Episode 260 - The Call of Abram - Genesis 12:1-3

Gen. 12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

The recent genealogy we’ve covered has led us to Abram, and now the focus is solely on him. This is evidenced by God speaking to Abram and giving him specific instructions. We know that his father, Terah, was originally going toward Canaan but settled in Haran. Then, Terah died. The LORD’s command to Abram begins with the instruction that he is not to stay in Haran. The LORD’s promise to “make you a great nation” must have been hard for Abram since his wife Sarai was barren. How could he be the father of a great nation with no children?

The LORD continued to make some strong claims. Abram needed to decide whether he would risk the security of his family and his land for a promise of something much better. All Abram had to do was leave his extended family and go. The LORD promised:

1. To show Abram where to go

2. To make him a great nation

3. To bless him and make his name great SO THAT you will be a blessing.

4. The LORD will bless others who bless Abram

5. The LORD will curse those who dishonor Abram

6. In Abram, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

How many people throughout time have emigrated with nothing but a vain hope that something will be better when they arrive at their intended destination? It’s the classic “the grass is always greener on the other side” philosophy. Sometimes it works out for people. But often, it’s a bust.

The text has a message for us supported by the greater context in which it’s set. The message is, “But this is different. This is not vain hope. This is the word of the LORD. He is faithful to fulfill his promises.” This story is among my favorites in all of Scripture: it helps us understand the nature of faith. Faith is not based upon wishful thinking. Faith is based upon following what the LORD reveals.

We understand that this promise in Genesis 12:1-3 is to Abram, and we cannot read ourselves into the story and claim that the LORD will make me a great nation. However, I think we can observe what this reveals about the LORD’s desire for those who will obey him. At the very least, we can trust that if we follow the LORD by trusting Jesus, the LORD will bless us. That does not mean he will give us endless wealth. It means he will give us everything we need so that we can emulate his grace by being a blessing to others.

One final note on verse 3, which says, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Really? Is that true? I think the answer to that is found in John 3:16. It is a descendant of Abram, Jesus, who is the Son that God gave to the world so that they could have eternal life. God provides that blessing to the world. It just needs to be received.

Episode 210 - Faith, Hope, and Love - 1 Corinthians 13:13

1Cor. 13:13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

I don’t often do this. But we are only going to focus on one verse in this episode. I intentionally kept it separate from the section we covered last week and from the beginning of chapter 14 even though Paul continues to discuss spiritual gifts. My reason for this is that this verse not only summarizes what Paul is driving at, it highlights what should be the focus or priority in the life of a Christian.

Let’s focus first on the word “abide.” Paul writes that “faith, hope, and love abide, these three.” (v. 13a) This word reminds us again that the spiritual gifts listed earlier were given to help the young, immature church to grow up and become mature. They are valuable and Paul will continue in this letter encouraging and giving instruction concerning the gifts because the church still was very immature. But like young people who look forward to and want to be adults, we need to act like adults. How do we do that? We stop priorizing our “childish things” and manifest faith, hope, and love. They abide. The maturing Christian will have these three things evident in their life.

The first of these is faith. Faith is trust in what God has revealed. Faith is not, is never, blind. Someone cannot rightly say, “If you have enough faith, you will give me $1000.” That is not in the Scriptures. God did not reveal that. But what if that person claims to be a prophet and has “received this message from God.” The Scriptures teach us that not all prophets are speaking God’s message and they need to be tested. The Old Testament commanded that prophets who were proven to have spoken a false word they claimed was from God were to be stoned to death. We can’t get by with that today. But it shows the seriousness of saying, “Thus saith the Lord!” The truth still holds that what people say is from God must line up with what God has revealed. I had a man tell me one time that the Lord sent angels to tell him to divorce his wife. My response was, “That’s strange. God’s word says he hates divorce.” (Mal. 2:16) There is provision for it in certain cases because of the sin in this world. But I can’t imagine God encouraging it if he hates it. The one case I can recall where the leaders of Israel actually encouraged divorcing their wives was when they returned from exile where they had been because of their idolatry and rebellion against the Lord. As a nation they had been warned against marrying “foreign wives” because the foreign wives worshipped foreign gods and would lead their families away from the Lord. We see exceptions to this. Boaz married Ruth (a Moabitess) who was an ancestor to David and later Jesus. But she had committed herself to the Lord. Anyway, the command to put away their foreign wives was to say that their faithfulness to the Lord was the priority in their walk of faith.

The Greek word that is translated “faith” also means “faithfulness.” It seems to me that while we will see God in eternity and will therefore be both seeing and believing, we will still manifest “faithfulness” in our moment by moment existence.

Hope is the second thing that abides. In my sixty years of life, I cannot think of a time where hope was so lacking in our world. But we, as Christians, are offered an amazing hope that this life and all of its troubles are temporary and that eternity will be never-ending abundant life that Jesus offers through faith in him.

It would seem that once the resurrection happens, that will be the culmination of hope. We will have arrived and will eternally experience what we had hoped for in this life. But is it possible that hope will continue perhaps in even a more pure and rich form throughout eternity? Is it possible that the glory of God will lead us to a never-ending journey of learning and experiencing God’s glory. Hope would be a never ceasing joyful expectation of what is next. It’s just a thought.

Faith, hope, and love abide. “But the greatest of these is love.” (13b) The Scriptures have a lot to say about faith and hope. But Paul says that love is even greater, more important. Why? I think it’s because God has demonstrated nothing greater toward us than his love when Christ died on the cross for our sin, making it possible to have peace with God. We have faith in God. We have hope in God. But love is what can be directed toward God and all of humanity and God’s creation.

This is one of those verses we could use as a life verse. We need to meditate upon this and prayerfully ask the Lord to increase our faith, hope, and love as he leads us into a mature faith.

Episode 171 - "Jesus Christ and him crucified" - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

​​1Cor. 2:1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

I love this passage. I had the privilege of preaching in chapel at Dallas Theological Seminary a few years ago and preached from this text. I love it because it reminds Christians what is fundamentally important within our faith. Our churches argue and split over so many stupid things. We are not unlike these Corinthians to whom Paul is writing. We can allow our pride to evoke a spirit of elitism or become defensive of our views on lesser things.

Here Paul is arguing that nothing about him and his ministry warrants anyone elevating him to be the object of focus. Paul reminded them of when he had come to them personally to minister. He was there for 1.5 years. (Acts 18:11-12) Paul reminds them that he was not an eloquent speaker. He did nothing to impress them and even reminded them that he was scared. (v. 3) What made such an impact upon the people was not Paul. Paul wants them to understand that it was the message and the source of the message that made an impression and a difference in their lives.

The message is “Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (v. 2). Paul said, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” In the course of eighteen months, I’m sure they had other questions and things to talk about. However, Paul’s focus and priority were showing them from the Scriptures that this Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ (Anointed one). He is the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). Secondly, Paul emphasized Christ’s death on the cross. Jesus’ willingness to go to the cross and die for our sins reveals God’s justice, righteousness, and grace. If God beforehand (Genesis) told people that disobedience leads to death, then we should understand that any act of our disobedience should justly receive the same outcome. But, what Jesus did on the cross was to experience that death for us, in our place. The just outcome still occurred. But Jesus Christ, being perfect, took the punishment for us. That is how Paul can say in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul is saying there is nothing more important for us to understand than who Jesus is and the significance of his death on the cross.

