Died on a Cross

 

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:10-14 ESV).

 

The cross of Jesus is often featured in jewelry, sculpture, posters, logos, and other kinds of art. This symbol has become so common that we hardly ever think of its horror. In ancient times, though, crucifixion, or being hung on a pole, was a terrifying sentence of death for murderers, idol worshipers, sorcerers, and other convicted criminals. The guilty died a slow, agonizing death in public, and they were considered cursed by God (cf. Deuteronomy 21:23).

 

This short phrase is very important in biblical theology concerning the redemptive work Jesus. This is true because the Bible teaches that Jesus’ death on the cross means he took on the curse of God for our sake. Jesus shouldered that burden for us.

 

In our reading today the apostle Paul explains that people who try to live by the law (as given in the Old Testament) and fail to keep it are guilty. And of course, no one except Jesus could keep the law perfectly. As Paul notes in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We are all guilty before God, and we all deserve God’s judgment. But the good news is that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” through his death on a cross.

 

Next time you see a cross, wherever it may be, pause and think about the magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice for us.

 

Suffered Under Pontius Pilate

 

But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will. (Luke 23:18-25 ESV).

 

The next declaration in the Apostles’ Creed in our series is that Jesus “suffered under Pontius Pilate”. Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, is a pitiful figure in history. Though he was conflicted about sentencing Jesus to death, Pilate gave in to the mob calling for Jesus to be crucified.

 

It is a very interesting statement to include in a creed of beliefs. However, this statement points out the historical fact that Jesus was condemned to suffer and die by the governing authority of that day. Pilate represented the Roman government, and his judgment made Jesus’ sentencing and suffering an official event in history, even though Jesus was totally innocent and without sin.

 

We all need a Savior because we are guilty of sin and deserving of punishment. And in his mysterious wisdom, God used the government of Rome, flawed as it was, in the process of bringing salvation for our sake. By suffering “under Pontius Pilate,” Jesus took on himself the condemnation we deserve. And through his suffering Jesus has extended God’s grace to us, covering us with his own righteousness and granting us peace and the blessings of fellowship with God forever.

 

Through his weak and wrongful judgment, Pilate served Jesus a hideous sentence. But God, through his power and wisdom, used Jesus’ suffering to redeem us. What amazing grace and love!

 

Conceived by the Holy Spirit

 

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” (Luke 1:26-35 ESV).

 

I am a big fan of Arthur Conan Doyle, and his books detailing the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. There are other mystery novels I have enjoyed as well, though not many have been as challenging to ferret out the truth as Doyle’s. Perhaps you have the same taste in reading as I do. Many people like mysteries because they are like puzzles that need to be solved. The story of Jesus’ birth is one of the most mysterious events in human history, and some parts of the “puzzle” still remain unknown.

 

With the Apostles’ Creed, we confess that Jesus “was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.” This statement summarizes a profound truth about Jesus, our Savior. The Bible teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully human. Jesus, the creator of the universe, was born in the same way each of us was born, from our mother’s womb. But the seed planted in Mary’s womb was not from Joseph, who was pledged to be her husband. The seed in Mary was planted by God the Holy Spirit.

 

Why did Jesus need to be fully God and fully human? The answer is that only a Savior who was both fully God and fully human could heal the breach opened by our rebellion in our sin against God. The how of the virgin birth remains a mystery. Human logic will never solve the puzzle of how the Son of God became fully human. Yet the deeply satisfying truth of this story remains: Jesus, fully God and fully human, solved the problem of our separation from God. Praise be to God!

The Lord

 

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 a 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. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 ESV).

 

After making a weighty statement, it’s good to pause and let the meaning of the words settle in. In a sense, that’s what happens after we say, with the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.” This is a lot to take in. There are many words translated “Lord” in the Bible. Some of those are written in Hebrew (primarily in the Old Testament) while others are in Greek (exclusively in the New Testament). Our reading today uses the Greek word kyrios. In the Mediterranean world, someone with power and authority over others was called a “lord” or “master.” In the New Testament, Jesus is addressed or referred to as “Lord” more than 700 times.

