Category: Hear From the President

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

One of the verses in the Bible that has always intrigued me is Hebrews 13:8. There we read that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” My first thought about this verse was always that Jesus is perfect—always has been and always will be. But as many of you reading this will remember, our fellowship used to use this verse in support of the erroneous teaching that God commands Christians to observe the seventh-day Sabbath. We wrongly assumed that if Jesus is never-changing, then so must be the Sabbath command. We also wrongly believed that law-keeping, including Sabbath observance, would somehow make us “perfect” like Jesus (Hebrews 2:10; 10:1).

But the reality is that God gave the Sabbath to Israel under the old covenant, not to perfect his people, but to provide a sign pointing them toward the ultimate, eternal rest found in Jesus, who alone is perfect (Hebrews 4:1-11). In misusing Hebrews 13:8, we ascribed to the Sabbath more than God intended, treating it as if the sign was the reality. For more about this, I encourage you to read Gary Deddo’s helpful article, “A Sign Forever.” It’s included in this issue.

Israel’s rabbis and other teachers understood that the Law of Moses, particularly its commands related to Sabbath and Holy Day observance, apply only to national Israel under the old covenant. When Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), it was to show the Pharisees (representatives of old covenant Israel) that they misunderstood why God had given Israel as a nation this holy time. In stating that he was “Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28), Jesus was confronting the Pharisees’ attempt to subvert his authority in this matter, thus wrongly claiming it for themselves.

There is no question: Jesus is perfect and Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that his perfection never ceases—not even when the Son of God became the Son of man—100% divine and 100% human. The union of human and divine in Jesus did not diminish God’s perfection in any way, though Jesus yielded himself fully to the limitations of our humanity—going so far as to suffer and die in the flesh in order to redeem us.

Through his incarnation, life, death, resurrection and ascension, Jesus redeemed not just humanity, but all the created order, including time. Jesus is Lord of all time: “Yesterday and today and forever.” The New Testament speaks of time in a rather fluid way—both as chronos (the chronological passage of time, one moment after another) and kairos (the “times” of God’s redemptive intervention within the universe of created space and time). In the article “Time” in The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Carl Henry says this:

While the New Testament [in speaking of chronos] gives prominent scope to the future…its central kairos is the life and death and resurrection of the incarnate Christ, which is decisively significant for the kingdom of God. The terms, “day [of the Lord]” and “hour,” “now” and “today” gain dramatic significance in the New Testament context whenever the eternal order impinges upon the sweep of ordinary events (Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, article “Time,” p. 1095).

Grasping the concept of time as both chronos and kairos helps us understand the biblical teaching that the “end time” began with Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension. With this great and decisive “Christ event,” kairos intersected chronos, bringing healing “Today”—the continuing time when the salvation that is present in Jesus is being received by those who rest (trust) in Jesus (Hebrews 3:13-15).

How sad (and foolish) that some would try to limit God by setting dates for his future intervention within chronos. Many such dates have come and gone: 1844, 1917, 1975, 2000, 2008, 2010 and others. All of these predictions have failed, including ones of our own. By God’s grace, we learned how utterly futile date-setting is. We no longer try to pin down the sovereign God in this way. Instead, we rest in his present and continuing salvation.

Israel lived mainly in chronos time as evidenced by her observances of the Sabbath and Holy Days (Leviticus 23). Her lunar-solar calendar was rooted in the world of physical time and space and looked forward to events yet future. But the gospel proclaims that the promised future has arrived: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). As Christians, we live in two “time zones”: both chronos and kairos time. In both, we experience the perfection of Christ as he weaves his new (resurrection) life into the fabric of all creation, including all people in all places and all times. And that includes weaving his life into the fabric of our lives—all of our life, including the times when we suffer.

I’ve been thinking a lot about that suffering recently. Several dear friends are battling cancer and other serious illnesses. Some are suffering a great deal, and some have died. Though I can’t heal the sick and certainly can’t raise the dead, I trust Jesus to show up in such times whether in life or death. In all such times, he comes bearing a complete victory that extends into and beyond all time. That’s how great our Lord and Savior is. In him, in his perfection, we have rest. By the Holy Spirit we are united to Jesus—bonded cosmically, as it were, to the Lord of all creation, including all time.

Resting in Jesus, we have the calling to bear witness to who Jesus truly is and to tell the story of what he has done, is doing and will yet do for our salvation—the eternal Sabbath rest that we have in him.

Resting with you in the perfection of Christ,
Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We all want The Good Life, don’t we? But what, exactly, is it? For many, it’s about material possessions, money, security and opportunity.

