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”:
Casting Out the Money Changers by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890)
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!
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!
Thisletter 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.
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!
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 veryimportant—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.
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.
About 1900 years ago, the writer of the epistle known as Third John began with these words: “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well” (3 John 1:2). Though this is not an absolute promise in the way “health and wealth” preachers often claim that it is, it certainly is more than a casual greeting like our familiar, “have a nice day.” For many, good health is a benefit of living a faithful, Christ-centered life.
We all know that regular exercise, a balanced diet and adequate sleep contribute to a long and healthy life. What is less well known is that church attendance also makes a positive contribution. This was demonstrated by careful analysis of the extensive data gathered by the National Health Interview Survey (www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm), which has been monitoring U.S. health since 1957. What researchers discovered in this data was that people who attend religious services regularly live up to 7.5 years longer than those who do not. Even when factoring in health status, socioeconomic status, social ties and other variables, researchers “still found a strong (1.5x) and significant (p<0.01) positive impact that attending religious services has on the life expectancy of attendees.”
The bottom line is this: regular church attendance apparently does increase the odds of living a longer life.
Historian Rodney Stark, professor of sociology and comparative religion at the University of Washington, explored this phenomenon in a Christian History magazine article entitled, “Live Longer, Healthier, & Better: the untold benefits of becoming a Christian in the ancient world,” Stark explained that Christianity spread not through elaborate campaigns or glitzy evangelism, but through the generosity, self-sacrifice and concern for the poor and downtrodden shown by Jesus’ early followers. These Christians demonstrated to the harsh world of the Roman Empire that there was a better, more compassionate way to live. Many pagans were attracted to Christianity when they saw how membership provided tangible benefits as well as eternal, spiritual ones.
Stark noted that in a world entirely lacking social services, Christians were their “brothers’ keepers.” At the end of the second century, Tertullian wrote that while pagan temples spent their donations “on feasts and drinking bouts,” Christians spent theirs “to support and bury poor people, to supply the wants of boys and girls destitute of means and parents, and of old persons confined to the house.” This commitment to care for less fortunate people tended to tear down barriers of social class at a time when the gap between rich and poor was growing.
As Stark points out, the Christian message was not that “everyone could or should be socially or politically equal,” but that all are “equal in the eyes of God” and, therefore, the more fortunate have a responsibility to help those in need. Because Christians did so, they could expect to be helped when they were in need. Because they nursed the sick and dying, they would receive such nursing. Because they loved others, they in turn would be loved. This gave them a health-inducing sense of security and provided them with care that tended to prolong life.
Today, at least in the developed world, the contrast between believers and non-believers may not be as striking as it was then. But contemporary research shows that active participation in religious activities continues to yield many physical benefits, including better health and longer life. Such benefits, of course, are not the main reasons we gather for worship. We do so to hear again and to enjoy the truth and reality of the gospel and so be rooted and built up in our communion together with Christ. As the author of Hebrews put it, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
“Health and wealth” should not be dangled out as bait. Doing so seriously distorts the gospel message. But peace of mind and a life of service in communion with God, with the fellowship and friendship of like-minded people, does seem to lead to health and long life. It is another of God’s blessings, for which we give thanks.
In conclusion, I sign off with the phrase made famous by Mr. Spock of Star Trek fame. Actor Leonard Nimoy borrowed the phrase and its accompanying hand gesture from the synagogue he attended where the priestly blessing of Numbers 6:22-26 regularly was recited. Here it is:
Perhaps you remember these lyrics from a popular song in the opera Porgy and Bess:
It ain’t necessarily so It ain’t necessarily so The things that you’re liable To read in the Bible, It ain’t necessarily so.
There is some truth in these words—particularly when the Bible is read the wrong way, leading to all sorts of confusion and unwarranted conflict. Last week, in my letter regarding creation vs. evolution, I addressed the unnecessary confusion and conflict that arises when people misread the Bible’s creation accounts as scientific explanations. Our confidence in Scripture as the inspired word of God does not require that we affirm any particular, strictly scientific description of when or how God created. Though these issues are of interest, they are not essential to our main concern as Christians, which is to preach the gospel and to live a Christ-centered life. Our faith does not hang on whether evolutionary theory taught by science is correct or not. A recent Christianity Today survey showed that the vast majority of believers agree with this assessment.
The Bible gives us a far more foundational, comprehensive understanding of God and his creation (and our place in that creation) than any explanation that science is able to provide. Within a theological account of creation, there is room for a range of scientific theories concerning how the creation developed under the guiding hand of God. Though Scripture does not tell us about the exact mechanisms that God used (and continues to use) in creating, it does lead us to believe that, given his creativity and wisdom, God could use a wide variety of means to serve his purposes.
