Tag: jesus

The Shepherd's Voice

A Day of Thanksgiving–or Anxiety?

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Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4–9)

There can be no doubt that anxiety floods this world. These are chaotic, anxious, and uncertain times. One never knows what’s going to happen from day to day, and things seem to always be changing. Beyond that, the world is once again divided–and that division extends into countries, including America. There is hope in the midst of the uncertainty, though. Here in this passage, the Apostle Paul tells us how we can move past the anxiety and into the peace our souls seek. 

Anxiety: The Symptom of a Larger Problem

What is anxiety? Oxford Languages defines anxiety as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” Most would agree with that definition. Anxiety, then, comes from worrying about outcomes or events. Why do we worry about them? We only worry about them when we think they are a direct threat to our own goals. Let’s look at another passage that sheds light on this, one that’s familiar to many of us:

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:25–33)

Jesus tells us here that we do often worry about our physical needs. Why are we anxious about them? 

Because the flesh and the fallen nature desire to obtain these things apart from God.

That is the root cause of anxiety and worry. Anxiety comes from us wanting to do things our way, but being uncertain that we can achieve the goals we set. This is as true about personal needs (security and significance) as it is about physical needs (food, shelter, etc.). 

It’s not enough to say “Just don’t be anxious.” Neither Paul nor Jesus did that. They got to the root cause. What’s the root cause? Control. Who am I going to let control my life? Me or God? If I control my life, then the goals I set for myself will always be able to be blocked or thwarted. In simple terms, I cannot guarantee my own success. If, however, I allow the Lord to dictate my life, knowing that He is good and has promised to meet all my needs, then the goal He sets for me (knowing Him and being conformed to His image) is absolutely attainable.

The Solution to Anxiety: Dependence

The solution to anxiety is not to focus on the anxiety. It does no good to just tell an anxious person “Don’t be anxious.” Look back at Paul’s words:  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Instead of being anxious, we are to be dependent. 

We are to ask God for the things we need, and then thank Him. Why thank Him? Because He is good and will always give us what we need (even if it’s not what we thought we needed).True biblical dependence involves acknowledging both God’s ability to provide (His power) and His willingness to provide (His character).

We, on the other hand, are simply not able to provide for ourselves apart from God. We are by nature dependent beings, having been created. 

Peace: The Result of Dependence

When we move into dependence on God (including trusting His heart), look what happens–we receive peace. Some people teach that peace is the solution to anxiety, and we are to pray for peace. Peace, however, is the result of our obedient dependence and trust in the Lord. Why? Because when I know I am safe and secure in Him, I can have peace. We can’t just conjure up peace, it is a fruit (see Gal. 5:22-23). Fruit is the result of things.

Maintaining this fruit (peace) requires that we live in a state of dependence. By consistently turning away from the flesh’s attempt to live life apart from God. Notice that Paul describes this “peace of God” in two ways. First, it surpasses all understanding (see also John 14:26-27). In the midst of the hardest storms, we can have peace. I’ve known people and known of people who had utter peace in the midst of a cancer diagnosis.  And it was not understandable in the human perspective.

Second, this peace that surpasses understanding is said to “guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” It is this peace that keeps us steady in our faith in the hard and uncertain times.

Maintaining this peace also requires that we change the focus of our thinking. Paul’s final instruction in this passage tells us to think in certain ways. He writes,

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

What do all of those things add up to? God. We are to think on the things of God (or in Jesus’ terms, seek first God and His righteousness). We are to think like Him. We are to develop a knowledge of His character and deepen our trust in that character. The more we know these things (by constantly thinking on them) and put them into practice, the more we will sense God’s presence in the midst of our lives (“the God of peace will be with you”). 

This Thanksgiving season is a perfect time to begin to turn to God in dependence and trust. The more we trust Him, the more faithful He shows Himself, and thus the more thankful we will truly be. And the less anxiety we will see in us and those around us.

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The Shepherd's Voice

God’s Path or Man’s Party

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And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!” (Isaiah 30:21–22)

There is a lot of talk today about the Republicans, the Democrats, the Independents (well, not so much about them). Such talk is even dominating conversations within parts of the church. Now, don’t worry, this is not a post about politics or political parties or who’s right or wrong. This is a post about walking the narrow path that Jesus defined.

For followers of Christ, our authority is (or should be) the Bible. We accept the Bible as God’s written Word and our authority on belief, faith, and practice. Having established that, the question must be asked, “Why do we see so many Christians violating the fundamental spirit and implications of this passage?” Before we answer that question, though, we need to look at the passage itself.