Referring to the rap song “Good Life” by hip hop artist Kanye West, the Urban Dictionary offers this definition of The Good Life:

Living life drama and worry free. Do your thing, be thankful for what you have, and take full advantage of everything you do have while still improving on your situation. The Good Life usually consists of being healthy, having confidence, having fun, partying and hooking up with sexy girls but varies from each person. Try not to become jealous of other people and don’t make a big deal out of everything in life. Just live your life, have fun, be positive, and you will be living The Good Life. [1]

Composers Distel and Reardon addressed The Good Life in a song by that name, popularized by singer Tony Bennett. Here are the lyrics:

Oh, the good life, full of fun
Seems to be the ideal
Mm, the good life lets you hide
All the sadness you feel

You won’t really fall in love
For you can’t take the chance
So please be honest with yourself
Don’t try to fake romance

It’s the good life to be free
And explore the unknown
Like the heartaches when you learn
You must face them alone

Please remember, I still want you
And in case you wonder why
Well, just wake up
Kiss the good life, goodbye

Of course, the ultimate answers to life’s big questions are not found in song lyrics. We also understand from life experience that material possessions are not what make life “good.”

The question, What constitutes The Good Life? is not new. The ancient Greek philosophers pondered the question. According to historian Arthur L. Herman, Plato and Aristotle disagreed on the answer, leading to the founding of two schools of thought. Plato’s Rationalism defined The Good Life as consisting of “ideal forms” such as truth, justice, beauty and goodness. Aristotle’s Empiricism defined it as possessing knowledge that is gained through experience. Both philosophers taught that The Good Life comes from the contemplative life of the mind.

But what does the Bible say?

The prophet Micah wrote this: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV). God gave Micah this prophetic insight during a time when calamity and exile awaited Israel. This pivotal passage tells us that living life with fairness and kindness, in humility before God, is the basis of The Good Life.

Interestingly, the Greek philosophers agree with the biblical wisdom that The Good Life has nothing to do with material possessions. Instead, it’s about possessing knowledge that then is rightly applied in relationship to the world around us. But the Bible adds a vital insight: The Good Life has God at its center. It’s about possessing the Word of God made open to us by the Spirit of God. Karl Barth said it this way:

The hearing of the Word of God the creator, which makes human life to become Christian life, is not man’s work but God’s: the Holy Spirit’s work. Just as our spirit cannot produce the Word of God, so too it cannot receive it… A sheer miracle must happen to him, a second miracle in addition to the miracle of his own existence, if his life shall be a true Christian life, which is a life within the hearing of God’s word. This miracle is the office of the Holy Spirit. [2]

The Good Life is life centered on the Living Word of God, who as its Creator and Redeemer, has a foundational relationship with all of life. Thus The Good Life is not something that is bought or sold. It is not about a transaction of any sort. Rather, it’s about being in a personal relationship with the very Source of life. In that relationship, we are freely given God’s own kind of life. It is sent to us from the Father, through the Son and in the Spirit. And we receive that life as we surrender in worship by the Spirit, through the Son, to the Father. And that relationship of worship to God bears fruit in all of our other relationships, expressing itself towards others in a spirit of justice, kindness and humility.

Jesus (his being and his acts) constitutes The Good Life. And by grace, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are given to share that Life with Jesus. In him, we are alive. In him, we have life eternal. This is ultimate reality. This is The Good Life!

Sharing The Good Life with Christ and with you,
Joseph Tkach

[1] www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The+Good+Life
[2] Karl Barth. The Holy Spirit and the Christian Life: The Theological Basis of
Ethics, pages 10-11.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Research shows that women, on average, talk about three times as much as men. The average woman notches up about 20,000 words in a day, which is about 13,000 more than the average man. Women also generally speak more quickly and devote more brainpower to speaking. So far, research has been unable to explain exactly why, though some evidence points to a genetic cause. [1] After 60 years of my own observation, I think I have a plausible explanation: motherhood.

Mothers typically spend more time with their children than fathers, and thus say much more to them. With that in mind, here is some Mother’s Day humor, speculating on what some mothers might have said to their famous young sons:

• Columbus’ mother: “I don’t care what you’ve discovered, you still could have written!”
• Michelangelo’s mother: “Can’t you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?”
• Abraham Lincoln’s mother: “Again with the stovepipe hat? Can’t you just wear a baseball cap like the other kids?”
• Albert Einstein’s mother: “Can’t you do something about your hair? Oil, styling gel, mousse, anything …?”
• George Washington’s mother: “The next time I catch you throwing money across the Potomac, you can kiss your allowance goodbye!”
• Thomas Edison’s mother: “Of course I’m proud that you invented the electric light bulb. Now turn it off and get to bed!”

That’s all in fun, of course, but there is no doubt that mothers have had a tremendous impact on history, as noted by American poet William Ross Wallace (1819-1881) in “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.” Here is the third verse:

Woman, how divine your mission,
Here upon our natal sod;
Keep—oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Indeed, mothers have a vital calling—a divine mission. It is therefore fitting that we honor them on Mother’s Day. As we do, let’s remember the divine mission that was given to Mary, the mother of Jesus.

For some, Mary is a super-human, mystical object of devotion. That’s unfortunate in that it can cause one to under-appreciate the courage and faith that Mary showed in humbly accepting her divine calling with these words: “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38 NASB). To serve as the Messiah’s mother was a daunting responsibility. But Mary drew strength from her faith in God and comfort and support from her Aunt Elizabeth and her husband-to-be, Joseph.

