A Centurian Feast

Matt. 8:11 "I say to you that many will come from the east and the west and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Jesus has just healed a Roman centurian's servant because of the centurian's great example of faith. This centurian was not a Jew-not one of God's chosen people and yet he shows faith in Jesus greater than those following him. Jesus says many who are a part of the kingdom-at least think they are-will find themselves sadly mistaken in the end! And many outside of the kingdom will find themselves sitting at the banquet in the end.

I definitely want to go to the feast! Am I like the centurian with amazing faith evident in my life? Or am I a person who considers myself "in" but just might be setting myself up for a rude awakening? I need to show uncompromising faith 24/7 in Jesus. I don't want to miss the feast!

Dear Lord, help me to have unwavering faith in you today! Amen.

A Well Aimed Mag Light

...from Friday April 18...

Matt. 5:16 "in the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven."

Jesus is telling the people they are to be salt and light to the world. They are to be different and stand out from the rest of the world. Jesus is calling them to be set apart and holy.

What I find interesting here is that we are to let our light shine so that others praise our father in heaven. We are not to do good works and let our light shine for our benefit, but rather for God's benefit. Doing good things isn't for our glory but for our fathers. So often I do good things so people see me-so they recognize and admire me. I am just like the Pharisees who were surely in Jesus' audience somewhere that day! It's great to do good works, but for what purpose? What are my motives? Who gets the glory? Where is the light shining and on whom? I need to be a bright light, but I need to be a bright light pointed at the right thing. A lighthouse does no good if it's pointed down at itself. I need to be a spotlight directed at Jesus.

Dear Lord, help me to be a bright light pointed at you! Amen.

Leave the Walleye Behind

Matt. 4:19 "'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.'"

Jesus is calling his first disciples. He sees Peter and Andrew fishing in the Sea of Galilee and he tells them to come and follow him. Immediately they leave their nets and follow Jesus. I used to think that was bizarre when I was a kid-that they just up and followed Jesus like that. It seemed Jesus hypnotized them! Later I learned that as a rabbi these young men would be eager to be his disciple. And a rabbi did not recruit followers. In any event, Jesus calls them to come and fish for men instead of fish.

I can't let go of the image of Peter going fishing again after the crucifixion in John 21. James Brown did such a great job of teaching on this passage last week at "Big Church." Initially Jesus calls Peter to come and fish for men in Matthew 4. But as soon as Jesus dies and the game appears to be over, Peter returns to the boat in John 21. His faith has failed. What boat am I tempted to return to? Jesus calls us all to fish for men and leave the walleye behind!

Dear Lord, help me to always fish for men and leave the walleye behind. Amen.

Smack Talk

1 Samuel 17:47 "All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's..."

David is about to fight Goliath. I love David's courage and bravado in this story! He has a swagger to his step and an attitude in his voice. He's talking smack to a nine foot giant! And David is clear that God will win this battle-it's his to win. God uses the ordinary, the weak to show his power. God uses a small boy with a sling and some stones.

I need to have the faith and courage of David! I need to trust in God and know that the battle is his. I don't need to rely on myself or my power, but on God's alone. When it comes to sin and Satan, I should have a swagger, an attitude that says, "God will win this battle." That courage comes only from faith in God.

Dear Lord, help me to have the courage of David so I can trust in you to win the battle. And help me talk a little more smack to the devil! Amen.

Jeans

1 Samuel 16:7 "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearances, but the Lord looks at the heart."

God has sent Samuel to the house of Jesse to find the next king to replace Saul. Samuel sees Eliab and thinks he would make a fine king. But the Lord tells Samuel to forget Eliab. God is not concerned with outward appearances. God cares about the heart-what's on the inside.

I care too much about outward appearances! Our society cares way too much! Look at the people who are on TV and the people with power and influence. I spend much of my day concerning myself with the way I look, the way my car looks, the way my house looks. We spend tons of money on clothes, makeup, amenities for our houses and yards-why? Jesus didn't give a rip about any of this. And yet we invest hours of time and loads of money on this stuff. I need to see things the way Jesus did. I need to look at the heart-the inside.

Dear Lord, help me to care more about my heart than my jeans! Amen.

I'm a loser baby...

2 Cor. 11:30 "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."

Paul has just chronicled his sufferings as he has traveled throughout the empire spreading the gospel. He's trying to make the point that he isn't doing this work for his benefit. It isn't about him, it's about Christ. Not only does Paul mention his trials, but he also refers to his weaknesses. Surely Paul struggled with things. There were areas in which he was weak. He made mistakes, knew failures, struggled with temptation and sin. He says he will boast of the things that show his weaknesses. In chapter 12, he goes on to explain that in our weaknesses, Christ's power and strength are made perrfect-verses 9 and 10.

I was just thinking about this very concept this morning! In and through my weakness, Jesus is strong. When I am at my worst, Jesus is at his best (as if he can ever not be at his best!) To me this means that when I am weak, I must fully rely on God. When I screw up, all there is, is Jesus. And I screw up a lot! Jesus picks up the slack. He comes through when I am unable to get it right. A lot of people in my profession like to boast about what they've done-things they've accomplished. I need to boast about how I suck and Jesus rules!

