The Repentant Heart

In the early 80's, Chicago, the popular rock band, hit the charts with a song titled, It's Hard To Say I'm Sorry. Confessing wrongdoing isn't just challenging for certain people, it's truly a universal quality of fallen humanity.  We all have the tendency to live in denial of our sin and regularly think that other people are the problem. Many of our relational conflicts are due to the sin of pride and not getting our way. We are quick to point the accusing finger at others, but not nearly as quick to honestly evaluate what sinful attitudes, behaviors, and words we have contributed to the situation.  And, if we actually do recognize the sins we have brought to the table, we often don't verbalize a genuine, heart-felt confession to God or to those we have wronged and, consequently, we remain in the bondage of a hard, unrepentant heart.   

In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door at Wittenburg, an act intended to draw attention to some of the teachings of the Catholic church that were not in line with the teaching of Scripture.  Luther's first thesis stated: When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said "Repent," he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.  Instead of viewing repentance as a one time event (as we are often tempted to believe), Luther reminds us that our Christian lives are to be marked by an ongoing humility of heart, repentance of sin, and brokenness before a holy God.  

Psalm 51 is one of the great repentance passages in the Bible.  The author of the psalm is King David, the great ruler of Israel who had used his power and privilege in government to take advantage of a married woman, Bathsheba, and commit adultery.  Instead of repenting, David chose to try and cover up his sin by having Bathsheba's husband killed on the dangerous, front lines of battle.  David's attempted cover up operation was doomed to failure from the beginning because nothing is hidden from the eyes of God.  Through the convicting words of the prophet Nathan, God brought David to the place of repentance: "I have sinned against the Lord" (2 Sam. 12:13).

Sin is the great destroyer of relationships.  David realized that his sin was primarily an offense against a holy, righteous God ("Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight" ~Psalm 51:4) and thus created a wedge between him and the Almighty. The grave nature of David's sin is emphasized by his use of three words to describe his fallen condition (see Psalm 51:1-2): transgressions (literally, rebellion), iniquity (meaningcrooked or perverse), and sin (meaning to miss the mark/target).  However, as great as his sin was, David's repentant heart was reminded of the even greater power of God's mercy, unfailing love, and compassion:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  

The cleansing flow of God's grace is greater than any of our sin.  Through the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross, God has opened a way for us to know and experience the righteousness of God through faith.  In his book, The Sickness Unto Death, Kierkegaard wrote, "The opposite of sin is not virtue but faith."  Faith is trusting in God's power to cleanse us; faith also implies a daily recognition that we cannot cleanse ourselves, a daily brokenness over our propensity to wander, rebel, and miss the mark.  A daily, moment by moment repentance.

A broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.  (Psalm 51:17)   

The Lord Is My Shepherd...

In Psalm 23, when David uses the metaphor of shepherd to describe the Lord, he is using an image that occurs more than 500 times in the Bible to describe the nature of God; the image also helps us understand how God relates to us, His children.  

*The Lord (our shepherd) is personal.  In the opening phrase of the psalm, David writes, "The Lord is my shepherd."  This personal, individual language used by David in regard to God as shepherd was unique because the people of Israel normally associated the Lord's shepherding activity with His leadership over Israel as a whole community.  David held on to the Lord as hisshepherd just as the shepherd was holding on to him.  David had a deep, intimate, personal relationship with a personal God.  An image conjured up from this psalm's opening verse is a shepherd drawing a little lamb close to his chest, offering the lamb comfort and safety.

  

*The Lord (our shepherd) is the King.  Even though we have the opportunity to be in close relationship with the Lord, we also need to keep in mind that He is a shepherd who is the King of all kings.  The prophet Micah foretold the rulership of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, with these words:

 

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.  (Micah 5:4)  

          

God's unmatched authority as shepherd is highlighted in this passage.  We must never forget that the shepherd who draws us close to himself by his grace is also the shepherd who has all power and authority.  Intimacy with the Good Shepherd must be held together with reverence and awe in the presence of the Shepherd. 
 