 

Jesus is addressed as “Lord” in two ways. First, he is called “Lord” in the same way as he is often called “Rabbi” or “Teacher” when someone asks him a question or requests healing. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, however, calling him “Lord” takes on much greater meaning. It signifies that Jesus is God himself. It signifies that God the Father has given Jesus all authority over heaven and earth. And, ultimately, it looks ahead to the day when “every tongue [will] acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (v. 11).

 

We rightly pause when we call Jesus “our Lord.” We confess both his true identity and our just response. Then in awe and gratitude we ask and seek out how to serve him.

 

The Anointed One

 

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:14-19 ESV).

 

Have you ever spilled olive oil or some other kind of oil? Oil can be messy to work with and hard to clean up. Our experience with that may make it hard to grasp the biblical beauty of being “anointed” with oil. In the Old Testament, people who were anointed with oil were set apart for special service to God for his people. When the Israelites anointed someone, they took olive oil and blended it with expensive spices (cf. Exodus 30:22-25). Then they rubbed, smeared, or poured the concoction on the head of the person being appointed. Priests and prophets were anointed with this oil. Kings were anointed with it as well.

 

The most important anointing in the Bible doesn’t involve oil, however. When Jesus returned to his hometown synagogue, he opened God’s Word and declared that he had been anointed with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God himself anointed Jesus to proclaim the good news of salvation.

 

As we confess with the Apostles’ Creed, God anointed his Son, the long-expected Messiah, “the Anointed One,” the Christ, to be our Prophet, Priest, and King. With his word, he guides us. With his sacrifice, he redeems us. And as our King, he guides and protects us.

 

Jesus was anointed for us. And he anoints us with his Spirit to serve him in this world.

 

The Only Begotten Son of God

 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, cand we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (John 1:14-18 ESV).

 

Can you imagine having an argument with a group of Christians about whether Jesus Christ is God? Today, Christians everywhere accept the fact that Jesus, God’s Son, is fully God. But in the early church, Christians argued vehemently about whether Jesus could be God if he was God’s only Son.

 

When we call someone a son, we naturally conclude that the father came first and the son came second. So, when we refer to Jesus in the Apostles’ Creed as God’s “only Son,” are we somehow putting him in second place?

 

No. Since the fourth century the church has officially upheld what the Holy Spirit inspired John to write in our passage for today: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

 

We can’t fully comprehend the mysterious relationship of God the Father and his only Son. But by faith we believe that Jesus is God’s Son. By faith we believe, with John, that through God’s only Son all of creation was made (cf. John 1:1-3). By faith we also believe that only God’s own Son, through his death, could bring us into a new life filled with everlasting peace and joy.

 

This is a part of the great mystery of the Doctrine of the Trintiy. God is One. And, God has manifested Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In acknowledging the truth of this through the Apostles’ Creed, the early fathers of the faith were affirming the greatness of God to be all, and more, than we can imagine or understand. And they were affirming the perfect nature of Jesus to accomplish all that was necessary to redeem us. As we live in the love of God and his Son each day, we can look for ways, wherever we are, to share that love with others.

 

I Believe in Jesus

 

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18-21 ESV).

 

Just this week I began the process of getting my TSA Precheck renewed. Among other things, I must be able to present two forms of proof of identity. I have chosen to use my driver’s license and a certified copy of my birth certificate. I haven’t looked at my birth certificate in a long while. As I looked it over, my mind wandered a bit about how I got the name “Donald Patrick.” It certainly is not a traditional Italian name like my brothers (Frank, Jr., Michael, and Nicholas). No one else in our family had that name. It is not a Biblical name. Maybe they liked the way it sounded. Or the stories are true that they thought I was going to be a girl and didn’t have a boy’s name ready, so the Irish nuns at the hospital named me. Regardless, that’s my name.

