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DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Faithful Spouses

Giver of Marriage,
Keep husbands and wives faithful to each other and to their vows. Foster in them a greater curiosity and desire to pursue each other more and more as each year passes. Protect them from outside distractions and temptations, and do not allow disinterest or indifference toward each other to settle in. Guard their hearts and minds from entertaining the lies and deceptions planted by the evil one. Direct them to each other for the fulfillment of their desires for physical and emotional intimacy, and make them willing and eager to serve each other according to their spouse’s needs. Fill each of them spiritually with an awareness of your love and faithfulness to them. Lead them always to look first to you for what only you can provide, not allowing either husband or wife to elevate their spouse to that level. Otherwise, they will only find disappointment and unmet expectations. Finally, Lord, cover marriages with your gracious forgiveness. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

The Imminent Arrival of the Judge

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(Matthew 3:1-12)

Remember the name George Santos? He was viewed by some as a rising star in his political party. And, despite concerns that were expressed about the reliability of his biography and past track record (including those claiming that already in childhood he had a reputation for being deceitful and untrustworthy), he did end up being elected into office. Eventually, though, it was discovered that Santos had in fact lied about a number of details about his past, including his education and employment history. Many of his business dealings and financial history were also found to be inconsistent and fraudulent as well. As it turned out, George Santos was not at all who he made himself out to be. It took official legal action and investigations to eventually discover the truth and convict him. 

John the Baptist, preacher of repentance, reminds us this morning that judgment is also imminent for each of us. But it won’t be an investigation or any legal action that will determine our judgment; it will be the Lord Jesus himself. Like Santos, we might be able to fool or deceive others – and even ourselves – for a time, but when it comes to the judgment of Jesus, the truth about each of us will come out. 

For some, that day will be terrifying. The Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus’ day would be among them. Notice how suddenly the tone of Matthew’s account turns harsh as he records for us how John addressed them. “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, “‘We have Abraham as our father’” I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire’” (Matthew 3:7-10). 

“Brood of vipers” was a loaded term! First of all, one can hardly miss the connection between viper and the Satanic serpent back in Eden. And John doesn’t just call them “vipers,” either, but a “brood” of vipers. By referring to them as a brood, or offspring, John was also making a clear connection with their wicked ancestors, those who persecuted and even put to death God’s prophets in Old Testament times.

His follow up question – “Who wanted you to flee from the coming wrath?” – was intended as a satirical shake-up, since their soaring confidence in their own self-righteousness had them convinced that, unlike everyone else flocking to John the Baptist, they actually had nothing to be afraid of. So although they weren’t really concerned about that wrath, John was plainly telling them they very much needed to be!

To emphasize his point, he used additional illustrations. First, they weren’t the ones who got to determine what kind of fruit they were going to produce. That was their entire modus operandi when it came to religion – delighting in defining what they considered to be appropriate fruit. “We’ll just insert a few extra requirements here and sprinkle some added laws in over there.” But John was specific: fruit “in keeping with repentance.” In other words, contrition that was accompanied by appropriate actions. Not just, “I’m sorry you were offended or hurt,” but “I’m sorry for what I did, and I want to make it right.” That’s fruit in keeping with repentance. It’s fruit that reinforces the remorse of repentance. 

Then John reminded them that their religious version of “Who’s who” would get them nowhere. When it comes to name-dropping before God, there’s only One name that matters, and it wasn’t Abraham – or any of the patriarchs or OT prophets, but the name of Jesus.

Next, John raised the level of urgency by warning them that the ax wasn’t in the shop somewhere being sharpened, nor was it off in the distance somewhere being given a few warm-up swings. Rather, it was already at the root of the tree, ready to take out all trees without good fruit. And he wasn’t talking about pruning, mind you, to provide another opportunity to bear fruit, but utter destruction right at the roots, where, the tree would be hacked away from any chance at life and burned up in a fire!

That same picture of fire was what would happen to all of the chaff – unbelievers – after having been separated from the wheat with the winnowing fork. There was no doubt remaining as to what warning John was giving: that time of judgment is imminent, and it is going to be an eternal disaster for all who ignore John’s message of repentance. 

Thankfully, we see others also flocking to John. We see others who have nothing to fear. They heeded John’s urging to repent.  “People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River” (v.5-6). It’s a small phrase, but with huge implications: “confessing their sins.” That phrase was absent in Matthew’s description of the Pharisees and Sadducees. But without it, baptism is nothing special, it is a splash of water or a quick wash. There’s nothing more to it if there is no sin to be washed away.

Those other people going to John did so with purpose. They brought their filth with them. They dragged their shame along. They confessed it, demonstrating their understanding of and need for baptism. They had real sins that really needed to be washed away. They took to heart the words of the Baptist and the prophet Isaiah, who foreshadowed him. In repentance they prepared the way for the Lord and his gracious forgiveness.

In biblical narratives like this one, when different groups or types of people are present, we naturally identify with a certain individual or group, or at the very least rule out any association with one. Isn’t it safe to say that wherever the Pharisees or Sadducees are present, we pretty much rule out any association with them? After all, we don’t pretend we’re saved by our own righteous good works, like the Pharisees, and we don’t deny the supernatural, like angels or resurrection and an afterlife, like the Sadducees do. Therefore, John’s warnings aren’t addressed to us, right?

Permit me to encourage a different approach to Scripture. Do we truly wish to avoid ending up on the same path as the Pharisees? If so, then whenever we see a warning in Scripture, let’s first assume that it’s a warning that is in place for our benefit and one which we need to hear.

In other words, rather than writing off every warning in Scripture as being directed at someone else, first consider how it might apply to me. Does John’s general warning about a coming wrath have anything to do with me? It absolutely does, if it exposes me as a fraud, a fake, or a false follower. But how would we know? 

That’s where it gets tricky, because when a person falls into that dangerous category, or even anywhere near it, he usually isn’t aware of it. The individual who has become disengaged from the local church, disconnected from the Bible, and is devoid of any displays of the Christian faith, yet still wholeheartedly identifies himself as a Christian, needs to hear John’s warning about the judgment of unquenchable fire that is waiting for fruitless trees and chaff. The believer who wants to selectively pick and choose certain teachings from Scripture and discard others, may align more with the Sadducees than she is aware, and needs to hear John’s warning. The believer whose idea of repentance involves merely the lip service of “I’m sorry” without any change in actions or attitude, needs to hear John’s warning. The believer clinging to the lie that grace and forgiveness are a license to sin as freely as he wants to because no matter what, he’s covered by Jesus, needs to hear John’s warning.

Consider a church member who hasn’t been in church for a year or more. In his mind, he hasn’t necessarily done anything wrong. He hasn’t committed a crime. He’s not absent because of some division or doctrinal disagreement. When the topic of church membership comes up, he struggles to see why his church membership should be questioned. “Isn’t it only those who disagree or have done something wrong who get dropped from church membership?”