Mothers today also face great challenges—these are not easy times to bring up children who are content in themselves, have a vital faith and are able to resist the pressures of moral compromise. Often the effort, skill and experience that it takes to be an effective mother (or father!), is devalued in our society, which seems only to value earning money. Investing in “people-making,” as some call parenting, is seriously undervalued as a high calling that takes intelligence, discipline, maturity and a wide range of both practical and personal abilities. Although we tend to think of God in masculine images, we perhaps get the best glimpse of his unrelenting, unconditional love for us when we see the selfless love of a mother for her children.

As Mother’s Day approaches (May 11 in the U.S.), I hope you’ll take time to show appreciation for all mothers, including your own.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

P.S. Though a mother’s true value is not measured in dollars and cents, it might interest you to know that in 2013 a stay-at-home mom’s work was valued at an annual cost of $113,568. [2]

____________

[1] http://news.sciencemag.org/brain-behavior/2013/02/language-gene-more-active-young-girls-boys?ref=hp

[2] http://www.salary.com/2013-mom-infographics/

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

First it was the Millennium Bug, threatening to destroy civilization. Then it was the Mayan Calendar, anticipating the end of the world as we know it. Now some people—particularly those with a seemingly incurable case of prediction addiction—are making a big deal out of “blood moons.” Here they go again!

The term “blood moon” arose in folklore—often with religious connotations. It describes an astronomical phenomenon of four successive lunar eclipses within a short period. The scientific name is a “tetrad.” We are in one of those periods now. Well, so what?

Though rare, tetrads are not unique. They have occurred 142 times in the past 5000 years and will happen eight more times this century. But some prophecy buffs regard the current tetrad as especially significant because the eclipses will coincide with certain Jewish festivals. Though they warn that this is ominous, we seem to have survived the first eclipse just fine. It came and went on April 15, which was the second day of the Passover festival. In the U.S., the big event that day was passing the deadline to file income tax returns (I hope you survived!). The second eclipse in the tetrad then comes on October 8, 2014, during the festival of Tabernacles. The third will come on April 5, 2015, again during Passover, and the fourth on September 28, 2015, again during Tabernacles. Ironically, three of these four eclipses will not even be visible in Israel, although the September 2015 one may be.

Again, I ask, “So what?” There is nothing particularly extraordinary about this. The Jewish holy days are scheduled according to a lunar calendar with some occurring on the full moon. Thus the current tetrad is not the first to coincide with Old Testament festivals. It happened in 1967-68; 1949-50; 1493-94; 860-61; 842-43; 795-796; 162-163; and 32-33 AD. But this historic reality does not stop the current speculation. Some people insist on interpreting this as the harbinger of a significant prophetic event. A few see it as signaling the rapture or the tribulation. Others, no doubt, will try to fit it into their speculative prophetic timeline in other ways. They should heed Isaiah’s warning:

When people tell you, “Try out the fortunetellers. Consult the spiritualists. Why not tap into the spirit-world, get in touch with the dead?” Tell them, “No, we’re going to study the Scriptures.” People who try the other ways get nowhere—a dead end! (Isaiah 8:19-22 MSG).

Jesus warned of false prophets, alarmists who would proclaim, “Here’s the Messiah! There he is is!” But Jesus’ advice was this:

“Don’t fall for it. Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better” (Matthew 24:23-25 MSG).

Jesus, not astrology or astronomy, is the lens through which we read and thus interpret scripture. Some will object, pointing to Jesus’ prophecy about the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem:

“Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29).

Others, no doubt, will point to Peter’s words, spoken on Pentecost:

“The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord” (Acts 2:20).

In making this proclamation, Peter was quoting Joel’s prophecy, as recorded in the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament), concerning the heavenly signs that would accompany the outpouring of God’s Spirit. These signs would occur, “before the coming of the…day of the Lord.” In Peter’s mind, the time between Jesus’ death and resurrection and his promised return were telescoped into a short span of time. As he spoke these words, reverberating in Peter’s mind, no doubt, was the darkening of the sun and the red moon that occurred on the Passover at Jesus’ death (Luke 23:44). He and other of the disciples likely considered those events as fulfilling Joel’s prophecy concerning the beginning of the last days—the time when the Holy Spirit would be working to call and convict all humanity. Ever since Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, we have been living in those last days.

There is no warrant for using predictable astronomical events as a hermeneutical device for interpreting the Bible. God set these marvels of the universe in motion and they are a joy to behold. As David declared, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). We should enjoy God’s creation for what it is, not for something beyond its purpose.

Cosmic events and even general historical events, are not to be used to try to make God’s providential working predictable. Such approaches should be left to those who practice astrology, divination and necromancy—practices strictly off limits for those who worship the living God.