 

It was a bit different when Jesus was too be born. When Mary was about to give birth, she and Joseph didn’t have a choice. Through an angel, God commanded them to name the child Jesus. The name “Jesus” is Greek for the Hebrew name “Joshua”, whom God chose to lead Israel into the promised land (cf. Joshua 1). The Hebrew name Joshua means “God is deliverance,” and that was a fitting name for the man who led Israel out of their wandering in the wilderness and into the land God had promised them. And in God’s great story, the life of Joshua points toward an even greater figure.

 

When we say, with the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in Jesus,” we affirm that God’s Son, Jesus, is our salvation. God’s own Son rescues us from the dark pit of our sin into the light and spacious peace of knowing and resting in God. So many things promise deliverance in this life. Yet the Bible states clearly that there is only one way to know God—and that is through his Son, Jesus (cf. John 14:6). His name means “Savior,” revealing that Jesus is God’s deliverance. That is our declaration in this great creed!

The Creator of Heaven and Earth

 

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:6-9 ESV).

 

Many of you are aware that I have long been a woodworker as a hobbyist. I certainly would not characterize this as a vocational level of carpentry, though I love to work with wood. I enjoy taking a piece of wood and transforming it into something useful and pleasing. As creatures made in the image of God, we all have an inborn desire to make things useful and lovely. In this we imitate God, who created the heavens and the earth. And, no one, amateur or professional can create like Him!

 

Our reading today recalls God’s almighty power in creating everything around us: the sky, the sun, the stars, the mountains, the oceans. God not only created all that we see; he also created good things we can’t see—like air, gravity, and sound, as well as love, goodness, and justice. God did this, as the psalm says, through the power of his spoken word.

 

When we say, with the Apostle’s Creed, that God is the “creator of heaven and earth,” we are declaring that the same God who made the mountains, forests, and oceans made each one of us too. What’s more, we are declaring that this God hasn’t stepped back from what he has made; in fact, he still delights in sustaining it.

 

We can take great comfort in knowing that the all-powerful creator and sustainer, God Almighty, is the one that we also call our heavenly Father. God cares for us; he knows what we need; and he will never let us slip from his tender care. That is a truth worth knowing and declaring with all our heart, mind, and soul.

 

The Father, Almighty

 

[Jesus said] “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11 ESV).

 

Notice the modifier that the early fathers used of “the Father.” He is “Almighty.” Our reading today helps us understand the meaning of this second declaration of our belief. I wish that I could say  that when my children were small, I never disappointed them with a broken promise or a failure to deliver what they hoped for. That simply is not true. My desire was to give them everything they wanted and needed, but my ability simply couldn’t guarantee the fulfillment of their desires.

 

In fact, as they grew older and bigger, they realized that I have imperfections and limitations. I am painfully aware that I sometimes let them down, as all fathers have done at times to their children. But although our fathers may let us down, we can always depend on our heavenly Father. That is the meaning of this modifier in the creed. God is Almighty and therefore will never let us down. He fulfills every promise and grants us all we could ever need.

 

In the Old Testament, the people of Israel called God their “Father.” They also used many other titles and descriptions to identify God. For example, they called God their “rock,” their “fortress,” and their “shield.” In many passages he is also called “God Almighty” (El-Shaddai) in recognition of his awesome power and dependability. In the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes his relationship with God as his Father, and he teaches us to trust God as our Father in heaven. With the Apostles’ Creed, we rightly call God our “Father almighty.” Unlike our earthly fathers, our heavenly Father is perfect and unlimited in his power. Our earthly fathers may sometimes make promises they can’t keep. Our heavenly Father not only makes promises but also keeps them all—because of his almighty power and enduring love and faithfulness. God also hears and answers our prayers. Knowing what’s best for us, our Father will always provide what we need.

God, Our Father

 

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4”4-7 ESV).

