"Do not be afraid...follow Me."

"And Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.' And when they had brought their boats to land,they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:10-11)

First encounters with someone, especially someone famous can be fun right? Imagine Simon busy in life working at his everyday job of fishing. After a long night without any results, he is washing his nets. Perhaps he is frustrated. Perhaps he is talking to the Father, much like Tevyev did in Fiddler on the Roof. I can hear Simon saying, “LORD, I know our fathers wandered in the wilderness for forty years, you fed them but they complained. LORD, must we also wander all over this sea, without complaining, and yet you will not also feed us?” Little did Simon know what was ahead for him on this typical workday.

Simon is busy washing his nets. Jesus comes over, climbs into Simon’s boat and asks Him for a favor. Simon interrupted his work and put the boat out a little from the land. Then Jesus sits in the boat and teaches the people gathered on the shore. Whether, Simon was in the boat with Jesus or returned to washing nets nearby, it is feasible to imagine Simon heard the teaching of Jesus that day. The life-giving words from God’s mouth fed the souls of the hungry listeners. 

After Jesus finished speaking, He asked Simon to “put out into the deep and let down the nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4) Simon ever the businessman, understood his own work and the flow of fish, when they would be biting etc. argued the wisdom of Jesus’ request. “We toiled all night and took nothing!” (Luke 5:5) “But at your word I will let down the nets.” Simon heard Jesus speak. Something of what Jesus said, or the manner in which He said it, touched Simon to the point where he denied his own credible knowledge of the situation and by faith, acted upon the word of Jesus. The result was not disappointing.

The children’s Sunday School song puts it like this: “They caught so many fish that they couldn’t pull it (the net) in…out on the deep blue sea.” Simon was astonished and his response was that of a man touched by the word and the acts of God. He humbly asked Jesus to leave him, “I am a sinful man,” Simon said. Perhaps Simon was doubting in his heart all the way out to the deep. Perhaps he was nursing his frustration when the LORD provided the bounty Simon did not expect. This makes me realize God’s works are not dependent on what I think or say. God’s works are dependent on what HE wants to accomplish and for the purposes HE has established. This miracle brought glory to God, gave provision to the people and made loyal followers of the men who experienced it.

Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid…after this you will be catching men.” Simon must have feared he was not worthy to experience God’s provision in the way that he did. But Jesus allayed his fears and lifted Simon to a new life of faith and a new profession that was uniquely tied to what he had done all his life. Simon, Andrew, James and John took a step of faith and followed Jesus to places and times yet unknown. This is the faith we need today in order to abandon ourselves to God’s plans. We cannot lean on our own understanding but rather step toward the uniqueness of what God is desiring to do in, with and through us. When we do take the step of faith, Jesus is there with His word to say, “Don not be afraid.”

Pastor Chuck Smith used to always say, “Where God guides, God provides.” I believe this was true in the lives of the first disciples and it remains true in our lives today. All we must do is follow HIS lead and use the tools God has given us to understand His will—the wisdom of His word, the Spirit’s peace in our hearts and the godly counsel of trusted others. If we do this, we need never be afraid. We may freely follow the Lord in full faith with abandon to see the miraculous occur; all the while using the wisdom from His word and the tools He has already provided in our preparation for the good works we are to walk in. We should never be afraid to follow Jesus, even to the ends of the earth. 

Resurrection Alone

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the stand-alone piece in any faith.

The man born blind, healed by Jesus in John 9, said it best when reasoning with the Pharisees, "Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." This man who had only seen Jesus once or twice and only for a few short minutes, recognized Jesus as from God because of theamazing miracle none other could do. Never was it heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. Never then and never since then. In the same way, NEVER has it been heard, since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that a man rose from the dead. Jesus said, He had authority to lay His life down and authority to take His life back up again. He told His disciples repeatedly what was ahead, but they did not recognize Him until that final Sunday morning when He appeared in their midst and they touched His nail scared hands.

Because Jesus rose from the dead, Christians may say, “My God lives.”

Christians do not serve an idol who has eyes but cannot see and ears but cannot hear. We do not worship the memory of a good moral man, a fascinating personality, a great teacher or the spirit of someone who once lived. Christians serve THE living God. The God who ever lives to make intercession for us. The invisible God made visible in Jesus Christ

Because Jesus lives, Christians know they will live in eternity with Him.

