The Image of the Invisible God

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Colossians 1:15

God the Father is invisible. He is a spirit who can’t be seen by mortal flesh. As John 1:18 explains… “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” 

Jesus took on flesh and made God known in ways that we can see and understand. That’s what Colossians 1:15 means when it says that He is the visible image of the invisible God. As Hebrews 1:3 says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being...”

Jesus embodies (pun intended) all that God is and always has been. And Jesus took on flesh and brought that down to earth so that we could know God more fully. Jesus Himself explained it this way in John 14:9. He said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

In other words, it’s in Christ that we see God most clearly. Jesus is the greatest revelation of who God is. If you want to know God… look at Jesus! If you want to know the Father, study the Son!

This is why the enemy spends so much time trying to confuse people about who Jesus is and what He stood for and what He did and didn’t teach. If the devil can confuse us about who Jesus is, then he can confuse us about who God is.

So, study Jesus! Not through movies or music or TV shows or social media clips. Study the Bible, God’s perfect record of Jesus’ life and teaching. The enemy is going to try to confuse you about who Jesus is. Don’t let him! Take the time to get to know Jesus and you will get to know the Father.

All the Promises of God

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 1:20

Jesus fulfills all the promises of God... but He does so in a way that no one expected. What God’s people seem to have expected was a human Messiah who would establish an earthly kingdom. They expected Him to be a great warrior who would defeat Rome and return Israel to power. And they, no doubt, thought he would establish a great dynasty and that His descendants would reign after him in a never-ending succession. That’s what God’s people seem to have expected... but that’s not what they got. That’s not what Jesus was.

Jesus was born in a stable. He was laid in a manger. His birth was attended by shepherds. And He was almost killed by Rome before He even reached adolescence. His family fled to Egypt for a time. Then when Jesus did return, He didn't live in Jerusalem or even Bethlehem where David was raised. No, He lived in the small and insignificant town of Nazareth. Jesus wasn’t noble or highly educated; He was a carpenter’s son. And for 30 years, as best we can tell, that’s all Jesus was… was a carpenter from Nazareth. For 30 years of Jesus’ life, the biblical story didn’t really move forward in any significant way.

Then, when Jesus did start His ministry in earnest, He didn’t raise an army, or ascend the throne. He became a homeless, itinerant preacher. And when He began calling disciples, they weren’t the kinds of disciples God’s people expected. Jesus didn’t call any of the Pharisees or religious leaders to be His disciples. No, He called fisherman and a political zealot and a tax collector… common folks to be His disciples. And the message that He preached was often spoken in parables and riddles. And He seemed to reserve His harshest judgment not for tax collectors or prostitutes but for the religious leaders. Indeed, Jesus was said to be a friend of sinners!

But He did have special power, didn't He? Jesus performed many mighty miracles. He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind. He made the lame walk and raised the dead! But even this was mostly met with disapproval from the religious leaders because Jesus often healed on the Sabbath day which was unexpected.

Jesus lived and ministered in this way for about three and a half years. He wasn’t the Messiah God’s people had expected. He was a king... but not in an earthly sense. He came to establish a spiritual kingdom not a physical one. He never sat on a throne on earth. Nor did He defeat Israel’s enemies. In fact, He never fought at all. Instead, He willingly suffered!

And that was perhaps the most surprising development of all. After about three and a half years, the religious leaders conspired to kill Jesus. They arrested Him and put Him on trial and begged the Romans to crucify Him. None of this was what God’s people were expecting… and yet, it is what God had promised! 

Understand that Jesus did all of this for you. He was the surprising answer to all our problems, to all our needs, and to all the promises of God. The entire biblical story leads up to Him. And if you don’t know Him, if your life isn’t fully and completely centered around Him… then you are missing the point of the story.

Fix your eyes on Jesus. It’s all about Him! And without Him, you will never be what you ought to be.

The Submission of Mary and Jesus

Have you ever considered how Mary's story points forward to Jesus’ story and mission? One unmistakable overlap between the two is submission to the Father's will. 

Consider how Mary responded to the angel Gabriel on that fateful day when he made his announcement to her. She said... “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38)

Like all young women, I'm sure that Mary had plans for her life, hopes and dreams. And here God’s angel comes along with a wonderful announcement for her, but one which will alter the course of her life and make it difficult in many ways. And what does Mary say? She doesn’t do what Moses did. She doesn’t ask God to go find someone else. She doesn’t suggest Gabriel go talk to her friend down the street. No! Mary immediately submitted to God’s plan for her life because she saw herself as God’s servant.

Jesus submitted to the Father in the same way. Consider, for example, Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus didn’t want to suffer. He knew how cruel and torturous a crucifixion was. He knew that He would feel every lash and blow. He knew that the humiliation would sting. Yet, what did Jesus say? “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) Philippians 2:8 puts it this way. It says Jesus “became obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

Are you that submitted to the Father’s will for your life? Do you see yourself as His servant or as the master of your own fate? 