But here’s the thing: if it doesn’t concern you that you haven’t desired to be in church, to receive the sacrament, to hear the absolution, to receive the encouragement of fellowship with other believers, and to want to serve and be served by them, that should be a red flag! John has something to say to you: judgment is imminent!  

And because it is, how necessary it is for us to cling to the part of John’s message that came after the word repent. He promised, “the kingdom of heaven has come near” (v.3). What is the kingdom of heaven? When Scripture uses the term “kingdom,” it is not a reference to a physical location, with borders that can be drawn on a map. It is instead referring to the unique activity of the gospel as God’s Word rules in people’s hearts, bringing them to faith and sustaining and strengthening them in the faith. It’s the work of grace changing and transforming us from the inside out. It’s the peace of forgiveness that softens our hearts and equips us with patient compassion toward others. It’s the joy of salvation shaping our speech and aligning our attitudes more and more with Jesus. All of that, and so much more is included in Christ’s kingdom work. 

And take note, for even in his own lifetime, John pointed out that the kingdom “has come near.” To put the word “near” into proper perspective, look who John quotes immediately following – the prophet Isaiah, who was preaching the same message as John, but 700 years earlier than John. Yes, “near” had finally arrived. Not only had God’s people been waiting those 700 years since Isaiah, but also for the centuries that were stacked up long before Isaiah even came along!

Yes, “near” was imminent. Jesus had arrived on the scene, born some thirty years ago by the time John the Baptist started proclaiming. Now, through his own public ministry, Jesus was going to continue carrying out and completing the saving work he came to do. That would ensure that his kingdom would be established and continue to grow and be strengthened through the work of the gospel – even to this day. John was the one preparing the way for him. And, if he was near then to carry out that work, then his return to judge on the last day was also that much nearer! 

What was true of John’s day is even more true in ours: Jesus’ return is even nearer. Remember Paul’s encouragement from Philippians in recent weeks? “The Lord is near!” Rejoice! Always (cf. Philippians 4). It’s still true, isn’t it?

John’s warnings are not worrisome for repentant sinners who know that Jesus’ righteous blood solidifies our status as saints. We don’t have to fabricate our past or falsify our biography to somehow pretend we can fool the righteous Judge, Jesus. We come clean to him in confession, confident of his unconditional grace, and absolutely assured of the joy that accompanies Jesus’ judgment: not guilty. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For a Healthy Relationship with Food

Gracious Lord,
Food is a blessing by which you not only bring us needed nourishment for our bodies, but also the pleasure of enjoying a virtually unlimited variety of tastes and textures. Guide me to find a balance between the two. I want to eat wisely and be mindful of what fuels my body, but not to such an extreme that I neglect memorable dining or tasting experiences. On the other hand, keep me from being so focused on good food, recipes, or dining out, that I end up being careless about what I am eating. Thank you for endless eating choices for both nourishment and enjoyment, and help me maintain moderation in my diet. Grant me a healthy relationship with food so that I am able to curb my cravings and practice self-control. May I always seek to honor you in my approach to food and diet. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Fearless Ministry

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(Mark 6:45-56)

Even if not officially clinically diagnosed, many people have phobias – fears – of a variety of things, some of which may be more rational than others. Fear of heights. Fear of spiders. Fear of enclosed spaces. Fear of social interaction. You could add many to the list and probably share some entertaining stories about the phobias we have.

Phobias aren’t the only types of fear we face. Fear also surfaces when what matters to us is threatened. Think about it. Two weeks ago in this series I began with the phrase, “I don’t care,” and we considered the different ways we use that phrase, and how it has no place when it comes to meaningful ministry. If we revisit that phrase and think about the different times we speak it, almost 100% of the time we’re referring to scenarios that involve little to no fear. Because if you don’t care about something, then you have nothing to be afraid of no matter how it turns out. If you don’t care whether or not you get into the college you applied to or hired at the job you applied for, then you’re not afraid to hear back, regardless of what the answer is. If you don’t care about your last doctor appointment possibly revealing a sickness or other health issue, then you’re not afraid when you get the call back from the hospital with the results. No, when we don’t care, neither do we fear.

But it’s quite different when we do care. That’s when fear settles in. If I have to get into this specific college or get hired by this particular company, then I start to get a little afraid the longer I have to wait to hear back. My fears lead me to conclude the worst in my mind. If I’ve been experience specific symptoms and am concerned about a possible diagnoses, I am afraid of getting the message the results are available and the doctor would like to set up a follow up appointment. When things matter to us, fear over certain possible outcomes creeps in. 

Since meaningful ministry matters, it is a likely candidate for experiencing fear. In fact, if we briefly revisit each post throughout this series, we see many reasons to be afraid. Surviving Snubbed Service (fear of rejection), our ministry is from God (which should give us confidence, but also raises the bar to the highest level possible when considering the importance of our ministry!), care and compassion (fear of stepping outside of our comfort zone or just not caring enough), meeting others’ needs with our own resources (fear of the sacrifices we have to make) – there’s much at stake here, and therefore reason to be afraid as we carry out ministry.

Of course we can avoid that fear… by simply avoiding the personal and congregational ministry opportunities right under our noses. We can withdraw. We can disengage. We can let others do the work. We can resort to the consumer mentality that approaches faith and my church as a place to get rather than a place to give. We can take any of these approaches and probably save ourselves from facing a lot of the fear involved in meaningful ministry.

Just beware that the description of the disciples given by Mark might also apply to any believer disinterested in ministry or seeking to avoid it: “they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened” (v.52). While their lack of understanding and faith was not being equated with unbelief, the observation was indicating that their faith had plenty of room to grow. 

If you think that ministry is an optional thing for the Christian, it would be wise for you to revisit what you think Christianity is all about. Ministry isn’t optional, and it certainly is not to be avoided because of fear, for faith without works is dead. Workless faith is a sham, because saving faith in Jesus Christ prompts gospel-geared, Savior-like service. Not even fear itself can get in the way!

The disciples were embarking on the next stage of their ministry. The thousands had been satisfied with such a feast of fish and bread that they couldn’t even finish it all. Now Jesus had sent them on their way ahead of them while he worked on sending off the crowd. Following that, Jesus spent time with his Father in prayer, and then was ready to meet up again with his disciples. They had taken a boat across the water, but Jesus, being Jesus, decided it would just be easier to walk across the lake rather than going through the hassle of securing another boat. 

Mark describes it somewhat curiously. “Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified” (v.48b-50). Mark tells us that Jesus was about to pass by the disciples. If they had not noticed them, would Jesus have simply continued his stroll on the sea while they struggled and strained to row against the wind? Was Jesus waiting for them to notice him and in confident trust, petition him to lend them a hand in some way, miraculous or otherwise? We do not know the answer, because the disciples did see Jesus, and thinking he was a ghost or an apparition, they were afraid. 

