Do I Enjoy God?

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“The chief end (purpose) of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.”

The first time I read that statement from the Westminster Shorter Catechism, I was perplexed. Even uncomfortable.

Enjoy? Really?

Perhaps that’s your response as well. We have no problem accepting that we are to glorify God—to exalt and praise Him or even fear Him. But to “enjoy” God? How do I enjoy someone so holy, so majestic and powerful? It begins with understanding who He is.

How would you describe God? 

Your personal life experiences and religious training may have helped to shape your view of God. Is God kind and gentle or severe and harsh? Is God personal—somebody that you would want to know intimately? Someone you could turn to in a moment of perplexity or heartbreak? Or is God more like the cosmic cop—always watching, hoping to catch you running a yellow light? (That was the God I knew as a youth. I feared disappointing God, but I can’t say I ever felt close to Him.)

Last week I described one of six caricatures of God in my book, God in His Own Image. God is not an absent landlord who refuses to get involved in the chaos and suffering in the world today. He is not passively watching as pandemics, floods, droughts and wars rage. In fact, I suggest we ought to include God in our debate regarding the present crisis in the world. Perhaps God is communicating with us through the crisis. Perhaps warning us.

Today I introduce four caricatures that misrepresent God as impersonal.

Is God a stern taskmaster? Is He like an impatient father, always pointing out, no matter how hard we tried to please Him, that we could have done better? No encouragement! Just more correction. 

Is God an unpredictable tyrant with a short fuse and a violent, over-the-top response to the slightest mistake?

Or is God the cosmic cop mentioned above? Someone ever-vigilant to enforce the Law, but never inviting us to meet Him at the local donut shop?

Perhaps, your view of God is an impersonal force, as in the Star Wars mantra: “May the force be with you!” Or is God in everything around us; perhaps a sacred cow in New Delhi or crystals dangling from a rearview mirror? One thing is certain; these impersonal gods are not interested in a relationship. They could care less about who you are or what your concerns and fears and secret dreams might be.

Yes, I realize the above descriptions probably don’t reflect the opinion of most of my readers. But do we sometimes treat God as if He was not personal or loving or interested in an intimate relationship?

My cosmic cop god was an image created in my mind as a result of legalistic religious training. I believed in God. Feared God. But never felt close to Him. 

Had I been raised in a family or culture with many gods portrayed by strange or frightening images, my view of God would not be someone personal or loving. 

Having ministered on several continents, I have witnessed the influence of these perverted views of God. Truth is, if God had not chosen to reveal Himself to us, we would be left to imagine God (or the gods) based on our life experiences and our culture. 

Of all the World Religions, only Judaism, Islam and Christianity recognize God as a person.  But Islam’s Allah is not the same as the God of Abraham in the Bible. It’s not even close.

Allah, the God of the Quran, is not personal according to Nabeel Qureshi in his book, No God but One: Allah or Jesus?  Nabeel was raised in a very religious Muslim family and culture. Challenged by a Christian friend he eventually began to search and to compare the Bible with the Quran. He discovered the biblical Jesus and fell in love with Him. Converting to Christianity was costly, but Nabeel never regretted his decision. He writes, “The God of the Bible has revealed Himself to us and desires a relationship with us—even to the point of pursuing us in an effort to reconcile us to Himself.  Allah, on the other hand, has no interest in seeking a relationship with people…. Truly, nothing else in the Quran appears to indicate that Allah wants a relationship with humans. This is especially true of a father-child relationship, as the Quran specifically denies that Allah is a father….When Jews and Christians suggest they are children of God, the Quran says to castigate them.” 

Nabeel describes the relationship with Allah as that of a servant to a master, not a child to a father. “We are not his beloved—just one of his creatures.”

The God of both Old and New Testaments is revealed as being personal. He seeks relationships with people. He enjoyed intimate fellowship with Adam and Eve in the garden. Evening conversations with God were the most anticipated time every day. God even pursued them when they were hiding from Him in shame and guilt. And when they were neck-deep in trouble, He threw them a rope, promising them a deliverer who would reconcile sinners to Himself. God appeared to Noah and Abraham. He startled Moses through a burning bush. Moses’ relationship with God eventually become so intimate that it was described as face to face, like friends. The Old Testament is replete with encounters between God and men and women.

The New Testament opens with God coming to dwell among us as a babe in Bethlehem. (The wonder of it!) Jesus revealed the Father to us, demonstrating that He is a loving God—with love and compassion so relentless that Jesus would die in our place to redeem us and to reconcile us to God. 

After Jesus returned to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to not only be with us but to dwell in us. Can any relationship be more intimate!

I return to the question at the beginning of this blog: “Do I enjoy God?” 

Do you?

Yes, we are to respect God and treat Him as holy. He is not to be trivialized, but He invites us to taste and see that He is good. He welcomes sinners to know Him and experience overwhelming love and grace. 

If the experiences of your life have been so painful that you have felt abandoned by God, don’t believe the lie. Accept His invitation to enjoy life as it was meant to be lived: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will have (enjoy) eternal life.”

Join me and millions of wounded seekers that have tasted and discovered that God is good!

Where is God When Everything’s Falling Apart?

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Hasn’t it been a strange summer—filled with so much tragic news and weather? Here in Oregon, we have had record-setting heat and drought (not to mention the fires and smoke). In other places across our country, people have suffered from excessive rainfall and severe flooding. It’s almost beyond belief that people drowned in their basements in New York City, due to flash floods. We are deeply divided over whether climate change actually exists—and if so, whether it is a natural or human-caused phenomenon. 

Around the globe, social and political unrest continues. Here in Portland, reports of riots and shootings frequent the headlines in our evening news. And at this very moment, hundreds are trapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

It may not make the headlines, but religious persecution continues to rage in many places around the world. There are almost daily reports in India of Christians enduring beatings and abuse at the hands of militant Hindus. China’s leaders are pursuing genocide of an entire Uyghur culture.

While all this is going on, we are facing the resurgence of a more contagious variant of Covid19. Our nation (and sadly churches) are divided over whether to vaccinate and wear masks or not—and whether the government has the right to mandate such things.

Enough bad news!

I believe the essential question, whether spoken or unspoken, is this: Where is God in all this chaos and injustice? Where is God in all the apparent natural disasters like excessive flooding or drought or extreme wildfires? Where is God in the global political chaos? Where is God in Afghanistan today?

First, we must consider two foundational questions: Does God exist? If so, what is God like?

If God does not exist (and I believe the evidence for His existence is insurmountable) then Carl Sagan was correct: “The cosmos is all there is, or ever was, or ever will be.” In other words, we are products of chance—with a few years to live any way we choose—because there is no judgment to fear or reward to anticipate. We are here today, gone tomorrow and will be soon forgotten. 

But if God exists, then the Taliban and ISIS will someday face judgment, as will Hitler and every person everywhere who rejects God. 

Now the question most closely related to God’s apparent absence or silence in the midst of the calamities and chaos today is, “What is God like?” Is He kind or severe? Is He present or absent in the events all around us?

