The Letdown

Even the optimist suffers a letdown in January.

Advent is four weeks of excitement. We retrieve decorations from storage and arrange them carefully. Countless candles are lit. Icicle lights are strung along the roofline and faithfully plugged in every evening. We sing seasonal songs, silly and serious.

We organize a shopping list and purchase each gift. Amazon boxes show up within forty-eight hours and are hidden under the bed until they can be wrapped.

Our travel plans are finalized: flights, rental car, hotel. There are lots of calls and text messages finding out exactly who will be there. We’ll need that coat again. Haven’t worn it in two years. OH NO!! It’s too small. No worries, just buy another.

We share Advent anticipation with our church family. The weekly readings start in Isaiah. We meditate on the Children of Israel in darkness, waiting for the Light of the World, looking forward to the fulfillment of promises made to Abraham and David.

Holiday commercials are packed with gentle flurries and perfect trees. Everyone shows up nicely dressed and is overjoyed to be together. We all get what we were hoping for and this time, it really does make us happy. Mom and dad hug each other and smile. Children share. A fire on the hearth quietly crackles.

Christmas Eve we read from Luke chapter two. We can almost quote it. “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed . . .”

Jesus is born! His coming is objective reality.

Christmas Eve winds toward midnight. Maybe we’re in church. Maybe we’re home with chocolates and egg nog. It’s almost impossible to sleep with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads, and we don’t even know what a sugar plum looks like.

You wake up with a headache on the twenty-fifth of December. You slept too long. Or not long enough. The morning coffee and breakfast are good. Deep down inside, you know it’s just another day. You open some presents. The shirt doesn’t fit and it’s the wrong brand. You smile and act excited. You’re tired but feel guilty napping because missing a minute of this day would be a micro-tragedy.

The flight to the family event is delayed. You arrive exhausted. That ONE family member who is SO hard to deal with – there they are! Same as always! Your kids fight with their cousins. You’re bored. The cold is oppressive. And then it ends too soon. The Christmas hamster dies. You fly home. You need a Clif Bar to scale the mountain of laundry. Work is crazy, just trying to catch up. And then the calendar rolls into a new year and you are too tired to stay up until midnight. You think about how much older you’re going to be in 2018 and that you need too lose a few pounds. You scroll through Facebook and for a few moments feel very alone in this world. You open the credit card app and the pending balance momentarily takes your breath away.

Even the optimist suffers a letdown in January.

We are the people of the Already and the Not Yet. He already came. He has not yet returned. We are a redeemed people, brought to life through his coming, victorious in his completed work on the cross. Yet, all creation groans under the weight of the curse. I am part of creation.

Join me in the anticipation of Advent, living in the shadow, looking forward to His second coming. Whether we meet him in death, or in the sky, it will be a “Christmas Day” - a glorious fulfillment of everything for which we were created with NO letdown.

How to Serve

He stood up.

The meal was over, he had momentarily lost interest in the somewhat heated conversation. The earthen bowl was warm against his hands. He lifted it and scooped in three measures of clean water. He placed it, now heavier, back on the floor.

The argument at the end of the table continued as he slipped off his outer robe and deposited it on a low stool. A hush fell on the seated men as he walked to the end of the table, towel draped around his waist.

He knelt in front of Nathaniel, who was speechless.  There was audible shock in the silent room. He took Nathaniel’s right foot and dunked it in the water. Particles of dirt floated to the surface. He cleaned the foot, scrubbing between the toes, then patted the foot dry with the coarse towel. He moved from one man to the next, repeating his actions.

Peter held up a hand, his face flushed. “You will NEVER wash my feet!”

On his knees, he paused and smiled up at the ruddy fisherman. “If I don’t wash your feet, you are not part of me”

He continued calmly, twenty-four feet to wash. There was an eagerness in the room for this awkwardness to be over.

He was at the end of the table, almost finished, wiping Judas’ feet. The disciples face was taut, tormented, indecisive, guilty. The Master’s eyes radiated nothing but love for this lost sheep.

He sat at the table again. They waited expectantly.

“Do you understand what I just did?”

“You call me Master, rightly, because I AM. I set an example for you of an upside-down kingdom. I want you to serve each other this way. You’ll be happy when you do, and that’s a promise.”

Thanksgiving 2017

Rejoice

Pray

Give Thanks

Paul finished his first letter to the church at Thessalonica with a series of short thoughts: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV)

Let’s start with that last line. Do you ever wonder what God’s will is? The future is always unclear. At times we are more acutely aware of that uncertainty. Part of God’s will for you is to rejoice, pray and give thanks. Perhaps these three commands encompass ALL of God’s will for you. Everything else is just details. Work hard, mow your lawn, serve your family and community – do it all with rejoicing, praying and being grateful.

Prayer – communication with the Almighty. This includes a cry for help, joyful celebration, worship, petitions, gratitude, asking for direction. The foundation of prayer is looking outside self. I am not the source of joy and fulfillment in my life. I am not capable of solving anybody’s problems. Looking outside of myself, I am grateful for the many good gifts that God has given and cry out to the one who sees the future for help and direction.

Rejoice Always. This is not because Jesus followers have the easiest lives. Paul planted churches in communities that wrestled with poverty and active violent persecution. Paul was martyred for his faith.

There are at least two concepts which bring joy into the lives of the redeemed. In the fourth chapter of Second Corinthians, Paul makes a comparison between what we experience in the here and now and what we will experience on the other side. It’s a bit like comparing the buying power of a penny and one-hundred billion dollars. Do I look at my challenging relationships as though they have the weight of a penny?  Paul describes our current struggles as “light and momentary” - brief in both degree and duration. If I really grasp this, I’m well on my way to rejoicing always.

James, the brother of Jesus, explains a second concept which powers our ability to rejoice.  Right at the top of his letter, he states that we are to consider every trial that we face with joy, because those trials will produce steadfastness, that we might be mature and perfect! Constant rejoicing, even during bleak moments, is linked to an awareness that the sovereign God uses those moments to develop maturity.

This is God’s will for us. We look outside ourselves, reaching beyond what we can see toward the One we cannot see. We Pray. We compare the size and duration of current suffering with the size and duration of future rewards. We submit to the sovereignty of God and permit Him to use trials to perfect us. We rejoice. We obey both of those commands and never stop reaching out to God with hearts full of joy. In everything we give thanks!

Believe and See

“To the one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

(Thomas Aquinas, 13th century)

The apostle John recorded a moment of struggle on the edge of Passion week (John 12:27-30). Jesus had been teaching in the temple courts, less than five days before the crucifixion. He was deeply troubled in spirit. Bracing himself for what was to come, Jesus called out to the Father to glorify himself in the revealed plan of redemption. A voice responded from heaven “I have glorified it (my name), and I will glorify it again.”

There were at least three groups of people within earshot. Some thought they heard thunder. Some heard the voice of an angel. John understood this was God speaking, what He said and why He said it.

