Stories that span generations

𝗣𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝟳𝟭:𝟭𝟴 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘆, 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲, 𝗺𝘆 𝗚𝗼𝗱, 𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲.

The old are discarded. That is nothing new. They are disregarded. Though they tell stories of their adventures, it’s presumed that they are either delusional or exaggerating. And sometimes they ARE. Their view of the world is assumed to be as the world was, not as it is. And sometimes their perspective IS dated like that.

It is easy, then, for an old person to think God has also cast him/her aside as yesterday’s news and an artifact only of how things were. That person can grow to expect only impoverishment of spirit and death. The slow descent into bodily decline can be seen to mirror one in the spirit. “Not so!” says the psalmist.

The lessons learned and experiences had are of vital importance to the next generation, without exception. The verse says nothing about the reception the declaration of God’s power will be received by those who are younger – and the old person will do well to consider how s/he received the same testimony. The acts of God among the lives of humans is BEST passed on by eyewitnesses, as it is an ongoing narrative for those of any age who believe.

𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴:

Stories may be dismissed as hyperbole and myth. If you’re old and have seen, tell them anyway. The speaker may be maligned and humiliated due to ageism and prejudice. God’s stories find their way across the generations nonetheless.

Nor is the immediate response of the younger listeners a gauge as to net effect of the testimony of the old. It never was. Nor is the complete embracing of all that is said, for it is only God’s Word that doesn’t return void, not the word of humans. As the trustworthy statement goes – “God has no grandchildren”. Faith is not passed on via DNA. God will touch whom he will; be in prayer that he amplifies the word of your testimony, O veteran of spiritual warfare. God has not abandoned you, don’t you abandon his work in you. 

Logs and specks

Luke 6:42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Fault-finding putdown artists are actors (hypocrites), says Jesus.  They have no intention of facing up to their own shortcomings, but only delight in point those out in others.  There is a preadolescent mindset that begins with the discovery that demeaning others makes one feel powerful and superior.  It’s a lie, says the Lord, for it leaves out the most important ingredient of all – humility.

Motives are cleansed by allowing God to convict and correct.  The trouble is that fault-finders cannot distinguish conviction and condemnation.  They count on condemnation disqualifying and eliminating others, so they cannot allow any scrutiny to be applied to their hearts or lives.  No, says Jesus, “first take the log out of your own eye” – let the truth penetrate your life, be forgiven and freed, THEN you will understand conviction and freedom for others.  At that point, when you remove THEIR speck, it will be out of love and desire for their best.

The teaching does NOT negate care to remove other’s specks.  My own log – however huge and ugly – does not make me unable to help others with their (albeit smaller) issues.

If I am in the business of the putdown of others, I then need to ask about my own state before God.  I can trust this – it’s a leading indicator of my own need for conviction, forgiveness, cleansing/healing and freedom.  If and when my motives are pure – that is, I am no hypocrite but instead fully acknowledge my own imperfection and struggles – I can love people enough to confront them with things they may not see in themselves.  For it’s no mistake the analogy involves the organ through which we see – we cannot see through a speck.

I rejoice in the freedom God gives me and all his children.  It never comes without struggle and the first person’s struggle I deal with is my own.  And then there is victory for us all!

Turning towards the good news

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝟭:𝟭𝟰‭-‬𝟭𝟱 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗲, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴, “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱; 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹.”

Mark 1 covers a lot of history of Jesus’ life in just a few verses, but this statement from the Lord at the beginning of his ministry is both terse and deeply engaging.

The time being “fulfilled” provides the historical context for the life and ministry of Jesus. It happened exactly when God determined it would, and all things were set in place. From the dire spiritual state of the nation of Israel to the rule of Rome, with all the roads and travel lanes that had opened, the point of Jesus’ entry onto the scene was ordained.

The kingdom of God being “at hand” announced what was now available through Christ. Humankind would be touched as never before with miracles, teaching and opportunity to walk out lives directed and blessed by God the Father in Heaven. “It’s right here” says Jesus, come and get it.

There is no translation of the Greek word for gospel – εὐαγγέλιον (pronounced euangelion) – means anything gloomy or burdensome. It simply means good (“eu” prefix) news or message (angelion). Jesus repeatedly urges people to believe it – that there is good will from God for them in life – both to save and restore and give hope and a future. It makes all the difference in how people live.

Coupled with the word for “gospel”, “repent” – meaning turn and go the other way – refers to mindset and faith that is “bad news” or at least laced with that. Rather than thinking about this sin or that, the call is to change our minds and believe that God loves and cares for us. All other actions and thoughts related to believing the bad news simply fall away – though some certainly die hard.

Let me then believe, practice and thus preach the good news where and when God enables and opens the door. He loves me and loves us and wants the best for us.

The angst and the lightning

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟮𝟰:𝟲 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘀. 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝘁.

