaos is hell's order.

We not only owe fiscal participation, we owe honor and respect. The current trend to dishonor executive, legislative, and judicial authority with vulgar and demeaning rhetoric because we don't like the person(s) holding the office is reprehensible, especially for citizens of the Kingdom of God.

Civil Responsibilities

In our society, we are blessed to have some voice in who sits in the seat of authority and even how that process is determined. That requires even more responsibility. When Paul wrote the letter to the church in Rome, Nero was representing the civil authority there. He was one of the most cruel and despotic leaders in history. We have plenty of corruption and ineptitude today, but not at that level -- and we have some say in changing it.

Maybe it is time to stop criticizing from afar, as if it were someone else's responsibility, and engage in honoring the institution of authority by infecting it with the eternal truth found in Christ. Before we conclude that the institution is demanding that we dishonor God thereby justifying civil disobedience, we should do our duty.

I encourage every citizen to exercise the right and responsibility to vote, but I ask every citizen to think first.

And it is not enough to just vote, though that is a high privilege and responsibility. First, think! What are the moral issues? Don't allow culture to convince you that because an issue has become political, that the church can't have a position. Political issues often reflect a moral position. Abortion is just one example. Murdering an innocent person is not just a political issue, and it is not the only issue that matters, but it cannot be ignored by shrugging our shoulders and mumbling something about the law of the land. We can change the laws -- and we should.

I encourage every citizen to exercise the right and responsibility to vote, but I ask every citizen to think first. Candidates will come and go. Laws that reflect morals affect society for a long time.

Pay What You Owe

It is a serious thing to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God living in the kingdoms of this earth. We have the assurance that our King is already on the throne and is ruling, even when it seems like evil is ascending. The judgment has already been decided.

We are privileged to carry out the purposes of our King amid societal struggle. We are not victims, and never shall be. Earth and heaven will ultimately see right prevail in every case. God's justice guarantees it.

We live with hope, confident that light is pushing the darkness back even while we suffer the pangs of a creation waiting for complete adoption. We might have to suffer persecution, and there might come a time for civil disobedience. For now, pay what you owe!

Am I a Bigot?

by

Holding Worn Bible Sunlight Reverence - 900

The guy in the t-shirt promoting abortion, the sexual revolution, social victimization, and open borders said that I was a misogynist, legalist, and racial bigot because I did not agree with his t-shirt. Am I?

Honestly, I felt the arrow. Maybe I harbor hidden bias. Perhaps I don't love the world as Jesus does. Then I remembered some verses from the apostle John that give perspective.

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. -- 1 John 3:18-19 (ESV)

Our own hearts are not infallible in evaluating our standing in righteousness. God is greater than our hearts. He knows everything. His verdict is the one that matters. (Now, there is a t-shirt for Christians: God's verdict matters.)

What Does Love Look Like?

What does it mean to love the world? Well, we know God does. What does his love look like?

First, he didn't allow the world to define love or what was needed. He looked beyond the deceptive thoughts of people bound in sin, and blind to true beauty, and gave the only gift that would free us and restore the glory of humans. He gave to meet the needs we had misidentified, so we could enjoy a greater liberty than we could imagine.

In order to prove my love, do I have to agree with everyone? It would be anything but authentic love to promote what I believe is destructive.

Second, he gave himself at great cost. It wasn't just a theory he was promoting. He didn't give a new ideology or fresh idea on how to structure society. He came into our dilemma and accepted the eternal consequences of our condition so that we could enter his condition as righteous before God.

Third, he loved us as people. Each of us has a unique story of need, though we share a common alienation from God because of sin. Jesus doesn't deal with us as a subset of society classified by our ethnicity, sex, or social standing. He loves persons!

Authentic Love

Someone asked me if my biblical worldview prevented my loving the LGBTQ community. Instead, it compels me to love the people who may identify or be classified by those letters.

I know and love many people who have been classified in this subset -- and I am eager and willing to love many more. I am just not sure what loving a subset of society means. In order to prove my love, do I have to agree with the particular agenda of that subset? It would be anything but authentic love to promote what I believe is destructive. If Jesus had loved like that, he would have abandoned us to our own wishes, consigning us to the misery of self-delusion forever. I can respect their right to believe without affirming their belief to be right.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

Jesus' love was expressed in that while we were yet bound in deception and ignorant of our desperate condition, he did what was necessary to set us free. (See Romans 5:8.) Love is costly, and it expresses itself in actions. It cares more for the condition of another than for our own comfort and ease. (See 1 Corinthians 13.)

If I listen to the angry voices telling me who I am, I will either shrink from being real, or I will strike back and lose my sense of peace. Either way, I will be weak and cowardly. Confidence comes from knowing God's verdict and accepting it as final. That frees me to see any person as created in the image of God, valuable and worth loving. It also releases me to hear God, my Father when he lovingly tells me that I have hidden bias he wants to eliminate. I like being loved like that, and I want that for everyone.