Some of the listeners that day were followers. They didn’t understand everything about Jesus, but were willing to sacrifice to be where He was. Listening to His teaching, they were being transformed. John was in this group. John knew the voice was God the Father, voicing approval of His Son and His plan.

Belief opens your eyes. You can see God and hear His voice.

A second group who heard the voice from heaven and attributed it to an angel. They understood the words but not their purpose. Maybe these were God-fearing Jews who were drawn by the crowd, knowing nothing about the young man whose taut face was turned upward to heaven.

There is this place of curiosity, yearning for more.  In this South Florida church-planting endeavor, we long to meet those who are unfulfilled with what our culture offers. People who hear a voice and even understand the words, yet don’t know the identity of the source of life and hope.

The third group heard thunder. Many scribes and Pharisees knew exactly who Jesus was. He was a poor man from a no-name town promoting an ideology which threatened the temple system. His words angered them. Their goal was to stop his teaching, even end his life. Yes, there was a storm coming. Thunder rolled in the distance, impending doom.

You don’t have to believe. If you choose not to believe, you’ll find a simple and natural explanation for the world around you. Instead of the voice of God speaking from the heavens, glorifying His name – you’ll hear thunder.

Let me take you to a tomb with a dead body inside, huddled mourners outside. Jesus wept at the tomb. He asked for the stone to be rolled away. Martha said what everyone was thinking – “but Lord, he stinketh”. Jesus response: “If you believe, you will see the glory of God”.

Do you want to see the glory?

Eternally Secure

Can a Christ follower lose their salvation?

This is a BIG question, even a point of contention. Our foundation to explore this is the inspired Word of God. I’d like to review familiar verses which speak to both sides of this issue. We will discuss implications and potential pitfalls.

Our opponent can use an issue like this to split Jesus followers, limiting our fellowship and impact on our community. I’m convinced there is a common ground to be found on the other side of this discussion.

You and I are sinners. This is our fundamental identity, inherited from Adam (Romans 5:12-21). The penalty for our sin is death (Romans 3:23). Jesus is the incarnation of God who lived a perfect life and was crucified to take the penalty for our sins (Romans 3:24-25). We are saved by belief in Jesus (Romans 10:9). We believe and are raised from death to life, made a new creation in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:1-9). Being alive in Christ and dead to the world affects our actions (Ephesians 2:10, Romans 6:1-4).

That’s the gospel!

I hope you believe it. If you don’t, but you’re curious, please reach out to me or a Jesus follower in your community. Anyone can be drawn to the truth, believe, and be saved.

Eternal Security is a doctrine also called the Perseverance of the Saints. This is the concept that all of those who are saved by belief in Jesus, will continue to be saved until the day that they die. Once you are saved, there is NOTHING you could do to lose that salvation.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (John 10:27-29, ESV)

Jesus taught that he was the Good Shepherd, calling to the sheep. His sheep recognized his voice and followed. Sheep are not strong or independent. The Father is greater than ALL. He will protect the sheep and No one is able to snatch the sheep away. A possible understanding of this parable is that NOTHING, not even the sheep itself, can snatch it out of the hand of the Father. Once the sheep recognizes the voice of Jesus and responds, it is eternally secure.

This becomes a question of free will. I believe that every person has free will. This gift from God is not something deserved or demanded. God knows what we will ultimately choose. Our free will is preserved in that we do not see the future, do not know what choices lie ahead of us.

The eternal security understanding of these verses limits free will. Proponents of this would state that the sheep, itself, is included in the “no one” able to snatch them away. This means that once the sheep responds to the voice of Jesus, it is no longer free to wander away. After we cross over from death to life, have we lost our ability to choose?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39, ESV)

These beautiful verses are so reassuring. You might be facing depression, loneliness, chronic illness, persecution, uncertainty, even death. You are more than a conqueror, walking in victory, knowing that the God you serve is stronger than whatever you face. He will be with you through the trial and will greet you with open arms and endless love on the other side!

Can I separate myself from the love of God? The doctrine of Eternal Security would indicate that I cannot. Once I have responded to the gospel and believe, I am not able to resist the love of God. Of course, none of us is really strong enough to resist God’s love, yet he grants us that choice.

Mark chapter ten tells the story of a man who came to Jesus with a question. The law-abiding man might have been seeking validation. Jesus looked at him, loved him, and told him to sell everything and give to the poor. It was too hard, too much to ask. The man walked away sad and lost.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy (Jude 24, ESV)

The thread running through each of these passages is the incredible power and love of God. He is able to keep us in that love and present us perfect on that last day. Does that mean that he WILL keep us from stumbling and present us faultless? Do we play a role in “keeping ourselves” in the love of Christ. Jude encouraged the recipients of his letter to do exactly that (Jude 23).

It’s clear that if you want to be in the love of God, if you hear the voice of Jesus and respond, there is nothing powerful enough in this universe to take that away from you. If you want to keep your salvation – you will!

And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. (Luke 8:13, ESV)

This verse from Luke is in the middle of Jesus explanation of the Parable of the Sower. I would strongly encourage you to read both the complete parable and Jesus explanation of each of the four groups.

We wrestle with the situation of those in “group two”. Those who believe in Eternal Security would say that people in group two were never saved. Rather then debate the unknowable, I’ll stick to the words of Jesus. There is a category of people who “hear the word”, “receive it with joy”, “believe for a while”, and then “fall away”.

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Hebrews 6:4-6, ESV)

The writer of Hebrews tells us about a group of people who have been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Holy Spirit, and tasted the goodness of the word of God. That sounds like a group of people I’d love to invite into my living room for worship every Sunday! The author goes on to say that if these souls fall away, it is impossible to restore them to repentance. In falling away, their actions are crucifying the Son of God all over again!

Those who believe in Eternal Security might respond that because you cannot lose your salvation, those who have fallen away were never saved. This logic is a bit circular in nature. I would strongly prefer to let the verses speak for themselves.

The pitfall of Eternal Security is a false assurance of Salvation. Someone has no interest in God’s Word or His people, no desire to do what is right and avoid what is wrong is not saved, even if they prayed the “sinner’s prayer” when they were five years old. We endanger their soul by reassuring them that they’re fine and they can persist in their lifestyle. We should rather encourage belief, repentance, pursuit of truth, and discipleship. I have met many Jesus followers who staunchly embrace Eternal Security and do NOT live a life of license. This pitfall is not expressed by everyone who holds to this position.

There are two main pitfalls of believing that it is possible to lose your salvation. The first is the potential to live in fear. If I said a bad word, lashed out at a family member in anger, or entertained lustful thoughts today – have I lost my salvation? The answer to those questions can be found in the passages quoted above from John ten, Romans eight and Jude. If the direction of my heart is to respond to the voice of my Savior and embrace my regenerate identity, I HAVE NOT and WILL NOT lose my Salvation.

