The Radical Side of Jesus
John R. Petrilli
Stop. Before you read any farther I want to clarify the purpose of this article. It is not intended to portray Jesus as some kind of anti-authority figure. To the contrary, He was a very law-abiding citizen Who showed the greatest respect for people in all walks of life, including those holding positions of God-ordained authority. Neither is this article intended to picture Jesus as a total non-conformist, for we know for a fact that He regularly attended church as a child and Youngman, and that he paid His fair share of taxes. No, Jesus Christ was neither revolutionary nor pure non-conformist.
That being said, I’ve decided to write on this topic because I believe the modern church has taken on an imbalanced view of our Savior, one that highlights His conventional side without adequately or accurately exposing the often unconventional nature of His teaching and behavior. Nor did Jesus go against the flow for the self-serving purpose of capturing press as someone who was seriously counter culture. So what was this radical side of the Lord Jesus? I have come up with at least ten areas in Jesus’ life and ministry that can easily be categorized as radical.
JESUS TOOK A RADICAL STANCE ON WORSHIP.
When you think about it, it must have been one rough ride for Jesus to enter our world. I wonder if He REALLY knew experientially what it would be like before He traversed the heavens to come to planet earth. Imagine the pain in His heart as He saw so many of His own people simply going through the motions of a long-dead Judaism. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the Temple worship services. Outside the temple courts He found the most crass forms of religious commercialism (John 2:14-17). Inside He witnessed folks mumbling repetitious prayers that got them nowhere with God (Matthew 6:5). In the surrounding community Jesus encountered repeated instances of supposed violations of the law regarding “working on the Sabbath”. While upholding the Sabbath as a day set apart for rest and worship, He came down ultra hard on those who had twisted the meaning and purpose of that day into a thing that bound men instead of freeing them to worship (Mark 2:27 ; Luke 6:1-11). And when it came to giving as an act of worship, Jesus challenged and exposed the conventional view of tithing, saying that a woman giving her last two cents exceeded her peers. In other words, God measures giving by the level of sacrifice and attitude of the heart, not by the greatness of the amount (Mark 12:41-44). And the Lord roundly rejected the prevailing “holier than thou” worship attitude by commending the humility of the repentant publican and dethroning the self-exalting Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14).
JESUS HAD A RADICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW. (Matthew 5:17-48)
In His famous “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus repeatedly prefaced His points with the phrase, “you have heard it said”. When He said this He was making a direct reference to the Law of Moses. His hearers were on the same page and on board with Him until He upped the ante. He raised the bar on every aspect of spiritual life exponentially. Now angry people were murderers, lustful people were adulterers, enemies were to be embraced with love and retaliation was to be replaced by gracious accommodation. Such takes on the law weren’t merely unprecedented but revolutionary. In short, Jesus upset the apple cart big time.
JESUS DISPLAYED A RADICAL REACTION TO RELIGIOUSLY DISINGENUOUS PEOPLE. (Matthew 23:1-4)
When Jesus saw a spade, He called their number. He had a virtual heyday exposing flaw after flaw in the theology as well as the practice of the religious hierarchy of His day. Christ had what might fairly be called a policy of “zero tolerance” toward hypocrites. He didn’t mince words as He pointed out the legion of inconsistencies of those who preached but didn’t practice. The interesting thing about His critiques is that they were never ever challenged. Those He rebuked had no answer to His charges. Jesus was right on target, they knew it, and they were silent in His presence. Nobody likes a hypocrite. In fact, one of the most despised classes of people are those who live in direct contradiction to their stated beliefs. And when it involves religious hypocrisy, the seriousness of those glaring inconsistencies make them even more reprehensible. I thin k this quality in the life of Jesus is what made Him so beloved in the populace. He was on their side, seeing the same two-faced living that they did, and He called them on it. The common people heard Him gladly, and I think one of the reasons was the fact that He took on religious phonies and won convincingly every single time!
JESUS COPPED A RADICAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD-DISHONORING TRADITIONS. (Mark 7:5-13)
So what’s a little ritual here or a little religious custom there? According to Jesus? Everything. The time-honored ways of relating to God and our fellow men were clearly outlined in summary fashion in the Ten Commandments, but by the time Christ set foot on earth’s terra firma, things had gotten way out of control. Children were giving away money to the church while their elderly dependant parents needed that money to buy food and pay the bills. It had deteriorated to the point where the law of God was being superseded by a human tradition in many areas of religious life. This was totally unacceptable, and Jesus made it clear in no uncertain terms that it had to go. He’d seen enough of this nonsense. Traditions were fine, but only when they stayed within their Biblically proscribed boundaries. The outrageous practices that made God’s commands null and void were a spiritual poison that had to be banned, and banned they were by the Savior.
JESUS POSSESSED A RADICAL VIEW OF FORGIVENESS. Matt. 18:21-22
Remember the Beatles’ tune, “Day Tripper”? The lyricist claims he has a good reason for taking the easy way out of a relationship. For some strange reason, we always seem to be looking for the easy way out. That was the case with the disciples one day as they queried the Lord on the topic of forgiving their offenders (Matt. 18:21-22.) Jewish rabbis taught that three times was a reasonable degree of extending forgiveness, so Peter’s offer of seven more than doubled the accepted standard requirement. Jesus blows his doors in when He ups the ante 70 times to 490! I’m sure the disciples had scratched their heads for quite some time before they got what the Lord was trying to tell them. Forgiveness isn’t about doing what’s obligatory or customary. It’s a heart attitude that wants to show mercy, and to do so without any limits whatsoever. Just as love doesn’t keep a running tally of offenses done to it, so our forgiveness must be limitless as well. This kind of relational theory was nothing short of revolutionary. No more keeping score, then lowering the hammer. No, no, now it was about healing and reconciliation, a much harder path to follow, but a path a thousand times more blessed than
the other.
JESUS HELD A RADICAL PERSPECTIVE ON CHRISTIAN LIVING. Luke 9:23 ;14:25-27
Just like many in our day, some Jews of old did just enough religion to get them by. They’d go through the routines of Sabbath observance once a week, then never give another passing thought to God the rest of the week. Here comes Jesus saying things like, “Following Me [e.g., being a Christian] will require you to deny yourself, lose your life, and be willing to publicly acknowledge Me before men”… “Your love for your family members must look like hate when compared to your love for and loyalty to Me”. Can you imagine the furor He raised with such incredible demands? The people thought John the Baptist was radical with His monastic lifestyle, crazy diet and course clothing. But now they have to figure out and deal with this guy named Jesus.
By comparison, John was mild. Deny ourselves? Lose our lives? “Hate” our families? What’s He talking about? Isn’t my weekly worship and tithe good enough for God? Jesus upset a whole lot more important things than just money changer’s tables. He turned conventional wisdom and practice on its head more than once.
He’s still doing the same today. Just when we think we’ve got the Lord all figured out, He goes and changes the entire program and leaves us baffled. Christian living is all about where our hearts are at. When we are “heart right”, we’ll be right everywhere else, be it in relation with others or relation with God Himself. Christian living isn’t a set of 15 neatly packaged rules to follow. It’s letting Christ live His life in and through us.
JESUS PRACTICED A RADICAL APPROACH TO SPIRITUAL OUTSIDERS. Luke 5:27-31 ; 7:34 ; 19:1-10
“Keep your distance”. “Avoid that person, they’re really bad news.” Well, I would NEVER spend time with that individual, they’re (you fill in the blank). While both testaments of the Bible caution us to choose our closest friends carefully, it never directs us to completely insulate ourselves from those who have a lifestyle that’s “visibly sinful”. If we’re not careful, we can end up living inside a Christian bubble of our own making, never venturing out to make contact with those who so desperately need the Lord. Such were the “religious” of Jesus’ day. They made it a point to stay away from any social, business, or personal contact with people who were spiritually “out of the loop”. They limited their fellowship circle to the “kosher” folks, the ones who talked, dressed, ate, and were entertained in all the correct ways. Outsiders? No way Jose! Let’s leave them alone and let them stick to their “own kind”. In steps Jesus to overturn the applecart, making it a point to spend huge quantities of time with the outcasts of His society… the drunks, the call girls, the thieves. This must have spun the collars of His religious contemporaries around in circles! Not only did Jesus associate with them, He ate meals with them! How could He DO that?! Simple. He did that because He loved people. He looked beyond their moral filth and spiritual guilt and saw their need. Paul exhorts us to practice this same kind of evangelistic association with unbelievers (1 Cor. 5:9-10).
JESUS EMBRACED A RADICAL POSITION ON SOCIAL JUSTICE. Matt. 23:23 ; Pro. 31:8-9
The church folks of Jesus’ day had it pretty down pat. They understood and practiced the tithe to a fault. They not only gave ten percent of their produce (that time’s equivalent of income), they even gave a tithe of the very
spices used on their foods! Admittedly, they had taken the spiritual high road on the issue of tithing. But it wasn’t in the tithe that Jesus found fault. It was the lack of concern for their neighbors in need that disturbed the Lord. Jesus approved their tithing practices one-hundred percent, but was troubled deeply over their failure to remember and assist the less fortunate among them. Like some modern day Christians, they were strong on gospel but weak on social action. This was no new development in the individual and corporate lives of God’s people. Way back in the book of Proverbs we see the Lord chiding His people for their chronic neglect of the poor and vulnerable (Pro. 31:8-9). Even in the Spirit-born New Testament church the problem persisted (Jas. 1:27-2:17). Unlike our day of dependence upon governmental agencies who help the poor and provides a plethora of social services, in the early church that burden fell to the believing community. As those who professed the compassion of Christ and the generosity of the Spirit, others naturally looked to these Christians to practice their preaching. And our world does the same today to a greater or lesser degree. While the church isn’t usually the first agency a person in need will go to, she does have a role and responsibility in the area of social action on behalf of the needy, beginning within the walls of their own believing community, and extending out into the community at large (Gal. 6:10). Jesus had little patience with people who talked about God then ignored the needy person living right next door to them. He was radical by simply reviving a principle and practice of social concern and social justice that had been and continues to be a real “hot potato” for those professing faith in God.
JESUS ADOPTED A RADICAL STANCE ON SALVATION. John 14:1-3 ; Matthew 7:13-14
Count them. For hundreds, even thousands of years, the Jewish people operated under a serious misconception that doing the right things made them worthy of eternal life. They completely misunderstood that the Law’s purpose was to show up their sinfulness and need of a Savior. Granted, the Law provided a tangible, workable framework for a civil society and personal piety, but it never claimed to be the vehicle of salvation. That’s what Jesus came up against as He tried to minister to the folks of His day. They were on a “law” wavelength, while He was introducing the “grace” concept. It was a hard sell to say the least, but, fortunately for us, some got the concept and bought into the plan. Repeatedly we find the God squad of Christ’s day fingering Him on violations of the Jewish law. But those so-called violations were merely instances where He was upholding the spirit of the law in ways that made it look like He was violating the letter as well. When He did so, He was actually violating the elongated, exaggerated, warped interpretation of the law which they had erroneously arrived at after centuries of adaptation and misapplication. This, as a matter of course, spilled over into the grave and critical area of salvation. It was on this point that absolute clarity was required, and Jesus delivered nothing less. “I am the way, the truth and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through ME”. The words couldn’t be any clearer if you used Windex a million times on them. Yet such a position was radical indeed. No one else was preaching a gospel of salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. He was the only one doing that, and even more exclusively, He Himself was that one through whom salvation was to be secured. His contemporaries were shocked to find out that, according to Jesus, the road to Heaven was a small alleyway, not a broad way. It was a narrow spiritual corridor fraught with risk and danger, not an easy going open road with minimal difficulties. This was new to them, and a discovery most were unwilling nor ready to embark upon. They opted for the comfort zone of the law and measurable righteousness, and missed the saving grace of God!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Native American Psalm 23
[NOTE: Not my original work, taken as a composite from various sources]
The Twenty-third Psalm
- Native American Version -
The Great Father above a Shepherd Chief is.
I am His, and with Him I want not.
He throws out to me a rope,
And the name of the rope is love.
