What Did Jesus Do?
“…from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power
and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Matthew 26:64
From the time of the last of the Old Testament Prophets (Malachi, around 430 B.C.) right up to the days of the New Testaments premiere prophet (John, aka-“the Baptist”), the home “team” from Jerusalem had pretty much reigned unchallenged (Spiritually, for politically a host of powers had followed one after another in Palestine. Admittedly, their line up was loaded with talent; the roster made up of Pharisees, priests, Sadducees and scribes. Yep, Jerusalem was definitely the big leagues. No one would have been likely to give a kid from down on the “farm” (Galilee was about as bush league as you could get in those days) much of a chance in any head to head series with the heavy hitters from David’s City. Yet, from the moment the crowd began shouting its “Hosannas” it was clear that the barnstorming rabbi from Nazareth, what was his name, oh yes, Jesus, might just be something special. Funny though, the kind of parade which brought Jesus to Jerusalem, and right up to the Temple itself, was usually held after the victory, not before the contest.
Wasting no time, Jesus (over)turned the tables on the home-standers (Matthew 21:12-13), and set them down with an inside curve that broke right down the middle and caught the chief priests and scribes looking (Matthew 21:16; c.f. Psalm 8:2). Win #1 for Jesus, and the series stood at 1-0 in favor of the Nazarene.
The next day Jesus was up early and headed back from Bethany to Jerusalem to resume the contest (Matthew 21:18-22). Clearly, Jesus was again in command of his “stuff.” The chief priests and elders tried to get the series called off on account of Jesus being nothing more than a pretender, but Jesus punched them out with a curve ball about the baptism of John (Matthew 21:25-27). Jesus then proceeded to employ a crafty combination of breaking balls (parables; Matthew 21:28-22:14), and some real heat (seven woes to the scribes and Pharisees; Matthew 23:1-36) to shut out the Jerusalem squad a second time. It was now 2-0 in favor of Jesus.
Jesus had smoked ‘em two days in a row. So now the Jerusalemites turned to their manager (aka the High Priest, Caiaphas), and determined that from then on they were not going to play by the rules (Matthew 26:3-5). As it turned out, one of Jesus’ own was quite willing to throw the series for a price (30 pieces of silver to be exact; Matthew 26:14-16). I don’t know if Judas wore socks, but I would be willing to bet they would have been black if he did (If you catch my meaning, i.e. “Black Sox”). Strangely, Jesus knew all about what Judas was doing, yet he did not lift a finger to stop him.
And so it was that, even though Jesus had broken out on top 2-0, and showed every sign of pulling off a sweep, the series turned around dramatically and, seemingly, tragically. The Sanhedrin hammered Jesus (Actually, they had him beaten and scourged; Matthew 26:57-27:31), before finally “nailing” him (to a cross; Matthew 27:32-50) for good, or so they thought. After such a promising start to the week and the series, Jesus was buried. There would have been some real celebrating going on that Passover among those Pharisees, priests, Sadducees, and scribes! Jerusalem had turned back the threat from Galilee.
But, even as they no doubt continued to congratulate themselves on having successfully eliminating the pesky challenger, and thoroughly intimidating and silencing his disciples, word began to circulate on the first day of the week of a—Resurrection? Talk about come back, this was one truly for the ages (and beyond to all eternity)! For though they had seen Jesus dead and buried, the tomb was quite empty. Jesus was not only back, he so thoroughly inspired and empowered his disciples that they continued the contest in his name, eventually winning in Jerusalem and all Judea, in Samaria, and going on to victories to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). And, as for Jerusalem’s “champions,” well, Jesus had told them that the next time they see him, he will really “smoke” them (Matthew 26:64).
With a tip of the hat to Ernest Thayer:
Oh throughout all this favored land the Son is shining bright;
Choirs in heaven are singing, and people’s hearts are light,
Everywhere men are laughing, and everywhere children play;
There will be everlasting joy in Jerusalem—mighty Jesus has won the day!
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Jesus Removed All Confusion, Doubt, and Uncertainty About What Path to Take
What Did Jesus Do?
But your eyes shall see your teacher. And you ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah 30:20-21
Have you seen The Wizard of Oz? No, I don’t mean “the Wizard,” I mean the film. One of my favorite scenes is when Dorothy and Toto, having only just begun their trek from Munchkin Land to the Emerald City via the Yellow Brick Road, come to a junction where the YBR heads in four directions (If we include a u-turn back to Munchkin Land, which by the way kids, is not McDonald’s). Poor Dot is totally undone. How is she to choose, how can she know, which of the several routes will get her to the Emerald City and on her way back to Kansas? As it turned out, there is a professor of post-modern philosophy literally hanging around by the intersection (Think about it, the dude was brainless!). As Dorothy debates her dilemma out loud, the philosopher chimes in: “Some go this way." (Points to the left.) “And some go that way.” (Points to the right.) “And some go.” (Points both ways.) Just in case Dorothy wasn’t sufficiently plagued by confusion, doubt, and uncertainty, Professor Scarecrow muddies the water even further by saying that people pick lots of different directions, without indicating who, if any, ever actually get to where they need to go. Fortunately for us, we don’t have to rely on the advice of post-modern philosophers or scarecrows, we have Jesus, who removed all confusion, doubt, and uncertainty, to tell us the path to take.
