The Death of a Friend: Permission to Weep

The Gospel of John is one of my favorite books. I like John. Perhaps it is because John was the close friend of Jesus. When Jesus excluded Himself from the crowd, He always took with him Peter, James, and John. The witnesses to the Transfiguration were Peter, James, and John. John was the one reclining against Jesus at the Last Supper, and it was John to whom Jesus entrusted the care of his aging mother as he hung upon the cross. John even referred to himself as “the apostle whom Jesus loved.” The Gospel of John is riddled with symbolism and mysterious language that screams out to one who looks for it. It is the Gospel of Jesus according to one of His closest friends.

The eleventh chapter of John is one of my favorite passages. All the stories of Jesus, even those told prophetically in the Old Testament, help us to know who He is, but it is in this chapter that the humanness of Jesus becomes real to me. It is this chapter in which we find the story of Lazarus, who was also described as Jesus’ friend. Lazarus, a resident of Bethany, with whom Jesus would often stay when He was traveling, was the brother of Mary and Martha, the two about whom we read in Luke 10. Mary was the woman who would later anoint Jesus’ feet with perfume six days before His final Passover while He reclined with Lazarus in their home (John 12). (Mary is often confused with another woman who came into the house of the Pharisee to weep on Jesus’ feet and anoint them with perfume. See Luke 7.) The point is that Jesus would go to Lazarus’ house and just hang out… He could be found there, “just chillin’,” as the kids in our youth group would say. As humanizing as that sounds, this is still not what makes Jesus real to me. Although I must admit an image of Christ patting His belly after a big meal and putting his feet up does lend itself to a little better familiarity!

In the eleventh chapter of John, we read about the death of Jesus’ close friend. Some of us remember this chapter as home to the shortest memory verse in the Bible, John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” I remember this chapter because of the biggest verse in the Bible with regard to His relating to my feelings. It is the same verse, “Jesus wept.”

We all know the story. Lazarus became ill, and his sisters summoned Jesus, saying, “The one you love is sick.” Jesus waited at the Jordan a couple days and then told His disciples to pack up for a trip back to Judea, where folks just tried to kill Him. Lazarus’ sister, Martha, ran to Jesus, overcome with grief, even though she was filled with the Holy Spirit enough to recognize and announce (v. 27) that He was the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus, confronted by the mourners, welcomed by friends, in the company of the weeping crowd, demonstrates the humanity of Christ as it really begins to blend and conflict with his son-ship of God: “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” (v. 33) As they led Him to the place where Lazarus had been entombed for four days, “Jesus wept.”

The magic of Scripture is its living attributes. One passage holds numerous truths. One could devote years to the study of this one chapter. Not the least of these prismatic truths is the allegorical relation of Lazarus to mankind, and Christ’s delayed response to call us from our spiritual sickness which leads to death. There is His willingness to enter a hostile territory to be among those in need of His ministry. The call of Christ to, “come forth,” from out of the grave seems to foreshadow the mysterious death Christ Himself will endure very soon. But the thing about this passage I carry in my heart is that Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, in all His power and might, with all the command of the angelic realms, and the foreknowledge of what was about to happen, wept for His friend. Lazarus was about to be called forth from his grave. Jesus knew that! He had announced that intent to his disciples two days prior. When I was a kid, I wondered why Jesus would cry at that moment, since He knew He was about to wake Lazarus up anyway. That’s the way someone thinks who has never experienced the separation of death. Jesus didn’t seem troubled about the task at hand when He was reclining on the banks of the Jordan River. He knew what the plan was…but He didn’t know the pain yet. He didn’t begin to feel that way until verse 33, when he became deeply moved and troubled.

Have you ever endured something really tragic, and felt you had done a good job holding it together emotionally, just to break down completely the first time you tell the story to another person? That happens to me a lot. I can be strong and hold it all together, but then when I call my wife to let her know what has been going on, I end up crying on the phone. I believe this is the type of weeping that is common to all humanity, and unless our Savior had experienced it, we might be tempted to say, “You, who are God, wouldn’t know what I’m feeling right now.” But, Jesus wept. Thank God for weeping! Because of this experience, He can really understand what I feel right now.

