When the Storm Rages

 

Friday, October 30, 2020

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”  So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed).  But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.  Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.  The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”  When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence!  Be still!”  Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.  Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid?  Do you still have no faith?”  Mark 4:35-40

It almost seems frightening to address the subject of plugging-in to God Almighty, and His power.  It’s one thing to talk about the awesome God Who created the universe and holds it all in the palm of His hand;[1] it’s quite another to contemplate standing near that kind of power, or have that powerful presence turning your life upside down.  Think Jesus, in the middle of your boat…the storm is raging…and Jesus caused it…and then He speaks to it and it hushes up.  I’ve been more comfortable around bare wires connected to a 220-volt line.

God's creative power is such that even the smallest thing takes on new significance when we consider His work.  Take bacteria, for instance.  Some bacteria divide every 20 minutes.  If just one of these microscopic blobs could get enough food, and dispose of its waste, it could, theoretically, in just 48 hours, grow to a size 4,000 times the size of Earth!  If God could put that kind of potential in a single bacteria cell, there isn’t anything we can imagine more powerful.

When Jesus came to the boat in that dark hour, when His disciples were struggling against the raging storm, He simply said, it is I, don’t be afraid.  Then he looked at the wind and said, Hush.  It takes power to do that!  And the words translated It is I, in the language of the ancient Scriptures, are ego emi, I AM.  Any questions about the source of that power? 

For You Today

In the midst of life's storms, go to God..He is your source, He is certain, He is secure, and He is willing to share with you, if you will pass it on to others.

He said so …and He did so!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title image: James Tissot, Brooklyn Museum via WikimediaComons   W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on Mark 4 see:  Holy Mixtures - Part 3 and Listening to the Light

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[1] Isaiah 40:12 says that God, Creator measured off the heavens with the “span” (the width of a person’s palm)  Colossians 1:15-17 has Jesus as that Creator, holding it all together

 

The Light of Truth

 

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Declare me innocent, O God!  Defend me against these ungodly people.  Rescue me from these unjust liars.  For you are God, my only safe haven.  Why have you tossed me aside?  Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?  Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me.  Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live.  There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy.  I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!  Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!  Psalm 43

Sometimes when you read Scripture it’s an easy mistake to read in a bubble of isolation.  That is, you see the Biblical characters as if their lives are somehow different from ours.  Technology and science aside, there is not a breathing human living on the planet at this moment who is any different from those who dwelt in caves or wrote on clay tablets (as opposed to iPads and PC’s).

King David’s life was not lived in a Wonderland-like rabbit hole; his ethereal “aura” had real rocks and streams, and the danger of enemies, both human, as well as ferocious bears and lions.  When armies went to war, real men died.  Disease took hold in pandemic waves, and the cancer of lies was just as caustic and devastating as today.  And when David (just as you and I) faced those human conditions he felt helpless and confused at times.

Hence his prayer recorded in the Psalms; it was the heartfelt cry of a needy, troubled soul, looking for the light of God’s truth to guide him into a right course of action to deal with the evil oppressors who lied their way into places of power, and were now unjustly attempting to overwhelm David’s life with their schemes.

Sometimes we imagine evil in others or are simply fooled by accusations, fabricated stories to make an evil person seem better than he is (that should be an easy call in an election year)!  But sometimes evil is so great it’s driven from below the surface, demonic, an evidence of the greater struggle between God and all that is unholy. 

That may seem surreal to the modern mind, but it’s merely evidence of something that existed long before you and me, or David, or even Adam and Eve.  Before the creation of earth and the universe there were seeds of doubt and pride, a canker ready to usurp the very throne of God.  These seeds became the fruit of rebellion, which is recorded in Isaiah’s prophecy as Lucifer, God’s beloved angel, thought to replace God Almighty, but was rejected, defeated, and consigned to eternity in Hell for his unfaithfulness:

“How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning!  You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world.  Isaiah 14:12

The seed of sin spread to Adam and Eve and multiplied in less than a full generation as one jealous son, Cain, killed his brother, Abel.  And it has been so ever since.

To listen to the news media, politicians, and fear mongers, it’s all about racism.  The problem with that is an attempt to point fingers at a single outcropping of an endemic, epic cause, while side-stepping the long-entrenched human condition, sin.  We look at what’s happening in today’s culture as if it is something new…or at least an outbreak of a problem about to be dealt a crusade-ish death blow.  Racism did not start in the 1620’s.  It is merely an evidence of a deeper human condition that surfaces in many different ways.  You cannot cure racism or any other social evil with an edict from Washington, or by building more churches, bigger churches, and more entertaining, culturally-fashionable churches and worship styles.  No politician has a legislative agenda to stem human evil.  And no movement claiming their space matters, or their 15 minutes of fame will make all the difference, is going to stem the tide of the pandemic of sin.

