Acts 8-10--For All

Who can recieve God's salvation? We in the church have, unfortunately, engaged in this debate since the inception of the Church. For the ancient Church, salvation was initially be for the Jews; since Jesus was a Jew and was the fulfillment of God's promises to the Jewish people. As a result, there were all sorts of arguments against evangelizing to non-Jewish people. We read here in these chapters God's perspective. Peter sums it up neatly in his speech at the home of Cornelius, "I truly understand that God shows no partiality". What glorious words these are!! This statements serves as a summary of three chapters that have seen all different sorts of people recieve God's salvation and the Holy Spirit; we see Simon the magician of Samaria, an Ethiopian eunuch, Saul of Tarsus, and the household of Cornelius the Roman all recieve these gifts of God. Only Saul of Tarsus is a Jew, and he is a murderous, Christ-persecuting Jew! We have different people, from different backgrounds, and with different ways of life being accepted into the family of God. The message is unmistakable...the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for all people. The Good News of God's salvation and the presence of God's Holy Spirit is a gift that God intends all people to recieve. Who are we to dare determine who is and who is not worthy of what God intends for all people?

Acts 5-7--Persecutions

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus speaks often of his disciples "taking up their cross" or "enduring persecutions". In these chapters from Acts, we see a bit about which Jesus was talking. The early church was persecuted intensely. To be a follower of Jesus was not popular; in fact, it was downright dangerous. Those dangers are illustrated clearly here: the apostles are flogged and Stephen is stoned to death. In their minds', though, these persecutions were worth all the tears, all the pain, all the suffering they endured. They counted it as a joy to suffer for the name of Jesus. I wonder, do we count it as a joy to suffer for Jesus? I daresay that none of us like to suffer. I'm guessing the early followers of Jesus were not thrilled with suffering, but they were willing to suffer for Jesus' sake. Are we willing to suffer for the One who suffered for us?
Another thing we see hidden in stories of the apostles' persecution is the extent to which the story is so well known by the apostles'. The story had to be told so that the apostles could stand against all the accusations thrown their way. Stephen recited a huge amount of the First Testament in response to why he was doing what he was doing. It raises the question of us, "are we so familiar with the story of God in Jesus that we can recite it and witness to it in the face of our doubters and detractors?" It is that story that needs to be told, not anything else that could be the construction of the human mind--the story of Jesus, the truth.

Acts 3-4--Witnesses

In my last post, I mentioned the importance of and result of telling the story of Jesus in the early days of the church. The disciples couldn't stop evangelizing, because they had witnessed Jesus do so much. At times, we are tempted to think that since we didn't actually walk with Jesus, we haven't witnessed Jesus do anything. I'm here to tell you that any person who has felt their sins forgiven and felt restored in their relationship with God has witnessed the power of Jesus Christ! Each one of us is a witness to Christ; maybe not in the same way as the first disciples, but a witness nonetheless. It was the disciples sharing this witness, telling others what they had heard and seen, that allowed the Spirit to work and allow multitudes to come to faith in Jesus. Our sharing of what we have seen from Jesus will be the catalyst for multitudes in our time to come to faith in Jesus.
It takes a fair amount of boldness to witness to Jesus. Today, just as in ancient times, there is an enormous amount of opposition to Jesus and Jesus' followers. However, no threats and no amount of opposition could keep the disciples from giving their testimony about Jesus. They were even ordered by the highest religious authorities to keep their mouths shut, but they couldn't do it! Why? Because they knew they had spoken the truth and couldn't keep silent about what God had done in Jesus. At the same time, they continued to pray for the boldness they needed to proclaim the name of Jesus.
Each of us are witnesses. May God fill us with all the boldness we need to testify to our glorious Lord!

