Getting What We Deserve
Teach me how to live, O Lord.….Lead me along the right path… Psalm 27:11a
The desire of my heart!
********
Luke 16:19-31 (<<click here to read the passage)
As Jesus continues to speak of what is truly of value in our lives, He shares the story of the rich man and Lazarus.
A couple of observations.
The rich man who was all that and had everything the world had to offer isn’t even given a name. With all of his wealth and power and influence, he was just one more nameless figure lost in the annuls of time, because when all was said and done his investments equaled nothing.
Lazarus’ life, on the other hand, was full of want and pain and suffering. But…he was not nameless. Like many with little to their name, he clung to the only thing that could not be taken from him…His God.
Lazarus died and was carried by angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. “No-name” died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. vs22-23NLT
Did you notice that “no-name” was aware of where he was and where Lazarus was, too? Also, even in the midst of his torment, he had not changed his ways. He was still looking out for himself. ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ v24NLT
But no pity could be given him.
“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’ vs25-26NLT
As things sunk in, he thought of someone beyond himself and asked that Lazarus be allowed to return and warn his five brothers of their pending doom.
“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’
“The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’
“But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” vs29-31NLT
One final observation from my study Bible,
The rich man thought that his five brothers would surely believe a messenger who had been raised from the dead. But Jesus said that if they did not believe Moses and the prophets, who spoke constantly of caring for the poor, not even a resurrection would convince them. Notice the irony in Jesus’ statement; on his way to Jerusalem to die. He was fully aware that even when he had risen from the dead, most of the religious leaders would not accept him. They were set in their ways, and neither Scripture nor God’s Son himself would shake them loose. (Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation)
Lord Jesus, may we realize sooner rather than later that we will be getting what we deserve. Shake us loose!
Sept 29th, 2020, Tues, 7:12 pm
I Stand Alone
There seems to be a lot on my mind today, Father. Enable me to work through and to work past it, to communicate what You need to communicate. Amen.
********
Part of my struggle today is the fact that when individuals of great spiritual stature step from life amongst us to life in Christ beyond the threshold of death, a void is left. Pending crossings have the same impact. Reading what people have shared regarding both of these individuals has got my mind rolling.
At my age, it makes me think – has my life been well spent? My sermon yesterday addressed the importance of investing not in just the here-and-now but in things of eternal value. Those things include my own spiritual well-being – taking in God’s word, spending time in heart-searching communication with Him, and taking the opportunity to join with other followers of Christ in worship and learning together. Yes, those are important…but it is of equal importance that I invest in the lives of others. This, of course, includes writing for my blog and preparing for public worship and teaching on Sundays with my congregations and any who happens to join us online. Not to mention, my daily interaction with family, friends, and co-workers.
I firmly believe that the enemy of our souls does everything he can to undermine us. Doubt is sown in our minds so that we question the worth of who we are and what we have done with the resources we have been given. Especially in the light of those who go before us.
We are all our own persons. We are who we are because of all the experiences and decisions we have made in our lives. Some have been good, and some have not been good. Some experiences and decisions have been outright bad. But they are all as they are. We cannot go back and change a single one of them. Yet, good and bad, we are the byproduct of our lives.
I stand alone. When I stand before God, I will answer only for myself. I won’t be compared with anyone else who has walked this earth. My gifts and talents and abilities will not be measured against those of another. The sins that are mine, if I have repented and sought forgiveness for them will not be held to my account, for Jesus has paid the price for them all.
In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul is writing about the division that had occurred over those who followed his teaching, those who followed Apollos’ teachings, and those who followed the teachings of Peter. In response he said,
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. NLT (emphasis mine)
And then this is the passage that came to mind,
10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. NLT
In the eyes of God, we each are accountable for what we do, first of all with Him, and they for what we do with the gifts he has graciously given us. Will the materials with which you have built withstand the fire of judgment or will they perish, and you gain heaven by the skin of your teeth?
Lord Jesus, may we not be lackadaisical about our work in Your kingdom. May we see it for what it is – essential as eternal investments, not just for us but for those with whom we are responsible to share Your truth. Amen.
Sept 28th, 2020, Mon, 12:43 pm
Divorce…It’s Not Unforgivable
I plead for strength and clarity as we come together tonight, Father. May I hear You and share what You would have me to say. Amen.
Luke 16:16-18 (<<click here to read the passage)
In my experience, for a very long time divorce was almost considered an “unforgivable” sin. I remember in my early days as an associate pastor, that if someone were divorced, they could not serve in any leadership position in the church – be it a church board member, a Sunday School teacher, or anything else.
I am glad to say that today, that is no longer the case in many churches.
I want to be very clear here. God intends for marriage to be a permanent commitment. For the most part, I think most couples when they agree to the covenant of marriage, they really are in it for the long haul and are not looking for anything to break that covenant.
I want to sidestep here just a moment and say something about the covenant of marriage. That concept was stressed at the last wedding ceremony Karen and I attended – it is not a contract; it is a covenant and I agree 100%! On a website I looked at, it was stated:
When the Bible mentions a covenant, it’s referring to a strong, solemn agreement between two parties. However, biblical covenants are very different from the kinds of agreements we make nowadays
-
- Covenants make two into one.
- Covenants involve promises.
- Covenants involve families and bloodlines.
- Covenants are spiritually charged.
- Covenants are not easily broken.
(These are just a few highlights – click on this link to read more: https://overviewbible.com/covenant/)
Couples are not looking to break that covenant, but things happen. If God is not included in their relationship, it is much more difficult to maintain through all the challenges of life – not impossible but difficult.