In truth, life is not as gray as philosophers and scarecrows would make it out to be. Rather, it is ultimately just about as black and white as it could be, for there are really only two ways through life to choose from: the right way, and the wrong way. The right way is characterized by, what else, righteousness. The trademark of the wrong way is wickedness. There right way leads unerringly to blessedness, to blissful contentedness and happiness. The wrong way just as unerringly leads to bitterness, to unending misery and suffering. Actually, though there is one way to blessedness, there are myriad ways to end up miserable. All the paths that leads to misery share one thing in common, none of them are the right way, because none of them lead to God, but rather away from him. (See Psalm 1)
The way to God involves anchoring ourselves in his Word, setting a strong and stable foundation for life by spending time reading and contemplating the LORD’s laws, precepts, and statutes, drinking in his commandments, and being nourished by his rules, as a tree that, planted by a stream, flourishes (Psalm 1:2-3). The blessed life rejects all philosophers and professors who promote any way but the way of the Lord, and seeks but one Teacher. And the Teacher plays no games with us, does not hide himself, but reveals himself to our eyes, and speaks a word to our ears, “THIS is the way, walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:20-21) In fact, when the apostle Thomas expressed the confusion, doubt, and uncertainty that we all experience at some point in life, “Lord, how can we know the way” (John 14:5), the Teacher removed for all time all confusion, doubt, and uncertainty by telling us, “I AM the Way!” (John 14:6)
It’s like this, we either follow Jesus, the Way, or we don’t. Following the way of the Lord leads to the blessedness David talked about in Psalm 1. Any and all ways other than following Christ, however exciting, pleasurable, even rewarding they may be in this life, are ways of wickedness, and doomed to perish in the end (Psalm 1:6). One might just as well follow a brainless scarecrow as to believe those who say there are many ways through life that all arrive at the same destination. No one can come to the Father but through Jesus, and there is no confusion, doubt, or uncertainty about it!
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
But your eyes shall see your teacher. And you ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah 30:20-21
Have you seen The Wizard of Oz? No, I don’t mean “the Wizard,” I mean the film. One of my favorite scenes is when Dorothy and Toto, having only just begun their trek from Munchkin Land to the Emerald City via the Yellow Brick Road, come to a junction where the YBR heads in four directions (If we include a u-turn back to Munchkin Land, which by the way kids, is not McDonald’s). Poor Dot is totally undone. How is she to choose, how can she know, which of the several routes will get her to the Emerald City and on her way back to Kansas? As it turned out, there is a professor of post-modern philosophy literally hanging around by the intersection (Think about it, the dude was brainless!). As Dorothy debates her dilemma out loud, the philosopher chimes in: “Some go this way." (Points to the left.) “And some go that way.” (Points to the right.) “And some go.” (Points both ways.) Just in case Dorothy wasn’t sufficiently plagued by confusion, doubt, and uncertainty, Professor Scarecrow muddies the water even further by saying that people pick lots of different directions, without indicating who, if any, ever actually get to where they need to go. Fortunately for us, we don’t have to rely on the advice of post-modern philosophers or scarecrows, we have Jesus, who removed all confusion, doubt, and uncertainty, to tell us the path to take.
