Last time, we considered the ‘almost Christians’ who thought they were on-side with Jesus but found themselves denied entry into heaven because of their lack of repentance and relationship with Him. Perhaps that’s still too vague for some people, though. Is there a way to evaluate what you believe to make sure you’ve actually responded to the heart of Jesus’ message? One of the places to look is at the people who walked away. We often hear about the crowds who gathered to hear Jesus speak. But there were also those who heard His message and turned from it. Rightly understood, Jesus’ teaching invites some and repels others. Consider his encounter with a man who walked away, and evaluate your own faith in light of the exchange.
Last time, we looked at an amazing promise of Scripture from Romans 10:9, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Having understood that verse, however, it may be a little confusing to read Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” He pictures people pleading to get into heaven but being denied entrance. They call Jesus “Lord” and can even point to some good works that they have done in Jesus’ name (v. 22), but Jesus casts them out saying that He never knew them (v. 23). It seems that they came close to salvation, but not close enough. What were they missing? They lacked what so many ‘almost Christians’ lack today: repentance and relationship. Let me explain.
When someone understands what the Bible calls “good news,” they usually respond with hesitation. The gospel message that Jesus bore the consequences of our sins at the cross sounds like good news, but a little too good to be true. When people hear that all they have to do to receive Jesus’ free gift of salvation is believe in Him, it feels a little like one of those emails telling us that we’ve received an inheritance from a wealthy benefactor. Sure, we have! Click, delete. The problem is that the words we use to describe our response to God are often heard without any context and they’re robbed of their meaning and impact as a result. I’d like to consider one of the key passages that describes how a person can respond to the gospel.
Like most people, I have spent the last week trying to process my anger and frustration at the murder of George Floyd. Feelings often point to questions but seldom give the answers. And the lack of answers has only compounded the frustration. Why does this keep happening? When will we change? Why can’t we do better? It would be a lot easier if this was just a police problem or an American problem, but viewing another senseless death through those lenses won’t likely get us any closer to an answer. I have to come to terms with the fact that this is my problem.
Numb from the news coverage that fuels more despair than it resolves, last night we watched, The Eye of the Storm, as a family. It’s a 1970s documentary about a third-grade teacher named Jane Elliott who, in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, tried to help her class of white students feel the impact of racism. Then we listened to accounts of people of African descent tell their stories of discrimination. And we prayed. I’m not qualified to speak to all of the changes that need to take place in our society if we are to deal with racism and take Jesus’ command seriously to love our neighbour. But I offer up the following as a sample prayer that I hope will guide our family’s response in the days to come.
It’s easy to keep doing the same things without thinking about what you’re doing. That’s not a recipe for personal growth, though. This week, I’m taking a course called “Preaching the Narratives of Scripture.” There were a couple of books that I had to read in preparation as well as papers to write, summarizing their contents and my reflection on them. On Wednesday and Thursday, I’ll take in day-long lectures with the instructor, Kent Edwards, who will come to us from California by Zoom video call. On Friday, I’ll preach to my computer screen and then have the professor, and fellow pastor-students analyze and critique everything I’ve said and done. Pray for me! In the follow-up to the course, I’ll submit another three sermons for written feedback from the others and in turn, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the other participants. Having gone through the same process for the course I took in the winter, “Preaching Old Testament Poetry,” I know the value (and the stress!) of the feedback and reflection. You can’t grow in the echo chamber. Let me share some of the lessons I’ve learned so far.
While a lot of attention has rightly been focused on the physical dangers of the COVID-19 virus and the economic impact of social distancing, more and more people are discussing its influence on our mental health. Anxiety, stress, fatigue and depression are a reality for many people in the midst of this pandemic. Perhaps you’re feeling some of these symptoms for the first time or maybe you’re finding that COVID-19 has exasperated what you were already feeling. I’d like to share where I believe the Bible intersects with COVID-19 and our mental health.
What if a classic novel could help you see the message of the Bible more clearly? One unforgettable story by Charles Dickens opened my eyes to understand Jesus in a way I didn’t expect.
We all have things we know we should think about but keep putting off. Some of them don’t matter much in the long run, but others have lasting consequences. What if the thing you’re avoiding now is the most important of all?
A visit to a Japanese home taught me something surprising about heaven. Just as a host sets the rules for entering their house, God sets the terms for entering His kingdom. Jesus’ parable of the wedding feast reveals what keeps people out.
When tragedy strikes, we ask tough questions: Does God care? Why does suffering exist? The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis provides deep answers, revealing God's love, the deception of sin, and His ultimate plan to restore what was lost.