In addition to the message, Paul wants them to understand that he didn’t craft the delivery of this message in such a clever way to convince people. Despite his own fear and personal limitations, he trusted the Holy Spirit and the divine nature of the message to have power that would open their minds to receive this message. (v. 4)

Paul explains it was important for the effect of this message to be affected through the Holy Spirit so that they wouldn’t sit back later and say to themselves, “Wow! That Paul sure was a smooth talker. He really had us taking in every word.” Instead, they would look back and say, “There was nothing particularly impressive about that guy. But, his message sure rang true.” Verse 5 says, “so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Paul is telling the Corinthians and, indirectly, us that the gospel message of Jesus Christ is the most important truth for our lives, and God’s power helps us understand and receive this message.

My question is, “Do we believe that?” Do we believe that the message of Jesus Christ and him crucified has supernatural power? If so, we should be like Paul and share it with people, correct? We don’t have to worry about being some kind of expert in the Bible or a great and clever speaker. We don’t even have to feel like we have all the answers to all religious questions. We can just share the message and pray that God will allow His power to draw people to believe it.

Prayer: Father in Heaven - Lead me to people who need to hear about Jesus Christ and him crucified, and may your Spirit open their hearts and minds to receive it.

Episode 165 - "Pray in faith" James 5:13-18

James 5:13   Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

I’m going to cut to the chase this week. Numerous times through my Bible study podcasts, I’ve spoken about the element of repetition in literature. When we see repetition, it is likely there to emphasize what is most important. Do you see any repetition in these six verses? How about “pray/prayer.” I counted seven occurrences of some form of “pray” in these verses. This section is about prayer. More specifically, I would suggest that James admonishes these believers to pray because prayer in faith is effective.

I draw this emphasis out first because some of the statements in this section have created no small amount of disagreement between believers. I could probably write pages about every instruction given by James in these six verses. But I want to keep this as simple and straightforward as possible. So, if you get nothing else out of this, I hope you will be encouraged to pray in faith, trusting the Lord will answer your prayers.

Prayer is talking to God. When you talk with a family member, you believe they are accessible and willing to hear you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t bother, would you? The same is true about God. However, we cannot see God and, I would dare say, most of us have not heard an audible voice from heaven. So, faith is that element that causes us to trust that God is accessible and willing to listen to our prayers. James has already accused his readers of not asking God for what they need, and when they do ask, they ask specifically for their own selfish desires. (James 4:2-3) In essence, he is saying they have little faith and are too self-centered. 

In verse 13, James tells the one who is suffering to pray. That prayer might involve giving thanks in faith that God may use it for some unforeseen good purpose. At the same time, that request may ask God to remove the cause of the suffering. That’s what Paul did. (See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10) There’s nothing wrong with asking in faith. Perhaps the Lord will remove it, and perhaps he won’t. But we trust that while God is able to do anything, he will also do what is best for us even if we don’t like it.

James then says that someone who is cheerful should “sing praise.” Praise is a form of prayer. It is telling God how awesome he is. In prayer, sometimes we’re talking or singing, and sometimes we’re listening, just like in any other conversation.

Verses 14-15 are where things get a little tricky (maybe). The advice from James is for one who is sick. That person is to “call for the elders of the church . . .” So far, so good. He continues, “and let them pray over him . . .” Sounds reasonable. Then, “anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” What? What does this have to do with helping someone recover from sickness? More importantly, is this an absolute, works every time promise? I’ve met people who never go anywhere without a bottle of oil with which they can anoint and pray for people. I think that it’s rather nice they have that kind of consideration and foresight to be prepared for such an encounter. As a person who grew up in a church tradition that, for some reason, did not practice this, I must admit that I’m not as prepared as some folks. However, I would be happy to oblige anyone who asked me. Let me explain what I believe is the underlying problem.

There is the potential that some of these people, eager to find someone they can anoint, believe they have the power to heal people. That is not what this letter is suggesting. The evidence for this is that elders are to be called and not people with some particular “spiritual gift of healing.” Secondly, the emphasis on what the elders are to do is to pray. The anointing with oil in the name of the Lord is a qualifying modifier of their prayer. Olive oil was commonly used for medicinal use in that day, and therefore James could just be adding this to make it clear this is not an either/or instruction. In other words, James is likely saying to pray for healing in the name of the Lord while you do what you normally do to address their infirmity. James’ instruction to anoint with oil could have a more symbolic meaning in which the oil represents God’s presence. I don’t have a problem with that. What I believe is most important is that the infirmed person, as well as the elders, should understand that healing is first and foremost from the Lord and not oil or other object or treatment or something within ourselves. Acting like we have some special ability, that other believers do not, elicits pride and is sometimes used for control and manipulation. All the honor must go to the Lord and for the service to others.

The next problem is the meaning of verse 15, which seems to conclude the prayer with a promise. It says, “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” This sounds like a guarantee that it works one hundred percent of the time. The problem is that it doesn’t always in the way we want it to. Worse yet, those who think it means that have been guilty of suggesting that when the healing didn’t occur when people hoped or expected it to happen, the infirmed and the elders did not have enough faith. Let’s think about that for a minute. How many of those people who would make such an accusation do you think will be alive 150 years from now? Will they not get sick and die? So, even they don’t have enough faith, right? The Apostle Paul had plenty of faith and was not healed of his thorn in the flesh. David fasted and prayed for healing for his young child whom Bathsheba bore from his adulterous relations with her. (2 Samuel 12:16-24) Yet, the Lord did not heal the child. 

But James' point is that healing is found in the Lord. The Lord does and will heal many who ask in faith. The Gospels have numerous examples of Jesus and the disciples anointing people with oil and healing them. Later in Acts, the apostles heal the infirmed, in the name of Jesus,  as well. Finally, for everyone who has faith in the Lord, “the Lord will raise him up” ultimately and permanently someday (v. 15) For those who trust in the Lord, we are looking for the ultimate healing in the resurrection. 

Through the rest of verses 15-16, James reminds us that sin might be the cause of our sickness. While we believe that Jesus has paid the penalty of our sin on the cross, it is important to appropriate that forgiveness through confession in order that our fellowship with God is restored. 

If we have any doubt regarding the power of prayer, James reminds us of Elijah and his prayer to stop the rain and later again to restore it. James' point is that he was human, just like us. He did not have some special power within himself. He was righteous. He was a person who was not practicing sin or leaving it unresolved with the Lord. He made his requests to the Lord, and the Lord answered his prayers. 

Finally, remember what Jesus taught his disciples when they asked him to teach them to pray. The prayer begins with an acknowledgment of who God is. That is followed immediately with a request for God’s Kingdom to come. That means we are praying that, first and foremost, God’s will happens over anything else we might ask. (See Matthew 6:9-10)

Prayer: Lord - Lead us in your way. Reveal our sin so that we may confess it to others and to you. Grant us faith to make our requests to you and give us joy that will lead us to praise you. 