My friend is absent from the body and present with the Father. I am happy for him. But I am sad for me. My desire to want him with me makes me weep, although I know it is in his best interest to be with God. It is the pain I witness on the faces of those around me that makes me hurt, because I know they only feel the same way I feel: I miss him while he’s gone. There is no sting in death, and no victory in the grave, but the anguish of the bereaved is real and understandable. What would Jesus do? Even if Jesus knew he was going to raise our dearly departed from the grave, He would still weep. Brothers and sisters, allow me permission to weep, and give yourselves permission to do the same.

Encourage One Another Daily

Why does it seem so difficult to follow Paul’s simple instruction to, “Encourage one another daily”? (Hebrews 3:13, “…Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today.”) I have never received encouragement that I didn’t appreciate. I don’t know anyone who has. Oh, sure, there are times when it makes us uncomfortable. When caught off guard, a compliment can certainly make us blush. But even the simplest expression of warmth is always welcome. Why, then, do we make a habit of clamming up when we ought to be bubbling with statements of stimulation and mouthfuls of motivation?

I can think of a few reasons off the top of my head:

1) We think we are too busy. Satan’s number one mission is to distract us from our primary purpose. What is our purpose in life? Satan’s job is so much easier if you don’t know! It is to do good to and for others. (Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”) When we are “too busy” to fulfill our purpose, we are deluded, and Satan has succeeded in distracting us from our mission as ambassadors for Christ. It is time we reevaluated our priorities and realigned them with the Word of God.

2) We, either intentionally or subconsciously, are withholding encouragement from someone who has disappointed us. This one is tricky. Only the truly honest will confess to having done this. Have you ever noticed that your wife got a nice new pair of shoes, or a haircut or whatever, but refused to pay her a compliment because you were stewing over what she may have spent? Have you held back a cheerful, “I’m proud of you,” when your teenager finally gets something right, because you’re still choking on the bitterness of all her past failures? Ladies, do you intentionally rob your husbands of the loving caress and soft words you know he needs after a hard day, just because he growled at your dog on his way in the door? This practice of harboring bitterness and reflecting it in quiet neglect is known as “passive aggression,” and such behavior should have no place in the Christian life. (Proverbs 3:27, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”) This passive aggression is a form of idolatry, the idolatry of selfishness. When we put our own expectations ahead of our commission to serve one another, we displace God in our priorities. (Galatians 5:13b-14, “…Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."”)

3) We can’t think of anything appropriate to say. The last excuse is the lousiest, and it too is a lie. What we mean when we use this excuse is that we can’t think of anything new, fresh, or exciting. We feel like any means of encouragement must be an original thought. If we repeat something someone else has used, we will sound corny. Or maybe we feel that our words of affirmation will be inappropriately received or will not be appreciated as meaningful enough. Again, we have placed too much emphasis on what we feel and not enough on our mission to do good for others. (Hebrews 10:25, “…but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”)

The Lord has spent Himself to bring us His love letter, the Word of God. He has done this to teach and encourage us along our way. (Romans 15:4, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”) Let us follow the model of God, and spend our time sharing the encouragement of the message of God: that is, of love, grace, forgiveness and peace with anyone with whom we have contact.

Who can you encourage today?

Reach, Throw, and Go

Derry Prenkert, fellow Christian blogger and Youth Minister at Nappanee Missionary Church, has been posting a lot of news of the aftermath of last week's tornado that tore through Nappanee, Indiana. As I read his blog, I am reminded of the many opportunities all around us for the kind of "works of service" to which we are called and about which I wrote in yesterday's post. There are things we can all do, and the formula reminds me of the easy-to-remember chant for water rescue: Reach, Throw, Go.

First of all, reach out to those affected in prayer. This is the simplest response, but often the most overlooked. If this step is omitted, all other plans fail. Even a rescue vessel can run over a drowning victim if no one reaches out. One glance at NMC's website, and you will see that is a church congregation on the verge of big things. No wonder they are under attack! It is the Body of Christ's job to be covering them in prayer while they go through this time of trial. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)

Second, (throw) send what you can: encouragement, money, materials. Sometimes, a sinking swimmer could use a lifeline. Toss something to them that will help them to help themselves. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galations 6:10) Encouragement fuels the weary soul. Share it when you can. Money makes the world a little smaller and recovery a little faster. We all know folks need it, and few will ask for it. Throw some when you can. In disasters such as these, I know from experience that materials are necessary, but often sent without forethought. Meaning well is admirable, but doing well is helpful. Find out what is needed before you dump all your unwanted items into Indiana. Most recovery projects require a certain type of lumber or a certain uniformity of whatever product is being used. Cash is almost always better. Besides, it costs less to transport your check than a truckload of the wrong size lumber.

