Bob’s Blog

Jesus-followers must be prepared to give testimony to God’s work so others may see and believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world.

God continues to disclose to us in his Word that Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. We conclude this series with this final message. We have desired to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. We must affirm again…Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity.

God created each of us as Jesus-followers with the capacity to communicate with him, and with people around us. In fact, when it comes to communication, the word dialogue is loosely used in everyday day speech. It is, therefore not to be wondered at that persons speak of dialoguing when, strictly speaking, they have merely exchanged a few superficial words with another.

Dialogue =“a progressive development of relationships between self and others requiring appropriate communication skills.”

Persons who expect dialogue on a first encounter are doomed to frustration and disappointment. People in dialogue…

• Try to receive feelings and thoughts of others without attempting to change them;
• Can let others be themselves even when they are different;
• Listen without trying to refute or argue down the speaker;
• Listen to understand;
• Ask questions to check out or insure understanding;
• Don’t sit in judgment;
• Are open to being changed should the evidence point in this direction.

God calls us to put out the welcome mat to all types of people. Dialogue moves a relationship from dependence to interdependence, to a sense of belonging and bonding to the life-giving relationships for which human beings are created. Through these life-giving relationships dialogue becomes the key to growth.

Dialogue is the one form of communication, whereby Jesus-followers welcome one another, as they exchange through the process of speaking and listening an understanding of information. Communication takes tact in the words we project, and warmth in the body language we portray.

There is a story about a man who once asked his brother to mind his cat while he went away on holidays. The cat-owner was very nervous. He had never left his cat in the care of anyone and wanted assurances that his brother would take very good care of his prized pet. When he got back from the holidays he telephoned his brother to arrange the pickup of his cat. His brother simply said “the cat died” and hung up. Our cat-owner was devastated, and spent days grieving the loss of his beloved pet.

Finally he got up the courage to ring his brother back. Considering how brothers relate to one another, they exchanged some harsh words. “That was a rotten way to tell me my cat had died” said the cat-lover. “Well how exactly should I have broken the news to you? I knew you would be devastated no matter what I said and that you’d probably blame me for the cat’s death.” “You could have broken the news to me gradually. When I asked about the cat you could have said, ’she’s playing on the roof’; then you could’ve rung me again later to say she’d fallen off the roof and broken her leg. Then you could’ve phoned me the next day to say she passed away during the night. But noooo, you had to be blunt and cruel.” The brothers continued talking, moving on from the cat to the holiday trip, to family. “How’s mom doing?” asked the cat-lover. “She’s playing on the roof” replied his brother.

To relate to one another on the level of dialogue is challenging, but we have a model to guide us. Jesus has come to show us how to respond to our call to be in relation to God as his witnesses and with one another. Jesus is our principal model for he has said: “I am the Way; I am the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6).

In studying the paradigm of Jesus’ encounters with people from all walks of life, we come to the essence of our call to be welcoming people, working and living together, and challenging one another of growth through dialogue.

One day on the streets of the ancient town of Sychar, in the region of Samaria, a woman who had been looking for a welcoming presence in her life was about to be surprised. She was looking in all the wrong places when she encounters Jesus. In John 4 Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. He gets her to see her need, satisfies her need and uses her to be his messenger.

Let’s build into the key verses of our message a context of this encounter of dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. We can observe four perspectives:

• At the well, dying of thirst
• A stranger at the well
• An appeal for deliverance through worship
• The disciples rejoin Jesus

So a woman dying of thirst meets a stranger at the well. In the course of their dialogue they really discuss the true nature of the woman’s thirst. It is a spiritual one. The woman is looking for more than companionship. She is looking for one who can assure her that her search for true purpose in life is a valued one. God is on the outlook for true worshipers, not just Jewish or Samaritan worshipers. Jesus helped her see that ethnicity wasn’t as important as authenticity. It was all about the heart, not the art. Where one worships wasn’t as important as that one worships. Not only did the woman see it, but she also wanted it.

We have here the remainder of the story of what happened when Jesus was in Samaria, after the long dialogue he experienced in his encounter with the woman in John 4:39-42…

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

We may observe that this woman’s response to the dialogue with Jesus was dramatic. When she finally realized who Jesus was, she ran to tell the townspeople her experience. 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” It was the beginning of something wonderful for the whole area. Her change would spark fires of further change.

Revival in Samaria

When the woman shared her story, a revival broke out in Samaria. Many of the Samaritans of that city believed Jesus. We may notice a number of key results due to the women’s testimony of faith in Jesus.

We observe here,

1. How many of the Samaritans believed

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

The woman’s “word” to her own people is really a report, a testimony, a piece of news. She is faithfully telling what has happened to her. Many believed in him [Jesus] because of the woman’s witness. It caused them eventually to come to Jesus, which is the chief purpose of anyone’s witness. How often a radically changed life is particularly effective in bringing others to Jesus.

It has been pointed out by students of evangelism that most of the spontaneous, real witnessing is done by new Jesus-followers within two years after their conversion. As they are drawn more and more into church activities, they become domesticated. I call it becoming “Christianized.” As we grow older in the faith, many believers don’t grow up in the faith. Our webs of influences get smaller and smaller with unbelievers. Our relationships are centered around other Jesus-followers. We begin to worry about what people will think of our relationship with Jesus, and we lose that early, joyous abandon. What a tragedy!

2. How many of the Samaritans increased in numbers

40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.

These Samaritans are spiritually thirsty, longing for living water. All prejudices are brushed aside as they urge the Jewish Traveler, who has had such a profound effect on this needy woman, to stay with them. This is no surface invitation, but an urgent cry, “Come and live with us!” The Word made flesh now tabernacles among these estranged and needy people. And while it was only two days—we must notice John’s detail—what a rich, full time it became. A few hours with eternal consequences, a time of celebration.

There’s a story about a man who came home from work to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door. “Daddy?” “Yeah?” replied the man. “Daddy, how much money do you make an hour? “Well son, I don’t really think that’s any business of yours” the man said. “Please daddy, please tell me, how much do you make an hour?” pleaded the little boy. “If I tell you, you must promise you won’t tell anybody else.” “I promise” said the little boy. “Alright then” said his father. “I make $25.00 an hour.” “Oh,” the little boy replied. He looked a little sad, then said “Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?” His father was furious. “If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is so you can borrow some you can go straight off to bed. I work long and hard to provide the things you need, not so you can borrow money to spend on toys or whatever junk you want $10 for!” The little boy burst into tears and made his way to his room. After an hour or so the father had calmed down and went to his son’s room. “I’m sorry for being so hard on you earlier son. If you tell me what you wanted the $10 for and it’s a worthwhile thing I’ll think about giving it to you.” The little boy ran across the room to his piggy bank and counted out all its contents, exactly $15.00. “$15.00, that’s a lot of money son. Surely that’s enough for what you wanted to buy” said the father. “Well with the $10 you’ll give me it will be” the little boy replied. “What is it that you need $25.00 for son?” “For you Dad. I’d like to buy an hour of your time!”

I’m sure the Samaritans had the heart of this small boy. They wanted to spend time with Jesus, if for only two days. In fact, people around us today can vividly see in our conversation and conduct if we have spent time with Jesus. Time well spent with Jesus will increase the number of those who will come to know Jesus.

3. How many of the Samaritans gained firsthand faith

42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

During those two days Jesus spent in that village, it was his word the people heard, and they came to believe in the One who shared the Word. Faith is never faith if it is based only on someone else’s testimony, how thrilling it may be. No, saving faith comes by hearing the word of the Messiah and trusting him! Yes, genuine faith is firsthand faith! When Jesus ministered in the city, many more believed.

God really has no grandchildren. Every person who becomes a Jesus-follower must come to believe personally that Jesus is the Christ, God’s very own Son. As much as I wanted my children to come to know Jesus, it had to be a personal decision on their part. Although they gained tremendous influence having Jesus-followers as parents and growing up in a fine church, they still had to make it a personal act of belief. We are called to transmit and translate the faith to the next generation. However, like the Samaritans who believed, they heard firsthand that Jesus was really the Savior of the world.

So when Jesus ministered in the city, many more believed. Their faith now was dependent not on the testimony of another, but upon their own personal experience with Jesus. It is these Samaritans, not the Jews, who first know that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Jesus has performed no physical miracle among them, only made himself known. They have been outsiders and now they know they are included. He has come for them as well!

From our Samaria to our area.

How does the story of an obscure woman at the well in the Middle East over two thousand years ago relate to you and me? We probably can’t relate to her marital history. And her lifestyle probably doesn’t connect with ours. However, her encounter with Jesus reveals some truths that apply to men and women of all ages and all backgrounds.

How do we put out a welcome mat for others to experience a firsthand faith in Jesus this Easter?

Setting a climate. Jesus’ actions and words first create a climate where growth and inner healing can take place. We set a climate for those people close to us.

Revealing a compassionate perception. Jesus sees people with problems rather than problem people. We reveal a compassionate perception to others when we look beyond their problems to see their real needs.

Making a personal response. Jesus responds to people whatever their need—physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We relate personally to others, sensing their needs and seeking to help them in their needs.

Initiating a relationship. Jesus risks entering into relationships with others, shares himself with them and invites them to live and to grow. We risk entering into relationships with those in our webs of relationships, encouraging them to grow in Jesus.

Confronting a commitment. Jesus openly confronts them with their weaknesses but calls them to life and growth. We confront those close to us to firsthand faith in Jesus.

Dialogue is the dynamic that Jesus used. Day in and day out Jesus was there with the people, teaching them and listening to them. He created a climate of trust. He spoke to them concerning the gut issues of their lives. He knew the problems facing them. He was concerned about their concerns. Yet he did not hesitate to confront them, to criticize when criticism or confrontation seemed indicated. He revealed himself to them. He dialogued.

Peter instructs Jesus-followers to be ready to share our testimony of God’s work in our lives so others may see Jesus and believe he is the Savior of the world…

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. –1 Peter 3:15.

My heart Christ’s home. Robert Boyd Munger was a Presbyterian minister who wrote this timeless work over 50 years ago. As vividly compelling a read then, there is perhaps no other essay on the ABC’s of the Christian life, other than Scripture itself, so impacting as Munger’s wonderful work. Without question one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines is that Jesus Christ himself through the presence of the Holy Spirit will actually enter a heart, settle down and be at home there. Christ will make the human heart his dwelling presence. After Christ enters our heart and in the joy of this new relationship we say to him, “Lord, I want this heart of mine to be Yours. I want to have You settle down here and be perfectly at home. Everything I have belongs to You. Let me show You around and introduce you to the various features of the home that you may be more comfortable and that we may have fuller fellowship together.” The Lord is very glad to come, of course, and happier still to be given a place in the heart. This booklet is a great gift to give to those who need the welcoming presence of Jesus in their lives.

So faith is believing words through dialogue—the woman believes something about Jesus because of what he has said to her. The town’s people believe something about Jesus because of the woman’s words. They then come to believe much more about Jesus from his own words. We can only imagine what Jesus would have said to them over the two days he stayed with them, or what the other disciples might have said. We aren’t told. Perhaps we might ask,

What would we need to have Jesus tell us so that we might believe that he is truly the Savior of the world?

What would we need to have Jesus tell us so that this belief would make a difference in our lives?

What would we need to have Jesus tell us so that we are passionate about telling others and inviting others to experience the power of the Savior of the world?

We must state one more time…Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity. As Jesus-followers we put out the welcome mat so others in our relationships may see Jesus and imitate him as well. Amen!

Jesus-followers must demonstrate a willingness to surrender to the Spirit’s empowerment to experience greater understanding, personal intimacy with God and effectiveness as Christ’s witnesses.

God continues to disclose to us in his Word that Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. We desire to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity.

A Sunday school class was studying the Apostles Creed. Each member of the class was given a section of the creed to learn by heart; then Sunday by Sunday they would take turns to recite the creed, each student repeating their part. And so, one Sunday morning, the class began. The first child stood up and said “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” The second student stood and said “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.” Then there was a moment of silence, before one girl spoke up: “I’m sorry sir, but the boy who believes in the Holy Spirit is absent today.”

Have we noticed that contemporary Christianity is obsessed with counseling and psychotherapy, and almost no one talks about the Holy Spirit anymore? Whatever happened to the Holy Spirit? The church seems to have turned away from the Spirit’s ministry in pursuit of a pragmatic, human-centered, psychological sanctification.

This trend is evident in many of the popular books on Christian psychology. They offer all kinds of advice for struggling Jesus-followers. But the Holy Spirit is conspicuously absent. Rarely is any mention made of the Holy Spirit’s power or ministry in the life of a believer. Little is said about walking in the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit, or yielding to the Spirit.

Instead they usually offer a hodgepodge of current psychological thinking and clever, pragmatic methodology. In short, most of these books are more of the same kind of shallow “psycho-theology” we seem to hear everywhere these days. It’s as if the church has gone to the other extreme from its preoccupation with the Holy Spirit in the decade of the 70’s.

We can add to this trend the many resources that are available for Jesus-followers today to gain advice for the ongoing challenges of twenty-first century living. Just to name a few… parents and peers; teachers, coaches, mentors, and counselors; workshops and seminars; horoscopes and psychics; self-help and psychology books.

[A number of years ago there was a funny motion picture released entitled “What About Bob?” It portrays a troubled but lovable therapy patient who fears everything! Bob’s a special friend. The kind that drives you crazy! After seeking help from a noted psychiatrist, Bob feels revived. But when the good doctor skips town to go on a quiet family vacation, Bob, afraid of being alone, follows—showing up unexpectedly at the therapist’s lakeside retreat. In the end, Bob drives the stressed-out shrink absolutely crazy!]

Unfortunately, many Jesus-followers choose to receive help from resources outside of the Spirit’s leading. They do not intentionally pursue the Holy Spirit, counsel from godly individuals, and the Bible as the foundation for the advice they receive. However, we may reaffirm from the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit is active and personal. The third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit is equal with Father and Son. The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter, or Counselor.

Spell this out in capital letters: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON. He is not enthusiasm. He is not courage. He is not energy. He is not the personification of all good qualities, like Jack Frost is the personification of cold weather. Actually, the Holy Spirit is not the personification of anything…… He has individuality. He is one being and not another. He has will and intelligence. He has hearing. He has knowledge and sympathy and ability to love and see and think. He can hear, speak, desire, grieve and rejoice. He is a Person.” — A. W. Tozer, The Counselor.

The Greek word paracletos denotes the understanding of a helper “one who comes alongside to guide and empower.” He is a person who is not so much a Holy Ghost, as a Holy Guest!

The Spirit in control is a picture of power. That power comes in the form of a counselor. God has provided for each Jesus-follower our own personal counselor. That personal counselor is the Holy Spirit!

Counselor = “a person who gives help; advises about problems”

The qualifications for a good Christian counselor would include…

Personal commitment to Jesus Christ.

Bible knowledge and application of principle.

Morals, ethics, and behavior consistent with Scripture.

Stability and brokenness as evidence of spiritual and emotional maturity.

Ability to counsel - e.g. nurturing, self disclosing, reflective, sensitive, able to deal with strong emotions, showing personal warmth and caring.

Ability to communicate clearly and listen attentively.

Ability to work well with others, receive direction, and receive helpful criticism.

Over 35 years ago, Sue and I moved into our first home. The house was exactly what we had hoped for. (It even had a fireplace. I confess, we turned on the air conditioning and lit a fire in the fireplace, just to try it out.) A number of our friends from church helped us move in, and we wanted to show our appreciation by having an open house after church on a particular Sunday evening. As we might imagine, that Sunday Sue was most eager to get home from church as quickly as possible, before our guests started to arrive.

I was on my way out of the church when one of our youth stopped me in the breezeway. He wanted to engage me in a discussion, and I was not about to refuse. We walked into my office and then he proceeded to ask me what I thought of heavy metal music. Sue was out in the breezeway, eager to get home. Every once in a while, I would look past the youth, where I could see my wife waiting for me. She would catch my eye and I knew exactly what she was trying to communicate: “Come on; let’s get going. We have company waiting at our house!”

Eventually, the heavy metal music discussion ended, and we hurried out to the car. It was obvious that we were late, but I just could not seem to disengage this young man from the conversation. We were a bit distressed, to say the least, when we finally arrived home. We discovered many more cars there than we had expected—indeed, than we had invited. While we had been planning a gathering for our friends, these same friends had been planning a celebration for us.

