The Resented Testimony – John 7:7 – (December 22, 2011)

Scripture:

John 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 

Observation:

The biological brothers of Jesus – that is, half brothers born to his mother Mary in the normal way – were pressuring him to go to the Passover Festival in Jerusalem.  Their language portrayed a condescending, manipulative spirit that would use peer pressure to subjugate their older brother.  The scripture says they did not believe – yet – that He was God’s Son.  In that state of faith they likely thought their brother was a deluded, self-seeking celebrity and they were playing along, being his pseudo-publicists, say.  But Jesus refused to go to Jerusalem under those auspices, saying that any time for them to go to the Festival was fine but for Him it was not time.  And then He said the words above.  The world – the system of mankind’s conception defining social structure and customs of commerce and human interaction – could not hate these brothers of his, because they were conforming to its skepticism, pressurized manipulation and base sin.  Jesus stood against this – and against them in this – for He spoke out against institutional and individual sin.  No doubt his brothers were tired of hearing that.  But this is another reason why Jesus could not go that day to the Festival.  His enemies were waiting for Him; such a move would be predictable and He would be arrested before his time.  The Architect of His life had plans that no man could control or foresee, but Jesus knew the plans on an hourly basis.   His movements were tightly choreographed by a destiny that overshadowed all lives ever lived on this planet.  His testimony was and is correct – the works of this world are evil, even the “good” ones motivated by self-aggrandizement and the “milk of human kindness” (credits to Chuck Swindoll).  And the world hated and still hates Jesus for saying so.  He would go to the Festival and continue this testimony, but in the most opportune and effective way.

Application:

Am I manipulated?  Who and what would drive my life according to its purposes and schedules?  I have a job and its demands are upon me – unless I freely resign and do something else.  God would have me obey in diligence but always in harmony with His purposes and timing.  Is there someone pushing me towards something I know to be out of order or out of God’s will?  I must hold that this is obvious, although nuances do exist.  If that is happening, I must sidestep like Jesus, even if I alienate him, her or those pressuring me.  Any time is okay for them, but not for the child of God.  And God’s timing is never the rushed, deadline-driven crush the world puts on people.  That may well be a part of my work life; it is not so with Kingdom business.  But likewise when God says “go” or “do” I MUST go and do.  He directs; He will grant the impact and increase.

And what is my testimony of this world?  Do I find it cool? Good, it is cool.  It’s not evil to think of and admire the praiseworthy.  But do I commend good works for good works’ sake?  It may be that I cannot find fault with some of them, but the fault remains if they do not serve the Living God with utter selflessness.  It’s not that I seek to be hated, it’s that being true to Christ will cause the proponents and sustainers of the world system to dislike my message and then me personally for sticking to a life that insists on honoring God.  Jesus is my Lord and if I am His, my testimony will be His as well.  The word “sin” is commonly thought only to be used in pointing out that in others, but it starts with my own life.  My testimony, my confession, starts with my humility and transparency.  There is no other person whose attitudes and actions I can affect like my own.  And the change that repentance does in me serves as a model.  Popularity affects nothing of God’s judgment.  His straight line is not commanded to curve in voting booths or even prayed that way by religionists.  And people will hate that.  Only the truth sets people free; I speak from experience.  So love would go no other way.

Prayer:

Father, grant that I may stay true to the gospel and true to my testimony.  For it’s true that You have broken the chains that held my captive soul; indeed You still break them today.  Let me then testify to Your glory in the face of all hatred and resentment.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Enduring abandonment – John 6:66-69 (December 19, 2011)

Scripture:

John 6:66-69:  From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.  “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.   Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Observation:

Jesus had confronted those who had come to Him only to receive another free meal.  The point of His ministry was not doling out freebies but making disciples.  And lesson one for those disciples was Who He was – God’s one and only Son.  He then taught on the need to receive Him as the bread of life and the covenantal practice of celebrating communion – eating His flesh and drinking His blood.  That was “it” for many of them; they turned away and never followed Him again.  Jesus then turned to those who remained – principally the twelve apostles and asked if this was their signal to abandon Him as well.  There is no indication that they understood His teaching any better than those who left, but in an unquestioning declaration of loyalty, Simon Peter gave an answer that undoubtedly warmed the heart of the Son of God.  There was no other teacher who had spoken as He had spoken, no other prophet who had done the works He had done.  Peter said that the words of Jesus were “words of eternal life” – showing a faith and understanding that could only have developed by continual exposure to not only what Jesus had done, but what He said.  That they had come “to believe and to know” the divine identity of Jesus was a foundation of such solidity that they could embrace Jesus though not understanding a word of a particular discourse or sermon.  They knew from experience it would all be explained to them at some point, and that, with glory and life impact that would transform them further into God’s children.  The core group was intact; Jesus had those who would never turn away.

Application:

What leader has not had those who turned away?  If it happened to Jesus, it could happen to anyone. And not even leaders but just friends of those in a “pre-faith” state also experience a drop-off when points of communication surpass the level of faith of their friends.  The shutting down of relationship is painful; it’s a divorce of sorts and it seems futile after such an investment of time and interpersonal energy.  But it must happen, for God’s Son makes no half-disciples.  Though all His followers grow in faith – and that sometimes in spurts that defy human chronicling -  the sovereignty of human will is never violated.  In that way those who remain must make confessions like that of Peter, even when God is misunderstood.  This is seen as blind faith by those who have decided not to develop theirs but it is a statement of trust that forges past the mind and into the spirit, for the followers of Christ don’t only believe, they KNOW that He is the Holy One of God.

None of this is to soften the blow of abandonment.  Jesus’ words to the twelve who remained (versus the 120 who left?) carried the sentiment of being totally left alone.  Have I been abandoned like this?  Did it push me to futile despair?  If so, I have the company of the Holy One of God.  Truly there was no sentiment with which He was unacquainted.  Let me carry on even has He did, asking for the commitment of those who remain.  Jesus did not NEED the twelve per se, but Peter’s statement provided much needed community when everyone else was walking away.  Let me treasure my Peter’s and their words of hearty love.

Prayer:

Father, grant me to see my vision with such clarity and cling to it with such tenacity that I can endure those who give up on me.  Show me the way O God that leads to my desired haven.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Complete salvation – Hebrews 7:25 (December 13, 2011)

Scripture:

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Observation:

Lost in the English translation is the fact that the words for “completely” and “always” have the same Greek root.  It has the sense of eternity or forever, and carries both the permanence and in practice, repetition with constant effectiveness.  The passage is speaking of the priestly ministry of Jesus Christ, contrasting it – and Him – to that of the priests that served in the Jerusalem temple.  Since they would serve for the duration of their human lives and then pass away, they could not continually perform their duty – principally the reconciliation of people with their God.  In the case of Christ, this intercession is effected by His own body, given for the people and not the blood of goats and lambs.  But the ongoing availability of the intercession accessible through the prayer of faith; Jesus is obviously not physically on hand to administer priestly rites.  But since He has done that once and for all on the cross, He needn’t be.  So coming “to God through him” is to be a prayer protocol or pathway for the believer.  In the mystery of the trinity God the Father is the one to be approached but God the Son is the one through Whom the approach is granted.  And because the Son lives forever, so the approach is always available and admission into God’s presence always granted by grace.  The depth of such mercy can only be imagined; human minds cannot fully comprehend the level of condescension (the good kind) being practiced by the love of the Father towards all His creation.