This passage is a promise originally given to Israel. As we know, Israel consistently failed to keep the covenant that God gave them. Though the Lord was very patient with Israel and continually called them to return to Him, eventually Israel was sent into exile. This promise is part of a larger promise to bring Israel back to the land God gave them. It must have seemed at this time in history that God had hidden His face completely from Israel and rejected His people. Yet, He promised to no longer hide His face. In fact, He promised to hear their cry and be gracious to them, and more. He promised to speak to them and guide them.

What does this passage, spoken to Israel, have to say to us today? There are several things we can take from this passage.

God Still Speaks

As the church, we are also God’s people. Because we have the Holy Spirit living inside us, we can be assured that God desires to speak to us and in fact does speak to us. There are many avenues through which He speaks to us in addition to the Holy Spirit: the Bible (His written word), circumstance, and others, to name a few. To deny that God speaks to His people is to deny the very desire of His heart and the nature of His relationship with His people.

God Has His Own Way

Notice in the passage above God tells Israel, “This is the way, walk in it.” God has decreed a specific way for us to walk. Isaiah 55:9 tells us, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God’s ways are not like man’s ways. His ways are spiritual; man’s way is worldly, carnal. As ones called to follow Jesus, we are to walk in His ways and shed (and shun) worldly ways of acting and thinking. 

Not only is God’s way higher than man’s way, but God’s way is straight, meaning in line with His will and decrees. Notice in the passage above that God says, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” We can’t miss the implication that we are not to walk either on the left or the right, but walk in God’s path. To take that a step further, walking in God’s path means one does not bow to worldly agendas on the left or the right.

The Heart of the Matter

If you’ve read much of this blog, you know I try to stay away from directly engaging in political discussions, with limited exceptions. And even here, this post is not about any particular political issues. It is, as I said at the beginning, about the gospel and our commitment to it. So, let’s talk about this whole right/left thing. Is this not essentially the same party spirit we see Paul denouncing to the church of Corinth? They were lining up behind their favorite teachers, preachers, and apostles (and many parts of the church continue to be plagued with that).

At least in Corinth, they were lining up behind people who, for the most part, were committed to the gospel. It is often said (or at least asked) in Christian circles how one can be a Christian and vote for or support such-and-such party or so-and-so candidate. The truth is–and this may be a hard truth for many of you to swallow–political parties by and large could care less about advancing the gospel. Yet, the advancement of the gospel–seeing men and women come to Christ and seeing the resulting change in society–is precisely what the Christian is called to.

Former atheist David Brooks defines politics by saying “politics is usually a competition between partial truths.” So, the questions must be asked: Why would a Christian blindly follow a political party that, instead of promoting the gospel, has largely been silent and even sympathetic towards people who committed violent acts toward the government? The Bible has one word for that: rebellion. Now, I know the number one answer most many evangelicals will give–because said political party is supposedly “pro-life.” But can a person or group truly be said to be pro-life (meaning “life-affirming”) in the face of that silence and sympathy as well as other policies that ar far from life-affirming? On the other hand, why would a Christian blindly follow a party that, though they often have commendable compassion for the hurting, needy, and poor (classes of people the Lord cares deeply about), they show outright hostility to the message of the gospel, especially when it comes to certain issues? 

The truth is, as I said above, that political parties have no interest in promoting gospel change–because that requires the gospel. And that requires submitting to God and His authority of their lives. And that is something that fallen man refuses to do apart from an intervention by the Spirit. This, then, is the heart of the matter–a stubborn refusal to life life on God’s terms and instead seek our significance and security apart from Him. The Bible has a word for that also:  idolatry. But notice one final thing in our passage above. God says, “Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, ‘Be gone!’” When is “then”? When we are walking God’s path, not the path of a man or worldly group–including but not limited to political parties.

Let’s face it, every political party has an agenda–a vision, if you will. And that agenda has nothing to do with the message of Jesus Christ. Am I advocating that Christians get out of politics and political discussions entirely? Of course not–at least not yet. There will come a time, as I’ve said, when the Christian voice will be silenced in the nation. It’s coming sooner than many of us would wish. What I am advocating for, however, is that the church be the church, instead of a political arm. We as disciples are called to walk the path of Jesus, neither turning (bowing) to the right or the left. We are called to be disciples of Christ, not disciples of any worldly organization. We can live the two-handedness of the gospel (proclaiming the message as well as living it out) without swerving to one side or the other.

We have the answers that the world needs, church. Why would we embrace worldly thinking, ways, and methods? The answer is in Christ. Not politics.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Unintended Consequences

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In January 2019, I wrote a post that was triggered by New York’s abortion law that legalizes abortion up to 24 weeks (see “The Slaughter of the Innocents: Then and Now”). A year and a half later, I find it necessary to revisit this issue–this time to talk about a law and its implications on the other extreme. Texas recently passed a law (known simply as Senate Bill 8) that bans abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected. In a novel legal twist, however, the state does not enforce the law. Rather, it empowers private citizens to bring suit against those who “aid and abet” abortions–including providers, those who provide money, even those who drive a woman to the clinic.

