The Lord in His Temple

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Christ, Grace, Holy Week, Jesus Christ, Lordship, Prayer, Priest, Temple

When Jesus came into Jerusalem on that holy week, He went to the temple and cleared it of merchants who’d taken up business there.  The gentle King who came riding on a donkey’s colt showed His authority and strength.  With force He cleansed the temple of the greed that had taken root; His judgment was severe: “‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘ “My house will be called a house of prayer,” but you are making it “a den of robbers”‘” (Matt. 21:13, NIV).

The picture is as simple as powerful; the religious leaders have gotten used to corruption, and Jesus shows the true heart of God–the place of prayer should not be a place of preying on the poor.  The gentle King is also strong to drive out wickedness and protect the needy.

But the more we contemplate it, the more intriguing this episode becomes.  For Jesus is the great high priest, and in His own way He is the greater temple–the meeting place of God and man.  Indeed, He will in this same week replace the temple, by making Himself the true sacrifice to which all of the sacrifices of the Old Covenant pointed.  He will render temple, priesthood, and sacrifices obsolete–for He is the fulfillment of all.  He is the one by whom we pray and in whom we are reconciled to God.

In cleansing the temple, Jesus shows us the heart of God, who has provided a place of reconciliation for sinners.

Praise be to Christ, our temple, priest, and sacrifice.

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Palm Sunday

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Christ, Christianity, Compassion, Easter, Grace, Humility, Jesus Christ, Palm Sunday

The story of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem begins holy week with such joy; yet the message of Christ’s love and compassion is only magnified by our understanding of what He entered Jerusalem to do for our salvation.

The King of Kings came into Jerusalem not on a warhorse, but on a donkey’s colt.  This was a deliberate gesture by Jesus, symbolic of His gentleness and compassion.  Matthew the evangelist recognized that Christ’s coming in this way to the city fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey'” (Matt. 21:5, NIV).

Here is the compassion of the Lord of all things.  He comes to us not with a flaming sword of wrath, but humbly and gently, bearing His message of grace.  He comes to bear Himself our sins upon the cross.  And there He will triumph, conquering Satan, sin, and death.

The crowds acted better than they knew to greet Him with the cry “Hosanna!”  ‘God, save!’ is what it means; and here came God their Savior, our God and Savior, to save us from our sins.

Hosanna!  Blessed is our Lord and King!

Before the Foundations

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1 Peter, Christ, Hope, Jesus Christ, Love

It is hard to grasp the wonderful privilege of receiving the gospel message.  Prophets in ages past were given the message in part, but couldn’t discern the fulness.  Who could have anticipated that God would send His Son to be the Savior of the world?

God anticipated it.  God planned it, before there was even a world of lost men to save.  The Savior was foreknown, fore-ordained; the apostle Peter, speaking of Christ, says, “He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1 Pet. 1:20).

This may strike us at first as a rather strange passage; but think about what it says.  God planned our redemption from the beginning.  The wondrous work of Christ was in the mind of God before mankind’s fall from innocence.  God is so merciful and compassionate that He undertook this work of creation and redemption with full insight and knowledge.  Great is His love for us.

Because of Christ, chosen before the foundations of the earth, revealed now, we can know God (v.21).  Faith and hope are gifts that come to us in Christ, the gift of God to lost men and women.  If we only receive that gift, we may have this hope through all of life’s darkness and struggles, and know the God who loved us before He even brought us into being.

Reverent Fear

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1 Peter, Atonement, Christ, Christianity, Fear of the Lord, Gratitude, holiness, Jesus Christ, Judgment

The pursuit of holiness fits within a certain view of life–a serious view of life.  If we treat life trivially and think that our decisions don’t matter, if we think there is no accountability, then we will not be inclined to a diligent pursuit of righteousness.

But life is serious.  We are accountable.  The world may deny this, but Christians know it: “Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear” (1 Pet. 1:17, NIV).  This world is not our home, and this life is not ours to use as we see fit.  God is drawing us back to Himself, and we are to follow our Father in loving obedience.

Reverent fear isn’t a popular topic in a lot of churches these days; but it’s something we need.  Our heavenly Father is the God of the universe, the judge of all.  Sonship does not preclude reverence.  But it is not only knowledge of judgment that urges us to live seriously.  There is also gratitude, because our redemption wasn’t cheap.

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (vv.18-19).

Silver and gold.  These are the sorts of things the world thinks precious and imperishable.  But from the spiritual perspective these are just perishable things, the things of this world.  And blood–a perishable thing in this world, which represents human life (not regarded as particularly precious, if all our violence is any indicator)–well, the blood of Christ is precious.  His sacrifice will never lose its power.

