Tag: humility

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Grace to Live Humbly

Loving Lord,
Ever since your image was lost in the Fall, we all come into this world with one thing on our mind: ourselves. Even believers, who have had your image restored through faith in Jesus, still battle selfishness daily. Only through your grace can we ever hope to win that battle.

Grace shows me what true humility looks like. Grace shows me a Savior who put sinners before himself. Grace shows me I have all the approval and affection I need from you, which could never be obtained through my own accolades or achievements. Grace equips and frees me to love others and concern myself with my neighbor’s needs and wants before my own. Grace forgives my many failed attempts at humility, and puts me back on the path toward it whenever necessary. Therefore, as I pursue humility, let me look no further than your grace. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Future Leaders

Faithful Father,
Throughout history you have raised up strong leaders to guide and direct your people. While there are certainly natural gifts and abilities that you grant people in those roles, you ultimately are responsible for developing and equipping remarkable leaders. Continue to bless your church with reliable, trustworthy, and faithful leaders. Keep them also humble in their work.

Help congregations to consider how they identify, train, and equip individuals for leadership. Give them men and women willing to take others under their wings and invest the time to necessary to mentor and model for them. Provide outlets for potential future leaders to serve so that they come to realize that they may have certain gifts that are well-suited for leadership. When they do, increase in them a godly desire to spend more time with Jesus in his Word, so that they shadow him and imitate his life and ministry. Fill them with encouragement and support as they grow into leadership positions, and help them to embrace their shared role in continuing to develop leaders for the future. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Success… as You Define It

Gracious God,
People sacrifice countless hours and spend endless amounts of energy chasing after success, however they define it. While success is, for the most part, a good and positive thing, becoming consumed with the pursuit of it is not. When we demand it at all costs and refuse to settle for anything less, success has become our idol, our first love. 

As I ask you for success in my life, I do so submitting myself to your definition of it. Grant me success as you define it and as you determine is best for me and for my neighbor. Protect my heart from an unhealthy drive to achieve success that would compromise my morals or disregard how I treat others. No success is worth going against the framework of my faith. When you do grant me success, ensure that it is followed up with plenty of gratitude, fully acknowledging it as a gift from you. Use this thanksgiving to keep me humble, so that I do not allow my pride to get its foot in the door and demand recognition for your gift of success. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Palm Sunday and Holy Week

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. This day is one of the highlights of the church year, as Palm Sunday ushers in Holy Week. I pray that believers all over the world today are inspired by Jesus’ humble ride into Jerusalem, determined to do what needed to be done to redeem sinners. As believers recall your procession and the hosannas that accompanied it, use today’s Palm Sunday worship to activate Christians to prioritize the added worship opportunities this week. Then, as we mindfully retrace once again our Savior’s steps to suffer and die, strengthen us and fortify your church with renewed vigor to carry out her mission. Hosanna in the highest!

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

A Real Christmas Is (Not) All About You

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(Luke 1:39-55)

Whether you have it on repeat or you skip it every time it comes on, the song is popular enough to engrain in our hearts and minds that Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year.” Even if it’s been a while (or never) since you’ve sung carols in the snow (especially if you live in CA), toasted marshmallows, or gone “mistletoeing,” the song ushers in warm and fond memories of Christmases past that put us in the mood to celebrate once again. For so many, it really is the most wonderful time of the year.

But there’s another possible label that is very fitting for this time of year. It could also be known as “The Most Deceptive Time of the Year.” Consider how much of an emphasis is placed on giving. The expression “it’s better to give than to receive” probably gets more exposure during the month of December than it does the other eleven months of the year combined. Organizations have Giving Trees displayed to help those in need. Retailers even guilt us with the enticement to shop at their store to make sure you’re giving the perfect gift.

It might sound like I’m blasting all of those examples outright, as if they are inherently sinister or shady. That certainly isn’t the case. As they stand on their own, they are good reminders, and necessary ones, so that I don’t allow a season associated with gift exchanges to become entirely about what gifts I’m getting. 

No, the warning comes in recognizing how persistently our pride seeks to make everything – even giving – about us. Yes, our pride is such a master of disguise that it can even expertly hide behind something that on the surface appears to be all about other people. That’s why this season can be so deceptive. A season of giving and putting others first is simply another way for my pride to place itself on a pedestal for all to see.

