The Movements of a Mob

Friends,

“No fault” is a kind of automobile insurance that provides that each driver must collect the allowable amount of money from his or her own insurance carrier subsequent to an accident regardless of who is at fault.  No-fault insurance is required by statute in a number of states.  The term “no fault” is also used colloquially in reference to a type of divorce in which a marriage can be dissolved on the basis of irretrievable breakdown or irreconcilable differences.  This can happen without a requirement that either party prove that the spouse was guilty of any misconduct causing the end of the marriage.  How convenient that we live in a society that can claim that we can get out of difficult circumstances without having to recognize whether any individual has any “fault” in a case?  There is a sad irony involved in this phrase…because we live in a society where many people do not have any accountability for their negative or destructive actions.  But…what our culture may deem as “a good possibility,” does not translate into the spiritual realm.  When we consider our lives as human beings, we all have “fault” as it relates to sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)  We cannot escape this designation by saying, “Hey, I went down to my insurance company as was able to get a no fault disclaimer for my personal behavior…what a great deal, huh?”  Fortunately, for you and for me, Jesus paid the price for our faults, as well as for all of our trespasses and sins.  He alone…the one who truly had no fault in Him…is able to cleanse us and make us as people who have “no fault.”   So, there is a spiritual solution for our wrongs…and it is found in Jesus.  We are going to continue to consider Jesus’ trial before Pilate.

As we saw in our previous message, Pilate could find no fault with Jesus, so he sent Jesus to Herod, who in turn could find no wrong, so he sends Jesus back to Pilate.  The fact that Herod finds nothing worthy of death in Jesus encourages Pilate to confront the Jewish leaders and seek to release the prisoner.  He summons the chief priests and the rulers and tells them that he finds no guilt in Jesus, and that Herod, likewise has found no guilt in Jesus.  The next step would be to punish Jesus and then release Him.  The Jews have already made it clear that they want Jesus to die (John 18:31)…and yet, Pilate is still feebly trying to do what would be the noble thing.  Hoping to strengthen this suggestion, Pilate offers to bargain with the Jewish leaders. At the Passover, it was custom for the governor to release a prisoner and please the Jews…so, why not release Jesus?  Or, he could release Barabbas…but, why would the Jews want Barabbas free?  He is a robber (John 18:40), a notorious prisoner (Matthew 27:16), an insurrectionist and a murderer (Luke 23:19).  Who in their right mind would want that kind of prisoner turned loose?  Incredible as it seems, the crowd…in a case of mob mentality…asks for Barabbas’ release. The people are persuaded by the chief priests and elders whose religious convictions have no interest in justice or mercy.  An ironic note to the story is that…the name Barabbas means “son of the father”, and he is released as the genuine Son of the Father takes his place!

Pilate tries to placate the mob by having Him beaten, but they cry out “Crucify Him!” Jesus is innocent, but He is treated as if He is guilty.  Pilate calls Him the “King of the Jews” (John 18:39), so the soldiers decide that the king should have a robe and a crown. In another irony, sin is what brought thorns and thistles into the world, and the Lord is now going to wear a crown made up of these items.  And the verbs in 19:3 indicate that the soldiers repeatedly come to Him, mock Him and beat Him with their hands.  Pilate comes out a third time and brings Jesus with him, thinking that a beaten, scourged Jesus might elicit some sympathy with the crown…but to no avail.  The religious leaders are not at a loss for a reply, as they say – “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because He made Himself (to be) the Son of God” (19:7)  Pilate is impressed with the words and demeanor of Jesus…he has never met a prisoner like Him before. He certainly has a lot of questions running through his mind concerning who this guy really is(?)…and it frightens him.  In addition, Pilate’s wife sends him a curious, strange message saying that he should have nothing to do with Jesus. (Matthew 27:19)  Jesus’ silence before Pilate and Herod is a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:7.  Pilate’s words reflect fear giving way to worry and anger. When he says that he has authority over Jesus, it is, once again, ironic.  Pilate really is not bargaining from a position of strength, but weakness. If he has the authority to release Jesus, why does he not do it?  We have to remember that Pilate is not interested in spiritual truth, but his priority is to maintain peace in Jerusalem. 

Jesus does finally speak in 19:11…and His words reveal His faith in His Father and His surrender to His will.  All genuine authority comes from God, and Jesus reminds Pilate that the only reason he has so-called authority is because it is delegated to him by God.  So, in one final, mighty effort, Pilate tries to get Jesus released…but, the Jewish leaders pull their trump card by saying, “If you do this, you are no friend of Caesar’s.”  This accusation is too much for the governor, so he gives his official verdict and hands Jesus over to be crucified. Matthew tells us that Pilate washes his hands before the crowd. Yet, this action cannot cleanse his heart.  The final words of the crowd add further insult, “We have no king but Caesar.”