I want to challenge you to submit to the Lord today by echoing the words of Mary and Jesus. Would you be willing to prayer this prayer to the Lord today? 

Dear Heavenly Father - I am your servant… not my will but yours be done. I fully and freely submit to you. Do with my life what you will.

Prayer that prayer today and see what God will do with your life. 

Focused on Jesus

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 1:20

Does it ever seem like Christians make a HUGE deal out of Jesus? I mean He is only one of the three persons of the godhead, right? So, why are we always talking about Jesus? It's like the church is fixated!

In fact, this has much more to do with God's plan for redemptive history than it does some fixation on the part of the church. 2 Corinthians 1:20 tells us that ALL of God's promises are fulfilled in Jesus. Think for just a moment of how incredible that statement is. EVERY promise God ever made, even promises made thousands of years before Jesus was born, God was pleased to fulfil in Christ. 

That is why Jesus is always the center of attention is because God made Him central to His entire plan for the world. That is why the church MUST always focus on Jesus! Because all the theological roads of God's promises lead to the same destination: Jesus! That is why we speak the "Amen" through Jesus. The word 'Amen' means "that's right," "that's the truth," or "I agree." Everything about the Christian faith that we place our faith in, everything we proclaim to be the truth finds its conclusion in Jesus. This was God's plan. 

And the verse says that as we speak the "amen" through Him it is to the glory of God! God the Father doesn't feel left out or overshadowed by Jesus. This was His plan. It is His will. And it all works out to His glory. So, study Jesus. Exalt Jesus. Worship Jesus. And do it all to God's glory.

Prayer at the Crossroads

Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 5:15-16

As I look back over my life, I realize that at many of the major crossroads God used prayer to guide me and reveal His will for me. It was through prayer that God called me to ministry. It was through prayer that He led me to my wife. And it was through prayer that God led me to each of the three churches I’ve served. And what I realized this week is that we see the same thing in Jesus’ life. At every major crossroads, at every turning point, we find Him praying. 

It was when Jesus was praying at His baptism that heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him and anointed Him for ministry (Luke 3:21-22). This was Jesus’ ordination, the birth of His ministry. And what was He doing when it all began? He was praying.

Then as Jesus became more popular, and the demands on Him grew, what did He do? He didn’t spend more time crafting His sermons or going fishing to get a little R&R. No! Luke 5:15-16 says "He often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." That time alone, speaking to God was a lifeline for Jesus. It no doubt recharged and refilled Him so He could continue pouring Himself out in ministry day after day after day.

Later, when the time came for Jesus to select 12 men to designate as apostles, how did Jesus go about making this big decision? Luke 6:12-13 tells us that He prayed the entire night! Then, at His transfiguration Jesus revealed to a few of these twelve apostles who He really was. And wouldn’t you know it, Jesus was praying when He was transfigured! (Luke 9:28-29) He was praying when His divine glory broke through.

And what about that last major event in Jesus’ life? His death. How did Jesus prepare Himself for all that He would suffer? He prayed! We often ask people how they would spend their final moments if they knew they were going to die. Jesus chose to spend His last free moments, praying…seeking God’s guidance and strength for what lay ahead (Luke 22:39-41).

So, make prayer a regular habit in your life. If you aren't sure how to pray, use the Lord’s Prayer or one of David’s prayers in the Psalms to get you started. Pray their prayers until you feel comfortable praying your own. In time you’ll see that praying isn’t difficult. It’s just talking to God: thanking Him, praising Him, confessing your sins, and bringing your needs to Him. Prayer isn’t difficult, but prayer is important, especially when you’re at a crossroads. In those moments especially, you should pray and ask for God’s direction.

Knowing Jesus

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.

Mark 9:2

During Jesus' earthly ministry there were only a few people who saw Him for what He really was. Jesus fully revealed Himself to Peter, James, and John alone. They alone saw Him transfigured, His clothes shining white, standing on the mountaintop talking to Moses and Elijah. They alone heard the voice of God saying, "This is my Son, whom I love, Listen to Him!"

This special revelation wasn't for all of Jesus' followers. It wasn't for Jesus' family (though they certainly received their own special revelation). It wasn't even for the twelve disciples. It was reserved for these three alone. 

Everyone else who knew Jesus, knew Him imperfectly. In fact, any fair reading of the gospels would have to admit that even these three- who received perhaps the greatest revelation of Jesus' nature- still didn't know Jesus perfectly. They received the revelation, but they didn't fully understand it. Verses nine and ten records that as they were coming down the mountain Jesus warned them not to tell anyone what they had seen until He was raised from the dead. But they questioned among themselves what Jesus could possibly mean by "rising from the dead." Their understanding of Jesus and His mission was still imperfect even after the transfiguration.

Yet, it seems to me, that most Christians today assume they have fully comprehended who Jesus is, what He accomplished, and what His will for their life is. Christians today don't see Jesus' nature, His divinity, His life, His death, or His teaching as a great mystery to be unlocked. No! We arrogantly assume that we already know all there is to know about Jesus. We think we learned it all in Sunday School songs as children. 

