Easy Faith vs. True Servanthood

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
1 Corinthians 4 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 

• We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ;
• we are weak, but you are strong;
• you are distinguished, but we are without honor. 

To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; 

• when we are reviled, we bless;
• when we are persecuted, we endure;
• when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; 

we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.  (1 Corinthians 4:8-14, NASB)


REFLECTIONS:
In all honesty, I am not sure what to write.  I am not sure my words would have any greater impact or enlightenment upon what Paul wrote.  He was addressing the pride and arrogance of the Corinthians, which I think can be interposed upon the American Church in general.  I know we can often get into a mentality of comparing ourselves with our brothers and sisters around the world who are truly persecuted and suffering for their faith, and I believe that is something of which we need to remain mindful, however, let’s drill down just a little bit make it personal for us as Americans in the 21st century.

I’m pretty sarcastic, so I always appreciate when either God or the humans He used to author His Word use sarcasm to get their point across.  Paul is in full swing here, it might be his finest use of sarcasm in all his letters.  I broke it down into a format to easily see his use of sarcasm regarding the Corinthians’ judgments and his correlating responses.  Now hang with me here because I’m admitting I’m taking some liberty with Paul’s words but I think it’s a reasonable “what if” scenario.  You see, I discovered that the bulleted points really do correspond and I think therein lies significance for us.  As we go through these, keep in mind this is about our faith—what we are living and doing for Christ’s sake.  While the responses Paul provides in each circumstance are Godly and may be transposed onto other situations, I do not believe we can blindly apply this to all situations outside faith as nuances can alter the responses.

“We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ.” “When we are reviled, we bless.”  One way we can look at this is:  we are fools for Christ’s sake because when we are reviled, we bless; a prudent person in Christ would never allow themselves to be reviled.  What does it mean to be a fool for Christ’s sake?  Well, it means you are looked down upon, it means you are mocked, it means you are victimized.  What does revile mean?  It means to verbally abuse.  Do you see how Paul uses the language to correspond?!?  I’m sorry; I love this kind of verbal layering!  So the question here is: are we fools for Christ?  Do we accept the mocking, the victimization as part of our role as a Christ-bearer or are we so prudent we won’t allow ourselves near those who might mock us for our faith?  Well, if this was a test, I would probably score a D.  My foray into those types of situations usually involves the computer and internet.  That way I have a safety barrier.  I can “leave” the conversation at will and I can remain relatively unknown.  If I physically remain in the Spicewood/Marble Falls area I can stay relatively insulated with fellow Christians and not have to venture into the arenas which might expose me to a bit of foolishness for Christ’s sake.

“We are weak, but you are strong.” “When we are persecuted, we endure.”  Again, bear with my slight extrapolation:  We are weak because we are persecuted; you are strong because you are not being persecuted.  You might be thinking, “Really, Beth?  People don’t truly think that way.  We don’t think people are stronger because they aren’t persecuted.”  I’m not so sure.  In a way, it’s similar to the judgment we just looked at.  I think there is an underlying mentality we have that says “if you were stronger, you wouldn’t be in that situation.”  If you “endure” the persecution of your faith, then you must be displaying a weakness because we need to fight back; prove our faith is “right,” prove that we can’t be bullied.  Sorry, too often we live as American Christians instead of Christian Americans.  I do.  It’s really something I’m trying to stay mindful of, so that I can let the Spirit transform me.  We are not really at a persecuted level here yet, but I’m not so sure we won’t reach it in my lifetime.  I want to be ready to endure.

“You are distinguished, but we are without honor.” “When we are slandered, we try to conciliate.”  Yes, I’m still using a cause/effect tone:  we are without honor because we are slandered.  Paul again calls out the Corinthians to notice their rather sanitized, white-gloved approach to walking out their faith and it’s a call that matches our lives today.  We hold in high-esteem those who are distinguished.  We take care of the marginalized, we aren’t calloused.  We reach out… but do we become them?  Do we become those who are slandered, those who are without honor?  Not me.  

Sigh.  Are you as depressed as I am right now?  I just went up to bat and struck out three times.  Maybe y’all are doing better—maybe you hit a home run.  I hope so.  I wish I could take this exhortation from Paul and find ways that we, as a whole, are succeeding more than our Corinthian brothers and sisters did.  Instead I just see too many similarities between the healthy, wealthy, and wise Corinthians and the American church today.  Dick Pickens recently confirmed to me something that Tres has said to me as well—I have a prophetic voice.  While I’m honored to know God uses me to speak not-so-pleasant truth, I’m also deeply saddened because I want so much to be one who people want to listen to, not the one that people run screaming from!  I want to be the warm, mushy, gushy, exuding compassion and comfort to everyone, but I have to accept how God has decided to fashion me—how He has decided to gift me (at least for this season).  So forgive me for being a downer, but please hear the heart of God:  He loves you and He wants to see you grow into greater glory—into a clearer image of who He is, so that you may reflect His glory to this world that needs Him so much.  Me too.