This is an unparalleled hope. A hope no other faith may claim or cling to. Jesus promised believers He was preparing a place for them, they would be where He was. Jesus prayed for His believers to see His glory, the glory He had with the Father before the world began. Jesus prayed for His disciples and those who would believe in His name because of their testimony. Jesus knew who would believe in Him—of those that belonged to Him, He said He would lose none.

The question today on Resurrection Sunday (or any other day really) is, “Am I a believer? Was I included in the prayer of Jesus? Was I on His mind when He died on the cross for the sin of mankind and when He rose from the dead guaranteeing eternal life for all who believe?

Personally, I believe Jesus thought of everyone, because He came to seek and save those who were lost—and that was everyone. The man born blind is everyman. Will I recognize the miracle of the resurrection and understands it is only God who opens the eyes of the blind? I am so thankful to and pray everyman will echo the words of the hymn writer, “I was lost but now am found--amazing grace—how sweet the sound.”

Little Breath for Last Words

"It is finished." (John 19:30)

Crucifixion, a criminal’s death; at Golgotha, the Place of the Skull; these were the method and place used by the Romans occupying Jerusalem for criminals' death. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,” was the inscription Pilate placed above the cross of Christ. Earlier he had tried to persuade the Jews and the people to ask for Jesus to be released. Instead, they screamed the terrible words, “crucify him.” After spending so much time teaching, healing and even feeding them, I can’t imagine the pain Jesus must have felt on hearing their rejection. However, He knew His death was eminent. Jesus said, “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again.” (John 10:17-1) Jesus chose to die to fulfill the Father’s will and plan. The good that came out of Nazareth was for the good of all mankind.

Crucifixion was a brutal, humiliating and painful way to die. It was also used as a prolonged way to cause someone’s death. A person might live on a cross for hours or days. Usually, if the Romans wanted to end it rather quickly, and even more cruelly, they came by with an iron club and broke the legs of those hanging on the cross. Some believe this prevented the victims from supporting their weight and thereby asphyxiation would occur. Crucifixion was not pretty. Victims were divested of their clothing and their human dignity when hung on a cross.

With His legs still unbroken, Jesus used the little breath He had left to take care of important business. First, He showed repentance could lead to salvation even at the last minute. The thief on the cross was someone who had wasted his life, but gained eternity by calling on the name of Jesus in the last moments of life. Second, Jesus took care of personal business when He entrusted His own mother to John—the disciple whom Jesus loved. John writes about himself, “He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that the is telling the truth—that you also may believe.” (John 19:35-36) John knew the material of which he was writing, because he was there. He was an eyewitness of these happening. Lastly, Jesus exclaimed His last words, referencing Old Testament scriptures He knew were recognizable to the Jews. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;" (Luke 23:34/Isaiah 53:12) “I thirst,” (John 19:28/Psalm 69:21) and “My God, My God why have you forsaken me,” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34/Psalm 22:1)

When I read Isaiah 53 and especially Psalm 22 this week, I felt as if it were possible that His last words with little breath were not only loaded with meaning, but may have been an extension to His prayer in John 17. Jesus could not physically utter the words of Psalm 22 while hanging on the cross, but perhaps they came from His heart and soul and were a message to His people saying…"see, recognize your Messiah. You have fulfilled scripture by hanging your Messiah on the cross."

Finally Jesus said, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30) This again, made me think of prayer. He began His ministry with prayer in the wilderness. He sustained His ministry with prayer as He taught, healed and cast out demons. And, He ended His ministry on earth with prayer. Jesus was and continues to be a man of prayer as He intercedes for all. (Isaiah 53:12/John 17: / Romans 8:34 / Hebrews 7:25, 9:24)

Good Friday is a good day to reflect on the good that came from Nazareth, Jesus Messiah, who ever lives to make intercession for the saints.

