Malcolm Woody - Reflections on the Savior

Open Windows

"Where are the lions dad?" asked little Johnny tugging at his dad's trousers.

"I don't know son, maybe they're hiding." They both craned their necks attempting to find lions in what was clearly labeled a lion enclosure. "You know son, it is the middle of the day and it is very hot. I bet they are relaxing in some shade somewhere probably out of sight."

Little Johnny sighed, "But, I just want to see them." Almost on cue the golden head of a majestic male peered above a clump of grass gazing right at them. The head looked other-worldly, so large, so massive, and the eyes were piercing and intense. Then the face somewhat eased from intensity and the huge male yawned showing off massive canines from a mouth that looked like it could swallow the world. Slowly the lion disappeared below the grass, again out of sight. Little Johnny didn't say a word, his eyes were like saucers, his heart raced as though he'd just caught a glimpse of something magical. He had contrived in his 6 year old mind what a lion would look like based on books and TV, but his one brief interlude with the real thing for only a few seconds has made the previous images pale in comparison.

"Well, what'ya think of that son?" asked dad.

"Awesome dad, awesome."

As you survey the Gospels looking for insights into the character of Christ you will find open windows. Through these windows you will see various landscapes of His character sometimes in stark detail, and sometimes blurry - leaving you straining for a better look or a better understanding. The windows are varied.

A conversation with a woman at a well that leads to the belief of many. A late night talk with a Pharisee about new birth. Two sheepish disciples follow Him and ask, "Where are you staying?" A tax collector gets a visit to his office that changes his life forever. A rich young ruler walks away dismayed from his encounter. A woman washes His feet with her hair, and her story goes on for all time. He prays all night to select His twelve closest followers, a most interesting collection of common men. Crowds clamor to see Him, and as He returns to Nazareth, He discovers He is not welcome, He is just "Joseph's boy" to many. Through miracles, stories, relationships, chance encounters, and discourse, we are left with a Savior that defies description. As C.S. Lewis wrote in his brilliant "Chronicles of Narnia" in describing Aslan: "He is not a tame Lion." Neither is the Lion of Judah - the Christ.

As we attempt to look through these open windows, we'll discover they aren't windows at all, but doors. They are doors that beckon we walk through, that call to us to do more than consider a Savior engaging the world of the first century, and join Him in engaging the 21st century. I invite you to walk boldly through the door. He will direct you from there.

Where are you staying?

(John 1:35-42) part one

"What do you want?" He asked.

"Where are you staying?" They replied.

Two fishermen, Andrew and John, had gone out to the wilderness on the Jordan river for a while to follow a bug-eating prophet, the first in centuries. God was up to something. That prophet, called John the Baptizer, had pointed to this man - who they were asking where He was staying, saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God." John and Andrew didn't wait for elaboration. They follow the Stranger, perhaps sheepishly from behind. Perhaps in a sneaky way. Jesus notices them, prompting the question. Already He knows that most people will come to Him in want.

Andrew and John call him Rabbi, simply - teacher. The man who they will come to know as Jesus answers their question of where He is staying simply, "Come...and you will see." The two fishermen spend the entire day with the man they first knew as the "Lamb of God." Their past and the great writings spoke of lambs. There was the Passover Lamb, steeped on Old Testament tradition. The great prophets - Isaiah and Jeremiah both spoke of a lamb (Isaiah 53:7, Jeremiah 11:19). Abraham had set apart seven lambs as a special gift to Abimelek (Gen. 21:25). When Isaac asked his father, Abraham, where the lamb for offering was, Abraham replied that God would provide and God did - saving Isaac at the last minute (Gen. 22). No animal in the Old Testament was mentioned as a sacrifice more than the lamb. And, this man called Jesus is the lamb of God.

He is sent as the ultimate and final sacrifice. There are no more lambs needed. Are you still offering symbolic lambs? Do you conditionalize God's love? By definition, grace means you don't deserve it and subsequently, nothing you do is good enough to earn it. If your hands (and heart) aren't open, then grace falls to the ground. Don't hold on to anything else, open those hands for grace is like water flowing down to the lowest points of earth. Catch it!

"Come...and you will see," He said to John and Andrew. The invitation still goes out...simple and sweeping. Accept the invitation and if you already have - stop slaying lambs. Believe in the Lamb of God.

Come... and see.

(John 1:35-42) part 2

"Come... and see," He said.

There really weren't inns in the area, not even homes, so Jesus had most likely pitched a tent nearby as had multitudes of people who had flocked to the area to check out the prophet. It was probably mid-morning, the third hour, or 9am. Andrew and John, the two fishermen and former followers of the Baptizer, spend all day with the Lamb, until 4pm.

When they adjourn what Andrew does is telling. Before Andrew does anything else, he goes and finds his brother Simon. Simon is also a fisherman by trade. His nature is bold, he asks a lot of questions, he gives a lot of answers, he sticks his foot in his mouth often, but is a natural born leader. Andrew tells his brother, Simon about the Lamb, but he doesn't call Him Lamb.

Andrew calls Him Messiah.

Simon, soon to be named Peter by that Messiah, would grow to be famous for his confession of Jesus as the Christ much later, but Andrew is convinced now...after the first meeting, a day long talk with the Lamb of God. They had asked to see where He was staying, and were invited to "Come...and see." Truthfully what they saw wasn't where He was staying, but they could see. They were once blind, but sight came from a day-long vigil talking with the Lamb.

"Come... and see," Andrew probably said to Simon. His life would soon change forever. He would come away no longer Simon, but Peter - "rock." Not only did Simon's life and name change that day, not only could he now see, but he would be a catalyst that God would use and bring that light of sight to thousands more.

"What do you want?" Jesus asked and is still asking. Ask yourself that question. It is at the root of motivation. What do you want from your life while you live it? Above all things, what is most important to you? What do you want?

"Come... and see," Jesus said and still says. Let Him take your wants and direct them for His glory. Let Him be king of your motives, and watch as everything comes into greater focus. You can come away just as forever altered as Simon, John, and Andrew.