Don’t underestimate our pride’s ability to hide behind giving. A whole season that is supposedly all about giving is the perfect cloak under which to hide my pride. So when I hear the reminder that it’s better to give than to receive, my pride perks up at the word “better,” and immediately zeros in on my own selfless acts of generosity and raises them up far above those other people who only complain about not getting this gift or that gift, or how cheap someone was toward them in their gift exchange. I don’t hesitate to impress others with my stories, making sure they haven’t missed the news of my participation in this Giving Tree campaign or that toy drive or that other cause for people in need. When others come to know me as the person who always gives such good gifts, is my giving really about finding that perfect gift for the other person or has it become more about keeping up that reputation of world’s greatest gift-giver? In each of these cases, can we see ourselves as the puffed up pharisee standing next to the tax collector, thanking God that he’s not more like that guy? It’s such a natural bent that we have toward sin that pride can even make something like giving all about me. Then we’re doing the opposite of everyone’s favorite Christmas magnet, “Keeping Christ in Christmas,” by taking out the “Christ” and replacing it with ourselves.

But here’s the rub: if we are going to experience a real Christmas this year, we have to come clean with our natural inclination to make it about us. As long as we imagine that the responsibility of making it a real Christmas or giving someone else a real Christmas, we’re going to end up with an artificial attempt that is worse than a fake tree so bad that not even Goodwill can unload it. So, want a real Christmas? Realize it’s not about you. 

Don’t you get a clear sense of that from both Mary and Elizabeth? Well, kind of, anyway. It was about them, but not about what they had done or achieved or about being recognized by others, but rather about what they had received: God’s grace. And as they express their amazement of being on the receiving end of such favor, they clearly realize how little they deserve it!

Appreciate first how Elizabeth reflected this. “In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (v.42-45). Elizabeth’s attitude wasn’t one of arrogant expectation that Mary would visit her, since she would after all be giving birth to John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Savior. No, she asks why she should be deemed worthy of a visit from the mother of the Savior of the world. That’s genuine humility! And following that, she belts out blessings to Mary, not praising her for any Mother Theresa-type good works or anything along those lines, but simply for having a humble faith that believed what God had promised to do for her. Remember, Mary was the one who came to visit Elizabeth,yet Elizabeth made it all about Mary.

Mary did something similar. She came to celebrate the good news with Elizabeth, but her celebration was all about her Savior. Her song, known historically in the church as the Magnificat, is a beautiful example of genuine humility. When Mary references herself, it is only in the context of being on the receiving end of what God has done and is still doing for her. Otherwise, the whole song is filled with “He” – as an ode to all of the amazing things that God has done and continues to do for his people. So both Elizabeth or Mary didn’t make it about themselves; they made it about their Savior. They humbly – yet jubilantly! – praised their Savior.

A real Christmas is about giving. But not about using giving as an outlet to put our pride into practice. And, even in those cases where our giving is genuine (and not a pretense for our pride), it’s still misguided if the intent of our giving is to somehow manufacture a “real’ Christmas. Instead, the kind of giving that makes for a real Christmas is giving Jesus the attention that Elizabeth and Mary did. 

And he deserves it, because as Mary confessed, in his mercy, he doesn’t give us what we deserve. “His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation” (v.50). “He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever…” (v.54-55a). God’s mercy means our pride no longer damns us! Mercy means God hasn’t treated our selfish pride as it deserves. Mercy means we have just as much reason to celebrate the Savior as Elizabeth and Mary did!

But for those not interested in that mercy, who prefer to remain in their pride, God has something for them, too. “He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones…” (v.51-52a). Pride is nothing more than a human attempt at raising oneself above God, and God is no stranger to dealing with it. He has shown throughout history how he handles it, and he won’t hesitate to humble those insisting they have something of which to be proud.

But that is not God’s greatest desire. Think about it differently. If God’s greatest interest was merely behavior modification (for example, to make us more humble), if that’s all that Christianity was about – doing the right things and living the right way, then God would have addressed pride (and all other sin!) much differently. He would have sent his Son – but perhaps with a team of elite angels to sniff out sin and immediately punish it wherever they found it. That would get people to shape up very quickly, wouldn’t it?!?

But his preference is to show mercy. And Christmas is proof. God didn’t send his Son to change your behavior; he sent his Son to be your Savior. When we set aside our pride long enough to see that Christmas isn’t about us, that’s when we’re free to see Christ clearly, and see that… he already made Christmas all about us! 