We shouldn’t be surprised by their fear. The whole Bible is a collection of fear-filled followers needing to be calmed in the face of their fears. When we look at the number of times the Lord either directly or indirectly through one of his messengers needs to reassure his people not to be afraid throughout Scripture, we see just how prevalent fear is. It’s a part of human nature ever since Adam and Eve hid in the garden out of fear after having disobeyed God. The Old Testament is littered with the general repetition, “Do not be afraid.” The New Testament adds to it. Zechariah was told not to be afraid when he got the birth announcement of his own son. Joseph was told not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, as was Mary when she was told she’d bear the Savior. The angels told the shepherds not to be afraid on the night Jesus was born. The disciples were told not to be afraid on numerous occasions. Jesus taught and preached about not being afraid. The inner circle was told not to be afraid at Jesus’ Transfiguration. The believers were told not to be afraid during multiple resurrection appearances. Over and over and over again God needs to repeat himself: do not fear.

So again here in the boat. “Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down” (v.50-51). Even more surprising than the persistence of fear from God’s people throughout Scripture is the persistence on the part of God to calm it. As Jesus did, we try to allay the fears of others by reassuring them with words like “Everything’s going to be OK” or “Don’t be afraid, nothing bad is going to happen.” 

The only problem is that we have zero power to back up such wishful thinking. We can’t guarantee everything’s going to be OK or keep bad things from happening. That’s why others often find only a limited comfort in our words, no matter how well-intentioned they may be.

But God’s words carry weight, because God’s words carry God’s backing. We can repeat Jesus’ words to others, “Take courage!” and “Don’t be afraid,” but only he can make the claim that matters most: “It is I.” Those are the words that matter, because God is the One who can do something about it. A child knows the feelings of safety and security when dad is around. When dad is nearby and able reassure a frightened child with a version of “It is I,” that child is calmed down. But, as that child grows up and realizes that dad isn’t actually a superhero, those words later on aren’t able to carry the same weight.

But God’s words carry weight, because God’s words carry God’s backing. God’s words are backed up by action. God’s words are not just empty filler. So when God says “It is I,” it is the One who has the power to still hurricanes and snuff out raging wildfires. He is the One who swallowed a powerhouse Egyptian enemy with Red Sea and wiped out an entire Assyrian army overnight. The One present is he who cures debilitating disease and breathes life back into the dead.

Yes, the One who came back from the dead himself is present. He was always present. He is always present. He always will be present. “It is I,” coming from his lips causes fear itself to be afraid! It cannot help but cower in his presence, for he removed every ounce of power that fear held over us. 

Satan’s temptations? I can stand up to them, for what do I have to fear? Satan’s accusations? I can direct him to exhibits A and B, the cross and tomb, and show him what Jesus Christ has done with his accusations and my sin. Fear of guilt, shame, or embarrassment? I can claim my identity as God’s child, which buoys me up above all the worst I can imagine. Fear of ridicule or rejection? I consider the source and care little. Fear of death itself? Pssshhh. “It is I,” says the Lord, and he says it to me. And to you. With his promise, we step over fear as if we hardly even noticed it, and in bold courage carry out ministry fearlessly.

You and I are called to carry out fearless ministry. We do it together because we know that we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Let others say of us, “I don’t know if I could have done that, but I am not surprised that those believers at Shepherd of the Hills did it – they’re fearless. They’re not afraid of anything.” Let us be unafraid to step out and try new things for the sake of the gospel and the souls at stake, as we did for five years with The Way. While that ministry effort discontinued, its fruit remains. Which is better, to fearlessly fail forward for the kingdom by seizing opportunities or to comfortably play it safe as myriad ministry opportunities pass us by? We have nothing to fear – “It is I” is right here, wherever and whenever we lead with his Word and promises. Fear not – his Word has always been the source of his work, and it will continue to be. So long as we hold that out before us, we can courageously and confidently carry out fearless ministry. Don’t be afraid to be a part of it! 

Serving Through Storms

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(Mark 4:35-41)

We have it wrong. I suppose the easy explanation as to why would be the fall into sin. Ever since the devil led Adam & Eve to question if God was hiding something from them or had their best interest in mind, we’ve followed suit. With the Fall, a default of doubt was established. When coupled with suffering or difficulties in our lives then, that doubt leads us to question God’s care and concern for us. Our upbringing and how we were raised can also add to this challenge. If we weren’t allowed to experience failure or adversity, if parents guarded against any notion of hardship or suffering, then our lives may seem to fall apart when they do hit.

Going a step further, when those storms we face in life are associated with certain people or organizations, we naturally conclude the same about those responsible: they don’t really care about us. The child asked to clean up after himself or carry out chores or help around the house is convinced that dad & mom are out to make life miserable. The teenager who isn’t granted the same permissions or freedoms that his friends’ parents allow presumes his own parents are uncaring or just downright mean. The extra protocols at work and exhausting policies for how everything is to be carried out are nothing more than a power play from management to flex authority. The government imposes this tax or passes that law that is deliberately oppressive just because it can. 

We therefore conclude that all hardship or struggle is negative and to be avoided at all costs. The path to peace and happiness is to altogether avoid, limit, or as quickly as possible put an end to whatever is hard or hurts, or distance ourselves from those responsible for it – even God.

But we have it wrong. What if God has other purposes in mind through such adversity? What if, bear with me for just a moment, God actually wants to serve you through suffering? Could it be? Rather than presuming a good God must be a God who removes anything hard or hurtful from our lives, what if a good God is instead one who uses what is hard or hurtful even for our good? This is not easy to believe, which is why it fits in with our current series – only a top-down faith can grasp this!

That kind of faith still had plenty of room to grow in the disciples who were with Jesus as the stormy squall suddenly showed up and nearly swamped their ship. To their credit, when things looked bleak, they did the right thing and sought out Jesus. To their shame, however, they drew the wrong conclusion when they found him sleeping through the storm.

“The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’” (v.38). In their minds, the fretting and the fear in the face of the storm was normal, appropriate behavior. After all, their lives were in danger, and they knew Jesus could do something about it. Since he wasn’t, they concluded that he must not care about them.

This wasn’t their first outing with Jesus, remember. They had already witnessed many times what Jesus was able to do. Miracles followed everywhere they went. Jesus had cast out demons. Jesus had healed the sick, including Peter’s own mother-in-law. Jesus had shown what he was capable of doing when people were enduring hardship or hurt: he took care of it. So if he had shown himself able to take care of such dilemmas in the past, but wasn’t so much as lifting a finger in the present dilemma, the disciples concluded he must not really care.

Oh how often we draw the same misguided, mistaken conclusion! When God, who can act and intervene on our behalf in the face of hardship or hurt doesn’t, then he must not really care. When my singleness becomes a cross to bear and the God who instituted marriage and brings husbands and wives together in marriage still hasn’t done so for me, doesn’t he care? When the God who has shown he can heal others of their cancer hasn’t done so for me, doesn’t he care? When I struggle to rub two pennies together and find myself financially strapped, doesn’t he care? When others talk behind my back and trash and trample my name and reputation, doesn’t he care?