 

The Apostles’ Creed is a declaration of the things we believe. The first declaration of belief is that God is our Father. There is more to this than just that, however. Sometimes people say, “We are all God’s children.” And it’s true that God made us all. That’s why we call God our Father. But it’s important to clarify what it means to be God’s children. First, Jesus, who is the second person of the Trinity, is God’s “one and only Son” (cf. John 1:14; 3:16). This underscores Jesus’ unique relationship with God the Father. But through Jesus, and by belief in God’s power to save us through him, we too are God’s children (cf. John 1:12-13). As the apostle Paul explains in Galatians 4, “God sent his Son”—that is, Jesus—to save us because we were cut off from God. We were separated from God because of our sin. But now, through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we can be adopted as God’s children. And we can enjoy all the rights and privileges of belonging to God the Father as his heirs.

 

Confessing “I believe in God the Father” should flood our hearts with praise and thanksgiving as we remember this. God, in his great mercy, has forgiven all our sins and made us his children. This should also give us great comfort. Surely God, who did not spare his only Son, will spare nothing to watch over and keep us, his children.

 

Then we also understand our opportunity to love the people around us and call them to trust in God as their Father too. It is a great way to begin declaring the things we believe. I hope you are encouraged to follow this sequence in your life.

 

Believing in God

 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:1-6 ESV).

 

As we continue in our study of the Apostles’ Creed, we should begin at the beginning. The first words of the ancient creed begin with the words “I believe in God.” There is an important declaration in that first statement.

 

Sometimes we use the words I believe to say that we agree with certain facts. For example, we might say, “I believe that the earth is round.” But belief goes deeper than agreeing with facts.

 

With the words, “I believe in God,” we are saying much more than that we agree with facts about God. Sure, we are accepting the basic biblical truths about God’s existence. But when we say, “I believe in God,” our hearts are involved as well. Our belief means trusting in God, committing ourselves to God and his teaching for our lives, and following and obeying God in what he says and where he leads. With the opening words of the Apostles’ Creed, we affirm that we believe and trust in God himself.

 

Many believers throughout the centuries have memorized the Apostles’ Creed—often by saying it again and again in worship services. Sadly, though, our minds can wander when we repeat the creed that way. So, it’s important to think about the words we are saying. The next time you say the creed, be sure to say it as an expression of the truth and as a commitment to following God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with all of your heart!

 

The Apostles' Creed

 

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 17-24 ESV).

 

Today we will begin to look at the Apostles’ Creed. Some people object to creeds in the church, saying, “I believe in God, but I only accept the truth of the Bible.” Though the Apostle’s Creed isn’t printed in the Bible, it faithfully summarizes the Bible’s teaching. In fact, we see Jude’s short letter reveals the need for a summary of the truth. In his day there was an urgent need to defend the truth about Jesus Christ. In some ways like us today, people in the first century faced a swirling clash of ideas and claims about truth and religion, and it was easy to be misled by false teachings. Jude, an early church leader who was also a brother of Jesus, saw that false teaching threatened to mislead the church. He urged believers to hold on to the truth entrusted to them.

 

The Holy Spirit, using the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ apostles, forged the truth that we find in the New Testament. Then, from the days of the early church through the next few centuries, leaders and teachers summarized the main points of that truth as they taught new believers who were preparing for baptism. And by around the fourth century, a general statement emerged that has become known as the Apostles’ Creed.

 

Our grasp of God’s truth can still be threatened today. When we say the Apostles’ Creed, we are reciting God’s eternal truth to help us stand firm in our faith in Christ, and we do so with believers down through the centuries and around the world. AS we begin this little study, refresh your memory of this great old creed:

 

I believe in God,

the Father almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried;

he descended into hell;

on the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;

from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting.

 

A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt. 16

 

Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to you today, even to you. (Proverbs 22:17-19 ESV).

 

These verses in Proverbs tell us that when we submit to and confess the Word of God in our lives that it will be pleasant for us. Verse 17 speaks of bowing our hear to hear the wisdom of the wise and then applying it to our hearts and lives. This simply means we are, not only to listen to God's Word, but we are to submissively obey it as well. However, according to verse 18, the way we keep God's Words in our mind, and believe them is to begin "confessing" them. This is because sometimes we will encounter a battle to be able to hold on to the promises of God, and this is when we must continue to "confess" in faith what the Bible says about our problems.

