Encounters with Jesus - Pt 17

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:28-32 ESV).

Our last encounter in this series of devotionals takes place as two disciples walk along the road to Emmaus. Remember, the messages and the miracles of Jesus had led his hearers and his followers to assume that he was the one spoken of by the prophets hundreds of years previously. He was the long expected king, who would lead Israel to victory just as his ancestor, King David, had led his people to resounding victory against their enemies and unified the tribes of Israel. So the two walking home to Emmaus on the third day after the crucifixion said: “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” (v. 21). What a sad statement: “We had hoped”. Into this devastated hope, into these shattered dreams, the now-risen Jesus spoke to them: “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” (vv. 25-26). They had believed the prophets in a superficial, earth-bound way. In their earnest desire for the political liberation of Israel they had overlooked the whole world's need for spiritual liberation. In their longing for earthly peace in Israel they had ignored the many prophecies that spoke of a Savior who would bring God's message of spiritual peace to the whole world. And so he showed them the truth about his death from all the Scriptures. He showed them that this death was planned by God, this death was a substitutionary death, a ransom, that fully paid the debt of our sin, that brought redemption, liberation, not from earthly political tyrannies, but from the tyranny of Satan, sin and separation from God; and that his kingdom was not ruled from an earthly throne, but from his glorious eternal throne in heaven. From their despairing earth-bound “we had hoped” he lifted their minds to a spiritual certainty that by this death, eternal life would come. And there is the final truth we all need to hear and believe. We are merely walking through this world. It is not our home. Jesus has secured our home for all eternity. There is our hope and assurance for every circumstance of this life! That is the root of all our joy!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 16

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. (Luke 13:10-17 ESV).

Imagine a synagogue somewhere in Galilee or Judea. A woman is there, standing upright for the first time in eighteen years. Miraculously healed, she is praising God for this wonderful deliverance. Around her, relatives, friends and neighbors share her wonder, her thankfulness, and her joy. For eighteen years she had lived and worshipped among them, bent over, unable to straighten up. Now their tears and smiles mingle as they witness her newfound freedom from pain and disability. But a harsh, indignant voice cuts through the joy and jubilation, silencing the praise, silencing the joy, condemning the action of Jesus. It cuts off the hope, the possibility, that others also might be touched by his healing hand. They said, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” (v. 14). The leader of the synagogue, trapped in a mindset in which spirituality, or godliness, or righteousness was defined by the strict letter of the law, sees only that the Sabbath law has been broken. In his zeal for God's law, in his commitment to keep the Law of God in all the meticulous details into which it had been itemized by the teachers of the Law, this man failed in at least two ways: First, he failed by focusing on the Law instead of the imperative to love God and love his neighbor. And, second, he failed by making his religion something that he does instead of something that he is. Jesus' response humiliated his opponents and delighted the people. In identifying the hypocrisy of a religion absorbed in meticulous keeping of laws, Jesus exposed the weakness and error of this religion, and relieved the people of the impossible burden that this religion had imposed upon them. The Sabbath was never intended as a burden. Its purpose was to remind us of his grace, and to point us to Jesus Christ, the ultimate reality, the ultimate expression of God's grace, whom it symbolized and anticipated. What are your focusing on?

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 15

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 ESV).

Our next encounter with Jesus comes at the home of some of Jesus’ most devout friends. Lazarus, Mary, and Martha all encounter Jesus in pivotal moments in their lives throughout His ministry. In our reading today we find Mary sitting at Jesus' feet and listened to his teaching. We should note that to “sit at someone's feet” was to be the disciple or student of that person. Here Mary takes the position of someone who is learning from Jesus. He is the teacher, she is the pupil or disciple; he is the one who knows and teaches, she is the one who wants to learn. It is also the position of humility, of acknowledging ignorance, of a heart and mind that eager to believe and trust all that the teacher has to say. She listened to his teaching, she heard his word. We can learn a great deal from this encounter for our lives. Jesus gave several promises to all of us who hear his word, really hear, understand and believe. First, he says these people are “like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). This house, with that kind of foundation is, one that survives the storms. The storms of life are often unpredictable in their source and destructive force; however, all of them strike at the heart of our “house.” They all come seeking to destroy our security and hope. Learning from Jesus gives us the kind of foundation to withstand the onslaught of such storms. Second, the people who learn from Jesus “have eternal life and will not be condemned; they have “already crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). It’s a principle almost too basic to mention, although it is often the simple things that unravel the greatest mysteries. Third, the people who learn from Jesus become part of his “flock”, and he becomes their “Shepherd” (John 10:16, 27; 17:20). As the Shepherd he protect, provides, and guarantees eternal life. No one can snatch them out of His hands. These promises are not just for those who sit at his feet as Mary did, when he was here on earth in human flesh. They are for all of us, who like Mary, hear, understand and believe the teaching of Jesus Christ. The greatest challenge is in the “distractions” that call us away from Jesus’ feet. What are your distractions? Put them away and build the indestructible foundation!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 14

He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. (Luke 19:1-6 ESV).

Our next encounter is with another tax collector, Zacchaeus. Jesus was always controversial. People had great difficulty understanding his compassion and love for people they hated and rejected. The religious leaders were not accustomed to being called into question for their beliefs and authority. Yet, Jesus did question them with a man who spoke with authority and understanding of the Scripture. It was a question on the lips of many: who is this man? Who is this man doing all these mighty miracles? Who is this man who teaches with authority? Who is this man who is not afraid to confront and contradict the religious leaders? Who is this Jesus? For a long time this question had pounded on the heart and mind of a most unlikely person. In the town of Jericho a hated, rich, thieving tax-collector had heard the rumors and reports about Jesus and in his heart had grown a desire to find out more about him, to find out who Jesus is. Then Jesus came to Jericho, and invited himself to Zacchaeus' house. Welcoming him gladly, Zacchaeus took Jesus home, and there he found the answer to his questions. Acknowledging Jesus as the Lord, he expressed the integrity of his new faith by recognizing also the wrongness of his lifestyle and spontaneously stating his intention to make restitution for what he had stolen and to give half of his possessions to the poor. In stark contrast to the rich ruler who sought eternal life for himself but did not choose to submit to Jesus as Lord, Zacchaeus sought Jesus Christ, and in finding and acknowledging Jesus Christ also gained eternal life. At the beginning of the record of this encounter we have Zacchaeus seeking to find out who is Jesus. At the end we have Jesus expressing his purpose to seek and to save the lost. This encounter is a beautiful cameo, a picture in which the human heart seeking God and the God seeking to save human hearts come together. I hope you have put yourself in that picture. Our quest for more of Jesus and less of ourselves often begins with the simplest of activities. Maybe you just need to climb a tree! Or, more likely, you may just need to pray for His presence to enter your heart!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 13

Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”— not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” (Luke 9:28-35 ESV).