PRAYER:
Jesus, I’m sorry for being more American than Christian; for being more willing to put on my fighting gloves than my servant clothing.  Lord, You know my fight against pride in my own life and I pray that You will keep me aware of all the opportunities I have to humble myself so that You will be proclaimed.  Thank You that You continue to instruct me, continue to transform me.  And Jesus, help me receive the gifts You have given me with joy, may You continue to show me how to rightly use those gifts.  I love you, Jesus.


WHO AM I?
Hey.  I’m Beth Peeples and kind of like Leigh Anne (I think) said earlier, I’m running out of clever, new things to share about myself.  In 2003 I trained and ran/walked a marathon in Honolulu, HI.  It was 86 degrees and humid.  Guess if I enjoyed it.  <shakes head emphatically>   If I had trained in Texas it would’ve been a breeze.  Instead, I trained in Bellingham, WA… in the Fall… where the average temperature rarely rose to 50 degrees.  But hey, at least I completed it!  J  Here is a pic of my kids and I nine years ago, right before the marathon.  We all look a little goofy, but I guess pictures capture reality.  Oh, and for the record, Max is a very good and Godly man and I thank God every day for blessing my life with him.  Just had to throw that in there!  J

How Do You See Your Life?

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
1 Corinthians 3 (click the link)


REFLECTIONS:
Believers can be immature, infantile and considered more carnal than spiritual.  Yet, just as we don’t give a baby solid food, before they are ready, through God’s grace we sharpen and encourage each other as God grows us.  We are to move from living life from an earthly, old way of thinking, to living life from our God-given Spirit-filled nature, positioning ourselves for Him to redefine what wisdom truly is.  

We are not supposed to continue in childishness by being divisive, argumentative, being jealous or envying each other.  We must recognize that all our gifts and abilities are from God, and chosen by Him, for the glory of Him to unify us as His body, His people, His kingdom, and His testimony in love.  

As believers we can do as much or as little to fulfill His purpose or role for us as part of His body, but we will be accountable for what we’ve built in this life.  We are His temple, and He dwells within us individually and as a church, we are able to do what the world deems impossible.  He has given us all we need to be the people He has called us to be.  The only boasting in this life should be about what God has done. 

“How you see your life, shapes your life.  How you define life determines your destiny.” (Rick Warren)

Look back on your life.  Think about the times you remember God weaving in and out of various circumstances.  In hardship when His strength held up your limp body and got you through, in rebellion or compromise when His love endured and His grace embraced you; In immaturity, when He gently, yet sometimes firmly corrected you.  In loneliness when He comforted you, in pain when His presence overshadowed you.  In worship when His joy and nearness filled you.  Think about the heart changing moments only He could bring you through, making you better than you were before. When we move our focus to Him, He’s the one who transforms us.

How do you see your life?  Are you just trying to get through it?  Do you catch yourself living out your old way of thinking, limiting yourself?  Do you feel insignificant in light of all you see around you?  Have you made your world to small?  Are you not stepping into your role as part of the body?  Are you letting circumstances drown you?  You are meant for something more.

Abraham had moments of fear, doubt, and acting out in his own logic, just like many of the great bible patriarchs.  Yet the simplicity of his love for and pursuit of God has impacted generations.  Galatians 3:6 says: “Thus Abraham believed in and adhered to and trusted in and relied on God, and it was reckoned and placed to his account and credited as righteousness (as conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action)" (AMP). Your belief, pursuit, commitment and reliance upon God are not only about you. Your life has a great, eternal purpose.

Personally I can get caught up planning out my errands, planning for the holidays, planning for my future, planning for the kid’s school, dreaming of retirement, and quite frankly getting stressed out from the competing things in my day.  I constantly need to put into practice prioritizing, sitting, and listening for God’s plan for me today. “Many plans are in a man’s mind, but it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21). It’s only what God does in us, with us, and through us that endures forever. 

We are responsible to utilize what we’ve been given, to take part in, and step into our role in His kingdom, His body here and now. Is this easy?  Most of the time no, there will be discouragement, disappointment, frustration, and distractions just to name a few.  What does that mean?  It means that we recognize we have an important role to fulfill in the body, and whether we decide to rise up, fall or become complacent; we affect God’s body as a whole.  We are accountable to step into our role, to participate in His family.  His desire is to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.  Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23).

In light of the freedom Christ has given us, I love reading this quote from Nelson Mandela “I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.” 


PRAYER:
Father, thank You that Your mercy endures forever. Thank You that Your love will accompany us all of our days. Thank You, that there is more than what we can plainly see.  We pray You would remove the spiritual cataracts that limit our vision.  Help us see Your face, Your heart, Your purpose for us today.  We pray we would not be consumed by anything more than You; and in the times when we stray or lose focus, we ask for great conviction so we may run the race with endurance.  Get us past ourselves to see our part in the lives around us, our parts in participating in Your kingdom.  Give us Your heart for your people.  In Jesus name we pray.