Do you get it? When I make Christmas all about me, I suffer the most, because I am blinded to the reality that God already made Christmas all about me. If not, he would not have sent his Son to save. But he did, which is how you can be certain that Christmas is all about you.

When we know that Christmas is actually all about us – in the right way! – then we can revisit that whole matter of giving. And we can do so by following in the footsteps of humble Elizabeth and Mary. Yes, give. Give glory and praise to God this Christmas! Make Christmas about Christ. Give to God by going to church. Give to God by getting in the Word. Give to God by giving a special Christmas offering. Give to God by taking time over the twelve days of Christmas to consider how to give him more of you in the next year. Give thought to how you can make Mary’s words your own and how you can put those words into practice in your life: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” (v. 46-47). 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Imitate Joseph and Mary

Precious Lord,
You chose Joseph and Mary to carry out the important role of parents to the Savior of the world. In humility, they were willing to overcome obstacles and adversity, both within their own relationship as well as difficult external circumstances. On top of this they had to bear the burden of scrutiny that would come along with parenting the Savior. Their faithful servant hearts provide fine examples for us to follow.

When you call me to serve, no matter what that may look like, grant me the necessary humility to faithfully follow through. When I feel inadequate or unqualified, boost my confidence with the reminder that when you call me to serve, you always provide what is needed to carry out that service. And, as Mary took time to reflect and ponder after the birth, lead me to do the same whenever an act of service is completed. Help me to see how you used my service to be a blessing to others and to me, filling me with gratitude for the privilege of being considered worthy to serve. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Stumbling Humbly

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(Mark 9:30-37)

When it comes to following Jesus, we like to imagine our path is a pretty smooth and straight forward one. Like long distance runners in an olympic race, making their way around the track who knows how many times, once the race sets in the runners tend to fall in line, one after the other, behind the leader who sets the pace lap after lap. For the most part the race is uneventful until perhaps the end when runners jockey for that first place position ahead of the finish line.

However, it is much more likely that our race looks like the hurdler whose foot barely caught the hurdle just enough for him to stumble to the ground. He gets up to finish the race, but as he does, his noticeable limp and slower pace hamper him the rest of the way. He still finishes, but not in the form he had hoped or trained for for so long.

Following Jesus is not the smooth, perfectly paced race any of us would like to imagine ourselves having. It’s a stumble here and a fall there – sometimes even wandering off the track until we’re coached back on! Ironically, the very thing that blinds us to seeing how messy our race is as we follow Jesus is also one of the greatest causes of our messy race: our pride. In fact, pride isn’t interested in following anyone, but presumes that we ought to be the ones in the lead and everyone else ought to be following us! That’s why we struggle mightily with pride; it is never content to follow, but always thinks it should be out in front. 

Isn’t that really what happens when two people go back and forth over whether or not something was said? Rather than one person killing that foolishness with a simple, “I thought I had mentioned it, but I may be wrong, sorry,” or “You may have said it and I was distracted or just missed it, sorry,” neither side backs down, because pride insists on being out in front.

Isn’t pride also what really leads to political arguments? It’s not really about the candidate at all. Much more important is letting the other side know that their stupidity is responsible for their “wrong” vote and my superiority is to account for my “right” vote.

Pride has another nasty side. It is also pride that can debilitate me with worry or anxiety over everyone’s opinion of me. I become so convinced in my own head that everyone else must have thoughts or opinions about me all the time, instead of realizing I’m actually not even on their radar. And isn’t it pride that also results in depression? Even if I may legitimately be the victim of something hurtful, I remain in that role and convince myself that no one likes me and everyone is against me, and I always draw the short straw, making sure that my focus the whole time is on… me. 

That’s what pride does! It’s so self-absorbed that all of this talk of following anyone else, even Jesus, is utter nonsense to the natural pride-filled self. But if God can open our eyes to see what a stumbling mess our lives are, then maybe we could learn to follow him more humbly.

In Mark 9, God does just that. As we see ourselves in the disciples, our hope is that we learn from Jesus’ lesson to them. May Jesus’ humble service to and for us start to be reflected more and more through us as we follow him! 

Two incidents in the verses from Mark show how much room we have to grow. First, note that the disciples didn’t ask for more clarification when Jesus prophesied his death and resurrection. Imagine how different the Easter narrative might have been if they had!

