Friday, August 22, 2008
God's perfect timing
John 15:13 (New International Version)
13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Several days ago I was invited to do some grief ministry at a facility where one of the staff members was found unconscious and eventually passed away. This was a young healthy individual who had a young family, and was loved by all. She had everything going for her and everything to look forward to.
I was in a group talking with the young woman who was actually the first on the scene. These two individuals had lunch together every day and on that particular day circumstances separated them from doing so. Not surprisingly, she was lamenting that she had not found her coworker and friend sooner so that she might be saved. I’m sure any of us would feel that way. If they had just had lunch together everything would have turned out all right. But it didn’t that day. This woman felt helpless that she did not get there in time
Out of this tragedy though came a tremendous blessing. The individual who passed was a Christian as was the woman who found her. It was mentioned in conversation prior to our arrival that the deceased was an organ donor and that it had been identified in time so that many people would benefit from this death. As I sat there at the table I trying to help this grieving young woman work through her grief, I felt God nudge me to tell the woman that she got there just in time. I couldn’t remember chapter and verse at the moment, but immediately I thought of John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
When I shared these thoughts with the woman there was a significant amount of healing that instantly took place. She realized she had not gotten there in time to save her friend but in God’s perfect timing, she got there at the right moment to save many. Although her friend was dying, she was found in time to honor her wishes: to donate her organs so that others might live. This certainly did not remove all this young lady's pain and sorrow but it did help her try to make sense of the whole tragedy.
In this small moment in human history we saw a huge reflection of God’s love for us: that one should die so that many would be saved.
REG
13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Several days ago I was invited to do some grief ministry at a facility where one of the staff members was found unconscious and eventually passed away. This was a young healthy individual who had a young family, and was loved by all. She had everything going for her and everything to look forward to.
I was in a group talking with the young woman who was actually the first on the scene. These two individuals had lunch together every day and on that particular day circumstances separated them from doing so. Not surprisingly, she was lamenting that she had not found her coworker and friend sooner so that she might be saved. I’m sure any of us would feel that way. If they had just had lunch together everything would have turned out all right. But it didn’t that day. This woman felt helpless that she did not get there in time
Out of this tragedy though came a tremendous blessing. The individual who passed was a Christian as was the woman who found her. It was mentioned in conversation prior to our arrival that the deceased was an organ donor and that it had been identified in time so that many people would benefit from this death. As I sat there at the table I trying to help this grieving young woman work through her grief, I felt God nudge me to tell the woman that she got there just in time. I couldn’t remember chapter and verse at the moment, but immediately I thought of John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
When I shared these thoughts with the woman there was a significant amount of healing that instantly took place. She realized she had not gotten there in time to save her friend but in God’s perfect timing, she got there at the right moment to save many. Although her friend was dying, she was found in time to honor her wishes: to donate her organs so that others might live. This certainly did not remove all this young lady's pain and sorrow but it did help her try to make sense of the whole tragedy.
In this small moment in human history we saw a huge reflection of God’s love for us: that one should die so that many would be saved.
REG
God's power to reverse the curse
Yesterday I was reading in Matthew about the trial of Jesus. When Pontius Pilat asked the people what they would have him do with Jesus they said, “Crucify him. Crucify him.” After that they all chanted, “Let his blood be on us and all of our children.” Now they meant that to mean, “let the responsibility of his death be on them and the generations to follow.” I believe that would also mean that if it were found that Jesus was truly innocent they were still willing to take the blame and suffer the consequences.
But, God, in his infinite sovereignty, omnipotence, creativity, and mercy, took those very words and turned them into a blessing for all generations. The people shed Jesus’ blood that day, but God received it as an offering to cover the people’s guilt. Jesus’ blood is now on the people but not as a curse, instead as a blessing!
God foreshadowed this event long before that day. Before they left Egypt, God told the Israelites, to kill a sacrificial lamb and use its blood to paint on the door mantle of their homes. This was to protect them from the curse of death that would sweep through Egypt. The blood saved them from death.
