A Final Message

Friends,

The final message that Jesus shares with His disciples before His death, burial and resurrection focuses on prayer and overcoming (John 16:23-33).  The Lord mentions prayer many times in His ministry, and He sets the example for prayer in His own life.  He has spoken to them in parables, and has used other metaphors to make necessary points to them concerning matters of spirituality.  Now, He speaks plainly concerning the fact that there will be a new situation because of His resurrection and ascension…and because of the coming Holy Spirit.  He is speaking to them plainly in order to reveal the Father to them (John 14:6ff).  Jesus will return to the Father in heaven, and there minister as our High Priest, making intercession for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25).  Jesus’ ministry in heaven makes possible our ministry of witnessing on the earth, through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the promise that they desperately need to believe.  He knows that the disciples want to ask Him a question.  He does tell them that a day is coming when they will not be able to ask Him questions (following His ascension).  Instead, they will pray to the Father and He will meet their needs, and provide direction through the Holy Spirit.  When we read the book of Acts, we do see that the early church was dependent upon prayer.  They believed the promises of God and asked God for what they needed.

In v.29, the light appears to go on for the disciples, as they make a significant affirmation of faith.  They apparently had been unable to grasp the meaning of the promised resurrection…which is entirely understandable.   Now, they not only affirm their understanding, but affirm their faith and assurance.  Jesus seems to accept it, as well…even as He understands their weaknesses.  He reports concerning the spiritual condition of the disciples to His Father in the High Priestly prayer in the next chapter (17:6-8).  Jesus goes on to explain that it is possible to have faith, understanding and assurance, and still fail the Lord.  Jesus has already warned Peter concerning His forthcoming denials, but now He warns that nearly all of them are going to forsake Him.

16:33 is the summary and powerful climax of the Upper Room message.  Why does he share it?  It is in order that they…and disciples of all generations…might understand that they can have peace in a world of tribulation.  This is a great message of hope.  In Christ, there is peace…in the world, there is trouble.  The position we need to claim is – we are in Christ…and therefore, we can overcome the world and all of its hatred.  Every believer is either overcome or is an overcomer.  As Paul tells the Romans, the world wants us to conform, but Jesus wants us to be transformed, changed to new spiritual beings (Romans 12:1-2).  Finally, He announces, “Be of Good Cheer.”  Jesus has victory over the world – that is Good News (not bad news), in fact, it is the best news of all-time.  There is joy in our lives when God answers prayer…and when we permit God to transform us and to transform our sorrows into joy.

Tim Raines wasn’t prepared for the deafening cheers from the usually quiet crowd when he stepped to the plate in his first game back with the old Montreal Expos.  For Raines, it was like being in the World Series and batting with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the winning run on base.  ``It was that type of ovation,’’ said Raines, who spent his first 12 seasons with the Expos before returning at age 41.  Raines had been in the World Series, winning it twice with the New York Yankees. But his comeback from lupus might have been an even more impressive feat for one of the best leadoff hitters in baseball history. Raines’ career appeared to have ended on July 19, 1999, when the Oakland Athletics placed him on the disabled list with kidney inflammation. He was subsequently diagnosed with lupus. ``Lupus took me away from the game, and I wasn’t ready to give it up,’’ Raines said. ``That drove me back.’’ Nobody, other than Raines, understood the odds against him better than his wife.  ``He didn’t have any muscle and he was up to about 225 pounds from the lupus,’’ Virginia Raines said. ``With all the medication he was taking, his body was so weak that he couldn’t do much.’’  Gradually, Raines was able to reduce his medication to the point where he was just taking three pills a day, along with vitamin supplements. And so there was a thunderous reception in Montreal that week. It might have been the most gratifying moment for the man known as “The Rock” and “Purple”.  ``I had tears in my eyes,’’ said his wife, Virginia. ``I knew I was going to get goose-bumps, I had those, but then I started crying. It was unbelievable. It was fantastic.’’ The cheers continued throughout Raines’ first at-bat. This was just one human being playing baseball, coming back as if from the dead. 

As tremendous as Tim Raines’ comeback story is, there are many others that are just as wonderful.   Of course, the greatest comeback…the greatest overcomer of all time…is Jesus.  We can always be of good cheer, because we are connected to the greatest story in history…told about God who became a man in order to bring salvation to His people.  As Phil Robertson says, ”I haven’t heard of a story to beat that one yet.”