Facing the Tempter

(Matt. 4:1-11) Part 1

Jesus was barely dry from baptism. The Spirit beckoned and He responded. It is a barren, desolate, void, and empty land, a striking field for battle, a perfect haven for the enemy. Just as Moses and the Israelites were led into the desert for 40 years to be humbled, to be tested, to know what was in their heart, and to learn of their obedience (Dt 8:2), Jesus follows suit.

For 40 days Jesus fasts all alone. His body is starved for nutrition. He is hungry and in a physically weakened state. The enemy knew the time was right, so at the conclusion of the 40 days of fasting, he came to Jesus loaded for battle. "If you are the Son of God...", he begins. There was no period of sizing up the Christ, no the tempter goes right to the heart of the matter at the opening bell of the first round.

The tempter must have been thinking, "Would God really do this?" Take on flesh? Live among the crowns of His creation - weak and disobedient as they are? Would Jesus be as susceptible to temptations as the people of the world, as vulnerable as Adam had been? Oh yes, Adam, the first created human being, who so easily slipped into the clutches of the enemy and plunged the world into sin. A perfect world void of sin was ripe for the tempting. How about the perfect God who came as a man? Just how much flesh had He taken on? The tempter is eager to find out.

"...tell these stones to become bread."

The hunger of the Christ was real. He had never felt it before in His pre-incarnate state. Jesus must have looked out upon the desert landscape and seen the stones. They probably even looked like browned loaves of bread spread out across the scene. God had created manna in the desert, this would be akin to that act. Jesus would on two occasions feed 4,000 and 5,000 men plus women and children by creating bread, so there doesn't appear to be anything wrong in doing what the tempter is suggesting.

"It is written," Jesus says, "Man doesn't live on bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God." The implication from this response is clear. Jesus will obey the Father as this verse (Dt. 8:3, the verse right after the one recognized above) taught, and the tempter was not the Father. The tempter was not God, though it is his desire and the goal of his existence.

God tests. Satan tempts. How do you do facing the tempter? Do you rely on the one true God? Do you do as Jesus did, or do you give in to the enemy crouching for you, coming to you in your own desert? Satan knows where you are vulnerable, he knows your desires, how you are hard wired, and he aims for the soft spots. Understand that alone, you are no match for him, he'll win every time - you don't have the power. However, if you rely upon the Spirit and call upon the name of Jesus, the tempter is utterly powerless. He won't stop coming to your door, he may even come more, but know that in your corner is the one who has already faced the tempter and won. Much later after this desert showdown, Jesus will win a decisive victory that leaves the tempter forever defeated. As a believer in Jesus, the devil may not have your soul, yet he will still attempt to make your life as miserable as he can by dragging you into the realm of sin. Rely on God, and remember when you slip up (and WE ALL DO!), Jesus doesn't abandon you, no He is always there to the ultimate dismay of the tempter. Turn to Him everyday, and live on every good word that comes from God.

Angels Attend

(Matt. 4:1-11) part 2

Though Jesus was ravaged by hunger having fasted for 40 days, He turned down the temptation to change all the stones littering the desert floor to bread. He answered the temptation with scripture.

What Satan does next is unsettling. It reveals his cunning. With great power the two of them are swept away to the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem. A city Jesus would weep over, sprawls from this vantage point. The Place of the Skull is visible from this peak, and so is the Mount of Olives. It is as though Satan knows exactly what will take place here.

"Throw yourself down," he says. Then he plays a card we wouldn't think he'd play. He uses God's word against the Word. Just as Jesus had said, "It is written," here the devil uses the same line, and he points to the ground far below. This strikes a chord of emotions that Jesus would later stress over in the garden across the way. At the apex of His coming is the hard truth of suffering and death, and Satan, as though he knows this, offers a different tact. The people of that time wanted anything but a suffering Messiah, perhaps that is why John the Baptizer said, "Behold the Lamb of God." Ready for sacrifice.

Jesus does not give in to the devil's temptation and use of the word. Instead, He responds to what Satan uses out of context and states the truth of the word that is relevant to the temptation. By the third temptation a seemingly frustrated enemy is asking for worship in return for all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus came after hearts not kingdoms. So the devil leaves Him, and Jesus is most assuredly near death. He is spent. According to Luke, even during the 40 days the enemy had come to the Lamb and had been tempting Him all along (Luke 4:2). In the wake of the battle as Jesus is alone in the empty desert, angels descend. God sends in the troops, for this has not been an easy battle, and the temptations were real and tantalizing.

These were real temptations. The writer of Hebrews would say that Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, but without sin (Heb. 4:15-16). Before the throne of grace you don't have a Savior and King who knows not your plight. We don't have a High Priest detached from what we face. The Prince of Peace descended into the clutches of evil. The King was the Lamb, and He voluntarily went to the alter of sacrifice. Trust Him with your temptations. Let Him show you His plan. Whatever you are going through, He is able for He has eternal knowledge and first hand experience with the enemy.

Goin' Home

(Luke 4:14-21) Part 1

The air was electric. The buzz going around the Sea of Galilee was not just about a prophet in the desert. Expectations were rising. The words from the lips of town's people everywhere told of His exploits. His words were dripping wet with authority unlike they had ever heard.

"The Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the good news." (Mark 1:15)

Common folks trembled with excitement. Roman authorities took note. Herod would want to see this man. The Pharisees would want to ask questions. Emotions were stirred to a fever pitch. From every quaint synagogue found in nearly every town that dotted the shore of Galilee, Jesus was being praised. There were whispers and shouts of "Messiah."

During this early time as His popularity was ascending, Jesus decided to go home to Nazareth. Everyone knew Him there from the time He was a little boy. There were questions and rumors concerning His birth, but those had quelled over the years. For 30 years they hadn't seen anything to suggest what was happening now was coming. So, on the Sabbath they packed the house to see the Jesus they'd always known, but who was now the most famous man in the land. They were there to see evidence of all the publicity. The anticipation was tangible. How many demons would He cast out? How many limbs would be restored? How many eyes cloudy with blindness would He clear? Surely the He was saving something special for the home town folks.

