All Scripture …

𝟭 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝟯:𝟭𝟲-𝟭𝟳 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗱-𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝘂𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.

The Word of God, the Bible, has been denigrated. It has been assigned as a noteworthy set of writings, perhaps useful in their time. It has been the subject of humiliation and abrogation, canceling any importance it could have in the lives of readers. There are, of course, passages that are both puzzling and in need of contextual explanation. There are popular misinterpretations that have been co-opted to justify even the evilest doctrines and actions.

None of that sullies its intent and overall accomplishment in the lives of people of faith. It arrests sin, does not promote it. It corrects, does not condone. The righteousness it engenders testifies to the voice that speaks through the human lives used to record its words.

Paul was describing only the part of the Bible we call the Old Testament. He had the equivalent of a modern day PhD in theology and the Tenach (with the Jewish Talmud – rabbinic teachings) was his specialty. He had no way of knowing his letters to Timothy and the early churches would be incorporated into the canon – the books making up the New Testament. Yet his words here apply to his own writing.

Critics of the Bible – and they are nothing new as a group – harp on things like details (where the oral tradition was not as concerned) and historical accuracy (erecting their own criteria). All the while, combining their reading of the text with faith and being inquisitive as to its ability to teach and correct is avoided for reasons of fear (Hebrews 4:2). If the Bible had those attributes, it would imply change and repentance. Those things are not acceptable to devoted critics.

It is the proposition of scripture that humankind NEEDS teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness – and that, only from the hand of Almighty God. We are not righteous in ourselves, indeed so sinful that Jesus needed to die to set things right with His Father. That story is the primary one to allowing scripture to do its work – or rather, we could say it is the first work scripture does.

The sorrow of the unrealized fruit waiting for anyone who neglects the jewel which is the Bible is great, but it’s also waiting patiently to be discovered for all. I remain eternally thankful for its work in my life.

Undesirable heroes

𝗟𝘂𝗸𝗲 𝟭𝟬:𝟯𝟯‭-‬𝟯𝟰 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻, 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝗲𝗱, 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘄 𝗵𝗶𝗺, 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗛𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝗺.

In his story to demonstrate what a “neighbor” is, Jesus made a hated Samaritan the hero of the story. The ethnicity and place of origin of this character was no mistake – Jesus was confronting national pride and exclusion. That tendency in Jesus’ teaching and actions is nothing short of an agenda. It stands as an unexpected point of focus for a Messiah who people expected to establish the nation of Israel as supreme over all others.

It confronted pride head on. That a Samaritan could be the only righteous person in the story while the religious leaders (priest and Levite) simply could not be bothered was a deep and cutting criticism of the current state of Jewish religiosity. Jesus never opposed the Law of Moses nor its faithful observance. But he pointedly opposed the corruption that came to dominate that faith during his days on earth.

Though the story was particular towards neighborliness, first century Judaism was hardly the only faith community practicing tribal and racial self-declaration of righteousness with literally nothing to show for its claims. To this day religion self-aggrandizes and puffs up its authorities and managers of ritual and law. And to this day it is anywhere from derogatory exclusivity to murderously hateful towards those outside its organization. Yet, says Jesus, it is outside corporate religion where true neighbors are found in heart and practice. And loving one’s neighbor is loving God, says the Law which the religious rulers claimed to uphold.

Am I like this Samaritan? Can I be bothered to help the bleeding, naked, dying victim? Do I even see that person? Certainly, the lesson goes far beyond a physical victim of violent crime. Indeed, it is the inner wounds that may need binding up and dressing. Indeed, there is a convalescence of soul that I can be a part of.

And do I allow my “least desirable” neighbors to be heroes in my stories and life? Permitting them to be good neighbors makes me a good neighbor. Telling the stories of their righteousness and heroism lifts them up in my consideration and that of others.

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.

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.

Matthew 8:9 For I too am a man under authority, with 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.”

Being under authority provides a flow of power and blessing.  Of course, it can also perpetuate a flow of hideous destruction.  It is the top-down course of permission and command that empowers the individual.

The Centurion was saying that he knew Jesus received his power to do the miraculous from God on high, just as he received his own power to act militarily from the hierarchy of Roman command above him.  Jesus was astounded by his understanding and faith and showered the human saying with praises heard nowhere else in the gospels.