Acts 1-2--Birth of the Church

I absolutely love the first two chapters of Acts! Reading these two chapters tells not only the birth of the church, but provides, in my opinion, the model for growing the church today. We might be two mellenia removed from these events, but the actions and attitudes of Jesus' followers in these two chapters serve as a guides for the modern church. I want to look at three different actions they performed, and the result of those actions.
1. They did what Jesus instructed them--I know, it sounds trite; however, it's the most basic fundamental to being a Christain. Specifically, the disciples remained in Jerusalem after Jesus' Ascension into heaven. It would have been easy, I'm guessing, for them to return to their pre-Jesus lives. Instead, they remained together in Jerusalem.
2. They devoted themselves to prayer--What were they praying for? Who knows! Maybe it was for the coming of the Spirit, just as Jesus promised. Maybe it was for guidance about what to do next; we do know they prayed about who would replace Judas in their little group. The point is, they were constantly remaining connected to God, seeking God's wisdom, and allowing God to lead them. How often do we "devote ourselves to prayer"? I am convinced that if we are not seeking God's wisdom and leadership, it will not be given.
3. They proclaimed the Good News--In short, they engaged in the "E" word, evangelism. They simply told the story of Jesus! How novel! People asked what was going on and the disciples told them. Sadly, the church throughout history has co-opted the story of Jesus for itself and hasn't been in a big hurry to share it with others. Evangelism doesn't mean getting in someone's face, condemning them or harassing them; it simply means sharing the story of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done.
As a result of these three, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon Jesus' followers, just as Jesus promised. It was the Holy Spirit that enabled them to continue in these actions and the Spirit that caused THOUSANDS to be "added to their number each day". It seems like such a simple model--follow Jesus, pray, and proclaim the Good News. I believe that this model will still work in today's world. The Church needs to make up its mind that it wants to do these things, and then step back and watch the Spirit work!

John 20-21--Doubting Jesus

As we read John's account of Jesus' resurrection and the days following it, we see a common belief/attitude in Jesus' followers. In each of them, there is some level of doubt of Jesus' resurrection. The immediate question then centers around why Jesus' most devoted followers seemed to doubt the fact that Jesus was alive. Surely, they all realized what kind of power Jesus had; many had seen Jesus restore life in a number of dead persons. If Jesus is the Son of God, then nothing would be impossible for him. We can ask a number of questions about the disciples' doubt. At the same time, though, we must ask if we still doubt Jesus. Do we doubt that Jesus is who he says he is? Did Jesus really rise from the grave? Do we doubt what Jesus can do in our life and in the life of our family, our church, or our world? Simply having faith opens the door for us to be able to see what Jesus is doing. Doubting, though, limits to what we can see. Like the disciples, though, Jesus meets each of us where we are, and encourages into a deeper level of faith and trust in him and in God.

John 18-19--Mission Accomplished

In the eyes of his enemies, and to many people today, Jesus was a complete failure. He had a core group of followers, but what else could he boast? He didn't have much, by the world's standards. Yet nothing could be further from the truth than calling Jesus a failure. In fact, Jesus would say that he accomplished all he set out to do. Nothing proves this move than the his crucifixion and his death. Jesus says that he came to testify to the truth. The truth is that God's love and desire for every person is so great that God would go to any length to ensure that each person becomes a part of God's family. Those lengths included allowing God's own Son to suffer the humiliation of an illegal trial, a brutal flogging, and a horrific death. Those enemies of Jesus probably breathed a sigh of relief as he died, thinking they were finally rid of him. Little did they know that they merely played a part in helping Jesus accomplish the mission he came to fulfill.

