Monthly Archives: September 2014

Jesus Throws a Combination

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In a fistfight, an uppercut rarely works by itself.  You need a combination, at least two punches, deployed in quick succession and without a pause.  The most basic combo starts with a jab, to distract your opponent, followed by a cross, to take his head off.

Jesus threw a combination of miracles at His disciples, first to startle them and then to take their heads off.  His “jab” was multiplying 5 loaves of bread to feed many thousands of people.  Then, immediately, He threw a “right cross” – walking on the water.  When you study this “one, two punch,” of miracles in Matthew 14, you begin to see many layers of meaning and purpose.  But first, let’s focus on the word “immediately.”  Both Matthew and Mark say these two events were a one, two punch; Jesus set up the second one immediately.

” Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.” (Matthew 14:22, NIV)

Why immediately?

Consider the flow of this:  First, Jesus shows them He can miraculously multiply bread.  He throws them off balance.  They are amazed and awestruck, but they are also feeling secure, because Jesus is with them and He can do anything.  Then immediately Jesus sends them off on their own.  They think, “No problem, we can do this; we’re good at rowing.”  But then, just when they feel competent and in control, a terrifying wind comes up against them.

“… but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.” (Matthew 14:23b-24)

 First they pull harder; “Come on guys, we got this… ”  Then they become fatigued.  And frightened, fighting off panic.  Their competence and camaraderie evaporates as the wind blows harder and the waves buffet them with menacing power.  The storm intensifies, continuing on through the night until after 3:00 in the morning.

Then, BOOM!  The second punch.

“During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”” (Matthew 14:25-27)

Why did Jesus set that up immediately?  What was He trying to do to them, sending them from their confident glow in His presence to a terrifying ordeal in the midst of their comfort zone?  Jesus set up the first miracle by saying, “You feed these thousands of people.”  Their response was “There’s no way we could do that!”  With His first punch, Jesus did it, He fed the people.  Then, immediately, He sent them off to do something they were sure they could do.   Only to discover they could not.  In the midst of their fatigue and panic, here came Jesus, walking to them on the water!

One, two punch.  Before we continue to look at the rest of what this means, ponder the word, immediately, and let Jesus knock your head off.

Enough

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The next time you are running low on food and 5000 men show up for dinner with their wives and kids, you might want to review how Jesus showed His disciples to handle it (You can read it in Matthew 14:13-21).  But most of us won’t ever be in that situation; is there anything in this episode for us?  Anything that we can apply to life as we experience it, one ordinary day after another?

When preachers deal with this passage, their points typically go something like:

–   “When Jesus gives you something impossible to do, He will make it possible.”

–   “Don’t worry about what you don’t have; bring what you do have to Jesus and give it to Him”

Those are great principles and make compelling sermons, but how do they apply to us in our every day circumstances?    Another way to ask that question is, “Can you think of any example in your own life where these principles were applied?”    We all know stories of great missionaries who lived like this, but what about the rest of us “Joe the Plumber” kind of people?

The lessons that Jesus demonstrated that night, feeding 5000 families, were not simply for the disciples.  All those people in the crowd were fed, too.  Jesus was showing them something, too.  But what?

As you ponder those questions, consider this:  Jesus taught us, every day, as we pray, to ask God, for bread – daily bread.  Enough for the day.  In that prayer, Jesus was building on God’s training protocol for the Israelites, as they faced starvation in the desert.  Each day, He provided just enough manna for their needs that day.  No more, no less, except the day before the Sabbath.  On that day He provided a double portion, so they could rest on the following day.  “Give us today, our daily bread.”

As you face today, there is no way for you to know what the day holds, or how much “daily bread” you will need.  But God does.  Just before Jesus told us to pray, “give us today our daily bread,” He said:

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:7-8, NIV)

Maybe your daily bread today will include food for 5000.  Maybe it will be strength and courage to make it through the day.  He knows.

Quote: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Response to a Beheading

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Beheading isn’t new. ISIS didn’t invent it. Do you remember how you reacted when you first heard about the reporter? Compare that to Jesus’ response when they cut the head off His cousin, John the Baptist. (You can read this in the first part of Matthew 14…)

Consider who the “bad guys” were:

The King –
– shacked up with his brother’s wife
– imprisoned John the Baptist for telling him it was wrong
– so moved (aroused?) by a young girl’s (his niece) dance, and so impulsive (drunk?) he promises her anything she wants
– reluctantly orders the beheading, to save face with his dinner guests.

The Girlfriend
– unfaithful wife, sleeping with brother-in-law
– encourages her daughter to dance seductively at dinner party.
– manipulates daughter to ask for John’s head.

The Guests
– enjoying a wild party an cheering the murder on

The Actual Cutter
– just following orders and doing his job.