The next encounter comes as Jesus is transfigured with Peter, James, and John watching. This took place a few days after Peter made his daring confession that Jesus was the Son of God. He, along with James and John, were given a brief glimpse of Jesus' eternal glory. There on a mountain top the brilliant, blinding glory that accompanied God's revelation of himself in the Old Testament shone out from Jesus. He was joined by Moses and Elijah and as he spoke with them a dense cloud hid them, and a voice spoke from within the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him” (v. 35). Then the cloud dispersed and the disciples saw only Jesus. It is interesting to note that we are not told why Jesus took the three disciples up the mountain to witness this miraculous event. Peter's thoughtless suggestion that they build shelters for Jesus, Moses and Elijah is instructive. Somehow he still didn’t understand the full nature of Jesus. He was not an equal of Moses or Elijah. None of the disciples understood the significance of Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Peter's suggestion ranked Jesus as equal with Moses and Elijah. But the voice of God says, “This is my Son” (v. 35). The impact is that they are no longer to look to Moses (the representative of the Law) or Elijah (the representative of the voice of God through prophecy). They now have the Son of God to listen to. He is God! All that the Law has ever told us finds its fulfillment in Him. All that the Prophets ever told us finds its fulfillment in Jesus. All that they ever told us in symbol, in shadow, in expectation, is now in the Son out in the open. Then the cloud lifts. Jesus stands alone. The whole significance of the Law and the Prophets is all in this one man, Jesus, the Son whom God loves. In him all the treasures of the wisdom and the knowledge of God are revealed. Now we have the unveiled way, the truth, and the life… follow Him!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 12

And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. (Matthew 9:20-22 ESV).

It was one of those crowds that make you wish you had stayed home. It was a shoulder-to-shoulder, slow-moving, suffocating mass of humanity. In the middle it all, with teeth clenched against her pain, with limbs trembling from her weakness, and her heart throbbing with the dread of exposure and the agonizing fear of yet another failure, a woman pushed her way inch by determined inch closer to Jesus. She had heard so much about this man. She heard so much that it had ignited a small flicker of hope in the deep darkness of her helplessness and despair. So much that she was here in this crowd, coming closer and closer, and, with her one last hope for healing, reaching towards his cloak, she touches the hem of his garment. Here in silent prayer, she commits herself to him. I’m sure she wondered whether he would be offended, especially since she was considered a ritually unclean woman. She had to wonder if she would be rejected and shamed for this outlandish act of desperation. Of course she had heard the stories. They were encouraging and brought her hope. He touched that man with leprosy, and healed him. He touched that coffin in Nain, and handed its victim back to his mother. He welcomed the touch of that prostitute in Simon's house and proclaimed her forgiven. Surely he will not reject her touch. The tassels on his cloak quivered with the rhythm of his footsteps. All around the crowd pressed against him. No one notices the frail hand that touches those tassels for a fleeting moment. No one notices the veiled woman shrinking back into the crowd. No one knows the strength and joy that is flooding her being. No one noticed except Jesus. He heard the unspoken prayer. He felt the fragile fingers of her faith. And he answered and healed. But he will not let her hide. Both the woman and the crowd need to know that she is no longer ritually unclean, no longer excluded from worship, no longer a threat to their ritual cleanness. And the woman needs to be assured that it was her faith in Him that was the key factor in her healing, not coincidence, not superstition. And then they all hear his loving, liberating words: “Daughter, you faith has healed you. Go in peace” (v. 22). Are those the words you long to hear? Then reach out and touch Him with your heart!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 11

When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. (Luke 8:28-32 ESV).

Our encounter today follows Jesus calming the storm. When Jesus and his disciples arrived on the shore they were met by a man possessed by demons. Luke records details of this amazing and instructive encounter. The spirits in the man recognized the true identity of Jesus, addressing him as “Jesus, Son of the Most High God” (v. 28). When Jesus asks, “What is your name?” we learn that Jesus is confronted by not just one, but by a legion of spirits. A legion numbers anything from three thousand to six thousand. Our minds cannot really grasp hold of that, and this very difficulty is evidence of the greatness of Jesus' power and authority. Alone he stands against this legion of evil. So aware are these spirits of the authority of this one man that they cringe before him begging his permission to go into the herd of pigs when they come out of the man. They know that they have to leave the man. They know they cannot enter the pigs without Jesus' permission. We can almost see them cowering with fear in his presence. The power of this incident is not lost on the people in the nearby town. They hear the report of what has happened. They come to see if it is true. They see the man totally changed. They see, perhaps, the bodies of the pigs floating in the lake. They hear the story again from those who saw it happen. And they cannot handle it. They cannot bear to have this powerful person in their town. In their fear they keep on begging him to go away. They are afraid of his power and authority. He is too big for them. They would rather have had the mad man. They would rather have had their herd of pigs. They would rather have had the demons. Any of these, but not the Son of God! Within the report of this incredible encounter with Jesus is a message and a challenge for us. Here in our midst stands the One to whom all authority is given, here in our midst stands the Lord of all. The choice is clear. We may, like the inhabitants of this town, reject him and send him away; or, we may, like this one man, commit ourselves to him and find ourselves “in our right mind.” What do you choose today?

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 10

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:22-25 ESV).