Legalism is another potential pitfall. The temptation is to create check-boxes like thirty minutes of Bible reading daily, church twice weekly, fasting one meal a week. As long as I have completed all of the above – when I die, I’ll go to heaven. Legalism was a problem for the Pharisees who were better than ANYONE at creating and completing religious check lists! Jesus harshest words were for these arrogant, pretentious hypocrites!

Jesus Followers SHOULD focus on holy living. We make check lists and stay organized to accomplish long term goals in work, music, or sports. We can do this in our walk with God as well. The key focus is that anything we do as a Christ Follower who was dead and has been brought to life is a result of salvation and NOT the way that the salvation was earned.

At the end of the discussion, everyone agrees that God is the judge, the decider, and we are not. Imagine a pastor who preaches the name of Jesus, leads a church, and travels the country leading revivals. Imagine that same pastor reaching age forty and deciding that God doesn’t exist. He now teaches that all paths lead to enlightenment as long as they are embraced with enthusiasm, that the highest goal in life is diversity, and “just be nice”. Those who embrace Eternal Security would say “He was never saved”. Those who consider loss of salvation a possibility would say “He is not saved now”.

After all the words and opinions - there is common ground. As Followers of Jesus, we want to reach the lost, share the gospel and welcome repentant souls into the kingdom.

What If?

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What is Church (part 2)

“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them”

Next Wednesday at 3:30PM *send*.

This is me, setting up my annual performance review.  I’m a little uncomfortable with the whole idea. I do great work! I show up every day. I’m fast with the computer. My patients and staff LOVE me. Why should I sit down with my medical director for an hour and talk about who-knows-what?

Prior to Wednesday I must complete a mandatory self-evaluation. Let’s look at the three goals I made last year. Hmmm, I cannot remember what they were. A big part of this is my quality scorecard. The numbers don’t lie: my through-put time has been below sixty minutes only ONE month the entire past year. There are goals for cancer screening and control of Diabetes and Hypertension. I see red boxes in several columns: FAIL!

Am I that bad?

Can I objectively gauge my own performance?

It takes an hour Wednesday afternoon, a profitable hour. We talk about the successes and failures of the past twelve months. We set three office goals to accomplish in the coming year. It’s a healthy mix of encouragement and exhortation. As I drive home, my mind is stirred up. What a privilege to be part of this team! I’m excited to make every office visit and every staff interaction a little better.

Do you want to grow?

We read the verse at the top of this post and we think about the time we were sitting around a campfire, just a few of us. Someone had a guitar. We started singing hymns. It was REAL. It was DEEPLY MOVING. Jesus was in our midst!

And that’s TOTALLY valid.

And that TOTALLY takes this verse out of context.

The context of this verse is accountability.

Jesus tells us how to resolve a disagreement. Matthew 18:15-20 records the multi-step process. First, have a one on one meeting, second, a meeting with two or three others. The final step is to take the problem before the whole gathering. If our brother who is in the wrong will not listen to the group, he is excluded from the fellowship. Jesus concludes this teaching with the statement that if two or three of us are together in his name, his power and presence are there.

We are saved by grace, through faith and NOT of works, so that NONE of us could boast. This is NOT works-based salvation or legalism.

Accountability faces the truth with love. The truth that I need to walk in community. The truth that many of my goals are uncompleted, even forgotten. The truth that I am not as good as I think I am. The truth that I am NOT able to objectively look at myself. Without input, I’ll get stuck in dysfunctional thought and behavior patterns for decades.

On the other side of the difficult conversation is renewed love for the gathering, fresh goals, and deeper motivation to live intentionally. What is church? Accountability.

What is Church

Imagine walking on the beach. The sand is littered with millions of shells and fragments. A few catch your eye with their unique color or shape. You carefully select the shells you really like. At home, you wash the shells and arrange some of them in a pottery dish in the kitchen. The rest end up in a plastic bag in the closet.

Your friend lives somewhere cold and gray. Somewhere with little sun and even less beach. You tuck two shells into the front pocket of their backpack. Is anything better than taking home a piece of South Florida warmth and color?

Multiple characteristics of your shell collection are observable but not definitive. You have shells from Dania, Key Biscayne and Marco Island - origin doesn’t really matter. The canvas beach sack, the pottery dish, stored in the closet – current location is also not definitive. Your collection is not defined by the color, shape or size of each shell. Some of the shells are chipped. You chose them, and love them anyway.

Out of the millions of shells on the beach, you chose only a few. You removed them from the beach, gathered them together, and they belong to you. Countless shells are not part of your collection – those left on the beach. The shells you gave away were once yours but are no longer.

The Hebrew word is “Qoheleth”, the Greek translation is “Ekklesia”. It is a gathering, a collection. It means selected, picked or called out.

Matthew relates the story of a conversation Jesus had with his disciples in Caesarea Philippi. He told them “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18, ESV) The word “church” is “Ekklesia”.

This is a Christ centered definition of “church”. It’s not where we come from, how we look, who is chipped or broken. It’s not whether we meet in a home, park, store front, or traditional church building. It is not defined by our cultural heritage or what language is used for worship.

Jesus has a collection. It’s a gathering of souls that he has chosen out of the billions. The definitive characteristic of this group is that each soul has been loved, chosen, removed from where it was - set apart. Each remains in the possession of the Master. Church isn’t about us, it’s about Him. The gathering of Jesus followers is built by Jesus and he will preserve it. The “gates of hell” will not prevail. You can stake your life on that promise.

Waiting

The doctor will see you “soon”.

You can pick up your Medium Mocha Frap, no whip, at the end of the counter in five minutes.

Just long enough at the red light to check gmail.

I’m sorry, the doctor is running a little behind, could I get you some coffee?

A bit over a month and it’ll be my birthday.

One Hundred Eighty-Four days until Christmas.

The doctor had an emergency and was called away. Could we reschedule your appointment? We have openings in six weeks.

Escaping Walmart starts with the stress of picking a cashier. I’m convinced this feeling that “I always end up in the slowest line” is universal. You can imagine standing, watching the shopper at the register hand over coupons and wrestle with their ATM card. Three people who were behind you are checked out! The kids are fidgeting. You have to go to the bathroom. Your nose is dripping, but you don’t have a Kleenex. You tailgate whoever is ahead of you all the way home. You stomp into the house, throw the plastic bags on the counter and jump into the App store, looking for a grocery delivery service. Like that would fix your problem.

There are a couple significant challenges with waiting. We are focused on what is coming – the weekend or a tasty beverage. Waiting is this collection of moments in which we do NOT have what we seek. It’s annoying, wasted, pointless time. We would rather simply have our needs met and move on.

What if something deep and valuable could happen in those spaces of unfulfilled desire?