Now, before I continue, let me just say that I am staunchly pro-life. (And I’m learning to be more consistently pro-life.) Abortion is simply state-sanctioned murder of the most helpless humans. That being said, this law has wider implications than many realize. By basically incentivizing lawsuits, the law allows people to profit off of the often gut-wrenching decisions that a woman must make (thankfully, the woman cannot be a target of such lawsuits). My question is, how can a follower of Christ claim to support such an action?

Not only that, but this takes us further down the road of “the end justifies the means” thinking. While some Christians may think this is a biblical idea, I disagree. Jesus never taught such a thing, nor is it found anywhere in Scripture. While we must do as our conscience dictates, that must never be allowed to be an excuse to violate Scripture.

Further, has anyone considered that such a bill will only deepen the suspicious nature of fallen humanity? A woman is pregnant and is scared, but she may suddenly feel that she cannot reach out to anyone. Why? Because anyone she reaches out to may, in the event that she has an abortion, become either a target of a lawsuit or (and worse) one who goes after “a bounty” based on that information. Again, I ask, how could a follower of Christ do that in good conscience?

There’s one more implication that we need to consider. This law reminds me of many laws in authoritarian nations that encourage people to take action against or report those who express views that are critical of the government or established policy. Such laws are often used to discourage free speech. While abortion is not a free speech issue, does such a law not open the door to a future wider use of a similar law? This should concern the church at large, but I fear it’s a case of the church being too short-sighted, looking only at the moment, and not at the future consequences. Those worldly ideas that the church thinks are great now will often be turned against us in the future to stop the preaching of the gospel.

My friends, this is not the way. We must not stoop to worldly methods and ways to advance a righteous cause. If we want to see society changed, we will only see that happen when hearts are changed by the power of Christ through the gospel. Translation? If you want to see abortion end along with other injustices and inequalities, preach the gospel. Not everyone will believe, but those who do will be saved and changed. And ultimately that will bring us one step closer to the Eternal Kingdom.

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Mind of Christ

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Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose. Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross! As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

— (Philippians 2:1–11, NET)

Some time ago, I was asked a question regarding this passage of Scripture. The question focused on the idea that Christ “emptied Himself,” and wanted to know what that really meant. This is one of those topics that has caused much debate in the church, and like many such debates it misses the point of the passage.

We can naturally break this passage down into a few parts.

  • The appeal for unity and of one mind (vv. 1–2)
  • A description of the “one mind” (vv. 3–5).
  • Christ’s example of these traits (vv. 6–8).
  • Christ’s exaltation because of His humility (vv. 9–11).

Paul’s thinking here is quite logical and natural, so we’ll talk about each in turn.

A) The appeal for unity and of one mind (vv. 1–2).

Paul begins by appealing to the Philippians for unity. He appeals to them to be “”like-minded, having the same love, united in spirit, with a single purpose” (Mounce Reverse Interlinear Translation). He asks them to do this so that his joy in them my be complete. This doesn’t imply that the Philippian church was divided, but rather it is simply a call to maintain that unity that the church has within and with the apostle.

B) A description of the “one mind” (vv. 3–4).

What does this unity, this “like-mindedness” look like? Paul sets out to describe it in the next three verses. The traits he lists include:

  • An absence of selfish ambition and conceit
  • Considering others more important
  • Looking out for the interests of others, instead of only looking out for self.

What do these things add up to? Humility. That’s the attitude that will promote the kind of like-mindedness and promote God’s purpose that Paul mentions.

C) Christ’s example of these traits (vv. 5–8).

Verse five really holds a key to understanding the passage. Notice that Pual says the Philippians should “have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had.” Then he proceeds to describe Christ’s attitude.

This is where most people get tangled up. They focus on what it means for Christ to empty Himself, rather than Paul’s point. Paul’s point in these verses is simply this: Though Lord of all, Christ became a servant to others. He set aside His own needs and desires for the good of others. That is Paul’s point.

D) Christ’s exaltation because of His humility (vv. 9–11).

Because Christ showed such humility, even though He is God-in-the-flesh, the Father has placed Him above all people and things. Though He became the lowliest servant and suffered God’s wrath for us all, now He has “the name that is above every name.” This echoes Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

In the same way, the believer who practices such humility will be exalted in due time. James writes, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you” (James 4:10).

What Does it Mean?

So, the Bible doesn’t directly answer that question. There are, however, some things we can say about Christ’s emptying Himself.