WHO AM I?
My name is Nicole Robinson, and I’m so glad this whole “refinement” process isn’t something I have to do myself because I can genuinely say I’m a better mother, wife, and friend than I was a few years ago, but to no credit of my own.  Isn’t it a relief to know that Jesus loves us SOO much that not only was He willing to take our punishment for us, but all we have to do is keep close to Him and he does all the transforming in our lives too?  Keep it coming Lord!  I have two fantastic boys who love me immensely, and who although in high school, and jr. high give me hugs and kisses despite who’s around, they must get that from their dad.  I love riding bikes with my 14 yr. old, and just sitting and talking with my 12 yr. old, they are my greatest challenge and blessing.  My prayer is that when they are adults, that despite all my mistakes, they would look back and remember only God’s love embracing them through me. 

Things Are Not Always What They Seem

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
1 Corinthians 2 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: 

“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—  

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:6-10, NIV)

 

 

REFLECTIONS:

If I know one thing, it’s that the New Testament and the Old Testament are one and the same!  I know we often like to separate them out like one is better than another, but the Old Testament is RICH and it points to Jesus!  I was reading through 1 Corinthians 2 and the passage that stuck out to me the most was verse 9.  I read it through several times on different days and it’s the one that popped out, so I figured that was the one I was supposed to concentrate on.  Now I don’t know about you but the passage, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived.” Sounds so sweet and loving to me.  It’s a feel good passage.  But then I dug a little deeper because it stated, “However, as it is written…” so I knew it came from somewhere.

 

Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
You come to the help of those who gladly do right,
who remember your ways. (Isaiah 64:4-5a) 

Wait!  The words are different in my NIV.  In 1 Corinthians it’s about those who love Him, in Isaiah it’s about those who wait on Him, who gladly do right and remember His ways.  Hmm.  I’m not very good at waiting and there are times I don’t do right and I try really hard to remember His ways, but what are these conditions on such a sweet passage?  I thought I just had to love Him for us to experience this bliss.  What happened? 

But when we continued to sin against them,
you were angry.
How then can we be saved?
All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
No one calls on your name
or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us
and have given us over to our sins. (Isaiah 64:5b-7) 

Uh oh!  Wait, I thought I was writing a warm, fuzzy message.  Remember “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—”?  Where is my warm, fuzzy message?  How did it go from warm and fuzzy to Him allowing us to waste away because of our sins?  I’ve been deceived!  I thought this passage was used to comfort people when they were in pain.  I thought it was used to encourage and uplift us in times of trouble.  Why wasn’t I notified?  Good grief!  I could get into some trouble here and I need some hope!  What do I know about God to be true? 

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;
do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
for we are all your people. (Isaiah 64:8-9) 

Oh wait!  That’s right!  We are in the New Testament, aren’t we?  Whew!  Yes, God is our Father and yes, we are the work of His hands!  All we have to do is come to Him and dwell in His presence.  Why is something so simple so hard to do?  Why aren’t we always in the holy of holies like Beth talked about in her sermon?  Why do we hold our lives in our hands (well, fists really) and expect our God who is holy to overlook our sins?  We come to Him (well let me be more specific—I come to Him) in sin and expect Him to overlook it because I love Him.  That’s like a husband having an affair and coming to his wife asking for forgiveness knowing he’s going to do it again, but he loves her so what’s the problem?  OUCH!  I don’t want to be like that!  I want to be holy and righteous and good (not by man’s standards but by God’s).  Because my standards are not high enough, there is too much wiggle room for me to do what I want and still try to claim the name of Jesus.  (Sigh)  Back to 1 Corinthians… 

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. (1 Corinthians 2:13) 

The end.

 

 

APPLICATION:

What in your life causes you to commit adultery with the Lord?  Take a few minutes and sit with Him and allow His presence to fill you.  Don’t run from Him.  Don’t say “I don’t have time, I’ll do it later” because later won’t come.  Just do it.  And when you have allowed Him to fill you, allow Him to instruct you.  If you don’t know what causes you to commit adultery with the Lord, He will tell you if you ask.  Notice I’m not saying “if” because we all commit adultery with Him.  But we don’t have to stay in that relationship (TV, work, addictions, people, etc) we get to choose to come clean and to do what’s right.  I know I do.

 

 

PRAYER:

Oh God, forgive your people!  Forgive me!  When I hear this song, it makes me want to be a sheep after all!  I want you to be my shepherd.  God feed me, clothe me, provide for me.  I lay my life at your feet and give you all authority.  Please help me to keep this pledge as my flesh is weak. 

 

Here is a song that makes me long for His embrace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBejAVR_yOY&feature=relmfu.

 

 

WHO AM I?