Suddenly, it all became very clear to us. So that’s what the discussion about heavy metal music was all about. This youth had been assigned the task of delaying me, so that all our friends could arrive at our house first to surprise us. I now looked upon that discussion and our delay in an entirely different light. We had no earthly idea what this youth really had in mind. All I could think of on the way home was that some of our friends were waiting at our house, wondering where we were. It appeared that this youth was keeping us from something we really wanted, but in truth he was preparing us for something even better. Once we realized it was all a part of a ploy so that we would be delayed and our friends could surprise us, we understood everything. Sue and I were no longer distressed—we were delighted!

This is the way it was with the disciples of our Lord as well. In John’s Gospel, as the time of our Lord’s death draws near, Jesus seeks to prepare them for the future. The Upper Room Discourse contains a significant portion of our Lord’s preparatory teaching from John 13-18. As we read the things which Jesus told his closest followers, it all makes sense to us. Of course, Jesus was speaking of his crucifixion, death, resurrection, return to the Father in heaven and sending of the Holy Spirit. But what is clear to us in retrospect was not at all clear to the disciples in prospect. They were confused and greatly distraught by Jesus’ words. They did not understand what he was talking about, and what they thought they understood, they did not like.

Jesus’ final instructions and dialogue with his disciples are recorded in John 16:13-15…

13 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

In the context of John 16, this conversation has two themes: first is that Jesus’ departure is at hand; and second, Jesus will send them help. They grieve over his departure because they think they will be worse off, but Jesus says it is to their advantage, they will be better off—because his departure will bring their own personal counselor!

A Spiritual Link to the Father

We’ve all felt at one point or another as if we could use a good counselor. The disciples certainly felt that way. Jesus had just explained that he would be leaving them and returning to heaven. They were stunned, upset, dismayed. How were they going to go on without Jesus? Jesus gave them the reassurance they needed. He would send them their own personal counselor in his place. The Holy Spirit would come in Jesus’ place to become the permanent spiritual link to the Father.

In this conversation with his disciples, Jesus explains three ways in which the Holy Spirit “helps” us to enjoy a spiritual reality superior to that which the disciples enjoyed during Jesus’ physical presence.

1. Greater understanding of God’s message

13 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

Jesus was not surprised by much—he walked through life with measured step, ready for what life threw at him. But several times, he expressed surprise and disappointment at the spiritual denseness of his disciples. In spite of three years with the world’s best instructor, they consistently forgot most of what Jesus taught them and got confused about the part they remembered—especially the most important part of Jesus’ message of the cross.

So how is it that these same men authored the New Testament, which provides such an accurate record of Jesus’ life and teachings, and which has such profound insight into the meaning of his death on the cross? This is a work that has changed the world for good far more than any other.

Let’s notice a reason why it is better to have the Holy Spirit as our personal counselor. The Holy Spirit would guide them into all the truth. The Holy Spirit guiding the disciples into “all the truth” does not refer to advanced calculus, nuclear physics, the mating habits of orangutans, etc. It does refer to “all the truth” pertaining to Jesus and his mission. The Holy Spirit would also supernaturally enable them to recall what Jesus taught.

The explanation is not that they went to seminary in Jerusalem or that they generated it from themselves through a regimen of spiritual disciplines. The explanation is that the Holy Spirit became their personal instructor/counselor who gave them greater understanding of God’s message. The Holy Spirit literally guided them into all the truth. They understood and then wrote what the Holy Spirit spoke to them. The content of that inspiration was based upon only what the Spirit heard from the Father and Jesus. It also included what was yet to come. Today we need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into all the truth when we read God’s Word. We’ve all heard people say, “well I don’t read the Bible anymore because I can’t understand what it says.” I can’t always remember the meals that I ate last week, but I know I didn’t stop eating because of it.

The problem isn’t the difficulty of the text, but the receptivity to the Holy Spirit in interpreting its understanding and practical application. If we would just spend a few moments in asking the Holy Spirit to guide us, we would be able to comprehend and apprehend the Word of God in our lives. We must not merely get into the Word; we must let the Word get into us! The Holy Spirit enables this process.

What the disciples were unable to understand under Jesus’ tutelage, the Holy Spirit would make clear—especially the meaning of Jesus’ death. The Holy Spirit supernaturally instructed them and enabled them to accurately record Jesus’ instruction. We don’t receive the inspiration of the Holy Spirit today; that’s why we don’t write scripture. But we do receive supernatural illumination from the Holy Spirit who tutors us to clearly understand and to practically apply what was written in God’s Word.

2. Greater personal intimacy with God

14 “He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.”

What would it be like to be with God-incarnate for three years? What would it be like to have breakfast with him every morning? What would it be like to have him personally comfort and encourage us? It was a life-changing experience for his closest followers. But as wonderful as that experience must have been, Jesus told his disciples that they would enjoy even greater personal intimacy with God when the Holy Spirit came.

Let’s notice another reason why it is better to have the Holy Spirit as our personal counselor. Whereas the disciples were only able to be “with” Jesus when in his physical presence, the Holy Spirit would be “in” them to glorify the Father. According to the Westminster Confession, the chief aim of every Jesus-follower is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. This process of glorifying God takes place through the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will not come to call attention to himself. He will come only to glorify the Lord. The greatest evidence today of the Spirit’s presence among us is the glorification of Jesus Christ in the life of every Jesus-follower. This can only take place because of personal intimacy with God through the Holy Spirit. Both the Father and Jesus “make their home” or “tabernacle” in us. They come to live permanently in our hearts so we can enjoy their loving presence.

There really are no holy places in New Testament Christianity. We may choose to gather here on Sunday mornings to worship because it is convenient for our schedules, but we have intimate access to God at any time or place. Even though this worship center has been a place of celebrating God’s presence, the décor, seating and building we meet in does not contain the presence of God. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not limited to a place, but they are free to indwell a people. The physical appointments of our worship center must never take priority over the spiritual appointments we have with God each moment through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The ceremony must never detract from the company of our Savior!

Through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, we are freed from fear of God to talk with him as “Papa.” We experience God’s love, hope and peace that uphold us regardless of our circumstance. This is a reality so wonderful if we have experienced it, we know it is priceless beyond words. The older we get the more we experience and the more we experience the pain and brokenness in this fallen world, the more thankful we become for this work of the Holy Spirit. It’s really hard to understand how people handle life without the Holy Spirit. If we realize we don’t have this indwelling power, God invites us to receive his Holy Spirit right now. Not by baptism or confirmation or church membership—but by personally putting our trust in Jesus as our Savior.

3. Greater effectiveness as Christ’s witnesses

15 “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Jesus called his disciples to be his witnesses—to testify to others that he was the Messiah who was offering salvation to all who believed in him. During their time with him, their effectiveness in this task was spotty at best. They didn’t want to witness to people of different ethnic backgrounds; they were embarrassed and confused about the cross; they misrepresented Jesus’ attitude toward those who snubbed him; and they caved in under pressure and denied Jesus.

Let’s notice one last reason why it is better to have the Holy Spirit as our personal counselor. The secret of the disciples’ witness was the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells them that the Holy Spirit will enable them to have greater effectiveness in God’s mission because the Holy Spirit will be the witness who aids their witness. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…Acts 1:8.

So after Jesus departed, the disciples led a movement that within 50 years spread to over 1 million people all over the Roman Empire and beyond. How did they do this? Did they discover a Dale Carnegie course on self-confidence and public speaking? No, they never received any additional training. Did they gain political or military power through government involvement? No, they were persecuted by most governments. Did they create a poll-sensitive, market-driven message that became popular because it flattered human goodness and potential? No, their message was regarded by most people as a “stumbling block” and “foolishness.” This may explain the advance of many historical religious movements, but the disciples neither had nor used any of these means.

The Holy Spirit will make known the witness of the Father and Jesus to Jesus-followers today. He will testify through our witness. He will transform our lives so that others become curious for an explanation. And when we share Christ with others, it won’t be us alone. The Holy Spirit will provide courage, insight, articulation, etc. so that our witness will have far greater impact. Sometimes we experience this very dramatically; sometimes more subtly—but it is a fantastic experience to step out in faith to share Christ with others, and experience his empowering! Every Jesus-follower in this worship center experienced this, or we wouldn’t be believers today. Some of us are experiencing this right now. If we are, we need to respond to the Holy Spirit by receiving Christ.

The great evangelist D.L. Moody was to have a campaign in England. An elderly pastor protested, “Why do we need this ‘Mr. Moody’? He’s uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?” A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, “No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody.”

Does the Holy Spirit have a monopoly on our lives in order that we might experience a greater effectiveness as Christ’s witnesses?

Let me summarize my personal pilgrimage in regard to the Holy Spirit. I read the Gospels to see Jesus; to discover the lifestyle and spirit of Jesus. I believe in this Jesus; that he is the Christ, the only Son of God. Jesus is the one sent from his Father to reveal God to me. As I read I am impressed; I admire; I worship; I give myself to him and the work of the kingdom. I love him for his life and for his death on Calvary. I dedicate my all to him and resolve to follow him, and to be an obedient disciple.

The Jesus of history has entered my life as the risen Christ of experience. He also sends the Counselor, the Spirit of truth, to be with me forever. The risen Christ and the Spirit are within me as united evidence of the presence of the indwelling God. The words of the Gospel come alive for me as the Spirit prompts me: urging, restraining, instructing, and bringing to mind Jesus’ teachings. The more I listen, am aware, and obey, the more I will hear the Spirit and respond to its guidance.

Let’s spin down what God has disclosed to us through the words of Jesus. It really centers upon asking ourselves three questions:

Are we desiring greater understanding of God’s message?

Are we longing for greater personal intimacy with God?

Are we yearning for greater effectiveness as Christ’s witnesses?

The Holy Spirit will come to us and make our home with him. It is truly amazing that God lives within each Jesus-follower. God has chosen to take up residence or “tabernacle” in our souls. This Spirit is alive with us. The Holy Spirit is our own personal Counselor. The Spirit’s wisdom, guidance, and strength are ours. The Holy Spirit will lead, guide, and witness through us.

What are we waiting for? We ask our questions. We seek his advice. We don’t even need to schedule an appointment. The Holy Spirit of God is on call anytime, day or night. He is ready to hear us and willing to help us. All we have to do is ask. Amen!

Jesus-followers must be filled with the Spirit’s power so the floodgates of faith will open in us and from them will flow living waters.

God continues to disclose to us in his Word that Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. We desire to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity.

We want to begin this message with the understanding of how water fits into the economy of life. Water is a chemical substance that is essential to all known forms of life. It appears colorless to the naked eye in small quantities, though it is actually slightly blue in color. It covers 71% of Earth’s surface. It appears mostly in the oceans (saltwater) and polar ice caps, but it is also present as clouds, rain water, rivers, freshwater aquifers, lakes, and sea ice. Water in these bodies perpetually moves through a cycle of evaporation, precipitation, and runoff to the sea. Clean water is essential to human life. In many parts of the world, it is in short supply.

This natural resource is becoming scarcer in certain places, and its availability is a major social and economic concern. Currently, about 1 billion people around the world routinely drink unhealthy water. About 70% of the fat free mass of the human body is made of water. It is not clear how much water intake is needed by healthy people, though most experts agree that 8-10 glasses of water (approximately 2 liters) daily is the minimum to maintain proper hydration.

Bottled water is drinking water packaged in bottles for individual consumption and retail sale. The water used may be from any source, including spring water, well water, purified water, municipal water, or even untreated or contaminated water. The sales for bottled water are estimated to be between $50 and $100 billion (US) annually and increasing approximately 7 to 10 percent annually.

We have lots of people taking a drink as they carry bottled water around with them. Starbucks is open. A lot of people go there. Others go to the grocery stores to buy different “designer water” and assorted beverages. Others go to a restaurant. But these only provide temporary quenching of thirst. They are at best temporary thirst quenchers. More significant, they only quench our physical thirst. But it is not going to help our lives. We know of few beverages that try to improve the quality of our lives. They only admit to meet our superficial life needs.

When we think about the analogy of water and the kind of “vessel” we are as Jesus-followers, words like “empty,” “dirty,” and “thirsty” come to mind. Yet God accomplishes extraordinary things through the infilling of the Holy Spirit in the lives of ordinary people who believe that God can and will use them—imperfections and all.

Paul expresses the need to model the life of a vessel God can use in Ephesians 5:18-20…

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery [depravity]. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is God, and he is active and personal. The third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit is equal with Father and Son. The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter, or Helper. The Greek denotes “one who comes alongside us to guide and empower. God wants us to be vessels worth filling as we live in his power. We must demonstrate as Jesus-followers this willingness to surrender to God’s filling through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit in control is a picture of power!

Power = “dynamic and potent; something that can turn ordinary Jesus-followers into fully devoted followers of Jesus”

The Greek word dunamis, from which we get the words dynamite and dynamo, is a power that accomplishes something. God’s power in the form of the Holy Spirit is practical power. We enjoy the good feelings when power enters our lives, but we don’t let the lack of feelings prevent us from stepping out in the power of the Spirit.

If we’ve ever visited Hoover Dam, we would think that the water spilling over the top provides the power, not realizing that it is just foam. Deep within that dam are turbines and generators that transform the power of tons and tons of water to electricity—quietly, without notice, not like the flashy foam on top. So we are able to have the electricity needed to illuminate our Worship Center and provide the needed power to amplify our technical property systems. The Holy Spirit is likened to that power that is quickly originated from the turbines and generators.

As we desire this fresh filling of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, a number of disciplines fill our lives so we may become vessels worth filling:

• Fruit of the Spirit
• Love of worship
• Grace to forgive
• Comfort in heartache
• Power in ministry
• Understanding God’s Word
• Strength in trial
• Compassion for lost people
• Boldness in sharing the faith

Jesus’ invitation to receive this power supply provided by the presence of the Holy Spirit is recorded in John 7:37-39…

37 On the last and greatest day of the Festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

We can observe in these verses that Jesus offers an invitation on the final day of the Festival. He offers steams of living water to all who are thirsty, and speaks of the Holy Spirit, who will soon indwell all Jesus-followers. Jesus’ offer of water is strong and clear. He gives two imperatives: “come to me and drink.” It is the presence of the Holy Spirit that releases and sets free this stream of living water that Jesus offers to all who are thirsty and come to him for refreshment.

Come and Drink!

In the middle of a tremendous festival, Jesus spoke words that no one has spoken before nor would dare to speak. Only Jesus could both identify our thirsty hearts and yet bring a relief so gentle and healing to our darkest sins. As we discuss this passage, remember that we want to better see Jesus and understand who Jesus is and how that should affect our lives. One of the basic desires besides hunger that keeps us alive is thirst.

Just as Jesus symbolically used the term, “Bread of Life,” He also used the term, “Water of Life” or “Living Water.” Living Water is fresh, running or flowing water. This living water is opposed to stagnant or well water, perhaps even the bottle or tap water of today. Besides needing Jesus’ atoning death on the cross (“Bread of Life”) for a restored relationship with God, we need the Holy Spirit (“Living Water”) powerfully living in our lives.

1. The need for refreshment is worldwide

37 …”Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

The first thing Jesus said was to identify the needs of the people for healing. When people heard Jesus, they knew he was not referring to physical thirst. This is all too symbolic of a great thirst deep within each person. Many of us purposely make ourselves too busy so that we will not feel the loneliness and sadness that are embedded deep in our lives. Others distract themselves with demanding goals in life such as degrees. Others drug themselves up to superficial ‘thirst quenchers.’ A more popular substitute is sexual immorality where the couple gets bursts of high feelings and feelings of relationship.

But all of these are horrible substitutes that take away more than we had in the beginning. Every moral compromise brings more pain and guilt. The only solution is to drink more goals, sex and alcohol down. People have great needs and are thirsty, but not many are willing to admit it. They are too fearful to expose their real heart pain for they don’t have any hope that it could really be eliminated. In fact, all they hear is that this is how life is.

I want to pause here for a moment. Jesus is here. I believe there well be could some thirsty souls right now in our congregation. I remember when I became saved. I had absolutely no intention about getting serious with God when I went to a youth meeting. Even afterwards when they told me to bow my head, I was just interested in going home, handing out with my friends, and playing. But then God showed me my emptiness and selfishness. I became so thirsty that I would run a marathon to get a drink that would quench my inner thirst. Fortunately, the gospel message I heard led me simply to believe in Jesus. I remember my belief in his death brought forgiveness into my life. I welcomed his life into my broken one. And wow, I never have been the same. The power of God’s Spirit has been poured out into my soul and it has kept running through me. How about your own soul? Can you sense someone prodding your heart? Don’t harden your heart. You might even hear words like, “You are no good” or “If people really knew what you were like, then they ….” This is the evil one trying to keep you dry. The truth is that we are desperate people and when you acknowledge that, and then the Spirit comes to help. If you sense this prodding, just tell Jesus to speak and fill your soul’s thirst.

