Overcoming the Debilitating Effects of Doubt

As you read through the gospels, you come across a repeated statement from Jesus that seems to regard the disciples in a negative light. Jesus says to his disciples, “O you of little faith.” There are also times when this is followed up with a question, “Why do you doubt?”

When Jesus preached to his disciples about God’s provision and care for his children, he addressed the fact that they had doubt in their hearts. Matthew 6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

When Jesus calmed the winds and the waves on the Sea of Galilee, the terrified disciples were amazed at his command over nature. Matthew 8:26-27 And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"

When Peter asked to walk on the water to Jesus, he was distracted by the wind and waves about him.  He lost focus on Jesus and needed to be saved from sinking into the raging sea. Matthew 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

After Jesus resurrection, Jesus gave the disciples his great commission.  Just prior to this Matthew reports, “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.” (Matthew 28:16-17).

It’s easy to be bewildered by the disciple’s doubt.  These are men who seemed to see something in Jesus that was so great that they left their livelihoods and families to follow him. At each step of seeing Jesus do amazing miracles, the disciples had growing evidence that Jesus had awesome power. He had power over people, the creation, and even the spiritual realm as he cast out demons. So why is it that those who do have faith in Jesus, still battle with doubt. 

In the New Testament, the word for doubt (distazō) implies that there is confusion.  It is a lack of certainty about whether something can be true. It is a situation of being in two minds about something and results in hesitation breaking into the course of life. With the exception of Judas (John 17:12), Jesus never accuses his disciples of complete unbelief. The many times they are seen with little faith or doubt, they are distracted by circumstances that would normally promote anxiety in any human. We worry over whether we will have enough food and general needs for survival. We worry when uncontrollable natural events are before us. We worry when our crises seem insurmountable. We worry because our situations and circumstances seem to be all we can see.

We are so bound by our world experience that it is almost impossible for humans to look beyond it. We know by experience that when there is no food, we starve. We know that when a natural disaster hits, we have no power to stop it. We know that when our crises are before us, it is hard to think beyond them. We know that we have no power to rise from death. In all these circumstances of little faith and doubt in the disciples, there are no differences between them and us. Humans have trouble considering a reality beyond our normal worldly, finite experiences. 

In each of the cases above, Jesus was standing before the disciples. Jesus is the One with all authority and power beyond every aspect of creation and over every realm both physical and spiritual. The disciples doubt because they forget that Jesus is greater than their earthly experience. We do exactly the same.

The answer for doubt is to remind yourself that the earthly experiences of your senses is not all there is. Whatever happens in this world is not greater than Jesus. A disciple of Christ lives in that faith.

Cussing Does Not Enhance Your Conviction

This week there was some controversy over a popular pastor who used an expletive term in his message. He was doing so during a call for Christians to live and speak their Christian convictions about some of the anti-biblical agendas in our current cultural climate. For bible believing Christians, it would be hard to disagree with his concerns about the current sexual revolution and other ideologies. Part of the message is that Christians need to stand strong on our biblical convictions and call immoral and destructive ideologies what they are.  We need to be bold about our Christian witness and stand for unpopular biblical truth and morality. Why would we disagree with that?

The problem for me came when there was a very intentional use of an expletive term to communicate this conviction.  In fact, time in this pastor’s message was dedicated to the defense of using such a term as he pointed to the example of the Apostle Paul.  It was reasoned that Paul used a similar expletive term when in Philippians 3:8 he considered that his Jewish heritage in comparison to Christ was dung/refuse (skybala). The claim is that Paul’s use of this word is the same as us using a similar modern expletive. This requires response. Do the Scriptures require our word choice to emphasize our conviction or the message itself?

1.     We do indeed agree that Christians need to stand strong on conviction no matter the cost.

In Matthew 14 and Mark 6, we read that John the Baptist had clearly stated that Herod Antipas was living in immorality as a supposed Jewish leader who had taken his brother’s wife. This stance not only was the reason that Herod put John in jail, but also the reason for him losing his head. If we read about John’s preaching ministry, we also find that Herod’s immorality was not the focus of his preaching.  In Matthew 3:2 we read that John’s predominant message was for people to “repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” It would seem that in doing so, John, like prophets who had gone before him, was also making it clear how sin was manifest in the people of Israel who were supposed to be God’s people. Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly how John was speaking about Herod’s immorality, but one thing is for certain, Herod was not the focus of his preaching. His preaching was focused on preparing the way for Jesus and warning those who see themselves as God’s people to turn from their sin or face judgment. If you read the Old Testament prophets, John would probably have sounded much like them. Perhaps this is the reason some thought he was Elijah or Jeremiah. Indeed, he was the Elijah who was expected to prepare the way of the Lord. 

Even when John was imprisoned, we don’t hear that John’s main concern was Herod’s immorality.  John was much more concerned about whether he had got it right about the Messiah Jesus (Matthew 11). I think this is an important point to see, because we should note that John was in prison not for the preaching of cultural morality but for the preaching of Christ and a gospel that exposes sin in humanity’s need for salvation. Nobody likes hearing they are an immoral sinner.  Our Christian conviction often leads to persecution.  All this is to say that our Christian conviction is not known by the expletive thrust of our language but by our Christ exalting stance in the gospel no matter the cost. Christ (not our cussing tones) marks our conviction.

2.     Paul’s convictions did not amount to cussing.

In Paul’s descriptions about what he thinks of Jews forcing circumcision on Christians, he makes some very unmistakable statements.  He turns the tables on those Jews who once called Gentiles ‘dogs’ by stating that they themselves have become the dogs. He calls them the mutilators of the flesh. Jewish and Rabbinical law keeping does nothing for obtaining favor with God. In fact, reliance on a law that nobody can keep will keep us under God’s wrath. No wonder Paul says that compared to his new life in Christ, his former life was dung. It was his strong conviction to stand against Judaism’s barrier to salvation in Christ. Paul’s use of the term skybala (dung/refuse) in Philippians 3:8 is a very clear reference of comparison that indicates the infinite distance between a life that will keep people under the condemnation of sin and an eternity of glory in reconciliation with God through Christ.

Paul preached his strong gospel conviction to the church in Philippi who were under the threat of those who seemed to be Jewish false teachers preaching false hope. Conveying his Christ-centered conviction, did Paul use cussing to emphasize his point? Well, if he did, he also went against his own teaching to the Ephesians. Ephesians 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. Translated another way, Paul was saying to the Ephesians that there was to be no talk that would be shameful or embarrassing, no foolish words, or vulgar speech/indecent talk.  In any of these instances, Paul would never accept or encourage obscenities in any of his sentences, especially one written as a letter to encourage a church in the joy of Christ (as in his letter to Philippi). It seems clear to me that the word “skybala” was not considered a cuss of Paul’s day. It seems, while earthy, that it was acceptable speech that did not breach his standard of righteous speech.

It seems today that to have strong biblical conviction, we are being told it must come with abrasive demeaning and even expletive language. That language must be public and there seems to be a Christian bullying happening to the degree that if you do not ascribe to this demeanor, you are being soft on truth or weak on conviction. That is far from the truth. I am not going to adopt an unbiblical turn of phrase to describe my conviction against an unbiblical ideology in the culture.  I am not going to allow my mission field to be offended at me because of my language rather than my message of Christ. If there is to be any offense taken by my conviction, may it be because I am a John the Baptist pointing to repentance and faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin and escape from the coming judgment.

