Tag: teaching

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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Thank You for Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. On this first day of Thanksgiving week, we are especially thankful for the blessing of worship, by which you dispense the riches of your grace. Where your Word is preached and your sacraments are administered, there you are placing your divine banquet before your people. Through it, let the Holy Spirit continue to kindle in believers old and new a genuine longing for and love of worship. Use worship to draw them more deeply into your Word and to strengthen their faith’s grip on your gracious promises. As believers grow in their appreciation for worship, lead them to be protective of their time in your house and encourage each other to do the same. The more they come to gather, equip them also to go, shining the light of their faith brightly, and eagerly speaking about what they have seen and heard. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Faith Fuels Faithfulness

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(Hebrews 11:32-40)

“You’re in good company.” The scenario doesn’t really matter, does it – it’s never a bad thing to hear those words. They are often spoken by someone else to reassure us when we’re afraid of failure or something else we did or said that might embarrass or isolate us. We feel like we’re the only one in that specific situation, but those words reassure us, revealing that someone else we may have never expected has actually experienced the same thing, and that everything ended up turning out just fine for them. 

The church recently observed All Saints’ Day. What is All Saints’ Day? It’s a reminder that you’re in good company. The best, in fact. Not just the company of those sitting with you on a Sunday morning. Not just the believers of a certain denomination or church body. And no, not just all the believers spread all over the earth, but even our fellow saints in the heaven-side of church, those saints who have gone ahead of us and are where we want to end up one day. Yes, fellow saints, we’re in good company. And the best chapter in the Bible to remind us of that is Hebrews 11. 

For us to really appreciate Hebrews 11 though, let’s see how it’s introduced at the close of the chapter that precedes it. Before we come across the Hall of Fame list of saints, listen to how the writer to the Hebrews assures us that we’re in good company. He writes, “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved” (Hebrews 10:39). I don’t know that there are words in Scripture that are more well-suited to serve as a rally cry for believers than these! “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”

Let us rejoice and rally behind these words, celebrating both the saints we’re surrounded by here on earth, as well as those who saints rejoicing with us in the Church Triumphant in the halls of heaven. Make no mistake, though the temporary matter of physical life/death may separate us from those saints, we share the same rallying cry, “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”

But who exactly are those we belong to who have faith and are saved? People like Noah, who dedicated decades of his life to building a boat with not a drop of water in sight while surrounded by scorn and skepticism! Or like Abraham, who followed God’s lead to move from point A to point B, without even knowing where point B was, and who was willing to sacrifice his own Son – the son who was supposed to be the first of countless offspring to follow! People like Moses, who chose to identify with slaves rather than royalty. People who crossed dry ground while flanked by walls of water, and people who believed that marching in circles would collapse the towering walls of an enemy city.

And those are just some of the saints listed before we even arrive at today’s verses! In that list we have survivors of starved lions, saints unflustered by flames, and those willing to endure a martyr’s death. No, we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. 

Take note how the writer the Hebrews classifies all of these saints – our fellow saints: he writes that “the world was not worthy of them” (Hebrews 11:38). Let that sink in. Let it sink in, especially in light of how easily we find ourselves wanting the world’s recognition and renown. How much time do we spend chasing after the praise of people when Scripture’s praise is the other way around! Men and women of faith stand out so much that the world isn’t even worthy of them. Now that’s a compliment! 

Then the writer restates a point he has made repeatedly throughout the chapter, and one that we want to make sure we apply today and for the rest of our lives: “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised…” (v.39). Surely their acts of faith would have been exemplary on their own, but they’re even more remarkable when considering they never received their reward on this side of heaven. That’s because God had something better in mind for them, just as he does for us. “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (v.40).

We don’t get the rewards or the results here because God’s got something better waiting for us. 

We forget that, don’t we? We want better right here and right now. And, if we could be so bold, we’d also like it with as little effort as possible. “What good is all this church and Jesus stuff if things don’t get better for me right here and now?” “What’s the point of church membership if there’s no additional benefits – like the free shipping I get from my Amazon membership or the great bulk prices and return policy I get from my Costco membership?” “Why put up with the inconvenience and the sacrifice of putting my faith into practice if I don’t receive what’s been promised during this life?”  

Let’s be very careful, brothers and sisters. God’s got something better waiting for us. That is for certain. But don’t let your desire for a better here and now convince you that it’s worth trading for the better that God has planned. 

No – look at Jesus’ words elsewhere in Scripture and get a clear glimpse of the better that God has planned for us. Let that fuel your faith. What’s the better that God has waiting for us, the better being experienced to a degree right now by the saints who’ve gone to heaven before us? “God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Rev. 21:3-4). Jesus told his disciples they were in good company whenever they suffered for their faith, and that they should “rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven” (Luke 6:23). The “better” we’re promised is not here and now, but in the future, and faith guarantees it. 

Let’s let that faith fuel our faithfulness, just as it did in all of those names listed in Hebrews 11. These names are attached to remarkable deeds of faithfulness. Let the lukewarm, indifferent, casual Christian take note: faith fuels faithfulness. It is not stagnant. It is not powerless, useless, or worthless. No, we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. Let your name be listed in the addendum to the Heroes of Faith chapter! What bold act of faith will accompany your name?

By faith, will you positively impact thousands through active ministry or volunteer work? By faith, will you become a leading evangelist, responsibly for bringing hundreds or thousands to faith? By faith, will your network and your connections open doors to help churches thrive? Will your bold acts of faith fall into the category of those “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies” (v.33-34)?

But beware. The list of examples in Hebrews 11 is not only examples of saints who were extraordinarily empowered conquerors, but also saints who were extraordinarily empowered to endure persecution and even martyrdom.

Are you prepared for that? Are you just as eager and full of faith to embrace that maybe your faith fueled faithfulness will be known not for the greatness God achieved through you, but for resilience and perseverance through suffering and trial which God highlights through you? 

By faith, you may grapple with a chronic health issue with patience and poise. By faith, you may stand firmly on Christ even in a relationship with a spouse or S.O. who does not. By faith, your generous giving is never stifled by your perennial financial struggles.

Will your bold acts of faith fall into the category of those “who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated…” (v.35b-37). Some of the saints stand out, not because of their super strength, but because of their suffering!

In the same year that Martin Luther nailed the 95 Thesis to the door of the Castle Church, he taught on this section from Hebrews and said, “He who relies on Christ through faith is carried on the shoulders of Christ.”

Picture a father and his toddler making their way on foot through a sea of people to find a good spot to watch the parade. As the child, you are staring up at the waists of people all around you, clinging desperately for dear life to your father’s hand as he leads the way through the crush of people. Then, dad grabs your other hand and swings you up onto his shoulders where, rather than fearfully looking up at a smothering crowd of giants, you now suddenly find yourself squared securely on your dad’s shoulders, with both of his hands at his chest, firmly clinging to your legs while you now have a clear view of the crowd beneath you.

Which do you prefer? The sidewalk, shrunken beneath the towering passersby, or the shoulders, where you’re safely propped up above the current of the crowd beneath you?

That is the difference faith makes as you navigate not through a crowd of people, but through a cruel and pressing world: by faith you are carried on the shoulders of Christ! Those shoulders, dear friends, are the same shoulders which bore the cross for you and were condemned for you, and the same ones which rose triumphantly to guarantee you a better resurrection than just those women referenced who received their children back from the dead for a time, but a permanent resurrection that is for eternity. 