I described six false perspectives or caricatures of God in my book, God in His Own Image: Loving God for who He is… not who we want Him to be.” By the way, if I was to change the subtitle it would read “not who we imagine Him to be.” We can’t “want” God to be anything less than He has revealed Himself to be. But we may choose to “imagine” God one way or another. To do so is like a child imagining that a stuffed toy, perhaps “Puff the dragon,” is alive. Trying to imagine what God is like is more than a childish game; it is deadly fatal. In fact, it is idolatry. God is who He is! Like it or not.

To ask (and we all sometimes do) “Where is God in the chaos and suffering?” suggests doubt about God’s goodness or His power. Is He all powerful but not good? Or is God truly good, but lacking the power to do anything about the injustice and suffering in the world?

One of the caricatures of God in the book portrays Him as an absent Landlord. He created the universe—sort of wound up the cosmic clock—and walked away to let everything go its own way. This so-called god is not personally involved in the events on earth. Wars happen without his involvement. Natural disasters are just that: Nature doing what comes naturally. 

The debate between intellectuals and the average citizen is whether the climate changes naturally, or is it caused by human involvement. Or is it some mixture of both? 

The problem with that debate, in my opinion, is that something is missing in the discussion. To put it more clearly, Someone is missing. You could say the same about every political and social raging on the nightly news every evening. 

We can debate the causes of global warming. We can pass blame for the lightning march of the Taliban across Afghanistan or claim that a lab in China is responsible for the current pandemic. We pontificate. We judge and condemn or justify.

Sadly, even among professing Christians I seldom hear God mentioned in these debates. 

I wonder…does that make us practical atheists? We say there is a God out there somewhere, but we act or talk as if He isn’t involved in the daily grind of things. 

Dare I suggest, even mildly, that the repetitive hurricanes and earthquakes that have devastated Haiti or the torrential rains on the Gulf Coast or Nashville are part of God’s plan? God’s work? God forbid that anybody considers God’s part in the travesty in Afghanistan! Was God surprised by any of these events? Or is He even aware? Has He simply checked out for awhile—taken a leave of absence or a sabbatical from world events?

If that sounds almost borderline blasphemy, I respond by referring to Scripture. Clearly and frequently, God takes credit or responsibility for sending drought, pestilence, floods, earthquakes and even invading armies to accomplish His will and—if you can accept it—to humble His people and to glorify Himself. Sound absurd? If so, it is probably because we have imagined a smaller, lesser God than the one we discover in the pages between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21.

In those pages I meet a God who is patient and kind and merciful, but also severe, holy and just. He is not an absent landlord. The world is His and all it contains. He still rules. Absolutely rules. He has raised up kings like Nebuchadnezzar and has established empires like Babylon. Or like Caesar and Rome or David and Israel. Each nation has played their part (His part) in human history. If God could raise up the Medes and Persians to wipe out Babylon and to appoint Cyrus as king of Persia (even calling Cyrus “My servant”) to decree that the Jews could return to their homeland, can God not also raise up the Taliban? Are they, and their god Allah, more powerful than YAHWEH, Israel’s God? Our God?

God responded to Israel’s passion for idolatry by sending (just as He had warned) drought, plagues, invasions of foreign armies and eventually exile. God has also warned any nation that He can and will use natural disasters—or in this case supernatural disasters—to humble them. God radically altered the climate and created a rainstorm that inundated the world and destroyed every living soul except the family of righteous Noah. His ultimate purpose was to preserve the line of the promised seed of the Redeemer, spoken of in Genesis 3:15.

I am not claiming to be a prophet by saying the existing climate changes and political chaos in the world are a direct result of God’s judgment. But I am suggesting that possibility. Perhaps, even probability. At the very least, let’s be sure to include God in the debate. God not only declared responsibility for droughts and famines and other disasters in the Bible, He has also warned of greater future climate change in the book of Revelation. Unimaginable violent storms and severe plagues will result in unbelievable loss of human life. 

You may ask why God would have permitted a window of freedom in Afghanistan and then suddenly slam the door shut with the return of the Taliban. I don’t have the answer, but I offer a possibility to consider—even a prayer request. Perhaps God will use the injustices and terror under the rule of the Taliban to display His glory by drawing thousands of Afghans to Himself, when they see the stark contrast between the compassion and grace of Jesus with the harsh, impersonal Allah of the Quran under Sharia Law. This is what has been happening in Iran after decades of Sharia Law. The underground church in Iran is growing rapidly in spite of persecution.

So why would God, since He remains sovereign, cause the apparent climate changes including drought and severe flooding and other natural disasters? Perhaps He is warning us of greater impending judgments if we do not repent. Certainly, we deserve discipline. Are we any more righteous than those who perished in the flood? Are we any more righteous than the people of Israel at the time of the Assyrian or Babylonian invasions and exile? 

I think not. 

So where is God in all this global chaos? One thing is certain, He hasn’t walked away. He hasn’t died. He hasn’t misplaced our file. He hasn’t surrendered His sovereignty. This remains His world. Let us pray that His will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. Let us trust Him to do what is right and just. 

In Genesis 18:25, Abraham put it like this: “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” 

The answer is yes. Every time.

I add this excerpt from This Present Crisis James Russell Lowell’s poem, This Present Crisis (composed prior to the Civil War):

Careless seems the great Avenger; history’s pages but record
One death-grapple in the darkness twixt old systems and the Word;
Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne-
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch, above his own.

  

I Wish I Had Been Ready

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“Syd, get a pencil and paper and pull up a chair.” 

Being a compliant kind of fellow, I promptly obeyed my old friend Chuck, with a tape measure in hand to set the forms for a concrete extension to our patio. 

Returning with paper and pencil, I prepared to write down measurements. But suddenly the patio construction seemed far away. Chuck looked me in the eyes and asked a pointed question about the return of Jesus Christ. 

It was one of those “when” questions, reminding me of the time when Jesus’ disciples asked about His second coming, in Matthew 24:3: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming at the end of the age?”

 It was a natural and expected question for the disciples, after what He’d just told them about the destruction of Herod’s temple. But it wasn’t the most important question at that moment, as Jesus made very clear in His response. 

Jesus offered a few brief signs that will precede His return. But for the most part, He told them, things would remain pretty much the same. Life would go on, just as it did before the great flood. In spite of Noah’s persistent warnings, everything was same-o same-o. Then came that first lightning strike—and a cloudburst beyond what anyone could dream or imagine. 

Jesus offered two certainties to His disciples. First, He told them that no one will know the day and hour of His return, except God the Father. The angels wouldn’t know and—at that moment—not even Jesus knew. (Neither do we, by the way.) The second truth He gave them was that the promise of Christ’s second coming in glory is absolutely certain—more certain than the existence of heaven and earth (Matthew 24:35).

Perhaps you’re wondering how I responded to Chuck’s question. I am certain it wasn’t the answer he anticipated—or the answer I would have given 40 years ago. 

Let me illustrate by sharing a hypothetical story.

Imagine that I am preparing for the trip of a lifetime. I’ve dreamed about it—talked about it—for as long as I can remember.  

The destination? Somewhere exotic, but without hordes of tourists. Probably not Australia or New Zealand (Now there’s A to Z.) Someplace much further from home. How about the first commercial flight to the moon or Mars?