If they had taken the time to ask Jesus to spell it out for them so they could understand exactly what he was telling them, the first Easter Sunday would have taken an entirely different tone. In place of uncertainty and fear and confusion, the believers might have been filled with excited expectation, anticipation, and pure elation. “Yes, it was a bitter pill to see the Savior die, but it had to happen just as he said it would, and now we can’t wait to see him again in just three days!” If they had had that kind of Easter understanding, how different the celebration of Easter would be in our day!

But why didn’t that ever happen? Because they were too proud. They lacked humility. As you read Mark, it may not sound like that initially, but let’s dig a little deeper. After Jesus had predicted his death and resurrection for them, Mark explained, “But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it” (v.32).

Sounds pretty harmless and totally relatable. We’ve all been there. We don’t want to look dumb by asking a foolish question. We don’t get something, we don’t understand it, but rather than seeking out greater understanding, we remain ignorant. Students do this in the classroom. Grownups do it in the workplace. We don’t fully grasp something, but we fail to ask about it out of a fear of looking stupid.

While we’re inclined to sympathize for the person in that situation, what’s really the underlying issue? What are we really saying when we admit that we’re afraid of looking stupid or foolish? We’re saying, “That would hurt my pride, so I’d rather not do that. I am more concerned about other people’s opinion of me than I am about seeking clarification or understanding. I can’t very well have others thinking less of me, because that would wound my pride too much. I think too much of myself to let others think less of me.”

Then, to take it to another level, remember that it’s Jesus – omniscient Jesus, all-knowing Jesus – in the picture. The disciples weren’t going to fool him! He knows thoughts and what is in the heart, so in refraining from asking for understanding, they couldn’t hide anything – including their pride – from Jesus.

The disciples’ lack of humility revealed itself again immediately following that incident. When they got to where they were staying, Jesus asked them, “‘What were you arguing about on the road?’ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest” (v.33-34). Jesus’ question was like that of the father interrogating the child he already knows is guilty. He wasn’t looking for information as much as a confession, an admission of wrongdoing. The most shocking part? “They kept quiet…”

Can you imagine Jesus asking you a question and… not answering?!? That’s hard enough to do to a teacher, a parent, or a boss, but to not respond when the Son of God asks you a question?!? Whoa! What could possibly cause these faithful followers to clam up and close their lips when Jesus Christ asked them a question? 

Guilt. Guilt sewed their lips shut. And what was the cause of their guilt? “…because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest” (v.34). The other Gospels provide us with some details about the subject matter surrounding their “who’s the greatest” debate. But we also know they were just on the Mt. of Transfiguration, so the three from Jesus’ inner circle – Peter, James, and John – certainly must have had a leg up on the competition, at least in their own minds. And even when we’re told the other disciples took issue with their arguing over who was the greatest, their concern only revealed a lack of humility, for each one of them surely thought he deserved to be a part of such a debate! 

What mattered more than their pride-puffing resumes, however, was bursting their bubble and teaching them that followers of Jesus value humility over pride.

But before we sit in on Jesus’ teaching on humility, let’s recall why humility is such a big deal in God’s eyes in the life of the Christian as he follows Jesus. It is more than a noble virtue to pursue. It is not just another way for the Christian to let his light shine in a world overpopulated with pride. No, humility is big in God’s book because our whole relationship with him is based on it. 

Without humility, there can be no submission to God. Where humility is absent, so is the willingness to listen to and apply the Word of God. Where pride reigns supreme, it views Jesus not as Lord or Master, but as servant. Where pride is present, I call the shots and expect God to operate according to my plans and purposes, and should he choose not to, then my pride has no time for him. Pride remains blind to everything God has done for me because it refuses to see my need for it.

Now then, knowing that Jesus was fully aware of his disciples’ pride as well as our own, do you see the grace that is seeping through the words Jesus spoke? He said, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise” (v.31). Jesus knew their pride and ours. It was not hidden from him.

Yet it changed nothing. The plan did not change because of man’s pride that would potentially disregard the very sacrifice and resurrection Jesus predicted; rather pride was exactly why the plan stayed the same!

Pride – our pride – was precisely why the Son of man had to be handed over, tortured, and murdered. Our pride needed to be pinned to the cross and paid for. So Jesus did that for us. Jesus, knowing the hearts and minds of men who think they know better than the heart and mind of God, still died. In Jesus Christ, God, whose perfection alone would justify pride, traded it willingly for perfect humility, putting himself beneath every insubordinate sinner, to offer salvation for all people.

