2 Books for Religious People...

Ah...Christmas break was nice. I hadn't gotten to do much leisure reading until the holidays, both out of my lack of desire to spend money on books, and my lack of time to sit with my coffee and read aforementioned books. I turned my attention to 2 books by author I'd never read before, and each book sent a convicting message to my all-too-legalistic and self-righteous heart. 

The Prodigal God by Tim Keller

This book is a great look at the Parable of the Prodigal Son- or as Keller calls it, "The Parable of the Two Lost Sons." One son is lost in his hedonistic pursuit of worldly pleasure, and is saved by the father's overwhelming love. However, the older son is also lost. He hates the fact that the younger, wayward brother gets graciously accepted back into the family. He thinks that, because of his perfect behavior, he has a right to demand whatever he wants from his father. 

I imagine that this is a pitfall for many, especially those who grew up in the church. God is gracious on the wayward- those who have crazy "drinking-smoking-cussing-sexing-rebelling" testimonies. But he is equally gracious on the prudes and self-righteous- those who have "prideful-self-centered-arrogant-moralistic-religious" testimonies. Both fleshly sins and sins of self-righteousness are despicable to God, and both must be forgiven by his grace.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

This book is a straight shot to the gut. Simply stated, if God has been so gracious, so loving, so sacrificial, so radical in His love for us, why are American Christians mostly so lukewarm? Why do we seem to care about our own comfort and security more than the things Jesus talked about- radical love, real sacrifice, desperate prayer? Christians are supposed to be obsessed with Christ no matter what. So why aren't we? Maybe because we are not taking Christ's words literally...Check out this work- it is sure to convict.

What Wise Men Do

Christmas is a fun time of year. You get to dust off old Christmas decorations, buy red candles for your coffee table (first married Christmas), take some time off work, and buy gifts for those you love/like/know/dislike. But my favorite part of Christmas is.....dusting off the Bible characters that get neglected the rest of the year! Obviously, the Christian community (and American society, to some degree) more specifically recognizes the so-called "Christmas Story" during this time of year. It is without further adieu that I bring my voice to the table with the characters that have occupied much of my thinking this year, ah yes, the Magi ("wise men", to the layperson).

I give a hat tip to my professor, Dr. Varner, and you should read his very much more informative posts on the Magi here and here. He notes that the Magi were a special sect of religious men in the Persian society. They were not "kings" as the familiar song states, nor were there necessarily 3 of them (the Biblical text gives no number).  It is also very likely that they did not journey to Judea ignorantly. In Daniel 2:48, Daniel himself, a Jew in captivity in the east, was referred to as the leader of the "wise men." Therefore, it is likely that the wise men of Matthew's gospel had access to his Messianic prophecies and had expected the birth of the Jewish Messiah (Daniel 9:24-27). It is probable that they traveled several hundred miles and arrived up to 2 years after Jesus' birth. (Note that Matthew 2:11 tells us that they entered the "house" and saw the "child"- not "infant".) Lastly, the Bible text notes that they followed "his star," which was very likely God's Shekinah glory leading them to Jesus, the Messiah. If it were a real star (aster in Greek is a general word that could refer to any celestial appearance), it does not make sense why it would disappear, then reappear directly over the house where Jesus resided.

What strikes me most about this story is the two searches for the Messiah. The wise men have been searching for the Messiah, and when they see the toddler Jesus, they worship him. They give him gifts. They sacrificially bow down to Jesus as King. These Gentile worshippers, in some sense, fulfill the promise given to Abraham in Genesis 12- "In you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Yet along the way to the King of Kings, they stop and ask King Herod for directions. King Herod thus embarks on his own search for the Messiah. His reaction upon hearing of the Messiah's birth was not the humble, worshipful, and sacrificial reaction of the wise men. Herod, because he saw Jesus as a threat to his reign, his kingdom, his agenda, and his plans, tries to kill Jesus. Here we see the first of several murder attempts on Jesus' life. Jesus came to die. This was his explicit purpose from before the foundations of the world (1 Peter 1:19-20). But it would happen at his timing, not at the timing of the arrogant and selfish Herod the Great.