Third, go if you are able. This is the point at which you realize you have done all you can without getting wet, and it's still not working. It's time to dive in. The Christian attitude of rescue should be one that does as much to save another as it would to save itself. "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. " (Philipians 2:4) This requires preparation and insight. When Hurricane Katrina sent evacuees our way, I had to tell a lot of volunteers they were not needed because they just showed up without a plan. Contact somebody while you are reaching and throwing, and ask if going is appropriate. In some cases it is. I don't know if this is one of those cases. If you are able, find out. This step also has the greatest risk attached. That is why it is used as a last resort in water rescue. When we reach out by extending our prayers we risk nothing. When we dive in, we present ourselves as a sacrifice to the ministry we undertake. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

This is the formula for all ministry: REACH, THROW, GO. See how you can apply it to Nappanee Missionary Church, then in your neighborhood, then in your world.

The SIX Ministry Gifts

Ephesians 4:11-16

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

How often have we heard of the "five-fold ministry gifts": apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers? I was just reading this to prepare for a Bible study when I realized that there are six ministry gifts, not five. The one that always gets omitted is "God's people" prepared for works of service. It is only with this sixth ministerial appointment that the Church can grow and build itself up in love. It is only as that part does its work that the Church has any meaning at all!

Apostles were (or are, depending on how loosely you apply that title) designated by God to lay the foundations of God's global Church. Prophets, likewise, are those empowered by God to bring the Word of God to the Church. Evangelists are tasked with spreading the Gospel. Pastors shepherd (lead, guide, direct and oversee) the local flocks of the Church. Teachers are those entrusted to instruct the Church in the ways and will of God. If ministry to and for the Church were all there was, the Body of Christ would still be entombed, cut off from the people He came to serve. Jesus demonstrated that His love was for the whole world, and He instructed us all, as witnesses of that love, to share it in "works of service."

• "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)


• "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galations 6:9)


• "…Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself ."" (Galations 5:13-14)

I will always consider the greatest tragedy of Jesus Christ's global Church is that it divides itself on the basis of the gifts of God. One says, "Because I am not a minister as you define it, I am not a part of your group," another says, "Because I refuse to believe that your ministry gift exists today, I cannot include you in my group." The voice that seems most prevalent of all is the Christian who has been muted by idleness. It is the voice that says, "Because I am not an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher, I am just an attendee." There is not one member of Jesus Christ's global Church who is not called to the ministry of others. What is the point of building a foundation, speaking the Word of God, recruiting members, organizing the group, and teaching them, just to watch the Body of Christ sit on its hands? It is the group defined as "God's People" who will do the lion's share of ministry. It is the job of the previous five to equip them and then jump in and participate in the efforts of the Church…"until we reach unity!"

The work is not done until it passes inspection. "Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (v. 13) our work is not done. The foundations have been laid, and the ministries are active, but the Body has not yet grown into the Head. The work is not yet complete. We have not reached unity. Oh, that God's will for His Church would be fulfilled! "From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (v. 16)

Prepare for the Flood

I suppose every child of a human mother grows up to have at least one critical point in their lives, a place that changes the course of their life. It is times like these when what a man does, the path he chooses, and the way he takes is entirely dependent upon the things he has come to learn. Before truth can be applied, its foundation must be laid in the heart. As Christians, we have an obligation to share the truth with people who may not seem interested, so that they are equipped for the day when they will be desperate for it.

My Heavenly Father prepared me when I was young for the day when I would cry out to Him when I was old. He placed me in a loving home with parents who prayed for me and with me. He sat me down on the floor with my family and spoke to me while Mother read Bible stories and Daddy prayed and helped us apply truth to our lives. He gave me Sunday School teachers with enough patience to scratch a little groove of knowledge into my distracted mind, no matter how many times I rearranged the felt-board characters into war scenes. Abba orchestrated the lives of several ministers and youth sponsors who would sow countless seeds of scriptural knowledge in my youthful mind, and who modeled practical Christianity before my inquiring eyes. Why? Because the day of trial comes like floods on a shaky house, testing the foundation on which we have built. If the seeds of truth are planted deep inside, that watery flood serves only to stir them up, and under the warmth of the Holy Spirit, they are drawn upon to bloom into obedience, spreading their fragrance of faith, hope and kindness to the everlasting glory of God the perfect Vinedresser.