My name is Dorene Froese and I’m a child of God.  I love Jesus but I often feel like Paul in the New Testament when he says he does what he doesn’t want to to and doesn’t do what he wants to do.  But I really do love Jesus!  I know He is in me because I can love!  This is a photo when I was a middle school leader back in the day.  We were the red team, so I was wearing my Veggie Tales Bob the tomato shirt!  We had a baptism service and 7 of my small group girls were baptized!  At the time, I think I had 10 in my small group.  Poor girls!  They had me as a leader!  After I grilled them half to death to make sure they weren’t being baptized because all of their friends were, they proclaimed publicly they followed Jesus.  And as you can see I got soaked almost as much as they did.  It was a privilege and an honor to baptize each one.  It was a glorious day because each baptism represented a different story.  Over the years, my small group girls had issues dealing with anorexia and eating disorders, sexual abuse, physical abuse, death, abusive boyfriends, rejection, etc. and each young girl that stepped into the tank was declaring publicly that Jesus is the answer.  Following Jesus didn’t make their lives any easier in the physical world, but He gave them hope in the midst of trouble!  Halleluiah!  Our God Reigns!  And He blessed my life through theirs!  They are all grown up now—a lot of them have married and have children of their own.  But there is something inside of me that still sees them as children, I think I always will (must be what parents feel when their kids grow up)!  LOL

 

The Center of Our Lives

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
1 Corinthians 1 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:2-3, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
The Apostle Paul's central concern—in this letter as well as throughout his life and ministry—was quite simply Jesus. In the first nine verses of this chapter, Paul mentions Jesus' name eight different times. It's as if Paul couldn't stop himself from talking about Jesus. Without Jesus, nothing else Paul said or did made any sense at all. 

Paul addresses a number of quarrels and controversies in this letter, but what he wants the Corinthians to get hold of most of all—and what we, too, need to grasp at the core of our being— is what it means to have Jesus at the center of your life, your way of thinking, your way of speech, your way of imagination, and your way of interacting with others. If they (and we!) can somehow manage to hold Jesus at the center of their lives and fellowship, all the other controversial issues that raise their ugly heads will sort themselves out.

In particular, Paul wants the Corinthians to have Jesus at the center of their understanding of world history. Most of the Christians in Corinth had been ordinary "pagans." They didn't grow up in the Jewish community in which God's rule and sovereignty were highlighted on a daily basis. They were Gentiles, believing in various gods and goddesses, but without any idea that history—the story of the world—was going somewhere. And they had no idea that their individual lives might somehow be a part of that forward movement. Again and again Paul hammers home the wonderful message that the Corinthians had been caught up into a great movement of the love and power of the one true God, the God of Israel, whose work for the whole world had now been unveiled through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's why Paul wants to keep Jesus at the center of the picture.

Paul reminds the Christians in Corinth that every point of their lives—past, present, and future—is intertwined with Jesus' story. To begin with, God has "sanctified" them and called them to be his "holy people" (verse 2)—he has set them aside for his very own special purposes in Christ Jesus and he hopes and expects that they will cooperate with his plan. Paul reminds the Corinthians of this truth throughout this letter—Paul returns to it again and again. It's so easy for us to forget that God has called us to be his very special people, his special tools and envoys to accomplish his plans and purposes in the earth. We get so easily distracted by life and work and family responsibilities. Or we get busy or selfish or lazy. But my prayer is that God might graciously open our eyes to grasp the wonderful truth of our holy calling in a fresh new way today.

Not only have the Corinthians been called to a special purpose, but they are reminded that they are part of a large and growing family—brothers and sisters of everyone who "call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ"(verse 2). In fact, "calling on" this name is the one and only sign of membership in God's family. This idea of "calling on his name" harkens back to the earlier story of Israel, the people who "called on the name of the LORD" (see Genesis 12:8; 13:4; 26:25; and others). Right from the get-go, Paul shows what's really going on—Israel's true King, the world's true Lord, Israel's one God has become personally present in the world in Jesus Christ. And he is summoning all people into his family. This is so utterly central to Paul's way of thinking that his way of talking about it became almost formulaic. Verse 3 is one such example: "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." May God's active working and his harmonious unity be ours today.

One thing Paul is so good at—and we should take note of this!—is expressing thanks to God for the life and work of his fellow believers (verses 4-9). Notice again how he moves from what happened to them in the past, through the sort of people they had become, to the future when they will be "blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." And at each stage, Jesus is at the center of it all.

God gave them his "grace" in Christ Jesus—he freely loved them and acted decisively on their behalf even though they had done nothing whatsoever to deserve his favor. The result of this "grace" was that their lives had been "enriched in every way." They had come to know the Lord Jesus and the new life he gives. They had been enbabled to speak the truth in love, and to teach and admonish and encourage one another with the message of Christ. When it comes to spiritual gifts—a topic of controversy and division in this congregation (chapters 12-14)—the Corinthian church was filled with the vitality of the Spirit and overflowed with a diverse variety of spiritual gifts.

God called the Corinthian believers in the past, equipped them in the present, and promises to complete the whole process in the future. I love this quote from NT Wright: "World history—and the story of the Christian life—has a shape, and Jesus is its shaper at every point." This reminds me of something Paul said in another of his letters: "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians1:6, ESV).

In the Summer Olympics we recently saw a number of sprinters straining forward to go faster and to get to the finish line quicker. In a similar manner, we must always be leaning forward toward God's finishing line as we "eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." There is coming a day—maybe even today—when the hidden truth about the world will be fully unveiled. And this hidden truth will turn out to be the person of Jesus Christ. All the world will see and know that he is indeed King of All. That's why it's so important for us to "call on him," to pray to the Father in his name, to learn to love him, to treasure him, to know his faithful companionship and unconditional love, to have his name always in our hearts and on our lips.

