Friday, December 31, 2010

Astonishing Authority

And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Matthew 7:28-29, NKJV).

The last verse of the Sermon on the Mount ends, appropriately, with the people's reaction. Christ's listeners were astonished at His teaching. Why? The answer is given in the next phrase, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Jesus was unequivocal in His statements. He straddled no fences, and presented no gray areas. He did not augment His instructions with precedent citations, or bolster His arguments with the wisdom, writings or opinions of others. He presented Himself as the single authoritative source. Such a stance was astonishing to His audience precisely because He was speaking as if He were the author of these cosmic and eternal truths. There were only two conclusions possible. He was either a blaspheming heretic, wickedly saying things like, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies…" (Matthew 5:43, 44, NKJV). Or He was God. C.S. Lewis summarizes it best:

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. – Mere Christianity, pages 40-41. 

And that is another reason for their astonishment. Christ was forcing them, and us, to make a choice. He was not trying to sell them something, or lure them into anything against their will. In fact, He was doing the diametric opposite: He was challenging them to willfully accept His authority. It was a bold and unprecedented move. The people were used to the scribes' manner of teaching, putting forth this or that interpretation of some law, and then presenting those who agreed, disagreed, or supplemented that view, much like our modern judicial decisions. The scribe presenting himself as the final arbiter of meaning was very bad form. Jesus would have none of that prevarication. He was the final and only arbiter of meaning, and He made no bones about it.

I can imagine that throughout the entire discourse, some reacted with dismay, or disagreement, or indignation at His words. Others may have listened with joy at what He was revealing in clear and unmistakable terms. They may have understood that a veil of misunderstanding was being lifted and were amazed that they were granted the privilege of seeing first light. Yet overall, the crowd was astonished. Open-mouthed in wonder and shock. They were, literally, struck, as if by a physical blow.

Jesus drawing attention to Himself this way was immeasurable mercy on His part. Think about it. The Law had been given clearly by Moses and the Prophets. God's expectations and standards had been painstakingly revealed to the world through the Jews, who were chosen to receive "the oracles of God". He had demonstrated unmistakably in history who He was, and what He required. With perfect justice, He could have then condemned the world in its stubborn enmity, and obliterated it. That Jesus came and further revealed these things, not only by words, but by example, was immeasurably gracious, an indescribable act of unmerited favor. That He remained to pay the price of our sin by dying on the Cross is that and much more; beyond human comprehension.

Yes, when we consider who He was and what He condescended to do on our behalf, we too should be astonished, struck speechless in gratitude and love. We have nothing to give Him in return but ourselves, and the only value in that is what He has imputed to us by His love and grace.

I encourage you, study these chapters in Matthew. Meditate upon them. Hide them in your heart and mind. God's Word does not return to Him void. If done with honesty, diligence, and sincere desire, it can not help but change your life, just as Jesus intended.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Oncoming Storms

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:24-27, NKJV).

James, the Lord's half-brother wrote in his New Testament epistle, "…be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:22, NKJV). He was obviously echoing Christ's teaching here, as we near the completion of this incredible Mountain Discourse on how to live as a Christian in this world; in enemy territory.

For that is where we are, behind enemy lines, ambassadors and soldiers of the Kingdom of Heaven, gradually shedding the fetid skin of our old natures, and putting on Christ instead.

There are many points that can be highlighted in the above passage. Among them: the crucial difference between hearing and obeying; the fact that there are fundamentally two choices available to every human being; and lastly, the inevitably of storms in this life.

The entire Sermon on the Mount is a brilliant outline of the best way to live, detailing the best attitudes and best actions for those who know and believe the truth of God's Word. It follows the polemic pattern of premise, then result. Live life God's way and be blessed. Live life your own way and suffer the consequences of failure and pain and eternal death. Jesus presents these truths with all the moral power of being true to His own word. His ministry on the earth was entirely based on His own example; the epitome of "do as I say AND do", so unlike those who profess moral or intellectual authority today.

Knowing what Jesus teaches without doing what He teaches is worse in consequence than complete ignorance of the Christian faith. To be given the truth, and then to discount it as worthless, which is what conscious disobedience amounts to, is worthy of increased condemnation. Likewise, so is twisting the truth to fit your own convenience or preferred manner of life. For “…that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. “But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:47, 48, NKJV). 
In that sense, it is dangerous to claim to know and believe the Bible, and yet follow the dictates of your own will. Knowing truth, without living the truth is a guarantee of disaster in this life and in the life to come. Jesus' instruction in Matthew 5-7 is binding, shockingly so. While we can never expect to be in perfect compliance this side of Heaven, nevertheless our desire should be to follow the Lord with all our heart, mind, strength and will. To put aside what is right in our own eyes, and like that good and faithful servant, to devote our energies to obeying the Master.

To be sure, this is not a popular viewpoint in the world. It is not even very popular in some churches. But what possible difference does it make what man thinks in the face of the Almighty God. I know people who consider it justifiable to argue with Divine Will. In reality, it makes more sense to stand on the shore shaking your fist vainly at an impending Tidal Wave.

Christ likens an obedient hearer of His teaching to a wise man who built his house on the rock. This is a human who humbly acknowledges his dependence on, and inferiority to, the God of the Universe, who makes the foundation of his life the truth of God, who bases all his decisions, actions and choices in accordance with the revealed will of God. The results is not that no life-storms occur, but that when they inevitably come, there is no lasting destruction. His house, his existence, does not collapse. In contrast is the disobedient fool, who hears, and may even pretentiously spout the words, but does not do them. When the inevitable storms hit, however long they may delay, ultimately, the devastation is total, irredeemable and permanent (And great was its fall…).

I can think of nothing more tragic than the negative outcome envisioned here. We in the West are so very blessed to have free access to the things of God. It is our privilege and responsibility to make the most of these opportunities, and if we fail to do so, we are that much more accountable.

In many modern minds, subservience to anything other than the Politically Correct view of the world is an abomination. Uncompromising adherence to truth is looked upon as retrogressive, primitive, unsophisticated, and intolerably bigoted. Of course, that is what the unbelieving world must conclude. Otherwise, they are left with the terrifying possibility that there is more to life AND death than they are willing to consider, or able to accommodate.

