storiesofvalue

Paul, an apostle–sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead– and all the brothers with me.  To the churches in Galatia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:1-5 NIV)

I am going to try something…

Today we begin a study of the book of Galatians.  The book of Galatians was written by the Apostle Paul, to the churches in southern Galatia, to address the problem of Judaizers in the church.  Please realize the problem was not with Jews in the church, as the church was very Jewish.  Rather, there was an element in the church that believed followers of Jesus should also adhere strictly to the rules and regulations of the Old Covenant, such as the practice of circumcision and rites of purification and celebration of special days.

Even in a fully Jewish church, this legalistic spirit would have been a problem.  But as the church spread beyond Jerusalem, and Greeks came to follow Jesus, the notion that Old Testament practices were binding on Christians threatened the unity of believers and the very heart of grace as it was poured out on Calvary.

This divisive issue is why Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians.  After all, he was the Jewish apostle chosen as a special messenger to the Gentile world.  Who better to speak on the subject?

Our passage this morning is a simple greeting from Paul, but one filled with a conciliatory spirit and a clear focus on Jesus as Savior.  Jesus was, and is our peace, and He brings peace to brothers and sisters who struggle against one another.

So what is this thing I am going to try?

Well, it is very difficult to study the book of Galatians without sounding like a broken record.  To be true to the context, it is necessary to focus on the Judaizer problem, which means it is hard to get through a single study without mentioning circumcision, or other representations of the Old Covenant.

But I am going to try.  While reminding us, on occasion, of the context of Galatians, I am going to intentionally seek less obvious lessons for application to our lives.  This doesn’t mean I will ignore the overwhelming tension between “law” and “grace” that permeates Paul’s message.  Rather, I am going to do my best not to cover old ground.

Therefore, I ask for grace as you enter into this study with me.  Don’t think I am ignoring the obvious.  Instead, share with me in my search for the obscure.

Perhaps, in this way, Galatians will reveal some overlooked perspectives and truths.  And whatever we discover, it will be from God…not Paul…not any man.  Ask Him to open our minds and hearts to His Word.

Dear God, show me peace.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

[Dear Morning Devotion Group – Today we conclude our study of 1 Timothy.  Thank you for taking the journey with me and for allowing me to take a slight side-road into Mark to coincide with my sermon series at Northside.  We will begin a new book and a new study tomorrow.  Blessings, Larry Jones]

Years ago I was working on a church process that reflected some business models that were popular at the time.  Perhaps you remember when our culture first started talking about “empowerment.”  For years churches and organizations practiced a committee structure where most of the power rested at the top, and directives were passed down through the system.  Titles were very important because they indicated where people were in the process.  But then someone came up with the concept of “empowering” people and giving them latitude to be creative in accomplishing a given mission.  Committees became teams and directives were replaced with collaboration.  Mountains of books were written to help leaders adjust to this shift in thinking, and mission statements and core values were developed to help everyone understand the common goal.

I personally think, for the most part, this was a healthy shift in our thinking, and it was also good for the church to begin functioning as people were functioning in other areas of their lives.  On the other hand, any time a major shift in thinking comes along (or a shift in Paradigm, which was also a catchword of the era I am describing), a lot of energy is spent promoting the next best thing, and people build entire cultures and empires around simple ideas.  Before long, it is all anyone can talk about, and our knowledge of the concepts and nomenclature of the time is how we define our identity and feed our self-esteem.

Why am I giving this history lesson?  Because in the midst of this season in history I was explaining a new “empowered” team I was putting together to an elderly member of our church family.  I was waxing eloquent on the subject of mission statements, core values and collaboration.  And when I was finished, the member looked me square in the eyes and she said, “Well…I always say, if you want something done right, you need to do it yourself.”

And for all of my knowledge of the “new way” I had to admit to myself her “old way”, which she expressed in a single truth, was just as valid.  I was reminded how puffed up we can become when we think we have cornered a secret to success.

The same thing happens in our pursuit of spiritual truth.  Lots of “chatter” doesn’t necessarily indicate the promotion of truth, and in fact, we can easily wander away from the faith when we lose sight of the distinction between the “godly” and “godless.”