And we often allow our shock to reach even higher levels when we revisit our own behavior in these situations and like to highlight the good we’ve been doing on our end. I’m using my singleness to give more attention to my faith, to better myself and to grow, but still I’m single. I make my appointments, pay attention to my diet, and go above and beyond, but still the cancer spreads. I give generous offerings, but still have financial hardships. I treat others kindly and respectfully, always avoiding gossip, and still my name is mud.

What we’re telling ourselves and God in those situations is essentially, “God, I’m doing my part – why aren’t you stepping in and doing yours? Why are you letting this storm continue in my life?” When we wrestle with these kinds of conclusions in our own minds, I wonder if we can see ourselves in the boat with the disciples, in line right behind them, waiting for our turn to rustle Jesus awake and chide him for not caring about us more by stepping up and doing something. 

The disciples were surprised at what they found when they sought out Jesus in the storm. “Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion” (v.38). How could Jesus nap at a time like that? Why wasn’t he awake, his mind overthinking everything and playing out the worst-case scenarios? “What if a disciple is lost overboard?” “What if the boat capsizes and everyone drowns?” “What if this is a premature end for Jesus and he dies before he has been able to carry out the full work of salvation?” Where was the worry? Where was the concern?

Rather than questioning Christ’s care, they should have been shocked for an entirely different reason. A better question would have been “Where do we find this kind of peaceful rest in the midst of the storm?” That should have been the question on the mind of the disciples. But they could only see what was in front of them. They could only focus on the choppy water and the clouds clapping with thunder and the pelting rain as the boat was thrashing back and forth, completely at the mercy of the sea. 

It is so difficult for us to look beyond those things, too, isn’t it? We only see the turmoil and testing right in front of us. We have tunnel vision and the rest of the world – including other people’s concerns and worries and problems – is blurred out to us while our own problems sharpen into focus. That’s all we see – our problems… and God’s lack of intervention to do something about them.

But why was Jesus able to sleep? Because he knew his Father was on 24-hour watch. He could sleep peacefully because he had a perfect faith that trusted his Father’s promise to never leave or forsake him. He knew and believed his Father’s promise to deliver him. He could rest because while he did, nothing would ever escape the notice of his faithful Father, watching over all things at all times and weaving them into good for his people – yes, even the storms.

Nevertheless, Jesus used this opportunity to also remind his disciples of who he was and the authority he had over all of creation. “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm” (v.39). Wow. Jesus’ commanding words control nature itself! When we consider that it was God’s powerful word that brought everything into existence at creation, we cannot help but draw the obvious conclusion here – the connection is even more powerful: God was right there in the boat with his disciples! The very author and designer of all of creation was himself present with the disciples, showcasing his absolute authority.

His rebuke of the wind and waves was not Jesus’ only rebuke, however. He then turned from the storm to his disciples. “He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’” (v.40). Even as we marvel at Jesus’ power over nature, his own display of divine might accentuates the absurdity of the disciples and their foolish doubts. Did they really doubt the One who just bid the storm to cease just like that? Did they really question his care for them? Did they really think he didn’t care? That One, who just shut down a storm with his voice? What a faint faith they had!

And… what a faint faith we have. All these years later and we have not only ample evidence in the Scriptures for us to learn from, but even our past personal experience to confirm that God does care. Yet still at times it is as if we have no faith at all. We resort to our default, doubt, even with so much evidence to the contrary. Not only should Jesus have slept out the storm and left the disciples in their doubt; he also ought to leave us swimming in our own doubts to let us see how that works out for us.

Jesus, though, has done far more for us since that storm at sea. By his crucifixion and resurrection, he has since shut up Satan’s accusing charges. He has shut down his power over us. He has shut up hell to those who cling to him. He has shut the door on death’s permanent separation. 

And he has calmed much more than a storm at sea; he has calmed the Father’s rage against sin and rebellion by his crucifixion. He brought peace to us because he was willing to be punished in our place. He opened access to heaven in all its holiness – and all this for those who have no right being there on their own! He does not just have power over nature, but over death itself! He makes the dead alive. He kills the deadly storm of death and only through Jesus, the sin-torn soul knows peace and forgiveness. 

Does he care about you? May we never doubt his care for us again. He doesn’t just serve us by removing the storms; he does better – he serves us through them. 

PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Protection

Good Shepherd,
We know all too well that as we walk through this valley of the shadow of death, dangers threaten us around the clock. Yet we do not need to be afraid, because we are confident that you do not waver in your promise to guard and protect us. We thank you for the many safeguards you have placed in our lives like medicine, technology, policies, and people who protect us. You use these measures in so many different ways to keep us from harm. We could hardly fathom the unknown dangers of each day that we never even experience because you keep them from us! Thank you, Good Shepherd, for your vigilant protection. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Rest, Assured

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(Matthew 11:25-30)

Spend any length of time listening to a conversation between teenagers and time yourself. See how long it takes for the blank stare to come across your face when you have no idea what they’re saying.

I am not talking about mumbling or being soft-spoken, as teenagers can often be. Rather, the words and phrases they use will likely come across as either completely foreign to you or have an entirely different meaning attached to them.

For example, it might surprise you to find out that “bussin” does not refer to a method of transportation one might take, nor does “shippin” involve how one might send a package. Preaching a “fire” sermon has nothing to do with brimstone or heavy-handed law. I know it might sound like I’m “cappin,” but I assure you I am not. That’s the “tea.” 

My point? The words we use to communicate can only serve that purpose effectively if we know and understand what they mean. You’ve likely also experienced this when someone in a specific line of work explained to you what they do for a living and used words and phrases that totally flew over your head.

We can do it within Christianity, too, when we try to describe our faith using terms like redeem, atonement, justification, or sanctification – terms that are totally unfamiliar to non-Christians. 

That brings us to the overall theme on which we’ll be focusing over the next several posts, Define Christian. What, exactly, does it mean to be a Christian? How do we define it? What do we mean when we use that label or identify ourselves as Christian? Does it have anything to do with politics? What does the Bible have to do with it? What is the connection between a Christian and a church? And of course, since one can see the word “Christ” in Christian, who is he and where does he fit in?

With each post, we’ll look at how God’s Word defines “Christian” by exploring teachings and truths that guide us to a clear understanding. Today we see it defined by where a Christian turns for rest. 

We ought to first take the step of making sure we’re clear on our definition of “rest.” Rest, too, carries a lot of different meanings for a lot of different people. A hiker may need to stop and rest his legs and grab a drink of water at various points throughout the trail. A sick person or one recovering from surgery needs rest to allow the body to carry out its natural recovery processes. Ask someone who is sleep-deprived about the importance of being able to get good sleep or rest. Rest can also simply mean taking a break from something for a time or season in life.

So which rest do we have in mind as we determine where the Christian turns for rest?

Jesus’ personal invitation begins to clear it up for us: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28). There is the invitation to receive rest from Jesus. He clarifies exactly the sort of rest he has in mind in the very next verse. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (v.29). There it is. The kind of rest Jesus offers is rest “for your souls.” 