To equate the teachings of Christ with anything even remotely negative is a loud, belligerent declaration of stubborn ignorance. To know them and to ignore them is terminal.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5, NKJV). 

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Delusions of Righteousness

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23, NKJV).

This is a blanket condemnation by the Lord to all those who have done things ostensibly in His name, but not according to His will. I can think of many examples throughout history, and in the present, from the Crusades, to the Inquisition, to the bombing of abortion clinics. These were actions done under His banner, but were as far from His expressed will as it is possible to be. As such, each is a reproach to His name, and serves to undermine His witness in the world.

These acts of rebellion are not merely misinterpretations of His revealed purposes, but conscious, willful and inexcusable lawlessness. The guilty are banished from His Presence forever. 

Revealed here is a huge difference between professing Christ as Lord, and submitting to Him as Lord. It is easy to call Jesus, "Lord, Lord",  but unless the declaration is accompanied by actual submission, it serves to increase condemnation. Better to be openly rebellious than hypocritically subservient. There will be a multitude of transgressors on Judgment Day who will claim that their deeds were righteous, but were, in reality, the very opposite. Some expositors indicate that there is surprise on the part of the plaintiffs as they attempt to defend themselves, but I disagree. It is more likely, in my view, that their attempted self-justification is pridefully habitual; arrogantly insisting that the Lord agree with their own performance self-appraisal.

What is surprising is the nature of their sinful works. As the last days approach, I suspect these rebels will manifest overtly supernatural activities, like channelers and occultists today, who claim miraculous healing or communications with the dead, or who speak forth so-called profound truths. As the end of this age draws nearer, these will intensify  "…according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10, NKJV).
Yet to a less theatrical degree, these acts of hypocritical rebellion, of delusional righteousness, occur on a daily basis here and now. There are professing Christians who vociferously name the name of Christ, yet live exactly as those who do not know Him. They proclaim relationship with Him, but ultimately Christ will say to them, if they remain unrepentant, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’  These are those who harbor sin in their hearts, who are "…undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful…" (Romans 1:32, NKJV).
It is easy for some to think that they are exempt from the various lists of evil in Scripture. Some undoubtedly believe that because they are innocent of really egregious and conspicuous wrong-doing, like murder or theft or adultery, that they are therefore immune to these statements by Jesus. But there is a real and present danger in being confident in that regard, because it says that they have ignored all the rest of what the Lord outlines in these very chapters. It is intent as much as action that constitutes evil. Looking with lust equates to adultery, being angry without cause equates to murder, unforgiveness equates to rebellion. It is impossible, after studying this Mountain Discourse, to hide behind being innocent of merely the outward act.

I am always uncomfortable around someone who is convinced that they are righteous, for two reasons. The first, is that they are almost always judgmental of me in some way, whether they voice the criticism or not. And secondly, because it is proof of their own immeasurable pride. This in turn renders them unteachable and unrepentant and without mercy. Merciless people are scary. 

Anyone who attempts even a cursory study of the Bible, must believe that any declaration of self-righteousness is delusional. How can someone who truly believes what the Bible says about their own sinfulness be unforgiving of others? How can someone who believes what the Bible says about each and every human being's helplessness in the face of sin be unmerciful? How can someone who believes what the Bible says about God's absolute holiness and righteousness and justice place themselves in His judgment seat to judge someone else's heart? The answer to these questions is that someone who believes what the Bible teaches can have no confidence in their own moral standing, their own flesh, as Scripture terms it. In fact, a true believer has the opposite conviction; that he or she is inherently unrighteous.

No amount of professions of faith, prophesying the Word, exorcisms, or even supernatural wonders can take the place of simple faith in, and submission to, the Lord Jesus. And that faith and submission looks like something, a precious amalgam of humility, sweet reasonableness, lovingkindness, mercy, generosity, agape love, faithfulness and forgiveness.

On that last day, when the books are opened, and the living and dead are judged according to their works, only those who are in Christ will gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who have humbly surrendered all delusions of self-righteous, and gratefully accept "…that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;" (Philippians 3:9, NKJV). 
Anyone and everyone else will be commanded by the Lord to '…depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
If you are paying attention, and are relying on anything about yourself, or are convinced of your own inherent right-standing before God because of anything that you have accomplished or do ritually, or because of the things you are innocent of doing, then this should send a bone-deep shock of fear into your heart.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Ravenous Wolves

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:15-20, NKJV).

There are those enemies of Christ in the world, male and female, who disguise themselves as Christians, but whose sole purpose is to rend and devour. These ravenous wolves, as Jesus refers to them, are insatiable in their desire to cause destruction and division. They feed on the ensuing chaos, leaving dismembered spiritual corpses in their wake, like an insane, glutted predator who kills, not to survive, but for the sheer joy of satisfying some kind of metaphysical bloodlust.

Their strategy is to infiltrate the church as harmless spiritual authorities, prophets, speaking forth the Word of God deceptively, for profit or power, in order to fill their coffers at the expense of the very people about whom they purport to care. Sometimes the goods they seek are material. At other times their desire is to engorge their pride-obsessed and swollen self-image. Often, a church splits and dies in the wake of their attacks.

Jesus' warning here is to be vigilant. The infiltrators are out there seeking to make an incursion. They can be identified by carefully observing the fruit of their activities. Is it prickly and hurtful, or sweet and nourishing? Does it build up or tear down? Does it bring unity or disunity? While we are in no position to judge another's heart, we can judge the outcome of his or her words and actions. 

Christ further teaches that there is a certain twisted consistency to the fruit born of these "inwardly… ravenous wolves". Their true nature eventually emerges as thorns or thistles, despite how deceptively pleasant the initial flowering buds appear. And that's key information. It means it may take time to ascertain the full impact of these false prophets. What at first may appear beneficial and positive, when fully grown, is rotten and toxic. The opposite can also true. Judgment in this context must be measured, deliberate, and not impulsive.