…

𝟮𝟰:𝟮𝟳 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝘀𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗻.

So much turmoil in Matthew 24! So much cataclysm and soul-wrenching upheaval. The life of a Jesus follower is to be marked by the animosity of the world and endangered by the reaction of sinful humanity towards the message of the cross and its living out. The war in the heavenlies will become war on earth.

In fear, there is a settling of conviction or an alignment with anyone and anything that seems to alleviate the threats. That is why Jesus said to not be alarmed. Far from just turning off the alarm switch, the peace that a believer can have is based upon faith that Jesus remains in control although it looks like the opposite. Believers will be put to death in an effort to stop the move of God’s Kingdom (some have tried, see Josef Stalin). Still the end is “not yet”.

It does little good to hand-wring and development of worry warts in advance of the end times. Even less good is the perverse glee who imagine the coming of Christ – verse 27 – without the unpleasant events leading up to it – verses 1-26. Even less useful than that is the false prophecy that portends to know the time of his arrival and makes survivalist preparations (absoLUTEly without scriptural instruction). This is to the shame of God’s people, for it is cultic, and driven by anything but love (which has grown cold).

There is a hopeful sobriety that awaits the second coming of the Lord, come what may. Trusting God with today’s events is always the way to live in Christ. His Word is a lamp, not a floodlight (Psalm 119:105). Because, when Jesus does return to planet earth, no one will be mistaken. No false messiahs or false refuges will compare to the true glory or speed of his descent.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Of yeast and faith

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟭𝟯:𝟯𝟯 𝗛𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗿, 𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱.”

You can’t see leaven, yeast, in flour once it’s kneaded in. Yet its effect is readily apparent once the yeast starts to ferment, producing carbon dioxide which causes the batter to expand, or rise. And there are many things whose growth and development is undetectable by the naked eye.

Spiritual growth and maturity is largely unmeasurable. Seed is sown, watered but the Lord grants the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-9). It is a fool’s errand to gauge growth by human-visible development. And it is a marvelous truth that though nothing is seen, the Kingdom and its effects grow in individuals and nations.

Doubt goes both ways – one can doubt in God’s existence and involvement with the world AND one can doubt that doubt. It is simply true that the Holy Spirit moves upon hearts in ways we cannot see.

I am invited to give up both rose-colored and despairing perspectives. It is simply true that I do not know how God is moving and can only operate in faith that the Kingdom IS growing like yeast in rising dough.

Often it requires pure and persistent faith to do this:

𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟲:𝟵 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗽 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗽.

And I do well to find that faith and let it reign this day.

Mercy, not sacrifice

Matthew 12:6-8 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The religious rulers in Jerusalem at the time of Christ were sensitive to keeping the letter of the Law.  They believed, and it was not without reason, that lawlessness would be the downfall of Israel and there would be a catastrophe akin to the exile to Babylon 600 years prior.  However, as Paul would later write:

2 Cor 3:6 … the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

For the former lawlessness was not born of relaxing a tight-fisted observance of Mosaic Law, it was born of hateful and selfish hearts.  While the Law spelled out a litany of crime and punishment couples, it was always in God’s heart to forgive.  Penitent, soft and caring hearts that echoed that of God were the outcome the Lord sought.  THAT was the Israel founded through Moses, and THAT was the Israel Jesus sought as well.

Mercy over sacrifice is a clear ordering of attitude.  It’s God’s attitude toward humankind, and it SHOULD be the attitude of people towards one another.  Jesus’ saying he was Lord of the Sabbath puts the Law in its place.  His saying that someone greater than the temple was a shocking revelation of Emmanuel, God with us.  Jesus is greater than any moral code, for mercy triumphs judgment.

Let me, then be merciful as I receive mercy.  May I let God’s light shine on the darkness in my life and heart and be set free through the blood of the Lamb.  I need mercy to triumph, as we all do.

Singing songs of deliverance

Psalm 32:6-7 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

The passage starts with words that sound quite conditional – effective prayer is to be offered only by the godly ones and only during a time when God “may be found”. But in the original language the phrase shows up elsewhere and a more literal rendering would be “when in the time of finding” .. that is, a season in human life when the soul yearns to find God. Yet it is seasonal – the penitence and humility to pray and seek God can and are certainly NOT permanent states of every life, nor states in the life of every group or nation. That is, there are times when God is NOT found due to a lack of seeking, faith and/or overriding concern. The conditionality is on people, not God.

The rush of great waters would happen in a different season – one of trial and calamity.  The season of prayer and seeking is clearly preparation and the source of deliverance during the flood.  Floods are guaranteed; deliverance from them is conditional, truly.

The safety from the waters is a place of shelter, or hiding, from the troubles when they come.  The preserving, keeping protection God provides shouts or songs that circle his people on every side.  The power of the loud testimony keeps hearts and minds centered on the reality of that protection.  It amplifies over the din of the rushing flood, of threat and gloom.  The believer sings along and is preserved from all harm.