Regardless of our differences, when two or three people gather together in the name of Jesus, they have much in common. The early Christian word for that was "fellowship," the key word in the name of our little church. It's so important for us to remember that we are members in the worldwide family that has God as its Father and Jesus, his unique Son, as its older brother. This letter is filled with insight on how to deal with divisions and differences (including verses 10-31 in this chapter), but nothing in this letter is more important than Paul's opening words that we have chosen to focus on today. May Christ indeed be the center of our lives today.


PRAYER:
Charlie Hall has a song called "Center" that's a beautiful prayer to Jesus and a great summation of 1 Corinthians 1:1-9. I'd encourage you to watch the video because the song is quite catchy and it's easy to remember—it's likely to work its way into your heart and stay there all day long. And that's a good thing!

We'll let the lyrics serve as our closing prayer: 

Oh Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives

 

You’re the center of the universe
Everything was made in You Jesus
Breath of every living thing
Everyone was made for You

 

You hold everything together
You hold everything together

 

Oh Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives

 

We lift our eyes to heaven
We wrap our lives around your life
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You

 

You’re the center of the universe
Everything was made in You Jesus
Breath of every living thing
Everyone was made for You

 

………

 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the Light of His glory and grace

WHO AM I?
I am Tres Sansom, and our foster son recently wanted to take some pictures using Nana's camera. Here's one of his photos. He's so talented.

On the Road to Emmaus

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Luke 24 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 23:25-27, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
Based upon my pattern of speech and my writing skills, it probably shocks you to learn that I was an English major in college. The reason I chose to pursue that degree is that I have always loved reading good stories. (That's probably a dumb reason to choose a degree plan, but I chalk my choice up to youthful exuberance.) From my earliest childhood memories, I have been captivated by expertly written tales.

For my money, the tale of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus is the finest scene Luke ever sketched. At the level of drama it has everything—sorrow, suspense, puzzlement, gradual enlightenment, unexpected twists and turns, astonished recognition, and a flurry of excitement and activity. It is a wonderful, unique, spellbinding tale.

It's also a model for a great deal of what being a Christian is all about. We all experience the slow, sad dismay at the failure of human hopes. We all eventually turn to someone in the hopes that they might help us on our journey. We all experience the discovery that Scripture holds unexpected keys that unlock the mysteries of life and enable us to find the truth. And at one point or another, we all experience the sudden realization that Jesus himself is present with us, warming our hearts with his truth. Luke's tale of the Emmaus Road describes the experience of countless Christians, and goes quite a long way to explaining how Christianity grasps us and holds us in the face of so much that is broken and damaged in the world, in the church, and in ourselves.

………….

Though I've never taken part in a Walk to Emmaus, I understand that this story has often been used as a focus for meditation, especially when believers find themselves in difficult or confusing situations. If you currently find yourself in such a tough spot or feel that your world is crumbling around you, I encourage you to bring your problems—your agonies and disappointments—on the Road to Emmaus with Cleopas and his companion. Be prepared to share your heartbreak with the Stranger who approaches. And learn to listen for his voice, explaining, leading forwards, warming your heart by applying Scripture to what's going on in your life. Meditating on Scripture is a beautiful thing. Learn to live inside this story, and you will find it an inexhaustible well of encouragement and strength.

………….

Another interesting detail caught my eye: The couple on this road may very well have been husband and wife, Cleopas and Mary. In John's crucifixion scene he mentions that there is a woman at the cross named Mary who is the wife of “Clopas” (John 19:25). “Clopas” there may very well have been the same person as "Cleopas" here. Though we cannot be sure of this, many couples have found the story of the Emmaus Road to be a wonderful focus for bringing their lives, their problems, and their questions before Jesus. I know that Kate and I have meditated and prayed this scriptural story on a number of occasions throughout our short marriage.

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The story Cleopas relays to the Stranger is simple, profound, and poignant. He and all his fellow disciples had regarded Jesus as a prophet—in fact, someone more than a prophet. God's power had been present with him in his miracles and his teaching, and they held out great hope that this man was God's Messiah. They believed that he was the One who would redeem Israel. This hope that he would "redeem Israel" hearkened back to the Exodus story. Just as Israel had been "redeemed" from slavery in Egypt at the first Passover (Exodus 6:6), so they had hoped that Israel would be "redeemed" afresh and new through the work of Jesus. They had hoped that God would purchase Israel's freedom. They had hoped that Israel would be liberated once and for all from pagan dominion and would be set free to serve God in peace and holiness.

That's why the crucifixion was so devastating. It wasn't just that Jesus had been the One in whom they had placed their hopes and he was now dead and gone. It was sharper than that, more painful than that—if Jesus had been the One to redeem Israel, he should have been defeating the pagans. Instead, it appeared that he had been defeated by Israel's oppressors. He died a humiliating death at their pagan hands. 

Cleopas and all of his fellow disciples were devastated by the crucifixion of Jesus. They, like everybody else in Israel, had totally misinterpreted the manner in which God's Messiah would bring deliverance. They had believed that God would redeem Israel from suffering. But the true story was that God would redeem Israel through suffering. In particular, God would deliver Israel through the suffering of Israel's representative, the Messiah.