PAINTINGS

TOP: Salvadore Dali / Christ of Saint John of the Cross

http://kennywordsmith.hubpages.com/hub/Dali-Christ-of-Saint-John-of-the-Cross

BOTTOM: Hyatt Moore / View from Above

http://www.hyattmoore.com/painting/View_from_Above

Whistle While You Work (Part II)

Some of the disciples of John the Baptist followed Jesus. One of those was Andrew. The first thing Andrew did after encountering Jesus was to go find his own brother. “We have found the Messiah,” Andrew said. When Andrew brought his brother, Jesus looked at Simon and said, (my paraphrase) -- (Hey, I know you. I know your family, your history and guess what; I am going to call you by a special name that will indicate my close relationship with you.) (See John 1:3-42) Jesus knows His followers intimately, better than they know themselves.

The next day Jesus found Phillip, who was also from the same town as Andrew and Peter. Then Phillip found Nathaniel. “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and als the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Obviously these guys had already been looking for Messiah and knew something about what the scripture said. Nathaniel said,“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” These guys knew their geography too because Nazareth was a barren wasteland bordering on desert. When Jesus met Nathaniel, He identified his greatest characteristic—Nathaniel was an honest man who spoke his mind. Nathaniel may have been skeptical because of the circumstances of Jesus' life, but he was soon convinced by his own encounter with Jesus. Each believer must have a personal encounter with the Son of God. Belief may come after skepticism--as in the case of Nathaniel and people like C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) and Lee Strobel (The Case for Christ); or it may grow in personal suffering as in the case of Corie Ten Boom (The Hiding Place); or happen suddenly through personal transformation as in the case of Nicky Cruz (Run Baby Run). Jesus is not threatened by skepticism. He knows how to reach people, how to meet them where they are and engage them for eternity. The best believers can do is tell about Jesus and pray.

Jesus also called James and John, and immediately they dropped what they were doing and followed Him. He identified these brothers as Boanerges—sons of thunder pointing to their temperamental traits no doubt. Jesus called Matthew—who was a sinner and tax collector, Thomas—was the doubter, Simon—was a Zealot, and Judas--was greedy and a betrayer. Jesus also called women, Mary Magdalene was a woman who had seven demons; Jesus called her to follow God. The woman caught in adultery Jesus called to a life of purity. The Samaritan woman Jesus called to honesty. Salome--the mother of James and John, Jesus called to deny her selfish ambitions; and Mary--His own mother, Jesus called to a life of service and personal sacrifice--of her own Son. When Jesus calls His followers, it is not for them to go and clean up whatever the flaws in their character might be and then return to follow Him, instead it is just for them to immediately heed the call. Jesus accepts each one “as is” and He knows how to transform all followers for God's usefulness.

Later, other disciples of John the Baptist questioned him about Jesus honing in on their ministry—because Jesus was baptizing and drawing people to Himself. John’s reply is almost like his last prophetic words and summary of what he came to communicate. John compares Jesus to a bridegroom and himself as the friend. “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Read John 3:22-36 for the entire prophetic word John gives) This is a recipe for all believers, I must decrease but JESUS must increase. The more I yield to Jesus, the more I choose to humble myself, obey His word and decrease, the more HE increases in me. The beauty is, as Jesus increases in me, I too am lifted up. It is Jesus people are drawn to, it is Jesus that gives purpose and insight, it is Jesus who fosters love, mercy and compassion in believers. It is Jesus who must increase. John the Baptist was satisfied with allowing Jesus to increase and himself to decrease, can I hope for anything greater or better in myself?

The voice of Jesus must have been extraordinary. With it He called men, commanded nature and condemned demons. John said he was a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the LORD. Jesus said He was the voice of the good shepherd and that His sheep recognize HIS voice, but not the voice of strangers. (John 10:1-5) “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice…” (John 10:14-16)

It is so comforting to know Jesus, the good shepherd, knows His own and that somehow we who are His own, are wired to recognize, follow and obey His voice. Before anyone can listen to HIS voice, they must be willing to hear. And before anyone can hear His voice, those of us who already know we have found the Messiah, must be willing to go and tell others the good news. For whatever reason, God chose to reveal the truth by using mere mortals as His work partners. How sad it would have been if Andrew had not found Peter--one of the first things Jesus did was heal Peter's mother-in-law. If the Samaritan woman had not shared about Jesus, many from her village might never have believed in Him. If the disciples of Jesus had not heeded the Great Commandment, and been willing to die for their belief, perhaps none of us would have ever come to be saved. The Bible says, If today you will hear His voice, do not harden your heart...today we must believe in Jesus, then we may follow His voice each day and into eternity.

