Don't Fight the Wrong War

Do you remember the dramatic scene? Jesus leading thousands of his passionate followers through the streets of Jerusalem carrying signs of protest. "End Roman Rule Now!" "No More Taxes to Caesar!"  As they made their way through the city, they knocked on every door and handed those, who's doors were opened to them, fliers that read, "Jesus for Governor".  Of course, if they could install a charismatic Jew into leadership then the world would be as it should be.  Right?

After the demoralizing crucifixion  of Jesus, the Apostles were given the task of convincing the Romans, the Greeks, the Samaritans, and the Jews that they were immoral and needed to stop their sinful ways.  It was a moral crusade!  If only they could just make society better one person at a time. So, they started campaigns to stop prostitution, end capital punishment, and to make illegal the selling and consumption of wine. They stood side by side with the leaders of the Roman Pagans, the Jews who denied Jesus, and the worshippers of Mithras the sun-god because their common desire for goodness was greater than any religious differences that might separate them.  Arm and arm they walked carrying out demostrations in front of brothels, cross making plants, and vineyards.

Alright, so I made all that up.  But it's not so far from Western Christianity in 2013.  Why do I care? Why should you care?  Because Jesus did not, at any time, wage war against the government that oppressed them.   Nor did he try to crusade for moral change in a culture that denied him.  He did not attempt to better society by fighting social injustice along side those of other faiths.  His message was clear.  "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy ladened and I will give you rest". "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." If he had a message of condemnation it was for hypocritical religious leaders who were "white washed tombs, full of dead mens bones."  But to the rest he was interestingly silent.

Likewise, Jesus' followers didn't go town to town speaking against the immoral practices of society at large or walk arm and arm with other religious leaders in seeking better social conditions.  Jesus and his followers gave their lives in one pursuit, the spreading of the Gospel. They knew that anything short of salvation by faith in Jesus through his atoning death on the cross was only a bandaid on a fatal wound.  They were fighting the right war, the war against the wages of sin and death, not death of the body but death of the soul, eternal separation from God.  Jesus clearly taught us to love, to care for widows and orphans, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to mourn with those who mourn but those things never were in leu of the message of life and grace through HIM.

Jesus left all other wars to the worldly.  He knew God the Father was sovereign in the affairs of man.  God raised up kings and brought them down.  God led the Jews into captivity and led them out again.   No matter who is in office or what party is the majority, God is on the throne!  No physical or social battle would change the world.  We should know that by now.  Immorality, war, and chaos continue today as they did in the Book of Genesis.  Jesus knew that what they needed was not more religion, better morals, or a new government.  They needed HIM.  We need HIM.

I also find myself getting caught up in the polarized, political debates of the times.  I have a bent toward one side of the isle but I forget that as we move toward the return of Christ, the world will not become a better, more holy, or more Godly place.  In fact the Bible tells us the opposite will occur. Why?  Sin.  We don't have a political problem, a drug problem, an abortion problem, a God left out of the pledge problem, or a sexual orientation problem.  We have a SIN problem.  And the problem will not go away with ballot proposals, new legislation, interfaith coalitions, or by wearing purple bracelets.  The only answer to the problem of sin and death is JESUS.  Thats why Paul said,

"And so it was with me, brothers and sisters.  When I came to you I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."  1 Corinthians 2:1-2

Here's the deal.  Jesus was born, was crucified, and was raised to save sinners.  Our war, as his disciples, is the same one: to save sinners, of whom Paul said he was the worst (I think I could give him a run for his money). Along the way we will meet those who need our love and support in many ways (food, clothes, shelter, comfort, and grace) and it is the working out of our faith to provide all of that and more but it is not our mission to fight as the world fights.  I promise that it will be a loosing battle.  Please know that this doesn't mean ceasing to love and help those in need but don't get distracted by politics.   I know this next statement will bring backlash but it is a weapon of the enemy to join Christians with those who deny the Lordship of Christ in the pursuit of social justice.  Why?  Because if we place a higher value on ending discrimination, poverty, and education than we do on salvation, Satan will have won a battle for souls.  The end to the war, however, will be when Jesus returns on a white horse as Lord of Lords.   Until then leave the worldly wars to the worldly.

In Him, David

Only Jesus

I was in the truck yesterday scanning the radio for a football game when I stopped to listen to a religious program that caught my attention.  As I listened I heard mentioned a number of times the name of the religion and the spotlight was on a particular New Testament Bible figure (not Jesus).  I listened for quite a while but there was no talk of Jesus nor the gospel so I moved on.  Later in the evening I was again scanning the stations and like before landed on this same station which was again was talking about the same Bible character and that particular person's holiness.

I tried to listen for a while but was grieved in my spirit. I though for a few minutes then prayed about this.  I asked God to give me insight because as I have read the scriptures the focus never seemed to be on anyone but Jesus (even the Old Testament pointed to him). All others who were lifted up, worshipped, or revered tore their garments and got low. I mean they knew their utter weakness and need for Christ.  Paul said he was the least of the Apostles and called himself "wretched".  When John fell at the feet of the angel who appeared to him the angel exclaimed, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!" Isaiah, when given the chance to be in God's presence, admitted his unholiness, "'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips."

I woke up early this morning, forgetting about the radio program, I asked the Lord to give me something to say today.  I admitted to him that if I said anything from my own power it would be useless or worse, it might be dangerous.  I opened to the Book of Ephesians and began to read.  It hit me like a Mike Tyson right hook.  "Jesus Christ", "Christ", "God's Son", "in him", "through him", "Through Jesus Christ our Lord", "by the blood of Christ", "through his blood", "through the cross". It was all about Jesus. It wasn't about Paul or Peter or Moses or Mary.  From Genesis to Revelation it was about God's plan of salvation through his Only Son - Jesus - the Christ.  