The next encounter comes when Jesus calms the storm. It was just another day. No one expected anything unusual to happen; the disciples had sailed on this lake many times. For years it had been a source of income for four of them. They had enjoyed its calm, battled its storms. None of them had any idea that this trip would be forever etched in their memory. As Jesus slept in the boat a severe windstorm came up, so severe that the boat was nearly swamped. Even the seasoned fishermen felt the fear of death. What did they expect when they woke Jesus? He had healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, forgiven sin, but what did they expect him to do here, confronted by the powerful forces of wind and wave? Whatever their expectations, they were not prepared for his response. Our reading says, “He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm” (v. 23). He also rebuked the disciples with a very important question, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (v. 24). They had seen and experienced so much. They were there for each miracle, and still they did not understand that all of creation was under his authority, the waves, the wind, the earth, the sky, exist and are sustained by his word. At his word the wind must instantly stop. At his word, the waves must instantly subside. As the disciples observed the power and authority of Jesus a greater amazement and a deeper fear overwhelmed them. Terrified of the obvious implication of what they have witnessed. They spontaneously asked, “Who is this?” There can only be one answer. They were in the presence of their Creator. Of course they felt vulnerable, exposed, and afraid. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. This encounter is a summation of our lives. There is no place where God and man are not in inescapable proximity. Whether we are aware or unaware, whether we ignore or acknowledge him, God, the Almighty Creator, is here, as close to us, as present with us, as Jesus with the disciples in the boat. That truth either terrifies us or comforts us. Your relationship to Him determines which of those are true. Who is He in your life?

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 9

After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. (Luke 7:1-10 ESV).

Our reading today introduces us to another encounter with Jesus, the Roman centurion. While we don’t know his name, we see his faith that brought Jesus to comment “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel” (v. 9). It is an important aside in the working of this miracle. It was not great because there was a great amount of it; it was great because of its focus. This is not some small thing. The centurion believed that Jesus, though a poor Galilean carpenter, was actually someone far greater and far more important and worthy of respect than he himself. This is the humility and sense of unworthiness that characterizes genuine belief in the true identity of Jesus Christ. It is expressed by those who know themselves to be, in this encounter with Jesus, face to face with God. The centurion also understood authority, and he recognized in Jesus Christ a power and authority so great that even his word, spoken at a distance, would achieve whatever he willed, even that which is totally beyond any human authority. This great faith is faith in a great object. It is faith that believes that Jesus is precisely the One he claimed to be, and the One his miracles demonstrated him to be. He is the sovereign Creator and Lord of all. It was this faith that Jesus looked for in Israel, but did not find. It is this faith that he looks for in each of us. It prompts the question of how much I may have drifted from that kind of faith into a position of fear and anxiety in the face of difficult circumstance. Perhaps that’s where you are today. My solution is to remember the moment I knew Jesus was more than a religious leader, remember that moment when He became personal in my life. That shines the light on every dark corner of doubt and dispels it from my mind and soul. Go ahead, take the leap!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 8

Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:44-50 ESV).

One of my favorite encounters with Jesus comes from our reading today. It has been called “Simon and the Sinful Woman.” It is a story of two people with entirely different reputations. These are two people with violently conflicting moral standards; two people of diverse social status; but, two people interacting with Jesus in one encounter. Both of them had met Jesus before; and, both were sinners needing a Savior. Unfortunately one, Simon, did not realize he was a sinner. He did not realize that this teacher he had invited to dinner was the Savior of the world. He did not realize that this man, to whom he did not show common courtesy, could see through his external righteousness right into the poverty of his heart. The other, an unnamed woman, knew that she was a sinner. She didn't hide it; she couldn't hide it. Deep in her heart she had struggled with the guilt and the shame of it. The fear of God's judgment was constantly in her thoughts. There was nothing she could do about it, until she listened to Jesus. It had happened some time before. Hearing Jesus speak of repentance and faith, hearing him offer the way of forgiveness into the kingdom of God, her guilt and shame and fear had been lifted, and now her heart was filled with incredible peace and overflowing with love and gratitude towards this man who had set her free from her deep guilt. The cold and formal atmosphere of Simon's dinner party was shattered when this uninvited woman came in and tearfully and extravagantly expressed her grateful love. She knew, and Jesus knew, that her many sins had been forgiven. Highly offended by her behavior, Simon questioned the integrity of Jesus. But Jesus did know who she was. He knew the repentance and renewal that had taken place. He had seen her standing listening on the edge of a crowd. He had seen her heart's response. In this pointed story Jesus explained the difference between Simon and the woman: she loves much because she knows she has been forgiven much. Simon loves little because, with little conception of his sinfulness, he also has little perception of forgiveness, and, therefore, little love. This story calls me to my own repentance. Does it call to you? Have you become more like Simon or the woman?

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 7

Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country. (Luke 7:11-17 ESV).

The next encounter with Jesus I’ve chosen is “the widow of Nain.” Our reading gives us the background. There’s a wonderful gem of truth tucked into our reading today. Jesus sees this woman and has “compassion on her” (v. 13). Then he speaks to her with the strangest response, “Do not weep” (v. 14). When death had come a second time to rob this woman of love and companionship leaving her vulnerable and alone it seems strange that this would be the expression of compassion Jesus would choose. Jesus knew a greater truth. Death is not our deepest pain; it is not the ultimate loss or the final separation. Deeply moved by her grief, Jesus shared the widow's pain. And, deeply aware that death is an alien, an intruder, a temporary and unwelcome tenant on this planet, he grieved with the grief of God over his world disabled, disenfranchised, damaged and damned by sin and death. However, Jesus knew that he had the power to reverse this tragic scene. He put his hand on the coffin and spoke into the darkness and devastation of death: “Young man, I say to you, arise!” (v. 15). It would be a cruel, heartless joke if nothing were to happen. However, this was no joke. In the authority of the Creator of all things, with a power no mere human has, Jesus spoke life to this woman’s son. In incredulous awe the accompanying crowds watched as the young man sat up and began to talk. The Lord of life had spoken. Death itself fled before his word. There is meaning here for us. Jesus gave us a preview of his death and resurrection and a preview of our resurrection. He graphically demonstrated that he has both the authority and the ability to undo this ultimate of sin's impacts. It is no wonder that “fear seized them all” (v. 16). They knew that someone far beyond a mere man stood before them. I wonder how many times we have cowered before our painful circumstances and forgotten whose child we are. I encourage you to renew your strength today in the face of the compassionate all-powerful God who is you Father! He has come to help His people!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 6

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” (Luke 5:21-26 ESV).