*The Lord (our shepherd) is the provider.  Psalm 23 gives us many examples of God's provision from David's personal experience:

"I lack nothing..." (v. 1)
"He leads..." (v. 2)
"He refreshes..." (v. 3)
"He guides..." (v. 3)
"You prepare..." (v. 5)
"You anoint.." (v. 5)

David knew the sufficiency of God in his life.  He had learned to trust in the faithfulness of the Shepherd to the extent that he could say: "When I have the Lord, I have everything!" 
 

*The Lord (our shepherd) is the protector.  Some of the most powerful words in scripture appear in Psalm 23:4...

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me..."

We have all walked through dark seasons in life, times when we have been in a deep valley.  What a comfort to know God's abiding presence in such challenging situations!  The intimate relationship that David had cultivated with God sustained him during the valley days of life.  

As we continue to journey through these summer days together as a church, let's remember to spend personal time with the Good Shepherd, bow in reverence in His holy presence, and radically trust in His miraculous provision and protection.  With Him we lack nothing!

Community

When I was attending the University of Illinois way back in the late 80's, I lived in a Christian fraternity house on campus called Koinonia, which happens to be the Greek word for fellowship.  Let me tell you, thirty college guys living under the same roof was a unique (and sometimes downright frightening) experience.  

However, looking back on some of the experiences I had in the "Koin" house has made me appreciate the significance of biblical community.  

Deep, authentic relationships based in the power of God's Spirit have a tremendous, lasting impact on our lives.  In fact, just yesterday I had a lengthy phone conversation with one of my roommates from the "Koin" house, a longtime friend and best man at my wedding who is now serving as the pastor of a Presbyterian church in Southern Illinois.  As we reminisced about the Koinonia days and some of the crazy things that happened in the house, our memories were also drawn to the times we gathered together for Bible study and prayer.  We would often spend time talking and dreaming about what God could do with our lives.  The relationship I established with this friend years ago at the U of I is still impacting me to this day and it is a joy to know that we are partners in the gospel, even if we are living many miles apart.  

In Acts 2:42-47, Luke writes about the early church community:

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship (koinonia), to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.      

As I reflect on these verses, I am moved by the thought of more and more people being saved every day as they observe the unified, loving, and generous community of believers called the church.  The early church was expanding in a spontaneous, supernatural way.  In his book, The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church, author Roland Allen defines the dynamic phrase captured in the book's title:

This then is what I mean by spontaneous expansion.  I mean the expansion which follows the unexhorted and unorganized activity of individual members of the Church explaining to others the Gospel which they have found for themselves; I mean the expansion which follows the irresistible attraction of the Christian Church for men who see its ordered life, and are drawn to it by desire to discover the secret of a life which they instinctively desire to share...

In a world where people are more "connected" than ever before through social media, there is also the feeling that people are more disconnected than ever before from meaningful, transformative relationships.  The connectedness that many people are experiencing in the virtual world is not facilitating an Acts 2 biblical community.  In reality, the more "high tech" the world becomes, the greater the opportunity for the church to provide "high touch" relationships.

Are you committed to koinonia?  Do you value face-to-face interactions more than Facebook communication?  When is the last time you met someone for lunch or invited someone into your home for a meal?  One of the greatest ways the church can move forward in mission in the world is by modeling relationships that are based in the radical love, grace, and hospitality of God.  

Here's an assignment for you: Grab lunch with someone!  Have some FaceLook time.  It's Biblical...and fun!   

Timing

One of the important aspects of following Jesus is learning to trust his timing in our lives.  Our rapid pace of living, along with incredible advancements in technology, make it difficult for us to wait for anything.  We have been conditioned to expect the immediate.  

 

It is no trivial matter that some of Jesus' final words delivered to the apostles prior to his ascension revolved around the topic of waiting.  Luke, the gospel writer, tells us:

 

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you heard me speak about."  (Acts 1:4) 

 

Final words are important.  Research tells us that when a person is trying to remember a list of words, the easiest ones to recall from memory are the first and last words recorded in the list.  Just imagine the disciples walking back to Jerusalem after seeing Jesus disappear in a cloud right before their eyes on the Mount of Olives.  Think about their conversations with each other as they recalled some of the parting words of Jesus...Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait. I suspect the questions in the apostles' minds outweighed the answers as they trudged along the dusty road back to Jerusalem:

  

Wait?  For how long?  For "the gift" promised by the Father?  What will the coming of the Spirit be like?  How will we know the Holy Spirit's arrival?  