Most importantly, Christ never ceased being God. God cannot cease to be God, nor can God give up any of His attributes.

What it really means is this: God took the form of a servant, both to save us and to show us how we are to live in His grace.

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The Shepherd's Voice

On the Road with Jesus: The Cost of Devotion, the Price of Forgiveness

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We’re continuing our journey with Jesus and His disciples in Luke’s gospel. In this post, we’ll look at what it cost some to follow Jesus.

Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil. As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” So Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him 500 silver coins, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

— Luke 7:36-50

Luke gives a lot of detail to what might be called minority groups in his gospel, including women. In fact, in Luke 8:1-3 we read this:

Some time afterward he went on through towns and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities: Mary (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Cuza (Herod’s household manager), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their own resources.

In our passage today, we see an example of this. We see a woman invite herself to a banquet to show her devotion to Jesus. How did she get there? She likely took advantage of the law that allowed those in need to attend such events to receive the leftovers. In this case, however, it’s clear her motivation was to see Jesus.

She brought what was probably a very expensive bottle of perfumed oil. These were often bought and saved for specific and/or special occasions. The bottle would have had a long neck that had to be broken for the oil to be poured out. The woman (who is unnamed here) deides this is the best of all occasions to use the oil. She stands behind Jesus at the table weeping, her tears wetting His feet. She then dries His feet with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with that most precious commodity she had–the oil.

It’s clear that she doesn’t speak (at least Luke doesn’t share it if she did). She just performs this simple act of devotion. And Jesus, as He often does, transforms it into a moment of both salvation and teaching. While this woman is wiping, kissing, and anointing Jesus’ feet, the Pharisee who invited Jesus is having a conversation with himself.

This woman is a sinner!
If Jesus knew who she was, he wouldn’t allow her to touch him.
Therefore, he can be no prophet.

Notice that the Pharisee (Jesus identifies him as Simon) thought nothing of the amazing act that was performed by the woman, but only about one thing–she was a sinner. Notice further that Simon did not speak those thoughts out loud. His attitude was, “If this man knew . . . .”

What does Jesus do? In short, He demonstrates that He does know. He starts with a simple statement: “Simon, I have something to tell you.” Then, Jesus begins as He often does–with a parable. He tells of a moneylender who had two customers who couldn’t pay the loan back. One owed 500 denarii, the other 50. Since they couldn’t pay him back, the moneylender canceled both their debts. A straightforward story. Then Jesus asks that question that goes to the heart of the matter:

Which of them will love him more?

The answer seems obvious, doesn’t it? And Simon answers correctly (albeit somewhat reluctantly, perhaps knowing where this conversation is going). Simon answers,

The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.

After acknowledging Simon’s correct answer, Jesus proceeds to describe what really just happened. He contrasts the woman’s actions with Simon’s.

You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.
You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

Then He does what the Pharisee would consider unthinkable. He pronounces her sins, “which are many,” forgiven. Why? “Because she loved much.” What’s Jesus saying in all this? A few things:

First, He told Simon, “Yes, I know this woman, her sins, and her heart. And by the way, I know you as well.” Simon did not find Jesus worthy of the normal treatment one would extend to a guest in that culture. That alone showed a glimpse into Simon’s heart. The unnamed woman, on the other hand, thought Jesus worthy of exquisitely special treatment, giving all she had in a special service to Him.

Second, Jesus teaches that God’s forgiveness manifests itself in loving service. One who realizes the depth of the debt that was owed but forgiven cannot help but love the one who has forgiven the debt–and consequently will love others.

So, the question for us today is this: Do we really know the debt that has been forgiven us? It’s one thing to say, “My sins are forgiven.” It’s another thing to come face-to-face with the depth of our sin–and realize it’s no more because it was cancelled by Jesus.

This is another example of this statement: There is no sin too big, no misery too deep, that Jesus cannot forgive, heal, and redeem. When we feel overwhelmed with despair in our sin, we can hold tight to this truth..

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The Shepherd's Voice

On the Road with Jesus: Out of Time, Out of Hope?

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We’re continuing our journey with Jesus and His disciples in Luke’s gospel. Today, we’re going to look at what happens when one begin to lose hope.

John’s disciples informed him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind. So he answered them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Look, those who wear soft clothing and live in luxury are in the royal palaces! What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.” (Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. However, the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

“To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.’

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

— Luke 7:18-35

Even the most ardent believer in Jesus will often reach a point in life when they struggle to have hope and question what they’ve believed. They may not be imprisoned–or they might. We all do. It’s part of our growth. This was even true of the Forerunner of Christ, John the Baptizer.

Out of Time, Out of Hope?

