He Is

Hey, Cobblestone,

     I’m about to put a dangerous piece of information into your hands. Please handle it with utmost care, and use it for its intended purpose:

     Jesus, the Christ, is the Son of God.

     There are four Gospels in our Bibles, four accounts of the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth walking, talking, preaching, healing, loving – initiating his kingdom on earth. Three of them pose a question, “Who do you say I am?” (see Matthew 16:15, Mark 8:29, and Luke 9:20). Jesus himself asks the question. The fourth Gospel doesn’t even ask. It simply opens with a bold declaration:

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:1-4).

     This information is dangerous for three reasons. First, it can be used for nothing better than winning the argument. In evangelism, winning the argument is a dismal strategy. When we get to heaven, I think we’ll find out that it never resulted in anyone feeling bad enough to be saved. Jesus is always the smartest person in the room – no one else need aspire to the title. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world (John 1:9).

     Second, it may not be put to the correct purpose. This reminds me of the plot from an old Western TV show I saw once. A bounty hunter and a scientist were trying to recover several cases of nitroglycerine that was being sold as tonic by a huckster who didn’t know what it was. People in the town were buying it as tonic, hoping to be relieved of what ailed them. The town was being blown to bits, and nobody felt better. John 1:10 speaks to this scenario: He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

     The third danger is of the good variety, as a medical laser is dangerous, but nothing else can do the job it does. Of all the baubles and trinkets that have been offered as a substitute for the gospel, nothing has come close. It is the ultimate weapon of spiritual warfare, and when it finds the intended target, the devil’s plans for damnation are obliterated. Why? Because Jesus, the Christ, is the Son of God. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13). 

     Why would anyone trust in Jesus if he is not the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One, the only begotten Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world? Well, there would be no reason to, none at all. That’s why it’s important to settle the question. In three straight Gospels, Jesus has asked. What is your answer?

     And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

     Over the course of his lifetime, my dad memorized 1.5 verses of Scripture that stuck with him. Others would float in and out of his vernacular, but at any given moment he might quote half a verse from James – ye have not because ye ask not (4:2b) – or the opening verse of John’s Gospel: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Dad wasn’t overly concerned with millennialism or how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but he owned one solid Bible statement on prayer and one on who Jesus is. If he needed to know anything else, he knew who to ask.

     All the verses I’ve shared from John in this letter come from what’s called the “prologue” – the warm-up for the rest of that Gospel. “Let’s get one thing straight” is the urgent message. Get that one thing straight, and then we’re ready for the mystery of the miracles, the horror of the crucifixion, the glory of the resurrection. Get that one thing straight, and we won’t worry so much whether the Calvinists or the Arminians are right. Neither the Calvinists nor the Arminians saved us. The only one who could save us saved us. His name is Jesus. He is the Son of God. He never fails.

  

Grace and Peace (and one thing straight),

 

John    

Remember to Believe

 

Hey, Cobblestone,

     Kay and I worry about memory loss. We walk into rooms and don’t remember why. We wake up in the small hours of the night and do remember what we forgot from the day before, only to forget again by breakfast time. Thankfully, we have it on reasonably good authority that our condition isn’t serious, only aggravating. In Kay’s training in health care, one instructor said that forgetting tasks isn’t necessarily an indicator of dementia. But if you walk into the kitchen, look at the toaster on the counter and wonder, “What does that thing do?”… you could be in trouble. So far, neither of us has put a phone into the toaster for charging – thank you, Jesus!

     We have a hypothesis, solidifying into a theory: the sheer number of things to be remembered has increased beyond what a person can reasonably expect to handle. If true, we might find relief in knowing that, expressed as a raw number, yes, we’re forgetting more; but expressed as a percentage, we’re forgetting less. That’s our theory, and we’re sticking to it.

     There is, however, one thing we have to remember – “we” meaning you and Kay and me, and all of us who have been redeemed by Jesus’ blood spilled on the cross. We can’t afford to forget that God raised his Son from the dead. It actually happened. Historical fact. Dead/buried… not dead/not buried. Not dead now, never dead again. Alive in a way like no other, a way we have yet to experience for ourselves.

     Whatever it takes, remember.

     Diversions abound, not all of them bad. The mental/spiritual task for the Christian is to steer all diversions to the curb, let them idle for a while, and dwell on what must be remembered. How often does a Christian need to do this? Ask Jesus himself; he’ll tell you true. I may be stretching the context, if not straining it, but 2Corinthians 10:5 could help here: …take every thought captive to obey Christ. When Scripture seems flat and lifeless; when I begin to think the Father doesn’t like me anymore, much less love me; when I’m having a dickens of a time honoring the image of God in fellow human beings, I know it’s time to remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

     Galatians 3:29 is a verse that occupies my mind often: If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. This one verse, perhaps more than any other, reminds me that I am descended from every believer who has ever lived, and every believer yet to come will be descended from every believer now living. Bible history is our history. This is us. Reading through the Gospel of John lately, one event in our history has caused me to take note of the unbreakable link between remembering and believing. From the second chapter, here’s the setup: Jesus went into the temple courts – yes, The Temple in Jerusalem – and made a whip of cords, with which he drove out the moneychangers and sellers of livestock. His Father’s house was to be a house of prayer, not commerce. Everyone was impressed. Not everyone was pleased…

    So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken (John 2:18-22).