For the sake of conviction of Christ, may we all be willing to lose our head at the whim of an offended Herod.

When the Result of Ministry is Hardship

The English Puritans of the 16th and 17th century lived through periods of persecution as varying governing authorities came to power. For five turbulent years in the middle of the 16th century, Queen Mary enacted her vengeance against the reformation and went to war on protestant believers. In the 17th century, the church came under attack through laws restricting the liberty of conscience and the expectancy of a uniformity of religion under the Church of England. Many puritan ministers were put out of their pulpits and anyone not agreeing with the doctrines and rituals of the Church of England were known as non-conformists, separatists and dissenters. During these times in England, faithful preachers were jailed, transported, put in stocks and even killed.

For many pastors today, faithful preaching does not come under the same type of external pressure as our puritan predecessors, but often they can have their own hardships that are difficult to grasp. When puritan pastors were so faithful in ministry, could they have wondered why God would reward them with such persecution?  Can pastors sometimes today wonder and even cry out to God for the heartbreaking situations that they must endure? What about just a faithful believer who is ridiculed and persecuted simply for sharing the gospel? The comforting truth for all of us is that while God does not always call us to enjoy positive responses, he does comfort and reward us in obedience.

In the time just prior to Judah’s exile in Babylon, Jeremiah had exactly this situation. God gave Jeremiah a message of warning and judgment for the people of Judah.  Jeremiah was consistently seeking this people to repent of their sin and face the consequences for their commitment to pagan idolatry. As a result, Jeremiah was often a lonely man without friends or even community support. Even more so, he was often threatened and faced people who plotted against him seeking to delight in his death. It was at this time that Jeremiah cried out to the Lord asking the question about why his faithfulness was being rewarded with such hardship. Jeremiah 15:15-18 “O LORD, you know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach. 16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts. 17 I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation. 18 Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?”

Jeremiah’s expectations were not met.  Faithful ministry is not supposed to be like this.  Surely if I am obedient to God in ministry and preach what he has instructed I will see repentance and a thankful response for the warnings that are being given. The brook is supposed to provide relief, but it doesn’t (vs. 18).

God’s response may have been somewhat unexpected for Jeremiah.  Jeremiah 15:19 Therefore thus says the LORD: "If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. God actually tells Jeremiah to repent. He is looking at it all wrongly and he has expected God to reward his faithfulness on his own terms.  He has expected that God’s plan for the people’s response should be the same as his.  God says, “If you return, I will restore.” He also shows Jeremiah that his words of complaint are worthless and if he simply continues to preach the word of God, he will be a mouthpiece of God.  What more reward is there to be the very mouthpiece of God as we speak what is precious.

God also then reassures Jeremiah that he will strengthen him, that his enemies will not prevail over him and that God will be with him (vs 20).  What is more, Jeremiah will be delivered from the wicked and redeemed from the ruthless (vs 21).

The message for Jeremiah, for our puritan forefathers, and for us is that God looks at the success of ministry in our obedience and not in the response of others. Pull up your britches and keep preaching the truth.  Look past those who ridicule you for the sake of the gospel and be obedient in its proclamation. Find your reward in God rather than man.  Take joy in being God’s mouthpiece as you treasure the privilege of speaking precious words. And most of all, hope in the deliverance and redemption that God has promised you as he never goes back on his word.

The results of ministry might be hardship, but the reward of obedience is infinite and eternal.

The Job of a Disciple is to Disciple

If you are a Christian, you are a disciple of Christ. A disciple is one who has come under the instruction and guidance of another.  A disciple is one who is trained for understanding and life. A disciple is a learner.  To be a disciple of Jesus, we must come to Jesus as our great Instructor in the only way possible.  We come to be under the training and instruction of Christ not just as a mentor but as our Savior and Lord. The disciple of Christ can only accept the training of Christ when we know that our training happens because Christ is the way, the truth and the life and the only way of reconciliation with God. Even the training and instruction of Christ commences at the cross.

As a disciple of Christ, we often ask the question that every new Christian asks.  How must I now live?  What is the call of a disciple? Often when we talk about our Christian life we talk about holiness and Christian disciplines.  We talk about prayer and bible reading and fellowship in the body and all the wonder and riches that go with them.  These are all very important factors of the Christian life as we seek to please Christ.  There is an aspect of being a disciple that many of us may not feel so comfortable with.  A disciple, disciples, and a big part of discipleship is teaching. Let’s hear it from one of the most regularly quoted verses in Scripture.

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Under the authority of Christ, we are commanded to firstly make disciples and do so indiscriminately with global focus. The first command in the great commission is to go and make. A disciple is one who is active in the intentionality of explaining to others the only way to become a disciple of Jesus and know eternal forgiveness of sin. This means that even in the making of disciples that we need to teach people how to become one. As soon as we say the word “teach,” many people become uncomfortable. We may not all see ourselves as a teacher, but Jesus is clearly showing here that being a teacher of the gospel is par for the course in being a disciple. We are to make it our mission to teach the gospel.

After seeing someone make public confession of their salvation in Christ through baptism, Christ also says that disciples are to teach this new Christian to know the Scriptures and obey them until the day we die or Christ returns. Again, we are to teach.  A disciple is one who has learned the truth of Christ to share the truth of Christ with others.  We are to keep learning the truth of Christ to help others to know how to live for Christ, how to obey his word, how to understand his word and how to grow in his image.  Of course, this does not happen because we simply teach people, but because of the way the Holy Spirit grows us through the application of his word. All the same, for many of us, there is an aspect of being a disciple that seems uncomfortable.  Disciple’s, all disciples, teach.

Yet again we find in the Scriptures that our calling in Jesus is not always comfortable. Disciples are not simply those who are a saved version of the normal human being seeking a comfortable life. Disciples are those who pursue the calling of Christ in obedience to his will even when it takes us out of our comfort zone. When we understand that our pursuit as a disciple is based on Christ’s calling for us to instruct others in becoming and living as a disciple, this should have impact in our life. We take the calling seriously and prepare ourselves to live out the calling before us.  We study God’s word. We seek counsel from other mature disciples. We practice our own obedience in spiritual disciplines. And…. we put it in place by doing the things we don’t want to do when we don’t want to do them. You don’t want to teach someone how to be a disciple? Well, unfortunately that option is not on the table. A disciple, disciples.

The One Aspect of Consumer Mentality the Church Really Needs

For the most part, I am completely against bringing a consumer mentality into the church.  In fact, I would be one pastor among many who is willing to say that the western consumer mentality has drastically hurt the church. Just talk to someone looking for a church and you will often hear a list of demands that a church must meet to gain the privilege of their attendance. We value what we get so much more than what we give. We have turned worship, preaching, programs, and even fellowship into commodities of the modern church growth movement. Not only do we have criteria for finding a church to meet our wants, we so easily leave when they are not satisfied.  When it comes to consumer mentality in the modern church, don’t get me started!

