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?
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Just come
Before I was afflicted, I went astray,
but now I obey your word (Psa. 119:67).
When I was afflicted, some years ago, by a failing marriage, I came to the Lord regularly, wondering when he would get tired of my coming to him for me, me, me and problems, problems, problems. But at least I was coming to the right place, and I was contacting him--from the heart--far more often than usual. Gradually, a desire to know him and be consumed by his purposes began to dawn.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
This little light of mine
"Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isa. 60:1-3).
In the past, when I have read this passage, I have envisioned a time of especially great grace for the church, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which will cause believers to be filled with the glory of the Lord. I still believe that. However, the political and economic circumstances have caused me to see this phenomenon in a new light. I am noticing that in the above prophecy, a glorious light rises on God’s people at a time when thick darkness envelopes the (rest of) the earth.
Could it be that one factor in this brightening of believers is that light appears much brighter in darkness? Automobile headlights which barely show up at high noon are practically blinding once night falls. And, in the dark, even a small light is visible from a distance. I am aware of this because of an object lesson I observed a number of years ago. Our pastor instructed the ushers to turn off all of the lights in the sanctuary. Then he lit a match. In the dark, that pinpoint of light flared up brightly—to the farthest row of pews. Even a small amount of light is conspicuous in the dark.
So what is it about a believer that shows up as light? This verse contains a clue:
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe (Phil. 2:14-15).
A cheerful, willing attitude in the midst of low morale. Honesty instead of corruption. Peace rather than anxiety. Helpfulness in place of self-centeredness. None of these spring up automatically in those of us who follow Christ. We become more and more like him by seeking and praying, by trusting and obeying.
It may seem that our small daily choices, our trust and our loyalty to the Lord are unseen, private matters. We may forget how different these attitudes are from those of people around us. But to those watching us, the bright contrast is unmistakable.
Then . . . let disaster strike. Let the moral climate spiral to all-time lows. How do simple displays of goodness appear then? They blaze up gloriously. Those who observe this distinctively godly behavior no longer simply say, “How commendable.” In their dark uncertainty and fear, they are irresistibly drawn to the brightness of this light. It stirs up hope. It challenges them to better things. They begin to crave the glory of God in their own lives.
In these unnerving times, following close to the Lord is much more than a matter of survival. It is a prime way for each of us to arise and shine. In the dark, even small amounts of light in us will brilliantly show forth the glory of the Lord. Let's be ready to introduce to the Lord those who come to the brightness of our rising.
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isa. 60:1-3).
In the past, when I have read this passage, I have envisioned a time of especially great grace for the church, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which will cause believers to be filled with the glory of the Lord. I still believe that. However, the political and economic circumstances have caused me to see this phenomenon in a new light. I am noticing that in the above prophecy, a glorious light rises on God’s people at a time when thick darkness envelopes the (rest of) the earth.
Could it be that one factor in this brightening of believers is that light appears much brighter in darkness? Automobile headlights which barely show up at high noon are practically blinding once night falls. And, in the dark, even a small light is visible from a distance. I am aware of this because of an object lesson I observed a number of years ago. Our pastor instructed the ushers to turn off all of the lights in the sanctuary. Then he lit a match. In the dark, that pinpoint of light flared up brightly—to the farthest row of pews. Even a small amount of light is conspicuous in the dark.
So what is it about a believer that shows up as light? This verse contains a clue:
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe (Phil. 2:14-15).
A cheerful, willing attitude in the midst of low morale. Honesty instead of corruption. Peace rather than anxiety. Helpfulness in place of self-centeredness. None of these spring up automatically in those of us who follow Christ. We become more and more like him by seeking and praying, by trusting and obeying.
It may seem that our small daily choices, our trust and our loyalty to the Lord are unseen, private matters. We may forget how different these attitudes are from those of people around us. But to those watching us, the bright contrast is unmistakable.
Then . . . let disaster strike. Let the moral climate spiral to all-time lows. How do simple displays of goodness appear then? They blaze up gloriously. Those who observe this distinctively godly behavior no longer simply say, “How commendable.” In their dark uncertainty and fear, they are irresistibly drawn to the brightness of this light. It stirs up hope. It challenges them to better things. They begin to crave the glory of God in their own lives.