Dear Lord, help me to boast about you! Amen.

A Different Standard

2 Cor. 10:2 "I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world."

Paul is telling the Corinthian believers he hopes he does not have to be as bold with them as he has to be with some of the other churches and non-believers. Apparently, Paul could be quite bold at times with others. I imagine he writes "bold" referring to his zeal, authority, conviction and passion with which he speaks to people about God. Anyhow, he mentions kind of as a side note, that others think he (we) lives by the standards of this world. He insists that "we" do not.

As I am finishing up "Jesus for President" I cannot get myself away from thinking about how we as followers of Jesus are to be "set apart" and different from the world. We don't just believe different things, we actually live our lives differently. We are not to be content with being good neighbors, or honest citizens, or nice people. We all together do not live by the standards of this world. When it comes to how we live, we are to be different.

Dear Lord, help me to live by your standards! Amen.

Messiah Wannabe

Psalm 72:17 "May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed."

This psalm was written by David for his son Solomon-likely as a coronation prayer or song as Solomon was about to take the throne. This psalm is very similar to a coronation liturgy for an Assyrian king, Ashubanipal, from around the same time period. Psalm 72 is fascinating with it's language and how it describes the "royal son." The words and images are extremely messianic-high hopes for Solomon perhaps? The Israelites knew messiah was coming some day. They hoped and prayed for the messiah. Was Solomon the one? Of course he was not, as we know the messiah was Jesus.

I need to remember my hope and faith are in Jesus-the true Messiah. His name endures forever. All nations have been and will be blessed through him. My hope is not in my job, my name, my country-it is in Christ alone. Everything else will pass away-David and Solomon did! Jesus will always be. He is my hope.

Dear Lord, help me to put my faith in you alone. You are the real Messiah-the real king. Amen.

Headless Dagon

I Samuel 5:3 "...there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord."

The Philistines had captured the ark of the Lord-the very place God rested. They had brought it back to their city of Ashdod and placed it in the temple of Dagon. In fact, they placed the ark right next to the statue of Dagon. I guess they thought one more god wouldn't hurt! When they looked the next day Dagon was bowing before the ark. They set him up again, but day after day they saw the same thing-Dagon on the ground bowing before Yahweh. Eventually, his head and hands broke off from the fall!

Scripture is clear about idols-have none! Every idol we have will bow at the feet of Jesus. We can know our idols by watching where our time and money go. Those are our idols. I just read regarding war and violence, "we can know our idols by what we are willing to kill for." What am I willing to kill for? Where does my time go? Where does my money go? I have idols-we all have idols. Money, power, cars, houses, oil, food...I need to see these idols for what they really are. They are statues made of rock and stone and their heads and hands break off when they are thrown to the ground-just like Dagon. Thankfully we have a God who doesn't break even when crucified!

Dear Lord, help me to cast away my idols and worship you alone. Help me to worship you with everything in me. Amen.

Sorrow for Sorrow's Sake

2 Cor. 7:10 "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."

Paul is referring to his earlier letter in which he gave the Corinthians some strong warnings and instructions regarding some instances of sin taking place in the church. He does not apologize for his words and tells them any sorrow they experienced only served to help them repent and change their ways. Paul's point is that Godly sorrow is a good thing-worldly sorrow only brings more sorrow and ultimately death.

I get sorrowful from time to time. I think about pain in the world-war, poverty, crime, and I think about pain in my life-regrets, sin, mistakes, failures-things I'm bad at. How often does my sorrow lead to repentance and salvation though? Usually I am left with regret. In fact, I just wrote that two sentences ago! Sorrow is just sorrow for sorrow's sake unless we are sorrowful in a godly way which leads to repentance and salvation.

Dear Lord, help me to use my sorrow for a purpose. Help me to repent and turn towards you. Amen.

Heart Stationary

2 Cor. 3:3 "Clearly you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts."

Paul is comparing the old covenant with the new covenant. As great as the old covenant was, it was written on stone, but the new covenant is written on our hearts. We are a letter written by Christ. God's truth is written on us.

So yesterday I am a smell and today a letter! God's truth should be written on my heart. Is it? Is it something in my heart, my life, written into the very being of who I am, or is it still simply written with pen and ink on a piece of paper placed on a dusty bookshelf? I need to hide God's word in my heart. It needs to become part of me, not just something I believe in and read from time to time.

Dear Lord, help me to hide your word in my heart. Amen.

Hai Karate

2 Cor. 2:15-16 "Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those being saved and by those perishing. To those who are perishing we are a fearful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved we are a life-giving perfume..."

Paul is contrasting the different ways he and his message, in fact the message of the gospel itself, are perceived to different people. To some, the news of Christ is awesome and freeing and smells good. To others, the news of Christ is threatening and dangerous and smells bad. Maybe the point is, the gospel smells!

How do I smell? Do I smell at all? There are plenty of Christians who blend into the smells in our culture. I think we are called to stand out-to be salt and light-to smell funny. That can mean we may smell nice and sweet to some, and stinky and stale to others. The point again is, that we need to smell. People should notice something different about me.

Dear Lord, do I smell? Help me to smell to people. Help me to be salt and light and a bottle of Hai Karate! Amen.