So, how can I possibly say that there is an aspect of consumer mentality that the church really needs? Well, in all transparency, I really can’t. BUT…IF there were one, it would be that when the consumer sees what they value most and desire deeply, there is nothing stopping the power of a consumer to get it.  Credit has become the greatest friend of consumer culture. How could this possibly be an attitude that is right for the church?  Well, as far as consumerism is concerned, it’s not, but when it comes to the way we value Christ and his Kingdom, I wish the church had just a little more of the “I must have it now” attitude.

In Matthew 13:44-46 there are two back to back parables about someone finding something of great value and then making every sacrifice to get it.  Sacrificing all to gain the item of great value is likened to the Kingdom of Heaven.  We could say that the kingdom of heaven is like a man who upon seeing the latest model Ferrari, gives up all that he has to buy it.  We could say that the kingdom of heaven is like a lady who sees the most beautiful ball gown ever on display and won’t let anything get in her way of buying it. It is not the ugliness of consumerism that is on display but the attitude that something is so valuable that you would do anything at all to obtain it. Well, this is the way we should view Christ. We should see the beauty of the cross, the victory of the resurrection, and the all surpassing greatness of his kingdom and say, “I must have him now.”

Imagine what might actually happen to the consumer mentality in our churches if what we wanted most was to love and serve our Savior and live for him in his kingdom. Imagine if our desire for Christ was greater than our desire for the list of demands on our list for finding a church that suits our needs. Now, I’m not saying that there are unimportant items on those lists.  Bible teaching, caring fellowship, biblical leadership, gospel centered preaching, and many more are important factors in the life of a church. Is it possible that these good practices can even become a part of our consumer mentality? Yes. Instead, they should be the outworking factors of a body who are so committed to Christ that we are willing to give up all to get him. Is it possible that we are more concerned about whether the pastor is a good preacher, than we are about the Kingdom he is preaching about? Is it possible that we are more concerned that the music entices our voice than that King we are singing about? Is it possible that we are more concerned about the programs on offer for our family than the Christ we are hoping our children will stay in church for? 

If you are going to apply anything from the consumer mentality in our culture to your Christian life, apply the “I must have it now” attitude. Don’t apply it to your list of demands, apply it to Christ and his Kingdom.  If you do that, everything in your attitude and outlook changes.

Have Confidence That the Church Will Grow

As we look around our country and our world, it is easy to become pessimistic about the opportunity for the church to grow. Across the world, Christians are being persecuted. In America, we are continuing to see a cultural shift driven by a new sexual ethic and a demand for a new demographic equality. As we see what is happening around us, it is hard for some to imagine that the church can grow as a visible display of the victory and rule of the Kingdom of heaven.

In the time of the prophet Ezekiel, it may have seemed the same way for Israel. Judah was in the middle of being taken into captivity to Babylon in two separate stages. The King, Zedekiah, had been told that he should surrender to Babylon and accept God’s judgment on the nation.  Instead, Zedekiah rejected God’s command and attempted treaty with Egypt to fight against Babylon.  As a result, in Ezekiel 17:16 God said, “As I live, declares the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant with him he broke, in Babylon he shall die.”  

If you were living in Judah awaiting the next phase of captivity, you may be very anxious at the thought of looming exile and now there is no hope in your king.  Was there ever to be a growing and victorious people of God? Would God give a king to bring back Israel’s glory and a thriving kingdom? If it was to happen, it could not depend upon the string of failing human kings that Israel had experienced. Will God truly have ascendancy in this world?

Immediately after the heartbreaking news about God’s judgment on Zedekiah and Judah, God gives Ezekiel a vision of hope. Ezekiel 17:22-24 Thus says the Lord GOD: "I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it."

There will one day be a shoot from the tree of Judah who will grow into the most glorious and giant tree and all other trees will be dwarfed in comparison.  In this tree there will be life and security. Because of this tree all other trees will know God and he will bring down the proud and lift up the humble. 

In the New Testament there are many indications of this fulfilment and none no more so than the parable of the Mustard seed in Mark 4 and Matthew 13.  In Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven has broken into this world and it is spreading through the gospel.  It may look lowly and humble, but it is spreading into every other nation and people are being saved into this kingdom all over the world. One day all will see this kingdom to be the supreme kingdom overall.  The kingdoms of this world will be shown that they dwarf in comparison. Why is this possible? Because the shoot that starts the growth of this seed is no normal human king.  He is the King of Kings.  It is this King who says, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18).

A Question To Recalibrate Your Temperament

For recalibration, please read through this list of passages and answer the simple question at the bottom.

Psalm 103:19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

Psalm 145:11-13 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, 12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,

Matthew 11:11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

John 18:36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:29-36 "Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, "'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool."' 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

Ephesians 1:20-22 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

Luke 10:17-20 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" 18 And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

John 12:31-32 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."

Colossians 2:13-15 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Hebrews 2:14-15 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

1 John 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Revelation 7:9-10 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

QUESTION: If you are a Christian living in this world, should you be optimistic or pessimistic?

ANSWER:….

Do You Feel, Think, or Truly Understand

I have appreciated the focus that so many churches have taken to eradicate emotionalism from their central focus and place prime importance on the teaching of God’s Word and the gospel of Jesus Christ. While I am so thankful for seriousness when it comes to theological pursuit, I have also sometimes been concerned about some react against emotionalism by grasping onto intellectualism.  In the pendulum swings of life, it’s easy to react against emotion to the degree that faith becomes purely intellectual. In reaction to emotionalism it’s possible for a church to become more of a theological seminary rather than the fellowship of the saints.

In the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, Jesus makes some comments that help us to realize that engagement with the truth of his kingdom is so much more than an emotional experience or an intellectual pursuit. There seems to be a problem with humans that we can see and hear and not understand. In Matthew 13, Jesus uses this word, ‘understand (suneintos)’ in a way that shows us that it is much more than experience or intellect. Jesus shows in the parable that understanding is associated with fruitful living. Understanding is associated with the ability to persevere through hardship.  Understanding is associated with resisting the desires of the world, and understanding is associated with a fully engaged pursuit of Christ. There is here an aspect of both an intellectual understanding of the gospel, and a heart-felt need for Jesus that results in a passionate devotion to living in his kingdom.

We must engage with doctrines and not simply emotions, but we must also engage with the reality of doctrines in a whole person response. Only when we can know the poverty of Spirit associated with understanding sin can we know the reality and motivation for repentance. Only when we can know the victory of Christ’s resurrection can we know the reality and motivation to live a life which is truly life. Only when we know the expectation of his return can we yearn in the anticipation of the realization of hope. Only when all of these truths impact the thoughts, words and actions of our life can we see that faith is far beyond the shallowness of emotional response and intellectual pursuit.

We need to understand in the only way that faithful understanding truly is. Let’s not let a reaction, even a right one, keep us from this. We must engage with truth and contemplate the reality of Christ and his kingdom deep in our being.  We must respond not only in intellectual agreement or burst of emotion, but heart-felt knowing devotion.