Jesus is not without purpose exposing our tender heart sorrow. He knows of our deep and inner thoughts. He knows all about our pretend life. He is encouraging us to pinpoint our deep inner need. Can we? Dare we? Jesus wants to bring healing to our lives. What is our deep inner need like? Have we recently been quiet enough to hear our hearts’ real longing for “living water?”

2. The need for relationship is widespread

39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

The second thing Jesus said was to identify the needs of the people for hope. To take a very relevant example—there has always been atomic power in this world; people did not invent it. But only in our own time have we tapped and used it. The Holy Spirit has always existed; but was never really enjoyed in its full power. It was only when people would know Jesus that they really knew the power of the Holy Spirit. Before that the Spirit had only been a power, but now he is also a person, for he has become to us nothing other than the presence of the Risen Jesus always with us.

We know several things about receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit as a power and presence:

First, our life-change comes from a change within and not without. It is not because of some outward experience that brings us to be a Jesus-follower. We instead learn that there is a whole new spiritual nature given to us. It is ongoing. It is a heart change.

Second, the Holy Spirit resides in our lives. The picture is ever so clear. The living waters flow out. Certainly this does not originate in our own selves but in the Living God.

Third, we note that this stream is not only abundant but extra abundant. We are not just speaking of one river but rivers. A river by nature has excess. It is flowing.

Fourth, we should note that the water is living. It is vivacious. It is life-giving and changing. By its very nature it brings hope, life and joy to our lives.

Fifth, we should remember that the reason for the image of the river is that it reaches beyond our own lives. Just as God is love, God’s goodness overflows from his throne down to the shores of earth. God’s love is spilling over into the lives of others.

These five points clearly tell us about the Holy Spirit in the life of a Jesus-follower. If we are going to be growing Jesus-followers, and those which help others grow, we need to be very clear on these significant teachings. This is the anointing that filled Jesus and is designed to fill our lives so that we might be empowered to do greater works.

There is no healing without the relationship of the Holy Spirit that comes alongside us. The Spirit might move in a mighty way in the life of the Jesus-follower, but that must be distinguished with the coming and indwelling of the Spirit. It is at this point all Jesus-followers have access to the fountains of life in the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Whereas Jesus was limited to a body, the Spirit is spirit and makes his dwelling in his people. When a person believes, then God dwells in that person. In a true sense God makes his people his throne.

The Spirit did not come and dwell in his people before Jesus ascended. Jesus first had to go to the Father and then the indwelling of the Spirit upon his people became common from Pentecost on. It signified a new way in which the Father would commune and work with his people. In the past the Spirit came upon a person or two. Now all of God’s people have the Holy Spirit. We should be humbled by God’s presence in our lives and tremble upon our accountability to him.

Some have critically commented that it is the weak and needy that need faith. They claim that Jesus-followers are weak because they need a crutch to get along in life. We can answer them by telling them about cars. Cars are wonderful machines. A car can transport us hundreds of miles back home. But does it make any sense to say that a car is a poor machine because it needs gas? Of course not. The car, agreed is very dependent upon gas. If we didn’t fill it up, then the car will go nowhere. The car, however, was designed with the gas in mind. The gas is a rich feature of the car. We were designed by God with the Holy Spirit in mind. It is a rich feature of our very beings.

So have we ever thought about the challenges that come to us as a result of our relationship with God as his redeemed children? The challenges that face us as Jesus-followers by faith in Christ are unique to us because, having been redeemed from the power of sin, death, and Satan by Christ, we have been restored to a loving and living relationship with our Father in heaven. That relationship challenges us to remain faithful to God in the face of the temptations of sin in the world around us. In order to live in a relationship with God, we’re challenged to put CHRIST FIRST in everything, even before ourselves.

Jesus understands the spiritual challenges to our lives and knows the spiritual thirst that we feel as we face the challenges of living for him in the world. That’s why Jesus encourages us to come to him and receive spiritual drink to quench our spiritual thirst, and strengthen us for our lives of service to others in his name. By the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, our hearts are opened so that the “living water” of the Word and the Spirit can strengthen our faith and life in Jesus.

The apostle John records the following invitation in Revelation 22:17…

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let those who hear say, “Come!” Let those who are thirsty come; and let all who wish take the free gift of the water of life (Revelation 22:17).

If we were to climb into a submarine we might think that, as long as it held watertight, we could glide on down to the bottom of the ocean. Sadly, if we tried to do this we’d soon discover how mistaken we are. Submarines can only go so deep before the pressure of the water crushes them like an empty soft drink can being crumpled by our hand. Indeed, a number of years ago a submarine called the Thresher went down too deep. The water pressure rose to the point that the submarines heavy steel bulkheads were crushed. The sub was torn apart, leaving pieces of debris scattered across the ocean floor for searchers to find.

If we want to go down really deep we need a specially designed research vessel shielded by heavy steel armor. Now imagine we jumped into one of these heavily clad research vessels and headed down to the ocean depths. Guess what we’d find? Fish. Fish! Fish with skin just millimeters thick. How is it that fish with just a thin skin covering can survive the pressure of such great depths, where a submarine with thick steel plates cannot? The answer is quite simple: fish have equal and opposite pressure inside them. Submarines do not.

When confronting the pressures of sin some Jesus-followers try to become like a submarine, shielding themselves from the outside world, strapping themselves into a narrow space where they are safe from external pressures. They make rules which are designed to reinforce them against temptation. But unfortunately, the deeper into life we go the more inadequate this approach will be. The external pressure will just become too great. This is why we need to be like the fish, to develop positive pressure inside ourselves. Rather than simply resisting the outward pressure of temptation we need to combat it by building up positive spiritual pressure within, replacing the values the world would impose with the Spirit developed power and character of Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to resist the outward pressures of life, but at the same time, it generates a power that provides an inward positive spiritual pressure flowing within to enable us to become vessels worth filling.

It’s vital for our relationship with God that we face him and the challenges of the world every day. It gives us spiritual balance when we deal with inner and outward pressures. Beginning our day with God and his Word gets us ready to face the day’s challenges and opportunities for service. Through the Word, the Holy Spirit quenches our spiritual thirst. By the Spirit’s power and presence we become streams of “living water” flowing out to touch the lives of others so they, too, might know God’s love and forgiveness in Christ.

Such work calls for us to deny ourselves and refrain, with the Spirit’s help, from making ourselves the centers of the universe. By the Spirit’s power, the floodgates of faith will open in us and from them will flow living rivers of love, prayer, and service to others in Jesus’ name. What an exciting gift from God to see the Spirit’s work through us! God has called us to be something remarkable—tingling pipelines and living streams of his love and Spirit. We become vessels worth filling for the glory of God and the good of others! Amen!

Jesus-followers must embrace the work of Christ on the cross as the supreme example of God’s picture of grace for our benefit and blessing.

God continues to disclose to us in his Word that Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. We desire to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity.

A man was riding a bus to work, and he overheard a conversation between a young women sitting next to him and her neighbor across the isle. The woman was reading Scott Peck’s The Road Less Traveled, the book that stayed on The New York Times Best-Sellers list longer than any other. “What are you reading?” asked the neighbor. “A book a friend gave me. She said it changed her life.” “Oh, yeah? What’s it about anyway?” “I’m not sure. Some sort of guide to life. I haven’t got very far yet in my reading.” She began flipping through the book. “Here are the chapter titles: ‘Discipline, Love, Grace,…” The man stopped her. “What’s grace?” “I don’t know. I haven’t got to Grace yet.”

We can think of that last line—“I haven’t got to Grace yet”—when we listen to reports on the evening news. Worlds marked by wars, violence, famines, economic oppression, religious strive, lawsuits, and family breakdown clearly hasn’t got to grace yet. Unfortunately, we may also think of that line from the bus conversation when we visit certain churches. Jesus-followers have spent enormous energy over the years debating and decreeing truth; every church defends its particular version. But what about grace? How rare to find a church competing to “out-grace” its rivals.

Grace is certainly Christianity’s best gift to the world, a spiritual nova—a star that suddenly increases its light output tremendously and then fades away to its former obscurity in a few months or years. Grace increases its output in our midst exerting a force stronger than vengeance, stronger than violence, stronger than hate. Sadly, to a world desperate for this grace the church sometimes presents one more form of a lack of grace.

As a pastor and handcrafter of weekly messages and bible studies, I work with words all day long. Sometimes I toy with them, listen for their overtones, break them open, and try to stuff my thoughts inside. I’ve found over the years that words tend to spoil. Their meaning rots away. If we would consider the word “charity,” for instance. When King James translators contemplated the highest form of love they settled on the word “charity” to convey it. Now days we hear the scornful protest, “I don’t want your charity!”

Perhaps I keep circling back to grace because it is one grand theological word that has not spoiled. It may be called “the last best word” because every English usage I can find retains some of the glory of the original. The word underlies our proud civilization, reminding us that good things come not from our own efforts, rather by the grace of God.

Even now, despite our difficulty of “getting to grace,” taproots still stretch toward grace. Let’s note how we use the word grace:

Many people “say grace” before meals, acknowledging daily bread as a gift from God

We are “grateful” for someone’s kindness

“Gratified” by good news

“Congratulated when successful

“Gracious” in hosting friends

When a person’s services please us, we leave a “gratuity”

In England, some address royalty as “Your Grace”

Students at a college “receive a grace” exemption from certain academic requirements

Presidents declare an “act of grace” to pardon a criminal

Teachers and mortgage companies extend undeserved “grace periods”

The many uses of the word in English convinces us that grace is truly amazing—truly our last best word. It contains the essence of the gospel as a drop of water can contain the image of the sun.

Grace =

“God’s kindness toward humanity, without regard to the worth

or merit of those who receive it, and without their deserving it.”

Grace comes from the Greek word charis, “graceful, agreeable.” Grace has been simply described as the gift of God, the “unmerited favor” of forgiveness given to sinners—an outpouring of God’s love. It is also used to refer to Christian virtue. Every heart’s desire is grace. We surely don’t want justice. If we got what we deserved from God for our sin, we would all be condemned. We want what we don’t deserve, and that is grace.

Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace. –Donald Barnhouse.

Paul describes this unmerited favor of God in 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.

A man dies and goes to heaven and St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates. St. Peter says, “Here’s how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you’ve done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in.” “Okay,” the man says, “I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart.” “That’s wonderful,” says St. Peter, “that’s worth three points!” “Three points?” he says. “Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service.” “Terrific!” says St. Peter, “that’s certainly worth a point.” “One point? Golly. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans.” “Fantastic, that’s good for two more points,” he says. “TWO POINTS!!” the man cries, “At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!” “That’s right! Now you have got it!” said St. Peter.

God’s supreme act of grace is pictured in the work of Christ on the cross. Christ took our punishment for us. Sin created a great chasm between us and God. God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to make it possible for us to go to heaven. Jesus’ very purpose for coming in human flesh was to save sinners. God placed on his Son the sin of all humankind. Jesus served as the sacrificial Lamb of God: the perfect, sinless sacrifice to take away the sin of the entire human race. That is the heart and core and pinnacle of grace—the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross.

Let’s observe the words of the Gospel writer in John 19:17-18…

17 Carrying his own cross, he [Jesus] went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

John uses remarkable restraint in giving us his account of Jesus’ crucifixion. His language is lean. The facts are simply stated without embellishment. In fact, we have to rely on the other Gospel writers for more detailed descriptions concerning Jesus’ crucifixion. However, words here can in no way add to the meaning of God’s gift of grace!

Crucifixion was a dirty business and the Romans were experts at it. They did it all the time. It was their way of keeping the general public in submission. Still, it wasn’t for everybody; they reserved this most cruel punishment only for slaves and foreigners. Roman citizens were exempt. Dying on a cross was the worst thing that could happen to a Jew because such a punishment was associated with the curse of God that was pronounced in Jewish Law from Deuteronomy 21:22-23. It was the ultimate humiliation. You were stripped of your clothes, battered by soldiers, nailed to the cross bars, and hung naked, suspended between heaven and earth. It was a spectacle of blood, sweat, and tears!

The Cross: Benefit and Blessing

The work of Christ on the cross is a picture of grace that benefits us personally as Jesus-followers and brings blessings before God. The events that took place during Jesus’ crucifixion include the walk to the cross and the wrongdoers on the cross.

1. Benefit: the walk to the cross

17 Carrying his own cross, he [Jesus] went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).

John records the fact that Jesus walked to the place of crucifixion carrying his own cross. However, prior to Jesus’ walk he was scourged or flogged. So severe was this beating—administered with a whip laced with bits of glass or metal—that it could kill the condemned man. It is likely that Jesus’ back had already been ripped open like raw meat before he ever walked to the cross.

In addition, Jesus had been beaten and mocked. The crown of thorns was jammed on his brow, and he had to carry the cross on his back. Soldiers prodded and beat him as he staggered through the streets of Jerusalem. The Via Dolorosa—the “Way of Sorrows”—was a narrow way lined with friends, foes, and strangers alike, all clamoring to see Jesus as he made his way out to the place of the Skull.

Author John Pollock describes the seen as the procession came to the city walls: “Passing through the Golden Gate of the city, the executioners and those who followed moved a little way beyond the walls to where the ground began to rise to the western hill overlooking Jerusalem. They stopped on a rocky outcrop with contours which fitted its name, Place of the Skull (Golgotha in Aramaic).”

As we reflect upon the walk to the cross, we can relate more closely with Jesus’ words to his disciples near the beginning of his ministry in Matthew 7:13-14…

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

These words remind us as Jesus-followers that the way of Jesus that leads to eternal life is called “narrow.” For Jesus, as well, walked through a narrow gate to the Place of the Skull. Jesus’ words do not mean that it is difficult to become a Jesus-follower, but that there is only one way to live eternally with God, and only a few decide to take that way. Believing in Jesus is the only way to heaven because he alone died for our sins and opened the way. Going Jesus’ way may not be popular, but it is true and right. Our walk with Jesus extends to us the benefits of abundant living now with the hope of eternal life in the future. Thank God for his grace—there is one way!

How have we decided to walk daily with Jesus—the narrow way or the broad way?

2. Blessing: the wrongdoers on the cross

18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

The narrative now moves on to the two wrongdoers. It was of deliberate purpose that the authorities crucified Jesus between two known criminals. It was deliberately staged to humiliate Jesus in front of the crowd and to rank him with robbers.

Only Luke gives us a deeper description in his Gospel about the two criminals in Luke 23:39-43. Let’s identify with the two responses by reading responsively:

Pastor: 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him:

Left Side: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

Pastor: 40 But the other criminal rebuked him.

Right Side: “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Pastor: 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Both criminals have sinned and have been rightfully judged. But one repents while the other doesn’t. Our sin is not what keeps us from God. Our problem is our inability to respond to the love of God and to repent and change. Only one of the thieves responded to Jesus and repented. Here, as Jesus was preparing to inaugurate his kingdom through his death, the places on his right and left were taken by these dying men—criminals. Those who want to be close to Jesus must be prepared to suffer and die. The way to the kingdom is the way of the cross. Taking a stand for Jesus may invite suffering and pain, but Jesus will be there with us, through it all.

This narrative tells us as Jesus-followers that it is never too late to turn to Jesus. There are other things of which we may say, “The time for that is past. I am grown too old now.” But we can never say that of turning to Jesus. So long as a person’s heart beats, the invitation still stands. But there is only one choice with Jesus. The option of embracing Jesus and the cross, or we rejecting the person and work of Jesus on the cross for our rescue from sin. It is literally true that while there is grace there is a choice. Jesus extends to us the blessings of embracing him. Thank God for his grace—there is one choice!

How have we responded to Jesus on the cross today—embraced or rejected him?

Let the hammers ring! The steady crack of the hammers could be heard above the screams of the victims and the cries of their relatives. Each blow increased the pain. Each strike of the hammers told the condemned that there was no hope of release. But as the hammers rang out against the rocky cliff, one steady voice could be heard above the clamor and the pain.

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” –Luke 23:34.

Even in this awful moment, Jesus would rise above it all. Here at the Place of the Skull we see no squirming, squealing victim—no angry, cursing man. We see the Savior in all his grace—greatness, goodness, and compassion. We see Jesus forgiving his unsuspecting executioners. Let the hammers ring! For in their ugly sound we hear the grace of God shouting above them all. From the very throne of God, through the canyon of eternity, comes the one word of hope for all people—grace!