Lessons From Elijah on Depression

by

Elijah and the Prophets of baal

Considering all the reports about the plague of depression affecting all ages in our society, we are looking for some answers. We just finished up a two-week training course for young men ages 16-25. I was amazed that so many of them describe depression and anxiety as a significant problem for them and their peer group. There is no age group immune to this growing angst. Maybe we can find some help from an incident recorded in Scripture. It is found in 1 Kings 18-19.

In summary, Israel was in rebellion against God and the prophets of Baal were influencing the society in destructive ways. Elijah forced a confrontation with them by challenging them to a god-contest. The god that would answer by sending fire on the altar would be the winner. The Baal prophets went first and spent hours begging their god to respond. Nothing happened. Then Elijah built an altar and even poured water on it and around it. When he prayed, the God of Israel answered by consuming the whole thing, water and all. Israel responded by declaring that Jehovah was the true God after all. The prophets of Baal were slain, and Elijah took off for the capital city. He was pumped by the victory on Mt. Carmel.

But then he learned that Jezebel, the wife of the weakling king Ahab, had put out a contract on his life. This time, instead of running with the favor of God upon him, he ran in fear deep into the desert. He knew he didn't have the right to kill himself, but he begged God to take his life. He was exhausted, physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. All the color had faded from his vision. His hope was very dim.

God’s Response to Depression

It is here that we learn of God's approach to this condition.

Your value is inestimable. We need you. Jezebel is not the final word. Her threats are empty.

First, he met Elijah's physical needs. An angel of the Lord baked him bread and provided fresh water. He encouraged him to sleep. We are beings with bodies. We aren't just souls or spirits. Sometimes we must address the physical aspects of our life. Sometimes nourishment and sleep are needed more than going to another church meeting. Of course, there are those who think the physical is all that matters and would treat such exhaustion with chemicals only. Their personal worldview does not allow for us being more than body and mind.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

Second, God met Elijah's psychological need. The angel touched him and talked to him. We are unique beings that include a psychological makeup that needs care. A touch from a friend is a healing balm for one experiencing isolation. We thank God for those skilled in listening and drawing us out of our darkness. But, we are more than minds and feelings.

Third, God met Elijah's spiritual needs. All the talk in the world will not meet the needs that lie behind the psychological. We are spiritual beings. We thrive on truth. When lies have lodged in our minds and doubts have captured our hearts, we need an encounter with the living truth who loves unconditionally.

Hearing the Gentle Voice of God

Being energized by the help of the angel of the Lord, Elijah went down to Mt. Horeb and entered a cave. This is Mt. Sinai, where Moses had met with God. Some say that the cave that Elijah entered was the same as the one Moses was in when God passed by and showed him his goodness. (See Exodus 34.)

Elijah was looking for God. He had seen God do mighty things in the Baal contest, but things had gone wrong since then. Jezebel was not supposed to have happened. Why would God let this wicked woman cause such turmoil? Maybe Elijah had tried putting God in his own mental box. He needed to see the true majesty of God. He can't be bribed with our obedience, coerced by our passion, or contained in our imagination. He can reveal himself in the might of the wind, the terror of an earthquake, or the awe of fire, but he is not limited to those.

God repeatedly asked Elijah what he was doing there. It wasn't because God needed the information. Elijah needed to face his disappointment and hear the gentle voice of God telling him to get on with his assignment. God can't be boxed. He refuses to be bribed. But he is willing to work with his weak and wounded children without rebuke or rejection.

Give God the Final Word

Depression is serious. We grieve over lives lost because people gave up hope. There can be many influences that push us there. We must not be embarrassed to acknowledge that we are physical, psychological, spiritual beings that need help. We aren't designed to make it without each other, and certainly not without God. God cares for the whole person. He has angels, both human and spiritual that can help. Please don't give up.

The cave is an excellent place to encounter God's grace, but he will send you out of it to complete your assignment. Your value is inestimable. We need you. Jezebel is not the final word. Her threats are empty. God's word, revealing himself to you, is life-giving and eternal. Listen for the gentle voice of God.   

God is Building His Church. Just Keep the Light On

by

Church Lights at Night

When I left my little country church and went off to the university to prepare for my calling as a minister, I felt a little intimidated by those who came from larger churches with more sophisticated ministries. After all, there wasn't much in the way of entertaining church services at my church.

Mr. Jack would lead the congregational singing, but many of the hymns seemed to drag unnecessarily. Mrs. Mildred would play the piano in a kind of staccato style. The same deacons took up the offering every Sunday. The pastor was in training at a Bible school and came to the church field only on weekends. Well, you get the picture. I was tempted to be embarrassed by my church.