Another challenge of waiting is this perpetual human desire to compare. The other line ALWAYS moves faster. We compare our sad lot with our friends on Facebook who are sky-diving, eating incredible meals and posting videos of their talented kids. And we’re still standing in customer service forty-five minutes later.

What if comparison is counter-productive?

And then sometimes we wait, invest the time, keep the good attitude, but end up empty. You’re telling me you can’t fix the van today?! Next week you need the van for another WHOLE DAY? And I waited at this counter forty-five minutes for you to tell me that? Do you people know I have a job and a life?!?

What if what you thought you wanted, wasn’t what you really wanted?

There is a little story in the first few verses of 1 Kings 17 about Elijah at the Brook Cherith. Do you know what happened at the brook? Nothing. Do you know who lives close to the brook? No one. How long was Elijah by the brook? We don’t know. The drought lasted three and a half years and Elijah split that time between Cherith and Zarephath. What ended Elijah’s time at Cherith? The brook dried up and Elijah left. The net value of the months or years Elijah sat by the Brook Cherith is to us an open question. I believe it was a crucial, perhaps formative time. We know Elijah left the brook and went on to demonstrate the awesome power of God to a watching nation.

Being a Jesus follower should impact the moments that I spend waiting. The perpetual presence of desire should point me toward ultimate fulfillment of those desires in Christ. My experiences are valid in that they are ordained by God and not in that they appear to be superior to those of others. The lack of results I perceive might be the exact result I need.

What Translation?

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

God’s Word is amazing! Through it we understand His character and plan of Salvation. Our goal is to be perfect, mature, complete. Scripture provides us with everything we need to accomplish that.

What is the best English translation of God’s Word?

It’s a fair question.

A more important question: are you reading the translation you have? It could be the ESV, KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV(1984), TNIV, ASV, The Living Bible or the Message – if it is unread, it will do you no good. What if there are FIVE Bible apps on your phone, all unopened since the day they were downloaded?

Paul cautioned Titus about foolish controversies that are unprofitable and worthless (Titus 3:9). Paul recommended that Titus avoid the person who “stirs up division”. Division of the body of believers because of debating which Bible translation to read is a loss for the kingdom of God and a win for the evil one.

We will investigate the origins of the English Bible, specifically looking at the King James Version, contrasted with more recent translations. We will ask and answer this question with the love of Christ as the backdrop. It is of utmost importance that you read the Bible you have - far more important than reading this post.

James became the king of England in 1603. In 1604 he convened the Hampton Court Conference and requested a new English translation of the Bible. Fifty-four translators were appointed and divided into six groups. Five of the groups were assigned to translate the inspired scriptures and one group worked on the Apocrypha.

The Hampton Court group of translators had multiple sources to compile their translation. Existing English translations included the Tyndale Bible, the Geneva Bible, and the Bishop’s Bible (1). The Bishop’s Bible was the starting point. It was compared, word by word, with Greek New Testaments compiled by Erasmus, Stephanus and Beza (2). The job of a translator is to evaluate the source material and carry forward the words and phrasing best established as valid. The incredible responsibility of handling the Word of God was not lost on these fifty-four men.

A list of fifteen specific requirements was given these translators. They were instructed to avoid marginal notes. They were to translate all terms of Ecclesiology as “church” and not “congregation” or “gathering”. The state church of England considered the concept of lay leadership, independent gatherings of believers and even individual Bible study to be somewhat subversive.

Acts 1:20 is an example of word choice unique to the King James version (KJV).

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. (Acts 1:20, KJV)

For it is written in the Book of Psalms, ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and ‘Let another take his office.’ (Acts 1:20, ESV)

Judas abandoned his position as one of the twelve disciples and killed himself. After the ascension of Jesus, Mathias was chosen and numbered with the eleven apostles. In Acts 1:20, Luke records a quote from Psalm 109:8. The early gathering of believers felt God leading them to fill the position of authority. The Psalmist would not have described a vacant leadership position with a term (bishoprick) specific to the seventeenth century Anglican church.

The King James translation of the Bible was completed in 1611. As is true of each new Bible translation, it was slightly different from every English translation and Greek manuscript that preceded it.

Initial reception was not great. King James banned the printing of the Geneva Bible in 1616, allowing his “Authorized Version” to be distributed without competition. The KJV became the most common English translation, having a huge impact on both the church and the English language. It is the only book in the history of the world to have over a billion copies printed.

Erasmus completed and published a Greek version of the New Testament in 1516. The next hundred years brought minor changes to the Greek New Testament. Elziever printed a total of seven versions of the Greek NT. Their second edition, dated 1633, has the following sentence in the preface: “Textum ergo habes, nunc ab omnibus receptum, in quo nihil immuta-tum aut corruptum damus”. This is a statement by the publisher to the reader, that nothing has been changed or corrupted. All the text that was received has been passed on (3).

The term “Textus Receptus” emerged from that 1633 preface and is used for all Greek NT from Erasmus through the mid 17th century.

Accurate transmission of the Word of God is an ongoing pursuit. Discovery of manuscripts has happened almost constantly through the centuries. The four hundred years since completion of the KJV have not been without discovery of ancient scrolls and papyrus containing scripture. The KJV translators used the best and oldest manuscripts available to them to compile their translation.

We have about 50 manuscripts that date to prior to the fourth century. The church fathers from the same time period often quoted from God’s Word. When we compare the Textus Receptus with early manuscripts we find about 98% consistency! God has accurately and completely transmitted His words through the centuries to us.

We should pause and note that there are differences between the KJV and newer translations. Multiple verses are present in the KJV which are not supported by the earliest manuscripts. Recent Bible translations will typically leave the verse out of the text, but include a notation. John 5:3-4 is a great example of this. John tells the story of the lame man who is healed at the pool of Bethesda. The ESV leaves out verse four of the chapter but includes the following note:

Some manuscripts insert, wholly or in part -  waiting for the moving of the water; (4) for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had

The description of the angel stirring the water in the pool and the mad rush of bodies into the water is accurate. John 5:7 tells us as much. The helpful information seems to have been added at least four hundred years after John wrote it. Revelation 22:18-19 speaks to the gravity of adding, or taking away from God’s Word.

There are thousands of small differences between the KJV and the newer translations. These differences are the heart of the question of which translation is the best. You can find online resources which speak to these differences in considerable detail. If your curiosity is piqued, you could engage in hours of reading on this topic!

There are at least two current translations which deliberately paraphrase the original text: The Message and The Living Bible. We should be clear that these are NOT the inspired word of God. We do read books about faith which are NOT the Bible.

I love the King James Version. I grew up reading, studying and memorizing it. I have nothing but love and respect for brothers who choose to read and study only the KJV. The English Standard Version (ESV) is an accurate, word for word transmission of the Bible. The ESV includes detailed notes regarding passages for which the source material over the centuries differ.