I’ve read all the tourism brochures about the destination and the long flight. I’m aware of very strict weight limits on my luggage. I’ve made a reservation. The departure date has been set more than a year in advance, but I’m well aware that it is only tentative. One thing is certain: I must be prepared to depart with very short notice. If I’m not at the gate (launch pad) I don’t fly! It’s as simple as that.

That’s also the way it will be with the return of Christ. The very most important question about His coming is not when, but how. How should I live every moment so that I’m prepared for that instant departure?

Jesus answered that critical “how” question with a series of instructions to His disciples. Each command could be summarized in two words. Words such as, “stay awake!” Don’t be like a homeowner soundly sleeping while a thief breaks into his home. (Matthew 24:42-44; Mark 13:32-36)

“Be faithful!” Don’t be caught by surprise like a servant caught messing around when the master unexpectedly returns. (Matthew 24:45-51)

“Be prepared!” Don’t be caught sleeping like five potential wedding guests with empty oil lamps when the wedding processional begins. (Matthew 25:1-13)

“Invest wisely!” Don’t be like the worthless servant that buried his master’s resources in the dirt. Here I am also reminded of Jesus’ instructions in His first recorded sermon—the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not lay up treasures for yourselves on earth…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” (Matthew 6:19-25) Jesus added another example of investing in people by serving them unselfishly. It may be as simple as sharing water or food or words of encouragement. (Matthew 25:31-46)

So how did I answer Chuck’s question as I sat there with pen and paper? 

I briefly shared that when it comes to many of the finer details related to Christ’s return, we ought to be careful before speaking dogmatically. It is much better and wiser to say something like, “As I understand Scripture. it appears to me that such and such will occur.” But I also shared with Chuck that there are specific truths we can claim with complete confidence. Like money in the bank.

Jesus will return someday, just as He promised. 

His coming will be literal, physical, visible and glorious. 

And it could happen at any moment—perhaps while Chuck was working on the patio. Perhaps as you are reading these words.

The right response, then, is not to argue and debate the details surrounding these prophetic events. The best plan is to live with the strong conviction that Jesus could appear at any moment. The proof that I believe in the future return of Christ will be in my actions—how I live my life.

The bottom line is that I ought to live in such way that I can truly anticipate Jesus’ arrival. I need to live out my days anticipating the sweetest words we could ever hear: “Well done, faithful servant.” Otherwise, we may find ourselves saying, “I wish I’d been better prepared.” 

If you are yet not a follower of Christ, why not repent of sin and place all your confidence and trust in Him and what He accomplished when He died in your place?

Now is the time!

Don’t ever find yourself exclaiming, “I wish I’d been ready!”

Two Transforming Truths

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This is the blog that almost wasn’t. It’s been a stressful past few weeks, and I confess I haven’t handled it well.

Trying to communicate through the Internet with The City of Troutdale Public Works Department, the IRS and the Oregon Pain Clinic frustrated me. Struggling with passwords and endless menu options and being put on hold for a half-hour only to be disconnected pushed me over the edge more than once. I allowed myself to vent my frustration. I am certain my blood pressure peaked to the danger zone more than once. I complained to my wife. And to God.

I received undeserved grace from both—after all grace is undeserved—isn’t it?

Crawling on my hands and knees—since I can’t stand without my cane—to remove tree roots in our backyard pushed my physical body over the limit.

It was Friday and I had no blog post ready to release on Monday, and I frankly didn’t care. I wondered if anybody would even miss it? That is, until an hour ago.

Listening to familiar hymns and gospel songs began to thaw my cold heart. One song, At Calvary, drew my attention back to last week’s blog about the cross. Words like, “O the love that drew salvation’s plan! O the grace that brought it down to man! O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary” brought tears to my eyes.

Another song, also related to the death of Christ on the cross, reminded me of how much Christ suffered on our behalf to bring us back—to reconcile us—to God. These lyrics from the song were spot on: “I can hear my savior say, ‘Thy strength indeed is small! Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in me thine all in all.”

My strength—both physical and emotional—was small. The invitation to find in Jesus all that I needed was a reminder me that I had been running on fumes.

But, it is the lyrics of the chorus that reached into my heart and soul. Two transforming truths are imbedded in the lyrics of the chorus. Two truths spurred me to get back on track and into the race. These two truths can transform broken relationships. Two truths provided an answer to the question that has plagued me lately, “What is my purpose? What am I doing that even matters?”

So I share these two truths and ask you to also reflect on them: Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe.

Jesus paid it all! O, the depth of His love for us! O, the great debt He has paid so that I can be forgiven. Forgiven for my lack of patience and gratitude this past week. Free to become all that I was created to be. If I truly understand and believe that truth, it should transform my life. My self-pity and carnal complaining should evaporate in light of the majestic truth that Jesus has indeed paid it all! I am loved unconditionally.

All to him I owe. That is the natural, logical and practical response to the first truth. The word “all” ends the first sentence, “Jesus paid it all,” and begins the second. Because Jesus paid the debt I could never repay I want to live my life for Him. Having experienced unconditional love and deep mercy, Paul exclaimed that he was a debtor. Paul realized that he deserved to have been executed when Jesus intercepted him right there on the road to Damascus. Instead he experienced mercy and grace–perhaps for the first time in his life. From that day forward, he was passionate about sharing the good news with both Jews and Greeks. He felt as if he owed every person he met an opportunity to know that Jesus had paid the debt for all our sin on the cross.

Jesus paid it ALL!

Nothing more needs or can be done to win God’s favor. Because Jesus paid it all, I am forgiven. I am loved unconditionally so I ought to—I want to—serve Him.

May the rest of my life be a love gift to Him! That is my purpose. So, if I never write another book or post another blog or teach another class, I want to live for Him who died for me.

How about you?

The Offensive Cross

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For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are begin saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18, NASV)

The cross has become the almost universal symbol for Christianity. But should it be? Are there legitimate alternatives that are less offensive in our post-Christian culture?

Whenever I see a building that looks like a house of worship, I can quickly distinguish whether it as a church, a synagogue, a Mormon stake, a mosque or a Buddhist or Hindu temple by one visible symbol. A cross.

Christian churches aren’t the only organizations that use the cross to identify themselves. Hospitals are often marked with a cross as are first aid stations and emergency vehicles. Even the landing pad for a medical emergency helicopter is marked by a cross.

How about the Red Cross, a international institution known for its blood drives and for providing assistance after natural disasters? (I find it interesting that another biblical symbol, a snake wrapped around a pole, is also used by the medical field. You may see it on the next ambulance that passes you with sirens screaming. But have you ever wondered why a snake is used as a symbol for saving lives? Check out the story of the brass serpent in Numbers 21:5-9.)

So, lately I have been wondering.  Are there other legitimate Christian symbols less offensive in our post-Christian culture?

We love to sing about the cross. Consider these familiar lyrics: I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain… So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross...”

What’s not to be grateful about the message of the cross? It was there that the “dearest and best”, the innocent and pure Son of God suffered and died in our place. It was there he shed his own blood to purchase my salvation. It was there he paid the debt I could never pay through my self-efforts. It was there on the cross he declared that his mission to seek and to save the lost was completed. There on the cross, he had paid the debt of my sin in full, so that I will never face condemnation again since he was condemned in my place. I am free! Forgiven!