But, we must remember that God has not made provision for a plan B. It is his Church, and he is committed to its success.

God is Building His Church

It seems there are many today who embarrassed by the Church. It takes a beating in the media, which is to be expected, but it also is being dismissed by its own. Some are even demanding it catch up with the culture as if the culture were the norm for truth and morality.

It is easy to find things wrong with churches and even the Church at large. After all, it is made up of humans who have confessed to being sinners and needy of God's grace. The Lord we worship is perfect, but all the rest of us are in-process, discovering more of his love and being transformed at different paces.

But, we must remember that God has not made provision for a plan B. It is his Church, and he is committed to its success. He is building it. When all other social structures have fallen, it will still be standing.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

Keep the Light On

Here's the rest of the story (as Paul Harvey used to say). It was a Wednesday night prayer meeting at my country church. The usual 15-20 people were there. The same folks were praying similar prayers. A visitor slipped in. Of course, in such a small, tight-knit group, he stood out. You could see whispers during the prayer meeting as members were asking each other who it might be.

Finally, just before the benediction, he stood and asked if he could say something.

You don't know me, but I am a traveling salesman. My route brings me by this church on Wednesdays twice a month, on my way to Atlanta. I have been doing this for most of twenty years. I did not go to church as a boy and have not seen the need for whatever churches do. But, I always noticed that regardless of the weather there was a light on here. I have been by on cold rainy nights when only three cars were parked, but your light was on, and you were here.

I've had some hard times lately, and in the middle of it all, I have come to know Jesus as my Savior and Lord. One of the reasons I could never fully dismiss the reality of God was my memory of this church and the light always being on. Thank you.

Not perfect. Not sophisticated. Not highly trained. Not entertaining. But they kept the light on. So, will the Church of the living God.

Scratching the Adam Itch

by

Man Itching Arm

Recently, I have been bothered by a foot fungus like Ring Worm. It seriously itches! Finally, I consulted with a doctor and progress is being made. Also, I have learned something about an itch. It begs to be scratched, and it feels so good at the time -- but it doesn't help the cure. I first heard the term, "Adam's Itch" from Alan Bias when he was referring to our tendency to gravitate toward the Law rather than the Spirit.

Since the shame of the Garden of Eden, humans have sought to regain glory by striving to live up to a standard of acceptance. That is what the apostle Paul called "flesh." It is futile and egregious.

For the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. -- Romans 8:7 (ESV)

It reveals a blindness to the depth of sin and gives rise to efforts to make up for our wrongs. Sin is much more than a violation of a standard. It is the choice to yield to the mastery of evil. We continue to sin because we are slaves to the evil power behind it. The existence of the Law is not sufficient to overcome it.

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. -- Romans 7:15-17 (ESV)

As I referenced earlier, an itch begs to be scratched. The Adam Itch is no different.

The Adam Itch

The tendency to rely on human efforts to qualify for blessings also reveals a misunderstanding about relating to God on the basis of Covenant. The "If you will obey, I will bless" concept from the Old Covenant is undoubtedly true. God cannot bless disobedience. If we either deny his order in life or ignore it, we will move into disorder. But obedience must be complete.

When it was evident that God's vessels of mercy couldn't fully obey, God instituted another covenant in which Jesus as our representative obeyed and received all the blessings of the fulfilled covenant. We are blessed in him alone. Our efforts to gain personal blessings apart from trusting him are dead works.

As I referenced earlier, an itch begs to be scratched. The Adam Itch is no different. People like to hear formulas for success based on something we can do. We love doing more and trying harder. We rush to listen to the newest sales pitch about how to get God's favor by practicing a new approach to obedience.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

The Fast God Has Chosen

One of the texts that many use as a formula for success is Isaiah 58. It addresses the people of Israel as they are practicing their worship activities with vigor. They are scrupulously doing what the instructions said regarding temple worship, including fasting and praying for guidance for their own direction. Yet, God is not responding.

They are perplexed. They have pulled the lever of religious obedience, and he is not delivering the expected blessings. They are practicing "Israel's folly." They have interpreted God's selection of them as an end in itself. They are oblivious to the needs of the society around them. They evidently believe "God chose us for us." Fasting was an extreme form of showing sincerity and zeal. They were serious about getting God to act in their behalf (much like alarmed Christians in today's culture). They had chosen a severe fast, but it had to do with their efforts to qualify for God's intervention. Through the prophet Isaiah, God explains that the fast he has chosen is not the same as the one they have chosen. He chose Israel to be vessels of mercy to bless those around them. He will act consistently with his own mercy towards the Israel that chooses that fast.