When I was a boy, I heard a story of a prophet. He teased the prophets of Baal and glorified the God of Israel. He soaked an offering, an altar, and the soil around it in gallons of precious water during a drought-induced famine just to prove God's power. When the test of life came to me, I remembered Elijah's example . When the earth began to quake under my feet, the enemy swarmed around my camp, and all I loved was taken from me, I was able to pick myself out of the dust, tilt up the brim of my soiled hat, sneer at the enemy and say, "It's just another jar of water! You better stand back, 'cause Daddy's taking the stone with Him when He strikes His blow." How could I have taken any stand at all without the example of Elijah, and how could I have known of that victory unless somebody told me?

Again, I heard of a man with a tendency to speak his mind, sometimes before his mind had a chance to stop him. Peter was eager to please, and eager to be with the Lord. When all else were scared, and content to be comforted by the Lord's voice calling out to them from across the water, Peter dared to push the limit. "Have me come to you." What an expression of trust! Peter learned that the wind, though invisible, can steal your focus away. Peter learned that waves licking at your ankles can drop your gaze. Peter learned that the flood of trial can draw you, body and soul, straight down. In my early adulthood, the wind got rough and the waves licked at my own ankles. Because someone took the time to sow the seeds of knowledge about Peter into my life, I was better able to say to the water, "You are a mere annoyance! You are at my feet where you belong, and I will not look at you, because my focus is securely set on my Savior. Although I know the wind is on my cheek, I am entranced with His smile, and I will not take my eyes off Him."

While salvation may begin with the waters of baptism (1 Peter 3:21-22), the baptism that continues to save is not merely the stale water in a cold baptistery (Mark 10:38-39). The many baptisms we must endure, the rains of tribulation, the floods of uncertainty, will all serve to prove what we believe. " See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground." (Isaiah 28:2) By grace through faith a man is saved. By obedience through understanding he will prove it. "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord,'" (Matthew 7:22) Many will be abandoned because on the day of their testing they failed to believe and abandoned the Lord. (Matthew 10:32-33) This is the difference between believing in the Lord, which even the demons do (James 2:19), and believing on the Lord (John 6:40) and looking on Him when all else attempts to distract.

Daily, we meet souls without a firm foundation. Sometimes they are closer than we think. Even inside our church congregations tidy little homes with pretty facades and ornate trim keep us from seeing the creaky sub-floors and the sandy foundations. It is our job, as Christ's ambassadors to the world, to share what we know to build others up (Ephesians 4:29, Hebrews 10:24, 1 Thessalonians 5:11) so that when the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, our neighbor can say, "So, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed."" (Isaiah 28:16)

Who will you share your victory with today?

Warm Up the Welcome

Jennifer Taylor, Contributing Editor of The Christian Standard (and one of my favorite bloggers), recently wrote this article about making visitors feel more welcome. She really seems to have done her homework on this subject and has some good advice for church leadership and welcome ministries with regard to warming up the welcome at the front door and throughout the church building.

While this topic has little to do with Scripture study, I believe it was worth sharing as it addresses our responsibility to welcome the stranger. Mark 9:37, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

Click: http://www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=729

Anger Begins with "I"

A psychologist buddy of mine is fond of saying that anger is a disguise for other feelings: hurt, fear and helplessness. Furthermore, he lectures, each of these feelings that lead to expressions of anger are based in our primal self-centered nature.

"Hurt" refers to the physical, emotional or spiritual pain one might experience. Hurt is summed up by the phrase, "I am in pain." The fear that leads to expressions of anger is the fear of losing what one has or not getting what one wants. It is the primary fear we learned in the crib, and it was usually reinforced when Mother brought us that thing for which we screamed. Helplessness is the feeling of our inability to affect change, and can be summed up in the phrase, "I am powerless."

