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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

Are We Amazed, or Amused?

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Excited Read Head Boy, Amazed, Amused

Amazement is a good word to describe the common experience of the early Christians. Something new happened in history regarding the fulfillment of Old Testament promises and it was truly amazing.

It had started out rather inconspicuously with John the Baptist preaching to the remnant of Israel far away from the large cities. He then introduced Jesus who had been born in a manger, raised in a small country town, and began his ministry hanging with common men like fishermen. But the tension built as the religious leaders became jealous and tried to eliminate him.

Finally, he confronted Pilate, Herod and Caiaphas before his crucifixion, then was resurrected on the first day of the week. After that, the disciples were constantly amazed at what they saw and experienced.

What Happened to the Early Church’s Amazement?

A new creation was introduced in his resurrection. It had been expected since the original Garden of Eden was cursed in Adam's fall. The Jews believed that one day God would invade history with his kingdom, but they thought it was probably a long time off and that it would look a lot like Rome when it invaded other empires. They were still convinced that Jesus was not what they had been promised.

But the disciples of Jesus were daily amazed. Lives were being transformed. Some were healed. Demons were cast out. Governments were afraid. The apostles' preaching was accompanied by miracles of all types. Truly, heaven and earth had come together. The atmosphere was filled with expectation, and believers were willing to not only give everything they had to meet human needs, they also were willing to die for their faith.

We have been trained by TV and subsequent entertainment outlets to get our information in shallow spoonfuls.

What happened to that amazement? Some biblical scholars have concluded that God withdrew his miraculous power after the original apostles died and the canon of scripture was completed. But that is conjecture and is contradicted by the continuation of amazing phenomena in some places throughout history. A better explanation is that we have been willing to settle for amusement instead of amazement.

Settling for Amusement

It would be wrong to speak of amusement in such a way without giving credit to Neil Postman's classic, Amusing Ourselves To Death. He references both George Orwell's epic, 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Orwell was concerned that a Big Brother totalitarianism would take away our books and inflict pain. Huxley was concerned that we would become so trivialized with amusement that we wouldn't read, and that we would be crippled by pleasure, not pain. Postman warned that Huxley's view was right, and he was dead on.

We have been trained by TV and subsequent entertainment outlets to get our information in shallow spoonfuls. We are inundated with information that we have no intention of interacting with. Attention spans shrink every year, crippling our ability to think through issues that concern us or our society.

Sadly, Sunday morning church has been affected by the amusement bug. We like to be entertained and we won't stay engaged with any part of the worship service that lasts more than around seven minutes. Church leaders are left trying to instill a theological foundation in the congregants while they entertain them with a spoonful of Bible truth. A telling survey reveals that many pastors don't read books, whether electronic or paper. Even worse, many church leaders confess that they don't read the Bible except for single texts for their sermons.

Looking for the Miraculous

People who have been sedated with amusement are awaking to the amazement of living as God's new-creation people now.

It is no wonder that thousands of people who have been born of the imperishable seed of God's word are starving for nourishment. They have been amused almost to death, but are void of amazement.

However, many have begun to cry out for the same life that is depicted in the New Testament. God is responding to their cry. The good news that the king has come and a new day has dawned is being proclaimed and heard. People who have been sedated with amusement are awaking to the amazement of living as God's new-creation people now. They are coming to know Jesus as the Lord who reigns over all that he purchased. Like the early believers, they expect the miraculous when heaven and earth meet. Look how they prayed:

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. (Acts 4:29-30)

We are invited to live with the same Lord in a similar society. He is still amazing. Let's look away from our amusement to the one our hearts long to know. God is working all around us and in us. We have been distracted, but it is time to open our eyes and see what great things he has done and is still doing.

 

Dudley Hall is the author of Grace Works and the founder of Kerygma Ventures. He joins James and Betty this week on Life Today to talk more about Living Amazed.

Copyright (C)2017 by Dudley Hall. Used by permission.

Waiting for the Other Shoe

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Walking Into the Light - 900

I was so angry at myself. I was standing in the middle of a party where family and friends had gathered to celebrate my birthday, when someone broke into my thoughts, "Smile, we are having a good time." Suddenly I realized that I was thinking about tomorrow's potential for bad news. A medical test results would come back. The possibilities flashed through my mind at the speed of light. Malignant. Funeral. Finances. Care for my wife. Kid's response to my death...