Let’s start with the basics. John the Baptizer had been put in prison. The gospels of Matthew and Luke tell us about him. They tell us that he came to announce the coming of the Messiah, and to prepare the people to receive Him. He lived a rather austere lifestyle. Matthew describes him like this:

Now John wore clothing made from camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.

— Matthew 3:4

So, people probably throught him rather strange. And his message didn’t help. He called people to repent, to turn back to God and be baptized as a sign of their repentance. He proclaimed that message to all: young and old, religious leader and layperson. He even proclaimed that message to Herod–and we’ll get to that in a bit. Matthew tells us,

He is the one about whom Isaiah the prophet had spoken: “The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.’ ”

— Matthew 3:3

His speech, mannerisms, and lifestyle resemble an Old Testament prophet like Elijah. Indeed Jesus acknowledged him as a prophet–and the crowds apparently acknowledged him as a prophet as well. So, it seemed that John was indeed doing God’s work, declaring God’s true message to the people. Then, he proclaimed his message to Herod, and everything changed. This is what Matthew tells us:

For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had repeatedly told him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”Although Herod wanted to kill John, he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet.

— Matthew 14:3–5

So, here John is, stuck in prison for doing the very thing God called him to do! And that brings us back to our passage in Luke. Let’s look at the question John asked of Jesus through his disciples: ‘Are you the one to come, or should we look for another?”

Translation? Am I suffering here for nothing? Do you see me?

Isn’t that what we all ask at times? We get stuck in life. The storms of life are swirling around us. We feel like we are in chains. And we wonder if God, the one we have been believing, following, and serving, sees what we are going through. And the implied (if not asked directly) directly is, “Will you get me out of this?” For too long, Christians have found such questions uncomfortable. We feel embarrassed to even let the question enter our mind, let alone ask it!

John the Baptizer wasn’t afraid to ask. Or maybe he was just desperate enough to ask. That should give us hope. What should give us even more hope is the response Jesus gave him. Luke notes that Jesus had been engaged in ministry when the discples of John arrived. We read, “At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind.” And surely John knew of the reports of Jesus before he was put in prison. So, Jesus answers the men who were sent:

Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.

When Jesus instructed the men to tell John what they had seen and heard, could it be that that witness would trigger John’s own recollections of reports about Jesus? Jesus is subtly telling John, “You proclaimed me as the Messiah. These are the things Messiah is to do.” In a short phrase, as he told the woman of Samaria, “I am he.” When we are in the same boat, we can look back and remember what we have seen and heard, how the Lord has been good.

Not Fitting In

The thing about Jesus and John is that neither fit into society’s mold (especially the religious leaders’ mold). The Lord works in ways we don’t expect Him to. This is Jesus’ point when He compares that generation:

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.’

Jesus and John refused to play the games that people wanted them to play. Often, when we are serving the Lord the most, we don’t fit in either. In fact, we should sense that we don’t fit in. Why? Because this world is not our home. We weren’t created for this fallen, sin-stained world. But we are here. And we wait for Him in hope. And while we wait, we proclaim and live His message faithfully. Tell them what you have seen and heard. And in the end all things will be made right.

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The Shepherd's Voice

On the Road with Jesus: Living in the Kingdom (Pt. 2)

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We’re continuing our journey with Jesus and His disciples in Luke’s gospel. Today, we’ll finish our discussion of Luke 6 by looking at the second half of Luke 6:17-49. There we read:

[Jesus said,] “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”

He also told them a parable: “Someone who is blind cannot lead another who is blind, can he? Won’t they both fall into a pit? A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher. Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while you yourself don’t see the beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from brambles.The good person out of the good treasury of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury produces evil, for his mouth speaks from what fills his heart. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I tell you?

“Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice—I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep, and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against that house, it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!”

— Luke 6:37-49

In this second half, we’ll see that Jesus continues to talk about life in the Kingdom. Not only are we to go the extra mile toward people, but we are to be careful we evaluate and judge people and circumstances.

Living in the Kingdom (Part 2)

Verse 37 (along with Matthew’s account in Matthew 7:1) is one of the most often mis-quoted and misundertood verses in the Bible. It’s often objected, based on this verse, that Christians can’t make any moral judgments. But this is not the intent of the passage at all. If you recall, verse 36 reads, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” Verse 37 is an explanation of what that looks like when dealing with others.

What does it mean to be merciful in this context? It means we refrain from judging motives and intents of the heart. It means that now is the time of grace, redemption, and restoration. Judgment will come later for those who refuse God’s offer of grace and salvation. If we look at the next verses we see the real point of verse 37. The second half of verse 38 reads, “For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Now, does this passage mean that we overlook sin, especially in the Body of Christ? Absolutely not. The goal, however, is the restoration of the offender. And what did Paul say about that?