In these unnerving times, following close to the Lord is much more than a matter of survival. It is a prime way for each of us to arise and shine. In the dark, even small amounts of light in us will brilliantly show forth the glory of the Lord. Let's be ready to introduce to the Lord those who come to the brightness of our rising.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Chosen
When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. . . . When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!" . . .
When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. . . .
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed (Mark 5:2-3, 6-8, 15, 18-20).
I have often considered the last part of this story to be no more than an epilogue—a small glimpse into the aftermath of a mighty miracle. But the last time I read this narrative, I was struck by the significance of this exchange between the healed demoniac and Jesus. The newly-delivered man, full of gratitude and love did not want to be separated so soon from Jesus. He wanted to join the group of disciples who traveled with him. Instead, Jesus sent him on an important mission to his home town. My heart sank with empathy at the thought of his disappointment. Then I realized: this is an example of the fact that heaven’s agenda often messes with earth’s. And my heart was awed by the honor of being chosen for heaven’s. The healed demoniac was not being held off at arm’s length by Jesus. He was being invited into the fellowship of doing the will of the Father.
When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. . . .
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed (Mark 5:2-3, 6-8, 15, 18-20).
I have often considered the last part of this story to be no more than an epilogue—a small glimpse into the aftermath of a mighty miracle. But the last time I read this narrative, I was struck by the significance of this exchange between the healed demoniac and Jesus. The newly-delivered man, full of gratitude and love did not want to be separated so soon from Jesus. He wanted to join the group of disciples who traveled with him. Instead, Jesus sent him on an important mission to his home town. My heart sank with empathy at the thought of his disappointment. Then I realized: this is an example of the fact that heaven’s agenda often messes with earth’s. And my heart was awed by the honor of being chosen for heaven’s. The healed demoniac was not being held off at arm’s length by Jesus. He was being invited into the fellowship of doing the will of the Father.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The luck of the Irish
Where did this expression come from, anyway? As I review my limited knowledge of the history of the Irish people, I don’t see a lot of luck—not good luck, that is.
Take the Potato Famine of the mid-1800’s in which 20% to 25% of the population of Ireland either starved or emigrated. Oh . . . but that was back in the old country. Perhaps those who immigrated to America met with better fortune? No, not at all. They were rejected, exploited, and ridiculed. They lived in extreme poverty, endured back-breaking labor, and accepted employment that was only considered suitable for servants and slaves. Some luck!
But they persisted in pursuing a better life. They banded together to protect themselves and teach their tormentors a lesson. They worked hard at becoming Americans. And they succeeded! Next to Washington and Lincoln in the hearts of our people stands the memory of our first Irish American president, John F. Kennedy. Was that the “luck of the Irish”? I think not. It was determination, spunk, and hard work that won the Irish a place in this country.
And not just a place, but an honored place. The St. Patrick’s Day parades that they held to declare—to themselves, if no one else—that they were proud to be Irish, caught on. It illustrates the concept “Respect yourself and others will respect you.”
Are the Irish lucky? I’d call them plucky. On the 17th of this month, how about celebrating the PLUCK OF THE IRISH?
Plucky: having or displaying courage and
Take the Potato Famine of the mid-1800’s in which 20% to 25% of the population of Ireland either starved or emigrated. Oh . . . but that was back in the old country. Perhaps those who immigrated to America met with better fortune? No, not at all. They were rejected, exploited, and ridiculed. They lived in extreme poverty, endured back-breaking labor, and accepted employment that was only considered suitable for servants and slaves. Some luck!
But they persisted in pursuing a better life. They banded together to protect themselves and teach their tormentors a lesson. They worked hard at becoming Americans. And they succeeded! Next to Washington and Lincoln in the hearts of our people stands the memory of our first Irish American president, John F. Kennedy. Was that the “luck of the Irish”? I think not. It was determination, spunk, and hard work that won the Irish a place in this country.
And not just a place, but an honored place. The St. Patrick’s Day parades that they held to declare—to themselves, if no one else—that they were proud to be Irish, caught on. It illustrates the concept “Respect yourself and others will respect you.”
Are the Irish lucky? I’d call them plucky. On the 17th of this month, how about celebrating the PLUCK OF THE IRISH?
Plucky: having or displaying courage and
spirited resourcefulness in trying circumstances.
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