The people who opposed Jesus Christ were always asking questions of Jesus. Their accusations toward Him were rooted in the claim he made to forgive sins. Our reading today points us in that direction. He does so by asking a question of the Pharisees. In the synagogue there was a man with a withered hand. Jesus told him to stand up in front of everybody. Then he turned to the Pharisees and asked: “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” Not waiting for their answer he turned to the man and said “Stretch out your hand!” Immediately the hand was completely healed. The Sabbath was supposed to be a day dedicated to God, an acknowledgment and reminder that a right relationship with God was the result of God's action, not man's goodness. The Pharisees had turned it into a day by which they affirmed their own righteousness, a righteousness by which they assumed they merited God's favor. Jesus, by his question, spotlighted their self-centered error. In their efforts to affirm and maintain their own righteousness they were actually exhibiting the opposite of true godliness. They were doing evil by refusing to do good, destroying life by refusing to save it. By using the Sabbath as a meritorious human means of gaining and maintaining God's acceptance, they were completely misreading the deep significance of the Sabbath. They could not believe that we cannot merit God's acceptance, or make ourselves his people, but are his people by sheer grace, by his will and his choice and his action, not ours. The physical Sabbath rest is a symbolic shadow of the permanent, perpetual, spiritual rest we find in Jesus Christ, by whose merit alone we are accepted with God. To prove his point even further as they accused him of blasphemy, he asked them which was easier, to forgive sins or make the lame walk. Then he healed the lame man and he jumped for joy! Jesus does that to all of us. He heals us through the forgiveness of our sin and the guaranteeing of our ultimate eternal life!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 5

And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” (Luke 4:31-36 ESV).

When Jesus taught the people in Capernaum the initial reaction was one of amazement. They were astonished by the authority with which he taught. When he spoke he had no need to refer to famous teachers from the past to authenticate his teaching: he possessed in himself both the knowledge of God's truth and the authority to speak it. While the people were still reeling under the impact of his authoritative presentation of truth a demon-possessed man cried out. The evil spirit in the man was aware of the true identity of Jesus: he called him both 'Jesus of Nazareth' - a real man, and 'the Holy One of God' - God's Son. But Jesus did not want the testimony of the evil spirit. He commanded it to be quiet and come out of the man. Immediately the spirit obeyed. Then our reading records that the people were all “amazed”. In our English translations the words are often the same. In the original Greek they are different. The word used here holds an element of fear or terror, even to the extent of being rendered immovable. They were completely awestruck by this authority of Jesus over the evil spirit. Luke reports that this reaction was so strong that they asked (the word means kept on asking) each other “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out?” We cannot miss the truth that Jesus is THE One who overcomes fear. He is the One to whom the allegiance, obedience and reverence of every created being is due. It is not allegiance born out of fear of punishment, but gratitude of grace. Even death has no sway over the child of God because Jesus has conquered even death. The Apostle Paul said: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39 ESV). That’s the result of a real encounter with Jesus!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 4

And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away. (Luke 4:24-30 ESV).

Nazareth is located in the northwestern province of Galilee. Jesus grew up there working with Joseph in his carpenter's shop. He was simply known as the son of Joseph, the carpenter. At the age of thirty he returns to Nazareth after beginning his ministry. Everybody knew him. After all, he had lived there since he was an infant. They knew his brothers, they knew his sisters. They saw him every Sabbath day, worshipping in the synagogue. To them he was ordinary. However, when he returned as an adult, known throughout Israel as a prophet and miracle worker, the whole province was buzzing with the news. He came one Sabbath day to the synagogue, and, standing up, read the Scripture portion set for that day and began to comment on it. Instead of speaking in the normal manner of the rabbis he made a bold and startling statement: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (cf. Luke 4:21). As his message progressed, as he uncovered the truth about his identity, about the fulfillment of the Scripture in his person and his actions, and about the unbelief of his own hometown people, their response changed from one of approving amazement to furious and murderous antagonism. Rejecting his right to make these claims about himself, incensed by his exposure of their unbelief and alienation from God, they drove him out of Nazareth and tried to throw him over the cliff to his death. This record of the first rejection of Jesus throws out a challenge to each one of us. We must exercise great caution in our personal response to Jesus. Do we believe that this ordinary man, Jesus, is also at the same time, the One to whom the whole of the Old Testament points with eager expectation? Do we believe that he has the right to claim our total allegiance and our undivided faith? Do we believe that our relationship with God and our eternal destiny hang on our response to him? Or, do we, like his neighbors in Nazareth, reject and attempt to silence both him and his claims? These are essential questions for our faith. What do you believe?

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 3

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. (Luke 2:41-48 ESV).

We have very little Biblical information about Jesus before he began his ministry. Our reading today gives us one of the stories when Jesus is found teaching the Jewish leadership at the Temple. We are not told what the content was. We know he was asked questions and posed others questions in response. We are not told what the Jewish teachers said to him, nor the answers he gave in response. We do know the impact his words made on “everyone who heard him” and on his parents: they were “amazed” and “astonished”. These words translate two Greek words which literally mean “they were beside themselves” and “they were struck out.” His understanding and his knowledge surprised and confounded them. They, not knowing his true identity, not knowing that he was God incarnate, could not understand how this child could know and understand so deeply, so clearly, so exhaustively. We, looking back from the perspective of what he said and did as a grown man, looking back from his statement that “no one knows the Father except the Son”, ought not to be so surprised. However, we should be amazed. We should be amazed that God would condescend to come to us in human form; we should be astonished by the immensity and awesomeness of this revelational incarnation. And above all, we should be grateful. Grateful that God has come to us, and that he has shown us the truth about who he is in this flesh and blood Jesus Christ. There is no reason for us to doubt or wonder what God is like, or who He is. To see Jesus is to see God. To know Jesus is to know God. In awe filled adoration and wonder we look at this child, this man, this Jesus, and know that here, in perfect clarity, we see God. He is no longer unknown. We may know Him intimately. With that knowledge we can face all the other uncertainties of life with strength and peace. Noting surprises Him and he always works everything to our good!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 2

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32 ESV).

