The True Meaning of Christmas

Readings for the day: Philemon, Colossians 1-4

Last evening I had the pleasure of spending time with leaders from an Ethiopian congregation discussing the character and nature of God. Specifically, we talked about the doctrine of the Trinity which declares that the One True God exists eternally as Three Persons. Distinct yet undivided. Different but not separate. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all God. But the Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Spirit. And the Spirit is not the Father. Though they are diverse in their personalities and roles, they all share in the same essence or being. It’s a paradox to be sure and a stumbling block to faith for many.   

The term “Trinity” was coined by a 2nd century African theologian named Tertullian. Considered by many to be the “Father of Western Theology”, Tertullian attempted to put into human words what is ultimately a divine mystery. From the opening pages of Scripture, the One God reveals Himself as a plurality. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...and the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters...then God said...” The Apostle John affirms this central truth in the opening verses of his Gospel. “In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God. And the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” And then comes these words today from the Apostle Paul, “Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” (Colossians‬ ‭1:15-23‬)

Why is all this important and what does it have to do with Christmas? In all the commercialism and materialism of the season, what is lost is our sheer awe at what God has done in Jesus Christ. The magnitude of the miracle of God becoming one of us is something that should bring us to our knees. It should cause our stomachs to flop and our hearts to skip a beat. We should all fall face down on the floor in worship and adoration of the Christ child. And yet, we can barely get to church on Christmas Eve. Most of our Advent is spent preparing for Santa Claus, decorating the house, and going on spending sprees we cannot afford. The Christmas rush is real and our lives reflect a franticness that makes it impossible to pause and appreciate and stare in wonder at the baby in the manger. 

Jesus is the very image of the invisible God. He is the perfect representation of God’s being. In Jesus, the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. He is preeminent over all creation. Jesus is the Word of God Incarnate. The God of the universe taking on human flesh and entering into our world. Jesus is before all things. He created all things. He sustains all things. He reconciles all things. And He will one day glorify all things, whether on earth or in heaven. It is utterly amazing and beyond words that this God...this Jesus...would bend the heavens to come down and become one of us. Be born of a virgin for us. Suffer hardship and pain for us. Shed His own blood for us. Die a humiliating death on the cross for us. Spend three days in the grave for us. Descend into hell itself for us. And rise again from the grave for us. But this is what our God did. All the while remaining God. 

This is what we celebrate on Christmas and every year I find myself asking...why is this not enough? Why do I need to add more? Why do I feel the pressure to spend so much time and energy on things that do not carry eternal weight? Why do I not spend more time at the manger? More time marveling at the birth of my Savior? More time in silent awe and wonder at what God has done? Does this mean I should give up our annual Christmas tree cutting? Decorating? Partying? Gift-giving? I don’t think so. However, I do need to engage in self-reflection and ask myself if there’s anything I am allowing to come between me and my worship of Jesus. My worship of the Triune God as reveals Himself in human flesh.

The Mind of Christ

Readings for the day: Philippians 1-4

”Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus...” (Phil. 2:5) This is what’s missing from the church today. The mind of Christ. Could you imagine what would happen if the people of God who profess to believe in the authority of the Word of God simply put these words from Philippians 2 into practice? If we truly did nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit? If we truly counted others more significant than ourselves? If we truly grasped the mind of Christ that is ours already through faith in Jesus? 

Sadly, we do not take God at His Word. If we are honest, most of what we do is for selfish purposes. Self-protection. Self-provision. Selfish ambition. We do not believe others are more significant than ourselves because we are swimming in a culture that is addicted to self-promotion. Why is social media so popular? Because we can share our highlight reel with the world. We can be the hero of our own story. We can be center of attention. Why is social media so depressing? Because of the competition it invites as we scroll through our feeds and compare ourselves to our friends. Even those who trade in “authenticity” do so in a curated way. Meaning that even as they share their struggles and frustrations and brokenness, it is done in such a way as to draw attention to themselves. 

Paul calls us to a different way. The way of Christ. And this way requires humility. It requires us to check all our selfish desires at the door. The pattern Christ sets for us is very specific and very concrete. Christ did not consider his status as God something to be held onto. Christ willingly relinquished all His divine authority and rights and prerogatives. Christ emptied Himself of His divine glory and power in order to become a human being. There is no greater example of humility than the infinite God of the universe limiting Himself by taking on finite human flesh. And not just any flesh but the flesh of a servant. And there is no greater act of humility than this same God becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. The humilitation of Jesus stands in direct contrast to the prideful self-absorption of our culture. And it is something all who claim to follow Jesus must embrace. 

Paul embraced the way of Jesus. This letter comes at the end of Paul’s life. He’s in prison in Rome awaiting his trial and probably execution. As he reflects back on all he has experienced, what is his great desire? Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else.

• “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” 
• “Whatever gain I had, I count as loss for the sake of Christ.”
• ”I count everything as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.” 
• Even my sufferings are nothing compared to what I have gained in Christ.
•  “I have no righteousness to call my own but only that which comes through faith in Christ.”
• All my strivings cease as I “press on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
• I want to know nothing else but “Christ and the power of His resurrection.” 

Does this mean we should abandon everything we have and go live as hermits in the wilderness? No. Some have actually made this attempt but even there pride found them. Even alone in the wilderness, they could not escape themselves. The only answer, friends, is to intentionally and relentlessly set your mind and heart on Christ. Through daily prayer and meditation on Scripture. Weekly corporate worship with your church family. Active participation in some kind of small group where you can share openly, honestly, and vulnerably and be held accountable for your spiritual growth. Finding a place to serve Christ through the local church. These are the means of grace God uses to shape our hearts and minds over a lifetime.

The Mind of Christ is not abstract, friends. It doesn’t magically appear. It takes concrete form as we walk in relationship with one another and with God. Humility is something that must be practiced because the inertia of our lives is always towards self. Our hearts are inwardly inclined. We navel gaze as a general rule. To get from here to there requires us to die to self on a regular basis. Crucify the sinful desires of our flesh. Empty ourselves of all our foolish pride, ambition, and conceit. Only as we believe the Jesus Truth and follow the Jesus Way will we obtain the Jesus Life. 

Martyrdom

Readings for the day: Acts 27-28

The recent death of John Chau has kicked over a hornet’s nest. Some see him as yet another martyr to the cause of Christ on par with the Jim Elliott’s of our past. Others see him as yet another example of colonial Christianity seeking to impose his views on a tribe who clearly didn’t want him on their island. The inhabitants of North Sentinel killed John Chau as he attempted to befriend them, bring them gifts, and, most of all, share Christ. Why the controversy? First and foremost, we live in a world where evangelism is cast in a negative light. The idea that one person’s views are superior in any way to another’s is anathema in our culture. The Sentinelese have a right to be left alone. Their religious views are no one else’s business. Christian missionaries should leave well enough alone. Second, we live in a world where Christian missions has too often been used as a cover for Western European colonial expansion. The evidence is legion in Africa, Latin America, and other places around the world. Western powers not only tried to bring the gospel but they used it as a pretext to overthrow governments, manipulate economies, and enslave entire people groups. Third, too many missionaries are naive in their approach. They don’t take seriously the potential of introducing life-threatening disease to the local population. They don’t take the time to understand the language or learn the culture or use intermediaries who are culturally closer to the unreached group to help make first contact. 

By all accounts, John Chau truly made an effort to overcome these barriers and address these concerns. He spent a great deal of time in training. He trained his body. Trained his mind. Trained his spirit to endure the isolation he would experience should he make successful contact. He got the proper immunizations and quarantined himself to protect the Sentinelese from any potential disease. He studied their culture. Studied what was known of their language. He made multiple trips to the region to familiarize himself with the area. He made enough local contacts to provide transport. He clearly was not an agent of some foreign government seeking to extend their influence. Now that the dust has settled, the picture that has emerged is that of an earnest, sincere believer in Christ who clearly felt called to reach one of the most isolated tribes left in the world with the gospel. Time will tell if his death will bear any fruit.  

What does this have to do with today’s Bible reading? I imagine Paul faced similar challenges in his own journey to Rome. I think about his encounter with the indigenous people on Malta. Having been shipwrecked in a storm, Paul escapes with his life along with the other sailors and soldiers who were aboard. They make their way to the beach where they were greeted with kindness by the locals. A fire was kindled. Food was probably brought. Paul even gets bit by a poisonous snake and survives! Eventually, they are taken to the leader whose father was dying of disease. Paul heals him. Word gets out. The people bring all their sick to Paul to be cured and this gave Paul an opportunity - though the passage doesn’t make this explicit - to preach the gospel. 