Watch Nicky Cruz share his story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zelqF0mamCw

Whistle While You Work (Part I)

I am not one of the seven dwarfs, but I do whistle while I work. It used to drive my very good-natured employer crazy—and perhaps because he was a little ADHD, it was a distraction.

Without intentionally thinking about it, I would find myself whistling the tune from the Wizard of Oz—you know the one from the Scarecrow—“I would not be just a nuthin; my head all full of stuffin; my heart all filled with pain (ta da, ta da, ta da)…with the thoughts I’d be thinkin, I could be another Lincoln, if I only had a brain.”

Funny and ironic for work, but the song always came to mind as I whistled my way toward productivity. My co-worker, in the adjacent office, had the same tic, and soon we were both whistling. To shut us up, our boss would sing as if he were Figaro in the New York Metropolitan Opera. This was the whistle stop! Followed by uproarious laughter—a much-needed respite before returning to work—a win/win for everyone.

John the Baptist had no time for whistling as he traveled the countryside doing his work. People responded to his call for repentance, and they swamped him at the rivers, desiring baptism. Even Jesus came to be baptized by John. However, before this happened, the Jewish leaders sent Levites to ask John one question; "What do you have to say about yourself?"

“I am not the Christ,” John said. “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”(John 1:19-23) John knew his place in life. He was sent by God to play a special part in the revelation of Messiah to Israel. But, John did not think more highly of himself than he should. He was only a voice; a man on a mission from God and for God’s glory.

When Jesus came to be baptized, John saw the sign—the Spirit of God descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove. John said to the priests, “For this purpose I came baptizing with water, that He might be revealed to Israel…and I have seen and have born witness that this is the Son of God.”(John 1:29-34) John knew what to look for, because he heard God’s word.

The next day, John stood with two of his disciples as Jesus walked by. John said, “Behold the Lamb of God.”(John 1:35-36) Immediately, those disciples left John and followed the Son of God. John pointed people to Jesus not himself.

John the Baptist was going about, tending to and minding his business. He understood and accepted his place in life. John did not allow his large following to become fodder for selfish ambition. His relationship with God defined his purpose in life. It also gave him his sense of self-worth and his sense of personal mission. John was not trying to make a name for himself instead he showed his dependence on God by staying in step with God’s plan for his life.

Also, John had patience for God’s timing—and it paid off. While John was doing his work, suddenly the Son of God appeared. John recognized Jesus because John knew what to look for—the Spirit of God touching down. The Spirit of God always bears witness to the truth of God—that Jesus Christ is Lord. A false religion or false messiah will always negate the uniqueness and divinity of Jesus Christ. If I am immersed in God’s word, I too will recognize when false messiahs or teachings arise—because these do not point to Jesus as the only Son of God.

John responded correctly to the revelation of God. He, immediately, proclaimed the truth about Jesus and directed his followers to pursue Jesus. Whenever a dynamic ministry leader does not do the same, they are missing the mark. If I do not do the same in my ordinary, everyday life, I am missing the point. My purpose, no matter what work I do, is to point people to Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God will touch people’s lives as they look to and follow Jesus.

This is Passion Week. May the work of John the Baptist be accomplished in and through me: proclaim and point to Jesus as the only Son of God.

From THUNDER to LOVE (Part II)

John the beloved disciple, the apostle of Love knew Jesus as a boy, as a man, as a miracle worker, amazing teacher, and as Savior and Lord. “It is the Lord,” John said when seeing Jesus, post resurrection, on the shore after Jesus directed them in taking a large catch of fish.

John wrote his Gospel narrative with a strong opening argument, which declares Jesus as God and linked to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY as the One who made God known to mankind. (John 1:1-18) John closes the book saying the world itself could not contain the books that would be written about Jesus if every one of the things He did were written down. (John 21:25)

As John edited his Gospel writing, choosing the things he would include in order to persuade people to believe in Jesus, so that by believing they would have life in His name. (John 20:30-31) He used his material to show the divine nature of Jesus. He includes not only seven major miracles, but also the seven “I am” statements of Jesus. Also, Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, and the proclamation of the most famous scripture verse ever penned (John 3:16), followed by one of my personal favorites, (John 3:17). Women are also prominent in John’s narrative including the Samaritan woman at the well.