John 12-17--Final Instructions

The time was drawing nearer and nearer. It was almost time for Jesus to depart this earth. It was about time for him to leave his dear friends and disciples and return to the Father. Before he left, though, Jesus wanted to make sure his disciples knew exactly what he desired from them. There are many points that could be made from these six chapters, Jesus' final "lecture" to his disciples; two of them, stick out and seem to broadly cover the other points Jesus makes.
Jesus gives to his disciples "a new commandment". This new commandment is simply to love one another. I can't help believe that as Jesus prayed for the disciples and for future believers (chapter 17), he prayed that they would all love one another. This love Jesus instructs us to have for one another is to be "just as He loved us". This DOES NOT mean we are going to all get along all the time. Love isn't about getting along all the time. Love, instead, is about caring for one another, even when we get angry or annoyed. Love is about accepting people where they are, but not failing to expect the very best from each one. It is by loving one another that we experience true joy and contement in Christ.
He also instructs his disciples to "abide" in him, like a branch abides in its trunk. "Abide" isn't a word we use in our vocabulary very often--it simply means to stay connected in or to. Jesus' instruction and hope is that his followers would stay connected to him. By abiding in Christ, we allow Christ to transform our hearts and lives into Christ's hope for each of us.

John 10-11--The Shepherd

In the Jewish society, shepherds were the lowest of the low. They worked with dumb and dirty animals, were often smelly themselves, and were, by and large, poorly educated. How ironic is it, then, that the Son of God would call himself a shepherd? When we think about it, though, in order to protect their flock, the shepherd had to be willing to put himself in harm's way, because the sheep couldn't take care of themselves. The shepherd, as Jesus says, would sleep in the doorway of the sheep-pen, so that robbers or predators would have to go through the shepherd first. The shepherd's tools, the rod and staff, were used to protect and defend the flock. As much of an outcast as a shepherd might have been, it is the perfect metaphor to use in describing Jesus.
Whether we like to admit it or not, we humans are like sheep in many ways. We can be stubborn, we need constant direction or we get lost, and sometimes we can be just plain dumb. Thank God for a Shepherd who will take care of us and lead us and make sure that we don't get ourselves too far off the path! Jesus doesn't just protect us from ourselves, though. We are under a constant threat from all those other things that seek to separate us from our flock and shepherd, including an adversary in Satan that would like nothing more than to carry off one from the flock of God. The shepherd, though, stands in the way. He has already laid down his life so that his sheep might be protected from the attempts of the evil one. Our shepherd stands watch over us, making sure that none of us are lost and that we are tended.

John 8-9--On Being Blind

I am blind as a bat, to use that cliche. When I was in school, other kids would make fun of me because the lenses of my glasses were incredibly thick. I hated it and wished that, for once, I didn't have to depend on my glasses to be able to see things only a few feet in front of me. Jesus also dealt in blindness, although not just the inability to use one's eyes. The spiritual blindness of many around him was a constant battle Jesus fought. In chapters 8 and 9, the idea of spiritual blindness comes to a head.
The story of the woman caught in adultery perfectly depicts how blind humans are to ourselves. Let's be clear...it is unlikely this woman is being falsely accused. What Jesus does though is illustrate that, as humans, we have little room to judge one another. While we can see clearly the sins and faults of others, it is difficult for us to see ourselves as sinners. However, Jesus declared in chapter 3 that he can not to condemn the world but to save the world, in spite of how blind we might be.
The story of the blind man receiving his sight again shows how upside-down the world's values are compared to God's. The once-blind man knew that it was Jesus who had restored him. My guess is that Jesus restored for this man much more than just his physical eyesight. Yet the Pharisees, the religious leaders (pastors!) could not and would not believe that Jesus had done this. The ones who were expected to be the leaders of the community were blinded by their jealousy of Jesus and could not see who he was.
Are our souls open to see what Jesus might be telling us next, or are we blind to anything except our own understanding and attitudes?