Three points should be stated in conclusion. First, we have an accurate and complete transmission of the word of God. Second, love is vital to discussions which could become contentious. Jesus prayed (John 17:21) that his people would be one, just as the Father and the Son are one. Third, we are given God’s word to read and study. Whether it’s a physical book or an app, open it. Treasure this amazing gift every day.

1. Old Bibles – an account of the various versions of the English Bible, second edition, JR Dore, Vintage Archives, 1896

2. http://www.equip.org/article/is-your-modern-translation-corrupt/, accessed 5/7/17

3. https://www.dbts.edu/journals/1996_1/ERASMUS.PDF, accessed 5/8/17

4. https://bible.org/article/majority-text-and-original-text-are-they-identical, accessed 5/8/17

Warning Against Worldliness

Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4)

There is a long list in my mind which has filled the past two weeks. Included on the list are two different, but equally expensive tax situations.  There is an unsold, unoccupied property in southern Indiana with my name on the deed and a steady stream of bills arriving daily. There are holes in our roof, through which raccoons have moved in. I suspect they are burrowed in the fluffy, gray insulation, raising a gang of baby coons in our attic. They are NOT welcome! There will be a cost to kick out the coons and patch the holes.

I was sick last week, dragged down with fatigue, fever, sore throat and myalgias. After five days, my immune system beat back the virus. It retreated, leaving an occasional coughing spasm, residual evidence of the illness.

Since our most recent Citrix upgrade, I have not had touch screen capability with Epic in the office. My Surface Pro 3 is limping along with failing “o” and backspace keys and a worthless stylus.

I could almost feel guilty about how my mind is eaten up with so much that is temporal, worldly. Am I a friend of the world? Have I bought into this system? Is the highest degree of success in this existence accomplished by dealing with each of these situations?

James starts his fourth chapter with a discussion about quarrels and fighting, emerging from the tangled mess of struggling desires within each one of us. We don’t get what we want because we don’t ask. We ask and don’t receive because we ask merely to satiate the desire of the moment.

It’s difficult to precisely define what it means to be a friend of the world. My sense is that this is a question of priorities. What is MOST important? Which desire is at the top of the list? The goal of friendship with the world will put us in opposition to God.

God yearns with jealousy over the spirit that he put within us. Our eternal soul is a gift from the Creator. He understands what will fulfill us infinitely more than we do. He longs for us to entrust Him with that eternal soul. Seeking purpose in Him will lead to fulfillment and joy.

It was great to put some paperwork in the mail and get these tax situations behind us. I look forward to the roof guys returning tomorrow to fix the holes. We will continue to be presented with obstacles on a regular basis. We use resources entrusted to us and problem solve. A healthy dose of eternal perspective brings balance to the temporal. Keep the world at arm’s-length and be a friend of God!

Overpriced Amorality

The young man stood at the desk. Clean shaven, gelled hair, fitted charcoal suit, pinstriped shirt, and perfectly dimpled tie. He was holding two brown paper bags.

“I’m not selling drugs.”

He smiled.

“Just some warm paninis for the doctor and his hard-working staff.”

He reached across the desk. The receptionist hesitantly accepted.

“I have a poster and material to educate your patients about current recommendations for Hepatitis C screening.”

He was still smiling as he put a stack of folders and three poster tubes on the desk.

“And my card.”

The lettering at the top was gray. It said ‘Gilead’.

I’d like to trace a connection between an amoral society and overpriced pharmaceuticals. My contention: the fundamental problem with big pharma, with the healthcare system, with everything is me. And you. We are sinners, depraved, capable of good, in need of a Savior and internal regeneration.

Gilead Sciences is a Biotech company that purchased a smaller company named Pharmasset in 2011 for 11.2 Billion dollars (1). At stake was the molecule “7977”. It was a novel treatment for Hepatitis C. Gilead named the drug Sovaldi and released it to the market in 2012. The medication is taken once daily for twelve weeks and cures almost 95% of Hepatitis C. Truly Amazing! Gilead priced their drug at over 1,000$ per pill or about 85,000$ for the twelve weeks required to treat Hepatitis C. At the time, this was the most expensive medication in the history of the world. It has unfortunately since been surpassed by several medications.

In the first three years that Sovaldi was on the market Gilead made over 44 Billion dollars!

The young man in the anecdote above was a pharmaceutical representative, passing out trifles. The medication produced by Gilead Sciences is breathtaking in both its efficacy and pricing. Checking my patients for Hepatitis C pads their bottom line. And that’s a conundrum.

Sanofi-Aventis is a French pharmaceutical company that developed Insulin Glargine, released in 2000. Marketed as Lantus, this was the first true twenty-four hour insulin. An injection of Lantus once a day reproduced the action of basal insulin. This changed the treatment algorithm for Diabetes. Over the next decade, Lantus became the most popular type of insulin prescribed in the world.

Initially the monthly cost of Lantus was about 200$. That’s a lot, much more than the older insulins which were available in 2001 and 2002. Sanofi profited handsomely.

Every medication benefits from about ten years of patent protection. During this time, the company that brought the medication to market can set the price and produce without competition. The patent system is designed to reward creative entrepreneurs, to provide a mechanism to recoup research and development cost.

The patent on Lantus was scheduled to expire in February, 2015. Approaching that date, Sanofi implemented three corporate strategies. First, gradually increasing the price of Lantus, to extract every possible dollar of profit. This price increase occurred even as the production cost of insulin glargine decreased. In 2002 the average cost of a month of insulin was 200$. By 2013, a month of insulin averaged more than 700$ (2). If you have Diabetes, you have experienced this price increase firsthand.

The second strategy of Sanofi was to go to court in early 2014 and obtain a ruling which would delay approval of generic competition at least thirty months (3). Sanofi also paid an undisclosed sum, perhaps billions, to Eli Lilly. In return, Lilly promised not to release competing generic Insulin Glargine to the market until December, 2016. The American patient silently paid soaring prices for Insulin Glargine for almost two years beyond the end of patent protection.

The third strategy of Sanofi was Tuojeo. Their marketing department created a name and branding strategy complete with logo and distinctive colors. The product – Insulin Glargine! Tuojeo is concentrated Insulin Glargine with a decade of brand protection. Sanofi hoped that ignorant physicians would continue to prescribe the more expensive branded Glargine product, even after cheap, generic Glargine became available. 

The examples above are only the tip of the iceberg.

The mission statement for Gilead is: “Advancing Therapeutics, Improving Lives”. There is an emptiness to that statement. It stands in stark contrast to borderline criminal pricing which dramatically limits the number of lives which can be improved by their advanced therapeutics.

The book of Judges ends with a major downer. The story of the Levite, his concubine and what followed, is not for the faint of heart! “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25, ESV)  The stories of the Judges describe the nation of Israel repeatedly falling away from God, falling apart, then being saved by a divinely empowered hero. The grand finale of this little book is violence, abuse of women and almost the collapse of society.

