Be "That Guy"

Soap Dentures?

Scripture: Luke 17:15-16 "Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus 'feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan."

Observation: The Samaritan (there may have been other Samaritans among the lepers, but this one came back) returned to Jesus because he recognized Jesus' lordship. As far as the story describes they were all healed and very likely all responded in faith. Jesus, however, says in verse 19, "Your faith has made you well."

What was significant about this man's faith that separated him from the others? The answer, which verifies my conjecture about this man's recognition of Jesus' deity, comes in verse 18, where Jesus says, "Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" The truth is that the other nine did give glory to God. They did it at the temple just as Jesus commanded. What does Jesus mean then? I think that this "foreigner" came to Jesus himself. He saw Jesus for who he truly is rather than just a healer. He saw Jesus as greater than the priest, greater than the temple; Jesus was worth of the praise and worship. Incredibly, Jesus took his praise, which according to Jesus fulfilled th Law's requirement to show himself to the priest: "Arise, go your way . . ." (vs. 19)

Application: Jesus is the new covenant. He has finished the requirements of the Law. I cannot, and should not try to, earn God's approval. First, it never was nor ever will be possible for me to get anywhere near heaven or God by doing or being good or good enough. According to the one setting the standard (God) only perfection is "good enough" and, frankly, we've all blown that 1,000,000 times over already.

Second, to even attempt to be good enough is an offense to Jesus of the most grotesque kind. Why is that? We all know the offense of someone's attempts to repay us for a gift. The offense only grows as the cost of the gift climbs--and that "cost" doesn't does not alway indicate financial burden. How can anyone price the cost to Jesus that my forgiveness required of him? Jesus not only freely died in my place, but he also lived in my place. His entire 33 years, every day of them, were for me . . . for us. What a scandal it is when we--I--purpose to repay him with Sunday morning service attendance, or a tithe, or prayer, reading the Bible, volunteering at a non-profit or youth group.

But even more than that, Satan and our own blind thinking would have us thinking God doesn't view us in love. We erroneously believe that God puts up with us so long as we tow the line. We fail to see that he desperately and passionately loves us! We forget that God pursued us first! He didn't do that just to turn around and require some slavish effort. No! God bought us and brought us into a life of freedom.

He's not glaring at us with arms crossed! His arms are wide open waiting for us to notice that he is running to us and wants us to run to him. Application? Run to Jesus!

Prayer: . . .

Treasures Untold or Treasures Unclaimed

Scripture: Luke 16:11 "If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches."

Observation:
"unrighteous wealth" - simply not of eternal nature; not part of the promises of God.

Jesus described being unfaithful in unrighteous wealth in the preceding parables. In Luke 15:11-31 the "prodigal son" left and "squandered his property in reckless living." Later, the older son said they knew that included prostitutes. In Chapter 16, the rich man's manager had "wasted" the master's possessions. The wasteful manager was commended for being shrewd, but he should have used it to manage the finances.

Application: What are the distorted perspectives that cause one to be unfaithful? How do those attitudes relate to true riches? And why should my treatment of it here impact eternity?

It has been noted the Bible talks about money almost more than anything else (that fact makes it kind of ironic that so many people find it inappropriate for leaders of the church to talk about it at all during a service). Why is that? Perhaps it is because the Bible has two main categories of content. I'll call them the spiritual and the natural. Finances have been around since jump street. They say it makes the world go around.

In truth money impacts both realms.

What I mean to say is, I think the spending and allocation of one's money is the most visible indicator of the state of one's heart as it pertains to God. A love of God necessitates a trust in God above all else, money not excepting. Jesus was clear that you cannot have two loves; it's God or money, but not both. So, the distorted perspective is that money, not God, is the ultimate safety net. It believes money, not God, bring the best life has to offer. It reasons money, not God, will satisfy a hungry soul and protect from hazard. Perhaps most pitiably, it believes the highest quality life requires sufficient amount of money instead of sufficient amounts of God.

But why should my present attitude affect my future residence? The easy answer, though no less true, is "That's the way God wants it." So be it. But perhaps a more refined answer is "What you don't want now, you won't want in the next life." The reverse is the essence of the Christian heart--"What I yearn for now is what I'll long for in the ext life." The believer longs for God, for Jesus, for the Spirit, for the promise of a home that cannot and will not be found in this present domain. We've seen through the facade. We know money cannot buy happiness. We've accepted we cannot, regardless of how hard we try, have our best life now. To ascribe to that, frankly, is to cup our ears to the venomous deceit of Satan himself.

In fact, to believe otherwise I would say is to levy an expectation upon a world that is simply too heavy a burden for it to bear up under. As Seth Stewart recently purported (paraphrased): "God created us for a station too high for this created place to deliver."