Isaiah: Stumped by the New Covenant

Isaiah 6:8-13 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me." 9 And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' 10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." 11 Then I said, "How long, O Lord?" And he said: "Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, 12 and the LORD removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled." The holy seed is its stump.

After Isaiah had seen an amazing vision of the throne room of God, Isaiah had realized his own sinfulness and also that of the people of Judah. Isaiah was to tell them that God’s judgment upon them would be evident in their rejection of him (vs 9-10). Isaiah then asks God how long this would last and God gives Isaiah a very grim view indeed.  One would think it enough to be conquered by a brutal pagan empire and taken in captivity, but it would be even worse than that. Even for the few who would remain after exile, they too would remain under the judgment of God and the tree of Israel would be reduced to a stump. In that stump is the hope of Judah for restoration and population of the land.

If one knows the history of Israel, we know that Judah did indeed go into exile in Babylon and was without a true king even in the return from exile.  Judah never saw its former glory and the fulness of the expectation promised to them through the prophets. Even in the time of Jesus Israel was under Roman rule with a puppet king who was not one of their own. If Isaiah’s prophecy is to come true, this rejection of God would eventually end when a little stump could again grow. 

The New Testament authors tell us that this prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus.

In Matthew 11-13 we see a crowd that is following Jesus as he has different interactions with them and the Pharisees. In Matthew 13 Jesus speaks to this primarily Jewish crowd in parables and one of the reasons for using parables is to show their unwillingness to truly interact with the truth of his Kingdom revealed.  Matthew shows that in the use of parables, Jesus is showing that Isaiah 6 is fulfilled. This is the post exilic Israel still living in the rejection of God’s revelation of himself to them. With Jesus, however, is a small group of disciples who accept his truth and end up spreading his message throughout the world.

In John 12:37-43, John tells us that even though Jesus had done many miraculous signs, the Jews still did not believe in Jesus as their Messiah King. Again, John says that this rejection of Jesus is a fulfillment of Isaiah 6.  These Jews who had witnessed the power and glory of God in Christ had been unwilling to see him as their Savior and Lord. The Pharisees particularly rejected Jesus and even those who did see something in Jesus were not willing to acknowledge him publicly.  Even for those Jews who saw that Jesus was authentic, they were not willing to overcome the fear of man to know true faith and hope in Christ.

In Acts 28:16-28 we read of Paul in Rome.  As Paul awaits the consideration of his case, he sits before the local leaders of the Jews and talks to them about the circumstances that led him to this position. He wanted them to know about the hope of Israel and taught them from all the Scriptures concerning the Kingdom of God in attempting to convince them about Jesus (vs.23). While some were convinced, others disbelieved. Paul told them that the rejection of Jesus and his kingdom was a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 6.  He then went on to specify that while the Jews will not listen, the Gentiles will.

Through Jesus there will be a believing stump that will sprout and grow and spread its limbs into the entire world. As we see the New Testament fulfillment of God’s Word, we can be very thankful that God left a stump for the hope of the whole world. From a small group of disciples in front of a disbelieving crowd, through the antagonism of the Pharisees, and through a rejecting contingent of Jews in Rome, those who were prophesied not to listen to Jesus made way for millions who now do.

I wonder what Isaiah would think if he could see the extent of a prophecy that sounded so discouraging, but actually shows the amazing grace of God.  God would never have been doing wrong by the idolatrous Israelites to completely wipe them out, but through faithful long suffering, our God preserved a remnant to bring about a stump that would again become a majestic tree.  If you are in Christ today, you are part of that promise.

One other amazing thing to realize is that John’s gospel records that Isaiah saw Jesus’ glory and spoke of him (12:41). The God on the throne speaking to Isaiah to seek repentance and faith from the people of Judah is the same God who tells us to go out to all tribes, tongues and nations.  He is the same God who himself bore our sin to be our King. So, go back now and read Isaiah 6 and be amazed. What an amazing Savior indeed.

No Prejudice in The People of God

Israel were meant to be God’s people.  Throughout the scriptures, we see God calling on his people to be the living example to the world of what it is to be created in the image of God.  They were to be his holy people reflecting his holy character as a witness of God’s glory across the earth. In doing so God made a covenant with his people and gave them the law to help them to be the holy people they were called to be. If Israel were to obey the law, we could have walked among the people of this nation and witnessed a society in which human dignity and value was the highest standard for the whole world even with the presence of sin. The punishments were designed to fit the crime, and compassion for sojourners, widows, poor and orphans were a regular feature in the law. It’s true that Israel were built into a national family related to the twelve sons of Jacob and allotted portions of the land of Cana according to those family groups. Primarily, however, when we think of Israel, we should remember that their calling was not to simply be a physical descendancy but a holy people of God. When Israel went after the other nations, it was not a problem because they were of different physical descendancy but because those nations were not worshipping and serving the one true God. As an example, one of the most beautiful portions of Israel’s history was about an Israelite man called Boaz marrying a Moabite woman called Ruth who was committed to Yahweh.

Israel was put into exile because they ran after the gods of the other nations and had followed the practices of the ungodly.  They had lusted after the pleasures and practices of the world and as a result, had you walked among the people of Israel, you would have experienced an atmosphere of prejudice and injustice toward each other.  The prophet Amos described this atmosphere as he rebuked those who fed their indulgences and harshly treated the needy. Amos 4:1-2 “Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy. The Lord God has sworn by his holiness that, behold the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks.”  Injustice and perceptions of superiority within Israel brought this supposedly holy nation under the judgment of their God.  They were not reflecting his character by not treating others created in the image of God with dignity.  These verses in Amos are just one small example of the plethora of statements from Old Testament prophets warning Israel that their prideful prejudices would result in God’s judgment.

Israel experienced exile as they were dispersed throughout the other nations of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon and their expulsion from the land lasted for generations. While Judah was in the midst of captivity in Babylon, the prophet Ezekiel was warning Judah’s leaders that they must heed God’s warning or face destruction (Ez. 33). Ezekiel warned that each person was responsible to hear the call of God and repent of sin. Within this warning is a call to specifically repent of the injustices that had become so prevalent among them. Ezekiel 33:14-16 Again, though I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, 15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.

In this same chapter, Ezekiel also warns Israel that there will be no restoration of them in the land if they do not repent. These people thought that the nation was their right as physical descendants of Abraham, but God made it very clear that to be at rest as God’s people in his presence requires repentance of sin and a life that trusts and obeys God. Ezekiel 33:23-25 The word of the LORD came to me: 24 "Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, 'Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.' 25 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: You eat flesh with the blood and lift up your eyes to your idols and shed blood; shall you then possess the land?

As we see what God has done with Israel in the Old Testament, it gives a strong message to the New Covenant people of God in Christ. We should expect the world to be a prejudicial place of oppression and injustice. God’s people are to be different.  God calls us in his grace, and through faith in Christ we are a people who are to be the shining light of his holy character. When people walk into our churches, they should see love, care, justice, and a complete lack of sinful partiality. God demanded that his people saved by grace in the Old Testament were to be a repentant people of faith living out in active obedience to his word. Anything else would result in expulsion and it did. Today, the church should be a repentant people of faith living out in active obedience to the law of Christ. Anything else should result in expulsion. That expulsion should come through church discipline. The question is, does it?