As you consider Jesus’ response, think about how much justifiable rage has been poured out against ISIS. Remember that Jesus told Pilate He could summon legions of heavenly warriors at any time. Imagine the depth of His anger, frustration and despair. How did Jesus react?

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. (Matthew 14:13a)

Later on, He went to the cross for those people, to pay for their sin.

And mine, too…

Blinded by What You Think You Know

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If you put an old man in a short-skirted cheerleader outfit, most people driving by will think they saw a young woman.  Researchers have proved that we tend to see what we expect to see.  Our expectations limit what we experience.  That’s the reason so many of Jesus’ neighbors from His hometown didn’t “see” Him!

” When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. “ (Matthew 13:53-58)

The people that knew Jesus as a little kid, mostly couldn’t “see” Who He was!  Why not?  They were limited by their expectations.  They were blinded by what they thought they knew about Him.

People have that same problem today.  When people think they know everything there is to know, they rarely learn anything new.  That is true for most hard core atheists and it is also true for most dogmatic theologians.  If Jesus hasn’t surprised you and confounded you, perhaps you haven’t really “seen” Him.  Put down your preconceived ideas of what is possible, and let Jesus show you Who He is!

Quote: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

From Bottom to Top

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Imagine if the Statue of Liberty  had no torch.

Wouldn’t make sense, would it – with her standing out in the middle of the harbor, holding her homework and trying to hail a cab?

The Statue of Liberty is all about the torch.  Without it, she is incomplete.  The foundation “needs” a statue; the statue “needs” an arm; the arm has to have a torch!  Anything less just doesn’t work – it’s not complete.

The Old Testament is incomplete without Jesus.  It shows why He is needed, tells of His coming, gives living hints about His character and purpose, and explains the Plan of God that would one day be perfected by His crucifixion and resurrection.  The Old Testament literally cries out for the Messiah to come and bring completion.  The Old without the New is like the Statue of Liberty without the torch.

The Old Testament really doesn’t make sense without the New.  The converse is also true.  The New Testament only makes complete sense when it is established on top of the Old.

That is why Jesus said:

““Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”” (Matthew 13:51-52)

Here’s a tip:  When you are reading the New Testament and come across a reference to the Old Testament (usually printed as a bold, lower case letter), turn back and read the section it points to.  It’s amazing to read the Bible from bottom to top.

Quote: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Until Today…

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Alice Mosely painted a picture for her dog, Joe, when he died.  It showed Joe’s soul  ascending to a place where a separation was made: one heaven for dogs and one heaven for folks.  The title of the painting is, “Until Today I thought I was Folks.”   You can see it in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, or here: ( http://www.alicemoseley.com/until-today-i-thought-i-was-folks/ } I liked that painting and Mrs. Moseley’s whimsy.  But I would have liked it better if Joe had gone into heaven with the folks!

Jesus is God, but when He was here on earth, He was folks.  His parables and stories were crafted from common experiences of folks. When Jesus saw hardworking fishermen, hauling their net in to sort their catch, instead of ignoring them, He used their work as a picture for His next lesson:

” “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:47-50)

Every time one of those fish were discarded, Jesus’ listeners saw a picture of this sobering truth:  There will be a separation at the end of the age. It won’t be sorting the dogs and the folks, but the wicked and the righteous.    You and I will be there. Read again how Jesus described the destination of the wicked.

Did you read it?  Okay then, here’s the question:  How righteous is righteous enough?

God won’t be grading on a curve.  There is no such thing as “righteous enough.” Righteous means perfectly righteous.  It means pure.  That’s why, on another occasion, Jesus said:

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. “ (Matthew 5:48)

Lot of folks will be saying, “Until today, I thought I was righteous…”  But righteousness is measured against the standard of God’s perfection.  You won’t make it, not unless you somehow get a pass.

Here’s the deal.  Jesus is the only One Who has the authority to give you that pass, to take you out of the “wicked” line and give you a place in the “righteous” line.  That’s because He fully paid for it on the cross.  We don’t deserve it.  We could never earn it.  That’s why it’s called being saved.  Here’s how Jesus explained it:

“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”” (John 6:40)

Lots of folks who accept His offer, when it comes time to be separated at the end, will be saying, “Until today I thought I was wicked…”

Quote: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Better than Everything

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The violin was in the trash.  Some guy down in Texas spotted it, fished it out and took it home.  Years later, he decided to get it checked out at “Antique Road Show,” to see what he had.  The instrument was in pretty rough shape, but turned out to be a 1922 Pedrazinni.  If that name doesn’t get your attention, try this: $50,000.