The words “by faith,” purposely repeated throughout Hebrews 11, are powerful not because of the people who demonstrated such faith, but because of the One on whom their faith rested: the conquering Christ. Faith that is in Jesus Christ is assured of something better to come. And in the meantime, that is also the kind of faith that fuels our own faithfulness. So go, be who you are by faith and show it powerfully through your faithfulness, always remembering and being encouraged by the fact that you’re in good company. 

Undeserved Generosity Generates Unparalleled Gratitude

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(2 Corinthians 9:10-15)

Ihope October is not too early to start talking about gift-giving. Yes, reminders about Christmas being only 74 days away or that there are only 9 Fridays left until Christmas cause many to cringe.

But I’m not one of them.

I love Christmas, so without apology I never find that it’s too early to start thinking about gift-giving and all things Christmas. I mean, if we can start cluttering front yards with two-story tall skeletons and inflatable Halloween displays two-plus months ahead of time, then surely starting to think about Christmas gifts can’t be a crime. After all, remember the whole reason behind giving gifts at Christmas was originally intended to be a reflection of THE Gift of all gifts: Jesus.

If you’re wondering what all this talk of gift-giving has to do with anything, it’s really what Paul is writing about in the verses from 2 Corinthians: a gift. The early church in Paul’s day was taking up a special gift offering from congregations for the purpose of being taken to Jerusalem to help those in need. The congregation in Corinth had pledged a generous gift. In chapters 8 and 9 of this second letter, Paul is following up on their commitment and using it as an opportunity to teach about godly giving, previously highlighting biblical principles to guide their giving. Now, he was wrapping up the topic in his letter by encouraging them to follow through with their good intentions and bring their offering to completion. So Paul is talking about a gift.

But one does not have to be a biblical scholar to read between the lines and see that their offering is not the only gift to which Paul is referring in these verses. No, Paul, as he so often does, beautifully weaves together the subject matter of the Corinthians’ gift offering and God’s gift to them in and through Jesus Christ. Any effort to address the topic of gift offerings or giving in the church apart from God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ is not just a missed opportunity; it misses the point altogether. The whole life of the believer – including giving – has the gift of Jesus Christ as its foundation and purpose.

As we being to look closely at Paul’s words, take note of the tone and type of language he uses in this section – words like “increase, enlarge, enriched, generosity, overflowing, surpassing.” Without going any further, just pause on that and consider what conclusions we can draw about the relationship between God and believers.

There are many in the world who have negative opinions about God for a variety of reasons in their own mind. Some of those negative opinions are shaped by traumatic or troubling personal experiences, while others are drawn from faulty conclusions about worldly distress that is either pinned on God or attributed to God’s indifference. Still others were brought up in a religion that portrayed God as an exasperating, impossible-to-please, perfectionist who has us under constant surveillance to ensure that no failure goes unnoticed and that every act of disobedience is tracked. That kind of misunderstanding of God leaves crushed consciences that can end up turning against God in bitterness and resentment because of his impossibly cruel burden of expectation.

But do any of those takes line up with the Paul’s description of God in these verses? What do words like increase, enlarge, enriched, generosity, overflowing, and surpassing actually reveal about God? He is a Giver – and a generous one at that!

God is not about getting and demanding from us, but rather giving and distributing to us all that we need for life – both physically and spiritually. And, it isn’t as if this section of Scripture from 2 Corinthians is some stand alone exception in a Bible that otherwise reveals God’s true colors. These ARE his true colors. This IS how God reveals himself repeatedly throughout the pages of the Bible. God is a Giver – and a generous one at that!

How do we come to this conclusion that God is generous? For starters, we look at the scale or size of what’s given. Imagine yourself in a bind needing to get from point A to point B, but you your car is at the mechanic, so you don’t have a ride. A friend hears about it and offers to cover your Uber or Lyft. Your neighbor, who just yesterday pulled into his driveway with a brand new car that he just drove off the lot, tosses you his keys and says, “Take me car. In fact, why don’t you just keep it – you need it more than I do.” Both individuals were very thoughtful, but which one was more generous?

Now consider everything that belongs to you. In respect to all that you have, has God has merely offered to cover the cost of your ride share, or has he given you the keys to a new car? The answer is obvious, isn’t it? God is a Giver – and a generous one at that!

Can’t the same be said of his spiritual blessings to us? God doesn’t just hand out tiny bite-size free samples of his spiritual blessings, like what you might get walking past the food court in a mall. His spiritual blessings overflow! We aren’t promised little pockets of peace here and there on occasion in our lives, but a 24/7 permanent peace that exists between God and us! And that peace doesn’t come from a forgiveness that God reluctantly issues only if we’re sorry enough or do enough to make up for our wrongs, but a forgiveness that smothers every sin ever associated with us! The joy of our salvation that is tied to that peace and forgiveness can never be stolen away from us by a bad day or when things don’t go our way; rather, that joy is always there to buoy us up no matter how down our circumstance or situation may leave us. The size and scale of these spiritual blessings that God lavishes on us cannot even be measured, for they are without limit and never run out!

What’s more, Paul describes the impact our lives can make through the spiritual goods God delivers to us. God will “enlarge the harvest of your righteousness” (v.10). As you grow in your Christian living, he will bear more and more abundant fruit through you! “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (v.11). Through the Holy Spirit, God’s generosity is always enhancing you and upgrading you to follow in his footsteps as a generous giver.

So we see how generous God is simply from the size or scale of his gifts to us!

But there’s also another way that generosity can be measured. Rather than focusing on the size or scale of the gift that is gvien, we can consider the worthiness… or rather unworthiness of the recipient.

When our jaws drop in response to hearing about a generous gift given to someone, yes, it can be because the gift itself is so substantial, but it can also be because the recipient is so undeserving in our minds. It’s why a presidential pardon from prison can be so powerful – the more serious the crime, the more generous the pardon appears to be. This is also why we balk at nice gifts given to people we think are jerks – it’s not the size of the gift that makes it generous, but rather how undeserving the recipient is. We just can’t help ourselves – we are constantly judging not only the magnitude of the gift, but also the worthiness of the recipient. The gift stands out all the more not just when the gift itself is so great, but also when the person receiving it isn’t.

When I realize that is me, when you realize that is you – it reveals God to be even more generous, doesn’t it? His grace sees to it that not only do we not get the punishment or consequences we deserve, but that we do get so much more than we deserve.

This has a lot to do with why we start out worship with confession and absolution. We are not mandated by God to worship that way. But, doesn’t this matter of God’s generosity and our unworthiness help us understand one of the benefits of it? When we are reminded of the sin that ought to disqualify us from so much as an ounce of God’s grace and forgiveness, it reveals to us every week how good and generous he truly is! We deserve nothing; he withholds nothing. We deserve punishment; he took our punishment. We are completely unworthy; he makes us worthy. 

How generous is God?!? The size and scale of his goodness to us is beyond measure. That he gives anything to undeserving us is beyond comprehension. Only faith can grasp such a truth… and only faith will respond to such generosity with gratitude.