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

— Galatians 6:1–2

Notice how the brother who is “caught in any transgression” is to be restored: in a spirit of gentleness. The next sentence is often misinterpreted. When we read, “Lest you too be tempted,” we assume Paul is referring to the same sin that the “brother” was ensnared in. But that’s not necessarily the case. The bigger temptation here is to feel superior to my brother. What’s the solution to that? The implication is that walking in a spirit of gentleness will curb that tendency.

What’s the point of the parable in verses 39-42? Simply this: Both of the brothers (the one with the speck and the one with the log) are blind. One is not “more blind” than the other. If I think I am less blind than you (that feeling of superiority), then I am apt to try to “lead” you. My blindness will lead us both astray. Again, Jesus is not proclaiming a “judgment free zone,” in the sense of overlooking sin. He is, however, talking about how we approach sin. And we are first to examine our own heart and motives when dealing with an errant brother or sister.

Jesus also tells us in verses 43-46 that the attitude we display in relation to people comes from the condition of the heart. The implication here is a tough one. The question must be asked, “Can a Christian, who has been saved and redeemed, who has encountered the Savior, be critical and condemning of others?” It would be tempting to say “no.” But only God knows the heart, and the Lord knows who is His. But, the question does deserve some serious consideration. Over and over in the New Testament we see that salvation always leads to fruit.

Finally, Jesus tells us that those who hear these words (who let them sink into their heart and soul) and who puts them into practice will be like one who builds a house on a foundation made of rock. With such a foundation, there is no erosion (like in the sand), and the house stands strong against the storms of life.

As believers, we need to remember that we are on the same journey as fellow believers. We are all blind apart from the grace of the Holy Spirit. Superiority or haughtiness, condemnation or a critical spirit have no place in the life of a believer.

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The Shepherd's Voice

On the Road with Jesus: Living in the Kingdom (Pt. 1)

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We’re continuing our journey with Jesus and His disciples in Luke’s gospel. Today, we’re going to look at the first half of Luke 6:17-49. There we read:

Then [Jesus] came down with them and stood on a level place. And a large number of his disciples had gathered along with a vast multitude from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who suffered from unclean spirits were cured. The whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all.

Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort already. Woe to you who are well satisfied with food now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets.

“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other as well, and from the person who takes away your coat, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your possessions back from the person who takes them away. Treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

— Luke 6:17-36

In this long passage, we see Jesus talking about what might seem to be many different topics. However, there is one consistent theme that binds them together.

Living in the Kingdom

After Jesus appointed the apostles (Luke 6:12-16), he came and ministered to the multitudes. The sermon that follows closely parallels that of Matthew 5-7. However, it’s clearly different for two reasons. First, Jesus is said to have on a “plain” (or level place, as the ESV says), where as in Matthew, ther sermon is given on the side of a mountain. Second, the content, while similar, is not identical has has a few different emphasis. Both accounts, though, focus on the same theme, life in the Kingdom. (By the way, for Matthew’s account, the Sermon on the Mount, you can read the blogs in the “Growing in Christ” series.)

What’s the first thing that Jesus does here? Preach? No. Verses 17-19 tell us that Jesus ministered to the people in practical ways. Those with diseases were cured, the demon-oppressed were set free. His ministry was so strong that Luke says, “And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.” Before He began to teach them about the Kingdom, he focused on physical needs. We see this over and over in the gospels, Jesus using physical needs as a doorway to talk about spiritual needs.

Then we have the contrast between the people in verses 20-23 and those in verse 24-26. Where one group is “blessed,” for the other Jesus pronounces “woe!” This is certainly at odds with how the world sees things. The poor, the hungry, those who weep and mourn, and those who are hated and cursed by people because of the Son of Man are blessed. Why? Because rewards await them. Those rewards are eternal and cannot be taken from them.

On the other hand, Jesus says, “Woe!” to those who are rich, those who are full now, those who know not the experience of weeping and mourning, and those who who are spoken well of by all people (by the world). Why “woe”? Because what they experienced in this life is all they will receive. Why is that? It’s not that being “satisfied” is a sin. Rather, Jesus is again talking about earthly things to demonstrate spiritual realities. Those who are rich, who do not know hunger, who have not experienced weeping, and whom are always well-spoken of by the world are in a place where they believe they don’t need God. This is a common theme through Luke’s gospel. Remember, Jesus came to for the sick, not those who claim to be healthy.

What’s the implied lesson here? We who follow Chirst are to have a different attitude–former attitude, not the latter. We are to be different than the world. The next verses (27-36) give us another example of how that should look. Notice first that Jesus talks about two groups in this passage. He distinguishes them as “sinners” and “you who hear” (meaning those who are His disciples). There’s an implication to this that we won’t dive into right now, but it is this: Those who are in God’s kingdom are not known as sinners; they have a different identity.