Sadly, some have chosen the cross as a symbol of conquest and supremacy. The cross has been used to justify violence and oppression—a fact that can only please our adversary.

Consider the crusades. “Christian” armies (now there is an anomaly) from mediaeval Europe invaded Turkey and the Holy Land to resist the spread of Islam and to liberate Jerusalem from Muslim control. The crusades were sanctioned by the State Church and considered holy wars to justify their mission. Subsequently, every piece of territory won by the crusaders was eventually lost to the Turks. The greatest defeat was not the lost battles or lost lives but the violence that discredited the name of Jesus Christ. It was He, after all, who taught us to not seek revenge, but to trust God. The Crusader Cross not only brought disgrace but created a visible offense that remains a barrier to Muslims o this very day.

Closer to home and our modern era, how about the cross of the Klu Klux Klan? Following the Civil War, so-called  “Christians” hiding behind masks and hoods torched churches and homes to intimidate and retain control over recently “freed” black slaves. Under the banner of a cross blacks were lynched. Certainly these villains in white sheets were not following Christ, nor was their cross a legitimate reflection of the cross of Christ. Sadly, some professed Christ-followers still justify oppression and intimidation in order to preserve their privileged positions. Strangely, both klan members and the black church members sang the same hymn about the old rugged cross. I suspect only one of them really cherished the cross and the savior who died there.

Both noble and ignoble- praiseworthy and shameful- deeds have been done under the banner of a cross. So do we abandon the cross as our symbol? Do we remove the cross from our church buildings, as it is being done in China by the Communist party? Do we exchange the cross for something more palatable?

I could offer a few biblical symbols that describe Christians. Jesus called us “The light of the world” and the “Salt of the earth.” So, how about a lamp or a salt shaker? (I think not.)

Early Christians (given that title of derision by their critics) wore the name proudly but preferred to call themselves “followers of the way” or “brothers and sisters.” But those titles would be difficult to portray with a symbol.

 Christians in the first and second century did adopt a rather creative symbol to declare their allegiance to Christ. Jesus had invited his disciples to follow him and he would make them “fishers of men.” These early Christ-followers took Jesus seriously and adopted the symbol of a fish to declare their identity. Today, some contemporary Christians still use the fish symbol to declare their identity. You see the fish on a bumper sticker or in a business advertisement or on a letter head or as a piece of jewelry.

Skinning and filleting the fish (sorry, pun intended) we discover deeper reasons for our First and Second Century brothers and sisters to choose the fish symbol. The Greek word for fish is transliterated into English as ichthus was an acronym, stating Christian teaching or belief. Each letter of the Greek word declared their belief in who Jesus was and what he accomplished through his life, death on a cross and resurrection from the dead.

The first Greek letter, iota, is also the first letter in Jesus’ name. The next letter, the Greek chi, is the first letter in the word Christos or Christ. Early Christians believed that Jesus was the Christ, or the promised Jewish Messiah. The third letter in the word for fish, theta, our English dipthong th, is the first letter in the Greek word for god, theos. The next letter in ichthus is the Greek letter upsilon– the first letter in the word uios, ttranslated “son.” Finally, the sigma or our English “s” is the first letter in the Greek word sotor or savior.

In that one simple Greek word for fish the early Christians subtlety- yet- boldly professed their belief that “Jesus Christ- Iesous Christos was God’s  son -Theou Uios  and their savior-Sotor” That simple profession—tucked away in the symbol of a fish—distinguishes Christianity from all other world religions.

There is nothing offensive or militant or aggressive about the fish symbol. Nothing that smacks of superiority or of privileged position. Just an innocent fish that provides food and sustenance for all who will eat (believe). That was a wonderful picture of the early Christians, persecuted and considered unworthy of life, yet by their godly and unselfish lives won the day and turned the world upside down. That remains the mission of the church today—to transform the world one person at a time, not with swords or militant banners or political clout—but by living such unselfish lives that people ask the reason for our hope in a seemingly hopeless world.

So, should we tear down the cross from our steeples? Should we refrain from singing about the cross? Remove the cross from our preaching?

Never! God forbid!

We can and ought to remove all unnecessary barriers that prevent people from choosing to follow Jesus. Denominational names, although important, are not sacrosanct. Some teachings or practices that divide Christians need to be relegated from essential to preference. But, one truth, one stumbling block—the cross—cannot be tampered with or removed if we are to remain Christ-followers.

Paul was willing to discard cultural and religious traditions to improve the odds of winning a person—Jew or Greek—to Christ. One thing, however, was not up for debate. The cross of Christ was core to his message. Although the cross might offend a Jew or be considered stupidly foolish to a Greek, Paul told it like it was. (See 1 Corinthians 1:17-25) Christ crucified, buried and raised again on the third day was the Christian message.

It still is!

Remove the cross from the message and Christianity becomes just another world religion, encouraging its followers to “try a little harder to please God (or the gods).” It doesn’t work, because that kind of religion has removed the supernatural power to change human nature.

In the words of a contemporary Christian song, “O, the power of the Cross!”

So, I will continue to look for a cross on a church building. I will pray that the symbol on the steeple is more than a symbol. I pray that the message of Christ’s death on the cross remains the core of the message preached and taught in that building.

I choose to continue singing about the old rugged cross, and someday anticipate exchanging that symbol   for a   crown.

How about you?

Missing Words

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Every year new words are added to our English language. Other words fall out of the vocabulary and become archaic.

Words like algorithm, Facebook, email, blog, Google and the Internet—all part of our computer age—were not part of our vocabulary a few decades ago. Can you imagine the look on a person’s face, thirty years ago, if I said something like, “I wanted a recipe for gluten free bread so I googled it?”

People might think I had just arrived from another planet.

New words are also added in our religious vocabulary. The church growth movement of the last half of the twentieth century introduced words like “mega church” (“large church” had always been sufficient). Virtual worship entered our vocabulary after COVID19. There is no such thing as virtual worship or praise. Biblical praise requires verbal boasting about God so that a listener can respond or affirm. How, then, can I praise God if there is nobody to listen and respond? Does praising God via Zoom ciunt as corporate worship? I’ll leave that one with you.

It’s the words that seem to be missing in some contemporary Christian churches that trouble me most. Biblical words that were frequently heard from the pulpit (there’s another word we used to hear.) only a few decades ago but seldom heard today.

I realize there are exceptions. There are churches and pastors that still tell it like it is written in God’s Word. And they are lighthouses on a darkening landscape.

I suspect the move toward “seeker friendly” church services has influenced this choice to avoid words that might offend—hell, sin and blood don’t sell well today.

The movement away from expository preaching toward homilies—offering three secrets to a happy marriage or a larger bank account can’t replace what Paul called sound teaching. (Sound or healthy teaching  is the Greek word used in the New Testament. )

Another casualty from this dearth of biblical teaching has been the break-up of the family and the spiraling rate of divorce and remarriage in our churches. Children have grown up in homes, far too often, without sound parental instruction of how to live morally and uprightly. I wonder, have youth ministries—trying to compete with the secular culture—failed to teach biblical ethics and sexuality?