He draws me to where the grass is green,
And the water’s not dangerous.
I eat and lie down and am satisfied.
Sometimes my heart is very weak and falls down,
But He lifts me up again, and draws me into a good road.
His name is WONDERFUL.
Sometime soon, or it may be a long, long time,
He will draw me into a valley.
It is dark there, but I'll be afraid not,
For it is in between those mountains
That the Shepherd Chief will meet me
And the hunger that I have in my heart
All through this life will be satisfied.
Sometimes He makes the love rope into a whip
But afterwards He gives me a staff to lean upon.
He spreads a table before me with all kinds of foods.
He puts His hand upon my head, And all the "tired" is gone.
My cup He fills ‘till it runs over.
What I tell is true; I lie not.
These roads that are "away ahead"
Will stay with me through this life and after;
And afterwards I will go to live In the Big Tepee
And sit down with the Shepherd Chief forever.
The Twenty-third Psalm
- Native American Version -
The Great Father above a Shepherd Chief is.
I am His, and with Him I want not.
He throws out to me a rope,
And the name of the rope is love.
He draws me to where the grass is green,
And the water’s not dangerous.
I eat and lie down and am satisfied.
Sometimes my heart is very weak and falls down,
But He lifts me up again, and draws me into a good road.
His name is WONDERFUL.
Sometime soon, or it may be a long, long time,
He will draw me into a valley.
It is dark there, but I'll be afraid not,
For it is in between those mountains
That the Shepherd Chief will meet me
And the hunger that I have in my heart
All through this life will be satisfied.
Sometimes He makes the love rope into a whip
But afterwards He gives me a staff to lean upon.
He spreads a table before me with all kinds of foods.
He puts His hand upon my head, And all the "tired" is gone.
My cup He fills ‘till it runs over.
What I tell is true; I lie not.
These roads that are "away ahead"
Will stay with me through this life and after;
And afterwards I will go to live In the Big Tepee
And sit down with the Shepherd Chief forever.
Meet The Most Magnetic Personality Of All Time!
Meet The Most Magnetic Personality Of All Time!
John R. Petrilli
What makes a person attractive? Is it their wardrobe? Their good looks? Their sphere of influence? Their degree of success? Why are we drawn to some and not drawn to others? Believe it or not, most of us are drawn to those who consistently exhibit the intangibles of life. Love, patience, tolerance, humility, courage, wisdom. These are the inner qualities that really make someone attractive, and cause us to want to be around them. Who in your life circle have you felt most attracted to? As I thought about my answer to that question, I concluded that someone I never met in Person was that individual. Come and allow me to introduce you to the most magnetic personality who ever lived!
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS WELL-EARNED REPUTATION!
We see them on TV, read about them in magazines and newspapers, and watch then receive all kinds of awards for their professional accomplishments. They live in gorgeous, multi-million dollar homes, dress in the latest fashions, and sport high-end jewelry most of us wouldn’t think of even wearing, much less purchasing. These are the “celebrities”. Our most common conception of a celebrity in America is of the Hollywood stripe. But before judging this point, consider what a celebrity actually is. The word itself comes from the Latin “celebritas”, which translates into “multitude, fame”. Webster’s Dictionary elaborates with, “fame, reknown, wide recognition; a famous or well-publicized person”. Okay, but wouldn’t it be quite a stretch to describe Jesus as celebrity? A quick comparison of the dictionary description to a passage in Mark 1:21-28 yields the answer to that question. The passage records Jesus’ first days of ministry as He visits the town of Capernaum. The content and delivery of His message stunned the synagogue crowd there. They were taken aback, not only by what He said but how He said it. Add to this His powerful exorcism of a demon in such an efficient manner, and it isn’t any wonder why His popularity skyrocketed in no time. The passage ends on this note:“And His [Jesus’] reputation spread like wildfire through the whole Galilean district” (Mark 1:28, Phillips). From there His fame continued to spread out in scope from local to regional to national (Luke 5:15 ; Matt. 9:26). Jesus was a “hot item”. Everyone wanted a piece of Him. They couldn’t get enough of His teaching or His miracles! He was pulling off healings by the scores and frequently making controversial public statements that challenged the status quo. There wasn’t a teacher around who came close to Him. If they had a celebrity magazine back then, His face would have been splashed all over the cover every month!
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE HE WAS REFRESHINGLY REAL!
When anyone gets as popular as Jesus was, there’s always detractors who make it their business to find something bad to say about the person. Whatever they may have said, one thing they couldn’t accuse Jesus of was that of being a phony. To the contrary, Jesus had no stomach for phoniness or hypocrisy. He made it a point to expose and condemn it whenever and wherever He encountered it. Jesus was refreshingly transparent in His interactions with others. He said what He meant, and meant what He said. No innuendo, double-speak, or carefully calculated rhetoric that skirted around issues. Jesus met the topics of the day head on with great clarity and sometimes shocking transparency. His interpersonal relationships were always characterized by absolute transparency. Whether speaking to His disciples in private or talking to complete strangers, our Lord spoke what was true and right and fitting for each occasion. He didn’t utilize deceptive means of communication, but chose to relate to others with absolute honesty, whether the content was instructive, complimentary or corrective in nature. Even in circumstances where He baffled His audience with word pictures and word play He always clarified His message with a straightforward statement of fact. He saw it like it was, and told it like it is. No beating around the bush with Him. And no punch-pulling either. It was that way right from the get go, as evidenced by Nathaniel’s highly favorable first impression of Jesus as a man who had no ulterior motives, deceptive intentions, or self-interest (“When he [Nathaniel] saw Jesus coming he said, ‘There’s a real Israelite, not a false bone in His body’ ” - John 1:47, Message). His integrity shone through every thing He said and did. His persona was squeaky clean. He was the original “real deal”!
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE HE CONNECTED WITH WHERE THEY WERE AT!
Like our day, Jesus’ era had its share of trained orators and public speakers. They knew how to argue a point, win a debate, or persuade a crowd. But here again, Jesus was so different. He used language that was understandable and addressed issues that were on the minds of the people. He said the things that a lot of people wanted to say, but lacked the courage or skill to address. Jesus was so winsome in this way because He was the champion of the average guy on the street. As Mark editorializes, “The common [everyday] people heard Him gladly” (12:37 KJV). His communications were characterized by truth, transparency and openness.
While the religious intelligentsia was galled at Jesus’ repeated challenges to their hypocritical attitudes and practices, the everyday people thoroughly enjoyed His teaching and hung on His every word. He spoke about things like, friendships, finances, forgiveness and family. Unlike His Pharisaical contemporaries, Jesus was in touch with real life, and His teaching reflected His understanding of what was really important. His messages were supremely practical, and were often sprinkled with just the right amounts of anecdotal humor.
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BY HIS INNOVATIVE TEACHING!
Professional educators are always looking for more effective ways to school those in their charge. In the 1970’s progressive educators thought they came up with something new when they introduced the concept of the “open classroom”. Little did they realize, Jesus utilized the outdoor classroom model a full 20 centuries before their ‘novel’ idea. In a day when instruction was primarily reserved to the indoor environs of synagogue schools and the Temple, Christ took His game into the great outdoors. There it was that He made abundant use of natural phenomenon to illustrate many of His salient points. To illustrate trust in God He directed His audience to the birds flying overhead and flowers growing under their feet. When it came to creativity, Jesus was tops. He was the Teacher extraordinaire! His stories were nothing short of spellbinding. Recall the heart warming episode of the heart broken parent longing for the return of hi wayward teenage son? Then there was the surprising story of the poor widow’s last two pennies amounting to far more than the large offerings given by the well-to-do. Another way in which Jesus’ teaching was innovative was in its power. The existing teachers recited the theology they had learned in an institution, but here we had a Man sent directly from God Who was Himself God. He gave them truth as it was meant to be taught, in all its weight and divine impact. Jesus was so down to earth with His audience. No props, no pretense, just great stories and parables guaranteed to inspire, inform and improve the lives of those who heard Him.
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS GENUINE COMPASSION!
This could well be the crowning quality of Jesus’ magnetic power. People are broken, hurt, and in dire need of understanding, gentleness and empathy. Christ offered the folks of His day all of the above and much more. See Him weeping openly over the loss of His dear friend Lazarus. Follow Him to Mount Olivet where He spends the predawn hours weeping intensively over a city gone astray. Climb with Him atop the Mount where He delivered His greatest sermon only to be moved with heartbroken compassion over the lostness and lack of direction He sees in the lives of the thousands before Him. Watch Him bless and break the loaves to relieve the pangs of hunger among the throngs. See the yearning in His face as He looks deep into the eyes and heart of a rich young ruler who is at the spiritual crossroads of his life. If I had to reduce Jesus down to one word, it would have to be the word “compassion”. Yes, He was holy and uncompromising with sin and hypocrisy, but underneath was a heart of pure gold graced with a velveteen coating of great compassion. He cared for the people of His day, and He still cares for each of us today. Don’t go a step farther trying to bear alone your overbearing load. Come to Him, He understands perfectly where you’re at and what you most need.
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE HE WAS JUST PLAIN FUN TO BE AROUND!
We seldom run into individuals who have the ability to attract all age groups and social groups to them. But here is where Jesus, once again, is such an incredible exception. I believe part of this is due to the fact that He was actually a very enjoyable individual to be around. He always had the uplifting word for the weakened heart, an insightful comment for the curious and the uncanny ability to put a humorous slant on otherwise ordinary topics. Though He was a man well acquainted with tragedy and disappointment, this by no means implies that He didn’t enjoy a good laugh and the bantering that friends delight in. From religious elites like curious Nicodemus to social riff-raff like Mary Magdalene, Jesus drew all kinds of people to Himself. Look at His disciples if you want diversity of drawing power. A couple of fishermen, an accountant, a social activist, a political zealot, just to name a few. I can’t think of anyone who was ever so capable of attracting people from such diverse backgrounds, and it was because He was a perfectly well-balanced person who knew how and when to have fun. Children stay away from somber, serious adults but just look at how they flocked to Jesus’ side. Kids just plain loved being around Him! When I read between the lines of Sacred Writ, I can see Jesus down on all fours playing with those kids, and having a ball! Contrary to the opinion of some, it is not only possible but necessary to experience life at all levels of emotion, and my Bible describes the Christian life as a journey of joy. Let’s not rob Jesus of His humanity by erroneously concluding that He was a bore to be around.
That doesn’t do Him justice. Christ spiced up life with His uncanny wit and unerring wisdom. Hanging out with Him made life exciting and dynamic. Plain and simple, Jesus was fun to be around. And we can still experience that excitement and adventure as we follow Him in our daily walk of faith. He’ll keep us singing every day, and will surely tickle our funny bone every now and then … even finding ourselves laughing at … ourselves!
John R. Petrilli
What makes a person attractive? Is it their wardrobe? Their good looks? Their sphere of influence? Their degree of success? Why are we drawn to some and not drawn to others? Believe it or not, most of us are drawn to those who consistently exhibit the intangibles of life. Love, patience, tolerance, humility, courage, wisdom. These are the inner qualities that really make someone attractive, and cause us to want to be around them. Who in your life circle have you felt most attracted to? As I thought about my answer to that question, I concluded that someone I never met in Person was that individual. Come and allow me to introduce you to the most magnetic personality who ever lived!
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS WELL-EARNED REPUTATION!
