The Real Deal

Scripture – Galatians 1:11-14: ¹¹I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. ¹²I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. ¹³For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

Reflection: – That’s an extremely important point. The gospel of Christ is not something people made up. God created all that is. People were designed to live in fellowship with God. In that fellowship we have everything we need. When I’m really focused on Christ, the desires of my heart are satisfied.

Given that, people still make the decision to turn away from God – to walk in a God-less way. They separate themselves from God and that separation is called. “sin.” My sin creates a gap between me and God that I cannot bridge.

In the face of that, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to fix what we have broken. His death on the cross provided the bridge I could not build. His resurrection on Easter proved that He’s the Real Deal – the only Savior – the only One I need. That gospel is not something made up by people. It’s good news given by God.

How is your relationship with Christ today? Where are you in relation to the bridge He has provided?

Holding Truth Over Error

Scripture – Galatians 1:6-10: ⁶I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—⁷which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! ⁹As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! ¹⁰Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Reflection: – It’s important to remember, Paul was bringing an entirely new message to people as he traveled from town to town. While people might respond to the message of Christ, they would have no background themselves or any mature Christians to guide them. So when other teachers would come along, they could easily be led in a different direction. It looks like this is what was happening with the Galatian churches.

Paul makes a crucial observation here. There is no other gospel but Christ. A long time ago I heard this advice. If someone says you need Jesus plus something else to be saved, pay close attention. Probably they’re getting into false teaching which will confuse people and pervert the gospel of Christ.

Last Sunday morning I came across a TV program featuring Dr. Charles Stanley. In the course of his sermon he was emphasizing the importance of truth over error. That’s where the battle is going on for the soul of this current generation. There is a lot of error in our thinking that tries to crowd out God’s truth. The fact is we are saved by God’s grace, not by our works. That’s a truth that Paul will drive home over and over in this Galatian letter.

So here are a couple questions to keep in mind today. What messages do you hear that might lead you away from the truth of God’s grace? How can you avoid spiritual confusion?

Open to God's New Word

Scripture – Galatians 1:1-5: ¹Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—²and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: ³Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Reflection: – Today begins a journey through this letter of Paul we call Galatians. And right off the bat, these opening verses are loaded with powerful Christian truth.

Paul begins by speaking of his own call to ministry. It comes not from any person, but from Christ. That’s the essence of any call to ministry – whether it be for a pastor of a church, a missionary to a different culture, a student in school or a secretary in an office. What is Christ calling me to do? How would He have me serve Him?

While there is much more here in these verses, the second big thing that stands out is that Jesus Christ “gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age.” There’s the essence of the good news (gospel). Christ gave Himself to rescue us. He volunteered to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. The “present evil age” has been with us throughout history. Without Him I would be helpless and hopeless in the midst of it today.

As we begin this movement through Galatians, open yourself to what God has to say to you. Specifically for today, what is your ministry where you are? From what has Christ rescued you?

Looking to the Lord in All Times

Scripture – Psalm 30:1-3: ¹I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. ²O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. ³O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.

Reflection: – First of all, “I will exalt you, O Lord.” I’ve learned that has got to come first. No mater what goes on or how I feel, I will honor God and give Him my praise.

A couple other things strike me here. Sometimes God lifts me “out of the depths.” I will sometimes find myself spiraling down – moving deeper into despair and apathy. In those times the Lord has lifted me when I could not lift myself.

Other times God spares me “from going down into the pit.” Some days I’ll catch myself beginning that downward spiral. I’ll turn it over to the Lord and He stops the process and keeps me from sinking.

Lord, thank for your active presence in my life. Sometimes you don’t act as quickly or clearly as I want. I’m sorry for being impatient with you. Walk with me today. Accept my praise and my thanks.

Reading for Sunday, April 27:

Scripture – Psalm 34:1-3: ¹I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. ²My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. ³Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.

The Ground of My Being

Scripture – Psalm 18:1-3: ¹I love you, O LORD, my strength. ²The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. ³I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.

Reflection: – “The Lord is my rock!” That reality has sustained me through many tough times. There are a lot of things that happen in life which I don’t understand. I have questions that God alone can answer. And for now, He remains silent when I raise them.

Still, when all seems to be shaking around me, I feel my feet standing on solid rock. As long as I keep myself focused on that, I will not be overwhelmed by any circumstances. I can count on this reality when I’m angry with God. I can count on it when I’m enjoying His presence. It’s there because He is faithful.

Thank you, Lord, for the sure foundation you provide. Keep me grounded in you today. You are, indeed, the ground of my being. (Thank you, Paul Tillich for that wonderful phrase.) For that I give you all the praise!

Paying Attention

Scripture – Psalm 16:1-4: ¹Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. ²I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” ³As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. ⁴The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.