As an illustration of the latter point, I know of a famous pastor determined to teach the Word of God verse by verse, book-by-book, in expositional rather than topical fashion, who, when he first took over a thriving church more than a generation ago, immediately lost over half the membership. A cursory, premature assessment of these results would have labeled the man's efforts as negative, perhaps libeling him as a false prophet. It would have been a vastly inaccurate judgment, for now that man has become the founder of a massive nondenominational movement that has engendered 1000's of churches worldwide dedicated to the same distinctive focus of teaching the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Tens of thousands of souls have been saved because of his faithful efforts. Third and fourth generation pastors have arisen, faithful, well-grounded men, taught by men who were taught men who were taught by this one servant of God; the epitome of lasting, plentiful, good fruit.

More thoughts on fruit-bearing can be found here. And no discussion in this arena can be complete without reference to Jesus' foundational teaching in John 15.

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:1-8, NKJV).

Monday, December 27, 2010

Gateways

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14, NKJV).

It is easy to follow the crowd, far easier than not following. Sometimes you can get caught up in the press of traffic and get carried along without any real volition; it just seems to happen. The more voluminous the crush of people, the harder it is to resist. It takes an act of will to do otherwise. It takes a desire to determine for yourself where you want to end up. It takes at least one look ahead with eyes and heart open.

Jesus speaks here of two gateways, One gaping wide, obvious, and easy to reach. The other narrow, inconspicuous, and difficult to find. The wide, crowded pathway leads to destruction. The other, sparsely used, leads to life. 

What this says about the ultimate destination of most human beings is quite stark and disturbing. The crowd is headed for destruction. Only a disproportionate few enter into eternal life.

Conformity to popular wisdom, or the majority opinion, is a deadly pursuit. While it may make life easier on this side of eternity, the price is far too costly.  What seems right to a man, without reference to the truth of God, is a guarantee of everlasting separation from light and life.

It has been this way since the Fall. And while the Lord has taken every measure to show the right way, even to the extreme of sending His only begotten Son to live that perfect revelatory life, and suffer that singular,  substitutionary atoning death on behalf of sinners, most human beings will not be shown or saved. They will insist on living life according to the dictates of their own sinful natures, rather than submit to God's merciful will.

The way into life is difficult to find and follow because it involves taking our eyes off ourselves and the world, and focusing on Christ. It takes putting away pride and self-reliance, and taking up submission to the Savior. It takes living a life of faith, rather than sight.

Some who travel the broad way think that Christianity is too narrow and intolerant of other views, too filled with toxic guilt and shame, and too much "pie in the sky by and by" for it to make sense, or be appealing, or intellectually satisfying. They squeeze it through their own preconceptions and ignorance, without taking the time or effort to become fully informed. They make an ill-formed summary judgment without all the facts, and in doing so, join the masses who live life on this earth refusing to honestly consider the truth that God has so lovingly and carefully revealed in His Word.

All who enter into Hell will do so willingly. None will be able to say that they sought the truth but did not find it, for God promises repeatedly that if you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him. The way into life is hidden and narrow, not because God is some cosmic trickster who obscures the correct path, but because, in comparison to the vast foolishness willfully devised by men, truth itself is overshadowed. Those who practice evil hate the light and do not come to the light precisely because it will reveal their evil deeds. It is only by approaching the Light of Christ that truth and life is revealed.

From Creation onward, God has offered choice to man. Obey and live, or rebel and die. Enter eternity through the popular pathways, or through that one Way that leads to life. It is not for nothing that Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6, NKJV).
Christ is that narrow gate and difficult way. He trod it before us as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. He gave Himself in payment for our sin so that entrance into Heaven is assured, IF you "…confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead…" (Romans 10:8, 9, NKJV). There are no bypasses, detours, or alternate routes. It is through Him, and Him alone, that we can enter into life.

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15, NKJV).

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Turning the World Upside Down

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12, NKJV).

Long before that day 2000 years ago that Jesus spoke to the multitudes in the mountains of Judea, there was on the earth the concept of ethical reciprocity. Christ took that and stood it on its head.

For most of human history, from the Garden to the Incarnation, society argued that it made sense NOT doing to others what you would not want them doing to you. This, of course, left open the option of retaliation in kind, or worse, when the deed done to you was not of your liking. The ancient "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" stipulation imposed the constraint of not investing in any overreaction, but that was for Israel, not for the surrounding Gentile Nations.

Jesus' brilliant formulation, applicable to the entire world, accomplished more than anything prior to it. It was proactive and positive. There were no loopholes or loose ends; all contingencies were taken into account. The command was DO, instead of refrain from doing. And the initial premise was fueled by the open-ended context of "whatever you want men to do to you."
Do you want to be treated kindly? Treat others kindly. Do you want to be forgiven, then be forgiving. Do you want the benefit of a doubt in being judged, then judge others the same way. Do you want grace, then be gracious. Do you want truth in relationship and business, then be truthful yourself. This was stunning and comprehensive. It was proaction, not reaction. It cut evil off before the cycle could begin, and it is EXACTLY how the Lord treats us.

Note too, He prefaces the statement with "Therefore".  It is the logical follow-up to what has gone before, from the start of Chapter 5 through this moment in His teaching. Because of all that He has already taught about what constitutes true righteousness, about our hypocrisy and about God's indescribable goodness, He says, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them…".
And to those inclined to follow a nice, neat checklist of acceptable behaviors, rituals, and ceremonial activities in their own strength, Christ strips them of all comfort. From the 1st century Jews of His time adhering pridefully to the outward provisions of the Law and the Prophets in the Old Testament, to present day legalists who follow some man-made church tradition, He is saying simply that every act of goodness is summed up in this one statement. Anything and everything else is hypocrisy.

This is why the infant church born after His resurrection was accused of turning the world upside down. This is why Christianity has changed the course of all human history. Our King established the foundation of His Kingdom on, not the outward, but the thoughts and intents of the heart; standard of conduct impossible to meet without His indwelling Spirit.

If this doesn't make you uncomfortable, then perhaps I have not been sufficiently clear. Unless you become completely dependent on His righteousness and accept His free gift of salvation, you will NOT enter into the KIngdom. From a practical sense, it means you stop being mostly you, and become mostly Him in you.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

If You Then, Being Evil

“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? “Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:09-11, NKJV).

It is impossible to read the Sermon on the Mount and get puffed up. The Lord accurately accuses us of worldliness, multiplied hypocrisy, faithlessness, and sin. And the pinnacle of His view is right here.