Perhaps you feel as if God has placed you in a season of waiting right now.Maybe you're waiting to hear back regarding a job interview.  Maybe you're trying to be patient as you wait for some important medical test results.  You might even be waiting for "Mr. or Mrs. Right" to come along and deliver you from singleness.  

Whatever the issue, we have all prayed the "How long, O Lord?" prayer before.  

And yet, in the middle of our questioning prayers, we are called to trust in God's timing, believing that He not only knows what is best for us, but that He is also working things so He is most glorified.  

By reading Acts, we can infer that the apostles had to wait approximately 10 days for the Holy Spirit to come at the Feast of Pentecost.  The Greek word pentekostemeans 50th, indicating the 50th day after Passover.  During the Passover (also referred to as the Feast of Weeks), Jews came from all over to celebrate God's provision and faithfulness in the wheat harvest.  While the Jews in Jerusalem at that time thought they were there to celebrate the wheat harvest, God had a bigger plan.  There was going to be a tremendous harvesting of souls when "about three thousand were added to their number that day" (Acts 2:41).  The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost enabled people from every nation under heaven to hear the gospel presented in their languages when the Spirit filled the apostles and empowered them to speak in other tongues.  

It is interesting that Pentecost was a one day feast.  The population of Jerusalem was vastly inflated on Pentecost due to the worshipers traveling from a large geographical area.  The sending of the Spirit on Pentecost maximized God's glory because when the worshipers heard the wonders of God being declared in their own languages and when they repented of their sins and were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the newly saved returned to their homelands and served as missionaries to spread the gospel message.  God's timing in sending the Spirit was perfect.  

In his letter to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul uses Pentecost language when he writes, "...God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" (see Rom. 5:5).  The pouring out of God's love in this passage is reminiscent of the pouring out of the Spirit on Pentecost.  

And, in the next verse, Paul mentions the importance of timing:   

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  (Romans 5:6)

The crucifixion of Christ happened at the perfect time--when we were hopeless and powerless in our sin--so that God would receive maximum glory by demonstrating a most radical, saving love.  

If you are waiting on God for something today, take some time and thank Him for sending His Son--at just the right time--to deliver you from sin.  Thank Him for sending His Spirit--at just the right time--so that you have the opportunity of being born again.  God's timing has been faithful and perfect in the past.  His timing will continue to be perfect in the future; perfect to maximize His glory!

When Life Seems To Be Falling Apart

We all have days when it feels as if life is falling apart.  At times, struggles and disappointments appear to feed off each other and bad news seems to grow at an exponential pace.  For some, there are sicknesses that linger for a long period of time or turn chronic in nature, transforming each day into a challenge to simply keep moving forward.  For others, there is a job search that never seems to end.  All potential leads and interviews continue to produce no fruit.  There are other people who wake up each morning to the harsh reality of family pain: a marriage falling apart, prodigal children on the run, or elderly parents struggling with loss of mobility and diminished mental capacity.  

When the disciples saw Jesus crucified on the cross, it felt like their world was falling apart.  It was probably hard for many of them to get out of bed on the Saturday following Good Friday.  Depression and disappointment produced a confusing cloud over their lives because Jesus, the One they had followed for about three years--the One they believed was the Messiah, was dead and buried in the side of a hill.   A huge stone--a vivid reminder of the finality of death--had been rolled in front of the tomb entrance.  

On resurrection Sunday, two of the disciples were walking to Emmaus, a town located about seven miles from Jerusalem.  The exact location of Emmaus is not known today, possibly indicating the small, insignificant nature of the town in the first century.  Perhaps the disciples were trying to get out of Jerusalem to help clear their minds and try to make sense of a crucified Messiah.  But, regardless of their reasoning for heading to Emmaus, the risen Jesus encountered the two disciples right in the middle of their disappointment and confusion.  