I am all for acquiring knowledge.  In fact, one of my guiding principles in life is to keep learning and growing.  But one of the things we learn as we grow is the nature of true “knowledge”.  Knowledge comes from God, and human knowledge that contradicts His wisdom is suspect at best. Keep learning!  But guard what has been entrusted to your care.  “Grace be to you.”

Dear God, guard my heart and mind.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.(1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV)

What do we do when we get rich?

Please, don’t leave me because you don’t see yourself ever getting rich.  I think you will see Paul’s words apply to all of us.  In fact, I believe this is one of the most helpful passages in the Bible when it comes to defining wealth in the believer’s life.

Notice Paul doesn’t tell Timothy to command rich people to give away all of their money.  They could have done that had they chosen to, but that wasn’t Paul’s point.  Rather, he said, “Command (them) not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God.”  The danger in wealth is that it can consume us, and over-inflate our egos.  But, rightly used, it can be a great blessing.  How does wealth bless our lives?

First, it “provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”  That’s right.  We should not feel guilty when we have enough money to use it for our enjoyment, as long as the forms of enjoyment we choose don’t violate the instructions God has given us in His Word.  Even Jesus’ life was filled with joyful events that required funding.  I feel certain the wedding feast He attended in Cana (where He turned water into wine), wasn’t cheap.  Neither was the feast Matthew arranged in Jesus’ honor.  And who can forget the moment when Mary anointed Jesus with expensive perfume worth a year’s wages?

But secondly, if we are blessed with wealth we should “do good…be rich in good deeds, and …be generous and willing to share.”  This means wealth isn’t just about us.  Wealth isn’t given to us so we can build a bubble around our lives and create a fantasy world that ignores the needs of those around us.  Real wealth is found, not in the dollars we put in the bank, but in the good we are able to do with what we are given.

I don’t think there is an exact formula for how much of our wealth we should enjoy for ourselves, and how much we should share with others.  Certainly, if a wealthy business owner sells the infrastructure of his empire and gives the money to the poor, he can be considered noble.  But a case can also be made for keeping his business intact so he can give even more money to the poor over the course of a lifetime.

On the other hand, some people live in a world of “someday” and “when” and never get around to sharing, with the exception of an occasional benevolent act to salve their conscious or boost their self-esteem.

How we use our wealth really is a personal matter of the heart.  But one thing is for certain: the treasures we lay up in sharing are more permanent than the ones we keep for ourselves.  And unfortunately, for many, this doesn’t become evident until it is too late to change the price tags.

Dear God, teach me to move up my “someday.”  In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.  In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time–God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:12-16 NIV)

Today’s passage is all about the “confession.”  In the church I serve, we have something we call the “good confession.”  When people come to publicly proclaim their faith in Jesus, before their baptism they often say, “I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and I want Him as my personal Savior.”

The greater portion of this phrase comes from something the apostle Peter said in Matthew 16.  Jesus had asked His disciples who other people were saying He was.  They said, “Some are saying Elijah…some John the Baptist…some Jeremiah…or one of the (other) Prophets.”  Then Jesus asked them who they believed Him to be.  Peter proclaimed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

These words from Peter have generally been accepted as the “good confession” and were probably on Paul’s mind when he referenced Jesus’ own words about Himself.  When Jesus was standing before the Jewish Sanhedrin He proclaimed His identity as the Son of God.  Later, before Pilate, He confirmed His place as the King of the Jews (which was the prophetic equivalent of “Christ” or the “Anointed One”).

If you like history, you might check out the record of a group of believers known as the “Confessors.”  The Confessors were “almost” killed for their faith in Jesus.  They were not martyred, but demonstrated by their willingness to suffer they were willing to die for Jesus.

As an interesting aside, I have heard there was a time when the church had to decide whether or not to accept those back into the fellowship who had denied their faith in Jesus to avoid persecution and death.  It seems the group that was most sympathetic to their cause was that of the Confessors.  Perhaps those who almost died for their faith understood how close they had come to denial, leading them to show more grace to those who were weaker.

All of this is to say that the concept of “fighting the good fight of faith” was serious business to an early Christian (any those in persecuted countries today).  The hope was to be willing to confess Jesus as Lord to the very end.  Most of the Apostles died for their confession, and thousands after them.

