Relationships

What if we were not afraid?

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25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”  John 11:25-27

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”  49But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” …53So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.  John 11:45-50, 53

Identity Issues

After Jesus made this extraordinary admission of his identity he proceeded to the tomb of Lazarus and called him out. Jesus radiates His glory in word and deed:

The Resurrection: Whoever believes in me, though he dies, shall live.

The Life: Whoever believes in me shall never die.

The body will fail us. Jesus will not.

The spirit of a person made alive in Christ will live though the body dies.

 A Threat to the Status Quo

The healing of Lazarus solidified the opinion of some people that Jesus was a threat. Can you imagine? What if the followers of Jesus were not afraid of death? For those authorities who rely on violence to retain their honour, their position and their influence a people who do not fear death is intolerable. So these authorities take a posture against Jesus and His people.

So, what if we were not afraid?

“You can kill the body, but the Lord will raise me up.” “To be absent from the body is to be with the Lord.” “You decide, is it better for us to obey people, or the Lord?” “Jesus is Lord.”

Where would we go? Who would we love? What convictions would remain? What trivial pursuits would we abandon?

So, what if you were not afraid?

What if heaven, our Lord, and His call loomed larger than death itself?

Liberate us from our anxieties so we can…

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That was the prayer of a student in my 3+ group yesterday. The cry of those simple words resonated in my heart and mind. I immediately sensed God’s presence and the promise of His Word for this desire.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” John 14:1

“It is I; do not be afraid.” John 6:20

“No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money. Therefore I tell you do not be anxious about your life… Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:24, 25, 32, 33.

As I reflected further on this “karios moment,” I have become aware that often my  liberation from anxiety is found in process; is not a static condition; and must be renewed. In fact the stirred up or troubled mind could be the very work of the Spirit of God leading me into deeper trust and reliance on Him, healing of my wounds, new connections with my community, and participation in Jesus’ mission.

The anxious mind is definitely preoccupied with worries of the past, present, and future. But it is not purposeful. It paralyses me.

This is why the prayer affected me so profoundly. “Liberate us from our anxieties so we can…” You fill in the blank. You know what the Lord has put before you as responsibilities and opportunities to grow, learn, lead, and love. I hope this will become your prayer too. “Oh Heavenly Father, liberate me from my anxieties so I can ________________.”

 

Selfies and The Chorus of Condemnation

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1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  Romans 8:1-4

Take a picture of yourself. Go ahead.

Now look at it.

When you see yourself what do you hear?

What’s the voice in your heart?

Are you dominated by critique? A highlight real of your failures?

Do you hear a chorus of “Should have!” “Why not?” and “Shame!”

Or do you hear our Heavenly Father’s affirmation?

“You are not condemned.”

“I gave my Son for you.”

“Hey, those other voices are death to you; My Spirit is life to you.”

“You are free from this chorus of death.”

“You are free from this curse of sin.”

“I know your weaknesses better than you do.”

“I want you to know my strength for you better than you do.”

“You are loved. Live by my Spirit’s power and My Son’s good work at the Cross.”

The courage to silence the voice of condemnation comes as we cherish the Holy Spirit’s accentuation of Jesus’ grace towards us.

 

I looked up “advent.”

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“Advent:  the coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important: the advent of the computer.”

I’m laughing.  Yes the computer is important;

To many people more important than Jesus.

We are into the third week of Advent. Its a season of prayer and reflection on the coming of Jesus at the incarnation. Its a season where we can nurture our expectation of His return to set all things right.

The advent of Jesus.

Extremely important.

God had been preparing people for the arrival of Jesus.

He even had the place of Jesus’ advent picked out: Bethlehem.

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to be ruler in Israel,

whose coming forth is from of old,

from ancient days.

3Therefore he shall give them up until the time

when she who is in labor has given birth;

then the rest of his brothers shall return

to the people of Israel.

4And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great

to the ends of the earth.

5And he shall be their peace.
Micah 5:2-4

When the discussion of the Messiah’s birthplace came up during Jesus’ ministry, some ruled Jesus of Nazareth out. They knew according to the Scripture the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. But they didn’t know His whole history. Jesus had been born in Bethlehem in the line of David according to the promise of God.

God is in on the details.

Now is the season of Advent. Its a Christian tradition designed to help us reflect through prayer on the Scripture regarding Jesus’ incarnation and His meaning for our lives. Its also a season to help us anticipate His ultimate return to set all things right. We are beneficiaries and participants in His work and mission to redeem.

The Scripture says of Jesus: He shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace.

Extremely important.

A Black Friday Deal

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1 “Come, everyone who thirsts,

come to the waters;

and he who has no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price.

2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

and your labor for that which does not satisfy?

Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in rich food.

3Incline your ear, and come to me;

hear, that your soul may live;

and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

my steadfast, sure love for David.”
Isaiah 55:1-3

 

God’s invitation: come and hear from Him that your soul may live.

 

In the aisle of good deals our souls do not live.

 

His Word delivered to us from His presence is life.

 

Jesus said, “A sower went out to sow his seed…”

That seed is the word of the Kingdom of God.

To see with our eyes.

 

To hear with our ears.

 

To understand… with our heart.

 

And to turn to Him… and be healed!

 

6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call upon him while he is near;

7let the wicked forsake his way,

and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:6-11