They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.  As they talked and discussed these things with each other,  Jesus himself came up and walked with them... (Luke 24:14-15)

In one of his amazing resurrection appearances, Jesus miraculously appears to these two disciples in their pain.  Jesus is present to them when it appears their hopes in life have all been destroyed.  Of all the places Jesus could have been at that moment, he chose to walk with two people who were trying to cope with incredible disappointment and unrealized expectations.  Jesus, full of compassion, desired to make himself known to two bewildered and battered souls on the way to nowhere.

In one of the most moving passages of Scripture, the Psalmist writes:

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways...

Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast... (Psalm 139:1-3,7-10)         

These powerful verses remind us of God's omniscience (He knows everything about us, including our location and our mental condition) and His omnipresence (His presence is everywhere, even on the road to Emmaus).  

If some of your greatest hopes have been dashed recently...

If you are struggling to understand God's plan because none of your plans have become reality...

If you are feeling alone and abandoned...

Take your eyes off the dusty, rock-strewn road to Emmaus and look into the eyes of the Savior who is walking with you.  He comes to those who are feeling lost and provides a Way; He appears to those with tears of frustration and provides comfort; He walks with those who feel weary and don't know how they will have the strength to take another step; He comes to us.

The Transforming Word

For nearly the past two years, Crossroads has been journeying through the Gospel of Luke on Sunday mornings.  Our study together has revealed powerful truth about the life, ministry, and mission of Jesus.  While this has been the longest teaching series I have ever prepared (some may be hoping all future teachings will be much shorter!), I believe the discipline of working through a book of the Bible has its rich rewards.  Here are a few of the benefits that come to mind:

1)   Reading/studying an entire book of the Bible allows us to interpret Scripture in context.  I have stated many times, "If you take a text out of context, you are left with acon."  If you really want to understand the Bible more thoroughly, read lengthy passages instead of just picking a verse here and there.  

2) Reading/studying an entire book of the Bible helps us recognize important theological themes that will fuel spiritual growth.  For example, in our journey through the Gospel of Luke, we encountered many important themes, including: the connection between prayer, the Holy Spirit and empowerment for mission work; the topic of God's Kingdom in the preaching of Jesus; God's heart for the poor and oppressed; and, the theme of discipleship (what it really means to follow in the footsteps of Jesus).

3) Reading/studying an entire book of the Bible helps cultivate the spiritual discipline of daily study of God's Word.  Reading the Bible each day is an important ingredient of ongoing personal spiritual growth and maturity.  Consistent Bible reading is easier with some type of reading plan, and systematically reading though entire books of the Bible is a good way to stay on track and alleviate the "What shall I read today?" question. 

4) Reading/studying an entire book of the Bible helps us focus and fight against distraction.  Let's face it, there is no shortage of Bible study books, devotionals, and Christian books to help people grow in the faith.  However, there is no substitute for God's Word.  With the myriad of reading choices available, we need some way to focus in on the most important book--God's Word-- and establish solid priorities for our limited amount of daily reading time. Here are a few suggestions to help you along the way:

1) Make a commitment to read the Bible before you read any other book each day.

2) Select a book of the Bible and then prayerfully ask God to give you wisdom as you read through the passages.

3) As you read longer passages, stop on a word, phrase, or concept that seems to "jump off the page" and speak directly to your heart.  Meditate for a few minutes on the truth that is being communicated to you.  

*Remember, daily personal time in the Lord's presence through the reading of the Bible is more about transformation than information.  Sure, gathering new information from Scripture is a good thing, but this information should not just be considered simply for intellectual purposes.  Reading, meditation, and prayer combine together to bring about life transformation:

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?  By living according to your word.  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  (Psalm 119:9-11)   


If you need a suggestion for a book of the Bible to begin reading, try Acts.  We will be starting 2014 with a teaching series through Luke's other New Testament writing and if you start reading now, you'll have a head start when we begin the series Acts: Seeing the Spirit at Work in January.

Remember to Focus

The word "remember" occurs 166 times in the New International Version of the Bible, a figure that reminds us of our propensity to forget things (perhaps you are reading this email because you had to take a break from searching for your car keys or wallet that you misplaced!).  Brain researchers tell us that multi-tasking adversely affects our short-term memory.  In other words, the more plates we're spinning in our lives, the less likely we will be able to adequately remember certain things.  I have found this to be true in my life.  Usually, when I find myself asking, "How did I forget that?", it is during a season of life that contains a to do list that is quite extensive, a season in which I'm trying to do too much.