Grace that is greater than all our sin. Wonderful, marvelous, matchless grace, flowing down from the heart of God. Grace, reaching out across the cavern of time. Grace planned from the dawn of history before the worlds were ever framed.

This is the moment of divine triumph, the ultimate and final victory over sin. The Son of God himself was nailed to a cross, bearing our sins and taking the curse. Jesus had become the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world.

Max Lucado in his book, Facing Your Giants, writes… “Christ lived the life we could not live and took the punishment we could not take to offer the hope we cannot resist. His sacrifice begs us to ask this question: if he loved us, can we not love each other? Having been forgiven, can we not forgive? Having feasted at the table of grace, can we not share a few crumbs?”

Let’s picture Christ there on the cross if we can. Christ on the cross: a picture of grace. And let’s ask ourselves: Has there ever been anyone like him? Is there any other Savior who deserves our lives, our love, and our worship? Is there anyone who loves like he loves? Is there anyone who cares like he cares?

In 2002 a young lady was a youth ministry student at a Christian college in Missouri. The day came for the class to take their final exam. When Denise and her fellow students opened their papers they were astonished to find every answer filled in. At the bottom of the page was a message that read: “This is the end of the exam. All the answers on your test are correct. You will receive an A on the final exam. The reason you passed the test is because the creator of the test took it for you. All the work you did in preparation for this test did not help you get the A. You have just experienced … grace.” The course lecturer spoke to the students about the exam. He said “Some things you learn from lectures, some things you learn from research, but some things you can only learn from experience. You’ve just experienced grace. One hundred years from now, if you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and accept the grace God freely offers you because of his Son’s death on the cross, your name will be written down in a book. You will have had nothing to do with writing it there. That will be the ultimate grace experience.”

No wonder Isaac Watts wrote:

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!

So let the hammers ring! Something as ugly as a cross became the symbol of a dynamic new faith. Something so despised by the world became the “unmerited favor” of every Jesus-follower. Why? Because the cross was touched by Jesus’ presence, and from that time onward it was never the same. In so doing, Jesus transformed the cross from a symbol of shame to a picture of grace. Amen!

Jesus-followers must enthusiastically seek a right relationship with God by seeing Jesus, hearing his voice and coming down from our unruly ways of life.

God is disclosing to us in his Word that Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. It’s time to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity.

The prayer of every Jesus-follower must be: “Change me, Lord!” If we will allow God to change us, he will provide the tools for our transformation. The Holy Spirit also helps us to move forward toward the perfect wholeness God intends for our lives. However, the process of moving toward spiritual maturity in Jesus doesn’t happen nearly as quickly as we hoped.

Many of us assume that Christian perfection is an outer work we have to do—a cleaning up and purifying of our character, our conversation, and our conduct. If we can just be good enough and do the right things, then we would please God. But in our heartfelt desire to serve and honor the Lord, we may fall prey to the same lie that deceived the Pharisees so long ago.

We have been following the encounters of Jesus through the Gospels to help us wake up and see Jesus. In many of Jesus’ encounters the people, especially the Pharisees, had difficulty accepting the God-man from Galilee. In fact, the opening verses from our last message in the context of Luke 15 state…

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1-2).

We have many things in common with the Pharisees in our unrepentant state as Jesus-followers. The Pharisees were godly men, at least on the outside. Their sole purpose in life was to obey all of God’s commands, so they made up hundreds of rules and regulations to help them follow the original Law God had given. The summary of those rules is known as the Mishnah. Translated into English, it is a book of almost eight-hundred pages. Later, Jewish scholars added commentaries on how to fulfill the Mishnah. Known collectively as the Talmud, these commentaries fill at least twelve volumes.

So the Pharisees were famous for their scrupulous observance of the Law. Yet even the Jews recognized the hypocrisy that sometimes accompanied the Pharisees’ pious attempts at religious perfection. The Talmud itself distinguishes seven different kinds of Pharisees.

Shoulder Pharisee – meticulously followed the Law but wore his good deeds on his shoulder to be seen of people.

Wait-a Little Pharisee – always able to offer a valid excuse for putting off doing a good deed. He spoke, but he did not do.

Bruised Pharisee – were so intent on avoiding evil that whenever a woman approached, he would close his eyes and therefore run into things. He then displayed the bruises to prove his piety.

Humpbacked Pharisee – determined to look humble that he bent completely over, shuffled his feet…and often tripped over obstacles.

Ever-Reckoning Pharisee—forever counting up his good deeds in the belief that each one put God further in his debt.

Timid Pharisee – always in dread of divine punishment, constantly cleaning the outside of the cup and platter in an attempt to escape God’s wrath.

God-fearing Pharisee—defined by Jews themselves as one who truly loved God.

Only one out of seven was admired as a man who found delight rather than drudgery in obeying God’s law no matter how difficult it might be.

To be honest, we’ve been all of these Pharisees to one degree or another, with most of our time spent acting out versions of the first six. For no matter how pure our intent, the only result of making outward purity our goal has been an unhealthy self-obsession and a self-worth that swings wildly between feelings of inordinate pride or overwhelming failure—depending on how well we think we’ve done that day. True repentance seems out of reach when desiring to make outward purity something we can muster up on our own before God.

So let’s now move deeper into this message. God is going to disclose to us through his Word the life of Zacchaeus in his encounter with Jesus. Zacchaeus was one of those despised tax collectors who tried to live life by his own agenda. We will see an unrepentant sinner come to know Jesus personally through a personal encounter with the life-changing Jesus.

The story of Zacchaeus is recorded in Luke 19:1-10…

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

The story of this rich, chief tax collector, who climbs a sycamore tree to look at Jesus, is lodged in Sunday school curricula more often than in a pulpit. True, Zacchaeus seems tailor-made for a Sunday school lesson: every child in the room can relate to someone short in stature that has to climb a tree (climb a tree! Wow!) in order to get a look at what is happening inside a crowd gathered on the streets. But even in the hands of a really good Sunday school teacher, the story of Zacchaeus is usually greatly simplified.
However, Zacchaeus has a lot to teach us grown ups, especially about true repentance.

Today is the Sunday of Zacchaeus, one of Sundays that immediately precede the Lenten Season. This is a Sunday that we begin to speak of things specifically to prepare ourselves for Passion Week. Why would the Holy Spirit select this reading to prepare us for Passion Week? Well, it is the story of a man who repents. It is a story of how a soul converts. It shows us how a soul changes. Isn’t that the purpose of our lives? It is to change, to become like Jesus, to become pure. The Lenten Season is the time of the year when we must focus more diligently on repentance.

Zacchaeus changed, through the agency of the God-man, Jesus Christ, and also through an application of his will. Zacchaeus is a case study in how to live the Christian life, how to decide to change, how to struggle to change, and how, after accepting God’s mercy, to resolve to continue to amend and become better. All these elements are in this story.

Public Enemy Number One Repents

Zacchaeus was socially somewhat of an outcast. He may be described as “public enemy number one.” First, he was a rich man, and the implication is that he became rich by collecting taxes with rather too much commission, that is to say he was corrupt. Therefore he was probably not well liked. Secondly, he was a man of short stature, so short that he found it necessary to climb into a tree in order to see Jesus, because the crowd around Jesus blocked his view. Zacchaeus was probably more surprised than anybody when Jesus stopped under the tree and honored him by inviting himself to be a guest in Zacchaeus’ house. Let’s note a changed life in three stages:

1. Greed: a corrupted life of dishonesty

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

His name is Zacchaeus, an abbreviation of Zechariah, meaning “the righteous one” — a big name to live up to. The name is out of place for Zacchaeus, he is the chief tax collector in Jericho, and tax collectors were notorious for cheating the general public to fatten their pockets. They would assess a tax, and if the person refused to pay or called it unfair, Herod’s soldiers would threaten him. Regions of a kingdom would be divided up into districts, and a tax collector would become responsible for collecting a certain amount of tax and passing it up the chain to the government. Whatever he collected over the amount required was his to keep. A chief tax collector would employ tax collectors under him to collect taxes in various parts of the district.

As chief tax collector, Zacchaeus was probably responsible for collecting tolls on goods coming into Judea from Perea, a main trade route. This business had made him rich. The word for “wealthy” is a Greek word which means, “pertaining to having an abundance of earthly possessions that exceeds normal experience; ‘rich, and wealthy.’” But despite his riches, or perhaps because of them, Zacchaeus is hated by the people. They see him as a Jewish crook and a traitor, who works as a spy for the Roman oppressors in order to take their money and give it to the occupation government, and on to Rome.

2. Treed: a challenged life of disadvantage

3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

Zacchaeus is wealthy, and hated. But he is short or we might say “vertically challenged.” However, Zacchaeus is also curious. He hears that Jesus is coming through town into Jericho and is determined to see him. He runs ahead and climbs a sycamore-fig tree to see Jesus. The word “wanted” is the Greek word which means, “to devote serious effort to realize one’s desire or objective, ’strive for, aim (at) try to obtain, desire, wish (for).’” One evidence of his earnestness and purpose is the fact that he runs ahead and anticipates where he knows Jesus will pass. He finds a large sycamore-fig tree, and therein establishes a scouting outpost where he will be able to see Jesus without attracting unwanted attention.

The sycamore-fig tree is a robust evergreen tree that grows to about 40 feet high, with branches spreading in every direction. Their many branches that are low to the ground make them easy to climb. It is springtime, and new leaves have appeared among the old foliage on the tree. It is interesting to see what “sycamore tree” means. It means a “wild and unruly fig tree.” It has fruit that is kind of silly looking, and entirely useless. It does not bear fruit. It bears garbage. So Zacchaeus climbs up in a wild and unruly tree. We should think of our human nature when we contemplate this tree. Our nature is wild and unruly, but somehow, with God’s help we can tame this unruly nature, and we are able to elevate our thoughts to heavenly and important things. This is what Zacchaeus did. He climbed up in a tree, elevating his thoughts to Jesus. He took his nature and used it for godly purposes, instead of squandering it. We must take the nature that God gave us and use it for godly purposes, instead of wild living, or fantasy about what we wish our lives would be, or pride, or despondency or all those other things with which we indulge ourselves. Instead, we must contemplate God, desiring to live like Jesus, and the fulfilling of the commandments.

Let us too climb up a sycamore tree and elevate our thoughts. Let us also, while elevating our thoughts, fix our concentration carefully. While Zacchaeus was up in the tree, he certainly was not examining the bark or the leaves. He was looking intently, shading his eyes, and watching to see when and where Jesus would appear. He was also being ridiculed. We can imagine that such a man who was chief among the tax collectors certainly ate fine food, and was a bit portly. A little fat man in a tree would be a very funny thing to see.

We as Jesus-followers also feel exposed in our unruly fig tree. The world tells us that what we are doing is foolish. Even other Jesus-followers may jeer at us and tell us what we are doing is foolish. Even we torment ourselves by asking: “what is the point, what is the use?” We war against ourselves, others war against us, the demons war against us, and sometimes we wonder who is on our side, when we forget that the whole host of heaven with Jesus Christ is with us. We are like Zacchaeus in sin, so we should be like him in virtue. We should climb up into the tree, and fix our thoughts and gaze on Jesus, and not be unduly concerned about the other things that are going on in our life.

3. Freed: a changed life of deliverance

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

When Zacchaeus heard the people around him grumbling that he was a sinner unworthy of having the Lord as his guest, then “Zacchaeus stopped”. He didn’t scurry away from his accusers. He stopped, and he faced up to his sin before them all. Zacchaeus didn’t try to justify himself in the face of this public condemnation. Instead, he allowed Jesus to change him. He “put off the old” Zacchaeus of corruption and he “put on the new” Zacchaeus of deliverance, “created according to God in righteousness and true holiness.”. This turning, this change, is called “repentance” which means to undergo a change of mind that brings heartfelt sorrow, resulting in a change of ways. That’s what Zacchaeus did.

Car batteries have positive and negative terminals. If only one of the terminals is connected, the car will not work; both terminals are absolutely necessary. Biblical repentance works the same way. The negative terminal is the ending of sin. The positive terminal is embracing God’s way. When repenting, we must not only stop committing and turn away from the sin, but also replace that action with something positive, thus embracing God’s way. If we were to stop the sinful action without replacing it with good, a void remains. The unfilled void must be filled. If we do not fill it with goodness, we may inadvertently fill it with the same or another sinful act. Just like the car battery, repentance requires both a positive and a negative terminal.

Let’s notice that Zacchaeus did not say, “Well folks, I’m going to start with a clean sheet. I am forgiven, and you all have to forget about the evil I’ve done.” No, Zacchaeus did not try to get out of making amends for his wrongs. Nor did he try to minimize his responsibility. Zacchaeus announced that he would pay half of his riches to the poor, whom he had neglected. With the other half, he would pay back all the money he had taken wrongly, giving back four times what he had taken, to return not only the stolen money but also the profit he had made on it. Zacchaeus did this joyfully, because he understood that the grace of God does not excuse us from doing all that we can to right our wrongs. That’s the Zacchaeus principle of repentance.

To the average listener or reader of Luke’s community, the notion of Zacchaeus’ repentance must have been almost beyond imagination. This is one reason why Luke gives such a wildly exaggerated account of the chief tax collector’s promise or vow of repentance and reimbursement. First, Zacchaeus says, “half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor.” The ordinary limit imposed on charitable giving was about 20% of one’s possessions, and Zacchaeus vows a lavish 50%. Secondly, in the matter of required reimbursement to those he has defrauded and harmed, instead of the statutory additional 20%, Zacchaeus vows a massive 400%. This enormous and virtually immeasurable response only makes sense if we realize how enormous and immeasurable is the mercy, forgiveness, and acceptance of God towards the repentant sinner. We are in the presence of abundant generosity here, the overwhelming abundance of God’s acceptance, and the overwhelming abundance of the sinner’s thankful response.

Jesus said that Zacchaeus was saved because he was “a son of Abraham”. This had nothing to do with him being a Jew, or another of Abraham’s descendants. It is having the “faith of Abraham” that makes one a son of Abraham (Gal 3:6-7). It is true faith that is behind the repentance of Zacchaeus. People whose faith is living and true, and who are justified by their faith, are those who make personal sacrifice in order to devote themselves to righteousness. Salvation came to Zacchaeus because he acted in faith. This faith also extended to his family God’s salvation as well.

We have an advantage that Zacchaeus lacked. He did not know for sure what the outcome of his seeking Jesus would be. We do. The church tells us all the time. God will receive our repentance if we try to make a heartfelt effort. So any of this that goes on in our head, things like “I am not doing enough, it is not worth it even to try. I broke the fast today, so the rest of the day is shot,” those kinds of thoughts are strictly the evil one trying to further dishonor us and bring us down, down, down. We must be like Zacchaeus. He knew he was a great sinner, and yet he still welcomed the invitation to relationship with Jesus.

I was told this many times, and I have already lost track of how many times I have said it myself—the Christian life is likened to a marathon, not a sprint. There are many days that we feel we make no progress whatsoever, but our perseverance will award us the prize. That is the truth. It is a truth that is obscured by the world, but it is the truth. Zacchaeus had his time when the Lord told him to come down. He assured Zacchaeus that He had received his repentance, and would make him a new person. We have our times as well. There are thousands of these times in each of our lives, when God enlightens us and helps us in some way. We must increase our vision because this happens all the time and we do not notice the change.

Zacchaeus is joyful, and brings the Lord to his house to have a great feast. Now, there are some people, there are the Pharisees no doubt, that are still muttering. “What in the world is Jesus doing with such a sinner?” Well, we cannot see inside a person, which is reserved for God alone. God saw the repentance of this person, who was still a short fat man with many riches, at that moment. We must be careful. We have all judged someone too many times.

Can we discern three aspects of repentance now?

a person develops a conscience, and then he or she strives to find Jesus, in the midst of the crowd.

a person accepts that God will receive him or her. Zacchaeus came out of the tree, and was joyful. A repentant sinner came down, and felt the love of God, and accepted that God could save him.

A person has the resolve to continue to live the Christian life even when troubles occur. Zacchaeus does us the great favor of showing us repentance in microcosm. Let us all learn something from him.

Can we learn the lessons of a changed life now?

No one is beyond redemption and repentance, even those whom we see as gross sinners. They are all susceptible to sensing Jesus’ love for them.

Love changes people. Acceptance and openness which were Jesus’ modus operendi and must become ours, too.