Blessings, Don

Jesus to the World

Friends,

Mark Buchanan writes the following in, “Your God Is Too Safe” -- The Lord is deeply and passionately committed to our joy. Where did we get the idea that religion is a stiff, dull, flat business, all pursed lips, furrowed brows and gloomy outlooks? Where did we get that portrait of the religious type as sour, harsh, brooding, scolding? However did we forget to dance and laugh and play and live? We can actually see religion, of course, as gloominess in the Pharisees and religious rulers of Jesus’ day. The people came into town alongside Jesus, singing and skipping and clapping their hands. “Shut these people up,” the chief priest ordered. Jesus said, “If they remain silent, the rocks themselves will sing.” The Pharisees accused Jesus of hanging out with the wrong people, going to all the wrong places. “He eats with sinners,” they said, aghast. They called him “a drunkard and a glutton.” He kept comparing himself to the groom at a wedding feast, said that now was the time to party. The religious leaders of the day hated it (as some do today). They found Jesus irreverent, frivolous and irresponsible…a threat to public order and decency. Stop that dancing! Stop that laughing! Stop that singing! Stop that eating! Stop the playing! Stop having fun! Stop it! Stop It! Buchanan concludes – who is it that we imitate?

In Luke 15:1-7, Jesus tells a parable concerning a lost sheep, but the parable really is secondary to the drama that is revealed through the parable. In the parable, He is teaching concerning the Kingdom of God, in general, and "believers" in particular...at least what "believers" are supposed to look like. For the record, He is “receiving sinners and eating with them.” He met people where they were at and invited them to come to know God. He didn’t “go out of His way” to do these things – it was His way. It is not insignificant to note that Jesus attracts sinners to Him, while the Pharisees repel them. Lost sinners come to Jesus, not because He caters to them or compromises His message…but, because He cares for them. They know that He will love them in a genuine and unbiased way. Among some of these people, the tax-collectors, are not highly regarded...for they not only help the hated Romans in their dealings with conquered lands, they also enrich themselves at the expense of their own people. The sinners are “the immoral people” or those who work in occupations that the religious regard as "incompatible with the Law." Jesus understands their needs and tries to help them, while the Pharisees criticize them and keep their distance. The Pharisees have knowledge of the Law and a desire for personal purity, yet have no love for lost souls.

The big picture here is that Jesus is sharing the parables in order to answer the accusations of the Pharisees and Scribes who are "being caused to stumble" because of His behavior. It is bad enough that Jesus welcomes these outcasts and teaches them, but He goes so far as “to eat with them”…which to the religious leaders implies recognizing them as legitimate people; it also signifies fellowship. The Pharisees do not understand that Jesus has come “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Even more so, they are still blind to the fact that they themselves are among the lost. This is an important point of fact. One thing is clear…there is one message of salvation – God welcomes and forgives repentant sinners. Whatever is the case with these Pharisees, etc….these sinners have heard Jesus’ uncompromising demand for whole-heartedness -- He has shown them what it means to follow Him (Luke 14). They have been challenged to come to hear and understand the meaning of discipleship!

Understanding all of this, we now come to the actual story of the lost sheep. It is a story that touches all people, because it is about “joy”. Everyone can rejoice, because a sheep that once was lost now is found. Why was the sheep lost? Because it is a sheep. Sheep have a tendency to wander away and this is why they need a shepherd to provide guidance for them (Isaiah 53). The Pharisees have no difficulty seeing publicans and sinners as “lost sheep.” But, they can not apply the message to themselves…because they think they are “good, godly people.” In reality, they are arrogant and self-centered; they are more concerned about keeping traditions than caring for people. The true shepherd is responsible for each sheep. If a sheep is missing, the shepherd has to pay for it, unless he can prove that it has been killed by a predator. This is the important reason why he leaves the flock and goes to search for the missing animal. He begins his search, and makes more than a token search – he looks for the sheep until he finds it. The ninety-nine left behind are safe…they are not in danger, but the stray most certainly is in trouble, because it is alone where the predators can attack it. The fact that the shepherd goes after one sheep proves that each animal is dear to him. Jesus rejoices over the returning sinner more than the over those safely in the fold. There is joy when the lost sinner comes to the Savior. There is joy for the person who has done the finding, and there is certainly joy in the heart of the person who has been found. In addition to all of this – there is great rejoicing in heaven.

Passages such as this tend to make people uncomfortable. The fact that many “sinners” today are repelled by churches instead of feeling welcomed says far more about the churches than it does the sinners. Some churches have a “country club” mentality…they will welcome people who look like them, talk like them, and have a similar economic status. Many Christians have forgotten that they are lowly sinners saved by grace. And so, this is why so many of our churches are declining, because they are better at being "exclusive" with one another and others, than they are at being "inclusive." In short, whether they really believe they are or not... by their attitudes and practices...they give people the "stiff arm" rather than "open arms." We can see over and over again that Jesus is constantly battling religious people (scribes and Pharisees) who are just like this themselves in their practices, while Jesus Himself is continually in the presence of and loving people who were very different from Himself. He, likewise, wants his people to be ministering to all people…those who are like us and those who are different from us. This is Jesus’ way. I think we have a lot to learn.