That sacrificial act of holy humility changes us. It changes how we follow Jesus. So we eagerly want to hear what Jesus has to say about humility.

To teach that point, Jesus used a little kid. Jesus explained, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me” (v.35-37). If we are to understand Jesus’ point, we have to let go of our society’s modern-day view of children that elevates the role of the child to what amounts to being the head of the household. Many parents today are more concerned about catering to their children than they are about parenting them.

In Jesus’ day, children were viewed quite differently. They were another mouth to feed and a body to clothe. Children were viewed as a liability, not an asset. So Jesus was essentially telling the disciples that humility was looking up to those on whom society looked down. It was putting self lower than those we naturally tend to place ourselves over. Humility was not “me first,” but “you first.”

See your followership of Jesus the way it really is and not as you pretend it to be. It’s messy. We’re going to stumble more often than not. But rather than trying to hide it or cover it up, embrace it as the humble reminder of how much we all need Jesus. Then, leaving our pride more and more in the rearview mirror, let’s stumble humbly as we continue to follow Jesus together. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Humility

Humble Savior,
“[You] did come to be served, but to serve, and to give your life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45). There will never be a greater sacrifice than your humble death on Good Friday – and you did that for me! Even prior to that, your whole life had been a life of humble sacrifice – and you lived sacrificially for me! That you humbly lived and died for me is more than I will ever be able to fully comprehend.

What I do ask, Jesus, is to be able to reflect your humility daily in my own life. I know how unnatural it is for me to think more highly of others than myself, but I also know that selfish part of me was crucified with you. Equip the new man in me to set aside my own self interests and to focus on serving others. Help me to think of my self less and to fill my thoughts and desires instead with meeting my neighbor’s needs however I can. Give me a genuine servant’s heart, and use me to build up and bless my family, my friends, acquaintances, and even strangers, in every possible way.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

The Conquering King Arrives

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(Matthew 21:1-11)

Sometimes we can be so focused on staying on top of all the details of having a guest arrive and stay with us that we forget to enjoy why they’re even visiting in the first place. Different guests can lead to different distractions or matters on which we focus. When in-laws visit, for example, we might be so fixated on making sure that nothing goes wrong so there is nothing to criticize. If it’s a friend that we’re excited about doing a bunch of activities with, then the focus is on making sure all of those activities are lined up and ready to go. In such cases, the time can come and go so quickly that after the fact we realize it was such a whirlwind that we didn’t really even get to enjoy their company or appreciate why they visited in the first place. 

Let’s be careful to avoid making that mistake during Holy Week as we reflect on Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. Let’s be deliberate about taking the time to appreciate why he arrived in the first place.

As is the tradition in many of our congregations, during the season of Lent we have midweek services that typically draw out the events of Holy Week and spread out their focus over the five weeks after Ash Wednesday. Those five weeks generally cover what happens over the course of this one week, Holy Week, from Palm Sunday until Good Friday.

This week then, we take a very focused look at Jesus’ journey and how it changed from the cheers at his entry into Jerusalem to the jeers of the crowds and criminals at his cross. And as we follow Jesus once again, we see him as the prophet Zechariah did – as our King. More than that – he is our Conquering King, and on this day we celebrate the Arrival of our Conquering King.

Are you surprised to see our Conquering King be so concerned about the details of his entry into Jerusalem? Was this the standard operating procedure as Jesus entered a new city or town? Did he always send his disciples (always the same two?) ahead of him to make sure everything was just right before coming to town? Was Jesus like the celebrity or performer who has a very specific list of standard requirements for travel or accommodations? Did things have to be a certain way before he would arrive on the scene or did he ever just waltz into town quietly and unassumingly? 

This was different. Jerusalem was not just another stop on his tour of preaching his message and performing his miracles. This was the destination. This was where he came to die. It sounds so morbid to state it like that, doesn’t it? He came to Jerusalem to die. 

We don’t like to be faced with the blunt reality of death. We don’t like to know we’re at the point where death is so quickly approaching that we must make arrangements for it. We need to prepare for it as we anticipate death creeping and lurking nearer and nearer. And it’s one thing to have to handle such responsibilities for ourselves (which most of us are OK neglecting or putting off until “someday” that so often arrives finding us ill-prepared), but it is another thing to be the one tasked with carrying out those responsibilities on behalf of someone else.