We are made in the image of God. Every one of us, as image bearers, has potential for good. We are depraved from birth. Every one of us has a bent toward sin. We make the wrong choices. Consistently. We act in our own self-interest. We repeat the mistakes of our parents.

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

(John Lennon, 1971)

Lennon wrote of utopia, a world at peace. He felt that removing the moral underpinnings would free all of us to just get along. Poverty would end, wars would cease and the rising of the oceans would stop. I think we are drifting toward a world in which all the people only “live for today”. The thought somewhat horrifies me.

Drug companies charge outrageous prices BECAUSE THEY CAN. Their goal is to make money. What’s wrong with that? How can we say it’s wrong for Gilead to charge 1,000$ per pill if there is no such thing as right and wrong?

You and I are sinners, desperately in need of repentance and forgiveness – freely offered in the person of Jesus. When we deny that truth, we pay the price. The powerful abuse the weak. Moral relativism eliminates our ability to understand and fix these abuses. The more completely we follow Christ, the better everything works: our families, workplaces, communities, even our healthcare system.   

1.     http://www.investors.com/news/technology/can-gilead-withstand-hep-c-boom-and-bust-or-will-merck-abbvie-win/  Accessed 3/10/17

2.     http://time.com/money/4475741/insulin-price-increase/   Accessed 3/10/17

3.     http://www.fiercepharma.com/legal/sanofi-patent-deal-lets-lilly-roll-out-a-lantus-biosim-u-s-next-december  Accesses 3/11/17

Mysterious Choice (part 2)

God is omnipotent. The pile of passages in the Bible demonstrating the ultimate authority of God is immense. Our challenge is to explain the Biblical basis of human free will.

A brief survey of two Bible heroes is helpful. Paul stated that our salvation does NOT depend on our will or exertion. The life of Paul is marked with an astonishing amount of exertion. Paul walked thousands of miles, covering the Roman Empire from east to west. His writings have been read by millions over two millennia! Second Corinthians chapter eleven records just a few of the adventures of Paul. The list includes beatings, dangers at sea, and exciting escapes – more extreme than Bourne! Paul ended up in the Mamertine dungeon, then martyred. He lived and died for the truth he believed.

John the Beloved wrote that our transformation to a child of God happens “Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”. (John 1:13, ESV)  We have an outline of the life of John in the Bible and early church history. After the Ascension of Jesus, John took responsibility for Mary. They moved to Ephesus, fleeing persecution in Jerusalem. John was a church leader for decades. His writings included one of the four gospels, three letters to churches, and a book of Revelation. As an old man John was sentenced to death by poisoning, which sickened but did not kill him. Rome exiled him to Patmos, where he survived in a cave and received an inexpressible vision of end times and heaven. John lived and died for the truth he believed.

The examples of Paul and John point me toward the truth that my life is not my own, I have been bought with a price. (1 Cor 6:19-20) The mark of the regenerated heart is a growing desire to participate in the kingdom. James, the brother of Jesus, gave this definition of true religion (worship): “Visiting widows and orphans in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27, ESV)

There are two great stories in the tenth chapter of Mark. A rich man kneels before Jesus, asks for eternal life, and is openly loved by Jesus. Despite being face to face with the Savior of the world, he sorrowfully walks away. Shortly thereafter, Jesus and a crowd are entering Jericho. Bartimaeus is sitting by the side of the road, hollering for Jesus. He is rewarded with a trip to the front row. His blindness is healed! His faith made him well.

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already” (John 3:18a, ESV)

There are two groups- those who believe and those who do not. We choose which group we want to be in. Each of us will make that choice for ourselves – we are free to choose life or death. As Jesus hung in agony on the cross, two men suffered with him on either side. Both were presented with a choice. One chose life, naming Jesus as Savior. He did not deserve it, yet he pleaded for mercy. Jesus looked at him and said “Today, you will be with me in Paradise”.

Free will is a gift from God. We do not have sufficient power to demand and enforce our will. From Adam and Eve until now, every person freely chooses life or death. God sees the scope of time from beginning to end. He knows the outcome of every story. His foreknowledge does not affect our inability to perceive the future. We can link back to passages in John chapter six to understand that choosing life is empowered by God. We pray for ourselves and for our city, that God would open eyes and hearts. We pray that God would call those who are dead in their sins and quicken them, awaken them to new life.

God’s will is absolute. It cannot be thwarted. The intersection of human free will and the sovereignty of God is tricky territory. God told Habakkuk that he would use wicked Babylon to judge Israel, and would then punish Babylon for their violence and greed. God accomplishes his purposes and is ultimately and fully glorified through our free choices.

Jesus fell on his face in the garden, struggling with what was to come. He was opposed by the evil one. Hours of indescribable mental and physical anguish lay ahead. Our Savior had a choice. As a human, he had free will. He prayed: “Not my will, but Thine be done”. The goal of a Christ follower is that my will and the will of the Father will merge. We see that in the lives of Paul the apostle and John the Beloved. Their desires were molded into the image of Jesus and their actions verified the transformation.

“Not my will but Thine be done"

Mysterious Choice (part 1)

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? BY NO MEANS! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. (Romans 9:14-16, ESV)

I read that and think about serving my family, caring for my patients, loving those God has brought into my path, about this whole adventure in South Florida. It’s a LOT of human will and exertion! Is it pointless?

The ninth chapter of the letter Paul wrote to Christ followers in Rome is an inspired analysis of God’s sovereign choice through the span of human history. Paul describes God’s choice of Jacob over Esau, the younger over the older. This choice was made before either boy could be judged by their actions, before the twins were born. He quotes from Malachi: “Jacob have I loved, but Esau I hated.” Pharaoh is nothing more than a backdrop for God to demonstrate his power in the plagues and the Exodus.

We want to push back. Is that fair? What about Esau? Did he get a chance? Why was he even born if he was destined to be hated by God? God hardened Pharaoh’s heart; did Pharaoh still have a choice?

John quotes Jesus: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” (John 6:44, ESV). John chapter six ends with Jesus telling the disciples “Did I not choose you, the twelve?” (John 6:70, ESV)

Spurgeon preached about the relationship between God’s will and man’s will in 1862. The text of that sermon is in the link below. It’s worth reading. I’ll summarize two of Spurgeon’s points.

God is infinite. He is the uncaused cause. He brought into existence everything that is, from sub-atomic particles to billions of galaxies. Could we think to revolt against the Creator and Sustainer, asserting our independence? Paul likens us to a lump of clay, noting the absurdity of our demanding to be made differently. There is an aspect in which human free will defies the nature of created order.

Giving ourselves the right to say ‘NO’ to God takes Him off the throne and sets us on it. If God wills to save us, can we deny Him? God is outside of time, not locked into it as we are. There is a sense in which His will has already been done. He exists the same in every moment of the universe from its inception to its demise. We pray for God’s will to be done in confidence, knowing that it cannot be denied.

We cherish the notion of free will. Must we give it up? Was it ever ours to give up?