We disciples must not be overly concerned about tarnishing our reputation. Yes, we are to be wise and discrete and avoid the appearance of evil. But we must not be more concerned about ourselves than we are for the lost. We need to be willing to take the shame of their sin upon us, as it were, so that we might bring Jesus’ love to them.

Our Master’s mission is active, not passive. Jesus doesn’t wait for people to come to him. He actively seeks the lost in order to save them.

God can give us both natural and supernatural insights into people so that we might help them.

Our ministry to others may require boldness, an edginess that calls on us to be hospitable if that is what is required.

Jesus-followers are no longer enamored with earthly riches, but with Jesus and his righteousness.

I have heard so many people say to me “I don’t see any change in my life, and I don’t feel anything.” The way we find change in our life, and the way we see and feel God is by struggle, and by time. There is no other solution. The church knows nothing else, but toil, and prayer, and hope. We must fix ourselves in the way of Jesus, and elevate our thoughts; God will come up to our unruly tree, and will touch us, continually, over and over. Eventually, Jesus’ touch will be so real to us that everything else will be as a phantom. May God help us to struggle and persevere, in the midst of all our trials and difficulties, so that when God calls to us, we will see Jesus, hear his voice, and come down from our unruly ways of life, and Jesus will abide in us. Amen!

Jesus-followers must show heartfelt sorrow over sin before experiencing genuine revival by humbling ourselves to dig out the root of sin in our lives.

God is disclosing to us in his Word that Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. It’s time to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is noting more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity.

Jesus-followers experience an integrity problem today. Some believe that they can still see Jesus and follow him when they can add Jesus to their lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without change in behavior. It is revival without reformation, without repentance.

Repentance =“A change of mind resulting in a change of behavior”

The essence of repentance manifests itself in a three-fold process:

• recognition of sin for what it is
• followed by heartfelt sorrow
• culminating in a change of behavior

Counterfeit Repentance. Two counterfeit forms of repentance are often passed off as the real thing. One of them goes something like this: “Lord, I’m really sorry I got caught.” The other sounds like this: “I’m really sorry I sinned. I certainly hope I can do better next time.” Both of these counterfeit forms are prompted out of guilt or embarrassment, not a heartfelt sense of remorse or sorrow over the fact that God has been grieved. Usually, these people who pass off counterfeit repentance have no intention of changing. They are attempting to get God off their backs.

Genuine Repentance. Genuine repentance involves several things. First of all, confession. Not just, “Lord, I’m sorry for my mistake.” Confession acknowledges guilt. Second, repentance involves the recognition that the sin was against God. “Lord, I have sinned against you.” All of us need to recognize that our sin is primarily against God. Third, repentance includes taking full responsibility for our sin. Whenever we catch ourselves blaming someone else for our sin, our repentance is incomplete. Regardless of the nature of the temptation, we are ultimately the ones who make the decision to sin. Last, repentance requires total honesty with God. We are so transparent with our sin that the by-product of true repentance is a change of behavior—away from the sin and face to face toward God.

“Repentance is not a thing of days and weeks…to be got over as fast as possible. No, it is the grace of a lifetime, like faith itself…that is not true repentance which does not come to faith in Jesus and that is not tinctured [colored] with repentance. –Charles H. Spurgeon.

One of the scariest movies of all time was Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. The movie tapped into our fear of sharks, and of the greatest killing machines of them all, the Great White. The movie was based upon the book Jaws, written by Peter Benchley in 1974. What’s interesting is the change in Peter Benchley since he wrote the book that became a famous movie. He has become a campaigner for the preservation of Great White’s and says he could never bring himself to write Jaws today. In Bentley’s novel the hero is the man who tracks down the Great White and kills it. Bentley is now somewhat ironically a campaigner against that very type of figure. He has become probably the most vocal figure in the move to conserve Great White’s. Why? Benchley realizes that when he wrote his novel in 1974 we knew very little about Great White’s. Since then we’ve discovered that they’re not in plentiful supply and that the shark deserves a fair go. Benchley has been through a process of repentance, in his case in relation to Great White’s. A new understanding of the Great White has changed his mind about the shark and consequently changed his behavior. This is the essence of repentance.

“Repentance has a double aspect; it looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the future with a watchful eye.” –Robert South.

So the sure test of the quality of any supposed change of mind will be found in its permanent effects upon the character of our lives. Repentance is incomplete unless it leads to confession and restitution in cases of injury; unless it causes us to forsake not merely outward sins, which others notice, but those which lie concealed in the heart; unless it makes us choose the service of God and live not for ourselves but for him. There is no duty which is either more obvious in itself, or more frequently asserted in the Word of God, than that of repentance.

Most Jesus-followers desire to lead lives that are pleasing to the Lord. However, repentance demands humbling ourselves to dig out the root of sin in our lives. It is a difficult process. We have a tendency in our sin nature to experience the risk of relapse. We fall back into old pathways and puzzles when buffeted by the problems and perplexities of this life. So, we can claim the certainty that all Jesus-followers are at risk.

Let’s examine the Parable of the Prodigal Son that demonstrates this risk of relapse in Luke 15:11-24. We will begin by placing this parable into the proper context in verse 10… “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son follows two shorter parables in which something that was lost [coin and sheep] is searched for and found, followed by a celebration. Each of them is intended to illustrate the truth of rejoicing in God’s presence over one sinner who repents. The Pharisees had grumbled about Jesus’ attention to the “sinners” and tax collectors; Jesus’ response is that God delights when these lost ones, even in the midst of relapse, repents and turns to him.

The Footloose Itch

God’s joy is seen at the repentance of a lost and wayward son. This is the story of God’s unlimited love for us. The happy ending is a surprise to anyone who has ever relapsed away from God or from responsibility. It is also a surprise to any who stayed home and thought they were being “responsible.”

Let’s observe a three-fold sequence from relapse to repentance to renewal:

1. Relapse: glamourville becomes hog trough

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

The son is sick of home. The three characters are introduced at once: a man with two sons—a common enough occurrence. What was very uncommon was the youngest son’s request to inherit his share of the estate prior to his father’s death—and the father’s willingness to grant his request. The father is depicted as a wealthy farmer, with servants and lands, so that his sons would have enjoyed privileged status in the community. But the youngest son isn’t satisfied with his lot. He wants everything that will be his, and he wants it now. In some ways he fits the Middle Eastern stereotype of a younger son, “lazy, irresponsible, covetous, and greedy.”

Inheritance laws in Israel were designed to favor the older son, giving him a double share (probably with the purpose of keeping a family’s land holdings together and preserving the family farm intact; (Numbers 27:8-11; 36:7-9; Deuteronomy 21:17). If there were four sons, the older son would receive two shares, with each of the other three sons one share apiece. Typically, the older son would be the executor and assume the role as family head after his father’s death. Sometimes an older son would decide not to split up the family holdings between the brothers (Luke 12:13). Dividing up a father’s estate before his death was known but frowned upon. In this case, the property would pass to the sons, but the father would continue on enjoying the right to utilize and enjoy the profits and advantages of something belonging to another so long as the property is not damaged or altered.

The younger son’s footloose itch quickly took him away from home. With lots of money in his pocket, the younger son sets out on a journey to a distant land—distant from his father and his values, distant from his older brother, and distant from any sense of responsibility and moral restraint. So long as his father is alive, he has a responsibility to support his father with his share of the family wealth, but he ignores this and spends it all on himself. He is far-away from the father. He squanders his money in wild living.

The Greek word implies, “scatter, disperse” and in our passage “waste, squander.” His focus is “wild living.” The Greek adjective implies “dissolutely, loosely.” The English word “prodigal,” which we often use to name this parable, comes from a Latin word meaning, “to drive away, squander.” No doubt the Prodigal Son enjoys wine, women, and song until his funds run out.

It probably takes him several years to go through his third of a wealthy father’s money. But it doesn’t last forever. Finally it is gone. His friends desert him, his Ferrari is repossessed, he is evicted from his penthouse apartment, and he is destitute. Not only is he broke, but there was a prolonged famine that puts everyone, even average farmers, on the edge of survival. Where he might have gotten a job in normal times, now few are hiring. Crops have failed, and in the agrarian economy of the First Century, the landless are out of luck.

Remember, this is a story, a parable that Jesus is telling. But he paints it well and his hearers can imagine the son’s desperate situation. They are waiting to see what happens. But his situation gets even worse. He finds a job, but the job requires him to feed carob pods to swine—and he can’t even eat the pods he is feeding the pigs. Only the very poor would eat such food. Rabbi Acha (about AD 320) remarks, “When the Israelites are reduced to carob pods, then they repent.” What would it take for us in our economy of the Twenty-First Century to bring us to repentance?

Not only is his food almost non-existent, his job of feeding swine is considered unclean, since swine were unclean animals for Jews. For a Jewish man, nothing could be lower! There isn’t even anyone to help him by giving alms. He is in a “distant country” and the practice of almsgiving was little observed among the Greeks and Romans.” The picture Jesus paints is of a man reduced to the lowest of the low. Stage one—relapse is complete: glamourville becomes hog trough.

2. Repentance: pigpen becomes think tank

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

The son is now homesick. Before—sick of home; now—homesick. Perhaps we’ve been this low and hopeless. Perhaps we know how it feels. The one advantage of this position is that there is no direction to go but up. It’s amazing how complex issues can suddenly become crystal clear. The son compares his own condition with that of his father’s hired servants. He is starving and they have food to spare. And he is probably aware that the famine doesn’t extend to his home area. He begins to compose a confession to say to his father.

We know, of course, how hard this is for him. It is his father and his father’s way of life that he is rebelling against. He has snubbed his nose at his legal and moral obligations to his father. He has asked for his inheritance so he doesn’t have to beg to anyone. He went away rich and affluent, but must now come home with his head down and heart broken. The very person he was so conflicted with he must now apologize to. There is no other way. How difficult this must be! How humbling!

His apology includes four essential points:

He confesses sin against God—expressed in Jewish fashion as “against heaven”—for his moral failures and sinful lifestyle.

He confesses sin against his father for squandering property that legally and morally should have been conserved to support his father.

He renounces any legal claim to sonship. Though he is a son by birth, his father would need to use his older brother’s resources to support him, since his father has already divided the property. He recognizes that he has no legal claim to the rights of sonship.

He asks to be hired as a servant at the estate. While his father no longer legally owns the estate, he is still running it, and will do so as long as he is physically able.

The Prodigal has rehearsed what he will say and how he should say it. When we have to eat crow, rehearsing exactly what we need to say is important. So many apologies are not apologies at all; they are half-measures designed to admit some responsibility but keep one’s dignity and pride intact. To his credit, the Prodigal Son works out a full apology. Stage two—repentance is complete: pigpen becomes think tank.

3. Renewal: rehearsed speech becomes trumpet fanfare

20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

The son, sick of home becomes homesick, to the point where he is now coming home. The father has been longing for his son’s return for many years. His eyes often turn to the road coming into the estate. And this afternoon he glances up to the road as he has thousands of times before. Far down the road is the figure of a man coming towards the house.

We don’t know whether the son was dragging himself slowly home, or walking more quickly as he saw the house. But the father recognized his characteristic walk when he was far off. It is my son! Compassion floods his heart, burying the pain and hurt of rejection. The old man gets up and begins to run to his son. On the one side is the son, rehearsing his speech, coming with fear and trepidation that his father will not receive him, moving at an uncertain pace toward the house. And on the other side is the father running, his robes blowing behind him as he hurries to his son whom he has longed for.

This is no stiff, awkward meeting. The father throws his arms around his son in a happy embrace, and kisses him as a sign of welcome and love. We can sense though in the son a kind of stiffness. Things aren’t the same as when he left. He has failed. He has sinned. He has changed. Will his father accept him if he knows the extent of it all? And so he begins his rehearsed speech about sin and lack of worthiness, but the father stops him. The father has heard reports. The father knows what the son has done. The father doesn’t seek to salve his injured psyche. He is just glad his son is home. He is overjoyed—overflowing with joy.

The father breaks into the apology and turns to the servants excitedly: The son may need to say his speech, but for the father it is irrelevant. He has already accepted the boy back. For years he has longed for this day—hoped against hope—and now it has come. What is necessary now is a proper celebration of the father’s joy.

The best robe. He honors the son who has dishonored himself.

A ring. He lavishes on the boy a sign of his love and wealth.

Sandals on his feet. His boy is destitute, barefoot. The father is quick to clothe him and care for his needs. Sandals were the sign of a freeman as opposed to a slave.

The fatted calf. A man of the father’s station would have a calf that had been specially fed in order to be ready for a special occasion such as this.

The father calls for a feast and a trumpet fanfare of celebration. It is only fitting considering the joy and magnitude of the occasion: The father expresses his joy in extravagant language. Dead, lost. That’s the way it had seemed from the father’s perspective. But now his son for whom he had despaired of hope was now alive and found! Stage three—renewal is complete: rehearsed speech becomes trumpet fanfare.

So we don’t give up in the midst of our wandering from our Father. We count upon God who loves us more than life itself. Let’s note the words from the song:

“You are Loved (Don’t give up). Everybody wants to be understood / Well I can hear you / Everybody wants to be loved / Don’t give up / Because you are loved.

Carrying blessings and burdens. There is an old legend about three men and their sacks. Each man had two sacks, one tied in front of his neck and the other tied on his back. When the first man was asked what was in his sacks, he said, “In the sack on my back are all the good things friends and family have done. That way they’re hidden from view. In the front sack are all the bad things that have happened to me. Every now and then I stop, open the front sack, take the things out, examine them, and think about them.” Because he stopped so much to concentrate on all the bad stuff, he didn’t really make much progress in life.

The second man was asked about his sacks. He replied, “In the front sack are all the good things I’ve done. I like to see them, so quite often I take them out to show them off to people. The sack in the back? I keep all my mistakes in there and carry them all the time. Sure they’re heavy. They slow me down, but you know, for some reason I can’t put them down.”

When the third man was asked about his sacks, he answered, “The sack in front is great. There I keep all the positive thoughts I have about people, all the blessings I’ve experienced, all the great things other people have done for me. The weight isn’t a problem. The sack is like sails of a ship. It keeps me going forward. It brings me home. The sack on my back is empty. There’s nothing in it. I cut a big hole in its bottom. In there I put all the bad things that I can think about myself or hear about others. They go in one end and out the other, so I’m not carrying around any extra weight at all.” What are we carrying in our sacks?[1]

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a story, a wonderful story where a relapse turns to repentance to renewal. A son humbles himself to dig out the root of sin, and returns to his Father. The son also carries two sacks. The sack in front reminds him of the unconditional love of his father and all the blessings awaiting him. The sack on his back is empty; all the bad things are left behind in a pigpen.

We as Jesus-followers must do the same. For Jesus told this story to illustrate the Father’s joy at the repentance of his lost children returning from the risk of relapse. But it is more than a story of a lost son. Jesus lived out this seeking and rejoicing day by day. He sought out those who were wandering and gave them hope. He treated the lost and shunned of righteous society with respect and love. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:9-10). We will see the reality of a changed life, touched by Jesus, who seeks out the wandering in our next message.

Father, this story touches me on deep levels, probably because I can see myself in the Prodigal Son, I can see you in the father, and I marvel at your love and willingness to forgive. I am amazed at your eagerness to restore to sonship those of us who do not deserve it. Father, you truly live beyond our own sense of right and righteousness, for you move beyond judgment to forgiveness, full forgiveness that never looks back. Help me to have your love and a willingness to show mercy rather than a tendency to judgment that is Pharisee-like rather than God-like. In Jesus’ name, I humbly pray. Amen.

Jesus-followers must deal with sin as God prescribes by honesty examining ourselves before him, being open to removing blind spots that distort clear eyesight.

Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. It’s time to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is noting more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity.

Over the past week I’ve read about an inordinate amount of accidents. I’ve personally heard of an accident just last weekend with one of our members’ son who by the grace of God escaped death in a seven-car pile up. Some accidents appear to be pretty serious. As we pass these accidents we should pray for the people involved. Then, we must slow down and pay more attention to our own driving. It seems like there’s something inside us that’s filled with care when we see or hear about the worst possible things come to be—like fatal crashes. Why can’t we remember this all the time? We wonder if that would change the way we drive, not to mention the way we live. I don’t know if you’ve been in an accident, but I’ve found that most happen because of blind spots. Some of these blind spots are typical — we don’t see a car either to our side or behind us, and we hit it with our car. Yet, there are other blind spots that can occur while we drive—the metaphoric kind.

