It's a Symphony!

 

A New Beginning

Today marks a new beginning for us. The next season of life. It's at once a huge blessing and also something of a loss as we leave our old life behind. A truly wonderful life filled with weddings, neighborhood patio parties, birthday celebrations, Bible studies, and sledding days. Each bringing thankfulness to our minds and hearts, lifting our spirits.

It's an odd mix of joy, anticipation, and a bit of melancholy and even sadness for me. This was my home for 35 years. The longest I've lived anywhere in a young life of 21 locations in my first 18 years. Stability was found here in an earthly sense. And for our children who grew up there. We thank God for allowing us to stay in one place all these years. 

What lies ahead? Who knows? But we do know God is faithful, and in that, we are grateful.

 

Fear or Celebration?

If you are like most of the U.S.A. today, you are thinking about the Presidential Election. Pro-Harris or Pro-Trump? There's no worry or no time for celebration. The Bible's book of Daniel says in Chapter 2:21-  “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding…” We have nothing to fear and only reason to celebrate because Our God is in control!

Let Us Always Remember, and Let Us Put Our Hope in God Almighty

Please remember this day. Don't remember just the evil events, though. Yes, it was a day of tragedy, but it was also a day for heroes! Big, big heroes. When radical Islamists decided to attack the United States of America on our land on this day in 2001, we as an American people came together as one. For a time, we were all Americans first before we were anything else. 

Now, let us gather together now in prayer for our nation and to think again of the sacrifices made. There was a loss of family and friends because of heroic acts on behalf of those who loved this country more than their own lives. Let us preserve our freedoms and not hand them over to other nations to destroy or politicians who will remove what made this country great. Let us honor God most of all, and Praise His Name spite of all the evil around us and evil done against us.

Coming to Peace with Amy Grant Even If I Disagree with Her

This is almost like a gift. Years back, we had tickets to see Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith in concert, and then my father was scheduled for emergency heart surgery the same day. Out of state. We gave the tickets to some friends. I flew out to see him, and we moved on. I haven't had a chance to see her again.

Even longer ago, when Amy came through town on the House of Love tour, we had great seats! Gary Chapman opened for his wife and was quite good But I waited for the title song. The hit song with now husband Vince Gill is still one of my favorites- and truth be told, when the Building the House of Love video came out on A&M Records, my wife and I could easily recognize the spark and chemistry between she and Vince. Little did we know what was going on. 

Amy is no stranger to controversy. Now, her affirmation and support of her niece's wedding to another woman is just somewhere that I can't go. We've had many family members whom we love deeply who are gay- but for the life of us, we cannot find references or a consistent support in the Bible for same sex relationships. Our lives belong to Jesus Christ, and if we're going to carry his name, we've got to be 100% willing to die to everything that God's word says is unholy. Everything. 

I was more than disappointed in Amy. I was angry. Very angry. 

Some say she's abandoned her faith, others say she never had it. I say Amy is still growing in it, and like many of us, have chosen to believe things that are not true- or worse, failed to align their beliefs with what God deems clean and pure. But let me state clearly- she is wrong in this approval of those living the LGBTQ lifestyle and professing Jesus. To support what God deems evil is wrong. There is deception going on here. The truth is always loving. The presentation of it must be loving as well.

We're all broken. We're all imperfect. Even if you side with Amy on this issue, look deep within and admit there's still a lot of work left to be done in you. If you disagree with her on this issue, remember you like I am not perfect. There's still work to be done, and if God's spirit is in us, we must choose to disagree peacefully and civilly. That attitude reflects God's heart to a world that needs to know Him. Not pride and ego, arguing and fighting. We all - believer in Jesus Christ or not- can come to God imperfect and broken, but we must yield to Him and His ways to continue to show Him that he is loved. Sermon over. 

Pray for Amy to come to the truth in humility and to be willing to stand up for it- lovingly, kindly, but bravely. Many will fall away from Jesus. The Word tells us that. Is this the beginning of Amy's total move away from the Lord? I hope not.

It's still hard for me to listen to her now- sadly, even her Christmas albums- which I love.

Now... here's a great concert where Amy performs hits both secular and sacred, and she tells many stories along the way. Human stories that reveal brokenness in her own family and God's enduring faithfulness. 

