Deeply Loved

 

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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 ha good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:1-6 ESV).

 

In letters or emails that we write today, we place our signature at the end. And, depending on whom we are writing, we adjust the way we sign. Obviously the closing (or valediction should you desire to be precise) to a letter addressed to a stranger and to a loved one would be significantly different in content as well as tone. In the writings of the Apostle Paul’s day, people signed their letters at the beginning, and the greeting often gave a preview of what was to come.

 

Our reading today is the “closing” from the Apostle Paul. We can see immediately that this letter is going to be full of love and warmth. Paul calls his readers saints, “God’s holy people,” and showers them with grace and peace “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Then he makes clear how thankful he is for them. They are gospel partners, coworkers in whom God is doing a great thing. This comes with a promise that God will bring his work to completion. Paul reveals his pastor’s heart here by offering great encouragement and displaying deep care and affection for the Christians living and working in Philippi.

 

We all need to know that we’re loved, and we all need encouragement. We need someone to see God’s work in our lives, call it out for us, name it, and give thanks for it. The Philippians needed that kind of encouragement. These were difficult days for these early believers. They suffered as outcasts from family and friends, persecution from religious leaders, and the Roman Empire. So, Paul makes sure it is the first thing they receive in this loving, pastoral letter. I wonder if you are such a position today? Please allow this brief writing to serve as a reminder that you are loved. While I may not know you, your heavenly Father knows you and loves you so much He has given His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to secure your eternal life. That fact is His closing to a letter addresses to you personally saying, “I love you!” Let that inspire you with the courage to face every challenge today.

 

Memorial Day - Pt. 3

 

When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.” (Joshua 4:1-7 ESV).

 

Today, thousands of American flags dot Arlington National Cemetery marking each grave of those buried there. Although Memorial Day is an American holiday, nations across the world have their own traditions for remembering the sacrifices of their soldiers. There’s something uniquely powerful about communal remembrance, gathering together as a family or nation to reflect on significant people and events of the past. It’s no surprise that memorial celebrations, military and otherwise, are common to many cultures throughout history, including the people of the Bible. Our reading today is one such example of a memorial celebration. God commands the Israelite leader Joshua to set up a memorial to mark the event of the Ark of the Covenant crossing the Jordan River, to remind future generations of what had happened there.

 

In this case, God wanted the Israelites to remember their deliverance. The stone memorial served as a physical reminder of a shaping event in their history. Sometimes the memorial took the form not of a physical monument, but a shared activity, as in the case of the Israelite’s commemoration of their escape from Egypt. Christians observe their own memorial celebrations, most notably in the “breaking of bread” that recalls Christ’s sacrifice.

 

Reminders, bitter or sweet, are important to our culture and our history. They remind us where we’ve come from, and whose work got us to where we are. The philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who do not remember their past are condemned to repeat their mistakes,” and we see this pattern throughout the Bible. Time and time again, when the Israelites “forgot” the Lord, they stumbled and were punished (cf. Psalm 106:10-14). It’s important that we remember who we are and where we’ve come from. Americans make a point of remembering on Memorial Day. As our nation becomes more and more polarized, I wonder if it’s due to our lack of remembering the sacrifice made on our behalf? Don’t let all these brave men and women’s death be in vain! Don’t let Jesus’ death be in vain either!

 

Memorial Day - Pt. 2

 

[Jesus said] “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:12-15 ESV).

 

Memorial Day is a day that is set aside to remember, and honor, our brave soldiers who have given their lives to protect our land and keep us free.  It began as a day to honor our Civil War dead, but after World War I, it was expanded to include our war dead from all the wars in which America was involved.  You may not be aware that our country has been involved in thirteen wars (not counting the American Revolutionary War). In every one of these cases, we have asked our citizens to be willing to give their lives in the name of freedom. The sacrifices these men and women have made can never be totally comprehended nor can they be repaid fully.