Among Jesus followers, there is a tendency to either shirk or overplay human hierarchy.  After all, Jesus was only “under” God, right?  And there is another tendency to force submission and thus, proudly build ecclesiastical reporting structures that serve to build denominations or movements.  There is no question that hierarchy was in place in the early church, but there were no denominations and splinter groups were on their own.  So, we see human authority both abandoned and over-emphasized.  And while there is apparent freedom in refusing to submit, there is equal pride in being lone believers or leaders.  Pride will crimp the flow of God’s power, as it is pointedly opposed (see James 4:6).

In the story, power was needed for healing.  It was not power for power’s sake or just for show.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

The dynamic, timely flow of power from hierarchical structure heals and delivers.  This does not negate relationship – indeed, the motive of love is ever present in the exchange.  The need to be “plugged in” to a corporate “tree” – even in Christ – is intrinsic. 

So let me heed and continue to be one “under authority”, in the right heart and the right place that I might avail the power of God in time of need.

The reward of the cheerful heart

𝟮 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟵:𝟲-𝟳 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: 𝗪𝗵𝗼𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗽 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗽 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆. 𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿.

Paul was collecting an offering for the Jerusalem church, the spiritual “mother church”. There was a bad famine in Israel and people were starving. From the more affluent Gentile believers, Paul issued a pointed and passionate challenge – Give generously and you will see reward in your life. Period.

While the call is not to abandon reason in one’s giving, it absolutely entails taking reason off the throne of heart and adopting compassion that opens the wallet or makes available the resource.

To be sure, there is wisdom to know that the appeal has integrity and the funds and resources will actually go where the gatherer says (e.g. gifts to poor nations routinely go through corrupt regimes and leaders, with little or nothing getting to the needy). And giving that enables destructive behavior is not what this passage describes.

I’m challenged to name the ways generosity is threatened, because truly these do overrule the appeal in myself and others if we let them:

𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. I don’t want to give good money after bad. Put more vividly, will I give to an ungrateful, snarling grouse whose hunger (in my exalted opinion) is self-inflicted? I should know that if I do not, my own ungrateful, snarling soul will remain bereft of the promised reward. I do not have the equipment to gauge the outcome in the life of the recipient. Those who receive don’t need to earn generosity.

𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. I (or someone else) want(s) to look generous as an ulterior motive. Or, giving only to people and causes that align with my political sensibilities. Donations to causes are FINE, but not to be confused with generosity. The reward for that is far from certain and dubious from the outset.

𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. No, the freedom to give or not give is implicit in the process. There is no inherent punishment for withholding, though a miserly heart does get its own dark “reward”. But appeals that project attitudes and pronounce dire consequences to raise funds carry an element of sales ploys.

𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵. For sure there is reward promised in scripture, and experienced in the action itself. But if that payback becomes the motive for giving, it puts the giver in a seat only God can fill. Despite the current popular and pervasive teaching, we do not name our reward in substance or detail of its delivery. Our lives become blessable through giving, no more.

It is stunning what giving does in heavenly accounting books:

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘀 𝟭𝟵:𝟭𝟳 𝗛𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗗, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲.

… and there is certainly enough promise and fulfillment to make us the “cheerful giver” that God loves.

Flowing word of salvation

𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝟭𝟮:𝟰𝟴-𝟱𝟬 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲; 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁—𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗲.”

Rejecting Jesus was and is commonplace. He said radical things about himself and the world. His moral teachings were likewise deeply contrary to the norm in human relations and dynamics (e.g. who naturally loves his/her enemies?). His miracles and actions made him harder to ignore, and he made no bones about declaring himself to be God the Son sent to earth.

One who rejects Jesus rejects more than s/he thinks. For it is not just a random voice being silenced, it is the person of the Son of God. Since Jesus speaks from the Father, it is God being canceled in a life.

There is judgment having NOTHING to do with the words or actions of any human. Jesus spoke, and still speaks, the word Almighty God has directed. What he said contains everlasting life – yes, after this life in this body – if I receive and believe it (thus letting it work into my thoughts, words and actions). The new birth in faith is letting the line of communication continue unhindered. It is a flow that saves me.And if I’m honest, I can see it likewise measured towards me from those I have hurt.