Finally, John records a long, if not the longest Jesus narrative, which comes after they have celebrated the Passover and Jesus has washed the disciples feet, to the time when Jesus is arrested. This includes, “I am the way, the truth and the life…I am the true vine,” the promise of the Helper (Holy Spirit), the promise of Jesus’ return and the disciples sorrow turned into joy, the “I have overcome the world” statement, the high priestly prayer of Jesus for His disciples and for those believers who would follow including we Gentiles. (John 13-17).

Later in life, John would communicate to the world that Jesus was the God of Love, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End in his other writings--1,2,3 John and the book of Revelation.

John’s Gospel is a Jesus feast as we get up close and intimate with the Savior from a writer who knew Jesus well, who experienced His miracles, His transfiguration, His death and resurrection and who was transformed by the unconditional love of His Savior and Lord.

I am excited to be reading John with you, drawing closer to Jesus through His word. Let me know your thoughts as we approach Passion Week and Easter Sunday.

From THUNDER to LOVE (Part I)

"He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee and John...(to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder)" (Mark 3:17)

Sons of Thunder is not the title for a popular television show or the name of superhero twins, it is the nickname Jesus gave two disciples--James and his brother John (the Gospel writer) and it is easy to see why.

These guys were feisty. They started a discussion, which led to indignation by the other disciples and a full-blown argument about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. They wanted Jesus to give them whatever they asked for—namely to sit on either side of Him in the kingdom of God. They wanted to stop someone who was casting out demons in the name of Jesus but was not part of their inner circle, and they wanted to call fire down on a village inSamaria that rejected Jesus. (Mark 9:33-41/Mark 10:35-45/Luke 9:46-56) They were feisty and reactionary as men who were fishing partners with Simon Peter might have been. (Luke 5:10-11) We always hear about the reactions of Peter, but it seems James and John had similar behavior. Perhaps this is why Jesus always kept these guys close and together—they needed His influence the most, if true transformation ofcharacter was to occur. (Luke 9:1-45) Does any of that sound familiar?

Scholars believe James and John were related to Jesus. Salome was their mother and she was believed to be the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus. If so, as cousins of Jesus, James and John would have known Jesus for the longest period of time. They may have grown up with Him, traveled with Him and lived nearby Him. As disciples, they knew Jesus was a unique individual and they were amazed at the things he could do and the way He taught the scriptures, but it is clear from (Luke 9:45) they did not understand His full purpose for coming to earth.

Salome also recognized her nephew was a unique person, and perhaps even more so than her sons did. (Matthew 20:20-28) This mother’s grandiose request, which the boys said they were able to handle, had intense implications.

James died in the early church period when Herod the king had him killed with the sword, (Acts 12:2). Eventually John, who would live the longest of any of the Apostles, would be boiled in oil by the Roman Emperor Domitian and when he did not die, was exiled to the desolate island of Patmos. The Historian Eusebius writes John returned from exile to Asia Minor near the age of one hundred. He visited the churches, often carried on a stretcher, to deliver a single message, “Children love one another…the sole commandment of Christ is to love, for he that loves has no need of anything else.”

John grasped perhaps better than anyone else, the unconditional love of Jesus. John declared, Jesus understood what was in man. (John 2:23-25) (See also: John 1:48, 5:42, 6:61, 6:64, 16:30) John had first hand experience with feelings of jealousy, envy, grumbling inside his own heart,which Jesus knew about and challenged. John’s nickname was relevant to who he was, but the unconditional love Jesus showed taught John to become greater than his nickname or sibling rivalries.

God’s love taught John to deny himself, to view others as greater, and to serve others with unconditional love. John came to be known as “the beloved disciple and the apostle of love.” This signifies his understanding of being loved by Christ and adopting the message of unconditional love to the world. In his writings John referred to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” (John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:20-25) and rightly so. John had experienced the unconditional love of Jesus to his undeserving and self-seeking, thunderous behavior. That love caused John to also be amongst the most loyal and fearless of the disciples. Even though at the arrest of Jesus all the disciples fled the scene, only John was found at the foot of the cross supporting Mary as she said goodbye to her Son.

(Part II - Next Post)