The great news, as we see, is that when a person who is “lost” comes to Jesus, there is great rejoicing for everyone! Likewise, whenever we help one who has wandered away from the Lord to find His way back home to Christ, there is, once again, great joy. You may be lost – God is searching for you. He wants to find you. Seek Him and He will find you…and you will find salvation in the Good Shepherd. For us, let us make the most of opportunities with those the Lord brings our way, and let us continue to make it our way to be Jesus to them…to be Jesus to the world. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDkokw07mOQ&feature=related

Blessings, Don

Spiritual Growth Is Not an Option, But a Necessity

Friends,

Jesus explains concerning the kingdom of God by teaching a parable concerning a sower and seed (Matthew 13:1ff). There are some important matters to consider before we actually come to the parable itself. One is that the reason Jesus spoke in parables; it was because of the spiritual malaise of people. I believe the mid-section of the passage has to do with the primary context of His audience…that being the Jews. This seems to be the case, especially in light of His Isaiah quote (vv.14-15). Those who were going to seek Him and understand Him were going to find Him...but, those who did not long to understand Him, "feed on His words," were not going to understand Him. A second thing to understand is that Jesus seems to indicate that only in one in four cases is the seed going to truly grow and ultimately bear fruit. He knew that many of the people following Him were not going to be true disciples, but were fair-weather followers. I do not believe that Jesus is not describing a place, people or a time where there is going to be a “great harvest” where 75-100% of the people listening, respond. In fact, most are going to reject the Word of God, as described in “wide and narrow gates” (Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:13-14).

When it comes down to the message itself, many of Jesus’ parables start with the expression, “the kingdom of God is like…” This is not the case here. He is describing the beginning of the kingdom. It begins with the sharing of the message of God…this is the seed. The seed is planted in the hearts of people…and the various soils represent different kinds of hearts. The various responses represent the different responses that people have to the Word of God. What is interesting is that Jesus provides an explanation for this parable, so there could be no mistaking the meaning. He wanted his disciples to understand what happens when people are exposed to the message of God in the Word. But why does Jesus compare God’s Word to a seed? Like a seed, the Word of God is inert until it is planted. Just as a seed has to planted in the ground in order to come alive…so, the Word of God must be planted in the hearts of men and women in order to germinate and grow. This doesn’t mean that the Word of God isn’t powerful on its own…but its true purpose is that it was given in order to change lives of those who would come into contact with it. It is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12)…the Holy Spirit brings God’s message to life in us. If the Word does germinate and start growing, it must also be cultivated with prayer, worship, fellowship wrapped in love and other virtues, practices. The ultimate outcome is to be -- fruit. This is the proof of growth in the above areas…disciplining our lives for the Lord. As Jesus says, some are flatly going to reject this message; they are represented by the hard pan. Nothing of a true spiritual nature is going to penetrate their hearts until their soil gets softened up. Religious people can be represented by this today, just as they did during the time of Christ. Church attendance doesn't necessarily mean everyone is tuned in to Jesus...or even that they know Him at all. The scorching sun in the parable represents persecution or temptation. The sun is that which tests believers to see whether or not their faith will sustain them. Believers with shallow roots, who have not invested in spiritual development, are going to wither away. The thorns represent the cares of the world that poke and bleed the spiritual life out of younger believers. Their priorities keep them from spiritual growth and development. We have great opportunities afforded us by the Lord. It seems like many in our current culture are content with enough growth to “get by,” but not enough to make a significant difference for Jesus…and this is unfortunate. Still, there are others who grow and prosper!

When we consider the story of Elijah from 1 Kings 17, he predicts a drought upon the land that would last for three-and-a-half years. Without rain the crops were not going to grow and soon there would be a famine. The famine represented the dryness of spirit in God’s people at that time. As James says, because of Elijah’s faithfulness, God answered his prayers three-and-a-half years later and the rains came (James 5:17-18). We certainly don’t have to look very hard or go very far to see the effects of drought upon our own land over the past few years (although the recent rains have certainly been welcome). I am not certain if a spiritual parallel can be drawn to the faithfulness of the people of the land in this time or not, but there are certainly some who would surmise such. What I do know is that each and every one of us has ultimate control over whether our spiritual lives our growing and producing fruit or drying up…and it because of our choices. This kingdom parable pretty much tells the story. There is no hiding it…the results will be known for each of us…and they will be good or poor. I hope and pray that your desire is to among those are producing good fruit for the Lord. I close with this thought, “The fatal metaphor of progress, which means leaving things behind us, has utterly obscured the real idea of growth, which means leaving things inside us.” - G.K. Chesterton

Blessings, Don

Concerning the Time of the Judgment

Friends,

Here is the good and challenging message by Ed Fudge from this week's, gracEmail. He rightly desires for postings to do be done in their entirety...so, this is what I want to do for those who may not be subsribed to his messages (although I would encourage folks to subscribe to his messages).