There was only one Israelite that chose that fast. He represented the whole people of God when he came as Messiah.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. -- Luke 4:18-19 (ESV)

The next time someone is offering to scratch your "Adam Itch," refuse. It feels good for the moment, but it is inflaming the problem.

Blessed to Bless

Since he met the conditions Isaiah had given in chapter 58, he gets the benefits mentioned in the remainder of the text. There are several "thens" listed:

Then, your light shall break forth, and God's righteousness will protect you. (Isaiah 58:8) Then God answers your request with his own presence. (Isaiah 58:9) Then, your original glory is restored. You will be fully human again. (Isaiah 58:10-12) Then, you will live in the delight of the Lord. (Isaiah 58:14)

Jesus lived with such blessings. The good news is that because we who believe in him are in him, we receive such blessings based on his obedience. Because Jesus fasted in this way, we can feast on his obedience. One of the blessings we get but can overlook is vitally important. We get to share his mission. We can't just gather the blessings for ourselves like Israel was doing. He was our representative in covenant with the Father. We are his representatives on earth. We extend his mission by embracing our calling as vessels of mercy, sent to bless the world. We are blessed to bless. God loves those who still endure the curse of sin, so he has sent us with the love that captured us. The blessings continue to flow through us toward those in need.

The next time someone is offering to scratch your "Adam Itch," refuse. It feels good for the moment, but it is inflaming the problem. There is no religious lever to pull. If you want to do something, focus on Jesus. Trust him. Delight in him. Look up and see those around you whom he loves and extend your hand to make the connection. The river of grace flowing through you to others will stop the itch.

Does God Govern in the Affairs of Men?

by

Illustrated Hand of God holding World Governments Flags Nations Control - 900

Benjamin Franklin in his address at the Continental Congress expressed his belief that God is active in the affairs of men and that humans who build and administer government must look to him. He said, "I have lived Sir a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of the truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men."

As storm clouds continue to rise in our politically unstable world, many feel like the sky is falling. They might believe in God, but they aren't sure how much he acts to intervene in the affairs of nations. We can find comfort in the story of how God intervened in Egypt in the time of Abraham's descendants.

Sold Into Slavery… For the Sake of the World?

Jacob's favorite son, Joseph, was mistreated by his own brothers, and it led to quite a strange journey for him. Sold to merchants, he was a slave in Egypt. Though he acted appropriately, he was accused falsely, thrown into prison, and forgotten by those he helped. However, when the Pharaoh needed a manager, Joseph was ready.

And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. -- Genesis 45:7 ESV

Joseph spoke these words to his brothers who had sold him into slavery which had caused a lot of pain in his life. However, he became the ruler of Egypt under Pharaoh dispensing the food to those affected by famine. He recognized that God's grace had been ruling even in the sinful and selfish acts of the brothers.

We must not define the grace of God in terms of ease or comfort. God's grace is so big that it rules in every circumstance to bring about God's loving purposes, without violating the dignity of human choice. Joseph knew that it wasn't all about him. God would one day have a nation that would display his order in the world. Joseph was a link in the chain, a sub-story in the big story. Ultimately that nation would be made up of those submitting to the kingdom of God as expressed in Jesus, the king.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

God’s Grace Even Through Israel’s Slavery

God's way includes placing his image bearers right in the middle of the world's crises to rule for the benefit of many people -- and they rule by serving. Joseph is the prime example. He was strategic to God's plan to bless not only those starving in famine but also those who would live centuries later. If Joseph had not been there, Jacob's family would have died, and there would have been no Israel, no kingdom, no Messiah, no salvation.

Grace was working from the big picture of global blessing. What looked like injustice and catastrophe at the time was woven together by grace to bring the Savior to the world.

God’s grace is never uninvolved in time or history. He moves things along toward his goal of displaying his unimaginable goodness.

God even manifested his grace through Israel's slavery. After Joseph brought his family to live in Egypt to survive the famine, they lived there approximately 400 years. But the subsequent government leaders were harsh in their treatment and regarded them as slaves. This abuse prepared the people for a deliverer. Comfortable people don't cry for a Savior.

Because of their harsh treatment, but mostly because God had made a promise to Abraham, God showed his mighty strength to take his people out of Egypt. The whole known world got to see the mighty hand of God displayed in behalf of his people.

God’s Grace is Still at Working Today

God’s grace is never uninvolved in time or history. He moves things along toward his goal of displaying his unimaginable goodness.

He is involved in our lives today. What might look like total disaster, is God's opportunity to reveal his loving control of all things. It is not time to run for the hills in fear. It is time to lift our heads. God has enough grace to reveal his sovereign grace in our day.

We don't faint with fear. We march with confidence. God has a purpose, and he will accomplish it -- and we get to participate. Since He is active, we are.