I am convinced that many Christians will be ashamed to realize how little they understood their Savior when they get to Heaven. Peter, James, and John walked with Jesus in the flesh for three years. He was transfigured in their presence. His identity was proclaimed to them by the very voice of God coming from a cloud, and still they did not fully grasp the greatness of who Jesus was. So, don't you think it's possible that you still have more to learn about Christ as well? 

We will never exhaust the glorious mysteries found in knowing Jesus throughout all of eternity. So, I feel confident in saying that neither you nor I have exhausted them here on earth. You still have more to learn about Jesus! Don't fall for the lie that you already know Him perfectly. Press in and press on to get to know Him better for there is greater joy and a deeper sense of awe with each fresh revelation of His character.

A Test for Leadership

Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice...I am the gate for the sheep.

John 10:1-3, 7

In Jesus' day sheep were sometimes kept in pens made of stone walls with a single gate for access. Briers were sometimes put on top of the wall as a sort of makeshift, first-century barbed wire to keep intruders out. And a watchman was hired to sleep at the gate to guard the sheep. Jesus uses this well-known shepherding practice to give us a test for evaluating leaders in the church. 

In this context, there's only one reason anyone would climb into the pen over the wall and that's because he is a thief who “comes to steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). So whether or not a man enters by the gate tells you all you need to know about his relationship to the sheep. 

Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees about how they are preying on God’s people and leading them astray from the true Shepherd. These religious leaders are like thieves who are more interested in fleecing the sheep than caring for them. They look out only for their own interests, and you better believe people try to get in our churches to do the same. 

So, be careful who you choose to follow. Do they come in Jesus’ name? Are their teachings in keeping with His? Are they like Him? These are the most important questions you can ask of any leader! If they don’t measure up to this standard then don’t follow them! Remember, those who come in their own name or climb in over the wall are here to “steal, kill, or destroy.” So, don’t choose leaders based on anything other than their validation in Jesus. He alone is the test.  

It sounds simple, but we mess it up all the time. We choose a youth pastor based on his jeans, or his hair, or his skill with a guitar. We choose a Sunday School class based on the teacher’s speaking ability. We vote for someone to be a deacon based on their age (young or old). We give importance to all these things when the only thing that really matters is, "Are they coming through the gate?" And to those who are leaders in the church, watch yourself and be careful how you choose to lead. Make sure you always enter through the gate. Stay true to Jesus' life and teachings. Know that if you begin to lead His sheep astray, Jesus will protect His flock.

Water at Sea (W.o.W. Rewind)

On May 27, 1943 a B-24 bomber named "The Green Hornet" went down in the Pacific Ocean while flying a search and rescue mission. Louis Zamperini was on that plane. He and another crew member survived the crash and for 47 days fought for survival on the open seas in a small inflatable raft. They had very few provisions and went as many as six days at a time without drinking water. Water became one of their most precious resources. They prayed for rain and perfected techniques of capturing as much as they could.* Imagine the irony of literally being surrounded by a sea of water while you are dying of thirst. As far as their eyes could see in any direction there was only water, yet none of it was able to quench their thirst. In fact, because of its high saline content, this water would only dehydrate them more.

This is the spiritual situation we all find ourselves in. We are dying of thirst for something spiritually real, something that satisfies, someone who can put us right with God. And we are surrounded by a sea of options that purport to be able to satisfy this thirst. We are tempted to turn to horoscopes to give us hope for the future; to other religions for a more palatable view of God; to love to give us self-worth and meaning; to entertainment to provide rest, and to nature to explain our origins and give purpose to our lives. But just like saltwater none of these solutions satisfy our thirst. They leave us worse off than we were before. Only Jesus satisfies!

Jesus highlights this aspect of His mission at the Festival of Booths. This festival is a celebration of God's provision for His people as they wandered in the dessert. No small part of that provision was that God provided water for so large a group of people in a dessert setting. Thus, Jesus stands on the last day of the celebration and says in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37-38)

Whether you are in a dessert or an ocean, you can't live very long without water. Water is one of the most basic human needs. Jesus is telling us that He is much more than one helpful bit of spiritual nourishment among many options. He is the only one that truly satisfies, that meets our needs. It is easy to forget this though. You would think I would have this figured out. I'm a believer and a pastor, but still I sometimes forget that only Jesus satisfies. He is the one source of living water.

In so many ways I am like Martha. Remember the sisters Martha and Mary. As Martha swarms around Jesus busy with the details of hosting an important teacher and His disciples, her sister sits at Jesus' feet idly taking in His precious presence. So often I am like Martha- lost in a swarm of activity and missing the blessings of Jesus' presence. I'm starving over here, working my fingers to the bone because I think it's what Jesus wants me to do. But what does Jesus say? "Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42)

Help us all Lord to choose the better portion. As we drift in this sea of false hope and false gods, gently remind us that only You satisfy. Only You solve our real problem, the problem of sin. Only You can truly give us the hope of Heaven. Draw us to Your feet through Your Word and through prayer. Help us Jesus to feast on Your presence today.

