UNENDING JOY

"VITA" read the sign. It is the Latin word for life, and there it was--in large, enthusiastic letters . . . on the wall of the catacombs—the sewer system tunnels under the city of Rome where early Christians hid from persecution.

Life! What kind of life could one possibly have in a smelly sewer?

Probably the same life we’re all looking for: internal vitality and joy. When we think of our favorite things—is it the things themselves we’re seeking, really? Or is it the fulfillment and joy they give us?

We set our hearts on the next cruise, a new home, a chic outfit, a husband or wife, a baby, chairmanship of the board, a blue ribbon at the fair, or a best-selling book. Why? We desire the pleasure, delight, love, or fulfillment that they offer. So we continually run after one more experience for one more moment of feeling really alive and joyful.

It reminds me of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well in Samaria. He told her that if she asked of him, he would give her water that would spring up eternally—unlike the water for which she had to return day after day to the well.

It was that eternal, living water that welled up inside the early Christians in the catacombs. It did not come from external sources, so changing circumstances could not cut off its supply.

Okay—but there is a mystery here. They had turned to Jesus, been born again and filled with his Spirit—but so have many of us. Why were they so much more full of life than we?

Here’s their secret: They had weaned themselves from a merely earthly lifestyle. They were living for Jesus and for his kingdom. In order to follow Jesus, they had turned loose of all they had once thought was necessary for happiness. In the process they had found greater and more constant life and joy than they had ever experienced before.

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it (Matt. 16:25).

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ . . . But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matt. 6:31, 33).

A Bigger Picture

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." . . .


Jesus went thoughout Galileee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people (Matt. 4:17, 23).


The Good News, as I remember hearing it--from my earliest years to now--has always been a message of personal reconciliation with God. What a different flavor Jesus' good news carried! It was an invitation to join a new order of things. A heavenly order. His kingdom.

. . . your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10).

Yes, those who believe on Jesus enter into a saving, sustaining, satisfying personal relationship with him--a very personal one, because he is a Shepherd-King. But the relationship is not primarily about "me and Jesus." A follower of Jesus is one of many citizens of his kingdom, one sheep in a large flock.

Does this viewpoint make a difference? Does it illuminate some scriptures that have been puzzling up to now? Are you unhappy about giving up the strictly personal understanding of the gospel? Or does the kingdom view make the "good news" even better news? In what way?

Come clean

I read this incident again a few days ago. This time, instead of leaving puzzled, I left with awe.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:13-15a)

Jesus knew and John knew and you and I know that Jesus did not require baptism. Baptism, as John preached it to the people, signified repentance and cleansing of sin. So what was sinless Jesus' purpose in participating in this rite?

The first thing that struck me was a single word--righteousness. Jesus' first public act, the launching pad of his ministry, was to align himself with baptism to show how important sinlessness and righteousness was to him. God is holy!

I also saw this: He who desires to preach should be clean himself.

Ready--or Blindsided?

Several days ago I was reading in Exodus 14 the account of the crossing of the Red Sea by Moses and the Israelites. I saw something which I have--for some reason--entirely missed before. When Pharaoh's chariots came thundering up behind the fugitive Israelites, trapping them between the army and the sea, Moses was not thrown into panic like the rest of his compatriots. Was he just a clear-headed, courageous sort of man? No--here's what I noticed: God had told him ahead of time what would happen. In fact, he had instructed him to lead the people in an seemingly random path to give Pharaoh the idea that they were confused and would be easy prey for his troops. So, when the Israelites spotted the Egyptian army, and the people accosted Moses with their terrified accusations, he had a ready answer:

Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still (Ex. 14:13-14).

Actually, his answer had more information in it than what is recorded in the Lord's message in verses 1-4. I'm curious--did verses 1-4 just leave out some of what the Lord said in his initial message? or was Moses hearing more on the inside as he spoke to the people?

Either way, this narrative portrays a God who is gracious to prepare us for whatever lies ahead. The key to being ready instead of being blindsided is to follow him, consult him , and listen to him. Those who were panic-stricken were following Moses (but with no real conviction); they were following their countrymen (because they dare not stay behind in Egypt); they were following whatever seemed the least threatening at the moment (which changed constantly). They never entered into the soul rest of those who lifted their eyes a little higher than people and circumstances to find and follow God. The minority who did--like Joshua and Caleb--seemed to hear him too.