We were bought with the blood of the Son of God.  We should live gratefully, in reverent fear.

Be Holy

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1 Peter, Christianity, God, holiness, Kingdom of God, Paganism, worldliness

One of the basic features of the Christian life is separation from the world.  Not isolation from the world–refusal to engage with people outside the bubble of church and family life–but separation from the world–refusal to be worldly.  We are called to be holy; holy means set apart by God, for God, and thus reflective of God’s character.

When the apostle Peter wants to express this to the churches, the ‘elect exiles’ living as strangers in this world, he first draws attention to the future, where their hope lies: “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming” (1 Pet. 1:13).  This fallen world, with its perilous pleasures, is not where our hope lies.  Our hope is wrapped up in the blessed return of our Lord, and the promise of a new world where His kingship will be fully realized.  We live as citizens of that new world, even while we live in this one.

Then the apostle turns attention to the past, to emphasize the contrast in life before and after conversion: “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance” (v.14).  The Christian life is supposed to be different from life apart from Christ.  Now that we know our heavenly Father, we ought to live differently than we did before.  Holiness is implied by adoption into the family of God.

What defines this difference?  The character of God our Father.  “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy'” (vv.15-16).  Those who have been set apart by the Holy One are called to be holy.

This is not a regrettable consequence of Christianity.  The pursuit of holiness is one of the blessings of salvation.  Those who are united with Christ have been made holy in Him, and are called to be holy by the Holy One who has called them His own.  The challenge for the church in our time is to embrace this sacred blessing for what it is, and walk in the blessed holiness we have been given.

A Compassionate God

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Anxiety, Compassion, Depression, God, Grace, Kindness, Mercy, Trouble, Worry

“The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” (James 5:11, NIV)

How badly we need these words.

God is compassionate.  God has mercy on those who cry out to Him.

Do you know this?  Do you believe it?  God is full of compassion and mercy.  When your spirits are low and your heart is afraid, when you suffer and struggle, run to Him.  He does not turn away the hurting, or reject those who cry out to Him.

Seek the Lord when you are in need.  His depths of compassion are unfathomable, His breadth of mercy immeasurable.  God is kind and gentle.  God is love.

May God be your comfort and peace in every trouble.

A Curious Notion!

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America, Christianity, Church, Ecclesiology, Megachurch, Multi-site, Pastoring, Shepherding

The recent retirement of the lead pastor of a multi-site church, David Chadwick was featured in a little article at the Christian Post.  At the end, the article notes:

He said prior to his decision to resign he had started having doubts about the multicampus church model where lead pastors mainly connect with the congregation through video.

“Churches all over the country are doing it, with videos shown on the screen in other places,” Chadwick said, “Elevation (Church) is probably the primary example here in Charlotte.  You know, I just began to wonder more and more–how effective is that?

“I know I’m a good communicator…I can have people come and listen.  But doesn’t a pastor need to speak to his people?  So I began to struggle with that too,” he said.

What a curious notion!  A pastor needing to speak to his people?  Like, physically present with them?  How charmingly old-fashioned!

I speak with tongue in cheek, because Pastor Chadwick had “began to struggle” with something that should be patently obvious (though obviously it is not obvious to a large section of the American church)–that pastors are supposed to speak to their people.  Not only does that mean being physically present, but, even more, that means a pastor should actually know the people to whom he is preaching.

A pastor is supposed to shepherd the flock of God.  He preaches the Word not to strangers, but to people with whom he has a relationship.  He should know them by name, and have some knowledge of what’s going on in their lives.  The same pastor who preaches the Word of God to them should be the one they can talk to about their struggles, the one who visits them in the hospital, the one who baptizes them, dedicates their children, marries them, and buries them.  That’s a shepherd; that’s a pastor.

This suggests not only that multi-site churches are highly problematic but that megachurches are problematic too.  You can preach to 10,000 people; but you can’t pastor them.  A church need not be tiny, but it oughtn’t be huge.

I know that such a radical claim is contrary to the accepted wisdom of much of the American church.  But I think the church would be stronger if we had more moderate sized churches instead of megachurches and multi-site churches.  As a side bonus, it might help us avoid this sort of thing.  In any case, it would encourage pastors to be pastors, and churches to be real communities, sojourning together through the storms of this life.

The Longings of Prophets and Angels

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Angels, Blessing, Gratitude, Holy Spirit, Prophets, Revelation, Scripture

The grass, they say, is always greener on the other side.  It is easy to wish for the blessings that God has given someone else, and to forget the blessings He has given to you.  It is easy, when you are wrestling with some spiritual issue or personal struggle, to wish for a private revelation from God, as is sometimes recorded in the Scriptures.  Instead, we should reflect on how the prophets longed to stand in our shoes.