We Were Designed for Joy and Victory Over the Accuser

Maybe you can relate. You lose sight of a three-year-old at the zoo for a panicky two minutes. A teenager is late coming home. A letter in the mailbox from the IRS... It is amazing how quickly our imaginations can create the worst possible scenarios. We seem to be constantly waiting for the next batch of bad news. That’s common to humanity, since our forebears listened to the lying accuser in the original garden. But I have some good news today. I saw it while meditating on Psalm 112. It’s worthwhile to stop and read that.

“They will not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.” -- Psalm 112:7

I will summarize. There are three actors in the picture. God is gracious, faithful and caring. The believer is designed for joy and victory over the accuser. The enemy is trying to steal the joy. It is helpful to know the background. God created us to be image-bearers. We are to reflect his goodness to all his creation. He has done everything necessary for us to be joyful recipients of his grace, full of thanksgiving and generosity.

The Psalmist gives a list of blessings God has reserved for those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. It includes their children, their lasting wealth, their guidance, their assurance of victory over evil, their legacy, their honor, and “they will not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.” (vs. 7) Oh, and “the wicked will see this and be infuriated. They will grind their teeth in anger; they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.” (vs. 10 NLT)

His Intent for You is Good

Nothing can separate us from God’s love -- not even the tragedies of this fallen world.

Why do we expect bad news? Intrinsically we know we deserve it. We have sinned and deserve to be punished. Even though as believers, we know that Jesus took our penalty, we revert to familiar feelings when the enemy's thought is shot like a poison arrow into our minds. The accuser uses the law to condemn us, and when we are not conscious of the law being fulfilled in Jesus, we fall victims to his thievery. But the ultimate bad news was taken by Jesus -- so that we could hear the good news. We know that since God is love, his every act is an expression of love. He earnestly desires us to live in the joy of his continual care. If he is with us and his intent is our good, then we can rejoice.

Since Jesus fulfilled all conditions for being blessed, we can faithfully rest in his righteousness. We fear God because his love is incomprehensible, and his grace is endless. We delight in obeying his words because they are life to us. They alone feed our hungry souls. We have lost our suspicion of him and found him to be faithful in every circumstance. Nothing can separate us from his love -- not even the tragedies of this fallen world.

When the other shoe falls, it will be another expression of his love. He cares for his own and his presence makes every circumstance a piece of heaven. The enemy hates it and the world is amazed at such joy.

What is Adult Behavior?

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Upset woman yelling in phone- 900

Today, when we tell our children to act like an adult, it can be very confusing. We have adult entertainment, adult shops and adult conversation. Commonly, we mean something lewd, sexually elicit, perverted … or worse.

In true irony, the word intended to describe maturity is actually describing an irresponsible, self-indulgent behavior that is much more childish than it is adult. It seems that knowledge of the ways of perversion and distortion is a badge for a strange kind of maturity that should never be associated with being grown up.

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. (1 Corinthians 14:20)

Though he is applying it to a specific situation in the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul states a transcendent truth: We should be adults when managing God's gifts for the benefit of all and infants when related to matters of perversion and evil. Instead, we have boasted in our knowledge of evil and our freedom to exploit any and all desires, while being contentedly naive in matters of responsible living.

If one should give any credence to the admonition of Paul, what would adult thinking look like?

As an example, both Christian and non-Christians know more about the sexual affairs, divorces and political views of movie stars than about what God says in his word about how his love relates to such people and their behavior. Few could find biblical texts that address such issues. Another example is how we embrace the deceptive spin of advertising, even quoting familiar memes and jingles. But we seem embarrassed to quote the words of Jesus about the dangers of materialism and greed.

There are those both in and outside the church who mock as childish and ignorant others who believe that marriage is the uniting of male and female humans for the purpose of greater responsibility toward society. This so-called adult thinking has outgrown the created order that was established by God. It has embraced the grand lie that progressive mankind is superior to any previous notion of order and purpose.

These "adults" have no need of God nor his ways. And this kind of adult thinking has concluded that unwanted pregnancies are a warrant for taking the life of unborn, and sometimes even newly born babies. These "grown-ups" have decided that the conveniences of the adults trump the rights of the child.