Let’s look at the contrasts between these two groups. First, Jesus gives the commands to His disciples:

  • Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you
  • Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
  • Do not retaliate against one who strikes you or seizes your possessions; instead offer the other cheek.
  • Give to all who ask of you, not expecting it back. Treat others as you wish to be treated.

Then He contrasts that commands with how “sinners” relate to people.

  • Even sinners love those who love them back.
  • Even sinners do good to those who do good to them.
  • Even sinners lend to others, expecting to get back what they lent.

Jesus finishes here by repeating his command earlier, and adding that for those who do, “Your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (verses 35–36). There are at least two lessons here.

First, Jesus tell us the character of the Father. He is kind. But He is not only kind to those who are righteous and grateful, but also to the ungrateful and evil. This kindness is likened to mercy. Mercy, in Jesus’ language is always active kindness.

Second, because God is our Father, we are to be of the same mindset. We are to be merciful. Not only because He is merciful toward us, but because He is merciful. We have been and are being transformed to His moral image. Thus, Jesus is telling us to walk according to who we are.

The disciple of Jesus, then, is to rise above, going the extra mile (to borrow that old saying). And why are we to do that? Not simply because “the Bible says so,” but because of our identity. (Remember the implication from earlier?) We are no longer sinners. We have been redeemed, and now we can, should, and desire to love God and love others, even beyond the world’s definition of “love.”

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The Shepherd's Voice

On the Road with Jesus: Food, Healing, and the Sabbath

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We’ve seen so far that Jesus was not what the people of Israel expected in a Messiah. He talked about being sent to the Gentiles after all! Now, we’re going to see that Jesus wasn’t quite the “observant Jew” that the Pharisees thought He should be.

On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. (Luke 6:1-11)

Before we begin, we should clarify something. In saying Jesus wasn’t the observant Jew that the religious people thought He should be, we don’t mean that He didn’t keep God’s standards for Israel. In fact, Jesus claimed to always do what pleases the Father (John 8:29). It’s just that He wasn’t keeping the Law according to the traditions and rules of the Pharisees. As we’ll see on this journey, Jesus redefined (or defined properly) what real obedience looks like.

Food, Healing, and the Sabbath

There are two different scenes in our passage, but they revolve around a single subject: the Sabbath. In the first scene, verses 1-5, Jesus and His disciples are outside on the Sabbath plucking the heads of grain in a grain field, and “rubbing the heads in their hands.” Now, a little background. The Law of Moses permitted this. We see this in Deuteronomy 23:25:

If you go into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor’s standing grain.

So, Jesus and His disciples were doing what was permitted in the Law. What’s the problem then? The problem is the Pharisees considered “rubbing the heads between their hands” to be work, which was not to be done on the Sabbath. But, that was added to the law much later. Jesus calls such things “traditions.” He gives two responses to the Pharisees: One about the law and the other about the Lawgiver. First, He appeals to the story of David, found in 1 Samuel 21:1-6. There we read this:

Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.” And the priest answered David, “I have no common bread on hand, but there is holy bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women.” And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?” So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.

We need to notice two things in this story. First, it was not a Sabbath. Second, David did something that was not lawful (under the Law of Moses). What is Jesus’ point in reminding the Pharisees of the story? By citing this instance, He implicitly approves of the action of David eating the bread. Infringement of the rule to meet a genuine human need received no condemnation. So, His point is that ceremonial rites have to give way to higher moral concerns (in this case human need).

After giving that analogy, Jesus then turns to Himself. He simply says, “The Son of Man” (His favorite term for Himself) is lord of the Sabbath.” What does this mean? As one with the Father, Jesus is the only one who can truly define what was intended by the law. And He often did re-interpret the Law, moving it away from the traditions of the religious leaders.

The second scene, in verses 6-11, takes place in a synagogue on a different Sabbath. Luke tells us that Jesus was teaching and that there was “a man there whose right hand was withered.” After the previous confrontation over the Sabbath, the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely. They wanted to find reason to discredit and accuse Him. So, we know right from the beginning their motives weren’t pure.

Notice that Jesus “knew their thoughts,” meaning the desire of the Pharisees and scribes to accuse Him. So, what does He do? He calls the man with the withered hand up front. He intends to meet the challenge head-on. Notice also the question Jesus asks of the religious leaders:

Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?

This is really a rhetorical question, the obvious answer, one would think, is “to do good; to save life.” But, the leaders have no intention of engaging in that discussion, so they remain silent. (Mark’s account, in Mark 3:1-6, tells us that Jesus “looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart.”) Jesus then simply tells the man, “Stretch out your hand.” There’s no suggestion that Jesus touched the man, only that He gave the man a command.