Even a vile sinner can love and be civil, and provide for those close to him or her. They do so for people within the family, or those who can offer something in return, or who can add to their own privilege, prestige or power. This is to say that almost none of us are as bad as we could be, and some of us may even be a little good on our own without God. Certainly both atheists and legalists believe that humans can attain a kind of natural goodness. But it is all rubbish in the piercing, holy gaze of the righteous Lord, who made us, and knows what is within us, and who judges us - who MUST judge us - by His own perfect standard, else He would not be God.

Our most vaunted goodness is evil in comparison, and that is Jesus' precise point with this verse. We tend to think we are something just because we do a kind of thin gruel-like version of what is right, and are often offended to the core at the implied or explicit criticism that we could somehow do better, or aren't doing enough. Our pitiful self-righteousness is pathetic and colored with all kinds of self-justification and moral fluff that vanishes in the winds of expediency or temptation. We are incapable of pure and simple good, even if our life depended on it.

And it does. Remember? Jesus said earlier in this discourse, "Therefore be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect." Here's an equation far more meaningful than anything science can offer: Imperfection equals death. Unless of course, you accept Jesus' perfection as a free gift on your behalf. Then, while He takes upon Himself your evil, He imputes to you His righteousness. That is the transaction of the gospel of God. That is the eternal benefit reaped by humble faith. That is the ultimate good thing that your Father who is in heaven [will] give…to those who ask Him.
But you need to ask, and to do that you need to relinquish any delusion of self-righteousness and any stubborn remnant of unbelief, and go to Him with a contrite spirit and a heart broken by your own sin. You need to put aside any illusion of worthiness on your part, and acknowledge His incomparable worth.

That is why He was born as a Man, so that He could die.

For you. For everyone who believes.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Keeping On

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:07-08, NKJV).

Ask, seek, knock. Literally, keep on asking, seeking, knocking; continuous actions.

The Lord is not bothered by our imposing upon Him, unlike we parents sometimes are with our children.  He desires that we live by faith in acknowledged dependence on Him, recognizing that all good gifts are from above. He delights in giving us the desires of our heart, but in order for that to occur we need to be in what some have called a position of blessing. This means that for us to receive, the response cannot in any way be interpreted as a reward for wrong behavior. This is an act of love on His part, not restriction for the sake of control, or killing joy.

Good and loving parents operate in the same way, though imperfectly. We want for our children what is best for them, not necessarily what they want the most at a given moment. Yet, it delights us to provide for those in our care the things which give them joy. But it is foolish to do so indiscriminately, lest a wrong or deleterious message be transmitted; an incorrect lesson learned.

That is why, oftentimes, we must withhold, we must not comply, we must appear uncaring or worse. This is especially true for a child not yet mature enough to understand the full picture, the whole ball of wax. We Christians are sometimes like that little one who simply cannot comprehend why Daddy is being so mean! In reality, meanness is as far from the correct interpretation as it is possible to get. 

At the same time, Jesus is encouraging us to continuously ask, seek and knock, and guarantees that a child of God who does these things in faith will be responded to in precisely the best way possible, “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." This is a glorious promise of divine responsiveness, beyond anything we have any right to expect or demand. The "catch", if it can be correctly called a "catch", is that what we receive, or find, or have opened, is sometimes something entirely unlike our original request.

We may ask for healing for ourselves or a loved one, and instead receive bereavement. We may seek a way out of a trial, only to be embedded much more deeply. What may be behind the door that is opened is something totally unexpected. That is because God is a loving and perfect Father. We may not understand that the death of someone is, in fact, healing, but God knows. The trial that we futilely try to escape is exactly that which, if endured, will bring the most blessing to us and others. We don't know and understand these things because we can't know. We are incapable of seeing the end from the beginning. We don't have the full picture. Our view is limited and finite and fraught with misinformation, misunderstanding and self-will.

But we can, by faith, trust Him, and trust in Him. Otherwise, the disappointment might be too much to bear and we mistakenly turn away from the only source of all light and life and love. That is unthinkably tragic, but if we are truly His, He will not let us turn away completely, or forever.

I believe that the measure of faith that each has been dealt is broadened and deepened and strengthen by use and experience. What, as a young Christian, we might not know or trust completely, becomes an unshakable foundation of certainty through continued fellowship with the Lord as we mature in Him. And part of that continued fellowship, that living in the light of Christ, is exactly what Jesus exhorts here: keep on asking, seeking, knocking. Not because He doesn't respond, but because He guarantees a response; a right and proper response, customized for us at that moment, and for our benefit eternally. That is the kind of God He is, but the only way to know that is to live it, and keep on living it.

That is why the following parable in the gospel of Luke is so instructive, and illustrates the same teaching.

“Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ “And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ‘yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? (Luke 18:3-7, NKJV).
The unrighteous judge disregarded the widow's entreaties at first because he was indifferent and she was a nobody. But she kept at it, refusing to rest until she received the response she needed. Eventually she wore down this cold-hearted, corrupt and unethical man by her persistence, and obtained what she sought from him. Jesus' point, and this is key, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not… " . The conclusion is inescapable. If even this despicable person in authority responded because of the woman's indefatigable requests, how much more would God, the ultimate righteous judge, respond.
Our Lord and Savior cares for us more than we can ever begin to comprehend this side of Heaven. For this brief span of time that we are alive on the earth, we may not always see it or think it, but when we doubt, all we need do is look, really look, at the extremes Christ has gone to in order to provide us with eternal blessing. He became one of us, to live among us, to show us the Father, and to die in our place, so that we could live forever in His presence.

By continually, asking and seeking and knocking, our faith is exercised and strengthened and matured, and we come to know Him ever more intimately, seeing His loving hand in our lives ever more clearly.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Aiming the Truth

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:06, NKJV).

Just prior to this, Jesus taught on the value of sincerity and truth, and the tragic price of hypocrisy. Now he instructs us where NOT to aim either truth or sincerity.

Note the contrasting couplets He employs to make His rather startling point: holy versus dogs and pearls versus swine; each prefaced by verbs signifying willful action - give and cast.  In first century Hebrew thinking, the contrasts were stark. Breaking them down a bit more, we see that:

'give' means to offer freely, without expectation or cost. It denotes an act preceded by intention and thought.