We see them on TV, read about them in magazines and newspapers, and watch then receive all kinds of awards for their professional accomplishments. They live in gorgeous, multi-million dollar homes, dress in the latest fashions, and sport high-end jewelry most of us wouldn’t think of even wearing, much less purchasing. These are the “celebrities”. Our most common conception of a celebrity in America is of the Hollywood stripe. But before judging this point, consider what a celebrity actually is. The word itself comes from the Latin “celebritas”, which translates into “multitude, fame”. Webster’s Dictionary elaborates with, “fame, reknown, wide recognition; a famous or well-publicized person”. Okay, but wouldn’t it be quite a stretch to describe Jesus as celebrity? A quick comparison of the dictionary description to a passage in Mark 1:21-28 yields the answer to that question. The passage records Jesus’ first days of ministry as He visits the town of Capernaum. The content and delivery of His message stunned the synagogue crowd there. They were taken aback, not only by what He said but how He said it. Add to this His powerful exorcism of a demon in such an efficient manner, and it isn’t any wonder why His popularity skyrocketed in no time. The passage ends on this note:“And His [Jesus’] reputation spread like wildfire through the whole Galilean district” (Mark 1:28, Phillips). From there His fame continued to spread out in scope from local to regional to national (Luke 5:15 ; Matt. 9:26). Jesus was a “hot item”. Everyone wanted a piece of Him. They couldn’t get enough of His teaching or His miracles! He was pulling off healings by the scores and frequently making controversial public statements that challenged the status quo. There wasn’t a teacher around who came close to Him. If they had a celebrity magazine back then, His face would have been splashed all over the cover every month!
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE HE WAS REFRESHINGLY REAL!
When anyone gets as popular as Jesus was, there’s always detractors who make it their business to find something bad to say about the person. Whatever they may have said, one thing they couldn’t accuse Jesus of was that of being a phony. To the contrary, Jesus had no stomach for phoniness or hypocrisy. He made it a point to expose and condemn it whenever and wherever He encountered it. Jesus was refreshingly transparent in His interactions with others. He said what He meant, and meant what He said. No innuendo, double-speak, or carefully calculated rhetoric that skirted around issues. Jesus met the topics of the day head on with great clarity and sometimes shocking transparency. His interpersonal relationships were always characterized by absolute transparency. Whether speaking to His disciples in private or talking to complete strangers, our Lord spoke what was true and right and fitting for each occasion. He didn’t utilize deceptive means of communication, but chose to relate to others with absolute honesty, whether the content was instructive, complimentary or corrective in nature. Even in circumstances where He baffled His audience with word pictures and word play He always clarified His message with a straightforward statement of fact. He saw it like it was, and told it like it is. No beating around the bush with Him. And no punch-pulling either. It was that way right from the get go, as evidenced by Nathaniel’s highly favorable first impression of Jesus as a man who had no ulterior motives, deceptive intentions, or self-interest (“When he [Nathaniel] saw Jesus coming he said, ‘There’s a real Israelite, not a false bone in His body’ ” - John 1:47, Message). His integrity shone through every thing He said and did. His persona was squeaky clean. He was the original “real deal”!
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE HE CONNECTED WITH WHERE THEY WERE AT!
Like our day, Jesus’ era had its share of trained orators and public speakers. They knew how to argue a point, win a debate, or persuade a crowd. But here again, Jesus was so different. He used language that was understandable and addressed issues that were on the minds of the people. He said the things that a lot of people wanted to say, but lacked the courage or skill to address. Jesus was so winsome in this way because He was the champion of the average guy on the street. As Mark editorializes, “The common [everyday] people heard Him gladly” (12:37 KJV). His communications were characterized by truth, transparency and openness.
While the religious intelligentsia was galled at Jesus’ repeated challenges to their hypocritical attitudes and practices, the everyday people thoroughly enjoyed His teaching and hung on His every word. He spoke about things like, friendships, finances, forgiveness and family. Unlike His Pharisaical contemporaries, Jesus was in touch with real life, and His teaching reflected His understanding of what was really important. His messages were supremely practical, and were often sprinkled with just the right amounts of anecdotal humor.
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BY HIS INNOVATIVE TEACHING!
Professional educators are always looking for more effective ways to school those in their charge. In the 1970’s progressive educators thought they came up with something new when they introduced the concept of the “open classroom”. Little did they realize, Jesus utilized the outdoor classroom model a full 20 centuries before their ‘novel’ idea. In a day when instruction was primarily reserved to the indoor environs of synagogue schools and the Temple, Christ took His game into the great outdoors. There it was that He made abundant use of natural phenomenon to illustrate many of His salient points. To illustrate trust in God He directed His audience to the birds flying overhead and flowers growing under their feet. When it came to creativity, Jesus was tops. He was the Teacher extraordinaire! His stories were nothing short of spellbinding. Recall the heart warming episode of the heart broken parent longing for the return of hi wayward teenage son? Then there was the surprising story of the poor widow’s last two pennies amounting to far more than the large offerings given by the well-to-do. Another way in which Jesus’ teaching was innovative was in its power. The existing teachers recited the theology they had learned in an institution, but here we had a Man sent directly from God Who was Himself God. He gave them truth as it was meant to be taught, in all its weight and divine impact. Jesus was so down to earth with His audience. No props, no pretense, just great stories and parables guaranteed to inspire, inform and improve the lives of those who heard Him.
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS GENUINE COMPASSION!
This could well be the crowning quality of Jesus’ magnetic power. People are broken, hurt, and in dire need of understanding, gentleness and empathy. Christ offered the folks of His day all of the above and much more. See Him weeping openly over the loss of His dear friend Lazarus. Follow Him to Mount Olivet where He spends the predawn hours weeping intensively over a city gone astray. Climb with Him atop the Mount where He delivered His greatest sermon only to be moved with heartbroken compassion over the lostness and lack of direction He sees in the lives of the thousands before Him. Watch Him bless and break the loaves to relieve the pangs of hunger among the throngs. See the yearning in His face as He looks deep into the eyes and heart of a rich young ruler who is at the spiritual crossroads of his life. If I had to reduce Jesus down to one word, it would have to be the word “compassion”. Yes, He was holy and uncompromising with sin and hypocrisy, but underneath was a heart of pure gold graced with a velveteen coating of great compassion. He cared for the people of His day, and He still cares for each of us today. Don’t go a step farther trying to bear alone your overbearing load. Come to Him, He understands perfectly where you’re at and what you most need.
FOLKS WERE IRRESISTABLY DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE HE WAS JUST PLAIN FUN TO BE AROUND!
We seldom run into individuals who have the ability to attract all age groups and social groups to them. But here is where Jesus, once again, is such an incredible exception. I believe part of this is due to the fact that He was actually a very enjoyable individual to be around. He always had the uplifting word for the weakened heart, an insightful comment for the curious and the uncanny ability to put a humorous slant on otherwise ordinary topics. Though He was a man well acquainted with tragedy and disappointment, this by no means implies that He didn’t enjoy a good laugh and the bantering that friends delight in. From religious elites like curious Nicodemus to social riff-raff like Mary Magdalene, Jesus drew all kinds of people to Himself. Look at His disciples if you want diversity of drawing power. A couple of fishermen, an accountant, a social activist, a political zealot, just to name a few. I can’t think of anyone who was ever so capable of attracting people from such diverse backgrounds, and it was because He was a perfectly well-balanced person who knew how and when to have fun. Children stay away from somber, serious adults but just look at how they flocked to Jesus’ side. Kids just plain loved being around Him! When I read between the lines of Sacred Writ, I can see Jesus down on all fours playing with those kids, and having a ball! Contrary to the opinion of some, it is not only possible but necessary to experience life at all levels of emotion, and my Bible describes the Christian life as a journey of joy. Let’s not rob Jesus of His humanity by erroneously concluding that He was a bore to be around.
That doesn’t do Him justice. Christ spiced up life with His uncanny wit and unerring wisdom. Hanging out with Him made life exciting and dynamic. Plain and simple, Jesus was fun to be around. And we can still experience that excitement and adventure as we follow Him in our daily walk of faith. He’ll keep us singing every day, and will surely tickle our funny bone every now and then … even finding ourselves laughing at … ourselves!
Vicarious Sinning
Vicarious Sinning
John R. Petrilli
It’s always risky for a writer to use an unfamiliar term when titling his essays. The word “vicarious” is just such a term. One of Webster’s definitions of vicarious reads, “enjoyed or experienced by someone through his imagined participation in another’s experience: as, a vicarious thrill”. It recently occurred to me that we live in a day of vicarious sinning. That is, our culture is heavily engaged in entering into sinful practices as a type of third party.
Voyeurism is skyrocketing at an alarming rate as Americans spend more dollars and time on pornography than they do on all other forms of entertainment combined. This is nothing but a form of vicarious fornication. Action movies contain scenes inviting spectators to participate in vicarious vengeance as the offended parties dismember and destroy their offenders with bombs, bullets, and firestorms … so much for “Thou shalt not kill”. Television shows allow disgruntled housewives to fantasize over multiple adulterous affairs with their neighbors’ husbands… “Thou shalt not commit adultery”. State lotteries and internet gambling lure millions into violating the command “Thou shalt not steal”. And what shall we say of the myriad commercials that try to seduce us into bowing at the altar of materialism, thus breaking the divine prohibition not to worship any other gods.
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg, as our entire culture is inundated with instances of vicarious sinning. Most would never dare to act out these behaviors in real life, but they regularly engage in the same sins via the eye-gate and ear-gate. Problem is, Jesus’ exposition of the spirit of God’s law elevated these very actions to become morally equivalent to the actual behavior. The look of lust equals the act of adultery. The covetous eye equals idolatry. Unjustifiable anger, left unresolved through forgiveness, will be given the same divine sentence as the actual commission of murder. Like the disciples of old, we might be tempted to respond to the Lord, “Then who can be saved?”
With God the impossible becomes possible. And that is what the gospel offers us. The impossibility of having our death sentence for sin fully commuted. Jesus took our rap for all the times and ways we’ve violated God’s will and commands. But we must receive that pardon before it becomes a reality in our lives. This process involves a coming clean with our sins, something theologians call “repentance”. The best definition I’ve ever heard for repentance says that “repentance means you’re sorry enough to quit”. This was the kind of life-change Jesus required of the woman guilty of chronic adultery, and it’s the same prerequisite for everyone who would receive eternal life.
John R. Petrilli
It’s always risky for a writer to use an unfamiliar term when titling his essays. The word “vicarious” is just such a term. One of Webster’s definitions of vicarious reads, “enjoyed or experienced by someone through his imagined participation in another’s experience: as, a vicarious thrill”. It recently occurred to me that we live in a day of vicarious sinning. That is, our culture is heavily engaged in entering into sinful practices as a type of third party.
Voyeurism is skyrocketing at an alarming rate as Americans spend more dollars and time on pornography than they do on all other forms of entertainment combined. This is nothing but a form of vicarious fornication. Action movies contain scenes inviting spectators to participate in vicarious vengeance as the offended parties dismember and destroy their offenders with bombs, bullets, and firestorms … so much for “Thou shalt not kill”. Television shows allow disgruntled housewives to fantasize over multiple adulterous affairs with their neighbors’ husbands… “Thou shalt not commit adultery”. State lotteries and internet gambling lure millions into violating the command “Thou shalt not steal”. And what shall we say of the myriad commercials that try to seduce us into bowing at the altar of materialism, thus breaking the divine prohibition not to worship any other gods.
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg, as our entire culture is inundated with instances of vicarious sinning. Most would never dare to act out these behaviors in real life, but they regularly engage in the same sins via the eye-gate and ear-gate. Problem is, Jesus’ exposition of the spirit of God’s law elevated these very actions to become morally equivalent to the actual behavior. The look of lust equals the act of adultery. The covetous eye equals idolatry. Unjustifiable anger, left unresolved through forgiveness, will be given the same divine sentence as the actual commission of murder. Like the disciples of old, we might be tempted to respond to the Lord, “Then who can be saved?”
With God the impossible becomes possible. And that is what the gospel offers us. The impossibility of having our death sentence for sin fully commuted. Jesus took our rap for all the times and ways we’ve violated God’s will and commands. But we must receive that pardon before it becomes a reality in our lives. This process involves a coming clean with our sins, something theologians call “repentance”. The best definition I’ve ever heard for repentance says that “repentance means you’re sorry enough to quit”. This was the kind of life-change Jesus required of the woman guilty of chronic adultery, and it’s the same prerequisite for everyone who would receive eternal life.