John 6-7--Food for the Soul

Take one look at me and you can see that I'm pretty well fed. It would take a long time for my body to reach the point of starving. I'm going to guess that most of our bodies are pretty well fed. How is it with our soul, though? Jesus was deeply concerned, as you might expect, with the condition of a person's soul. In these chapters, especially chapter 6, Jesus puts a new twist on the idea of eating and feeding ourselves.
Chapter 6 begins with the account of Jesus feeding the multitudes. On the surface, it reads as if Jesus merely provided an evening meal for them. What really happened, though, was the nourishment of their souls. The people came to him, looking to hear him teach, to see him heal, to witness the presence of God in their midst. This food would nourish the souls that might have been starving inside them. After that, Jesus begins to teach that he is the Bread from Heaven. He is the nourishment for the soul of the person and the world. Many of us may have a favorite food or two that always "hits the spot" on our hunger or taste. Only Jesus can "hit the spot" on our spiritual hunger.
For many, though, this is, as the disciples declare, a hard teaching. They don't understand how this man can satisfy the hunger in their soul. Their conception of the Messiah had nothing to do with spiritual matters; they felt the Messiah would be a political figure. Once they realized that Jesus had no intention of being a political leader, many deserted him. From that point, many others began to question him and be in conflict with Jesus and his teachings.
Are Jesus' words too difficult for us? Do we want to desert him and quest after the things of this world? Are we allowing Jesus to nourish our soul as only He can?

John 4-5--I am who I AM

In these two chapters, we recieve quite possibly Jesus' most complete self-explanation and revelation. It was only on a few occassions when Jesus did not want his identity revealed; John's purpose in writing is to fully identify Jesus. As such, it is in John that we read stories such as Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman. Throughout the course of this interaction, Jesus makes no attempt to hide who he is. He freely declares that he is the Messiah who will proclaim the truth of God. Because of his admission of this to the Samaritans, Jesus identifies himself as not just the Savior of the Jews, but of all people (the Jews and Samaritans hated one another--the Jews felt the Samaritans had not, in the distant past, complied with all God's commands and were therefore excluded from the Covenant and the Samaritans felt the Jews were stuck-up snobs).
Moving into chapter 5, Jesus makes no attempt to hide the fact that he is the Son of God and, as the Son, Jesus does only what God does--as God gives life, so does the son. As the Son, Jesus is also the judge of all people. As the judge, Jesus declares that all who hear and believe his words will inherit eternal life.
So often, humans tend to fall into debate about who Jesus is. Jesus provides the answers for us, though. He is the Messiah, the Savior of the world, and the Son of God. He is the perfect revelation of God for all the world.

John 1-3--Jesus' Purpose

To say that John is different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke is an understatment. Whereas the three previous Gospels have sought to tell the story of Jesus, John doesn't seek to tell the story as much as he uses the story as evidence for who Jesus is. How else could we explain the (sometimes) perplexing opening statement of John: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Within the first three chapters, John sets forth his understanding of who Jesus is and the purpose of Jesus' incarnation.
As we read in these chapters, we see a single purpose for Jesus' entrance into this world. That purpose was/is to invite and call all people into a life that this world cannot offer. All people are invited by Christ to experience a life where we become the children of God. The entrance point into this new life is simply faith that Jesus is who he says he is. In reading the first few verses of John, we see who Jesus is--he is the Word of God, the light of God, and the life of the world. Through Jesus, we have the most clear picture of God that human beings could receive. Thanks be to God for this revelation and for the faith to believe!

Luke 20-24--The Last Week

Jesus' time had finally come. It was time for him to come face to face with those who hated him and his message. It was time for him to demonstrate the width and depth of God's love for human beings. The events of Jesus' last week seem to play out like a boiling pot. With each day, the temperature seems to elevate in the conflict between Jesus and the world. Finally, the boiling point is reached and the world decides it has had enough of God's radical messenger who refuses to do things the way they thought it should be done. As a result, Jesus is condemned as a blasphemer, a trouble-maker, and a criminal.
Is it criminal to be a Jesus follower? It's not yet; it might be someday. What Jesus does show us in his last week, though, is the lengths to which Jesus loves and expects his followers to love, even toward those who persecute us. How are we living out Jesus' radical message, dying to ourself, and rising to new life in him? It is the question that all Christians should ask of themselves.

Luke 18-19--Humility and Surrender

One of the most embarrassing things for human beings, for some reason, is to have to admit that they need help. We like to be in control and take care of our own needs. For some, it is hard even to humble ourselves before God and admit that we need God to take over. I've always wondered why that is. Are we afraid that God will say no to us? I firmly believe, and Scripture supports this, that God honors the human admission of needing God's help. It is in those moments of our humility that God is able to work wonders that would be impossible any other way.
Along the same lines, it is so difficult for us to surrender all that we are and have to God. Selfishness is nothing new to humans; we've been practicing it for years and years and years. God, though, invites us to surrender what we have to God and to God's will. This is so difficult for us, I believe, because we feel that in surrender we are losing; if we surrender something to God, we tell ourselves, we are losing it forever. What we fail to realize, at times, is that surrender means simply allowing God to take and use what we are and have for God's glory. Just as God can do wondrous things when we come to God in humility, so too can God do wondrous things when we surrender to God.

Luke 15-17--God's Value System

Would you agree with me that the value system of society has gotten completely out of whack? Think about what makes a person valuable in the eyes of society...a few letters surrounding your name (Dr., Ph.D, etc), the ability to do something with a ball, the number of zeros in your bank account balance, etc. Jesus provides for us a glimpse into what God's values are.
First and foremost, God values each human being. In his parables about those things that were "lost", Jesus illustrates that God values each person simply because they exist. How radical of a though is that? Even the most socially unacceptable person has worth in the eyes of God and God will stop at nothing to ensure that person is found and is safe and secure in the home of God!
Jesus also provides a little bit of God's perspective on money. We tend to get uneasy when we talk about what the Bible says about money. Jesus' point is always that money and wealth are creations of God and become evil and destructive when they are allowed to take the place of God. In short, they are not the most important things in the world. If you have them, fine; use them for the glory of God. If you don't have them, don't waste your time pursuing them; it's just not worth it. God, though, is worth every bit of our glory and the time and energy we could expend in pursuing God.

Luke 12-14--Of Hypocrites and the Radical

Quick...what is the first word most in society use to describe Christians or the Church? If you answered "hypocrite" then give yourself a gold star. Unfortunately, the Church and a good number of Christians have earned this title through years of preaching one thing and doing the exact opposite. How ironic that the Church and the followers of Jesus seem to have fallen into the exact traps Jesus has warned them about falling into. For Jesus, integrity was of the utmost importance. He simply could not tolerate it when people (especially the religious leaders of the day) would contradict themselves through their words or their actions. He demanded that his followers "practice what they preach".
The message Jesus preached was the large part of why he found himself at odds with so many. Jesus was, by all accounts, a radical. His message was radical and he invited his followers to be radical with him. Part of the reason the Church has been labled hypocritical is that it has been quick to embrace the radical message but slow to enact that radical message. Part of me wonders if, deep down, the Church doesn't really want to be radical and instead wants to be conformist and "fit in" with the rest of society.

Luke 10-11--The Beginning of the End

As chapter 9 comes to a close, and chapter 10 begins, the tone of Jesus' life and ministry begins to change. Jesus begins to adopt a sense of urgency in his work and expectations of his followers. He knows his time on earth is growing shorter and shorter; there is so much left to do and precious little time in which to do it.
For a good while, Jesus disciples had been merely following and learning from him. As we see in chapter 10, the followers of Jesus are now empowered to continue in Jesus' ministry. To use modern terms, we could say they went through a process of "leadership development" and were finally commissioned to carry out their work. Their work is important to Jesus; it is laying the groundwork for the future ministry of the Church: carry out Jesus' work where Jesus is not physically present. Luke's acccount of the disciples' report of their work oozes with excitement; Jesus himself tells them they have essentially had a front-row seat to what many have desired to see. This power Jesus gives to his followers has a caveat though: resist the urge to get cocky about what you have seen and done. Their joy should be in their work for the Kingdom of God.