Reflection: – In this present age there may be no more powerful prayer than the one in verse 2: “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” Lately, I’ve found my attention wandering. The power of money has been trying to assert itself. That’s one that slips in, whispering promises it cannot keep, and if I’m not paying attention, I start believing those promises.

I know better than that. And once I recognize what’s happening, I can turn back to Christ, confess my sin, and move on in the fresh, new beginning He always gives.

And so, today, I will keep this prayer in front of me: “You are my Lord.” There is no other. I will trust Him to be my provider, my rock, my refuge, my Savior.

The Satisfier of My Soul

Scripture – Psalm 9:1-2: ¹I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. ²I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Reflection: – What does it mean to praise God “with all my heart?” How do I do that? For me, I guess, it happens partly through music. During the day I’ll sing various hymns or choruses to myself. It happens often in my daily Bible reading. It happens when I let myself be stunned by the beauty of the day or the depth of the sky.

The key seems to be remembering that God alone is the satisfier of my soul. There are many wells and springs from which I’ll draw water today. And they all bring limited satisfaction to various areas of my life. Yet there is only one spring that flows with living water. In Christ my soul’s deepest thirst is satisfied. All the other wells could dry up and I will still be able to praise the Lord, be glad and rejoice in Him. And so that I will do with all my heart.

How Will I Come at Life Today?

Scripture – Psalm 1:1-3: ¹Blessed are those who do not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. ²But their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night. ³They are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever they do prospers.

Reflection: – To begin with, if you’re not familiar with the rest of Psalm 1, take a look now. It’s only three more verses.

Psalm 1 outlines a basic choice for life. I can decide who I will associate with. I can choose where I’ll go for life direction. I have two basic options for my approach to life. The one that brings life is described here. The other option is shown in the verses that follow.

In my heart of hearts, I face a decision as to how I will come at life. If I keep Christ at the center, there is peace that surpasses understanding. The tree is constantly renewed because the stream of water never runs dry.

Thank you, Lord, for providing this option. Remind me today to keep you in your proper place.

No More the Skeptic

Scripture – Mark 16:9-13: [The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.] ⁹When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. ¹⁰She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. ¹²Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. ¹³These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

Reflection: – It’s amazing how skeptical we can be. The disciples heard reports from three different people, but they didn’t believe any of them. Granted, the news they heard was hard to believe. It stretched them beyond any kind of life-logic they knew. Still, at some point I need to let myself simply believe people I know and trust.

I tend to be skeptical about a lot of things. I’ll let go of that today. I’ll let myself believe what people tell me. One of my teachers in high school began the year by telling our class, “I’ll believe you as long as you don’t lie to me.” Sounds simple enough. I’ll put that into practice today.

Lord, you I believe all the time! Thank you for loving me and forgiving me through my doubts.

Reading for Sunday, April 20:

Scripture – Mark 16:14-20: [The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.] ¹⁴Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. ¹⁵He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. ¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” ¹⁹After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. ²⁰Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

A Great Ending

Scripture – Mark 16:1-8: ¹When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ²Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” ⁴But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ⁶“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” ⁸Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Reflection: – Often, I overlook the fear factor of that first Easter. I read the story and focus on, “He has risen!” At the same time, the women who were there were so afraid they couldn’t say anything. When I stop and think, this was a very scary experience.

Obviously, the women eventually did tell their story. Their fear gave way to amazement – then joy!

There’s good reason to believe this is the original ending to Mark’s gospel. I kind of like it because it leaves work still to be done. We know there’s more to be told. Today, it’s left up to us to tell it. “Don’t be alarmed…..He has risen!”

One Last Act of Love

Scripture – Mark 15:42-47: ⁴²It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, ⁴³Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁴⁴Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

Reflection: – I find myself wondering if Jesus had talked with Joseph before He died. Clearly Jesus had made advance arrangements for His entry into Jerusalem and for the final meal He shared with His disciples. Had He also made plans with Joseph?

It looks like he was ready. He went to Pilate. He knew what materials he needed. He had (or knew of) a tomb that was ready.

Like all the others, I doubt Joseph expected anything more to happen. He just made sure Jesus got a proper burial. He did his part to give Jesus His “final” resting place.

Lord, remind me to be faithful, even when I don’t see anything more to come. Remind me you are always ready to act in surprising ways. I will trust you whether you surprise me or not today.

Hope in the Days of Darkness

Scripture – Mark 15:33-37: ³³At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?“—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ³⁵When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” ³⁶One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. ³⁷With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

Reflection: – Jesus cried out with the opening line of Psalm 22. That psalm is an interesting read. It starts out with the cry of forsakenness. Yet from that, it moves through despair to hope and praise and ultimate trust in God.

When Jesus breathed His last it must have been a relief for His enemies and great sorrow for His friends. Everyone assumed it was over. What a day it must have been.

Lord, you have shown me that even the darkest of days cannot overcome your light. You have carried me through times I couldn’t have made it on my own. The sun is shining today. Remind me I still need your hand on my shoulder. Be my guide and my friend this new day. Thanks.