Every eye was on Him. He stood in their presence and a scroll was handed to Him. The scroll was from the great prophet Isaiah, who had written much about the coming Savior of Israel. He deftly unrolled the scroll to just the right words. He really didn't need the scroll. These words were written upon His heart. These words were His marching orders.

"The Spirit to the Lord is on me," He started. "Because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the captives free. to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

He then rolled the scroll back up and returned it to the attendant. Carefully, He made His way to His seat as was the custom for the teachers to sit while teaching. The lesson was going to be short, the proclamation bold, the truth searing, and the content provocative.

With all eyes locked upon Him, He said, "Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

I absolutely marvel at what Jesus did here. In the midst of the circus-pitch atmosphere, He speaks very clearly to his home town. He still speaks clear to His own today. He still comes for the poor - both in spirit... in standing... in poverty and His message is still good news. Prisoners can still look to Him for freedom and a different way. The blind can still see both figuratively and literally. Captives to all manner of traps set by the evil one can still be liberated. The year of the Lord's favor, His grace - still reigns from on high to the lowest places flowing like water. Two questions are to be asked... Do you live like these words are true? And, are you an agent of His grace to those mentioned? With Jesus we should live lives of freedom not captivity, and we should be a beacon of light to those who are blind, poor, in captivity, and in prison. When was the last time you witness to such? These words weren't just the marching orders for Jesus, but all those who would be so bold to take up the cross and follow.

Rejected in Nazareth

Message flagged

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:21 AM

(Luke 4:14-28) Part 2

In synagogue that day, it seemed that everything was going splendid. Luke says that people were amazed at the words Jesus spoke reading from the prophet Isaiah. The words were gracious, full of hope, and good news. But, there are some murmurings going around. It seems that folks have turned out for more than just a good word, a little grace, a slice of hope, or good news. They want to see the circus.

"Isn't this Joseph's boy?" The question Luke includes has far reaching tendrils. For many, this question of the father of Jesus had always been in question. The angel of the Lord didn't appear to everyone to tell them of the miracle of conception. Later Jews would tell that Jesus was the son of Roman soldier. The question also reveals that people weren't totally convinced of the stories that everyone had been telling about healing and casting out of demons. Even though these specifics weren't stated - they were on the minds and hearts of some in attendance. Jesus in His power knew the heart of every man (John 2:25) and He decides to confront the folks of Nazareth with stinging truth.

Jesus says to them, "Surely, you will quote this proverb to me: Physician heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what you did in Capernaum."

He never moves to miracle for demonstration. Jesus doesn't perform for individuals to prove who He is. He learned this in the desert as Satan had ask Him to dazzle and show His power. Jesus wasn't sent in power, but love. Some will only believe in Him if He performs powerful miracles. With faith taken away, belief then is something akin to conditional admiration. Anything conditional is always suspect to be shallow, quick to fall away... Jesus knew that truth faith and belief would come from deeper within. He then tells the crowd two stories - stories where the hometown folk (the people of Israel) don't get the blessing. Instead a widow is blessed from Zerapath of Sidon, and a leper from Syria - both gentiles.

The crowd erupts. They are furious at these words. No one is amazed at His words any longer. He is physically removed from the building, literally driven out to a precipice outside of the village. The intention is to end this embarrassment to Nazareth. It doesn't matter what He has done elsewhere. It doesn't matter what the Baptizer has said about him or anyone else. They are ready to throw Jesus from the cliff.

At this point, the people get a taste of His power. Luke says that Jesus just walked right through them and left. At some point in the riot, at some specific time as the lynch mob drove at a fever pitch, Jesus has had enough. He goes on His way and not a single soul can do anything about it. The mob meets the King. Did they go home confused, disappointed, shocked, amazed, or furious? Probably all those things and more.

How do you want Him to perform today? Are you asking for Him to reveal Himself in power and miracle, or love, hope, and peace? Remember, He is not a tame lion - He does the will of the Father and a relationship with Him is based on your heart, your motives, your love, your faith, your belief, your conviction. It is easy to fall into the same trap as the those folks in Nazareth, wanting a God who delivers the tangible. God can and does do that, but not at your whim. He knows what is best for you, and He knows your heart. With a surrendered heart all things are possible. Why? Because a surrendered heart means that what you want is subservient to what He wants for you. Listen in prayer time for the Spirit to whisper His plans for you.

Under Cover of the Night

(John 2:23-3:9) Part 1

When night fell, Nicodemus left to go talk with the man everyone else was talking about. The buzz around Galilee now included the city of Jerusalem. He had cleared the temple and signs were flowing from this man. Signs that pointed to a Messiah. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus knew the Law of Moses and he also knew the 615 laws of the oral tradition in which they had added to help the law out a little. He was a man of great status, not only as a Pharisee, but he was on the ruling council - the Sanhedrin. He had influence. He had power. He was also curious. Could Jesus be...?

What Jesus was doing could not be ignored and the time was right for the Messiah, matter of fact the Pharisees had sent a contingent into the wilderness to question the Baptizer. The son of a priest, perhaps this John the Baptizer was the Messiah. John denied the title (John 1:19-20). Everywhere the Galilean went he was covered up by crowds of people, but maybe at night - He would be alone. There were some of the peers of Nicodemus who held Jesus in low regard, the night offered cover, no need to explain his trip to see this man. Nicodemus took a walk at night.

The Passover Festival was in full swing and Jerusalem was packed with pilgrims from all over the Roman empire. They had come to celebrate the great escape from bondage in Egypt. It was a great time where hearts were soaring with Jewish nationalism, but for the Romans, the occupiers, it was a nightmare. During this trip to Jerusalem people flocked to Jesus, but He did not avail Himself to everyone (John 2:24). He knew their hearts and some where motivated for the wrong reasons.

Nicodemus then must have had the right heart. He may not have had all the answers, but he had the right questions. He is granted a meeting with Jesus as Jerusalem sits under the blanket of night. A man of status, power, wealth, and influence has a moment with the King. It will change his life.

Do you recall your first impression or meeting with the King? What are your earliest thoughts on Jesus? Were they as a child or did they happen much later? Perhaps you didn't grow up in church with cut out pieces of flannel on a board. For Nicodemus his world is about to be rocked to the core. When was the last time Jesus rocked your world? This will happen when you walk with Him, when you come to Him at night - or anytime. He is not a tame Lion.

2nd Birth

(John 2:23-3:9) Part 2

They, the religious leaders of Jerusalem, knew that Jesus was a man sent from God. Nicodemus said as much. They believed that no one could do the signs that Jesus was performing if God weren't with Him. This will change later as they credit another source for the power of Jesus. But for now, the signs are straight from the prophets.

Every Jewish prophet had spoken of a day when God would install a kingdom on earth, therefore when Jesus spoke of the kingdom at hand - this inflamed the passions of God's people to a fever pitch. The Messiah was sometimes called a "Son of David," beckoning the days when Rome wasn't the world power, but the Jews were. They desperately wanted to return to those days. The Messiah would be the final proof needed that God had not forsaken them. Everyone was ready for God to step into the world. The lament of Isaiah was on their hearts:

"Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
   that the mountains would tremble before you!
As when fire sets twigs ablaze
   and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
   and cause the nations to quake before you!
For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
   you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
Since ancient times no one has heard,
   no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
   who acts on behalf of those who wait for him" Isaiah 64:1-4

They had waited a long time. They were ready for mountains to tremble, nations to quake, water to boil and twigs to blaze. They were ready for God to come down. The signs were there, but where were the quaking nations, trembling mountains, etc.?

Jesus responds to Nicodemus, knowing his heart and what is behind his opening statement...

"Truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."

Nicodemus is perplexed and expresses as much. How can a man be born again in old age? How does he enter the womb a second time? The Old Covenant was meeting the New Covenant. Questions abounded.

Jesus then speaks of two births, one of water, and one of spirit. The new birth doesn't cause mountains to tremble, but angels rejoice in the heavens. Twigs aren't set ablaze, but hearts are. Nations don't quake , but the eternal kingdom gains another participant. Water doesn't boil, but the wind is set free blowing wherever it pleases and going wherever it pleases. Nicodemus remains confused, "How can this be?"

So many were waiting. So many were tuned in to the signs. So many were ready for God to enter time. So many totally missed it. Nicodemus would be there to stand up to Jesus (Jn. 7:50-51), not a very popular thing to do. And, as Jesus body lay spent and dead, this Pharisee would would bring burial material for the body, the last thing a Pharisee would be doing - handling a dead body on the Passover Sabbath. Unless, he believed something. The evidence points to belief. Second birth.

After Isaiah passionate cry, the end of the next verse (64:5) asks the question, "How then can we be saved?"

Ladies and gentlemen, "Jesus."

Have you experience this Jesus? Or, do you have questions? Are you looking for mountains to tremble and nations to quake? They will one day, but here and now Jesus continues to take the same trek straight for the heart offering a spiritual second birth and admittance into an eternal kingdom. Belief is all it takes (3:16). Be set free like the wind!

Light of the World

(John 3:10-21) Part 3

Nicodemus, the Pharisee, gets a glimpse behind the curtain. Jesus takes the Pharisee's confusion concerning new birth and in a few sentences gives him the total plan including our most globally known and recognized verse.

Jesus speaks not of the things of earth, but of heaven. From Moses, the hero of the Pharisees, who lifted up the snake in the desert - to the One who descended from heaven. Jesus knew that His "lifting up" would be on a cross and from a grave in order that those who believe may have eternal life.

Jesus shared the profound truth that God loves the people of the world. So much so, that He sent the Son, who would do and complete the work necessary to build a way back from the fall of man. The Son would not come in judgment, though the belief of each individual in who He is - will ultimately determine judgment. There in the quiet of the room late at night as darkness sits over the city, Jesus plainly tells Nicodemus who He is. This is guarded information, but not that night. That night it was time for full disclosure.

Jesus continued to speak of His coming and the judgment to come, for as He puts it - a light, the Light has come into the world. Yet people love darkness, even crave it. Who would have known this better than a pious Pharisee? Who would have known how difficult the Law was to keep than one who had spent a lifetime studying that law?

The invitation is to the Kosmos (the Greek word for world), for all who would come to know the truth of the Christ, who seek not to avoid the light, but feel compelled by truth to believe, to know. John gives us the plan of salvation, the good news, the gospel as we settle into the third chapter of his work. I think Nicodemus had all his questions answered, and probably left with a few more to consider.

It sounds to simple doesn't it? Just believe. How could God offer salvation that way? You need to ask another question - how could it be any other way? Belief is conviction, and it is that conviction that produces what Jesus would call fruit - an outer sign of the inward change. He is the Light of the world - all else is darkness.

Good News (to some)

Matt. 4:25-5:12) Part 1

Miles melted as people considered coming to see the man everyone was talking about. Word of His teaching, exploits, and power spread beyond the Jordan to Syria, beyond the wilderness to Jerusalem and all of Judea. The cities that made up the Decapolis were full of people heading to see the Galilean Miracle-worker. The crowds were full of the afflicted, hurting, possessed, and downtrodden. On the margins there were others who were not so sick, not so downtrodden, not so poor, not so possessed, or hurting.

One day the crowds grew large and Jesus took in the sheer size of the multitude. He saw a hill, a reverse of an amphitheater. He climbed the hill and sat down. Those who had been following Him on a regular basis took a seat at the top in the front row,and others gathered filling the hillside. He began to teach them of blessings, different blessings than their ears had ever heard.

The blessing of being poor in spirit.

The blessing of being mournful.

The blessing of being gentle.

The blessing of those who strive and desire the right things.

The blessing of being merciful.

The blessing of having pure motives, a pure heart.

The blessings of being a peacemaker.

The blessings of being persecuted and insulted.

Was this good news? For many it was, for some - it wasn't. Those who were getting along well, they would have rather heard the following...

Blessed are those who take great pride in themselves - for theirs will be the earth for the taking.

Blessed are those who put on a good face - for they will not need comfort from God.

Blessed are those who get their way and make things happen - for they win most of the time.

Blessed are those who don't mind to bend the rules - for they can interpet truth for themselves.

Blessed are those that push aside the weak - for their days are filled with more profitable pursuits.

Blessed are those that decieve, lie, and cheat - for they can get ahead easier.

Blessed are those who are ready for a good fight - for Rome must be dealt with now.

Blessed are those who do the persecuting - for they are always on the right side.

But, Jesus didn't say those things. What is He saying to you? How do you measure up with the blessings that Jesus says makes for grand rewards?

Rewards

(Matt. 4:25-5:12) Part 2

Those who had been beaten down, were hurting, who had things rough - heard the words of blessing from the Galilean and their hearts filled with hope. Jesus was reaching out to them, He knew their current state and He told them they were not forgotten. As society looked over the crippled as cursed, the possessed as insane, the poor as inconsequential, the nobodies as nobodies... Jesus reveals a God who is not apathetic to their plight.

For the poor in spirit, the humble and humbled, Jesus says "theirs is the kingdom of heaven." A different caste system where first is last and last is first. For those who mourn, who are moved to sadness for others and their pain, "they will be comforted." For the stark opposite of the proud, the meek, those who continually put others before themselves, aren't driven by status or desires of this world - "they will inherit the earth." Those who staunchly pursue righteousness, who hunger, thirst, and desire greatly to be obedient, "they will be filled." Satisfied. For the merciful, their gift is mercy. For those who practice mercy, are quick to forgive, those who take the high road - these things will be measured back to them - "they will be shown mercy." The pure in heart, those who fill it with Jesus and are clothed in His righteousness sharing in His motivations, "will see God." Those who seek peace, those who make peace, those who treasure peace, "they will be called the sons of God." Those who stand in persecution, who are insulted for their alliance to the name of Jesus, those who face evil for His namesake, those who were persecuted like the prophets who told of His coming - "theirs is the kingdom of heaven," and "great is their reward."

In my modern-day existence, it is hard to find me in the list of those rewarded. As Americans we have it pretty good, but that can change - some say it already is. The last few years of great recession has touched the lives of many, and change has been difficult. People lose houses, jobs, careers, families, etc. Jesus speaks directly to you as He does us all - offering us a different path and greater reward in this life and the next. I love this quote by CS Lewis. I will leave you with it to ponder today:

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea."

- from "The Weight of Glory" CS Lewis

A Messiah's Dozen

(Luke 6: 12-16) Part 1

Jesus had many followers. They had left their lives behind. Businessmen, fishermen, followers of the Baptizer, farmers, herdsmen... they came from virtually every walk of life. Some had been called from the beginning, and some along the way. They were looking for answers and a lot of them were finding those answers (and a lot more) in Jesus.

Jesus reveals that God is a God of order. He would send out 70 (or 72 depending on the translation), he would pick 12, and within the 12 their would be three closer than all the rest. But first, there would need to be 12 - a dozen. Like the 12 tribes of the old, there would be 12 apostles of the new. The number would be symbolic - as eventually a New Jerusalem descends from heaven with 12 gates and 12 walls, and across the foundation of those 12 walls will be the 12 apostles of the Lamb (Rev. 21:9-14).

It was during those early days as the crowds frantically followed his every move and followers were growing like rice in a field, that Jesus decided to select a dozen to be appointed as apostles. As was His custom, Jesus sought solitude to pray. He ascended a mountain alone, and there He toiled in prayer the entire night to select the dozen. Luke doesn't tell us what He prayed about, but suffice to say - HE PRAYED. I would think it certain that He knew one was a traitor, that the leader would deny Him, that they all would flee at His arrest, so what did Jesus pray about?

He probably prayed over every name. He probably prayed for them as He had prayed for Peter, whom Satan had asked to sift as wheat (Luke 22:31). He knew they would need great strength, for their names have a destiny to be scripted into the foundation of the walls of the New Jerusalem. Some would meet grizzly deaths, be persecuted, have to hide out at times, face down riots at other points, but they would be the apostles - the "sent ones." So, Jesus prayed all night.

How is your prayer life when you face the big decision (or even smaller decisions) of your life? Do you find the time, or does other activities take precedent? Does you mind cloud with daily stuff and keep you from concentrated prayer? If so, welcome to the club. In a recent survey, 67% of Christians say that prayer is their greatest struggle. That doesn't surprise me, one - because I experience the struggle myself, and two - the power of prayer will be attacked by the enemy. Simply put, there is nothing more powerful on this planet than a Jesus follower bowed in prayer to God. Remember that power the next time you bend a knee. Ask that Jesus give you peace at prayer, time to say what is needed, and clarity. He'll answer. You may have to prune a few things and let Him work on the branches (see John 15), but He'll do a great work - just seek Him with all your heart.

His Team

(Luke 6:12-16) part 2

They were to be designated apostles - "sent ones," in the Aramaic shaliah - legal representatives of another. They are agents for Christ. There is an old adage that states that if you want to know anything about the coach, then look at his team. What does this team of a dozen say about Jesus?

1) He carefully selects His team. In the last devotion we learned he prayed all night. The Greek word actually means to work at something all night. Jesus selected the dozen based on hours of prayer.

2) Jesus can bring adversaries together on His team. Simon, the zealot, and Matthew, the tax-collector, are arch enemies. Some of the zealot party were actually more like modern-day terrorists, called "dagger men." They would hide large knives under their robes, sneak up from behind an enemy and terminate him. Matthew would have been a high value target for a zealot.

3) Attitude doesn't disqualify you from the Jesus team. Thomas was about the most pessimistic guy you could have. Once when Jesus decided to uproot the team and go back to Jerusalem, Thomas said, "Let us go so that we may die too. (Jn. 11:16)" This combined with the doubts he would exhibit later tells us much about him. However, Thomas was on the team.

4) Jesus didn't recruit likely candidates. Today's recruiting for college athletics are graded by a star system - a 5 star recruit is highly sought after, whereas a 1 star recruit isn't. Jesus made up a team of fisherman, a zealot, a tax-collector, a traitor, one guy known as "little" or "less", and designated a hot-headed-act-before-you-think-speak-before-you-listen leader in Simon Peter. He is always listed first in every list in the Bible of the dozen. This team wasn't the cream of the crop, and all but the traitor are from way out in Galilee - a bunch of country bumpkins. There were no 5 star recruits on this team.

5) There is an order to the team. John, James, and Peter are an inner circle. They took part in activities the rest did not. Andrew specialized in bringing people to Jesus, whether that was his brother Simon, a little boy with a lunch at the feeding of the 5,000, or toward the end of John's Gospel where Philip brings some Greeks who want to see Jesus to Andrew first. Philip appears to be a bean counter, he once looks at a crowd at the request of Jesus, and gives an exact figure it would take to feed them. The traitor was the treasurer, and in general every listing of the dozen has a sort of pecking order.

6) Jesus wasn't concerned with nepotism. He recruited two sets of brothers who are always among the first four listed - they were leaders. James and John were fiery lads dubbed the "Sons of Thunder." They would want to call down fire from heaven and burn a Samaritan town to the ground. A team like this would have naturally formed factions within the dozen along family lines first, then those against family lines. In most corporate companies, family members can't work in the same building. Jesus made it work.

7) The whole was greater than the parts. Though Jesus put a team together with very engaged individuals, the sum was greater than the parts. Most of their low points are marked by individualism, their high points happen when they learned to work together.

8) Jesus was a master coach. He took a team no one could believe in and fashioned them into a unit that would call the world to believe in Him. They learned to overcome a multitude of obstacles, challenges, shortcomings, cultural divides, and inadequacies. When Judas betrayed the group another stepped in and the team never missed a beat.

When He picked the dozen they weren't worthy to have their names written in the sand at the beach. When He was finished with them they were ready to have their names emblazoned upon the very foundations of the walls of the New Jerusalem. Ordinary became extraordinary. Fearful cowardice was replaced by legendary bravery. Discord became unity. Fishermen and their like became Shaliah.

Do you think you aren't good enough to make the Jesus team? Join the club, none of us are good enough. He doesn't recruit talent, but willingness. And, just like the greatest coaches, He doesn't see who you are now, but who you can become with Him.

Jacob's Well

(John 4:4-15) Part 1

By noon (the sixth hour) Jesus was worn out from travel. In our mind that doesn't sound right, does it? Jesus tired? How? Too easy we see Him as God and sometimes ignore the man-side of His nature. He took on flesh, and with that some of the limitations of that flesh. He felt the sun he created beat down on Him and make Him sweat. He would thirst for water, and hunger for food. God lived among us.

The disciples went on into Sychar to buy food, so Jesus rested by Jacob's well. A lady appeared with her jar to collect some water.

"Will you give me a drink?" Jesus asked her.

She must have sized up the man who was speaking to her. She knew one thing for sure: He was a Jew. Perhaps Jesus wore something that gave this away, we don't know, but it is clear this woman knows. She is a Samaritan and knows where she stands with the Jews.

She answers Jesus, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?"

Jesus had not avoided going through Samaria on His way back to Galilee. He could have, in fact many did - so they wouldn't have to go through the land of the half-breeds, the Samaritans, who history tells us stayed behind during the great exile and intermarried with other people who occupied Israel. They were no longer viewed as God's people.

Jesus doesn't avoid people, towns or areas. Those who believe differently, act differently, are socially unacceptable, or even controversial - aren't excluded from conversation. Time and time again throughout the Gospels this point is proven. Is there any people you avoid? Jesus shared with all, so should we.

Deeper at the Well

(John 4:10-16) Part 2

Jesus doesn't just "drop it." The Samaritan woman at the well had clearly stated the social expectations for both sides: Jews and Samaritans didn't associate with one another.

He could have easily just moved on or waited till the woman filled her jar and left, but He doesn't do either. His next statement dives below the surface. His next statement advances rapidly from the first question. The ice will soon be broken.

"If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would ask Him, and He would give you living water." Jesus replies.

She doesn't catch on to what this Jew by the well is saying to her. She points out the obvious challenges. The well is deep, it is beyond reach, untouchable. Even if Jesus could reach the water, she points out that He has no bucket. The water can't be gathered, contained, collected, or captured. After going over the barriers she is aware of, she then focuses on the peculiar term of 'living water.' She asks where you get it, and assumes that it is something other than the water from Jacob's well, a well handed down from generation to generation. It had not run dry, it was a place where water could be drawn everyday. But, you had to have a rope and a bucket. She could see that Jesus had neither, He was speaking of water in which she had no point of reference. That was about to change.

Jesus describes the water offered. First, He addresses the water she knows about, the water from Jacob's well. Everyday she came with her jar and while it satisfied what she needed, she would always be thirsty at some point again. Jesus points out that the "living water" will quench thirst for all time, in fact, it becomes a well that overflows with water and life eternal.

"Sir," she replies, "Give me this water, so will not have to come and draw water again."

Jesus speaks to our greatest needs. Most of the time, we are like the woman at the well. We get bogged down and only see our daily routine - like coming every day for water, day after day after day. Or, we fix our eyes upon the barriers we see and don't understand how they can be conquered. To often we are fixated on the here and now, the tangible, what appears concrete. Jesus draws us out into the deeper end of the pool, to the spirit realm, to things that overcome, to the things of eternity. Will you let Him take you there, or are you content in the shallow end of life?

Unveiling at the Well

(John 4:16-26) Part 3

Jesus said to her, "Go call your husband and come back."

The tone changes. The mood stiffens. She had been chatty, now there is almost a pause in the dialog as the statement Jesus makes hangs in mid air. Is it a test? Will she come clean, be honest, transparent?

"I have no husband," she replied.

She was honest, but there was more to the story. In a short period of time Jesus has brought her to a point of sharing somethings, but not everything, a few things, but not all things, some of her life, but not the whole of her life. What happens next must have rocked to her to the core of her being. Jesus knew the rest of the story, and He recounts it to her. The truth was this woman at the well had been through five marriages and was now shacked up with another man who wasn't a husband, just a live in. She now knows that she is in the presence of someone who knows all. She thinks Jesus is a prophet and she has a question about where God should be worshiped - Jerusalem? Or, Mount Gerizim? Who was right and who was wrong? She had forgotten about 'living water.'

Jesus answers by revealing a new dawn of worship. A day when God will be worshiped in spirit and in truth. Anywhere? Apparently so. Jesus discloses that as a Samaritan she worships what she does not know, for salvation comes from the Jews.

She appears satisfied with the answer and looks toward a day when everything will be explained. "I know the Messiah is coming. When He comes He will explain everything to us."

Then Jesus declared, "I, the One speaking to you, am He." No figures of speech were used, no parable to understand...He just told her plain and simple. He unveils.

How often do we keep things from Christ? We like to have our pet sins and like the woman at the well, we assume He doesn't know, but we know He does. Jesus wants all of you - just as you are, warts and all, past and everything in it. Why? So HE can redeem it. Place your life before Him like an open book, search the dark corners, expose the shameful moments you'd like to forget... And, like the woman at the well, He will be clear, straightforward, and unveiling. This is a part of worship in spirit and in truth. Go ahead, see what the Master will do with you once you open up all the doors to your life. He waits at the well and He is thirsty for you, all of you.

Belief by the Well

(John 4:27-42) Part 4

They were all thinking it, but nobody would say it. The Disciples returned from town to find Jesus and the woman at the well. Why was Jesus talking at length with a Samaritan woman? Abruptly, the woman leaves her water jar by the well, and goes back to town.

Don't let that last part pass without reflection... The woman came for water and left without well-water. She finally had discovered "living water." She believed. And, she told. An unlikely missionary? Absolutely.

Jesus is just as excited. The disciples urge Him to eat, but the fatigue of the day has melted away in the shadow of belief. The people of the town make their way to Jesus and He sees a field that is ripe for harvest. He sees a people unencumbered who will believe, and He is thrilled.

"Someone must have brought Him food," the disciples surmise. No, Jesus is fueled by the change of one solitary soul, who has had a life of wrecked marriages and failed relationships. One soul, who set aside her daily jar, routine, and grind - to accept the truth of living water in a barren place of mixed belief. Now a throng of people surround Jesus hanging on every word. They urge Him to stay. Beg Him to tell them more. They are starved for His coming - the fields white with harvest.

Jesus changes His plans. Once He had been so determined to get to Galilee that He went through the "bad side of town," Samaria - now He stays there for two days. Many Samaritans believe, some from the original testimony of the woman from the well, then even more when they hear Him. "We know that this man really is the Savior of the world," they concluded (John 4:42b).

What is your water jar? That thing you carry around all the time that weighs you down? We all have these ruts that have been fashioned into the fabric of our lives, worn down and thin by life. Sometimes it is failure, disappointment, loss, sin, unrealized dreams, confusion, conflict, etc. Many are the tools of the enemy used to pull us away from the Savior at the well. Drop that jar, He'll gladly remove it for you when you do and replace it with "living water." Empty your hands and let Him fill them. And, thirst no more.

Expectations

Luke (7:18-35 & Matt. 1:2-19) Part 1

The Baptizer had spoken out against house of Herod, one of the most corrupt, morally void, and disreputable royal families in recorded history. So, the Baptizer named John, wound up in a prison cell. Herod wanted John killed, but he feared the mass of people who considered John a prophet of God. John languishes in a dark prison cell.

During this time John began to have doubts. His disciples visited him, and told him of the exploits of Jesus, but John's expectations weren't met. Perhaps with all the news of how everyone else was being healed, raised from the dead, and set free - John wondered, "Why not me?" Thereforeo, John sent two disciples to Jesus with one simple question, "Are you the One who was to come, or should we be expecting someone else?" Where had the conviction gone? Where was the stark belief that prompted the Baptizer to tell two other disciples much earlier, "Behold the Lamb of God."

Jesus answered their question by pointing to Old Testament scripture and evidence of His identity, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard : The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me."

There are no promises here for John. Jesus answered the question with a list of stark evidence that pointed to the Messiah. The last sentence is key for the Baptizer. Jesus knew that discouragement, doubt, depression, worry, and anxiety had been plaguing John. Satan was trying to ensnare the Baptizer in the short time he had left. And, this last sentence tells John to keep the faith, look beyond the temporal, and not we swayed by expectations.

What are your expectations? We all have doubts that creep in. We have expectations and Satan plays upon those just as he did with the Baptizer. Most are self-centered expectations, and the Lion of Judah, the Christ, has His will that doesn't always match our own will or expectations. Just like John we need to evaluate the evidence, and ask the Spirit that dwells within as believers to guide us into all truth. A truth that has the power of freedom in Christ.

Swayed Reed

(Luke 7:24-27) Part 2

The disciples of John left the scene to go back and tell the Baptizer what Jesus had said. Then Jesus turned to the audience. Perhaps their faith in who the Baptizer was had been shaken, perhaps the calamity that had befallen him caused them to question things.

"What did you go into the desert to see?" Jesus asked.

The son of a prominent priest was preaching repentance and thousands came. Something was going on. God was up to something.

"A reed swaying in the wind?" Jesus continued.

John was anything but a swaying reed who vacillated with popular opinion or put any spin on things. He was direct. He was to the point. When he dispatched his disciples to ask Jesus if "He was the one," John did not mince words, dance around the subject, or have some hidden agenda. One question, to the point, that was sufficient for him to know and free him from his doubts.

"A man dressed in fine clothes?" Jesus asked.

Jesus expounded on the point. Those with expensive and fine clothing reside in palaces, not the rough and tumble, desolate, barren, arid, Judean wilderness/desert. John began a work on a mega-church in the middle of nowhere. Then he stepped aside as Jesus took the role of the one who was to come, "The Lamb of God."

Jesus continued, "A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you."

John had denied being a prophet to the Jewish authorities (Jn. 1:21), he answered them instead that he was the messenger. Being a prophet was only part of it - he was actually the prophet, the Elijah figure, the forerunner. The one who would point to the Lamb of God.

Jesus knows who we are and what talents we have been created with. He spoke confidently of John and restored his reputation among His followers. Jesus knows you on a level that even you can't know you. He knows that through Him you have a potential to do radical work in the kingdom beyond your realizations. In our world it may be more popular to be a swaying reed than a firm cedar, and in our own power we are all flimsy reeds, but through Him who gives us strength we can stand our ground anytime in the midst of any storm of life. Get to know the real you by knowing the real Him even more. This life He has given you is worth it. Live it in His power.

Identity Crisis

(Luke 9:18-19, Matthew 16:13-14, Mark 8:27-28) part 1

They were constantly on the move. Jesus and His team grew no moss on the soles of their feet. Just north of the Sea of Galilee they made their way in the region of Caesarea Philippi near Mt. Hermon. In the modern day it is known as the Golan Heights.

They had left the crowds behind and found themselves alone on the way, just Jesus and his team of twelve. Jesus had been in prayer, His disciples with Him, and he breaks from prayer with a curious question.

"Who do the crowds say I am?"

The twelve had a list of suspects that had been bantered about by the crowds. Many thought He was John the Baptist, who had just been executed by Herod. That would have been a tough sell given several people had seen them together at the baptism of Jesus, and Jesus had hung around in the wilderness for a spell. While John was in prison, Jesus was still out and about preaching and teaching.

Elijah was a popular choice based on a prophecy from Malachi (4:5). Elijah was suppose to reappear just before the coming of the Lord, perhaps symbolically in John the Baptist, and yet again at the second coming of the Christ. Many thought the Baptizer was Elijah (Mark 6:15).

Still others thought Jesus was perhaps Jeremiah or one of the other prophets of old brought back to life. It was a confusing time, and Jesus had done very little in the way of explaining who He was. Sure, as He had told the Baptizer's disciples - the signs were clear, but other acts of Jesus confused the signs for many. He was doing nothing about the Roman occupation. He'd hardly spoken out against these pagan oppressors, and even healed the son of a centurion. Jesus had befriended Samaritans, and His team was lackluster at best, more a group of misfits than great men of faith. He dinned with sinners, thought nothing of partying, and His home town had tried to kill Him. Demons had fled bodies, limbs had become like new, eyes were now seeing bright color instead of darkness, and dead people had been restored to life. As Nicodemus had stated, most knew He was from God, otherwise the signs would not be possible.

The question wasn't "from where," but "Who?" It was an identity crisis for the masses.

Is it any clearer today? In our pluralistic world who do the crowds say Jesus is? Some say He never existed. That's a hard sell, especially when they look at their watch, which is counting the moments since He came. Some say He is a philosopher, a rabbi, a sage, a prophet, a good man in whom power rested for a spell, an impostor, a fraud, an agent of Satan, an angel, on and on. Walter Wink once said, "If Jesus wasn't real, who could have invented Him?" Actually, until the great Day of the Lord, the confusion will reign onward, but on that day, when every knee bows and every tongue confesses, there will be no confusion. It will be stark reality, and a future of bliss for some, and dark, dismal, torment for others. It'd be best to get that cleared up now, don't wait.

His way... our way

(Matt. 16:20-23) part 3

The orders after Peter's confession were very specific. Tell no one. This perplexed the twelve to the very end. Judas (not Iscariot), the good Judas, said on the last night before His sacrifice, "Lord, how is it You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?" The plan all along was that these twelve would start the "revealing to the world" process.

As soaring as thier hearts must have been after Peter's bold confession and Christ's confident affirmation, their hearts turn cold with the next bit of news. Jesus instructs the twelve that many bad things must come to pass before a very good thing can be accomplished. There was suffering to be had in Jerusalem. Their was rejection coming from the establishment. And, most shocking, there was a death sentence to be carried out by those in authority. Nevermind about the "raised on the third day" part, the twelve heard nothing after Jesus said He would be killed.

Peter knew it was time for him to take matters into his own hands. With bravado He took Jesus aside, the same bravado that fueled his confession now was driving a rebuke. Peter had all but assumed the role of leader, and it was time to set the Messiah straight. He must have thought, "Surely this was but a test." He is upset and the words come out that way...

"Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to You!" Peter all but shouted.

Peter came to Christ with a rebuke and gets the same in response, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, because you're not thinking about God's concerns, but man's." Stinging rebuke? Yes, as sharp as any you will find coming from the mouth of Jesus. It is aimed at the man who will one day preach the great sermon at Pentecost full of the Holy Spirit. Jesus must have heard some of the temptation from the desert in Peter's words. "It doesn't have to be this way, jump from the temple, turn stones to bread and dazzle the world, have all the kingdoms of the world, escape the pain and death of this world - rule from on high!" Jesus had heard this rhetoric before, right from the mouth of the evil one. Peter was merely the evil one's subject, causing him to miss the will of God.

How about us? How often do you allow the concerns of man to interfer with the concerns of God? I'm guilty. Too often I mean well, but miss the mark. Too often my God given talents are overriden by the pressures, ambitions, and desires of this world. I hear it in prosperity preaching - "It doesn't have to be this way..." But bad things happen to good people, always have. Romans 8:28 is clear, I'll let you look it up or better yet memorize it. Discover the peace of knowing ALL of God's will. Don't just let the struggle or "bad things" dominate, or just like the twelve you may miss the "good" - He was raised to life and death is forever rebuked, Satan forever defeated.

Welcome!