Taming Our Racist Tongues

James 3:6-9 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

If these verses were not inspired Scripture, I might think they were the ramblings of a crazy man who has no confidence that human beings can speak a civil word to one another. Are we really this bad? Are we really infected with an instrument of poison that is out of control and determines the actions of or whole body? Well, this is the inspired word of God and the answer is yes.  It really is that bad and our speech sets our whole being on fire. The worst part is, these verses also indicate that we use it to hurt others.

There is no doubt that James has a lot more than issues of racism in mind when he talks about the way we use our tongue, but there is one element in particular that should give you particular cause to apply these verses toward matters of prejudice against those of differing ethnic heritages than you. It also seems to me that James may not only be talking about the type of caustic hate speech of someone like an Adolph Hitler, but those subtle little statements we make to ourselves that drive the way we treat others. The tongue is not an independent member of the body, but James says that your speech (reflecting your thoughts) sets your entire course of life. As I look at people who may look physically different to me and have differing cultural behaviors, what am I really saying about them? James is insisting that we ask ourselves this question. Within this text he also gives us a truth that we can use to replace our poisonous words that drive our attitudes and actions. 

In vs. 7 in the original language, James uses the word, ‘phusis’ – kind/order of nature. He makes mention that it is possible to tame each classification of its order of nature (phusis). Humans can tame the bird kind, the beast kind, the reptile kind and the sea creature kind…every kind. In W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vine places this word, phusis, with other Greek words that may be loosely translated into the English word, “race.”  In James we see a double usage of ‘phusis.’ When James says that these animals have been “tamed by mankind,” a direct literal translation is more like saying that they are tamed by the order of nature, human. What he is really saying is that there is a kind or one natural constitution of human that is differentiated from the natural constitution (kind) that is considered as an animal (birds, beasts, reptiles, sea creatures). Why is this important?  James is saying that there is one differentiated human natural order that can tame the natural order of animals but not our own tongues. There is one human race and for all our dominance over animals, we seem to have a lack of control with how we use our tongues toward each other.

In verse 9 James backs up this statement by differentiating further. Human beings use their tongues to speak in sinful ways about each other without considering that all human beings are created in the image of God. One could conclude from James that there is one humanity created in the image of God as one natural order and to speak about another human being in a sinful/hurtful way results in attitudes and actions that direct your whole life.

Regardless of the category (ethnicity, ability, culture, intellect), if you look at another human being with words of prejudice and superiority in your mind, James is telling you that there is only one human race made in the image of God and your tongue needs to be tamed by this truth. Every one of us can tame an animal, but we all need to work much harder on our tongues.

What Ezekiel 16 Teaches Us About Fearing God

Throughout the Scriptures we are told to fear God and obey him. In fact, the book of Ecclesiastes sums up the whole pursuit of our earthly existence by saying that the whole end of man is to fear God and keep his commandments (Ecc 12:12-14). When we read statements like this it is sometimes difficult for us to understand them. If we are honest, we most often think of fear in terms of being frightened about something. We are most often motivated to fear because something or someone is scaring us.

It is true that God is a consuming fire and to fall into his hands is a fearful thing ( Heb. 10:31, 12:29). When we think of the power and holiness of God and the devastation of human sin, why shouldn’t we fear? Any sinner standing before this perfect holy judge should be terrified of his authority and power and his ability to condemn us knowing every single offense we have ever committed.

Ezekiel 16 gives us a glimpse of the fear of God gone wrong. In reading this amazing chapter, we can see that God never meant for his people to fear him through the motivation of terror, but through the motivation of love. Israel rejected the love and grace of God as a motivation to fear God and would then have to come to grips with fearing God out of terror. Open your bible and walk through each section with me.  I promise, it will be worth it.

Section 1: Ezekiel 16:1-14.  God is speaking through Ezekiel to the Elders of Israel. They have rejected God and have become complacent about their need for God. They are not fearing God or leading the people in the fear of God.  God reminds these Elders that it is God who formed Israel and he did it by calling Abraham out of other nations. They should not think too highly of themselves. God birthed this nation, grew this nation, and turned this nation into his beautiful bride. The grace of God in the birth and formation of Israel is astounding. It is God who established Israel and made covenant with them as his people. He describes them as a young bride in beautiful garments having been carefully prepared and then shown in splendor to the nations. The motivation for Israel to keep God’s covenant and to love him and serve him as God’s people should be on the basis of God’s electing love and grace.  Out of gratitude and love, we would expect that Israel’s response would be an unrelenting commitment to their God of grace. The motivating factor for fearing God as his people was always meant to be grace and love.

Section 2: Ezekiel 16:15-59.  Instead of loving, obeying and serving God as his elect bride, Israel rejected God to go after the gods of other nations and to live for their own pursuit of glory. In this section of Ezekiel, rebellious Israel is described as a whore. There are some very confronting statements made about just how devastating Israel’s whoring really is. One description in vs. 33-34 shows just how much Israel desired its own idolatry over God.  Normally, it is the prostitute who gets paid for their service. For Israel, they loved their own harlotry so much that they were the ones who paid for the opportunity to prostitute themselves to the world. They were not solicited by the other nations, but they willingly and enthusiastically sought out worldly idolatry. 

How could you possibly have such a loving and gracious God who forms you from nothing into his beautiful bride and reject him for the debauchery of whoredom with the world? The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will always be known for their wicked immorality and God’s judgment upon them. At least Sodom and Gomorrah never claimed to be God’s people.  They were never God’s beautiful bride. In vs.49 we read, “As I live declares the Lord God, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done.”  In other words, your refusal to fear God in love has made Sodom look good compared to you.

In verse 58-59 we read that God will deal with Israel according to their abomination.  In Ezekiel 16 we read about what it means to go from what is supposed to be a fear of God based on grace and love to a fear of God based on the terror of his awful judgment.

Section 3: Ezekiel 16:60-63 The most amazing aspect of this chapter is that God then shows his faithfulness in remembering his covenant that he made with Israel and promises an everlasting covenant.  Once again God’s grace is more than we can imagine.  This time it is promised in the fact that he will atone for all that we have done.

If you claim to be a Christian, you are living in the reality of this new and everlasting covenant whereby God has come into this world and atoned for your sin and has kept his covenant in full on our behalf. The question is now again asked to us. Will we respond to this grace of God by living a life that fears him out of love? Praise God that in Christ we also have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit who compels every Christian to truly repent of sin and live according to the fear of God through faith in Jesus Christ. We might revere God’s awesome power, but we live not according to terror but in an overwhelming sense of love and gratitude as the Bride of Christ.

The Christian Declaration of Dependence

Before you get too concerned about whether this might be a strike at another famous declaration, it’s not. It occurs to me that independence, whether corporate or individual, is a subject that Christians should think through very carefully when it comes to the assessment of life.  The fact is, we humans love the thought of independence. We love to be independent thinkers and often set ourselves up as the authority on truth. We love to be in control of our own life decisions. We want to be in control of our destinies and we even want to be in control of our identities. Independence is one of the great lusts of the human soul.