When I read the juxtapositions of these reactions, I cannot help of thinking of our own individual reactions to Jesus the King. Though most our culture assumes there are several inconsequential reactions to Jesus, there are really only two reactions, both of which are eternally consequential. One reaction stiff arms Jesus, viewing him as a hindrance to our selfish plans and desires for our lives. He claims to be King of all, but we do not allow him to be king of our own kingdoms. If we won't accept him as King, he will not be accepted as forgiving Savior alone. This reaction leads to futile living, and, ultimately, it leads to judgment. But the other reaction is quite different. The wise men sacrifice their time, money, and convenience. The wise men freely give their gifts. The wise men rejoice exceedingly at the presence of their Savior. The wise men worship the King. What will our reaction be?

Those I honor, in the eye of the Tiger

Obviously, the partially shocking news regarding Tiger Woods' hidden life is now world-wide headline news. And millions upon millions have given their opinion, mocked him or defended him regarding his actions, his injuries sustained in his "car accident", and his "apology." And I don't wish to comment much more on his situation, but these events did trigger something in my mind...

As someone who teaches regularly, I am always looking for comparisons, analogies, and examples, both positive and negative. And selfishly, I wish that some examples came out sooner so that I could have used them in a past lesson! A few weeks, I taught my high schoolers Psalm 15. It is a Psalm that describes the character of people who are close with God, those who "dwell on his holy hill."

In verse 4, David states of those who are close with God, "in their eyes a vile person is despised, but the honor those who fear the Lord." When news like Tiger's story breaks, which unfortunately happens all too frequently, it gives me an opportunity to analyze whom I honor, and to whom I grant my admiration. Sure Tiger can hit a golf ball far (and straight!) and Kobe can do things on the basketball court unimaginable to my stiff white self, but my admiration of such athletes and other celebrities must stop there. According to the verse, "a vile person" must in some sense be "despised" by followers of Jesus. We must rather, "honor those who fear the Lord."

So I honor those people. I honor my wife, who spends her days off school & work doing laundry, decorating, and cleaning (her favorite) just because "I want to give you a nice place to live." I honor my parents, who unselfishly raised 4 kids to learn God's word, live for Jesus, and love one another. I honor my pastor and family who, for some insane reason, allowed dozens of high schoolers to take over their home on a regular basis in hopes of building relationships and impacting their lives. It worked. I honor my RD, who sacrificed any notion of a comfortable life (or private dating life!), chose to move back into an all-male college dorm in his late twenties to help guide confused and seldom responsible men to honor Christ even in their young age. I honor Russ & Ann, a married couple at my church who seemingly have dozens if not hundreds of younger couples pass through their doors (and eat their food) in seek of counsel and love each month. These and more are the people I revere in my heart. They maybe can't mash tape-measure home runs, or hit fall-away jumpers in the NBA (though my dad can put the Space Shuttle in space, and that's kinda cool). They probably won't help push a product via endorsement. But they have skills in the arena that counts for eternity.

Obviously, many will critique & bash what Tiger and others like him have done, and deservedly so. My encouragement to us is that we also take time to "honor those who fear the Lord." These are the people whose posters I want hanging up in my garage. (That is, when I have a garage.)

How can you be humble and still "Love yourself"?

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." -- Jesus, Matthew 22:39


Yesterday I taught on humility from Philippians 2:1-11. I was convicted by Paul's repeated urges to consider others more important than ourselves and to look out for others' interests above our own. I was then reminded of a devotional I heard a few weeks ago, that, sadly, I have heard several times. The main thrust of this devotional was that we must learn to "love ourselves" in order to be effective in this world. The above verse from Matthew was cited. "How can we love our neighbors as ourselves, if we don't first work on loving ourselves?"


Obviously our culture has much to say about self-esteem, self-confidence, self-trust, self-worth, self-love, self-self-self-self. But it seems to be that Jesus here is assuming that we already love ourselves. Our hearts are self-inclined naturally. We always seek good for ourselves, since we think that we do not deserve pain, suffering or wrong. Consider in the verse above that Jesus does not command us, "You shall love yourself." Rather, the explicit command is, "You shall love your neighbor." It seems that in our arrogance we love ourselves so much we want to see it commanded by Jesus, so we force it into the text! (...fail...)


