Strengthening the Almighty

10.09.12

Luke 22.43 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. NASB

On Sunday, my pastor posited this rhetorical question: What do you give a King who already has everything? This morning I read Luke’s account of the beginning of Jesus’ suffering and asked, how do you strengthen God?

Now a qualifier may be in order here: Luke 22.43 is not found in most early manuscripts – at least that’s what the footnote in my Bible says. I noticed it didn’t say, all, but, most. So, at some point someone may have thought it necessary to add this remark to the narrative. It doesn’t mean it isn’t true or necessary it just means that someone thought it appropriate to include this to help us understand the agony Jesus was going through as He began to suffer for the sins of His people and the sins of the world.

My imagination really gets going sometimes and I tried to imagine what this verse meant as I read it. Again, I ask the question, How do you strengthen the Almighty? It may be better to ask, how big was the agony that Jesus was going through? How big are (or is) some of the agony(ies) you are going through? My agonies have left me with feeling powerless and helpless. Did Jesus feel that way too? Remember this is God we’re talking about...

We’re not talking about a spitting contest – we’re talking about the salvation of the world.  We’re talking about the effort and lengths to which God went to cement our destiny.  We’re talking about One who knew no sin becoming Sin for us in order that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5.21). We’re talking about God making a way to redeem the repugnant putrefaction we really are without Him.

I don’t think the angel gave Jesus a pep-talk; I don’t think the angel gave Jesus a holy hug. I don’t think the angel did anything but bow in earnest worship and affirm the utter holiness, righteousness, love, and grace of the Servant-King who knelt in bloody humility before Almighty God and willingly threw Himself into the fray of the task at hand. Atlas may have shrugged; Jesus saved the world that weekend.

I need to be reminded of what Jesus did for me. I need to be reminded by seemingly obscure and possibly once overlooked statements in Scripture that Almighty God deserves my worship for what He did, Alone, for us that night long, long ago. And whether or not this sentence was in most of the original manuscripts back then, somebody, somewhere, sometime thought it was necessary that you and I know that Jesus was strengthened by the presence of God to do what He did that night.

Today, some two thousand years removed, God is still in the business of calling people to His salvation. He is still about letting people know Who He is and What He has done through the One who threw Himself into the fray for our sakes that we may come to know Him for all eternity.

Father God, strengthen me, Your servant, to tell that story – amen.

For Whom We Live

10.07.12

Luke 20.47 47 “…who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” NASB

In Luke 20 the narrative tells us that the public ministry of Jesus culminates at the Temple where He teaches the people for the last few days of His life. Jesus always taught – He never missed an opportunity to do so. Jesus taught publicly and privately. He taught in the morning, the afternoon and in the wee hours of the night. But in the last week before the crucifixion, He taught from the Temple in Jerusalem. And the religious mucky-mucks didn’t like it.

Jesus is attacked on three fronts during this time: His authority, His loyalty, and His theology. The Pharisees attacked Him on His authority because they feared He was invading their turf. The attacked Him on His loyalty because they couldn’t defeat Him on His authority so the questioned His allegiance to Rome. The Sadducees attacked Him on His theology by attempting to make a mockery of the resurrection of the dead.

And then Jesus questioned their ethics:  “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” (Luke 20.46-47 NASB) Jesus said this to show they were all about outward appearances. The rest of what they were was a mockery and a sham. And what better place to learn about this, than at the Temple?

I’ve often heard people say, “Be careful what you ask for!” I’ve also heard them say, “Be careful what you pray for.” I read this today and thought: Be careful how you live and who you live for. How we live is a testimony to who we really are. Our choices, preferences, and pleasures will depict the depth of our nature to anyone who is around us for very long.

The scribes, Pharisees and religious leaders liked what they did because of the perks they got: not for the God they (supposedly) represented. Leadership is viewed by many as position and power, not humility and service. Leadership for many is the parking space out front with the sign, Reserved for … . True leadership is getting people from one place to another; and doing it with humility, grace, ethically and hard work. Many leaders don’t want to work that hard… it’s too hard. And appearances are much easier to keep (compared to hard work).

Today, I am reminded for Whom I live. I am reminded that my life and all I do, say, and choose is on display for the world to see – and evaluate, and judge. I must be careful for whom I live because a sham is easy to see through – sooner or later…

Father to Your Name and Your Kingdom may I be found true, Amen.

Knowing That I Know

10.06.12

Like 19.44 44 "...and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” NASB

There are four kinds: those who know and they know it; those who don’t know and they know it; those who know and they don’t know it; and those who don’t know and they don’t know it. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because they were in the fourth category: they didn’t know and they didn’t know it.

Sometimes, actually more often than not, I think we are living in times when we don’t know and don’t know it. We have abundance in our country and yet many, many live life as if there’ll never be enough. In the US we have more Bibles than any other nation on earth and we don’t know they say at all. (Our present culture certainly reveals how godless we are…) We have some of the smartest people on earth living here and more colleges and universities; and we do the dumbest things – repeatedly! We have personal freedoms that people in no other country have ever had, and yet we continually trade them away for trinkets supplied by our leaders. Most think they cannot live without the influence and instruction of the government. Most wouldn’t make it a month if they really had to rely on themselves to exist…

Jerusalem (as representative of the Jewish nation) had been looking for a Savior for centuries and things just weren’t working out. In Jesus’ time they were occupied by Rome (and all Rome brought with it) and under Roman rule. They yearned for the good old days of Jewish Rule and influence. If only the days of King David could return! They didn’t know and they didn’t know it.