Jesus the Gardener

by

The Christ's Appearance to Mary Magdalene, designed by C.T.G. Formilli (1927 – 1932), is seen in the Brompton Oratory (Immaculate heart of Mary) Catholic church in London, England.

Jesus has many titles. He is the Son of God; the Son of man; the Lamb; the Messiah; etc. But seldom do we call him the gardener. Mary Magdalene mistook Jesus for a gardener when she went to the tomb on Sunday morning and couldn't find Jesus' body. She asked him where the body had been taken so that she could attend to it. He revealed himself as the resurrected Lord. But there is a real sense in which her mistaken assumption was correct: that he was the gardener.

Adam was the first gardener. He was created by God to manage the Garden of Eden with a view to expanding to the whole world. It has always been God's intention to rule the earth through his human partners -- one garden at a time. We are all too familiar with the story of how Adam and Eve sinned and were exiled from the Garden. A curse came upon all the earth because of their sin, and the garden of the earth felt the effects of neglect, including all societal structures.

Authority Over Creation

Later, God chose the descendants of Abraham as his partners and gave them a land to manage. They too sinned and were exiled into Babylonian captivity. Then, God sent his Son. He appeared as the final Adam, and as corporate Israel, to accomplish what neither of them could. After he had paid the cost of their failure, he arose from the dead -- in a garden, as the first fruits of a new creation. Those who are "in Him" are assigned to manage the new garden.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

While with his disciples before his death, he had shown them what it looked like. He sent them out into the villages to herald the arrival of the Kingdom of God. Since he sent them, they had his authority to heal, cleanse and deliver. He spent 40 days after his resurrection with various disciples speaking to them about the nature and implementation of the Kingdom. Then he ascended to the right hand of the Father. Finally, there was a man (God-man) ruling God's creation.

It has been testified somewhere,

"What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that your care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet."

Now in putting everything in subjection to him he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him, But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

-- Hebrews 2:6-9

Heralding the Presence of His Kingdom

After his ascension, the disciples were sent to the whole world to herald the presence of the Kingdom of God. This is the mission of the church in our day. It is what we do in the meantime based on what Jesus has already done while we wait until we receive resurrected bodies in the culmination of the new creation.

We are working in his garden under his loving rule. We are privileged to be his partners sharing in his life and mission. We live with confidence in him though we face daunting tasks while living in a world that reels from the chaos of sin. The great news is that He is already on the throne and no one rivals him. He wins, and we share in his victory. As we glimpse at the garden through the eyes of John, the human author of The Revelation (chapters 21-22), we see the garden in the final form.

Let's identify our personal gardens and get to work.

He Called My Name

by

Mary Magdelene - 900

Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus who had been healed by him. She was deeply grieved at his death. Though disillusioned, on the first day of the week she came to the tomb where Jesus had been placed. He was gone.

As of yet, none of the disciples understood about the resurrection. For Mary, confusion was mounting. She had hoped that Jesus would restore Israel to a place of prominence in the world and thereby judge her enemies. She had some vague notion of a final resurrection of the dead, but Jewish teaching concerning such an event was sketchy.

She had watched the obvious evil in the civil and religious authorities as they unjustly put Jesus on trial and brutally crucified him. And then to top it all off, his body was missing. She couldn't even grieve properly. Her world must have been spinning out of control. Stressed beyond belief, she was begging what looked like the gardener, to tell her what they had done with the body. She was willing to get it and find a suitable place for it.

Fully Known, Fully Loved

Then, one word settled her soul.

Like a stiff breeze blows away the fog; like a flipped switch vanishes darkness in a scary attic; like the first sight of home for a child lost in the woods, that word brought immediate comfort. He called her name, "Mary."

She no longer needed to know all the "why's." She knew she could trust. Everything made sense, though it no longer had to. He had defeated death. He was alive. He knew her, and he still loved her.

He knows me. He knows me thoroughly.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether ... My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. -- Psalms 139:1-4, 15

We, humans, tend to think that we can't be both fully loved and fully known at the same time. We fear that if someone fully knows us, they surely won't fully love us -- so we hide the true self, hoping for love. We would like to be transparent. It would shed our hypocrisy and make us feel more authentic, but it is too costly. If others ever discover what goes on in the dungeon of our inner being, or even if they discover what we have done, we will be lucky to avoid jail. Needing love, we trade away being known.

Jesus knows. And he loves us fully.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

God Has Acted. New We Respond.

He has gone before us to live an obedient life in our behalf, thereby reaping the rewards that he transfers to us. He has died to fulfill justice. He has been resurrected from the dead to verify the divine acceptance of his sacrifice. He detoured his trip to the right hand of the Father to tell his disciples that all has been done to assure our participation in his eternal life. He came out to tell Mary and all other disciples that He knows not only our name but everything about us -- and he loves us.