In truth, life is not as gray as philosophers and scarecrows would make it out to be. Rather, it is ultimately just about as black and white as it could be, for there are really only two ways through life to choose from: the right way, and the wrong way. The right way is characterized by, what else, righteousness. The trademark of the wrong way is wickedness. There right way leads unerringly to blessedness, to blissful contentedness and happiness. The wrong way just as unerringly leads to bitterness, to unending misery and suffering. Actually, though there is one way to blessedness, there are myriad ways to end up miserable. All the paths that leads to misery share one thing in common, none of them are the right way, because none of them lead to God, but rather away from him. (See Psalm 1)
The way to God involves anchoring ourselves in his Word, setting a strong and stable foundation for life by spending time reading and contemplating the LORD’s laws, precepts, and statutes, drinking in his commandments, and being nourished by his rules, as a tree that, planted by a stream, flourishes (Psalm 1:2-3). The blessed life rejects all philosophers and professors who promote any way but the way of the Lord, and seeks but one Teacher. And the Teacher plays no games with us, does not hide himself, but reveals himself to our eyes, and speaks a word to our ears, “THIS is the way, walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:20-21) In fact, when the apostle Thomas expressed the confusion, doubt, and uncertainty that we all experience at some point in life, “Lord, how can we know the way” (John 14:5), the Teacher removed for all time all confusion, doubt, and uncertainty by telling us, “I AM the Way!” (John 14:6)
It’s like this, we either follow Jesus, the Way, or we don’t. Following the way of the Lord leads to the blessedness David talked about in Psalm 1. Any and all ways other than following Christ, however exciting, pleasurable, even rewarding they may be in this life, are ways of wickedness, and doomed to perish in the end (Psalm 1:6). One might just as well follow a brainless scarecrow as to believe those who say there are many ways through life that all arrive at the same destination. No one can come to the Father but through Jesus, and there is no confusion, doubt, or uncertainty about it!
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Jesus Instructed His Disciples to Imitate the Father
What Did Jesus Do?
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
Luke 6:36
God has no few attributes. He is holy. He is just. He is powerful. He is wise. God is creative. God is patient. God is unchanging. You and I could fill volumes listing and describing the attributes of God. When Jesus instructed his disciples to imitate the Father, and put into practice one of God’s attributes, he chose mercy.
Most of us would probably think of mercy as going easy on someone, someone who often, in our eyes, doesn’t deserve a break, someone who we might consider our enemy. Jesus told his followers to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for our abusers (Luke 6:27-28). To love ones such as these, ones whom we typically want to not just get even with, but come out a little ahead of, well, that takes mercy.
Rather than slug the guy back who has just smacked us in the face, we are to give him another free shot; and we are to hand over our shirt to the thief who has taken our jacket (Luke 6:29). If we follow Jesus, beggars should always find us responsive, and neighbors (even strangers?) who borrow our stuff are to be free to do so without worrying about getting it back to us (Luke 6:30). Sounds pretty extreme doesn’t it? I mean being merciful as our Father is merciful.
But then, the goal is no less extreme than the transformation of sinners into saints. “Is Jim talking about the transformation of those whom we show mercy, or is he talking about us?” Well, if the Holy Spirit has been transforming us, then radical extreme mercy, which is pretty much the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23), will be evident. And, if others are going to be transformed, it will take nothing less than their experiencing the radical and extreme mercy of the Father. If this seems at all obscure or unclear, think back a couple of weeks to when the Church revisited Christ’s Passion. If the Cross isn’t the expression of the Father’s radical and extreme mercy, I don’t know what is.
There’s nothing to loving the lovable. Even sinners do that (Luke 6:32). Lending a hand to those who lend a hand to us is easy. So easy that sinners do it all the time (Luke 6:33). And giving to those whom we are certain will give back to us is hardly the measure of sainthood, sinners give and take from one another regularly (Luke 6:34).
It is only those who are rich in mercy, who love their enemies, and who help and who give with no expectation of return, who are in fact daughters and sons of the Most High; for He is the One who has demonstrated unmatched kindness to ungrateful and evil folks like—you and me. Sure, it might sound like we’re being asked to do the impossible, but remember that doing the impossible is God’s stock in trade. And all Jesus is commanding us to do is be merciful after the fashion and quality of mercy that we ourselves have experienced from our merciful Father.
Here’s the thing: If we are Christians, I mean real Christians, not just in name only, then we possess all that it takes to be radically and extremely merciful, because we have received such from the Father. Jesus isn’t so unreasonable as to ask us to give what we don’t have, but neither is he about to permit us to hold onto what has been given to us for the purpose of our passing it along to others who desperately need it.
It’s easy to blame our enemies for the state of the world. To complain about politicians for the sorry condition of our nation. To grouse about our boss, fuss about our co-worker, grumble about our neighbor. Sinners do these things all the time, and the world has no shortage of sinners. But Jesus never commanded his followers to imitate sinners. Rather he charged us with being merciful, even as our Father is merciful. It is the Father’s grace-filled mercy, radical, extreme mercy alone that transforms us. And it is only our practice of grace-filled, radical and extreme, mercy, that shows that we are the children of the Father.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
Luke 6:36
God has no few attributes. He is holy. He is just. He is powerful. He is wise. God is creative. God is patient. God is unchanging. You and I could fill volumes listing and describing the attributes of God. When Jesus instructed his disciples to imitate the Father, and put into practice one of God’s attributes, he chose mercy.
Most of us would probably think of mercy as going easy on someone, someone who often, in our eyes, doesn’t deserve a break, someone who we might consider our enemy. Jesus told his followers to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for our abusers (Luke 6:27-28). To love ones such as these, ones whom we typically want to not just get even with, but come out a little ahead of, well, that takes mercy.