I know it’s not Thanksgiving just yet, but isn’t every day? Do you wake up every single morning, grateful for the abundance of God’s goodness to you in meeting all of your physical needs, and then surpassing all of that with his treasury of spiritual blessings? That kind of gratitude can’t help but express itself. 

How? I suppose I could provide a list for you. But maybe we turn it around. You tell me. How do you normally express thanks to someone who is generous to you? What do you naturally desire to do for them to let them know how grateful you are? Do you treat them differently? Do you send them a thank you card? Do you more readily look for ways to serve or help them? Do you tell others about their generosity? Do you want to do nice things for them? Do you find yourself simply being in a better, positive, pay-it-forward type mindset when on the receiving end of someone’s generosity? 

Can’t we do those same things for God? And, hasn’t he been exponentially more generous to us, given that every need for this life and for the next has been freely provided to us by him?

I can confidently say that if you find being a believer, being a Christian, belonging to God as his treasured possession, merely “ho-hum” or not something that really makes much of a difference in your life, that you’re missing out on freely embracing the privilege and joy of following in God’s footsteps to become more and more of a giver in all areas of life. Talk to others you consider generous in more ways than one. Take note of their attitude and demeanor. They aren’t grumpy. They aren’t begrudging. They aren’t unkind or uncaring. I guarantee you they are none of those things but are the exact opposite.

Now, do you think they are just generous because they’re the type of people who are that way, or are they that way because they’ve allowed God’s grace to lead them to a place of generosity? What Paul is indicating in these verses is that God blesses generous giving in so many positive ways.

But it isn’t the promise of blessings attached to our giving that prompts our generosity. Paul does a beautiful job of wrapping up his teaching on gifts and giving in the last verses. Our gifts are given in response to “the surpassing grace God has given you” (v.14), Paul concluded, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (v.15). God is a Giver – and a generous one at that! The size and scale of his gifts to us are and always will be unmatched. And, they are and always will be undeserved.

How can we possibly ever respond? With our own gifts, which express our unparalleled gratitude for his generous giving.

What We’re Given Guides Our Giving

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(1 Chronicles 29:1-2, 10-18)

It could have gone differently. We know it because we see it repeatedly in rulers and kings throughout history. We know it because we see it repeatedly in rulers and kings in Scripture. Nebuchadnezzar fell into the trap of thinking his kingdom was his own doing. “As the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, ‘Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:29-30). Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t the only one. About a century later, in Esther 1, we read that “For a full 180 days [King Xerxes] displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty” (v.4).

So it isn’t uncommon in history that, anytime a ruler is showered with exorbitant riches and wealth, he falls into the trap of thinking that it’s a reflection of his own magnitude and achievements. And, he wants to let others know. Why? To show off their wealth. To display their success. To prominently display all they had achieved to ascend to such greatness.

But David, who was not a man of meager means by anyone’s estimation, strikes a different tone. Oh, the opulence is there, the wealth and riches were definitely a part of the picture. “With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities” (v.2). He spared no expense! 

But David wasn’t self-aggrandizing. He was God-adorning. David explained to the assembly gathered on the occasion, “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God” (v.1). None of this was “for man but for the Lord God.” This wasn’t about David. This was about David magnifying God. In all of these words, David directs the attention to God, not himself. The praise belongs to God, not himself.  

What accounts for the difference? Why is it so common for kings and those in power to make their wealth about them, while David rightly makes his wealth about God? Because David recognized and acknowledged this about his wealth: it was all God’s. “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand” (v.14). “Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you” (v.16). It’s all God’s! David clearly acknowledges that there is no discussion about his giving or contribution toward the temple apart from an awareness of what he had already been given. 

This is not a natural concept for us to grasp on our own in this fallen world. We think that what we have is ours and we deserve credit for all it took to acquire it. A person looks at his own situation and wants to claim responsibility for his successes. He can probably detail for someone else all the hard work and steps it took to get to where he is and to have what he has. We don’t hesitate to claim credit for anything we’ve achieved or accumulated. 

And this isn’t just a nonbeliever thing; believers struggle with it, too.

For some believers, this is a new concept to consider, that it’s all God’s. If we’re newer to the faith or not used to talking about how to manage our finances and belongings, we may have always thought of our stuff as our stuff. But the Bible has pretty clear reminders that everything is God’s, and he simply entrusts it to us to manage and care for. So nothing is really ours.

For others, perhaps those who have been life-long believers, or who are more familiar with the Bible’s topic of stewardship – a word that simply refers to the management God’s blessings – this isn’t a new concept at all. We have been taught and understand that everything is God’s, and we gratefully manage it to the best of our ability.

But… if we stick with this thought for a little while and assess our relationship with our belongings, isn’t it true that there are maybe a few things that, while we pay lip service to everything being God’s, we kind of think of as more of our own? In other words, this thing or that thing which we aren’t quite so willing to part with? Don’t touch my phone or laptop. That’s your car and this is mine – drive your own. Don’t eat my __________ in the pantry or fridge – those are my thing. This gift of money or gift card was given to me to use, so I don’t have to share. So yes, we know it’s all God’s, but when it comes to managing the use of it, we can be quick to claim full ownership of certain things.

Now some of you are reading this and thinking about someone else right now that you think is too stingy because they won’t share with you. This is not an invitation for you to argue that “since it’s all God’s, you have to let me use your thing.” No – there may be a very good reason someone has not let you use their thing – because you yourself haven’t managed it well in the past! You’ve lost it, broke it, or damaged it, which leads others to think twice about letting you borrow anything. In that respect, you’re guilty of the same wrong – caring poorly for something as if it were yours to mistreat instead of God’s possession that he entrusted to you through someone else letting you borrow or use it.

All of these challenges to managing God’s blessings to us make David’s relationship with his wealth stand out all the more. He did not only pay lip service to the truth that all that he had was God’s, but he also to reflected it in how he actually lived. To help us see things the way David did when he stated, “we have given you only what comes from your hand” (v.14b), maybe the following imagery helps.

Picture it like this. God has two open hands extended to David. His left hand is empty. His right hand is filled with all of the wealth and possessions he was entrusting to David. What did David do? He simply took some of what was in God’s right hand, and he placed it over into his empty hand. So then, what did David actually give to God? Nothing that wasn’t already his! He simply moved it from one hand to the other, but it was all God’s the whole time.

Do we view giving that way, that we are doing nothing more than giving God what was already his in the first place? That shift of perspective on giving has to happen if we are ever to “let go” of what we mistakenly consider ours in the first place. We need to start with the understanding and hold to the truth that everything is God’s. And, in order for us to follow in David’s footsteps with the level of generous giving that he demonstrated, we always start with looking first at what we’ve been given.

Isn’t it so much easier to zero in on what we don’t have instead, as we compare ourselves to those around us? Someone always has more, has better, has newer. And we convince ourselves we’re struggling, we’re just not well-off, we’re maybe even victims or definitely got a raw deal.

But, if we took the time to compare our situation with the vast majority of the rest of the world’s population, we’d have a better grasp of and appreciation for how good we have it and how generous God has been to us! Guess what percentage of the world’s storage units are in the U.S? 90%! And did you know that it’s been figured that we have enough storage unit to place the entire U.S. population inside of one. Only in America would we understand and laugh at George Carlin’s joke about a house just being a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff. We have such a high standard of living that we easily take it for granted and overlook how generous God is to us.