These three emotions are almost always based on either shame or guilt, two different but similar psychological concepts. Shame relates to self-worth, and is characterized by the sentiment, "I don't measure up." Guilt, on the other hand, has to do with the application of the standards of right and wrong to one's behavior. It is the self-assessment of, "I have done wrong."

As I listened to my friend's lecture on this subject, I couldn't help but test his theories by examining on my own tendencies toward expressions of anger. Not only did I find these concepts to be true, I was immediately stricken by the observation that every one of these emotions is unnecessary in the life of one who has been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ!

Shame, the feeling of worthlessness, should be completely annulled by the kinship we have with the Creator. Because Jesus redeemed us and paid the debt our sin required, we are his relative. As purchased children of the Most High, we have no reason to find ourselves in any way worthless. Guilt, likewise, has been atoned for by the grace of Jesus' sacrifice. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus ." (Romans 8:1 ) Hurt, fear and helplessness, the three emotional responses to shame and guilt, have no place in the life of a Christian because at the root of each of them is the idolatry of selfishness. "I am in pain," "I want," and "I am powerless," all have one thing in common: they have self on the throne where Christ should be.

Disappointment only comes when expectations are not realized. When we build up false expectations with ourselves at the center, we are bound to be disappointed. But when the Lord is seated on the throne of our lives, and self is routinely kept in its place, everlasting joy is possible. Jesus said, " If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." ( Luke 9:23)

Consider God's response to Job when he dared to presume he did not deserve affliction. God's response in Job chapters 38-41 was basically, "Who do you think you are?" (paraphrase mine) When we find ourselves in pain, we should, as Paul put it in Romans 5, "rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us… " When we feel afraid, we should remember the words of Jesus, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell ." (Matthew 10:28 ) When we feel helpless, we are called to follow the example of Paul, and delight in our weakness. " But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." ( 2 Corinthians 12:9-10) In order to defeat anger and the bitterness that can result from it, we must break the habit of self-absorption. When we can truly put self on the cross, and offer ourselves as living sacrifices ( Romans 12:1-3), we free our spirits to walk in real joy with the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Church Revival - Just Do It!

Dale Wise, the Preaching Minister at First Christian Church in Sullivan, Indiana has written this article after completing a revival at his church. Here is an exerpt from his article:

I began to hear rumors about how revivals were no longer effective. "People are so busy," preachers would say. "If we tried to have a revival, the church would be empty. It would be embarrassing."

But I really like the book of Acts. "The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (2:47). "Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ" (5:42).

I have been praying for revival for the global Church and for our local church congregation, but sometimes the old fashioned way is just what the Great Physician ordered!

Humility

Recently, the Spirit has been dealing with me concerning humility. That is why Brian Jones' recent blog post concerning being humble caught my eye. He wrote:

Throughout the Bible we are told to “humble ourselves” (1 Peter 5:6) and even to be “completely humble” (Ephesians 4:2). Let your eyes rest on that word “completely” for a while. The Bible tells us not to shoot for 34% humility or even 76% humility. 100% humility is the goal. Now, if you ask me, that’s a pretty ambitious target. Whether or not it’s realistic, I’m not so sure. But I do think it’s worth aiming at.

I heard an interesting comment by Dick Eastman about humility last week. He pointed out that we, as humans, tend to get humility all wrong. I know I do. He correctly accused me (and maybe you) of twisting the scriptures to permit self-degradation. Paul said, "do not think of yourselves more highly than you ought," so we proclaim that we are a worthless nothing, and then feel comfortable in calling ourselves "humble." That is a lie straight from Satan!

Jesus Christ, the perfect example of humility, did not come to Earth and say, "I am garbage, refuse, a pathetic choice for a savior." On the contrary, He said, "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. I and the Father are one." In essence, Jesus said, "I am God, the Creator." Then, by His actions, He spoke the most passionate, giving statement in the history of mankind, "You are worth me dying for!"

If the God of the Universe found us worth dying for, then we can follow His example. We can say of ourselves, in the face of our accuser, "I am a chosen child of the Most High!" And then we can demonstrate humility, not by degrading ourselves, but by elevating those around us. We can say to our neighbor, "You are important enough for me to lay down my priorities and help you." To our co-workers we can say, "I am not the most important person here. You are worthy of any help I can give you." We can refrain from such emotional blasts as, "Because I said so!" when we are dealing with our children, and recognize that they, too, are chosen children of the Most High.