Which answers my question, "How can you be humble and love yourself?" No, humility can self-love cannot co-exist. Self-love is the root of sin. Eve saw that the fruit was good for her. Cain was angry because he felt that he deserved better regard. And on it goes. Sin comes from self-love, and holiness comes from God-love. 


I do not claim to be an expert in the social sciences (or an expert in anything, for that matter!) Any thoughts on self-esteem, self-love, self-worth?


"Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25).

Evangelism...On purpose!

These are the notes to a message I recently gave. God recently convicted me about my lackadaisical approach toward being a light. I, as are many men my age, am a committed sports fan. The month of October is a time of great joy, or great idolatry for a sports guy. Baseball playoffs take place, the NBA and NHL seasons start, and college, pro, and fantasy football are all in full swing! As I was on my way home from Game 2 of the Angels vs. Red Sox series, unbelievably excited after an intense Angels' victory, God brought Colossians 4:2-6 to my mind. Why isn't our evangelism as passionate as our hobbies- sports, TV shows, etc.? Why do we not plan for it the way we do other priorities in life? Hopefully the few points from Colossians 4:2-6 below help...

1. Pray Consistently- Paul says, "Continue steadfastly in prayer..." We must ask God to save & forgive those around us, since he is the one who has the power to do it. I do not ask my mother to fix my leaky head gasket; while she may offer heartfelt sympathy, fresh coffee, and warm cookies, she does not have the power to fix the head gasket. I ask Dad, since he has the power and ability to repair cars. We pray and ask God, because he has the power. We pray for open doors, we pray for the right words to say, and we pray for salvation.
2. Plan wisely- Paul says, "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time." As I moved out from under my parents roof to a massive apartment with my new wife, I studied and research and planned everything. I read up on health insurance plans, researched every apartment complex in the area, read consumer reviews to make sure I got a decent car, found the best way to budget & save my money, read up on every possible credit card available to me, etc., etc., etc. Why do we plan for "important" things in life- investments, healthcare, retirement, vacations, but do not "plan" for when and how we will talk about Jesus to those around us who need Him?! Too many times, I sit with family & friends who need Jesus and simply wait for an opportunity. That attitude is far too passive. Sometimes a door will be opened, but other times we must kick it down.
3. Speak Graciously- Paul says, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt..." If God's grace was water, our words must be a hose; we deliver grace. We speak grace when we tell of what Jesus has done; we speak grace when we meet human needs of comfort, correction, and encouragement. But we cannot simply speak the right content. I believe Paul wants us to be compelling in how we discuss and share the grace of God. He says our speech is to be "seasoned with salt." We must be tasty in a distinctive and compelling way. Think of how Jesus reasoned with unbelievers- "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul?" Make your evangelism provocative, piercing, and compelling.
4. Live Contagiously- After "seasoned with salt", Paul says the result of this kind of lifestyle- "that you may know how you ought to answer  each person." If we are answering them, they must be asking. Do you live in such a way that those around you ask? Why do you have hope in you? Why do you devote time to God's word, to the church, to prayer? Where does your comfort come from? Though the gospel is still "foolishness" to the world, people will be drawn as we live the lives that God designed for us.

Go get 'em! On purpose.

To Hell or not to Hell?

After nearly puking up my last few years of meals upon listening to Brian McLaren talk about "hell", I started to wonder, what exactly is hell like? We all have an image in our minds (or at least I do) of perpetual burning and flames, etc. But what does the Bible say? My list is in no way exhaustive, so feel free to add in the comments below. There are some verses/passages that I recall, but couldn't find.

First off, let me say that hell indeed does exist as a place of punishment. Jesus spoke about it over. and over. and over. Furthermore, there would be no urgency to accept the forgiveness of Jesus unless there was also a consequence for not doing so.