What is your spiritual battle?  Are you fighting the “good fight?”  Don’t be embarrassed if you stumble in the fight.  But don’t be afraid to get back in the fight either.  We want to go out swinging or have Jesus find us fighting when He comes.  And He will come.  “To him be honor and might forever.  Amen.”

Dear God, help me stay in the fight.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:11)

If, as we discovered yesterday, we should not be self-absorbed in the acquisition of wealth, then what should we be doing with our lives?  And, remember, this does not mean wealth is inherently bad, but rather that it can draw us away from things that are more important.

But what are these things, and again…what should we be doing with our lives?  This is the question our verse for the day seeks to answer.

The alternative to a self-absorbed life is one in which we pursue…

…righteousness: We will never be perfectly righteous, but we can be right with God through the grace of Jesus, and a life that seeks to please Him with heart, mind, soul and strength.

…godliness: Godliness involves a life that mirrors the character of God.  A godly person is known by the radiance of God’s reflection in him.

…faith: Those who are self-absorbed trust in themselves, and give themselves all the credit for their successes.  Those with faith trust in God, and know the things of this earth are temporary and undependable.

…love: Self-absorbed people love self above all.  But when we learn to be consumed by the pursuit of God, we understand our value is rooted in His love for us.  Then, we love as He has loved us.

…endurance: The one who puts his faith in God can endure trials and grow through them.  In fact, he understands some of life’s greatest blessings are a result of sacrifice and suffering.

…gentleness: A gentle and gracious spirit flows from the heart of those who know God has been gentle with them.  Freely they have received…freely they give.

Paul has an interesting choice of words.  He doesn’t merely suggest it is better to pursue these things than the self-absorbed life.  Of the life that pursues only wealth and is never content he says, “Flee from all of this!”

Really?  Flee from affluence?  Flee from having everything the world has to offer?  Flee from having everything our own way?

All I know is, I have met some people in my life who pretty much have lived only for themselves, and it seems to me they often look for a way to escape.  To what and where, they aren’t sure…they just want “out.”

This makes me wonder if Paul is telling his readers to flee from the self-absorbed life because the day may come when it is becomes a prison.  Ordinarily, I am not one to run, but it sounds like the self-absorbed life is one things that is good to put in our rear-view mirror.

Dear God, teach me the joy of a life lives for You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:7-11 NIV)

Maybe you remember a phrase similar to the one at the beginning of our passage this morning from the book of Job: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (Job 1:21 NIV)

One of the ongoing discussions in some Christian circles is the place of wealth in the life of a believer. I should add that this is not a topic of discussion in much of the world where families can only dream of running water and electricity.  But for those of us who live in relative affluence (I call affluence having a roof over our heads, clothes to wear, running water, electricity, a refrigerator stocked with food and ice, and motorized transportation), we have the luxury of pondering how our money should be spent, and how we keep it from destroying our souls.

I will tell you up front, I don’t believe the amount is necessarily the issue.  I have met very wealthy people who have given their lives to supporting the cause of Christ, and are generous to a fault… and I have known poor people who are filled with jealousy and greed, and wouldn’t let their own relatives sit at their supper table.  On the other hand, I have watched money slowly lead people to a self-absorbed lifestyle and I have seen the very poor share everything they have with others.

It is the “eagerness” for money mentioned in today’s passage that is the problem.  Please don’t feel guilty if you are eager to get paid for a day’s work, or if you are excited about a business deal that turned a profit.  That isn’t what Paul is talking about here.

The key to interpreting this passage is the word “contentment.”  Paul says, “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”  This doesn’t mean this is all we should have, but rather, this alone is cause for contentment.  The person who is led into ruin is the one who never stops to rejoice and thank God for his blessings.  He is the one who sees what he has as his own, and never asks God how it should be used.  Soon, everyone who needs his money becomes a threat, and everything that brings him more money becomes an obsession.

Sooner or later, people who are obsessed with money lose something or someone valuable, and their lives become filled with plastic trophies devoid of any meaning or significance.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.  It is possible to be rich spiritually and materially!  I am convinced of it!  However, I do believe it is easier for a rich person to create a fantasy world than it is for one who is poor.  And in our fantasies, sometimes we think we are the only ones here.

We are not the only ones here.