The Secret Of the Seed
The Secret Of the Seed
John R. Petrilli
Germination. It happens every day all around the world as a tiny entity called a seed chock full of potential interacts with the nutrients and water in the soil and opens up. This miniscule reservoir holds the genetic material that makes it capable of becoming so much more than what it is. And so many and so profound are the spiritual lessons we can learn from the process that brings a seed to a flowering and fruitful plant. It’s no wonder that the seed is used to illustrate truths about the Christian life over and over again. Here’s just a few samples.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY REQUIRES COMPLETE SURRENDER OF SELF WILL. John 12:23-28
It was still early in Jesus’ ministry, but already He was preparing His disciples and Himself for the cross. Did Jesus WANT to die the death of crucifixion? Then again, as a healthy normal human being desiring to live, did He even want to die at all? This writer says no. It is abnormal to want to die. We have been created with a strong innate drive to survive at all costs. In this first passage we see Jesus referring to His impending death by execution. He makes what seems to be an out of place statement, an almost enigmatic comment, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Thus it is with the biological seed. If it never breaks out of its shell, it will rot away and die. It is only as that seed surrenders to its own loss of identity to become a plant that it become productive and useful to mankind. Jesus’ life, no matter how exemplary and commendable, wouldn’t have accomplished God’s greatest good for mankind unless it surrendered to the cross. Our Lord and Savior knew full well that the cross was an indispensible part of the Father’s redemptive plan for Him. If He held on to His life, the fruit of man’s salvation would die along with Him. But if He died to His desire to live, and went to that cross, abundant fruit-bearing seeds would someday sprout up, and millions of souls would be saved. In choosing the cross, Jesus shows us the way of maximum spiritual productivity and ultimate victory … death to self, and surrendered aliveness to God’s will.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY INVOLVES A WHOLESALE INSIDE-OUT TRANSFORMATION. 1 Cor. 15:35-38
Butterflies are one of the most delicately beautiful creatures on earth. But they weren’t always so. In fact, the lowly caterpillar from which they spring is quite a lethargic, unattractive insect. What makes the change? “Metamorphosis”. It’s a fancy Greek word that translates as, “to change the form or substance of something”.
How appropriate for the apostle Paul to refer to our spiritual conversion as an inner transformation, a re-creative act of God whereby He changes us from being like Adam to being like Christ (2 Cor. 5:17)! But, according to Paul, that transform also includes our outer bodies, as they will be changed into something quite new and permanent. I recently attended the funeral of a close friend’s mother. We sang, prayed, eulogized her, and then lowered her lifeless body into a grave. We closed by singing, “God Be With You ‘till We Meet Again”. When we see her again in heaven, we’ll be doing a double-take. She will have a glorified body, quite dissimilar from her earthly tent. The body we buried was temporal, susceptible to sickness, disease, decay and death. But her resurrection body will be immune to all those consequences brought on by sin. So, like a seed the farmer plants in hope of seeing it transformed into a crop, we plant our loved ones in Christ, knowing that someday we’ll see them “sprout up” in heaven as a glorious being with an indestructible body.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE INVISIBLE ACTION OF THE WORD OF GOD. 1 Peter 1:22-25
I was told as a young Christian that there are only two things that will last for all eternity; the Word of God and people’s souls. The Word of God is indeed eternal, as our brother the apostle Peter reminds us in his first letter (1:25). Unlike the farmer’s seed that has a limited lifespan before it either decomposes or germinates into a plant, the Word of God will never expire. Its shelf life is forever. Peter likens the sowing of a seed into the ground to the Word of God being implanted into a person’s heart. Once that Word of the gospel germinates inside a heart, spiritual life begins to develop. Peter also calls God’s Word “living”. By its very nature it’s dynamic and alive. And, just like tat seed that gets plowed under, the Word of God goes to work in an invisible manner. You can’t really see it germinating in a person’s life until, one wonderful day, it sprouts up in the form of their salvation. Having come to fruition via conversion, the newborn believer is now capable of keeping that process of sowing and reaping going by their own spiritual growth and reproduction of other new believers.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS HEIGHTENED BY MAXIMUM GROWING CONDITIONS. Luke 8:4-15
I vividly recall my first pastorate in the great farming state of Illinois. In those parts corn is king, and it’s all about the weather. The first thing you wake up to in the morning is the short and long-range weather forecast. It’s all over the radio and television. Unknown to us who are city-dwellers, farmers spend hundreds of hours getting and keeping their soil at optimal conditions. They clear the soil of rocks and trees, they fertilize the soil with the best additives they can afford, and they insure that their irrigation systems are ready to back them up in the event of a dreaded drought. All this is done because there is a direct correlation between soil quality and crop yield. The best seed will not fare well in poor soil. Even the highest grade soil is no guarantee of a good yield without adequate rainfall. But when good seed is planted in good soil and showered with steady rains, the crop yield is abundant. This same principle holds true in the world of spiritual harvesting. Jesus likened the soil condition to the spiritual condition of the human heart. He said that when the seed of God’s Word is sown into thin, rocky, or thorn-infested soil, the outcome is disappointingly poor. But when that same Word enters into the life of a person whose heart is spiritually fertile, that reception results in a bumper crop! Likewise, once we become believers we still must maintain a healthy heart so that God’s Word will consistently take root and bear fruit in our lives and ministries.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS SOURCED IN MAINTAINING VITAL CONNECTION TO JESUS CHRIST. John 15:1-8
Do you like grape juice? I sure do! I think I could drink it in place of water! The best grapes produce the best grape juice. And the best grapes grow on vines that are well-connected to the water and light supply that comprises the process known as photosynthesis. Vital connection results in outstanding produce. Grape juice was the standard drink of Jesus’ day. Everyone knew well its properties and characteristics. So, like the Master teacher He was, Jesus capitalizes on their familiarity with this drink and the fruit it comes from. “If you want to have a life that produces healthy, tasty, nourishing spiritual fruit, you have to stay connected to the Source, Himself. A grape seed may well develop into a grape vine, but unless a constant flow of nutrients is supplied through that vine, no grapes will appear. Maintaining continual connection to its life-giving source is essential to its survival and ultimate productivity. Likewise, as the believer stays attached to the vine, he/she is able to draw the spiritual nutrients necessary to his/her growth and fruitfulness. The loss of such attachment spells a big fat zero. Nothing. Nada. But keeping our relationship with Christ vibrant through prayer, Bible study and fellowship will insure that our lives bear the kind of fruit that will stand the test of time.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS COMMENSURATE WITH THE AMOUNT OF SEED INVESTED. 2 Cor. 9:6-11
Farmers not only invest in good seed, but they also try to buy as much of it as they can. The more seed they sow into the ground, the higher the percentage of crop yield they’ll get. It’s just that simple. Paul uses this same principle from the natural world to illustrate the nature of proportionate giving to God’s work. While some seeds multiply and re-scatter to sprout into many more plants, most seeds are a solo performance. Sow one seed, get one plant. Sow one hundred seeds, get one hundred plants. You reap what you sow. Paul says that those who sow a minimum of seed in their giving can’t expect to get a very high yield. But those who invest heavily into God’s kingdom in their giving can and will receive a far greater harvest. Like the parable of the sower, we will be wise to invest in the generous scattering of the seed of the gospel. In doing so, we’ll have the joy of seeing that seed produce a harvest of saved souls that will live on into eternity. Now THAT’S what I’d call a secure investment! The best about this spiritual farming is that God will never become debtor to the faithful giver. Instead, their willingness to contribute to God’s program will be more than amply rewarded as the Lord abundantly supplies them with new farming resources that will pour upon their lives a richness of blessing. Paul borrows from Psalm 112 as he expounds the principle of receiving a disproportionate return on our spiritual investments. God, says Paul, can be counted on to provide the regular and generous giver with ample means to keep on giving more and more. That’s the way it is in God’s economy. Once we’ve opened our hearts to His Spirit’s leading and give obediently, we trigger an unending cycle of replenishment and further re-distribution of personal wealth. Most people would probably cast a suspicious eye upon such a concept, but those who have tested it have found that it’s for real. You just can’t out-give God!
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS MULTIPLIED WHEN SEED IS SOWN IN SACRIFICAL FAITH. 2 Cor. 8:1-5
I recently asked a friend who is good at securing grants if she had any ideas on how I might go about securing funds to finance a major Christian endeavor. She wisely suggested the possibility of holding a fundraising banquet. I had mentioned that I had contacted two wealthy individuals so far, and was surprised when she informed me that research shows that the majority of giving comes, not from the well-off, but from those less positioned to contribute who give anyway. I never would have guessed that. Such was the case with a group of churches in the ancient area known as Macedonia. Paul reports that, although they were feeling the pinch of hard economic times, they managed to consecrate not only their pocketbooks but also their very lives to the Lord. Though they had very little themselves, they found a way to share the little they had with other Christian churches who were even worse off than they were. The secret of such unusual generosity is found in their attitude. They saw giving as a wonderful privilege, not an obligation. They actually “begged” Paul to allow them to send financial aid to believers poorer than they. The apostle also cites the source of such giving as the enabling grace of God. That grace triggered an unexpected willingness to give, not simply according to their means, but well above and beyond what they were “able to afford”. We call it sacrificial giving. They saw it as a chance to bless their brothers and sisters in Christ, and they threw themselves, heart, soul, and purse into the project!
John R. Petrilli
Germination. It happens every day all around the world as a tiny entity called a seed chock full of potential interacts with the nutrients and water in the soil and opens up. This miniscule reservoir holds the genetic material that makes it capable of becoming so much more than what it is. And so many and so profound are the spiritual lessons we can learn from the process that brings a seed to a flowering and fruitful plant. It’s no wonder that the seed is used to illustrate truths about the Christian life over and over again. Here’s just a few samples.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY REQUIRES COMPLETE SURRENDER OF SELF WILL. John 12:23-28
It was still early in Jesus’ ministry, but already He was preparing His disciples and Himself for the cross. Did Jesus WANT to die the death of crucifixion? Then again, as a healthy normal human being desiring to live, did He even want to die at all? This writer says no. It is abnormal to want to die. We have been created with a strong innate drive to survive at all costs. In this first passage we see Jesus referring to His impending death by execution. He makes what seems to be an out of place statement, an almost enigmatic comment, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Thus it is with the biological seed. If it never breaks out of its shell, it will rot away and die. It is only as that seed surrenders to its own loss of identity to become a plant that it become productive and useful to mankind. Jesus’ life, no matter how exemplary and commendable, wouldn’t have accomplished God’s greatest good for mankind unless it surrendered to the cross. Our Lord and Savior knew full well that the cross was an indispensible part of the Father’s redemptive plan for Him. If He held on to His life, the fruit of man’s salvation would die along with Him. But if He died to His desire to live, and went to that cross, abundant fruit-bearing seeds would someday sprout up, and millions of souls would be saved. In choosing the cross, Jesus shows us the way of maximum spiritual productivity and ultimate victory … death to self, and surrendered aliveness to God’s will.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY INVOLVES A WHOLESALE INSIDE-OUT TRANSFORMATION. 1 Cor. 15:35-38
Butterflies are one of the most delicately beautiful creatures on earth. But they weren’t always so. In fact, the lowly caterpillar from which they spring is quite a lethargic, unattractive insect. What makes the change? “Metamorphosis”. It’s a fancy Greek word that translates as, “to change the form or substance of something”.