 

In our reading today we find that our Lord recognized the tremendous sacrifice involved when a person is willing to give up their life for their friend.   He describes it as an act of “great love.”  As I wrote yesterday, who better to be able to understand and define the very essence of self-sacrifice and love, but Jesus? He willingly humbled Himself and came to the earth, God in human flesh, giving up the glories of heaven to live among us.   Then, during His life on earth, He set the ultimate example of service, teaching, feeding, praying for and healing those who were in need.   Next, He was willing to be falsely accused, mocked, physically beaten, mistreated and convicted for a set of crimes that He did not commit. Finally, submitting to a horrible death of slow suffocation while hanging on a cross, all so that His people could receive forgiveness and deliverance from their sin and its results.  This is what the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ brought about for us. Remember Jesus said there was no greater love among man than to die for a friend.

 

How much greater is a love that would make Jesus, God the Son,  be willing to die for an enemy, one that wants nothing to do with Him and who rebels against Him at every turn?  It is described as “the love of God” that cannot be fully understood by man (cf. Romans 8:39, Ephesians 3:19). We were not strangers to God, but enemies. Yet He died for us. This is the source of our hope and value. This is the ultimate description of how much we are worth to God! That should translate into our behavior towards others. Does it?

 

Memorial Day - Pt. 1

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. (Galatians 5:13-15 ESV).

 

This holiday weekend we celebrate something that is often difficult for many of us to comprehend. The sacrifice of soldiers' lives for the sake of our freedom is a difficult concept to truly grasp. Over the years I've heard many conflicted views on this matter; however, I think it would be a mistake to see these brave men and women as merely victims. While each fallen soldier has a unique story, each soldier is a hero who laid down their life for a greater cause. At least a part of this struggle to understand comes with our difficulty in accepting sacrifice, especially when a sacrifice seems so final and appears to hold no obvious reward. The idea that anyone could give up everything - for people he doesn't even know - is hard to process. We spend so much of life trying to gain, to acquire, to win. Our country is home to the American Dream, the land of opportunity. So contemplating the fallen solider can feel uncomfortable, even confusing.

 

The perfect example has been given to us in the sacrificial love of Jesus. We often thank Him with our words, but do little to change our lives. Yet this is what God desires of us. Just as sacrifice is required to secure our freedom as Americans, freedom does not exist independently of sacrifice in the life of the believer. Yes, the gift of faith brings us freedom from sin, freedom to be who God made us to be, and freedom to know God more deeply. But that freedom came with the price of the Cross.

 

It may seem pointless in some ways to acquire freedom only to turn around and serve. But two thoughts come to mind here. First, we see that the free person who chooses to serve knows freedom unlike any other. He has no need of taking from others because his sense of worth comes from a higher source. The second is a truth equally vital: this life is nothing compared to the next. Anything we "lose" here is never truly lost if our lives belong to Christ. No wonder Jesus told his disciples “the last will be first, and the first will be last (Matthew 20:16). Use this holiday weekend to both honor those who have served so greatly and to grow your servant's heart. Strive to take last place at least once this weekend, even if it's as simple as being last in line at the grocery store or serving yourself last at the dinner table.

  

An Open Letter to the Graduates

 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-20 ESV).

 

The picture I’ve included today is the decorated cap that Faith will wear at her graduation tonight. It is the Aledo High School graduation in which she and Logan will be walking across the stage receiving their diplomas. I’m a bit amazed that the time has passed so quickly as they reach this crossroads in their lives. Seems like yesterday that they began their journey of formal education. Faith will be attending Texas A&M College Station and Logan will be attending Texas A&M Texarkana. It has been a joy to see so many posts on social media from friends and family as they announce their graduates. I’m sure I’ll write something more specific about tonight’s ceremony later; however, today I wanted to write an open letter to all those who are celebrating this high water mark with their graduates.

 

As the Apostle Paul finishes his letter to the Ephesians we are able to see the depth of his love for those believers. He tells them of his prayer for them as they “graduate” from the fledgling church with his guidance to a mature vibrant community of faith without him as his absence lengthens. That is a similar in practice to the graduation of our children to pursue future plans, often away from home and direct influence. Paul desires that they “be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love” (v. 15-16). Isn’t that what we all should want for our graduates? I want them to be strong in Christ so that all the circumstances they will undoubtedly face through their journey will merely be another part of their story of success. Even when it might appear as an abject failure, God’s promise is to work it together for their good. That’s the “rooting and grounding in love.” I do offer congratulations to all of these young men and women who have achieved this marker in their life… now let’s all pray for them to “know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge”.

 

Laying in the Arms of God

 

[Jesus said] “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:18-21 ESV).