Douglas Twitchell shares this -- Life is like a roller coaster. You and I have heard this statement before, but I don’t believe it is accurate. When people say "Life is like a roller coaster", what they mean is, it has its "ups and downs". But really, this is not a good analogy, because when you're riding a roller coaster, it is all thrills and excitement...and the "ups" are actually less thrilling than the "downs".  No, life is not like a roller coaster. It is more like waiting in line for a roller coaster. While we are here on earth, for the few years that we have, we are simply waiting in line for the real excitement, which is our eternal life with God…and unlike a roller coaster, it is a thrill that will never end.  According to Jesus, most people believe this mortal existence is all that we have. But when we lose sight of what is waiting for us at the end of our mortal existence, we lose sight of purpose, and life becomes pointless.  Who would stand in line for three hours for a non-existent roller coaster? Without an eternal view, we have to convince ourselves that we are having fun right now, and life has to be about squeezing every bit of enjoyment out of the now. An eternal perspective of life is especially important when we face trials and difficulties. The individual who has no eternal perspective is bowed down and even broken by circumstances. But the person who understands the perishable nature of this life and the imperishable nature of the life to come, can find strength to suffer through difficult times, knowing that their trials and troubles will come to an end.

Dr. Stephen Felker from a sermon entitled, “Jesus before Pilate and the Mob,” says Pilate asks one of the great questions of life, “What shall I do then with Jesus who is called the Christ?” (Matt. 27:22). Asked 2,000 years ago by this man Pontius Pilate, it is the great, ultimate question of life. It is the question that every one of you will answer sooner or later.  It is the question of destiny. Answer this question correctly, and everything else will ultimately be right. Answer this question wrong, and ultimately everything else will be wrong.  Now, there are really only two things you can do with Jesus. You can accept Him or reject Him. You can confess Him or deny Him. There is no middle ground with this.  Jesus said in Luke 11:23, “He who is not with Me is against Me....”  What have you done with Jesus?

Blessings, Don

Levelling the Working Field

Friends,

The subject of slavery is nearly as old as the story of the Bible itself.  It is during the time of Joseph that God’s people go to Egypt, ultimately to be enslaved by the pharaoh there.  It is not until the Lord raises up Moses that the people are set free in the Exodus, but not without some hardships. The Lord wanted his people to turn to him and to trust him at that time, but they found themselves following after the flesh and their sinful desires. An interesting quote from Pope Benedict XVI states this –“The primary objective, indeed the only end of the liberation from slavery, is worship. And this can only take place according to God’s measure and therefore eludes the rules of the game of political compromise as suggested by Pharaoh. Israel departs, not in order to be a people like all the others; it departs in order to serve God as God wants to be served.” This may be something that the Paul has in mind as he shares concerning slaves and masters in this section of the Ephesian letter.  It is also similar to something he would share with Onesimus and Philemon in his letter to them. This is not a matter that our current culture can relate to directly, but certainly was a critical issue 150 years ago. There were six million slaves in the Roman Empire at the time in which the Ephesian letter was written. Slavery was an accepted institution. And what is interesting is that there is nothing specific condemning slavery in the Bible, but the overall thrust of the NT is against it. Paul’s ministry during his time contributed to the encouragement of freedom and the curtailing of slavery.

How do we take Ephesians 5:6-9 and apply it to us today?  Paul could very well mean “servant” as well as “slave" in section, and can be translated either way depending upon context. The principles that he outlines could just as well apply to Christians in the workplace today. In the context of the passage, some of the tasks assigned to the slaves they detest, but they are to perform them, just as long as they are not disobeying the will of God. The right attitude of heart is essential, especially since an educated, cultured Christian slave might receive even harsher treatment from his master because of his faith. He still does his best, because he serves Christ and not men. Believers shall receive their ultimate reward from Christ and not men. (Colossians 3:13) On the other hand, Christian masters seek the workers welfare and do not threaten them. Jesus brings harmony to the slave/master relationship as he does to the employer/employee relationship, which we will discuss. Not only does the servant work for the master, but the master also works for the servant.