The secular culture is a major influence on the changing values and ethics of professing Christians. We are inundated with messages encouraging instant sexual gratification. While our youth are receiving little or no instruction about biblical sexuality, they are consistently receiving messages—through music and movies and television—that sex before or outside of a committed marital covenant is normal and safe. Seldom are we reminded that there are serious consequences such as sexually transmitted diseases, inconvenient pregnancies and emotional scars.

My chief concern is that these cultural changes in sexual mores have infiltrated the church.

I share a few statistics about the practice of co-habiting among professing Christians taken from an article in the April 2021 Christianity Today. According to a Pew Research survey in 2019 58% of white evangelicals and 70% of black Protestants believe cohabiting is acceptable if the couple plan to marry. A recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that 43% of evangelical Protestants ages 15-22 said they would definitely or probably cohabit in the future. Only 24% said they would definitely not.  53 percent of evangelical Protestants that are currently in their first marriage have cohabited with each other prior to marriage. COVID19 has apparently increased this cohabiting without marriage.

Our views as professing Christians toward divorce and remarriage have also changed. Divorce for almost any (or no) reason is becoming accepted in the evangelical church.

It seems to me that instead of being authentic Christ-followers we are morphing into “cultural Christians.” Culture, not the Bible, is shaping our values and mores. We sing that we love Jesus, but far too often our actions deny it. Didn’t Jesus say, “If you love me you will obey me?” The proof that Israel loved God, in the older testament, was that they obeyed him.

Let me share a few words that are apparently vanishing from our evangelical vocabulary. Words like holy matrimony, adultery, fornication, incest, polygamy and pre-marital sex. None of those words appeared the nearly five-page-article about co-habiting in the magazine article I mentioned above. I realize the article was specifically about the increased acceptance of co-habiting, but where were the biblical terms: adultery or fornication? Is “co-habiting” becoming another euphemism like “an affair” or “sleeping with” or “hooking up” to avoid using the more offensive biblical words to describe sin?

 By the way, the argument some use to justify cohabiting in order to see if the couple is compatible prior to entering into a marriage covenant doesn’t seem to work. In fact, the risk of divorce among married couples that cohabited prior to marriage actually increases.

As a pastor of almost five decades I have witnessed the increase in cohabiting prior to marriage. The greatest shock to me has been the apparent ignorance that it is actually called fornication in the Bible. I suspect that some young people have never even heard the word, fornication, let alone been taught that it is wrong—not to mention harmful.

How can we defend this biblical naiveté in our so-called evangelical, Bible-believing churches? I wonder how many young people passing through our children and youth programs are biblically literate. Would they know where to locate the Ten Commandments? The Sermon on The Mount?

I believe the causes of this gap between what we profess and how we live are manifold, but the primary blame lies on our spiritual leaders. It’s our responsibility as pastors and Christian parents to teach God’s Word. We are not called to follow the shifting winds of culture. We are not called to be popular but to live holy lives in a “crooked and perverse” generation. We are called to lead by our example.

Yes, we must continue to preach grace, practice love, offer encouragement and to seek to comfort and help the broken and wounded. But we must also exhort them to obey God. Otherwise, we are teaching them to build their lives on sand. The only difference between the two home builders—the two houses— in Jesus’ parable is one word: obedience. Both men had heard the truth, but only one had applied the truth to his life. Jesus taught that it is not enough to know or to claim to love God’s Word, we must do what it commands. Anything less is building a shack on the shifting sand of our culture.

We may not be called to be judges, especially of the culture around us, but we are called to speak the truth, the whole truth to those whom God has placed under our leadership.

Because the Church has been following culture rather than leading, our culture is rapidly disintegrating. Today we deal with gender identity issues, women competing against men in sports, the State permitting a child to change their gender without parental permission and a host of problems that we couldn’t imagine thirty years ago.

The Congress and the Supreme Court have perverted the institution of marriage. A few years ago the issue was whether two men (or two women) could legally marry each other. But that was yesterday. Just recently a parent on the east coast has filed a legal challenge to be able to marry their adult child. That was once called incest and forbidden in almost every culture and religion. Definitely forbidden in the Bible.

Soon, if not already, someone will be seeking legal permission to marry and have sexual intercourse with their pet dog. I am not kidding. That is the risk once we have replaced God’s Word with whatever the changing winds of culture demand.

I remember this phrase from the musical, Fiddler on The Roof,” Pull out a thread and when will it stop?” Traditions had kept the small, Jewish community intact, but times were changing, just as they are today.

When will it stop? Probably never! Have we crossed the line of no return?

One thing is certain: The Church, God’s people on earth, have the thread and the needle to help stitch the hemorrhaging wounds in our culture. God has also provided the pattern for healthy sexuality, healthy families and a healthy church.

It is not ours to re-imagine a new, better world.

 But It is ours to simply trust and obey.

Time Flies

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One of the most familiar symbols or depictions of our lives is an hourglass or a sand clock.

The hourglass, sometimes with wings, has been a symbol of the passage of time since antiquity. Perhaps you’ve seen the Latin words tempus fugit  on an antique clock.

Tempus fugit or “time flies” certainly describes my life today.

An hour glass consists of two glass bulbs connected vertically by a narrow neck that regulates the flow of sand from the upper bulb into the lower bulb. The specific duration of time that an hourglass measures is determined by the quantity and coarseness of the sand, the bulb size, and the width of the neck. One of the most familiar sand clocks measures the time for boiling an egg—three to four minutes for a soft boiled egg.

Unlike most other methods to measure time, the hourglass vividly illustrates the present moments that exist between the past and the future. With the addition of metaphorical wings, the hourglass is a reminder that human existence is fleeting, and that the “sands of time” will run out for every human life. At birth the top bulb is usually filled with grains of sand—moments of time.

When I study the picture of the hourglass above, I am reminded how little time remains for me. The top bulb in the glass represents the future that awaited me at my birth. It was full—full of potential and of time. I remember how slowly time passed as a child and in my youth. Like a toddler, time crawled. Life was filled with anticipation of events like the first day of school, entering my teens, waiting for a driver’s license and graduating from high school. The sand was slipping through the neck of the hourglass, but there was so much sand left that it seemed imperceptible.

At midlife, turning forty, the sand seemed to be pouring more rapidly, but still there was still so much left in the upper bulb of my sand clock. So much future to enjoy and invest, to plan and dream. But, all the while, the sand kept slipping away. I watched as the 50’s morph into 60’s and 70’s. This July I arrive, if time permits, at the perfect 77. The sand seems to be racing faster and faster; and the mass remaining in the upper bulb seems to be evaporating.

Several recent events have pulled me up short: A few weeks ago I received a phone call from a missionary friend sharing that his wife had lost her battle with cancer. Don and his wife, Ilene, once attended our church in Bend where I was a pastor. They founded and led a very fruitful ministry in the Baja and Oaxaca, Mexico. I felt deep grief at the news of her passing.