What Scripture does rule out are certain philosophical and religious claims that say there is no God and that what exists came into being and remains in existence apart from God’s providential will and oversight. Biblical revelation challenges any such claims, even when they are affirmed by scientists. It is important to recognize that science investigates what already exists and, therefore, it can neither prove nor disprove whether a transcendent God is responsible for the existence of all that is. As C.S. Lewis put it, looking to prove or disprove the existence of God by investigating bits and pieces of his creation makes no more sense than looking to find Shakespeare in one of his plays.
It’s also important to recognize that many scientists embrace certain philosophical assumptions that the scientific method can neither prove nor disprove. While there is room for the scientific investigation of creation within a Christian doctrine of creation, there is no room for the creator God of biblical revelation if a scientist’s personal philosophy presupposes atheism. Ironically, such a scientist would be unable to explain how science itself is able to provide any reliable knowledge of the universe. Science’s own competence stands as brute testimony to the fact that it has no explanation for its own existence. In contrast, Christian theology explains why there is a creation and also why it can be investigated by human beings with a reasonable hope of success.
Those who align themselves with one side or the other in the religion vs. science “wars” tend to vilify their opponents while valorizing their own position. While the Christian faith has no need to condemn the scientific investigation of creation, it is under no obligation to regard science as infallible, even when it comes to claims made within its own proper sphere of competence.
For some, and perhaps many, science has replaced religion (especially Christianity) as the source of ultimate truth and values. Some of these folks portray believers as wild-eyed fanatics while they portray scientists as calm and objective—carefully following the scientific method: double-check finding, submit them to thorough peer review, and only then release the findings to the world as established scientific fact. On the basis of that method, we are exhorted to place our trust in what science has declared to be true.
But can science be trusted to always be faithful to the scientific method? Sadly, the answer is no. Recent disclosures show that, at times, science strays from the dispassionate, unbiased pursuit of truth that characterizes truly scientific commitment and methodology. Sadly, the things we are liable to read in the scientific journals, “ain’t necessarily so.”
Though some think that statements about the fallibility of science come only from anti-science, religious fundamentalists, scientists are pointing out problems within their own profession. Recent studies examining pharmaceutical companies (usually portrayed as bastions of scientific objectivity and care), reveal disturbing problems, as noted in a recent Los Angeles Times article:
A few years ago, scientists at the…biotech firm Amgen set out to double-check the results of 53 landmark papers in their fields of cancer research and blood biology. The idea was to make sure that research on which Amgen was spending millions of development dollars still held up. They figured that a few of the studies would fail the test—that the original results couldn’t be reproduced because the findings were especially novel or described fresh therapeutic approaches. But what they found was startling: Of the 53 landmark papers, only six could be proved valid.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t unique. A group at Bayer HealthCare in Germany similarly found that only 25% of published papers on which it was basing R&D projects could be validated, suggesting that projects in which the firm had sunk huge resources should be abandoned. Whole fields of research, including some in which patients were already participating in clinical trials, are based on science that hasn’t been, and possibly can’t be, validated. [1]
Such revelations don’t surprise me. After all, scientists are as human as the rest of us. When professional reputations and millions of dollars in research grants are at stake, scientists are as capable of falsifying data and making spurious claims as anyone else in any other profession. The L.A. Times article continues:
The demand for sexy results, combined with indifferent follow-up, means that billions of dollars in worldwide resources devoted to finding and developing remedies for the diseases that afflict us all is being thrown down a rat hole. NIH and the rest of the scientific community are just now waking up to the realization that science has lost its way, and it may take years to get back on the right path.
To further complicate matters, science has charlatans who delight in injecting totally fabricated and fraudulent information into the system. Here is what appeared in a Crave blog post concerning computer-generated science reports:
Computer scientist Cyril Labbé of Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, France, spent two years examining published research papers, and found that computer-generated papers made it into more than 30 conferences, and over 120 have been published by academic publishing houses—over 100 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and 16 by Springer. The papers were generated by a piece of free software called SCIgen, developed in 2005 by scientists at MIT. SCIgen randomly generates nonsense papers, complete with graphs, diagrams and citations, and its purpose was to demonstrate how easily conferences accept meaningless submissions. [2]
This shocking situation shows that peer review is not always an effective filter and that all that is published as “science” is not necessarily non-fiction, let alone reflective of actual, accurate science.
What can we learn here? First, that the scientific community, sadly, has become so eager to obtain funding that many of its members operate as a closed group, something akin to a union, which exists only to protect itself. Second, we can learn that science should not be viewed as the only or the superior source for determining truth.