When Luke says that Jesus interpreted to them all the things that were said in the Scriptures "concerning himself," he doesn't mean that Jesus collected a few, or even a few dozen, isolated texts, verses chosen at random. He means that Jesus explained the whole story of Israel's deliverance, from Genesis through the Prophets. He pointed them forwards to a fulfillment which could only be found when God's Messiah took Israel's sufferings—and hence the world's sufferings—onto himself, died under its crushing weight, and rose again as the beginning of God's new creation, God's new people. This is what had to happen. And now, in Jesus, it just had.

………….

The detail in the story that intrigues me the most is that Cleopas and Mary couldn't recognize Jesus. This strange feature is in Matthew (28:17) and John (20:14; 21:4, 12), as well. I assume that this is because Jesus' body had emerged from the tomb in a new transformed state. It was the same, yet different—a mystery which we shall perhaps never understand until we share in the same resurrected life. 

But perhaps Cleopas and Mary couldn't recognize Jesus at first because of the fact that they couldn't recognize the death and resurrection of Jesus as the story of God's redemption. Perhaps Luke is saying that we can only know Jesus—can only fully recognize him—when we learn to see him within the true story of God, Israel, and the world.

For that, we need to learn how to read the Scriptures in a fresh new manner. We need to read the Scriptures with Jesus, the risen Lord, as our teacher and our guide. This story serves as one of the clearest, most powerful encouragements to pray for Jesus' presence and his guidance whenever we study the Bible—whether individually or in a group. We need to be prepared for him to lovingly rebuke our foolish and faithless readings. And we need to listen for his fresh interpretation of God's redemptive story. Only with Jesus at our side will we read the Scriptures in such a way that our hearts burn within us (verse 32).


PRAYER:
Oh God, thank you for the story of Jesus' resurrection and ascension. We serve a living Savior, One enthroned at your right hand with all power and authority. Help us today to discern the presence of Jesus in our daily lives. Help us to listen for his voice, to seek after his guidance, and to yield to his leading. "Show us your ways, Lord, teach us your paths. Guide us in your truth and teach us, for you are God our Savior, and our hope is in you all day long" (Psalm 25:4-5).


WHO AM I?
I am Tres Sansom, and over the last few years I have become a huge fan of NT Wright. I recently finished reading his newest book How God Became King, and it was fantastic. He is a historian as well as a theologian. He believes that Western Christianity has misinterpreted much of the biblical story because we have forgotten that Scripture is a primarily Jewish story. He believes that we have misunderstood the gospel because we have failed to see things from the Jewish perspective. His writings are very challenging—not because they are hard to understand, but because they question and challenge much of what we've been taught. I like to read his writings because they stretch me and lead me to a fuller understanding of God's redemptive story.

I Am Barabbas

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Luke 23 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that [Jesus] be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. (Luke 23:23-25, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
Year after year, as Christians walk through the Passion Week with Jesus, our hearts are knit to him. He is our greatest hero, at the climax of his greatest feat. As we re-live the story with him, we pull for him, and against his enemies.

We feel varying levels of disdain for Judas who betrays him, Peter who denies him, the chief priests who despise him, Herod who mocks him, the people who call for his crucifixion, Pilate who appeases the mob and washes his hands, and Barabbas who is guilty but gets to go free. 

But wait. Barabbas—the guilty who goes free? Barabbas—the sinner released to new life while the death he deserves is paid by an Innocent Substitute?

Take careful note of where Luke is leading us in his carefully crafted narrative.

…………..

Three times in verses 15-22, Pilate declares Jesus’ innocence. 

• First, in verse 15, he says, “As you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.”
• Second, in verse 20, Luke tells us, “Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again.”
• Then, in verse 22, Luke says, “For the third time he spoke to them: ‘Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty.’”

Three times in this short span of eight verses, Luke, through Pilate, points us to Jesus’ innocence. Jesus has done nothing deserving death. Pilate cannot find in Jesus any guilt deserving death. Our hero is innocent.

And it’s not only in these eight verses. Throughout chapter 23, Luke seems at pains to draw our attention to Jesus’ innocence. We might even call it the major theme of his version of the story.

At the beginning of the chapter, in verse 4, Pilate had already said, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” Then verses 14-15 reflect back on what has already happened. Not only had Pilate previously declared Jesus innocent (verse 4), but also Herod had. So Pilate says in verses 14-15: “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us.”

Then later in the chapter, the theme of Jesus’ innocence will be echoed again, by both the thief on the cross and by the centurion. The thief on the cross will say to the other thief in verse 41, “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” And the centurion will say at Jesus’ death in verse 47: “Surely this was a righteous man.”

Why would Luke make so much of Jesus’ innocence? Why at least six clear declarations of Jesus’ innocence in this chapter? Why so carefully tell us that Pilate initially found no guilt in Jesus, then neither did Herod, then Pilate declared Jesus’ innocence three more times, and then not only the thief on the cross but also the centurion recognized this innocence? Luke is taking us somewhere.