I imagine the same people who criticize John Chau would have criticized Paul as well. The only difference between the two is Paul succeeded where John failed. History is written by the victors and thus Paul is remembered warmly as the one who “Christianized” an empire because he survived where so many others, like John Chau, died. But now Paul’s come to the end. The race has been run. The cup emptied. He will be executed in Rome. The latest in a long line of first century martyrs who gave their lives for the cause of Christ. 

What can we learn from the example of Paul? Or the modern day example of John Chau? First, we must have a passion to reach the lost at all costs. There is an urgency to our mission because eternity is literally on the line. Christ Himself commanded us to make disciples of all nations. He told us we would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth. This commission has never been revoked so we must be obey. Second, we must be willing to sacrifice comfort, safety, reputation, and resources if we are to accomplish this mission. Evangelism will not make us popular. Many will reject what we have to say. They will criticize us and call us names. They may accuse us of promoting white supremacy, neo-colonialism, etc. But we must fear God more than man. Finally, we have to be wise. We cannot confuse the mission with the methods. We cannot be so wed to a certain way of doing things that we make it more important than the mission itself. We must be culturally sensitive and aware. We must be willing to relinquish power and authority to indigenous leadership. We must be humble in our approach and not pretend we have all the answers. We must study the culture we are trying to reach diligently and honor as much as we can. We must openly acknowledge when we make mistakes and ask for forgiveness. 

What if the 29th chapter of Acts is being written even as we speak? What stories will be told about your mission work?  

Resurrection Life

Readings for the day: Acts 24-26

Everything for Paul hinges on the resurrection. When he met the Risen Christ outside of Damascus, a door opened in his heart that could never be closed. He changed. Suddenly all his zeal and passion for the Law was re-focused as he realized everything the prophets foretold had come true in Christ. His hope as a Pharisee for the eventual resurrection of the dead had actually taken place in his lifetime. Jesus was the firstfruits. He was the forerunner. He was the Messiah whom God had sent. And with this knowledge, all the tumblers fall into place. Jesus is the key that makes sense of the Law and Prophets. Jesus is the filter now through which all of Scripture should be read and understood. The Risen Christ brings new life and new meaning to everything Paul had learned over the course of his lifetime. And with this knowledge Paul is transformed from a violent, raging Pharisee intent on destroying Christianity to its foremost evangelist, pastor, and theologian. 

Of course, wrapping your life around the resurrection will not make you popular. Paul found himself at odds with the Romans who believed he was barking mad. Paul found himself at odds with his former friends and colleagues in Judaism who tried to have him killed. Paul even found himself at odds - as we have already seen - with his fellow Christians at times who could not grasp the depths of his message of unconditional love and grace. Living the resurrection life will certainly make you strange. Weird. Odd. Because your values and priorities and thoughts and attitudes and actions are shaped by another Kingdom. A Kingdom not of this world. Ruled by a King who is not of this world. Submitting your life to Him means living an “other-worldly” life. A life not ruled by fear. A life not centered around self. A life untangled and unecumbered by the cares and worries of this world. 

Can you imagine living a life without fear? That’s the life Jesus offers. The resurrection life. Resurrection places us beyond the fears of this world. No longer do we fear death. No longer do we fear danger. No longer do we fear hunger or nakedness or prison or sickness. No longer do we fear the loss of possessions, reputation, position and privilege. No longer do we fear failure or pain or suffering. These “fears” are what the world uses to keep us in line. To squeeze us into its mold. To shape us into its corrupt image. But the resurrection sets us free from all of that! Now are transformed as our hearts and minds are renewed by the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead now lives in us and is at work through us! This is what Paul understood. This is what Peter understood. This is what millions of Christians have understood throughout history and it is why the Kingdom of God continues to move with power on the earth. 

Total Surrender

Readings for the day: Acts 20:4-38, 21-23:1-35

What does total surrender to Christ look like? It looks like the Apostle Paul. Paul leaves his home. His friendships. His business. His ministry all behind in order to suffer for Christ. He was compelled by the Holy Spirit to return to Jerusalem where he knew he would be put in chains. Prophecy after prophecy had been made. Warning after warning had been given. There was no more dangerous place for Paul to to and yet he went. Not out of pride or arrogance but out of obedience to His Lord. It was Jesus who sent him to testify in Jerusalem and it would be Jesus who would send him to testify in Rome. From the heart of Judaism to the heart of the empire. Paul was Jesus’ chosen instrument to declare the good news of the gospel in front of kings and rulers and authorities. Though it would eventually cost him his life, Paul considered it a privilege to serve. 

I have met many “Apostle Paul’s” in my life. Men and women who sacrifice everything for the sake of the gospel. They leave their homes. Their families. Their friendships. Their businesses. And they go to faraway places. Towns and villages who have never heard the name of Jesus. They place themselves in danger. They endure persecution. Many of them will bear the scars for the rest of their lives. Some of them even lose their lives. Why do they do it? They feel compelled by the Holy Spirit. Constrained by His will to go to the places He shows them in order to share Christ with those who are lost. They do not act of pride or arrogance. They do not trust in their own resources or strength. They are not naive or ignorant. They go with the understanding that they may not return. But they cannot help themselves. It is Jesus who commands them. It is Jesus who sends them. It is Jesus who calls them into the harvest field. They are Jesus’ chosen instruments to make His gospel known among a people who have never heard. They preach in places that do not show up on any map. They cross borders into places where the gospel has never gone. They confront principalities and powers we cannot fathom, armed only with the gospel. And though it costs them their health. Their wealth. Their family. Sometimes their lives. They consider it a privilege and honor to serve. 

All of us are called by Jesus. All of us are sent by Jesus. All of us have a field to harvest for our Lord. Sadly, too many of us never show up for work. Our fields are wild and overgrown. They have gone untended for far too many years. Sure, we mean well. We think we’ll get to it one day. Once we’re financially secure. Once our kids are grown. Once we get married and settle down. Or we work the edges of of the field. Close to the gate. In the places where it’s safest. After all, we wouldn’t want to place ourselves at risk, right? God wants us to be safe, right? He would never call us to sacrifice our comfort or lifestyle or livelihood or family or friendships for the sake of His mission, right? Isn’t the dangerous work reserved for the truly holy? The super Christians? Surely that’s not me. Surely that’s not what Jesus wants me to do. 

The Word of God is clear. It leaves us very little wiggle room. All that we have been given. All that we’ve earned over the course of our lives. All our success. All our wealth. All our possessions. All our relationships. All our friendships. Everything in our lives must be surrendered and laid at the feet of our Lord. It has come from His hands and must be returned to Him. This is the price of following Jesus. We relinquish it all. We surrender it all. We let go of it all and walk with open hands and open hearts before Him. Our first call is to serve Jesus. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else is allowed to get in the way. Not our families. Not our careers. Not our friendships. Not our possessions. Not our retirement. Not our fears. Not our failures. Not our anxieties. Not our worries. Not our doubts. Not our questions. Nothing. Jesus is Lord. When He calls me, I will answer. Where He sends me, I will go. I am Jesus’ chosen instrument to make His will known in my community and to the ends of the earth. And it is a privilege and honor to serve. 

Mixing Religion and Politics

Readings for the day: Romans 13-16

Imagine you are the Apostle Paul. Writing to a group of Christians living in Rome in the late 50’s AD. The Roman Empire has suffered tremendously since the reign of Augustus Caesar. Successor after successor has tried and failed to live up to his legacy. Political opposition is met with violence. The Praetorian Guard (think Secret Service of the first century) assassinates the very emperors they swear to protect. Tax rates rise and fall depending on public opinion polls. The borders of the empire are starting to crumble. The government is unstable and rulers are often certifiably insane. Nero rises to power. The initial signs are good. He seems to care about the poor. He often takes the side of the little guy. It looks like he’s being advised well by Seneca. By all accounts, things are looking up. Then he murders his stepbrother. Murders his mother. Murders rival senators who oppose him. He initiates building projects that exhaust the treasury and overtax the populace. Rumors spread about the Great Fire that burned Rome for a week in July of 64 AD. Nero blames the Christians. He starts systematically persecuting them. He imprisons them. He throws them to the lions. He burns them alive in his gardens. It’s a rough time. 

Now imagine receiving this letter from Paul and reading these words, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” (Romans‬ ‭13:1-7‬) How would you respond? What thoughts would go through your mind if you were living in Rome under Nero watching the country descend into chaos? How would you feel about the “governing authorities” when you see them carrying your friends off to be tortured and executed for their faith? How likely would you be to submit to them? Continue to be a model citizen? Pay your taxes? Honor the emperor? Is Paul serious? Does he not understand who’s in power here? Is he ignorant of what’s actually happening on the streets of Rome? 