So let me say it again: Good science and good theology are never incompatible. There is thus no need to pick one over the other as a source of understanding. I find it fascinating to look over the shoulders of those in both fields whose training and expertise can bring us insights into God’s wonderful creation. However, for the life and ministry of the church, these insights are a sidebar—they should not distract us from our main responsibility, which is to show and tell the world about the Truth personified—our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36 ESV).
The ongoing creation versus evolution debate made the news recently when Ken Hamm, a prominent proponent of young earth creationism, debated Bill Nye, known popularly as “the science guy.” Though lively, I thought the debate was inconclusive.
I’m often asked, “Does GCI believe in creation or in evolution?” While I appreciate the question, and mean no disrespect, I believe it’s the wrong question in that it implies that one must choose between the two. Behind this question is often the false assumption that theology and modern science are hopelessly at odds. But GCI’s view is that good theology and good science harmonize. Let me explain.
We uncompromisingly declare that God is the creator of all things and that in his divine freedom, he could have accomplished his creating in any way he chose. We also recognize that God created a universe that allows for scientific investigation. As a result of that investigation, evolution has become the predominant scientific paradigm to account for the diversity of life we observe in the universe.
Though there are many issues concerning the theory of evolution yet to be fully resolved, we can acknowledge that evolutionary processes were involved in the development of life. However, a naturalistic explanation for the origin of life is a much more complex issue and most scientists admit that they do not know how life originated. Creationists tend to seize upon this admission, declaring the theory of evolution to be hopelessly flawed and insisting that God created all things using only supernatural means. But what many people on both sides of the debate often overlook is that God’s supernatural involvement in the creation of the cosmos is outside the realm of scientific inquiry. Whereas science appropriately investigates the natural world, life’s ultimate origin falls in the realm of theology. When these distinctions are respected, there need be no conflict between the two disciplines. When conflict does arise, it tends to be because scientists are making theological claims or theologians are making scientific claims (or both).
Sadly, some Christians fall prey to the false belief that science is the enemy of faith. As a result, they feel they must deny that there has been any evolutionary development of life, insisting that evolutionary theory is in direct conflict with the Bible. Equally sadly, many scientists claim that because nature developed through evolutionary processes, belief in a creator God is wrong. But to believe that God created all things (however he did so), is not foolish or ignorant, and to account for the evidence of science concerning the natural world is not anti-God and anti-Science. Many theologians and scientists (including some of both in our fellowship) see no contradiction between what the Bible reveals about God as creator and what science can legitimately say about the development of life through evolutionary processes.
As we read the creation accounts in Genesis, we understand that the main point being made is that God is the creator of all that is. This fact is much more important than the details of how or when he created. Given that the creation accounts do use poetic literary devices, they may be read in varying ways—including ways that do not conflict with the evidence that God has given us in the natural world. You can look at that evidence and come to your own conclusion. Doing so does not affect the gospel that we preach or the way that we live. Three books that are helpful in sorting this out are Three Views on Creation and Evolution, Four Views on the Historical Adam (both from Zondervan) and Mapping the Origins Debate: Six Models of the Beginning of Everything (from IVP).
Unfortunately, some scientists (like Richard Dawkins, who is part of a group known as the “angry atheists”) make strident claims against faith having little to do with science. If you’d like to understand more about their claims, I recommend two books. One is The Dawkins Delusion? by Alister and Joanna McGrath. It responds to Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion. The McGraths are well-placed to refute Dawkins’ claims against faith. Once an atheist himself, Alister earned a doctorate in molecular biophysics before becoming a leading theologian.
In a review of the McGraths’ book, Michael Ruse, an atheist and a professor of philosophy at Florida State University, wrote this: “The God Delusion makes me embarrassed to be an atheist, and the McGraths show why.” Here, from Preaching magazine, are quotes from other reviews:
In their concluding observations, the McGraths ask: “Might The God Delusion actually backfire and end up persuading people that atheism is just as intolerant, doctrinaire and disagreeable as the worst that religion can offer?”
Dawkins seems to think that saying something more loudly and confidently, while ignoring or trivializing counter evidence, will persuade the open-minded that religious belief is a type of delusion. Sadly, sociological studies of charismatic leaders—religious and secular—indicate that Dawkins may be right to place some hope in this strategy. For the gullible and credulous, it is the confidence with which something is said that persuades rather than the evidence offered in its support.
Yet the fact that Dawkins relies so excessively on rhetoric rather than evidence that would otherwise be his natural stock in trade, clearly indicates that something is wrong with his case. Ironically the ultimate achievement of The God Delusion for modern atheism may be to suggest that this emperor has no clothes to wear. Might atheism be a delusion about God?
Another book I recommend is The Devil’s Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions by philosopher and mathematician David Berlinski. A reviewer of the book wrote this:
Berlinski takes on the growing crop of smugly swashbuckling non-believers, including the likes of Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins and teaches them a thing or two: namely, that dismissing religion doesn’t make you sound tough or “scientific.” It makes you sound small-minded and illogical. Believe what you will, argues Berlinski, a Princeton PhD and self-labeled “secular Jew,” don’t act as if atheism is superior to religious belief.
