KNOWING OUR SAVIOR - The Compassionate Christ

What a week it’s been. I think I’ve been more stirred and troubled by the footage of George Floyd and all that has ensued since than any one aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world around us is SPIRALING quickly downward. Sure, maybe this is just one of those weird times in history where things get crazy, and maybe it will calm down soon. Maybe it’s the birth pains coming more quickly together before God does something more…maybe before Christ comes back! One thing is for sure, the world will not be the same in the future as it was a week ago, definitely not three months ago. Another sure thing: everyone has an opinion.

Well, since it’s my week to share our blog lesson, I guess that’s as good a reason as any to share my opinion. It’s time for compassion. As a Christian, I find myself so at odds with the opinion of society that I responding to all the bad things happening in the world like this: “Well that’s what we can expect in a broken world full of sin.” But something else happened to me this week. I watched that footage, I saw the lack of feeling in a man sworn to serve and protect, and it changed me. It changed me as a husband and father…as a leader…and as a Christian.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not pro-riot. I don’t condone violence for violence. However, I am hearing and understanding the voices of those I have not taken the time to hear or understand in the past. Sure, many of those voices are attached to people who are serving themselves, looting for profit, rioting out of hatred, and so on. Many others are saying, “See. It’s different for us. Help us.”

As we turn our focus to Christ this week, I don’t want to make this lesson about this one issue that our society is facing this week. Rather, I want to encourage all of us to know Christ more closely, and get a sense for the compassion He had…and maybe pray that He can give us that same compassion, to all regardless of who they are.

So, let’s look at how compassionate Jesus was toward others. As you read this, please think of that word…compassion. It means “feeling or showing sympathy or concern for another.” As we’ll see from Christ, compassion isn’t pity; it’s sharing the pain. The prefix “com” means “together.”

Indeed, Christ’s compassion was focused on things beyond race and earthly justice. However, Christ had compassion for those on the margins. Let’s look at a few examples of Christ’s compassion:

–         Compassion for the Hungry (Mark 8:2)

o   I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.

–         Compassion for the Sick (Matthew 14:14)

o   When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

–         Compassion for the Blind (Matthew20:29-34)             

o   ²⁹ Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. ³⁰ And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” ³¹ Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” ³² So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” ³³ They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” ³⁴ So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

–         Compassion for the Leper (Mark 1:40-41)

o   ⁴⁰ Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”⁴¹ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

–         Compassion for Grieving (Luke 7:12-15)

o   ¹² And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” ¹⁴ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” ¹⁵ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

–         Compassion for the Lost (Matthew 9:35-38)

o   ³⁵ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. ³⁶ But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Jesus Christ was more than just a man of emotion, though; he was a man of action. Jesus didn’t go about His work from a cold sense of duty, but His own heart drew Him out towards those He helped and saved. His deeds of mercy cost Him something more than the sacrifice of leisure and the expenditure of effort and power. They cost him heartaches. He made other men's sorrows His own sorrows, other men's agony His own agony, other men's sin and shame His own sin and shame. He could not look upon misery, pain, death or sin without heart pangs.

I’ll close with Christ’s call to action for us as His followers. He does not ask us to turn our heads to stay comfortable or ignorant. I don’t even think he allows us to do that. Read these closing scriptures from the Sermon on the Mount and consider: compassion that leads to action will cost us something – money, time, leisure, comfort, pain, friends and family, reputation, everything up to and including our lives. But we will gain so much more!

The Light of the World – Matthew 5:14

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Love Your Enemies – Matthew 5:43-48

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,^{[h] 45} that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren^[i] only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors^[j] do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

KNOWING OUR SAVIOR - The Frustrated Christ

You might be surprised by this, but I have a little bit of a temper. It’s not a freak-out, turn red with rage, throw and punch stuff temper, but I can get peeved. To steal a line from Wreck-It Ralph, my passion bubbles near the surface. It used to be much worse, but I credit the Holy Spirit for toning me down a little over the years.