Though they were unlikely aware of it, that was precisely what the two disciples Jesus sent were doing – making arrangements for his death. 

Given the circumstances then, it isn’t a surprise that Jesus made such detailed arrangements to enter Jerusalem to die. Much is made of the manner by which Jesus entered Jerusalem. We draw attention to the donkey and the humility it symbolizes (and a borrowed one, no less – Jesus didn’t even own his own ride!). This is certainly in keeping with Jesus, who is literally the perfect embodiment of humility, as described in Philippians 2.

It has also been pointed out that in those days when a king paraded on a donkey, as opposed to a decorated war horse, there was a good reason. It was to communicate that they were not at war with anyone, but were enjoying a time of peace. These are valid truths and considerations as we see our Conquering King Arrive.

But we don’t want to overlook the simplest explanation of all for Jesus entering Jerusalem atop a donkey: he had to. As Matthew explains, the prophet Zechariah foretold it would happen that way, and so it had to. “This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ‘Say to Zion, “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey’” (Mt. 21:4-5). With this prophecy, the prophet Zechariah added his own brushstroke to God’s Old Testament canvas whereby he was prophetically painting a picture so that believers awaiting the Messiah would know what to look for. So, since Zechariah described his Jerusalem entry this way, it had to be this way. 

What kind of king, after all, doesn’t deliver on his promises? A king or authority that makes promises while vying for a position or trying to get elected into power who then goes back on those promises or leaves them unkept is not likely to remain in that position very long. The confidence of his people will dwindle and along with it, so will his power. He must hold himself to what he claimed he would do. That is expected of anyone in a position of authority. 

As far as Jesus is concerned, consider the damage that would have been done if he had not carried out all that was foretold of him. What would that have done to the credibility of his message? Which of his words were to be trusted? To not do what the prophets and what he himself said he would do would have completely undermined his preaching. And if his message could not be trusted, then his actions would have been brought into question. The cross would have been emptied of its power and the empty tomb rendered insignificant. Jesus’ words had to be backed up by his actions so that his actions could give power to his words. So he arrived just as Zechariah said he would.

And when he did, as foggy as the crowds were on the implications of his arrival, they knew who he was. “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’” (v.9). The designation Son of David was not one thrown around lightly – it was a title reserved for the Messiah. “Hosanna” meant “save us!”, so the word was being spread around that the man riding atop the donkey was in fact the One God had promised to deliver his people. 

What appears to be quite clear over the course of this most holy of weeks in the church year is that the crowds were quite unaware of how God would deliver his people through this Messiah. The lack of a crown or scepter or any sort of armed guard or soldiers accompanying Jesus was not at this point a cause for concern. The people of Jerusalem were used to revolts and rebellions. Others had pushed back against Roman rule and oppression, so it wouldn’t have been strange at all to see Jesus follow that same path of uprising and opposition on his way to the throne.

But they most assuredly didn’t expect the remainder of the week after Jesus’ arrival to play out as it did. Throughout history, kingdoms and the kings who ruled over them asserted themselves by some show of force. They wielded weapons to shed the blood of all enemies in their path. They destroyed the opposition and eliminated any and all threats. They struck fear into those they defeated and ruled with might.

This Conquering King, however, came to establish an unparalleled kingdom that would never end. And he did it in a radically different way.

He wouldn’t do it by asserting himself, but rather by offering himself. He wouldn’t do it by a show of force, but through what appeared to be a disgraceful display of weakness. He wouldn’t do it by spilling the blood of his enemies, but by spilling his own blood. This Conquering King did not rise up to some elevated throne in a worthy palace, but was instead raised up on a cross flanked by criminals.

Apparently, those realities did not measure up to the expectations of many in the crowds as Jesus entered Jerusalem. By the end of the week, it was no longer a welcome party receiving Jesus, but a vicious mob calling for his head. Jesus did not fit the description of the kind of conquering king they anticipated and demanded. So instead of the week concluding with a grand coronation, it ended with a gruesome crucifixion.

It is a good time to reevaluate our relationship with this King this time of year. Is he the kind of Conquering King you want to rule over you? Or did you – do you – sometimes feel as if he is a letdown? Did you have higher hopes that he’d address and fix more of your first-world problems? Do you find yourself too busy for him because he doesn’t seem to be doing too much for you in the way of helping you become more successful in your work or relationships? Does the commitment of adoring this King in worship take you away from too many other far more “important” activities going on in your preoccupied life? 