For further reading...

• John 6:32-40- Consider also Jesus' statement that He is the bread of life. 

*Details taken from the book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

Following Christ

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

Following Christ's example means to serve. To put the needs of others ahead of your own. To pour yourself out on their behalf, in the same way that Jesus poured His life out for our sake. To give up your privileges and benefits for others. Jesus did this too! He gave up all the privileges of the throne of Heaven to become the poorest man on earth. Why? "He became poor so that, through his poverty, you might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). To follow Christ's example then, is to give too much; to give more than people think you should. To give of your very life.

Being Christ-like means forgoing that lavish vacation to feed the hungry. It means downgrading your house or car to help fund Bible translation. It means being willing to sacrifice social status to talk to co-workers and friends about the gospel. To be like Christ, you must give sacrificially: to your church, to missions, to widows, to orphans... It means humbling yourself, lowering yourself, as low as is necessary to really make a difference in the lives of others. It means doing more than just giving money; you have to get your hands dirty meeting real physical and spiritual needs in the lives of those around you. 

Oh, how few of us actually live like Jesus did. I don't. Instead, I live in fear that I will take my faith too far, give away too much and suffer because of it. How absurd! Shockingly, the extreme that I fear is exactly what Jesus is calling me to. Give away too much! Live like Jesus did. There is nothing more costly, but nothing more worth it. Give your life away.

For further reading...

• Luke 14:25-33- Count the cost. "Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."

The Prayer that Saved Salvation

They went to a place called Gethsemane and... [Jesus] fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Mark 14:32, 35-36

Far too many of us think we know better than God. In our prayers, we tell God what He ought to do. In our thoughts, we accuse God for not doing what He ought to have done already. Yet, look at Jesus' prayer hours before His death. He isn't shy about asking for exactly what He wants, but even the divine Son chooses to submit Himself to the Father's will. 

What an example there is for us in this prayer! Let's look at each of the three statements He prayed.

Everything is possible for you. 

God the Father could have stopped the crucifixion, for "everything is possible for God." But where would that leave us? 

Take this cup from me. 

Jesus makes His request plain. He asks the Father to help Him avoid drinking the cup of God's wrath. In other words, He asks God to help Him avoid this painful death. Now, we know that when the divine voice speaks, Heaven moves. So I can't help but wonder... as Jesus says this prayer on Earth is there a flurry of activity in heaven? Do angelic armies begin to muster?

Make no mistake: the salvation of mankind hangs in the balance at this point in His prayer for surely there is no other way that men can be saved but by the blood of Christ. If Jesus' trip to the cross is aborted than our salvation is lost. All of Heaven and Earth hold their breath to hear the end of this prayer.

Yet not what I will, but what you will.

We all owe our salvation to this very simple fact, the perfect Son of God doesn't insist before His Eternal Father on getting His own way. And in this moment all the angel armies of Heaven fix their eyes on the Father and are commanded to stand down. This one prayer saved salvation. Jesus had passed yet another test, one of His very last, on His way to the cross. He chose to trust the Father's will over His own. Shouldn't you do the same?!

Are you willing to surrender to God's will for your life? Are you willing to trust Him even when it hurts? Even when you think your plan is better? It takes faith to pray and ask God for what you want, but it takes greater faith to ask for what you want while living surrendered to His will. Pray like Jesus did.

Mountain Climbing with Jesus

Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them...

Mark 9:2

Have you ever climbed a mountain? I've been blessed to climb quite a few and I can say three things with certainty about mountain climbing. (And these are just as true for the small tourist attraction mountains with gift shops as they are for the big mountains out in the backcountry that you have to hike miles to get to.) 

1. Mountain climbing is hard. It necessarily involves walking uphill. Whether it's a paved path with steps or a winding trail with cutbacks, my quads burn.
2. There will always be more people at the bottom than at the top. Some will choose to stay down in the gift shop. Others will start the climb and have to quit halfway up. Inevitably, there will be fewer people on the peak than there are at the base.
3. The view from the top is always worth the work. I've never climbed a mountain and been underwhelmed. You are always glad you did it. 

And I believe these three truths give us some insight into the story of the transfiguration. Jesus chose a mountain because mountain climbing is hard. There is a fellowship to be had in the hours it takes to climb a truly high mountain. It gives plenty of time to talk. And it breeds a certain type of camaraderie to suffer together. (Philippians 3:10-11) These men were Jesus' inner ring of disciples and He chose a perfect activity to get alone with them. 

Jesus likely chose a high mountain because He wanted to get alone with these three. This particular mountain was high enough to ensure that the crowds wouldn't dare follow. Jesus made sure they would be alone because He wanted to reveal something special to them. 

And you better believe that the special view they received into Jesus' true nature was well worth the effort. What they saw on that mountain was a revelation that they would talk about for years to come!