Today as we consider Christ, I thought I’d share a few examples of when he got frustrated. Now Christ’s anger and mine are very different. My anger is usually when something doesn’t go my way – a selfish anger. Christ’s frustrations were motivated differently. Check out these examples:

·         LACK OF FAITH IN HIM - Mark 9: 14-19  - When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

o   Christ rebuked the disciples, not for lacking faith in themselves, but for lacking faith in His power, which he had given them. Think about similar responses from Christ, like when Peter began to sink after walking on water, or the disciples were afraid of the storm. Christ wants us to trust in His power. While that might look different today than in the disciples day, the lesson still applies.

·         PUTTING ONE’S OWN DESIRES ABOVE GOD’S - Matthew 16:21-23 – From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

o   Although he cared for Jesus, Peter was still looking for a different Messiah than what God intended His Son to be. Peter questioned Jesus’ very mission, and Christ confirmed that denying His mission was the work of the devil. The same can be said for anytime we put our desires above the Lord’s will.

 

·         John 2:13-17 – When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” This was the opportunity to atone for sin – the symbol God put in place before Christ would fulfill it – and they had turned it into a business venture – an obstacle for others to come to God

o   Christ gives His own explanation for His frustration. It’s pretty self-explanatory. Jewish leaders were making significant profits on their people, right there in the Temple court, to exploit the fact that they needed animals to fulfill their sacrificial obligations.

o   But how did others view this? Wasn’t He concerned about His image? Of course not. Everything Jesus did was with purpose, and in doing this, He not only stopped a practice disapproved by God, but He made an example to all in attendance. I have to think many were convicted by Jesus’ actions.

·         SIN IN THE CHURCH – Revelation 2 & 3

o   I won’t review all these chapters, but if you’re familiar with Revelation, you know that Christ addresses the various Churches, crediting their acts of righteousness while exposing their sins, such as:

§  Ephesus – “Lost their first love”

§  Pergamum and Thyatira –Prostitution/fornication and idolatry

§  Sardis – “Dead” (going through the motions but heart not in it)

§  Laodicea – “Lukewarm” (spoiled/entitled)

o   Considering Christ’s words to the Churches, it’s a good time to remember these messages are for us as well. We’re not perfect, but I’d rather act in a way that brings Christ’s approval, like we looked at last week, rather than His criticism.

I hope it’s been helpful to consider these aspects of Jesus’ personality and ministry. Ultimately, Christ is frustrated when we misrepresent God or fail to respond to Him, and His frustration seems to reach its righteous peak when confronted with sin among those who are supposed to be “in” – the Church and Nation of Israel.

Next week, we’ll discuss the compassionate Christ. Until then, have a great Memorial Day week!

Knowing Our Savior - The Approval of Christ

It looks like the days for our reconnection in person might be coming soon (for those of us who are comfortable with it). I’m excited about that. I miss coming together with you all, and this blogging is really not my wheelhouse. I’m thankful for Ben and Bobby and the great lessons they have been putting together.

For the next few weeks, I thought it might be nice to spend time focusing on the personality of Jesus. Knowing Jesus is knowing God. Those who spent time with Him knew Him intimately, and it’s no coincidence that those who knew Him the best made the biggest impact for Him. The Twelve Apostles got to know him, not as just the Messiah, but as a friend. Even Paul, who did not know Jesus in the flesh, came to know Him through the Holy Spirit and the Apostles.

Question for you. How do you view Christ?

•        As a character on the pages of scripture (albeit the most important character)?
•          As the image we’ve seen in movies, pictures, etc?
•          As a man with real cares, needs, and personality?

For our first look at the Personality of Jesus, I thought we’d consider those times when we saw His approval of others. It’s at these times when I picture Christ with a warm smile, like a proud parent, witnessing and recognizing the “redeeming qualities” in those he interacted with. Think back to your childhood. How did it make you feel when a parent or teacher was proud of you? Seeing Jesus in this way is motivating for me, as it makes me want to act in such a way that might bring a smile to His face.

Consider these scriptures where Christ offers praise/compliments to others (this is not an exhaustive list):

·         Matthew 8:5-13 - Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant - Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,  saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.  For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!  And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.  But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

·         Matthew 15:21-28 - ²¹ Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” ²³ But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” ²⁴ But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” ²⁶ But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” ²⁷ And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

·         Matthew 16:15-19 - He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed[d] in heaven.”