That can be terrifying.

Rejecting what Jesus says cancels the only out I have – his shed blood for my sins. And it puts me on the throne of judgment which is a travesty and usurpation of role. I cannot wield such judgment; so I am no such judge.

Jesus spoke, and still speaks, the word Almighty God has directed. What he said contains everlasting life – yes, after this life in this body – if I receive and believe it (thus letting it work into my thoughts, words and actions). The new birth in faith is letting the line of communication continue unhindered. It is a flow that saves me.

Come and see

John 1:46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Nazareth, in the region of Galilee, was far from Jerusalem, the center and capital of Israel. As a remote place, its insignificance was perhaps its most defining trait. But when Nathanael asked if anything “good” could come from there, it was a moral question. Like most nations, regional pride emphasizes the local good and the non-local bad, using whatever measures are available. We certainly have no record of conspicuous Galilean evil – the words and acts of Mary the mother of Jesus show there was certainly deep devotion to God in practice.

Philip’s reply is short but the best one to be offered to scoffers and skeptics. It echoes the Psalmist’s invitation:

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good

as indeed Nathanael would. Jesus immediately displayed miraculous knowledge of Nathanael’s life before they met, at which Nathanael named Jesus as Messiah (see verse 49).

It is not up to any believer to prove who Jesus is; because the move of the Holy Spirit on anyone’s life is God-breathed and spiritually discerned. Humanity craves reasoned understanding and banks on its scientific proofs, which are hit-or-miss at best. Reasoning would have dismissed investigating this Jesus because he was, after all, from Nazareth. And, concerning the person of Jesus Christ, one can only be invited with a “Come and see”. The rest is up to that person to both come and see.

In Nathanael’s case, coming to Jesus involved some travel. Jesus did not come to him. For others, Jesus would indeed show up on scene and on point. But truly coming to Jesus requires “being there” – actually showing up with operational senses and a willingness to perceive what Jesus will say and do.

Seeing is not only a use of one’s eyes, but of one’s spirit. When prayer or worship receives a its replies, whatever the response, identifying that there really is a loving God who hears and answers is vital to spiritual perception. Relatively speaking, Nathanael saw the physical Jesus Christ and was immediately shown a miraculous sign. Later, and unto this very day, the miraculous still occurs, but there is almost always no audible voice. Many will explain God’s interactions with people as coincidence or wishful thinking. At some frequency those arguments become too thin to carry weight, and people who’ve refused to “come and see” don’t want others to do that either.

To be sure, the erosion of faith invariably has ever-decreasing “come and see” activity and perception. The invitation, then, is ongoing and vital. Something good – VERY good- has come from Nazareth.

God of the living

Luke 20:37-38 “But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”

Jesus had just refuted a ridiculous scenario constructed to trip him up where 7 brothers were successive husbands of the same woman after each passed away.  As a punchline to the discussion about life after death, he proclaimed the words above.  His listeners were sure to pick the cue about Moses – they believed they were faithful adherents to all Moses had taught. But then the zinger.

As Moses identified the Lord as the same God as the patriarchs of Israel had worshiped, he also proclaimed their contemporary and eternal life.  This was revelation to the this-life-only Sadducees whose lifestyle reflected their transient belief system.  For if there was no life after death, there could be no judgment and no accountability.

The eternal perspective revealed in the statement shows the Ancient of Days reigning over all generations of human life, “now” alive together contemporarily.  It is a picture of life in heaven without end and without the oppression of passing time.  Aging, with all its incumbent frailty and slow-death decline, is gone.  So is the frivolity and mistaken pursuits of passionate but errant youth. 

The Sadducees were no doubt taken aback with the vision – it says no one would ask Jesus any more questions after it.  But for all generations – the temporal assumptions that human beings have learned and live in so well and for so long – are laid waste here.  We are, as the saying goes, spiritual beings residing in temporary corporeal bodies.  That is, we are eternal by nature. 

Scripture says that the Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Ephesians 1:14), so believers are not left without witness of the bliss and everlasting joy of heaven.  It is, of course, very different from life on earth, and if we were to suddenly shed all troubles and trials we would understand only a part of it.

My Lord “is not the God of the dead, but of living, for all live to him.”  Amen, so be it.  Right here, right now.