Now we could certainly keep going down this path, but we haven’t even hit the real treasure yet, have we? Think of what we have in Jesus. Really think about it.

From the moment you wake up until you hit the pillow at night, you could have the absolute worst day. Everything imaginable could go wrong. Yet all day long, you are able to remind yourself that no matter what, you are loved by God. When overwhelmed by all of the distressing local, national, or international news stories, you can find peace in Jesus’ promise that he has overcome the world. If you don’t fit in, struggle to make friends, or worry about the opinion others have of you, you know that Jesus’ perfection on your behalf means that God always cares about you and is always delighted in you. When you don’t have the answers or feel like you’re in control, you can relax knowing that God does and is. When you are stuck on that sin that you thought or said or did that made a royal mess of things, you can reassure yourself as often as necessary that you are fully and freely forgiven in Jesus. How can we possibly put a price tag on this treasury of rich promises from God? 

Of course there was a price. But you and I didn’t have to pay it. Jesus did. And as a result of his willingness to serve as both our Substitute and Sacrifice, we have treasure that is real, genuine, and eternal. 

David didn’t just know from first-hand experience how generous God was in providing him with an abundance of wealth. Remember that David had experienced something far greater, a gift that was lovingly wrapped up and delivered by the prophet Nathan long before the events recorded for us this morning. That gift was a story that served as a call to repentance for David. When that gift did its work, David’s crushed spirit confessed his sin – his scandalous sexual encounter with Bathsheba, his murderous cover-up, and all of the fall-out that followed. At that point, through Nathan’s promise of God’s forgiveness, David’s crushed spirit received the approval and acceptance from God that will always surpass any amount of wealth or possessions that a person could ever accumulate. 

We have to understand that about God. Even when he chooses to lavish a person with worldly wealth, it is never just the wealth – the stuff – that leads a person to stand in awe of God’s goodness. Rather, it is always the incomprehensible, mind-blowing reality of grace and forgiveness which opens my eyes and my heart to how good God is, and then appreciates God’s temporal blessings, too. Take it from David, who penned these words of Psalm 32: 

1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.

7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Everything David expressed in this psalm is true for you and me, too. Brothers and sisters in Christ, look at what we’ve been given. And let that always guide your giving. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For the Accessibility of Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. While worshiping together with fellow believers is the ideal, thank you for all of the many ways you make services and parts of worship available for those unable to gather in person. Hymns and worship music can be heard and sung in a variety of ways. Sermons can be read, listened to, or viewed live or on demand via all kinds of media. We can pray along with other believers in real time, or pray written prayers whenever we wish to. Use all of the means of providing these digital and recorded blessings to edify believers everywhere, and even draw in unbelievers, too. At the same time, may their usage not be viewed by believers as a preferred option to gathering in person with the body of Christ. Keep the gathering together of the saints for worship as a high priority for all believers everywhere.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Warning From the Other Side

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(Luke 16:19-31)

Ignore the Bible. Don’t listen to it. Don’t read it. Don’t study it. Don’t waste your time with it. And whatever you do, don’t believe it.

I don’t even care what your reasons are, just make sure you avoid it at all costs. You don’t have enough time in the day to read it. You already know some of the things it says don’t sit well with you, so stay away from it. You don’t have any need for an old book written by old men that only suppresses women and pollutes minds by promoting patriarchy. No one actually believes all the foolish fables and fairy tales anyway, right? If you don’t already have your own reason, find one – whatever it takes – to make sure you ignore the Bible. 

The rich man found his reason. He rather enjoyed the best of what the world had to offer. He “dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day” (v.19). Purple, linens, luxury – this was the stuff of the upper class, the top tier of society. This man was not financially struggling to keep his head above water or just barely getting by; he was living the high life. Indeed, there has always been a lot to enjoy and appreciate in life, no matter when a person has lived throughout history. There have always been the “haves” and the “have-nots.” The rich man had it – whatever he wanted. Money was no object. Even his meals were so extravagant that the miserable beggar at his gate would have been delighted just to have a taste of the post meal scraps scraped off his plates. 

So, what do you think of this man? What is your opinion of him? We don’t have much of a biography about him. Honestly, we don’t even know if he actually existed or if he is just part of a story Jesus is telling. He was rich. It doesn’t seem that he was that interested in using his wealth to help others in need, otherwise we might expect the story of the beggar outside his gate to be a rags-to-riches story of some sort. He came from a good-sized family, having five brothers. In the second part of the story, it does appear that he is at least concerned about his brothers, which says something about him. So, what do you think of this man, this man that Jesus doesn’t even bother to mention by name?

Perhaps more important than what we think of the man is what the man thinks of his situation after he departed this earth. Did he miss the purple, the linens, and the luxury? Did he miss his lavish lifestyle and the ability to experience or purchase whatever he wanted? We might draw some assumptions, but we aren’t provided with that information, as it is overshadowed by the unyielding agony he was suffering. “The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire’” (v.22-24).

In place of any concern about riches is his preoccupation with relief. The degree of his suffering is amplified by the fact that he asks for so little in relief! He does not request a cold shower or a cool drink, but merely the tiny tip of a finger dipped in water to touch his tongue and offer such a minuscule measure of relief. Even that would have been welcome!

Have you ever experienced anything like that? I can tell you you haven’t, because no matter what pain or suffering you have experienced, we’ve all enjoyed the same benefit: it eventually passed. The pain went away. The broken bone mended. The gash or cut scabbed over and healed. New skin eventually replaced the blisters from the burn. We have pain reliever and medicine for headaches. Every pain that we can imagine experiencing, no matter how excruciating, eventually heals and goes away.

But not for the rich man. When Scripture describes hell, after the matter of being cut off from God eternally, one of the most terrifying elements of hell is trying to imagine no end in sight, no relief, ever, from the torment and pain.

In addition to the rich man’s pleas for relief, his sudden concern for others – his brothers – also highlights his agony.

“‘I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment’” (v.27-28). While we don’t know about his relationship with his brothers while he was living, he certainly cares enough about them now to see that they never have to experience what he was experiencing. Were they as wealthy as he was? We don’t know. What we do know is that he knew that if something didn’t change in their lives, they were destined to head to where he was. So in addition to pleading for relief, the rich man is begging on behalf of his brothers, asking for extreme measures. 

Listen again to the rest of the exchange, beginning with Abraham’s initial response. “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’  ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’  “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead’”  (v.29-31). “Get their attention! Send someone back from the dead to warn them to avoid hell at all costs! The agony is unbelievably unbearable!”

Abraham’s response better grab our attention, because it is the key to this whole account. When he pointed out to the rich man that his brothers had “Moses and the Prophets,” he was simply saying, “They have the Bible. The Word of God is enough. And if that doesn’t keep them from following in your footsteps and avoiding the same outcome, nothing else will – not even someone rising from the dead to warn them.” 

Ignore the Bible. Don’t listen to it. Don’t read it. Don’t study it. Don’t waste your time with it. And whatever you do, don’t believe it. 

Follow that advice, and you’ll be well on your way to personally experiencing how accurate the rich man’s take on hell really was.

Thankfully, the story Jesus is telling here doesn’t just involve one man. There was the beggar, the one positioned so close to a life of luxury and means, yet so far away. The beggar Jesus happens to mention by name is Lazarus. His experience in life couldn’t have been more polar opposite than that of the rich man.