If we don't grow up and stand up, the brats that think they are adults will destroy the house.

What Does Adult Thinking Look Like?

If one should give any credence to the words of Paul, what would adult thinking look like? Paul points out several aspects of mature thinking.

First, he makes it clear that everything we have is a gift from God. We did not earn it, and it doesn't give us leverage over others. It is not a badge of significance. Everything from breath, to identity, to talents, to desires is a gift to be used for the benefit of our community.

Second, he shows that responsible people put more value on the eternal than the temporal. Some of the things we value now will fade with time and will not even be a part of our future. Real adults give more attention to that which is most important.

Third, he emphasizes that nothing counts with God nor lasts beyond death that is not initiated and sustained by the kind of love Jesus displayed to the world. That love is the real power that releases us from slavery and transforms. That kind of love is what matters in this life and as well as in the new age.

I love watching my grandsons at play. They can make a game out of any activity. Their world is simple and care-free. I love childlikeness. I don't enjoy watching irresponsible, self-focused adults acting like spoiled children, while claiming to be more mature because they have mastered the art of manipulation.

I cringe when I see others being disrespected because we grown-ups are so locked in on our rights and our agendas that we don't see beyond ourselves. Yes, I include myself. I fear that my age is not a good reflection of my maturity.

If we don't grow up and stand up, the brats that think they are adults will destroy the house. It is time for some real adult thinking, adult conversation, adult entertainment, and adult living.

Whose Responsibility are the Poor?

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Poverty, Homelessness, Helping the Poor, Impoverished

Solomon was one of the great kings in Israel's history, and he was known worldwide for his wisdom. In a Psalm ascribed to him we find his advice for those who rule.

Give your love of justice to the king O God,      And righteousness to the king's son. Help him judge your people in the right way;      Let the poor always be treated fairly. May the mountains yield prosperity for all,      And may the hills be fruitful. Help him to defend the poor,      To rescue the children of the needy,      And to crush their oppressors. (Psalm 72:1-4)

It is the responsibility and privilege of all who rule to care for those who are struggling. Jesus has affirmed that "the poor you have with you always." (Mark 14:7) There will always be the opportunity to display the heart of God in sharing what we have with those who need it. It is what we do as image-bearers. The presence of the poor reminds us that our abundance is not just for our own consumption. We are blessed to bless.

Everyone has Something to Offer

A terrible thing has happened to the poor. Corrupt leaders have used their plight for political leverage. They promise to be for them what only God can be, and the poor are disappointed and disrespected. Even well-intentioned charities have aided in diminishing the dignity of struggling people.

The poorest people are those who feel worthless. That kind of poverty starts inside when a person begins to believe that, because of his or her economic status, he or she is of less value than others. Handouts can confirm that lie. When nothing is asked in return for the handout, it shouts aloud that the person has nothing of value to trade. The truth is that everyone has something to give. It might be as simple as a song, a poem, a joke, advice, a story, a task or their time.

The true church of Jesus Christ will not be pushed to the side when it comes to caring for the poor.

Of course, many could find meaningful labor if we took their plight seriously. There is the rub. We are very busy and helping the poor is time-consuming. It is much easier to peel off a few bills and hand them over without ever looking into the eyes of the needy. Somehow, we know that if we ever look into their soul, we will be connected.

That’s Where the Church Steps In

But those in the body of Christ, indwelt by the Spirit, have it in their spiritual DNA. The God who cares shares his life with them. They care. It bothers them that civil government has pushed the church to the periphery and taken the job of managing the poor. Handouts from an impersonal entity enables poverty.

The true church of Jesus Christ will not be pushed to the side in this important assignment. We cannot be content with laws that allow us to worship in our churches but forbid us to engage in the issues of societal life.

It is revealing to hear political leaders strategizing to remove the tax advantages of ministries and charities. They are saying that the church's people are not valued nor wanted in the realm of taking care of the needy. They see the government as the solution and want the church to get off the turf. But we can take the field again by each member of Christ's body getting involved with a person of need. It doesn't have to be a sponsored program. It is our daily privilege.

Working Together to Find a Solution

It’s time for there to be mutual respect and collaboration between the church and the government in addressing the weak and poor.