“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow” (1 Peter 1:10-11, NIV).

We wish for the personal revelation they enjoyed, but they searched intently for the fullness of revelation that has been given to us!  The mystery of the gospel, the awesome saving work of God, has been revealed; what the prophets probed intently and longed to grasp, we have had handed us by the generosity of God.

The gospel is the greatest of all treasures.  Christ suffered for us on the cross, and rose victorious.  He reigns, He will return, and all who hope in Him will inherit joy forever.  God has allowed us to know these things, on the sureness and authority of His Word.  We are blessed, we are privileged, and we should be thankful.

“It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.  Even angels long to look into these things” (v.12).

Even more, it is important to recognize that the personal revelations given to the prophets–thrilling as that must have been–were not for themselves.  They received the words, but not the clarity of their meaning.  God made them understand that what they had been given was for us.  On this side of Pentecost, when the Spirit has been poured out upon God’s people and the gospel is clearly preached, we have the fruit for which the prophets labored and longed.

Even stranger and more wonderful to our minds, the mysteries revealed to us are what occuply the longings of angels.

In a time of discontent, and an age so interested in personal revelations, we should remember the goodness of what God has given us.  His Word written speaks clearly and profoundly so that we may know His Word our Savior and Lord.  Knowing Him, the Son, we are brought into fellowship with the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  These blessings cannot be measured, only enjoyed.

 

Africa to the Rescue!

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Africa, Christianity, Homosexuality, Humanity, Salvation, Same-Sex Marriage, Truth, United Methodists

Earlier this week, the United Methodists voted to accept the Traditional Plan, maintaining and strengthening their stance against the sexual revolution.  This decision likely came as a surprise to many, considering that it goes against the direction America’s mainline Protestant denominations have been taking for some time now.  There’s talk about a schism, some liberals fear an SBC-like conservative shift (“fundamentalist takeover” is their preferred terminology).  Time will tell.

But, for the moment, it would seem that God has been gracious to the UMC.  His instrument in turning them from the brink, or at least slowing their course, would appear to be the sizeable part of their denomination that resides outside the U.S., notably in Africa.  I have seen no statistics on the breakdown in the vote itself, but commentators on both sides of the debate appear agreed that the African vote was decisive to the conservative victory.

But, of course, the difference between the conservatives and the liberals was not essentially ethnic, but ethical.  The divide was theological, and this became evident in some of the arguments before and responses after the decision.

The conservative position is theocentric–centered on God.  They are concerned with obedience to what God says in His Word, with holiness and truth.  They care about people, but recognize that celebrating sin doesn’t actually help people, even if it’s what people want you to do.  God must be honored and trusted, and the gospel must be proclaimed untarnished.

The liberal position is anthropocentric–centered on humanity.  They were concerned about hurting people, which is good, but they let harm be defined by the pagan culture around them.  They bought the world’s narrative about human flourishing, informed by the idea that aberrant sexual desires are identity categories analogous to race.  They seek to remain relevant in a changing world, but they haven’t learned the lesson of the other mainline denominations: seeking relevance, they traded timeless truth for momentary error, and became almost immediately irrelevant.

The key is that a human-centered theology will not actually lead to human flourishing.  Only a God-centered theology will do that.  The Creator knows what is best for His creatures.  We should trust Him.  The African Methodists are helping the American Methodists remember that.

 

 

The Unseen Lord

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1 Peter, Faith, Jesus Christ, Joy, Love, Suffering

Faith is a strange thing.  Peter describes the Christian’s relationship with their Lord, the relationship of faith, in these words:

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet. 1:8-9).

Faith is about belief, trust, love for someone you have not seen.  Faith means that Jesus Christ, who you have never seen with your eyes, is dearest to you of all.  Faith is not unreasoning or unreasonable, but it requires something beyond what your senses can verify.  For whatever reason, this is what God particularly desires from us: not that we are talented or beautiful or brilliant or wealthy or powerful, but that we believe Him.  Come to Him; trust Him; obey Him; love Him.

That relationship of love, faith in the unseen Lord, has an astonishingly powerful influence over the rest of life.  The unseen Lord trumps all of the trials and terrors that can be seen, and joy results.  This is the story of the early church, of apostles who sang in prison chains and martyrs who boldly faced the Roman lions.

Faith can sustain you.  If you know the unseen Lord, believe Him, and love Him, you can know joy in the midst of suffering.