Paul indicates that there is a principle at work in this section that should apply to people today – Christians are to be obedient, as he shares with Onesimus (once he becomes a believer). While it may be true that most people do have masters according to this world, in the sense of being employees…for believers, their true Master is in heaven. The fact that an employer or an employee is a Christian is no excuse for either not to be diligent in their tasks -- there is to be a sense of responsibility. A Christian employee should show proper respect for his/her employer and not seek to take advantage in any way. Employees focus attention and energy on the job at hand and do what they are called to do.  It may not all get done in one day, but there is diligence to do the work.  This is also a good way to witness for Christ. Paul indicates that Christian workers will be rewarded for doing God’s will. A Christian can perform any good work as a ministry to Christ to the glory of God. If an employer expects the workers to do their best for him, he must do his best for them.

The master must serve the Lord from his heart if he wants his servants to do the same. A good leader must not exploit or lord it over workers.  Authoritarian leadership is not Biblical leadership, although many church leaders exercise authoritarian methods. They threaten when things are not done when things are handled as they see fit. Nor should a Christian employer play favorites with those under his authority. Paul shares this message with Timothy (1 Timothy 5:21). Partiality is a fast way to divide followers and lose their confidence. It is an unfortunate matter when an employee says, “My boss is supposed to be a Christian, but one would never know it.”  Paul suggests here, and in Philemon, once again, that Christian masters have (or find) a better way to encourage obedience than threats or manipulation. A good leader still leads by serving.  The Christian example is the shepherd, and this is how we all should function to the best of our ability. Whether we are employees or employers, we must not forget that we are servants first…that we are Christians first.

We are slaves, servants of Christ.  We need to do whatever is required in order to live submissively for Him wherever we are and in whatever we are doing. We need to be fair and consistent in our treatment of others and not exploit them in any way.  It is truly important that we invest our time and energy in being builders and not wreckers. It is important that we have the right hearts as we approach our lives and ministry. We need to have an attitude of submissiveness to Christ whether we are employers or employees. And these principles are not regarding what we do at the workplace, but also in how we approach our work, ministries for the Lord. We may not be being paid for our service to the church, for example, but we have a responsibility to be just as committed to what we do for the Lord and the church (and perhaps even more so, as it bears eternal rewards) as what we would do for our employers. As in all of these things, we need to remember that we are working for the Lord and not for men.  We have an accountability to give to Him.  So, we need to take seriously our responsibilities, whether we are working for our employers or for our greatest employer, the Lord.

Blessings, Don

Faith to Overcome Our Fears

Friends,

Jewish psychiatrist Viktor Frankl was arrested by the Nazis in World War II and put in Auschwitz, the infamous death camp, he was stripped of everything: property, family, possessions, and a manuscript he had spent years researching and writing on finding meaning in life. The manuscript had been sewn into the lining of his coat. "Now it seemed as if nothing and no one would survive me; neither a physical nor a spiritual child of my own," Frankl wrote. "I found myself confronted with the question of whether under such circumstances my life was ultimately void of any meaning." A few days later, the Nazis forced the prisoners to give up what little clothing they still wore. "I had to surrender my clothes and in turn inherited the worn-out rags of an inmate who had been sent to the gas chamber," said Frankl. "Instead of the many pages of my manuscript, I found in the pocket of the newly acquired coat a single page torn out of a Hebrew prayer book, which contained the Jewish prayer 'Shema Yisrael' (Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one God. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.) "How should I have interpreted such a 'coincidence' other than as a challenge to 'live' my thoughts instead of merely putting them on paper?" Frankl later reflected on his ordeal in Man's Search for Meaning, saying, "There is nothing in the world that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions, as the knowledge that there is meaning in one's life.... He who has a 'why' to live for can bear almost any 'how.' " [Based on Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning]

Frankl was faced with the most difficult of circumstances. We humans come to face to face with such situations from time to time. We come back to the next chapter in Elijah’s life and ministry (1 Kings 18:1ff)and we see that he is finally going to confront King Ahab concerning all of the evil he has done. God commands that this event take place, and along with this, the Lord will end the drought that has punished the land and the people for over three years. Now, a person named Obadiah arrives on the scene. He is a high royal official and steward of the king of Israel. But, he is also a courageous servant of the Lord. One would have to be exceedingly faithful…or crazy…in order to serve in such a place with such a wicked man. But, much like with Esther, the Lord has put Obadiah in the palace to use His God-given authority to do God’s will. And he has already proved his loyalty to the Lord by risking his life to save a hundred prophets of the Lord when Queen Jezebel was on the extermination trail.