As church people repent of neglecting our task, we will refuse to be supplanted by those offering a bribe to the poor in exchange for a vote. We accept our role as representatives of the kingdom of God. We admit that our abundance is our opportunity to find and meet the needs of others who struggle. We will also stand against policies that reflect injustice toward the weak. We will hold leaders in the government and the church to account. We know that we are more than a social service, but we also know that the good news we proclaim transforms people; and people make culture.

The government has the power of the sword. It can be intimidating. The body of Christ has the power of the cross -- where love defeated all the principalities and powers that rule by manipulation. We may not be intimidating to those who only observe the circumstantial, but the powers of darkness know us. The light of the world has come and we are reflections of that light. Because we are ruled by the love of God, we proclaim the good news that a new creation has been launched -- and that anyone can participate by trusting Jesus the Lord.

We also promote justice in all arenas and stand against every expression of injustice. Our Lord came to set the world right again. We work with him. His love compels us to equip people to live in the knowledge and wisdom of God -- as citizens of his kingdom and as citizens of this world. It is time for there to be mutual respect and collaboration between the church and the government in addressing the weak and poor. They have suffered enough. It is our opportunity.

Jealous of the Pigs

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Sad Depressed Homeless Prodigal Son - 900

One of the most famous stories Jesus told was the one about the Father who had two sons. One rebelled and took his inheritance to a distant country and wasted it trying to have a good time. The other stayed home, but refused to celebrate when his brother finally came home. Many sermons have been taken from this story, and we can all find ourselves in it if we try.

Let's look at the first boy. It is interesting that this presumably Jewish boy ended up feeding pigs. Those were unclean animals to the Jews and this boy had sunken so low as to serve pigs. In fact, he was jealous of the pigs because they had food according to their liking and he was hungry.

Have you ever been there? When everything you've tried has left you hungry for something deeper, bigger, better? After eating at the table provided by your culture, you feel malnourished? You feel like you are competing with the pigs for their food? It is the inevitable destination for all of us who take life into our own hands to find ourselves or our destiny. The pig pen is on the schedule.

If you can identify the pig pen and are willing to call it what it is, you are blessed. It is evidence that you have already been shown mercy. This awareness is a gift of God.

It seems that some spend a long time trying to make the best of a pig pen and its inhabitants, calling it other things than a pig pen. If the pig pen is where you are, take courage.

Sometimes late at night the pig pen memory will return. Refuse the shame that offers to cover you. You aren't there anymore.

Stop! Pause and thank God that you see. Name the pig pen as just that. It isn't your home. You don't have to stay there.

Go home! There is a Father waiting. He never wanted you to leave, but he does want you back.

Submit to the Father. You'll want to tell him how foolish you've been. You will try to explain how low you have fallen. You'll try to bargain with him to get a job as the lowest servant in the house.  Don't be surprised if he interrupts your confession with the announcement of a big party.

Go to the party. You don't deserve it and you know it. Wear the robe he gave you. Flash the ring on your finger. Stand confidently in those shoes that sons wear. You'll feel like an imposter at first, but this is the Father's house and his rules apply. There is nothing the Father had rather do than celebrate you and your return.

Your memories will remain, but you will make new ones over time. You are learning to live as a forgiven and restored son. That is what you were looking for when you left to find yourself.

Enjoy the Father. Work with him. His ways are fascinating.

Sometimes late at night the pig pen memory will return. Refuse the shame that offers to cover you. You aren't there anymore. The pigs haven't missed you and your Father is smiling.    

Embracing Our New Life Daily

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The resurrection life

The central message of the first century church was the resurrection of Jesus and the ramifications for the world. The apostle Paul said, "He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent." (Colossians 1:18) Later in history the resurrection became more of an appendage to Christian doctrine and sometimes an embarrassment to those inoculated with false science. As the Enlightenment began to exert its influence, the resurrection of Jesus was pushed to the periphery of gospel preaching with the major benefit being a glimmer of hope of life after death. But it is so much more.

The garden we manage is both undeveloped and infested with weeds and thorns. But, we have the resources to get the job done.