The problem is that as we read through Scripture, we so often find that our pursuit for human autonomy ends in dissatisfaction and disaster. When we live as those who are ignorant of accountability, we live for self and we only seek satisfaction and meaning within the confines of this world. Ignorance of God in any aspect of our life, even for Christians, ends in hurt.  The way of the transgressor is hard (Proverbs 13:15). The temporary satisfaction we get from seeking to live independently seems to fade in the deterioration of aging and changing responsibilities of life. When independence fails, there is nothing left to satisfy.

Independence is also a fallacy. We are never truly independent.  The bible clearly shows us that we are either under the authority of sin (and/or Satan) or God. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul calls Satan the god of this world and says that he has blinded the eyes of those who are unable to see the glory of God in Christ. That sounds like a very debilitating power upon the life of any unbeliever who lives in the fallacy of their own autonomy.

The person who delights in dependence upon God has a greater end. As we move through the different phases of our life, we know a greater purpose and hope in an eternal future. We also know that the path that depends on Christ and his word is the way of truth and life (John 14:6). Jesus also brings us out of the way of hardship into the security of his easy yoke and lightens our burden (Matthew 11:28-30). In Christ, we have been reconciled to God having been in ignorant rejection of his authority to now living a life of dependence on the one who greatly rewards and gives everlasting peace. Instead of being controlled by selfish lusts, we are controlled by selfless love. In 2 Corinthians 5:14-15  Paul tells us that, “..the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” The Christian declares not independence but dependence having been saved into a life whereby we no longer live for self but are under the control of the love of Christ.

This is hope. So many people are taken by surprise in life when their independence is lost in the deterioration of the body and mind. So many people are left with the depression of functionless bodies in old age. The Christian declaring dependence is always hopeful in the knowledge that we are in the hands of the Great Restorer. We can be joyful even in incapacity knowing that this is a phase of life in which our greatest goal is to please the one we are dependent upon. We have not lost satisfaction in the loss of selfish goals, but we have maintained contentment in the fact that God gives us every strength in any situation to please him and know his all-encompassing love in our life. Through dependence on God, there may be temporary loss for eternal gain. Independence only brings eternal loss in the pursuit of our temporary gain.

From the wisdom of Solomon, we get an encouragement that can be taken with us through every phase of life from youth to death.  In Ecclesiastes 12, we are commended to “remember our Creator” in our youth, in aging, and as we approach death. Through faith in Jesus Christ, this is a glorious dependence that we take with us into all eternity as we live in the joy of God’s everlasting provision.

Christian, it’s time to declare dependence!

Only A Fool Vents

It would be almost impossible to find someone who at some stage in their life has not been angered to the point of venting to another. Often, we complete our tirade with the final words, “I just needed to vent.” “I just needed to blow off some steam.”

Lately in our culture we have seen the same thing on our streets. While some have peacefully protested in their concern over a lack of care for the value of life, others have vented through destruction of property, looting, cursing, shouting, and even cordoning off six city blocks and declaring their own state. These are more visibly apparent forms of venting, but it is no less a matter of venting to use social media as our voice of anger expressing our disgust for what disturbs and disappoints us.

Some people think that venting is a healthy exercise for those who should not bottle up anger.  Unfortunately, this is both a wrong view of what is healthy and what is actually a definition of anger. As we consider anger biblically, we see that it is not some mystical force of emotion that wells up inside us like a kettle ready to blow steam. In his book, Uprooting Anger, Robert Jones biblically defines sinful anger as, “our whole-personed active response of negative moral judgment against perceived evil.” As we look at the various biblical examples of anger, we see this definition working.  Cane’s anger at Abel was the outworking of his misperception of injustice at Abel’s sacrifice being accepted while his was not. Esau’s anger at Jacob was his active response to his perception of a moral injustice of losing his birthright. Haman’s anger against Mordecai was based on his perception of the reprehensibility of the Israelite people. Peter’s anger was displayed three times when people had the audacity to recognize him as one of Jesus’ disciples and place his life under threat. Many times in the bible human anger is the outworking of sinful and selfish motivations of the heart. 

The bible never tells us that bottling anger is the right thing to do.  Depending on the situation, the Scriptures tell us to approach our brother or sister when we have been sinned against with a view to restoration of relationship (Matthew 18:15).  We are told to cry out to God in our pain and suffering (Psalm 34:6, 61:2). Perhaps the right response we need is to forgive someone (Luke 17:3-4).  What we will not find is Scripture telling us to blow off steam through destruction of property, gossip, or any other sinful response, even including the subtle tweets that sooth your desire to poke.

The wisdom literature in the bible shows us clearly that venting is the way of fools. Proverbs 29:11  A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.  Ecclesiastes 9:17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

The way of wisdom is not the way of war. The wise person is patient and quietly assesses the situation with a calm spirit. The wise person speaks with a disposition of peace and a spirit of gentleness. The wise displays wisdom not only in words but in mannerism and careful strategy with the right priority. If you are Christian, that calmness is found in the eternal relief of the cross that impacts every situation in this world. Christians take time to measure every possible response against the priority of the mission of Christ.

If you are a Christian, please don’t be a fool. It speaks very little of the gospel.

Christians Can Still Put on A Happy Face

How many people have said to you that they are waiting for the end of 2020? How many memes have you read? How many daily commentaries of news and events have you read in disbelief that what is actually happening around us is real? The threat of Covid 19 took us all by surprise and then came the stay at home orders and every contradicting expert argument about what we should and shouldn’t be doing. Then came the death of George Floyd, protests, riots, more deaths, statues toppling, CHAZ, and the list goes on. With every dramatic event this year has brought, there have been arguments and debates from every side. We have seen disease, division and even disorder. How could any of us say that we can put on a happy face?

If anyone was going to tell me that I can be joyful, I would want to know that they come from a position of reality.  A happy face can be a very superficial act in the midst of a very serious climate and if I am to show joy, it must not negate reality. The book of Ecclesiastes speaks to this exact situation. Throughout the book we are constantly facing the futility of existence under the sun. As you read through Ecclesiastes you relate to the experiences of oppression and abuse, depression, madness, anxiety, war, loneliness and the general groan of life in this fallen world as we know it. The writer of Ecclesiastes makes no apology for speaking about the certainty of death for all humanity and the unpredictability of life.  It is in this context that the writer of Ecclesiastes also tells us that we can live with joy and actually show it.

In Ecclesiastes 9:8, we read, “Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.” A similar statement today might be along the lines of someone telling you not to look so glum.  Don’t wear black as if going to a funeral.  Don’t put on dust and ashes as if in mourning. Where a bright white garment and clean yourself up with some soothing oil. Put on a happy face.

If we were to read this verse on its own, we would indeed consider this to be a superficial response to real hardship, but the outward appearance of this statement is as a result of true inner hope and joy. In Ecclesiastes, we are constantly facing the fact that this world will continually offer what we are seeing in our society right now.  This world offers disease, division and disorder. There is no ultimate solution to it because the sin nature of mankind in this world will never change. The more we live for this world and in the pursuit of making this world our refuge, the more this world will let us down and show us the bankruptcy of human pursuits. 