 

One of the powerful aspects of Jesus' earthly ministry was his ability to hone and focus, even when the needs around him were practically infinite.  He always remembered to cultivate his relationship with his Father and he refused to let others set an alternative agenda for him that would have taken him away from the cross.  Jesus lived with a deep sense of purpose and mission.  Even the teaching of Jesus was incredibly focused so people could remember the truth he communicated:

 

One day a teacher of the law tested Jesus with a question, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?  Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matt. 22:37-39)

 

Jesus boiled down the 613 laws of the Old Testament into 2!  Love God and love others.  Jesus has given us only 2 theological plates to spin and he wants us to daily remember that our lives can be incredibly focused if we love Him and allow His love to flow through us into the lives of others.  Yet, even though Jesus has condensed the Law and Prophets into two commands, we still find ourselves forgetting the true focus of our lives.  We get distracted.  We get tired.  We get lazy.  We lose our sense of priorities.  We get mired in sin.  We need constant reminders to focus: love God, love others.

 

In January we will be starting a new teaching series called Acts: Seeing the Spirit at Work.  As I have been doing some preliminary study for this new series, I noticed something powerful about the early church that Luke (the writer of Acts) records in Acts 2.  When the Spirit comes at Pentecost, the newly birthed church is marked by an incredible focus.  Luke writes:

 

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer...all the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

(Acts 2:42-47)

 

Notice how the believers were focused on loving God (devoted to the teaching of the apostles and to prayer) and loving others (fellowship, sharing resources, sharing meals, etc.).  The result of their focus was more and more people transformed by the power of Christ.  I believe a mark of the Spirit moving in the church is an intense focus on loving God and loving others.

Let's be encouraged to remember that we have been called to live focused lives for God's kingdom.  If you're spinning 613 plates in your life right now, remember there are only 2 that Jesus has given you!

Greed and Giving

There is a television show called, American Greed, and, although I have never watched this series, the show's subtitle: Some People Will Do Anything For Money, pretty much explains enough to keep me from desiring to view any of the episodes.  I struggle to a great degree in my own life to sift through whether I really need certain things as opposed to simply want them; in short, I have a tendency toward greed, an inclination toward accumulation that, at the end of the day, actually serves to distract me rather than aid me in living a focused, Christ-honoring life.  Why would I want to watch other people doing crazy things for money (which is really amassed for one reason: to acquire more possessions) when I, too, can easily justify expenditures for more material things that aren't really needed?

Jesus spoke more about greed than any other sin.  He knew that where our treasure is, our heart would be there too (see Matt. 6:21).  We are bombarded on a daily basis with a large number of advertisements communicating that our lives will be less than fulfilled if we don't purchase certain products.  One of the ongoing challenges in our lives is to discern how to properly steward the money and material possessions God has placed under our care.  Certain material things are obviously needed for life, and God even allows us to have things for our enjoyment.  The problem is when the desire for things begins to overrule our desire for God.  

Peter Kreeft, in his book, Back to Virtue, writes:

Avarice (greed) is not desire as such, or even desire for temporal possessions as such, but the immoderate desire for them; for it is natural to man to desire external things as means, but avarice makes them into ends, into gods.  And when a creature is made into a god, it becomes a devil.

Just a few days before Jesus was crucified, he spoke out against the greed of the teachers of the law, a prominent group of religious leaders who, instead of making sure the needs of the poor widows were properly addressed, viewed the oppressed and marginalized widows' plights as opportunities for financial gain:

Jesus said to his disciples, "Beware of the teachers of the law.  They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.  They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.  These men will be punished most severely." (Lk. 20:45-47) 
  

Greed had infiltrated the hearts of those who were supposed to be upholding the Law and protecting the widows!  Biblical scholars speculate that the religious leaders may have taken advantage of the widows by: taking pay from the widows in exchange for legal aid; cheating gullible widows out of their inheritance; living off the hospitality of lonely women; and, accepting money from naive elderly women in exchange for special prayer.  The immoderate and extraordinary desire for financial gain in the hearts of religious teachers took precedence over their desire to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God.  