Paul's letter to the Ephesians was not like his other letters.  He wasn't writing to correct one particular error but instead to encourage and build up the church. It was to remind them of the faith for which Paul himself was suffering.  It was to point them in the right direction and to focus their eyes on their only hope, Jesus.

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves it is a gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  Ephesians 2:4-10 (emphasis mine)

In this letter Paul reminds us through whom our salvation comes (Jesus), how it was obtained (through the shedding of Christ's blood), how we receive it (by faith), and for what purposes are we saved (so that we might be blessed by God with the incomparable riches of his grace and that we might do good works).

Jesus was mentioned directly 50 times in the six short chapters and that doesn't include the indirect references (e.g. "him"). We are reminded that our lives, our holiness, and our access to the Father are "through him", "in him", "in Christ", or "through Christ" thirty times.  It was and is all about Jesus.  When we begin to focus on other people or put our hope in religion we, like Peter who took his eyes off of Jesus, will find ourselves sinking in the waves around us.  

I urge you to find twenty minutes this week to read Ephesians. Go slowly. Let each verse sink in.  God says that his Word never returns void but accomplishes the purpose for which he sends it. I promise you will be changed.

Love you guys,

David

Come to the Cross to See the Christ of Christmas

Well, it's 4:30AM on Christmas morning and I can't sleep.  I'm sitting in front of the fire place and as far as I can tell no one has come down the chimney, the chocolate chip cookie is still on the plate, and the milk is still in the glass.  Oh yeah, I'm the dad and I have to eat the cookie again but this year my youngest son told me that he didn't believe in Santa Claus and he's quite sure I'm the one who eats the cookie so why did we still put out the cookie?  Why?  Because I like cookies.

And, why am I up at 4 AM?  First off, I have been awake since 3:30AM and, as strange as this may sound to some, usually when I wake up at 3:30AM God put's something quite strong on my heart and I have to do something about it. Sometimes its a verse of scripture, sometimes it's a dream, and other times it's a message I need to put forth. I've asked God (very politely of course)  if it would be possible to move this regular meeting to 9AM but so far he seems content with the current time frame so who am I to press any further?  OK, so what's the reason for my insomnia today?

Christmas.  I mean, CHRISTmas.  The celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ.  Yeah, that's it!  Not Santa, not the big pine tree in  my house, the presents, the cookie and milk, the reindeer, the yule log, the crowded mall, the Grinch, or even Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" (I know that last one really hurts). And, before I get a bunch of comments about Christmas being the remnant of a pagan holiday, December 25th unlikely being the factual date of Jesus' birth, or the fact that the early church didn't celebrate the birth of Jesus (The Church didn't proclaim this date and celebration until 440 AD), I want to say, "I know all of that."  But so what?

The point is that Jesus, the Christ, WAS born and his birth was both miraculous (not to say that every birth isn't quite miraculous) and his birth was prophesied hundreds of years before it happened.  I know you've likely heard these verses before or read them at the bottom of a Christmas card (if you actually read the card before the twenty dollar bill from Aunt Mildred fell out) but I want you to really ponder them today:

"But you, Bethlehem Ephratha, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."  (Micah 5:2) 

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."  (Isaiah 7:14)  

God spoke though these prophets nearly seven centuries earlier, proclaiming that the Messiah (the Christ) would be born of a virgin (quite an amazing feat!) and would be born in the VERY insignificant and small town of Bethlehem. They predicted he'd be born of the tribe of Judah (only a one in twelve chance) and that he'd be born of the line of David.  This is very helpful for a man of such weak faith as I.  I like some reassurance for my faith. I would be like Thomas, poking my fingers in the wounds and then saying, "My Lord and my God!"  So, do I think God woke me up this early to prove to you that Jesus was the Christ?  Maybe, but I don't think so.  I think it was something even bigger.

I think it was to fast forward 33 years from the birthday of Jesus (whatever the real date is) to a cross on a hill and then to an empty tomb around the corner.  You see, until I came to the saving knowledge that what this God-man did on the cross at Calvary, his birth meant little to me. Yeah, it was a fun holiday and I could get a bit sentimental about the baby in the manger but the magnitude of the event didn't hit me until I came through the cross. When I finally understood that Jesus, who was both fully God and fully human, came to earth to pay the penalty for our sin (the atonement) and to make us right with God (reconciliation) and that through his resurrection, he conquered death, I finally was able to look at CHRISTmas and sing, "Oh holy night..." and really mean it.

I think we contemplate it backwards.  We can certainly grasp the birth of the baby Jesus with our minds before we come to the cross but we really can't celebrate Christmas with our hearts until we know him as Lord through that cross.  Even though the virgin birth was amazing, the transaction that bought our freedom came on Easter and when we cling to him on Easter and know our need for his love and his grace and his sacrificial gift, we can then finally see past the tinsel and wrapping paper and worship him on this wonderful December morning!

I want to thank you for spending the past year with us and with those who have participated in the I-61 Project.  I want to invite you to drop us a comment, a question, a concern, or a prayer need any time.  We love to get into the Word and would also be honored to pray for you or with you.  If any of you have been on the fence with regard to Jesus Christ, we would be glad to chat with you and answer questions as best we can.  Drop us a note!

May God grant you a VERY blessed CHRISTmas!

David and the I-61 Project