How appropriate for the apostle Paul to refer to our spiritual conversion as an inner transformation, a re-creative act of God whereby He changes us from being like Adam to being like Christ (2 Cor. 5:17)! But, according to Paul, that transform also includes our outer bodies, as they will be changed into something quite new and permanent. I recently attended the funeral of a close friend’s mother. We sang, prayed, eulogized her, and then lowered her lifeless body into a grave. We closed by singing, “God Be With You ‘till We Meet Again”. When we see her again in heaven, we’ll be doing a double-take. She will have a glorified body, quite dissimilar from her earthly tent. The body we buried was temporal, susceptible to sickness, disease, decay and death. But her resurrection body will be immune to all those consequences brought on by sin. So, like a seed the farmer plants in hope of seeing it transformed into a crop, we plant our loved ones in Christ, knowing that someday we’ll see them “sprout up” in heaven as a glorious being with an indestructible body.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE INVISIBLE ACTION OF THE WORD OF GOD. 1 Peter 1:22-25
I was told as a young Christian that there are only two things that will last for all eternity; the Word of God and people’s souls. The Word of God is indeed eternal, as our brother the apostle Peter reminds us in his first letter (1:25). Unlike the farmer’s seed that has a limited lifespan before it either decomposes or germinates into a plant, the Word of God will never expire. Its shelf life is forever. Peter likens the sowing of a seed into the ground to the Word of God being implanted into a person’s heart. Once that Word of the gospel germinates inside a heart, spiritual life begins to develop. Peter also calls God’s Word “living”. By its very nature it’s dynamic and alive. And, just like tat seed that gets plowed under, the Word of God goes to work in an invisible manner. You can’t really see it germinating in a person’s life until, one wonderful day, it sprouts up in the form of their salvation. Having come to fruition via conversion, the newborn believer is now capable of keeping that process of sowing and reaping going by their own spiritual growth and reproduction of other new believers.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS HEIGHTENED BY MAXIMUM GROWING CONDITIONS. Luke 8:4-15
I vividly recall my first pastorate in the great farming state of Illinois. In those parts corn is king, and it’s all about the weather. The first thing you wake up to in the morning is the short and long-range weather forecast. It’s all over the radio and television. Unknown to us who are city-dwellers, farmers spend hundreds of hours getting and keeping their soil at optimal conditions. They clear the soil of rocks and trees, they fertilize the soil with the best additives they can afford, and they insure that their irrigation systems are ready to back them up in the event of a dreaded drought. All this is done because there is a direct correlation between soil quality and crop yield. The best seed will not fare well in poor soil. Even the highest grade soil is no guarantee of a good yield without adequate rainfall. But when good seed is planted in good soil and showered with steady rains, the crop yield is abundant. This same principle holds true in the world of spiritual harvesting. Jesus likened the soil condition to the spiritual condition of the human heart. He said that when the seed of God’s Word is sown into thin, rocky, or thorn-infested soil, the outcome is disappointingly poor. But when that same Word enters into the life of a person whose heart is spiritually fertile, that reception results in a bumper crop! Likewise, once we become believers we still must maintain a healthy heart so that God’s Word will consistently take root and bear fruit in our lives and ministries.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS SOURCED IN MAINTAINING VITAL CONNECTION TO JESUS CHRIST. John 15:1-8
Do you like grape juice? I sure do! I think I could drink it in place of water! The best grapes produce the best grape juice. And the best grapes grow on vines that are well-connected to the water and light supply that comprises the process known as photosynthesis. Vital connection results in outstanding produce. Grape juice was the standard drink of Jesus’ day. Everyone knew well its properties and characteristics. So, like the Master teacher He was, Jesus capitalizes on their familiarity with this drink and the fruit it comes from. “If you want to have a life that produces healthy, tasty, nourishing spiritual fruit, you have to stay connected to the Source, Himself. A grape seed may well develop into a grape vine, but unless a constant flow of nutrients is supplied through that vine, no grapes will appear. Maintaining continual connection to its life-giving source is essential to its survival and ultimate productivity. Likewise, as the believer stays attached to the vine, he/she is able to draw the spiritual nutrients necessary to his/her growth and fruitfulness. The loss of such attachment spells a big fat zero. Nothing. Nada. But keeping our relationship with Christ vibrant through prayer, Bible study and fellowship will insure that our lives bear the kind of fruit that will stand the test of time.
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS COMMENSURATE WITH THE AMOUNT OF SEED INVESTED. 2 Cor. 9:6-11
Farmers not only invest in good seed, but they also try to buy as much of it as they can. The more seed they sow into the ground, the higher the percentage of crop yield they’ll get. It’s just that simple. Paul uses this same principle from the natural world to illustrate the nature of proportionate giving to God’s work. While some seeds multiply and re-scatter to sprout into many more plants, most seeds are a solo performance. Sow one seed, get one plant. Sow one hundred seeds, get one hundred plants. You reap what you sow. Paul says that those who sow a minimum of seed in their giving can’t expect to get a very high yield. But those who invest heavily into God’s kingdom in their giving can and will receive a far greater harvest. Like the parable of the sower, we will be wise to invest in the generous scattering of the seed of the gospel. In doing so, we’ll have the joy of seeing that seed produce a harvest of saved souls that will live on into eternity. Now THAT’S what I’d call a secure investment! The best about this spiritual farming is that God will never become debtor to the faithful giver. Instead, their willingness to contribute to God’s program will be more than amply rewarded as the Lord abundantly supplies them with new farming resources that will pour upon their lives a richness of blessing. Paul borrows from Psalm 112 as he expounds the principle of receiving a disproportionate return on our spiritual investments. God, says Paul, can be counted on to provide the regular and generous giver with ample means to keep on giving more and more. That’s the way it is in God’s economy. Once we’ve opened our hearts to His Spirit’s leading and give obediently, we trigger an unending cycle of replenishment and further re-distribution of personal wealth. Most people would probably cast a suspicious eye upon such a concept, but those who have tested it have found that it’s for real. You just can’t out-give God!
SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY IS MULTIPLIED WHEN SEED IS SOWN IN SACRIFICAL FAITH. 2 Cor. 8:1-5
I recently asked a friend who is good at securing grants if she had any ideas on how I might go about securing funds to finance a major Christian endeavor. She wisely suggested the possibility of holding a fundraising banquet. I had mentioned that I had contacted two wealthy individuals so far, and was surprised when she informed me that research shows that the majority of giving comes, not from the well-off, but from those less positioned to contribute who give anyway. I never would have guessed that. Such was the case with a group of churches in the ancient area known as Macedonia. Paul reports that, although they were feeling the pinch of hard economic times, they managed to consecrate not only their pocketbooks but also their very lives to the Lord. Though they had very little themselves, they found a way to share the little they had with other Christian churches who were even worse off than they were. The secret of such unusual generosity is found in their attitude. They saw giving as a wonderful privilege, not an obligation. They actually “begged” Paul to allow them to send financial aid to believers poorer than they. The apostle also cites the source of such giving as the enabling grace of God. That grace triggered an unexpected willingness to give, not simply according to their means, but well above and beyond what they were “able to afford”. We call it sacrificial giving. They saw it as a chance to bless their brothers and sisters in Christ, and they threw themselves, heart, soul, and purse into the project!
Strength From A Renewable Source
Strength From A Renewable Source
John R. Petrilli
Springtime is a season of renewal. The skies are renewed by the solar light of longer days. The air is renewed with freshening fragrances. The ground is renewed by spring rains. The climate is renewed with warmer temperatures. The waterways are renewed as aquatic life returns to the once-frozen lakes and streams. The landscape bursts forth with new greenery and flowers of a thousand shades and shapes. Is it a coincidence that we celebrate the renewal-oriented holiday known as Easter in the spring? And regardless of what commercial interests have in mind, this blessed holiday commemorates the physical and spiritual return of life from the dead, the very essence of renewal.
With this emphasis and focus on rebirth and renewal, it is only natural that we take stock of the Source of our spiritual reserves. What constitutes true personal spiritual renewal? Let’s take a walk together through God’s Word to learn some aspects of this foundational area of the Christian life.
PERSONAL RENEWAL COMES TO THOSE WHO HABITUALLY LINGER IN GOD’S PRESENCE. Isaiah 40:28-31 ; Psalms 103:5
We live in a day and generation that places the highest of premiums on energy conservation. Thus, the need for finding and maximizing renewable sources of energy. Oil continues to approach a level that is cost prohibitive, causing many of America’s best minds to be tasked with locating alternative reservoirs of energy that will not only power the economy but also be recycled for additional usage. Again and again we return to the fuel pump, realizing that without fuel we have no power.
This same principle operates in our spiritual life. Isaiah writes about this spiritual dynamic. Like a vehicle, we must regularly refill our spiritual tanks with the life-giving energy of the Spirit of the living God. The Lord Himself is the Source of our strength. As we make it our habit to quietly and prayerfully spend time in God’s presence, His Word will infuse us with the strengthening power of the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 3:16). Indy champs capture the checkered flag by wisely using their fuel and keeping their tires changed. Likewise, we will win the race of faith as we keep our spiritual tanks full and our spiritual tires well-treaded. Like a long-distance runner, we imbibe the power of God that enables us to capably perform at a high spiritual level.
PERSONAL RENEWAL IS THE BY-PRODUCT OF GENUINE REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD. Psalms 51:10
David blew it big time, but had great difficulty coming to terms with what he’d done. Sometimes God has to send along someone to help us face up to the truth of our personal failures. That man was a prophet by the name of Nathan. Nathan used creative storytelling to directly confront David about his twin sins of adultery and murder. After over a year of drowning in unresolved guilt and endless sleepless nights, David finally comes around and admits his colossal failures. The confession is painfully honest and thorough as he details both what he had done and his deep sorrow for having offended God so greatly. The Lord heard his prayer of genuine, heartfelt admission of guilt, and was pleased to answer the king’s request to renew his inner spiritual life. He experienced the most wonderful forgiveness, and all the joys and freedoms that attend such restoration. His heart and life were returned to a “right” state of affairs. Before confession his heart continually condemned him of his wrongful actions, but having been forgiven and cleansed, he now knew he was “in the right” with God. His personal renewal was not only spiritual, but physical as well, as we see later in the Psalm that his broken bones are healed and his sin-bound tongue is loosed to proclaim the praises of the One Who liberated him.
PERSONAL RENEWAL TRANSFORMS THE THOUGHT LIFE OF ITS RECIPIENTS. Romans 12:2
According to one old maxim, “You are what you eat”. I’d like to alter that maxim a tad bit, and change it to, “You are what you think”. Our thought life determines the course of every other aspect of our lives. If we take God’s advice and fill our minds with godly, wholesome thoughts, we’ll enjoy His peace (see Phil. 4:6-8). As we occupy our minds with the truths of God’s Word we’ll find the path to personal purity (Psalms 119:11) and the road to personal prosperity (Psalms 1:2-3). Paul likens our minds to a giant computer; they can be scanned and purged of any spiritual viruses that have embedded themselves there. As we periodically place our thought under the scanner of God’s Word, He’ll faithfully reveal where we’ve slipped up and then get the needed repairs. While it’s a good thing to renew our bodies with nourishing food and regular exercise, it’s of utmost importance that we also renew our thought life by bathing our minds in the Word of God. Exposure of this kind will bring about entirely new ways to think about ourselves, others, and life in general. “We are what we think!”
PERSONAL RENEWAL PROGRESSIVELY RESTORES US TO THE IMAGE OF GOD. Colossians 3:10
We often ask children, “So who do you want to be like when you grow up?” But the question is till appropriate to pose to ourselves as adults. Just who DO we want to be like when we “grow up”. As Christians the answer to that question is short and sweet. Jesus. We want others to hear him in our voice, see Him in our eyes, experience His touch through our compassion, and feel Him in our touch. We want to be like Jesus because He’s the only Person truly worthy of emulating. While it’s OK to model ourselves after a mature Christian, our ultimate example and source is Jesus Himself. God’s in the business of making us just like His Son (Romans 8:29). As we engage is daily renewal at His feet, we take on His likeness more and more. It’s like that when you spend a lot of time with someone you love. And that transformation makes us grow in such character qualities as righteousness and genuine holiness. God takes away the habits and attitudes that are “unright”, and replaces them with “righteous” attitudes. God removes our unholy motives and desires, subbing His purity in their place.
PERSONAL RENEWAL IS AN INVISIBLE YET DAILY WORK OF GRACE. 2 Cor. 4:16-18
Some people are overly obsessed with how the aging process is eroding their outward appearance. But that’s pretty much an investment in a losing battle. While we can and should look our very best at all times, there is no fountain of youth that can reverse the inevitable course and inescapable consequences of growing older. The good news is that this equation doesn’t apply to our spiritual lives. In fact, the opposite is the case. According to Paul, the more we age outwardly, the younger and more youthful we become inwardly. God is busily at work renewing our inner person, that part of us that’s destined to live with Him forever. Is that cool or what? No matter how many wrinkles line our faces and how many joints become stiffened, we can rejoice in the “inside job” God is performing on us, a job that will last forever!