Rather than slug the guy back who has just smacked us in the face, we are to give him another free shot; and we are to hand over our shirt to the thief who has taken our jacket (Luke 6:29). If we follow Jesus, beggars should always find us responsive, and neighbors (even strangers?) who borrow our stuff are to be free to do so without worrying about getting it back to us (Luke 6:30). Sounds pretty extreme doesn’t it? I mean being merciful as our Father is merciful.
But then, the goal is no less extreme than the transformation of sinners into saints. “Is Jim talking about the transformation of those whom we show mercy, or is he talking about us?” Well, if the Holy Spirit has been transforming us, then radical extreme mercy, which is pretty much the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23), will be evident. And, if others are going to be transformed, it will take nothing less than their experiencing the radical and extreme mercy of the Father. If this seems at all obscure or unclear, think back a couple of weeks to when the Church revisited Christ’s Passion. If the Cross isn’t the expression of the Father’s radical and extreme mercy, I don’t know what is.
There’s nothing to loving the lovable. Even sinners do that (Luke 6:32). Lending a hand to those who lend a hand to us is easy. So easy that sinners do it all the time (Luke 6:33). And giving to those whom we are certain will give back to us is hardly the measure of sainthood, sinners give and take from one another regularly (Luke 6:34).
It is only those who are rich in mercy, who love their enemies, and who help and who give with no expectation of return, who are in fact daughters and sons of the Most High; for He is the One who has demonstrated unmatched kindness to ungrateful and evil folks like—you and me. Sure, it might sound like we’re being asked to do the impossible, but remember that doing the impossible is God’s stock in trade. And all Jesus is commanding us to do is be merciful after the fashion and quality of mercy that we ourselves have experienced from our merciful Father.
Here’s the thing: If we are Christians, I mean real Christians, not just in name only, then we possess all that it takes to be radically and extremely merciful, because we have received such from the Father. Jesus isn’t so unreasonable as to ask us to give what we don’t have, but neither is he about to permit us to hold onto what has been given to us for the purpose of our passing it along to others who desperately need it.
It’s easy to blame our enemies for the state of the world. To complain about politicians for the sorry condition of our nation. To grouse about our boss, fuss about our co-worker, grumble about our neighbor. Sinners do these things all the time, and the world has no shortage of sinners. But Jesus never commanded his followers to imitate sinners. Rather he charged us with being merciful, even as our Father is merciful. It is the Father’s grace-filled mercy, radical, extreme mercy alone that transforms us. And it is only our practice of grace-filled, radical and extreme, mercy, that shows that we are the children of the Father.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Jesus Failed, Furthered, and Finished
What Did Jesus Do?
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.
From now on you do know him, and have seen him.”
John 14:6-7
Jesus failed. “What? Apostasy! Blasphemy! Call the Church Courts to order, prosecute him, prosecute him!” Whoa! Calm down now, and let me explain. Jesus finished every last detail of the assignment the Father had given him, and so proclaimed with his dying breath (John 19:30). And, by dutifully finishing his earthly task, the Son furthered the faith of God’s people (Jew and Gentile alike): Jesus fulfilled the Covenant of Law and initiated the Covenant of Grace (Matthew 5:15; Luke 22:20). What Jesus failed to do is permit even the most minute possibility of there being more than one way to the Father, or that there is one way that is manifest equally in and through many different faiths.
Though he had the perfect opportunity to do so, Jesus failed to tell his disciples that it was all right if they didn’t get it/Him. I mean, Thomas set it up perfectly for Jesus to affirm a doctrine of many faiths that all lead to God, when Thomas asked, “How can we know the way?” (John 14:5) All Jesus had to say was something like, “Don’t worry if you don’t get it/me now. There are many other paths, and many other teachers who will be able to show you other ways to the Father. I am just a way, a truth, and a life.” The Lord had a chance to make it clear to his followers that Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and any number of other faiths were all different ways of knowing/saying the same thing, but he failed to do so.
I confess that I am deeply disturbed, very upset, really pissed off, if you’ll excuse the expression, by those “Christians” (That’s what they believe themselves to be, I’m not sure what to call them) who have taken it upon themselves to make up for the Lord’s failure. Like the fool on the presbytery examination committee who told me that I did not understand what Jesus was really saying by what he didn’t say in John 14:6. Or the minister who didn’t like it when I said that for my God to be one and the same with the gods of the Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims, he would have to have multiple personality disorder.