“At [the rich man’s] gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores” (v.20-21). He had nothing to his name, and his desire for relief was met not by the rich man of means, but by his compassionate four-legged companions. But when his life was over, his fate was noticeably different.

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side” (v.22). Where exactly did Lazarus end up? Not at all in the same place the rich man did, but rather in heaven, depicted by the presence of angels and Abraham.

Abraham is actually an excellent choice to serve as a representative of heaven. Why? Because the Bible makes it very clear how he got there. One of the New Testament writers, Paul, quotes a verse from the Old Testament to clarify how a person ends up saved and in heaven. He wrote, “What does Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness’” (Romans 4:3).Abraham was in heaven because he believed, and that faith alone is what allowed God to welcome him into heaven. The same writer explained in another of his letters, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Belief. Faith. These are the “must-haves” for heaven.

Verses like these are necessary to help us to fill in the missing blanks in Jesus’ story, because Jesus didn’t doesn’t tell us about any of the religious beliefs or activities of either the rich man or poor Lazarus. So, without any other knowledge of Scripture, a person might end up concluding that rich people are bad and go to hell and that poor people are good and go to heaven. But that take doesn’t find a shred of support in Scripture. Instead, we must conclude that Lazarus was a believer and the rich man was not.

Well then, how does one become a believer? Again we hear Paul: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word about Christ” (Romans 10:17). The Word is everything, and the rich man had no time for it as he gave his attention to his lavish lifestyle. So he traded temporary comfort for eternal torment. As Abraham explained to the rich man in the story, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony” (v.25). And that final outcome couldn’t be tampered with. His choices in this temporary life directly impacted his eternal life. 

As do ours. To be clear, it isn’t merely the act or frequency of reading the Bible that assures one of salvation, but believing it. Nevertheless, no one can ever believe it if they do not know what it says, for it is the only means by which the Holy Spirit convinces anyone that Jesus has provided both the necessary holiness required for heaven by his perfect life, as well as the payment for every sin by his innocent death. We only find the details of this good news, which we call the gospel, in the Bible. Only there are we introduced to Jesus Christ.

Your faith in Jesus Christ is the only thing that has everything to do with your salvation. It hinges on it. Which is to say, it hinges on the Word of God, where we come to know, love, and place our trust in our forgiving, gracious, compassionate, peace-bearing, always-with-us, patient Savior. And we have for ourselves not just Moses and the Prophets, as the rich man did; we have the whole Bible! All of it points us to the certainty of salvation that can only be found in the greatest Friend of sinners, the One who forgives all sinners, Jesus Christ. And there is plenty of room right next to him, along with Abraham, poor Lazarus, and all of the saints who believed the Word of God. 

So, friends, don’t ignore the Bible. Listen to it. Read it. Study it. Spend time with it. And whatever you do, believe it.

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Address Hindrances to Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Where the Word is proclaimed, a steady diet of law and gospel is there to feed our faith. Nevertheless, sometimes we are unaware of the hindrances that can prevent or shortchange some from hearing that Word. Make us aware of the special needs of some, such as challenges to hearing or seeing. If language barriers limit the understanding or comprehension of your Word, equip us to address these accordingly. Where temperature and other worship conditions deter worshipers, enable those issues to be addressed as much as possible as well.

Help parents to realize when active children might be a distraction, and move others to lovingly and patiently offer assistance. If a pastor or another worship participant’s mannerisms cause challenges to listening, provide alternate ways for those present to engage and worship actively. Do whatever is necessary so that your Word can not only be proclaimed, but also heard and received as well.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Don’t Mistake a Warning for a Challenge

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(Luke 16:1-13)

“Betcha can’t eat just one!” One of the most enduring and successful ad campaigns came from FritoLay back in the 1960’s. Initially featuring the actor who played the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz, the ads invited consumers to try and stop at just one of their popular potato chips. They knew that if they could convince potential customers to try even just one, they wouldn’t be able to stop there. So they issued the challenge, “Betcha can’t eat just one.”

Jesus’ final words in this section from Luke 16 almost come across like a challenge. He says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (v.13). Hmmmm… sounds kind of like a challenge, doesn’t it? “Betcha can’t serve both!”

Here’s what’s tricky: we know better. We know Jesus is giving a warning, not issuing a challenge. And as the statement stands, we know what Jesus is saying and we totally agree with him on premise. We know it would be foolish to think we could put God and money on an equal plane and serve them both. It can’t work, just as Jesus stated. 

But that doesn’t keep us from trying to make it work, even if we may not always realize we’re doing it. No, it’s not like we actively plot and lay out a concrete plan as to how we can serve money while also serving God. Actually, though, that’s just the point: when we don’t lay out a plan as to how we’re going to serve God – yes, including with our money – then we inadvertently end up trying to serve them both. 

Consider how this works. Here is some food for thought. Let’s compare two things: our giving and our spending.

When is the last time you thought about your giving? To clarify, I am referring to the offerings believers give to Jesus through their local congregation (offerings are given not earn salvation, but in gratitude for it). So, how frequently do you think about your offerings? Is your giving sporadic, random, or even… non-existent? Or, do you have a plan for your offerings? If it’s guided by God’s Word, then it involves planning, it’s consistent, proportionate, generous, and giving is cheerful. Do all of those apply to your giving? Some of them? Any of them? Chances are, if your giving isn’t planned or thought about regularly, then it’s either not happening at all, or at least not as God encourages it to.

But how about your spending? Whether you follow a budget or not, spending is still going to happen, isn’t it? And, it probably happens whether it’s planned or not. And, it probably happens at a level that would actually surprise us if we tracked it more carefully. Why is that?

There are plenty of reasons, but I think one big one is that we don’t exchange cash like we used to. And, since we don’t literally see the cash leaving our hands as we give it away, we have a different relationship with money. I just Venmo you the money, and either the money is merely a number taken from my Venmo balance or it is just drawn from the bank. I am shopping online, and I just click the button without a second thought, as everything is already connected directly to my bank or a credit card that I may or may not pay off each month. In the store with no cash, checkbook (yes, some still use those), or credit/debit card – that’s OK! I just pull out my phone and hold it next to the reader and “voila!” – my purchase is paid for from some account somewhere – I’ll figure it out later. 

Do you notice the primary difference between the two, giving and spending? One is going to keep happening whether I think about it or not, because of course we won’t stop buying stuff we want. The other, though, is unlikely to happen if we never give it thought. So when Jesus says we cannot serve both God and money, we unknowingly live as if he’s challenged us and we’re trying to prove him wrong on a daily basis. 

But Jesus even pointed out what should be the clear evidence or proof of living such a lie. He said, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” (v.10-12). If we spend without giving, should we wonder why it’s so tough to make a living? Jesus is telling us to stop thinking we can have it both ways. If we can’t get our spending under control, if we can’t pump the breaks on purchasing and squandering what we have, why would God entrust more to us to squander away?

Or, another way to think about it – why would God enable us? Why would he willingly serve as an accomplice to accommodate our desire to serve a false god? That hits a little differently, doesn’t it? We need to see the word “consume” inside of “consumer” and be aware of when our spending is consuming us. Can you say no to spending? Can you go without purchasing or buying what isn’t planned out ahead of time? Are you controlled by impulse buys? Do you justify buying this, that or the other thing, because “you’re stressed,” or “it’s a gift for someone else,” or you “need” it, or “it’s so cute,” or… the list goes on. Justify it however you want, but when we are enslaved by spending, we need to call it what it is: idolatry. And the Bible is quite clear on what happens to idolaters.