'holy' refers to a thing of awe, something that inspires awe, something 'awful' in the Old English sense. It is a fundamental characteristic of God Himself.

'dogs' are unclean animals according to Jewish law, metaphors for impure men, any and all who are unregenerate and willful sinners. 

'cast' is a careless, almost thoughtless tossing forward of a thing with little or no consideration of where it falls.

'pearls' symbolize unique objects of great value; items hard to obtain and worthy of being guarded.

'swine' is yet another unclean beast that epitomizes spiritual hostility - like the pig Antiochus Ephiphanes sacrificed on the Temple altar in Jerusalem during the Macabbean period.

The meaning then is clear. Offering the glories of God's holy truth without regard to the recipient's likely reaction, or indiscriminately pouring out those things of infinite value to known hostile scoffers, is not only unwise and ineffective, but dangerous. In one sense, this is startling, as I mentioned. It raises the question, "You mean we are to prejudge someone's heart before we share the things of God?" No, we cannot know another's heart, but we can discern their actions, and that is the central point of this teaching.

It is futile to give to someone that which they have already proven to mock or despise. Imagine a person you know who is openly derisive of all things Christian, who makes a point whenever the opportunity arises of espousing his or her hostility to your faith. Now imagine that same person's likely response if you sincerely begin to share the gospel. It is not inconceivable to postulate an outright wrathful response, which could then in turn be used as an attack against your character, faith and/or Christ Himself. Not only have you handed that bellicose belligerent a weapon to use against you, but you have provided an opportunity for him to go public (lest they trample them under their feet). It is possible, of course, that one day, God might change the antagonist's heart, or use someone else to bring him into the kingdom, but for you to keep [giving] what is holy to the dogs is useless and potentially damaging. Neither you nor your target will benefit.

The same reasoning applies to indiscriminately broadcasting your beliefs to a person or crowd; not caring much at all about how it is received. That too is a waste and risks being harmful (they turn and tear you in pieces).

Beloved, we are at war behind enemy lines. We have been given gifts of spiritual discernment for precisely the purpose of making the most effective use of our time, energy and resources.

While we are commanded to preach and teach the gospel, and do the work of evangelism, even the most equipped and qualified soldiers are trained to know when not to enter into a hopeless battle that will neither advance the cause, nor demolish the stronghold of the Enemy.

Of course we are to openly and sincerely share what God has done in history, in the world, in our hearts, and in our lives. Of course we are to give every sincere seeker a reason for the hope that lies within us. Of course we are not to prejudge someone's attitude or likely response if we have no reason to know that he is already in the pack or herd of the unclean. But when we have every rational reason to believe that doing these things are guaranteed to provide an opportunity for senseless attack, we are to refrain.

It only makes sense as a good steward of those gifts we have been given. The truth of God is holy and priceless and should be not be given or cast before those who have demonstrated an open and active hostility to Christ. We will not save them by doing so. We will provoke them into retaliation, or provide them with an excuse to go on the offensive.

Dogs and swine are very recognizable. They do not camouflage well, are not particularly stealthy, nor are they interested in disguising their vicious contempt. That is their essential nature. It is what they do. Therefore, choose your target carefully and aim with precision, otherwise you are just wasting ammunition. Or worse, setting yourself up to be struck with the ricochet.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Planking and Specking

““And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:03-05, NKJV).

Jesus has a lot to say about hypocrites and hypocritical behavior within this Sermon on the Mount. Hypocrisy is a powerful stimulus in human interaction. Being accused of it, whether true or not, usually elicits an impulse for self-defense. The accusation itself is sometimes enough to ruin a reputation, bring down a career, or completely undermine someone's influence. It is a very effective tool of character assassination precisely because it is so often plausible.

Let's face it, we are all pretty good hypocrites just about right from birth, as soon as we discover that we can get what we want by saying or doing something insincerely, and often conclude that the benefit outweighs the cost. There's also another level of hypocrisy that has to do with our public persona, the facade we wrap around ourselves so people like us, or think highly of us, or at least don't outright spit in our face.

We get it wrong, though, when we conclude that the price is worth it. In reality, that is quite far from accurate. The underlying fuel of hypocrisy, its engine, so to speak, is deceit. And deception kills. It destroys trust, relationship, integrity, and authenticity. In its place, it substitutes betrayal, usury, exploitation, and fakery.  It's like a parasite or cancer that feeds on the good, and excretes filth in its place.

Christ illustrates this brilliantly in the passage on several levels. First He asks a question: "…why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?" The very question is meant to bring forth the unspoken motive, namely, self-satisfaction at the expense of truth. Then the follow-up, "[or] how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?"  This, in sequence, evokes the foundational illogic upon which hypocrisy, all hypocrisy, must rest. How can you judge someone else's heart, when your own hearts is even worse? The comparison between the judge, and the focus of judgement couldn't be more intentionally hyperbolic; a speck in the plaintiff's eye, versus a plank (some versions say "log") in the judge's eye. Since accurate judgment must necessarily be based on perception, which is blocked by a large and unwieldy obstacle, how can it possibly be valid? Answer: it can't.

Then Jesus, Who has perfect and unsullied perception, pronounces His infallible judgment: "Hypocrite!" This is quickly followed by the only remediation possible. "First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."  Flawless.

Examine your own sin, get yourself right, purge yourself of your own ridiculous preconception that you are pure enough to render judgment on someone else, and then, and only then, concern yourself with the miniscule aberration you think you see in your brother. Wreckage along the path of my own long history of snap judgments is rife with hypocritical pronunciations of others' faults. Even as a Christian, I am far more guilty of hypocrisy than I care to admit, and as a Christian, knowing my King despises such, my failures in this regard are that much worse. And where hypocrisy thrives the most is in public, because it is much easier to hide your real self from the world, then it is, let's say, from your spouse, or sibling, or children, or parents. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it's all that difficult to be intimately hypocritical, just that it typically takes more energy and stamina.

Of one thing I am certain, I despise hypocrisy in other people, and gladly overlook it in myself, which is exactly what Jesus is saying we are guilty of when we judge someone else's heart. Not surprisingly, the Apostle Paul says the same thing in another way in his epistle to the Romans, and James, the Lord's brother, affirms it as well.