I believe this is the true essence of humility. False humility cripples our esteem by announcing that we are insignificant. True humility models that of Christ. It knows the value from which it came to serve, but it is not too good to strap on a towel and wash some feet.

Hebrews 12:4, Struggle with Sin

“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” Hebrews 12:4 was brought up in a conversation I recently had with a group of teenage men. As I tried to explain it, I found myself bouncing around in several directions. This one sentence contains so many facets I thought I would share a few of my thoughts.

STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN
The first familiar word is “struggle.” The same author wrote that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities of darkness. Why then would he hint that we might ever resist to the point of bloodshed? This opening reminds us that there most certainly is a struggle between the Spirit in us and our consistency of flesh. Often the most effective tactic of Satan’s forces is to distract us from the very fact that we are at war. Imagine a company of soldiers enjoying a variety show at the front lines. It wouldn’t happen. The soldiers at the front lines are keenly aware that the enemy is just over that ridge or behind that hill. It’s back where it seems safe that the variety show takes place. So Satan subtly lures us away from those front lines, and invites us to take a seat where we can have a nice view. Then, while our attention is on the pretty dancing girl or the crooner that takes us even further into a mental state of escape, the forces of evil rally on our flank. Before we know it, we are overwhelmed, because we never saw it coming. Paul’s instruction seems to come with a presupposition that the reader knows there is a struggle. In our daily variety shows of job, hobbies, relationships, and community, we would be wise to remain mindful of the battle raging within us, and always be on guard.

RESIST TO THE POINT OF BLOODSHED
“…You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” When I first read this, I misquoted it after I had closed my bible. What I repeated was, “You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed.” While I had made a mistake with regard to my new memory verse, I believe the mistaken version makes a good point. We tend to flirt with sin. We cozy up to it, investigate it, see how close we can get without getting any on us. We almost court sin sometimes. I see this as a wimpy type of soldiering. Imagine a soldier at war. The enemy calls out across the battle lines. You step from behind cover and prance right up to it. You look it up and down as you walk around this enemy. You lean over into its ear and whisper, “I’m not going to put up with you, Sin! You’re disgusting!” But you lean in as you say that, and you notice Sin is not moving. Then you slap it in the face, but not too hard. You want to give the appearance of disapproval without making it go away. You have decided that in order to allow your ministry to be in this World but not of it, you must investigate, probe, sniff, and… aahhh… taste. But it was just one little bite, Lord. Surely God will understand, you tasted sin in the interest of discovery so you could better resist it. Why does this reasoning sound familiar? “Surely you will not die. But you will become like God.” Struggling against sin to the point of bloodshed means we don’t pussyfoot around. No slapping the enemy and hoping it doesn’t take offense. When it comes within striking distance, we are to stab it in the guts with the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. In the third chapter of Judges, the account of Ehud describes an Israel so perverse that God had given them over to the rule of a fat king of Moab named Eglon. Ehud, our left-handed hero, is a great demonstration of both of these soldiers. At first, Ehud walks up to Eglon and presents him a gift, a hand-made sword. At some point or another, Ehud orchestrates some alone time with this fat-cat king, and whispers in his ear that he has a secret. I think this gives a good picture of the first soldier, up close, flirting with the evil. But then he finally gets up the gumption to do to sin what we are called to do. According to the scripture, “Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly. Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it.” Now that is the kind of violence with which we should approach sin! Plunge the Word of God so far in it we cannot retrieve the blade. Cling to what is good and hate, despise, abhor what is evil. …and when you have done all, to stand. That is our charge.

THE MYSTERY OF BLOODSHED
There is a second mystery to the shedding of blood. As I digested this verse, I kept stumbling over one part, primarily because it was so misunderstood by the youths with whom I had come across the text. One young man decided this text must be talking about the practice of cutting oneself to purge guilt. (This ancient pagan practice seems to be finding a new audience in postmodern youth.) I knew Paul was not alluding to any bloodshed on our own part, for that would be an insult to the blood of Christ spilled to pay once for all sin for all mankind. There was the answer! “You” have not resisted to the point of shedding “your” blood. You have resisted to a point, but the final payment was made by God Himself. That is the point at which you would have fallen short, as though a tab had been run up too far for your wallet to match. His blood was the payment for the whole bill. Your bankroll was not enough. Your good deeds were not enough. Your offering, your service, your singing, your (insert preference here) was not enough. Only HIS blood would suffice! Thank God and give praise to Him who sits on the throne of Heaven for all eternity that He was willing to pay that price!