Stretch out your hand.

What happened when the man obeyed? His hand was fully restored, just like the other one. Before we get to the reaction of the Pharisees, let’s think about the implications of what just happened. Jesus gave the man a command. He didn’t say, “If you’ll just exercise your faith, your hand will be healed.” No. He gave the man a command. Stretch out your hand. What can we learn from this?

When we obey the command of Jesus, our faith is evident and we see His purpose in our lives.

The Jewish leaders’ reactions had nothing to do with faith. Luke tells us “they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.” Mark is even more emphatic. He writes, “The Pharisees immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.” Now, one thing we need to know is that the Pharisees did not like the Herodians. They were rivals, in fact. But they hated Jesus so much that they consulted with their political and religious rivals to get rid of Him.

The leaders considered healing on the Sabbath to be work, in violation of the Law of Moses. Again, Jesus teaches us that the Law was not meant to be a burden to man. Rules are never to be enforced to the exclusion of human need. Remember His question to the Pharisees?

Is it lawful . . . to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?

Same question, except for removing the words “on the Sabbath.” When Jesus asked that question to the Pharisees, the implication of the question is this: Not only are we to do good and save life, but to fail to do so is unlawful. And if that is true on the Sabbath, then it’s true on every other day as well.

We are to do good to others, helping preserve life and not destroy it. The law of Christ is always focused on the needs of people over rules and regulations.

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The Shepherd's Voice

On the Road with Jesus: They Knew Him When

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Starting today, we are embarking on a journey with Jesus. We’ll look at some of the scenes from Luke’s gospel, highlighting times that Jesus is said to be travelling. We’re going to start with the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, after His baptism and temptation.

They Knew Him When

And Jesus returned [from being tempted in the wilderness] in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away. (Luke 4:14-30)

This isn’t the way many would have imagined their Messiah to begin His ministry. Instead of going immediately to Israel’s leaders and announcing His kingdom, He embarks on a mission of teaching and helping. Notice the first thing He does after returning from the wilderness is enter the synagogues to teach. And when He does this, He proclaims His mission:

  • To proclaim good news to the poor
  • To proclaim liberty to the captives
  • To proclaim recovering of sight to the blind
  • To set at liberty those who are oppressed
  • To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

Jesus is saying, “The time has come. This is the time of the Lord’s favor. It’s time to set the children of God free.” Notice that all of those things have to do with freedom and liberty. And He began to do just that. He set people free from all sorts of oppression–blindness, deafness, mute, epilepsy, leprosy, demon oppression, and more. He just didn’t do what everyone in Israel wanted done: to kick the Romans out.

This is why we see the leaders and the people reject Jesus. They were really rejecting His portrait of what Messiah was and would do. They forgot that their own writings told of a Messiah who would do the very works that Jesus did. This is also a clue as to why their attitude changed toward Him. They were “marveling” at the gracious words coming out of His mouth, but then when He brought up the subject of Elijah and Elisha being sent to Gentiles instead of Israel, they were “filled with wrath” and tried to throw Him off the cliff!

Two things happened here. First, they saw Jesus as someone they knew. He was, after all, preaching in His hometown of Nazareth. He rightly pointed out that “no prophet is accepted in his own town.” They said among themselves, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Translation? “We know this guy!! He’s just an ordinary carpenter. Who does He think He is?” Second, the Jews clung so tightly to their status of “God’s people,” that they had forgotten that they were supposed to be a light to the nations. Now, not only were they blind, not being that light, they hated anyone who would show God’s light to the Gentiles.

What is the lesson here? There are at least three. First, God wants people of all the nations to be given this message of freedom and liberty. As the Jews were called to be a light to the nations, so we are called to be the light and engage with those who are different from us. We might be tempted to see ourselves the same way the Jews saw themselves, as God’s people and hunker down in that identity. But God calls us to be the light to the nations.

Second, when we are called by God and embrace His priorities, often the strongest opposition comes from within our circle of people who know us. Our family, friends, or church can often be where we see that resistance the most. This is why Jesus made it clear that we must place Him above all over earthly relationships. Being on mission with Jesus will cost us, but He is worth it.

Third, we still live in the “year” of the Lord’s favor. Jesus stopped His reading before the next part of Isaiah 61, which continues: “the day of vengeance of our God.” And as we see time and time throughout the Gospels, His first response to those in bondage to sin and oppression is compassion. He reserved His judgment for those who thought they were well. And what did that compassion look like? We see great examples of the heart of compassion in Luke 10:25-37 and Luke 15:11-24.

We are walking with Jesus, who has great compassion for us, showing us the heart of the Father. Likewise, we can show compassion for those around us.

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