What Moves Us

05.13.12

1 Chronicles 21.1 1Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.

I’m glad we have the testimony of Scripture to help explain Scripture. The explanation in 2 Samuel 24 is that the “anger of the Lord” incited David to take the census. That seems a little vague to me and so when I read 1 Chronicles, I find “the anger of the Lord” is Satan. To which I respond, “Oh, I get it! Satan moved David to do this!” That’s more understandable.

What moves us? Everyone has a weak link and something will move us. Maybe when we were younger it didn’t take much to move us, but now that we’re older we find a reserve of painful experience to draw from that makes us a little less vulnerable to the wiles of the enemy. Everybody can be moved at some point. For some it’s more, for some it’s less.

I imagine David, late in life, in these accounts in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles. I imagine he’s sort of in a new place in life where he’s decided he needs a diversion from the whole Absalom affair and so he begins to think about the future of his kingdom and his legacy and successors and all that; and he decides he needs to know how much clout he has. The man after God’s own heart sure seemed to forget where the True Source of his power came from, from time to time.

This is yet another example of David getting caught up in either forgetting the Lord, or trying to out-think the Lord. Maybe he was considering building an empire. Whatever the case he forgot about God and decided to rely on his own resources. And that was a bad mistake. David was held to a higher standard and once again, he settled for less. David’s numbering his troops was his own arrogance getting the best of him. David wasn’t supposed to keep track of his military strength, he was to rely on God regardless of what the military need was – God had promised to help little Israel overcome a lot if they only kept their faith in Him.

I can imagine David struggled with knowing all the time; it’s hard for a king to not pay attention to things like the size of the army and the amount in the treasury. That’s the difficulty of being a king and forgetting one is a servant as well. A king assesses and says, “Okay folks, here’s what we tackle next!” A servant says, “Lord, what’s next?” David’s power and favor led him to think it was up to him to make the next move (whatever that was going to be.) Usually, the Lord asks us to do something huge with little or no resources so we have to rely on Him…like feeding five thousand…or something along those lines.

Again, what moves us to do what we do (or has caused us to do what we have done)? Was it kingship, or servanthood? Everyone has a point where they will do, but a lot of that has to do with how one views himself at the point of movement. Perspective makes all the difference in the outcome. Not many are in the place of David where we are actually kings at present. But the Scripture says we are kings in training and for that we must remember what is required of kings: they are leaders and servants.

The right view of God will make all the difference in our failure or success. When God says count we count. But until we hear from Him, we keep our faith firmly rooted in His promises to provide – and trust there is more than enough in Him to accomplish whatever we face – amen?

The Bare Bones of Wrath

05.12.12

1 Thessalonians 1.10 10 …and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. NASB

If they are out there, there are three books I’d like to read: a book about God’s glory, a book about hope, and a book about wrath. Glory has to do with the weight, or presence of God – His immenseness and depth, His brilliance and light; His wisdom and power. Hope has to do with expectation of what is to come. And Wrath – well wrath is a concept I don’t understand very well but I think it has something to do with God’s final answer. I think wrath is the only thing left when God’s patience runs out; when after many chances God finally has had enough of His goodness and glory being shunned by the very creatures to which He’s offered them.

Wrath is partially anger but not anger as we understand it. Our anger is selfish and vengeful. God’s anger is perfect and loving. I know that’s hard for some to take but if God is love then everything He does is loving: even destroying those who willfully turn their backs on Him. Wrath often gets a bad rap for being an act of extreme love.

Wrath is a course of action that is irrevocable and irreversible. Once wrath is determined it is the only way to go, there are no other choices and no stopping it. John the Baptist said in John 3.36: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” The wrath of God, or His final answer, lives on the one who rejects God. Psalm 2 says: Do homage to [or, kiss] the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! How un-blessed are those who don’t take refuge in Him. Refuge against what? His anger against mankind’s refusal to believe in and obey Him.

Wrath is what’s left when patience runs out. Wrath is a present and future judgment that finds its home on the wicked until patience runs out and then it consumes the wicked. If there was ever a need for salvation it is when a person comes to that place where they realized they are out of options and destruction is the only solution left for their existence. That’s harsh but it is so true. Today we feast on the patience of God, but soon will come the bare bones of His wrath: our just dessert.