·         Luke 21:1-4 - And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, ² and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. ³ So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; ⁴ for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God,^[a] but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

·         John 15:14-15 - ¹⁴ You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. (This is following Christ giving his disciples the new commandment to “Love one another.”)

We see Christ offering praise for various reasons in scripture, but primarily we see him acknowledging faith. He also builds up Peter, preparing him for kingdom service. He acknowledges the widow for her sacrifice. He offers friendship to the obedient – I mean, what more approval do we need than the friendship of Christ?

Service, sacrifice, obedience…these things are all born of faith.

We all seek approval – some need it more than others, but an “atta boy” makes us feel good, right? However, that can be a dangerous temptation if we’re not careful. Sure, receiving praise from others is not something we should feel bad about, but seeking the approval of other people for our own ego is contrary to God’s purposes. If we chase that feeling, we would likely find ourselves making compromises for the sake of man rather than walking with God.

·         1 Thessalonians 2:4 - On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

·         1 Corinthians 1:26-31 - ²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰ It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹ Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

So, to obtain the approval of Christ – we must be faithful – obeying His command to love one another. We must sacrifice and serve. In the parable of the talents, the master said “Well done, good and faithful servant. To those servants who returned on His investment. They bore fruit with what he gave them. Sure, we know we are not justified by works – but the fruit we bear is a reflection of our relationship with Christ – the closer we are to Him, the more fruit we will bear. In fact, He bears fruit through us. So let us strive for that, the day when we will see His face, and maybe see Him smile at us as He welcomes us home.

Be a Tree

              While we all would agree that the entire Bible is God’s word, it’s all there for a reason, and we should be reading and studying all of it – each of us is different and have our preferences. I’ve always been more of a “Proverbs man” and less a “Psalm’s guy”. Probably because I prefer black/white, nitty gritty,….and less emotion or poetry. But I know people completely the opposite. Most will respond that Psalm 23^rd, 91^st, 139^th, 27^th, and 121^st are those that are most popular and come to mind (look them up, pretty good stuff). Last week I started at the beginning and just started reading. Not to my surprise, it’s all good. Some a little more straight forward and easier to understand than others, but all worth our time. But I kept going back to Psalm Chapter 1. Six short verses. So that is where we are this week – just some thoughts on Psalm Chapter 1.

(NASB) Psalm 1:1

        1How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
            Nor stand in the path of sinners,
            Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

      2But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
            And in His law he meditates day and night.

      3He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
            Which yields its fruit in its season
            And its leaf does not wither;
            And in whatever he does, he prospers.

      4The wicked are not so,
            But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

      5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
            Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

      6For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
            But the way of the wicked will perish.

Here we have a contrast between the “blessed” (righteous) and the “wicked”. It begins with the term “How blessed” or “Blessed is”. This is an emphatic positive desirable condition, “Oh how happy”! We are familiar with the same wording in the beatitudes from Jesus in Matthew chapter 5. Here, verse 1 immediately focuses then on a person’s actions and attitudes. Personal responsibility. Do not walk, stand, or sit – interesting. This covers 3 states of motion in our lives which seems to indicate “in all parts”. In all parts of your life don’t adopt and follow the advice of the wicked, don’t participate in the practices and lifestyle of sinners, don’t deliberately associate with those that mock/scorn religion and what is holy and right. To not do all these things require purposeful effort on our part. This is not always easy. Some of the time there is good advice, acts of value, and valid questions mixed in with wickedness, sinfulness, and scornfulness. A lot of bad people are very charismatic, seem to appear knowledgeable and wise, or seem to have a great life (from a wordly perspective). Therefore, a blessed person needs to be able to see through this and recognize what is good counsel, a good lifestyle, and theologically sound. That leads then into verse 2, how to differentiate and know what’s right and what’s wrong.

 

To meditate – deep, serious, affectionate thoughtfulness – constantly on the law of Lord. For us today, the law of the Lord includes the entire Bible – and the leading of the Holy Spirit. But note again, it requires our purposeful action. To mediate, not to only focus 15 minutes a day on Tuesday and Thursday. Also to “delight” – this requires we recognize the value and want to focus on God. So it seems there is much responsibility on our part. To sit with eyes closed, arms crossed, in a quiet place and just “think” i.e. “meditate” isn’t something we can do 24x7 – or we would never brush our teeth, go to work, or eat. Perhaps, we are to consistently make some quiet times, but also purposefully consider God’s commands as part of how we make all decisions. Don’t purely go with our gut, or emotions, our desires. How to “meditate day and night” or “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17) – implies consistency, with perseverance, and applies to all areas of our lives.