 

Last week Mary and I were able to go to Florida to visit with David, Becca, and the kids. It was an incredible times in so many ways. We played together; we fished a little, and we saw Maggie in her first dance recital. It was four days of absolute wonder and joy. Of course children will be children and do or say something that might be “crossing a boundary” but it was delightful. One experience stands out from the rest. David, Harris, and I had been fishing that morning and Harris was pretty tired, though he would never admit to it. He is afraid he might “miss something.” The adults were sitting on the lanai looking out toward the little lake and the children were playing on the trampoline. Harris was so tired he layed down in the middle of the trampoline and fell asleep. The girls wanted to jump, so they continued to jump bouncing him up and down while he was so groggy he couldn’t control how he landed. David corrected them and told Harris to move to be safe. Maggie was a bit impatient and began to “drag” him to the side. He started to cry; she got corrected for being rough with her brother and she began to cry.

 

Watching it all unfold I was tempted to go get Harris and bring him into the lanai to sit with me, though I knew that would not be a good thing to do. I did wait. The girls finally came into the pool to swim and left Harris sobbing in the middle of the trampoline. After a few moments I watched as he slumped forward a got very still, face down, still kneeling as he fell asleep from the exhaustion of the ordeal. I waited a bit and walked out and climbed into the trampoline laying down beside him. I touched his arm to wake him and he sat up suddenly saying, “I’m OK.” I smiled and asked if he was taking a nap, he replied, “Yep.” I wiped his face with a towel and asked if he wanted to go with me a sit together on the lanai and continue his nap. He said, “Yep.” We got out of the safety enclosure of the trampoline and walked in ending up in the position you see in the picture (I apologize for the “casual” photo, but it is all I have of the moment). He napped for nearly thirty minutes!

 

Here’s the truth for today… we are living in a time when many are exhausted from the trial and difficulty of life. We are grieved and hurt; wounded and weary. We may even simply fall to our knees with the exhaustion. God never leaves us. He will never forsake us. He comes and lays beside us invited us to come and lay in His arms in the cool shade of the lanai. Go ahead, lay beside him, and take a nap. He will protect and keep you through every circumstance.

 

The Essence of Community - Pt. 3

When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.” (Joshua 4:1-7 ESV).

 

At its foundation, the community of God’s people is intergenerational. Young people learn from older generations, and older generations learn from children and youth. We are good at talking about today’s youth being the “church of tomorrow,” but the truth is that they are every bit the church of today as well. Though our reading today is from the Old Testament, it is clear that God wanted Israel to be able to learn from previous generations, so he told them to pile up twelve stones after crossing the Jordan River. Whenever a younger person asked what those stones meant, someone could tell them who God is and what he had done for them. What a perfect picture of intergenerational learning. Jesus also taught God’s people that they needed to be like little children, trusting in God and realizing their dependence on him (cf. Luke 18:16-17). We can learn from children just as they can learn from adults.

 

I have such vivid memories of the Sunday afternoons spent with my father-in-law after going to Sunday School with Mary and worship with her family. Long before I became a believer he would take the time to patiently answer all my questions sitting with me in the formal living room and opening the family Bible to show me the answers from Scripture. It led to a love and practice of being both a student of others and a teacher of some. I was so fortunate to have him and three incredible pastors as mentors in my formative years of preparation for the ministry. I only hope that the time I spent later repeating that example with young men was as productive. The community of faith must be committed to teaching and learning from others intergenerationally.

  

The Essence of Community - Pt. 2

 

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 4:32-37 ESV).

 

Our reading today brings us to an important characteristic of the unity of community. We see it throughout the Scripture. It is the practice of hospitality. Community is about more than just a surface relationship. It calls for hospitality, and that often means putting oneself in a place of risk and vulnerability to include others. It means inviting others into your space to include them in what is going on. It means developing a relationship based on the truth that all of us are searching for truth and grace. It means that we are committed to a relationship that does not engage in judgment or criticism; but, it engages in helping others find the love and acceptance of our Savior.

