What has risen?

Well we know who has risen- Christ is risen.  Jesus Christ is alive though He once was dead.

But that is not the question today:  What has risen?

The resurrection of Jesus is God's eternal proof that the cross really finished things - because Jesus didn't rise for His own sake - but for ours.

When He took on our flesh and was born, God took on our cause.  He saw our human nature all sinful and corrupt.  He saw us dead in our sins.  So He took on our nature to make things new.  Because only He is without sin - without death - and without slavery to the devil.

His crucifixion beat those enemies (sin, death and the devil).  Human nature was punished in Christ.  Human nature has been made pure again in Christ by His perfect life.  But Easter...

Easter is the proof that our human nature has risen in Christ.  Mankind is new in Jesus.  We are alive.  Free.  Safe.  Christ has made a new humanity by His own human life, death and resurrection - and He wants all to be in it with Him - Christ died for all. 

So when you marvel at the resurrection this glorious Easter season - marvel that human nature has risen in Christ - marvel that in Christ you have risen, ascended into heaven and even sit at the right hand of the Father.  Marvel and sing and confess the good news - Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Which is more sad?

Very often in my conversations with the agnostic or the atheist (those who do not believe, or don't know what to believe), I hear them offer a common obstacle to the faith.

"I don't want to be tricked.  You know, what if it is wrong?  How sad would it be to live your life trusting in Jesus if the whole thing isn't true?"

Pride prevents faith.  "I don't want to be tricked."  Being duped would be the worst shot to my pride. 

The problem they fail to see is that you could be tricked either way!  In fact, the Bible specifically says we are being tricked, by the devil, our sinful pride and the influence of the world.  By trying not to be tricked by God, they are tricked by their own sin and the devil's words.

But this isn't even the worst thing.  It's one thing to be tricked, but which is more sad?  To live your whole life trusting in Christ and be wrong - meaning, you simply die and that's it.  OR, to live your whole life trying not to be tricked and be wrong - meaning, you gave up the most precious gift imaginable. 

Think about it.  It isn't all that sad to live for Christ if God doesn't exist, because at least you helped others during the blip of life you had.  BUT, since Christ has risen and offers eternal life, it is so unendingly sad for someone to reject His gift for the sake of an "if".  What "if" He isn't real... but what if He is!?

And here we come face to face with the Word of God, man's reason cannot produce faith.  Man's reason cannot believe in God, for it is entirely reasonable to conclude as we have above - yet man does NOT!  Reason is fallen.  It is broken.  It is curved inward on itself, looking only at "me, myself and I".  It cannot and will never look to the true God in faith, because only the Word of God produces faith.  Only God's Word untwists our minds from looking inward, that we might see Jesus hanging on the cross for our sake.  Here is God's promise:  You have rejected me, but I have accepted you in Jesus.  Look to Him.  See my love for you.  Stop looking everywhere else, and know me alone in the death and resurrection of my Son.  I forgive you in Him.  I save you in Him.  I give you eternal life in Him, and I will never withdraw my promise.  You are engraved into the hands of my Son.

May the Lord give you every confidence in His unfailing mercy this Lenten season and always.

How does Jesus' entire life foreshadow His last 12 hours?

It dawned on me this morning that everything in Jesus' life, even the early portions of His life - all foreshadow His last 12 hours.  They foreshadow His Passion.  It is like they are clues that the Gospel writers left that point towards why Jesus has come and what He has come to do.  Take a look at the Gospel readings for the season of Lent.

First Sunday in Lent: Jesus is tempted in the wilderness: foreshadows Jesus tempted in the garden of Gethsemane.

Second Sunday in Lent: After following Him for years and even calling Him "the Christ", Peter rebukes Jesus for speaking about death and resurrection: foreshadows Peter vowing to go to death with Him at the Last Supper but denying Him three times at the palace of the high priest.

Third Sunday in Lent: Jesus cleanses the temple with a whip of cords (a scourge), naming His body as the temple: foreshadows His own body being scourged as a punishment for our sin.

Fourth Sunday in Lent: Jesus declares the Son of Man must be lifted up like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness: foreshadows His crucifixion.

Fifth Sunday in Lent: Jesus declares the Son of Man came to give His life as a ransom for many: foreshadows His death.

These clues focus us on all that Christ endured to save us.  They highlight His Passion for our salvation - His great zeal to save us from our enemies - sin, death and the devil.  And these are not the only clues.  The clues are nearly endless, but during this season of Lent may our Lord set our eyes on His Son, His Only Son, that we may see He held nothing back, but gave us sinners His most precious gift.

Why does it matter which church you go to?

Do you believe in the Lord's Prayer?
Do you believe that it is a perfect prayer given to us by Jesus Himself? 
Do you believe that what our Lord taught us to pray for must be the most important things for us?

Consider the first petition of the Lord's Prayer - the very first thing Jesus teaches us to ask for.

"Hallowed by Thy Name"

Heavenly Father, hallowed be Thy Name.  What does this mean?

God's name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also. 

How is God's name kept holy?  God's name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as children of God, also lead holy lives according to it.  Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven!  But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God's Word profanes the name of God among us.  Protect us from this, heavenly Father!

Jesus is teaching us that when we consider where we go to church the number one thing we should be concerned about is this:  Is the Word of God taught in its truth and purity at this church?  Jesus is teaching us that doctrine matters.  It is the first thing we pray for.  Pure doctrine.  The pure name of God.   

Furthermore, we are praying that God would protect us from teaching that is contrary to His Word.  Protect us from false doctrine, false teaching and false teachers in His Church. 

So, what does all of this mean for you? 

Don't catch yourself praying the Lord's Prayer and then treating doctrine like it doesn't matter, or that it divides people.  If you do this, you are divided - praying one thing but believing another.  Instead, repent and believe in the free promise of Jesus.  He forgives you for such twisting of His name, and calls you to seek after purity of doctrine.  He frees you to look honestly into His Word and hear what He says is pure and true. 

Each of us makes light of God's Word every day of our lives, but in His mercy God forgives us and calls us to return to what He says, instead of what our heart says or what the world says.  We need this first petition of His prayer to continue to teach us.  We need to keep praying it.  And we need to believe that it is true.  God bless you and attend you as you seek His truth in a place of worship.

Why does God forgive me?

Have you ever noticed that when people say "I'm sorry" or "Excuse me" (at least in public) they don't really mean it?  And before you think I'm talking about them - like all those people over there - I'm not.  I'm talking about you. 

Honestly, when you say "excuse me" to someone, do you really mean:  "I am at your mercy.  You could totally take issue with me.  You have every right, because I have done wrong.  Please, according to your graciousness, excuse me of this terrible thing that I've done, that I promise to never do again."

No, you don't. 

You probably mean something along the lines of "I didn't mean to do that.  Hopefully your not too offended by my inadvertent selfishness."

We've changed the meaning of the words, haven't we?  We don't really mean "excuse me".  We don't really consider ourselves under the judgment of the other person.  We expect them to politely return our social nicety, and nothing more.

The problem is that this starts to influence the way we look at forgiveness.  It makes us think we deserve it.  Like it is due to us because we've said the right thing, or followed the proper protocol.  Can you imagine what you would think if someone said, "I certainly will not excuse you.  I hold this on you"?  You'd probably think "HOW RUDE!" 

Now, put this whole forgiveness discussion into the relationship you have with God.  Do you think He changes the meaning of words for social niceness?  Do you think He views the process like its some sort of vending machine - put in the right words here and out pops forgiveness? "I'm sorry God.  I sinned.  Now where is my forgiveness?"

Of course not.

In fact, I'm going to say a deeply shocking thing.  You don't have a reason for God to forgive you.  You don't have a reason - so He sent One.  You don't have a reason - so He gave you One - and that reason is His Only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God doesn't forgive you because you say I'm sorry.  He forgives you because of what Jesus did for you.  Because He died for you.  Because He rose for you. 

God doesn't forgive you because you deserve it - you don't.  He forgives you because that is who He is - a gracious God.  A giving, loving merciful Father that wants to rescue His children from their foolish rebellion.