Clearly, Paul understands. He will be imprisoned in Rome by 60AD himself, awaiting his eventual torture and execution. He has been flogged. Stoned. Beaten. Left for dead. He has been falsely accused. Falsely imprisoned. He knows what it’s like to suffer and yet, throughout his own life, he seemed to model the very words he just wrote to his Roman friends. Jesus did as well. Jesus submitted himself to the governing authorities of this world. Herod. Pilate. The Sanhedrin. All driven by a lust for power. All corrupt to the core. And yet Jesus refused to call down legions of angels to fight at his side. He allowed his farse of a trial to stand. He refused to advocate for Himself before Pilate. He ignored Herod when he asked for a sign. Why? Jesus and Paul both understood they belonged to a Kingdom not of this world. They were citizens of a heavenly empire that transcended any earthly one. Their sole allegiance was to the God of the universe who had given all authority in heaven and earth to Jesus so there was no need to fight the power. No need to lead a rebellion. Because at best you would be replacing one sinful system with another. 

At the same time, Paul is not advocating apathy. He is not calling for Christians to become doormats for the empire. What he calls for is a very proactive way of living that sets an example before culture and society of humble godliness even in the face of persecution. We are never to surrender the moral high ground! Never to surrender our deeply held Kingdom values!  Never to give up Jesus for the sake of political expediency and gain! Why? First and foremost, we recognize all authority comes from God. It serves His purposes. God is able to bend both good and evil intentions to His will. God is able to use even the most corrupt to accomplish His plan. No matter what happens. No matter who gets elected President. No matter who serves in Congress. No matter who gets confirmed to the Supreme Court. ALL of them serve at God’s pleasure. He takes them down just as easily as He raises them up. All of them rule under His sovereign authority and command. 

Second, Paul understands the power of a godly witness. Even corrupt rulers cannot deny the power of the gospel. This was the genius behind the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights struggle. He believed by engaging in peaceful, non-violent protest of unjust laws that African-Americans and their allies would hold a mirror up to the corrupt soul of segregation. They believed their godly example would expose the evil legacy of slavery. They believed their political “enemies” needed salvation not destruction and this set them apart. The same was true for Nelson Mandela in South Africa. The same was true for Pope John Paul II when he led the Solidarity movement against communism in Poland. The same was true for Ghandi - though not a Christian, he based his resistance on the example of Christ - in India. In each and every case, these leaders led movements that transformed the course of nations and they were almost entirely based on the “good conduct” of their followers. “Do what is good and you will receive (the ruler’s) approval, for he is God’s servant for your good.” (Romans 13:3) This is the power of a godly witness.

Finally, Paul elevates the cardinal virtue of humility. Submission. Subjection. Offering respect and honor to the office even if the person in the office is corrupt. Paul believes we should model our lives after Jesus. As he will write to his Philippians friends, Jesus is by nature God. But Jesus did not hold onto His equality with God. He relinquished it. He gave it up. He emptied Himself of all His divine rights and riches in order to become a human being. And not just any human being but a servant. A slave. But even then Jesus wasn’t content. He took it one step further. Humbling Himself to death. The most humiliating death possible. Death on a cross. Paul sought to pattern his own life after Jesus and he calls all Christians to do the same. “Follow me as I seek to follow Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) Just as Christ rendered to Caesar what was Caesar’s, Paul now calls on Christians in Rome to pay their taxes. Keep honest financial records. Respect the authorities. Honor the emperor. For in so doing, we honor Christ.

Of all the things we’ve read this year, this may be the most difficult passage for us to accept. Hate is the political currency of our day. Rage. Anger. Condemnation. Character assassination is our national pastime. We rejoice when our enemies fall. We defend our allies at all costs. We will sacrifice everything - including our Kingdom values - on the altar of political power and gain. Scorched-earth resistance is now the norm when the opposing party is in power and it is crippling our nation. And this is true for both Republicans and Democrats. Sadly, Christians seem no different than their non-Christian neighbors in this respect. In fact, we often seem to be out front leading the way and our blatant hypocrisy is on public display. Jesus weeps, friends. He weeps to see us so easily fall prey to the lust for power, influence, and control. He weeps to see us so easily sacrifice our witness and for so little. He weeps as He watches His people - citizens of the Kingdom of God - so easily and readily give up the moral high ground.  

Thankfully, the truth of God remains. Though the grass withers and the flower fades, the Word of God is eternal. He is still on His throne. He still reigns from on high. He still sits at the right hand of the Father. He will bend even this time to His will. He will use even the corrupt politics of our day and age to accomplish His plan. There is nothing any human being can do that will thwart His purposes. So submit to the governing authorities, friends. Live godly lives before them. Witness to them by working for justice and righteousness. Pray without ceasing for the Spirit’s work in their hearts. Give them the respect and honor due them by virtue of the office they hold. 

Mystery of Election

Readings for the day: Romans 9-12

Today’s reading is a challenging one. Paul is asking deep questions about the promises and purposes of God. So much of which is shrouded in mystery. S much of which we will never know this side of heaven. Has the Word of God failed? Is God unjust? How can God fault those whom He has not chosen? These questions are important. It is vital to wrestle with them honestly and vulnerably. True faith welcomes such challenges and doesn’t settle for easy answers. 

To begin, we must check our assumptions at the door.  There are no standards of justice outside of God. God is not answerable to any human legal code nor does He subject Himself to human notions of universal fairness. God is the Potter. We are the clay. This fundamental principle undergirds everything Paul will say in these few chapters. The baseline for this discussion begins with God being God and human beings being human beings. The Creator is not the same as His creation. The creation is not the same as its Creator. There is a massive, ontological distinction between the two that must be maintained if we are to find our way through this quandary.  

Secondly, because God is God, He has every right to exercise His sovereign choice over all He has made. He chose Abraham and Sarah out of all the families on the face of the earth. He chose Jacob over Esau before they were born. He chose Israel over Egypt. Moses over Pharaoh. The full witness of Scripture makes it clear that God freely chooses some vessels for honor and some for dishonor. Scripture makes clear that God endures with patience the “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” so that He might “make known the riches of glory for His vessels of mercy.” Over and over again, we see this played out in the Old Testament. There is simply no other way to honestly interpret it. 

Thirdly, what are we then to make of what’s happening with Israel? God’s elect? God’s chosen? “To them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all...” (Romans‬ ‭9:4-5‬) Furthermore, what are we to make of the Gentiles? God’s non-elect? The pagans who’ve rejected God all their lives? Though they have not pursued righteousness somehow they attained it by faith! Does this mean God’s elect have been rejected? By no means! “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring...” (Romans‬ ‭9:6-7) Ethnicity no longer matters! What matters is faith and God has maintained a remnant - of which the Apostle Paul is one - who have been saved by grace. 

Fourthly, God isn’t done! God’s plan for Israel is not yet complete! So the Gentiles who have been grafted into God’s family should not become prideful or take God’s grace for granted.  “Remember it is not you who supports the root but the root that supports you.” (Romans 11:18) Instead, they should wait and pray for the day when the partial hardening on Israel is softened because the full number of Gentiles have finally come in and God saves all of Israel.

How will that happen? Paul has no idea. He simply knows God is faithful. He will never abandon His people. His love is steadfast, loyal, and true. So at the end of all this deep wrestling there can only be an exclamation of praise. God is God. We are not. Thanks be to God! Or as Paul puts it, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans‬ ‭11:33‬)

What is Faith?

Readings for the day: Romans 5-8

“No unbelief made Abraham waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." (Romans‬ ‭4:20-22‬)

What is faith? A feeling? An emotion? Something you experience deep down in your gut? Is it an intellectual belief? Something you hold to be true? Something you know to be true? What is faith? For Abraham, faith was “being fully convinced God was able to do what He had promised.” And what had God promised Abraham? A son. A son to be conceived and born through Sarah, his wife who was well past menopause. A son to carry on his line. A son who would be the first among many. A son whose descendents would eventually outnumber the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. This was the dream of every Ancient Near East patriarch and it had been denied Abraham up to this point in his life. He despaired of it ever coming to pass. But now God entered the equation. God made a promise. God declared that he would have a son. With this promise, God guaranteed Abraham’s family legacy. It would have to be a miracle. Abraham was in his seventies when God made the promise. Sarah in her sixties. They would have to wait at least two decades for it to come to pass. But come to pass it did and Abraham never wavered in his confidence that God would be true to His Word. This is what faith is and why it was counted to Abraham as righteousness.