Blessings, Don

P.S. -- I am including questions from a couple of friends with regard to the topic at the bottom, plus my response, fyi and fwiw.

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Left Behind? Yes

While reading from Matthew in the Greek New Testament recently with a friend, we both were struck by something Jesus says--not once but repeatedly--about the final judgment yet to come. He tells a parable about a wheat farmer, in whose fields an enemy secretly sows a weed that closely resembles the growing wheat plant in appearance. To prevent waste due to confusion, the farmer tells his workers to let the two grow together until maturity. Then they will "gather the weeds first" to be burned, and harvest the wheat that is left. So it will be at the end, Jesus explains. The angels will "gather out of his kingdom" those who cause sin and who do evil (Matt. 13:28-30, 40-42). Then, in another parable with a different scene, Jesus repeats the image. Just as a Galilean net fisherman drags in all sorts of fish, then separates bad from good, so the angels will come and "separate the evil from the righteous" (Matt. 13:47- 50).

What caught our attention in reading these parables is that in both stories the angels gather the bad product first, out from the good product. Gather the weeds first, out of the fields of wheat. Separate the evil from the righteous. Gather the wicked out of the kingdom. In each instance mentioned in Matthew 13, the evil ones are taken away and the righteous are left behind. This detail would likely go unnoticed, if a pastor named Tim LaHaye and a writer named Jerry Jenkins had not produced a series of fictional novels which they titled Left Behind, and in which that is definitely the undesirable option. The whole plot driving the series owes more to imagination than to Scripture in my opinion (though some people who surpass me in knowledge and piety alike insist otherwise). But that is not my concern today, which is rather simply to observe how fixed our minds can become by repeated exposure to a particular notion or image until we are incapable of thinking anything else, even if it happens to appear in Scripture itself.

Jesus' purpose in tellling these two parables is the point we really need to grasp--whatever our expectation about the final events in earthly history. Like the seine-net in the parable, the kingdom of God is now a mixed bag that includes "evil men," "false believers," and "feigned confessors," as J. Jeremias aptly puts it (The Parables of Jesus, 226). That is something the Essenes could not tolerate -- so they moved away from it all and established a "pure community" at Qumran near the Dead Sea. Such ambiguity was also unacceptable to the Pharisees. Although they lived among the "sinners," they made it ostentatiously clear that they were separate from the hoi polloi -- the rest of humankind. Their piety was external and always visible if nothing else. Jesus urged his disciples not to be enticed by rumors that the kingdom of God was already dawning out there in the wilderness (Essenes), or that the path to its entrance led through the Pharisees.

If we read Matthew 13 again in its entirety, we will hear three prevailing themes. This is the time for sowing and for growing, not for judging or sorting out the people. (That will keep us busy.) Judgment time is coming, but God will handle that without our help or advice. (That should keep us humble.) Listen to Jesus with our hearts, knowing that parables will convey his message if we do that, and that they will certainly block it if we do not. Amen.

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I think sometimes people today are twisting 'Judge not' to mean something different than God means. Your thoughts, Don? (Lyn Farris) -- I would agree with your assessment, Lyn. I read this article by Ed and thought it was interesting given that I just read 1 Corinthians 5 last night in my quiet time. It seems like we humans are often quick to judge, slow to exercise discretion. I love "the Woodcutter's Wisdom," as it reminds me to be wise in this area. For those who would live more according to "law" than "grace" as seen in the new covenant, it seems there is a greater sense or need to judge, rather than show grace, mercy. (Somethings never change...as Jesus, Paul dealt with the same concerns, people). We need to focus on having the heart of Jesus in relationship to people...which I believe is critical if we are going to live like Him, for Him and be pleasing to God. There is a certainly a need for Christians to make discerning judgments or "decisions" in relationship to a number of aspects of the Christian walk, such as selecting elders, deacons, etc. I see this as far different from what Jesus warns us about in relationship to making critical or condemning judgments in Matthew 7. The church at Corinth was challenged to make a collective judgment concerning a sinful situation in the church, and this is also quite different from individual, condemning judgment.

It sounds like he is using parables so that people won't understand. What do you think, Don? I think this passage may trouble a lot a people when we read Jesus' reply to his disciples in vss. 11-16. (Eric Robinson) -- It is challenging. It is easy simply to apply the parable to people in general, as that is what we tend to do, but I think this clouds the context a bit. I believe the passage has to do with the context of His primary audience, that being the Jews...and this seems to be the case, especially in light of His Isaiah quote (vv.14-15). Those who were going to seek Him and understand Him were going to find Him...but, those who did not long to understand Him, "feed on His words," were not going to understand Him. Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and others would understand (not to mention certain Samaritans, Gentiles)...and many others such as Annas, Caiaphas, and other prominent Jews were going to be hardened by His messages and not come to know Him, but instead condemn Him.