Thanks to 7th Stone Media for publishing this concert for 2023:

What the Easter Bunny Can't Do- The Triumph of the Cross

Did the Easter Bunny bring you all you wanted? My bet is he did not. What we really want is something that lasts behind chocolate that melts, that next Walt Disney World trip, or whatever shiny, new, bright thing it is you want. 

You know, nobody kills the Easter Bunny. But the best gift of all came from one who was sentenced to die. He followed through because of love. Love for a lost and broken and hurting- even angry- mankind. Jesus doesn't look the other way. He sees you. He knows you. And he's waiting for you. In fact, he went a step further and died in our place. He paid the price we should have.

Because of his great love, Jesus keeps things simple. "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (The verse in the Bible is found in the book of John, chapter 14, verse 6.) 

It wasn't an easy journey. First came death on a cross. A brutal and terrifying way to die. Torture like none other. Medically, it's just an awfully painful way to die. His radical way to show great love begins with his submission to this kind of death.

But oh, then comes Easter Sunday morning- the Triumph of Jesus over sin and death- for our benefit! Never a victim- always a champion. He accomplished this great mission born from Love- the very mission the Father gave Him. Jesus the triumphant one! Preachers everywhere should remember this! As should the people He gave his life for.

Imagine being one of his followers back in ancient days. You go to the tomb expecting to offer your prayers and honor Jesus, but instead a great surprise awaits. Exploring the empty tomb, you discover His crucified body has instead risen back to life- all to the glory of God the Father. Then you remember Jesus' own words that He would rise again- fully paying the price for my sin and yours. Owning this as eternal truth deep inside your heart leads to untold adventures of spirit and soul. 

His follower Peter had it right. When Jesus said, "Who do you say that I am?", he answered "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." (See the Bible's Book of Matthew, chapter 16, verses 13-20.) 

Then Peter got scared, eventually ran away when the soldiers came to take Jesus. But Peter came back to his senses, and he became a powerful leader for those who loved Jesus. 

Don't be fooled- Hell is a real place. It's a place designed for all who reject God's gift of Jesus for the payment for our sins. When Jesus returns to judge the earth, our chances to decide for him are over, never again to be offered to us. 

Just like Peter, we all have to answer Jesus' question- "Who do you say that I am?"

Disney World's Easter Bunny and Beyond

Soft, fuzzy and very cute. The Easter Bunny is everything a little kid could want, bringing chocolate and small gifts to all who anxiously wait for his arrival. It's even more fun to see him at Disneyland or Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. It's a great parade!

But do you want something far better? Look no further than the original Easter present, Jesus Christ. His only parade came days before he was killed. Instead of riding on a magnificent war horse, he came riding through town on a donkey- a symbol of humility and coming in peace. But make no mistake, Jesus is still the King of Kings!

The Son of God come in the flesh- the very one who will return to earth one day to establish his eternal kingdom. He’ll come to judge the living and the dead- but His gifts are better than chocolate. He alone gives eternal life, the best gift of all.

But who exactly is Jesus? Or more specifically, "Who is Jesus Christ to you?" This very question will be asked of all of us on earth one day. If you don't understand, read ahead and you'll discover the greatest love story ever told.

His death was brutal, but his blood had to be shed.

In 2023, today is special. It's called Good Friday for we who believe in Jesus and what He came on earth to accomplish. His crucifixion on the cross to pay for the sin of mankind is honored this day. But it's not the end of the story. That's what Easter is all about. Easter Sunday is the joyful celebration of His Resurrection from the dead back to life. 

Just think about this: The very measurement of time changed because of this event!

Jesus is controversial- and His story timeless. Magazines still devote cover stories to Him, books continue to be written, songs composed, and films made. Each piece brings to the forefront Jesus' own question to his disciple Peter, and again, it is one we all must answer: "Who do you say I am?" 

He was not a victim! Jesus was victorious over death and chose to die on our behalf.

Yes, it's true. Just for you and me and the whole earth - from the beginning of time. Jesus chose to lay down his life to redeem us from Hell. The Hell we deserve for our sin. Ever lie? Cheat? Slander? Hold hate in your heart- even hate for yourself? Then, his sacrifice via the cross was a gift just for you. It's a gift that cost him so much pain and sorrow. If you receive this gift of eternal life by choosing and following Him, it's not only a fresh start for you, it's also a gift back to Him. One that will bless him. Yes, it really is something very, very special.