Shortly after the above news I received a letter from a woman in Marion, Ohio. Beryl shared that her husband, Charles Reed, had died from congestive heart failure. Chuck, as we called him, and I had served as co-pastors of The Berean Baptist Church in Marion prior to my moving to Oregon to attend Western Seminary in 1978. Over the years we stayed loosely connected with annual letters and occasional visits. Beryl included a copy of Chuck’s obituary from the Marion Star newspaper. Included in the article were two pictures: one of a handsome young man about age 30—Chuck, the young man that I had served with. The other picture was the white-haired older man that passed from this life on March 26, 2021. The picture of the young man represented the top bulb of the hour glass.

There was something about learning that Chuck, one year younger than me, was absent from this body. Chuck was more than a friend but the other member of a team of two young men serving arm-in-arm at a young, vibrant church.

Last Sunday (as I am writing this blog post) I was startled to learn that another dear friend had passed into the presence of Christ that morning. Barbara was a member at Foundry Church in Bend where I had served almost twenty-five years. She had the most gentle demeanor. I first met Barbara after her husband had died and she began attending our church.

Yesterday, I received a phone call from a widow of only a few months. Last year they celebrated fifty years of marriage. She and her husband had also attended Foundry. I attempted to encourage her as she struggles through the early waves of grief.

These four back-to-back reminders of the brevity of life and certainty of death have deeply impacted me. Each painful message of another friend’s death was a vivid reminder of tempus fugit—time flies.

God recently gave me two other timely reminders—not through a personal letter or a phone call—but through His Word. I finished reading through Deuteronomy this morning. The 34th chapter records the death and mysterious burial of Moses on Mt. Nebo (in present day Kingdom of Jordan).

“Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated. And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days.” (Deuteronomy 34:7–8, ESV)

Last week I completed another reading through Ecclesiastes. I have always loved Solomons’s artistic description of aging and the inevitable dying that we all face. Perhaps as he gazed on an hourglass watching the sand racing from the top bulb into the lower—from the future through present and into the  past—Solomon was reminded of the brevity (vanity or emptiness) of life. Note his challenge:

“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.… The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14, ESV)

Solomon’s challenge remains apropos today: remember our Creator while yet there is yet time because one day we will each stand before God and give an accounting for how we invested the time He placed in our hourglass.

Today, as I reflect on how silently-how rapidly- the grains of sand in my hour glass are passing, I am called up short. I want to finish strongly. I don’t plan to see 120 years like Moses, nor is my physical strength or eyesight comparable to Moses, but I want to seize each passing moment in this race called life.

Wherever you find yourself today, whether you are young and the top bulb of your sand clock appears to be almost full, or almost empty, now is the time to reflect on how you want to invest the time remaining. Now is the time to anticipate the finish line.

Are there broken relationships that need reconciled? Now is the time! Is there an important task that needs to be moved to the front burner? Now is the time.

We live in that narrow neck between past and future where the sand is racing.

Moses, writing in his old age, put it like this:

“The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:10–12, ESV)

Carpe Diem!

Collateral Damage or Blessings

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We may remove the stigma of an action, but the consequences remain.

Freedom of choice has been imbedded in our culture. Congress has passed “Freedom of Choice” laws guaranteeing our right to make personal choices in many areas of our lives. A sexual act between consenting adults, once was considered immoral or even illegal, has become the accepted norm. I remember a science teacher in my high school losing his job because of an illegal sexual act. (At least it was illegal then.) That would never happen today, because the sexual act was (at least was intended to be) a private act between consenting adults. After all, it wasn’t anybody else’s business, and it didn’t hurt anybody else. Right?

Oh, but it did. There were many people impacted by that man’s action.

Our personal choices to exercise our freedom have consequences—good or bad, beneficial or harmful. That science teacher’s choice not only cost his job, but resulted in his wife experiencing shame—and ultimately leaving her job as an English teacher. (She had a significant influence that benefited me greatly in college.) She was innocent but became collateral damage from her husband’s choices.

I remember this quote by Jen Wilken in a recent edition of Christianity Today: “Personal guilt yields collateral suffering. Personal holiness yields collateral blessing.” It just makes sense, doesn’t it? As the apostle Paul put it: “For none of us lives to himself alone” (Romans 14:7).

In my book, God in His Own Image: Loving God for who He is … not who we want Him to be, I described how parental actions can affect generations that follow. The consequences can roll on for decades. Even centuries. 

Throughout the Bible we discover examples of people making foolish choices that hurt not only themselves, but innocent by-standers as well.

Just three chapters into the Book of Genesis we find the first example. Adam and Eve exercised their freedom to eat forbidden fruit. Everything on earth changed—for the worse—that day. New words entered their vocabulary. Words like guilt, shame, fear, separation and death. Collateral damage from their wrong choice included being evicted from their home. No longer enjoying their utopian environment, they now struggled to put food on the table. Disharmony and distrust uprooted unity in their relationship. They would bury their second-born son—the victim of a brother’s jealousy.

Their sin and the resulting curse of death and separation from their Creator have plagued every person that has drawn breath on this planet. (Including our Lord, who voluntarily took that plague on His own shoulders.) Our first parents’ choice to act independently of God is the root of every criminal act, every divorce, every abortion, every casualty of war and every disease.

Mankind’s defiant choice to act independently of God also resulted in a universal flood, destroying every living soul except eight members of Noah’s family.

Israel’s rebellion against the God who had delivered them from Egyptian bondage extended what would have been a short journey into 40 dreadful years in the desert. Every adult over the age of 20 perished. Their children and grandchildren experienced collateral damage from their parents’ sin.

Perhaps you’ve heard the name Achan. His choice to keep gold, silver coins and a Babylonian robe after the fall of Jericho is a prime example of one man’s guilt yielding collateral damage. Achan was killed, along with his family, just as God has warned back in Deuteronomy. His “secret” sin also cost the lives of many Israelite soldiers in the battle against Ai. More collateral damage.

How about David? A man with a heart for God abused his position as king, choosing to have a one-night-fling with Bathsheba. Two consenting adults (I assume Bathsheba consented) enjoyed a secret tryst. Nobody knew. Nobody was hurt, or so David thought. When an unwanted pregnancy followed, David sought to protect his public image. But there would be collateral damage to pay. Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, was killed by the command of David. The baby died. David’s children also became collateral damage. One son was murdered by his jealous half-brother, Absalom, who would also attempt to assassinate his father. 

That’s enough biblical evidence to demonstrate that personal guilt can result in collateral damage.

How about the second part of the quote: “Personal guilt yields collateral suffering. Personal holiness yields collateral blessing?”

When we choose to do what is right—righteous—others will experience the blessing. Biblical examples, once again, abound.

Noah’s choice to obey God preserved humanity. We are living evidence. 

Abraham’s choice to obey God blessed his descendants, Israel. Through Israel, the nations have received the blessing of the birth and life of Jesus Christ. I am the beneficiary of Abraham’s choice to trust God.

Paul, writing to the believers in Rome, expressed confidence in the principle that doing good deeds results in blessings to the giver. Jewish believers, like Paul, had shared the gospel with Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire. These Gentile believers were now sharing a large financial gift with Jewish believers back in Jerusalem who were suffering serious deprivation and near famine conditions. These Jewish Christ-followers were now being blessed by their Gentile brothers and sisters in Rome.