Ever since Eden, God planned for a new creation. It was prefigured in the Flood with Noah and his family pointing toward a future new world with a new race. It would be the day that the promise to woman in the Garden would be fulfilled. You remember that God promised that one day the seed of woman would crush the head of the Serpent. (Genesis 3:15) Adam and Eve lost their kingly role in creation by submitting to Satan, but one of their race, a truly human, was destined to start over.

Embracing Our New Life Daily

Some work had to be done before this climactic event, and the story is fascinating. God became a man in the person of Jesus and participated human history in a way that fulfilled the requirements of eternal justice. He lived a perfect life and, died as a substitute for sinful humans. In his death, he ripped away the awful fear of finality and the dreadful anticipation of judgment. Sin was judged in him and sinners were acquitted. In his resurrection, he eliminated the finality aspect of death.

There is life beyond death, but there is so much more. He is the firstborn from the dead. Those who believe (trust in) him are born again by the Spirit that raised Jesus. They begin living the new life now and will continue it forever. The resurrection is not just our hope for the future after our own death, but hope for the present after Jesus's death–and resurrection.

We celebrate the season of Lent in our churches and in our special religions services, but also by embracing our new life daily. We are a new race on the earth. Like Adam and Eve, we have custodial and managerial duties in creation. We too, walk and talk with God in our gardens. We continually gaze on his face without fear and rejoice in the safety of his presence. The garden we manage is both undeveloped and infested with weeds and thorns. But, we have the resources to get the job done. We have been given the name of Jesus who triumphed in the battle with Satan and his powers. We also have been given the Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of resurrection, and of transformation as our promised helper and advocate.

Therefore, we are not hapless victims in a world-gone-bad. We are God's new people sent to proclaim the good news that the promise has been fulfilled; the head of the Serpent is crushed; the exile of Israel is over; the day of vindication has come! The Son of man has arisen and the kingdom has been given to him and his people.

It is a new day. We honor it by living life to the fullest.  

Confident to Engage

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Man holding Bible in crowded square - 900

The bitter partisanship and the virulent bickering among our leaders is both reflecting the angst of the population and contributing to it. It is time for the body of Christ to accept our role and engage our world with the hope that is central to our existence.

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” -- Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV

While the nations rage in despair, our privilege and "acceptable worship" is to proclaim and demonstrate the good news of what God has done through his Son on the cross and resurrection. We are not deluded by the cultural religion that often goes under the name of Christianity, but is more akin to nationalism or moralism.

We are commissioned to engage. The body of Christ (Church) has a mission to bless the whole world.

We have been radically transformed by the greatest event in history. We do not look to the enlightenment as our defining moment. It was not the exaltation of mankind that sparked the rise of civilization, but the exaltation of the Son whose death and resurrection restored us be fully human again. We live with the consciousness of being forgiven and cleansed. We know that the message of Jesus carries the power of heaven and can transform even the vilest villain. In fact, we are certain that many of the leaders of tomorrow's restoration are probably drunk today.

We faint not at the present darkness. It cannot permanently sustain under the rising dawn of the gospel's light. The Word of God will not return to him without accomplishing what he intended. (Isaiah's perspective: 55:11). We joyfully trust the promise of our Lord who promised that his church would destroy the gates of hell. (Matthew 16:18). It is often camouflaged among the cultures of the world, but it will emerge and succeed.

It Takes More Than Morality

We are commissioned to engage. Our God loves the whole world. He saved Noah for the sake of the world. He exalted Joseph for the world's sake. He chose Israel for the sake of all other nations. Jesus came for the world. Now, the body of Christ (Church) has a mission to bless the whole world. But we know that American civil religion is not the mustard seed that will grow to harbor the birds of the nations. It is not the leaven that is now working through the lump of dough.

We know that even morality based on natural law will not transform people or cultures. It is the powerful proclamation that God has acted in his Son to restore us to full humanity, ready to enjoy him and work with him in blessing the world.

We are not intimidated by the misinterpretation of the deceived, nor the accusations of the defeated deceiver. We are not making plans to abandon planet earth or to escape the expected conflict with darkness. We feel no need to compromise with evil to survive, nor adapt the culture in order to appear relevant. We represent the latest thing in government. In fact, the launched kingdom of God is the freshest and best form of government ever seen on earth. 

We speak the universally relevant language of love, while dressed in the finest fashion of humility, which makes even the most homely, beautiful. We are steadily marching from Calvary's victory to Zion's glory.