On the day when Jesus was crucified, God took what was meant for evil, and used it for the salvation of all who would feel the call to choose to put their faith and trust in Jesus. God the Father took the blood of the God the son, Jesus, and let it be on the people to save them rather than condemn them.
A great explanation of this is found in the First letter of Peter in the New Testament. I leave it here as expressed in The Message translation
1 Peter 1 (The Message)
A New Life
3-5What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all—life healed and whole.
6-7I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.
8-9You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation.
10-12The prophets who told us this was coming asked a lot of questions about this gift of life God was preparing. The Messiah's Spirit let them in on some of it—that the Messiah would experience suffering, followed by glory. They clamored to know who and when. All they were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves—through the Holy Spirit—the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!
A Future in God
13-16So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."
17You call out to God for help and he helps—he's a good Father that way. But don't forget, he's also a responsible Father, and won't let you get by with sloppy living.
18-21Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ's sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.
22-25Now that you've cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That's why the prophet said,
The old life is a grass life,
its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers;
Grass dries up, flowers droop,
God's Word goes on and on forever.
This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.
Got Jesus?
REG
But, God, in his infinite sovereignty, omnipotence, creativity, and mercy, took those very words and turned them into a blessing for all generations. The people shed Jesus’ blood that day, but God received it as an offering to cover the people’s guilt. Jesus’ blood is now on the people but not as a curse, instead as a blessing!
God foreshadowed this event long before that day. Before they left Egypt, God told the Israelites, to kill a sacrificial lamb and use its blood to paint on the door mantle of their homes. This was to protect them from the curse of death that would sweep through Egypt. The blood saved them from death.
On the day when Jesus was crucified, God took what was meant for evil, and used it for the salvation of all who would feel the call to choose to put their faith and trust in Jesus. God the Father took the blood of the God the son, Jesus, and let it be on the people to save them rather than condemn them.
A great explanation of this is found in the First letter of Peter in the New Testament. I leave it here as expressed in The Message translation
1 Peter 1 (The Message)
A New Life
3-5What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all—life healed and whole.
6-7I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.
8-9You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation.
10-12The prophets who told us this was coming asked a lot of questions about this gift of life God was preparing. The Messiah's Spirit let them in on some of it—that the Messiah would experience suffering, followed by glory. They clamored to know who and when. All they were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves—through the Holy Spirit—the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!
A Future in God
13-16So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."
17You call out to God for help and he helps—he's a good Father that way. But don't forget, he's also a responsible Father, and won't let you get by with sloppy living.
18-21Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ's sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.
22-25Now that you've cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That's why the prophet said,
The old life is a grass life,
its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers;
Grass dries up, flowers droop,
God's Word goes on and on forever.
This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.
Got Jesus?
REG
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Work work work work
It’s funny that as I talk to people, (frequently those who know they are facing the end of life,) I find there is a common misunderstanding of what it takes for people to get into to heaven. I hear people who describe themselves as Christians say, “I hope I’ve been good enough to get into heaven. I am especially baffled when I hear it from a Christian. I can understand it when I hear it from someone who is not a Christian. ” Where does that come from in the Christian faith community? What is getting taught? (What was getting taught I should say because I hear it a lot from the over 60 crowd)
Let’s think this through: if a Christian thinks they have to meet a certain performance level of being good in order to get into heaven, then what is the point of Jesus? Does not compute.
Sometimes I feel like Knute Rockne “Gentlemen, this is football . . .” as he takes his team back to the very basics in order to understand the game. Well as a pastor I sometimes feel the need to say, “Christian, this is the gospel.”
So let’s all take a quick refresher so that we can help those who think they are on a quest to earn their way into heaven.
First
John 3 :16
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. That means whoever is in an ongoing faith walk personal relationship with Christ believing that He died for you individually, you will not die spiritually; you will live on and someday receive a resurrection body
Ephesians 2 8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
That means we are saved (for the purpose of living in eternity in heaven with God) through grace (meaning that “being saved” is a gift that is given to us that we could not earn by our own works) so that no one could claim to be better than the next person. ( not to mention the fact that we could never be perfect enough to earn it on our own.