Verse 3 seems to go deeper into “Blessed is” – its not just an emotional benefit. There is peace, consistency, certainty and guaranteed beneficial outcome. “In its season”  - at regular intervals, at the right time. We may have times of unfruitfulness, times of difficulty, - this should be expected. This is a bit counterintuitive to some worldly views. This also seems to indicate “patience is a virtue”. What about that last phrase, “And in whatever he does, he prospers”? We should carefully consider what is meant here. Many good Christians, much better than I, have had physically difficult lives and died poor. But many also have been comfortable and had things to pass along to their family. Perhaps “prosper” should be viewed through God’s lens of “what is good for us”. In all that we do, if we are focused on God and His ways – there will be something about the outcome that will be beneficial to us. Perhaps worldly gain or wisdom – perhaps even better spiritual gain. But we know prosperity of some type will be there.

In verse 4, the comparison of a firmly planted productive tree versus chaff (remnants of dead harvest) is a stark comparison. We know a lot of sinful and evil people do financially well, some live to a ripe old age. While we may desire those to a degree, those are not what’s most important. Steadfastness versus being blown around in life, peace and contentment versus chaos and unsatisfaction – how easy to identify what is better. This is what we internally really seek.

Verses 5 and 6 now go further to cover eternity. There will be judgement, and there will be a different outcome for the righteous and the wicked. Comparing the “assembly of the righteous” and “the wicked will perish” – what drastically different outcomes. We are all familiar with the concepts of heaven and hell. To live in God’s kingdom, versus the absence from it. To have the Lord wipe away every tear, versus existing in the constant gnashing of teeth. Maybe inferred is “Blessed is the righteous man that knows his eternity”.

I would have much enjoyed a live discussion with everyone on these verses. The above is just my initial thoughts on what we can pull away from it. There is much more meaning and value I’m sure that can be pulled from this passage. It is a great introduction defining “the righteous man who is blessed” – as many of the Psalms that follow are from King David. His delight in the Lord, prosperity that God gave him, the outcome when he walked in the path of sinners – it all seems to align.

Thoughts for application:

·       What might it mean for you to “meditate on the law of Lord” more?

·       How can you prevent being exposed to wicked council, being in the path of sinners, listening to scorners?

·       Do you recognize the effects in your life of being a “tree firmly planted”?

 

Feel free to post any thoughts and insight you have on these 6 verses. I’d love to hear it.

-Ben

Peace In The Valley

Something different this week. For many people, music is therapy, a way to express, even an outlet. Whether you listen silently, hum or sing, or even play instruments – music is just something that “hits home”. Classical, country, rock, pop, blues,…… it can just make us feel good – or even draw deep emotions and evoke sadness and regret. It can calm us down, or rev us up. It’s a very powerful thing. In the Bible there is much mention of music, instruments and their uses. We find music throughout history and in all cultures.

For this week, a challenge. Choose a favorite religious song. It can be a hymn, gospel song, song from 104.9, whatever. Think about why you enjoy it so much. Is it just the rhythm and beat? Is it just because you’ve heard it from birth and its so familiar? Is it the “feeling” or emotional effects? Do the lyrics express a message that you feel is true and honest, but something on your own you couldn’t put into words? Then- do a little research. Who wrote it, who has sung it, is there a back story? Are the words direct quotes from the bible, metaphorical, or something else? The point is to get to the reasons why the song touches you like it does. Then – dig into the “why”. See where this exercise leads you.

God gave us a gift in music. A gift to use to worship Him, but also to help ourselves. But as with anything, if abused, filled with evil and sin – it can become a hinderance and lead us away from Him. So we should be on guard. I just thought this might be a fun exercise. Feel free to share your song and what it means to you with others by posting a comment to this blog.