 

As Christians, our confession should be what we term a "Bible confession" instead of just a "positive confession." We are not talking about confessing our sins here, but rather confessing or acknowledging with our mouth the truths from God's Word. Certainly, the Bible tells us to confess our sins, but that is not the only confession we need to make. We are also told to confess or speak out loud the promises of God, in faith, so we can receive them.

 

In confessing God's Word, we must not pick out only the Scriptures we desire, but also the ones the Lord desires for us. He certainly desires to bless us, but He also desires to cleanse us. We must be as enthusiastic in our confessions to be cleansed from all that would offend the Lord, as we are in confessing the physical blessings He has promised us. We must learn to set a guard on our mouths, as it is very important to control our conversation. We will ultimately receive the things that we speak. If we speak evil long enough, it will come to pass; likewise, if we speak good. The wise person will speak good.

 

A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt 15

 

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the Maker of them all. The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. (Proverbs 22:1-5 ESV).

 

Our reading today is not often quoted as someone’s favorite verse. Perhaps it should be. As we come to the close of our pursuit toward wisdom, this verse is an essential element in becoming wise. In a world where large profit margins seem to be the only objective, a commitment to having a good name is most commendable. In a world with numerous temptations to cut corners or deliver less than promised, it’s vitally important that followers of Christ conduct their lives with integrity. The temptation to seek gold or silver—the profits—as our top priority is the same today as it was in Solomon’s day. Greater profits may come by way of dishonest weights, selling a sick animal, falsifying records, or misleading marketing ploys.

 

This principle also applies directly to how we conduct ourselves in other areas of life. Too often our testimony is negated by the way we live. We see many people today who have adopted the display of Christian symbols yet behave without integrity and in a manner that is anything but Christ-like. Our good intentions and promises must be followed up with actions of integrity in all we do. Christ’s name is at stake, not merely our reputation.

 

Jesus calls us to honesty. Honoring him, we can sing, “Lord, I lift your name on high,” and mean it. We should be very careful to honor God in every area of our life.

 

A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt. 14

 

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin. The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death. The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just. The way of the guilty is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is upright. (Proverbs 21:1-8 ESV).

 

Abraham Lincoln is quoted to have had said: “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” Solomon takes this a bit further than Lincoln did. Solomon teaches us that everyone thinks that their way is right; and it may be from their viewpoint, but God weighs the intentions of the heart. People appear to have good intentions, but God really knows what our true motives are. So, maybe the new quote should be: “You can fool some of the people some of the time, including yourself, but you can’t fool God.” F. Scott Fitzgerald puts it this way: “God knows what you’ve been doing, everything you’ve been doing. You may fool me, but you can’t fool God!” This is the focus of genuine integrity.

 

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated “integrity” means “the condition of being without blemish, completeness, perfection, sincerity, soundness, uprightness, wholeness.” Integrity in the New Testament means “honesty and adherence to a pattern of good works.”

 

Jesus is the perfect example of a man of integrity. After He was baptized, He went into the wilderness to fast for forty days and nights, during which time Satan came to Him at His weakest to try to break His integrity and corrupt Him. Jesus was wholly man and wholly God at the same time, and He was tempted in every way we are, yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15); that is the definition of integrity. Jesus is the only one who was ever without blemish, perfect, completely truthful, and always showing a pattern of good works. He is our example. He is our measure for wisdom. What do you do when no one is watching?

 

 

A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt. 13

 

Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him! (Proverbs 20:6-7 ESV)

 

Talk is cheap. Boasting is worthless. Your history is irrelevant. True character is known by present actions and results, not by self-praise, past events, explanations, or excuses (cf. Proverbs 20:11). Yet fools talk more than wise men (cf. Proverbs 14:33; 29:11), and sluggards talk more than hard workers (cf. Proverbs 26:16). Most men love themselves and will quickly tell how gifted and faithful they are, but real performers as measured by the Bible are very rare.