And so Jesus rescues us from such an end. Jesus rescues the believing from the wrath that abides on the unbelieving and from the wrath to come when the river of God’s mercy runs its course. This kind of talk doesn’t sit well with men who fool themselves into believing that somehow they’ll escape God’s judgment – that somehow He’ll overlook their sin and disbelief and willful rejection of His mercy, grace, and offer of friendship.

Paul commended the Thessalonian church for their acceptance of this truth and their devotion to God. They were a shining example of a faith-filled community who benefited from God’s love and kindness. They understood and believed. And God loved them for it…

No one wants an angry God but everyone has to face One if they refuse His offer of grace, mercy and salvation from that dark and irrevocable Day when His patience with mankind runs out.

What I Know

05.06.12

Matthew 23.35 35 “…so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. NASB

Jesus knew them. It wasn’t just that He knew Jewish history – He did – He also knew people on the level of the measure of their life: “…from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah…” Abel, He called righteous. Jesus knew not only the number of their days, but He also knew the sum of their days – what their life was going to amount to. It wasn’t just that He was taught as a child that Abel was righteous, as the Son of God He knew Abel was righteous. Jesus knew the sum of Abel’s life and it added up to being recognized by God as righteous. Abel, from antiquity was justified by his faith. And before Abraham was, He was, cf. John 8.58.

Jesus knows us. The Son of God, as God, has always been omniscient (with knowledge), He knows. That may make some of us uncomfortable since we’re so good at trying to cover up our past and present so they won’t show up in our future. David tried to do that when he committed adultery and murder (See 2 Samuel 11,12). But what is remarkable about the Son of God and His knowledge is what He does with His knowledge.  And what He does with His knowledge is based upon what we do with ours. Isn’t that amazing!? God never condemns the innocent. God never punishes the one who comes clean to Him in faith as did Abel, Zechariah and the multitude of saints – named and unnamed – in Scripture and in the world. It is all what we do with our knowledge that makes the difference.

I, for one, am not innocent; I’ve got stuff. Now, not as a defense but as truth, so do you. We all have stuff; stuff happens. I recently thought that a perspective of hell might be something like this: having to watch video reruns of my life on a big-screen… with all of my loved ones, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and enemies there to watch my reruns as well. How would I answer for all of the evil that I have done, and plotted to do? How could I look them in the eye and give an account for what I’ve said and done to them. Truly, the thought was almost unbearable. And then I remembered, they’ve all got stuff as well.

And above and beyond all of that: Jesus knows. He knows who I am, what I’ve done, and to somewhat my shame, what I’m going to do. But what matters is what I do with what I know and what I do when I’ve done it. Paul said, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6.1-2 NASB) It isn’t a license to sin that I know that I can come for forgiveness; it’s worship to the All-Knowing One that when I do (willfully or otherwise) I can come clean. The consequences are the consequences, but the All-Knowing One knows faith when He sees it.

Today, I know that Jesus knows what I know. I know He knows what I’m going to say and do before I say it and do it. But I also know that right or wrong, good or bad, the All-Knowing Son of God calls me by name and knows, as He did with Abel the Righteous and Zechariah, son of Berechiah, the sum total of my life and what it’s all going to amount to. He knows, He loves, He forgives, and He saves the ones who know that He knows. I’m eternally grateful for that.

Choosing His Choice

05.05.12

Matthew 22.12 12 ...and he said to him, ‘ Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. NASB

Okay, confessional time: I looked at the commentary on this parable because I’ve always been somewhat stumped by the comparison the Lord was making. First: the Lord was making reference to a long held Jewish cultural belief that when (the Real) Messiah came the next step would be an eternal feast of sorts (a wedding banquet) in which the Messiah (God’s Chosen One) would be wedded to His chosen Bride (Israel.) It would be an exclusive event in which only the chosen ones (Israel) would be invited. No Gentiles, no un-chosen ones. So Jesus’ audience understood the banquet simile.