The question Jesus left to those who will hear is, "How do you need to adjust your heart today toward money and God?"

Prayer: Father, can I separate the pursuit of success from the perspective of sanctification? Is there space for wealth in the separation from wordiness? I'm not asking theoretically. Truly, can I walk both the path of righteousness and the road of physical prosperity? If so, where are the guard rails to keep my soul from abandoning the narrow road to the narrow gate of your presence?

Where Did These Shackles Come From?

Scripture: Luke 13:15-17 "Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him."

Observation: This verse ends a passage in which Jesus is scolded by a ruler of a Jewish synagogue because he healed a woman on the sabbath. Jesu harshly rebuked the Jewish spiritual leader by pointing out that the same man would care for an owned animal on the sabbath; therefore, to not be the same present help and compassion to a person based on a man-made rule was a great hypocrisy.

And look at the crowds reactions! They "rejoice." Over what were they rejoicing? I think all who followed Jesus lived under the spiritual rule of men who maintained the exact same hypocritical standards. The people's reaction to Jesus' declaration is revealing. It clearly demonstrates that Jesus' words brought emancipation to people under oppressive, stifling, and lifeless religious rules and carries them into refreshing, invigorating, and liberating hope in a God who loves us as a perfect father or care-taker. This was new to them. This was life-shaking.

Prior to Jesus's words the people labored under the weight of works-based righteousness. After Jesus' words of encouragement (at least, they were encouraging to the masses) the crowds had the hope of a God who is for them, who knows their need and pain, who pursues them and comforts them, and who welcomes all, especially those who are looked down upon, who are just seeking open arms--not critical eyes.

Application: Rejoice! Surely the crowds who heard Jesus drew nearer to him after this. The same words are spoken to us today: "You are a treasure to God. He knows your pain. He knows your trouble. He knows your need. He knows all your sin and failures. And he does not turn away from you. Rather he is seeking you and wants to give you what you need. He wants to give you himself, which is the only truly satisfying thing."

James 4:7 "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you."

Prayer: . . .

No More Single Digit Kids!

Our youngest is now in double digits. That's kind of a big deal to us. I'm not sure how long it'll take me to process how old the kiddos are and what kind of stage of life we've entered.

I think I'll just enjoy it.

And of course a trip to Chuck E. Cheese ensued, where the monkey met his match.

I Hear You

Scripture: Luke 11:13 "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

Observation: Clearly Luke chose "the Holy Spirit" intentionally when he recorded Jesus' instructions on the need to pray, pray specifically, pray frequently, pray expectantly, pray passionately, pray with faith, pray unguardedly, and pray confidently. But such a response--the promise of the Holy Spirit--seems, at first, strange. It seems strange until I begin to see God Himself as the first and greatest answer to prayer.

What do I mean by that? Jesus main point in this context is that God will give good things to his children when they ask. Thus, Jesus' promise that the Holy Spirit is a sure gift to the asker makes perfect sense--God Himself is the greatest good! God seeks those that will first and foremost pursue him and desire him when they or those they care about face struggles, hardship, and lack in this life (Matt. 6:33).

Proverbs 30:8-9 says ". . . give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or lest I be poor and steal
 and profane the name of my God." In this Proverb the writer is expressing his passion for God. He asks God to arrange his life in such a way that it does not become a hindrance to his faith in God nor a distraction from his pursuit of God. Priority #1 is the experience of God and with that God will fill all the gaps that are bound to come. In this Proverb the request centers around money, but it applies to fame and shame, health and sickness, popularity and loneliness, and accomplishment and failure alike.

But is this a right request? I see a danger in it. There is a sense in which I could pray for a life free of extremes under the auspice of "contentment," but while contentment is good (Heb. 13:5), when it comes to our desire for God it is a poor descriptor.

Therein lies the danger.

I do not need to be reserved in my pursuit of God. As C. S. Lewis wrote, I am not unfilled because my passions are too lofty. I am dissatisfied with things in my life because my passions are too base! I wallow in the mud seeking treasure when all the while the purest and strongest pleasures which are only found in God Himself are offered freely to me. My fervor is set on a target too low. In seeking contentment, I have mistakenly categorized the relationship with my Creator with cookies, cars, square footage of my home, and accolades among my profession! Be content with such things as I have, but be content with no less than the fullness of God!

Application:
Pray. Pray specifically. Pray frequently. Pray expectantly. Pray passionately. Pray with faith. Pray unguardedly. Pray confidently.

Believe that Psalm 16:11 is true. Treasure the presence and knowledge of God like a suitor cherishes being with and learning about his betrothed.

Prayer: . . .