Tag: sacrifice

Categories
Relationships

Does Being A Christian Require You To Be A Jerk?

I am not a jerk.
Well, at least I am pretty sure I am not a jerk.

A jerk is an obnoxious, annoying person who treats other people badly.

I have known plenty of jerks, but I don’t count myself as one of them. Of course, as I think about this… most people who are jerks, have no clue that they are! So maybe I’m a jerk and don’t know it.

But what I mean is that I don’t intentionally set out to treat other people badly. I try to get along with everyone. I don’t set out with a plan to step on anyone’s toes. But I have discovered that sometimes the things I share from the Bible can “sting” a bit. So by simply sharing certain things from the Bible, even when done so out of love and with a compassionate heart, I sometimes get labeled as a jerk.

Have you ever found this to be true? That as a Christian you are commanded to speak the truth in love to others, just as Jesus did, but that people might not be very receptive to your ideas, because they might be contrary to how they are living.

But isn’t the Bible supposed to be a book about God’s love? Yes, but the Bible is also a book of conviction.

If you study the ideas contained in the Bible, what you find is that its content is going to be challenging and sometimes even painful. God tells us that His Word should change us. The Bible is not a storybook simply to be used for entertainment. Nor is it just a history book to keep us from repeating the mistakes of the past. There are entertaining, historical accounts within its pages, but God tells us that His Word has a deeper purpose.

Medieval SwordGod says to us that His Word is living and active and is sharper than a sword. If I properly understand the purpose of a sword… a sword is designed to pierce and to cut. So the Bible, by its own admission, is designed to pierce you… Ouch. That doesn’t sound pleasant. And it seeks to cut out the places in your life that aren’t in-line with God’s character… Ouch Ouch! No one enjoys being pierced or carved on. We prefer comfort.

But Jesus didn’t preach a message of comfort. He came preaching the messages of “Repent,” “Deny Yourself,” and “Follow Me.” He commanded lives be changed for God and for hearts to turn back to God. Conviction and life change should be a regular part of our lives if we are following Jesus.

God knows what is best for me and tells me to present myself to Him “as a sacrifice.” Another unpleasant word…

Sacrifice.

A sacrifice was killed – completely killed. (Is there any other way?) Not halfway killed. Not maimed. But completely and thoroughly killed. So for me to be a sacrifice means I give up everything… Everything. When we present ourselves to God as a sacrifice, we are saying we give up running our own lives and controlling our own plans. We “kill” our will and our desires in order to fulfill His. How well am I doing this? How well are you at it?

God’s goal is to transform me into the likeness of Christ. And as I am going down that path of transformation being pierced and cut, I find it to be painful. Killing my own desires isn’t pleasant. But with each step of killing more of myself, I discover that He gives me more peace and more joy and more abundant life than I had before. So the piercing and carving is painful, but brings a better end. I think the reason it often hurts so much is because of how tightly I am holding onto the things that aren’t good for me. I need to hold to them more loosely.

So even though I sometimes say things that sting, I am not a jerk. (Not usually, anyway.) And certainly not when I’m sharing God’s Word with others out of love. In fact, there is nothing more loving than helping someone become more like Christ and experience the peace, joy, and abundant life that He provides. Or course, at times, some people might not appreciate it!

So don’t be a jerk today, but do share God’s Word with others.

Categories
Christian Living

Things We Get Wrong, part 1.

#1. God Cannot Look On Sin
You’ve probably heard that statement before.
Maybe you’ve even said it yourself.
But is it accurate?

man hiding his face symbolizing God not looking on sin - something we get wrong

Let me ask it another way…

Can God save sinners?
Of course He can. Certainly So.
This is one of the key beliefs of Christians. A key teaching of the church.

But… how could that be possible if our opening statement is true? How can God save sinners if He can’t look on sin? or if He can’t hear the prayer of a sinner? How could He save a sinful person if He must turn His back on them until they are righteous?
Hmmm… maybe this statement is one we’ve gotten a bit wrong.

Now it is true that God will not allow sin into His eternal, heavenly kingdom. But sin in our lives does not necessitate that God turns His back on us. Instead, it means that we have broken our fellowship with Him, not our relationship.