Now does this mean Abraham never had a moment of weakness? Never had any doubts? Never had any fears? Of course not! These emotions are all very real. At times, they drive us to take matters into our own hands. It’s not that we doubt God’s ability so much as we struggle to trust His timing. Struggle to see His purposes. Struggle to submit to His will. Abraham wrestled with these things as well and the result was Ishmael! But through it all, one thing remained true for Abraham. He remained fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised. Abraham may not have fully understood. May not have known how God would bring this miracle to pass. Maybe he even believed God would use ordinary means like having sex with Hagar to bring His plan to completion. Whatever Abraham may have thought or felt, we know for sure he believed. And it is this unwavering belief in the promise of God that is counted to Abraham as righteousness.

What about us? In our reading for today, Paul contends it is faith that justifies us before God. It is faith that grants us access to God’s grace. It is faith that helps us persevere through suffering. Faith that sets us free from the bondage of sin. Faith allows us to set our minds on the Spirit which brings life and peace. Faith makes us fellow heirs with Christ. Most of all, faith gives us the confidence of knowing nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Do you have such faith? Are you fully convinced God is able to bring - and is bringing - these promises to pass in your life? Do you believe God when He tells you there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus? Or do you live a life - like so many do - of self-condemnation and fear? Do you believe God when He says there is nothing that can separate you from His love? Or do you find yourself feeling so depressed and ashamed that you think no one could or would ever love you? Do you believe God when He says the sufferings of this world are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in you? Or is the pain and heartache you’ve experienced simply too much even for God to handle? Do you believe God when He says He will save you from this body of death? Or do you feel trapped by sin? Enslaved by the lusts of your heart? You do the things you don’t want to do and don’t do the things you do want to do? These are just a few of the important questions posed by the Apostle Paul throughout this section. He wants us to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt - as Abraham did - that God is able to do what He has promised!

This, friends, is the true message of Christmas. God delivering once and for all on all His promises! God breaking the power of sin. God defeating the power of death. God destroying all the works of the enemy. In Christ, God comes into this world to face down evil and suffering. In Christ, God literally takes our place, absorbs the righteous punishment we deserved, and atones for all our sin. In Christ, God makes peace. Offers reconciliation. Tears down the dividing wall of hostility and makes all things new. This is what God did and is still doing in our world. Thanks be to God for His great faithfulness!

The Power of the Gospel

Readings for the day: Acts 20:1-3, Romans 1-4

You may have seen the news out of Europe about the Dutch man who tried to change his legal age. Biologically, he is in his sixties but he “feels” like he’s in his forties and his life is diminished because of the discrimination that happens the older one gets. You may have caught the news out of England about the man who believes passionately in “ethical veganism” and wants it to become legally protected as a religion so he can potentially force his former employer to give him his job back as well as change their investment practices so as not to violate his religious beliefs. You may have seen the opinion piece in the New York Times from the transgender woman who argues the medical ethical guildeline of “Do no harm” no longer should apply because no doctor should ever have the authority to determine what actually “harms” another person. “I also believe that surgery’s only prerequisite should be a simple demonstration of want. Beyond this, no amount of pain, anticipated or continuing, justifies its withholding.” (Andrea Long Chu, NYT, 11/24/2018) These may seem like isolated cases to you. Outliers we should dismiss. I disagree.

I believe they are the prime examples of God giving us over to the “lusts of our hearts...dishonorable passions...debased minds.” Now please hear me. I am not being mean. I am not being judgmental. I am simply pointing out the reality of what happens when we turn away from God. We dis-integrate. Body, mind, heart, and soul are set in opposition to one another, resulting in skyrocketing rates of depression and suicide ideation. Dysphoria, once considered a mental illness, is now being celebrated and embraced. The Apostle Paul knew the tragic consequences of such thinking. It was celebrated in his own context as well. Human beings, created and designed to bring God glory and honor, turned from their sacred vocation and pursued their own pleasure. They did what was right in their own eyes. They forged their own path only to find it leading them over a cliff. The most heartbreaking part of reading the New York Times story mentioned above was Andrea’s willingness, even desire, to embrace depression and suicide. She admits taking hormones and having surgery will actually take her deeper into depression but she sees no alternative. She has no hope.

This is why Paul’s stirring words in Romans 1:16 are so important! “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Make no mistake, Paul doesn’t believe the gospel is simply a good idea. One philosophy among many. One path among many to get to God. No, he truly believes the gospel provides the only ANSWER to the problem of pain and suffering of this world. He truly believes the gospel provides the only HOPE we can possibly have for a better, richer, more integrated life. He truly believes the gospel alone has the power to save humanity from itself.

Now I know this idea is very unpopular in our culture today. To suggest Christianity is somehow superior in any way to any other religious or philosophical idea is considered arrogant and condescending. Exclusive and intolerant. But let me put it another way. Imagine you develop a successful treatment for cancer. Imagine your success rate is 100% at curing the disease. Sure, there are a lot of other treatments out there. Some more successful than others but yours is guaranteed. Would it not be right to promote it as the better, more superior option? Paul believes the gospel is the power of God for salvation. He believes it actually delivers on what it promises. Is he not right then to promote it as the superior cure to what ails humanity? Namely, sin? Is he not right to promote it above the Torah? Are we not right to promote it above Islam? Hinduism? Buddhism? If we truly believe Jesus is God then how can we not declare Him as superior in every way to Mohammed, Krishna, Buddha, even Moses? Friends, this is exactly the truth that changed Paul’s life on the road outside Damascus. When he realized Jesus had been raised from the dead, he knew He could be no ordinary prophet. Jesus must be God and therefore everything Jesus said or did must be true. And if everything Jesus said or did must be true then we must believe Him. And if we believe Him then we will surrender our lives to Him. And if we surrender our lives to Him then we will be submit all our thoughts, feelings, and actions to His Lordship. And if we submit to His Lordship, we will find ourselves a regenerated and re-integrated people living not for ourselves but for the honor and glory of God. This is the power of the gospel.

Politics of Personal Attack

Readings for the day: 2 Corinthians 10-13

George Herbert Walker Bush died yesterday. His passing signals the end of a political era where one could disagree vehemently with the opposition and yet still grab a beer together after work. President Bush was well-known for his friendships across the aisle and, in particular, for the handwritten notes he would send to all sorts of people he had met throughout the course of his life. Though often lampooned when he was in office, he never seemed to let it get to him. Never retaliated in kind. Never lashed back. He clearly felt it beneath the dignity of his office. He was confident in who he was as a person and his record as a public servant. 

Perhaps it is providential to read these words from the Apostle Paul today. As we do, it is important to discern his tone. In our current political climate of manufactured outrage, it would be easy to assume Paul feels as we do. It would be easy to read anger and rage into his words as he defends his apostleship. That would be a mistake. Paul says right up front that he is coming to them in meekness and gentleness. Though confident in his authority as an apostle of Christ, he will not “boast beyond limits” nor will he “overextend” himself to make his point. He calls himself a fool numerous times throughout the reading and mocks his former “credentials.” Over and over again, he reminds them of his love for them. Reminds them of his great desire to see them restored in their faith. I love how he ends his letter, “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭13:11‬) This is Paul’s heart on display. 

So what is causing the rift between he and his Corinthian friends? Self-proclaimed “super-apostles” who seem to follow Paul around to correct his theology. They take it on themselves to serve as the theological police of the fledgling early church. They often preach that everyone must be circumcised. They attack Paul’s methods and speaking skills. They attack his character and reliability. They accuse him of being a conflict avoider. They claim to have the same mission credentials as Paul and a better spiritual pedigree. Their CV’s are filled, so they say, with church plants and signs and wonders and visions. This forces Paul’s hand. He has to do what he hates. He has to defend his apostleship by citing his own hard-won credentials. 

Originally, Paul came to them in humility. He placed no financial burden on them, preaching the gospel free of charge. Living off the support of other churches, like the one in Macedonia which was extremely poor and yet very generous, he was able to live among them and teach them the good news of Jesus Christ. He didn’t lord his authority over them. He didn’t pass out his resume. He refused to promote his past success. Instead, he came to them in weakness. He shared in their sufferings. He intentionally relinquished his rights in order to build them up as a church. I love how he describes his love for them. “For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:2) “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls...” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:15‬) “For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭13:9‬)

Perhaps the most famous part of this set of readings has to do with the “thorn in Paul’s flesh.” Commentators throughout history have argued over what exactly Paul is referring to here. Is it an illness? An addiction? A persistent temptation? I believe Paul clearly identifies the thorn when he calls it a “messenger from Satan.” Earlier in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Paul writes “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” The Greek word for “angel” can also mean “messenger” and it is the same word in both cases. Essentially, Paul believes that these false apostles are being used by God to keep him humble and utterly reliant on grace. God is using these evil men and their lies to protect Paul from pride and arrogance. He is using them to remind Paul of his weakness and dependence on Christ. He wants Paul to understand that the power he possesses does not come from him but from Jesus Himself. 

I remember several years ago having a member of my congregation turn on me. For months she would write hate-filled notes and put them in the offering plate for me. When the deacons started to throw them away, she placed them in an envelope with my name on it. Soon that wasn’t enough. She began writing in our pew Bibles, calling for me to be fired. Attacking my character. Her anger and hate festered to the point that she even wrote a message on our Communion table cloth! It was brutal. We tried to talk to her. We tried to confront her. Even told her she would not be welcome if she persisted in her behavior. None of it deterred this woman. Eventually, she passed away. She certainly didn’t want me anywhere near her funeral. I remember the morning of her memorial service sitting in a coffee shop waiting for my next meeting. As I prayed for this woman and her family, the Spirit of God spoke to my heart. “I have used this woman to keep you humble. To remind you of your need to depend on Me. To teach you the truth about grace and unconditional love. You will miss her. You need people like her in your life to keep you trusting in the sufficiency of Christ.” It was a powerful lesson and one I will never forget. 

How do you handle hate? How do you handle unfair criticism? Remember God uses all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Rather than lash out, take a step back. What is God trying to show you? What is God trying to teach you? Is His grace truly sufficient for you? Is His power made perfect even in your weakness?  

Reconciliation

Readings for yesterday: 2 Corinthians 1-4

Readings for the day: 2 Corinthians 5-9

Reconciliation is a radical act in our day and age. We live in such a divided world. We are divided along social lines. Political lines. Racial/ethnic lines. Sexual lines. Economic lines. Educational lines. All of it taking on a religious fervor as each person seeks to defend their position over and against their perceived enemies. Differences of opinion devolve into personal animosity. Policy differences become litmus tests for morality. Ideological purity must be maintained at all costs lest one fall down the slippery slope to compromise. Social media throws gasoline on this dumpster fire on a daily basis. Cable “news” organizations fill their programming slots with partisan opinion shows designed to reinforce confirmation bias. It even filters down to the personal level in our day to day relationships. I cannot begin to count the number of times I’ve had someone tell me about a situation where their feelings were hurt. Rather than follow the gospel-call to forgive and reconcile, they began attacking the other person’s character. Impugning motives. Words like “betrayal” and “wounded” and “abuse” get thrown around far too casually. All in an attempt to justify cutting that other person out of their lives.

None of us are immune to these cultural pressures. None of us have clean hands when it comes to this issue. Reconciliation is hard, hard work. And it is impossible without Jesus Christ.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” ‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17-19‬) The Apostle Paul lived in a similar world. A world of great pluralism and diversity. A world full of political, social, sexual, and religious intrigue. A world where different groups literally came to blows, often in violent and brutal ways. Into this world, Paul believes God has sent His church. His people. And they have been entrusted with a very special task. Reconciliation. 

What is reconciliation according to Paul? It is God reconciling the world to Himself. It is God laying down His life for us while we were still sinners. It is God making peace with us while we were still at war with Him. It is God sacrificing Himself for His enemies...namely you and me. Reconciliation requires we do the same. It requires us to relinquish our need for vengeance. It requires us to not count a person’s trespasses against them. It requires a conscious decision not to hold a person’s past actions against them. Most of all, it requires us to “regard no one according to the flesh”, meaning we no longer let a person’s political, social, sexual, or racial/ethnic identity get in the way of a relationship. We love them as Christ loves them. Unconditionally. This doesn’t mean we try to “erase” their uniqueness. This doesn’t mean we try to “whitewash” or “homogenize” everyone. This doesn’t mean we make them become like us. No, we love them as they are. We love them where they are. We love them for who they are. Image-bearers of God. Born with a dignity that, while broken utterly by sin, can never fully be lost. 

I can already hear the protests in your heart. What about an abuser? What about the man who murdered my child? Raped my daughter? Stole my life savings in a Ponzi scheme? What about the corporate criminals at places like Enron or dictators who use chemical weapons on their own people? Evil is legion in our world and you are suggesting we meet such evil with reconciliation and love? How weak! How stupid! How insipid! Only a white, privileged, cisgender, heterosexual male would ever say such a thing! And perhaps that’s partly true. I am fully aware of my cultural location. Fully aware I have never had to battle systematic oppression. Fully aware I have never suffered abuse. Fully aware I have never been the victim of a violent crime. But I have sat with many who have. I have listened to their stories. Perpetrators and victims alike. I worked for two years in a maximum security prison. I know many murderers personally. I have seen their hate up close and personal. I have spent the last twenty years in ministry. Spent countless hours counseling with victims of abuse. I have seen their pain up close and personal. I have been overseas many times. Met survivors of genocide. Survivors of civil wars. Survivors of holocausts no one has ever heard of. I have seen life-threatening poverty up close and personal. I have stood at the mass graves. I have listened to the stories of trauma and tragedy. It is heartbreaking on a level I am at a loss to comprehend. 

But I have also seen the power of reconciliation. I have seen it in the Gacaca courts of Rwanda where perpetrators of genocide confess their crimes, are confronted by their victims, and the local community is able to move towards healing and restoration. I have seen it in the church plants of Ethiopia where former tribal enemies become brothers and sisters through the saving work of Jesus Christ. I have seen it in the New Jersey State Prison where murderers received parole because the family of their victim was willing to forgive and reconcile. I saw it in a local church I served whose history included no record of African-American members though they were located in a neighborhood that was racially diverse. The courage of one young African-American man changed the hearts and minds of so many who had grown up with segregation. His Christ-like love overwhelmed their natural prejudice and they were set free. I have seen it in my counseling office as husbands and wives lay aside their “record of wrongs” and marriages are renewed. I have seen it in my own life as my heart is shaped and formed by the influence of godly mentors from all walks of life. An African refugee pastor who has forgiven those who persecuted and imprisoned him. A female Old Testament professor who has successfully battled misogyny with forgiveness and grace. A gay man who faithfully serves the LGBTQ community though they consider him a traitor for choosing the path of celibacy out of obedience to Christ. These are just a few of my heroes. Just a few of the men and women who are taking God’s message of reconciliation to the world. I pray for the courage to do the same. 

The Heart of Christianity

Readings for the day: 1 Corinthians 15-16

 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:3-8‬)

Boil the Christian faith down and what do you get? A man hanging on a cross, buried in a tomb, rising from the grave three days later. This is the heart of our faith. Without it, we preach in vain. We pray in vain. We live in vain. Without the death and resurrection of Christ, we are fools. We would be better off to eat and drink and party and make the most out of life because death wins. Literally everything rests on this fundamental truth...Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again.  

This is what sets Christianity apart from all other religions on the face of the earth. It’s what makes us unique. It’s what makes us different. It’s what makes Christianity true. We preach a crucified Lord and a Risen Savior. No other faith tradition makes anywhere close to the same claim. Sure, we might share the same moral code. Their gods might have some of the same attributes as our God. Their worship might look strikingly similar in terms of music and prayer. They might be good people with great families who live wholesome lives. They might make positive contributions to our society. But if they do not believe in the literal, historical, bodily death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; then their preaching is in vain. Their faith is in vain. They are still enslaved to their sins. Their dead are eternally lost. All because they are found to be misrepresenting God by denying the glory of His one and only Son. 

Paul is very clear. The physical death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the THE essential cog in our faith. It is the key to unlocking saving faith. It is the lens through which we now see all of life. It is the cipher that cracks the code of the Bible. Christ has been raised as the firstfruits of the resurrection. He is the foretaste. The forerunner. The first to be raised so that He can go before us and prepare the way. His physical body was laid into the ground perishable, dishonored, and weak. It was raised imperishable, glorious, and in power! He is the first to be changed. The first to be transformed. The first to be raised. By His resurrection, we know death has lost! Sin has been defeated! The works of the evil one destroyed! The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is nothing short of the total and complete victory of God! 

And it is God’s victory that makes us immovable. Steadfast. Always abounding in His work. It is God’s victory that makes us watchful. Firm and strong in the faith. Persistent in love. It is his complete confidence in God’s victory that gives Paul courage to face the stones at Lystra. The beatings and imprisonments. The shipwrecks and torments. Paul considers all of it loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ! What about you, my friend? Do you share this same confidence in the death and resurrection of Jesus? Do you place your trust in a Risen Lord and Savior? Has He become the filter for your life? The lens through which you now see the world? 

No Salvation Outside the Local Church

Readings for the day: 1 Corinthians 12-14

Irenaus. Origen. Cyprian. Cyril of Jerusalem. Ambrose. Augustine. All of them believed in the doctrine of Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus  - “There is no salvation outside the church.” This idea, of course, doesn’t sit well with us. We are highly individualistic. Suspicious of outside authority. Resistant to authentic community. Distrusting of institutions. We prefer to be more gnostic when it comes to our relationship to the church. We much prefer to describe our relationship to the church in generalities and abstractions. We’ll say things like, “I don’t need to be part of a local church.” “I’m a member of the universal church and that’s enough.” “I can worship and serve God just fine on my own.” For a lot of us, these are not simply flippant comments. They are rooted in very real hurt. Very real pain. Very real betrayal that we’ve experienced at the hands of a local church. Perhaps it was a priest or pastor who abused us. The legalistic and pharisaical environment we grew up in. Maybe the church failed us in our hour of greatest need. Or maybe our protests truly are simply culturally conditioned. We reject the church for her hypocrisy. Reject the church for her bigotry. Reject the church for her outdated morality. Whatever our issues, too many of us keep the local church at arm’s length. 

Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus.  There is no salvation outside the church. Would it surprise to know that the Apostle Paul believed this? Listen to what he says in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 

There are several key ideas to ponder and pray over from this passage... 

1. The Spirit of God makes us all one in Christ Jesus. Unity is not homogeneity. Unity is not unanimity. Unity is not about the erasure of our social, racial/ethnic, or economic distinctions. It is the submission of those things to the greater identity we share in Christ.  
2. The local church is like a body. It has hands and feet. Eyes and ears. Head. Heart. Muscles. Organs. Bones. Each member of a local church is created and equipped by God to play a particular role. No role more or less important than the other. But not all roles are the same. A body is not made up of all feet. Or all hands. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of smell? God has ordained that all the members of the local church working together make up the one body of Christ.  
3. The local church has many parts. We are NOT a church of one! We CANNOT be the church on our own. We cannot say to our brothers and sisters, “I have no need of you.” That would be like cutting off your hand or tearing out your eye. There are parts of the body that are weaker. Parts of the body that are stronger. Parts of the body that are younger. Parts of the body that are older. Parts of the body that are richer. Parts that are poorer. Parts that are white. Parts black. Parts brown. Parts more educated. Parts less educated. Not all parts are the same. Not all are gifted in the same way. But all are necessary. All are equally important. All have value in God’s sight.  
4. We are a part of the body of Christ and individually members of it. There is no salvation outside the church because there is no identity outside the church. Our love for God gets expressed in our love for one another. Our unity together reflects the unity of the Godhead itself. To keep the church at arm’s length. To never commit oneself to a local body of believers. To try and do the Christian life on our own is oxymoronic. It doesn’t make any sense and it certainly isn’t biblical.  

I know we live in a time where we feel pulled in a lot of different directions. We have a lot of things competing for our time, attention, and resources. Furthermore, we tend to take a consumeristic approach to the local church and judge it by it’s ability to entertain us or hold our attention. As soon as life in the local church gets hard, we tend to bail. As soon as we feel let down or disappointed, we leave. Such immature behavior only stunts our spiritual growth and prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God’s grace and love. The next time you think to yourself - “I don’t need to go to church” or “Maybe it’s time for me to find a new church” or “I’m done with church”  - take a moment and read through 1 Corinthians 13. It was not written for weddings! It was written for the local church. You cannot love Jesus without loving His bride, friends. And love is defined, not as a feeling, but a conscious decision to bear all things, believe all things, endure all things just as Christ did for us. 

Waiving our Rights

Readings for the day: 1 Corinthians 9-11

As Americans, we believe every human being is endowed with inalienable rights. Among these are a right to life. A right to liberty. A right to pursue happiness. These rights are embodied in our Constitution. They are explored in further detail in our Bill of Rights. Indeed, once could say our entire legal code is an attempt to flesh out how we define our “rights.” We have “bills of rights” for taxpayers, patients, students, etc. When we arrest people for crimes, the first thing we do is apprise them of their rights. We advocate in the global community for the enforcement of human rights and we often take action if we feel such rights are violated. Most of our hottest political debates center around what we perceive to be our “rights.” The right to life vs. the right to choose. The right to bear arms vs. the right to keep our children safe. The right to defend our borders vs. the human rights of immigrants/refugees seeking asylum from extreme poverty and violence in their home countries. Even on an individual level, we cling to our “rights” and react strongly if we feel they are being infringed upon or violated. 

The Apostle Paul could not be more different. Because he believes with all his heart in the saving grace of Christ, he willingly surrenders all his rights for the greater glory of the gospel. Paul has every “right” to assert his authority as an apostle. Every “right” to get married. Every “right” to work for a living. Indeed, he has every “right” to make his living off the gospel just like the Levitical priests. Paul has every “right” to eat or drink whatever he wants since God has set aside the kosher food laws of the Old Testament. He has every “right” to circumcise or no circumcise, depending on the situation. If Paul were to really assert his “rights”, he could claim privilege as a Jew among Jews, “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” (Phil. 3:4-6) But Paul is more than willing to relinquish any and all of his rights...why? Because “he counts everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.” (Philippians‬ ‭3:8‬) 

Part and parcel of becoming a Christian means waiving whatever rights we believe we are entitled to as human beings, American citizens, you name it. We have to be willing to lay these things down for the greater privilege of serving Christ. Christ demands total and complete allegiance. He will not allow our “rights” to get in the way of His glory and the advancement of His Kingdom. Not even those most fundamental rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Does this mean Christians can never be happy? Never be safe? Never be free? Of course not. What it means is that even these things that we hold so dear cannot get in the way of the gospel. As Paul writes, “we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:12‬) 

Ultimately, “rights” have to do with identity. Wherever we ground our identity, we will guard and protect those rights fiercely. Think about the culture wars that are currently raging and what that reveals about where so many find their identity and thus their “rights” as individuals. Gender. Sexuality. Race. Political affiliation. National citizenship. Economic status. Educational level. All of these things become part of our identity. Some we are born with. Some we achieve over the course of our lives. Christ calls us to lay all of them down. To willingly and joyfully surrender them for the even greater privilege of becoming His disciple! Once our identity is grounded in Him, we realize all the “rights” we’ve been clinging to are rubbish compared to the magnificence of His amazing grace. This, in turn, gives us unbelievable freedom. I love how Paul puts it, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:19-23‬)

Friends, what “rights” have you been holding onto? What privileges have you been clinging to? What parts of your identity still need to be surrendered to Jesus? Let go. Open your hands. Open your heart and experience anew the freedom that comes only from the gospel.  

Let’s Talk about Sex

Readings for the day: 1 Corinthians 5-8

Homer’s Iliad. The poetry of Sappho and Ovid. Pindar’s Odes. Plato’s Symposium. The Sacred Band of Thebes. Horace’s Odes. Without a doubt the Greek and Roman world was a highly eroticized one. Sexuality in all its forms was celebrated and embraced. Men were encouraged to build homoerotic relationships with young protégés. Homosexuality and lesbianism was known and commonly practiced. Temple prostitution was normalized as farmers slept with high priestesses to ensure the fertility of their crops for the coming year. Sexual promiscuity and adultery were not seen as taboo. Sexuality was a widespread theme permeating art, comedy, poetry, and philosophy. Sex was even used to bond men together in some of the great militaries of the period. 

By contrast, Jews and Christians practiced sexual restraint. They saw sex as a sacred act that bonded one man with one woman for a lifetime. Created to symbolize the “one flesh” God intended for man and woman to experience with each other, Jews and Christians maintained a healthy respect for its power. This is why they established strong taboos against any sexual activity outside the bonds of covenant marriage. They recognized that sex was not purely physical but bonded people emotionally and spiritually as well. To disregard the depth of the sexual experience or share it with more than one partner was to commit a sin against one’s own body which itself was a temple of the Holy Spirit. Sexual promiscuity was therefore intimately tied to ritual purity which is why transgressions took on a more serious tone. 

The Apostle Paul was steeped in the Judeo-Christian world of sexual restraint. The Corinthian Christians were coming out of the Greco-Roman culture of sexual promiscuity. You can easily see where these two worlds would clash. Paul confronts the Corinthian believers with some of his strongest language yet. Calling for the excommunication of a man who slept with his father’s wife. Commanding the Corinthians not to associate with the sexually immoral. Most certainly they should avail themselves of the temple prostitutes and local fertility cults! At the same time, husbands should not deprive their wives of sex nor should wives do the same to their husbands. Celibacy is not God’s design for marriage. I truly see this as Paul at his pastoral best. Applying the gospel to the complex social and cultural realities that existed in this particular part of the world. 