PERSONAL RENEWAL BEGINS AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS. Titus 3:5
So far we’ve talked about what can be said of those who already know the Savior as their renewable source of daily strength. But what about you? Do you know Him? If not, would you like to? There’s no need to drag yourself through life without peace, energy and joy. You can have all three and much more once you’ve establish a living, dynamic relationship with the God Who created you and loves you. That love was graphically demonstrated 2,000 years ago when He told His Son to sojourn to our planetary home to live, love, and then die for our sins. And speaking of rebirth and renewal, how about that third day when Jesus came out of that grave then ascended to Heaven? That’s the same kind of resurrection power God offers to you, right here, right now. Don’t let another Easter go by without knowing this Great God and His wonderful Son. Get connected with your one true Source, and enjoy a whole new life as He empowers you to live and to do His good pleasure!
John R. Petrilli
Springtime is a season of renewal. The skies are renewed by the solar light of longer days. The air is renewed with freshening fragrances. The ground is renewed by spring rains. The climate is renewed with warmer temperatures. The waterways are renewed as aquatic life returns to the once-frozen lakes and streams. The landscape bursts forth with new greenery and flowers of a thousand shades and shapes. Is it a coincidence that we celebrate the renewal-oriented holiday known as Easter in the spring? And regardless of what commercial interests have in mind, this blessed holiday commemorates the physical and spiritual return of life from the dead, the very essence of renewal.
With this emphasis and focus on rebirth and renewal, it is only natural that we take stock of the Source of our spiritual reserves. What constitutes true personal spiritual renewal? Let’s take a walk together through God’s Word to learn some aspects of this foundational area of the Christian life.
PERSONAL RENEWAL COMES TO THOSE WHO HABITUALLY LINGER IN GOD’S PRESENCE. Isaiah 40:28-31 ; Psalms 103:5
We live in a day and generation that places the highest of premiums on energy conservation. Thus, the need for finding and maximizing renewable sources of energy. Oil continues to approach a level that is cost prohibitive, causing many of America’s best minds to be tasked with locating alternative reservoirs of energy that will not only power the economy but also be recycled for additional usage. Again and again we return to the fuel pump, realizing that without fuel we have no power.
This same principle operates in our spiritual life. Isaiah writes about this spiritual dynamic. Like a vehicle, we must regularly refill our spiritual tanks with the life-giving energy of the Spirit of the living God. The Lord Himself is the Source of our strength. As we make it our habit to quietly and prayerfully spend time in God’s presence, His Word will infuse us with the strengthening power of the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 3:16). Indy champs capture the checkered flag by wisely using their fuel and keeping their tires changed. Likewise, we will win the race of faith as we keep our spiritual tanks full and our spiritual tires well-treaded. Like a long-distance runner, we imbibe the power of God that enables us to capably perform at a high spiritual level.
PERSONAL RENEWAL IS THE BY-PRODUCT OF GENUINE REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD. Psalms 51:10
David blew it big time, but had great difficulty coming to terms with what he’d done. Sometimes God has to send along someone to help us face up to the truth of our personal failures. That man was a prophet by the name of Nathan. Nathan used creative storytelling to directly confront David about his twin sins of adultery and murder. After over a year of drowning in unresolved guilt and endless sleepless nights, David finally comes around and admits his colossal failures. The confession is painfully honest and thorough as he details both what he had done and his deep sorrow for having offended God so greatly. The Lord heard his prayer of genuine, heartfelt admission of guilt, and was pleased to answer the king’s request to renew his inner spiritual life. He experienced the most wonderful forgiveness, and all the joys and freedoms that attend such restoration. His heart and life were returned to a “right” state of affairs. Before confession his heart continually condemned him of his wrongful actions, but having been forgiven and cleansed, he now knew he was “in the right” with God. His personal renewal was not only spiritual, but physical as well, as we see later in the Psalm that his broken bones are healed and his sin-bound tongue is loosed to proclaim the praises of the One Who liberated him.
PERSONAL RENEWAL TRANSFORMS THE THOUGHT LIFE OF ITS RECIPIENTS. Romans 12:2
According to one old maxim, “You are what you eat”. I’d like to alter that maxim a tad bit, and change it to, “You are what you think”. Our thought life determines the course of every other aspect of our lives. If we take God’s advice and fill our minds with godly, wholesome thoughts, we’ll enjoy His peace (see Phil. 4:6-8). As we occupy our minds with the truths of God’s Word we’ll find the path to personal purity (Psalms 119:11) and the road to personal prosperity (Psalms 1:2-3). Paul likens our minds to a giant computer; they can be scanned and purged of any spiritual viruses that have embedded themselves there. As we periodically place our thought under the scanner of God’s Word, He’ll faithfully reveal where we’ve slipped up and then get the needed repairs. While it’s a good thing to renew our bodies with nourishing food and regular exercise, it’s of utmost importance that we also renew our thought life by bathing our minds in the Word of God. Exposure of this kind will bring about entirely new ways to think about ourselves, others, and life in general. “We are what we think!”
PERSONAL RENEWAL PROGRESSIVELY RESTORES US TO THE IMAGE OF GOD. Colossians 3:10
We often ask children, “So who do you want to be like when you grow up?” But the question is till appropriate to pose to ourselves as adults. Just who DO we want to be like when we “grow up”. As Christians the answer to that question is short and sweet. Jesus. We want others to hear him in our voice, see Him in our eyes, experience His touch through our compassion, and feel Him in our touch. We want to be like Jesus because He’s the only Person truly worthy of emulating. While it’s OK to model ourselves after a mature Christian, our ultimate example and source is Jesus Himself. God’s in the business of making us just like His Son (Romans 8:29). As we engage is daily renewal at His feet, we take on His likeness more and more. It’s like that when you spend a lot of time with someone you love. And that transformation makes us grow in such character qualities as righteousness and genuine holiness. God takes away the habits and attitudes that are “unright”, and replaces them with “righteous” attitudes. God removes our unholy motives and desires, subbing His purity in their place.
PERSONAL RENEWAL IS AN INVISIBLE YET DAILY WORK OF GRACE. 2 Cor. 4:16-18
Some people are overly obsessed with how the aging process is eroding their outward appearance. But that’s pretty much an investment in a losing battle. While we can and should look our very best at all times, there is no fountain of youth that can reverse the inevitable course and inescapable consequences of growing older. The good news is that this equation doesn’t apply to our spiritual lives. In fact, the opposite is the case. According to Paul, the more we age outwardly, the younger and more youthful we become inwardly. God is busily at work renewing our inner person, that part of us that’s destined to live with Him forever. Is that cool or what? No matter how many wrinkles line our faces and how many joints become stiffened, we can rejoice in the “inside job” God is performing on us, a job that will last forever!
PERSONAL RENEWAL BEGINS AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS. Titus 3:5
So far we’ve talked about what can be said of those who already know the Savior as their renewable source of daily strength. But what about you? Do you know Him? If not, would you like to? There’s no need to drag yourself through life without peace, energy and joy. You can have all three and much more once you’ve establish a living, dynamic relationship with the God Who created you and loves you. That love was graphically demonstrated 2,000 years ago when He told His Son to sojourn to our planetary home to live, love, and then die for our sins. And speaking of rebirth and renewal, how about that third day when Jesus came out of that grave then ascended to Heaven? That’s the same kind of resurrection power God offers to you, right here, right now. Don’t let another Easter go by without knowing this Great God and His wonderful Son. Get connected with your one true Source, and enjoy a whole new life as He empowers you to live and to do His good pleasure!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Are You a “Marked Man”?
Are You a “Marked Man”?
John R. Petrilli
The old cowboy western movies had them. So did the cops and robbers episodes of the fifties and sixties. If the sheriff put a bounty on a man, then he was considered a “marked man”. When the police attached a wanted poster onto the post office bulletin board, the individual on that poster was a “marked man”. Marked men are usually categorized as such because of a criminal act they’ve perpetrated. Be it a bank robbery, kidnapping, or other lawless deed, the marked man has a price on his head for good reason. The concept of marking a man to distinguish him from the rest of society is not a modern idea. In fact, the practice is as old as human history. And the theme continues to run all throughout Scripture. Consider these instances where people of all kinds were “marked”, some for good purposes, others for penal ones, and still others for evil designs.
SOMETIMES GOD MARKS A PERSON AS AN ACT OF MERCY. Genesis 4:10-16
All was peaceful and happy on the Adam family farm. That is until one dreadful day when one brother savagely murdered his only brother in a moment of jealous rage. Cain acted out of a sinful heart, and God pronounced his due penalty. Banishment, toilsome labor, and a vagabond lifestyle awaited him. Like a defendant hearing their conviction of murder at the judge’s bench, Cain buckles at the knees, pleading for a sentence reduction, but no reduction would come. Fearing for his life as a convicted criminal, he verbalizes his dread that he’d become public enemy number one with a bounty on his head. To allay those fears, God promises sevenfold vengeance on anyone who takes Cain’s life, and also imprints the outcast with a sign of some kind that will keep bounty hunters away from him. Such action was an act of great mercy toward an individual who deserved the electric chair. Such is the mercy of God toward us sinners who deserve everlasting banishment from God’s presence and eternal death for our sins. The Father “marked” His only Son via nails, a thorny crown, and a cross, so that we could receive the indescribable, unmerited mercy of a loving and forgiving God.
SOMETIMES GOD MARKS A PERSON AS A SEAL OF DIVINE APPROVAL. Ezekiel 9:1-6
The culture of ancient Israel had become rotted to the very core. Idolatry had so consumed the society that even the religious leadership had turned their backs away from God and bowed their hearts and heads to pagan deities. The situation was grave, and called for immediate and decisive action. Ezekiel, a prophet who was among those who had not succumbed to the apostasy, received a vision from God. In the vision Ezekiel witnesses the arming and commissioning of the city guards. Their mission was to wipe out everyone [including men, women and children] who had forsaken the Lord and gone after other gods. But before the house-cleaning took place, another man entered the picture, clothed in linen and equipped with a writing kit. It was his assignment to go before the city guard assassins and mark out those in Israel who were still faithful to the Lord, as evidenced by their profound grief over the nation’s departure from God. That mark would distinguish the loyal Israelites from the disloyal ones. The mark served as God’s divine seal of approval with regard to their spiritual status. Likewise, we live in a culture and a world that is rapidly moving away from God. Many of its laws directly contradict God’s commands, it worships everything but God, and its population revel in sin as if it were something wonderful. Only as we’re marked by Jesus’ blood can we hope to escape the righteous wrath that is coming upon this wayward world. Only through faith in His death and resurrection can we find divine approval.
SOMETIMES GOD MARKS A PERSON TO SET THEM APART FOR A SPECIFIC MISSION.
Revelation 7:2-3
Anyone in America who hasn’t heard about the second coming of Jesus or the tribulation period preceding His return must be living in a cave. The past fifteen years have witnessed a plethora of mainstream movies and books dealing with these subjects, and statistics reveal that millions of viewers and readers are not church-going folks. The seven years of global trouble coming upon this world make Hollywood’s end of the world scenarios look mild by comparison. Jesus said that the catastrophic nature of those days will be unprecedented and unequalled in human history. So much so that people will drop like flies from heart attacks (Luke 21:26). In the midst of all that insanity, God will raise up an army of global evangelists. 144, 000 of them to be exact. They will be recruited from the nation of Israel, as is clear from their ancestries rooted in the twelve tribes of Israel. So there will be a message of hope spread across an out-of-control globe via these evangelists. God never leaves Himself without a witness, even in the most dire of straits. That will be their mission, and their foreheads will bear a seal, a mark that will identify them as God’s holy ambassadors.