That’s OK. He came anyway. Your Conquering King Arrived, not because he knew he’d find such a welcome place in your heart, but because he knew everything that was wrong with your heart, and mine, and everyone else’s.

So he came anyway. He came to do something about it. He came to allow his own heart to give out in death so that he could give us new hearts filled with life through his forgiveness and salvation. On Palm Sunday, the crowds shouted their hosannas and Jesus answered – he saved. Them. And you. And me. From hell.

May the Lord renew our appreciation this week of why our Conquering King Arrived: to meet our greatest need. He came to save us. 

Living in the Here and Now of Heaven

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(Matthew 5:1-12)

What do you do with the beatitudes, as these verses of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount are often called? Surely the words of this sermon carry significant weight, as they are the words of the Savior’s sermon. Jesus is the preacher, so we do not take his words lightly. But what do we make of these words? How do we digest them, apply them, live them? 

As we rightly emphasize the substitutionary work of Jesus as the foundation and certainty of our salvation, I am sure it hasn’t been lost on you that this sermon of Jesus doesn’t seem to focus on who he is and why he came, but rather on who we are and how we are living. This list, these beatitudes, sounds like a conditional script for sanctification. This sounds like Jesus is providing us with a how-to list for tracking a spiritual scorecard or securing certain spiritual blessings. If we _________, then this will happen. Indeed, that is most often how these verses are treated – as a guide for how we ought to be. You may have come across the play on words, the “be” – attitudes, which reflects this approach.

I suppose we could analyze each verse and dissect what that would look like as far as what Jesus has in mind. But perhaps that would be better suited for a Bible class. But instead, we want to appreciate the big picture that Jesus paints for us in this sermon. In the Savior’s Sermon, Jesus assures his people of his gracious blessings as they live the humble, honest, and holy lives he has sanctified and set us apart to live. 

The list here is quite striking in an assertive, self-promoting world. It seems to be describing and praising attributes and qualities that are the exact opposite of what is encouraged and celebrated in our culture. The world’s version of beatitudes might sound something more like this: “Blessed are self-confident. Blessed are those who assert themselves. Blessed are those who practice self-love and self-care. Blessed are the woke. Blessed are the vocal. Blessed are the offended. After all, these describe the sorts of attitudes and actions that receive the most praise from the world.

But they are a far cry from the humility that is woven throughout the beatitudes Jesus preached in his sermon. Not only that, but if you pay attention to the verb tenses attached to each blessing, you’ll notice  the blessings aren’t immediate. Rather, each beatitude speaks of what will happen. As in, not right here and right now, but at some point in the future. 

Can we admit that doesn’t sit so well with us today? We are very practical, very pragmatic, and so the efforts into which we pour ourselves are often times those which promise immediate results. Consider why February is such a good time to join a gym – after just a few weeks in January, all those new health resolutions have dwindled because the results weren’t immediate enough. The new YouTube channel or blog or podcast that got up and running just as quickly fades into the online abyss when it failed to get a million new subscribers, readers, or viewers after two whole weeks. The DIY project sits incomplete because the effort it took to get it started hasn’t yielded enough visible results to keep the momentum going to see it through. We choose to spend money instead of saving it or investing it because we have the immediate satisfaction of enjoying what we just bought. We want what we want here and now, not later, and so many of the blessings in Jesus’ sermon are for later.

Except one. Did you notice it? In fact, Jesus mentions it twice – first and last, sandwiching all the other blessings in between; bookmarking blessings with a “right here, right now” promise. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (v.3, 10). Not “will be,” but “is.” Right now, right here, the kingdom of heaven is yours. Oh, you aren’t physically there, obviously, but by faith you are. Christ’s kingdom, from where he rules and oversees all things right now, is your kingdom, right now. This day. You do not just sit and read this as a citizen of the United States and resident of your city; you are also a citizen of the kingdom of heaven!

And you know full well how you became a citizen of that kingdom. St. Paul described it beautifully in his letter to the Colossians. “[The Father] has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (1:12-14). You didn’t pass a citizenship test to get into this kingdom. You didn’t impress with your resumé of self-righteousness. You didn’t make even the slightest contribution – God’s grace and his grace alone rescued you from eternal darkness and brought you into his kingdom. He redeemed you. He forgave and forgives you. He and he alone brought you into his kingdom. And friends, that kingdom is right here and now, not later and somewhere else.  