For that, there is only one cure, the blood of Jesus Christ!  When received, this blood works in the human heart as no other force in the universe:

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.  1 John 1:9

This is the light of God’s truth.  It is only the cleansing of the human heart by the forgiveness of God that leads to what David prayed, that God’s light and truth would set him on a true course, one that leads to joy.

For You Today

Course correction:  kneel at the cross…get up with truth and light as your guide.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title image:  Pixabay.com   W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on Truth and Light see:  Walk With Integrity and Truth, Whole Truth, Nothing BUT the Truth

What Else?

 

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Someone came to Jesus with this question:  “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”  “Why ask me about what is good?”  Jesus replied.  “There is only One who is good.  But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”  “Which ones?” the man asked.  And Jesus replied:  “‘You must not murder.  You must not commit adultery.  You must not steal.  You must not testify falsely.  Honor your father and mother.  Love your neighbor as yourself.’”  “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied.  “What else must I do?”  Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.  Matthew 19:16-22

Matthew, Jesus’ tax collector – turned disciple/apostle, knew what it was to keep the scorecard.  He knew about adding up the debits and credits to balance the score.  If Matthew wasn’t telling his own story, it might as well have been his; he was a Jew collecting the Roman Emperor’s taxes from his fellow Jews.  Matthew knew what it was to have power, riches, and prominence.  He also knew what corruptive possibilities come with each, and the weight of being an outcast among your own people. 

This story was also recorded by Mark and Luke.[1]  It must have been hardest for Matthew to see this young man walk away from Jesus.  Knowing the allure of piling-up money to keep you free of the cares of everyday living costs, and the fear of returning to poverty, must have reminded the former mover and shaker of what used to be so important.  That was a stark reminder of what he used to be, and a powerful contrast to what he’d become.  The requirement of entering the surrendered life of following Jesus without reserve is no small thing.

Another, somewhat different take on the rich young man who chose his 401K over Jesus’ offer of eternal riches, is that he really wasn’t serious about the question he asked.  He may have been serious, but what if he was only looking for Jesus to sign his report card?  What if the young man was saying to Jesus, I’ve listened to your preaching these past several months, all that stuff about being perfect.  Look here at my life; I’ve not murdered, stolen, or told lies.  I take care of my parents who are aged and can’t support themselves.  What else?  What else do I have to do to be ‘good’ with God? 

But perhaps the man had listened to Jesus’ sermon on the mount (which Matthew also recorded[2]), and maybe it had somehow gotten in his head that he might have missed something.  That preacher/prophet had even said it loud and clear, those who followed him must be perfect, even as Jehovah in Heaven was perfect.[3]  The rich young ruler’s question may have been driven by sleepless nights, trying to convince himself that he was already a good man, having lived a moral life.  He’d always tried to do everything right.  What else?  Did I leave anything out? 

There is almost a passive anger about the question; who is this preacher, anyway?  He doesn’t know me; he has no idea the pressures I face every day.  I gotta talk to this guy; I’ll show him how I’ve lived a good life.  Surely that’s enough, even for God. 

And so, the young man did just that.  And the question came out, What else?  And then the answer came out…everything…everything that’s standing in your way of truly worshipping God…that’s what else!

Jesus knew the man’s net worth was what mattered most, and, therefore, the biggest obstacle to this man’s eternal life.  The doctor from Nazareth wrote the prescription, give away that which will eventually rust and rot and have no value…then bring the only eternal thing you really have and let me light it up with eternal life and joy.

Unfortunately, the rich young ruler, accustomed to wheeling and dealing in the financial big leagues couldn’t see the best opportunity he’d ever encountered.  

For You Today

The word for us today is…take Jesus at his word…it’s a sad thing to walk away from eternal life and joy for a little more of what this world thinks is best.  Lord, save us from having to ask the question, What else?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

GO TO VIDEO

Title image:  Pixabay.com   W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on this text see:  I Can't Get No Satisfaction and Choosing

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[1] Mark 10:17-22, Luke 18:18-25

[2] Matthew 5-7

[3] But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.      Matthew 5:48

 

When the Bones of Faith Lack a Little Meat of Works

 

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions?  Can that kind of faith save anyone?  Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing.  What good does that do?  So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough.  Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.  Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds?  I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”  You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.  Good for you!  Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.  How foolish!  Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?  Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see, his faith and his actions worked together.  His actions made his faith complete.  And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”  He was even called the friend of God.  So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.  Rahab the prostitute is another example.  She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.  Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.  James 2:14-26