So remember this the next time God leads you up a hard path in life. The harder the path, the closer the fellowship you build with Him. The more difficult the route, the less people will follow you. Which means the glimpse you receive of God's goodness will be all the more rare and unique a gift. So when God leads you up a steep path and you're not sure the pain is worth it, think ahead to the view that you'll enjoy at the end of the journey and choose to enjoy the fellowship along the way. And press on!

Jesus: The Dividing Line

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Matthew 25:31-33

There will come a day when people are no longer separated along geopolitical lines, racial barriers, or income tiers; but rather by their response to Jesus. On that day every nation will be gathered before Him as He sits on His heavenly throne, and He will divide the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep being representative of those who placed their faith in Christ, the goats of those who rejected Him.

This is why your commitment to Christ must be primary. It must be your ultimate allegiance in life. It must be greater than your patriotism because Jesus won't judge you based on your national allegiance, but on your personal relationship to Him. It must be greater than your love for your family and even your own self-interest because Jesus said “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26).

Jesus must be your all in all, because He is what unites you to some and divides you from others. The Spirit of Christ unites all believers across every barrier and dividing line our evil world can create. Yet, Jesus told us that He would also bring division. He said, "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). So, you must understand that your allegiance to Christ will draw some nearer to you and some it will send running in the opposite direction. Christ will tell you to go to this person and to leave that one alone.

Therefore, it is imperative that we all make sure we are on the right side of this dividing line. How do we do that? In this passage, Jesus bases it on how we respond to the needs of other believers. When Jesus' brothers (i.e. believers) are hungry, thirsty, lacking shelter, in need of clothing, sick, or imprisoned; how do we respond? Do we meet their needs?

Now Jesus isn't espousing a works righteousness here but is showing that love for other believers is a proof of salvation. We see this in the earliest church in Acts 2. All those who repented and placed their faith in Christ, began selling off their possessions and giving to other believers as they had need (Acts 2:44-45). The Spirit of Christ so unites believers that love for one another is a sure sign of the family of faith.

So, are you on the right side of the dividing line? Have you placed your faith in Christ? Jesus was fond of saying that you will know a tree by its fruit (Luke 6:43-45), so what are you doing to meet the needs of other believers? If aren't doing anything, then what does that say about you?

Hope for Hurting Hearts

When the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Matthew 14:35-36

The gospels regularly highlight the miraculous nature of Jesus' work on earth. It would be hard to overestimate the dramatic impact Jesus had on the lives of the people He healed. Think for even a moment about the woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years (Matthew 9:20), or the woman who had been crippled by demonic possession for eighteen years (Luke 13:10-13) and it's impossible to deny the amazing life change Jesus wrought for them. Even more, if you pause to consider that the man Jesus healed by the pool of Bethesda had been invalid for thirty-eight years (John 5:5-9) or that the blind man He healed in John 9 had never known sight at all, then it's impossible to miss how completely their lives were turned around. 

Today's passage, however, highlights for us just how easy it was for Jesus to bring about these major changes. All it took was one touch of the garments He wore and the course of a person's whole life was changed.

This should bring us hope. It tells us that our problems and our struggles are not beyond God's power! Whatever you are anxious about today, whatever you are stressed about, whatever keeps you awake at night is easy for God to handle. But this truth that ought to bring us joy and cause us to reach out to God in faith like the people in this story reached out to touch His cloak, instead often causes us to doubt and to question.

"If it's easy for God to solve my problems, then why doesn't He?" We ask. "Is God punishing me? Does He enjoy the fact that I am suffering? Why isn't He helping me?"

As believers we know that God is good and loving and that He doesn't take joy in our suffering. He has promised us that although not everything that happens to us will be good, He will work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). And so, we choose to trust that God hasn't solved our problems yet because there is some good for us in them. There is some good in us learning to hope in Him, in learning to wait on Him, in learning to reach out to Him and pray to Him. Sometimes there is even good in persevering through the trial. (According to II Corinthians 12:7, Paul's thorn in the flesh was ordained to help keep him from pride.) 

It's hard for us to imagine that the things which pain and challenge us have been allowed or even ordained by God for our good. But if we are to believe in a good and a sovereign God, then we must accept this truth. If you are struggling to do so today, then I commend to you Psalm 13. Make it the cry of your hurting heart. Make it your prayer.

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
  How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
  and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
  How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
  Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
  and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 

But I trust in your unfailing love;
  my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
  for he has been good to me.

Mercy

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

While we tend to be more comfortable excusing or condemning specific actions in our lives, Jesus directs His beatitudes at the condition and orientation of our hearts. In this way He sidesteps all our excuses and justifications and cuts to the core of our struggle with sin. "Am I a merciful person?" Jesus forces me to ask this question not of each action individually but of my general character as revealed by the sum of my actions and attitudes.

Mercy looks with compassion on the needs of others, while judgment questions what the poor souls have done to bring this need upon themselves. In this way judgment most often cuts off any hope for a better tomorrow. It is mercy alone that gives second chances. Mercy observes the need and simply helps. It doesn't question their worthiness to receive the help. For example, a merciful person might well question which way is the best way to help the homeless but she will never generalize that many homeless people are in that condition because of their own choices and choose to turn a blind eye to them all. 