As a parent, when your child does something “wrong” by deliberately disobeying you does it damage your fellowship with the child? Yes. But does it break your relationship – such that you are no longer the child’s parent until he/she comes and apologizes? Do you turn your back on them until they confess their wrongdoing? Of course not. It doesn’t break your relationship… you are still his/her Mom or Dad. Your child is still a beloved son/daughter. It is the same with God. When we are rebellious, it damages our fellowship, but it doesn’t change our relationship. He is still the loving father who doesn’t turn His back on us. Rather He reaches out to us.

Many of us have heard that the moment when Jesus took all the sins of the world and became our sin, God the Father turned His back on Jesus, God the Son. It is true that at that moment, God could not retain full fellowship with Jesus, who became sin. But He did not turn His back on Jesus… In fact, Psalm 22 – a prophetic psalm of the crucifixion of the Messiah, indicates that God did not reject Jesus nor did He hide His face from Jesus. Jesus willingly took on our sin and so willingly felt what it was like to be without the intimate fellowship of God the Father.

But let us be careful that we don’t say things that let others think that God might turn His back on them.

What a terrible thought! …That God might turn His back on me.

From the very first sin that happened in the Garden of Eden, we find that God doesn’t hide Himself from sinners. Instead He pursues them. He is the One who pursued Adam & Eve who were hiding after their sin. Had God not pursued those two sinners, it is unlikely they would have interacted with Him again. So even in the midst of my willful sin, God pursues me and calls me to return to Him. He pursues me to restore fellowship with me.

God is holy.
God will not let sin into His eternal kingdom.
Therefore He gives us Jesus to provide us with righteousness to cover our unrighteousness. While we were still sinners, God looked upon us with love and sent Jesus to show us the full measure of His love for us in sin.

God’s mercy is huge. God’s grace is unfathomable.
His righteousness is big enough to cover our sin.
But let’s strive to hate our sin like God hates it.

“God started the sacrificial system for at least two reasons. First, He desired His people to loathe sin. With the constant stream of bloody sacrifices offered by the priests, people were confronted continually with the seriousness of His holiness and their sin. Every time they sinned, something had to die. Second, the sacrificial system was intended to help people long for a Savior whose sacrifice would be complete and perfect. The system was elaborate, but it was never intended to be sufficient; instead, it pointed to something much deeper. It was designed to be a tutor to teach people they could never fulfill the law.” (Matt Chandler, ‘Creature of the Word’)

On this, the week we remember the cross and the empty tomb, let’s thank Jesus for fulfilling the law for us… for becoming that perfect and complete sacrifice. And let’s thank Him for looking on our sin, hating it, and doing something amazing about it.

Categories
Christian Living

Jesus Is Not Safe.

artwork of aslan movie poster - the not safe lionFor a birthday gift last year, Paige “commissioned” an artist to paint a lion along with one of my favorite quotes from ‘The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.’ It is found in the discussion when the children are asking about Aslan, the Christ-figure in the story:

“Is he a man?” asked Lucy.

“Aslan a man!” said Mr. Beaver sternly. Certainly not. I tell you he is King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-sea. Don’t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion – The Lion, the great lion.”

“Oh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

“That you will, dearie, and no mistake” said Mrs. Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Aren’t you listening? He’s a Lion! Of Course He Isn’t Safe!
But He’s Good.
What a remarkable description.

Jesus is not safe.
Choosing Him will cost you your life!

C.S.Lewis discovered this in his own life when he wrestled with Jesus over belief.
He discovered that Jesus was not safe. It cost Lewis his life.
All of a sudden his mind was filled with wanting to discover more about Jesus and write about Him and talk about Him. His life was consumed with this unsafe King.

But Lewis also discovered something else remarkable about Jesus along his journey.
That Jesus is Good.

He may not be safe, but He is the only One who can control your life without destroying it.
Not even you can do that.
What a Great King!

Jesus is not safe… But He is good.
And He is worth it.
You can trust this Unsafe King with your life.

Categories
Christian Living

Giving Up Good Things to Obtain the Best

We all want to live the good life. We want good things.