What does it mean that he both knows and loves us?

Your sins are forgiven. Jesus' resurrection verifies God's acceptance of his sacrifice. The final sacrifice has been made. There is no need to try to pay for personal sins. Your shame has been covered. No more hiding behind the bushes in the garden. He sees through your bushes and loves you still. You are no longer categorized as a hostile. You are in the family with the rights of a son. Your body will also be resurrected. You share his life in total. One day your now decaying body will be resurrected like his. Your life can be empowered now by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave. He will respect your choice. But you do make a choice. God has acted. Now we respond. If he is not raised, the whole Jesus' story is a myth. Forget about admiring the teaching of Jesus as a great moral leader. If there is no resurrection he is a fraud. If he is raised, it is the only way through death to life. No one else has died and been resurrected to never die again.

Listen! Do you hear him calling your name?

The Lord Has Spoken

by

Jesus Hand Out - 900

A favorite scene in the popular movie Forrest Gump shows Forrest running and a crowd following him. He has been running for two years and not saying a word. He stops, and the following crowd can’t wait to hear his profound first words. After the breathless pause, he says, “I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll go home now."

Not the profundity they were expecting! When people, whom we deem significant, finally speak we long to hear what they say. Who is the most significant person in the universe? Of course, it is God himself. When he speaks, something happens.

He spoke, and creation came into existence. He spoke to Moses, and Israel as a covenant people came into existence. He spoke fully by sending Jesus as the Word of God to reveal his thoughts in a way that any hearing heart could understand.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son whom he appointed he heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. -- Hebrews 1:1-2

Jesus, Lord Over All

Jesus has been made Lord over all (Acts 2:36), and his words carry the weight of sovereignty. Contrary to current fantasies, everyone's words do not have the same weight of truth. Jesus is truth, and all his words are true. As he closes out the most famous sermon ever preached, he said,

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. -- Matthew 7:24-27

The significance of this declaration was that Jesus was differentiating between his interpretation of truth and that which the religious leaders had called the word of God. Even today, Bible verses interpreted without the aid of Jesus, the living Word, are a form of manmade religion, and they can be very dangerous.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

The Foundation of Truth

The cosmic battle has always been about the truth of what God says. The serpent challenged God's word to Adam and Eve. Pagan religions denied the word of God as it was given to Israel. Herod tried to stop the word of God from being fulfilled by killing the young boys when Jesus was born. The Pharisees had replaced the word of God with their own traditions.

Jesus told a parable about his kingdom in terms of sowing seed, and it revealed the various responses to the word of God. The devil stole some of the seeds. Some were scorched by persecution. Some were choked by the busyness of daily life. Some fell on good soil and produced fruit -- the same fruit as the wise man who built on the rock. It is a clear teaching of scripture that the words of the Lord are essential.

We can reject them in favor of some other opinion. Or we can neglect them by refusing to take advantage of their availability. Either way, we lose. Neglect has the same effect as rejection in this case. The word does not produce life.

A house built on anything but the rock-solid truth of God's word revealed in Jesus is going to fall at some point.

The original Liar is actively replacing God's truth with lies. These lies that replace the word will produce death. One of the most prominent lies is that we can ignore the words of the Lord and still succeed in his creation. But his words don't fail.

A house built on anything but the rock-solid truth of God's word revealed in Jesus is going to fall at some point. The rain will come. The winds will blow. The house will fall. Whether it is one's personal life, the family, the business, the church, or the government -- it will not stand.

Listening to the Lord

God has shown his mercy in giving us his word and the promised power to align with it. Rejecting his mercy is serious. He will continue to love the fallen as a Father cares for his children, and there is no pit too deep that he can't deliver, but there are consequences that follow foolishness -- which cause pain to many.

It is not a light thing when a person or a society rejects or neglects the word of God. Mocking Jesus and his words might seem to be funny on late-night talk shows, but there are rains coming to reveal the foolishness of such.

But there is great promise to those who hear and embrace the word of the sovereign Lord. A house built on that solid foundation will withstand whatever comes against it. It will be productive as the seed of the word grows. Since Jesus is Lord, we should listen to his word and be eager to make it a priority to implement it in every aspect of our lives.

Jesus is lord -- and he has spoken! What he says is profound. Listen. Hear. Build your house on it.

The Dangerous Confession

by

Man Kneeling in Worship - 900

When I was a teenager the big question at church youth camp was whether it was possible to know Jesus as Savior and not as Lord. Many of us wanted the assurance that we were "saved" from the penalty of our sins, but we weren't sure we wanted Jesus to be the Lord (Boss) of our lives. Little did we know how dangerous it is to confess Jesus as Lord.