You may think that kind of thing would never happen to you.  But it could; you could find something better.  Pay close attention to these hints from Jesus:

” “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46)

In both short parables, the “treasure” is the Kingdom of Heaven.  It is hidden, at least to those who are not looking.  Perhaps they are too busy.  Maybe they are rushing off to close a business deal.  Maybe they are too worried about something.  But in both stories, when someone looked for the treasure, it was right there to be found.  Jesus was telling people, “Pay attention; if you are really looking you will find it.”

In both parables, the value of the treasure was so great that it made sense to cash in everything else to gain it.  Again, Jesus was saying something.  If you find the Kingdom of Heaven, everything else in your life will pale in comparison to the value of what you have found.  That may seem far fetched to you.  There was a time when it made no sense to me, either.  But when I found this “treasure,” I realized Jesus wasn’t joking or exaggerating.  When you discover the Kingdom of Heaven, there is no cost that will seem too great.

How can you have this “treasure?”  First you have to “find it.”  When you come to realize that Jesus really is Who He said He is – that He is God – you will have found it (See: No Small Detail).  Why is the Kingdom so valuable?  Here are some of the reasons:  It comes to you with complete forgiveness, wiping away everything that would put any awkwardness between you and Almighty God forever.  It comes with full reconciliation with God.  It comes with eternal life.  It comes with God’s Spirit living inside your soul, guiding you, empowering you and transforming you.  There’s a whole lot more, but those things are harder to describe.  You have to be there…

So, what is the cost?  What does it take to “purchase” this treasure?  It costs everything, just like in the parables.  You let go of everything else and say “Yes” to Jesus.  That might sound too expensive until you recognize that all that other stuff has not satisfied you, and is temporary.  The Kingdom is forever.

Happy hunting!

Quote: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Bubbling Up with Life

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They’d been using it for thousands of years but didn’t know how it worked – not until 150 years ago.  Talking about yeast.  Did you know it is alive?  And when it’s warm and wet, yeast grows and multiplies so fast it makes rabbits look like amateurs.  One tablespoon of yeast contains over 140 billion little yeastie guys, all ready to get started transforming your next batch of bread dough from a gooey lump of paste into a puffy, yummy wonder, all set for baking.

That’s how the Kingdom of Heaven works, too.  It grows and multiplies because it is ALIVE!  Religion is mostly dead – a bunch of strict rules and boring ritual.  But the Kingdom is alive with the Holy Spirit and growing.  It can take the gooey lump of paste that is dead humanity and gradually transform it into a growing, yummy wonder, filled with new life and all set for heaven.

But don’t take my word for it; Jesus said it first:

“He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”” (Matthew 13:33)

You don’t have to know how yeast works to make bread.  You simply mix it into your dough and wait.  The yeast does the work because it is alive.   You don’t have to know how the Holy Spirit works to be transformed by His life and become part of the Kingdom of Heaven.  You simply have to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, trust Him and surrender to Him.  He causes the Spirit to be born in your soul and bring you into eternal life.  The Spirit does the work, because He is alive.

That’s why this thing is called Fresh Bread of Life.

Quote: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Still Growing

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When I first heard the rumor, I was skeptical.  But recent research has backed it up: Facebook is about to decline.  It was a pretty impressive run – more like an explosive flash in the pan.  But Facebook is about to follow CB radios, Hula Hoops and Bell Bottoms off into the pastures of relative obscurity.  Seems like nothing but nothing keeps on growing; every trend has its few years of popularity and then it wanes.

Everything, that is, except for the impact on the world of a homeless, itinerant teacher from the lesser regions of a conquered country the size of New Hampshire, Who was tortured to death 2000 years ago.  His followers, who originally numbered only 11, have added to their number.

Before He was crucified, Jesus made a preposterous prediction about how His “Kingdom” would grow:

” He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”” (Matthew 13:31-32)

At last count (2010), people who called themselves Christians accounted for roughly 1/3 of the world population.  That number is still growing…

Quotes: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Pulling Weeds

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Why would God allow evil to exist in His world?  Why wouldn’t He simply wipe out everyone who was evil?  Here’s a couple of questions to think about:

  1. In any war to eradicate evil, is it only the guilty who are injured or killed?
  2. If God were to wipe out everyone who had any evil impulses, would you survive?

” Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ”” (Matthew 13:24-30)

God has created a unique environment called earth, a place where life is possible – even conscious life that thinks and chooses.  In His wisdom He allows that life to grow for now, even the “weeds,” the ones who choose evil. It is important to consider your own life and how you grow.  Are you wheat or weeds?  Most of us, if we are honest, will acknowledge some dandelions in among the daisies of our life.

That is why Jesus came.  He can fix that.  There is a time coming when that fix will make all the difference for you…

” Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:36-43,)

Quotes: The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.