We continue our look at the Encounters with Jesus by looking toward Jesus’ presentation at the temple and the confrontation that Joseph and Mary had with Simeon. He was told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the long-expected Messiah. When he saw Jesus, Simeon, moved by the Spirit, took him in his arms, recognizing him as the Messiah and describing him as God's 'salvation to all men, Jew and Gentile alike. In his words the mission of Jesus is far bigger and more impactful than the political restoration of Israel. He makes the clear that God is revealed through Jesus to the whole world and in and through him salvation is now come to mankind. There is certainly much to be learned from the fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah (cf. Isaiah 49:6; 52:15; and 53:1-3). However, I am more encouraged by the initial reaction of Simeon. This is not the response of an old theologian’s gratitude for the affirmation of his life-long study of the revelation of God. This is the joyful outburst of an old man who is ready to go to his home in the presence of God. He is now ready to “depart in peace.” His work is done; his service is complete, his glory is about to be placed on him in the final mantle of eternal life. Stoning was the traditional punishment among Christian martyrs, though there are more than sufficient references to crucifixions, beheadings, boiling in oil, set on fire while still alive, and being devoured by ravenous wild beasts that we know it was not an easy way to die. The best reference we have in the Scripture is that of Stephen (cf. Acts 6-7). Early tradition says he held the basket of stones with which he was stoned. His last words are given to us in the Scripture: “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56 ESV). He was not a man who shirked his calling, nor did he fear the result of a certain horrible death. He knew what waited for him. We can learn from both Simeon and Stephen. Death is merely the doorway home. Be faithful until God calls, but rejoice when He does!

Encounters with Jesus - Pt 1

While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went through all that district. (Matthew 9:18-26 ESV). Today we begin a new series. I must confess that the idea for the series is born in the need to prepare for the teachings I will be doing with our life group. Our pastor, Mark Mangrem, has begun a new series titled “Defining Moments.” Since I have a greater opportunity because of the daily publication of these devotionals I won’t be using just the material on Sunday mornings. Rather, I’ll expand our look at more of these encounters. The first is Jairus’ daughter. This father was desperate. In a frantic last-hope bid he threw aside the thought that this action could alienate him from the other synagogue leaders; in his despair he cast his own personal pride and dignity to the winds and knelt at the feet of Jesus, begging his help.

Back in his home Jairus' only daughter lay dying. Neither the collected wisdom of the women nor the advice of the doctors had succeeded in holding back the ultimate end of every human. Death was at the door of his home and it appeared that it was coming for his child. The professional mourners were gathered in anticipating the final moment when the child would take her last breath. Nothing could have prepared him for the pain and anguish gripping his heart. Relentlessly, death came and collected its toll. As Jesus spoke to a random woman touching him from the suffocating crowd surrounding him as he walked, ultimately healing her of the lifelong illness she suffered, the message was whispered to Jairus. Death had come. Nothing could be done. There was no need for Jesus now. There was no hope for healing now. The final enemy of all men had claimed the girl. However, as these hopeless words pound their way into Jairus' consciousness there came another word: “Don't be afraid; I’ve got this.” He knew it was the whisper of God in his desperation at a desperate time. He makes his way home where the air itself seems to draw him to a point of breathlessness. Jesus says, “She is not dead, but sleeping.” The noisy wailing crowd laughs. Death had come. They all know it. They had seen this too many times before. The hopeless crowd is put out of the house. Their dirge has no part in what is about to happen. The child's hand is cold and lifeless; her ears are now deaf; her spirit has departed the flesh; but, at the touch of Jesus life returns. We see the miracle of possibility. We see the promise of life. We witness the preview of our own resurrection, of life beyond death through the work of Jesus. Is that the miracle you need today? Trust in the One who has that power. He will not let you down! He has already secured it in His work on the cross and in his resurrection!

Shame and Guilt

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. (Mark 1:40-45 ESV).

When I know I’m going to be in the shop all day, I rarely “clean” up for the day. I am not very careful about glue, paint, or stain getting on my work clothes. So, it is my custom to wear some of the oldest jeans and shirts I own to work in. Mary has often remarked that these are the clothes that need to be “retired.” And, if I need to make a quick run to Lowes or Home Depot, she is not happy that I don’t clean up before I go. I usually hear something like, “Are you going out in public wearing that?” I always blow off the sawdust and try to look as presentable as possible, but I’m certainly not pristinely dressed to make a run to the lumber yard! I guess I have no shame when it comes to that. That’s doesn’t transfer to others encounters. I would not feel comfortable wearing my “grubby” clothes if I were speaking in church. Our reading today describes a man who must have always felt out of place and ashamed. This had nothing to do with his clothes. It was his physical illness. Mark tells us of Jesus’ encounter with a leper. He was someone whose skin condition left him ceremonially unclean according to Old Testament law. Leprosy was a particularly cruel condition. It was regarded as incurable and highly contagious. Those afflicted with it endured both physical discomfort and social isolation, and for something they did not do or bring on themselves. They were considered a spiritual, as well as a physical, contagion. That might be how you feel: toxic, a contagion. So, we need to pay close attention to this encounter in Mark. He knows that Jesus has unique power to restore him, to cleanse him. “If you will” may indicate he knows he has no right to such healing. Jesus is moved deeply by this man’s plight. He’s not indifferent. Jesus doesn’t back away in revulsion. He feels for this man. Jesus touches him. This may be the first time in decades this man had been touched by anyone. This is what Jesus does with the uncleanness of those who come to him as this leper did. Rather than withdrawing in disgust, he draws near and reaches out to us. He moves toward us, not away from us. “Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, ‘I will; be clean’” (v. 41). Jesus is willing. And the effect is immediate and dramatic. “Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean” (v. 42). Perhaps that’s your move today? Ask Him to heal your shame.

Irresistible Grace - Pt 2

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. (John 6:44-47ESV).

Matthew’s experience with Jesus clearly shows the grace of God is inseparable from the saving call of God in Christ. Being more reformed in my personal theology I make a distinction between the two kinds of calls from God. There is the general call of Christ to everyone, irrespective of God’s election (cf. Matthew 11:28; John 7:37). But because of man’s totally depraved state, no one answers this call by his or her own volition. Indeed, no one can. This was Matthew’s situation. For all the many times he had seen and heard Jesus, for all that he had learned about what Jesus was doing, and in spite of even direct appeals to faith that Matthew very well may have heard, his sinful heart was unable to answer the call. That’s the truth found in our reading today (v. 44). The sinful heart is hostile to God and uninterested in His offer of salvation. In fact, on one occasion, when Jesus was describing the impossibility of a rich man ever entering God’s kingdom, Peter asked, “Who then can be saved?” And the answer of Jesus was telling: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:25-26). R. C. Sproul explains: “The unregenerate experience the outward call of the gospel. This outward call will not effect salvation unless the call is heard and embraced in faith. Effectual calling refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. Here the call is within. The regenerate are called inwardly. Everyone who receives the inward call of regeneration responds in faith.” As John Murray writes of this saving call of God, “since it is effectual, [it] carries with it the operative grace whereby the person called is enabled to answer the call and to embrace Jesus Christ as he is freely offered in the Gospel. Remember the Century Tree from yesterday. Everything that is necessary for the acorn to become a reproduction of that grand oak is within the acorn. However, all that was not the work of the oak; it was the work of the Creator of the oak. Indeed, without God’s handiwork it is only food for the squirrels. With God’s work and the acceptance of the call to plant, nurture, and tend the seedling it becomes what it was intended to be. The encouraging word in all of this is that God cannot be turned away from his redemptive work. He will bring you to your heavenly home!

Irresistible Grace - Pt 1

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:9-13 ESV).

This past Christmas I received one of the most unique gifts I can remember. I was given a two-year old sapling grown from an acorn of the Century Tree on the campus of Texas A&M. In recent years, the Century Tree has become known as a "sweetheart tree", with hundreds of Aggie marriage proposals taking place there every year. Tradition states that couples who walk beneath its draping branches will remain together forever. I haven’t reached “forever” status yet, but the tree has worked for Mary and I for fifty years! The Century Tree, located in front of the Academic Building is at least 150 years old and has been named an official Famous Tree of Texas by the Texas Forest Service. That is an honor given to an elite group of trees "that have witnessed exciting times in Texas frontier history." The Century Tree is one of only three trees added to the registry over the past 40 years. Thinking about that and reading the passage I’ve selected for today, I was struck with the truth of the irresistible grace of God. It is amazing to think of the creative thought in the development of the scholarship fund through the growth and sale of these trees. Andy Duffie '78 began this project in 2010. He began harvesting the acorns from the tree and growing the seedlings for sale in containers pictured above. The principle is so simple I wonder why no one thought to do it previously. When you plant an acorn, you will indeed reproduce similar genetics of the bearing tree. If you want to have a tree like the Century Tree, plant a seedling grown from one of its acorns! That is God’s design! So, it is also God’s design that every “offspring” in His spiritual family must come from His work of grace. Perhaps the plainest example of this process is the calling of the disciple Matthew, also known as Levi the tax collector. The apostle records his own conversion in his Gospel in verse nine. While we won’t dwell on the finer theological points of this principle, the assurance within it is very plain. Because redemption is wholly a work of God, we can rest in the absolute hope of the final outcome of that redemption. That brings me great comfort!

Jonah and His Despair

Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” (Jonah 4:5-11 ESV).

I love the irony of the last verses of this little book. Had Jonah gone to Nineveh just as an enemy Israelite, he would have most likely been ignored, maybe even killed. His failure would have resulted in the destruction of Nineveh by the Lord due to their wickedness. Yet he rebelled, and Nineveh accepted him as a messenger and quickly repented when he got there. The very thing he did not want was assured by his rebellion. There is a wonderful lesson here for us. The Lord is working with Jonah trying to get him to see the value of every soul, not just the Israelites. That is where the Gourd and the Worm come in. Jonah is depressed and miserable due the fact that the city would not be destroyed. He had prophesied doom and destruction in the name of the Lord, but due to repentance it wasn’t going to happen. Jonah is mad at the Lord, and gently the Lord begins to teach him. The Lord provided a gourd or plant that protected Jonah. The next day he sent in a worm which destroyed the gourd leaving Jonah open to the elements. When Jonah adds that to his list of complaints the Lord uses it as a teaching moment. The Lords states that Jonah mourns the loss of the gourd which came up in a day and was lost in a day. It should have been a trivial thing. Yet the city of Nineveh had 120,000 people (v. 11) who didn’t know any better and Jonah thinks their preservation is a bad thing. We ought to be struck by the incredulous nature of his anger. The record of Jonah ends there, so we don’t know what happened to Jonah after that, but we can hope that he learned what the Lord wanted him to learn and that he repented of his attitude and actions. This is something we all need to be careful of, not to let our own wants and desires blind us to what is truly important. R.C. Sproul tells us that Jonah’s depression over the death of a plant (vv. 5-9) means that the prophet cared more about plants than about people. Jonah forgot that no sinner deserves God’s forgiveness, even a prophet of God Almighty, and wanted to withhold the possibility of pardon from those he deemed unfit for the kingdom. But we are all unfit for the kingdom, so we should long for the Lord to save others just as He has saved us.

Jonah and His Anger

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?” (Jonah 4:1-4 ESV).