Hung on the cross between two men who deserved to die. 

One chose to believe in Him. One didn't what will you choose?

God is very gracious and loving by making it crystal clear and easy to understand: Jesus Himself says He is the Only Way, the Only Truth, the Only Life and that no one would be able to come to an eternity with God the Father except by receiving Him. (Read the Book of John in the New Testament, Chapter 14). God could have made it difficult to discover, but He did not. It's not from hate or prejudice, it's from love He said what He said and did what He did.

It was His same great love for the people He created- that includes you and me- that caused Him to sacrifice Jesus in our place. And it's His same love that draws you to Him. Can you feel the call to Him in your heart? Does your spirit leap at the sound of His name?

If not, it's time to ask yourself why. 

At the end of time, known as the Final Judgment in the Bible, (See the last book of the Bible. It's called "Revelation"), Jesus has returned to earth as the Triumphant King that He is. Mankind, one person at a time, must give an account for how they have lived their life. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and have lived to please Him all their days will proceed to an eternal glory free from pain and suffering.

Unfortunately, not all will believe. He gave men free will to choose. To those who have turned away from Jesus, rejected Him even though He was God's gift to pay for our sins, they will be sent to Hell, the place of fire and torment forever. Hell was designed for Satan and his demonic angels, but those that deny Jesus as Messiah (Christ) and follow their own path, end up in that place as well. It's their choice, not God's.

Jesus is not in his tomb.

It was truly a very Good Friday! His story is told to this day all over the world- and in spite of any opposition, it has never been able to be stopped.

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. (from the Bible's book to the church in Rome, chapter 5, verses 6-8)

So, Jesus' question remains: Who do you say that I am?

Conquering Shame and Living Beyond Our Limitations

Have you grown weary standing up against people that oppose you? Do you want to become someone stronger and freer? Ever feel like giving up when you once again face the struggles in your life? You know, the ones that tire you out, the secret places deep inside that you’d be ashamed to admit exist, the pain you’ve tried and often failed to overcome, the depression that haunts you. Thankfully, there’s hope.

 

Let’s cut to the chase: Without the power of God acting in your life and on your behalf, there is no hope but only human effort.

 

As those who follow Jesus Christ, we know we are choosing to go against the grain in how we live and have different priorities. This creates a tension we can’t deny. But all these troubles are in exchange for an eternal life with God instead of an eternity of pain and torment with Him.

 

This Christian life that we’ve chosen is a vigorous life- hard but rewarding!  

 

As a Jesus follower, we will have 3 main areas of trials and tribulations:

1- External Battles (Living against the grain of our culture)

2- Internal Battles (Nagging temptations, struggles, a “thorn in the flesh”)

3- I’ll share this one a few paragraphs down the line.

 

Some battles we win; others we lose. But Jesus has won the war! Let’s talk about one of our biggest battles- the fight against shame.

 

What creates shame in our lives?

Shame comes from many places:

·       Family History (Background, social status, ethnicity)

·       Our Personal History

·       Sexual and Physical Abuse

·       Our Sin - Our Temptations - Our Secrets!

 

Even as you are reading this, I bet these secret, darker places in your heart and mind are coming to the forefront! These are the same things that cause us to walk in brokenness instead of wholeness! Now, right now, stop and pray. Pray for God to protect your mind and heart from the attacks of Satan, who doesn’t want you to be whole and free! Below is a key verse to remember:

 

Ephesians 6:12   ^“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. “

 

The world hated Jesus first (John 15:18). He is our model as well as Lord and Savior! Just look at the temptations Jesus faced and at the hand of Satan no less! Look at Luke 4:1-14

 

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, ² where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. ³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” (Deut. 8:3)

 

⁵ The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. ⁶ And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷ If you worship me, it will all be yours.” ⁸ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” (Deut. 6:13)  

 

⁹ The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.¹⁰ For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; ¹¹ they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Psalm 91:11-12)

¹² Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Deut. 6:16)  

 

¹³ When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. 14  Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 

 

Overall, Satan offered Jesus a way to live that left God out of the picture. Although we know Jesus is divine, the One True God, we also know that he had very real needs as a man on this earth. Imagine being in the desert, in the rough untamed wilderness for forty days.