There is no need to rage along with those who have no grounds for hope. It does no good to curse the present darkness of divisiveness. It is time to rise and shine. It is our day. We are confident because our Lord has conquered.

God Wants Us to Know and Love Him, Not Try to Save Ourselves

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Thumbs up Thumbs down - 900

Evidently there is a vast number of people who have occupied this earth who believe that their purpose is to be good. They suspect that whatever god there might be has determined that he likes good people and detests bad people, and that he is planning a final test where the bad guys will be enthusiastically thrown into the fire and the good will get rewarded because of how good they proved to be.

I say that because so many still feel so badly because they do bad things and don't do enough good things. There have been so many religions created because bad people are trying to be good.

Even in our predominantly secular culture, people are always trying to be better. The best-selling books tell us how to be better at something. Even if it's not for God's judgment, we want to do better because we will feel better about ourselves. It's secularism's version of heaven.

What if Goodness Isn’t the Goal?

It is a scary question, but what if that isn't what God wants? What if badness and goodness were not the issue? What if being good were not the goal? It sure would take a lot of pressure off. But, someone will argue that we tried that in the 60's when we trashed responsibility and thumbed our noses at rules, and boundaries. That didn't pan out so good. Someone is probably about to mention that much of our society is already rejecting any morality and that we are amid a culture war because of it.

Before we get too far, let me point out that being bad is not the only other choice.

The truth is that God is all about humans knowing him and being loved by him. He created Adam and Eve to know him and partner with him in a great project. Their role on earth was to be the image-bearer of their creator.

We can get back to being his image-bearers on earth as we partner with him in getting the truth of his real purpose delivered to the whole world.

It was after they believed a lie about him and his intentions that they started trying to get back in his good graces by being good the way they assumed he wanted. Since that time, humans have speculated as to what it would take to appease the gods, or they have taken God's own instructions and turned them into ladders they could climb toward goodness.

Christ’s Goodness

In time, God sent the Son to be the perfect human who lived in love and righteousness. He died as our substitute so that his goodness could be transferred to us. We can't be better than he, and he has paid for our badness. We are free to know God without guilt, shame or fear.

We can get back to being his image-bearers on earth as we partner with him in getting the truth of his real purpose delivered to the whole world. We can lay aside our dead works that never impressed him anyway. He loves to show off his mercy when we sin. His glory is made manifest when in our weakness he is strong.

Our failures don't put him off. They are opportunities for him to show any who are watching how much he loves to restore the broken and pick up the fallen.

Oh, we don't try to be bad, or just do bad things because we can. We are constrained by the love that he has shown. It changes us. We long to honor his name, and we find that we love the same people he does. Some might look at us and say we are good people, but that is not our goal. It is just an observation. We are known and loved by him.

Jesus Loves Failures

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Detail of 'Saint Peter Penitent' by Gerard van Honthorst

Only one human has ever made it through life without failure, and most of his peers thought he had failed miserably. It makes you wonder why we seem surprised when we or others fail. When I hear people say, "I like winners, not losers," I am reminded of how different Jesus is from that. He loves failures. If he didn't, he would have no one this side of heaven to love.

I have been studying the first letter of Peter in the New Testament, and I am fascinated with Peter. He was well acquainted with personal failure. He is probably our favorite failing hero simply because we can identify with him. He was confident (cocky) about his commitment to Jesus. He openly declared that though all the other disciples might fail, he would go all the way even to death. But when the pressure was on, barely moments after his boast, in the early hours of crucifixion day, he denied Jesus three times.

Peter wasn't disqualified from participating in God's mission because of his failure. It was his failure that opened the door to see the true nature of Jesus' love.

After the crucifixion, some women went to the tomb and were surprised by an encounter with a heavenly messenger who told them that Jesus had arisen. He also told them this: "But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee." (Mark 16:7).

Jesus wanted to see Peter, the failure. He desired a special appointment with him. From the later discussion in Galilee, we see that Jesus was not wanting to see him in order to rebuke or shame him. They talked of love and of feeding sheep.

Peter wasn't disqualified from participating in God's mission because of his failure. It was his failure that opened the door to see the true nature of Jesus' love. Knowing he was loved by Jesus regardless of his character flaws moved him to spend the remainder of his life tending the sheep that Jesus purchased with his blood.