Interestingly, in a powerful turn of events, Luke records a story of a widow's generous giving as a contrast to the religious leaders' greed:

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  "Truly I tell you," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others.   All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."  (Lk. 21:1-4)

The widow in this passage demonstrates a radical generosity, the antidote to a greedy heart.  

We can learn a lot about giving by looking at this poor, oppressed woman.

Here are a few thoughts:

1) The widow's motivation for giving was love.  Remember, the religious establishment had let her down.  Instead of being cared for as the Law required, she was taken advantage of and robbed.  Most people who had endured this kind of treatment would think of countless reasonsnot to give!  Yet, this woman approached the temple treasury with a humble, thankful, generous heart that simply wanted to honor God.  She wanted to love the Lord her God with all her heart, soul, and strength!  What is your motivation for giving?    

2) The widow's gift was based on sacrifice, not size.  The two copper coins that the widow put in the treasury were called lepta, a word that literally means peeled or fine and aptly describes the extremely thin nature of the coins.  Compared to the large gifts of the rich, this two-coin offering represented basically nothing because one lepton was worth about 1/400th of a shekel.  Two lepta is the equivalent of about 1/4 of a cent.  Jesus said the widow had put in more than all the others because she gave out of her poverty and there was a deep cost involved for her.  

C.S. Lewis wrote, "If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small.  There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot because our charitable expenditure excludes them."  Sacrificial giving is marked by a generous spirit that is willing to delay or even eradicate certain worldly pleasures so more can be contributed to Kingdom ministry.  When is the last time you delayed a purchase for yourself so you could offer that amount of money to God? 

3) The widow's gift demonstrated radical trust in God's provision.  Jesus said the rich people gave their gifts "out of their wealth."  Literally, Jesus says, they gave out of their excess.  Their offering came out of the leftover pile;  they brought a doggy bag to worship.  However, the widow gave "out of her poverty and put in all she had to live on."  Literally, Jesus says, she gave "all the life (bios= subsistence) that she had."  When she finished walking past the temple treasury, she literally had nothing.  She was demonstrating radical trust.  She could have only given one coin (something I would have been greatly tempted to do!), but she gave all and based her life on the provision promises of God.  Are you demonstrating trust in God's provision with your giving?

As we seek to live generously in a culture of greed, let's remember the generous nature of God toward us...and remember a first-century widow who was captivated by the generosity of God as well! 

Authority

We have probably all had the experience of someone questioning our authority.  Parents, especially, can relate to authority challenges.  In the heat of the moment, a rebellious child may be heard saying, "You can't tell me what to do!"  

In his ministry, Jesus encountered religious leaders who behaved like rebellious children when they refused to recognize his power.  Soon after Jesus cleaned out the temple because of all the chaotic activity taking place there which distracted worshipers from being able to hear God's Word, the religious leaders approached Jesus and asked, "Tell us by what authority you are doing these things. Who gave you this authority?"  Their question was not an innocent inquiry, but rather a calculated, manipulative effort to catch Jesus in a trap that would, in their hopes, lead to his death.

At the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, just prior to his ascension, he said to the disciples: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me..." (Matthew 28:18).  Think about this staggering statement for a moment.  God the Father has given his Son, Jesus Christ,ALL authority!  Jesus is supreme and has complete authority over everything!  

In Luke's Gospel, we see how Jesus demonstrated authority with his word (people were amazed that he spoke with such authority while he was teaching), authority over creation (he rebuked wind and raging waters and brought about calm), authority over the demonic realm (the demons begged Jesus to let them go into a bunch of pigs), authority over disease (Jesus healed many people), and authority over death (Jairus' daughter was raised from the dead).  These examples reveal the supremacy of Christ over all things, yet it seems we often live like rebellious children, wanting to do life our own way instead of daily surrendering to the authority of Jesus.   

 

How about you?  Do you not only recognize the authority of Jesus but also have a deep desire to allow Christ's authority to guide you in all areas of your life?  Is your marriage relationship centered on the authoritative Word?  Do you daily surrender to Christ's authority in your place of employment?  If someone looked at your bank statement, would they be able to see the supremacy of Jesus?  How about your viewing history on the internet?