Cars are not the only victims of accidents. We can have relational, vocational, emotional, and social accidents due to the blind spots of brokenness in our lives. We can experience life-accidents and these too are due to blind spots—blind spots that come when we live out of step with the Lord. These blind spots can create all sorts of brokenness in our lives; brokenness that is hard to remedy. Oh, if we could only remember these blind spots before the moment of temptation or trial. How might it change our living? What might we avoid if we could remain sensitive? O God, make it true.

Blind Spots =brokenness that impairs our vision so we cannot see

Blind spots are hurtful ways we treat people, ways we say things, ways we act when we’re busy or tired, ways we abuse the truth or people’s feelings or some biblical boundary. Some of our most entrenched blind spots are often sins we cannot see very well. We are so used to doing things a certain way that we will never see some sins without the help of someone else.

God does not want our brokenness—blind spots—to remain there, because he knows they can make us crash. So God puts mirrors with two legs into our lives. Do we have some two-legged mirrors in our lives? They are fellow Jesus-followers who love us enough, or maybe even dislike us enough, to tell us the hard truth about ourselves.

Conversely, if we are going to be a good mirror to other people, we must be sure that we show them strong points too. Many times, we are blind to what is good about us as well as what is bad. We need to make sure there is praise as well as constructive criticism that says, “I love you enough to tell the truth.”

In our last message we saw that God’s renewal in our lives is birthed as a result of certain kinds of brokenness. Brokenness produces a kind of living, if we will, that’s both sensitive to God and to the realities of the moment. When we live this way, our blind spots are revealed and more easily averted. But there’s more. Brokenness doesn’t simply keep us from blind spots, but it enables us to experience transformation and growth. This is our desire.

The words of Jesus are filled with wisdom that helps us not only see our blind spots, but transcend them. We’ve been considering the words of Jesus in this series. These are words that matter; they help us to see Jesus.

The Gospel writer records Jesus’ words concerning a spirit of criticism or an arrogance that leads us to assume we have a right to arbitrate the hearts of others in Matthew 7:3-5:

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in someone else’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from the other person’s eye.

It’s hard to believe that Jesus said these words with a straight face. The comparison is humorous. Let’s picture a person with a large plank of timber in his eye stooping down to perform minute eye surgery on a person with only a sawdust speck in his eye. Yet that is what we do when we try to correct others without careful self-examination and surrender so God can cleanse our own lives. Jesus calls those who are quick to correct others without correcting themselves “hypocrites,” and enjoins them to take the plank out of their own eye first.

The central theme of this passage isn’t merely about criticizing other people, or clearing up misperceptions, or trying to determine what’s most valuable in life. It’s not that these ideas are unimportant in light of the passage, they are. But without the heart of the passage animating these ideas, we’re doomed to misuse these words. The real aim of this passage is the reality of reciprocal returns. We use phrases to help us describe this giving of reciprocal returns.

• What we sow we will reap;
• What goes around comes around;
• Those who live by the sword, die by the sword.
• Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
• The Reality of Reciprocal Return

Jesus uses humor here in this passage to show what happens when a person is not able to see his or her own blind spots, but is more than willing to reveal the blind spots of others. “…first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from the other person’s eye” ring words that are familiar. How can a person with a plank in his eye see the speck of dust in his brother or sister’s eye?

These words take us right back to the heart of blind spots. For in fact, a plank in the eye creates two kinds of blind spots.

1. Blind spots magnify the speck in our neighbor’s eye

A blind spot magnifies the speck in my brother or sister’s eye, and it keeps us from helping another person with his or her faults. In fact, instead of helping others with their blind spots of brokenness, a beam in our eyes creates in us a critical attitude. How ironic! The beam creates the illusion that we’re right and everyone else is mistaken, misinformed, and in need of correction.

This part of the message in the phrase “take the plank out” means if we want to help another, we must first transcend our own brokenness. The plank or beam represents all that keeps us from our own sin and shortcomings—the blind spots. How easy it is to be a flaw pointer or picker. It’s so easy to point out what’s wrong with others without any desire whatsoever to help them. But—and here comes the reciprocity in this phrase—if we’re willing to deal with our own vulnerability to brokenness, we’ll then have the compassion and authenticity to help others with their issues. Yet, without this kind of self-awareness, we’re doomed to pick at other people without the desire to see them change. In fact, we don’t really want them to change because then we’d have nothing to complain about.

2. Blind spots shrink the beam in our own eye

A Blind spot shrinks the beam in our own eye. Let’s think about our own life. Are there planks that we need to transcend? There are planks in each of our lives. Perhaps the most insidious planks are the ones we called out in our last message: stubbornness, pride, willfulness, and independence. These planks will convince us that our planks aren’t all that bad. We will then see them as a speck when in fact; they are planks of large prominence. Or, even worse, unbrokenness will convince us how good we are at helping others with specks, but that we don’t need any help ourselves. Ouch! This is why Jesus encouraged his listeners to look inward, before turning to help others. Honesty with self and our blind spots of brokenness creates the possibility of extending compassion to others. Without this honesty, our “help” is too often a veneer to pick at the flaws of others, or show our own flaws to be so small by comparison.

So one of the purposes of identifying blind spots is to prepare us to serve others. Jesus-followers are obligated to help each other grow in grace. When we do not take inventory on ourselves, we not only hurt ourselves, but we also hurt those to whom we could minister. The Pharisees criticized others to make themselves look good. But we should self-examine ourselves so that we can help others to look good. There is a difference!

Using beam research uses a symbol of the eye because this is one of the most sensitive areas of the human body. The picture of people with a two-by-four stuck in their eye, trying to remove a speck of sawdust from another person’s eye, is ridiculous indeed! If we do not honestly face up to our own sins, and confess them, we blind ourselves to ourselves; and then we cannot see clearly enough to help others. The Pharisees saw the sins of other people, but they would not look at their own sins. This proper removing of the plank in our own eyes helps us to have a spiritual outlook on life. We should examine their actions and attitudes, but we cannot criticize their motives—for only God can see good work with a bad motive.

Using beam research also teaches us another truth: we must exercise love and tenderness when we seek to help others. There must be extreme tenderness when doctors perform eye surgery. Like eye doctors, we should minister to people we want to help with tender loving care. We can do more damage than a speck of sawdust in the eye if we approach others with impatience and insensitivity. Two extremes must be avoided in the matter of beam research. The first is the deception of a shallow examination. The second is “perpetual autopsy,” where we get so wrapped up in self-examination—pointing out the blind spots—that we lose our focus or perspective of the situation.

Jesus is emphasizing the truth that beam research is honestly examining ourselves before God, and being open to remove those blind spots that cause us to see clearly. Then we can help one another in our times of brokenness. But if we know there are sins in our lives, and we try to help others, we are hypocrites. In fact, it is possible for ministry to be a device to cover up sin! The Pharisees were guilty of this; Jesus denounced them for it.

The Lesson: the failings—blind spots of brokenness—that bother us in others mirror our own failings. We criticize others for their failings (specks of sawdust) even as we overlook our own considerable larger ones (planks).

• Let’s try Jesus’ insight on ourselves.
• What bugs us about other people?
• Do we, in some way, do the same thing?
• Does it bother us when we see someone insensitive to another person?
• Have we ever been uncaring toward another person?

[We can act out with someone in the congregation using a PLANK. This is a hilarious image, but it also makes a profound and convicting point. When we are in conflict, our natural response is to focus on the other person's offense, and to make their admission, retribution, and change the condition for reconciliation. Our moral sense is highly developed toward how we've been treated. Jesus' counsel is very counter-intuitive.

“Notice the plank that is in your eye" - Focus primarily on your part in the conflict. It is a "plank"--not necessarily because it is relatively more serious morally or because you did it first--but because it is what you are responsible for and it is what you can correct. Therefore, it should be the primary thing that occupies your field of vision in a conflict. Try putting yourself in the other person's shoes to see how this affects them.

“First take the plank out of your own eye" - Acknowledge and sincerely apologize for your offense, independently of how they respond. Beware of objections and rationalizations here. Why is this so difficult to do? Because we take our identity from being right. We can't afford to adopt this posture, so we instinctively move to a self-righteous, self-justifying posture with other people. This is why receiving and living under God's grace is so important. When we know that we are secure with God no matter how wrong we have been, we are more able to see and admit our sins to ourselves, and to others. This is why the grace of God is so foundational for healthy close relationships.

"Then you will see clearly to take the speck out" - There is still a place for correction, but it is out of humility and for their good, not out of defensiveness and to deflect blame, shame, get even, timed for the best impact, etc. Relationships grounded in grace profit tremendously from each other in this way.]

If we wake up and see Jesus by following his teaching, our attitude won’t be “how can you be so stupid?” but “I know how hard it is. I struggle with the same brokenness.” Jesus says we should examine ourselves and have a willingness to remove our own blind spots before pointing out someone else’s. Jesus wants us to see that our inner evil affects our eyesight. It distorts our vision so that the other person’s errors loom larger than our own. Compassion begins by looking at the other person. Reconciliation begins by looking at ourselves.

Before we receive Communion, it would be appropriate for us to first examine ourselves. Jesus desires brokenness. In preparation of gathering around the Lord’s Table, let’s personally focus upon a love letter from Jesus, entitled “I Desire Brokenness.”

I Desire Brokenness

I come to you…The Loves of My Life…with so much on My heart. I want you more than anything to be all that I have planned for you to be. That is the reason that I died for all of you. As I search your hearts, I see your desires. Many of your desires that I see are for you to be mended and repaired. Nothing needs mending or repairing unless it is damaged or broken. Yes, many of you have damaged emotions, broken hearts, and minds with no peace; this brokenness deals with your souls – your minds, wills, and emotions. I want to deal with your spirits. Your desires are to be repaired – My desire and Will is to repair you.

I just don’t want to repair your souls and your bodies; I want to repair your spirit so that you can become whole. Many of your wills are not broken and I cannot repair them and seat them with Me. I also know that many of you sincerely believe that your spirits are broken before Me but they are not. They are not broken because you have tried to do it by your own power and might. Your spirits can only be broken by the Spirit of the Living God because it is not by power nor by might but only by God’s Spirit.

Come and humble yourselves before Me – You have not yet resisted to the shedding of your blood. Meditate on all that I have for you; every plan that I have made for you; the vessels of honor that I have called you to be. Surrender all to Me at this very moment. Present yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable. Say to Me this very thing and I will do it for you…”Lord create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me.” Desire Me above all else right now.

Yes, I am beginning to see your brokenness now. Listen to My words spoken in the Psalms and allow these Words of Life to saturate your spirits and touch the very core of your souls.

Psalms 34:18 ~ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalms 51:17~ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart, Oh God, You will not despise.

I am seeing your hearts now breaking before Me. I am moved by your grief. You are grieving for more and more of Me. Oh yes, My precious ones, such a godly sorrow I am seeing in you right now…a godly sorrow for not fully walking in My ways…a godly sorrow for trying instead of training…a godly sorrow for being too busy to do the Father’s business…a godly sorrow for not glorifying the Father in all that you have said and done…a godly sorrow for falling short of all you have been called to do…a godly sorrow for not loving your brothers and sisters as I have loved you…a godly sorrow for Me not always ordering your steps…a godly sorrow for not acknowledging Me in all of your ways so that I can direct your paths…a godly sorrow for not always walking after the Spirit so as not to fulfill the lust of the flesh…a godly sorrow for not seeking first the Kingdom of God and all of it’s righteousness… a godly sorrow because you love Me so very much.

I see your godly sorrow leading to repentance. I see your repentant and contrite spirits. I see your brokenness. Yes I can feel your hearts crying out your love for Me; your gratitude for salvation; your complete surrender in the realization that I bought you with a price – the price being the shedding of My Blood on the cross of Calvary for the remission of your sins.

Oh, My heart is melting over you right now. I love you so much. You cannot even conceive of how much I love you right now. I adore your broken spirits being poured out before me. My broken love ones – come to Me now. Let Me repair you body, soul, and spirit. Let Me mend you. Let me mold, shape, and make you into My vessels of honor. Arise and enter in – Your Potter awaits you. We have much work to do My precious clay. Oh how I so love you.

Love,
Jesus

Jesus’ prescription for a gentle honesty–“…first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from the other person’s eye” must guide our beam research. By the time we finish doing beam research; our own brokenness will grow smaller because we see our own wrong-doing. Instead of self-righteous lectures, we perform tender-loving eye surgery.

Father, please forgive me when I am severe, harsh, and critical toward others. I know there is brokenness in my own life that needs the work of your Holy Spirit. I confess that there are routine sins that I find myself excusing more and more. Please, dear LORD, forgive my sin and empower me to move beyond it. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Jesus-followers must openly admit our brokenness before God by falling into the embrace of our loving Father which is the first step to revival.

Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. It’s time to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is noting more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity.

We remember the nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty, the egg who sat on a wall. Actually, Humpty Dumpty was not an egg, but a powerful cannon during the English Civil War. It was mounted on top of the St Mary’s at the Wall Church. The tower was hit by enemy cannon fire and the top of the tower was blown off, sending “Humpty” tumbling to the ground. Naturally all the King’s horses and all the King’s men (Royalist cavalry and infantry respectively) tried to mend “him” but in vain. But here’s the rhyme:

“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,

All the King’s horses and all the King’s men,

Couldn’t put Humpty back together again.”

Does that nursery rhyme bring back memories, or what? Do we have any “Humpty Dumpty Christians” in Churches today? Sure, we all know some, or maybe we have been one at some time in our life. Hummmmmm…..Something to think about here! Sometimes they are not recognized until they have a great fall.

Many Jesus-followers are just like Humpty, who was pictured as “an egg”. We see him in his bow tie with his ‘cute little hat’ perched on top of his funny looking egg-shaped body. With his stocking legs and cute smiling face, he looks all safe and secure……. until he has a great fall! What was Humpty happily doing before he fell? He appears to be “just sitting,” unbroken. Is it the same way today in Churches across the land or not? Many sit on a wall in fear of what is happening in the world around them. We don’t hear these Jesus-followers singing as David the Psalmist, “I have run through a troop and leaped over a wall by you O Lord”. Many are too busy sitting on the walls of safety instead. They are afraid to deal with the fact that they are susceptible to brokenness. So they remain unbroken.

Perhaps they are just waiting for the Lord to come back.

• Instead of “working….. they are waiting,”
• Instead of “walking……they are talking,”
• Instead of “dining……they are whining,”
• And instead of “trying…they are sighing,”
• Instead of “feeding…. they are feuding,”
• Instead of “praying…… they are playing.”
• And…. instead of really “trying,
• most of these actually…. are dying”!!!

All of us as Jesus-followers, like Humpty have experienced brokenness in life. It has no demands; it makes no requests. The King’s horses and King’s people of this life can’t help us. But brokenness is falling into the embrace of our loving Father and finding him to be enough. God can put us back together again. It is not just saying, “God, I need you,” but “God, you are all I need.”

Brokenness =“empty handedness before God”

Brokenness is saying “no” to the clamoring voice of our flesh. It is saying “no” to the pride and self-confidence that has made us restless and unhappy for so long. It is saying “yes” to the longing for God that he has planted deep within the soul of each person. It is saying “yes to see Jesus!”

Before a horse can be useful to its owner, it has to be broken. An unbroken stallion is proud and strong. It will paw and snort and let no one ride it. But then a bit goes in its mouth, a saddle goes on its back, and someone climbs up and hangs on. The stallion immediately starts to buck, because it doesn’t want to be broken. But eventually it stops fighting and surrenders to the will of its owner.

Sometimes we have that same stubborn, rebellious, I-can-do-it spirit within us. God has to break those attitudes because they keep us from experiencing true intimacy with him. “What exactly is going to be broken?” Here are some of the big ones:

1. Stubbornness. “I am going to do this my way.” If we are one of God’s children, that attitude is on its way out. We can fight with God for a long time if we want, but our stubbornness will eventually be broken.

2. Pride. “I know better; I am better.” God hates pride in the hearts of his children. People who have been greatly used by God have come to grips with the need to dispense with all pride.

3. Willfulness. “You can’t make me. You can’t tell me. When I am good and ready, I will.” That’s willfulness, and it is also on its way out. If we are one of God’s children, he is going to use
whatever he has to use to get that out of our heart and life.
4. Independence. “I can make it without you.” Nothing will inhibit our intimacy with the Father like an attitude of self-sufficiency. Those who have been used greatly by God have recognized their weakness and relied on God’s strength.