When we reach the fourth chapter of Jonah we are finally given a clear understanding of the reason the prophet did not want to obey the call of God to preach to Nineveh. It is ironic that Jonah disobedience was rooted in good theology, though it was completely misapplied. It all centers in the understanding of the sovereignty of God and the application of His grace. We saw a little of this in yesterday’s devotional as we focused on the passage dealing with “the potter and the clay” found in the prophecy of Jeremiah (cf. Jeremiah 18). It was not that Jonah doubted the ability or desire of God to forgive and redeem the Ninevites. In fact, it was because he believed in this principle so passionately that he wanted no part of the assignment. He knew very well that it was well within the prerogative of God to forgive them. However, he didn’t want them to be forgiven; he wanted them destroyed. There will always be people who are troubled by the fact that the Lord relented from disaster in the case of Jonah’s ministry to Nineveh because the prophet gave no indication to the Ninevites that God would stay His hand if the people repented. Does this mean the Lord changed His mind like we do; or, that He learned some new information that caused Him to rethink His plan of action? Some people would answer in the affirmative, but this betrays their failure to read Scripture carefully. Given that prophecies often include unstated conditions (cf. Jeremiah 18:5-10) and that the Lord is not a “man, that he should change his mind” (cf. Numbers 23:19), the idea that He did not know what Nineveh’s response would be is nonsense. He did know what would happen, for He has ordained all things, including Jonah’s preaching and the Ninevites’ response (cf. Ephesians 1:11). The Lord just chose not to reveal explicitly the full scope of the future impact of Jonah’s ministry until it came to pass. And, God was under no obligation to do so. The Lord is holy, yes, but He is also slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and eager to forgive iniquity (cf. Exodus 34:6-7; Micah 7:18). He ran not because he was afraid of preaching in a foreign land but because he was afraid God’s Word might change the hearts and minds of Israel’s hated enemies. So, when the people did rend their hearts and garments, Jonah grew angry at the Lord for being merciful and acting according to what He had revealed about His character (vv. 1-3). Jonah’s anger was irrational—he was mad at God for being God. I have found myself in the same position. It usually expresses itself when I cry out that something is “not fair.” We should never ask for “fair.” We should constantly thank God for grace and mercy!

Jonah and Ninevah - Pt 2

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’ (Jeremiah 18:1-11 ESV).

When the Lord saw the response of Nineveh to His word, He relented from the disaster He had announced (cf. Jonah 3:10). It is essential to recognize that God’s prophecies often have implicit conditions built into them. Our reading today gives us clear direction that God is willing to relent from destruction as people respond in faith. There are two errors that must be avoided when we see this truth. First, we cannot understand this truth to indicate that God is somehow a fickle prankster. God does not make his decisions on a whim. On the contrary, he has woven his grace into our lives since the beginning of time. His desire is to redeem. Second, just as the clay has no affect on its end, so we do not have the power to respond until we are born again. With that in mind, we also see that since the Lord knows all things and has ordained whatsoever comes to pass (cf. Ephesians 1:11), the repentance of Nineveh did not take Him by surprise. He knew that Nineveh would believe His word and that its citizens would respond appropriately. In fact, He announced judgment through Jonah in order to put the fear of God in their hearts and lead them to repent so that He would not have to destroy the city. God’s Word always achieves the purpose for which it is ultimately intended (cf. Isaiah 55:10-11). Sometimes His promise of judgment prompts people to repent, as it did when Jonah preached it to Nineveh. Sometimes it makes people harden their hearts against the Lord, as it did when Moses spoke to Pharaoh. In both cases, however, it did what it was supposed to do. We can likewise be confident that His Word will achieve His purposes when we faithfully preach His gospel. Our call is to speak of the gospel. It is God’s responsibility to save. The death of Jesus proves the deep desire of God to do just that!

Jonah and Ninevah - Pt 1

The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. (Jonah 3:6-10 ESV).

Fortunately, for both Jonah’s sake and ours, the Lord is truly the God of second chances. So often we fail to obey him when He first calls us, but in His grace He does not give up on us. David got a second chance after his sin with Bathsheba (cf. 2 Samuel 11:1-12:15a). Peter got a second chance after he denied Christ (cf. John 21:15-19). Jonah got a second chance to preach to Nineveh after he first fled from God’s calling (Jonah 3:1-3a). All of us could list second chances we have received to serve and honor God. None of these have been earned or deserved. God never owes us a second chance, and we have no right to presume upon the Lord’s grace. Nevertheless, God does on many occasions give us further opportunities to follow Him when we fail. Today’s reading records what happened the second time the word of the Lord came to Jonah regarding Nineveh. Having been rescued from death in the sea and returned to dry land, (cf. Jonah 2:10), Jonah went straight to the capital of Assyria, the city of Nineveh, the second time God called him to announce judgment on the Assyrians (cf. Jonah 3:1–4). And when Jonah preached, something incredible happened, the “people of Nineveh believed God” and they repented (v. 5). This was not mere belief in God’s existence, which means nothing before His judgment seat (cf. James 2:19); rather, the Ninevites affirmed the truth of God’s words and acted accordingly. That is what believing God looks like. Moreover, the repentance of the people was so thorough that even the king himself joined in repentance, calling for all of his citizens, even the animals, to repent as well (vv. 6-9). A whole people were saved from complete destruction because of one man’s obedience in telling the truth of God’s grace. I wonder who needs to hear about the grace of God from you today?

Jonah and the Big Fish - Pt 1

And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.” (Jonah 1:17-2:2 ESV).

There’s something about abandoned places that draws to us. It may be the allured of the actual history of a place; perhaps it is the uniqueness of the actual condition of the property; or, it could be the temporal nature of it. Whatever the allure, we all are somewhat fascinated by these old husks of their former glory. Because I like to tramp around the woods and fields I have seen many of these places “up close and personal.” I have imagined what they might have been like in their glory days. We see Jonah in our reading today as an abandoned “house.” He has not been abandoned by the presence of God. He is simply not what he may have been previously. He has fallen into disrepair and solitude. There is a great truth that we often miss from this part of the story. After Jonah was thrown into the sea, God appointed a “great fish” to swallow the prophet, and he remained within the belly of the fish for three days and for three nights (v. 17). People tend to see the fish as an instrument of the Lord’s judgment when, in fact, the fish was the very means by which our Creator saved Jonah from certain death. Readers likely interpret the fish as God’s judgment due to Jonah’s words; while in the belly of the fish, he spoke of crying to the Lord “out of the belly of Sheol” (vv. 1–2). When we read that phrase in context, we see that Jonah spoke not of a fish’s stomach but of the bowels of death itself, Sheol being a common Old Testament term for the grave. Jonah was cast into the sea to save the lives of the sailors en route to Tarshish (cf. Jonah 1:11–16), but the churning waters were no safe haven for the prophet. When Jonah prayed to God, he referred to the flood surrounding him, the waters closing in to take his life, and seaweed wrapping around his head (cf. Jonah 2:3–5). In His grace, the Lord rescued Jonah from the pit—the grave—even though the prophet had disobeyed His command to go to Nineveh (v. 6). That’s the message of the Gospel. God was not surprised by the fall of man. God was not caught unprepared by Adam and Eve’s sin. He was grieved, but not surprised. His plan was already in place. Jesus would come to pay the price we could not pay and die the death we deserved. We may look abandoned, however, the truth is we have never been more in the presence of God than when God is executing his plan for our lives. So, rejoice and turn to Him. He will get you to shore!