CONTEXTUAL INSTRUCTION
After I chewed on this verse for several days, the text in which it is embedded finally lit up in my heart as well. There are several points of instruction in this chapter about close quarters combat with sin. The previous chapter encourages us by listing sort of a roll call of faith heroes. This chapter opens with a great bit of instruction, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…” Paul is saying, “You’re in good company. The saints of old fought and they made it, to their own credit and to the credit of the Name of the Lord. Now keep it up and follow their example.” Second, he calls us to throw off sin so we can run our race unencumbered. Here’s where the stabbing, kicking and flailing come in. I can see Joseph tearing out of his tunic and running away naked to escape the adulterous woman. I can see David, slinging a rock from a distance, to keep the giant from getting a chance to reach him. I can see Ehud freeing Israel with one blow of his custom-made sword. Next is one of the most important concepts of spiritual warfare of which I know. It is that of focus. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…” Peter knew the gravity of this statement. It is only when he lost his concentration and saw the wind and the waves that he began to sink. The same thing happens to us when we take our focus off the Christ. We become aware of the atmospheric conditions, and we began to be overcome by them. Adam and Eve are also good examples of this. When God was all there was to know, they were innocent of their circumstances. Then, after becoming distracted, they immediately realized they were naked, and we have struggled with that flesh ever since. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. Then, Paul encourages spiritual soldiers to compare ourselves and our sufferings to that of Christ. “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Notice Paul makes a point of mentioning Christ’s tormentors were sinful. He knew you already knew that, but it seemed worth pointing out that Christ’s suffering was even more unfair than ours. Finally, after our primary text, Paul reminds his audience of the wisdom of Proverbs 3, “…Do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” When the going gets tough, the tough remember what made them tough in the first place. The most wonderful thought in the universe is the knowledge that the Creator calls me “son.” It is our Heavenly Father who brings us through our trials, and orchestrates some more down the road to prepare us for the increasingly difficult ones. Like a daddy whose hand never lets go of the bicycle until the young rider is ready, so Abba directs our way until He determines we are ready for bigger hills.

CONCLUSION
~Stand up and get in the game. Have the guts to be in the fight.
~Don’t let sin sweet-talk you into giving up the secrets of your strength. Stab it through with the Word of God.
~Understand your limits. You are not the victor. Jesus Christ is. You could never have been. Claim your place as His, and you will share in His victory.
~Find courage and strength in the saints who have gone before you.
~Shake free from the chains that entangle. Throw them forcefully and run!
~Fix your focus on Jesus Christ. Don’t be distracted by your circumstances.
~Remember life was not fair even for the Breath of Life. Why should it be for you?
~Know that your Father loves you, and knows how best to raise up a child in the way he should go. Try your best not to depart from it.

Distraction

I wrote this poem in April, but never posted it here. Lately, I have felt distracted from my ministerial purpose, and I dug it up. I thought I would share it here.

Distraction
Those without hope scurry frantically
In the blinding fog of distraction,
Desperately fumbling for assurance,
Some anchor on which they can rely,
A firm place on which to lean.
-
These are the true deceptions of Evil:
To distract and confuse,
Then to disguise and impose,
Until the wayward seeker misplaces trust,
And the illusion gives way.
-
The fall of Man
Came not from a stumbling block,
But from a faulty post
On which his hopes were hitched.
-
The Light of God never dims.
His glory does not flicker.
So, it is in the eye of man himself
Where Evil finds his playground.
-
Satan’s fate was sealed in stone
When that of Christ’s tomb was rolled away.
Now the only blows he can strike
Are the souls he can distract
From their mission as ambassadors
For their redeemer king.
_______________________

This kind of went with it:

Faith…
is the assurance that what was promised is true.

Hope…
is the ability to see the Promise through the distraction.

When faith is absent, doubt gives way to fear.

In the absence of hope there is despair.

Add to your faith…
…hope.