Please don’t get me wrong, I have no interest in warring with other faiths. They are not the enemy, the father of lies, who has sold them a load of bull____, is the enemy. But I sure wouldn’t be doing people of other faiths, or of no faith, any favors, by saying, “It’s all good,” when it isn’t. In failing to make any room for syncretism, the Lord has made it perfectly clear that to adulterate, compromise, and corrupt his faith, his teaching, his words, constitutes a great failure on our part, with potentially deadly and eternal consequences for us and for all those whom we fail by believing and proclaiming anything other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.
From now on you do know him, and have seen him.”
John 14:6-7
Jesus failed. “What? Apostasy! Blasphemy! Call the Church Courts to order, prosecute him, prosecute him!” Whoa! Calm down now, and let me explain. Jesus finished every last detail of the assignment the Father had given him, and so proclaimed with his dying breath (John 19:30). And, by dutifully finishing his earthly task, the Son furthered the faith of God’s people (Jew and Gentile alike): Jesus fulfilled the Covenant of Law and initiated the Covenant of Grace (Matthew 5:15; Luke 22:20). What Jesus failed to do is permit even the most minute possibility of there being more than one way to the Father, or that there is one way that is manifest equally in and through many different faiths.
Though he had the perfect opportunity to do so, Jesus failed to tell his disciples that it was all right if they didn’t get it/Him. I mean, Thomas set it up perfectly for Jesus to affirm a doctrine of many faiths that all lead to God, when Thomas asked, “How can we know the way?” (John 14:5) All Jesus had to say was something like, “Don’t worry if you don’t get it/me now. There are many other paths, and many other teachers who will be able to show you other ways to the Father. I am just a way, a truth, and a life.” The Lord had a chance to make it clear to his followers that Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and any number of other faiths were all different ways of knowing/saying the same thing, but he failed to do so.
I confess that I am deeply disturbed, very upset, really pissed off, if you’ll excuse the expression, by those “Christians” (That’s what they believe themselves to be, I’m not sure what to call them) who have taken it upon themselves to make up for the Lord’s failure. Like the fool on the presbytery examination committee who told me that I did not understand what Jesus was really saying by what he didn’t say in John 14:6. Or the minister who didn’t like it when I said that for my God to be one and the same with the gods of the Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims, he would have to have multiple personality disorder.
Please don’t get me wrong, I have no interest in warring with other faiths. They are not the enemy, the father of lies, who has sold them a load of bull____, is the enemy. But I sure wouldn’t be doing people of other faiths, or of no faith, any favors, by saying, “It’s all good,” when it isn’t. In failing to make any room for syncretism, the Lord has made it perfectly clear that to adulterate, compromise, and corrupt his faith, his teaching, his words, constitutes a great failure on our part, with potentially deadly and eternal consequences for us and for all those whom we fail by believing and proclaiming anything other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Jesus Supplied Apocalypse-Proof Shelter
What Did Jesus Do?
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
Proverbs 18:10
Does the grim news reported by the networks, CNN, and Fox News cause you to lose sleep some nights? Do the warnings of prophets of a modern day Depression and other calamities induce nightmares? Are you making preparation to weather a coming apocalypse? I am amazed at how many people, the majority of whom do not in the least resemble Bible-believing Christians, are so concerned with apocalyptic potentialities from A to Z (As in, from Atomic Apocalypses/Nuclear Winters, to any number of various Zombie Apocalypse scenarios). One friend is urging me to stockpile food and water, and arm myself with a gun or two to protect my hoard. Another is scouting out remote mountain hideouts/strongholds to remove to when it, whatever it is, happens. And, though I haven’t even Googled apocalypse yet, I am sure that I’d have several million “hits” in a few seconds. All this seems to me to betray a latent, but undeniable, insecurity. It seems that there are a lot of folks worried, just about scared out of their wits, over what they fear is coming in the not too distant future.
Well, I’ve played Humans versus Zombies, and you know what, the Zombies always win. Ammunition runs out. Water dries up. The last of the food is eventually eaten. The Zombies win in all apocalyptic confrontations. Me? I’m not losing any sleep over A-bombs or Zombies, because I have a safe place to run to that is 100% apocalypse-proof. You see, Jesus supplied all who turn to him with an apocalypse-proof shelter.
Oh, I am not suggesting that believers will all get a “Go directly to heaven” card, freeing them to bypass any and all possible apocalyptic events. But Christ’s followers receive something of infinitely greater value than a cache of weapons, a warehouse full of food, and a cave or concrete hideout. For, you see, the thing is, where the goal of arming, bunkering, hoarding, and retreating is to attempt to merely survive, the sure promise of calling on the name of the Lord is the provision of a strong tower of safety and security where one does much more than survive—one lives, and lives eternally!