Yes, when God works according to his divine wisdom, the effects will be seen in history and even in the wide expanse of the universe. This is so because God in Christ is Lord of both history and the entire cosmos. As those who worship him, we recognize and can anticipate the kinds of things our God will do, because we know that they will express his nature and purposes, which are revealed to us in Jesus Christ. And that is all we need to know. Jesus himself is God’s final Sign. He is the ultimate Reality, who enables us to trust in God in every circumstance and at all times. God revealed to us in Christ is faithful, not predictable.

Frankly, it is wearisome to me to see people reacting to these naturally occurring phenomenon with a spirit that is not unlike that of the Pharisees who came to Jesus seeking a sign in the sky. The Bible says they did so to “test” Jesus. Note Jesus’ reaction:

He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side (Mark 8:12-13).

We don’t need a sign when we have the Reality standing before us, alive among us by his Spirit. So let’s pause to sigh deeply like Jesus did and go back to the Lord’s work and worship.

Your brother in Christ,
Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Have you ever picked up one of those small, multi-layered sandwiches at a buffet and been surprised at how tasty it was? A Bible story can be like that—perhaps a bit confusing at first with its multiple layers, yet surprisingly tasty and nourishing once you get into it. There’s a story like that in Mark chapter 11. The first layer goes like this:

As they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it (Mark 11:12-14).

Why did Jesus do that? It seems at first glance a rather unreasonable thing to do. It wasn’t the season for figs—so why blame the tree? Was the pressure of the last weeks of his earthly ministry getting to Jesus? No, he knew exactly what he was doing. He didn’t mutter this under his breath—as verse 14 indicates, he made sure his disciples heard.

Mark then adds another layer to this “tasty sandwich”:

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers’” (Mark 11:15-17).

What Jesus did here was a public relations nightmare! Approaching the city the day before, the multitudes greeted him as a conquering hero. This was a particularly sensitive time of year and the occupying Romans were on the lookout for trouble. Jesus had “flown under the radar” in his triumphal entry, so the sensible thing for him to do now would have been to keep his head down. Instead, he causes a major incident in the most sensitive spot imaginable—the Temple. He charges it with being unfruitful in prayer for the nations.

This shocking proclamation exposes the corruption and hypocrisy of Israel’s religious elite. Jesus is accusing them of abandoning Israel’s mission to be a light to the nations, and attempting to keep God’s blessing for themselves. Jesus is asking for trouble!

Then Mark adds another layer:

The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching (Mark 11:18).

Jesus’ prophetic word was sure to provoke a showdown with the religious elite. But it wasn’t quite time yet. So…

When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city (Mark 11:19).

Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree was not about the tree. It had no fruit through no fault of its own. That would be clear to all. He was using the incident with the tree to illustrate a far more important lesson. But it was not a lesson that the disciples grasped at the time, as we see in the last layers of the story:

In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” (Mark 11:20-21).

Jesus’ reply to Peter might seem rather unsatisfying—perhaps even condescending:

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them” (Mark 11:22-23).

Let’s review what Jesus is saying here in context. He is not giving advance notice of a breakthrough in civil engineering. This lesson is no more about the mountain than the other was about the fig tree. In the ancient world, “mountains” often symbolized empires and kingdoms. Casting them into the sea symbolized their judgment—being thrown into a place of destruction (Mark 9:42). This was likely baffling to the disciples, because what Jesus predicted did not happen immediately. The disciples were weak in faith, and so the one who “does not doubt” here is Jesus. He has no doubts that his Father will bring this to pass—that he will judge the Jewish religious elite and the Roman overlords who refuse to bow to Jesus’ lordship. Eventually, they will be thrown down.

The point here is that the kingdom that Jesus is inaugurating by the authority of his words and deeds stands over all other authorities, religious or secular. His rule and reign has begun and he knows that it will reach its fullness over time. Jesus’ words of judgment—sorting out what is what—will come to pass, even if there is a delay, just as there was between the words Jesus spoke and the effects seen upon the fig tree. This delay does not diminish the effectiveness and certainty of his authoritative word. In that regard, remember the prophecy of Micah:

In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it (Micah 4:1).

These “last days” have been unfolding for a long time. The Temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70 and then, by AD 476, the Roman Empire ceased to exist. Yet we still await the ultimate consummation of the last days, which will occur at Jesus’ return in glory. The kingdom Jesus inaugurated 2,000 years ago, eventually will completely overthrow all opposition, whether religious or secular. But, according to our Lord’s way, this overthrow comes gradually, and not through cruelty, force or intimidation. Instead, the kingdom advances through the pronouncement of the Lord’s word by his people who, themselves, live by faith in that word. Opponents to Jesus’ kingdom reign are thus conquered “from the roots,” over long periods of time and in ways generally not immediately seen. For these vanquished foes, rather than revenge, there is forgiveness, love and mercy.

The time span between the inauguration and consummation of the kingdom involves a process of judgment that leads to peace—a peace that the world is unable to understand, for it goes against the grain of human nature (John 14:27). Those whom Jesus chose to join him in the next stage of his ministry needed to understand, as do we. We await the fullness of the kingdom with patience and a hope that will not be disappointed.