All of these attitudes keep us from experiencing true intimacy with God. That is why God will do whatever it takes to break us.

We say, “Well how does God break us?” Here are some of God’s most common tools:

• Broken health
• Broken careers
• Broken dreams
• Broken relationships
• Broken promises
• Broken hearts
• Broken finances

God uses these tools to rid our lives of the things that hinder our intimacy with him. Some people say, “I thought God was supposed to be loving? If I was God, I would never let my children go through hard times like that.” Well, we’re not God! God’s love is not a pampering love; it’s a perfecting love. God is trying to produce something in us—the likeness of his Son—and God is going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Perhaps life is going very well right now, and we can say, “I’m not going through this breaking thing.” That’s not very comforting, actually. If we’re not going through any hard times, then God is not working on us. And if God is not working on us, we are either too self-righteous or perhaps we are not one of his children. Maybe we need to examine ourselves, our righteousness, and see whether we are in the faith. In our brokenness we will never experience true intimacy with God until we are able to come before him in genuine humility, utterly desperate for him. We need to be broken.

Mark Buchanan wrote in his book, Your God is Too Safe, that there is one soil that usually withers stubbornness, pride, willfulness, and independence. It is brokenness. He goes on to write that brokenness “molds our character closer to the character of God than anything else. To experience defeat, disappointment, loss—the raw ingredients of brokenness—moves us closer to being like God than victory and gain and fulfillment ever can.”

We hear the statement many times that someone or something broke my heart. Since God created us in his image, he is the only one who can break our hearts. God is also the only one who can fashion them back into wholeness.

Bad hair day is just that; a bad hair day. Everyone, including you, sees it. But bad breath is different. Others smell it, but you can’t. Self-righteousness—believing you can’t be broken or thinking you are better than someone else—is like bad breath. Other can smell it, but you can’t.

We see this self-righteous attitude which blocks brokenness in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14:

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

The context is prayer in the Temple. The devout observed three prayer times daily—9 a.m., 12 midday and 3:00 p.m. Prayer was held to be specifically effectual if it was offered in the Temple, and so at these hours many went up to the Temple courts to pray. Jesus told of two men who went to pray.

A Study on Brokenness

We can observe that this parable would have shocked Jesus’ listeners. This story is a study on brokenness. Let’s contrast for a moment the nature of each of the key characters in this parable.

The Pharisee—Religious Good Guy

11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

While many of Jesus’ parables were delivered to Pharisees, this is the only parable that includes a Pharisee as one of the actors in Jesus’ story. The term “Pharisee” is presumed to have come from parûš, which in Hebrew means “Separated One.” “The Pharisees were a movement (not a denomination in the modern sense) within Judaism devoted to observing the Torah, including ritual purity, and piety toward God” They were regarded among the devout portion of the Jewish people.

So this Pharisee is truly a good guy—he recycles his trash, pays his bills, mows his lawn, gives money to charities, coaches his kid’s baseball team, attends church regularly, loves his wife, and doesn’t chase other women. He is John Q. Citizen at his very best.

The Tax Collector— Social Outcast

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

Tax collecting, in the time of Jesus, was a profession that was riddled with corruption. This tax collector must have been Jewish because he is at the Temple praying. The occupational tasks were to collect tolls, market duties, and other local taxes. The Roman system of tax collection almost made corruption inevitable. People were routinely unfairly overcharged by the tax collectors. Because of the despicable nature of tax collectors, none of Jesus’ audience would have ever imagined a tax collector entering the Temple to pray.

So this tax collector is a social outcast. He had sold out to the Roman government for money. He is the developer who puts in strip malls while ignoring the environment, the logger who clear-cuts virgin timber without reseeding, the stockbroker who advises you to sell just to make a commission. He doesn’t so much disobey the law as use the law to line his own pockets. Every society has “tax collectors,” and society hates them.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus comes down hard on people who are self-righteous, believing that they cannot be broken, especially the Pharisees. So Jesus likes this tax collector better than the Pharisee because the tax collector sees what he really is—a broken mess—while the Pharisee denies his true heart. The tax collector knows he has a bad hair day, but the Pharisee doesn’t know he has bad breath.

The Lesson: The lesson of this parable is clear: No one really has it all together. Everyone’s life is a bit of a mess. All of us need help because of our brokenness.

The Pharisee’s arrogance overpowers his ability to see himself clearly. He just doesn’t get it. But the tax collector knows his life isn’t working, he knows that his life has been centered on himself, playing God, running roughshod over people. He knows it and hates it, so he turns to outside help. He doesn’t just need an assist from God, he needs a complete makeover, so he cries out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” The tax collector has come to the earth-shattering conclusion that he, not his circumstances, caused the mess in his life. Even his body language reflects his heart—he stands at a distance, not even looking up, beating on his chest. He can’t do life on his own anymore. Jesus finds this man’s honesty more attractive than the proud accomplishment of the Pharisee.

“Brokenness and freedom go together, in that order;
first suffering, then comfort;
first trouble, then joy;
first felt unworthiness, then felt love;
first death to the self, then resurrection of the soul.”

Admitting our Brokenness

It is a huge relief to admit that we are broken: that we turn inward and instinctively take care of our needs first. Let’s try this little exercise by filling in the blanks of the Pharisee’s prayer. It’s a simple way to get in touch with our inner Pharisee.

“God, I thank you that I am not like (a group of people that drives you crazy) or even like (one particular person who drives you crazy). I (something good you do that those other people don’t do).”

Knowing that we are broken means we can stop pretending we have it all together. Jesus says to people, “Relax—you’re much worse than you think!” It is a little scary to move in this direction because we lose control of our image—of how others see us. But did we ever control it anyway?

Jesus doesn’t want his listeners to stay broken, he wants them, like the tax collector, to turn to God and say, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Getting in touch with our inner tax collector make room for God’s energy in our lives. Jesus concludes the parable saying: 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

According to Jesus, we all need forgiveness. Knowing we are inadequate before God and other people leads to compassion, but thinking we are good before God and others makes us self-centered and difficult to live with. The better we think we are, the less we can love. The more we see our need, the more we’ll turn for help…and the more we’ll help others because we are able to see their need.

The first step toward God is realizing we are on the wrong path going the wrong way. It’s actually quite freeing if we think about it. We all know that when we have bad breath, we need some mouth wash or mints to rid us of the bad odor. One such product is “breath assures.” But with the acknowledgement from God that we have bad breath, we can get real and relax by taking the “breath assures” of God’s forgiveness. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17 NIV). When we realize that we don’t have it all together, we can care for people because we no longer feel morally superior to them. Consequently God’s “breath assures” or we might even say “Spirit assures” enable us to be quicker to help than to give advice, quicker to listen than to lecture. O Lord, I realize that I don’t have it all together. Help me deal with my brokenness in… ___

Heal me so I can help care for people, to be quicker to listen than to lecture. Amen.

So paradoxically, as Jesus-followers, we are all—every last one of us—more or less unbroken in our stubbornness, pride, willfulness, and independence. The Christian journey is one of God bringing us out of the trash represented by the tree of knowledge—such as sinful, rule-based, self-righteous, self-sufficient, prideful dependence upon our own strength, wisdom and knowledge into the treasures represented by the tree of life—such as brokenness, humility, worship of and dependence upon God. These are God’s highest desires for all of his children to bring us to revival. God’s desires are always what are best for us. They are highly prized by God, and once we begin to understand and bear the fruit of them, we will prize them highly too. Amen!

Jesus-followers must continually allow God to break up our fallow ground, taking off the handcuffs from what’s wrecking our insides and locking us up.

Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. It’s time to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian living, in its purest form, is noting more than imitating him who we see. To see Jesus’ Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of Christianity.

Our prayer for this series on Waking up to see Jesus is that the Divine Surgeon will use these messages as a delicate surgical tool to restore sight. That blurriness will be focused, that darkness disposed, and that dryness lubricated.

We want to continue our thoughts on holiness. Holiness means wholeness; to be separated; to be set apart for God’s use. Rob Bell, the founding pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in American history, gives us a perspective of holiness from Old Testament Judaic tradition. The tzitzit (seet-see) first appear when God says to Moses in Numbers 15:38-40…

38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. 40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God.

God tells his people to attach tassels to the corners of their garments so they will be constantly visually reminded to live as he created them to live. The word in Hebrew here for “corners” is kanaf. The word for “tassel” (or “fringe”) is tzitzit. To this day, many Jews wear a prayer shawl to obey this text.

The word the prophet Malachi uses for wings is kanaf—the same word in Numbers that refers to the edge of a garment, to which the tassels were attached. So a legend grew that when the Messiah came, there would be special healing powers in his kanaf, in the tassels of his prayer shawl.

Now let’s fast forward to the time of Jesus and focus on our text from Mark 6:53-56…

53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

Now people ran throughout the villages, and towns carrying the sick on mats. Wherever Jesus went they begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all those who touched him were healed. Now we must remember, Jesus is a Torah-observant Jewish rabbi who keeps the Scripture commandments word for word, including passages like Numbers 15. This means Jesus would have been wearing a prayer shawl. So when the people grab the edge of his cloak, they are demonstrating that they believe Jesus is the Messiah and that his tassels have healing powers. They believe that Jesus is who Malachi was talking about four-hundred years earlier.

If we were in the crowd, what would we think about these people? They truly believe that this man is the Messiah, the Holy One of God. They touch his tassels and are healed, just like Malachi said. But we must not think the physical healing is Jesus’ point here. What Jesus desires here is that they part their ways whole. Again, we must remember that holiness is the quality of being holy, set apart, sanctified. Holiness means wholeness; the full development of the entire person - personality, virtue and gifts.

So when these people leave Jesus they are whole. Jesus is placing the blessing of God on all of them who touch him for healing. Not just their physical bodies. Jesus is blessing them with God’s presence on their entire being. So God’s desires when it comes to partaking of his holiness that all Jesus-followers live in harmony with him—body, soul, spirit, mind, emotions—every inch of their being.

Meaningful Touch =

“ a gentle touch, stroke, kiss, or hug given by significant people”

A noted neurosurgeon did his own study on the effects of brief times of touch. With half his patents in the hospital, he would sit on their bed and touch them on the arm or leg when he came into the hospital room to see how they were doing. With his remaining patients, he would simply stand near the end of the bed to conduct his interview of how they were feeling. Before the patients went home from the hospital, the nurses gave each patient a short questionnaire evaluating the treatment they received. They were especially asked to comment on the amount of time they felt the doctor had spent with them. While in actuality he had spent the same amount of time in each patient’s room, those people he had sat down near and touched felt he had been in their room nearly twice as long as those he had not touched!

Additionally, in a study at UCLA, it was found that just to maintain emotional and physical health, men and women need eight to ten meaningful touches each day. This study also estimated that if some “type A driven” men would hug their wives several times each day, it would increase their life span by almost two years! (Not to mention the way it would improve their marriages.)

So its people who encounter meaningful touch with Jesus that experience wholeness. Jesus is placing the blessing of God on all of them who touch him for healing. Not just their physical bodies. Jesus is blessing them with God’s presence on their entire being. So God’s desire when it comes to partaking of his holiness is for all Jesus-followers to live in harmony with him—body, soul, spirit, mind, emotions—every inch of their being.

The Power of Meaningful Touch

Meaningful touch provides the means for healing. It has many beneficial effects. The act of touch is a key to communicating warmth, personal acceptance, affirmation—even physical health as seen in Jesus’ encounters throughout his ministry.

Mark’s text reports that Jesus entered Gennesaret with his disciples. Gennesaret was an area about three miles long and one mile wide, located on the western shore between Capernaum and Tiberius. The region’s fertile farmland helped it sustain a fairly significant population, thus affording many towns and villages for Jesus and his disciples to visit. By believing in Jesus’ power and accepting Jesus’ message, the crowds that surrounded him could experience not only physical healing but also receive the keys to spiritual salvation.

Anyone here have redeye problems? If we have allergies, or if we like “chick flicks” (movies that make us cry), or if we cry easily, we have redeye problems. If we like a shot of espresso in our morning coffee, we order a redeye. If we like two shots of espresso in our morning coffee, we order a black-eye. Anything more than two shots is a zombie, which is when we REALLY have a redeye problem.

If we need to get from the west coast to the east coast in a hurry, we have the bleary-eyed pleasure of taking a redeye. We also know that the longest hours of our redeye flight are those spent waiting around for the flight to leave in the all-but-deserted airport. We don’t dare fall asleep, for fear of missing our departure or having someone liberate our personal belongings. But by 9 PM all those shamelessly overpriced airport restaurants have closed. Even Starbucks has pulled the plug on its coffee pots. For redeye flights the only sleep-fighting food to be found (sugar and caffeine) is dispensed out by vending machines — those always-temperamental vending machines. Inevitably about half of the ones located in whatever satellite of the airport we are waiting sport the dreaded out-of-order sign. There we are — starving, sleepy, stressed-out — and all we can do is stare longingly at the Oreo cookies, peanut butter and cheese crackers, and instant bad-breath nacho chips tempting us from behind two inches of unbreakable safety glass. No amount of change, no amount of jostling, kicking, glass-thumping, or swearing will convince those out-of-order machines to give up their empty, fat-laden calories. The goodies seem within easy reach. But the goodies are totally inaccessible.

How many people do we know who have all sorts of goodies, all kinds of goodness locked inside them, but we can’t get to it because they are out of order? Something has gone wrong in their insides and all those Oreo cookies and other goodies are within reach, but impossible to get at? What renders us out of order? What happens to our insides that locks our best inside and leaves our friends and family in the lurch? We’re stressed, depressed, and self-obsessed. Like most redeye travelers, we’re stressed, depressed, and self-obsessed.

Let’s look back at some first-century travelers. Let’s take a look at those disciples who journeyed and jostled along with Jesus as he walked the length and breadth of the land. What do we see? Those selfsame characteristics — stressed, depressed, self-obsessed — are still evident. We need meaningful touch with the holy One of God.

1. We get stressed with life’s challenging circumstances

53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there.

With all the anxious, ill, exhausted crowds of people pressing for cures and compassion, Jesus recognized that he and his disciples were prime candidates for stress. Jesus’ solution — to come away to a deserted place with me and rest awhile (verse 31) was his cure for stress 2000 years ago. It’s still the best cure for stress today. Harmonizing hustle and bustle with intentional down time, harmonizing activism with quiet periods of prayer and reflection kept Jesus’ arms open to the crowds, his heart open to their needs. Because he was not stressed Jesus could get off his boat and face the throngs with heartfelt compassion instead of a short-temper. The disciples are another story. They were . . . stressed about where their next meal was coming from, stressed about the cost of keeping all these people around them, stressed about getting away from shore and getting back to shore. Even their downtime, the serenity of a boat trip along the lake, was spent stressing out about where they were going instead of considering that they were with Jesus.

We get stressed with life’s challenging circumstances over arrival times, departure times, luggage destinations, security checkpoints, terrorist threats, thunderstorms, ice-storms, seat assignments, and connecting flights.

2. We get depressed with life’s complicated circumstances

54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.

Then there was the endless sea of needy, sick, poor, crippled, confused and hopeless people who approached Jesus and the disciples. Every person the disciples met offered good reason for sliding into depression. Everywhere the disciples and Jesus disembarked, every new village or town they reached, the same desperate crowds pressed in upon them. No matter how long Jesus stayed, no matter how many astounding miracles he performed, there was always more, more, more: more people in need, more ills to cure, more desperate situations to address.

For Jesus compassion checked and checkmated depression. Compassion [or in Greek splangnizesthai] overrode any paralyzing feeling of depression. Compassion meant action, healing, teaching, feeding, comforting, and loving. There was so much to do; there was no time for moodiness and broodiness. The disciples, however, with their inability to see the big picture, their confusion over Jesus’ identity, their fixation on their preconceived messianic images and expectations, were easy prey for depressive thoughts and feelings.

Reunited with their master, plunged into the midst of a crowd eager for Jesus’ message and touch, the disciples gloomily fret over where their next meal will come from. In 6:52, the text immediately preceding Mark’s conclusion in verses 53-56, the disciples refuse to open their hearts and souls to the truth of Jesus’ identity to such an extent that despite witnessing Jesus walking on the water their hearts were hardened and they did not understand. Now that’s depressing!

We get depressed with life’s complicated circumstances like time lost, long and lonely flights, the shrinking seat sizes (which may indicate some growth on our part), the mounting cost of travel, the growing sense of fear and insecurity that comes with increased security precautions.