So what about us? Do these same principles hold true for us today? Absolutely. The Bible is univocal from Old to New Testaments about the sanctity of the sexual relationship. It is to be shared between one man and one woman within the covenant of marriage over the course of a lifetime. Certainly one could point to deviations from this pattern throughout the Scriptures like the polygamy of the patriarchs. But those exceptions only serve to prove the rule. As Christians, we are called to sexual purity. We are called to sexual holiness. We are called to honor the sexual act as one of God’s great gifts and thereby exercise it under His divine authority. We are witnessing one of the greatest moral shifts in history. Western culture is becoming increasing hyper-sexualized as it reverts back to pagan, Greco-Roman sexual norms. Sexual promiscuity has been on the rise since the so-called sexual revolution of the 1960’s. Serial divorce is rampant. Same-sex relationships are celebrated. The concept of “throuples” is quickly being embraced as definitions of marriage shift and change. The impact of all this rapid change is devastating. Sexually transmitted disease. Unwanted pregnancies. Broken relationships. The objectification of the human body. Pornography. Harassment. Abuse. Violence. Depression. Anxiety. Fear. These are a lot of the reasons the Greco-Roman world embraced the Judeo-Christian sexual ethic in the first place! They could clearly see the positive impact on families and communities who committed to practicing Biblical sexual restraint. Sadly, our world has no such examples as Christians themselves do not seem committed to practicing sexual purity.

As our world rapidly plunges into sexual chaos, it has become imperative for Christians to follow Paul’s words to the Thessalonians, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God...” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:3-5‬) Lust is defined biblically as those emotions/passions that drive one to behavior outside the will of God. In the area of sexuality this means any sexual activity outside the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. It is true that most human beings experience sexual desires that tempt them to act outside this bond. Heterosexuals, bi-sexuals, and homosexuals alike all suffer from the same disordered loves. These have been present within us since birth but they are a result of the Fall not the good and perfect creation of God. They contradict what God has clearly revealed in His Word and therefore the only appropriate response is self-denial not self-indulgence. Surely this is what Paul means when he writes, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans‬ ‭12:1-2‬)

“Real, Real Church”

Readings for the day: 1 Corinthians 1-4

I woke up this morning to a tweetstorm. A post was put out by someone I follow describing how thankful he is for the church he serves as pastor. In it, he declares,  “I pastor a church, not a Twitter following. A real real church in Missouri...for 37 years. We have all kinds of people—from newborn to 99, Trumpers and progressives, ICE officers and undocumented immigrants (for real). What we have in common is JESUS...and a culture of kindness.” The response was sadly predictable. Many of my progressive friends were quick to pounce. How could he allow Trump supporters in his church? How could he tolerate ICE officers? As the rhetoric heated up, he was accused of fostering an environment of abuse, racism, fascism, concentration camps, and supporting the American Gestapo. Many pledged to stop following him for His obviously white, privileged perspective. Conservatives weren’t any easier on him. How could he give sanctuary to illegal immigrants? Clearly he was more about social justice than the gospel! Was he for open borders? The destruction of the American way of life? Isn’t this what happens when the purity of the gospel is compromised for the sake of cultural accommodation? It was swift and brutal and it exposes a heretical reality at the heart of the American church. We simply do not believe Jesus is strong enough to hold the center. Though we claim to believe Jesus’ sacrifice was enough to tear down the dividing wall of hostility between us and God, we do not believe it is enough to tear down the walls that divide us from one another. 

Paul clearly believed Jesus was enough. “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:2‬) This is an extraordinary statement in light of what’s about to come. In this first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul will confront divisions and factions. He will confront sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, and idolatry. He will confront the abuse of spiritual gifts and the self-righteous pride of the Corinthians who lived with power and privilege and wealth. As Paul’s own rhetoric heats up - he pulls no punches throughout - it is easy to lose sight of Paul’s fundmental belief that despite all their problems. Despite all their foolishness and sin. Despite all their deep-seated divisions and factions. Paul believed with all his heart that they were sanctified in Jesus Christ. Called to be saints together in one body, one local church, as a witness to the world of the unconditional love and grace of Jesus. 

Is Jesus enough? Does His unconditional love exert enough centrifugal force on our lives to keep us together? Or does His grace fall flat in the face of the powerful cultural forces that swirl all around us? What does it mean to be part of the “real, real church?” Does it mean we only gather with people who look like us? Think like us? Spend money like us? Vote like us? Or does Jesus push us out of our homogeneous spaces? Is it possible to be part of a local community of believers who come from all walks of life? All kinds of backgrounds? Different ethnicities? Different social classes and tax brackets? Is it possible to honor one another in those differences by sitting down together? Listening to one another? Seeking to walk in one another’s shoes rather than be so eager to condemn? Give one another the benefit of the doubt before rushing to judgment? Grant one another the grace to grow rather than be so quick to cut them off? 

Clearly division is nothing new in the church. Jesus himself counted tax collectors and zealots among his closest friends. Paul was planting churches were Jew and Gentile, male and female, slave and free came together in Christ. Their social, economic, ethnic, and political differences could not be more stark. And yet they found a way to do life together. Found a way to process through all their mutual frustrations. Found a way to forgive and reconcile and walk together in humility. It was never easy. Never neat and tidy. It required daily death to self and yet it was these fledgling communities of faith that would eventually change the world. 

How could this happen? A relentless focus on Christ. Paul describes it in all kinds of ways...

• Christ is the power and wisdom of God
• Christ is our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption
• Christ is our sure foundation
• Christ is all things to us and for us

Paul also exposes the folly of the ways of this world... 

• The foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
• God chooses the foolish to shame the wise. 
• God chooses the weak to shame the strong. 
• God chooses what is lowly and despised in this world to shame the proud. 

Ultimately, then, God leaves us no other options but to trust Christ. To cling to Christ. To follow Christ. Without Him, the center of our life together cannot hold. Without Him, the foundation of our life together will crumble. Without Him, the forces that threaten to tear us apart will be too great to resist. Unless Christ holds us together, we will fall apart. Unless Christ holds the world together, it will plunge into chaos and ruin. Death and sin and evil will have their way. Christ truly is our only hope. 

The Social/Political Implications of the Gospel

Readings for the day: Acts 18:19-28, 19:1-41

Happy Thanksgiving! As many gather around tables for food and fellowship today, there are certain subjects bound to be off-limits. Politics. Religion. Many others. Probably for good reason! :-) No one wants to be “that” guy or gal who spoils the meal by creating division.  

I often hear the same sentiment expressed in church circles. Why can’t the preacher just stick to the gospel? Why does he or she have to bring politics into the equation? Or social justice? Or economics? As my southern friends used to say, “Stick to preachin’! Stay away from meddlin’!” The problem with this approach is clear when you read passages like the one for today. We’ve already seen how the early Christians were accused of “turning the world upside down” with their preaching of the gospel. It is impossible to separate the preaching of the gospel from the implications of the gospel. Preaching Jesus by definition challenges our notions of justice, power, social class, economics, etc. because He Himself challenged those same things through His preaching and ministry.  

Ephesus was one of the great cities of Asia Minor in the 1st century. A commercial trading center. A major port. In the early second century, the great library of Celsus was built here, housing over 12,000 scrolls and putting Ephesus on the map alongside Alexandria as a center of learning. It had amphitheater that held over 25,000 spectators. But perhaps the greatest draw was the famed Temple of Artemis. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Pilgrims came from all over to pay their respects to the great goddess. As a result, tradesmen and craftsmen made a lot of money supporting the cult by selling idols and little shrines for the people to carry home with them. Enter the Apostle Paul. He comes preaching a gospel of a God not made with human hands. A God who cannot be represented by idols here on earth. A God who is the maker of heaven and earth. A God greater than Artemis (the moon goddess) and many of her former adherents came to faith. Sales drop. Profits crumble. Money is lost. A riot ensues as the entire economic structure of the city is now in danger. 

Such accusations are nothing new to Paul. He’s already been accused of preaching a “king other than Caesar.” Already been accused of treason and sedition. Already been accused of upending entire social systems and ways of life. Already been accused of blasphemy by his fellow Jews. No wonder he’ll remark to his Corinthians friends, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” ‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:8-10‬) Paul understands to preach the gospel places one at odds with the social systems of this world. The economic systems of this world. The political systems of this world. The gospel is the good news of another Kingdom. A Kingdom that is in this world but not of this world. A Kingdom ruled from a heavenly throne not an earthly one. A Kingdom driven by eternal values not temporal ones. A Kingdom that is pure and noble and righteous. Unwilling to compromise with the sinful and broken ways of this world. So one cannot preach without meddlin’ in politics, social systems, economics, and justice. The gospel cannot be privatized. Jesus will not rest until He is Lord over every facet of human existence. Until every knee will bow in heaven. On earth. Under the earth. And every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 

With God’s Help

Readings for the day: 2 Thessalonians 1-3

 “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power...” (2 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:11‬)

A common misconception in the Christian life is that while God performs the act of salvation, the rest of life is up to us. We raise our hands and come forward as a response to the Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration in our hearts but then leave the sanctuary with this inner resolve to live by our own will-power. How many sermons have we heard over the years that could double as secular motivational talks? How many Bible studies turn into self-help sessions with a little Jesus thrown in? How many conferences and retreats have we attended where the main message was simply work harder? Do more? Be better for Jesus? I cannot tell you how many times I have picked up a book, downloaded a podcast, or attended a conference hoping to hear the gospel only to be told overtly or covertly that the quality of my life really depends on me. My self-discipline. My ability to resist temptation. The intentional way I live my life. 