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Just after Pilate has said, “As you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death,” Luke tells us in verses 18-19, “But the whole crowd shouted, ‘Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!’ (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)” 

It is Barabbas who is the guilty, says Luke, a man “had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.” Barabbas is the same man called “a well-known prisoner” in Matthew 27:16, and Mark 15:7 tells us that Barabbas was “in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising.”

Murder and rebellion. Rebellion is the precise thing the leaders and the people are charging Jesus with when they say he is “inciting the people to rebellion” (verse 14) and that he “claims to be Messiah, a king” (verse 2). And murder is an offense that makes it clear that Barbbas not only deserves to be in prison, but he deserves death. Genesis 9:6 taught, “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” Barabbas is no mere offender in rehab, but a murderer on Death Row.

Luke then reiterates for us Barabbas’s guilt in verse 25. Notice the restatement of Barabbas’s guilt when he says, “[Pilate] released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder…” In other words, remember Barabbas’s sin. He’s guilty as charged.

One way we could summarize Barabbas’s plight would be to say that he is guilty of rebellion deserving death. In contrast with Jesus, who Pilate says in verse 22 has “no grounds for the death penalty,” Barabbas is the guilty who deserves to die.

…………..

Not only is Jesus the innocent, but Barabbas is the guilty. Jesus is innocent and has done nothing deserving death. Barabbas is the rebel prisoner, carrying with him guilt deserving death. 

But here’s where Luke means for us to not only identify with Jesus, our Savior, but also to identify in some sense with Barabbas who so embodies our plight as rebels deserving death and our need for saving. Verse 25: “[Pilate] released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.”

Jesus the innocent is delivered over to the punishment of death; while the guilty, deserving of death, is released and thus given new life.

Note Luke’s emphasis in the word “release” that appears five times in the story:

• In verse 16, Pilate first declares that he intends to release Jesus.
• But in verse 17, the people respond, “Away with [Jesus], and release to us Barabbas.”
• Then in verse 20, Pilate again expresses his intention to release Jesus.
• Then a third time, in verse 22, Pilate says he plans to release Jesus.
• But finally in verse 25, Luke tells us that Pilate “released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.”

And so the people are pleased to exchange Jesus, the innocent, for Barabbas, the guilty.

…………..

As we’ve seen through the stressing of Jesus’ innocence and Barabbas’s guilt, Luke is leading us sinners—in his careful telling of the story—to identify in this significant way with Barabbas. As Jesus’ condemnation leads to the release of a multitude of spiritual captives from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, so also his death sentence leads to the release of the physical captive Barabbas. It’s a foretaste of the grace that will be unleashed at the cross.

Jesus is manifestly innocent. Barabbas is clearly guilty—just as we also are clearly guilty before God. Rebels deserving death. Romans 3:23 says it’s not a few of us, or even many of us, but all of us who “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death.”

So as Pilate releases Barabbas the guilty, and delivers over to death Jesus the innocent, we have here a picture of our own release effected by the cross through faith. In Barabbas we have a glimpse of our guilt deserving death, and a preview of the arresting grace of Jesus and his embrace of the cross through which we are set free.

Here as Jesus is delivered to death, and Barabbas is released to new life, we have the first substitution of the cross. The innocent Jesus is condemned as a sinner, while the guilty sinner is released as if innocent.

…………..

So Luke, it appears, means for us to identify both with Jesus and Barabbas. Jesus in that by identifying with him, through being united with him by faith, his death is our death. His condemning of sin is our condemning of sin. And Barabbas in that we are sinners, criminals who have broken God’s law, guilty as charged, deserving death for our rebellion against our creator and the ruler of the universe. And Jesus, through the grace of giving himself for us at the cross, takes our place and we are released.

As we more greatly understand the depths of our sin, we see with Luke, “I am Barabbas.” I am the one so clearly guilty and deserving of condemnation but set free because of the willing substitution of the Son of God in my place. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick,” Jesus says in Mark 2:17. “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”


PRAYER:
Father, thank you for sending your Son to rescue us. Thank you for making Jesus, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with you. We are utterly guilty of sin; yet your grace declares us innocent because of his atoning death. What amazing grace! How marvelous is this substitutionary love! 


WHO AM I?
I am Tres Sansom, and today the family and I are returning home from vacation in Maine. We had a blast hanging out with Kate’s family. We spent our days lounging around on Matinicus Island, soaking in as much cool weather as possible. We had quite the time getting out to the island, however. Kate’s dad fabricated a rig to get me onto his boat—a rig affectionately known as the Magic Carpet. I get onto a platform. The platform is then lifted up by a crane and placed onto the boat. Usually, it’s no big deal. But we were delayed on our way out to the island, so we didn’t arrive until low tide. The tide was so low, in fact, that we couldn’t get the boat close enough to the crane to lift me off. We thought: “No big deal. We’ll just wait a little while and the tide will come back up.” But then it started to rain. And it rained and it rained and it rained. And the tide took forever to come back up. So to make a long story short, we sat there for two hours in a soaking rain storm. I was kept dry and warm by a sleeping bag, but everyone else looked like drowned rats.  It was a fun day.