Don’t miss the other important connection Jesus made with these words. He tied the physical to the spiritual, indicating that our management of earthly stuff is a test to determine the degree to which we will be entrusted with “true riches,” as Jesus calls them. In other words, the spiritual stuff. If we can’t manage our physical blessings, don’t expect God to heap on us the spiritual blessings, the stuff that is actually valuable. Why would he do that if such blessings will only end up mismanaged or under-appreciated?

And let’s not forget what it took for God to be able to extend those spiritual blessings to us. Paul described how those blessings came to us through Jesus. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Jesus’ parable of the rich man and shrewd manager was just that – a parable. But what we have in reality is a rich Savior who didn’t merely reduce our debt or leave us on the hook with some payment plan to secure our salvation. Instead, he gave himself up, becoming poor so that we through him might become rich.

And that is what we are! Rich in grace and forgiveness, so much so that we never have to worry about our account running dry. Every sin on our ledger is crossed out and cancelled with more grace! Every compulsive purchase, every greedy grab, every single cent that we have spent in service to the idol of money – all has been forgiven through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are free from slavery to spending. We can say no to impulse purchases. We can save. We can bless others. We can give. We can turn the idol of money into our servant, using it to serve our Savior and his purposes.

The parable Jesus told guides us in how to do that. He told the parable of the rich man and his manager. The rich man discovered that his financial guy was crooked, so he canned him. “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer’” (v.1-2). The guy suddenly found himself without a job, and of course, when you get the pink slip for being dishonest when managing finances, who else is going to hire you? No one! So, knowing that his job prospects were very slim, he made the most of his current situation to earn favor with others who could then end up as valuable assets for him in the future. He reviewed their accounts and slashed what they owed by fifty and twenty percent. 

The real shock in the parable, however, isn’t found in his actions, but rather in the commendation of his manager, and ultimately, of Jesus. “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (v.8-9).

Is Jesus praising or advocating dishonesty here? No. But he is encouraging us to be opportunistic. And no, not just to advance our personal financial portfolio, but to advance his kingdom. That was clearly what Jesus had in mind by his reference of being “welcomed into eternal dwellings.” So Jesus laid out one of the many God-pleasing ways to manage his gift of money: to be resourceful with it in seeking to build up his kingdom, to extend the reach of the gospel, and to see a population increase of souls saved as a result of spiritually shrewd efforts. 

Do you see the double benefit of being spiritually shrewd in managing God’s gift of money? One, it curbs us from falling into serving the god of spending. Two, it can do exponentially more eternal good when we are deliberate and opportunistic regarding kingdom-minded ventures. 

Jesus’ words to us today aren’t a challenge, but a warning. We can’t serve both the god of spending and the God of our salvation.

But we can serve the God of our salvation with his gift of money. 

Indeed, let’s shift Jesus’ final words around just a little bit, and we see another side of what Jesus is encouraging. Rather than, “you cannot serve both God and money,” let’s rephrase it into a challenge: “Betcha can’t serve God with money.” By God’s grace, that’s a challenge we can accept! May we eagerly accept that challenge and marvel at how God is able to bless our handling of his gifts for his kingdom.

Forgiveness Follow-up

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(2 Corinthians 2:5-11)

We love the “where are they now” type of follow-up stories. The child actor who starred in some of our favorite nostalgic films but then fell out of the limelight – what ever happened to them? The athlete responsible for the miraculous championship game or series-winning play – what are they up to now? The SharkTank contestant whose business product or idea dazzled the whole panel, leading them all to want a piece of the pie – where is that business or product now? We love the follow up stories that fill us in on the current status of key people or moments from our past.

Well, for the most part, anyway. There are always exceptions. And one of them might be found in Paul’s prior letter to the believers in Corinth, from 1 Corinthians 5. Paul described the incident here: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord” (verses 1-5). 

Paul stated that the incident within the church had such an “ick” factor that it surpassed the type of stuff done outside the church around the city of Corinth – which was a city well-known for its sexual promiscuity! That’s not usually the kind of “where are they now” story we want to follow up on, but rather the kind of story we wish we’d never heard in the first place! Nevertheless, it seems quite likely that this is the incident Paul is addressing in the verses from 2 Corinthians. He’s following up on the incident to address how it was handled – and should continue to be handled – by the believers in Corinth. 

As we look at this example of forgiveness today, let’s acknowledge that we have mixed feelings about it. We are in awe of examples of radical forgiveness, and realize we ought to strive for that kind of forgiveness. The powerful moment the sibling of the murder victim quiets the entire courtroom with the request and subsequent follow through to forgive and hug the murderer. The famous scene in Les Miserable when the bishop forgives Jean Valjean, which ends up radically altering his life.

But here’s also why we have a love/hate relationship with forgiveness: at times, we struggle mightily because we feel very strongly that the one on the receiving end of forgiveness didn’t deserve it. We also might wish to be able to emulate that depth of forgiveness in our own lives. We know we should, but we want to prove we’re justified when we want to withhold forgiveness from others. 

Before we go further, we need to let go of a common misunderstanding about forgiveness: that it is something some people deserve and others don’t. That is the world’s version of forgiveness. It’s conditional. It’s determine on a case-by-case basis. But it isn’t biblical forgiveness.

When the Bible teaches us forgiveness, there are no conditions, because we’re all stuck equally in the same spot: undeserving. No one deserves forgiveness. One person is not more worthy of it than another. Forgiveness as God defines it has no conditions. It is unconditional. So let God use this incident that took place in a congregation long ago to help us see – and put into practice – that radical power of forgiveness.

Again, it seems very likely that these verses are in reference to the incest incident Paul covered in his first letter, although we cannot say with complete certainty. But either way, what Paul writes about following up with forgiveness here holds true regardless. A sin was committed and it resulted in the congregation exercising discipline to some degree. While Paul doesn’t cover the specific steps of dealing with sin and repentance, Jesus did.

In Matthew 18, Jesus laid out the steps for how we deal with the believer who sins against us. And the goal, make no mistake, is always to lead the guilty party to repentance, to confess the sin and admit, “I have sinned. I am sorry. Please forgive me” Then, we eagerly forgive. That’s the goal. So how do we get to that point?

To quickly review those steps, the first attempt is a one-on-one conversation. The wronged party speaks to the offender and points out the sin. Ideally, the sinner is repentant right there, forgiveness (or absolution, if you want the fancier church term) is pronounced, and healing can take place to allow all involved parties to move on.

If, however, the offender refuses to see or acknowledge any wrongdoing with that first attempt, then the individual returns again with someone else who can serve as a witness that these steps are being carried out. If that second effort doesn’t result in repentance, the third step is to get leadership from the church involved, which might include elders, the pastor, etc. Then, if even the involvement of the spiritual leaders doesn’t lead the sinner to repentance, the final step is for the congregation as a whole to inform the wrongdoer that as long as he/she is impenitent, refusing to confess that what he/she did was sin, that person is outside the church – not just the local congregation, but more importantly, Christ’s church. In other words, it’s the last loving step the church takes to declare to an individual that if nothing changes, they will end up in hell. God’s intent is that when faced with that stark reality, the offender would finally be led to see that gravity/seriousness of impenitent sin, and finally repent.