The king and Obadiah are searching the countryside for any grass or such that could be used to feed the horses and mules used in the army. It is interesting to contrast Ahab’s self-righteousness with David, who repented when there was famine in the land for three years (2 Samuel 21:1). Ahab isn’t particularly concerned about the people of the land…he just wants to be certain that his army is strong enough to repel any invaders. It is amazing that the king is willing to leave the safety and comfort of his palace to scour the land for food for the animals. Furthermore, as a side note, it seems as if Ahab is actually something of a better person when not in the direct presence of his supremely evil wife and queen, Jezebel.

Meanwhile, the Lord leads Elijah down the road that Obadiah is traveling. Obadiah recognizes Elijah, and has such reverence for him that he falls on his face prostrate toward him. Elijah discloses his goal immediately to Obadiah, and it is to find the wicked king, but he isn’t about to go looking for him, so he commissions Obadiah to go and tell the king where he is located. Obadiah is between a rock and a hard place. He has every desire to obey the Lord through Elijah, but he believes going back to the king will be problematic to say the least. If Ahab has proven anything, it is that he is unpredictable and unstable. Ahab has been searching for Elijah for three years, so he is not going to want another false lead. Obadiah fears that he will be punished or killed by the king if something goes wrong…and this includes the fact that the paranoid king might suspect him of being a follower of Elijah’s God. Much like Jonathan who had to navigate the choppy waters between his father, King Saul and his best friend, David, so Obadiah is going to have to face his fear, trust in Elijah. And even more so, trust in the God who has protected him as well as his servant Elijah for three years. Elijah’s assurance that he will remain there and wait for the king has to give him some peace. So, Obadiah goes and delivers the message. We really do not know the “rest of the story”, but I believe it is safe to assume that Obadiah survives his meeting, as most Jewish historians believe that it is this Obadiah who is the author of the Old Testament Book of Obadiah. We can rest assured that if we are faithful like Elijah and Obadiah, there will be times when the Lord will ask to go to difficult places and deal with challenging situations in order to better ourselves and the kingdom of God.

Theologian and popular speaker, Francis Chan, offers this -- The truth is that the Spirit of the living God is guaranteed to ask you to go somewhere or do something you wouldn’t normally want or choose to do. The Spirit will lead you to the way of the cross, as He led Jesus to the cross, and that is definitely not a safe or pretty or comfortable place to be. The Holy Spirit of God will mold you into the person you were made to be. This often incredibly painful process strips you of selfishness, pride, and fear. For a powerful example of this, read in C. S. Lewis’s book The Voyage of the Dawn Treader about the boy, Eustace, who becomes a dragon. In order to become a little boy again, he must undergo a tremendous amount of pain as the dragon skin is peeled away and torn from him. Only after he endures this painful process is he truly transformed from a dragon back into a boy. Sometimes the sin we take on becomes such a part of us that it requires this same kind of ripping and tearing to free us. The Holy Spirit does not seek to hurt us, but He does seek to make us Christlike, and this can be painful. (Francis Chan. Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit (pp. 50-51). Kindle Edition.)

Elijah has been down a challenging road for three plus years, and now, his mission is about to change in a dramatic way, which we will explore next time. In relationship to his plight, and Obadiah’s, we may not always understand why we find ourselves in certain circumstances, but we must know that the Lord has a plan to see us through…and this is in order that we learn and grow to be more like His son. We can choose to respond to challenges with fear, and this happens to us from time to time. But, when we trust in faith, we are able to experience the full benefit of blessing from the Lord. But, one final thought to consider…Bill Hybels shares this – “Every single day we make choices that show whether we are courageous or cowardly. We choose between the right thing and the convenient thing, sticking to a conviction or caving in for the sake of comfort, greed or approval. We choose either to take a carefully thought-out risk or to crawl into a shrinking shell of safety, security and inactivity. We choose either to believe in God and trust him (even when we do not always understand his ways) or we second-guess him and cower in the corners of doubt and fear.” Bill Hybels, Who Are You (When No One’s Looking)

Blessings, Don

Living Outside the Box, Pt. 2

Friends,

I posted something on Facebook the other day that the Lord put on my heart. We live in a culture where many things come easy. As it relates to closeness with God, this is not necessarily the case...it requires desire, humility and diligence. He wants us to be close to Him...and we certainly need it. (James 4:8a) I believe many people assume, and even expect, that faith should come easy, but that is just not the case. And when they find themselves struggling to believe, they do not understand it. As the old saying goes, when there is distance between you and God, He hasn’t gone anywhere. It is you and I who create the gap through our lack of faith, or even worse, living worldly. So, as we come back to consider what is taking place in the life of a fascinating individual…who by all rights and understandings, should not have faith in God…we are inspired to live more faithfully for the Lord