Rising waters do not only cause physical damage to life and property.  Certainly, they sweep away both people and the elements of people’s lives.  They also leave indelible marks on the soul – emotional and experiential scars that live on as fateful harbingers of disaster to follow.  Expectations sink in the murky waters.

Let me then mark my deliverance.  Let me sing those songs I heard clearly during the season of my deliverance.  For they were from the Almighty, testimony to prayer and devotion I learned to offer in seasons prior.  I’ve earned nothing, but have remained attached to the vine that gives life and even watches over it.  To God be the glory.

Sing on, O my soul, and rejoice in the God who saves.

Opposition endured

Hebrews 12:9 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Opposition is to be expected.  The claim the Jesus is God the Son will be abrasive to those who say there is no God and those who believe God having a Son to be blasphemous.  They will do whatever they can to discredit, disqualify and marginalize the message of the Gospel.  They will overplay grace to the point of eliminating sin from consideration.  They will overplay judgment to the point of becoming God’s agents of wrath.

To contrast this opposition to modern polarized battles of culture wars, if I’m not careful, the imbalance of both sides will penetrate my own thinking.  The over-reliance and -emphasis of policy will dull the edge of the sword of the Word.  Platforms and ideologies that allow or punish whatever groups think are evil blur the redemption Jesus accomplished.  All can be forgiven.  All can be made righteous and holy.  Human reason and its formulations have forever opposed God’s purposes.  It’s easier to back a candidate or party or ideologue than follow Jesus.

It’s hardly that Jesus stands for lawlessness or lack of conviction.  That’s absurd.  But his compassion goes deeper than those confronting him as does his heart-searching conviction of sin.  Laws cannot be made to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ; it’s something only the Holy Spirit can do.

As the passage implies, weariness and loss of heart are real dangers.  The arguments Jesus had (and there were many) – challenging his authority, identity and actions – show the nature of the opposition and his radical clinging to justice and grace.  To be sure, that opposition led to his death.  Before that, it was assassination of his character and denunciation of his message.  He endured it all and won.  May I (and we) do the same.

Humble genealogies

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟭:𝟯,𝟱,𝟳,𝟭𝟲 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗮𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘇 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗵, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿

..𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝘇, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗥𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗯, 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝘇 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗯𝗲𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗥𝘂𝘁𝗵

.. 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗻, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗨𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗵’𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗳𝗲

.. 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗵.

Genealogies demystify the past. Some cling to them in pride, sure that they establish a purebred human line. Others make discoveries that bring the family down to earth, showing the base results of the human condition.

The lineage of Jesus Christ featured moral compromise like that of many others. There was no purebred claim to be established. . Even Mary, the mother of the Lord, would endure suspicion of adultery because of the way Jesus was conceived. There is a thread of grace and mercy. The humble and shamed produced offspring that would be part of a royal line, no matter what had happened along the way.

No doubt this list would have invited scorn from some holding to a proud heritage – and there is nothing wrong with righteousness in a family’s past. But there is everything wrong with a claim of superiority based upon that. For God’s Son came from a line of sinners, to save an exponentially larger line of sinners.

There is therefore no disqualification or special status given to anyone. It’s grace or nothing that saves and establishes righteousness, one generation at a time. God has no grandchildren.

Bring me through

Job 1:8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

The heavenly discussion in Job 1 is unique in the Word of God.  God and Satan have it out over Job, a certified righteous individual on earth.  It is particularly unusual in that the accuser is not the one who mentions Job as a person guilty of this iniquity or that.  No, it is the Lord who brings up Job’s name.  Sometimes I’ve mused that if Job was there and knew what was going to happen, he would protest loudly – “NO!  Do NOT bring me into this conversation!”  For Job would puzzle about all the disaster and theological rankling that would follow.  In all his suffering, his biggest question would be “Why?”

Far from a boasting match between God and Satan at the expense of a poor human, we have in the book of Job a vital picture of the testing of faith.  It is Satan who makes it a petty contest.  All the while God knows his servant’s heart and even his limitations. 

I can read abandonment into the story, or abuse or oppression.  But God never abandons Job, and any abuse or oppression is on the part of the evil one.  It’s a universal script for the human condition.  For it is a constant temptation to blame God for every malady and trial I undergo.  And certainly, he allows these things in my life.  But God also knows what I’m made of – indeed, what God himself is building to this day – and knows the end from the beginning.  It is the supreme lesson of Job’s story that:

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

How could Paul, the writer of the book of Romans possibly have the assurance to say that “we know”?  Only by walking through Job-like experiences.  It’s hardly a desirable path,  but it’s part of being formed in Christ.

So I won’t be a fool and say “Bring it on!” but I will lean in and say “Bring me through!”