I share a personal example. One day back in the early 1950’s a field representative from The Moody Bible Institute visited our farm in western Nebraska. He shared the gospel with my mother and told her about evangelistic meetings being held at The First Baptist Church in Sidney (about thirty miles away). My parents attended one of the meetings and responded to the gospel. Now I am the recipient of that visit from the Moody rep who took the time to plant a seed in my mother’s heart. I later attended Moody and the rest is history. Righteous actions result in collateral blessings.

Even more dramatic is the fact that you and I enjoy extravagant blessings as a result of the righteous choices Jesus made. Through his life, death and resurrection we can experience the forgiveness of sin, the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit, the blessed hope of Christ’s return and the promise of spending eternity in His presence.

Meanwhile, He has given us purpose and meaning. Everything we do, in submission to Him, will be rewarded. Nothing is in vain. In fact, had Jesus chosen not to do the right thing, we would be lost, without hope and without God in a world without purpose.

The blessings continue to fall like refreshing rain, resulting in the sweet fruit of harvest.

Some people recoil at the thought that one choice—in a garden by two ancestors living millennia ago—should continue to negatively impact us today. They respond, “How unfair! Why should I pay for something I didn’t do?” 

That’s the objection Paul responds to in Romans 5:12-21. He reminds us that just as one man’s sin condemned every person to death, another man’s righteous actions offer forgiveness and righteousness to all who will trust in Jesus and receive God’s offer of reconciliation.

So today, when struggling with temptation, let us remember that every choice we make has consequences. Some positive. Some painfully negative. Some may even cause pain for innocent people that weren’t involved in our decision. 

Let’s choose to bless others through our choices to do the right thing.

“Come, Lord Jesus.” (But Maybe Not Today?)

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Honest question. Do you and I really believe that Jesus might return soon? Perhaps this very day? Before you finish reading these words? 

Followers of Jesus have always anticipated Christ’s promised return. That blessed hope, that fervent anticipation, has sustained believers through persecution for two millennia. Today thousands of Christians are suffering severe persecution—even death—but continue to hold tightly to the promise of Christ’s return and the rewards to follow.

I often hear professing Christians bemoan the present condition of the world and, with a sigh, they add, “Thank God, Jesus is coming very soon.” 

Those words seem to communicate both hope and faith that the present trials will soon end. But sometimes I wonder. Do we actually believe that He could come TODAY? Our actions, not our words, demonstrate whether or not we truly expect to hear the trumpet call any moment.

So how should we live if we truly expect Jesus to return any moment? 

Good question. If fact, that’s what the apostle Peter asked. He said, “What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God…? (2 Peter 3:11).

I offer four priorities to consider.

Be prepared! Don’t be caught by surprise.

When His disciples asked Jesus when He would return and what signs would precede it, He responded,“Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:36, 37, ESV). That suggests Jesus could return any moment. 

Meanwhile, Jesus said life on earth would continue pretty much as it was before the great flood. People would continue to eat and drink, to marry and have families “until the day Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:38, emphasis mine).

Jesus then shared several down-to-earth stories to illustrate how people will be caught by surprise when He returns. People going about their daily routines like planting or harvesting or cooking a meal, will be shocked by His sudden appearance. His coming will be like a thief breaking into a home at night while everyone feels safe. His coming will catch people by surprise, just like careless or crooked servants are caught red-handed when their master unexpectedly returns early. He went on to paint a word picture of wedding guests falling into slumber while waiting for a tardy bridegroom to arrive—and being excluded from the ceremony. (You can read these stories in Matthew 24:35-25:30.)

What’s the bottom line of each illustration? Don’t be caught by surprise. “Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44).

Be patient! Persevere! 

Most of us humans (and me for sure) tend to lose patience over long waiting times. In our “instant gratification culture” we can have almost anything we want whenever we want it. If the local store doesn’t have something, try Amazon. You can have it delivered to your front door tomorrow morning. Just this afternoon While editing this blog I left to run an errand. When I drove up to the drive-in teller at our local bank, there was only one person in front of me so I assumed it wouldn’t take long. However, after what seemed to be ten minutes, it was finally my turn. Meanwhile I had been grousing about the poor service and arguing with myself as to whether I should just back up and return some other day. 

It’s tough to wait when we are used to fast food and email rather than snail mail. The same can happen as we wait for Christ’s return.

If John in the First Century, expected Christ to return at any moment, where is He? Has His departure been delayed like a plane grounded in fog? The problem is that we may begin to feel like the mocking skeptics that Peter warned about:

“… I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.”

Peter continues:
“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief”… (2 Peter 3:1–10, ESV).

James adds: “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7–8, ESV, emphasis mine).

Did you catch that last statement?  “Be patient. Establish your hearts…” Let us never allow the routine of life to dull our enthusiastic anticipation for Christ’s return.

Pursue holiness.

Peter asks the big question: “…What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God … Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation… (2Peter 3:10–14, ESV). 

John agreed as he wrote, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (1 John 3:2–3, ESV). 

 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:13–21, ESV, emphasis mine). 

Provide for a secure retirement.  

There is a commercial on TV that shows a former actor lovingly fingering a stack of gleaming gold coins. Looking into the camera, he tells us how important it is to buy gold and store it away “in these uncertain times.” Lowering his voice, he adds, “I even like the feel of gold.” 

Yes, gold might feel nice. But Jesus warned against living as if material things are permanent—and as if money or treasures can be tucked safely away for my future here on earth. If I live that way, counting on my bank account or IRA or gold buried in the back yard, I’m really living as if I don’t expect Jesus to return. At least not in my lifetime. But if I truly, genuinely believe Christ could come today, it will be reflected in my bank account, my portfolio and my final testament and will. Hear Jesus’ words:

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:32-34, ESV, emphasis mine).

What I treasure, what I value most, reveals where my heart is focused. There’s no getting around it.

This world offers so many pleasant distractions and material things—especially to us living in America. As a result, it is deceptively easy to find ourselves living as if this is all there is. No future, no eternity—just today. We begin to invest our resources in things we enjoy now. We set aside a generous “nest egg” for our retirement. To any honest observer, we are living as if Jesus won’t be returning anytime soon. 

Do you really believe that Jesus may return soon? Possibly by 2:00 p.m. today or tonight at 12:30? 

Caution: before you answer affirmatively, ask yourself if your actions support your words.

Ask: 

  • Am I prepared to meet Him with confidence, or will I be caught by surprise?
  • Am I persevering during the long wait, or is the counsel of the skeptics influencing me? (Was I anticipating Christ’s return while I was fussing over the lack of service at the bank today?)  
  • Am I pursuing holiness? Recently a well-known author and apologist died. Rumors about sexual abuse—once denied—are now being authenticated by several witnesses. Did this man truly believe that He could be face to face with Jesus at any moment? I can’t say, but his actions seem to nullify it. Live each day, make every decision about things you choose to do or to see, based on the grid that Jesus might return.
  • Provide for a secure future by investing in things that God values. Share your abundance with the poor, the widow, the orphan and the refugee. Making a difference in this world is evidence that I believe there is another world to come—an eternal home in the presence of God.

We Shall Behold Him

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So what’s my favorite picture of Jesus?