Episode 163 "Be patient!" - James 5:7-11

James 5:7   Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

What is going on here? In the preceding text, James indicted the rich who oppressed others by withholding pay and defrauding them of what they deserved and needed. Is he telling them to “be patient?” Or is he telling those who have been wronged to be patient? If the latter is the case, I’m sure these people are not excited about James’ counsel. Perhaps he’s changed his thought altogether. 

Here is another opportunity to hone our interpretation skills by expanding our examination of the text. If the immediate context, such as the preceding verses, does not help us much, perhaps we need to “fly higher” in order to get a view of the broader literary context.

If we return to the opening of James’ letter, we find that the first thing James addresses with his readers is how they handle “trials of various kinds.” (James 1:2) He tells them to be joyful in these trials because it tests their faith and produces steadfastness in their faith. He argues this is the Lord’s way of making us complete in his plan to transform us into the image of Christ. (James 1:2-4) Shortly after, James says, the one who remains steadfast through the trials will “receive the crown of life.” I won’t go into the discussion of the meaning of that other than it is a reward from God for remaining faithful to the Lord through the trial. If the Lord rewards those who remain faithful through such trials, it would appear that trials and even suffering are God’s way of taking something bad, something even that came about through humankind’s sin against God and using it for our good and His glory. 

Perhaps James, by encouraging the brothers to be patient, is returning to this initial instruction on how they (and we) should handle trials and suffering. Perhaps he has never fully left that thought, and the various issues he has addressed and instructions he has given are all somehow related to this instruction to be patient. 

I love the illustration of the farmer waiting for the time of harvest. As one who grew up on a farm, I get this. You plant the seed and hope to ultimately be able to harvest the crop from that seed. Yet, trials come along. Sometimes it rains too much, other times too little. But there’s not much you can do about it. When we stop and think about it, there are often times of trial that we cannot do anything about. Sometimes that suffering is deep and with no foreseeable purpose or resolution. James doesn’t tell us that it’s going to work out the way we would like. He doesn’t promise that God is going to prevent or undo the circumstances and experiences of that suffering. He does tell us that by holding fast to our faith in Jesus, we can trust that God has a very good plan for using that experience for his perfect, divine purpose for our lives. 

This perfect, divine purpose culminates when the Lord returns. (“Be patient . . . until the coming of the Lord.”  v. 7) He adds in verse 8 to “establish your hearts . . . for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (v. 8) This is a call for resolve to trust the Lord is good and will ultimately deliver us from all such trial and suffering. The Apostle Paul tells us, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) Paul does not say that all things are good. He says, “all things work together for good” to those who love God. James' assertion that “the coming of the Lord is at hand” means it could happen at any time. We might desire this to happen today, as I’m sure James did. However, God does not operate on our sense of time. But, the Lord could return today. 

In verse 9, it would appear that James’ idea of patience is that we do not allow the circumstances of our trials to lead us to grumble against another brother or sister in Christ. My tendency would be to say, “But what if my brother is the source of the trial?” James’ response is, “a Judge is standing at the door.” His point is that God sees, God knows, and God will justly do what is good and right. 

James reminds his audience of how their ancestors treated the prophets. In reading the Old Testament prophets, we learn that these people God had ordained to speak to the people and call them to do what was right were often ignored at best and abused, if not murdered at worst. Doing what God wants us to do will bring opposition and sometimes trial and suffering for doing what is right.

He then mentions Job by name. According to the book of Job, Satan told God that if God would just allow him to inflict suffering upon Job, that Job would abandon the Lord. God allowed him with the limitation that he could not do anything to Job himself. Satan caused the destruction of Job’s possessions and the deaths of his children. Talk about trials and suffering. Yet, Job did not curse or abandon the Lord. Satan appealed to God again that if he could inflict pain upon Job himself, Job would then curse God. God’s only prohibition was that he could not kill Job. Satan afflicted him with ulcers all over his body. This time even Job’s wife advised him to “curse God and die.” (Job 2:9) Yet, Job refused to curse or abandon his faith in the Lord. The story continues with bad advice and false accusation from his “friends.” Job was faithful. At the end of the story, we see how God, the Judge, acquitted Job and indicted his friends for their foolish judgment against Job. (Job 42:7-17)

The point in all of this is that God knows all, God is just, and God plans for what is best for us through all things.  Patience is the resolve to act in accordance with that truth and not act through our thoughts, words, and actions as though we know better than God.

Prayer: Lord, help me trust you in all things.

Episode 155 - "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead" James 2:20-26

20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

This entire chapter of this small letter has been dedicated to James’ argument that “works” are an intrinsic and vital element of “faith.” One cannot have real Christian faith that exists only in ideas or words. Real faith has real evidence. James is going to finish this argument with a couple of illustrations from Jewish history. The point is real faith has always looked like this, and we can see it in the lives of Abraham, the patriarch of the Jewish people, and Rahab, a prostitute from a pagan society that responds to the working of the God of the Israelites.

The story of Abraham (originally Abram) began in Genesis 12 when God told Abram to leave his home and go to a place He would show Abram and promised Abram that He would bless him. Abram obeyed God. 

The story continues with God making a covenant promise to Abram in Genesis 15 that God would make Abram the father of many nations. When Abram was 90 years old, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham (Genesis 17), gave Abraham the sign of the covenant, and specified that He would give Abraham and Sarah, his wife, a son through whom He would bring about these many nations.

It’s in Genesis 22 that we find that God commands Abraham to take this one son that he loves and sacrifice him to God. From a human perspective, this makes no sense. How could Isaac be a progenitor to many nations if he’s dead? Yet Abraham appears to immediately respond in obedience by taking Isaac to the place God would show him three days journey away. It’s only at the last moment that God stops Abraham from going through with it. 

The point of James is that real faith is demonstrated by real obedience to God’s specific word. This was not some plan of Abraham thinking in his own mind, “If I sacrifice my son, God will be pleased with me.” Nope. Abraham most certainly did not want to do this since God specified Isaac, “the one you love,” rather than Ishmael, to be sacrificed. Ishmael was a son Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian servant, bore by Abraham. It was only at the last moment that God stopped Abraham from slaying his son. (Gen. 22:12, 15-18) It was God’s test for Abraham, and Abraham passed. 

James adds that Abraham “was called a friend of God.” This can be found in 2 Chronicles 20:7 and again in Isaiah 41:8. Why do you think James adds this detail? I think it’s because, as a friend, one has the good of the other in mind as well as a strong element of trust. Perhaps James shares this to challenge his readers, “Don’t you want to be a friend of God?” If so, you need to trust God, not only in your head but also in your actions. 

James then mentions that this kind of faith was found in someone other than Abraham. We might expect him to mention Abraham’s son Isaac or even Jacob or possibly even David. Instead, James speaks of a non-Jewish prostitute. Rahab was among the people of Jericho, the city that God would destroy when the Israelites marched around its walls for seven days and blew their horns in obedience to God’s instructions. The people of Jericho had heard stories of what the God of Israel had been doing in delivering the Israelites out of Egypt, including parting the Red Sea. It’s obvious from the account in Joshua 2 the King of Jericho is paranoid about the Israelites. Yet, it’s Rahab who hides the Jewish spies and confesses to them, “for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:11) The Israelites spared the lives of Rahab and her family because they acted in obedience to what the LORD was revealing. What she does is no different from what Abraham did.