The Roman centurion is a person of great faith who is not afraid to cross racial and social barriers (Luke 7:1-10). He displays a deep love and affection for a servant who is ill to the point of death, and He seeks out a Jewish religious leader for answers. He also desires to immerse himself in the work of God, even making a significant contribution to the building of a Jewish synagogue. Here is a gentile soldier that is concerned about Jewish worship, which is remarkable. As we continue to examine the characteristics that reveal this centurion to be a person of amazing faith, we see that this man approaches Christ with great humility (vv. 6-7a). These verses reveal two essential components of the Christian faith – an understanding of whom Christ is (Savior) and an understanding of who we are (helpless sinners).

In verse six we find this, “Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. (7) Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to you.” Before Jesus could reach his house, the Centurion sends a second representative to Jesus, telling him that it is not necessary for Him to come to his house. Because he was familiar with Jewish religious customs, the centurion did not wish to put Jesus in a position of having to enter the house of a Gentile. This Roman soldier, a man of considerable influence and power, is uniquely humble, regarding himself as undeserving of having Jesus come under his roof. He even felt unworthy of meeting Jesus in the street. This soldier, unlike the Pharisees, does not ask Jesus for a sign that he is who he says he is. This man doesn’t even ask to meet him.

Finally, we see this Roman trust, as the song says, “in Christ alone.” (vv. 7a-8) “… But say the word, and my servant will be healed. (8) For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” The centurion apparently realizes that Jesus has the power of life and death…that He could heal with a word, and therefore, must be God. And if Christ is divine, then he…a Gentile sinner…is unworthy even to meet him. Respectfully, he kneels before his divine authority. All Jesus has to do is say the word, and the centurion believes that it is as good as done. There is no evidence that this man has ever personally heard Jesus preach and yet he believes! He makes his request based on what he has heard concerning Jesus. And Jesus promises a special blessing on people like this centurion. When Jesus appears to Thomas and removes all of his doubts, proving that he has risen from the dead, he says to Thomas, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29). This blessing extends to the centurion and to every believer today. In the word “also” in verse eight, the centurion sees a parallel between the way he commands his soldiers and the way Jesus commands diseases. If this man, with very little spiritual instruction, has this kind of faith in God’s Word, how much greater should our faith be?
In verse nine we see Jesus’ reaction, “He marvels at him, and turns around and says to the crowd that follows Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, even in Israel!” This man’s remarks amaze Jesus…that they have come from a Gentile. He marvels at a Roman centurion, whose background and circumstances ought to have made it difficult for him to have faith. Here is a man whose occupation is one where he has to be “the tough guy”…a man who should be steeped in the paganism of the day…a man hated by the Jews because he is a Roman. Yet in spite of all the circumstances that go against him, he is a striking example of faith. And almost as an afterthought, Luke adds verse 10…and oh by the way, “When those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.” Faith that is genuine is fulfilled in and by Christ Jesus.

Pat Summerall has to be my favorite broadcaster of all time. He passed away this past spring at the age of 82. Pat spent 50 years with the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1952 and played with the Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants until 1961. After his retirement from the game, he joined CBS as a broadcaster and in 1993 switched to Fox. During his CBS years he and a fellow broadcaster partied hard off the field. "We raised Cain” he says, “I was the first guy at the bar and the last to leave." His love of alcohol was well-documented. Summerall was told that if he kept on drinking he was going to die. After checking himself into the Betty Ford Clinic, his counselor urged him to seek a better life through faith. At age 66, Pat Summerall was baptized. In USA Today he told a reporter that when the minister "leaned me back in the water, I never felt so helpless." Summerall testified, "I knew I just became a Christian. I can’t tell you how great life has been since then." Summerall spent much of the past sixteen years of his life living outside of what had been his box. He spent his time telling people about his story, and how he left the world behind to become a Christian -- what a testimony!

Pat Summerall recognized that his life was not going to make sense and he was going to be enslaved to addiction unless he received some help. When we come back to the story of the centurion, he realizes that he needs help. What startles and impresses Jesus are the positive characteristics that are displayed in the life of the centurion. These characteristics can be displayed in the life of anyone who is willing to trust in Him. We do not have to settle for a mediocre faith. We do not have to hang out on the fringes of Christian society and the body of Christ. We can and should be “all in.” Jesus really does not expect anything less than this for us. He must be Lord of our lives, and not just some part time Christ. We need to prioritize and continue to prioritize our lives in a way that we are living as citizens of heaven on earth, first! This is our continual challenge.

Blessings, Don