Over the past few weeks we have considered some of our favorite descriptions of Jesus—such as touching a man filled with leprosy or hugging the little children that the disciples felt unworthy of His time and attention. Last week we reflected on Jesus’ hands, washing the feet of His friends at the Passover Dinner. The next day His hands and feet were nailed to the cross. 

So how would you describe Jesus?                                                              

Obviously, nobody has actually taken a photo of Jesus.  No first century artist painted His picture or considered this rabbi significant enough to chisel His likeness in stone, as they did with Caesar and other famous leaders. Centuries before He was born, the prophet Isaiah told us that “He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him” (Isaiah 53:1, nasb).

Even the men who wrote the four gospels, who walked with Him over the course of several years, didn’t include a physical description of Jesus. We might wish they had, but they didn’t. So we can probably conclude that He looked like any other ordinary man.

Fortunately, the Bible contains descriptions of things Jesus did or said that help us identify with Him—to put a face on Him, if you will. Without these stories we wouldn’t know whether He was kind and gentle or harsh. Was He an extrovert or more reserved?  Did He prefer to hang out near the temple with the respected religious leaders, or was He comfortable around sinners? A resounding, “Yes!” to the last option. In fact, the elite religious accused Him of being a “friend of sinners.” These eyewitness accounts affirm that tax-collecting thieves and women of ill repute or those possessed by demons were part of His social circle. (Of course, each of these had been rescued and set free by Jesus.)

Mark summarized Jesus’ life in one descriptive sentence: “He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

We find it easy to love the Jesus who was tender and kind-hearted—the healer and helper. We admire the great teacher who held multitudes spellbound with His simple, but probing, stories. Who wouldn’t admire Jesus the great miracle worker who fed a multitude with a boy’s small lunch?

We respect the Jesus who could have called an army of angelic warriors, but chose to die alone for sinners like us. We celebrate His victory over death—dedicating the first day of each week as The Lord’s Day and one day each year as resurrection Sunday. Every time we observe the Lord’ Supper the words, “Do this in remembrance of Me,” draw our minds back to His sacrificial death. That’s it! That’s the key! Remember Jesus for who He is and what He has done—for giving His life for us.

So, what’s my favorite picture of Jesus?

My very favorite picture of Jesus hasn’t yet been taken, but I know it will be the most splendid and glorious of all pictures in my memory album.

I love Jesus for all the above reasons and many more. I create mental pictures of Him when I read the gospels or sing songs about Him, and that’s good. But I am saving room in my Jesus memory album for one more picture—not of something that He has done but for something He has promised to do. 

At the Passover dinner, Jesus shocked His disciples when He said that He would die the next day. Then He added that they were to remember Him whenever they ate the bread and drank from the cup. The cup and the bread are like a photo of a loved one. You know what I mean. You focus on that photograph—that thin slice of time—and you remember that person and what he or she means to you. Remembering them can be comforting.

Jesus also gave His disciples something to anticipate.

Anticipation and hope are vital to our mental and physical health—sometimes even our survival. When life is very severe, some people may lose hope and choose death over life. 

Prisoners of war, such as those in the Nazi concentration camps have endured terrible conditions. Each had water, food and oxygen—the essentials for life—yet many died while others survived horrible abuse. The secret?  Those who survived had hope—something to anticipate: being rescued and returning home. The book and the movie, “Unbroken,” tell the story of Louis Zemperini. Louis spent 47 days adrift in a life raft with three fellow Americans after their bomber crashed into the ocean. He was eventually captured and incarcerated in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp, where he was tortured and brutalized for almost two years. But he never lost hope that the Allies would win the war and set him free. That’s the sustaining power of hope.

I believe all the stories in the Bible have been stitched together with hope. The first promise in the Bible, in Genesis 3:15, is a promise that the “seed of the woman” (that we now know is Jesus Christ) would someday destroy the serpent (Satan). The battle between the serpent and the Son of the woman would be severe. It would even appear that the serpent had won when they buried Jesus, but His resurrection would ultimately seal Satan’s doom forever. 

Godly people of faith have clung to that promise throughout Scripture, enabling them to survive the most severe challenges. The promise was passed from generation to generation—from people like Seth, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and the prophets. The older testament closes with an affirmation that the promised seed would come; the newer testament opens with the announcement of the birth of the promised seed to a young Jewish virgin. The gospels tell about his life, death and resurrection and conclude with another promise that Jesus would return again. The Book of Acts opens with an angel promising Jesus’ disciples: “This same Jesus will come in the same manner.”  

I can imagine, as Jesus was being visibly lifted up into heaven, the disciples standing with mouths gaping in wonder. The promise that Jesus would return became the motivating factor that sustained the apostles through persecution and even martyrdom. 

The New Testament letters reverberate with the promise that we also will someday rise again to new life when Christ returns. It’s called the “blessed hope and glorious appearing” of the Christ.

The Book of The Revelation is just that—an unveiling of Jesus as both lion and lamb, sovereign and savior. Revelation closes with the most glorious descriptions of Jesus Christ:

 “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:11–16, ESV) 

No matter how we may interpret these verses, the point is clear: Jesus will return as the warrior king and righteous judge. His judgments will be severe. 

The imagery changes from the warrior Jesus riding on a white warhorse to Jesus, the King of Kings seated on a white throne. 

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.  (Revelation 20:11-15, ESV)

How would you describe the above scene? Solemn? Dreadful? Threatening? Yes! No matter if a person is powerful and famous or insignificant, each will stand before the Great Judge to be judged on the basis of what they have done in this life. My name is written in that book. Yours, also.

The following paragraphs in The Revelation describe a renewed heaven and earth where God will again dwell among His people as He did in the Garden so long ago. Try to imagine that scene!

Even more amazing are these words: “They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:4,5, ESV)

Then this amazing promise from the lips of Jesus himself: “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” (Revelation 22:12, 13, ESV)

Finally, the Bible closes with this grand invitation: 

The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. …He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”  (Revelation 22:17, 20, ESV)

How should we respond to such a person and such a promise? Can there be better words than these? “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” (Revelation 22:20, ESV)

And that is our hope. That is our strong motivation to stand strong through whatever storms threaten to destroy us. 

Yes, sometimes life may feel like a prison. The culture around us seems to be rapidly disintegrating—wrong is right and right is mocked. Trusted friends betray. Health breaks. We feel like we’re adrift in a sinking boat on a stormy sea. All hope is sinking with the boat.

In times like these, when life feels hopeless, where shall we turn? To whom? 

How about reflecting on this promise? Jesus will return, perhaps today, and we shall behold Him face to face. In that moment, we won’t wonder anymore about “what He looks like.” No, we will actually see Him face to face in all His glory—no longer just another ordinary man—but glorious, majestic, indescribably beautiful!

 Imagine our first impression—our response—the truly over-the-top emotions. There are no words in human language suitable to describe His beauty or to measure our emotional response.

That blessed hope should sustain us in the midst of trials.  

I realize the song may be dated, but I believe you will be encouraged by listening to Sandi Patti signing Dottie Rambo’s, We Shall Behold Him. 

Sandi Patty – We Shall Behold Him (Official Live Video) – Bing video