Mercy also looks with compassion on the sins of others, even when their sin has cost you personally. Again we find that mercy is unconcerned with desert, for forgiveness and mercy are by definition undeserved. When mercy is deserved it is simply justice. Only when it is undeserved can it be called mercy. As Christians we have received mercy from God and therefore ought to dole out mercy in our dealings with others. We must never forget our ongoing need for mercy and that God promises to give mercy to those who are merciful. So we who were reconciled to God by His initiative while as yet we were still His enemies, when we find ourselves in an unavoidable conflict with someone else, have no right to be anything but conciliatory in tone (Romans 5:8-11). We should never be hostile if it can be avoided in any way, but should always seek to be peacemakers as much as it is in our ability (Matthew 5:9). 

No Contest

As soon as he got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met him. He lived in the tombs, and no one was able to restrain him anymore—not even with a chain— because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before him. And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you before God, don’t torment me!” For he had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

“What is your name?” he asked him.

“My name is Legion,” he answered him, “because we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region.

A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged him, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.” So he gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there.

Mark 5:2-13

This poor man was in complete and utter bondage to thousands of demons living inside him. These demons self-identified as "Legion" which is a word for a six thousand member unit of the Roman army. That does not necessarily mean there were six thousand of them but we do know there were enough to run a herd of pigs numbering about two thousand off a cliff. So it is safe to say thousands of demons had completely taken over this man's body and his life.

If you read carefully you'll notice that many had opposed these demons in this man's life. They had tried to bind or confine them in some way but had failed. First, we see that the man himself had been unable to control them. He was powerless against so many, no longer in control of his own life. The passage tells us that he cut himself and cried out daily. What a hellish and tormented experience. Second, the community had no success in getting the demons to conform to societal and cultural norms. Not only did this man live outside of the town in the tombs, but Luke 8:27 tells us that he hadn't even worn clothes in a long time. So, societal pressure had no effect on them whatsoever. Lastly, we see that the civil authorities failed as well. They tried to overpower the demons by binding the man with shackles and chains. They did this on numerous occasions but the demons were stronger than their chains. They simply tore them off.

But when Jesus stepped out of the boat onto that shore, everything changed. Here was a man who could bind and defeat the demons that so plagued this poor soul. It was one against thousands, and it was still a lopsided victory. It took no effort on Jesus' part, just a word and the demons were gone. Just a word and Jesus had rescued this poor man from the hellish torment. Just a word from the Word and the man was in his right mind again. Jesus alone could bind and defeat this army of demons because He alone has absolute authority.

This same Jesus lives within you, believer! Whatever spiritual battle you face, turn to Him. Whatever physical challenge, turn to Him. Whatever discouragement, whatever pain, whatever torment, it is nothing compared to His incomparable authority, power and mercy. Be encouraged, O believer! "For greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world!" (I John 4:4).

Christ the Preeminent One (W.o.W. Rewind)

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Colossians 1:15-23

In every generation ideologies and false religions rise up claiming to meet our needs, to bring us peace, to free us from addiction, to take us to heaven (metaphorically or literally), and to explain the mysteries of our world. But only Jesus is uniquely equipped to reconcile us to God.

I can't think of another passage in all of Scripture that so cogently and convincingly argues for the preeminence of Christ. He is the firstborn of all creation. That is to say that He created it all. He is supreme over it and possesses the inheritance rights to all of it. He is also the image of the invisible God. That which was unknown, even unknowable, He has made known and brought near to us in His life on earth. He is the firstborn from among the dead. Several others in biblical history were brought back to life (John 11:43, Mark 5:41, and others), but they continued living a natural life on earth only to die again. Jesus was the only one to pass through death into a new kind of life that He opened up to all of us. Jesus was given a transformed body, and He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. And it is through the death of Jesus, His and no one else's, that all things are reconciled to God. Now we know that when this passage says that all things are reconciled to God it cannot mean that all people are saved. The Bible tells us clearly that will not happen (Rev. 20:15 & 1Cor. 6:9-11). Yet, at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Phil. 2:9-11). In the end all will bow before Him and the world will be set right. Some will bow unwillingly, but all will bow in the end.

If you are a Christian brother or sister I ask you, is Christ preeminent in your life today? How could He be moved more to the center of your schedule and your life? Schedule a meeting with Jesus every day, even if it is only for a minute to pray. If you have not yet surrendered your life to Jesus, please know that only He brings true peace, true freedom, true understanding, and true reconciliation with God. Stop trying to save yourself. Trust in Christ!

For further reading...

• If you would like to become a Christian. Here are the steps: 
• A- Admit that you are a sinner and in need of God's grace (Romans 3:10 and 3:23).
• B- Believe that Jesus is God's Son, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin, and that He was raised from the dead (Romans 6:23 and 5:8).
• C- Confess Jesus as Lord of your life. Turn from sin (from living life your way) and commit to live your life for God (Romans 10:9).
• Colossians: Read the entire book. It's a great one.
• John 1:1-18- Read a little more about Jesus' participation in creation.
• Revelation 5- Only the slain Lamb is worthy to open the scroll.