SOMETIMES GOD’S MARK IS HIJACKED FOR EVIL PURPOSES. Revelation 13:16-17
Hitler, Stalin, Amin. The list of notorious names of those who ransacked their world in a mad dash for ultimate power and control seems endless. The twentieth century has experienced the vast majority of such crazed, murderous demagogues. But put all these crazies together, and you still don’t have the equal of the last day’s world leader known as the “Beast”. This guy will outdo them all by a long shot. While some of those mentioned were doubtlessly possessed by demons, the Beast will be inhabited by Satan himself. After seeing what kind of havoc one demon-possessed leader can wreak, it’s unimaginable and unfathomable what kind of devastation a Satan-possessed leader will bring. But he will come onto the world scene, and he will be granted unprecedented power over, not a nation, but the entire world. To consolidate and coordinate the exercise of that power, the Beast (also known as the Antichrist) will design a system whereby he can track the whereabouts and commercial transactions of everybody on the planet! To accomplish that feat he will make use of an imprinting mechanism of some kind which will place the Beast’s name and/or number on people’s foreheads or hands. This marking will include everyone, regardless of economic status, social standing, or religious affiliation. Now this is one mark that will separate the proverbial men from the boys spiritually speaking. The true believers will be willing to forfeit life-sustaining support if necessary, and will refuse to take this devil’s mark, even if it means martyrdom. It will be “version number 300” in the enemy’s ongoing game to mimic God in his doomed search for planetary supremacy. And like every other version preceding it, it will be infected with a terminal virus that numbers its days of usefulness.
GOD ENDORSES A TRADEMARK UPON HIS FOLLOWERS THAT INVITES OUTSIDERS TO COME IN. John 13:34-35
While Jesus didn’t etch any symbols onto the foreheads of His disciples, He did say that there would be a way for people to identify them as such. For them [and us] it would be the love they had for one another that would set them apart from the rest of the world. While on earth Christ perfectly and consistently modeled what that would look like in every day life. It’s the washing hands of a servant, the forgiving heart of the humble, the believing disposition of a child, and the loyalty of a forever friend. Jesus’ brand of love far surpasses anything the world can manufacture. Its power is found in its source, and that is divine. God’s love transcends the earthly confines of blood relations or romantic escapades. It’s an all-giving, sold out, self-sacrificing, self-effacing care for others. That was [and is] to be the trademark, the hallmark of our relationships within the household of God. When we relate on THAT level, the world will stand up and take notice. For it is that kind of love that all people are so desperately searching for through addictive behaviors, in a bottle, a drug, a fanatical hobby, or a human relationship. Love without limits, love that is unconditional, real and binding.
By THAT kind of love the outside world will be irresistibly beckoned to come inside to taste and see the goodness of God for themselves. And having tasted, they will become regular guests at His table. Are you visibly showing your credentials as Christ’s ambassador to the watching world around you?
GOD MARKS HIS CHILDREN TO SECURE THEIR FUTURE AND INSURE THEIR INHERITANCE. Ephesians 1:13
This brings us to the original thing that prompted this entire article. As I was reading through my devotions in Ephesians chapter one, I noticed that God had done something quite extraordinary for me. As His child through faith in Jesus Christ, I have been “marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”. It suddenly hit me that I was, indeed, a “marked man”! According to Spirit-inspired Paul, my spiritual future and heavenly inheritance has been safely secured. By virtue of the indwelling Holy Spirit, I’ve been insured against any default or other circumstance that could jeopardize my salvation. In ancient times a governmental seal was to be treated with absolute respect. No one except the authority who placed the seal was authorized to tamper with that seal in any way, shape, or form. To do so invited a death sentence. Such is the seal of the Holy Spirit. It is non-transferrable, non-negotiable, and non-penetrable. No one can break this seal, for its God who has omnipotently set it. How assuring it is to know that I’m in “good hands”, not with an insurance agency, but in the Hands of the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me! I’m a “marked man”! Are you?
John R. Petrilli
The old cowboy western movies had them. So did the cops and robbers episodes of the fifties and sixties. If the sheriff put a bounty on a man, then he was considered a “marked man”. When the police attached a wanted poster onto the post office bulletin board, the individual on that poster was a “marked man”. Marked men are usually categorized as such because of a criminal act they’ve perpetrated. Be it a bank robbery, kidnapping, or other lawless deed, the marked man has a price on his head for good reason. The concept of marking a man to distinguish him from the rest of society is not a modern idea. In fact, the practice is as old as human history. And the theme continues to run all throughout Scripture. Consider these instances where people of all kinds were “marked”, some for good purposes, others for penal ones, and still others for evil designs.
SOMETIMES GOD MARKS A PERSON AS AN ACT OF MERCY. Genesis 4:10-16
All was peaceful and happy on the Adam family farm. That is until one dreadful day when one brother savagely murdered his only brother in a moment of jealous rage. Cain acted out of a sinful heart, and God pronounced his due penalty. Banishment, toilsome labor, and a vagabond lifestyle awaited him. Like a defendant hearing their conviction of murder at the judge’s bench, Cain buckles at the knees, pleading for a sentence reduction, but no reduction would come. Fearing for his life as a convicted criminal, he verbalizes his dread that he’d become public enemy number one with a bounty on his head. To allay those fears, God promises sevenfold vengeance on anyone who takes Cain’s life, and also imprints the outcast with a sign of some kind that will keep bounty hunters away from him. Such action was an act of great mercy toward an individual who deserved the electric chair. Such is the mercy of God toward us sinners who deserve everlasting banishment from God’s presence and eternal death for our sins. The Father “marked” His only Son via nails, a thorny crown, and a cross, so that we could receive the indescribable, unmerited mercy of a loving and forgiving God.
SOMETIMES GOD MARKS A PERSON AS A SEAL OF DIVINE APPROVAL. Ezekiel 9:1-6
The culture of ancient Israel had become rotted to the very core. Idolatry had so consumed the society that even the religious leadership had turned their backs away from God and bowed their hearts and heads to pagan deities. The situation was grave, and called for immediate and decisive action. Ezekiel, a prophet who was among those who had not succumbed to the apostasy, received a vision from God. In the vision Ezekiel witnesses the arming and commissioning of the city guards. Their mission was to wipe out everyone [including men, women and children] who had forsaken the Lord and gone after other gods. But before the house-cleaning took place, another man entered the picture, clothed in linen and equipped with a writing kit. It was his assignment to go before the city guard assassins and mark out those in Israel who were still faithful to the Lord, as evidenced by their profound grief over the nation’s departure from God. That mark would distinguish the loyal Israelites from the disloyal ones. The mark served as God’s divine seal of approval with regard to their spiritual status. Likewise, we live in a culture and a world that is rapidly moving away from God. Many of its laws directly contradict God’s commands, it worships everything but God, and its population revel in sin as if it were something wonderful. Only as we’re marked by Jesus’ blood can we hope to escape the righteous wrath that is coming upon this wayward world. Only through faith in His death and resurrection can we find divine approval.
SOMETIMES GOD MARKS A PERSON TO SET THEM APART FOR A SPECIFIC MISSION.
Revelation 7:2-3
Anyone in America who hasn’t heard about the second coming of Jesus or the tribulation period preceding His return must be living in a cave. The past fifteen years have witnessed a plethora of mainstream movies and books dealing with these subjects, and statistics reveal that millions of viewers and readers are not church-going folks. The seven years of global trouble coming upon this world make Hollywood’s end of the world scenarios look mild by comparison. Jesus said that the catastrophic nature of those days will be unprecedented and unequalled in human history. So much so that people will drop like flies from heart attacks (Luke 21:26). In the midst of all that insanity, God will raise up an army of global evangelists. 144, 000 of them to be exact. They will be recruited from the nation of Israel, as is clear from their ancestries rooted in the twelve tribes of Israel. So there will be a message of hope spread across an out-of-control globe via these evangelists. God never leaves Himself without a witness, even in the most dire of straits. That will be their mission, and their foreheads will bear a seal, a mark that will identify them as God’s holy ambassadors.
SOMETIMES GOD’S MARK IS HIJACKED FOR EVIL PURPOSES. Revelation 13:16-17
Hitler, Stalin, Amin. The list of notorious names of those who ransacked their world in a mad dash for ultimate power and control seems endless. The twentieth century has experienced the vast majority of such crazed, murderous demagogues. But put all these crazies together, and you still don’t have the equal of the last day’s world leader known as the “Beast”. This guy will outdo them all by a long shot. While some of those mentioned were doubtlessly possessed by demons, the Beast will be inhabited by Satan himself. After seeing what kind of havoc one demon-possessed leader can wreak, it’s unimaginable and unfathomable what kind of devastation a Satan-possessed leader will bring. But he will come onto the world scene, and he will be granted unprecedented power over, not a nation, but the entire world. To consolidate and coordinate the exercise of that power, the Beast (also known as the Antichrist) will design a system whereby he can track the whereabouts and commercial transactions of everybody on the planet! To accomplish that feat he will make use of an imprinting mechanism of some kind which will place the Beast’s name and/or number on people’s foreheads or hands. This marking will include everyone, regardless of economic status, social standing, or religious affiliation. Now this is one mark that will separate the proverbial men from the boys spiritually speaking. The true believers will be willing to forfeit life-sustaining support if necessary, and will refuse to take this devil’s mark, even if it means martyrdom. It will be “version number 300” in the enemy’s ongoing game to mimic God in his doomed search for planetary supremacy. And like every other version preceding it, it will be infected with a terminal virus that numbers its days of usefulness.
GOD ENDORSES A TRADEMARK UPON HIS FOLLOWERS THAT INVITES OUTSIDERS TO COME IN. John 13:34-35
While Jesus didn’t etch any symbols onto the foreheads of His disciples, He did say that there would be a way for people to identify them as such. For them [and us] it would be the love they had for one another that would set them apart from the rest of the world. While on earth Christ perfectly and consistently modeled what that would look like in every day life. It’s the washing hands of a servant, the forgiving heart of the humble, the believing disposition of a child, and the loyalty of a forever friend. Jesus’ brand of love far surpasses anything the world can manufacture. Its power is found in its source, and that is divine. God’s love transcends the earthly confines of blood relations or romantic escapades. It’s an all-giving, sold out, self-sacrificing, self-effacing care for others. That was [and is] to be the trademark, the hallmark of our relationships within the household of God. When we relate on THAT level, the world will stand up and take notice. For it is that kind of love that all people are so desperately searching for through addictive behaviors, in a bottle, a drug, a fanatical hobby, or a human relationship. Love without limits, love that is unconditional, real and binding.
By THAT kind of love the outside world will be irresistibly beckoned to come inside to taste and see the goodness of God for themselves. And having tasted, they will become regular guests at His table. Are you visibly showing your credentials as Christ’s ambassador to the watching world around you?
GOD MARKS HIS CHILDREN TO SECURE THEIR FUTURE AND INSURE THEIR INHERITANCE. Ephesians 1:13
This brings us to the original thing that prompted this entire article. As I was reading through my devotions in Ephesians chapter one, I noticed that God had done something quite extraordinary for me. As His child through faith in Jesus Christ, I have been “marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”. It suddenly hit me that I was, indeed, a “marked man”! According to Spirit-inspired Paul, my spiritual future and heavenly inheritance has been safely secured. By virtue of the indwelling Holy Spirit, I’ve been insured against any default or other circumstance that could jeopardize my salvation. In ancient times a governmental seal was to be treated with absolute respect. No one except the authority who placed the seal was authorized to tamper with that seal in any way, shape, or form. To do so invited a death sentence. Such is the seal of the Holy Spirit. It is non-transferrable, non-negotiable, and non-penetrable. No one can break this seal, for its God who has omnipotently set it. How assuring it is to know that I’m in “good hands”, not with an insurance agency, but in the Hands of the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me! I’m a “marked man”! Are you?
Patrick, Messenger To The Emerald Isle
Patrick, Messenger To The Emerald Isle
John R. Petrilli
Shamrocks, pots o’ gold, wearin’ ‘o’ the green, and leprechauns. These are some of the colorful traditions attached to the mid-March festivities that commemorate Saint Patrick’s Day. But, like so many holidays, the namesake often gets lost in the celebration. Such is the case with St. Patrick. So just who was this man ? Was he simply a legendary figure, or actually a real person ? Years of personal curiosity culminated in my attempt to get to the bottom of this story.