I know you have failed. We are all in that category. Jesus wants to see you. He does not carry a scorecard. He eagerly wants you to know a kind of love that is foreign to unbelieving humans. His love satisfies our every longing and changes us from self-centered consumers to sheep-conscious disciples. Keep the appointment. You will never be the same.

No one is benefited by your guilt and shame. Jesus took that on himself when he was crucified. You actually honor him when you trust him for cleansing and forgiveness.

Go ahead. He is ready to meet you.

Fake News is Not New

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Snake Apple - 900

Is anyone besides me tired of hearing about “fake news”? You would think it was a new discovery on the level with fire. It isn’t It's been going on for a long time.

The serpent wove a pretty fantastic story in the Garden of Eden. After all, fake news is simply a false narrative constructed to incite people to follow a specific agenda. The recent political campaign had more than its share of such. The current headlines do too.

The media has been exposed as less objective than we thought or hoped. Who could believe the accounts presented about Mr. Trump or Mrs. Clinton or President Obama? If the story fit your bias, it was tempting to certify it as true, and even pass it on as legitimate news.

Competing Narratives

During my early high school days, before I had a driver's license, I had to catch a ride for the ten miles home after football practice. My uncle who lived just a mile away was a good prospect. He was the clerk of the district court and left for home at 5:00 p.m. most days. Sometimes when court was in session, he would be forced to stay later, and I would sit in the courtroom and watch the proceedings.

I was always amazed at how an attorney could take the presented evidence and create a narrative to account for it in such a way to benefit his desired conclusion. The jury had to decide between competing narratives. This has been going on a long time.

Back to the Garden. The serpent reinterpreted the circumstances and wove a story about how much better it would be if the original pair would distrust God and believe his version of reality instead. Later in history, Jesus said that the devil was a liar from the beginning, and “the father of lies.” All alternative narratives come from him, through the minds and mouths of those who, like the serpent, reject God's word as final truth.

Sadly, many don't even admit that such a dynamic is going on. They ignore the reality of spiritual deception and walk headlong into issues they have no ability to discern.

You are blessed in Christ. Your circumstances are opportunities to discover His grace and sufficiency.

On Christmas night, the shepherds heard real news and it was good. A new day had come! A new King had arrived. Blessings would come from His reign. Sin would be forever defeated. Life as designed would be possible for those who submitted to Him. They would be given His name as authority and His Spirit as power to live.

Fake News, Real News

You might have heard some fake news. For instance, the accuser, Satan, likes to broadcast that God is angry with you and that you should probably avoid Him. After all, look at the circumstances around you. Why are you having all these problems? Surely this is incontrovertible evidence that God doesn't want to bless you.

The good news that Jesus brings is that He took upon Himself the wrath of God for your sins. If you trust in Him, you are now viewed by God as righteous as Jesus. You are blessed in Christ. Your circumstances are opportunities to discover His grace and sufficiency.

Or, you might have heard that evil is so pervasive that it will ultimately win. Again, if you look at the circumstances, with all the bad things going on, it’s easy to wonder, if God is ruling, why so much evil?

But try looking at the good things going on. God is using His people to address issues of injustice and hostility, and will ultimately vindicate His own. Give thanks for the blessings and your eyes will open to more.

Finally, you might have heard that life is just unfair and random and you are one of the victims. Look at how the wicked are blessed and the righteous are ignored.

Far from being a victim, you are God's delegated representative on earth. As one who trusts in Him, you carry His approval and His name. He is using you to address the issues that you see with the truth of the good news that is real.

There is real news and it is good. You can trust it if it aligns with the word of God. He can be trusted and so can His word. When you know the truth you can be free.

Jesus Doesn’t Need a Tent. He Has the Cross

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Jesus Risen - 900

On his way to the Cross, Jesus took three of his closest followers with him onto a mountain where he was transfigured. (Metamorphosis comes from this word.) His glory was evident as he was clothed with unspeakable bright light. He was on his way to be treated as a criminal and a moral scourge. The disciples needed to know his true nature.

Moses and Elijah were also present. These heroes of the Law and Prophets made the event even more dramatic. Peter was moved to do something significant. He suggested they build a tent for each of those three great men, but his ignorance was exposed. Moses and Elijah were important but they were not on the same level as Jesus. He in fact was the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets. He alone stands at the center of God's universe.