October 31^st each year sets up a dichotomy of directions.  On one hand there is Halloween, the witches’ brew, goblins, and scary movies.  The other is Reformation Day, a celebration of Martin Luther’s nailing the 95 Theses of Faith to the church door at Wittenberg, Germany in 1517, which led to the Protestant break with the Catholic church.  Luther’s rallying cry was Faith Alone, a strong agreement with Paul the apostle, that we are saved by faith, not our works.[1]  A seeming contradiction is apostle James’ need for “works” to validate our faith.  Which is right?  Short answer is both; it just depends on whom you ask.

Paul’s admonition about faith alone was intended for Jewish ears, where “faith” was all about doing…keeping the law…paying tithes…unending lists of do’s and don’ts.  Paul’s theme was to beef up the heart, put some pulse back in faith arteries. 

James, however, was speaking to a different group, people who preferred to sit in a puddle of faith while the suffering of humanity made a detour around their do-nothing cesspool.  Resting in faith-alone was a prophylactic against doing anything worthwhile (or strenuous) was using God’s cross as an excuse for lazy Christianity.

The result of the debate is that both Paul and James were spot-on; they were the two ends of a full-throated salvation argument.  To settle in either our good deeds or our good faith is death.  Without faith we can do nothing holy; without good deeds our (so-called) faith is a either a sham or self-delusion.  Genuine faith is always evidenced in good works, and Godly works will always point people to the cross.

For You Today

There’s a good reason God kept Paul and James in the New Testament.  There are those of us who need to develop a little meat of works to flesh out our bones of faith…as well as those whose works-without-end need a fresh wind of faith to put some backbone of conviction in what we do. 

If you’re more prone to one side than the other, I suggest checking out the other.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title image:  Pixabay.com   W   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on James 2 see:  Faith and Works and Picking Up the Trowel

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[1] Ephesians 2:8-9

 

Kingdom Living Series #6. MINISTER

 

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“You are the salt of the earth.  But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor?  Can you make it salty again?  It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.  “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.  Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.  “Don’t misunderstand why I have come.  I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets.  No, I came to accomplish their purpose.  I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.  Matthew 5:13-18

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters.  But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.  Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.  Galatians 5:13

The Word of God for us, the People of God .  

We have been spending time with Jesus on “the Mount” – the sermon of our Lord; two-thousand, three hundred and eighty-four words^[1] introduced by the “beatitudes” and ending with the astonishment of all the listeners marveling over how Jesus taught with such awesome authority.  This was heaven’s proposal for how to live if we want to take seriously the idea of loving God.

There have been virtually libraries of books written on the beatitudes alone, let alone the other 109 verses of Jesus’ sermon.  In choosing to preach seven sermons on “the sermon” I am obviously not exhausting everything that could be said about living as a follower of Jesus Christ; I have simply chosen the seven topics that have been the most important for me in growing as Jesus’ disciple these last fifty-plus years. 

As we live the Christian life and grow into our discipleship we become like a garment woven together with holy thread…the strands all provide and receive strength from each other.  Christ is all, and in all^[2].

Each of these exhortations to living a Godly life is a component and a bridge.  Each is vitally-important; none greater than any other.  Each provides a pathway to the others.  The first four topics we covered were:

·       Believing in Christ (faith)

·       Developing a relationship with Christ in prayer

·       Forgiving (and being forgiven) by others

·       Giving (developing our life in Christ through stewardship)

Today’s theme is serving as a slave.  Within the Bible’s 1200 chapters, there are more than 1450 references to the word “servant” or “serve”.  Something which is mentioned that often demands our attention.

Let’s look at developing our lives of discipleship through serving as a slave.  Yeah, I know what you’re thinking…wasn’t slavery outlawed?  Well, yes, of course it is outlawed to make someone else a slave to anyone.  But, in discipleship, becoming God’s servant is something for which we volunteer; we choose to be slaves of God.