*This devotion  was originally posted on 10/2/13.

The Worth of His Name

Your name, Lord, endures forever, your renown, Lord, through all generations.

Psalm 135:13

Psalm 135 opens with two lines that are both an invitation and a command. "Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD." Scripture has a lot to say about God's name. We are encouraged to praise His name (Ps. 30:4), to exalt it (Ps. 34:3), to fear it (Ps. 86:11), to love it (Ps. 69:35-36), to call on God's name (Ps 116:13), and to ascribe the glory due to His name (Ps. 29:2) and much more. 

Why so much emphasis on a name? A person's name carries their character around from conversation to conversation. This is their reputation. You can sense it in the way a person's name is spoken. When someone is loved or even revered their name is spoken in sweet tones. When someone is reviled or hated then their name can sound like a curse coming across your lips (Psalm 102:8) (Sadly, many today so revile our God that they do use His precious name as a curse). In this way a person's name is like a shorthand for their entire character. When you drag a person's reputation through the mud, you give them a bad name. In the same way, when you praise someone, when you lift them up and glorify them, you praise not only them but also their name. 

This is why God's name will be remembered forever, because it is treasured. It is treasured because He is worthy of such honor. This is especially true of the name of Jesus. Countless believers throughout the centuries have laid down their lives for the name of Jesus. Had they been willing to revile Him, to curse His name, then they would have been spared, but they considered His name worth more than their very lives. Why? Because "salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

When all the kingdoms of men have faded into obscurity, when no one remembers the names of great generals or great football players anymore, a thousand years into eternity in heaven, still the name of Jesus will be treasured. As Philippians 2:9-11 says,

"God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

You might consider obeying Scripture's command today by singing praises to His name using this praise chorus written by Gloria and Bill Gaither.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

   There's just something about that name

Master, Savior, Jesus

   Like a fragrance after the rain

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

   Let all heaven and earth proclaim

Kings and kingdoms may all pass away

   But there's something about that name

For further reading, consider this selection of what Scripture has to say about God's name:

• Our trust is in His name. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." Psalm 20:7
• Jesus instructs us to pray "Hallowed be your name." Matthew 6:9
• We are to baptize disciples in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19
• Jesus prayed, "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one." John 17:11
• The Apostle Peter healed by the name of Jesus. "Then Peter said, 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.'” Acts 3:6
• The Apostle Paul cast out demons by the name. "'In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!' At that moment the spirit left her." Acts 16:18
• The Apostle Paul was prepared to die for the name. "Then Paul answered, 'Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.'” Acts 21:13
• One of the descriptions of Heaven in the last chapter of the Bible is as follows. "[God's servants] will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads." Revelation 22:4

Christ: First in All Things

And [Jesus] is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Colossians 1:17-18

Colossians 1:15-20 is a tightly packed master class on Christology. If you want to understand who Jesus was, His nature, His role in the cosmos, and the importance of His death, it's all here. One undeniable implication of this passage is that Jesus is of the highest importance. He has first priority. He is supreme. 

This is evident in verses 17-18. Verse 17 says that "He is before all things," and in case that wasn't clear enough verse 18 adds that God has worked all things out so that "in everything [Jesus] might be preeminent." That word 'preeminent' is rendered in various Bible translations as supremacy (NIV), preeminence (ESV, KJV, NKJV), or to have the first place in everything (NASB, HCSB, NLT & NET). This last rendering is the closest to the literal translation in the original language which is to be first or to hold first place. 

So then Jesus holds the highest priority in reality. Not just Christian reality or spiritual reality, but REALITY. This has major implications. Here are a few.

First, this explains why putting other things ahead of Christ in our lives is idolatry. Doing so moves Jesus out of His rightful place of supremacy and bows our hearts in worship to someone or something else. To attempt to remove the One who is infinitely worthy from His place of primacy and set something up in His stead is exceedingly sinful.

Second, placing anything or anyone ahead of Jesus is both damaging to ourselves and is delusional. When we place a higher priority on something that isn't Christ we reveal our own understanding of what is ultimately true and of infinite worth. The reality that Jesus holds first position in everything hasn't changed; we have simply revealed that our perception of reality is off. We legitimately think Jesus is not of the highest priority. This means we are detached from reality. We no longer see it as it truly is. 

Third, it is entirely unfathomable that a Christian would place a higher priority on anything or anyone over above Jesus. It is crazy to think that a Christian (of all people) would attempt to dethrone the one whom they claim as their Savior, Lord and God by putting other things ahead of Him. Sadly we do this regularly. I do this regularly. WE MUST STOP!