My search led me to a book written by Patrick himself entitled, « TheConfessions of St. Patrick ». What I discovered was quite surprising and very inspirational. The man the world has come to know as Saint Patrick was born near the end of the fourth century A.D. His father was a British-born Roman citizen who served as a tax collector as well as a church deacon. Patrick’s grandfather was a parish minister. Yet, with all of this rich religious heritage, young Patrick consisitently turned his back on God.
At the age of sixteen Patrick’s life took a dramatic turn. He was kidnapped by the crew of a slaveship and carried off to Ireland along with thousands of other young British boys. He was cast out into a desolate field in the backwoods of Ireland where he would spend the next six years of his life as a slave on a livestock farm. In a revealing personal account of his life, Patrick repeatedly refers to this time of enslavement as the beginning of his spiritual awakening.
In his own words :
« I was taken as a captive to Ireland, and there the Lord opened my eyes to my unbelief. After I had come to Ireland it was then that I was made to shepherd the flocks day after day. And as I did so, I would pray all the time right through the day. More and more the love of God and the fear of Him grew strong within me. »
In the sixth year of his captivity Patrick had a prophetic dream in which he successfully escaped from his slave owner and returned to Britain. The dream became reality shortly thereafter, as he travelled 200 miles by foot to the Irish coastline and boarded a vessel headed for the British Isles. Upon his return to Britain, Patrick took up theological studies to prepare for the Christian ministry. After completing his studies, his family and friends begged him to stay within the comfortable confines of Britain – but another Divine encounter convinced him to do otherwise. In this second dream God called Patrick to return to the Irish people as a missionary.
He describes this encounter as follows :
« I had a vision in my dream of a man who seemed to come from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried countless letters, one of which he handed over to me. I read aloud where the letter began : ‘The voice of the Irish’. As I began to read these words, I seemed to hear the voice of the same men who lived beside the forest of Foclut in Ireland. They seemed to shout aloud to me as with one voice, ‘ Holy broth of a boy, we beg you, come back and walk once more among us.’ »
Patrick answered the call, leaving the comforts and privileges of British life to take the gospel to the spiritually needy people of Ireland. He overcame tremendous opposition by pagan tribes including the Druids, the Scotties, and the Picts, and was used by God to win many thousands to Jesus Christ. The man we know as St. Patrick was singularly instrumental in the pioneer evangelization of northeast Ireland, and his educational work paved the way for the inception of the Celtic alphabet. But most importantly, Patrick brought to Ireland the saving message of the Cross, and, in so doing, left a lasting legacy of the Christian faith that would shape the future of the entire nation.
John R. Petrilli
Shamrocks, pots o’ gold, wearin’ ‘o’ the green, and leprechauns. These are some of the colorful traditions attached to the mid-March festivities that commemorate Saint Patrick’s Day. But, like so many holidays, the namesake often gets lost in the celebration. Such is the case with St. Patrick. So just who was this man ? Was he simply a legendary figure, or actually a real person ? Years of personal curiosity culminated in my attempt to get to the bottom of this story.
My search led me to a book written by Patrick himself entitled, « TheConfessions of St. Patrick ». What I discovered was quite surprising and very inspirational. The man the world has come to know as Saint Patrick was born near the end of the fourth century A.D. His father was a British-born Roman citizen who served as a tax collector as well as a church deacon. Patrick’s grandfather was a parish minister. Yet, with all of this rich religious heritage, young Patrick consisitently turned his back on God.
At the age of sixteen Patrick’s life took a dramatic turn. He was kidnapped by the crew of a slaveship and carried off to Ireland along with thousands of other young British boys. He was cast out into a desolate field in the backwoods of Ireland where he would spend the next six years of his life as a slave on a livestock farm. In a revealing personal account of his life, Patrick repeatedly refers to this time of enslavement as the beginning of his spiritual awakening.
In his own words :
« I was taken as a captive to Ireland, and there the Lord opened my eyes to my unbelief. After I had come to Ireland it was then that I was made to shepherd the flocks day after day. And as I did so, I would pray all the time right through the day. More and more the love of God and the fear of Him grew strong within me. »
In the sixth year of his captivity Patrick had a prophetic dream in which he successfully escaped from his slave owner and returned to Britain. The dream became reality shortly thereafter, as he travelled 200 miles by foot to the Irish coastline and boarded a vessel headed for the British Isles. Upon his return to Britain, Patrick took up theological studies to prepare for the Christian ministry. After completing his studies, his family and friends begged him to stay within the comfortable confines of Britain – but another Divine encounter convinced him to do otherwise. In this second dream God called Patrick to return to the Irish people as a missionary.
He describes this encounter as follows :
« I had a vision in my dream of a man who seemed to come from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried countless letters, one of which he handed over to me. I read aloud where the letter began : ‘The voice of the Irish’. As I began to read these words, I seemed to hear the voice of the same men who lived beside the forest of Foclut in Ireland. They seemed to shout aloud to me as with one voice, ‘ Holy broth of a boy, we beg you, come back and walk once more among us.’ »
Patrick answered the call, leaving the comforts and privileges of British life to take the gospel to the spiritually needy people of Ireland. He overcame tremendous opposition by pagan tribes including the Druids, the Scotties, and the Picts, and was used by God to win many thousands to Jesus Christ. The man we know as St. Patrick was singularly instrumental in the pioneer evangelization of northeast Ireland, and his educational work paved the way for the inception of the Celtic alphabet. But most importantly, Patrick brought to Ireland the saving message of the Cross, and, in so doing, left a lasting legacy of the Christian faith that would shape the future of the entire nation.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Stairway To Heaven
Stairway To Heaven
John R. Petrilli
If you’re a card-carrying member of the boomer generation, the name Led Zeppelin should ring a bell. The British rock group blazed across America in the seventies with their own style of pounding drums and winding guitar licks. One of their signature hits was “Stairway To Heaven”. The song lyrics describe an individual who has searched and supposedly found the evasive stairway that leads her to heaven. It turns out that, according to this song, that stairway is available to all who wish to ascend up it. And, again according to the song, no matter what pathway you choose in life, you’ll end up in heaven anyhow. While many of the concepts and certainly the conclusions of the song are Biblically way off the mark, the theme of the song is something actually addressed in the Scriptures. Is there really an actual stairway to heaven?
Jacob is one piece of work. His own deceptive character traits get him into and out of trouble more than once in the Biblical record. God has His own way of dealing with our character flaws and deficiencies, and one day He decided to go to work on crafty Jacob. Coming off a fresh episode of manipulation, Jacob finds himself fleeing the wrath of his cheated brother Esau. He’s desperate. Needing asylum fast, he follows his mom's directives to travel to a distant land and settle among his near relative Laban. On his journey he’s understandably stressed out with concerns about how this would all work out. God spots the anxiety and favors Jacob with a visit via a night dream (Gen. 28:10-17). The dream featured … you guessed it … a stairway stretching all the way from the ground and on up into heaven. The staircase was a busy thoroughfare where scores of angels were traversing in ascent as well as descent. Atop the staircase stood the Lord Himself, speaking words of incredible assurance and promise of richest blessing.
A second instance of a stairway appears much later in the gospel of John. Chapter one, verses 47-51 rehearse a conversation between Jesus and an Israelite named Nathaniel. A close buddy of Philip, Nathaniel was discovered sitting under a fig tree, perhaps in meditation, or more likely, just trying to stay cool. A few hours later Jesus reveals to Nathaniel that He had already seen the young man as he sat alone under that tree. Nathaniel is bowled over by the incredible statement, and instantly declares his conviction that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah. But Jesus surprises him even further by stating that he hadn’t seen anything yet. Nathaniel would someday see a heavenly stairwell with God’s angels leaving and entering them in their excursion to and from the earth. Jesus’ promise was a direct reference to Jacob’s earlier experience of God’s personal presence. God had in store for young Nathaniel the unique opportunity to enjoy firsthand fellowship with God the Son!
Which brings us to a later and final word from Christ regarding the stairway to Heaven. Near the middle of John’s gospel account the Lord discusses the topic of passageway into heaven once again with His disciples John 14:6). In this interchange Jesus openly declares Himself to be the living, personal fulfillment of that ladder to heaven which Jacob had seen, and which Nathaniel had been promised. There we find that this stairway is actually a Person, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the stairway to heaven, contrary to Led Zeppelin’s theory, is quite exclusive rather than all-inclusive. Instead of all roads leading to heaven, there’s really only one stairway that will get us there. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father EXCEPT through Me”. There are no “two paths you can go by”, and there aren’t many ways that will, “in the long run”, get you to heaven. There’s just one way. The Jesus way. The way of the cross, the empty tomb, and repentance and faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. And, to borrow from Walter Cronkite’s famous close, “That’s the way it is.” If you really want to reach heaven, Jesus is the way, He’s the Stairway … to Heaven. Why not begin your ascent through Him today?
John R. Petrilli
If you’re a card-carrying member of the boomer generation, the name Led Zeppelin should ring a bell. The British rock group blazed across America in the seventies with their own style of pounding drums and winding guitar licks. One of their signature hits was “Stairway To Heaven”. The song lyrics describe an individual who has searched and supposedly found the evasive stairway that leads her to heaven. It turns out that, according to this song, that stairway is available to all who wish to ascend up it. And, again according to the song, no matter what pathway you choose in life, you’ll end up in heaven anyhow. While many of the concepts and certainly the conclusions of the song are Biblically way off the mark, the theme of the song is something actually addressed in the Scriptures. Is there really an actual stairway to heaven?
Jacob is one piece of work. His own deceptive character traits get him into and out of trouble more than once in the Biblical record. God has His own way of dealing with our character flaws and deficiencies, and one day He decided to go to work on crafty Jacob. Coming off a fresh episode of manipulation, Jacob finds himself fleeing the wrath of his cheated brother Esau. He’s desperate. Needing asylum fast, he follows his mom's directives to travel to a distant land and settle among his near relative Laban. On his journey he’s understandably stressed out with concerns about how this would all work out. God spots the anxiety and favors Jacob with a visit via a night dream (Gen. 28:10-17). The dream featured … you guessed it … a stairway stretching all the way from the ground and on up into heaven. The staircase was a busy thoroughfare where scores of angels were traversing in ascent as well as descent. Atop the staircase stood the Lord Himself, speaking words of incredible assurance and promise of richest blessing.
A second instance of a stairway appears much later in the gospel of John. Chapter one, verses 47-51 rehearse a conversation between Jesus and an Israelite named Nathaniel. A close buddy of Philip, Nathaniel was discovered sitting under a fig tree, perhaps in meditation, or more likely, just trying to stay cool. A few hours later Jesus reveals to Nathaniel that He had already seen the young man as he sat alone under that tree. Nathaniel is bowled over by the incredible statement, and instantly declares his conviction that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah. But Jesus surprises him even further by stating that he hadn’t seen anything yet. Nathaniel would someday see a heavenly stairwell with God’s angels leaving and entering them in their excursion to and from the earth. Jesus’ promise was a direct reference to Jacob’s earlier experience of God’s personal presence. God had in store for young Nathaniel the unique opportunity to enjoy firsthand fellowship with God the Son!
Which brings us to a later and final word from Christ regarding the stairway to Heaven. Near the middle of John’s gospel account the Lord discusses the topic of passageway into heaven once again with His disciples John 14:6). In this interchange Jesus openly declares Himself to be the living, personal fulfillment of that ladder to heaven which Jacob had seen, and which Nathaniel had been promised. There we find that this stairway is actually a Person, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the stairway to heaven, contrary to Led Zeppelin’s theory, is quite exclusive rather than all-inclusive. Instead of all roads leading to heaven, there’s really only one stairway that will get us there. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father EXCEPT through Me”. There are no “two paths you can go by”, and there aren’t many ways that will, “in the long run”, get you to heaven. There’s just one way. The Jesus way. The way of the cross, the empty tomb, and repentance and faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. And, to borrow from Walter Cronkite’s famous close, “That’s the way it is.” If you really want to reach heaven, Jesus is the way, He’s the Stairway … to Heaven. Why not begin your ascent through Him today?
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