 

·       Hungry?  ⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Deut. 8:3)

Satan offers: Meet your own need (the counterfeit of trusting God’s provision)

 

·       Power, Position, Influence?   ⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Deut. 6:16)  

Satan offers:  Power and position that comes from the world (a counterfeit of true authority and impact that comes from obedience to God)

 

·       ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” (Deut. 6:13)

 

Safety, Security, Proving Yourself to Others?   

Satan offers: Trust in yourself and human wisdom (the counterfeit of God’s wisdom)

 

Ultimately, Satan offers results without relationship with God! Our enemy is trying to separate people from the Living God, the only one that brings hope, joy, peace, and eternal life. Just like Adam and Eve in the garden, Jesus was given and a chance to bypass obedience to God, taking glory from God. Where Adam failed, Jesus succeeded.

 

We fool ourselves into thinking we can avoid a similar life of hardship and trouble. And our very nature fights against these things. But even if we gain some measure of success in that, we are missing out on God’s good plans for us. Plans better than we can imagine or create for ourselves.

 

Obeying God brings suffering, but it brings glory to God- and don’t miss this- we are often healed of our shame and pain in the process!

 

Winning the Internal Battles

 

1-     We must know and believe the promises of God.

 

o   Nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:35)

o   When we look to Him, we are never covered with shame (Psalm 34:4-5)

o   Our sins are removed from us (Psalm 103:1-13)

o   God has good plans for us (1 Corinthians 2:9)

o   We are created intentionally and with purpose. Created for His Glory (Isaiah 43:7)

 

We can know the truth, but still feel lies. How you will choose to live will have as impact on your healing.

 

2-     Our Identity Comes from God now, not the world. Not from who others say we are. Not our parents, not our society, not our boss, the news, or our political affiliation… and not even our own self-doubt.

 

Proverbs 23:7- “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (American KJB translation)

 

3-     We have power of Holy Spirit-   

·       Luke 11:9-14 tells us that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask!

·       God gives us the gifts we need to bring Him glory and do His will (Hebrews 2:3-13- and We are HIS family!)

 

NOTE: We have grace to succeed or fail! 

Ephesians 2:8-9. “⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. “

 

Salvation doesn’t depend on our performance. It’s a gift- but how we choose to live reflects our thankfulness for God and all he has done through Jesus Christ.

 

(Need more? Read Romans 61-23. Won’t do that now.)

 

Let’s get practical!

Those deepest ongoing temptations are signals you need time with the Lord. Spend a good portion of time in prayer, in reading the Bible, in worship.

 

Choose obedience. You are as free as you want to be- Every choice you make (obedience or sin) shows how free you will live. And who is your master. When we bring God glory as we should, we receive joy!

 

Focus on the work of the Kingdom and your love for God- not on your wounding! When we are self-focused, we tend to concentrate on what we DO NOT have vs. What we DO have! This is a practical application of this verse:

 

Luke 9:23- “Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

 

 

How to Bring Healing and Wholeness

 

As I said earlier, you will have 3 main areas of trials and tribulations (see Jesus’ words in John 16)

1- External battles (you are used to these living in your culture)

2- Internal battles (thorn in the flesh, torment, temptation)

And now the last one…

3- BATTLES AND JUDGMENTS WITHIN THE BODY OF BELIEVERS. (Yes, we can be our own worst enemy...)

 

1.     LOVE one another!  

 

Look at Matthew 22:37-39

“Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

 

“Can we love from afar?” It’s difficult! But we must go beyond our choices to love as well!

 

2.     We Must also ACCEPT one another!

 

Read  I Corinthians 1:10-13

¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹² What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 

 

We may not be divided by teacher or church, but we divide ourselves out in other ways:

·       Leader vs. Follower

·       Married or single

·       With or without children

·       By interests and hobbies (athletes vs. Creatives, introverts vs. Extroverts- other examples)

·       By our beliefs on secondary theologies

·       We need friendships with those different than us! God uses those not like us to bring pain to the surface so that he can heal! He uses our differences to conform us to Christlikeness.

 

3.     Forgive One Another

 

Romans 15:7

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

 

Colossians 3:12-17 (A mini conclusion to this section of the book)

 

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

 

The hardest and sometimes most powerful? Confession.

 

1-Personal Confession before God (See 1 Peter 2:1- Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.)

 

2- Confession to Each Other

 

James 5:16

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

 

I’m going to leave the following in caps. And I hope it makes an impact:

 

THE ENEMY’S PLAN IS DIVIDE AND CONQUER. SEPARATE OUT THE SHEEP, THEY’LL SCATTER, AND THE WOLF WILL PICK THEM OFF ONE BY ONE!

 

Let’s not help our enemy defeat us by playing into his hands! And let us not grow weary, but let us give God time to complete our transformation into Christlikeness.

 

 Yes, our past, our sins, our secrets, can leave us living in shame! Certainly, we’ll be tempted by the enemy to meet our own needs and not letting God do His work in His time. We’ve got to know God’s word, know our identity, and then we must embrace His power to walk in grace!

 

Help us Lord to accept each other, forgive each other, and confess our sins before God and to our family in Christ. Amen!

 

It's Not a Disney World

In just the last year, there have been: Over 360 million Christians experiencing high levels of persecution and discrimination; It gets worse. 5,898 Christians were killed for their faith; A total of 5, 110 churches and other Christian buildings were attacked. Across the world, 6,175 believers were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned. Over 3,829 Christians abducted. The full report can be found here.

Walt Disney World this is not.

(From 2022 World Watch List, OpenDoorsUSA)

Invitation to a Very Personal Place

Have you ever been invited to join someone into something so personal, so intimate, so meaningful, that it is almost tempting to run away from it? This is what the time of communion is. A time when Jesus Himself interacts with us as we remember his life and death and resurrection on our behalf. By partaking of the bread and the juice- representing his broken body and his shed blood- we are drawn into a very intimate place.

These two scriptures today drew me in:

From the Apostle Paul as written in 1 Corinthians 11:23-28:

 

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

And then from the writer of Hebrews, chapter 10:19-25:

 

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

If you believe, if you consider yourself someone that loves and follows the Lord Jesus Christ, take time today to stop, examine yourself, be honest about your doubts, your sins, your weaknesses and your needs, and go to Him. 

What a privilege we have as Christians to interact with our very Living God on this personal a level!

 

A Fresh Way to Be Thankful on Memorial Day

Thank you to those who served to maintain our freedoms and gave the ultimate gift of the sacrifice of their lives. These men and women spent their lives so others could live free, following the pattern of Jesus Christ who gave up his life willingly so they all who would know him, love him, and give their lives to him, would live free for eternity.

Superman's Iconic Words

The Challenge of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“By opening our lives to God in Christ, we become new creatures. This experience, which Jesus spoke of as the new birth, is essential if we are to be transformed nonconformists … Only through an inner spiritual transformation do we gain the strength to fight vigorously the evils of the world in a humble and loving spirit.”
                                                                        Martin Luther King Jr.

Expect the Unexpected!

The year 2020 was very unique to say the least! If we learned anything this year, it was this: Expect the Unexpected! This is really nothing new. History teaches us that once we think we have everything figured out, something unexpected happens. You can go as far back in human history and see this. 

Back in the Old Testament, the first part of the Bible, God's people encountered a God who acted in unexpected ways: Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Hagar, Solomon, Saul- the list goes on and on…These were imperfect people encountering a righteous, perfect, and loving God. But it wasn't who they expected him to be. Our God has a long history of doing what He wants, when He wants and involving the people He wants. Rarely if ever does this look like what man expects! Especially, sometimes, the religious man, those who think of themselves as spiritual, or those who think they know everything.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, you can just imagine his new disciples  Peter, Andrew, and James and John talking to the new recruits: They probably said, “Expect the Unexpected”, and they wouldn’t be wrong! Jesus’ words and actions were often unexpected- even unwanted. And his questions were piercing! 

Follow along with me and read the New Testament book of Mark, verses 8:27-30: 

"27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. (That's the northern part of Israel by the Jordan river.) And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 

28 and they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”  

29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”  

30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him."

I'm going to go through these 11 verses until the end of the chapter, and by doing so, we'll see Jesus challenges us by asking 3 important questions.

Jesus' primary question, Question #1  -  “Who Am I to You?”     

This may be the most important question of all time. We all have to decide for ourselves who Jesus is. It's so surprise to readers of this blog that I believe Jesus is the Creator God made man, uncreated by any other and subject to no one, the one and only perfect sacrifice for the sins of man. He's eternal, holy, righteous, and fully worthy of our love, trust, and obedience. But each person has to decide that for themselves.

By this part of the disciples' journey with Him, they have seen Jesus miraculously feed the 5 Thousand, walk on water, cast out demons, heal leapers and paralytics, and raise the dead! This is a pretty impressive resume, I'd say! All these actions gave credibility to his message that He alone is The Way, the Truth and The Life- and that no one would enter Heaven any other way than by relationship with Him. 

They’ve lived with Jesus, watched him closely. Supposed messiahs have come and gone. Was he the real deal? They would soon discover the answer for themselves- well, at least Eleven of them would.

So, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say I am?” Everyone jumps in with answers (John the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet). But then Jesus gets more specific - “But who do you say that I am?” It gets quiet, but Peter speaks up:  he responds correctly- “You are the Christ!”  

“You are the Christ", Christ means the “Anointed One” -the Greek word for the Hebrew term "Messiah". Peter's confession equates Jesus with the Heavenly Father, God in the flesh. We all have to figure this out for ourselves. We will have to give an answer and an account of our lives. 

 Let’s keep reading. Go to the next few verses,  Mark 8:31-33. 

31 and he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.   

32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 

33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of god, but on the things of man.”

Jesus’ probing question, Question #2  - 

“Where is Your Focus- My Plans or Yours?

The heart of the question means are we focused on God's eternal kingdom or the one of earth that will pass away?    

Gotta love Peter! He's bold, passionate, unstoppable- even fearless! A “Let’s get things done” kind of guy who takes the bull by the horns. Constantly pushing the envelope. Always putting something to the test. He knows what’s right and knows what to do and how to do it in every situation. 

First, he’s the rock star student by answering Jesus correctly when everyone else was silent. But then, he gets full of himself and shoots off his mouth. This time, Peter is dead wrong!  Peter could not accept was God was doing and how he did it! Peter challenged the very God he just acknowledged as to the wisdom of his plan?!! 

He didn’t ask questions for clarity.  He just told the creator God of the Universe “NO!” Stupid, ballsy, or just human?

At his core, Peter was a humanist that has encountered the Living God and had to change the way he thinks and lives!    

I’m just like Peter sometimes! Aren’t you?  

Jesus’ response to Peter is also pretty unexpected! There were important lessons his disciples needed to hear. Very important lessons that would serve them well as they carried out Jesus' mission once He ascended back to Heaven before returning one day in the future:   

• God’s ways are not man’s ways.   (Isaiah 55:8)

• Followers of God will not always understand what He allows!

Learning this quickly would serve them well because their word was about to be rocked. They would soon be sent out without Jesus to do the same things Jesus did. Then, they would watch him die on the cross, paying the penalty of a criminal, before watching Jesus be raised from the dead, proving He was God. 

For all of them but John the Beloved, their lives would also end early and violently because of their faith in Jesus. The Disciples were called to trust Him regardless of the circumstances! We who love Jesus and follow Him have the same choice to make. We either trust him or we don’t. It’s that simple!

The events of 2020 were totally unexpected! If you’re like me, it was a season of intense investigation as to what motivates us and what we’re made of; a season of revealing idols in our lives. (Sometimes we are our own idol!) It was also a season of purification as God reveals sin in our lives.

Ultimately, it was a season of renewing His purposes for us personally and for the churches that following His Great Commandment and Great Commission. What do His questions mean for the local church?

Maybe God is hitting the “reset button” on the church!

My hunch is that the American church will end up looking more like the Persecuted church. This means the governments hate them, try to eliminate or nominalize believers, and that citizens are free to maim, persecute, and kill them. It also means they have hope, please God by proclaiming Him regardless of their troubles, have the closest of community, see the miraculous, and live the kind of life that brings eternal rewards. It may be easy to see where they are poor, but can you see where they are rich? I can!

There's that option or the local church ends up looking like the world- A Social Club who thinks and acts and lives from a humanistic mindset. Pleasure is all that matters because today is all that matters. There's no eternity, but there's also no hope.

The New Testament church was not only known for caring for each other but for setting the world on fire with the good news! For eight full chapters of the Book of Acts (what happens after Jesus ascends into Heaven) and before the Apostle Paul’s conversion, God used normal people like you and I to spread the Gospel message, and bring God glory by healing the sick, and doing the work of the kingdom. The truth of mans' sin and of eternal judgment was never ignored. In fact, those truths pointed to the need for Jesus... which brought great joy to those who believed.

Did you know “Ekklesia”- the Greek word for church- means “the Called Out Ones”? That term is used in Matthew 16:18. Are we called out by God? Yes, as believers in Jesus, we absolutely are! This means we are called to be different than the world in order to reach it.

What else should 2020 teach us? God’s kingdom and purposes are never thwarted by problems or what looks like defeat. They are proven true and powerful through them!  

If you’ve been a believer for long, looking at your life should prove that! You should see times where God has allowed something horrible to happen, but if nothing else, it's taught you to rely on Him and trust Him. As it has many times for me, the worst things that have happened have also brought blessings and great understanding years later. You just have to be patient!We may not always understand the answer to the question of "Why?" but we learn we can always trust our God who is eternally loving and good all the time.

In the midst of a year like 2020 ands the coronavirus, civil unrest, wars, and social injustice, God is still on the throne and his ways are right and pure and honorable! Think of the crucifixion. Jesus’ death was attributed to the wickedness of men but helped complete the purposes of God. This season in our history is no different!

So, first Jesus asks, “Who Am I to You?”.  Then he asks, ““Where is your focus- my plans or yours? The eternal kingdom or the one that will pass away?”  What's his last compelling question in this chapter of Mark? Let’s read the last four verses.      

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 

35 for whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 

36 for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 

37 for what can a man give in return for his soul? 

38 for whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Jesus’ provisional question , Question #3  -    

“Will You Follow Where I Lead You?”   

There’s no middle ground here. We will or we won’t.

For all the unexpected words and actions of Jesus, this is what we can expect:

• Judgment is coming - our individual sin makes us guilty before God

• His love caused the Father to send the Son to die in our place 

• We can have eternal life and forgiveness of sin through Him and by no other way

He promises He will not turn you away if you come to him! (John 6:37)

But Jesus has expectations of those who are his:

(Remember, we’re not earning our salvation- these words and actions are an expression of our gratefulness and our new life.)

What does Jesus expect of those of follow him?    

• To remain in love with him

• To be faithful, to be true to his Word, to trust He is in control 

• To persevere, enduring hardship

• To be His messengers, his hands and feet and mouth to a dying world! Treating people as He would

We will not always understand what God asks us to do! It could be risky, it may not make sense, someone will be upset or it’s not the way things have been done in the past. It's a small price we have to pay.

This isn’t just about the Great Commandment to love and the Great Commission to go out and share the Good News! A vibrant walk with Jesus is an ongoing journey-  

Remember the focus is on Him and what he’s doing- not us! We are not to be a people that waits until the end of our life to ask “What would most please Jesus, what does God want of me? Am I furthering His kingdom or what would most bring God glory?”  That said, Jesus does call us to die!

John 12:24  says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. “  Since, we all have to die anyway,  let’s bear fruit that pleases our God!

The events of 2020 were not a disruption of God’s plan. They were part of it! In 2021 it’s time to move forward!    

We just celebrated Jesus birth, His name Immanuel- “God with us”- and He still is with us! Be encouraged! This may be the biggest battle for our minds that this generation will face. God is always at work. He still is!

So friends, be encouraged- He’s with us, He’ll never leave and his power is in us and available to all who are his. Remember we have our church family- we’re not doing this alone!

Those who crucified Jesus didn’t expect him to be resurrected- but He was! Those who don’t know him don’t expect him to return- but He will! No one will escape the coming judgment. Every life will be evaluated. Do you know Him? 

Peter acknowledged Jesus as Messiah, argued with the crucifixion, failed so miserably, and denied Jesus three times. He didn’t expect to be reinstated (or even have his feet washed). But God’s love was so deep, human failings didn’t deter Him! Happily, we are in the same grip of His love! Go forth!

 (Images from Crello.)