How does one come to receive this kind of rest? We should first note that there are those for whom this rest will always remain out of reach. Jesus described them. “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do’” (v.25-26).

What? Two things here might catch us off guard. One, it sounds as if God deliberately keeps some people in the dark regarding his rest and certain other truths of Scripture. Two, Jesus sounds like he is on board with this, even going so far as to praise his Father for it. These two observations appear to be at odds with the character of a God who says he wants all people to be saved. Why wouldn’t God’s invitation to find rest be extended to all people? 

To better understand the point, consider the result if Jesus’ words were reversed – if he had said that he praised his Father because he revealed these things to the wise and learned and kept them hidden from little children. If that were the case, then certain people – those who lacked a certain intellectual ability – would automatically be excluded. No matter how hard they tried, they’d never be able to achieve the level of wisdom and learning required for salvation. They’d never be able to understand and believe Jesus’ teaching or ever find rest in him. We would have to conclude that God isn’t genuinely interested in saving all people; he’s just interested in saving the smart ones, the ones with the heightened intellectual ability to achieve a higher level of enlightenment. 

But Jesus didn’t say that. Instead, he praised the Father for revealing his truths to little children – to those with a child-like, simple trust and understanding. Therefore, to those who are too smart for their own good, who have either concluded they don’t need rest for their souls or that they don’t need Jesus to provide it for them, Jesus’ rest will always be out of reach. 

However, even for them, there is always the opportunity for the wise to set aside their prideful know-it-all-ness and humble themselves to receive the rest Jesus offers like little children. So Jesus’ invitation is for all people in search of rest who have realized they won’t succeed in finding it themselves. 

As we consider Jesus’ word choice in his invitation to rest, it also might strike us as odd that his invitation involves terms like “yoke” and “burden.” Those are terms that carry the idea of hard work and manual labor, not rest. Animals that share a yoke aren’t the animals resting in the barn, but rather working in the fields. So what can Jesus mean?

It’s important for us to nail down and be certain of what Jesus isn’t saying. Observe that Jesus doesn’t say his yoke is easier and his burden is lighter. In other words, Jesus isn’t inviting us to partner up with him so that it will be easier for us as long as we just do our best and he does the rest. This isn’t Jesus calling us to try our hardest to please him, to be pretty good people, with the assurance that he’ll take it from there so long as we’re yoked to him. 

No, Jesus wants us to know that the reason his yoke is easy and his burden is light is because he has done it all. He has done all the heavy lifting. He has done all the hard work. He has carried out every single detail of every single requirement the Father expected. There is nothing left to be done. 

Have you ever gone tubing down a river or floated around a lazy river at a resort or water park? Some find it so relaxing because once you’re parked in that tube, there is no effort required on your part. You are carrying nothing, but rather are being carried along by the tube and the flowing water. There is no burden. No weight – just a floating weightlessness that is perfectly relaxed and at peace. 

So when Jesus invites us to put on that yoke and learn rest from him, it is nothing more than this: an invitation to experience complete relief from the impossible burden of trying to perfectly please God on our own. That work has been done, and Jesus is simply inviting us to benefit from it by basking in the joy of his job perfectly done.

Suppose you hired a landscaping company to overhaul your entire backyard. After several weeks of watching the crew dig and ditch and haul away and pour concrete and build and plant and all of the labor under the hot sun, they finally finish. It looks absolutely breathtaking. There you sit, cold beverage in your hand, beaming as you take in the view. Although you didn’t lift so much as a finger, let alone a shovel full of dirt or a wheelbarrow, nonetheless, you are fully enjoying the work of others. 

So it is with Jesus’ rest. He has done all of the work. All of it. And his invitation is simply to come to him and bask in the results. He has fully satisfied the Father. He has fully paid for sin. He has fully prepared a place for us in heaven. There is nothing left to do but rest and enjoy the peace that is ours. 

Now return briefly to that backyard project once again. While you didn’t move a muscle to contribute to that backyard that you enjoy, assuming you’re satisfied with the work, you might take a step or two to reflect that. You could provide a glowing review for the company online. You could refer them to others looking to have work done on their yards. It would be natural for you to pass along how satisfied you are with their work.

Is that any different than the rest we have in Jesus? When we are satisfied and at peace with what he provides, isn’t it natural for us to point others to the rest they can find in him? Or do you suppose they already have it? Do you suppose the couple you know who just filed for divorce already has that rest? Do you think your day-drinking friend has that rest? Does your neighbor with a new toy every other week have that rest?

Or… is it possible that those priorities in their lives are either misguided attempts at seeking alternative rest or masks covering up their real need for rest? If so, don’t miss an opening to help them understand what it means that you’re a Christian. It means that you turn to Jesus for a rest that cannot be found in anyone or anything else, a rest that is assured. A rest that is for them, just as much as it is for any one of us. Invite them, as Jesus did, to personally join to find out why we gather in this place for rest. 

You may never understand the lingo that teenagers use, but you do know where to find rest. Take advantage of it. Go often to the only place where you can find rest assured: to Jesus.

Loved, to Live What You Learn(ed)

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(2 Corinthians 13:11-14)

I want to begin with a story. It’s the story of a believer named _________ (insert name here). The end.

That’s the end of the story. Because it isn’t finished yet. It’s still being written. And now is a great opportunity to pause and think about how you want the rest of your story to play out. To help us, Paul provides some guidance for believers. 

This letter has every reason to end in a different tone than it does. If you don’t recall why, go back and read the rest of 2 Corinthians and then review 1 Corinthians. If you want to see what a dysfunctional congregation looks like, this is it! Division, discord, immorality, legal action, etc. – they had it all. And not only was the congregation all over the map in spiritual disarray, but remember Paul’s own life and ministry and all of the trauma he experienced. To wrap up his communication with the encouragement to rejoice seems a bit out of place in light of all of their challenges!

REJOICE

But Paul is 100% correct. Because their joy wasn’t based on circumstances; it was based in Jesus. And when he is the source of joy, not even messy external circumstances can rob us of the joy we have in Jesus. So rejoice – you have every reason to in Jesus. 

RECONCILE

It is that same joy in Jesus that prompts the following encouragements that Paul gives. Because of our joy in Jesus, we can reconcile. That’s what Paul is getting at with the phrase, “strive for full restoration” (v.11). When believers share the same joy in Jesus, there’s no place for withholding forgiveness from each other and allowing bitterness to take root and establish itself.

We recently had some plumbing issues on the night of our school play and had to open up the restrooms in our school because the ones here at church were backed up. That’s what happens when roots worm their way into the plumbing. However, once the plumber came and cleaned out the roots, everything was in working order again. 