     His disciples remembered… and they believed… What was the cause of their remembering? When therefore he was raised from the dead…  

    The cause has not changed. Remembering the resurrection of Jesus is the key to believing all of what is true – however unlikely it may seem in this walk-around world. Where faith runs thin, remembering builds it up. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11). For Kay and me, remembering the resurrection of Jesus was how the Father got us to realize he had saved us, had placed his Spirit in us.

     All day Wednesday, an old song was playing in my head: “We serve a risen Savior, he’s in the world today. I know that he is risen, whatever men may say.” Aside from what men may say about the resurrection, I can forget to remember all on my own. I was glad for the old song.

     Romans 8:34 says, Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

     Remember?

 

 Grace and Peace (and resurrection power right now),

 

John

 

Seriously

 

Hey, Cobblestone,

     The closing chapters of Luke’s Gospel are full of motion and voices. Imagine those last four chapters done as a stage production, and yourself as the stage manager. Your job would be insanely difficult, except for one important aspect. The characters are so diverse and their agendas are so disconnected – is everyone in place? In costume? Does everyone know their cues? The sheer number of moving pieces would be quite the challenge to coordinate. But one question is easily answered: “Is everyone in character?” It comes easily because all the characters in this complicated scene have one thing in common: no one is taking Jesus seriously.

     Consider the long list of those who showed more than a little flippancy toward Jesus.

Judas: Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray (Jesus) to them (Luke 22:3-4). Did Judas assume Jesus would wiggle his way out of betrayal as he had escaped from other tight spots?

The apostles: A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest (verse 24). Really? Wasn’t it obvious that the greatest was already among them, and there were no comparisons to be made?

The mob in Gethsemane: “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (verses 52-53). Cheaters! Having met Jesus on a level playing field earlier in the day – and losing spectacularly – they resorted to guerilla tactics.

Peter: …and Peter was following at a distance (verse 54). A strange way to show his loyalty, don’t you think?

The Council’s cronies: Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him (verses 63-65). The abuse speaks for itself.

The Council: “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer” (verses 67-68). Their minds were already made up, without any input from Jesus.

Pontius Pilate: But (the chief priests and crowds) were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.” When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time (23:5-7). Pilate may have known, more instinctively than some others in this drama, who Jesus really was. And yet, possessing the authority, he still lacked the conviction to overrule the mob.

Herod Antipas and his cronies: And Herod with his soldiers treated (Jesus) with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other (verses 11-12). Picture Herod the tetrarch as the bratty, silver-spoon party animal he was, drawing even the Roman governor into his fraternal vortex.

     Let’s hold up for a moment. Take a break from the unrelenting parade of bad actors. As Jesus’ crucifixion draws near, we’ve yet to consider some of the others: the Roman soldiers, the unrepentant criminal, the scoffing rulers at the very foot of the cross. We need time to think. Pause with me here, and ask, “Two thousand years removed from the Gospel scene, am I taking Jesus seriously?”

     Were you surprised at some of the people listed among the flippant and disrespectful? The usual suspects are there, sure, but what about Peter and the other disciples? Their actions don’t seem nearly as crass as, say, Herod’s. But would you agree they seemed to be missing some essential understanding of who Jesus was and what he was up to? Or, if not missing it, at least not acting on it consistently? And how about us?

     Today is Good Friday. Good Friday is our yearly reminder to take Jesus seriously.

     Is he the only begotten Son of God?

    Did he expend every bit of his life and die on the cross?

    Was his sacrifice the sufficient atonement fr the sins of the world?

    Were we lost and without hope apart from his atoning?

    Did he come out of the tomb on the third day?

    Is his righteousness now imputed to we who believe?

    Are we redeemed because of what he did?

    Are we made right with God through him?

    Is his resurrection the guarantee of ours?

    Will he rule and reign – visibly and without an enemy left standing – over all creation?

     The singular answer to all these questions is found in Scripture – a solid and resounding Yes. There’s every reason to take Jesus seriously. Down through history, some have… and some have not.

     Resurrection Sunday is coming, and we’ll celebrate. Shouts of praise are totally appropriate. Gladness will rule. But what about today – what is Good Friday for?