The world needs more believing scientists who can work within their disciplines while maintaining a firm faith in God. We need to teach our young people that it’s not an either/or situation that necessitates either/or decisions. They need to know that there is no need to hold a pre-modern, anti-scientific worldview in order to be faithful, Bible-believing Christians. And they also need to know that the discredited, recycled arguments of the angry atheists need not shape their worldview.
Because some of my dear friends are going through severe health trials, I’ve been thinking about suffering and the peace and hope that God gives us in times of suffering. I feel very deeply for these friends—concerned about the pain they are experiencing and the anxiety they must feel concerning what might be coming. When our loved ones suffer, we struggle to find words of reassurance and comfort. I’m sure you can identify with what I’m trying to say here.
All people desire a life that is free of suffering. That includes those who deny God’s existence. Sadly, their worldview leaves them without assurance of God’s help in times of suffering. But as Christians, we have a different worldview—we are blessed to know that God is alive and active and we cling to his sure promise to always be with us—including in times of suffering and pain. We look to him for his gifts of supernatural peace and hope in the midst of suffering.
God’s gift of peace
Some Christians wrongfully believe that if their faith is strong enough, they will never suffer. But that idea distorts the gospel. Jesus did not promise to airlift us out of all of life’s troubles. Instead, he promised that, whatever our circumstances, God—Father, Son and Spirit—would never abandon us; never lose control of our situation. Jesus promised that when his followers suffer, they will experience God’s gift of peace.
Even when we feel alone, God is right there with us—extending his friendship and support. Even situations that, humanly speaking, seem to be desperate are not beyond his reach. Our God is omnipresent and sovereign over all things, including eternity. This awareness—this assurance—allows us to have a sense of peace that makes no sense to unbelievers (John 14:27). The apostle Paul, no stranger to pain and suffering, called it “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7 NKJV).
One of the ways God gives us peace is by reassuring us that he understands. Jesus has experienced fear, pain, suffering and death. Knowing that he was about to be tortured and then crucified, Jesus prayed with great emotion in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Then the next day, hanging on the cross, in one of his last, tortured breaths, Jesus shared our angst and even our despair when he quoted from Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
This anguished cry from the cross tells us that Jesus identifies fully with our pain, our suffering and our eventual death. Jesus is right by our side throughout all our trials. His assurance that he feels our pain and never leaves or forsakes us is not just a routine, “get well soon” tweet from the comfort and safety of heaven. He shows us, in his parable in Matthew 25, that he feels the pangs of those who are hungry, the loneliness of the prisoner, and the cry of the poor.
Jesus’ involvement with our pain and suffering did not end at the cross. He is personally and actively at work here and now—suffering along with us through our every grief and heartache. His presence, though invisible, is real. He cries with us; aches with us. He is so close to us, that Paul could say that our suffering somehow is a sharing in Jesus’ own suffering (Philippians 3:10, Colossians 1:24).
As our “merciful and faithful high priest” (Hebrews 2:17), Jesus is at our side. He never leaves us—not even in the midst of our darkest nightmares (Hebrews 13:5). “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). We can take great comfort in this, knowing that he is willing and fully able to “empathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15).
We get a better sense of Jesus’ presence with us when we serve one another. I am always strengthened when I experience or simply hear of our brothers and sisters in Christ displaying true friendship by being at the side of those who suffer, or by simply assuring them that, “You are in my prayers.” It is so important that we “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2 NKJV). In doing so we somehow share in Christ’s own giving of comfort to another person (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).
When we are confronted with death—our own or of a loved one—these promises become more than just pious words to be read at a funeral. Jesus actually did—actually does—share our humanity—all of it, from beginning to end. As a perfect substitute for us, he tasted death for all of us. But having tasted it, he, so to speak, spat it out. He showed that physical death was not the end of life. He elevated human existence to a place of spiritual union with the Father by the Spirit. The wonderful benefit of what Jesus did so long ago extends from the past, to the present, and right on into the future. “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:10).
God’s gift of hope
I am not saying that we should have a parade of happiness when Jesus leads us through the valley of the shadow of death. Death is a great enemy, but it is the last enemy that we will ever face. It has been completely defeated by our Savior. Though knowing this does not remove all of our anxiety or pain, it does put it in perspective. That is why Paul wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
Yes, we grieve—but not “like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Indeed, we have great hope—a hope that Gary Deddo explores in this issue as we continue his helpful series about the kingdom of God.
I pray that we all will be comforted and encouraged by these words of wonderful truth.
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:
