Category: Devotion

A Reflection on Psalm 8

The world is full of many wonderful things. From Mount Everest on the border of Nepal and Tibet to the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona, these sights are breath taking. A deeper approach to these geographical features would be to think about where we stand in relation to them. What are human beings compared to these creations?

This is approach that King David takes in the 8th Psalm. His hymn of praise starts with majesty of God and moves on the majesty of the created world. Verse 4 is the turning point as he asks, “What is man that You take thought of him?”

This question allows David to describe humanities place in creation with royal terms (crown him, rule over, under his feet). This reinforces the fact that we have a special place in the created universe as people made in God’s image. We aren’t byproducts of evolution, but caretakers serving the King of Kings.

A Reflection on Psalm 1

The first Psalm is a vivid call to live with Biblical insight according to the way of righteousness.

C. S. Lewis wrote a book titled Reflections on the Psalms. In it, he hoped that his words might interest and help other “inexpert readers” of the Bible’s most poetic book. This reflection on the first Psalm is offered with the same spirit.

The first Psalm is a vivid call to live with Biblical insight according to the way of righteousness. The way of righteousness is set in sharp contrast with the way of wicked. The righteous person finds his or her wisdom in the Scriptures and the fool finds his or her wisdom in other self-absorbed fools.

The picture of success could not be more attractive. The person who values God’s wisdom is described as a healthy tree with access to an endless supply of water. The tree is a joy to the landowner because it gives off a continual supply of fruit. The person who despises God’s wisdom is a tumble weed that rolls around in the wind, swept aside without a thought.

This description of the righteous way of life is a warning and an encouragement. It’s a warning to those who would discount the Psalms that follow it; and an encouragement to those who take them to heart.

A Biblical Pattern of Repentance

Repentance is deeper and more active than a feeling or an emotion Repentance is the pathway to God’s blessing.

Samuel had enough spiritual sense to know that God’s people would not experience God’s blessing without repentance. He knew that repentance is deeper and more active than a feeling or an emotion. The well-respected prophet outlined a pattern for biblical repentance in 1 Samuel 7:2-6. That pattern included three steps.

Step 1: Wake Up to What God’s Word Says.  Verse three is attributed to Samuel, but it’s really based on the promises of Deuteronomy 30:1-5. The blessings and curses section of the Covenant Law is capped off with the promise of restoration and deliverance if God’s people return to Him with their whole hearts. The first step of repentance starts when sinners become attentive again to the truth and authority of God and His Word. 

Step 2: Take Responsibility for Missing the Mark. This step included two sub-steps: stopping and starting. Instead of giving excuses for their actions, the Israelites stopped worshipping the false gods that they had added to their spiritual life. They removed the idols that crowd out their worship of the One, True, and Living God.

The second sub-step was starting – they started worshipping God alone. They served the Lord with a renewed sense of enthusiasm, unhindered by fake alternatives.

Step 3: Make a Confession of Your Sin: Samuel also gathered the people for a time of confession where they acknowledged their sin together. This final step included a ceremonial pouring out of water and a day of fasting. This was appropriate and needed since the Israelites had broken God’s trust together.

Common wisdom suggests that effective confession should involve those who have been affected by the sin. This always involves God and the individual offender. In some cases, larger groups like a family or even a church congregation should be involved if they are aware of and significantly impacted. 

The New Testament teaches us that repentance should be an ongoing experience for those who’ve placed their faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38, 1 John 1:8-9). Salvation doesn’t erase the believer’s lifelong struggle with sin, it just changes the ultimate outcome. 

Samuel’s pattern for repentance can serve God’s people well, even today. Attention, correction, and confession should be a regular part of a believer’s life, not items lost to an ancient era. These three steps are strides toward experiencing God’s blessing. 

Easter Matters

This Easter, I had the privilege of preaching about the resurrection from John 20. Since Sunday, I’ve been reflecting on the ongoing significance of Christ’s resurrection and glorification as I reread the passage. Here are two things that stand out to me.

1. We can trust Jesus because He did what He said He would do. The mysterious Messiah predicted his death and resurrection on more than one occasion. Speaking of laying down His life in John 10:18, he said, “I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.” In John 12:7, Jesus defended Mary’s extravagant anointing because it was “for the day of My (His) burial.” Jesus also hinted about His upcoming death in John 13:33 and 14:25.

Easter puts an exclamation point on Christ’s authority – He delivered on His promise. In turn, this puts a renewed emphasis on Christ’s other promises. He did what He said He would do and delivered on His promises. He promised eternal life to those who trust Him (John 4:14). He also promised that genuine eternal life would not be lost (John 10:28). One of His most comforting promises was the promise to return for His followers one day (John 14:2-3).

2. We have a mission as the baton of ministry has been passed from Jesus Christ to His followers. The resurrected Jesus couldn’t have been clearer when He visited His surprised followers. He was about to ascend to heaven, so He wouldn’t be on earth very long (v. 17). He was about to send out His followers in the same way the Heavenly Father had sent Him out (v. 21). There would be many others who would believe in Jesus Christ based on their words and witness rather than their own sight (v. 29, v. 30-31).

Easter is source of celebration, but it’s also commissioning service. It’s a reminder that we have a job to do. The torch of gospel ministry has been passed down through every generation since the first generation of believers, and we don’t want to drop it.

The significance of Easter extends well beyond one day a year. It’s a yearly reminder that Jesus can be trusted and we’ve been trusted with a very important task.

Better For a Reason

The Lord of the Rings epic revolves around the adventures of two Hobbits: Frodo Baggins and his friend and companion, Samwise Gamgee. In the books and the movies, Frodo is courageous and selfless, determined. Samwise, or Sam, is just the opposite; he is a peaceful homebody. Sam’s friendship with the braver Hobbit puts a spotlight on Frodo’s superior character and accomplishments.

The Gospel of John opens up with a dynamic duo of its own: Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. Jesus is the Light of the world and John is the one shining the spotlight. The ministry of these two men seems like they were intertwined throughout the whole Gospel until John the Baptist drops out all of the sudden in chapter 3. In the closing passage of that chapter, we have a contrast between the two that puts a spotlight on Christ’s superior character and accomplishments.

1. Jesus Has a Better Baptism. John the Baptist was known for his ministry of….baptism. Jews from all over came to John to be baptized in the Jordan River as a symbol of their repentance before God. John even had the privilege of baptizing Jesus.

In John 3:26, John the Baptist began to field questions about why Jesus and his associates were baptizing more people. John the Baptist pointed out that Jesus’ baptism symbolized something different – faith in God’s plan for salvation, marked by the Holy Spirit. Jesus has a better baptism because it’s a symbol of eternal life.

2. Jesus Has a Better Place at the Party. John the Baptist used a familiar parable to explain Christ’s superiority. Jesus was the bridegroom and John was only a member of the bridal party – a friend of the groom. John was grateful to be a part of God’s unfolding plan for the world, but Jesus and his growing group of followers, soon to be called the church, are the ones at the center of that plan. If Jesus was getting more attention, John explained to his followers, it was because He deserved more attention.

3. Jesus Has a Better Origin Story. John and Jesus both had surprising birth stories. John was born to an older couple who were well past their childbearing years. Jesus was born to a younger couple who were not even married yet. But Jesus had an origin story that began before His birth. In fact, John 1:1 says that Jesus was present “in the beginning” which means that He never had an “origin,” because He was never created – He was God! His heavenly home gave him greater status than John the Baptist, without question.

John the Baptist gladly stepped back so that Jesus Christ could shine. He used his energy and influence to point as many people as he could to someone who was far superior. In doing so, John highlighted some of Jesus’ best qualities.

God-Centered Worship versus Self-Centered Worship

How do they differ?

This past Sunday at Northside Baptist, we studied the cleansing of the temple story in John 2:13-25. We took note of several ways that Jesus challenges believers today, including challenging our self-centered forms of worship. The Jews in Jesus’ day allowed merchants and money changers to distract from true God-centered worship. Even though elements and styles of worship change through the years, there are some priorities of gathered worship that stay the same. These priorities help us differentiate between God-centered worship and self-centered worship.

Preaching God’s Word. The Bible is God’s holy, inspired, inerrant, and authoritative message to humanity. It tells us what we need to know about the world, ourselves, and most importantly God. The Scriptures inform and empower our worship; without them we have no basis for truth.

The Bible may be used in a variety of ways in worship, but the primary way it guides our worship is through expository preaching. Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix define expository preaching as “the process of laying open the biblical text in such a way that the Holy Spirit’s intended meaning and accompanying power are brought to bear on the lives of contemporary listeners.” This kind of proclaimation and explanation are essential for God-centered worship.

Praising Christ and Exalting His Name. In Hebrews 1:1-2, we find that Jesus Christ is God’s full and final revelation to the world. He is the “heir of all things” and should be the focus of our adoration and praise. The expressions of worship that we include in our times of gathered worship should all be intended for one purpose – to praise God’s one and only Son.

Music is a big part of modern worship and for good reason. Corporate singing allows congregants to participate in the service in an active way. But care should be taken to choose songs that highlight the objective nature of God and His redemptive plan for humanity in Jesus Christ. Some songs only talk about our subjective feelings as objects of God’s love. This second category falls short of the true nature of worship.

Engaging with the Holy Spirit. The Third-person of the Trinity is active in the worship of the church. In addition to salvation, the Holy Spirit is involved in empowering, illuminating, sanctifying, and bestowing gifts on all believers (Acts 1:8, John 14:16-17, Romans 8:2-17,1 Corinthians 12:4-11). The Holy Spirit makes His presence known as believers gather for worship.

There are other priorities that could be added to this. Specific expressions of worship like fellowship with other believers, observing the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and sacrificial giving are all valuable and worth noting. My goal has been to highlight the participation of all three members of the Trinity in God-centered worship. It is only when we pursue these priorities together that we avoid the self-centered alternative.

What priority would you add to the list? Feel free to add it below!

Could Jesus Have Sinned?

Matthew 4:1-11 records the temptation of Jesus Christ. After fasting for forty days in the wilderness, the Devil came to Jesus to tempt Him. Every time the Devil offered Jesus a shortcut to the Heavenly Father’s plan, Jesus quoted Scripture and refused the offer.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was “tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15, NASB). In this context the term “tempted” means “to be tried, tested, and put to the test.” Like us, Jesus was tempted to sin, but how genuine was that temptation?

Generations of Bible teachers, seminary students, and theologians have debated the question, “Could Jesus have sinned?” We know He didn’t sin, but was sin even a possibility? Those who argue for the “peccability” Christ usually point out His humanity, His temptability (which implies sin), and His free will. Those who advocate the “impeccability” of Christ emphasize His deity, His divine attributes, and the Heavenly Father’s unchangeable plan for salvation.

A key part of this debate is identifying the nature of Christ’s humanity. Is Jesus human is like Adam was human before the fall, after the fall, or glorified in eternity. If Christ’s nature is human like Adam was before the fall then it was possible for Him to sin. If Jesus is like humanity glorified in the heavenly state, then He could not sin.

There is no clear cut answer to this perplexing question based on evidence that we have in God’s Word. If forced to choose, I would lean towards Christ’s deity and say, “No, He could not have sinned, even if He wanted to.” While this answer may be unsatisfactory to those who lean the other way, it underscores the bottom line – that Christ didn’t sin so that He could be our Savior.

At some point, this question should drive us to confront sin in our own lives. We have already given in to temptation, so what’s next? The next verse in Hebrews 4 urges us “…draw near to with confidence to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need” (Hebrews 4;16, NSAB). Jesus overcame sin and temptation so that He could help those who could not overcome on their own.

Is My Anger From God or Somewhere Else?

christian-buehner-Fmn-feyisWI-unsplashTraumatic events, like the current Coronavirus quarantine, seem to bring out the best and the worst in people. Responses range from patient and supportive to annoyed and angry. Emergencies, disappointments, and delays of all kinds have a way of eliciting a strong response inside of us.

In Scripture, anger is usually lumped in with emotions and attitudes that are to be avoided (Galatians 5:20, Colossians 3:8). But is anger always sinful?

Like most of the characters in the Old Testament, King Saul had his share of flaws. Early on in his reign, however, he showed a lot of promise. In 1 Samuel 11, some of Israel’s enemies attack the town of Jabesh-Gilead and took the resident hostage. When Saul heard about it, the Spirit of God came upon him and he became “very angry.” Saul used his anger to call an army together and to rescue the residents of Jabesh from their attackers.

How do you know if your anger is from God, or somewhere else? The answer comes from assessing your emotions.

1. Is your anger something you want to hold on to?

Ephesians 4:26-27 puts a time limit on anger. It says, “Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil and opportunity.” Smoldering angry quickly becomes bitterness, hatefulness, and even violence. Leftover anger from days, months, or decades ago is a sign that your anger is not from God.

2. Did you get angry often?

Would people describe you as someone with “a short fuse?” If you get angry quickly, chances are you get angry a lot. James 1:20 encourages readers to “be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” If you dismiss the feedback of others and jump to angry conclusions on a regular basis, your anger is coming from within, not God.

3. Are you angry because you didn’t get something you want?

Children aren’t the only ones who get angry when they don’t get what they want. James 4:2 says, “You lust and do not have so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain so you fight and quarrel.” Unrighteous anger comes from the unmet wishes and desires of our hearts. That desire doesn’t have to be for something material; it can be for recognition or recreation. If you are angry because you feel deprived of something you deserve, your anger probably isn’t from God.

Godly anger is usually referred to as righteous indignation. It’s the feeling we get when we see someone who is abused or mistreated. It springs for our desire for justice and fairness.

As you navigate the days ahead, be mindful of your feelings. Be aware of where your anger is coming from. Is God moving you to help someone in need, or are you obsessed with your desires?

By the way, the photo at the top of this post isn’t me with a shorter haircut. It’s a great stock photo by christian buehner that I found on Unsplash.

The Baby is a King

1-1260127732fbCMNativity scenes are a common sight at Christmas time. People set them up in their homes and public places to remind us all of the true meaning of Christmas. Regardless of the size, nativity scenes always include the same characters: Mary, Joseph, the Wisemen, and some shepherds (not a mention a few animals). The focal point of the nativity scene is always baby Jesus lying in a manager.

If you are not careful, you will get the wrong idea about Jesus. Yes, Jesus was born in the most humble of circumstances. Yes, Jesus was born a real-life, flesh and blood baby boy. Yes, Jesus was born into a Jewish family, but he was also born a king.

Matthew goes into exhaustive detail in his Gospel to emphasize this part of Christ’s character. Jesus was an heir to the royal throne and the promises of God through his connection to Joseph (Matthew 1:1-17). Jesus brought the presence and saving the power of God to earth through his supernatural conception (Matthew 1:18-25). Jesus received immediate attention and respect as the true king of God’s chosen people (Matthew 2:1-12). Jesus experienced unspeakable heartache and endured exile in order to fulfill his mission.

When you see a nativity scene this Christmas don’t forget that baby wrapped in swaddling clothes also wears a crown. He was born in humility but destined for glory. Jesus was and still is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

You Are What You Pray

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We are familiar with the phrase, “you are what you eat,” but did you know you are what you pray? Our prayers connect us with God, but they also reveal our priorities. The things we prioritize, we pursue, and the things we purse we become. If you thank God for your food, you become grateful. If you pray for the safety of your friends and family, you become caring. If you pray for unbelievers to come to Christ, you become evangelistic.

Jesus focused on his mission and his followers throughout his earthly ministry. It shouldn’t surprise us that when he prayed just before his arrest and crucifixion, he prayed a selfless, mission-focused prayer. The prayer recorded in John 17:1-26 has been labeled many ways but it was Jesus’ last words before he was taken away and killed. In it, Jesus prayed for three distinct things.

1. JESUS PRAYED FOR HIS MISSION TO BE COMPLETE (v. 1-5).

Jesus came to earth with a mission to live a perfect life and die a perfect death so that he could save the world and share his life with his followers. If Jesus didn’t finish his mission his disciples wouldn’t have a mission of their own or a message to share. Jesus knew how important his mission was.

Notice three principles from this section of Jesus’ prayer that helped Him finish. First, Jesus was God-centered (v. 1). Prayer is more than a task, it is a relationship. Second, Jesus has an eternal focus. Eternity begins at conversion, progresses with Christian growth and discipleship, and continues on into heaven. Third, Jesus was totally surrendered. Jesus gave us his own will so that He could accomplish the will of the Heavenly Father.

2. JESUS PRAYED FOR THE CHARACTER OF HIS FOLLOWERS (v. 6-17).

Jesus prayed for three things in regards to the character of his followers. First, he prayed that they would be kept in God’s name (v. 1). Someone’s name usually represents their character in the bible. Jesus prayed that his followers would be kept close and their character would mirror his own.

Second, Jesus also prayed that his followers would be kept from the evil one (v. 15). Jesus acknowledged that Satan’s destructive influence in the world. Jesus prayed that his followers would be protected from that influence. Satan may be a bully, but he should not be feared.

Third, Jesus prayed that his followers be set apart in the truth of God (v. 17). God’s Word should have a prominent place in the lives of Christ’s followers. There are five practices today that allow God’s Word to permeate your life: hearing the bible, reading the bible, studying the bible, memorizing the bible, and meditating on the bible.

3. JESUS PRAYED FOR THE MISSION OF HIS FOLLOWERS (v. 6-26).

Unfortunately, there are many people today who do not finish their God-given mission. The average church loses 3% of its membership each year. Thousands of pastors leave the ministry each year before retirement.

Jesus prayed that his follower would all be one (v. 11). Solidarity is just as important for individual local churches as it is for the Church as a whole. Unity is more than just doing stuff together, its “being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Philippians 2:2).

Jesus also prayed that his follower would be with him where he was (v. 24). He has just announced that he would be leaving his disciples behind while he went to prepare a place for them in heaven (John 14). Even though he would be leaving, he wanted his followers to be with him eventually so they would see his glory.

Jesus prayed for himself and his followers because you are what you pray. His prayer flowed from his priorities and passions. What do your prayers say about your priorities and passions? Are you working to complete your God-given mission? Are you developing a Christ-like character? Are you contributing to the oneness of your church?

Like in many other area of life, you and I have good intentions. But if you genuinely want to make good on of those good intentions, start with prayer.