Broken Beyond Repair - Pt 3

But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. (Jonah 1:3 ESV).

The disobedience of Jonah is stark in our reading today. When God spoke to Jonah and commissioned him to a task, instead of giving the Lord instant obedience Jonah fled to Tarshish, hundreds of miles in the opposite direction! Perhaps he felt inadequate; perhaps he did not like the Ninevites; perhaps he was afraid of losing his reputation; or perhaps he was afraid that God’s character would suffer. Regardless, there are three very important truths for us to note as we make our way through this New Year. Our disobedience may not be as widely proclaimed; however, it can easily be as destructive. First, note that it was deliberate disobedience. I have found that it is always easy to compare myself with others. In doing so, I am always able to find others that make me look relatively good. However it is not about the behavior as it is about the heart. Jesus has an important lesson for us to learn: He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14 ESV). Second, it was defiant disobedience. Jonah defied God. Sometimes we disobey through ignorance, but this was not the case. Jonah really said, “Yes, I’ve heard what you want me to do, Lord, but I’m not going to do it.” How solemn that is! Third, it was displeasing disobedience. As if disobedience could ever be pleasing to God! Jonah went through a series of decisions indicating the depth of his willful rebellion: he rose up and fled; he fled from the presence of the Lord; he went down to Tarshish at least twice; he paid money in order to facilitate his escape; and he threw in his lot with unbelievers. Surely Jonah is too broken at this point to be redeemed. The resounding answer to that is NO! We’ll see more about this in the next few days. Today, know you have not been so willfully disobedient to be disqualified. Turn to Him.

Broken Beyond Repair - Pt 2

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2 ESV).

We do not know exactly how God spoke to Jonah and how he became conscious that the Lord was speaking to him, but the fact is made quite clear that God gave several precise directions to him. It is important for us to recognize three principles as we being our journey through this short biographical book. First, we should not how definite they were. Look at verse two again in our reading. God always gives His instructions clearly. He did to Moses (cf. Exodus 3:10-12), to Joshua (cf. Joshua 1:1-9), Isaiah (cf. Isaiah 6:8-9), to Jeremiah (cf. Jeremiah 1:4-10), and to Paul and Barnabas (cf. Acts 13:2). It is the same today. This is true regardless of the specifics about the call of God. There is no difference between the call of God to clergy or laity. That is an age-old heresy. God’s call is unmistakable in the gifts and path God gives to each of us. Each one is specific and vital to the kingdom. Second, notice how disturbing they were. Jonah was clearly out of touch with the Lord when these instructions came to him, otherwise he would have been ready to obey Him straightaway. When God calls to a special task it inevitably means an upheaval. This was certainly a drastic change for Jonah. God called him to leave his home where he had security, friends, and family in order to preach to his hated, mortal enemies. It was no different for Jesus when he left his kingdom to come to earth. The Apostle Paul knew this sacrifice and explains it well for us: Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God ra thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 ESV). Third, notice how difficult the instructions were. To go to Nineveh and denounce the sins of the people was no easy task. Nineveh was the greatest city in the most powerful monarchy in the world. It was about 60 miles in circumference and containing streets and avenues 20 miles long. Its walls were 100 feet high, and so wide that three chariots could travel abreast on top. The population at this time was about 600,000, and it was a very wicked city. It would be difficult, but not impossible. This is true from the promise that God gives to all of us, “With the Lord all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). What is God calling you to do this year?

Broken Beyond Repair - Pt 1

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:3-5 ESV).

When Mary and I made our way through New England last fall we visited the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory. We took the tour of the “factory.” It was an amazing and informative look at the history of this famous Teddy Bear. Their story started in 1981 when the founder opened a cart on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont and began selling Teddy Bears that he made in his garage. Thirty-five years later, these wonderful toys continue to be best friends, a part of the family and beloved heirlooms to thousands of children all over the world. The most amazing thing about Vermont Teddy Bears is that each one of the handcrafted toys is guaranteed for a lifetime. I know, the question is “what’s the catch?” Actually there is none. They have a Teddy Bear hospital for every contingency. Dr. Nancy is in charge of the Bear Hospital. As part of their commitment every Bear is guaranteed for life and can be sent into the Bear hospital anytime, for any reason. Our tour guide explained that included the most common “injuries” due to dog bites, wear-and-tear and sibling rivalry. Even in the worst of cases, those times when the repair is impossible, a new Bear is created and shipped to the owner. Wouldn’t it be nice if our lives came with the same guarantee? Well, the truth is they do! We’re going to begin a look into one of the most fascinating biographies in the Bible today. The prophecy of Jonah is a fascinating and dramatic true story, though many people today discredit it. According to 2 Kings 14:25, Jonah was the son of Amittai. His birthplace was Gath Hepher, a town of Galilee near Nazareth. The significant thing is that our Lord Jesus Christ set His seal upon this account, and used Jonah’s experience in connection with the whale as a foreshadowing of His own resurrection (cf. Matthew 12:39-41). It is a very solemn story with a solemn warning, but contains much encouragement for every believer. The wonderful truth throughout the book is that none of us is too far gone in the hands of our Creator. Paul says in our reading today, And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (v. 5). While sin is the irreparable condition of man (cf. Romans 3:23) and the result of that sin is death (cf. Romans 6:23), the work of Jesus is the solution to our brokenness. He paid the price we could never pay and died the death we deserved. Every believer comes with an eternal lifetime guarantee!