 

Men have long loved the damning sins of arrogance, boasting, conceit, pride, self-love, and self-esteem. But today these destructive evils are glorified in politicians, popular athletes, and arrogant entertainers. In fact, this attitude and practice is often promoted as cures for most psychological or relational problems. In a day of advertising, mass marketing, and public relations, there is a perverse emphasis on appearance over performance, on perception over reality, on sound bites over substance, on feelings over facts. Due to constant communication via telephone, the Internet, television, radio, email, and texting, there is a perverse emphasis on words over actions. This distortion has created a situation where boasting is accepted over results.

 

We are entering an election year that promises to be full of such behavior. I remember an old saying that went something like: “If it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it’s probably a duck.” Yet we are constantly deceived by what someone shouts at us. It is almost as if something is told to us enough with angry tones, we will come to believe it. Truth is in what we see in a man, not what we hear. This is the heart of wisdom.

 

A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt. 12

 

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17 ESV).

 

Today we come to one of the most famous, well-known Proverbs. At this point in our journey toward wisdom it is a good time to think about friends in our life. Friends we might have now. Friends we might have had in the past. And the value of friends who love us and people who love us, who walk with us through adversity. This is a gift from God. And it’s a gift we need from God. We need people around us who love us, who help us walk through adversity. Not one of us was intended to walk through this life alone. We need friends like that around us. Ad, we need to be friends like that. We don’t just need to read this verse and think about, “Well, who loves me like this?” We’ve should ask the question, “Who do I love like this?” Not just who walks with me through adversity, but who can I walk with through adversity. Who can I help in the middle of adversity?

 

I hope you have people like that in your life. However, if you have no one to call your friend, let me remind you that you have One who is always present and will indeed never walk away from you. His name is Jesus. This is what He 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).

 

It is amazing to me that Jesus would be my friend. He is the One who spoke the entire universe into existence. With all of its complexity and diversity, Jesus merely spoke and it was done perfectly as He desired it to be done. I find it easy to forget that from time to time, especially when things are difficult. However, it was true then, and continues to be true now and forever. Jesus is our friend. He knows every pain and trial I will experience and loves me through all of it. That’s good news!

 

A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt 11

 

Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. (Proverbs 16:31 ESV).

 

I’ve had gray hair since my early 40’s. I did not count myself among the elderly or wise. I have managed to get to 74, which does indicate I am a part of the group known as “elderly.” Today’s reading is much like it’s counterpart found in Proverbs 20:29, which adds a contrast between young men and people with gray hair: “The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.” I think there has been a bit of confusion about the meaning of these verses. Somehow we seem to think that chronological age is an automatic guarantee of wisdom. That is not the case. There can be foolish old and young alike. In fact some would say there’s nothing worse than an “old fool.” They may be right.

 

So, let’s look closer in our journey toward wisdom. Notice also that in today’s proverb, gray hair denotes a righteous life. However, we do see less-than-righteous folks with gray hair too. Our proverb for today reflects a general belief that long life was a sign of God’s blessing. We still agree, as we often hear someone say, upon reaching old age, “I’ve been blessed.” As an indication of age, gray hair is not a disgrace but a distinction. It’s a crown of splendor, an achievement to be celebrated. It’s a way of identifying the elderly who deserve respect. And if those having the crown of splendor are ones who’ve lived a righteous life, we should treat them with even more respect. They’re people to whom we should listen if we are to live wisely and obediently.

 

The passing of time ought to be a means of gaining knowledge and experience. Taken with other qualities of wisdom this ought to mark us as people who have gained a crown through the recognition of wisdom. I can tell you it is a lot easier recognizing the temptations of life now than it was decades ago. That experience can be invaluable if we draw against it. Patience is easier. Temperance is easier. Love is easier. Even forgiveness is easier. At least it should be. I do want you to recognize that we don’t have to wait to be wise until we are “gray.” In fact, I can’t picture Jesus with gray hair. Yet he lived the most righteous life ever. If we’re wise, we’ll give him the respect and worship that he deserves and learn from Him!

 

A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt. 10

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly. The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 16:18-25 ESV).