Here’s my example:

Peace in the Valley

Written in 1937 by Thomas A. Dorsey originally for Mahalia Jackson

Genre: Originally a blues gospel style song, but since adapted for country western and other types

Who has sang it? Elvis, Sam Cook, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Johnny Cash, Little Richard, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Faith Hill,…..and many others

Why do I like it?

Probably because as my wife says “I’m an old man in a younger man’s body”. I grew up hearing some old gospel and lots of hymns, so its very familiar to me. And its simple. As I grow older, the words seem to become more accurate for my “current state”. And when I hear it or sing it in my head (which sounds far better than when I physically sing it) – there’s the reminder of the assurance we have in salvation. I always find it uplifting

The lyrics:

I'm tired and weary   -(Ben) I’m only 48, but sure seems this is more and more true
But I must go along   -(Ben) Things continue to change whether I want them to or not.
Till the Lord comes to call me away, oh Lord –(Ben) Reminds me God is in control. Coronavirus, cancer, choking to death on a grape – it’s the Lord’s timing. There’s peace knowing this.  

Well, the morning is bright
And the Lamb is the Light –(Ben) Someday we will experience God’s glory all the time. Perhaps reference to Jesus transfiguration Luke 9:28-36
And the night is as fair as the day –(Ben) Darkness, fear – will all pass away

Oh, there will be peace in the valley for me, for me –(Ben) Our goal, the promise we hold to. Perhaps reference to Psalm 23 (…though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…)
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
No more sadness, no more sorrow, no more trouble there'll be –(Ben) A future I look forward to
There will be peace in the valley for me, for me

Well, the bear will be gentle –(Ben) Reference to Isaiah 11:6. Metaphorical for how things will change after the 2^nd coming and the new heaven and earth
The wolf will be tame
And the lion shall lay down with the lamb, oh yes

And the beasts from the wild
Will be led by a child
I'll be changed from this creature that I am –(Ben) Perhaps reference to many verses such as 1 John 3:2, the new body we will have some day

Oh, there will be peace in the valley for me some day
There will be peace in the valley for me, I pray
No more sadness, no more sadness, no more trouble there'll be
There will be peace in the valley for me, for me

Focusing on the greatest commandments

In good and bad times we are constantly pulled in different directions, struggle with priorities, deal with temptations – and receive no lack of opinions from others for how to deal with it all. Its good now and then to try to refocus and simplify. Let’s get back to the basics with Mark 12:28-31:

      28One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31“The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

It seems like Jesus is saying if you focus on these 2 commandments, you will be on the right path. Let’s break this up a little and give some thought to each aspect.

Focus point #1: All of Scripture in a nutshell – but nothing new

     Jesus responded by reciting Deut 6:4-5, words from Moses in the introduction to his giving of the 10 commandments. He then quotes Leviticus 19:18 from a section where Moses is giving laws about how to live with those around you. Both were well known to the Israelites, where  commandment #1 was part of the Shema -perhaps even written on the cloak the scribe wore. Although short, there is much depth in these words (Matt 22:40).

Focus point #2: All in

     You shall love God “With all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” What more is there? There should be no area of our lives we hide from God. In everything we should be “All in” – 110%. Can this be hard? Sure – the concerns and desires of this world constantly try to gain our priority. 

When things are crazy in your life, how do you refocus?

• Are there any areas in your life where God isn’t #1? 
• What can you do to change that?
• What do you think actually demonstrates that you are “loving the Lord your God”?
• Spending time, prioritizing, obedience,…..what else?

Focus point #3: We are built to care for others

     “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This commandment goes beyond just being honest, kind, generous and respectful. It means to have a sincere purposeful concern (agapaó) for all aspects of your neighbor’s life – physical and spiritual. To “Love” infers the willingness to take action. Our supreme and uttermost love and devotion is for God, but next are those made in His image. 

     These can be tough words to follow, even for those closest to us such as a spouse or child – to love them as we love ourselves. Those attitudes we want removed from our lives- sin, greed, and selfishness – will always linger to some degree and be in opposition to this command. To love, doesn’t necessarily mean to always “like”. A neighbor’s attributes and character can be offsetting. 

So - How can we go about implementing “Loving our neighbor as our self”?