With concluding words from Jesus, Mark adds a final and rather surprising layer to this tasty sandwich:

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:24-25).

Here is the unexpected, perhaps shocking, way the kingdom unfolds. Through clarifying judgment, over time, all opposition to the kingdom is overcome as it is exposed for what it is: nothing compared to the rule and reign of God in Christ, which alone gives life eternal. As believers, we pray for and thus welcome this unfolding judgment—not through revenge or condemnation, but by extending the Lord’s forgiveness to all. This we do because our concern is that deception be lifted and all enter God’s glorious kingdom, receiving God’s forgiveness as his redeemed children. Because we have received that forgiveness, we have passed through the Lord’s loving and freeing judgment, which led to our repentance. And now we wish for others to gain what we have received. Ultimately, God’s judgment, delivered to us in Jesus Christ, is a word of compassion and salvation. And that is a tasty sandwich indeed!

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Teachers tell us that to lay the foundation for a good education, students need to master the three academic Rs—Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithamatic. As we prepare for Easter-themed worship this weekend, let’s focus on three spiritual Rs that help us understand God’s plan for all humanity—Redemption, Restoration and Reconciliation.

These three are “feel good” words, even when not used in a religious context. We like it when something is reconciled, restored and redeemed. Like when our checkbook reconciles with our bank statement. Or when a broken life is redeemed. How about when something that is broken is fixed and thus restored? I have a huge model of a sailing ship in my office. During the relocation of GCI’s home office from Pasadena to Glendora, it was broken. My good friend Scott Wertz restored it. Now you can’t tell where it was cracked. I love that it looks brand new.

In his parables, Jesus often used the “feel good” aspect of redemption, restoration and reconciliation to help us understand how God “feels good” about bringing humanity to salvation. There is the parable of the lost coin, and also the one about the lost sheep. Jesus wants us to know that God loves us. We are his highly-valued possessions, and he wants us back with him, where we belong.

It’s God’s nature to seek to live in friendly relationship with his creation. Jesus told us: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). How sad that the relationship is often portrayed as almost adversarial: IF you do everything God tells you, THEN he will, almost grudgingly, let you in. I’m sure many of us remember receiving the communion elements, worried half-sick that we might be eating and drinking damnation to ourselves. What a travesty of the truth!

The night before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed for his disciples, and all who followed them, with these words: “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world” (John 17:24). Paul then added this thought in Ephesians 1:4: “He [God the Father] chose us in him [Jesus] before the creation of the world…” Let’s not read over this exquisite point—the Triune God wants us! We belonged to him before the world was created. To borrow an old phrase, we were a gleam in God’s eye before he spoke the cosmos into existence with all its matter, energy and attendant processes and multiplicity of life forms. We belonged to God from even before that beginning. God’s love has been outgoing throughout eternity and he is drawing people back to himself.

All that exists is the fruit of God’s free will and divine love. The universe is not necessary and not self-sufficient. The universe and everything in it are contingent and dependent. As created things, we can never be just ourselves alone. God maintains the core of our being or we cease to exist. But it is his will that we do exist—not just for a few decades, but forever.

Once this fact of God’s love and purposes for us and all creation has sunk in, there can be only one response—gratitude. And that gratitude is expressed in worship. Worship is so much more than singing a hymn, saying a prayer or giving an offering. To be sure, these are components of our worship, but there is much more to worship than those actions, which usually are done in a church service.

Worship that expresses gratitude to God is not the product of our religious experience, faith, repentance or decision. Instead, as noted by J. B. Torrance, it is “the gift of participating through the Spirit in the incarnate Son’s communion with the Father.” In worship, Jesus first offers himself to the Father on our behalf and in our place. Then, on the basis of that self-offering, Jesus shares with us his human-Godward act of worship—his praise, prayer, repentance and adoration. While this response to God in worship becomes our own as we participate in faith, it always is in Jesus, by the Holy Spirit. The ultimate worshiper and our worship leader is Jesus.

Viewed from this trinitarian perspective, our worship of God is a 24/7 activity. United to Christ and filled with his Spirit, all our time is holy; all our activities are part of a life of worship—a response of gratitude to our triune God.

My wish for you all is that you have inspiring and meaningful times of worship during this Holy Week, culminating in the Easter celebration of our Lord’s resurrection. He is risen!

Your brother in Christ,

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This letter is the second in a two-part series that addresses the importance and meaning of Holy Week, which this year begins on Sunday, April 13 and extends through Sunday, April 20. Last time we looked at Palm Sunday and its message concerning Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. This time we’ll explore Easter Sunday and its message concerning Jesus’ resurrection. I hope you are finding this series helpful as you prepare for the Holy Week celebrations that so powerfully proclaim the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Details about Easter are often debated, including its chronology and even whether it should be celebrated or not, given the pagan origins of some of its traditions. Long-time GCI members will remember that we used to have a booklet on that subject.