James completes this argument by saying “the body apart from the spirit is dead” and likens that to faith apart from works. 

I think we’ve established that James is not arguing that one can earn their way to heaven and a friendship with God on their own efforts and merit. The works we are to do are the ones that God has prepared for us that originate from the faith He gives us. We are simply obeying the Lord by following His word. 

James is also not “playing God.” James is not the divine judge of our faith-works, and neither are we. James is challenging us to reflect upon our own profession of faith in the gospel and asking us “Are just saying you believe, or are you following the Lord?”

Prayer: Lord! Lead us into the obedience of the works you have prepared for us this week.

Episode 154 - "Even the demons believe--and shudder!" James 2:18-19

James 2:18   But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 

Chapter two of this letter is about the nature of true Christian faith. It has been interpreted by some as a message that is not consistent with the apostle Paul’s view on faith or other passages in the Bible. Those that interpret it this way believe that James is teaching “faith plus works” for salvation and pursuing the Christian faith in their life. 

I am advocating a “faith that works” interpretation. I would assert that this view is in perfect harmony with Paul’s teaching and that of Scripture as a whole. What is the difference? First of all, I believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are a divine revelation from God and that God’s revelation is consistent and harmonious throughout time. This means that when Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast,” Paul is not saying something different than what James is saying in chapter two of his letter. Paul is emphasizing something different than James. Paul is saying that it’s not your own efforts that save you and that even your “faith” is a “gift of God.” Do you see that? Faith itself has a divine source. Paul is focusing on the fact that our salvation comes from God and not from within ourselves and our own effort. 

James, on the other hand, is describing the nature of what that divine gift of faith looks like. Just like a plant or a tree produces a distinctive leaf, flower, or fruit, the Christian faith has a distinctive kind of fruit. That “fruit” is obedience to the Lord’s word. Paul supports this in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” The faith kind of works is God’s works that He intends to work through us. Both in Paul’s theology and James’ theology, all the credit goes to God. We might ask ourselves, “Why would God give us a faith that would only serve as some kind of fact that we hold in our heads and has no power to affect any change or good in our life?” This is James’ argument. 

Look at verse 18, where James uses a hypothetical argument, “You have faith, and I have works.” If I’m understanding this correctly, there is a shallow and cavalier attitude behind this statement. Depending upon the perspective of the person, either side could be grossly wrong. Why? Because a person who makes a claim to have faith, yet their life reveals values and beliefs entirely inconsistent with that claim has absolutely nothing to show for it. There is no substance whatsoever to the claim “I have faith.” On the other hand, the other person may work hard, thinking they are a good person and that God will accept them because of all the “good things” they do. The problem with that is they have no trust in the Lord. They are only trusting in themselves and their own efforts. They have made themselves their own God, deciding what is good. They are not working God’s works. They are working their own works. The point is, as wrong as they may be, at least there is something to show for their belief system. 

James is saying, “What I do will be an outworking and consistent with what I say I believe.” Ideally, the Holy Spirit is leading us in working the works God has prepared for us.

Now James gives us another statement that is interesting but serves to communicate his point. “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19) The first sentence, “You believe that God is one; you do well,” is truthful. To believe this is good. The author of Hebrews speaks about faith and asserts that one “must believe that He (God) exists.” (Hebrews 11:6) 

The problem is that it’s not “good enough.” It’s only a good start. James reveals this by reminding his audience, “Even the demons believe–and shudder!” What does he mean by this? The understanding regarding demons is that they were angels in the presence of God. They did not need faith because they saw God. They experienced his glory. Yet, they followed Satan in rebellion against God and were cast out. In spite of what they knew and believed in their mind, their actions said something different. These demons “shudder” because they know who God is, and they know the ultimate judgment they will receive for their rebellion which continues to this day.

Prayer: Lord, let the faith you have given me lead me to do the works that you have prepared for me to do. 

Episode 153 - "Faith without works is dead" James2:14-17

James 2:14   What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

It is widely asserted that Martin Luther (1483-1546) a German priest started the  Protestant reformation incidentally through his attempts to confront and discuss various issues stemming from the practice of selling indulgences by the Catholic Church. That was the idea that someone could pay money to the church in order to allow the person to sin in the manner they desired, and it would be covered by that payment. Furthermore, Luther came to believe that one’s salvation was a free gift of God that could not be earned or paid for with good works. It was a gift received by faith alone. Luther came to this belief through his study of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. It’s also held that Luther did not believe the letter of James should be a part of the Bible because, he thought, it taught salvation by works and was in contrast to Paul’s teaching.

In this episode, we’re looking at a part of James that most likely led Luther to think James was teaching salvation by works or salvation by faith plus works. Is Luther right? Is James teaching something different from Paul? In other words, is either Paul or James wrong in how salvation is attained? Let’s take a careful look at this passage to see what’s going on.

Notice the first part of verse 14. “What good is it, my brothers, if . . . “ Already, the question has been framed in such a way that whatever follows, we know the answer is “not much.” James is clearly attempting to expose some fallacy that he believes exists among the “brothers” (Christians) to whom he is writing. The full question is, “What good is it . . .if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” Then, he immediately follows that up with, “Can that faith save him?” In the original Greek language, this last question begins with a word that informs us this is a rhetorical question that expects a negative answer. James asks the question in such a way that he tells them the answer to the question is “No!” In other words, James is telling them that someone who says he has faith but does not have works has a so-called faith that is unable to save him. My question to you is, “Is James negating or diminishing the importance of faith in this question?” Absolutely not! He affirms the importance of faith, doesn’t he? The nuance in his question shines a light on what he intends by this. In the first part of the question, the hypothetical person “says” or claims he has faith but has no works. James is suggesting to his audience there may be people among them who claim to be Christians. They say they have faith but do not act or live in a way that gives any indication they truly have faith. In his rhetorical question, “Can that faith save him,” he is asserting that it cannot because it’s not authentic Christian faith. That question implies the idea that there is a faith that can save. 

Before I develop this further, let’s take a look at the illustration James gives his audience to drive home his point. In verse 15, he speaks of someone who is poor and does not have adequate clothing or food, and someone in the church says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled.” (v. 16) Everyone understands how shallow that blessing is to the person who is poorly clothed and hungry. They are no better off. They are still poorly clothed and hungry. The person in need is not helped, and the person who uttered only shallow words did not honor the person or the Lord. It’s the same thing for the person who says they have faith but do not act in accordance with it. It’s useless. So, is James arguing that salvation is by faith plus works? This is the idea that saving faith is trusting in Christ and doing good works for salvation. I don’t believe James is suggesting that at all. It appears to me that James is telling us what saving faith looks like, and so far, his point is that faith is NOT a shallow claim that has no substance. 

How does this line up with what Paul taught or even Jesus? Let’s take a look. In Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, he writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9) Paul tells his audience that faith itself is a “gift of God, not a result of works.” Now we’re beginning to get a clearer picture of what real, saving faith is and isn’t. Real saving faith is given by God and not a shallow affirmation. Real faith cannot be created or earned by works because it is gifted by God. For someone to say, they have faith but do not demonstrate any quality of it is simply boasting. But, the faith that God gives is given “so that no one may boast.” (v.9) But, notice what Paul adds in verse 10 regarding the kind of faith that is given by God. He writes, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The purpose of God giving us saving faith, apart from any of our own works, is so that we may do the “good works” he prepared for us to do. When we are truly doing good works that honor the Lord and serve others, it’s because He has created us in Christ to do those things. These works are not of our own power or for our glory but for the Lord himself. They do not “save” us. We are saved by the faith God gives us that leads us to do the good works for which He created us in Christ Jesus.

So, does Jesus have anything to say about faith and works? Let’s look at John’s gospel. “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29)

Ah! Here we go. Jesus is clearly teaching salvation by works, right? Not exactly. In the next chapter, people are asking Jesus what good works they can do. “Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” (John 6:28-29)

Do you see that in verse 29? “This is the work of God, that you believe in him (Jesus) whom he has sent.”  That sounds like “faith alone,” doesn’t it? If you think about this, it’s in perfect harmony with both Paul's and James’ teaching. The Scriptures are consistently testifying that God’s work includes giving us saving faith in His Son Jesus. We receive the gift by believing this message about Jesus. Because it’s a gift, there are no works or anything in our own power to deserve or earn this faith. But, God’s intention of giving us this saving faith is in order that He might work good works through us. 

If you have believed that Jesus is God’s Son who came into this world and laid down his life for our sins and that God has raised him from the dead, then you can be confident that Jesus will return to this earth someday to raise us from the dead and we will have eternal life with God. 

If you have never done that, I would invite you to say to God, “God - Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die for my sins and to give me hope of eternal life in peace and all that is good. Would you guide me to do the good things you want me to do?

Episode 144 - Be confident in God - James 1:5-8

James 1:5   If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

We looked at verse 5 of James 1 last week. But, let’s recall the context once again because it is important for us to understand the message James wants to impart to his readers. James informs his readers that they will experience various trials and that God’s purpose in allowing the trials is to refine us and make us complete in the eyes of God. 

James follows with the encouragement to ask for wisdom from God. That makes sense. God’s wisdom can help us navigate these trials and to know how to respond to these trials. He assures his readers that God wants to give wisdom to everyone who asks. 

In verse 6 however, we discover there is a condition on which the granting of this request is dependent. That condition is that the requestor must ask God “in faith, with no doubting.” What does that mean? Does it mean that if I can convince myself that God will give me a fancy car or home if I just ask confidently enough, He will do it? If we examine the nature of faith throughout the Scriptures, we find that faith is neither “blind” nor “wishful thinking.” Faith is trusting that God will fulfill promises that He explicitly makes. It also means that God acts according to His character. Beginning in Genesis 12, God made a promise to Abraham for numerous descendants and land. In Genesis 15, God made this a covenant promise to Abraham. At the same time, God revealed these descendants of Abraham would be captive in a foreign land for 400 years. Yet, God promised that He would not forget His covenant with Abraham and would deliver these people back to the land He promised to Abraham and his descendants. Abraham believed God. God always demonstrated that He was faithful to what He promised. James is saying that we must respond to God’s promises and character in the same way. The Scriptures reveal that asking for wisdom from God is a good thing. Solomon, upon becoming King of Israel, asked the LORD for wisdom and the LORD was pleased to grant it to him. (1 Kings 3:5-9) The proverbs speak of the value of gaining wisdom. This is why James can confidently assert that anyone who asks God for wisdom, it will be granted to him or her. But, one must believe that God can and will grant it. There is no such promise that God will grant us fancy cars or “stuff.” James has a few words later on about this kind of request as well. 

James explains that “the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” (v. 6) If you’ve even been in a boat on the water or perhaps on the shoreline of a body of water and watched something floating. It moves up and down and every which way with no certainty of where it will end up. We don’t want our life to be like that, do we? It is important to trust in God’s promises. 

In verse 7 we see that this condition is not just about asking for wisdom. James says that a person (who is doubting and unstable) “must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.” Faith is not only necessary for wisdom. Faith is to be a part of our everyday life. Getting into the Scriptures and seeking to understand God’s character and promises help us in our confidence in making our requests to God. It lends itself to gaining wisdom that God has revealed within those Scriptures.

It may seem a bit harsh that God requires us to have such strong confidence. Perhaps you don’t always feel so convinced that the Lord will answer your prayers. I know I haven’t always been that confident. I’m reminded of a story in Mark 9:14-29 about a father whose son was controlled by an evil spirit. Jesus’ disciples had not been able to cast out the spirit and the father asked Jesus, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22) Does that sound like a man of faith? No way. Jesus calls him out on it. “If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23) The ESV translation has Jesus repeating the man’s words “If you can” but adds an exclamation mark. I suspect that should be a question mark in Jesus’ response. He’s pointing out the man’s doubt and inviting him to believe. I love the man’s response. He says, “I believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) He’s admitting to Jesus that his faith is weak,  but then uses that little bit of faith to request more. God will grant you faith as well! Isn’t that awesome? God says, “You need faith if you want me to give you what I’m offering to you. What’s that? You want faith? OK. Here you go?”

Prayer: Lord, grant us faith today. Help us grow in our confidence and trust in your word and your promises so that we can exercise that faith to ask you for what you want to give to us. We trust that all of this will lead to you making us complete. Amen!

Episode 142 - "Count it all joy . . ." - James 1:1-4

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

2   Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

As we begin this new study in the book of James, I want to offer a few comments regarding the author of this book and the audience.  According to verse one, the author is James, generally believed to be Jesus’ half-brother. If this is the case, this book reveals the transformation James encountered concerning Jesus. In John 7:5, John records that his brothers did not believe him (Jesus). But, Paul records in 1 Corinthians 15:7 that Jesus, after his resurrection from the dead, appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Luke records in Acts 1:14 that after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, the disciples devoted themselves to prayer “with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” It would seem obvious that Jesus' resurrection made a significant impact upon his brothers and now James becomes a leader within the early Church. Yet, this status does not go to his head. Rather than claiming to be someone special by virtue of his relationship with Jesus, he considers himself “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (James 1:1) In that identity is humility and devotion; a great example for us.

This book is addressed to “the twelve tribes in the Dispersion.” (v. 1b) What does that mean? Likely, it means one of two things. James might have intended for this book to go to Jews who were scattered abroad. Hundreds of years earlier the northern kingdom of Israel, comprised of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel, had been scattered by the Assyrians. Later, the tribes of the southern kingdom were deported to Babylon and Persia. There were people of Jewish heritage scattered around the known world at this time. The second option is that he’s using “twelve tribes” symbolically for Christians everywhere. The merit of the first option is that it’s a literal interpretation and makes sense for that reason alone. In other words, it is what it says it is. However, it seems difficult to accept that he only wants this to be read and understood by dispersed Jews who have placed their faith in Jesus. Does this not have any value for Jews in Jerusalem or Gentiles trusting in Jesus Christ? 

I’m inclined to believe that James, a Jew himself, is addressing his Jewish brothers and sisters who have placed their faith in Jesus, but that it symbolically represents or includes everyone else of the same faith. Since the Jews had been a people chosen by God and through whom would the promised Messiah (Christ) would come, I think James is respecting that tradition and prophecy. However, the prophecy of the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13-14 reveals this eternal king would rule over every nation and language. By addressing this to the twelve tribes, he’s suggesting the reunification of Israel. There’s a “bigger picture” revealed in James' address. So, I take this to include everyone who has trusted Jesus as the Messiah.

Notice that this letter is not very personal. It’s didactic and James gets right to the point. He communicates that there is a God-appointed purpose for trials in life. Let’s summarize the process and the purpose.

1. Trials can be of various kinds. This is not simply persecution for one’s faith.

2. Trials test our faith

3. The process of our faith being tested through the trials produces steadfastness or endurance.

4. Gaining that endurance makes us “perfect” or “complete” lacking in nothing. 

What does all this mean? I would explain it as follows:

The trials that come into our lives are not necessarily to be celebrated. However, God can use them for a good purpose. Romans 8:28 has a similar message, “We know that all things work together for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” Neither Paul nor James are saying that all things are good. They are saying that God can and does use all things for a good purpose. We are not sinning by being grieved with trials in our lives. God is not expecting us to celebrate when we or someone we love is diagnosed with cancer.

These trials will test our faith. I remember when my dad realized the cancer he was fighting was going to be terminal and there was no medical cure for it. He could have abandoned his faith. He could have said, “If there were a loving God, He would not allow me to die from this cancer.” Instead, my dad “doubled-down” on his faith. I had never seen him so confident in God’s goodness and promises and bold about sharing that with others. 

My dad’s faith was stretched and tested and it produced an endurance that sustained him during his fight with cancer. It wasn’t that he didn’t have faith before. He did. But, God wanted to bless him with developing that faith and to make him more “complete” as God views completeness. It was a gift to my dad, myself, and others. 

You may have noticed that I skipped something. I skipped James' instruction to “Count it all joy . . . when you meet trials . . .” I intentionally left that for last. I wanted to communicate the importance that God is not expecting us to celebrate cancer, Alzheimer’s, car wrecks, financial hardships, or any other kinds of trials. But, when we consider what God can and will do through perseverance in faith, we can have joy knowing that God is with us. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 

May the Lord sustain you in the trials you are experiencing and give you joy knowing that He is making you complete for His purposes and glory.

Episode 138 - "It is the Lord!" - John 21:1-8

1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

In the last episode, I focused on the first three verses of this story. I mentioned how the LORD revealed himself wherever and whenever he wanted. There is nothing that can prevent God’s presence with us. It would seem from this story that we never have to wonder if God is there or not. Our problem is whether we believe from one moment to the next that He is all-powerful, all-good, and is accessible to us. 

Peter had denied that he knew the Lord three times after asserting that he would die for him. It is interesting how that never seemed to come up in the two appearances Jesus made to the disciples preceding this encounter. But, you can bet that with everything that has happened, Peter has not forgotten it. My guess is that Peter’s guilt was festering like a boil. There is no record that Jesus chastised him during the times he appeared to them and it would seem that it didn’t come up. The trauma of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, the fear of persecution by the Jewish leaders leading them to lock themselves into a home, the shock mixed with the joy of Jesus’ resurrection and appearance to them, and the guilt of denying and abandoning the Lord had to be working heavily on these guys. They needed an outlet; something to get their mind off of it all. More importantly, they needed a purpose and a direction in life.

Verse four begins with “Just as day was breaking.” Just as day was breaking, just as the light was appearing, Jesus (the Light of the world) showed up on the shore. But, the disciples still did not recognize who it was. Jesus called to them and addressed them as “children.” I’m not exactly sure what is going on here by this address. It would not seem that Jesus was insulting them and there’s no evidence that they took it that way. He asked them if they had any fish and they replied “no.” I suspect that in doing so, Jesus had a purpose. That purpose might have been to establish this experience as a learning experience and that he was the teacher. Since we believe that our author is one of the men in the boat and is the first to recognize that it’s Jesus on the shoreline, this stuck in his mind. Still, the first reaction in the disciples’ minds might have been who does this guy think he is by calling us children? 

Jesus’ instructions to the “children” were, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will catch some.” (v. 6) The audacity of this guy. We’ve been fishing all night long. Does he really think we haven’t fished throughout this whole area on various sides of the boat? That’s what I would imagine these guys to be thinking. What surprises me a little is that they don’t seem to even argue. They just obeyed. Oh . . . maybe that’s the point. They just obeyed Jesus’ command. But, did you notice that Jesus didn’t just command them to cast the net on the right side of the boat? He made them a promise, “You will find some.” There’s the understatement of all time. They didn’t just catch some. Their net was full to the point that they would normally expect it to break causing them to lose their catch. But, it didn’t. Here is the point that all of us can learn. We experience God’s promises when we obey His commands. The promises are for our good. The most important command of the Lord for us is to believe that Jesus, God’s Son, revealed himself in this world, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin making us just before God, and raised from the dead giving us hope that he will fulfill his promise to raise us from the dead and give us eternal life.

In an instant of realizing their tremendous catch by obeying this “stranger’s” command, the disciple whom Jesus loved (John) told Peter, “It is the Lord!” Immediately, what was more important than achieving what they had been vainly striving for on their own all night long was the identity of the person on the shore. There’s another good lesson for us, isn’t it? Our own efforts are all in vain if Jesus is not more important.

This revelation to Peter was the tipping point in his own life. Forgetting the fish, he put on his outer garment and jumped into the sea to go to Jesus. What was he going to do? What was he going to say? What would Jesus do or say when it was just the two of them alone on the shore. I don’t Peter had a clue. I think he just needed to be with Jesus and that he expected Jesus to address his guilt and pain. Perhaps that’s a good lesson for us as well. There are times when we don’t know which way is up. There are moments when we feel guilt or just inadequate and without purpose or value. We need to go to Jesus trusting that he knows where we’re at and how to comfort and encourage us in those times.

Episode 136 - "Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believed" - John 20:24-31

John 20:24   Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

John 20:26   Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:30   Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

These eight verses comprise one of my favorite segments in all of Scripture. There is so much here that I could divide this up into multiple posts. But, I prefer to handle this as a whole.

The resurrected Lord had appeared to the disciples inside a locked home. But, we learn that one of them, Thomas, was not present at the time. I’m sure they were excited to share this good news with their friend when they saw him. But, to be honest, if I were one of the twelve who had followed Jesus the past few years and had experienced this tragedy of him being arrested, beaten, and crucified and then told by my buddies that he had appeared to them alive, I would have thought they were putting me on. Thomas’ response is genius. It wasn’t good enough to see Jesus. He demanded to examine the wounds in Jesus’ crucified body. That alone would prove that someone hadn’t found a look-alike to play an elaborate joke on people. Thomas is so real to me. I get his cynicism. 

Then, it was eight days later. I wonder how things went that week. Did the disciples continue to try to convince Thomas? Did they try to convince themselves that they really did see the risen and living Jesus? Whatever happened, everyone including Thomas was together again in a locked home. Their concern about persecution is still very real. Once again, Jesus simply appeared among them and gave them the same message, “Peace be with you.” Then, he addressed Thomas directly and said, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” (v. 27) What is the first thing we should notice about this invitation? The answer is that Jesus knew exactly what Thomas had insisted upon even though Jesus wasn’t physically present with them when the other disciples told Thomas they had seen the Lord. The point is that Jesus knew exactly what was going on with Thomas and the implication is that he knows exactly what is going on with us today. As I sit here and read this account, it is hitting me how much I needed this truth today. Jesus knows what is happening in my life including my thoughts and concerns.

The next thing we should notice is his grace in offering to Thomas what he needed in order to believe that Jesus really was alive. “Put your fingers into my hands and your hand into my side” Jesus offered. “Do not disbelieve. But believe.” Jesus wants people to believe in him. This is not an offer to simply believe that Jesus is a real, historical person. He was telling Thomas and, indirectly, us to believe that he came back from the dead, that he is who he has claimed to be. 

Thomas’ response shows us what that response, that belief, looks like. Instantly, Thomas appears to have abandoned his previous demands. “My Lord and my God!” What we might have expected as a response would be “Teacher, Rabbi.” But, in an instant with the resurrected Jesus, Thomas’ confession reflects a belief in Jesus that is complete. If you’ve ever wondered what it will be like when you first see Jesus and what you might say, this is a good place to start.

Now comes the cool part. Jesus then said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (v. 29) Thomas gets a bad rap on this. He’s often spoken of as “Doubting Thomas.” But, remember the other disciples believed because they had seen him eight days earlier. What I love about this is that it is speaking of us. We are the ones who get to see without the opportunity of being there and seeing these things with our eyes. I like to tell people that we are the most blessed people in the history of the world because we live at a time when we can hear about Jesus and have the opportunity to believe.

John has made it very clear that seeing does not always result in believing. People ate the food Jesus miraculously provided them and said that Jesus must be the Prophet like Moses. Yet, they didn’t want to truly believe him and his words and they walked away. There were those who watched Jesus call Lazarus by name and watched as this man who had been dead and buried for four days walk out of the tomb alive. Many believed because of what they saw, but some returned to the Pharisees without any indication this experience brought about faith within them. So, it’s easier to see why Jesus says that the most blessed people are those who believe simply by hearing about him. This brings us to the point of the next paragraph.

John capitalizes on the significance of this teaching of Jesus to offer us a summary of the purpose of this book. He said that Jesus did many other signs that his disciples witnessed with their eyes. Then he wrote, “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Those of us who weren’t there to see Jesus perform these miracles are blessed to read this book or hear of these accounts and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The benefit and result of this belief are receiving eternal life in his name. That’s an amazing promise. But, what we are called to believe, by faith and not by sight, is an amazing truth of an amazing God. 

Episode 133 - "He saw and believed" - John 20:1-10

John 20:1   Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

I cannot adequately describe how much this story of Jesus’ resurrection excites me. The details John gives us often are subtle ways to either reveal a spiritual truth or help us better understand some of the personalities in the stories. Think of John’s details about John the Baptist or the Samaritan woman at the well. The little details help us see their passion and excitement for what is revealed to them. It is for this reason I’ve chosen to create a few separate posts for the same text. There is a lot in this story.

Last week I focused on the theme of “darkness” in John’s gospel and how it represents the ignorance of people concerning Jesus. That is an oversimplification. However, in this story, Mary (and likely others) came to the tomb “while it was still dark.” (John 20:1) They were ignorant of what had just happened with Jesus. His body was gone from the tomb and they assume his body has been moved somewhere. This is not to suggest that it was not actually dark at the tomb when they arrived. However, just like the condition made it more difficult to best observe the scene in and around the tomb, they were in need of the “true Light coming into the world” to fully recognize the significance of what had just happened.

Mary ran to tell the disciples that Jesus body has been taken away and,  from verses three through ten, the focus shifts to Peter and “the other disciple . . who Jesus loved.” (We understand this to be the Apostle John) Peter and John ran to the tomb. John ran faster and reached the tomb first, but stopped at the entrance. Scholars have attempted guesses at why John stopped. All we really know is that he did and he tells us that he saw the linen cloths lying there. Remember, John has already told us this was a new tomb and had never been used as such. These could not have been from another body. Can you imagine the anxiety he must have felt? It’s obvious that Peter doesn’t give it a second thought to run right past John and into the tomb. He also sees the linen cloths lying there. 

Let’s stop right here for a moment and consider a few things. First of all, what did that look like? If these cloths were wrapped around Jesus’ body and had the various ointments and such applied to them, is it possible these cloths maintained some measure of the form of a body still in them? In other words, could it have been that, at first glance, they thought Jesus was still there? That may be a stretch. But, it seems possible. If that was the case, then it heightens the importance of the headcloth. This translation reads the head cloth was “folded up.” (v. 7) However, the Greek word used could also mean “wrapped up or around.” The potential sight for these first visitors to the tomb was what appeared to be a wrapped corpse. But, there was only one problem. The head cloth was “in a place by itself.” There was nothing connecting the headcloth to the cloths around the body. The body had come through the cloths. Again, my interpretation could be a stretch. But, this detail that John is including reveals the evidence of a miracle that led him to believe if that is indeed what they saw.

Perhaps more likely what this detail describes is that of an orderly scene. Grave cloths lying there and the head cloth folded up in a place by itself is hardly the description of a scene of a grave robbery. If someone were to steal the body, would they bother to unwrap it before they took it? No. If it could be argued they did unwrap the body, is it likely the grave clothes were lying there in the orderly manner described? Absolutely not. 

However these details are to be interpreted, the evidence is clear that his body was not stolen by Roman soldiers, Jewish leaders, Jesus’ disciples or anyone else. If his body was not stolen, what happened to it?

John indicates his own conclusion upon seeing the whole scene after he entered the tomb. “He saw and believed.” (v. 8) Believed what? Verse 9 explains, “for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” His point is that the evidence before him led him to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Jesus had prepared them for this. They just hadn’t understood the Scriptures prophesying the death and resurrection of the Messiah. 

You and I cannot go back in time to stand alongside these disciples and observe the scene ourselves. But, they have provided us with a vivid account. The details they have given as firsthand eyewitnesses are amazing. The question to us is, “Will we see the significance and believe?”

Episode 110 - "No one will be able to take your joy from you" - John 16:16-22

John 16:16   “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

I don’t know about you. But, this is one of those passages in Scripture that make me laugh. Jesus’ statement that in a little while they won’t see him and again in a little while they will see him evokes the response, “What is he talking about?” The funny thing is that I know the rest of the story, but the disciples did not understand. I can relate to that response. I still have a bit of that response, even though I know what he is talking about. 

In verse 19, we start to get the picture that Jesus knew what they were thinking and what they wanted to know. He wanted them to want to know what was going to happen. They didn’t just need to understand what Jesus was talking about, and they needed a compelling desire to understand what Jesus was saying. Jesus evoked that in them with these sayings.

That’s true for us as well, isn’t it? We learn best when there is a pressing need or question we desperately want to be answered. For Jesus to set them up like this with these words is preparing them for what the Spirit will teach them and cause them to remember what Jesus taught them. It will change their lives. I believe the Lord does that with us today. Notice that Jesus tells them what is about to happen. 

First, they will be filled with sorrow, and the world will be filled with joy. Second, their sorrow will be turned into joy. That is a dramatic shift. What is it that would cause these things to happen? Jesus’ will be crucified and be put to death on the cross. Understandably, his friends and disciples would be filled with sorrow at this tragic loss. But, the world which has remained in the darkness of their sin and rejection of Jesus will rejoice thinking that they have overcome the true Light that came into the world. 

Imagine being in the position of Jesus’ disciples during and after this has happened. They had invested the last three years of their lives following this man and coming to believe that he was God’s Messiah. They had seen the miracles with their own eyes. They were amazed at his teaching as well as his patience and grace to them. Now it was all over . . . or so they thought.

If you can imagine the depth of grief they must have experienced, imagine what was going on in their minds when he appeared to them alive a few days after he had died and been buried. Their extreme sorrow would be turned to extreme joy and no one would be able to  take their joy from them. (v.22)  That is the third thing he told them would happen.

The effect of these events unfolding precisely as Jesus foretold would create in them a whole new level of understanding and confidence in Jesus.  Who would imagine that the one who had raised someone else from the dead could raise himself from the dead? If Jesus proved that he had power over his own death, how much more does he have the power to raise us from the dead and give eternal life to our own bodies?

By Jesus’ leading them to have these questions and needs, he could teach them more as the events unfolded and it would form a foundation for their confidence in his promises. In turn, it would drive their passion for proclaiming the Good News to the world. 

May the Lord instill in us such rich confidence and trust in him that we would be driven to share it with others and faithfully serve him as we look forward to his return.

Episode 79 - Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God? - John 11:38-46

John 11:38   Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45   Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

We now arrive at the pinnacle of this event. Jesus went to the tomb and there are many people there grieving with Mary and Martha. When Jesus gave the command to remove the large stone that sealed the cave’s entrance, Martha voiced the only response that everyone there was likely thinking based upon human reason and experience. Because Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days, normally the corpse would be rotting and stinking by now. It’s clear from this that no one would believe that Lazarus could possibly be alive and certainly would not come back to life after being dead. Jesus’ response to her complaint was, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? (v.40) Do you think they were believing? Well, they removed the stone. This seems to me like an example of Jesus’ point in Matthew 17:20 where he suggests that people just need “faith as a grain of mustard seed.” God will use the smallest amount of faith to reveal His glory. I don’t those people rolling the stone away really expected anything but a bad odor to come from that cave. But, they were obedient to Jesus’ command and God demonstrated a great miracle in front of their eyes.

Jesus called Lazarus by name. I suspect John recorded this fact so that people wouldn’t argue that Jesus had staged the event by having a live person come out and then they could argue that Jesus hadn’t specified who should come forth. 

The result of Lazarus coming out of the tomb alive was manifested in two ways. The glory of God was revealed by many people believing in Jesus. But, it was also manifested by exposing the darkness in some who saw this miracle with their own eyes, but they returned to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. The implication is that they stood in contrast with those who believed.

Can you imagine that? Watching Jesus call a dead man by name and that person coming back to life and watching people walking away in rejection of the truth about who Jesus is? It is amazing. But, it’s amazingly sad. 

This is an important reminder that no one can make people believe in Jesus. No matter what they see or hear, some will still turn away from the good news of Jesus Christ. So, we cannot think of ourselves as failures if people reject the message we share or think of ourselves as so great or special if they believe it. It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus and the power of the good news about Jesus.

Episode 74 - "Everything John said about this man was true" - John 10:40-42

John 10:40   He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.

We have seen how the animosity towards Jesus by people in Jerusalem has grown. People have sought to stone him to death or to arrest him. Yet, they have failed because it has not been Jesus’ hour. 

In this brief section that follows the most recent attempt to stop and silence Jesus, Jesus leaves Jerusalem and travels across the Jordan River to where John the Baptist had been baptizing people. This location is where Jesus’ ministry began when he went to be baptized by John. Doesn’t this feel like the author is bringing his story to a close by drawing attention to Jesus returning to where his ministry started? If you look at the whole Gospel of John, you will notice that we are only half-way through the book. The first half of the book has covered a span of a few years of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Yet, the last half of the book covers only the last few weeks of his life and then the short time on earth following his resurrection. So, I believe this is here to indicate a coming completion to Jesus’ ministry. 

Do not overlook the mention that this was where John had been baptizing. The author reminds us of John and his ministry.  It should evoke in our mind the purpose for John baptizing, calling people to repent of their sin, and preparing the way for the Lord. Did he accomplish that? Absolutely! This fact is evident by what happens when Jesus goes there and remains there. 

Many people go to him. But, they did not go there to stone Jesus or to arrest him. They were drawn to him, and they recall John the Baptist’s message. They realize that many people recognized that John the Baptist was a prophet. They believed him even though he did not perform a single sign. They realized that Jesus did perform signs, and they understood that everything John said about Jesus was true. It would seem evident that they should, therefore, believe in Jesus. 

These people were like the sheep Jesus spoke of, aren’t they? While some people heard Jesus’ teaching, saw his miracles, but still rejected him, these people became convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. 

How about you? After reading or hearing about Jesus’ healing people and giving sight to a man born blind, and considering his claims about his identity, do you believe that he is the Messiah (Christ)? Do you believe he is the unique Son of God who could and would lay down his own life as he said he could and that by believing in him, you can be forgiven of your sins and have hope of being raised from death to eternal life with God?

Episode 61 - "If God were your Father, you would love me." - Jesus (John 8:39-47)

John 8:39   They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

This is a continuation of Jesus' interaction with “Jews who believed him.” (John 8:31) However, what unfolds is that they are not “abiding” in his word. Much like those who witnessed and received the benefit of Jesus’ miracle of the “Feeding of the 5000,” and acknowledged that he was certainly the Prophet like Moses who was to come and then abandoned him when they didn’t like his teaching, these people are also taking exception to Jesus charge that they are slaves to sin and need to be liberated. They do not like this and argue with him suggesting that they are good with God because they are Abraham’s descendants. 

Jesus explains that even though they are biological descendants of Abraham, they do not live like Abraham. Abraham was a man of faith. God gave him commands that required great faith and Abraham believed God; not just in his head, but in his actions. That is the difference between Abraham and these Jews. They may think they are right with God. But, their lives demonstrate a lack of faith, avoiding truth by believing a lie that they are right with God simply because of their genealogy and religious affiliation. Jesus tells them their real spiritual father is the devil. Ouch!

This is what we call “straight shooting.” How about us? Do we think we’re ok because maybe our grandparents helped build a church, were in ministry, or did some other good and noble thing for people? OR . . . Do we like some stories about Jesus, but don’t want to believe that, apart from him, we are slaves to sin and need his word to free us?