 

The journey toward wisdom teaches us that pride never leads to good things. However, it’s altogether too easy to fall into pride. This is especially true as we age. Maybe you worked hard, defied the odds, and managed to excel in some area of life, it is natural to  want to scream your accomplishment to every person everywhere. It may even be a well-earned or deserved recognition that you receive, our tendency is to bask in the glory of that recognition. We become proud of what WE did. The truth is that we didn’t do anything alone.

 

If we begin to think about how good we are, how good we did, how hard we worked, we often leave God out of the picture. We start to think that we did it all on our own, and as a result, we deserve all the attention. When we leave God out of the equation of our success, that’s never a good thing. We should always be looking to God, asking His advice, and seeking His approval, rather than the approval and attention of others. It’s God’s help we should want to live out each day of our lives. When we include Him in our success and look to Him to bring us the belonging and attention we crave, that’s when we will be the most fulfilled.

 

How can we guard our heart and mind against this trap? It begins with how we think of ourselves. Most of the time pride is the result of a comparison between us and others. We live in a world that prizes winning. The is nothing wrong with striving for excellence; and, excellence is often rewarded with the prize of victory. I am not advocating for participation trophies. We must strive to “win the race set before us” (cf. Hebrews 12). However, winning our race is wholly dependent on our reliance on the Lord. Pride will keep me from the real power. God doesn’t measure me against anyone else; He knows my heart and measures me by His will for me. Concentrate on that and you will be less tempted to fall from your pride.

  

A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt. 11

 

A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked. The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves him who pursues righteousness. (Proverbs 15:5-9 ESV).

 

Well… I am venturing into dangerous territory today, though Solomon’s instruction in our reading today is very clear. He says, “the lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of the fools” (v. 7). The meaning is clear. We are to be truth tellers. Of course, we should measure the telling of the truth with a healthy dose of grace, but telling the truth is a part of walking in wisdom. I’m afraid that is a rare commodity in much of today’s world. I think it would be helpful if every public speaker were required to be measured by a “truth meter.” I wonder how many of them would find their “pants on fire” only moments after the beginning of their diatribe.

 

It is somewhat amazing that the advent of professional “fact-checking” has risen to the level of our day. This may be a reflection on the need of people to know the truth; though I suspect it has more to do with the level to which many people have made it such a common action to simply lie. Unfortunately, the truth has become something measured by what people want to believe in order to advance their personal agenda.

 

The charge of Solomon in our reading is that there simply is no room for deceit in the practice of those who would be wise. This is the way of wisdom even when the deceit is subtle. For example, the justification for wrong-doing has often been spoken by the declaration that “everyone’s doing it.” I can remember my Dad’s retort to that vividly. He would answer me with a simple truth: “Then, everyone’s wrong.” We need to return to that kind of wisdom.

 

A Journey Toward Wisdom - Pt. 8

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. (Proverbs 15:1-4 ESV).

 

I have skipped ahead in our study of the Book of Proverbs. Chapters 5-14 are a list of very practical applications of how the life of wisdom affects our behavior. All these verses are very good, and I hope you will spend some time reading them. However, today I thought our reading seemed to be an important “next step” in our journey toward wisdom. It describes the difference between relational and positional communication. Solomon says, “a soft answer [relational communication] turns away wrath, but a harsh word [positional communication] stirs up anger” (v. 1).

 

Perhaps one of the most common verses I use in working with married couples is from this reading. I have found that it is rare in our culture for couples to know how to effectively communicate with a softness that will “turn away wrath.” Yet, it is the root of being wise in the most important relationship we have in life.

 

Some people believe that simply being silent and not saying anything is the answer to avoiding conflict. I have found that merely delays the inevitable conflict rather than providing for a mutually acceptable resolution. Not responding can be a temporary coping mechanism, however, most of the time it only serves to allow our anger to build to the level that is far more damaging to our relationships.

 

This “soft answer” Solomon is talking about an honest give and take in the negotiating of a solution. It is not the often passive-aggressive style of gaslighting that is so common today. It is full of honest questions and the seeking of solutions that both parties will find acceptable. It is based on the seeking of forgiveness and repentance from both parties. It is wisdom at work!