Many times, one of the two involved wants out for a multitude of reasons. The other of the two really wants to work to save and strengthen the marriage. But oft times, the one wins out over the other and it’s a done deal.
My study Bible notes said,
Most religious leaders of Jesus’ day permitted a man to divorce his wife for nearly any reason. Jesus’ teaching about divorce went beyond Moses’ (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). Stricter than any of the then-current schools of thought, Jesus’ teachings shocked his hearers (see Matthew 19:10) just as they shake today’s readers. Jesus says in no uncertain terms that marriage is a lifetime commitment. To leave your spouse for another person may be legal, but it is adultery in God’s eyes. As you think about marriage, remember that God intends it to be a permanent commitment. (Life Application Bible New Living Translation)
That is the law but there is not one of us that is not guilty of sin. All of us that ask for our sins to be forgiven has had them forgiven. Yes, divorce is a grievous sin but any sin in our life is. I don’t want to be flippant about it but much to our chagrin, things happen in life…sin happens in life.
What Jesus said about divorce in relation to adultery is most definitely true, but it is not unforgivable. Remember Psalm 103:12,
He has removed our sins as far from us
….as the east is from the west. NLT
Marriage is a serious covenantal agreement between husband and wife and should be solemnly entered into as a lifelong commitment, but nothing can thwart God’s forgiveness. No sin, except rejecting Christ and His offer of salvation, is unforgivable – and that is unforgivable not because He won’t forgive us but because He can’t, if we refuse to ask for it.
Sept 27th, 2020, Sun, 8:05 pm
Let Your Light So Shine
Father, I cannot say “thank you” enough. Your creation, my life, Your protection, and guidance for myself and my loved ones – the attributes of Your love are incalculable! All praise to You, Loving Father!
********
These last few weeks have been difficult ones. We have two family friends who are coming to the ends of their battles with cancer. Both men are members of the church I served as Children’s Pastor several years back. They have also both be employed by Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, one as a professor and one on the administrative end of things.
Both men have impacted countless people with the lives they had lived. And I want to make it very clear that from most people’s perspectives, they have not been movers and shakers from a worldly point of view. No, where they impacted was not just for the here and now…their impact was, is, and will be for eternity.
Their lives have impacted because they are the real deal. They both have pursued their relationship with the Lord with a determined perseverance. And their lives reflected that relationship…that love for their Lord and the love that poured out from them to others because of their intimate relationship with Him.
Truly that is when real impact takes place, when people see Christ in us – in what we say, in how we act…in how we love. When we are Christ to a hurting world, the world responds. When we are genuine, they can’t miss it.
Matthew 5:14-16 proclaims,
“You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven. AMP
I also want to stress that these Christian brothers were by no means solo acts. Their wives shine just as brightly. Their children do, as well.
How we live out our faith matters! It’s not just a crutch. It’s not one more source of social interaction. It’s not just something that we do to make us feel better about ourselves.
Both families have suffered so much throughout this time. But their lights have not dimmed in the least, if anything, they have continued to grow in intensity! Even amid heartache, and pain, and great impending loss, their faith continues to shine…continues to impact.
Lord Jesus, first of all, I would give You praise as You continue to be at the side of each family member, both the patients and their loved ones. And when that moment comes that life on this side of eternity ends, may the torch which they have raised high continue on both in their lives with You and also, that it would be passed on to those who must carry on on this side of eternity. May it become one more way to show love…one more way to impact.
And then, Lord Jesus, may we all learn something from their shining examples. May their living and their dying impact us…may it motivate us, to go and do likewise. Amen.
Sept 24th, 2020, Thurs, 6:02 pm
Unshakable!
Father, I pray for Your peace today. There is so much uncertainty with going back to school 5 days a week and with two family friends fighting for their lives against the unrelenting onslaught of cancer. I’m grateful for Your offer of peace, which exceeds anything we can understand… (Philippians 4:7a) Amen.
Luke 16:16-18 (<<click here to read the passage)
I’ve never experienced an earthquake. According to Wikipedia, Ohio has recorded at least 200 earthquakes since 1776. Most have been small but the largest one in the state occurred on March 9, 1937, and is estimated to have had a magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter scale. It caused enough damage to the local school in Anna, Ohio that it had to be torn down. But that’s nothing compared to the largest one recorded in the world – a 9.5 magnitude quake that struck near Valdivia, Chile on May 22, 1960. This one was so bad it created a tsunami that killed people across the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines!
I know that there are buildings constructed to withstand earthquakes but where would a Joe Schmoe like me go? I’d just pray to live through it!
There is one place we can go where nothing can shake us up and that is God! And it needs to be stressed that everything that comes from God falls into the same category…His word included.
I realize that some do not believe that God’s word is infallible…but I do. I have struggled recently with one of my sources for sermon material. I have totally shelved several in recent weeks and left out portions of others before that, that I felt threw too much doubt on the legitimacy of God’s word. I may not understand it all, but I trust God to stand behind every word He has proclaimed.
In verse 17 Jesus clearly says,
…it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a letter of the Law to fail and become void. AMP
It’s easier for a major earthquake followed by a tsunami to occur than for a single stroke of the letter of the Law to fail and become void! That’s like an apostrophe!
Think about that! God will not let us down! God is not going anywhere! And God has got us in the palm of His hand!
Yes, our bodies are frail. Scripture refers to them as tents (2 Corinthians 5:1) and jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7) and though these fragile containers can be destroyed, nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39) and to be absent from the body is to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).
So, with that being said I choose to be in the safest place in all of creation…in the arms of my Father who loves me! If anything wants to get to me, it has to get through Him first! And if that is His will…I’m home!
Sept 23rd, 2020, Wed, 1:07 pm