Revelations 22:17 says “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” That certainly sounds like it depends on us.

I’ll end this post by coming full circle. I’ve invested the past two decades of my life trying to live the gospel and point others to the Savior of the world. I’ve seemingly been living as though my full cooperation is necessary for God to accomplish His will here and now. Should I take a day off? A year off?

Stay tuned for part two.

 

http://www.biblebb.com/files/spurgeon/0442.htm, accessed 1/28/17

Wealth Disparity

Why is there a wealth disparity in the world?

I’m not going to answer that question. I don’t know if there is an answer.

The disparity is reality. Here are just a few possible indicators of opulence:

·      Having a car

·      Driving almost exclusively on paved roads

·      Enjoying electricity 24 hours a day

·      Hot showers

·      Wifi

·      Milk from your fridge to put on cereal or pour in your coffee

I don’t think it’s helpful to deny the existence of this imbalance. There is a tacit denial which takes the form of intentional lack of awareness of the needs of the undeveloped world. Guilt is also not helpful. Feeling guilty about your pool does not materially benefit your friends in Haiti, Sudan or Pakistan. Giving based on guilt can lead to lack of results or might even be counter-productive.

There is progress in our world. Currently, about one billion of us live on less than a dollar a day. That’s a billion too many, however, it’s a smaller percentage of the world population than ever before who lack the ability to meet their basic needs.

The past twenty years have brought progress to Haiti. Access to electricity, education and the internet are improved. We see better homes and less hunger. Despite the headway, Haiti is still the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Life expectancy for a Haitian is almost twenty years less than that of the average American. Basic infrastructure, health care and sanitation are almost nonexistent. Haiti is the product of colonial-era slave legacy that left it with an unfair debt and an unstable government. Systemic corruption persists with ripple effects that render every segment of society less functional.

This sounds depressing. Is there hope?

Maybe there are other ways to measure what it means to be wealthy. Have you ever sat on the front porch with new friends and old? Have you swapped stories, laughed and sung songs? Have you been greeted at work or church with a comfortable hug? It’s impossible to put a value on relationships. To love and be loved is to be rich.

The truest wealth is to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Jesus taught us to “Lay up treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 5:20-21, ESV).

Thank God for the land of privilege in which you live. Educate yourself about those less fortunate. Choose a ministry carefully and then contribute on an ongoing basis. If given the chance, take a trip. Spend a week or a year in Paraguay, Nigeria, Mexico, Haiti or any one of a hundred other countries. Love the people you meet, while understanding you are not their savior. Invest the time it takes to be rich in relationships, both at home and abroad. The deepest joy and lasting pleasure is found in knowing Jesus, living with purpose and sharing that with others.

What is Time

The question is deceptively difficult to answer. We are better at measuring time than defining it. Time is measured by movement: sand through an hourglass, the shadow of a sundial, our earth circling the sun.

The great white Egret is motionless in the shallow water. Time stands still. But it really doesn’t. Even when we don’t see movement, it’s there – the beating of the Egret’s heart, her eyes watching for an almost imperceptible stirring of the water. The tiny fish swim in front of her, not knowing that she is the predator and they are a mid-morning snack to be snatched out of the water and swallowed whole.

Time is like money. Imagine your body is a home you are renting. The rent is withdrawn from a bank account every month. The money in the bank represents the time you have on this planet. You have no way to know how much is in the bank account. You can add funds to the account – regular exercise and healthy eating. You can take money out of the account – smoking, using a daily narcotic, or carrying 100 extra pounds. When the money runs out, you must move. It isn’t helpful to pretend you own the home, or that the bank account is unlimited.

The years of our life are seventy,
    or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
    they are soon gone, and we fly away. (Ps 90:10)

Moses made an estimate of how long you’ll get to stay in the rental home – 80 years. I don’t think he was joking when he said “Toil and Trouble”. Everything is touched by sin. Aging, loss, weakness and struggle mark the human experience. And then we die.

Before the mountains were brought forth,
    or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
    from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Ps 90:2)

We serve a God who is outside of time. He existed prior to the beginning of time and will continue into eternity after this universe is no more. Our hope cannot be in our ability to freeze time, to delay the aging process. Our hope is in our Almighty Father who is the owner of the rental home, and the source of every dollar in the bank account.

So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Ps 90:12)

Moses' conclusion is that the path of wisdom is living as though our days are numbered - because they are. Let that free us to joyfully receive each day as a gift from above, regardless of how many are behind or ahead.

Grateful

For evening walks at Royal Palms Park at sunset, ducks scoot away from the footsteps, and the water obligingly reflects the artwork God is painting in the western sky.

For barefoot runs on an empty beach, every other step landing in the Atlantic, pre-dawn glow to my right.

For a yellow stucco house, and four incredible people who live there with me.

For the incessant sunshine and a dark sport coat with zippered pockets when the temperature drops to 70.

For steaming dark coffee with a hint of cream in a white mug.

For mornings to study John and James, read all the cross-references and take careful notes.

For singing, praying and reading the Word with a small group in our front room.

For a new tab and 45 minutes to practice.

For Monday morning, 30 minutes pedaling the elliptical with NFL highlights on the iPad.

For old friends and new friends.

For the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.

For NO condemnation, NO defeat and NO separation (Romans 8).

Sovereign

“And God sent me” (Joseph, Gen 45:7)

Do you believe in the sovereignty of God?

Joseph was about 17 years old when he made his ill-fated journey to Shechem. As the favored son, he had enjoyed a life of privilege and ease. His role on that trip was to assess and supervise. He tracked down his brothers in Dothan. Over the 12 hours that followed he was the victim of an impulsive hate crime. It was sin for his brothers to attack him, throw him into a pit, then sell him to Ishmaelite traders. They shed blood to hide their offense and crafted a lie that they would carry for more than two decades.

Joseph was the victim of hatred and violence.

Potiphar’s estate was a place of opportunity for the young man to build his reputation as hard-working, smart, and honest. Over a ten-year span, Joseph ascended through the ranks, earning the respect of his coworkers and the trust of his master. Potiphar’s wife was attracted to Joseph. She reached out to him – an offer of sensual pleasure. Joseph fled from the illicit invitation, protecting her purity as well as his own. The spurned would-be lover responded with anger and lies. It was sin for Potiphar’s wife to offer herself to someone other than her husband. An innocent man went to jail.

Joseph was again a victim.

In the dungeon, Joseph remained a man of integrity. He was noticed and promoted to a leadership position. The unusual dreams of the baker and cup-bearer were an opportunity for Joseph to share insight from God. His interpretation of both dreams was accurate. He requested the attention of Pharaoh and freedom from prison. The cup-bearer forgot about Joseph.

For a third time, Joseph was a victim.

We like the next part of the story. We love the sudden jump from the bottom to the top, from prison to palace. Joseph would have been about forty years old when he stood in a position of power. His brothers bowed flat on the floor and begged for their lives.