 

When I was a student at Southwestern Seminary in the early 70’s, my evangelism professor, Roy Fish, did something that shaped my understanding of the principle of hospitality within the church for me. The first was an experiment of sorts. He dressed himself in the rags of poverty and used makeup and a false beard to conceal his identity as he played the part of a homeless person. He stationed himself on the front steps of one of the largest churches in Ft. Worth complete with a cardboard sign asking for help. He recounted his experience to us one day in class. Though there were over a thousand people in attendance that morning at this prestigious church, he didn’t have one person invite him in. He did have a few people who dared to approach close enough to drop some coins in the cup he had beside him. Nearly at the time for the service to begin and older man approached and said, “Would you like to come inside to get out of the heat? Perhaps after church we could go to get something to eat together.” They made their way down the center aisle of the church to be seated at the front. The pastor, who knew Dr. Fish was going to disguise himself that morning began to read from our reading today. After speaking for a few minutes, he called the professor to the front to introduce him to the congregation. The audible gasps from the congregation were stunning when he took off his disguise and revealed his true identity. The pastor then read the following Scripture: Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:1-2 ESV). Community requires the practice of acceptance through hospitality.

 

The Essence of Community - Pt. 1

 

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47 ESV).

 

Yesterday I wrote that the foundation of unity is prayer. I also wrote that the present division in many of our American evangelical churches can be overcome through a unity of prayer. It also struck me that some study in the area of “community” would be helpful. So, today we’ll begin to look at the characteristics of community found in the Scripture. The place to begin is in the Book of Acts. Our reading today helps us get a clear look at the development of this community of believers.

 

I remember my first ministry assignment from seminary with great fondness. In fact, there is still a group of those first members of the BSU that gather annually to fellowship and renew their relationship. Mary and I have been able to attend that group a time or two since moving back to Texas. It is so good to see them. The stories that are told always revolve around their present families and work. However, we also drift to the stories of my idiosyncrasies in those days. My emphasis was always on building community for the work of evangelism and discipleship. It applied to all the things we did. The two years I spent there were so important for the rest of my ministry.

 

When we played games together, we were building community. When we ate together, we were building community. When we studied the Scripture or talked about a current topic and applied our faith to it, we were building community. When we served others on campus or in our circles of influence, we were building community. When we prayed together, we were building community. Those days equipped me to go to some of the most troubled and divided churches and bring grace to rebuild community. The early church, described in Acts 2, is a great example of this as well. Whatever the believers did, they did it together and built community in the process. From the big things in life to the small things, they did them together and learned about who they were and who God is at the same time. So as we explore community in the coming days, let’s commit to building relationships around the core of our faith in Christ, not the politics of our world. That will bring “favor with all the people” (v. 46).

 

The Foundation of Prayer

 

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1:12-14 ESV).

 

Jesus has ascended to heaven, and a waiting period for his followers has begun. On the day he ascended, Jesus said, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised” (Acts 1:4). They would have remembered that this gift would be the power and presence of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), but Jesus didn’t say when the Spirit would come. So, what were they to do while waiting? They prayed. A lot of action transpires in the book of Acts, but one of the first recorded actions of these believers after Jesus’ ascension is that they join together in prayer. We are not sure how all this is organized or what the form of their prayers is, but we do know three things.

 

§  First, they join together. This group that scattered and fled from the Mount of Olives when Jesus was arrested are together again as they now walk back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.

 

§  Second, they are constantly in prayer. There is an everyday consistency that marks their life before God and one another. I would draw your attention to the fact that they weren’t praying for “stuff.” They prayed for unity and power in the gospel.

 

§  Third, even the brothers of Jesus who did not join in following him as disciples now join with this group of believers. The powerful message began to reach those who had hesitated earlier. This was the ultimate proof of the power of their new lives.

 

I’ve been around long enough that I have seen division in the church. I’ve served on my share of “peace committees” within the Southern Baptist Convention and local churches and associations. I’ve also never see a successful effort to restore unity accomplished without God’s people praying together. It is impossible to agree with one another when we fail to join together in prayer. Revival can only begin in America if we set aside our politics and focus on the Lord of life. That comes with “devoting ourselves to prayer with one another” (v. 14).

 

Confidence in Life

 

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV).

 

There will always be those moments when we are unsure of going forward in a new experience. There will always be those circumstances when we feel fearful simply because of our lack of experience or confidence. Perhaps this is the reason I like Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote: You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” I would only add one thing to that wisdom. It is the ascension of Jesus that gives us the power to look those fears in the face. Jesus’ ascension to heaven gives us confidence in every circumstance. This is the absolute proof of the truth that He has conquered every enemy of our peace, including death itself!