The Bible is clear. We simply do not have the power to live the Christian life. We do not have the will or the discipline to make it happen. Left to our own devices, we will struggle. Left to our own resources, we will fall. Trusting in our own strength, we will fail. Living the Christian life is not a matter of learning some new techniques. It’s not a matter of turning over a new leaf. It is about transformation. Total-life transformation from the inside out and it is the work of God. 

In the verse above, Paul prays for three things for his Thessalonian friends. All of them come from God. Not a single one is rooted in the human heart. He prays God will make them worthy of His calling. Essentially, he is praying for God’s Spirit to so root and ground them in the righteousness of Christ that every facet of their lives - home, community, work, school, etc. - would reflect His glory. He prays their lives might become a living reflection of the reality God has already brought about through their salvation in Jesus Christ. In Christ we are the very righteousness of God. Those called by Christ are constantly being formed and re-formed into His image, thereby being made worthy of the initial call God placed on their lives when He first saved them.  

This involves human activity of course. A change in human behavior. But even that is not accomplished through our own willpower alone. The second thing Paul prays for is for God to fulfill their every resolve for good. Each and every day, we are faced with a fundamental choice. Will I live for God or will I live for me? Will I live selflessly or selfishly? Will I seek to honor God or will I gratify the desires of the sinful nature? This fundamental choice works itself out in lots of different situations in every facet of our lives. It pops up in every conversation. Every task assigned to us. Every chore we perform. Every interaction we have with another divine image-bearer who crosses our path. However it manifests itself, the fundamental choice is always the same. Will we do good or evil? And because we are predisposed through our sinful nature to do evil, we need God’s help to do good.  

The final thing Paul prays for is the power to perform every work of faith. Once God has called us and set us apart for Himself. And once He has reoriented our desires away from evil and towards the good. The final piece we need is the power to actually perform the action. We need the power to actually take the next step. To confirm our calling by acting on our resolve to walk by faith and not by sight. Only by tapping the limitless power of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit will we ever find the strength to live for Christ. And this is why we must spend so much time with Him. Learning to hear His voice. Seek His wisdom. Surrender to His strength. This is why prayer and meditation on Scripture is absolutely vital to the Christian life. It’s why weekly worship with a local body of believers is essential for every single Christian. It is through these ordinary “means of grace” that God makes us worthy of His calling. Fulfills our every resolve for good. And gives us the strength to perform every work of faith.  

Turning the World Upside Down

Readings for the day: 1 Thessalonians 1-5

 “For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:4-8‬)

I cannot imagine a greater compliment than to be told that my witness had “sounded forth” throughout the region I live and my faith in God had “gone forth everywhere” so that the need for evangelism ceased. And yet this is exactly what happened through the Christians at Thessalonica. Paul and Silas (Silvanus) traveled through their city on their way to Athens. They stopped and peached for three consecutive Saturdays on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many Jews and Greeks and several leading women came to faith as the Word came in power and authority and conviction. However, some disbelieved and they stirred up a mob to attack Paul and Silas. When they could not find them, they attacked Jason and a few others. Dragging them out of their homes into the streets. They brought them before the city authorities with the hope they would be charged with treason for proclaiming a king other than Caesar but Jason paid off the officials and they were released. They then helped Paul and Silas escape during the night. This is the affliction Paul is referencing in his letter to them. But despite the persecution, they held onto to their joy in the Holy Spirit and clearly remained steadfast in their faith to the point that their reputation had spread thus making a return trip from Paul unnecessary. 

I love how the crowd puts it in Acts 17:6, “These men have turned the world upside down...” Would that we would live such gospel-centered lives that we too might be accused of such a thing! Turning the world upside down is exactly what the gospel does. It completely reorders all we love. It redirects all our thoughts and desires. It reorients all our priorities. The things we used to hold dear no longer have much of a hold on us. The idols we cling to so tightly become empty and worthless. All our pride and achievement and cast down before the throne of Jesus. All our wealth and privilege and influence and power pales in comparison to the riches and authority Christ offers us in Himself. Our concern for our reputation and the esteem of others diminishes as our fear of God increases. This is what happens when we come to Christ. He fills us with His love. His affections. His joy. His peace. His righteousness. As these things begin to flow in and through our lives, we are transformed. We are renewed. We are set free. And because we have been set free, this world no longer has anything for us. No longer has any leverage over us. No longer can threaten to undo us. For we live for Christ and if we die, we gain! 

So what does this all mean for you today? How are you turning the world upside down at your work or school? In your home or neighborhood? As you gather around your table with friends and family for Thanksgiving, what will the conversation sound like? Will the people you spend time feel blessed for having been with you? Will they hear and experience the love of Jesus through you? Will you set the example for those who do not yet believe through your sacrifice and willingness to serve?  

Faith on Trial

Readings for the day: Acts 17-18:1-18

One of the more common misunderstandings in Acts is Paul’s appearance before the Areopagus in Athens. Because of Luke’s editorial comment, “Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” (Acts‬ ‭17:21‬); there is this assumption that Paul was appearing before a kind of debate society. Nothing could be farther from the truth. New Testament scholar, NT Wright, points out in his most recent biography of the Apostle Paul that the “Areopagus” was actually the Athenian Supreme Court. Paul was being charged as a “preacher of foreign divinities” which is actually the same charge that condemned Socrates. As such, Paul had a lot more at stake than winning an argument. His life was on the line. In a very real sense, the validity of the Christian faith was on the line as well. 

Paul’s defense of his faith is brilliant. Marks him as one of the pre-eminent intellectuals of the ancient world. He truly belongs in the same pantheon as Plato and Aristotle and Cicero. "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” (Acts‬ ‭17:22-23‬) Paul understands that God has revealed Himself in all kinds of ways. As pagan as the Athenians were, one thing that could be affirmed was their  desire for God. They built all kinds of shrines to all kinds of false gods and while this practice was idolatrous, Paul was able to see past the surface to the deeper reality of their spiritual hunger. He plays on this spiritual hunger by affirming their search and uses it as a springboard to present the gospel. He even goes on to quote their own poets back to them, demonstrating how widely read and engaged he was with Hellenistic culture. This is remarkable for a former Pharisee and deeply instructive for us. 

It is so easy in our world to fall into the trap of fundamentalism. Believing our way is the only way and any deviation represents a departure from truth. Fundamentalism infects both progressives and conservatives. It seems to touch ever debate these days whether the issue is race, sexuality, gender, abortion, etc. We cast these conversations in sharp binaries. We demand grace and nuance for our position but refuse to extend that same courtesy out to others. We spend so much of our time and energy dissecting every single tweet, FB post, or IG story in an effort to uncover deception. We assume the worst about the motivations of our opponents. We seem to feed off the negative energy. 

You might have heard the saying - oft attributed to Benjamin Franklin - that a “half-truth is a great lie.” You might even agree with such a statement. However, there is a flip side. A half-truth does contain half a truth. And in our rush to point out the “lie” we often miss the opportunity to affirm what may be true and noble and right. This is especially important when engaging seekers. Those engaged in an authentic search for God. They have legitimate questions. Important concerns that need to be heard. Doubts and fears that need to be expressed and taken seriously. Not dismissed. Not diminished. Paul affirms what he can about the Athenians. He affirms their religious hunger. Their spiritual thirst. Paul sees the half-truth reflected in their shrine to the “unknown god” and he makes Him known to them. Even though he is on trial for his life, Paul is so confident in Christ that he finds a way past self-defense and instead uses his time on the witness stand to share Jesus. 

Every day our faith is put on trial. By the people we meet, work, and interact with on a regular basis. They ask all kinds of questions. Make all kinds of assumptions. Issue all kinds of statements. As Christians, we can spend our time and energy deconstructing everything they have to say. Pointing out the intellectual and spiritual inconsistencies. We can focus on winning the argument or we can focus on winning the person’s heart. Asking good clarifying questions. Honoring what we can about their beliefs. Pointing out where their truth may unwittingly intersect with the Truth of the gospel. Because our confidence flows from Christ, we don’t have to take things personal. Don’t have to be defensive. Don’t have to feel threatened. We are at peace because we know Jesus has overcome the world and is making Himself known.