Failings of the Flesh

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Luke 22 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.  When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”  (Luke 22:39-42, NKJV)


REFLECTIONS:
Luke 22 highlights the failings of man.  Over and over again we see the failings of the flesh.  It’s quite the sad chapter.  The chapter begins with the plot to kill Jesus, wherein Judas agrees to betray Him to the chief priests (22:1-6).  Verse 3 says that “Satan entered Judas.”  This man was one the twelve, with Jesus day in and day out, someone who was a friend and cared for Jesus.  Yet it was so easy for Satan to come in and turn his heart to greed. 

After just participating in the very first Lord’s Supper, the disciples begin arguing about who is the greatest (22:24-30).  As I read this, knowing what follows in chapter 22 and beyond, it makes me sad to think that Jesus had to spend His last evening with His disciples setting them straight for acting so childish.  Again, jealousy in the flesh made all of these men fall into arguing about things that shouldn’t have mattered.  

Jesus next predicts Peter’s denial.  In my New King James version, verse 31 says, “And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.’”  Wow.  Jesus is flat out telling Peter that the devil’s going to be after him.  What’s awesome is what Jesus says next:  “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”  Jesus already knows that Peter’s denial is coming.  But He also knows how that is going to make Peter feel, and He’s already praying that his faith doesn’t fail, and that Peter can use that experience to bolster other believers later.  How cool is that of Jesus?  He’s restoring Peter even before his fall.  Peter’s reaction is where we once again get a glimpse of the flesh.  “But he said to Him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death’” (22:33).  You would think by now that Peter would realize Jesus pretty much says the truth.  Instead of accepting the fact that his loyalty might actually come into question, Peter lets his pride pop up.  What’s that age old saying?  Pride goeth before the fall…  We’ll get back to Peter in a moment.

Verses 39-46 describe Jesus’ prayer in the garden.  He asks them to pray, and what do they do?  They fall asleep!  Now, my Bible says that “He found them sleeping from sorrow” (22:45), which almost seems like Luke’s giving them an out.  Jesus asked them to pray at a difficult time, and they let their flesh overtake them.  How many times do I fall asleep on the job?  How often do I fail a friend who’s asked for earnest prayers?  

Jesus is then betrayed with a kiss by Judas, and handed over to the priests.  And we’re back to Peter.  Verses 54-62 describe Peter’s denial of Jesus.  Just as Jesus said, Peter denies knowing Jesus three times in one night.  Peter’s fear takes over and all of the sudden he’s lying to try to protect himself.  What’s more in this is story, is that Peter does this practically in front of Jesus.  “Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter … So Peter went out and wept bitterly” (22:60b-62).  Peter knew that Jesus knew of his denials, and he was grieved over failing Jesus.  

Luke 22 ends with Jesus being mocked and beaten by those who held him captive, and facing the Sanhedrin.  The Sanhedrin are so overcome by the failings of their flesh (anger, greed, fear, pride) that they allow Jesus’ trial to violate multiple Jewish legal rules such as meeting on the morning of a feast, meeting at Caiaphas’ home, trying a defendant without defense, and reaching a verdict in one day instead of the two that were required for capital cases.  So over and over again we see man’s failings in chapter 22.  It’s universal.  From individual instances like Judas and Peter to corporate ones such as all twelve disciples and the entire Sanhedrin.  And I’m right there with them.  


POINT OF ACTION:
I chose Luke 22:39-42 as the key verses because of one phrase in verse 39.  It says of Jesus, “as He was accustomed.”  This was the last day that Jesus was going to be alive, He knew that, and He still just went to God!  He went to the garden and He prayed.  Because that’s what He always did.  That was His custom.  And yes, He was feeling all those human emotions and He prayed that if there was another way for God to fix things then that’s what He wanted, but Jesus “being in agony, prayed more earnestly” (22:44).  Greg’s spent the last couple of Sundays talking about how we can practice “Silence and Solitude” in our prayer walk.  I think it’s a great practical way to help us start to become accustomed to going to God.  There are copies on the Welcome Center counter if you haven’t picked up a copy of this prayer guide.  If you have other prayer guides that walk you through something, use that.  The point is to help get yourself to the place where you don’t need a guide or a reminder, it just becomes your customary action to pray.  And what does Jesus tell his disciples that night to pray for?  “Pray that you may not enter into temptation” (22:40).  Jesus knew (being fully man) that our flesh is weak and that temptation is easy to fall into, so he warns us twice even in this short passage (verses 40 and 46) to pray against it.  So that’s what I think we should do.


PRAYER:
Lord, I pray that You help me fight the temptations of my flesh.  God I know there are times when I feel like Satan must have asked for me, and I just pray that You strengthen my faith through these times.  I don’t want the failure of my flesh to hinder what You have for me, and I know the only way to keep from failing is to rely on You.  Lead me not into temptation and deliver me from the evil one.  For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.


WHO AM I?
I’m Jennifer Babb, and I love Colorado.  My family used to take annual trips each summer, and we’ve been lucky enough over the past five years to go a few more times.  This picture was outside of Leadville, where we rode the train, went white water rafting, and played a round of golf on the highest elevated course in North America.  God’s created some beautiful country and I love being able to travel and see it.