 

Sometimes we use exalted language to describe Jesus: he is Lord, and he is the Son of God. He is “the heaven-born Prince of Peace … the Son of Righteousness,” as a Christmas hymn puts it. This is all true, and we rightly worship Jesus as the second person of the Trinity. But the Bible also proclaims that the Son of God became one of us, a human being. Because he took on our human nature, Jesus is able to “empathize with our weaknesses.” Think of that! Jesus knows what it feels like, as a human, to be tempted by sin, “and yet he did not sin.” He understands what it is to suffer wrong from others. He grasps the weakness of physical exhaustion and pain. And now, all of that human experience rules at God’s right hand in heaven!

 

The author of Hebrews reminds us that we do not pray to a distant, unfeeling God. Jesus is called a “priest,” someone who represents human interests before God. He has been where you are, and he represents that experience as the one who has paid the price for sin.

 

Perhaps you are facing some challenging circumstance in your life today. You may be feeling unsure of the direction you are to go; you may fear the potential of failure. Jesus knows what that is. Hold firmly to him and receive his mercy so that you can face all of it with unshakeable confidence, no matter what your weakness is.

 

A Seminal Moment

 

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:15-23 ESV).

 

It’s been over half a century since I first saw the Smoky Mountains. That was a “seminal moment” in my life. I’m not sure I knew the full impact that experience would have in my life; however, it was a singular life-changing moment. I’ve been to many wonderful places both here and abroad. But, for a young man, never having traveled more than a hundred miles from Galveston, Texas, it was huge! I cannot remember how many times I have told and retold that story, but that’s the impact it had in my life. And, I have revisited the Smokies many times since. Each time I find another wonder that adds to the impact of that place in my life.

 

That’s the thought that comes to my mind when I revisit our reading today. Some stories are so good that they simply need to be told again and again. The ascension is one of those stories. As Jesus’ followers looked back on that day when he ascended into heaven, they began to see how it marked a turning point in their understanding of him as the Son of God. Until that time, they had worked alongside Jesus, recognizing him as a great teacher and miracle worker. But after Ascension Day, they began to realize he is the Lord of all.

 

Many of our daily routines feel rather “un-cosmic.” We talk to our neighbors, drive to work, pay our bills, wash our clothes, and so on. We may feel stuck in life’s routine. Yet God’s Spirit wants us to see that the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him at God’s right hand is at work in us. God can transform our routine chores and conversations into expressions of his love. The same authority that the ascended Christ has as Lord of all extends into our routine actions and interactions.

 

Follow in My Tracks

 

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20 ESV).

 

Elephants are amazing animals. Once again I have found a bit of trivia that reminds me of the amazing thought God proves with His creative genius. For example, elephants actually do actually walk in single file when they on the move. Whether they are moving to another source of water or food, or simply moving to a place of rest, they will move in relative single file with young calves holding on to their mother’s tails with their trunks. The reason for this is two-fold. It helps them stay focused and keep up; and, the other female elephants surround them to protect them from danger.

 

This is an amazing lesson for us as we look at the command to “make disciples” in our reading today. Before Jesus ascended, he explained the mission that awaited his followers after he returned to his heavenly Father. “Go and make disciples,” may seem to involve two separate actions, going and making disciples. However, a better translation of this command is “Make disciples as you go along.” It is assumed that Jesus’ followers will often be “on the go” and actively doing something. And whether they are far away or close to home, their task is to walk alongside others by teaching them about Jesus and by demonstrating, through the work of the church, what it means to serve him.

 

“Making disciples” does not mean just bringing others to a one-time “moment of decision.” It involves continued learning together, growing together, and increasingly understanding what God has done in sending Jesus to die for our sin and calling us to serve him. Because we serve the Lord of all, we should ask ourselves whom God has in mind for us to meet as we go along. We should seek to make disciples of our children, our neighbors, our co-workers, our whole world. And when we doubt or struggle in this task, Jesus promises that the authority of heaven will support us in it. It is not a matter of going after these “disciples.” God will bring them to us as we place ourselves in a position to recognize those He has connected to us. No matter your age, we still have this great privilege of modeling and protecting those He has given into our care.