     In the narrative of the Gospels, Jesus speaks seven times from the cross. His divinity and his humanity are given full expression; neither is neglected or diminished. If anyone ever has or ever will question whether Jesus deserves glory and honor as the God who took on flesh for the purpose of redeeming mankind, the answer is found in these seven utterances:

Luke 23:34

Luke 23:39-43

John 19:25-27

Matthew 27:46

John 19:28

John 19:30

Luke 23:46

 

    Right, I only gave the Scripture addresses, not the verses themselves. Please look them up. As a way of honoring Jesus, find them in the Gospel accounts. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow – the somber and mysterious Holy Saturday between crucifixion and resurrection – hear what Jesus said from the cross. Sometime before Sunday morning, take his words into you, and honor him.

    Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour… And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split… When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:45, 51, 54). 

 

 Grace and Peace (seriously),

 

John 

    

In That Order

 

Hey, Cobblestone,

     Do you suppose there’s anything random in the Bible – anything at all – any point at which God said to the prophets and apostles, “I don’t care what order you use, just get it on parchment”? Yeah, me neither. Maybe I don’t know for sure what importance is attached to the order of things in Scripture, but seeing how exquisitely Scripture is designed, randomness doesn’t seem likely at all. Even with lists, there seems to be more going on than the clumping of items together. Some lists are descending, with the most important thing first, followed by whatever else belongs under that umbrella. Some are ascending, building up to the most important item. There are other categories of lists, including one I’ve unofficially dubbed “the gotcha list” (more on that when we get into the letters of Paul), but my hope is to get you thinking about the importance of order in Scripture.

     In the fifteenth chapter of Luke, Jesus told three stories. Other than a two-verse setup, the whole chapter consists of them: a lost sheep, a lost coin, a lost son. If ever there’s been an ascending list, this is certainly one, building up to what’s most important. Take a look. One sheep out of a hundred was lost, representing one percent of the flock. One coin of ten was lost, representing ten percent of the woman’s net worth. One son of two was lost – fifty percent of his father’s sons. And whether or not the sheep and coin could be swapped in the order, the son tops out the list – imago Dei once again being honored over any wealth or possession.

     There’s yet another, more nuanced feature to this list. See how Jesus describes the condition of what or who was missing. The sheep was lost: ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost’ (verse 6). The coin was lost: ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost’ (verse 9). But the son – the son was not only lost but also dead: ‘For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate (verse 24).

     As long as he’s lost, he’s dead.

     Have you ever thought of humanity that way – lost equals dead? Think like Jesus and you will. Thinking like Jesus will turn a lot of things right side up.

     On his last trip to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Jericho (Luke 19:1-10). Up in a sycamore tree, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jesus, was a small man named Zacchaeus. Jesus stopped, hailed the man, and invited himself to dinner. Zacchaeus received him joyfully (verse 6) – so joyfully, in fact, that he renounced the extortion he had wrought as a chief tax collector, and made plans for restitution. And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (verses 9-10).

     Amazing what a glimpse of Jesus can do.

     For me, it’s a constant battle to not take out my embarrassment, frustration – whatever – on fellow image-bearers. Slathering sarcasm on some random tree or bush is a whole different undertaking than cutting loose on someone who understands what I’m saying. Probably the hardest temptation for me to resist is the siren song of winning the argument, even though I’ve won enough of them to know it’s not good for me – and honest-to-goodness, at the moment I can’t think of a single person who ever benefitted from losing one to me. Thirty-nine years into this walk with Christ, I still have failures… some of them recently.

     I wonder what might’ve happened to Zacchaeus if Jesus had walked right past that sycamore tree and later posted or blogged or otherwise mouthed off about what rotten people tax collectors are. No. Jesus engaged, one on one, setting the person on a higher plane. Did the crowd know Zacchaeus was an extortionist? Of course. Were they shocked that Jesus would rub elbows with such a person? Probably. Was Jesus dodging any of the big issues at hand? Not at all – Zacchaeus came to know what needed to be done. But boy-oh-boy, didn’t Jesus employ the opposite of what methods come most readily to mind for you and me? Maybe you’re a much better wrangler of frustration than I am, but yeah, what Jesus did wouldn’t have been the first thing I thought of.

     When I get to heaven, I’ll have at least a million questions, and there are two things in particular I’d like to know from this Jericho scene. One, what made Zacchaeus so eager to see Jesus in the first place? And two, what was the rest of the conversation around his dinner table? Meanwhile, in this walk-around world, I want to be the glimpse of Jesus somebody needs (Lord, help me!). In any given moment, I want to have the image-of-God issue sorted out like he did. Hmm… sheep, coin, or son – which is most important? Definitely son or daughter, because with people, lost equals dead and found equals alive.

     Sheep and coins will come and go; daughters and sons are forever.

  

Grace and Peace (to put our lists in order),

 

John