Now since you are a citizen of that kingdom, and Jesus reminded us of that at the beginning and end of his sermon, let’s take a different view of everything that falls in between. I think it’s common for us to approach the beatitudes as conditionals. We see the word “blessed” attached to certain behaviors and attitudes and conclude that the relationship between them is an “if-then” relationship. “If we are this way or act that way, then this is how we will be blessed.” And so we view Jesus’ sermon solely as a guide for Christian living. While it is that to some extent, it’s much more than that when you pay attention to what Jesus actually said.

There is no, “You will be blessed if,,,” but only blessed “are.” In other words, no conditional, but rather a promised blessing for those who are. And dear friends, you already are. What “are” you, exactly? You already are in his kingdom. You already belong to him. You are already his. And so you are already blessed. These blessings are yours right now because these describe who Jesus made you to be; who you are in Jesus. 

Grasp what Jesus is saying – these blessings already belong to you because of who you are in Christ. These are not blessings Jesus holds out to you conditionally if you meet certain requirements. These are who you are because who you are is blessed! Do you see what a marvelous thing it is to be brought into Christ’s kingdom? The blessings are yours by virtue of belonging to his kingdom, not because you’ve conditionally earned them by your right living! They are yours because Christ has made them yours. 

Now if Christ is responsible for doling out these vast spiritual blessings, and I have not come into them on my own, by my own efforts or merits, then how does that leave me? It leaves me humble. 100% confident in the merits of Christ, yes, but humble as to my own recognition that every good and gracious blessing that is mine is mine only through Christ and not only not through me. These blessings are mine despite who I am on my own and what I daily demonstrate I deserve on my own! What grace! What joy is ours in Christ!

And what humility that fills us with. And when that spirit of humility overcomes us, then we look at these beatitudes differently. We humbly delight in the privilege that God gives us in being able to carry out what he calls us to as those who live in his kingdom. 

Not only does Jesus already describe those in his kingdom as blessed to be meek and merciful, but we actually relish the opportunity to be meek and merciful to others. Let the world demand and insist and assert itself. In Christ’s kingdom we have all that we need – what need is there on our part to make even a single demand of the world – as if it could offer us what we don’t already have in Christ?!? No, let us instead model meekness, which is not at all weakness, but rather a calm confidence in Christ. And that same calm confidence frees us to be merciful, too. We let mercy flow without making demands of restitution or insisting on seeing others suffer for their wrongdoings. Rather, we are free and blessed to extend mercy in a world that demands its pound of flesh. Yes, we are blessed to be meek and merciful.

And not only does Jesus already describe those in his kingdom as blessed with righteousness and pure hearts, but we actually relish the opportunity to practice righteousness and reveal pure hearts to others. The pursuit of righteousness and purity in our lives is a noble pursuit. Surely it goes against the grain in this world, but that’s just the point. If as children of the heavenly kingdom we do not practice righteousness, then like lemmings, the whole world will tragically spill over the cliff into the sea of the abyss and eternal darkness. Yes, we are blessed – and are a blessing to others – as righteousness and purity characterize our lives.

And not only does Jesus already describe those in his kingdom as blessed peacemakers, but we actually relish the opportunity to proliferate peace when and wherever we can. The world is obsessed and infatuated with division and discord. It relishes rage and outrage. But that is to be expected when its efforts at finding genuine peace have so utterly failed! But where it lashes out in frustration with animosity and aggression, we have the peace it is seeking. Give the world Jesus so that it can experience the peace it craves, the peace it seeks but cannot find on its own. You alone are blessed to be those kinds of peacemakers.

Will all of these efforts of living in his kingdom be appreciated by those currently outside of it? Of course not, but even when these efforts are not appreciated – and are even opposed – blessings will abound even then. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (v.11). Blessings in the face of insult, persecutions, and evil directed against you? Yes, only for those in Christ’s kingdom – here and now!

So friends, rejoice, just as Jesus calls us to in our Savior’s sermon. “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (v.12). Rejoice, yes, because the kingdom of heaven is yours – both in the future and in the present. Then, yes, but also even now. We don’t need to wait until we’re there to rejoice in the heavenly blessings that are ours here. The prophets persecuted in the past testify to it. Jesus’ promises in the present testify to it. Rejoice right now, for the kingdom of heaven is yours right now.