Resurrection = Preperation

Scripture: There will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. Acts 24:15-16

Observation: Paul is giving a defense of his faith before Felix. And to counter the claims he is in a cult, he affirms his beliefs in the true God. One thing he confesses is that he believes in the resurrection…and that this belief causes him to guard how he lives in this life. Knowing he will one day face Christ, Paul lives to have a clear conscience in this life.

Application: This week I preached on Heaven. One person came up to me afterwards and admitted he was a little apprehensive about Heaven, as he expected Christ to call him to accounts. My initial response was to say something soothing, like, “Oh, but don’t worry about that, Heaven will just be joy. Jesus will not have anything negative to say to you—it will only be commendation.” This response comes out a lifetime of well meaning, yet biblically uninformed people spouting stuff like this. The judgment and evaluation aspect of Heaven is so downplayed. Yet the bible clearly outlines that meeting Christ in heaven should motivate our living on earth. Paul was motivated by the prospect of one day reviewing his earthly life with Christ in Heaven. We should be too.

Prayer: God, help me proclaim truth and prepare people for the resurrection. We have so many beliefs that are rooted in Christian folklore and not founded in Your word. Even this morning as I tackle my sermon prep, give me courage to “go there” in scripture.

The Scarlet Letter "U"

Scripture: And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean. Leviticus 14:20

Observation: God spent a lot of time in Leviticus outlining the policies and procedures for dealing with various skin conditions, such as a boil or rash. Someone with such a condition was to be declared unclean. This designation was not intended to describe their spiritual condition—they were not being judged by God. But they were called unclean and separated from the rest of the people in order to preserve the holy. To keep the rest of the community clean.

The good news is that this ritual unclean state was not permanent. There were procedures not only in how to separate people, but how to reintegrate them. The hope and goal of separation was always restoration. Full fellowship. When the condition changed, and the cleansing was complete, the priest was to announce they were clean.

I wonder, however, if there were aftereffects from being called unclean. Even though the priest had declared them clean, were there people afraid to shake hands, invite them over for dinner, greet them with a kiss? Was there an invisible scarlet ‘U” hung around their necks? We see in Acts just how seriously God’s people took clean and unclean foods. Even when God declared a food to be clean, some struggled to embrace them. How much more would this have been with people?

Application: What God has made clean, do not call common. Acts 10:15 What God has declared clean, is clean, whether I like it or not. Food, clothing, and yes, even people. If God declares them clean, either through ritual in the case of skin or regeneration in the case of a heart, I must also accept as clean. I cannot hold prejudices or withhold touch. I don’t consider myself that kind of person, but perhaps below the surface, I too struggle to embrace those whom God calls clean. Maybe I project that scarlet letter "U" on others who have genuinely been cleansed.

Prayer: God, I want to declare your power to cleanse by embracing what you embrace. Will you show me if there are areas or people or even people groups that you have cleansed in Christ, yet I hold back from. Will you open my eyes to any vestiges of legalism or judgmentalism?

Small Matters and Hard Cases

Scripture: And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. Exodus 18:26

Observation: Moses is quickly overloaded with the volume of his responsibility. His father-in-law tells him to select able men to help lead the people. Moses is able to focus his attention on what God truly needs from him through the power of delegation.

Application: The thing that caused me the most stress in 2010 was micromanaging. I enjoy having input, and it can be easy for me to drill down into a task far beyond where I am needed. This causes me stress as my time is quickly consumed with the urgent, and not spent on the important. Recently, I realized I need to set clear expectations, and then back away and see they are met, rather than being unclear, and continuing to give input. I do not have time for that.

Prayer: God, I need you to walk me through this in 2011. It may be a pride or control issue, or even a lack of faith. Help me to select able people, then clearly communicate with them my expectations, and then let them handle all the matters they can decide themselves. Show me the hard cases I should be devoting power and energy to. Please help me take a step forward in that today in the conversation I have planned.

The Missing Component in My Parenting

Scripture: You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ Exodus 13:8

Observation: After engineering his people’s escape from Egypt by his own strong hand, God sets forth a feast to help his people always remember their salvation. In the instructions for this feast, God calls parents to tell their children what the ceremonies mean.
But three words in this command make it personal. “Did for me.” God is calling parents to get personal with their faith and their kids. Not just to give dry religious lectures, not to just cover the bases of spiritual talk or check off the list, but to tell their kids what God did for them.

Application: I think I am doing better at trying to help my kids learn about what God has done. But I don’t think I share enough about what God has "done for me." The facts of faith can be passed on without the reality of it in my life. My kids need more than to hear information; they need to see transformation in my life. I want to share more with them about the whys of my faith—why I pray, why I worship, why I follow Christ. How I feel about what the Lord has "done for me."

Prayer: God, help me to tell my sons and daughter “what the Lord did for me.” Give me opportunities to go below the surface and share my story with them. Help me to listen when they ask questions, and not just give them the theological definition. Let me share my heart as I share my faith.

When Jesus Doesn't Want Us To See Him

Scripture: But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. Luke 24:16

Observation: After the resurrection, Jesus appears to two men on the road to Emmaus. But God prevents them from recognizing Jesus. Why? Why would God conceal His presence? wouldn’t it more powerful to have them instantly recognize Jesus? If they were going to get a day to spend with the risen savior, wouldn’t that day be better spent knowing they were with Christ?
Or maybe not. Perhaps this was a much more dramatic lesson than even the revealed Christ could have taught. This was a way for them to learn a lesson about trusting what God has said, even when they could not see it. This was a chance for this mysterious stranger to retell the story of faith, to help them restore their faith before revealing his identity. The walk to Emmaus was a walk of faith, not of sight.

Application: We sang a song in church yesterday, “Like a River Glorious.” One line drew me to God: “They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.” God wants me to trust him, even when I cannot see him. As I walk down the road, He is calling me to believe what he has said and to trust He will bring it to pass. To trust him wholly, and find him wholly true.

Prayer: Jesus, May I trust you this week even when I do not see you. You are walking with me, teaching me, stretching my faith. Let me believe you.

Unstable as Water

Scripture: Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence…Genesis 49:4

Observation: Jacob is dying, and has called his 12 sons to him to bless them and call forth their future. He tells his oldest, Reuben, that he has lost his standing as the firstborn because of Reuben’s sexual sins. Instead of being morally stable, he is unstable as water. Then Jacob tells Simeon and Levi that they will experience a scattering of their descendants and a loss of their strength because of their anger problems. In these three cases, leadership loss happens as a direct result of sin.

Application: As a leader, I am acutely aware of how sin impacts not only me, but my leadership ability. It scares me to think these pronouncements could be made about me one day. That I would lose my opportunity to serve God due to sin. Failing to be stable sexually, or failing to bridle my anger could have repercussions beyond my own life. They could compromise my ability to lead my family, my friends, my church. I want to make sure that I do not let instability now ruin my future.

Prayer: God, I pray for your help. I desire sexual stability and emotional self control. You put that desire in me, and also put in me the power to be stable in these areas. Please help me to continue to yield to you and seek your strength so that I am ready and able to serve at your calling.

Years Seem Like Days

Scripture: So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. Genesis 29:20

Observation: Simply a great description of how hard work is worth it when you are working with and for the one you love.

Application: I have served with my wife for over 12 years now, and they feel like a few days because of the value and love I have for her. I need to make sure she knows that even though marriage is work, years feel like days when you love someone.

Prayer: God, thank you for my marriage to my wife. I pray you protect us from the attacks of the enemy. Grow us strong to have confidence in your plan in and though our lives together.