Most of us now realize that celebrating Jesus’ resurrection is not pagan. But we need to go further, understanding that Easter proclaims the very heart of the gospel by celebrating the most significant event in all of human history—a “game changer” for everyone who has ever lived—an event that makes all the difference in our lives now and for all eternity.

Unfortunately, Easter celebrations often present a truncated gospel—one about a transaction related to personal satisfaction and individual fulfillment. Such presentations say, in effect, “You do your part and God will do his—accept Jesus and obey him, and in return God will reward you in the here and now and grant you entrance into heaven in the afterlife.”

This sounds like a good deal, but it is really? It is true that God takes away our sin and in exchange gives us the righteousness of Christ so that we may inherit eternal life. But this is not a transaction—it is not a “deal” at all. The gospel is not about an exchange of goods and services between consenting parties. Marketing the gospel as though it is about a transaction leaves people with a very wrong impression. This approach puts the focus on us—on whether or not we desire to “buy in” to the transaction, or can afford to do so, or think it’s worth the cost. The focus of this transactional gospel is on our decision, our action. But the gospel proclaimed in Easter is not fundamentally about us, it’s about Jesus—about who he is and what he has done on our behalf.

Together with the other Holy Week celebrations, Easter points us to the “fulcrum” of human history—events that redirected all history to a different end, placing all humanity and the whole of creation on a new pathway. Everything changed with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Easter is far more than a metaphor of new life, pictured by eggs, rabbits and new spring clothing. Jesus’ bodily resurrection was far more than the culmination of his earthly ministry. Through the events of Easter Sunday, a new era began and a new phase in the ongoing ministry of Jesus commenced. Jesus now invites those who have acknowledged him as their Savior to join him in that ministry, which is announcing to all humanity the good news of the new life that is theirs in Christ. Notice the apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians:

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2).

God’s plan from the beginning to re-create humanity and all the cosmos reached its climax in Jesus’ bodily resurrection. This event of the past reshaped all of time, including our present and our future. Today we are living in “Easter time”—a time that calls us as followers of Jesus to live on mission, a life of great meaning and purpose.

It is my prayer that you and all those you serve in your congregation will have a joyous and deeply meaningful Holy Week this year.

Your brother in Christ,

 

 

PS: In this issue of Weekly Update, we’ve included a Holy Week meditation by Gary Deddo entitled, “Don’t Cry for Jesus.” I think you’ll find it spiritually enriching as you meditate on the profound meaning of our Lord and Savior’s death and resurrection.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Early in its history, the Christian church, desiring to worship Jesus by focusing on the great saving events of his death and resurrection, formed a tradition of celebrating in the spring what became known as “Holy Week.” My Weekly Update letters this week and next anticipate this important season of worship, which this year begins on April 13 with Palm Sunday and concludes on April 20 with Easter Sunday. I hope you will find these letters helpful as you prepare to lead your congregation in Holy Week celebrations.

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem amidst a huge demonstration of support by the common people. No doubt, most of them were thinking that Jesus would declare himself a Messiah in the tradition of the Maccabees, who had temporarily restored some of the Jewish nation’s glory nearly two centuries earlier. Even some of Jesus’ disciples thought that Jesus was the warrior-king who would deliver them from Roman oppression (John 12:17-18). But Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was far from the “triumphant” entry of a conquering military general riding astride a white war horse. We know some of the details from Luke 19 and John 12.

Jesus entered Jerusalem from the humble town of Bethany, riding on a donkey. Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem, just off the road from Jericho. There would have been some houses and trading stalls along the road leading into the city. So when the people heard he was coming, they lined the road to greet him. They threw their coats and cloaks in his path, as well as the branches of the trees.

The palm branch was a traditional symbol of Israel, so waving it was like waving the Jewish national flag. They waved palm fronds in the air shouting “Hosanna,” which in Hebrew means “God saves” and “Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:13, quoting Psalm 118:25-26). This is how people in the first century greeted a visiting king—they would go out to meet him, praise him and then escort him into the city. These people were welcoming Jesus as their king.

At that time of year, since the Passover festival was only a week away, there would also have been many sightseers and pilgrims in the area. Many would have heard about Jesus the great teacher, miracle-worker and, perhaps, the one who would lead them to freedom from Roman oppression. They may have remembered Zechariah’s prophecy: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

No wonder everyone greeted Jesus so enthusiastically!

Well, not everyone. The religious leaders, who had an interest in maintaining the status quo, saw him as a threat. “’See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’ they said to one another” (John 12:19). The atmosphere in Jerusalem was always tense during the religious festivals. The political leaders feared the gathering crowds could result in demonstrations and protests that could easily get out of hand. The religious leaders, such as the Pharisees, feared the same since they did not want to give their Roman overlords an excuse to crack down.

Some of these words that the crowd sang and shouted in praise were also chanted in the temple during the Passover festival. But these people were praising him for the wrong reason. They thought he had come to liberate them from Rome, and thus missed the real point of these scriptures. The Messiah had come to liberate them and all of humanity, from a much greater oppression—the absolute tyranny of evil in the human heart and society and from eternal alienation from God.

It was an understandable mistake, given the situation at the time. It is a mistake many still make today. They see in Jesus someone who can help them fulfill their agenda. Today we know of some appalling examples, like the malevolent sectarian militias in Africa who attach the word “Christian” to their cause, while committing crimes against humanity. Most of us would never go to these extremes. But we all can make the mistake of that Palm Sunday crowd—using the name of Jesus to advance our personal projects and agendas, while calling it “God’s work.”

We do well to remember that Jesus said, “They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Matthew 15:9). It is so easy to shift the focus away from Jesus and onto ourselves. I well remember how we in the Worldwide Church of God used to approach the spring festival with a sense of foreboding. We were admonished to “examine ourselves” to see if we were “worthy” to receive the bread and wine at our annual Lord’s Supper service (what we called “Passover”).

Maybe some still have this sense of foreboding in coming to the Lord’s table. But can you see how this shifts the focus away from Jesus and onto ourselves? It can lead us to think in terms of what we have done and cause us to focus on our attempts to either condemn or justify ourselves on that basis. But Jesus told us to partake of the Lord’s Supper in memory of what he had done for us (Luke 22:19). Through his self-giving, Jesus delivered us from the delusional prison of self-justification, freeing us both to receive and to extend God’s forgiveness.

As you prepare your congregation to celebrate Holy Week, please help them to more deeply grasp its true meaning. The apostle Paul referred to the events of this important season as having primary importance in salvation history: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5). These central events of the gospel, which began to unfold on the road into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, did not just change the history of one small nation. They altered forever the destiny of everyone who has ever lived. That is something to celebrate!

Your brother in Christ,

 

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It will soon be April Fools’ Day. Surfing the internet will give you ideas for jokes to play on family, friends and coworkers—such as waiting for a coworker to leave the office, then placing a sticky note on their desk regarding a missed call from a “Mr. Baer” with a call back number to the local zoo. If you prefer a female name you could use “Ella Font.” Or try the non-gender-specific name, “G. Raffe.” On second thought—maybe not. We should have pity on the poor zoo office staff!

Providing that no one is hurt physically or emotionally, April Fools’ jokes can be fun, reminding us that we are gullible creatures who all-too-easily can be taken in by ridiculous ideas that seem plausible. Sometimes I wonder if an entire generation is falling prey to a hoax that is far more serious and dangerous than any April Fools’ Day joke. Liberals and materialists are conning a growing number of people (20-somethings in particular) into believing that the institution of marriage is outdated. This idea is no joke—it’s a terrible lie.

Only 26 percent of the Millennial Generation (sometimes called Gen Y)—those born between 1980 and 1995—are married, compared with 48 percent of Baby Boomers at the same age. That is not stopping the Millennials from having babies. In 2012, nearly half of the children born to Millennial Generation women entered the world without the benefit of marriage. This has drastically increased the risks to children and their mothers as indicated by extensive surveying conducted by the US Bureau of Justice (summarized at www.heritage.org/research/reports/2004/03/marriage-still-the-safest-place-for-women-and-children). Here are some of the conclusions drawn from the survey data:

• married women with children suffer far less abuse than single mothers
• married women with children are far less likely to suffer from violent crime in general or at the hands of intimate acquaintances or strangers
• children of divorced or never-married mothers are 6 to 30 times more likely to suffer from serious child abuse than are children raised by both biological parents in marriage
• never-married mothers experience more domestic abuse
• never-married mothers experience violent crime at more than twice the rate of mothers who are or had at one time been married

Just when the materialists would have us believe that traditional marriage and sexual fidelity are outdated…here comes the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) with a rather dire warning:

The CDC has issued a report detailing its findings in attempting to trace the increasing difficulty in treating gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can cause severe discomfort, serious medical problems (such as sterility) for both genders and in very rare cases, death. The overriding conclusion of the researchers is that the world is now sitting on the precipice of losing the ability to fight a major bacterial infection. Worse perhaps, is that it may mark the first of many others to come. Gonorrhea infections typically only last for a few weeks or months, in most cases the immune system eventually wins over (after the disease has caused sometimes irreparable damage). The same cannot be said for some other bacterial infections that may also soon become untreatable. For that reason, scientists around the world continue to scramble to find alternatives. In the meantime, the CDC is predicting that the spread of treatment-resistant gonorrhea is imminent, and because of that the country (and the rest of the world) will soon begin to experience widespread outbreaks (posted at http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-03-cdc-gonorrhea-verge-untreatable.html).

At the risk of being considered “old fogies,” we as preachers and teachers have the responsibility to uphold Biblical family values and moral standards.

As stated in GCI’s standard wedding ceremony, marriage is a divine institution ordained of God. Family values are thus not just matters of conservative political rhetoric. Nor are they merely theological “good ideas.” Though biblical, family values are not exclusive to Christians—most world religions uphold them as matters of common good. As the statistics cited above and at right indicate, we as a society ignore these values and related moral standards to our peril.