When believers avoid or put off reconciliation with each other – when we are slow to repent or forgive each other – we let those roots grow and establish themselves. Instead, Paul says, don’t even let them take root in the first place. But if they do, get rid of them through reconciliation. When you have an issue with a brother or sister in Christ in this congregation or any other congregation (and you will – just as you do with your biological brothers and sisters!), pull out the roto-rooter of reconciliation and do everything in your power to be restored to each other. Take the first step. If you need to confess and apologize, don’t wait for the other person. If someone else has wronged you, don’t harbor that resentment in your heart; make it known to them so they can repent and apologize. Those are the very things Jesus came to heal and forgive, so look for every opportunity to lovingly apply his grace and forgiveness so that this may continue to be a place of reconciliation.

REASSURE

Closely related to reconciliation is Paul’s next closing thought to reassure each other. Really, that’s what we’re doing when we “encourage one another” (v.11), isn’t it? Christian encouragement isn’t the empty promise that “everything is going to be alright,” because each day that passes in this broken world proves otherwise: not everything is going to be alright. We will experience great loss. We will suffer. We will face hardship.

Those things will happen, so when we speak of encouraging each other, we aren’t pretending that bad things won’t happen; rather, we’re reassuring each other with the promise that Jesus has overcome those troubles. He’s made sure they are temporary. When we reassure each other, we assure each other again and again of God’s gracious promises – both for this time and for eternity. That kind of encouragement can’t be found in the world, so if we Christians aren’t reassuring each other with it, then we can easily become discouraged and disheartened.

REALIGN

Next, Paul says to “be of one mind” (v.11). We might think of that as realignment. While he is not saying that Christians must agree on every detail about life or ministry, we do routinely need to make sure that our way of thinking is brought back in line with God’s. Just as wheels on a vehicle need to be realigned and rotated over time so they don’t wear out unevenly and result in a flat tire, we can also get off-center. 

Not surprisingly, the more removed we are from regular time in the Word and worship, the more naturally this takes place. What happens is the world’s thinking begins to shape more of our own. The world’s values and philosophies start to influence us and the world then informs our theology rather than God’s theology informing how we see the world.

This can be subtle or it can be severe. It might cause us to struggle a bit with this teaching or that, or might lead us to dismiss doctrine altogether and allow our own personal views and ideas of God to take over. Being of one mind means caring enough about each other to point this out and encourage some realignment so that our souls don’t wear out and leave us spiritually stranded on the side of the road for eternity.  

REST

Finally, pursue peace, or to keep our alliteration going, rest. That is what it means to “live in peace” (v.11). There is no shortage of ideas on how to achieve peace in our world today. Cut negative people out of your life. Unfollow social media accounts that consistently crush you with feelings of inadequacy. Be true to yourself, no matter what others think or how you get labeled. I could go on, and while a few of these approaches may provide us with some relief, none of them will give us real rest, the kind of peace we find in only one place. 

Paul even indicates that source of peace. “And the God of love and peace will be with you” (v.11). If God is characterized as the God of love and peace, that kind of makes it his thing, doesn’t it? To be revealed in such a way is to make a clear connection between God and peace. If God is the source of peace, then we must go to the source when we desire the rest he provides. And we will always find it.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Also, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19-20). If we desire rest, then we must have peace, and if we are to find peace, look no further than to the God of peace.

Rejoice. Reconcile. Reassure. Realign. Rest. These are tall orders! But it isn’t just any God who calls us to this thing. It is the triune God, the Holy Trinity, who equips us to carry them out. 

God is never interested in just telling you what to do without reminding you of who you are. Who are you? “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (v.14). These are not just three randomly mashed-together phrases that Paul threw together because they had a nice ring to them as a closing thought. Rather, these are the unique characteristics of the eternal God incorporated into a blessing by which God desired to touch the hearts and lives of believers for the rest of time. 

How appropriate, then, to remind us of the grace – undeserved love – that is ours in Christ! An understanding of grace is foundational to our relationship with the true and triune God because it establishes the undeserved nature of our relationship with God. That is hugely important anytime you ever feel worthless and undeserving, whether those feelings come as a result of what someone else has said to you or about you, or those feelings are the result of your own regrettable words or actions. When we are left feeling worthless, grace is the reminder that we’re in great company – Christ came to win the worthless, the undeserving, the sinners and screw-ups, the don’t-have-it-all-togethers, the shameless and those in shambles. You aren’t disqualified when you feel undeserving; rather, you are God’s target audience! Jesus didn’t come for those who think they deserve him or are worthy of him on their own merits; he came for those who know they don’t deserve him. That’s grace – and it is and always will be yours in Jesus Christ.

That is love, as the next portion of the blessing reflects, “the love of God,” to be specific. Grace is proof that God’s love is different. More than an emotion or a feeling, God’s unconditional love is an action. It’s a real love based on real action that God took and continues to take on behalf of his people. I can say I love my wife and my kids – and I do say it – but my actions don’t always back it up.

Not so with God. He says he loves us, and then recorded for us in his Word action after action after action on behalf of his people that backs up his love. That amazing love captured in John 3:16 is yours today and forever.

Finally, fellowship. “The fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Healthy Christian congregations enjoy strong fellowship – a bond of faith and friendship that surpasses that of other friendships. But your fellowship isn’t just with each other. It is also with God. It is with our church body, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). It is with all Christians whose names are written in the Book of Life by faith in Jesus Christ. 

Fellowship by definition is God’s reminder that his plan for you was never a relationship with just him but with his body, the church – with other Christians. The popular idea that one’s faith is one’s own and is only between God and that person has no basis in Scripture. God wants your faith to grow in fellowship with other Christians, too. Yes, your faith in Jesus is personal – it’s yours, but that doesn’t mean it’s private.

It’s not at all private. Each Sunday we make a public confession of our sins and publicly confess our faith with the words of the creed. That’s not private at all, and I pray that your faith never becomes so. Instead, may it continue to be fanned into flame to burn brightly as you rejoice, reconcile, reassure, realign, and rest. Do so blessed by and empowered by the grace, love, and fellowship of the Holy Trinity. That deep love of God for you will not only lead and equip you to live for him but will also guarantee the absolute best ending to your story.

Life for the Dead

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(2 Kings 4:17-37)

“Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” So wrote Benjamin Franklin to the French Physicist Jean-Baptiste Le Roy in 1789. Although it does not appear that Franklin was the originator of the phrase pertaining to the certainty of death and taxes, it was very likely his use of it that made the phrase popular. And it is a rather timely phrase, not only because the deadline for filing taxes is right around the corner, but also because two of the three readings in worship this same Sunday reminded us of the certainty of death. 

In the Gospel of John (ch.11), we hear of Lazarus, whose resurrection from the dead is arguably the most well-known biblical account of a person being raised from the dead – outside of Jesus himself, of course. In 2 Kings, we find a much less familiar account of an unnamed boy of unnamed parents who was raised by the prophet Elisha. While the two accounts do relate to the Benjamin Franklin quote, Franklin’s words also demonstrate something else: man’s inability to provide any real hope or comfort in the face of death.