The problem is that sometimes we chase after the good things, and this pursuit keeps us from finding the best things. There is only so much time in a day. Only so much time in a life. And when we spend our time and our lives focusing on the many good things out there, we may miss out on what is best. What if instead, we narrowed our focus to the best things and only pursued those?

Here’s my simplistic example: There are a lot of good books out there that I can read. Many people will tell me about a good book they just read. Some will even hand me their copy and tell me to take time to read it. But there are also some great books out there! Many of them tested by time and having garnered many awards. And so with the limited time I have, I can fill my reading time with many of those good books, but in doing so, I will be unable to read the best books. So I have tried to make a conscious effort to say “No” to the good to make sure I have time to say “Yes” to the best. But it takes determination and effort to keep the good from crowding out the best.

The pursuit of the good life in America hinges on success, wealth, fame. But many people who have sought and obtained that “good life” have found it to be empty and unfulfilling at the top. God tells us what will bring us the best life – pursuing a life that pleases Him. But again, this takes determination and effort to keep the “good” of the American dream from crowding out the “best” of God’s dream for me.

My American notion of the good life is for money and safety and comfort and happiness and the fulfillment of every desire of my heart. But if God tells me that His plan is best, then shouldn’t I drop my notion and try to fulfill every desire of God’s heart?

To meet His desires, it will take determination and effort as I will have to learn to give up my “good” things for His “best” things. The life of a Christian is about constantly giving up my notions and embracing His notions.

It seems counter-intuitive, but since He made the universe, this world, its rules, and me… I figure He understands the difference between “good” and “best” better than I do.

So what do I need to give up today in order to find a bit more of His best for me?
What about you?

And on another note… Many of my posts have to do with me trying to craft something around a quote or thought from something I read and thought was important. But when I can’t figure out a good way to craft around a quote, it can keep me from writing for a few days as I start an idea, re-write it, trash it, etc. So when that occurs, I’m going to try to stop worrying about it so much, and just give some of them to you at the bottom of my post, even if they don’t tie in to the post at all! Just consider it lagniappe! (some of you will have to look that word up!)

Today’s Unrelated Quotes from ‘Creature of the Word’:
“Compassion linked to the gospel is compassion that goes beyond merely observing hurting people; it sees hurting people and realizes that Jesus loves them furiously.”

“Ultimately, then, it’s not our compassion but the compassion of Jesus that fuels and sustains our desire to act on others’ behalf. When we remember how gracious and compassionate Christ has been to us, our compassion is as sustainable as our remembrance of the gospel.”

“Without Him, compassion will slowly but surely devolve into a weepy moment that we forget as soon as the commercial ends or someone breaks the mood with a joke.”

How well does your remembrance of the gospel sustain your compassion?

Categories
Worship

Scraping From The Bowl

Today, my family will celebrate Christmas together. Mom’ll have a ton of food prepared – including some delicious, silky smooth, Christmas fudge with pecans! One of my fondest Christmas memories is Mom making fudge, because of that glorious moment when Mom had just finished putting the fudge in the pan, but there was still warm, ooey-gooey remnants of fudge in the bowl. She would call us into the kitchen and let us “scrape the bowl” to get all the tastiest remains out. Those spoonfuls of warm chocolate were sooooo good!

In a post many moons ago, I indicated that I would try to provide more “snippets,” or shorter thoughts, instead of having to get every idea fully developed. Of course, that has not often happened, as once I get started on a thought, I like to give as much “meat” to the idea as possible, instead of leaving it as just the skeleton framework. Yesterday’s “dissertation” is a great example! But today I am going to be true to my prior statement and give you a scraping from the bowl!

“There is only one explanation for God’s sacrifice for us. It is not us. It is “the riches of his grace”. It is all free. It is not a response to our worth. It is the overflow of his infinite worth…. The heart of the Bible and the heart of Christianity is not an explanation of where evil came from, but a demonstration of how God enters into it and turns it for the very opposite—everlasting righteousness and joy.”

I hope God has entered into your life to provide you with everlasting righteousness and joy!

(quote from ‘For Your Joy’ by Jon Piper)