Jesus was all they ever needed and Jesus Himself said to them, “You didn’t know the time of your visitation.” They didn’t know and they didn’t know it.

Do you need a visitation from God today? Are things weird and messed up enough in your life that it will take only a visitation from God to correct them? Do you know and know it? Or are you like the Jews of old who didn’t know and didn’t know it? Times in our nation and in our land cry out for a visitation from God (although He is truly here with us – He’s just allowing us to drink from the cup of our choice in order to get our attention.)

What will only matter in our lives is this: that we know and know it. We cannot go on the way we’re going and survive (or thrive). We, unless we repent (a much maligned and misunderstood word if there ever was one), are destined for “…they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another…” – the utter collapse of our society as a whole. We don’t know the time of our visitation. We are our own destroyers…

Father, may I live to reflect a better way. May I know that I know and not be distracted by the useless and small but reflect a better way. Shine from within my life, my words, and my decisions and lifestyle that others may know that I know the time of my own visitation and may the result of that be a Holy Spirit arousal of curiosity to know why I know what I know, and Who I know. Amen.

The Best Place

10.04.12

Esther 2.9 9 Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem. NASB

Never having been in one, I can only imagine what a harem looks like and who is in one: an all-women’s dormitory. I can also imagine that there are good places and bad places within a harem. Maybe some of the places are near the restrooms and showers where there is a lot of foot-traffic and noise. Maybe some are near the latrines where there is foot-traffic, noise, and stench. Maybe some are near the dining areas where there is, foot-traffic, the clanging of pots and pans and smells. Maybe some are near the garbage disposal area and there are flies and the smell of rotting leftovers. Maybe some are elevated and next to a window above the noise and the smells, face the north, have a view of the mountains capturing the cool evening breezes of the Fertile Crescent.

A harem has at least, to my understanding, a two-fold purpose: the king’s (or lord’s) wives or concubines are kept in the harem and the harem keeps the outside world from the women. Wives and concubines of the king serve a unique purpose and must be carefully cared for and kept safe. One can only imagine the egos and issues from within a room full of carefully selected women sharing one space together, all vying for a king’s attention.

So, Esther was transferred from where she was to the best place in the harem: close, but not too close to the restrooms and showers. Close, but not too close to the kitchen and dining areas. Perfectly situated for comfort, ventilation, and (perhaps) some much needed privacy. With a view.

I thought about us – the children of the King; we are not wives or concubines, although we are called the Bride of Christ. And we are kept, not in a harem, but in the world – but in the best place: in the King’s heart, and in the King’s hand; and in the King’s Name. We are His and we bear His name. That’s the best place. That’s the place of Hope and Encouragement. We have been transferred from the mundane to the marvelous.

Jesus said, “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.” John 17.11-12 We, as the Bride of Christ, are kept safe in the best place.

Jesus also said, “Father, I desire that they also... be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17.24 NASB And we, are in that Name, heading for that place

Lord God, where I am right now is with my brothers and sisters in the best place of all: Your presence; as we walk out our mission in this world. Help us to remember that wherever we are, and whatever we are in, we are always in the best place we can be: with You. Amen.

Stupid Assumptions

09.30.12

Luke 13.2 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate?” NASB

The pericopes ([puh-rik-uh-pee(s)] ‘a selection or extract from a book’) in Luke 13 in the NASB are as follows: Call to Repent, Healing on the Sabbath, Parables of Mustard Seed and Leaven, and Teaching in the Villages. They could easily be renamed Stupid Assumptions.

The rub in Luke 13.1 seems to be the fact that Pilate (a despotic Roman bureaucrat in charge of Judea at the time) had mingled some of the blood of some Galileans with his sacrifices. Yuck! And Jesus responded, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate?” But then He answered His query by stating, “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” In other words, stupid Roman bureaucrats are going to do what they’re going to do but there are far greater concerns than these.

And then Jesus asks, “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?” (v. 4) And then He answers, “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (v. 5) The issue wasn’t fate per se, it was one’s relationship with God. It also seems He was saying, there is a difference between death and perishing. Or maybe He was simply stating that to die like these did (without repenting) a similar death would take place: a death outside of a relationship with God.

For centuries, God had been trying to get these people’s attention and so He allowed them to rise to the heights of success and fame under David and Solomon and then to fall into utter social disarray in 70 years of captivity to the Babylonians (and the Medes and the Persians.) But the whole time was one failed attempt after another to get His people to stop and listen to Him. So when Jesus comes on the scene, there is one attempt after another by these people to regain their lost glories as a nation but Jesus is saying something different: He’s saying that the glory they so desperately sought was in reality only found through friendship with God through belief in Himself.

For centuries God’s people had been dying off in one manner or another, and winding up both dead (physically) and dead (spiritually). Jesus was trying to right that wrong by advocating repentance (turning) from stupid assumptions – the ones they had made the whole time – that acceptance by God was found in works and that was found by obeying the Mosaic Law. And that unfortunate or untimely deaths were as a result of one’s sinfulness, thus one getting what one deserved.

So Jesus came advocating repentance, which is found in true relationship and friendship with God, and letting fate do what it’s going to do: but making sure one’s standing with the Almighty was secure through faith, worship, and obedience. Stupid assumptions lead to the worst ends.

I too, must beware of stupid assumptions on my part: like attempting to live like hell but believing I somehow have a Hall Pass through grace. Lord, may I walk humbly and fearfully with You and avoid the stupidity of stupid assumptions…