Lord, help me to learn to treasure Jesus above all else. Help me to keep Him first in my life. Help us to see all the ways that Jesus is already truly first in all things. And help us to live in light of that truth every day. I pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

Water at Sea

On May 27, 1943 a B-24 bomber named "The Green Hornet" went down in the Pacific Ocean while flying a search and rescue mission. Louis Zamperini was on that plane. He and another crew member survived the crash and for 47 days fought for survival on the open seas in a small inflatable raft. They had very few provisions and went as many as six days at a time without drinking water. Water became one of their most precious resources. They prayed for rain and perfected techniques of capturing as much as they could.* Imagine the irony of literally being surrounded by a sea of water while you are dying of thirst. As far as their eyes could see in any direction there was only water, yet none of it was able to quench their thirst. In fact, because of its high saline content, this water would only dehydrate them more.

This is the spiritual situation we all find ourselves in. We are dying of thirst for something spiritually real, something that satisfies, someone who can put us right with God. And we are surrounded by a sea of options that purport to be able to satisfy this thirst. We are tempted to turn to horoscopes to give us hope for the future; to other religions for a more palatable view of God; to love to give us self-worth and meaning; to entertainment to provide rest, and to nature to explain our origins and give purpose to our lives. But just like saltwater none of these solutions satisfy our thirst. They leave us worse off than we were before. Only Jesus satisfies!

Jesus highlights this aspect of His mission at the Festival of Booths. This festival is a celebration of God's provision for His people as they wandered in the dessert. No small part of that provision was that God provided water for so large a group of people in a dessert setting. Thus, Jesus stands on the last day of the celebration and says in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37-38)

Whether you are in a dessert or an ocean, you can't live very long without water. Water is one of the most basic human needs. Jesus is telling us that He is much more than one helpful bit of spiritual nourishment among many options. He is the only one that truly satisfies, that meets our needs. It is easy to forget this though. You would think I would have this figured out. I'm a believer and a pastor, but still I sometimes forget that only Jesus satisfies. He is the one source of living water.

In so many ways I am like Martha. Remember the sisters Martha and Mary. As Martha swarms around Jesus busy with the details of hosting an important teacher and His disciples, her sister sits at Jesus' feet idly taking in His precious presence. So often I am like Martha- lost in a swarm of activity and missing the blessings of Jesus' presence. I'm starving over here, working my fingers to the bone because I think it's what Jesus wants me to do. But what does Jesus say? "Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42)

Help us all Lord to choose the better portion. As we drift in this sea of false hope and false gods, gently remind us that only You satisfy. Only You solve our real problem, the problem of sin. Only You can truly give us the hope of Heaven. Draw us to Your feet through Your Word and through prayer. Help us Jesus to feast on Your presence today.

For further reading...

• John 6:32-40- Consider also Jesus' statement that He is the bread of life. 

*Details taken from the book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

Extravagant Love

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Matthew 26:6-13

No one writes romance novels about doing the laundry or washing the dishes for your spouse. Not only are these small acts of love not very interesting but they also don't appeal to our emotions as strongly as grand acts of love do. There is little doubt that without these daily acts of love the grand displays of affection would be empty, but it's also true that any truly great love story needs at least one extravagant gesture of love. 

This may give us something to think about in our relationship with our spouse, but today's passage pulls our gaze towards our relationship with Jesus. When was the last time you got carried away in your love for Christ? Have you ever gone beyond merely doing what you should do for Him and did something extravagant for Him because you wanted to? How sad it will be for those Christians who, when they are called home, realize that their love for Jesus was never strong enough to cause them to do anything risky, costly, or extravagant.

The woman in today's passage may have heard Jesus teaching the disciples that He would soon be killed and was moved by a sense of urgency to show an incredible display of love. She took what was almost certainly one of her most valuable possessions and sacrificed it to bless Him. Jesus was so moved by her beautiful act that He said it would be remembered and preached throughout the world. If you feel the tug to love Jesus extravagantly today then there are three things you'll need to consider from her story.

1. There will always be people ready to criticize you for giving sacrificially to Jesus. Sadly these critical people will often come from within the church. In the story it was the disciples who immediately question the woman's decision. Some may criticize you by suggesting a more effective charitable outlet for your funds or they argue that some financial need within your family should have taken priority. Others may suggest that you are being emotional or seeking attention. But like the woman in the story, don't respond to them. You weren't trying to please them anyway. Your focus should stay on the object of your love. He will answer them in due time.
2. We have limited time to show our love to Jesus. Jesus was only a matter of days away from His crucifixion when this happened. Had she waited too long, she would have lost her opportunity. Her time was limited by Jesus' impending departure; ours is limited by His impending return. We don't know how long we have to use our time, talents and money in this world to display our love for Jesus. But once He returns, that opportunity will have been lost.
3. We can't pour out our love on Jesus the same way she did, but we can still give to Jesus. In the previous chapter, He tells us how. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus says, "Whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for me." We show Jesus our love by loving other believers extravagantly.

What was the last risky, costly, or extravagant thing your love for Jesus led you to do? What do you sense His Spirit and His Word leading you to do for Him now? Now, be bold and extravagant!

For further reading...

• Matthew 25:31-46- Check out the full parable of the sheep and the goats.