Let us in GCI work together to reinforce with our people (young and old) the importance of family values, including traditional marriage and sexual fidelity. But—and please note that this is very important—I said reinforce, not enforce.

Sadly, many churches overreact to sex-related sin by placing it in a category of special evil. But Scripture doesn’t do that—sexual sin is no worse (nor better) than other categories, though sexual sins do have a unique potential for consequences that can negatively impact lives for multiple generations.

I realize that people within our fellowship make mistakes—sometimes serious ones. Sometimes this happens before conversion and sometimes after. But whatever the particular circumstance, let us be a denomination that is a safe place—a place where single parents and their children find loving acceptance, friendship and family-like support, which so often is withheld by our society at large (sadly, even by some Christians). Of course, accepting those who have sinned, is not the same as condoning the sin.

So please—no hell-fire-and-brimstone sermons against promiscuity. But do lovingly encourage your members of all ages to uphold and reflect biblical family values and related moral standards. Let’s help our people guard against the cruel hoax that is so much more serious than a harmless April Fools’ Day joke.

Your brother in Christ,

 

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I’m often asked if God hears the prayers of a sinner. Well, if he doesn’t, all of us are in a miserable state—for as the apostle Paul noted, we all, being sinners, fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). This question typically arises when people read certain isolated scriptures and then apply a hyper-literalist interpretation. For example, notice Proverbs 28:9 (NKJV): “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” This sounds rather ominous, doesn’t it?

But to properly understand this verse there are two things to keep in mind. First, in the parlance of the Old Testament, “to hear” means putting the message into practice in one’s life. Second, “abomination” is a reference to something so unclean that it can never come into God’s presence. Thus, this verse is making a point about those who pray to God while intentionally, even contemptuously, disobeying him. It is not referring to a humble person who, despite being a sinner, is sincerely seeking God’s help.

Another example is John 9:31: “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.” But notice that Jesus did not speak these words. They were spoken by a man Jesus had healed of blindness, who was then examined by a group of Pharisees looking to trap Jesus. The man who had been healed cleverly used their own twisted theology to trap them. Sadly, some still misinterpret scriptures like this to keep themselves and others on a guilt trip, which is contrary to the wonderful truth of God’s true character.

It is always important to remember that Jesus is the lens through which we should read and interpret the Bible. Doing so helps us keep clearly in focus both who God is and what he is doing. We know that God sent his Son into the world not to condemn it, but to save it. We also know that Christ died while we were yet sinners. Scripture tells us that the life, death, resurrection and ascension of our Savior brought into action the new covenant. With that “Christ event,” everything changed: all humanity was forgiven and reconciled to the Father (though not all realize it, and, sadly, some reject it).

It is ludicrous to think that God, having given his Son to die for us (sinners all), would turn around and refuse to hear our prayers because we are sinners!

Jesus’ parable in Luke 18:11-14 shows how God regards the prayers of sinners. In the parable, a Pharisee stood off by himself (separate from “sinners”) praying: “God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” In contrast, this despised tax collector (considered in that culture to be a terrible sinner), stood with eyes downcast, beating his breast in sorrow, praying these words: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Jesus’ conclusion was this: “I tell you that this man [the sinning tax collector], rather than the other [the supposedly righteous Pharisee], went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

We should not forget that God is constantly aware of every detail of his creation. Being omnipresent, he is able to hear every syllable of every word of every conversation, and even of every unspoken thought. He hears what sinners are saying, even if they aren’t praying to him. So we can be certain that he does not miss a single prayer. Notice Psalm 56:8 (NLT): “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

How can God process so many prayers at one time? Again, a reasonable question from limited humans who have trouble sometimes even keeping track of three or four things at a time. But the astonishing advances in computer technology give us some insight into just how much information can be managed simultaneously.

Do you remember when home computers were a luxury, just 25 years ago? Although regarded then with almost superstitious awe, they were slow and cumbersome by our standards today when the speed of the fastest computers is measured in terms we weren’t even aware of less than ten years ago. Today computer speed is measured in PFLOPS (quadrillion operations per second). Speed like that is unfathomable for the average person. Nevertheless, a supercomputer is still only the product of human ingenuity. God is far greater.

Even a fairly simple computer can process more than a trillion instructions a second. Given a world population far below 1 trillion, it’s theoretically possible that a computer could “hear” everyone on earth praying. I think we would all agree that our creator God, who is not subject to the limitations of a created being, is much more than a match for our fastest computer. Perhaps this comparison helps us understand how God can “process” all the data about humanity, even to the extent of knowing the number of hairs on our heads (about 100,000 on the average head!).

The bottom line is this: God does hear our prayers—all of them. He is never too busy to listen and never too busy to respond. As the Psalmist wrote: “God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!” (Psalm 66:19-20).

Unlike a supercomputer designed simply to process instructions, God’s desire is to build up and be in relationship with all his children. Part of that relationship is never being too busy to hear or to answer our prayers. Even if we are sinners.

Your brother in Christ,