 

When we willingly come under the power and authority of Christ and live in obedience to him, we are given an amazing gift---freedom in Christ.  In surrender there is freedom.  In death (to our sins, our selfish agendas) there is abundant life.  

New Season

Today started early in my home because my children had to catch the bus before sunrise to begin a new school year.  It's a new season.  There is a certain freshness that comes with turning the page and encountering something different.  New seasons provide opportunities for reflection on the past, but they also give reason to establish renewed vision for the future through the evaluation of priorities:  How am I spending my time?  Am I simply spinning the wheels and going through the motions, or am I living each day with a deep sense of purpose, mission, and Christ-centeredness?  Am I being faithful with all God has entrusted to me?

Jesus calls his followers to be faithful in the stewardship of their time, talents, and treasures. As we encounter a new school year and a new season of ministry at Crossroads, let's consider these truths so we can maximize our time for God's glory:

1) The time we have been given to use our gifts is limited.  

I was reminded of the fleeting nature of this life as I dropped my middle school daughter and high school son off at the bus stop this morning.  As all parents of teens would say, "It seems like only yesterday we were bringing them home from the hospital in a car seat!"  During his ministry, Jesus told a parable about a nobleman who was going to a distant country to be appointed king.  However, before he left on the journey, he called ten servants, gave them some money, and told them to put the money to work until he returned (see Luke 19:11 ff).  One of the key points of Jesus' story is that the king is coming back to see what the servants have done with the money.  What kinds of stewards would they be?  In the story, Jesus is describing himself and his return.  It's easy for us to get lulled into complacency or to put off using our gifts until a more convenient time.  Meanwhile, opportunities for service come and go, children grow up, time flies, and we fail to see each moment as an opportunity to put God's gifts to work.  This leads us to the reminder that....

2) The source of our gifts is God. 

This may seem obvious, but it's so easy to start thinking in terms of my talents, my money, my job, my family--instead of realizing that all those things and people are gifts from the Almighty.  If we take another look at Jesus' parable, we see that the king distributes the money to the servants.  The king is the source.  When we regularly remember that God has gifted each one of us in unique ways, we are given an empowering perspective from which to live; our lives become a worshipful response to the gracious and generous gifts of God.

3) We will face opposition when we seek to faithfully use our gifts.

The king in Jesus' parable is hated by his subjects: 

But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, "We don't want this man to be our king." (Luke 19:14)

Likewise, when we are fully committed to using our gifts to serve Christ, we too will experience opposition and persecution of various kinds.  This should not surprise us because Jesus said: 

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you. (John 15:18-19)

New seasons of life are wonderful times to evaluate whether we have been compromising our faith and giving in to the pressures of the world in order to avoid opposition.  Are you committed to faithfully use your God-given gifts--no matter the cost?

4) God will hold us accountable for the use of our gifts.

Jesus' parable continues...

He was made king, however, and returned home.  Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.  The first one came and said, "Sir, your mina has earned ten more."  "Well done, my good servant!" his master replied.  "Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities."  The second came and said, "Sir, your mina has earned five more."  His master answered, "You take charge of five cities."  Then another servant came and said, "Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth.  I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man.  You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.  His master replied, "I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant!"  (Luke 19:15-22)

The coming judgment of God will be a time of accountability, and for followers of Jesus it will be a reckoning, an unveiling of our stewardship.  At this time of accountability, don't you want to hear Jesus say, "Well done"?  Don't you want to hear the Son of God say, "Thank you for putting the gifts I gave you to good use"?

If you feel like your life has been drifting lately and you have been lacking that deep sense of purpose to live each moment in honor of Jesus, it's not too late to cry out to the King and receive His empowering so you can use God's abundant gifts in a faithful way.  Just remember, at the end of the journey we can look forward to our Savior say, "Well done!"

Leadership

My wife emailed this quote to me yesterday.  It is a good reminder about the nature of leadership....

"The measure of you as a leader is not what you do, but what others do because of what you do." 

~Howard Hendricks