Those steps apparently served their purpose in Corinth, and the sinner was led to repentance. So in these verses, Paul is now dealing with the members of the church to guide them into welcoming back the brother who sinned. Based on his words, according to verses six and nine, Paul appears to be indicating that they had followed through with his direction to carry out out church discipline on the man, and that it had been effective. Now, he was encouraging them to respond accordingly and forgive him. 

But notice something about the forgiveness Paul encourages. It isn’t merely the spoken words, “we forgive you,” but also the accompanying words, actions, and behaviors that back up that forgiveness. Paul writes, “Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him” (v.7-8). This might stand out to our Lutheran ears a bit, as we tend to be wary of emotions and feelings in reference to theology and teaching. And understandably so, because we would never want to leave anyone with the impression that his or her salvation is founded on a feeling, that they are only a genuine believer who is saved if they feel like it. Those feelings must always take a back seat to the trustworthy, unchanging, declarative power of God’s Word – effective because of what God says and not determined by what we feel.

But Paul also knows what each of us know from experience: guilt. Shame. Embarrassment. Sin leaves these things spread all over the place in its wake, and while we can believe and take to heart the words, “God forgives me,” we don’t live in a vacuum. Others know about our sin. Our sin affected other people. Our sin impacted what people think of us. And so guilt and shame are not so easily shaken off to magically disappear once the assurance of forgiveness is spoken. 

If you think Paul isn’t speaking from personal experience regarding concerns over how his past sins shape people’s opinion of him, then you don’t know the one who called himself chief of sinners. He knew first hand, and he often wears his heart on his sleeve as he pours out his emotions to the church in his various letters regarding his love for them, so often reciprocated in their loving kindness toward him. Don’t underestimate how deeply-rooted a person’s guilt and shame can be over their sin, so don’t hesitate to speak forgiveness and absolution, but also to show it by comforting and reaffirming the repentant sinner. 

And notice the united front with which the church approaches sin. It’s a team effort. Paul leaves no question about where the repentant sinner stands as far as he is concerned, once his fellow believers have forgiven him. “Anyone you forgive, I also forgive” (v.10). “If you have handled the matter according to Scripture and confession and absolution have taken place, then I stand with you in forgiveness.” In other words, Christians don’t set up their own personal prerequisites that must be met for each individual believer to personally forgive the repentant sinner. When forgiveness is pronounced, we stand together in that pronouncement and reception of that fellow believer back into the fold. 

Paul further explained why he – why each of us – is able to stand together in that pronouncement of forgiveness. He shared that he has “forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake” (v.10). That is to say, he knows the vertical grace and forgiveness that flows from Christ to him, and when that happens, he extends that same grace and forgiveness horizontally to others. That’s very powerful. 

Imagine if I walk up to an unbeliever and tell him, “I have great news: God forgives you.” Now, the Bible makes it clear that the Word of God is always powerful and effective. However, without knowing any other context or background or details about that person or about that person’s familiarity with Scripture, it’s probably logical to conclude that those words would end up like the seed sown on the hard path in Jesus’ parable and never amount to anything.

But imagine a believer approaching a drunk driver who took away their loved one’s life, or a doctor who committed malpractice that resulted in long-term care being required for a loved one, or the individual involved in the affair that rocked your marriage, and saying to each of those individual’s, “I forgive you.” Do you imagine there would be a difference? Do you think the word of forgiveness expressed directly to the guilty party from the one who was wronged would hit the person differently than “God forgives you?”

What’s the difference? It’s certainly not that God’s forgiveness is less effective or not as meaningful as ours (for we couldn’t even forgive others in such radical ways if not first forgiven ourselves!). Rather, there is context and understanding when it comes to horizontal forgiveness. The guilty individual knows what they did wrong, who they did it against, and then witness that person forgiving them instead of the expectation of wanting to get even or see them suffer. 

And it’s that horizontal forgiveness that can then serve as the introduction to a more meaningful understanding of the vertical forgiveness we have from God through Jesus Christ. We are then able to explain the source of such radical forgiveness. It flows from the forgiveness – even more radical than our own forgiving of others – that we have through Jesus Christ. So the cross isn’t just the source of forgiveness, but also the shape of it – illustrating the vertical forgiveness coming down to us from God through Christ, and the horizontal forgiveness we then extend to others.

At some point grace has to be brought into the picture. We can’t just insist that others forgive “because it’s the right thing to do.” We can’t strong-arm others with “you need to forgive” If there is no concept of grace involved in this process, then there is no proper power or motivation to forgive. It is then relegated to one of many beneficial civic duties. Sure, it can still be a good thing, but God is always more interested in our hearts than just a good outward action. And hearts need grace to forgive those who wrong us. Lots of grace. And in Jesus, that is exactly what we have. 

His grace forgives us – even when we don’t want to extend it to others. His grace forgives us – even when we don’t want others to receive it because we don’t feel they deserve it. His grace forgives us – even when we fumble forgiveness so often in our own lives.

Paul concludes this section by highlighting why this subject matter is so important. The matter of sin within a congregation must always be handled with care, because it is potentially one of the most destructive mistakes that Satan can use against a group of believers to cause an implosion. He reminded the Corinthians of Satan’s attempts to “outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” (v.11). It isn’t just other believers and the outside world who are watching to see how sin is handled; Satan has a front-row seat, and he’s already going to try to use any sin to fracture the body of Christ, so we don’t want to give him any more ammunition than he already has when sin has been committed.

He counts it as a win when sin has been committed, but the sinner remains impenitent. He counts it as a win when sin has been committed and confessed, but other believers fail to forgive. Satan delights in using sin and mishandled forgiveness to cause division in the body of Christ and destroy souls in the process. So recognize the seriousness of forgiveness and how we follow up with it.

Let us ultimately pray that the “where are they now” story of every believer ends up the same. Back in Christ’s church. Ultimately with their place in heaven locked in and reserved through the forgiving blood of Jesus. And let’s not just speak it to make sure it’s known, but also show it in every possible way.

Counting the Cost of Carrying the Cross

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(Luke 14:25-35)

Ask anyone looking for employment right now and you’ll find that getting hired is not as easy as one may think. There are many factors involved in the process that employers have to consider, as hiring someone new isn’t cheap. The cost of hiring involves much more than just determining the wages. Is health insurance offered or required? Is there any sort of retirement? Is the employee required to be in the office or can she work from home, or some sort of hybrid arrangement? Can AI carry out the work that some employees used to be responsible for? The hiring process is a lot more involved than it used to be.

Jesus’ teaching in Luke 14 almost sounds as if he’s sitting down one-on-one with potential hires, interviewing them to determine their qualifications and whether or not they’re well-suited to for the job. Honestly, if that were the case, his words would be much easier for us to handle – if only! If it was just a potential job, we would have the option of saying no to his ridiculously lofty expectations and continuing our job search elsewhere. 

But Jesus is actually addressing a matter of far greater importance than simply getting hired for a job. He’s forcing us to wrestle with a much more serious question: how much is your salvation worth to you? This is a hugely important matter for us to consider! Because when you don’t value something, you don’t take care of it. When something isn’t worth much to you, you don’t really care what happens to it. So when Jesus invites us to count the cost of carrying the cross, what he’s asking is this: how much does your salvation really matter to you? How much do I really matter to you?