Admittedly, one could argue that offering comfort or hope is not the intent of the Franklin quote. True, but couldn’t that just as easily be because that’s all the world can offer regarding death – no hope or comfort – just the certainty that death will come to each of us one day? 

You’ve very likely experienced the world’s inability to offer any hope or comfort if you’ve wrestled with the death of a loved one. It is a different thing to hear a non-Christian make such attempts. “Sending condolences or positive thoughts your way”, being “sorry for your loss”, and any other number of people’s personal ideas of what happens to us when we die – they all have this in common: they miss the mark terribly. 

But God has plenty to say in the face of death. Better yet, God has something to show us when words can sometimes fall short: he shows us life in the face of death. God shows us that it isn’t only death and taxes that are certain, but so is life from death. So as we consider one of the ten occasions recorded in Scripture in which the dead are brought back to life, we want to be reminded that when we face death, God provides much more for us than some empty, fast-forgotten phrase: he provides life. Real life. 

Though perhaps not as familiar as the other resurrection accounts in the Bible, the one before us from 2 Kings hits differently, as do any such accounts that involve children. While old age and long-lived lives ready us somewhat for the arrival of death, the death of the young increases its sting even more. But not even dying young allows death to put up such a barrier that God cannot overcome.

If we back up a few years before where we pick up in 2 Kings 4, it will provide some background. The Shunammite woman was a believer with not only the desire to support the Lord’s work but also the financial means to do so. She took on a building project to provide a place for Elisha to rest and recover as the itinerant preacher frequently traveled through her area. It was a room constructed on the top of the flat roof of her home, perhaps with its own external set of stairs to allow the prophet access to and from his room as he needed. 

As an expression of gratitude, Elisha offered to put in a good word for her. After all, Elisha not only had the backing of God’s generous hand but he also held a measure of influence among some of the royal officials. After she declined his offer, Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, pointed out that she had no son and the age of her husband seemed to rule out the possibility of her bearing a child in the future. So Elisha promised her that in a year’s time, she would be holding her own son in her arms. Sure enough, it happened just as Elisha said it would and the woman had a son, which is where our account picks up. 

After the boy was older, “one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. He said to his father, ‘My head! My head!’ His father told a servant, ‘Carry him to his mother’” (v.18-19). Although the cause of the boy’s suffering is not clearly revealed, it’s most commonly presumed that the boy was suffering from sunstroke – not at all uncommon in the region. While sunstroke could certainly be fatal, it didn’t appear that the boy’s father presumed it was that serious at this point. Thinking his situation was still treatable, the father directed a servant to take the boy inside to his mother to be cared for. Unfortunately, it was too late, as the boy died shortly thereafter on his mother’s lap. 

Mom didn’t waste any time. Placing the boy in Elisha’s bed in his room, possibly to keep avoid drawing attention to his death at this point, she made arrangements to visit the prophet Elisha. The timing surprised her husband, as there was no religious reason for her to be visiting the man of God. After the trip of between 15-20 miles, Elisha saw her arriving from a distance and sent Gehazi out to ask her if everything is alright. Determined to discuss the matter with the prophet himself and not his servant, she does what we still do today when we don’t wish to discuss our genuine feelings or concerns with someone by brushing aside any concerns with, “I’m fine.” 

But we already know that she wasn’t, and that became clear immediately as she came to Elisha. After reminding the prophet that she had never asked for a son in the first place, she fully trusted Elisha to do something about his death. She showed her persistence by insisting on remaining with Elisha even after he sent Gehazi ahead to try his hand at raising the boy by laying his staff on the boy’s face.

While we don’t know the significance of this action, it has been suggested that Elisha possibly knew the staff would not do anything and was setting the stage for superstition or other means to be ruled out so that it would be clear that the Lord alone would be responsible for this miracle. Regardless, after Gehazi returned to Elisha with word of his unsuccessful attempt, God’s prophet soon after arrived at the house.

What does Elisha do first? He models for us a great first step for every occasion: he prays. He knows that any miracle that would take place would only be the work of the Lord’s hand, so he rightly takes the matter to him first. Then, perhaps because it was the same manner used by his mentor, the prophet Elijah, in raising the widow at Zarapheth’s son from the dead, Elisha stretches his body on the boy. A dead body doesn’t take long to grow cold, and we’re told that the boy’s body started to become warm.

Yet this miracle wasn’t instantaneous (did God wish to stretch Elisha’s faith, too?). Elisha paced in the room, patiently allowing the Lord to work in his own time, and then persistently repeated the same action, stretching himself on the boy again. Finally, the sign of life, for dead people don’t sneeze! “The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes” (v.35). The Shunammite’s son lived! Elisha directed his servant to call for mom to come and hold her living son, which she did after falling to the ground at Elisha’s feet in humble gratitude for this miracle. 

The Lord’s hand in this account is evident. It was clearly a miracle that the boy was raised back to life in the manner he was, for there is no holistic reason or medical explanation for a life being restored by means of a living person stretching out on a dead person. No one who has died or is nearly dead is brought into a hospital’s ER so that the doctor can empty the room of all its medical equipment in favor of lying down on top of the person to save him. That’s not how it works! But, as we see in Scripture, it certainly can be how God chooses to work. 

Besides the miracle itself, which is always an amazing show of God’s power, what is the point? Why are the dead raised to life in the Bible? As I wrote earlier, including Jesus’ own resurrection, we have ten occasions in the Bible on which dead people are raised to life. But why?

Through these miracles, God tightens the connection between his physical and spiritual promises. What we see happen physically when God raises the dead solidifies for us the reality of what God also promises spiritually. 

We are all born dead in sin, but made alive only through faith in Christ (Eph. 2). As true as this spiritual truth is, it’s not always easy for us to grasp abstract spiritual truths. So what does God do? He shows us his power over physical death. He demonstrates what is possible by taking a lifeless corpse and making it alive.

What he has done physically he does for us spiritually. And because we believe he has brought us to life spiritually, we in turn have the confidence that he will do it for us physically. Do you see the relationship? 

God alone gives life to the dead – both spiritually and physically. We have the assurance of this because we believe. We have faith, the same faith in God as the Shunammite woman, very likely on the mind of the writer of Hebrews who wrote, “[By faith] Women received back their dead, raised to life again” (Heb. 11:35). Faith fills us with the doubly-blessed assurance of spiritual life and physical life forever. 

Outside of faith, there is no such guarantee. Outside of faith, a person may appear to be very much physically alive while at the same time remaining spiritually dead. If that person remains spiritually dead when he or she physically dies, the final result will be eternal death in hell. There will be no more opportunities for spiritual life after this physical life is over. This life, our “time of grace” as it is often called, is the time God has allotted for us to be made spiritually alive through faith. It is the time for us to see who Jesus is, what he has done, and to believe that as our Savior, he alone offers spiritual and eternal life to all who believe. 