“God sent me before you”. Joseph told them twice in that first conversation, in both Genesis 45:5 and again in vs. 7. Allow the full weight of that statement to sink in. Joseph was repeatedly a victim. This is not an excuse for the sinful actions which resulted in Joseph being enslaved, humiliated and imprisoned. This is a statement of absolute confidence in the sovereignty of God. The sins of Joseph’s brothers and Potiphar’s wife were used to put Joseph in position not only to save Egypt, but also his own family!

This does not exonerate anyone who has taken advantage of you, who has treated you poorly. There is no excuse for sin, only hope of repentance and forgiveness. Don’t intentionally put yourself in situations in which you are abused. Might we more fully grasp the reality of the sovereignty of God. What happens to you does not surprise God. You haven’t made the jump from prison to palace, maybe you never will. Is Joseph’s God your God? His sovereignty can be trusted.

Wrestling

He looked across the river at the retreating figures. His brow furrowed and a tear traced down his left cheek. The uncertainty of the future sat like a five-hundred-pound weight on his gut. The last hours had been a blur of action, sorting the animals, sending the groups with specific instructions, saying good-bye to his children. Twenty years had slipped by, where had they gone? He was bent forward with grayish hair and beard befitting his middle age. The years had left him richer, yes, but wiser?

He closed his eyes for a moment and saw his brothers’ face. Jaw set, red hair, face flushed, eyes narrowed. “When dad dies, I’ll kill you”. He was almost frightened by how powerful and vivid the image was. He opened his eyes and was at the river again, the water quietly moved past. The bank opposite him was empty now. The sun hid behind the horizon. The messy clouds, drab gray sky and impending darkness were a metaphor of his life. Desperate loneliness silently enveloped him.

The man tackled him from behind. He landed hard, clawed at the ground, squirming to get away. The man pushed his face into the mud, trying to asphyxiate him. Panic lent him strength. He rolled violently, momentarily freeing himself. Up to his knees, hands ready, breathing heavily. For a moment he wondered if his uncle had sent this man, who must have followed all day and waited until he was alone. The collision of their bodies was almost silent. They were on the ground again, rolling, kicking, strangling. He was fueled by a mad desire to subdue his adversary. He understood that defeat could mean death.

The faint gray before dawn touched the eastern horizon. His rival was spent, yet attacked once more. Sharp pain seized his hip and coursed up his back. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to pass out. Sweat beaded his forehead. He couldn’t tell if the hip was dislocated or fractured.

“Let me go, for day has broken”

The stranger's voice was deep and calm, despite the exertion of the night.

“I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

He wasn’t sure why he said it. What right did he have to demand anything from this man.

“What is your name?”

Such an obvious question.  Had this man not known whom he was attacking?

“I am Jacob.” 

There was so much packed into those three words, almost eighty years of struggle. He had fought with Esau in the womb and grabbed at his heel as Esau emerged first - the older son, ostensibly the son of promise. He had replaced Esau, taking his birthright and then his blessing. He bargained with God at Bethel, demanding safety, bread to eat and clothes to wear. He had taken advantage of Laban, building a fortune, then leaving. He had come to this river bank and sent ahead multiple groups of animals, lavish gifts to buy the affection of Esau. He was the deceiver, the supplanter.

The sky was pink; a new day was beginning. The stranger rose to his feet and looked down at Jacob. “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” And the stranger blessed Israel.

The sun was bright and hot. He picked his way, haltingly, across the Ford of Jabbok. He couldn’t walk straight, his hip ached with every step. He was exhausted from the sleepless night. Wrestling had left him disheveled and dirty. He had a new name, a new identity. He thought of his meeting with Esau and hope filled him. He was blessed by God.

Risk/Benefit

“Beth, should I take the Motorcycle to work?”

Eight lanes of rush hour traffic, weaving around trucks, zooming past minivans, checking WAZE in real time to avoid a speed trap just north of the Hillsboro exit!

We don’t own a motorcycle. Almost every time we’re on I-95 in our Blue Odyssey a biker whips around us like we’re sitting still! Even if they’re wearing a helmet I worry about them, worry about the family they’ll leave behind. I wonder who would receive their donated corneas and kidneys.

We assess risks and benefits every day. It’s as natural as breathing. We collect information from parents, friends, our doctor, our pastor and the list goes on. The internet is, of course, an infallible source of data.

Some of the information falls into the category of anecdote. When I was about 12 years old my uncle Mike had a motorcycle accident. He wasn’t wearing a helmet and spent several weeks in the ICU. I remember praying for him. The danger of motorcycles was indelibly imprinted on my young mind.

You could pull up 2015 data on the number of motorcycles registered to drive in the USA (9 million) and the number of motorcycle fatalities (5,000). A fifth grade math student could crunch the numbers: approximately 1 out of every 1,800 motorcycle riders will die in a crash.

There are benefits to riding a motorcycle. Many bikers ride safely and wear helmets. If you own or ride a motorcycle you can describe the freedom of the open road and the wind in your hair. Motorcycles are cheaper than cars to own, insure and fill with gas.

My conclusion on the risk/benefit calculation for a motorcycle: I'll drive my car to work. And wear a seat-belt. You are free to do the opposite.

I bet you’re not standing in line this weekend to buy a jet black iPhone 7 plus. I bet if you are standing in line you’ll be disappointed. It’s no accident that iPhone 7 supply is inadequate this weekend creating the perception of high demand, but I digress.

Cell phones have transformed culture, media and relationships. As a tool for communication, information and learning they are revolutionary. You’re probably reading this post on your phone.

One of the perceived risks of Cell phone usage is brain cancer. The World Health Organization has classified cellular usage as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”(1).

I think the real risk of cellular usage is distracted driving, the “Red Light Prayer”. I see drivers every day with phones in their hands. Sometimes a phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other. You've probably seen the bumper sticker "Honk if you love Jesus, text if you want to meet Him"!

You calculate risks and benefits in your faith journey. Jesus pointed to this in Matthew 16:24 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”.

Jesus described the reverse calculation in Matthew 16:26. “For what will it profit a man if he gains (benefits) the whole world and forfeits (risks) his soul”?

I’m not sure how that lands with you. There is risk with following Jesus. It changes how you view culture and how culture views you. You might follow Jesus to crazy places like south Florida, Haiti or a majority Muslim country adjacent to a war zone. You might die. People died on crosses.

There is benefit to following Jesus. Imagine life with purpose. What if you knew why you were made, what your goals were, and you got up every morning excited about turning them into reality! What if the God of love forgave your sins and loved you so much you could forgive others and love them especially when they don’t deserve it. Because you didn’t deserve it. What if you thought about death as the beginning of the best adventure yet, perfection, peace and glory for eternity.

Benefits?

Out of this world!

1. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/cellular-phones, accessed 9/16/16