What His audience couldn’t handle was the terms of the banquet: in the (real) feast, they were to accept their invitations on God’s terms: that Jesus was the Messiah He was claiming to be all along. So Jesus tells them about a King (God) who throws a party and invites all of His chosen ones (Israel) to show up – His listeners are happy about that. But when Jesus says they ignore the invitation – to their farms, to their businesses – and then, horror of horrors, they even mistreat and kill the King’s messengers – His hearers are now starting to take an even dimmer view of this renegade Rabbi who seems to be poking holes in their theology. Is that what He’s really saying: that we’d reject the feast!?

And so, then Jesus tells them the King (God) quickly invites outsiders (i.e. Gentiles and the unclean) to come to the banquet leaving the chosen ones (Israel) out. Horror of horrors! We have to come to the feast: we are the chosen ones! It’s between us and our God! Then Jesus gives them the coup de gras: The wedding feast is filled with both evil and good (who accept the party on God’s terms) but one is found who doesn’t have on the right clothes: he accepts God but doesn’t accept God’s Messiah – by implication: the very Messiah sharing this very parable with them at that very moment.

Yes, chosen ones, the feast is all about you and your God – make no mistake about it. But don’t think for a minute that because you are chosen that you can dictate the terms of your Chooser’s choice. And your Chooser has chosen His Chosen One and you are to come to the banquet because you choose to believe He is the Chosen One.

The parable was for them and it’s also for us. They needed to know – on the eve, eve, of the crucifixion – that they would attend their precious wedding feast that they so hoped for only if they would choose God’s Chosen One – the One who was headed for the cross for them.

Today, many want God, but have little or no use for Jesus. To them, Jesus is unnecessary and they feel their own good works and best behavior will be sufficient to get them into the feast (or whatever preferred future they have). But like the character in the parable, the right clothes are what ensure the invitation, and the right clothes are the choosing of God’s Choice. In this sense, clothing does make the man…

Beyond the Packaging

05.04.12

Matthew 21.44 44 And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” NASB

It is what’s inside that matters – and Jesus spoke to that when He said, “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces…” We are more valuable when we are broken than when we aren’t. The world needs broken people.

We, however, are of the opinion that people need to be fixed – that because they are broken they need to be somehow put back together in order to be of some value. We have a disorder for just about every human need out there: PTSD, OCD, RLS, ED and on and on it goes. We identify the need, come up with a solution and bam, problem solved. Fixed people mean something in this world. Fixing people is a big business – books, pills, seminars, conferences…lots of need, billions of dollars.

But Jesus said, “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” The broken are what is needed. Broken people see their need and rather than exploit it, use it for the comfort of others. Broken people see their limitations but also the limitlessness of Almighty God. Broken people know that their own strength can be a hindrance but His strength is of surpassing greatness, peace, and exceeding joy. Broken people know this: if God can use me, He can (and does) use anyone.

Into each of us God has placed something of surpassing beauty. Into each life God has put potential, ability, and resource. We carry around treasure from heaven in these jars of clay in which we live. His desire is to bless the world around us with what He’s put in us. And the only way to do that is to break the jars and release what He’s put in there. It’s not the jar that holds the perfume that’s important; it’s the perfume. The perfume is the blessing, not the container.

We in western society fool ourselves with packaging – the prettier the package the more worth we deem – how foolish is that! Packaging is only what holds the item or substance of worth. We assess value to things that are in collections that are still in the original package – pristine and unspoiled. What’s in the package was never meant to be left in the package. How marred is our sense of valuation.

And He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces – and become something useful in the Master’s hands. What is inside of us is what is of value and the only way to get to it is to destroy the packaging. Jesus is all about breaking open the packaging. Jesus is all about broken people who have wonderful things in them that are of great need to the world around them. Jesus is all about broken people.

Where are we weak? It’s there Jesus is strong. Where are we failing? It’s there Jesus succeeds. Where are we empty? It’s there Jesus fills the void. Broken people have resources that are the kinds of things that fix broken worlds and broken lives so those things may in turn be broken in order to fix maybe even broken universes. It’s all in God’s plan and the only way to get there is to fall on the Stone that it may serve its real purpose: getting out of us what God has put in us.