Christians hear the argument from Ecclesiastes and realize that while we live under the sun, our hope is beyond it.  Because of the cross, we have been spared from putting our hope in an unachievable satisfaction under the sun. Because Christ has rescued us from sin, death and the futility of this age, we have a greater glory that awaits. We also have an urgent message of deliverance to spread. Why would anyone listen to us if all they hear and see in us is the despondency and woeful anxiety brought on by the distress of what is happening in the world around us? It’s not that we can’t speak to the serious issues that surround us. In doing so, we should be displaying and articulating a hope and joy in the ultimate solution of Christ that we already have. The inward confidence of salvation in Jesus should have an outward reflection in our appearance and words. So, if you are in Christ, sympathize with the hurting, acknowledge the dangers, mourn over the disorder, disagree with the divisions, and beware of the disease, but reveal your hope and don’t hide your joy. Put on a white garment and anoint with oil. Put on a happy face.

Even in reality, you have reason to show joy.

Most People Are Not Wise

You might read this article and think that the writer must be some bombastic jerk full of pride.  Where do I get off judging wisdom?  How can I possibly know that most people lack it? Do I have wisdom in such abundance that I am able to make this blanket statement about the rest of humanity?

In reality, I am not the one judging human wisdom.  Under the authority of the inspiration of Scriptures, I am confident to make this pronouncement. Paul makes it very clear in 1 Corinthians that the world sees the cross of Christ as foolishness and that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of man (1 Cor 1:25).  In other words, the wisest sage in human history will not even scratch the surface of wisdom when ranked against the omniscience of the God of the universe. 

If this is the case, how can any human claim to have any wisdom at all. Our claim of wisdom can only come through adopting the wisdom of God. Unfortunately, most people reject Christ and are not interested in the truth of the gospel that sets us free. The fact that the remnant of God’s people in this world is small in comparison to the entire world population tells us that most people reject God’s wisdom. Most people are not wise. Wisdom comes through the illuminating, regenerating work of the Holy Spirit through the gospel of Christ.  It compels us to look to God’s revelation for understanding and navigating this world.

In Ecclesiastes 8, the first verse starts with these words. “Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing?” Wisdom in this world is not easy to find, let alone someone who can give wise counsel to help understand and navigate the big problems of life. To ask who is like the wise is almost the same as saying, who knows everything to the degree that we can truly be confident in what they say?

If you find such a person, you have found a Christian who has had the illuminating effects of the gospel in their life.  You have found someone who has now realized that in themselves is no wisdom and their complete reliance for truth is found in revelation from God who has infinite knowledge, can never be wrong, and is morally perfect in character. You have found in someone who finds and enjoys wisdom from God.

Unfortunately, in this world, many Christians want to hold on to the prideful false wisdom of mankind.  Some trust in human reason more than God’s revelation.  That’s why many Christians have been captivated by humanistic philosophies of psychology, psychiatry and evolution, and have even attempted to insert this thinking into the bible. The Apostle Paul and King Solomon would both say that when human thought invades the infallible, inerrant word of God, it no longer is the word of God and becomes corrupted and errant.

Confidence in wisdom comes from one source alone. It’s time for believers to stand on the authority of the bible and claim true wisdom for the sake of pointing this world to the only illuminating truth that saves.  The only truth of true freedom and joy.

Start Looking, Stop Wanting

I know it is not like this for some other people, but my Mom and Dad would often come out with a saying that would stop me in my tracks and help me think about my situation.  In a way, my parents were wise old sages.  At least when I was a kid, it felt like that.  It felt like I could go to them and they would have the words to open my eyes to the world and place my feet on solid ground. Sure, they were fallible, and not always right, but I still have their sayings with me. One saying in particular comes to mind. I once came home sick after gorging myself on candy at a friend’s birthday party. I remember complaining to my mom about how much my stomach hurt, to which she replied, “Next time remember not to let your eyes grow bigger than your stomach.” I never again ate candy to bursting point.

Sometimes we look with our appetite instead of our eyes. It gets us in all matter of trouble and causes us to respond to situations in irresponsible ways. When we see something we don’t want, we instantly respond according to what we want rather than stepping back and looking carefully at a situation.  When we something we do want, we live by impulse to obtain it. It’s all too easy for us for our appetites, wants and desires to become our eyes.

In Ecclesiastes 5-6 we read about the trail of damage that occurs when humanity is led by appetite.  We live in a world where people pursue wealth and power and it so often ends in a trail of destruction. As we read through the realities of this world, Solomon also gives God’s people a guide for our response to the situations before us.  He often puts them in the form of a “better than” proverb.  One such proverb is found in Ecclesiastes 6:9. “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.”

Acting on impulse is so often the worst thing we can do.  When we do this, we are allowing our appetites and desires to control our path and often it’s a path of destruction. We want revenge, vengeance, power, wealth and we end up acting like the rest of the world. Instead, we are told to step back and look. The candy on the table might catch our appetite for sweet pleasure, but when we look with our eyes, we see that enjoyment won’t come from eating the whole bowl. When Christians look with our eyes we act and react differently because we know that our appetites are not trustworthy.

Ecclesiastes is a constant help for us in showing us how not to act and react in worldly foolishness rather than godly wisdom.  It helps us to calmly remind ourselves that we are living for One who is greater than anything we can have in this world.  We put on the glasses of Christ and remind ourselves that Jesus is our satisfaction.  We don’t need to let our appetites reign.

That’s simply wise. Wisdom is like a godly mother in our ear and a cherished gift from God. Better to really see than to live by want. Stop wanting and start looking.

Don't Go Back To Church Foolishly

Sometimes we don’t even know when we are “doing” church in a foolish way. I am not talking about whether or not you return to church in a mask. I am not talking about precautions you should take to manage the threat of Covid19. I am hopeful that men in church leadership are being wise carers of the flock as they reopen doors to church buildings.  I am talking about the way we approach church whether or not a Covid19 threat is present. Too many people, including me, have found themselves in the category of foolish church goers. As many people now prepare to reopen (or have recently done so), this is a great time to assess how you approach corporate worship. What is your motivation to worship corporately? 

Foolish church goers don’t even know why they are foolish. One of the reasons for that is that we so often measure our church going on what we see in this world. We have been heavily influenced by preferences and in our consumer culture we prepare to go to church through an anticipation of having them met. The fact that preferences are often our measuring tool is easily seen in the way churches seek to advertise distinctive elements that appeal to us. “We are a church for people who don’t like church.” “We are a singing church.” “We are an expository preaching church.” “We are a family church.” “We are a reformed church.” You might look at this list and say that some of the statements listed are right, and even biblical. That’s true. The church is meant to come together and sing and preach and I certainly hope it is welcoming to families and holds good doctrine. The problem is that we can turn every one of these criteria into a preference that drives our attitude as we walk through the front door of the church. I am confident enough to say these are foolish motivations for corporate worship even if some of them are reasonable criteria for choosing a good church.