Dear God, help me avoid financial ruin…by not knowing what to do with what I have.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19)

As the book of Mark closes, we find Jesus returning to heaven to take His place as Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  This is the event people refer to as the “ascension.”

Perhaps you have seen paintings of the ascension, with Jesus ascending into heaven, His hands held to each side and His feet crossed over one another.  We don’t really know exactly how it looked.

It was surely spectacular.  In fact, in the book of Acts, we find this account: They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)

The gospels tell us the disciples worshipped Jesus after His ascended and went back to the city of Jerusalem.  Ten days later the church arrived on earth.

A lot has happened since the event described in today’s passage.  Two thousand years of church history has passed, millions of people have chosen Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and the kingdom has reached around the earth.

But the statement by the two dressed in white has yet to be fulfilled.  Jesus is coming back.  When I was a kid I learned a little chorus that said: “Coming again…coming again.  Maybe morning, maybe noon, maybe evening and maybe soon.  Coming again…coming again.  O what a wonderful day it will be.  Jesus is coming again.” 

And He will come, in the same way He went.  “When and where” are the questions people have been trying to answer since His leaving. But these don’t trouble me in the least.  You see, He is already reigning next to His Father, and He is present in us through the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Whether we die and come into His presence, or He comes to us at present, is not important.  What is important is His place over all creation and His declaration of victory over sin and death.

One day He’s coming.  We will either meet Him here or come with Him from there.

The goal is to be ready.

Dear God, help me prepare for His coming.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16)

Jesus had risen, and little by little the reality of the resurrection began to sink in with the disciples.  When Jesus met with the “Eleven” (minus Judas) for the first time, He confronted them about not believing the others who had seen Him.

Then Jesus gave the Eleven this command to “Go” … “preach” …and “baptize.”  Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven the church was born.  On that day Peter stood up and preached.  And when people heard about the sacrifice of Jesus and asked, “What should we do?” Peter said, “repent and be baptized.”  Why?  …Because that’s what Jesus had commanded just ten days earlier.

In the church, we call this directive from Jesus “The Great Commission.”  It has been the driving force behind everything the church has done for the past two thousand years.  The vast majority of colleges and universities, hospitals, and benevolent organizations were begun by Christians who saw these efforts as an opportunity to further Jesus’ commission on earth.  Colleges and universities enhanced the mind so it could be used to help mankind.  Hospitals merged the providence of God’s healing power with gifted doctors.  Organizations provided a vehicle for all people everywhere to be the arms and feet of Jesus. Sometimes these roots are omitted or glossed over in the historical overview of these institutions.  But if you dig a little deeper you will find it.

And of course, the church itself as a worshipping body has made every effort possible to share the message of salvation and introduce others to Jesus.  For centuries people have dedicated their lives to the study and transmission of God’s word, the proclamation of the gospel, and the equipping of the saints for service.  The relatively modern forms of youth groups, Sunday Schools, radio and television ministries (for better or worse), and Christian books and magazines are a testimony to the desire God’s people have to see others know Jesus.

But what else could the disciples do?  What else can any disciple today do?  If we believe Jesus died, and rose again, and if we believe He suffered the pain of the cross for our salvation, we have no choice but to share.

Mary Magdalene shared the news.  The other women shared the news.  The two on the road to Emmaus shared the news.  Other disciples were persecuted, imprisoned and killed in the process of sharing the news.

But still they shared.  They shared, not just because that’s what Jesus told them to do, but also because it was only logical.  If you are a sinner saved by grace, and you comprehend the nature of that grace, then you want other sinners to know too.

Yes, people are lost without Jesus.  And it is good that Jesus commanded us to “Go” because there are times when we become pretty self-absorbed.

But I would like to think our “going” is more than just an act of obedience.

Dear God, send me for a multitude of reasons.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. (Mark 15:40-41)

A few years ago I drove into my neighborhood just as a big party was starting to break up.  A young man on a motorcycle was staged in the middle of the road, and for reasons I still can’t explain, decided to drag to the end of our street.  The only problem was our street ends pretty abruptly in the direction he was going.  He hit a curb, was thrown from the cycle, and unfortunately did not survive.