Three words of relationship

There are three words in the language of the New Testament that are used to describe serving.  These ancient Greek words, from “weakest to strongest” (from a Christian perspective), are latreuo, diakonos and doulos, forming a progression of relationship to Jesus. 

latreuo

The weakest relationship is that of legalities.  The word latreuo is translated "minister" in many cases, and it speaks of the one who is hired to perform a service.  Many people see their relationship to God as dutiful, paying an obligation, or a legal responsibility to "worship" God.  This is weak in thinking and theology.  If God wanted people who were going to "pay Him back" he surely would look elsewhere.  How can you repay the cross?

diakonos

The next strongest relationship is the diakonos, or “friendly host” to Jesus.  We get our word “deacon” from this word.  It describes the one who follows-after Jesus to be a heartfelt lover of the Lord.  Today there are many in our society who love the idea of "doing something for Jesus."  They go to church, give, and serve on committees and boards.  It is a nice picture of nice people doing nice things in a nice way.  As long as everything stays "nice," everything will be "nice."  However, we know that this isn't a nice world.  It is a world touched, gripped and ripped by sin.  Not everything in the church, home or public place will be nice and ideal.

doulos

The third word is doulos, or "slave."  This is the strongest word for relationship to Jesus.  It literally means "bond-slave," the person who had no choice with his own life.  In ancient times a bond-slave was committed for life to serve the master of the house. 

It requires commitment to give yourself to someone.  Paul, James, Peter, John and many early disciples referred to themselves as the bond-slaves (doulos) of Christ.  This is the strongest word of relationship because it requires the most bridges burned.  The latreuo is a hired servant, so he is there for what he'll receive in payment.  The diakonos is serving because of favored conditions. 

The doulos, because of the cross and God’s mercy and grace, is there to lose himself in life-long, loving disposal to the Master's wishes.  Do you see the progression?  It goes from receiving wages (weakest relationship) to giving self (strongest relationship).

Now, the essence of our text can be explained in the light of those three words.  When Paul said, "...by love serve one another." he used the word "doulos."  The relationship is based on giving ourselves to one another – servant/slavehood.  He didn't use "latreuo," saying we have an obligation to serve like a hired waiter.  He didn't say "diakonos," indicating "hanging-out with the brethren" until the going got rough.  He said, "doulos;” we are to be slaves, devoted to each other, even as we claim to be devoted to Christ.  Those who consider themselves slaves to everyone in the body are considered greatest in the body by the head of the body.

and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.  Mark 10:44 ^(NRSV)

It is the same with winning souls, visiting the sick and serving the body.  Being Christ’s servant means you do the work because you are His.  When in compassion you meet the needs of people instead of just judging them will be truly serving.  In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the true servant of God's will was the man who put aside racial, economic and religious barriers to meet someone's dire need:

Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.”  Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:36 - 37 ^(NRSV)

There are thousands of people in this community who need the ministry of this body.  Those who have consecrated themselves to serve the body will really be serving the Master

And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’      Matthew 25:40 ^(NRSV)

There is a beautiful story by Tolstoy about a humble cobbler named Martin.  In a dream Jesus speaks to him, saying, I will soon come to you.  

When he woke up in the morning, he was excited.  Jesus would pay a visit to him sometime during the day.  He swept his shop clean, prepared a delicious meal, and waited for the visit. 

In the morning a hungry exhausted child came to his shop, so Martin fed her and let her rest for a while.  At mid-day an old woman happened by.  The woman was cold and shivering.  Martin gave her a warm shawl and she went on her way.  Late in the afternoon, a barefooted beggar came to his door, and Martin gave him a pair of shoes.  But Jesus did not come. 

When Martin went to bed that night he was disappointed.  That night Jesus once again appeared in a dream to him.  Lord, why did you not visit me today? Martin asked in all sincerity.  Jesus then replied, Martin, three times I visited you.  First as a little child, then as an old woman, and finally as a beggar. 

When we help a needy person, when we offer food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty, we are actually helping Jesus.  When we care for the forgotten of our society, as Jesus did, we are actually helping Jesus.^[3]

So…serve one another? 

We can take that to heart in varied ways.  We can serve each other like Salome' did for the John the Baptist, she served his head on a platter.  That's the world's way. 

We can latreuo one another like hired servants, just doing what we do because it is our duty to do things around the church.

We can diakonos one another like fair weather friends, being nice among the nice as long as everything's nice.

                                                            – or –

We can be Biblical slaves, doulos, committed to each other, filled with mercy, meeting needs, doing it with love as unto the Lord.

Father, help us to let go of this world’s ways and sing the song of life service the way You showed us, towel, basin, and cross.  For the glory, honor, and praise to which You alone are worthy, o Lord, we pray in the Name of the Son, cooperating with the Spirit, to honor and exalt the Majesty of the Father. 

Let it be so in each of our lives…Amen!

Title Image:  Pixabay.com  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation  Matthew 10:24-39©

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[1] In the NRSV

[2] Colossians 3:11

[3]Piero Ferrucci, Inevitable Grace, (Los Angeles, Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc, 1990) 90-91