We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
2 Corinthians 5 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
When we become a follower of Christ, the old spiritual person no longer exists but a new one is born; one who will live in eternity with Jesus
And finally
Romans 8: 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
In a nut shell, yes there will be a judgment day but if you are in Christ Jesus, meaning willingly surrendered to him in response to the gift of grace you have received from him, there will be no condemnation for you. There’s only Grace instead!
Did you see anything in there saying we have to be good to earn a spot in heaven? Absolutely not!
So where does “being good” come in? It’s our humble, willing, yielded response to what we have already received by Grace
Now, unless there’s any questions, let’s get out there and play ball!
Stay close to Jesus
REG
Let’s think this through: if a Christian thinks they have to meet a certain performance level of being good in order to get into heaven, then what is the point of Jesus? Does not compute.
Sometimes I feel like Knute Rockne “Gentlemen, this is football . . .” as he takes his team back to the very basics in order to understand the game. Well as a pastor I sometimes feel the need to say, “Christian, this is the gospel.”
So let’s all take a quick refresher so that we can help those who think they are on a quest to earn their way into heaven.
First
John 3 :16
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. That means whoever is in an ongoing faith walk personal relationship with Christ believing that He died for you individually, you will not die spiritually; you will live on and someday receive a resurrection body
Ephesians 2 8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
That means we are saved (for the purpose of living in eternity in heaven with God) through grace (meaning that “being saved” is a gift that is given to us that we could not earn by our own works) so that no one could claim to be better than the next person. ( not to mention the fact that we could never be perfect enough to earn it on our own.
We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
2 Corinthians 5 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
When we become a follower of Christ, the old spiritual person no longer exists but a new one is born; one who will live in eternity with Jesus
And finally
Romans 8: 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
In a nut shell, yes there will be a judgment day but if you are in Christ Jesus, meaning willingly surrendered to him in response to the gift of grace you have received from him, there will be no condemnation for you. There’s only Grace instead!
Did you see anything in there saying we have to be good to earn a spot in heaven? Absolutely not!
So where does “being good” come in? It’s our humble, willing, yielded response to what we have already received by Grace
Now, unless there’s any questions, let’s get out there and play ball!
Stay close to Jesus
REG
Monday, August 18, 2008
Storm chasers
Yesterday’s message was on some lessons learned from looking at two instances where Jesus calmed the storms. They are from Matthew chapter 8 and Matthew chapter 14. Both incidents took place on the seas of Galilee. Both incidents involved Jesus and the disciples, Both took place in the night. It’s probably also a universal conclusion that Jesus is teaching the disciples about trust both times.
Earlier this summer I had heard a sermon on the radio wherein the pastor preaching pointed out that Jesus sent the disciples on the boat into the storm. It’s by no means hidden from us. It’s just there: a subtle fact that sits in front of us as we read these passages but does need to be pointed out to slow thinkers like myself. Jesus sent them out on the boat: that means He knowingly sent them into the storm. The huge difference is that while both storm encounters start out with Jesus sending them into the storm, the second one finds the disciples going into the storm without Jesus aboard.
So the first instance in chapter 8 isn’t too hard to take because Jesus went into the storm with them. He was on the boat when the storm came up and was conveniently there to take care of everything. But the second time around, in chapter 14 he stayed behind.
There’s a few things I would have been thinking about if I were boarding the ship going into the storm the second time. I would have been the one saying, "Hey guys, doesn’t anyone remember the last time we sailed on the Galilee at night? Don’t you think it would be a good idea to just wait for Jesus?” Or maybe I’d be saying, “Feels like a good night for a walk, I’ll catch up with you guys in a couple of days. I’ll wave to you from the shoreline.” Well Bob wasn’t one of the 12. Jesus sent them and they all obeyed and went.
Scripture says the storm hit them around sundown but Jesus didn’t come to them until the fourth watch which would have started at 3 AM. That means He left them struggle in the storm for a minimum of 6 hours and maybe as much as 9 hours or more depending when sundown was that day. In the Gospel of John it says they had rowed against the wind for 3 to 31/2 miles. That’s kind of like walking the wrong direction on a people mover at the airport. So to actually cover 3 miles they might have had to row enough to cover 2 or more times the distance had they been in calm waters. That’s a lot of rowing! And I’m sure although there were a few fishermen among them, nobody was a member of the Jerusalem U crew team. They had to be well beyond the point of exhaustion by the time Jesus got to them and probably already beyond hope of being saved.
So in the second storm Jesus let them struggle significantly before he came to them. Now that’s an observation in life we can all relate to: Jesus doesn’t always seem to show up to rescue us at the first sign of a struggle. Sometimes he waits until we have exhausted all our own resources and are ready for him to do the rescuing. Sometimes Jesus intentionally let’s us struggle in the storms of life so he can have our full attention! But no matter where we are in the storm he has not abandoned us and has always had his eye on us.
Now we know that many people actually have lost their lives at sea and in many other disasters in life. So how do we handle that? Well what Jesus did for us on the cross saved us from the worst storm: death. If we understand that we are created for eternity, Jesus has already saved us from the biggest storm we’ll ever face.
Because he died for us, we have the opportunity to live for ever if we trust in Him for our salvation.
One closing side bar remark. We should never assume that every storm we encounter in life is one we were sent into by Jesus. Some times we create our own storms. I don’t know if in the end that really matters. The important thing is that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us whether it’s our storm or His.
Earlier this summer I had heard a sermon on the radio wherein the pastor preaching pointed out that Jesus sent the disciples on the boat into the storm. It’s by no means hidden from us. It’s just there: a subtle fact that sits in front of us as we read these passages but does need to be pointed out to slow thinkers like myself. Jesus sent them out on the boat: that means He knowingly sent them into the storm. The huge difference is that while both storm encounters start out with Jesus sending them into the storm, the second one finds the disciples going into the storm without Jesus aboard.
So the first instance in chapter 8 isn’t too hard to take because Jesus went into the storm with them. He was on the boat when the storm came up and was conveniently there to take care of everything. But the second time around, in chapter 14 he stayed behind.
There’s a few things I would have been thinking about if I were boarding the ship going into the storm the second time. I would have been the one saying, "Hey guys, doesn’t anyone remember the last time we sailed on the Galilee at night? Don’t you think it would be a good idea to just wait for Jesus?” Or maybe I’d be saying, “Feels like a good night for a walk, I’ll catch up with you guys in a couple of days. I’ll wave to you from the shoreline.” Well Bob wasn’t one of the 12. Jesus sent them and they all obeyed and went.
Scripture says the storm hit them around sundown but Jesus didn’t come to them until the fourth watch which would have started at 3 AM. That means He left them struggle in the storm for a minimum of 6 hours and maybe as much as 9 hours or more depending when sundown was that day. In the Gospel of John it says they had rowed against the wind for 3 to 31/2 miles. That’s kind of like walking the wrong direction on a people mover at the airport. So to actually cover 3 miles they might have had to row enough to cover 2 or more times the distance had they been in calm waters. That’s a lot of rowing! And I’m sure although there were a few fishermen among them, nobody was a member of the Jerusalem U crew team. They had to be well beyond the point of exhaustion by the time Jesus got to them and probably already beyond hope of being saved.
So in the second storm Jesus let them struggle significantly before he came to them. Now that’s an observation in life we can all relate to: Jesus doesn’t always seem to show up to rescue us at the first sign of a struggle. Sometimes he waits until we have exhausted all our own resources and are ready for him to do the rescuing. Sometimes Jesus intentionally let’s us struggle in the storms of life so he can have our full attention! But no matter where we are in the storm he has not abandoned us and has always had his eye on us.
Now we know that many people actually have lost their lives at sea and in many other disasters in life. So how do we handle that? Well what Jesus did for us on the cross saved us from the worst storm: death. If we understand that we are created for eternity, Jesus has already saved us from the biggest storm we’ll ever face.
Because he died for us, we have the opportunity to live for ever if we trust in Him for our salvation.
One closing side bar remark. We should never assume that every storm we encounter in life is one we were sent into by Jesus. Some times we create our own storms. I don’t know if in the end that really matters. The important thing is that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us whether it’s our storm or His.
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