What hits home about Jesus’ teaching is that he’s refusing to let us off the hook by just paying him lip service. We can fool an awful lot of people with what we say, including ourselves. But we can’t fool Jesus. We can tell others how much he matters to us. We can say all the right things. But then when the sacrifices surface – and they will always show up for the Christian, because Jesus promised the crosses would come – is Jesus worth it or not?

Jesus’ pictures about a builder planning to construct a tower or a king planning for battle emphasize the point he’s making: think before you proceed. Did you do that before you signed up for this thing called Christianity? Do you still do it on a daily basis? As helpful as Jesus’ examples are, sometimes we’re so dull and slow that I think we need even more concrete examples of counting the cost of carrying the cross.

For practical purposes, let’s take that a step further and consider it in light of membership in a Christian congregation. When you became a Christian/member of a congregation, did you give much thought to what types of crosses you’d have to bear or what it might cost you? People will typically ask what sort of class or requirements are necessary to become a member, but Jesus pushes us to give much more thought to the matter than that.

For starters, did you know that you’d be expected to actually be involved in carrying out your church’s mission (ours is “Seeking the Lost, Serving the Found”)? Did you consider that disciples should actually read the Bible and study it? Did you know what you signed up for when you married an unbeliever? Were you aware how heavy that cross would be at times? When you took at job that you knew would involve working on Sundays, did you anticipate how heavy that cross would be over time without regular worship? When you racked up a mountain of debt and hear the words of Scripture calling God’s people to grow in the grace of giving, did you factor in the cross of how debilitating that debt would be? The cross of permitting kids’ schedules to put church activities on the back burner – did you count that cost? Friends choosing alternative lifestyles or just rejecting your beliefs in general – did you count that cost? 

Our answers to those questions, and so many others like them, take on huge significance when we look back at the conclusion Jesus drew in his illustrations. What did he finally say about being the builder who blundered on the cost of his tower or the king who carried out a war without considering how the size of his army compares to the enemy’s? He said, “In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (v.33). Jesus didn’t say it would be tough or an uphill battle or the chances are slim; he said you cannot be my disciple! As in, it is not even possible! You cannot be unwilling to give up everything and call yourself a disciple at the same time. It doesn’t work.

And, if you didn’t notice, when it comes to counting the cost of carrying the cross, those examples weren’t the only ones Jesus used. Look at the whole list of disqualifications that Jesus provides to vet potential disciples. Look at the requirements. Don’t hate family? Can’t be his disciple. Don’t hate your own life? Can’t be his disciple. Don’t want to carry your cross? Can’t be his disciple. Not willing to give up everything you have? Can’t be his disciple. At this rate, it’s a wonder Jesus has any disciples! 

Actually, something just like that happened during Jesus’ ministry. Luke introduced this section of his Gospel by pointing out that “[l]arge crowds were traveling with Jesus” (v.25). That was also the case in John 6, where Jesus gave what has become known as his “Bread of Life” discourse. Jesus had just fed the 5,000. Then he turned the concept of physical feeding into a spiritual teaching that essentially told the crowds if they didn’t fill up on Jesus and his Word, they would be lost.

Guess what happened once Jesus used his physical miracle as an introduction to a deeper spiritual truth? “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). The crowds dwindled. The followers said farewell. It would have been a noticeable difference, too, going from a crush of crowds to just a trickle of disciples.

But it isn’t as noticeable today, is it? Because today it’s much easier for us to fake it without making any real sacrifice. Today we know how to look the part well enough for others, and the more we focus on looking the part instead of genuinely carrying the cross, we actually start to deceive ourselves as well. So who is worse off – the crowds who visibly demonstrated their decision to no longer follow Jesus by turning away, or those today who are good at giving the external appearance of following, but are unwilling to make any real sacrifice (and only end up fooling themselves)?

We can pop in at church occasionally, which of course looks the churchgoing part. Or, we can be sure to let others know our “thoughts and prayers” are with them, which sounds spiritual enough. We can slap a few Bible passages and spiritual-sounding stuff on our social media here and there. We make sure to sign up or participate in stuff at church once in a blue moon, just enough to add to the appearance of being active and engaged. We do these things and “Voila!” – we look just like Jesus’ disciples. 

But all of that misses the point of Jesus’ vetting process: his disciples make sacrifices. Where, in the examples just mentioned, is there any real sacrifice? 

Let’s consider a pretty impressive record of someone who counted the cost of carrying the cross. “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked” (2 Cor. 11:23-27). You know those words as the words of the apostle Paul. Paul didn’t just pay lip service to being a disciple of Jesus; he displayed it sacrificially with his whole life. 

Let’s be honest – there are a lot of Dollar Tree Disciples today, aren’t there? Now that’s not a knock on Dollar Tree as much as it is a harsh reality we need to own up to. You know why anyone shops at the Dollar Tree. They want something for almost nothing. They want a certain item or product, but it’s obviously not something they’re willing to spend a lot on, so they shop at the Dollar Tree to get it.

Isn’t it possible that a lot more of us are Dollar Tree Disciples than we think? We want something for almost nothing. We want all the good Jesus stuff, the forgiveness and grace stuff, the salvation stuff – we want all of that, but we don’t really want to have to give up much to get it. That’s the mindset of a Dollar Tree Disciple.

And you know what makes that mindset so dangerous? It’s actually on the right track.

We want something for nothing, and that’s exactly what we have through Jesus. What Jesus came to bring couldn’t be bought or purchased by you or me. There was no price tag that would ever make salvation affordable for us. There was no option for bartering or working out a deal with him.

No, what Jesus came to bring is entirely free to us. It is a gift. We can’t buy it or earn it – it can only be given. It cost us nothing. So if we want something for nothing, we’ve come to the right place. Forgiveness and salvation doesn’t cost us a dime!

But all of it came at a price. A hefty price. And the price tag is so out of reach for us that only God himself could pay it. And Jesus did. You think Paul had an impressive list of crosses that he bore as Jesus’ disciple? None will ever compare to the literal cross Jesus bore. Consider that the whole reason we even use that term – bearing our cross – is but a poor reflection of the unbearable cross that Jesus bore in our place. Talk about sacrifice – literally! How much did Jesus have to give up? Everything. So he alone has the right to demand the same of us – “those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33). 

But unlike Paul, Jesus was not just an example to imitate. Jesus didn’t come to show us how to be good disciples and then plan to seek out those who met his impossible standards, because he wouldn’t have found any – not a one!

No, Jesus came so that only through and in him, we could be perfect disciples. Here’s how Paul described it taking place. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8). Jesus came to make us what we could never be on our own: perfect disciples. He sought out everyone, including Dollar Tree Disciples, and by grace he made us his own devoted and dedicated disciples. 

Do you see yourself that way? He does. Because of Christ, God sees his church filled with devoted and dedicated disciples. And you know what devoted and dedicated disciples do? They count the cost of carrying the cross. They think differently about priorities. They make sacrifices that others wouldn’t fathom making in a million years. Counting the cost, they embrace the cross in this life because they know they are guaranteed the crown of life at the end of their race, through faith in Christ Jesus.