• Golden Rule Matt 7:12
• Remember that a neighbor’s needs may not be the same as ours, the focus is on them
• A lot of times when its hard to do this, perhaps focus on just being obedient to God

     Come up with some ideas on how you can recognize when your pride, selfishness, and greed are getting in the way of loving your neighbor – and how to take a step back, breathe, then try again.

     I’m sure each of us can think of someone we know or know of that has demonstrated their commitment to following these commandments. The Bible has many examples of those who drastically altered their lives due to loving God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength (Moses, Paul, the apostles). Others demonstrated their sincere love for their neighbor (the good Samaritan, Queen Esther, and Ruth). More recent examples include Corrie ten Boom and The Village of Eyam (I encourage you to read up a bit on these two, very inspiring- just google it). 

     Two commands, simple – but can be hard to fully follow. God knows we are not perfect. He expects we will mess up. He knows each of us are unique in our own nature and gifts, and our fulfilling these commands may look a bit different from others. But, if these are the ruling principles inside us, naturally this will affect all aspects of our lives – engaging us in everything that will please God. He is after the sincerity of our hearts.

     When we are overwhelmed in life, when even the Bible seems a bit confusing, when there’s more advice from family and friends then we can take in – perhaps focusing on these words from Jesus can help us clear our heads, refocus, and find the peace obedience to these commands brings.

 -Ben

Whose Fault is it Anyway Part 3

Whose Fault is it Anyway Part 3

August 31, 2005

As Hurricane Katrina dissipated, millions of lives were shattered.  Homes and property destroyed, over 1,800 lives lost, countless animals lost as well.  American refugees lived in sports stadiums and arenas and tried to figure out if loved ones were safe and how they would rebuild what they had lost; namely their way of life.

At 22 years old I was working at a resale shop in Pickerington and I got an important phone call that couldn't wait until my break.  It was my squad leader from my Army unit calling to tell me that my company had been put on alert to activate for duty in response to the hurricane.  We would be potentially going to Gulf states to help in any way we could.  It never happened, and I was very sad about that.

Not since September 4 years prior had such a disaster happened and everyone was left wondering why?  In August of 2005, I had been a follower of Christ for only a month or two but I remember people saying that Katrina was God's judgement on the city of New Orleans.  Over and over I heard this said by the "nonsecular" talking heads.

But what about the places that were not New Orleans?  The supposed most vile neighborhood in New Orleans, Bourbon Street, wasn't even hit very hard.  I believe the same people who claimed that Katrina was God's judgement on the USA are the same ones that say that Corona virus is God's judgement on the world.

Last week, I drew your attention to some calamities listed in the Bible that God seemed to be silent about the origin of.  Things like famines, which are listed many time.  Terrible things, for sure, but God is never mentioned as sending most of them.

Sometimes, bad things just happen.  Lightning strikes, tornadoes are formed.  Diseases spread and kill crops or people.  Earth is a pretty great place to live...sometimes.  The perfection of Eden is long gone and we basically live in a beautiful wasteland of what God originally created.  God is still sovereign and is still in control of all things, however, what we tend to see more of in the "Church Age" is God's allowance.

For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth since what can be know about God is evident among them, because God has show it to them.  For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made.  As a result, people are without excuse.  For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude.  Instead their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.  Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity so that their bodies were degraded among themselves.  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.

Romans 1:18-25

The New Testament is full of wording similar to this, and frankly so is the Old Testament.  God lets things happen sometimes, often to those who don't have an interest in His involvement in their lives.  That flat tire we talked about about; maybe I ran over a piece of road garbage.  But MAYBE, the life of the tire was simply complete.  Things have expiration dates.  The world isn't an icebox, the climate is going to change.  Why are we shocked when in late August, there are hurricanes in the tropics of Haiti, Cuba, and Florida?  It happens every year!  Things just happen and some are worse than others.  If we blame God for these things, we might as well blame ourselves for picking ourselves over our relationship with God in Eden.

The idea of Eden was that God and man would live in perfect relationship; that all was right in the world.  Because of Christ, that is the kind of future we have with him.  When things go wrong, it is just a reminder that we haven't reached the finish line yet.

Things to Consider

1. In what ways have you seen God mend the broken-hearted when tragedy strikes?
2. In what ways have you seen the Church do their part?
3. When something like a hurricane or a virus comes, how is your faith impacted?