 

A Fisherman's Tale

 

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:24-29 ESV).

 

I’ve been known to exaggerate a bit from time to time, especially when I’m describing a fish I’ve caught. Well, as you can see from the picture I’ve attached the Rainbow Trout I caught some years ago while fly fishing in Tennessee was pretty big. However, when I went to Alaska and fished the Kenai River, I caught that made this one look like bait! I know, the question is always, “Where’s the picture of that one?” Well, that’s a tragic story. While we were trying to get the camera out and snap a shot, he flipped himself out of the guide’s hands and back into the river. I do have witnesses, but it’s hard to believe without seeing proof.

 

That’s the background of our reading today. As he prepared his followers to live faithfully after his return to heaven, Jesus addressed the challenge of doubt and unbelief. Thomas was a realist. He knew that resurrections were not common events, and he feared that his fellow followers of Christ might have gotten it wrong. He wanted evidence. He demanded proof. It’s easy to criticize Thomas for his doubts, but the truth is that many of us live with similar hesitations. After all, Jesus is no longer on earth for us to see and touch. We cannot have the same experience as the first disciples who walked with him after his resurrection. So we need Jesus to prepare us for the challenges of skepticism and doubt in our own lives.

 

We may not have the opportunity to feel the wounds of the cross with our own hands. But we have the testimony of lives changed by the Lord’s power. We can seek out the fellowship of other believers in the church and be encouraged by their words. And we can watch for the glory of Christ to appear around us, joining in with Thomas’s beautiful confession: “My Lord and my God!” It is not a fisherman’s tale!

 

Seven More MIles

 

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.  If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, abut you will follow afterward.” (John 13:31-36 ESV).

 

Don’t you hate waiting? I suppose I’ve gotten a bit better as I have aged. The pace certainly has slowed and schedules are not as critical as I might have thought in year past. However, I still find the act of waiting to be difficult. My son, David, reminded me of how I used to remind him and his brothers to be patient when he and his family were on a lengthy trip recently. We were talking on the phone hands free and the kids were being a bit rowdy in the background when Maggie asked, “When are we going to be there Daddy?” David said to me, “Dad how much longer is the trip?” My immediate answer was: “Seven more miles.” We all had a good laugh as he had already told his children the same thing several times. That was my standard response when we were on a long trip. They came to understand that it was a bit further and patience was required.

 

The night before his death, Jesus said something like that to his disciples. They had followed him through many things, but they could not follow him to the grave or to his coming glory in the ascension, at least not yet. Peter raised an objection, but he didn’t understand what Jesus had to do. As Peter’s actions show later (cf. John 18:15-18, 25-27), our impatience can often lead us away from our Lord. But Jesus promises a strength that sustains us as we wait. He has loved us. He has given his life for us. The love of Jesus informs the way we live now, as we wait until the day when we will journey beyond death to live with him in the glory of God’s presence forever.

 

After the resurrection and ascension, Jesus’ followers remembered his words. Jesus did not tell us how long it would be till he returns, but he did tell us how to wait. With love, we can share his grace with others. The ascension shows us that we do not yet follow Jesus to glory, though we will someday. But it also reminds us to love one another as we wait. It’s just seven more miles!

 

Jesus' Hidey-Hole

 

[Jesus said] “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:41-46 ESV).

 

One of the favorite children’s games, at least before technology reinventing “gaming,” was “Hide and Seek.” When I was in my preteens, we had our own version of it. Several of the boys in our neighborhood would gather with our trusty slingshots and pockets full of chinaberries, divide up into teams, and play “war.” We could go just about anywhere within the neighborhood in those days. So the hiding places were almost unlimited. My favorite spot was in the midlevel branches of a stand of mulberry trees. The leaves were thick enough to provide cover and the berries were always a sweet treat while I waited to ambush the other team. We played it for hours. However, I discovered that my hidey-hole was too predictable after a while. The other players discovered that predictable pattern and used their knowledge to find me before I could get them. It was a painful lesson, but I soon learned that waiting for them to come to me, especially when they knew where I was, simply didn’t work. I needed to find them.