The first gospel sermon after Jesus' ascension was proclaimed by Peter who spoke at the Pentecost event. Extraordinary signs were taking place and some were accusing Jesus’ disciples of being drunk at 9:00 AM.

Peter explained that the same Jesus the crowds had known as a man from Nazareth, who had taught and done many miracles, was now sitting at the right hand of the Father as Lord over all His kingdom. He had lived a perfectly obedient life; died as the sacrifice for sins; been resurrected from the grave; and now was both the Lord and the Christ. The signs were evidence of the gift of the Spirit that the King was sending to His people.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. -- Acts 2:36

That was a subversive confession at that time. Rome was the ruling authority, and the Caesars were claiming divinity. "Caesar is the Lord." Many Christians died because they wouldn't recant their confession of Jesus as Lord.

It is not Caesar or Hitler, but a form of secularism that demands total submission today.

Jesus is Lord

Albert Mohler in his recent book, Prayer That Turns The World Upside Down, compares the rise of Hitler in 1942 to such a time. Many Christians and Jews lost their lives because they would not confess that Hitler and his Nazism was Lord.

It is becoming clear that we are approaching such a time in our own culture. Christians who hold to orthodox beliefs about a personal relationship with Jesus are being mocked regularly in public. Already we are being criminalized in public discussion for believing in the authority of Scripture, the atonement of Christ, the gifts of the Spirit and final judgment.

It is not Caesar or Hitler, but a form of secularism that demands total submission today. To believe and declare that Jesus is Lord is viewed as not only primitive superstition but subversive.

Culture-Ruled Religion

How does a culture come to such a stance? The climate conducive to false and destructive "lords" to arise is a culture-ruled religion. When true religion begins to accommodate the culture for the sake of gaining respect and influence, it loses both. It is the perfect "greenhouse" atmosphere for tyrants. Culture-ruled religion does not satisfy the cry of the human soul, designed by God for a passionate faith, an extraordinary vision and a sure hope for eternal significance.

Humans can't long abide a passionless faith. We are made to trust and risk. We long for an adventure that only faith can provide. We are uniquely created to enjoy the uncreated God. Anything less than knowing and living with him is less than our souls demand.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

The Jews of first century Israel had accommodated their once strong monotheism with Rome's polytheism just to get along. Even the Romans were restless. They had it all yet they were not satisfied with countless gods and multiple rituals. Caesars rule in such an environment.

Germany had experienced the awakening of the Reformation as well as the Renaissance and there were churches in every town, yet they had lost their passion. Propositions replaced personal intimacy. They were ripe for the tyrant.

The American civil religion of 2018 is similar.

Morals Without Relationship

Just a few years ago, the culture and the church were so much alike that public schools were as good as private schools in upholding morals and virtue. In my hometown, the same teachers that stood to teach science in the school on Monday had taught Sunday School down at one of the churches the day before. Parents could trust the teachers and the schools.

Sadly, though, it was mostly morals without relationship. Without the vigorous promotion of the gospel from the churches, passion was left out.

The message of the churches accommodated the standards of the culture and promoted the good life, without God. The extraordinary vision of daily walking and talking with God in our assignment to bless the world through service was lost to a much lesser vision. We gave ourselves to self-fulfillment and self-improvement. We concocted doctrines that magnified our soon-coming escape from trouble and settled for a deadening pessimism for the future of the world. Our culture told us that any meaning we might find must be found in us -- and we bought it.

We were no longer awed by the privilege of knowing God and being his partner in world affairs. We began to doubt heaven and hell and decided to find our hope in our own achievements and large central governments.

Notice that there are no more Caesars. Hitler is dead. Secularism in all is atheistic forms will fall in on itself. But Jesus still reigns.

Jesus Still Reigns

There is good news. Jesus is Lord.

Regardless of the seeming success of secularism's claims, we are assured that "God has made him both Lord and Christ." He rules now and forever and is ready to work with His people who joyfully take up the task of extending His rule.

We are promised that His word will not fail, servants eventually rule, the last word is His, and darkness always retreats from light. It might become illegal to confess that Jesus is Lord, but it will never be illegitimate. He is Lord and we are His people.

Notice that there are no more Caesars. Hitler is dead. Secularism in all is atheistic forms will fall in on itself. But Jesus still reigns. It is true -- and dangerous.

Giving Thanks for Billy Graham

by

In this July 16, 1987, photo, Rev. Billy Graham speaks during a 10 night long crusade at the Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colo.

I have been giving thanks today for Billy Graham.

I am grateful that when I was a boy, He gave me an opportunity to invest in heaven. I had watched him on black and white TV and ordered the material he offered. That put me on his mailing list, and soon I received a letter asking for support for a future crusade. I got the meager savings from my piggy bank (cigar box) and sent it to help my new friend, Billy Graham. It was my first taste of the joy of eternal investments.