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. (Romans 2:1, NKJV).
Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4, NKJV).
There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? (James 4:12, NKJV).
It bears repeating that, while we are ordered to be sufficiently discerning to differentiate between good and rotten fruit (deeds), we are incapable of looking accurately into someone's motivation, especially when the deed in view is not inherently sinful. That doesn't mean that we are to be idiots. It is fairly obvious when the fruit of someone's superficially good actions produces decay. Charity that actually undermines another person's self-sufficiency just to keep them "down", is one example. There are a billion others. Professed love that is really lust, or a desire to control or own. Compliments that serve to prevent someone from actually improving so that you always win. Outwardly sincere flattery in order to manipulate or ingratiate. Eventually, this all becomes evident in the light of day for what it really is: hypocrisy.

What is the antidote? How doe we yank that plank out of our own eye?

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. (Romans 14:10-13, NKJV).

Monday, December 20, 2010

Against the Wind

“Judge not, that you be not judged. “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. (Matthew 7:01-02, NKJV).

Besides John 3:16, Matthew 7:1 is one of the best known verses in the Bible, and for all the wrong reasons. It is usually thrown up in a Christian's face to support some flavor of accusation that he or she is a Bible-thumping hypocrite. While it is possible that the accused may be entirely or partially guilty as charged, using verse 1 as a proof text demonstrates Scriptural ignorance on the part of the accuser. That usually doesn't matter though, because what the accuser wants is typically to continue in some preferred sin without some holier-than-thou Christian pronouncing doom from his high horse. Reasoned Biblical dialogue in these instances is usually not a priority. The goal is self-justification via the age-old school yard strategy of maligning the perceived attacker's character. It's as common as breathing and predictable as indigestion after overly-spicy food.

Don't fall for it. The judging in view here is NOT a prohibition against calling sin, sin. We are commanded to know what constitutes evil, and to discern good versus rotten fruit, particularly within the church. Discernment in regard to behavior is part of rightly dividing the word of truth, but judging motive or spiritual state is not, nor, and this is key, is pronouncing sentence. This is the same guidance Jesus gave earlier when he said that "…whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire." Why? Because it is a statement about someone's heart, and only God knows the heart.

Individually, as opposed to corporately (as in society, culture, or a community), we are in no position to pronounce judgment on someone's character, and more importantly, to put ourselves in the place of judge, jury and executioner. That is a role exclusively reserved by God for the Son of Man, Himself. Any attempt on our part to usurp that authority is putting ourselves on Christ's throne, and is the epitome of presumption. And, if we are foolhardy enough to attempt it, the imposed penalty is both brilliant and severe. Consider the spiritual equation above: “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."
That should send a chill of fear up your spine, and cause you to purpose in your heart to show others mercy above all else, rather than condemnation. The cliche, hate the sin but love the sinner, however overused, is indisputably true, and a perfect rule of thumb to set your heart on the right track. If I know that my unforgiving and judgmental condemnation of someone else is EXACTLY the standard by which I will be judged, then my only response is to tremble. I know I don't live up to even my own standards, let alone God's. Who am I to put myself in the position of relegating someone else to the dark and dreary realm of my condemnation? Especially if I'm unwilling to slink off there myself. Only an idiot does certain things against the wind.

I do not want what I deserve, and frankly, neither should you. I don't care how swell you think you are. Compared to the standard of perfection Jesus cites in this very discourse, you are a loser, just like me. And while you are likely far less a loser than I am, so what. In scholastic terms, the test is pass/fail. Not only that, but however you grade someone else's score, that's the standard that will be used to grade your own. Best not to render that kind of final, evaluatory judgment at all, but rather leave it up to Him who judges rightly.

And that's the point. Do not put yourself in the place of God who knows all and has all power. While we are commanded to discern the nature of a tree by its fruit, only God is the one who cuts down the bad ones and throws them into the fire. Our part is to beware and discerning.

What does this all mean in a practical day-by-day sense? It doesn't mean shut your eyes or mouth to sin, especially your own, or within the church. It does mean be very careful about how you treat someone else based on your own opinion of his or her spiritual state or worthiness. It means that the safest response to any offense is mercy and forgiveness, because you are setting yourself up for the same severity of judgment that you impose. (That should make you shiver in dread!) It means that unless you know the whole story, don't jump to conclusions about anyone or anything in the judicial sense. Reserve your judgment until the facts cook for a while, and then hold your personal opinions lightly, so that new information changes them, rather than you twisting the facts to support your presupposition. 

It means encourage rather than criticize, exhort rather than condemn, offer support rather than castigation, and above all, be merciful. Even Death Row inmates who rightly deserve capital punishment for their crimes, can not be judged by us to be eternally irredeemable. Physical death is not the end of existence, and Christ is the only gatekeeper of Heaven.

On the other hand, it doesn't mean don't take a stand for what you know is right, based on God's word. Sin is sin, and relabeling it doesn't alter its nature. Evil exists and thrives in this world, especially when those who know good do nothing to fight it. It also means that if you want mercy, be merciful. If you want forgiveness, be forgiving. If you want to be loved, be loving, for "…with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."
These are instructions similar to those declared by Jesus throughout this incredible three-chapter teaching, woven in and around this discourse like exquisite golden threads. Christ eloquently describes each principle in simple, yet profound words and illustrations, often repeating them in different ways because He knows how thick our heads can be. And all of it, every last carefully phrased thought and word picture is His gift to us so that we know Whom we serve, how we are intended to live, and how much He loves us.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV).

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Priorities

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:31-34, NKJV).

Eating, drinking, and clothing encapsulate and symbolize everything about life on this earth that we need to attend to in order to survive. Those who don't know God (called Gentiles, in this passage), can have no assurance that needs in this area will be met without their own investment of energy and focus. They cannot simply trust. 

In contrast, Children of God, those who, whether Jew or Gentile, have been reborn into the Church by faith, not only can trust, but are commanded to trust that our "…heavenly Father knows that [we] need all these things…" and will provide them, in the same way that He provides for the birds and for the flowers of the field.

By worrying about them, we are being disobedient, mistrusting, unbelieving, and are guilty of having the wrong priorities. That is Jesus' final point in His teachings on anxiety here. Instead of seeking the means to physically survive, we are to "seek first the kingdom of God".