His physical body was the tent he lived in while on earth, and now His people serve as his temple.

See Jesus for Who He Is

Until we see him for who he is, we, like Peter, will be trying to fit Jesus into our own stories of reality. Yes, he played with the little children, but he was not childish. He humbled himself, but he was not weak. He was crucified but no one took his life.

He stands uncontested as the Lord of life and death. We don't have to try to make him relevant, by reducing him to the level of other religious leaders. We don't have to make him acceptable by defining him as a social worker and avoiding talk of his blood. He is the Lord of creation and redemption. He is the judge of all men. He will sum up all things in heaven and earth in himself.

He brings all things together that sin separated. He takes sin upon himself and absorbs its wrath so that we can take his righteousness and enjoy God's eternal favor. He doesn't need a man-made tent for us to have a God we can be close to. His physical body was the tent he lived in while on earth, and now his people serve as his temple that is universally accessible to all people -- without distinction.

Later in the biblical story, we see his glory being revealed in even greater measure as he lays his life down for us. This is the mystery that baffles the secularists. It is the majesty that angels long to behold. It is the day of the Lord when righteousness is vindicated and wickedness is forever judged. It is the reason that Paul the apostle chose to make all his preaching revolve around the Cross of Christ.

The vision is available for you now! Look to him. Look at him. He is beyond the treasured Law of Moses. He is the fulfillment of the great promises of the prophets. The angels adore him. The demons run from him. Death and Hell lose their threat in his presence. A vision of him will tranquilize the mind, pacify the conscience, purify the heart and transform the character.

Seeing him in his glory will prepare us for the days of trial. Don't get so busy building him a place in your culture that you miss seeing him in his glory.

The Church Can Stop Governmental Intrusion

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Church and State

In recent decades, the Federal government has accelerated its reach into the personal and social lives of Americans. People feel isolated; business are over regulated; and the church has been intimidated. The sense of being overwhelmed by the massive intrusion into marriage, family, bathroom choice, and personal privacy was at the center of the frustration in many who rose up in this last election to say, "Stop! It's enough!"

Can the growth and intrusion of government be stopped? After all, somebody thought the laws and regulations were necessary for the welfare of the country. Human behavior must have some guidelines and boundaries or we will have mob-rule.

The Only Antidote to Government Overreach

There is a way. Only self-government can make government overreach unnecessary. As long as individuals and groups are controlled by their own desires for pleasure, demanding their own personal rights, and ruled by their basest passions, there will need to be a forceful external authority to assess penalties to curb hatred, greed, and perversion. But if people had a moral code that ruled over such human vices, the need for excessive regulations would not exist.

If people had a moral code that ruled over such human vices, the need for excessive regulations would not exist.

This introduces the role of the church as designed by God. The apostle Paul designated it "the ground and pillar of truth." (I Timothy 3:15) Its role in society is to offer freedom from enslavement to sinfulness and to equip people to live productively with God and each other. When its voice is silenced or ignored, the need for civil government involvement increases. When its voice is heard, the whole society reaps the benefits. Truth brings freedom.

The hope for a civil government that is effective in protecting its citizens, and ceases to intrude into their personal lives, all the while remaining small enough to stay within a reasonable budget, lies in the rise of the true church. Only the offer of forgiveness and the grace to love others more than ourselves can change people from "takers" to "givers." Only the security of being loved by the One who knows all and sees all can free us from the shame which destroys both our own lives and our societies.

It’s Time for the Church to Act

Only the offer of forgiveness and the grace to love others more than ourselves can change people from "takers" to "givers."

It is time for the people of God to take our assignment seriously. We have the message of truth. When believed, it liberates all people without distinction. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to live as Jesus modeled on earth.

We also have the commission from our Lord who promised to be with us into all the world. The masses await our appearance. Many will hear and believe. Those believers can be equipped to influence every sphere of society with the transcendent truth of divine order. Schools can teach truth again. Businesses can not only make a profit, but bless their workers and the communities in which they thrive. Other nations can look to a productive model -- all because the true church arose to teach people how to be self-governed by submitting to the God of truth.

Rise up O Church!

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