3. We get self-obsessed with life’s changing circumstances

56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

But where the disciples really excelled was in being self-obsessed. Even with all the healing that took place in the lives of the sick, they weren’t amazed over the work of Jesus. They were mute as the crowds marveled. They didn’t rant and rave about the movement of the spirit through Jesus’ healing ministry. They didn’t celebrate the power of Jesus’ name. There is no mention of the disciples celebrating God’s activity among the people. Jesus never blinked when others stood before him in need. And Jesus calls us not to blink when people stand before us in need.

Despite the wearying crowds, despite his own need for prayer and spiritual refueling, when Jesus escaped to what he had hoped would be a deserted place and was confronted with a crowd that had reached that deserted place before him, his response was compassion, not exasperation. When Jesus looked at desperate, needy, redeye people, Jesus saw them as sheep in need of a shepherd, not bothersome hangers-on in need of a swift kick. Jesus’ first response was to give of himself, to teach them many things, filling their needs with his words and wisdom. He provided not only physical healing for their bodies, but spiritual healing for their souls.

We get self-obsessed with life’s changing circumstances to the point of seeing only ourselves being inconvenienced by schedule delays. We grouse about a flight canceled due to severe weather without ever considering those people and communities caught in the middle of those dangerous conditions. We complain about the security precautions now in effect without acknowledging the risks taken by those who search for weapons, explosives or violent individuals.

Breaking Up Fallow Ground

Our souls are wrung with anxiety, grief, and pain. Our lives are dry and we need God to rain righteousness upon us. We need God to soak and break up our fallow ground. Are we stressed, depressed, self-obsessed? Are we out of order in more ways than one?

Fallow ground is a land that has not been seeded for one or more growing seasons. It is hard and may be filled with weeds. It is undeveloped but potentially useful. In order to plant seed and reap a bountiful harvest, we must break it up, plow it, and prepare it to receive the seed.

Let’s focus upon our potentially fallow ground in ten areas. As we prepare for personal revival, we must ask ourselves the following questions. We can respond to each question in one of three ways: Yes; Not really; and Not as much as I need to.

Is prayer a vital part of my life?

Do I hunger to go deeper in my understanding of what God’s Word has for me?

Does the reality of heaven and hell move me to action in sharing Jesus?

Do I feel that I’m ministering the way God would like me to serve?

Is my thinking dominated by my desire to be more like Jesus?

Am I deeply grieved in my heart when I think upon impure motives?

Do pointed spiritual discussions make me more confident in my faith?

Do I feel true joy in my relationship with God?

Am I dissatisfied with the level of my intimacy with God?

Do I do what it takes to break up fallow ground and aggressively deal with sin?

We need to pray and ask the Lord to develop in our lives a willingness to do everything necessary to be ready to receive everything God wants to sow and rain down on our lives. We need the desire for change in these areas so we can experience afresh the Lord’s power and presence in our “out of order” state.

Maybe we can all identify with the following story. “I was sitting at a stop light this morning. The woman in front of me was going through papers on the seat of her car, and when the light changed to green she did not obey its command — a green light is a commandment — NOT a suggestion. When the light turned to red, and she had still not moved, I began (with my windows up) screaming at her and beating on my steering wheel. My expressions of distress were interrupted by a policeman, gun drawn, tapping on my window.

Against my protestations of, “You can’t arrest me for hollering in my car,” he ordered me into the back seat of his. After about two hours in a holding cell, the arresting officer advised me I was free to go. I said, “I knew you couldn’t arrest me for what I was yelling in my own car. You haven’t heard the last of this.” The officer replied, “I didn’t arrest you for shouting in your car. I was directly behind you at the light. I saw you screaming and beating your steering wheel, and I said to myself, ‘What a jerk. But there’s nothing I can do to him for throwing a fit in his own car.’ Then I noticed the cross hanging from your rear view mirror, the bright yellow ‘WWJD’ license tag, the ‘Jesus is Coming Soon’ bumper sticker, and the Fish symbol, and I was sure you must have stolen the car.””

Jesus is here to break up our fallow ground. Jesus is here to free us from what’s wrecking our insides and locking us up. There’s a key that can take the handcuffs off our hearts, the shackles off our souls. That key is a relationship with Jesus. If we would only see and touch Jesus. The key is to see Jesus, and to touch the hem of his garment. The healing we receive is an extension of Jesus’ holiness. Amen!

Prayer

We confess, O God, that when left to our own devices as followers of our own ways, we become self-centered and spiritually off-center. Draw us near to you that we might touch you, that we may know the heart of all things. Center us.

We confess that prejudice and self-interest distort our vision of people and events. Grant us the ability to view the world with slanted eyes of faith. Help us to see with clarity that only your love can give. Focus us.

We confess that in our lives we give weight to the insignificant and take too lightly the things that matter most. Enable us to make wiser decisions and judgments so that we set our priorities with the help of your discerning Spirit. Balance us.

We confess, O God, that we look into our own lives and refuse to see the goodness that you created. Open our eyes to view the grace and grandness that’s a part of us as a gift of love and to see your goodness in the hearts of others. Open us.

We offer this prayer with confidence in your power to forgive, to heal, and to guide. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Jesus-followers must orient our attitudes, aptitudes, and latitudes in a Christ-ward direction so we may become the holy presence of Christ in our world.

Despite all the attention Jesus gets, most people have little idea of who he is as a person, even those who worship him. When we see Jesus portrayed, he often comes across strangely. In most films Jesus talks slowly, walks slowly, and moves slowly. Who really is Jesus?

Waking up to see Jesus is a worthy endeavor. It’s time to study Jesus with fresh eyes, laying aside for a time what we already know—or think we know—about him. We need to experience what Albert Einstein did when he read the Gospels. He reflected:

I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene…Jesus is too colossal for the pen of phrasemongers, however artful…No man can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word.

In spite of our backgrounds, Jesus is hard to ignore. Almost two billion Jesus-followers claim to pursue the way of Jesus; more than one billion Muslims honor him as a prophet. Leading Jewish theologians esteem him as a great rabbi. Jesus’ image can be found even in Hindu temples. Many cult leaders claim to be a reincarnation of the spirit of Jesus. Jaroslav Pelikan, professor of history at Yale University writes:

Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost twenty centuries…It is from his birth that most of the human race dates its calendars; it is by his name that millions curse and in his name that millions pray.

Most of us have lacked good models to follow in life. We don’t even know what’s normal anymore. Let’s suggest this truth: the person of Jesus is a portrait to which we may focus our perspective on life. He brings our focus for a hero into perspective—someone who is both holy and hard-wearing—to change this world.

One of the many excellent models that Jesus represented was a life of holiness. All too often we try to bring Jesus down to our own levels and see him as a common, ordinary friend just like us. Now, this picture is true in scripture; he is a friend of sinners. However, we first need to see Jesus in his exalted state of greatness and holiness. Jesus came to save. We need a Savior who is able to handle the problem of our sin nature. We are unholy people. Jesus came to bring us into right relationship with God. Jesus’ holiness makes him the perfect sacrifice to rescue us from our sin.

Holiness =

the quality of being holy, set apart, sanctified.

Holiness implies wholeness; the full development of the entire person—personality, virtue and gifts. The verb to consecrate hagiazo means to set a place apart for God, to make it holy, by the offering of a sacrifice upon it. The root idea of holiness is that of separation. The Jews were the holy people, the nation which was quite separate and different from other peoples. Jesus-followers today have been dedicated and consecrated to God by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to be a people in the world, but not of the world.

Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervors, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks and willing as God wills. –John Brown.

Holiness is the everyday business of every Christian. It evidences itself in the decisions we make and the things we do, hour by hour, day by day. –Chuck Colson.

Eugene Peterson in his book entitled, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction writes:

In our kind of culture anything, even news about God, can be sold if it is packaged freshly; but when it loses its novelty, it goes on the garbage heap. There is a great market for religious experience in our world; there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness.

So let’s awake from our sleep and see Jesus. Let’s look into God’s Word from Mark 1:21-28 and see Jesus who is described as “the Holy One of God.” Jesus is at work in a less than holy situation as he encounters a man possessed by an evil spirit.

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

It’s in these verses that Mark really begins describing how Jesus will be known by what he says and does. Mark’s first demonstration emphasizes Jesus’ authority—an authority fulfilled in his ability to cast out evil spirits, thereby trumpeting Jesus’ identity (already revealed in 1:11) as “the anointed one, the Holy One of God.” Mark weaves together these declarations of authority and identity in Jesus’ appearance here at the Capernaum synagogue.

Holiness Unwrapped

Mark reveals the power that lies behind Jesus’ authority. Typical of Mark, Jesus’ initial good impression is immediately (“just then”) followed by a direct challenge to his authority by the man possessed of an evil spirit. Among the numerous confrontations in Mark that pit Jesus directly against the power of Satan, the gospel writer’s favorite alternative term for “demon” is “evil spirit” (eleven times in Mark). To be evil or unclean was the equivalent to being ungodly for pious Jews who struggled to observe all the instruction of the Law in order to remain clean and unblemished before God.

Jesus proclaims a new message and represents holiness unwrapped—promising a new future, a new possibility, for all those possessed. Jesus started one mind at a time, one spirit at a time, saving and healing person by person.

All we have to do is open a Wall Street Journal, read a tabloid headline at the check-out counter, or hear five minutes of the nightly news to know that evil spirits still stalk the Earth. Mid-twentieth century biblical scholars invested not a little time and gray matter trying to modernize all the biblical references to evil spirits and stores of demonic possession into psychological diagnoses and their therapeutic cures. But after a half-century of world-wars, cold-wars, nuclear-wars, guerilla-wars, genocidal-wars, terrorist-wars, and now WMD-wars (WMD=”Weapons of Mass Destruction”), who among us has any reason to doubt the straightforward biblical perceptions that evil spirits and demonic powers roam in our midst? We may have a better grasp on how these evils come to bloom in the tortured minds of tormented men, women (and increasingly children), but in the end, the actions of these personal and social demons is nothing less than EVIL. EVIL and Life are so intertwined that EVIL is LIVE spelled backwards.

There are hundreds of insidious evil spirits that lurk in our communities, our churches, our homes, and our hearts. What evil or unclean spirits have their hold on us? How do we release their grip upon our bodies, minds, and souls? In fact, as we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend, he claimed that the three unclean or evil spirits in our world today are racism, militarism, and materialism.

Mark’s text today focuses on the very start of Jesus’ Galilean ministry, a ministry that begins with Jesus revealing three truths about himself:

Jesus had Attitude.

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

Jesus had Attitude. Some saw it as an attitude problem. Attitude is another word for spirit. Jesus knew that the “Spirit of the Lord” was upon him, and Jesus sent out that divine spirit wherever he went. Jesus’ Attitude was one of unmistakable authority and righteousness. Mark’s text repeats again and again how even the common crowd in the Capernaum synagogue could discern an undeniable atmosphere of authority that enveloped Jesus, informed his teaching, and transformed his touch.

A story is told of Christian Herter when he was governor of Massachusetts. He was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch) he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was famished. As Herter moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line. “Excuse me,” Governor Herter said, “do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?”
“Sorry,” the woman told him. “I’m supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person.”
“But I’m starved,” the governor said. “Sorry,” the woman said again. “Only one to a customer.” Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around. “Do you know who I am?” he said. “I am the governor of this state.” “Do you know who I am?” the woman said. “I’m the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister.”

Jesus’ whole and pure spirit detected the fissures and fractures in the attitudes of others, not to condemn them, but to help them. Part of Jesus’ healing ministry was precisely this healing of the mind or change of attitude that followed in his wake. One of the reasons for the enduring resonance of Charlotte Elliott’s beloved hymn “Just As I Am” is that it’s one of the few hymns to mention healing of the mind as a consequence of salvation.

Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt,

Fightings and fear within, without, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Like Jesus, we need attitudes that send out God’s Spirit.

2. Jesus had Aptitude.
23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

One of the most momentous reactions to Jesus ministry was “He does all things well.” The evil spirit came out of the possessed man. Jesus’ aptitude in diagnosing and treating those who were of diseased body, mind, and spirit circulated throughout Capernaum and attracted many literal well-wishers.

When it comes to aptitude and the ability to accomplish things for God, it is almost presumptuous as Jesus-followers for us to think we can do everything as to think we can do nothing. Between the great things we can’t do and the little things we won’t do rests the danger that we will do nothing at all. Jesus did all things well so we struggle with this truth about ourselves. However, we must remember that Jesus tells us that if we have faith [rely upon his power] in him, we will do even greater things than he did. Our aptitude, like Jesus, depends upon the authority given to us by Jesus himself.

So Jesus’ special aptitude, of course, came from his singular and authoritative attitude—an authority revealed by the Father in Mark 1:11… “You are my Song, the Beloved” and broadcast by the evil spirit… “You are the Holy One of God.”

Like Jesus, we all need aptitudes that are empowered by God’s authority.

Jesus had Latitude.

27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

Jesus always traveled in a heavenly trajectory. His life brought amazement and pointed toward the kingdom. His life was always open to receive any and all people into God’s kingdom. No one was outside the radiance of God’s love and concern. No one ever offered more latitude in life than Jesus. Though Jesus walked the land of Galilee, he was always changing the landscape into the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God was God’s dream for creation being brought to life by Jesus’ incarnation. The salvation Christ offers all people isn’t just a spiritual pie-in-the-sky-bye-and bye. It’s a gift that changes our lives and alters our minds here and now.

For centuries people believed that Aristotle was right when he said that the heavier an object, the faster it would fall to earth. Aristotle was regarded as the greatest thinker of all time, and surely he would not be wrong. Anyone, of course, could have taken two objects, one heavy and one light, and dropped them from a great height to see whether or not the heavier object landed first. But no one did until nearly 2,000 years after Aristotle’s death. Legend has it that in 1589 Galileo summoned learned professors to the base of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then he went to the top and pushed off a ten-pound and a one-pound weight. Both landed at the same instant.

The power of belief was so strong, however, that the professors denied their eyesight. They continued to say Aristotle was right. This prejudiced way of thinking illustrates perfectly what is going on in the world today. We could show the terrible ravaging effects of AIDS and people will still have promiscuous sex anyway. We can show someone a diseased liver and cancerous lungs and people are still going to abuse alcohol and smoke regardless of the facts.

You know what I wish? I wish someone would just climb to the top of the tower and push off a ten-pound argument and a one-pound argument and we will see which one reaches the ground first. That would finally prove who is right and who is wrong. But then I am reminded that when Galileo did that no one believed him. Even with the authority of obvious visible proof, i.e. the two weights reached the ground at the same time, the professors did not believe. The problem here is obvious. Most people are going to believe what they have always believed regardless of the facts.

However, something different occurred in the life of Jesus—something persuasive. When Jesus came to Capernaum, on the Sabbath day, and entered the synagogue and taught, the crowds were amazed. Why? Because of Jesus’ latitude. He traveled with heavenly authority. He taught, not as the scribes taught, but as one having authority.

Orientation =

“turned towards the east; where the sun rises.”

Until very recently, it was a big deal to build Christian churches facing towards the east. In fact, Christ First faces the east. Churches are supposed to face Eastward, or the Orient. Why? Because every church is supposed to face the future, and the East is the direction of the return of Christ. Churches orient us. The church orients us toward the Christ who has come, the Christ who is here, and the Christ who will come again.

Like Jesus, we all need latitudes that orient the traffic control of God’s presence.

Now, let’s get personal when it comes to the holiness of Jesus. Have you oriented your “-itudes” toward the living Christ? Are your Attitudes, Aptitudes, and Latitudes facing in a Christward direction—toward the living Christ? If you are, then you’re becoming the REAL PRESENCE of Christ in our world. You are waking up to see the holiness of Jesus in what you believe, receive, and achieve.

The Jesus “-itudes,” the right Attitude, Aptitude, and Latitude, cast out evil spirits, vanquish demonic powers, and banish the forces of evil and death. Our hope of escaping the evil that harasses our days and haunts our nights revolves around our willingness to put on the right “-itudes” and to release the resurrection powers of Christ in our lives.

Put right the world? Put on the right “-itudes.” Will you wake up to see Jesus? Will you embrace your identity as holy sons and daughters of God, and set your sights on making God’s dream a waking reality in our world?

Will you give your “-itudes” the right orientation? Will you orient your Attitudes, your Aptitudes, and your Latitudes in the right direction toward the risen Christ? “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Live on in my love” (John 15:9). Are you living on in Christ’s love, with Christlike Attitudes, Aptitudes, and Latitudes? Amen!