So don't let people tell you, "You have to confess your sins or God won't forgive you."  That puts the focus on what you do - on your apology.  NO - God declares His forgiveness to you and that is what frees you up to agree!  You are right Lord.  I am a sinner, through and through - but You are merciful.  For the sake of Your Only Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.  Forgive me, renew me and lead me, that I may delight in Your will and walk in your ways to the glory of Your holy Name.  Amen.

Don't let the world form the way you understand forgiveness, because your Lord offers it to you now, even before you ask.

What does it mean to be confessional?

My son does this hilarious thing.  Standing with both his mom and I, he will ask one of us a question.

"Mom, can we go to the park?"

When he receives the affirmative answer "Yes, we can," he immediately turns to the other parent (the one not speaking) and repeats the joyful news.  "Daddy, we are going to the park."  (As though I wasn't there for the whole thing.)

At first, this seemed a little silly to me.  But then I realized that this is the purest and simplest way of communicating.  He knows I had heard the news.  But he wanted to speak it.  He wanted to tell me.  He wanted to share in this goodness with me - put it in the air himself - say the same thing that the authority had said. 

This is what is means to be confessional.  To say the same thing.  To confess the good news.  To know that one believes in the heart and confesses with the mouth.  To hear God speak His Word and immediately speak it back to Him.  Christians know that God knows His own Word.  But we want to speak it.  We want to tell Him.  We want to share in His good Word with Him.  Put it in the air from our lips - say the same thing as our gracious heavenly Father.  No, its not the park we get to go to - its His heavenly kingdom.  But we cannot hold back from sharing this good news.

There is another part to this idea. 

Those who are confessional gather and speak/believe the same thing as others in their confession.  They do not worship with those who speak differently than them - that would be like my son getting excited about going to the park with someone who kept saying "We are not going to the park."  It would never happen.  He would quickly find someone else who could excitedly repeat with him "Yeah!  We are going to the park."

What does this mean?

There is a pure and simple way to faith in God's Word - confessing it.  Uniting with those who confess it with you, and sharing it with those around you (whether they confess with you or not).  We are going to the park - the eternal kingdom of our heavenly Father.

Do good people go to heaven?

The most common religious teaching in the world is this very notion:

Good people go to heaven, bad people go to hell.

But good according to who?  According to you?  According to what society thinks is good in 21st century North America?  Who is the judge that determines good and bad?

The Final Judgment is coming.  There will be a Day of Reckoning when all will be laid bare, when the hearts and minds and actions of all people will be exposed and judged.  And we will not be the ones determining what is good and what is bad.  God will.  The One who made us.  The One who placed the notion of right and wrong in our conscience and continually torments it with us.  Because the truth is - we are evil - all of us - we have not been good and we know it - we have not done the right thing - we wrestle inside about it - wouldn't a good person simply do good naturally?  Why the struggle?  Why the effort?

So we twist the rules, the expectations.  We figure God will not destroy all of us.  As long as we appear better than most of humanity, then we figure God will award us over the rest. 

But this is not the judgment.  The Word of God has already made its verdict upon us all.  And the verdict is guilty. 

"None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands,
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.
Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.
The venom of asps is under their lips.
Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3:10-18)

We have so little fear for God's wrath that we fight against this verdict even though we know its true.  We know we don't understand.  We know we don't seek God unless it suits us.  We know we speak deception, that our mouth has uttered bitterness.  We know we get angry.  Yet we deny it all!

Good people go to heaven - but you are not one of them.

Yet this Judge is merciful.  He saw you in your guilt and took action to free you.  He sent His only Son into your flesh to suffer your verdict.  His Son, Jesus, was crucified in your place, taking your judgment upon Himself - that you might live.  Hear this.  Believe it, for He promises forgiveness, life and salvation to those who trust in Him.  You cannot earn this.  You do not deserve it.  Yet He gives it.  He did it for you.  He came from heaven so He could take you there.

There is only One who is Good.  Only One who goes to heaven - Jesus.  Yet you go too - in Him.  Trust in Him.  He is your life and your salvation.