In Ecclesiastes, the big focus of the book is to show us that life “under the sun” is worthless if “under the sun” is all we know and live for. No human can escape living under the sun, and we all experience the groan of this Genesis 3 world in many ways. Because we are all subject to life under the sun, everything we do happens under the sun. Life is foolish when we live without considering that our greatest hope lies beyond the sun.  Church is supposed to be all about this truth. We want people to know the hope of salvation that can only come through knowing Christ who has revealed himself to us from beyond the sun. His Scriptures, inspired from beyond the sun, help us to understand our situation in sinful rebellion against God and how the cross of Christ is our only answer to reconciliation with our maker. In the Scriptures we see the very purpose of our human life to glorify God through redemption in Christ Jesus. To live otherwise is futile and foolish. The awe of God in his glory is our motivation for both individual and corporate worship.

In Ecclesiastes 5, we find that we even do church “under the sun” and it’s very easy for us to approach corporate worship with an under the sun attitude. We allow ourselves to be guided and motivated by preference. When this happens, we come to church for us. We speak this way, we sing this way, and we act this way and when our preferences don’t line up, problems abound. Ecclesiastes tells us that it’s possible to go to church and be foolish in doing so. There is one motivating factor that helps us to put all of our preferences in their rightful place.  It helps us not to speak out of turn.  It helps us to be sincere in our words. It helps us to be content with some imperfections – (at least as we see them). What is it? The answer is, fearing God.

When our motivation is to fear God, we worship vertically even as we edify each other horizontally. We come together in reverence. Our attitude is God and not me.  The fear of God is the beginning of wise corporate worship.

Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

Ecclesiastes 5:7 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.

The Measurement of Contentment is "One Handful"

The Scriptures do talk about the measurement of contentment and the writer of Ecclesiastes explains it to be “one handful.” While this might sound somewhat confusing, when we hear the context of Ecclesiastes 4 it helps us to see this statement with perfect clarity.

In Ecclesiastes 4:6 we read, “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.” The handful of quietness here seems to be the quiet satisfaction of a contented heart. Prior to this statement, the preacher has been talking about the rivalry that comes from one neighbor envying another. Want and envy are the torturing enemies of a quiet contented life.  It is through want and envy that we bring rivalry into our relationships or even abandon relationships to strive after the offerings of this world. Countless marriages have broken apart through the dissatisfaction of one spouse believing themselves to be held back by the other from obtaining more out of life.  I am not simply talking about material positions, but relationships, power, pleasure, or any other pursuit that puts the carrot of want in front of our eyes. 

We often hear people talking about making the most out of life and being the best you can be.  If you have ever had the experience of sitting in a large auditorium and listening to a motivational speaker, (in some instances this has been called church), you will no doubt have heard a passionate plea for you to visual your success. You hear that you need to increase and pinpoint your aim, focus in on what you want most out of life, plan ahead, set goals, and work hard to grab it with both hands (or something like this). Your goal is everything and don’t let anyone hold you back. Don’t listen to negative, keep focused and surround yourself with people who will ultimately help you and not hinder you. 

In verse 7 Solomon goes on to describe another person who fits this sort of category of someone striving. This person seems to be alone. He works so hard to gain for self and ends up with no one to share it with. He lives for his goal and it seems that nobody is going to get in the way of this man’s bucket list. His success is real and so is his loneliness. He has pinpoint accuracy on an achievement that is worth more to him than community.

Ecclesiastes 4:6 tells us that the person who is satisfied with what a normal amount of work in this world will give them, will be much better off than the person who is striving after grabbing the enticements of the world with both hands. The person content with what they can hold in one hand has a spare hand to think of others rather than self. That person values people more than pleasure or riches or power or anything else in this world. That person is a person who can let go of their bucket list and love others. 

Life in this world is so often lived as if this is all there is.  That attitude forsakes others to gain more for self.  It’s the attitude that says, “Seize the day,” or “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” The quiet handful of contentment says, “I have all I need, let me share.” It says, “This life is not all there is, and the best is yet to come.” To truly know the reality of that statement, one must know the reality of their eternity.  They must be confident in the satisfaction that can only be obtained through the forgiveness of Christ and the eternal inheritance obtained in the cross. In Christ alone we can enjoy our work in this world to be content with a handful and keep a free hand to serve others. All we need is Jesus

Sir Walter Raleigh wrote:

“Give me my Scallop-shell of quiet,

My staff of faith, My scrip of joy, immortal diet,

My bottle of slavation,

My gown of glory, hope's true gage,

And thus I'll take my pilgrimage.”

Chill Out, Life is a Gift

Humans seem to get very uptight when something they value in this world is under threat of loss or when we have not yet obtained that valuable prize. I want to make a case to you that a correct understanding of life as a gift under the providential care of God can allow us to chill out and enjoy life with grateful hearts.

Five times in Ecclesiastes we see the repeated phrase, “God has given.” There are a few different contexts in which we see these words.  In 1:13 God has given an unhappy business to the children of man who are fallen in nature and seek to understand the fallen world under God’s judgment. In 2:26, God has given understanding of this world to those who trust him while those who don’t will ultimately only know futility. In 3:10 God has given all times and seasons as the beautiful reality of his providence. In 5:18-19 we find that wealth and riches are that which God has given and can only be enjoyed in the context of that truth.

These repeated phrases are written in the context of all of the situations and seasons of life. It is impossible not to see that the author of Ecclesiastes (I believe, Solomon) is making it clear that everything we have from God, including the times and season and life itself, is a gift from God.

It’s so easy for Christians to ignore this fact, and when we do, we end up replacing gratitude with attitudes of want and entitlement. We also end up trusting other people, governments, and the resources and pleasures of this world for our contentment rather than God.  This is a dangerous place for any Christian to be. It changes our desires, our definition of need and our rhetoric. When we forget that everything is given from God and then lose whatever it is that is so precious to us, our world turns into a tailspin of despair or rage. We have forgotten that God is the giver and ongoing provider of all things. Life is a gift, both the instance of life and everything in its living.

When we appreciate that every season and time of life and every resource and pleasure is from God, we live life as a gift. We can be thankful for what we have, and even what we have lost. We can be thankful in riches and in poverty, in gain and loss, under good government or bad. It is God who gives for our good, no matter what he gives and no matter how long he allows us to have it. We live with understanding knowing that God is in control and nothing in this world is necessary for my satisfaction because that belongs to God.  I can enjoy his world because the world and everything in it is a gift. God alone is my need. When you say, “life is a gift from God” and mean it, your whole world changes.

To truly know that life is a gift, we also look to Jesus. We come into true life by grace – a gift (Romans 3:24). We can only know true life as defined in the forgiveness and mercy of the cross that crucifies us unto this world, and this world unto us. (Galatians 6:14).  The life we now live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God who loved us and died for us. (Galatians 2:20). Life, true life, is a gift. It was a gift in Genesis 1, and it is a gift in the cross. 

So, Christian, let’s not be so uptight about what you have or don’t have or what decisions are being made by governments, or what amount the share market crash took from your 401K balance. All of life is a gift and in God’s providence, the things of life, the times and seasons of life, and every matter under heaven is a gift of God and a work of his providential control.  We can be thankful for whatever we have knowing we have it because of God’s providence. We don’t need the rhetoric of entitlement, ownership or want. We can chill out. Trust in the providence of your God and be thankful. Enjoy life in Christ, it’s a gift.