This may seem anti-survival, and it's conceivable that by seeking God first, the pursuit of Him may lead to death. But physical survival at any cost is not the road believers are to take. Our destination is not temporal, but eternal, and you can't get there from here by any other way except through faith in Christ, as Jesus declares, "…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6, NKJV). No matter what self-preservation strategy we pursue, in the end it's all vapor. Death wins, except in Christ. So seeking the kingdom of God as our first priority actually makes more sense than seeking anything else, including the physical necessities of life. Find God, and all else falls into place. Find the mere satisfaction of earthly needs, and no matter how successful you are, you lose.

Yet, the Lord does not just command the seeking of the kingdom of God, but "…the kingdom of God and His righteousness..". In essence, Christ is detailing the only meaningful pursuit in this life: the power of God (His kingdom) and the righteousness of God (His character and essence). Nothing else in Heaven or earth or under the earth matters. Not riches, nor glory, nor fame, nor long life, nor comfort, nor health, nor relationships, nor authority, nor food, nor drink. Nothing else matters. If you don't have God, in the end, you have nothing, no matter what else you may have managed to acquire.

Worry is an obstacle to this pursuit. It serves as a roadblock or massive distraction. It forces you to focus on things of earth, rather than things above, where your desire for true citizenship should rightly be. Worry prevents you from giving your full attention to seeking God and His righteousness, and it becomes a sickening inward spiral. The more you worry, the less you seek Him, the less you receive His comfort and strength, which leads you to worry more, receive even less comfort, and so on until you either give up or become obsessed with pursuing and maintaining material things. Jesus pleads with us to recognize this syndrome, and to recognize our powerlessness over time and space. His final loving exhortation in this area is so unlike what the world conditions us to do: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Like everything else in these seminal teachings on anxiety, the Lord's commands and assurances are gracious gifts from a loving Father conveyed by an obedient and glorious Son for our benefit. Do not fret, and seek the kingdom and righteousness of God and all these things shall be added to you. The Father knows what we need before we ask, and delights to give us those needs, as well, as the delights of our hearts, but to receive them we have to be in a position of blessing. It is like the gifts bestowed by any loving parent. In order to be received rightly, and to not reinforce wrong behavior, the child must be in obedience to the parent for the child's own best interests. It is not even that the gifts are a reward for good behavior, but that they are expressions of love that must be withheld if they will in any way be interpreted as a reward for bad.

In this life, the only way to know God is to know His Son. The only way to know His Son is to receive the gospel, the good news of salvation by grace through faith. Once saved, the only way to ensure that your priorities are correct is if you immerse yourself in the Word of God, in order to so know and understand the truth of God that seeking the kingdom of God is the ONLY pursuit that makes any sense. In this life, or in the life to come.

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” (Genesis 15:1, NKJV).

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Naked Worry

“Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; “and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (Matthew 6:27-30, NKJV).

Clothing in the pre-industrial world was more about protection and privilege than fashion. It kept you warm, guarded you against the elements and/or announced your station in life. The more lavish the garments, the more prestigious the person. That's why human royalty, from Nod and Enoch, through Great Britain, went to great lengths to display their regal power with their clothing. Jesus exemplifies His point about luxurious raiment by using Solomon, the wisest and perhaps richest man in ancient history. And while we are given to understand that Solomon arrayed himself and his court in glorious apparel, even his wardrobe paled in comparison  to a common wildflower.

That's the thing about human endeavor - it cannot compare to what God has wrought in nature. Our most complex technology cannot replicate the functionality of the simplest viral cell, nor can the most complicated computer even approach the thought processes of the youngest child. There is nothing that humankind can achieve that can ever rival God's unfathomable works. It reminds me of the venerable Creationist joke which recounts a futile contest to create life between God and the most brilliant earthly scientists in the most advanced laboratory imaginable. As the contest is about to begin, a voice sounds from Heaven asking the Head Scientist, "What's that stuff in the beaker?" "Why, it's dirt, obtained and refined from the deepest ocean floor which, we have discovered through much research and analysis, contains the foundational ingredients for all life on this planet." "Well, I know that, son, I put it there," the voice replied. "Use your own dirt!"

And the same Intelligence and Power that fashions the glories of nature promises to care for those who are His own, down to the very clothing they wear.

Worry is one of the most useless activities in which a child of God can engage, as well as a proclamation of a lack of faith. It is, in fact, sin; "…for whatever is not from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23, NKJV). Many of us are taught from early childhood to "sweat the details" of our responsibilities. To agonize over contingencies and possibilities, and to strive to control all the variables so that the intended outcome manifests in reality. For a person who is not saved by grace through faith, such attempts at micromanagement might make sense. But to a child of God, they are absolute futility.

That is not to say that we are, in any way, to "tempt God" by being irresponsible stewards of His gifts to us. It is to say that the outcome of our efforts, and even, or perhaps especially, our God-given motivation and energy to make such efforts, are in His hands. It is so easy to look around at the billion details of daily life and to either be overwhelmed and throw up our hands in defeat, or to be obsessed with getting them all done, or right, in our own strength and according to our own priorities. If you think about it for a half second in the light of God's promises and sovereignty over your life, that is just silly. "…for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13, NKJV).
By worrying then, can you effect the slightest change in your life or environment? Can you "add one cubit to your stature"? Can you "make one hair white or black"? If you can't do the slightest thing by worrying, then why worry?

There is more in these verses, as well. It is not just that worrying about clothing is ridiculous, but also about the futility of worrying about the things that clothing is supposed to address: protection and prestige. Look, Scripture declares that God has your very breath in His hands, each and every moment of your life. He knows the number of your days before there was even one. He knows your comings and goings, your words, thoughts and intents of your heart.  If He chooses you to prosper or attain a powerful position in life, then He will make it come to pass, by motivating, energizing and giving you wisdom, just as He did with Solomon. He will give you favor among men, just as He did with Joseph. He will give you authority just as He did with King David. Anything and everything that you might achieve in your own strength is nothing in comparison to what He is able to accomplish in and through you. Your part is simple: trust.