The scene was tragic and surreal.  But a memory that will stay etched in my mind is the reaction of some people at the party.  As soon as the word was out someone had called 911, half of the crowd jumped in their vehicles and sped away.  I can’t say for sure, but my guess is most of them were somewhere they weren’t supposed to be.

I thought about the meaning of “friendship” as the poor young man’s body rested on the ground and his fellow-partiers drove off.  But there were other reactions.  I spoke with some who were sobbing uncontrollably as they paced back and forth in the middle of the street.  And others were kneeling by their friend to do what they could as they waited for the paramedics.

Please understand.  I don’t want to suggest the disciples had done anything wrong.  But they were in trouble with the law.  The chief priest and teachers of God’s law had their eye on them because they had been with Jesus.  These were the blind guides who had turned God’s beautiful law into a monstrous mountain of man-made rules.  The civil authorities made note of the disciples too, and soon James would be run through with a sword under Herod’s direction.  This explains why, when Jesus was arrested, the disciples scattered.

It is true, Peter followed Jesus into a courtyard below the place where He was tried by the Sanhedrin.  But when he was confronted with his relationship with Jesus he said, “I don’t know the man!”

Only John stayed.  John, the disciples whom Jesus loved stayed at the foot of the cross to comfort Mary and watch His Savior die.  This brings us to these women in our passage this morning.  While most of the other disciples hopped in their cars and SUVs and drove away as fast as possible, the women stayed.  They watched from a distance, but they didn’t run.

And I wonder…  Did the fact they had followed Jesus and cared for His needs have something to do with their willingness to stay?  The disciples were good men and most of them would lay down their lives for the kingdom.  But I can’t think of much they did to care for Jesus’ needs during His ministry.  They were mostly positioning themselves so their needs could be met.  But the women…they cared for His needs.  Therefore, as He died, they stayed…just in case there was something they could do.

Often, there isn’t much we can do to help the people we care about.  But “staying” is something.  Sometimes it is the only something that counts.  And it’s alright if we stay “from a distance.”  People don’t always need us next to them.  They just need to know we are there.

Dear God, thank You for staying with me.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. (Mark 15:37)

I have often wondered what this cry was about.  In another gospel we are told Jesus said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” right before he breathed his last and died.  In another we are told He also said, “It is finished” at that moment.  Which did He say first?  And did he cry one of these phrases?

Or did He just cry…as humans do when the pain is so great and there is nothing left to say?

I really do believe this cry was one of agony.  I think it was a response to circumstances we can only imagine.  But allow me the poetic license to suggest something else this cry represented.

Perhaps you have seen a movie battle where the charging general lets out a loud cry before spurring his horse and dashing off into the valley of death.  You find it in every genre, whether it be set overseas, in the American Shenandoah, or the old West.  The battle cry is a symbol of courage and defiance.  It is a way of saying, “Even if we die, the cause is just and we must fight!”

So I like to think of Jesus’ last loud cry as a battle cry.  I realize it may have just been a final gasp, mingled with agony and pain.  But then, sometimes, that is the nature of a battle cry.

Here is what that cry represented:

…Jesus cried out, having fully absorbed our sin and shame.  The Bible says, He became sin for us.  It was hard.  Let me rephrase that…it was humanly impossible.  Only the God-man could have done it, and only someone who loved us with the love of God would have done it.

…Jesus cried out, as a show of force against Satan and His powers.  We don’t always see the work of the Prince of Darkness, but we know this earth is one of the territories he desperately tried to hold.  He really is a weasel…the lowest form of the lowest form.  And when Jesus cried, in the midst of suffering everything Satan threw His way, He defied him.

…Jesus cried out, as a proclamation of victory.  He would not proclaim the final victory until Sunday morning when He burst out of the open tomb.  Jesus’ resurrection proved He was the One sent to wash away our sins.  But the washing took place on Calvary, as Jesus cried out His last.

…And finally, Jesus cried a collaborate call to His Father.  It was if He said, “We did it Father!  The victory is won!”  Well, in fact, He did say something like that… “It is finished!  Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”  Maybe after Jesus said these things He let out one final, undefined but loud cry…as a punctuation mark at the end of everything.

We aren’t told exactly.

I just like to see it this way.

Dear God, thank You for proclaiming victory over sin and death.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.