At what cost? The events of Holy Week remind us, as the Holy Spirit takes us from the hosannas of Palm Sunday to the heartache of Good Friday. Jesus died so that there could be life for the dead. And in Jesus, that is what we have: life. And we aren’t just talking of spiritual life, but physical life. Real life. Eternal life. Through Jesus, death will not be your end, for he gives life for the dead. 

Come, Lord Jesus! – as Immanuel

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(Matthew 1:18-25)

While the concept of karma has no basis in Scripture and therefore is not covered in any lessons in our Bible Basics class, the idea of it has certainly crept into our American way of thinking. We may rather flippantly comment on karma playing a role when someone pretty universally considered to be a jerk has a stroke of bad luck. Our usage of karma tends to be more negative than positive – that when bad things happen to bad people, it’s karma coming back to get them.

On the flip side, maybe the slightly twisted Christianized version of karma is this: “Do the right thing, and everything will work out.” Sure, there may be a few detours or unexpected potholes along the way, but generally speaking, when we do the right thing, everything works out. That’s why we have the Ten Commandments after all, right? Follow those pretty closely, and things will go our way. Be nice to people, tell the truth, don’t take what isn’t yours – do those kinds of things and generally speaking, everything works out. 

I wonder if that’s why we’re so drawn to a guy like Joseph in the Christmas account. Here is a good guy that the Bible always describes as doing the right thing. The verse today tells us he was “faithful to the law,” (Mt. 1:19), which used to be translated simply as “righteous.” He did the right things. Even after the angelic explanation for what was going on, we see Joseph doing the right thing. “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him.” (v.24). And later, after Jesus’ birth, Joseph again follows an angelic mandate to take his family to Egypt to avoid Herod’s wrath. We don’t see Joseph dismissing or disregarding what he is told to do. We don’t see him calling an audible and changing the game plan to what he thinks might be a better option or solution. We see him faithfully following orders – a good guy just doing the right thing. 

Yet, look what this good guy had to go through! The quiet, humble, do-gooder Joseph was going about everything the right way in his relationship with Mary. He had been faithfully honoring the period of engagement before marriage, which could have been a rather lengthy time as the families negotiated the details of the marriage, and then the bombshell dropped: she was pregnant, and Joseph was definitely not the father. So much for “do the right thing, and everything will work out,” huh?!?

It’s happened to you, too, hasn’t it? You did all the right things, but still, look what happened. You’ve been prudent and disciplined with your finances, budgeting wisely and refusing to get caught up in a buy everything and buy it right now culture, but still cannot seem to get things into the black. You’re the model employee, following company policy and always getting your stuff done in a timely manner, and no one ever takes notice. You take care of your things far better than your negligent neighbor, and yet you’re the one who always has car trouble or the leaky roof. You really felt you were doing all the right things as a parent, but your heavy heart questions it as you watch your child’s life continue to crumble in one part of life after another. You’re doing the right thing, but everything is definitely not working out! 

That carries over into our spiritual lives, too, doesn’t it? You’re doing the right things God calls you to in your marriage but the burdens are far outnumbering the blessings. You’ve been much more deliberate about being active and engaged at church, but your problems persist. You’ve been reading your Bible, but rather than experiencing clarity, confusion continues. You committed to the three-month challenge of increasing your giving over the final quarter of the year, but it’s been much more difficult than you thought it would be. You’re doing the right thing, but everything is definitely not working out!

It gets more troubling as we get more personal. I’m talking about trying to do the right thing after you’ve done the wrong thing – that internal scale that we try to balance inside our own minds. Our history of exploding in a fit of sinful rage has resulted in physical damage or scathing words more times than we can count. Therefore, we work really hard at being more patient… only to inevitably lose control again. The next morning we tell ourselves last night was the last time we’re ever going on that website… and then after visiting it again the very next weekend we have to establish a new “last time we’re ever going to visit it.” Your dismal financial situation, caused by credit card debt racked up through your unnecessary purchases leaves you feeling ashamed and guilty, so you end up making it worse by trying to escape the guilt with more buying. You know you should forgive the person who sinned against you as readily as Jesus forgives your sins, but… you just can’t. You’re trying to do the right thing – even when trying to balance the scales because you’re the one who’s done the wrong thing, but it is definitely not working out! 

If you are frustrated or discouraged by this struggle, the Bible provides some insight to help explain what’s going on. “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (Proverbs 16:25). “By the works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). That’s pretty sobering news for those hoping to make progress by taking the “do the right thing and everything will work out” approach. It won’t work out. It doesn’t work out.

That misses the whole point of God’s law, which is really summed up by “do the right thing.” Or, to put it another way, love perfectly at all times. That isn’t just a tall order; it’s an impossible one. And that’s what God needs us to realize. Even guys like Joseph, guys we’d prefer to look up to and emulate as “good guys” – they are never good enough. We’ll never prove ourselves worthy or free from guilt by getting to the point of good, because it’s an unattainable goal. 

So what did Joseph do when that bombshell of Mary’s pregnancy dropped? Well, since he was the kinda guy who did the right thing, that’s exactly what he stuck with – he did the right thing.

But there’s a monumental difference between doing the right thing in hopes of satisfying God and doing the right thing once you find out God’s more interested in satisfying you. That, after all, was what was revealed to Joseph in his dream. The angel explained the significance of Mary’s pregnancy and birth. “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Mt. 1:21). “Joseph, did you hear that? You don’t have to be good enough! You don’t have to try harder! You don’t have to live in limbo, wondering if you’ve done the right thing so that everything will work out eternally. The Son born to Mary would take care of all of that. He will save people – including you, Joseph – from their sins!”

Brothers and sisters in Christ, did you hear that? You don’t have to be good enough! You don’t have to try harder! You don’t have to live in limbo, wondering if you’ve done the right thing so that everything will work out eternally. The Son born to Mary would take care of all of that. He will save people – including you – from their sins!

And he wouldn’t leave us wondering where we stood by remaining in heaven and barking out directions or to-do’s that could we could follow to be saved from our sins. He had to do it, and not from heaven, but here on earth. Matthew connected the dots for his readers to no one would miss that Mary’s Son would be God’s Son, the Savior who, just as Isaiah had promised, would come to be with us: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)” (v.22-23).

Immanuel, “God with us,” is not just the stuff of nostalgia; it’s the stuff of necessity. In Christ, God came to be what Joseph couldn’t be, what we couldn’t be, what no one could be: both perfection and payment. Jesus was the good we all strive so unsuccessfully to be. Jesus was the perfect that we’ll never pacify. Jesus was the payment we could never make. 

Christmas is Christmas because it had to be. Out of necessity. I need that child born on Christmas Day. You need that child born on Christmas Day. You love that child and you love Christmas when you are emptied of the notion that you can just do the right thing and everything will work out. It won’t. So God had to fix what we couldn’t, what we can’t, what we will never on our own be able to fix: ourselves. 

For all of his righteousness, his faithfulness to the law, his doing the right thing, Joseph still needed Jesus. So do we. Good news: on Christmas, we celebrate that God gave us just what we needed: Immanuel.