What does the lily of the field need to do to be clothed in its natural golden color? Nothing; "they neither toil nor spin…".  It is God who arrays them in incomparable glory. So far in His teachings on anxiety, our Lord has declared that His children are much more valuable than both birds and grass, two aspects of His creation for which He faithfully provides, so "will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" And that is the ultimate point for a child of God, worry, anxiety, and fretting are all symptoms of unbelief. He isn't implying that we are to be presumptuous or apathetic, just trusting. Of course we are to take care, to be wise, and to plan ahead, recognizing that the future will be as God wills, but we are not to agonize over the outcome. That is up to Him.

These are gifts beyond price, beloved. It is part of entering His rest. It is part of casting our cares on Him for He cares for us. It is living our lives exactly the way Jesus demonstrated during His time on earth, in complete trust, obedience, and adoration of the One who has all power and all authority.

Does this mean that we will not suffer, or go through trials, or seasons of darkness? No. But when these things happen, because we have our foundation on the Rock of Christ, we will not collapse. He promises to sustain us, to guide us through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

Ps 4:8* I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Ps 37:7* Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Ps 94:19* In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
Ps 138:8* The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
Php 4:19* And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Friday, December 17, 2010

For the Birds

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:25-26, NKJV).

Satisfying the needs for nourishment, liquids, and warmth constitute the major stress points of physical life.  There’s no way around it.  Aside from breathing air, keeping fed, hydrated, and clothed for warmth or protection are the essential foundations for staying alive.

As such, these are the primary targets of anxiety, or as Jesus calls it, “worry.”  While fear is immediate and normally elicits the proverbial “fight or flight” response, worry, particularly worry about the future, is a slower, more subtle energy burner.  If the stressor is not relieved in some way, or adapted to, the long-term effects are almost always debilitating.

This was not how life under God was originally intended.  At creation, all of Adam and Eve’s present and future needs were guaranteed to be met.  Instead of anxiety, their days were filled with quiet anticipation of blessing and satisfaction.  All the universe was created for their benefit and pleasure, so much so, that at the Fall, the whole creation began to groan and labor in agony equivalent to the labor of childbirth.  And it has been so ever since.

The Old Covenant with God, starting after the Flood and proceeding through the Mosaic Law, was the first major step in enabling mankind through its relationship with God to put away this Fall-cursed anxiety about the future.  The contract was summarized as “do” these things and live.  In other words, rather than the iron-clad, life-sustaining guarantee of Eden, there were conditional stipulations attached.

The Law was also created for the express purpose of acting as a tutor that leads us to Christ. The Law's standard of moral and ethical perfection, as exemplified even in this very Sermon on the Mount, was inarguably impossible for a mere fallen human being to meet.  We are miserably helpless to comply with this perfection, and it is only when we realize that this perfection is both impossible AND required, that we fall on our face and thank God for His immeasurable mercy in sending us His Son as Savior.  Yet, once we reach that point, and accept that free gift of salvation through faith, we enter unconditionally into a New Covenant with God.  This new contract is based not on what we can do, but on what Christ has done for us: fulfilled the Law and died in our place to pay the penalty for our sin – our woeful lack of perfection.  Now, in Christ, we are commanded not to worry.

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (Matthew 6:31, NKJV).
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:34, NKJV).
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (Philippians 4:6, NKJV).

Purely from the perspective of physical survival, this may sound like absurd advice.  What do you mean, “don’t worry”?  Isn’t that irresponsible?  Isn’t it presuming on the grace of God?  Doesn’t life in this world demand that we worry?

Well, yes it does – without Christ.  I don’t care what any psychologist or self-help theorist may postulate; without Christ, you are a fool not to worry.  Anxiety is part of the curse.  It is meant to keep us from a false sense of security or delusional contentment.  Until, that is, we come to faith in Christ.  Then, as an act of worship, we are to cease from worry.  This is an incredible gift when you think about it.  In addition to being an opportunity to express our trust and reliance on the Lord, it is also part of the down payment of our redemption.  It is a step back toward Eden, and it also looks forward to an even more idyllic eternal state.

Christ argues His point by comparing us to birds, most likely common sparrows, sometimes offered as temple sacrifices at some minuscule cost to the penitent.  God the Father provides these mere birds with all that is required for life.  They don’t work for it ("…for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns…") they just live their lives in obedience to their inherent nature. In return for just existing as birds, God meets their needs.  Elsewhere Jesus says that not one of these sparrows falls to the ground outside of the Father’s sovereign providence.  Then He capstones His argument with a rhetorical question, "Are you not of more value than they?"

Now some in the world today argue that we are, in fact, NOT more valuable than the “lower” animals.  This is a remarkably illogical stance. By citing “evolutionary complexity”, as in referring to these creatures as “lower animals”, they are simultaneously advocating for, and implicitly undermining, their premise.  On what criteria is their designation of “lower” based?  Functional and physical complexity, adaptability, and survival skill.  Who wins in a human versus sparrow gladiatorial contest?  I'm pretty sure the bird always loses. Conversely, if these existential relativists somehow manage to perform the intellectual gymnastics necessary to equate human and bird-kind from a moral or ethical standpoint, then birds lose in that arena, too.  Morality and ethical integrity must depend on an outside, transcendent standard to have any weight at all.  You may want to conclude on some basis that birds have just as much right to share the planet as humans do, but if you were to somehow transpose the ecological dominance of the one species with the other, I don’t think you would get a single bird to agree with you.  There’s a reason we call social hierarchies the “pecking order.”  Just watch how ethically and morally chickens treat each other.

Christ’s argument, then, is based on the relative value of birds and man to God.  If He provides for the sparrow, He will provide equally for the creatures made in His image.

One final point.  Previously I stated that the sparrow is given the requisites for life by God as it goes about its avian activity in obedience to its inherent nature. In other words, as it behaves in a bird-like fashion.  As children of God through faith in His Son, we are promised the same provision for life by being obedient to our new inherent nature. In other words, as we behave in a Christ-like manner. That's His goal for us - to be conformed into the image of His Son. Jesus trusted completely in the will of His heavenly Father. Repeatedly, He is recorded as saying in the Gospel of John that He only spoke and did what was given to Him by the Father.

It was our Lord, "…who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;" (1 Peter 2:23, NKJV).
Look, beloved, if God looks after sparrows, He will look after you. There is no point in worrying. If He is for the birds, He will be for you.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31, NKJV).