You do know, don’t you, that apocalyptic cataclysms have been happening to disciples from the first generation unto today? What else would you call the persecution that broke upon the Church in the wake of the martyrdom of Stephen (see Acts 8:1-2)? Acts 12:1-2 tells us that James, the son of Zebedee, was put to death by Herod Agrippa. Peter and his brother Andrew are accounted to have been crucified. Thomas is believed to have been run through by a spear. Tradition holds that James the son of Alpheus was thrown down from the Temple by scribes and Pharisees, stoned, and his head crushed by a fuller’s club. This is to say nothing of the countless Christians who died in the Colosseum and other Roman venues, hacked to pieces by gladiators or torn apart by wild beasts. Then there were the believers in the Middle Ages who, when the Plague was ravaging Europe, stayed and ministered to the sick and the dying, rather than flee as far and as fast as they could as so many others did to try and escape that apocalypse. Could any modern-day calamity be any more terrible than these?
There is no denying that the world will never be free of cataclysm, disasters (just this morning there are reports of significant earthquakes in Chile and on New Guinea), persecutions, and wars. But all who look to Christ will find that He is the Strong Tower who has himself endured the very worst the world could do, and overcome. (John 16:33) If we would be free from nightmares and worry about apocalypses from A to Z, we need to run to Jesus, who is our apocalypse-proof shelter.
S.D.G.
Jim
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
Proverbs 18:10
Does the grim news reported by the networks, CNN, and Fox News cause you to lose sleep some nights? Do the warnings of prophets of a modern day Depression and other calamities induce nightmares? Are you making preparation to weather a coming apocalypse? I am amazed at how many people, the majority of whom do not in the least resemble Bible-believing Christians, are so concerned with apocalyptic potentialities from A to Z (As in, from Atomic Apocalypses/Nuclear Winters, to any number of various Zombie Apocalypse scenarios). One friend is urging me to stockpile food and water, and arm myself with a gun or two to protect my hoard. Another is scouting out remote mountain hideouts/strongholds to remove to when it, whatever it is, happens. And, though I haven’t even Googled apocalypse yet, I am sure that I’d have several million “hits” in a few seconds. All this seems to me to betray a latent, but undeniable, insecurity. It seems that there are a lot of folks worried, just about scared out of their wits, over what they fear is coming in the not too distant future.
Well, I’ve played Humans versus Zombies, and you know what, the Zombies always win. Ammunition runs out. Water dries up. The last of the food is eventually eaten. The Zombies win in all apocalyptic confrontations. Me? I’m not losing any sleep over A-bombs or Zombies, because I have a safe place to run to that is 100% apocalypse-proof. You see, Jesus supplied all who turn to him with an apocalypse-proof shelter.
Oh, I am not suggesting that believers will all get a “Go directly to heaven” card, freeing them to bypass any and all possible apocalyptic events. But Christ’s followers receive something of infinitely greater value than a cache of weapons, a warehouse full of food, and a cave or concrete hideout. For, you see, the thing is, where the goal of arming, bunkering, hoarding, and retreating is to attempt to merely survive, the sure promise of calling on the name of the Lord is the provision of a strong tower of safety and security where one does much more than survive—one lives, and lives eternally!
You do know, don’t you, that apocalyptic cataclysms have been happening to disciples from the first generation unto today? What else would you call the persecution that broke upon the Church in the wake of the martyrdom of Stephen (see Acts 8:1-2)? Acts 12:1-2 tells us that James, the son of Zebedee, was put to death by Herod Agrippa. Peter and his brother Andrew are accounted to have been crucified. Thomas is believed to have been run through by a spear. Tradition holds that James the son of Alpheus was thrown down from the Temple by scribes and Pharisees, stoned, and his head crushed by a fuller’s club. This is to say nothing of the countless Christians who died in the Colosseum and other Roman venues, hacked to pieces by gladiators or torn apart by wild beasts. Then there were the believers in the Middle Ages who, when the Plague was ravaging Europe, stayed and ministered to the sick and the dying, rather than flee as far and as fast as they could as so many others did to try and escape that apocalypse. Could any modern-day calamity be any more terrible than these?
There is no denying that the world will never be free of cataclysm, disasters (just this morning there are reports of significant earthquakes in Chile and on New Guinea), persecutions, and wars. But all who look to Christ will find that He is the Strong Tower who has himself endured the very worst the world could do, and overcome. (John 16:33) If we would be free from nightmares and worry about apocalypses from A to Z, we need to run to Jesus, who is our apocalypse-proof shelter.
S.D.G.
Jim
Friday, April 13, 2012
Jesus Sought and Retrieved the Irretrievably Lost
What Did Jesus Do?