Application:

Do I relegate the effectiveness of Christ’s blood and the salvation it brought to the point of time of my change, my rebirth into the faith?  Is there anything that I consider unforgiven, outstanding before God and thus, producing death in me?  I need to get all that out and nailed to the cross and walk free.  It was a once-and-for-all moment of turning and my soul knows that full well, but does my soul know full well its ongoing need and the boundless supply of mercy available for the asking?  I need to have a constant flow of grace in my life to counter the constant flow of dissipation and sin that would attempt to accumulate and take over.  And in taking it in, I need to have in my heart of faith the heavenly picture of my Intercessor, seated at the right hand of the Father.  I have a High Priest, do I believe in that High Priest?  Or is this scene classified as “fancy” like an imaginary friend of a lonely grade schooler?  Christ IS in heaven, He IS hearing my prayer and He IS making intercession for me and all others who would ask.  Being God, He has no limitation in hearing a large multiplicity of voices and requests.  I need to know this without doubt and secure its effectiveness without wavering so I can walk free.  The love of God has invaded my life if I would only listen.  The grace has taken hold of me if I would only submit and take out the garbage.  No excuse of not having the time, not feeling like it or not seeing a physical result will hold water before Him.  The picture has been drawn very clearly; I need only to step into it with Him.

Prayer:

Father, it is for freedom that Christ has died for me.  Let me come before You BOTH afresh and anew.  Jesus, intercede for me this day for I ask it in Your name, amen.

Being fully persuaded – Romans 4:20-22 (November 30, 2011)

Scripture:

Romans 4:20-22 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.  This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.

Observation:

The hundred year old man who was promised offspring obviously had many physical reasons to doubt.  His wife, Sarah, had to conceive and gestate a new life in her 90-something body as well.   To say the least, the odds were stacked against them.  Yet Abraham believed that God had spoken and thus, what was said would come to pass regardless.  All he had was the promise of the angelic visitor who had borne the news to him and his laughing wife.  Doubt would have been normal – thinking this hadn’t been an angel at all but just some hopeful visitor who wanted to make the old couple feel good.   But it says that his faith instead became strong and he “gave glory to God.”  The alternative would be to glorify the natural forces decaying his body.  His faith rested in a steadfast insistence that God could do and would do what had been spoken.  For the promise had not only been for the birth of a son, but for the birth of a nation whose population would outnumber the grains of sand.  This was a life-defining vision then, and it would begin with a single child born to a couple who were very advanced in years.  It is of interest that they tried to help God along by giving Hagar, Sarah’s servant, to Abraham to bear a son, but that son – Ishmael – was not the child of promise.  Yet when it became clear that there was another to be born, Abraham’s faith remained.  The term “credited to him as righteousness” shows an accrual of the merit of faith, registered in heaven in Abraham’s “account.”  Paul’s point is that before there had been a Law to observe, righteousness in believing God was already established as a way into God’s favor.  This divorces mere observance of the Law from righteousness, rebasing its precepts on faith as the primary foundation for a righteous life.

Application:

I’m getting older, and older still.  Do I believe that God’s life vision for me, yet unfulfilled, is in jeopardy?  I can believe that and make moves away from faith in what He has promised and the negative prophecy will be self-fulfilling.  Or I can believe that the signs of aging in this body have nothing to do with what God has said.  I can forge the conception of my Ishmael, but that’s not God’s path of fulfillment but my own counterfeit.  Or I can wait, the hardest of all actions in this caffeinated world, in faith for God to establish what He has promised.  It is that simple, and that complex.  And age is only one trend that works inexorably against the Word of God.  There are tens of ways that I would be declared disqualified from blessing.  But God has spoken – do I believe that?  God has promised – is that in my heart?  Wavering is the path of everyman, testing the waters at every juncture and seeing if they are agreeable.  If it is comfort that keeps me from belief let me become as uncomfortable as Job.  If it’s idolatry, let me burn every exalted thing in the hottest furnace of hell.   For only God can fulfill as I need to be fulfilled.  Only the Almighty can grant favor as I need to be granted.  Only His path, His timing, His way, His power.  Let me kill piety and religiosity if and when it puts on airs that keep me from understanding that the righteous live by faith.  It’s a raw life of trusting God against the wind of trial and disappointment with an enemy that takes many guises and presents many ploys.

Prayer:

Father, remind me of what You have said, let it dwell in me richly.  Let me inspire others with the vision and be found loving You above all I desire.  In Jesus’ name, amen.