"Fiery Furnace."- In Matthew 13, Jesus twice refers to hell as a "fiery furnace." Once, he says that the "weeds" ("sons of the evil one") will be thrown into this furnace, just as real weeds are. Then he says that the angels will separate the evil from the righteous and throw the evil into a "fiery furnace." I'm not sure how literally this image should be taken, but I am sure that it speaks of real punishment, and that it is not pleasant.
"Lake of Fire." At the end of Revelation, the "beast", the "false prophet", the devil, "Death and Hades", and anyone not written in the book of life are all thrown into the Lake of Fire.
"Flame"- In the parable of Luke 16, the rich man in the "place of torment" says that he is "in anguish in this flame," referring to hell.
"Gehenna"- When the New Testament says "hell", it is normally this Greek word, gehenna. Traditionally, this is the valley outside of Jerusalem where much of the waste and refuse- possibly including dead bodies- were thrown.
"Outer Darkness/Weeping and gnashing of teeth."- Three times in Matthew, Jesus describes hell through parables and says that the evil will be cast into the "outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth." Once again, this image differs from the ones above, but it is 1) for the evil and 2) not pleasant.

Will hell be a place of flames? The biblical images in my very non-exhaustive list are definitely "fiery." What may be unclear in the imagery is clear in Paul's explanation- "They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed..." (2 Thess. 1:9-10). And, what the Psalmist says is true for all men- "For me it is good to be near God!" (Psalm 73:28) What is clear is that hell is eternal separation from God and punishment by God, and to be near God in relationship with Him is our greatest good! It is not my focus to scare or to be a downer, but to motivate my own all-too-often-jaded-heart.

King Context! Finding the Familiar when You Least Expect It

There have been a few times in my life when, while running around town for one thing or another, I run into my mom, relative, or a good friend that I hang out with alot. And it is a pleasant surprise. I have a conversation with someone close to me, when it was unplanned, in a place and at a time when I didn't expect it.


At times, I also find the same pleasant surprises when conversing with God's Word. There are so many Bible verses that I, as someone raised 'in the church', knocking out my AWANA memory verses like Torii Hunter's HR last night, don't value or understand as I should, because I am "so familiar" with them. Because I have memorized a verse apart from it's original context, it's meaning becomes clouded to me, and the impact it should have is minimized. We must take Greg Koukl's advice to "never read a Bible verse." When you 'find the familiar' verses, passages, and stories in context, we can benefit more specific, impacting meaning. Let me give a few examples of what I mean.


Philippians 4:13- "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Most of us have heard this verse a jillion times, or at least seen it on Tim Tebow's eye black. Many of you are so familiar with this verse, I probably didn't even need to write it! Yet as I was reading through the whole book of Philippians a while back, I came across this verse unexpectedly, and I noticed the meaning of this verse in context. Paul writes, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content...I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need..." When he says he can do "all things" with Christ's strength, he is specifically speaking of our ability, with Jesus' strength, to be content. 


Lamentations 3:22-23- "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." A great hymn, many cute house decorations, and even a coffee mug, have been made with this verse as inspiration. But as I read through Lamentations, and did not expect to find this verse, its meaning hit me in a more powerful way as I read the context. Jeremiah, explaining his grief at the capture of Jerusalem, tells us that he "has forgotten what happiness is...has become the laughingstock of all people...is the man who has seen affliction under the rod of God's wrath." Furthermore, he says that God "has shut out my prayer...is a bear lying in wait for me...drove into my kidneys the arrows of his quiver." No doubt, the grief he felt was incredibly deep, incredibly painful, and left him on the brink of hopelessness. Yet he says that God's mercies are "new every morning." The black context brings out the bright, shining beauty and complexities of this well known verse.


There are many more examples of this in my life. I come across a great verse or passage that I am too familiar  with, and it's true meaning hits me in a new way, because it came at a moment and in a context where I didn't expect it. This is the benefit, brothers and sisters, of reading God's word for yourself. Devotionals are great, blogs (even this one!) have some use, and sermons can be awesome soul-food. But the side-effect is that we hear snippets of individual verses outside of their context, and thus deprived of their full meaning and power. Therefore, let us not deprive ourselves of feasting on God's Word for ourselves. You, even you, the AWANA All-Star, the Bible major, the leader of a friggin Bible Study may be surprised at the impact you may find! (I speak to myself).