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:10
Letty, our dog, and I were out for a short walk the other day when a car pulled up next to us, and the driver asked me how to get to Rutherford County (NC). “Just turn around up ahead, and come back to the Stop sign. Make a right, go about two miles to 221 and turn right again, and you’ll be five miles from the Rutherford County line.” Immediately, the frustration on the driver’s face transformed into a relieved smile, he wasn’t lost any more! It came to me, as Letty and I stood there, that she and I are a lot alike—we’re both retrievers. She because she was bred to be, me because that’s what Jesus makes of the lost he himself came to find.
Of course, there’s a big difference between giving some helpful directions to a driver who has somehow lost his or her bearings, and seeking out those who are irretrievably lost without Jesus. For that frustrated driver I was not the only hope. If Letty and I hadn’t happened to be there, or if he had asked directions to someplace I had never heard of (There are a lot of those places around here!), he would have eventually come upon someone else who would have helped him. But with the irretrievably lost, which includes every man, woman, and child who has ever lived, either Jesus finds us, or we’re doomed to be lost forever. In fact, offering someone who is lost any other direction than Jesus only serves to get them even more lost.
Of course, Jesus is seated at present at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Which is where his retrievers come in. You see, Christ’s singular mission of seeking and of saving the lost continues. But, ever since his ascension into heaven forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus has employed a pack of retrievers to faithfully go out and track down the lost, find them, and bring them home. Heck, you and I were retrieved at one time by one or more of the Lord’s loyal seekers.
That’s the thing about retrievers, Golden or otherwise, their loyalty to their master, and their passion for seeking and finding (or fetching, as us dog lovers say) that/those in need of being retrieved. Funny, but when you hear church folks talking about seekers they have the lost in mind, not themselves. But a truly seeker-friendly worship service is one that trains up Christ’s retrievers, and gets them all excited to rush out and go find those lost ones. All I have to do is look at the door, and Letty starts to get charged up, “Hooray, it’s time to go out and retrieve!” Letty, and all good retrievers, have this passion for going out and seeking and finding. Somehow, most of the Church seems to have lost sight of this fact about what Jesus came to do, and what he calls all of his disciples to do.
Make no mistake, we should experience as much passion in seeking, and know the same joy in retrieving the lost, as Letty does whenever we head out. And, just as retrieving is on Letty’s mind every time she goes out the door, it should be what we are thinking about at the end of every worship service, Bible study, retreat, small group, conference or rally. Retrieving is what we, in our rebirth have been “bred to do,” so to speak, in and through Jesus, who sought and retrieved us, when we were irretrievably lost.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:10
Letty, our dog, and I were out for a short walk the other day when a car pulled up next to us, and the driver asked me how to get to Rutherford County (NC). “Just turn around up ahead, and come back to the Stop sign. Make a right, go about two miles to 221 and turn right again, and you’ll be five miles from the Rutherford County line.” Immediately, the frustration on the driver’s face transformed into a relieved smile, he wasn’t lost any more! It came to me, as Letty and I stood there, that she and I are a lot alike—we’re both retrievers. She because she was bred to be, me because that’s what Jesus makes of the lost he himself came to find.
Of course, there’s a big difference between giving some helpful directions to a driver who has somehow lost his or her bearings, and seeking out those who are irretrievably lost without Jesus. For that frustrated driver I was not the only hope. If Letty and I hadn’t happened to be there, or if he had asked directions to someplace I had never heard of (There are a lot of those places around here!), he would have eventually come upon someone else who would have helped him. But with the irretrievably lost, which includes every man, woman, and child who has ever lived, either Jesus finds us, or we’re doomed to be lost forever. In fact, offering someone who is lost any other direction than Jesus only serves to get them even more lost.
Of course, Jesus is seated at present at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Which is where his retrievers come in. You see, Christ’s singular mission of seeking and of saving the lost continues. But, ever since his ascension into heaven forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus has employed a pack of retrievers to faithfully go out and track down the lost, find them, and bring them home. Heck, you and I were retrieved at one time by one or more of the Lord’s loyal seekers.
That’s the thing about retrievers, Golden or otherwise, their loyalty to their master, and their passion for seeking and finding (or fetching, as us dog lovers say) that/those in need of being retrieved. Funny, but when you hear church folks talking about seekers they have the lost in mind, not themselves. But a truly seeker-friendly worship service is one that trains up Christ’s retrievers, and gets them all excited to rush out and go find those lost ones. All I have to do is look at the door, and Letty starts to get charged up, “Hooray, it’s time to go out and retrieve!” Letty, and all good retrievers, have this passion for going out and seeking and finding. Somehow, most of the Church seems to have lost sight of this fact about what Jesus came to do, and what he calls all of his disciples to do.
