See To It

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

Colossians 2:8

I can remember when I first gave my life to Christ and the pastor would emphasis the need to look to the Bible to decide the validity and truth of any teaching. They would exhort us to compare what they or any other teacher said with Scripture and if it didn't match up we should first of all forget it and then call them out about it. 

A few years past and one of my pastors (who I love and still respect) was teaching about the end times and made a statement that I had a little trouble with. He said, "You don't want to be at a Stone's concert when, pa-da-ta-da (the sound of a trumpet?), then you are". The context of his teaching that sermon led you to understand that as you would be left behind because you were "sinning", according to him. Well, there's a lot of things I've done and I don't want to be doing when the Lord comes to take us home, but, the idea that if you just happen to be sinning at that precise moment when Jesus comes again because then you'll be left behind, is not a teaching I find in the Bible. 

My issue with that is not so much that it is not what the Bible teaches because it's not in Scripture but that it depends on human effort rather than God's grace. It's really just a form of sinless perfectionism, which is legalism. Sometimes what we have to  concern ourselves with is not full on heresy but things that depend upon "human traditions" or "the basic principles of this world". If it depends upon me rather than on the righteousness of Christ and his death upon the cross, then it's wrong. For example, my issue with the whole name-it-and-claim-it teaching is that it depends upon the individuals faith rather than on Christ. 

Here's the deal: we should all press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us (Philippians 3:12), but that is not to earn your salvation, it's to ensure salvations purpose in our lives. We depend upon Christ, abiding in him as he so powerfully works in us. If you have walked with the Lord for any length of time you realize your own frailty and Christ's faithfulness. That encourages us to continue in Christ. So, guard yourselves. Watch that you don't start looking to your own righteousness rather than to Christ's. Christ is the Cornerstone. 

It's Not About the Mat

Legalism always gets us looking in the wrong direction. Legalism focuses on the outward manifestation of right or wrong while faith starts from the inner being, the heart.  

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

Luke 5:22-26 NIV

It may be easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven," but, to say, "Get up and walk," and actually heal the paralyzed man...that demonstrated Christ's authority. 

As my friends in the south would say, "Let me ask you this," which is harder to do heal the paralyzed man or forgive his sins? Frankly, the death of Christ on the cross shows us that to forgive our sins is the costliest and most difficult thing in all of history, if not eternity. 

Think about it. The heavens and earth were created with a word. Our redemption cost the death of Christ, his separation from the Father, his humiliation as a man. He left eternity and was stuck in time. In human form he experienced our need, our pain, our hunger. At the moment of his death he cried out and "the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom. The earth shook and rocks split. The tombs broke open..." (Matthew 27:51-52a). 

Back to the mat. Jesus may heal you, but, what you need is forgiveness.  When Christ says he will forgive your sins, it's no mere flippant word by Jesus.  Christ may tell you to pick up your mat and walk, but, don't forget he forgave your sins. 

Are You a Scrooge?

The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

Matthew 21:14-15 NIV

I went to college in the south back in the eighties when the Lakers and the Celtics were going at it for championships. I of course am a lifelong Lakers fan. There were a few Celtic fans from Boston at school. When the Lakers won I was of course pretty happy, but they of course, shall we say, indignant. (I must say, in all fairness, that when the Celtics won I was, of course, indignant too.)

In Matthew 21:14-15 we have the blind and the lame (and they know it) and the chief priests and teachers of the law (who were blind and lame spiritually and didn't know it). Those who knew they needed Christ received all Christ had for them. The so called spiritually elite didn't think anything was wrong with them and they missed worshipping the very Savior they professed to wait for!

The question of the day is: Do you know, like the blind and lame, that you need Jesus, or do you, like the chief priests and the teachers of the law, think you are good enough, see what God is doing and become indignant? This Christmas are you remembering how Jesus heals your life or you a bit of a Scrooge? 

Your Hands Are Dirty, So What?

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean', but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean'.”

Matthew 15:10-11 NIV

Jesus has an amazing way of taking things straight to the heart of the matter. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were concerned about seeking God outwardly. They were focused on the disciples eating without washing their hands because that was a tradition of the elders. A tradition of the elders is not a commandment, it's a rule created by the religious leaders to try and keep people from breaking the commandments. 

Jesus then explained it further by saying, "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'" ( Matthew 15:18-20) So, we should be concerned with more about our hearts than our hands. (Yes, I do wash my hands before eating. Except when camping, working construction or otherwise away from soap and water.) 

I can wash my hands all I want and that will not keep me from sinning. The only thing that I know of that will wash my heart is the forgiveness of my sins by the death of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Do Good, It's Not Against the Law

He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12:11c-12 NIV

The image is still clear in my mind. I was in England at Capernwray Bible School. I sat down in my seat for class and the head of the school, Mr. Stracum, was at the podium and he just started quickly leafing through his Bible and every few seconds look up and sharply snap, "What does the Bible say? What does the Bible say?" 

We had just had a class on ethics the day before and the topics set off a barrage of verbal scrums usually only seen at the local pub when rival teams squared off for a championship match. 

Mr. Stracum reminded all of us that the Bible teaches about mercy, grace, forgiveness and redemption. Sometimes when we seek to follow Christ we get locked into legalism without even trying. Why? There's a lot of reasons, but, I think it's usually because we want to lock into  routine where we can just choose and act. We set a few guidelines that we inwardly make laws because we feel guilty if we don't do them. 

The point the Mr. Stracum made was that Jesus was more concerned about the person with the need than the rules and regulations added by the teachers of the day. We need to look at the person. Each person has an inherent value because they were created in the image of God, whether they know that or believe that to be true. 

I guess, in the end the point is: Do good in Jesus' Name and don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

COURAGE TO TELL THE TRUTH!

"The man answered , "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening  the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."" John 9:30-33

I love this story! The courage of this man to tell the truth about what Jesus had done in his life despite the doubts and insults of the Pharisees is courage born in faith.

The Pharisees, like all legalists, get hung up on technicalities. But, the real issue is power. Power over others and the illusion of power over their own lives. They tried to set the rules and interpret the Bible in ways that made them righteous by their actions. Jesus came and threatened (in their eyes) everything they thought about God and themselves! They couldn't get to Jesus yet so they went after the man whose eyes Jesus had opened. 

Sometimes telling the truth about Jesus will get you ridiculed and ostracized. The cool thing is that after the Pharisees threw the out the man whose sight was given to him, Jesus found him (John 9:35ff). After every battle, look for Jesus because he will find you. 

Father, give us the courage to tell the truth about Jesus no matter what others may think. Praise be to you in us today! 

THE BIBLE, IT'S ALL GOOD: II Timothy 3:16-17

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." II Timothy 3:16-17

Why do we need to read the Bible? Why should we take the time to try to study the Scriptures? Because we need to be taught, sometimes rebuked, corrected and and constantly trained in righteousness. If we truly want to live the abundant life, we need to live by faith in Christ and the Scriptures tell us how to do that.

It's sort of funny because there is a bit of an issue going on with a "loophole" in a rule for my son's little league about the pitch count. What is telling is that you can violate the spirit of the rule, which is to safeguard kids arms, by taking advantage of the loophole. As a parent I am disturbed that the board is more concerned with taking advantage of the loophole rather than the protection of 8-11 year olds arms. What's my point? My point is that we should read the word seeking the simplicity of faith, not the complexity of legalism. I think that is why some people like the question (which my mother always said to me long before the bracelets), "What would Jesus do?" or "Would Jesus hit his brother?" 

Obedience may not always be easy, but it usually is pretty simple. 

Father, help us to not just read the Bible but to do what it says. Praise be to you in us today.