 

That memory reminded me of our reading today. Much of our time is spent looking for Jesus. Sometimes we look for him in our daily devotional reading, prayers and meditation. There are those days, however, when our prayers are weak, the reading is confusing and we doze off during our meditation. We look for Jesus in worship services, but occasionally the musicians pick a new song and the sermon is long and boring. Thankfully Jesus has given us a hint about where we can always find him. His “hidey-hole” is very predictable; and, it’s in plain sight, if we are merely looking.

 

Jesus is with the hungry and thirsty. He is with the sick and the poor. We can find Jesus among the oppressed, the marginalized, the neglected and the forgotten. Jesus isn’t hard to find, but sometimes we can only find him in places we don’t want to go. It may be necessary for us to scrape up the courage, but this is the best way we can get ready for His coming again!

The Ten Virgins

 

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:1-13 ESV).

 

Jesus has been teaching about the signs of the end of the age, stating that no one will know the time of his return. He gives examples of both men and women who are not ready for the mighty acts of God. Jesus describes a servant who becomes drunk and abusive after he discovers his master will arrive late. He is unprepared for his master’s early return and suffers the consequences. In our reading Jesus likens his return to a wedding celebration. First-century Jews would be familiar with Scripture that compares God to a bridegroom (cf. Isaiah 54:4–6; 62:4–5). Now Jesus describes the coming kingdom of heaven—that is, his own return—in the same way. But in this parable, Jesus uses female figures to depict his disciples. Jesus calls to mind the typical wedding banquets of the day in which the groom and his friends would come to the bride’s home. There they would accompany the bride and her bridesmaids back to the groom’s home for a ceremony and great banquet. In Jesus’ story, however, the bridegroom is delayed late into the night. The bridesmaids need oil lamps for the processional. Half of the women have planned ahead by bringing extra oil, while half have not. The unprepared bridesmaids ask for oil from their friends, who wisely refuse. If they share their oil, then all the lamps will go out. Instead, the unprepared women must find a shop to buy more oil. By the time they return, the doors to the banquet are closed.

 

Jesus makes it clear that simply hanging out with a group of Christians is not enough to prepare one for the kingdom. Rather, his disciples must be spiritually prepared. They cannot grow lazy and abusive like the wicked servant, and they cannot be unprepared like the five foolish bridesmaids. Jesus’ last two parables clarify what this involves. In Matthew 25:14–30, servants are given money before the master goes on a trip; when the master returns, he rewards those who have invested the money and multiplied the funds. The implication is that the gospel must be shared with others according to one’s abilities. The final parable (vv. 31–46) describes the Son of Man sitting on his throne, separating people like sheep and goats. Those who enter the kingdom are the ones who cared for “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine” (v. 40) by feeding, clothing, and visiting them.

God's Promises Fulfilled

 

“Then lie on your left side, and place the punishment of the house of Israel upon it. For the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their punishment. For I assign to you a number of days, 390 days, equal to the number of the years of their punishment. So long shall you bear the punishment of the house of Israel. And when you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the punishment of the house of Judah.” (Ezekiel 4:4-6 ESV).

 

And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze (Leviticus 26:18-19 ESV).

 

On this day in 1948, just before the expiry of the British mandate in Palestine, David Ben-Gurion and the Jewish People's Council proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel, precipitating the first Arab-Israeli war. Of course, we know the final outcome of that war. Israel gained its freedom and independence. However, what you may not be aware of is the exact number of years between Israel’s loss of freedom and this date. In 606 BC, Israel was taken into Babylonian captivity for 70 years.  When you add the 2,483 years remaining in this judgment (plus 1 year, because there is no “0” BC or AD), and we arrive at 1948 AD. Our readings today number these years exactly.

 

The end of Israel’s Judgment culminated in the return of the Jews to their Biblical Homeland, and Israel was officially declared and globally recognized as a Nation again for the first time in over 2,500 years! God keeps His promises!

 

This is another means of determining the reliability of Scripture. Just as God declared this period of time as judgment we should not miss the impact of this on other prophecies. We cannot mistake what seems to be a lengthy delay between the resurrection and the promised Second Coming as a mistake. God is keeping his promises in all of these things as well. Knowing this it should call us to vigilance. We must prepare for it as we may very well be the last generation before the coming of Jesus. Perhaps this is not a “business as usual” time in our history. Shall we be like the five prepared virgins with our lamps full, or will we be unprepared like the other five (cf. Matthew 25:1-13)?