Make no mistake, we should experience as much passion in seeking, and know the same joy in retrieving the lost, as Letty does whenever we head out. And, just as retrieving is on Letty’s mind every time she goes out the door, it should be what we are thinking about at the end of every worship service, Bible study, retreat, small group, conference or rally. Retrieving is what we, in our rebirth have been “bred to do,” so to speak, in and through Jesus, who sought and retrieved us, when we were irretrievably lost.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Jesus Offered the Way Out with Out of This World Bread
What Did Jesus Do?
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger.”
John 6:35
If it had not been for manna, all Israel would have starved to death and perished in the wilderness long before the day came to enter the Promised Land. What is Manna? Well, let me see, it’s, uh, um, it’s… The truth is the Israelites were at a loss for words to describe God’s daily provision of food in the form of the flake-like thing that lay upon the ground as frost in the morning. Exchanging puzzled looks, they gestured to the fine blanket of white all about them and said, “Manna,” which, roughly translated, means, “What the heck is this stuff?” But when all the Israelites had gathered up the manna and returned to their tents and prepared it, they all understood that it was out of this world, bread unlike any they had ever before eaten, and it was sufficient to fill their bellies and keep them alive, like daily bread. So, though the name always begged the question, manna it was. And, for forty long years, no one who ate the manna went hungry.
Many years after the Exodus a group of hungry Jews came to Jesus and asked him why they should believe in him. “How about a sign, Jesus? You know, our ancestors ate manna for forty years; can you produce some manna for us?” (John 6:31-31) Jesus replied, “Every one of your ancestors who ate the manna in the wilderness eventually died. I have come to offer you something different, something better than manna which keeps you alive for a day. I offer you the true bread of heaven. And all who eat this bread shall live forever.” (John 6:49-50) But, looking about, the Jews saw neither manna on the ground, nor anything else that in the least resembled bread. “Look at me,” Jesus said, “I am the living bread come down from heaven…the bread I give for the life of the world is—me.” (John 6:51)
If the ancient Israelites had been somewhat confounded by the appearance of the manna that offered daily sustenance in the wilderness, their First Century descendants were downright stupefied, if not outright offended, by Jesus offering himself to them as the Bread from Heaven which promises eternal life. (John 6:61, 66)
Here’s the thing. As mind-bending as it is, we who are Christ’s disciples have nothing to offer the world but the same Bread from Heaven which was offered to those First Century Jews. As troubling as the lesson is, we who are the Lord’s disciples have nothing to teach Jews who seek after signs and Gentiles who pursue wisdom, other than Christ himself, and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 1:22-24) If we’ve received what Christ has offered, if we’ve got it/Him, then ours is but to share with others what we have, even Jesus, the One who offered the way out with out of this world bread.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger.”
John 6:35
If it had not been for manna, all Israel would have starved to death and perished in the wilderness long before the day came to enter the Promised Land. What is Manna? Well, let me see, it’s, uh, um, it’s… The truth is the Israelites were at a loss for words to describe God’s daily provision of food in the form of the flake-like thing that lay upon the ground as frost in the morning. Exchanging puzzled looks, they gestured to the fine blanket of white all about them and said, “Manna,” which, roughly translated, means, “What the heck is this stuff?” But when all the Israelites had gathered up the manna and returned to their tents and prepared it, they all understood that it was out of this world, bread unlike any they had ever before eaten, and it was sufficient to fill their bellies and keep them alive, like daily bread. So, though the name always begged the question, manna it was. And, for forty long years, no one who ate the manna went hungry.
Many years after the Exodus a group of hungry Jews came to Jesus and asked him why they should believe in him. “How about a sign, Jesus? You know, our ancestors ate manna for forty years; can you produce some manna for us?” (John 6:31-31) Jesus replied, “Every one of your ancestors who ate the manna in the wilderness eventually died. I have come to offer you something different, something better than manna which keeps you alive for a day. I offer you the true bread of heaven. And all who eat this bread shall live forever.” (John 6:49-50) But, looking about, the Jews saw neither manna on the ground, nor anything else that in the least resembled bread. “Look at me,” Jesus said, “I am the living bread come down from heaven…the bread I give for the life of the world is—me.” (John 6:51)
If the ancient Israelites had been somewhat confounded by the appearance of the manna that offered daily sustenance in the wilderness, their First Century descendants were downright stupefied, if not outright offended, by Jesus offering himself to them as the Bread from Heaven which promises eternal life. (John 6:61, 66)
Here’s the thing. As mind-bending as it is, we who are Christ’s disciples have nothing to offer the world but the same Bread from Heaven which was offered to those First Century Jews. As troubling as the lesson is, we who are the Lord’s disciples have nothing to teach Jews who seek after signs and Gentiles who pursue wisdom, other than Christ himself, and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 1:22-24) If we’ve received what Christ has offered, if we’ve got it/Him, then ours is but to share with others what we have, even Jesus, the One who offered the way out with out of this world bread.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
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