Through the years, when I have asked people to tell me their story, many have told how they came to faith in Jesus through the preaching of Billy Graham. I have smiled inside, knowing that I made a good investment.

I am grateful that during college days I could listen to The Hour of Decision on the radio as I drove back to campus on weekends. One Sunday night, some fellow members of the football team knocked on my dorm room door. They had been listening to the radio broadcast and wanted my roommate and me to come have a prayer meeting in their room. They had been unusually moved by Billy's gospel message. They are still bearing fruit.

I am grateful that he was wise enough to use the media of his time to extend his ministry, but that he never let the medium of communication determine what he said or how he said it.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

I am grateful that he stayed with his conviction that the bible is the final authority as it reveals the final Lord. His famous, "the bible says" was enough for him and strangely for millions who listened to him.

I am grateful that when so many other national leaders, both political and religious were falling due to personal sin, we had someone who stood to show that it is possible to be faithful amid the worst temptations.

I am grateful that he had access to our presidents and congressional leaders and that he didn't find it necessary to tell everyone that he did. He saw himself as the servant of the God who called him and not as the hero needing adulation.

As the culture changed, his message didn't. He lived and died believing that Jesus truly saves anyone without exception who turns to him.

I am grateful that he stayed with his message. As the culture changed, his message didn't. He lived and died believing that Jesus truly saves anyone without exception who turns to him. And he never personally fought back when attacked viciously by some who disagreed with him. He seemed to be confident that the one who sent him would defend him.

On a personal note, I am thankful that as a young pastor in Dallas-Fort Worth area in 1971, I was privileged to serve along with hundreds of others as a counselor at the crusade in Texas Stadium. I was down there when the crowds came at his invitation to receive Christ. I saw the tears, heard the prayers, and I was privileged to follow up later many who came forward.

Like most appreciative Christians, I knew Billy Graham mostly from afar, but he seemed like part of the family. We just called him Billy. That's what he said on that first black and white TV. "Just write me, Billy Graham, Minneapolis, Minnesota. That is all the address you need."

I did and I am grateful for him.

Giving Thanks for Billy Graham

by

In this July 16, 1987, photo, Rev. Billy Graham speaks during a 10 night long crusade at the Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colo.

I have been giving thanks today for Billy Graham.

I am grateful that when I was a boy, He gave me an opportunity to invest in heaven. I had watched him on black and white TV and ordered the material he offered. That put me on his mailing list, and soon I received a letter asking for support for a future crusade. I got the meager savings from my piggy bank (cigar box) and sent it to help my new friend, Billy Graham. It was my first taste of the joy of eternal investments.

Through the years, when I have asked people to tell me their story, many have told how they came to faith in Jesus through the preaching of Billy Graham. I have smiled inside, knowing that I made a good investment.

I am grateful that during college days I could listen to The Hour of Decision on the radio as I drove back to campus on weekends. One Sunday night, some fellow members of the football team knocked on my dorm room door. They had been listening to the radio broadcast and wanted my roommate and me to come have a prayer meeting in their room. They had been unusually moved by Billy's gospel message. They are still bearing fruit.

I am grateful that he was wise enough to use the media of his time to extend his ministry, but that he never let the medium of communication determine what he said or how he said it.

Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>

I am grateful that he stayed with his conviction that the bible is the final authority as it reveals the final Lord. His famous, "the bible says" was enough for him and strangely for millions who listened to him.

I am grateful that when so many other national leaders, both political and religious were falling due to personal sin, we had someone who stood to show that it is possible to be faithful amid the worst temptations.

I am grateful that he had access to our presidents and congressional leaders and that he didn't find it necessary to tell everyone that he did. He saw himself as the servant of the God who called him and not as the hero needing adulation.

As the culture changed, his message didn't. He lived and died believing that Jesus truly saves anyone without exception who turns to him.

I am grateful that he stayed with his message. As the culture changed, his message didn't. He lived and died believing that Jesus truly saves anyone without exception who turns to him. And he never personally fought back when attacked viciously by some who disagreed with him. He seemed to be confident that the one who sent him would defend him.

On a personal note, I am thankful that as a young pastor in Dallas-Fort Worth area in 1971, I was privileged to serve along with hundreds of others as a counselor at the crusade in Texas Stadium. I was down there when the crowds came at his invitation to receive Christ. I saw the tears, heard the prayers, and I was privileged to follow up later many who came forward.

Like most appreciative Christians, I knew Billy Graham mostly from afar, but he seemed like part of the family. We just called him Billy. That's what he said on that first black and white TV. "Just write me, Billy Graham, Minneapolis, Minnesota. That is all the address you need."

I did and I am grateful for him.

Categories

Recent Posts