The Greatest Choice

Scripture – Mark 15:25-32: ²⁵It was the third hour when they crucified him. ²⁶The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁷They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. ²⁹Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, ³⁰come down from the cross and save yourself!” ³¹In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³²Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Reflection: – Again, I’m brought back to a crucial reality in this whole scene. Jesus could have saved Himself. He could have come down from the cross. He was in control all the way through. He chose to die like this for us.

I’m tempted to give up when I encounter far less than this. A little resistance and my resolve begins to weaken. But, as I make myself look again at the cross, I’m reminded what Christ did. And He is the one I follow. In Him I find strength I don’t have within myself.

Lord, give me courage today. And give me insight to recognize the Evil One’s traps. Lead me not into temptation today, but through it.

A Problem for Others

Scripture – Mark 15:16-20: ¹⁶The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. ¹⁸And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” ¹⁹Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. ²⁰And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him

Reflection: Again, the silence of Jesus stands out in stark contrast to the people around Him. There was simply nothing more to say.

I’m hard-pressed to understand why or how people could act like these soldiers. What was to be gained? How could they so de-humanize a person?

Yet there are stories that come across on the news every day that I just skip over. People continue to do atrocious things to other people. Somehow, when they happen in Africa or China or India they don’t seem so real.

Even our own government endorses torture as a means of getting information from individuals. What can I do to stop such behavior? I can start by not letting it be someone else’s concern.

Lord, show me what to do here. Human rights are important to you. You’ve shown that throughout the scriptural record. I’m sorry for just ignoring this whole issue. Show your way for me to address this in my life. At least, show me how not to participate.

An Invitation: For anyone interested in sharing their personal reflections from this week’s readings, you are invited to come by the Tim Hortons donut shop at Dix-Toledo and Northline in Southgate tomorrow morning at 9:45am. We’ll have a cup of coffee and see what the Lord has been teaching us this week.

Reading for Sunday, April 13:

Scripture – Mark 15:21-24: ²¹A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. ²²They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). ²³Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. ²⁴And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

What' Going On Here?

Scripture – Mark 15:6-15: ⁶Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. ⁷A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. ⁸The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. ⁹“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, ¹⁰knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. ¹¹But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. ¹²“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. ¹³“Crucify him!” they shouted. ¹⁴“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” ¹⁵Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Reflection: Often I wonder what Biblical conversations sounded like. What inflections were used? What was the tone of voice? What did the speaker’s face reveal as he was talking?

Mark tells us Pilate knew the Jewish leaders were envious of Jesus. That is, they had a person stake in seeing Him executed. At the same time, they wanted Pilate to do the deed for them.

Given all that, I come back to the dialogue recorded here. Who was playing who? On one level this was a confrontation between Pilate and the Jews. On another, Jesus, though He stands quietly in the background, is bringing about the salvation of humankind.

Lord, thank you again for the choice you made. Thank you for the assurance of eternal life. While they thought they were doing something to you, you were doing something wonderful for them – and for us all.

An Invitation: For anyone interested in sharing their personal reflections from this week’s readings, you are invited to come by the Tim Hortons donut shop at Dix-Toledo and Northline in Southgate this Sunday morning at 9:45am. We’ll have a cup of coffee and see what the Lord has been teaching us this week.

To Be a Faithful Follower

Scripture – Mark 15:1-5: ¹Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. ²“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. ³The chief priests accused him of many things. ⁴So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.” ⁵But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

Reflection: Two things stand out to me here. First, the Jewish leaders reached a decision to hand Jesus over to Pilate. I can only wonder what went into that discussion. Sometimes in doing church business it’s easy to lose sight of God’s presence and begin following so-called “common sense.” It looks like these leaders had a problem that needed to be solved. So their solution was to turn to the secular, civil law of their day, thereby avoiding direct responsibility themselves.

The second thing of note is the silence of Jesus. He made no move to defend Himself. He embraced this path as the fulfillment of God’s will for His life. That’s hard to accept. Sometimes God leads me down unpleasant and painful roads. It takes great faith to follow Him there.

Guide me today, Lord Jesus. Keep my eyes on you. Give me what I need to follow faithfully wherever you go this day.

When the Heat's On

Scripture – Mark 14:66-72: ⁶⁶While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. ⁶⁷When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said. ⁶⁸But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway. ⁶⁹When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” ⁷⁰Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” ⁷¹He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” ⁷²Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Reflection: Jesus had told Peter this would happen. (Mark 14:27-31) At that time, Peter could not imagine that he would so easily and clearly deny that he knew Jesus. Yet fear has a way of changing me. I can (and do) speak boldly when it’s safe. But when the heat’s on, my tongue somehow gets all tangled – if not silent.

I will speak today. I will speak of Christ whenever and wherever it comes up. I will look for opportunities to do that.

Lord, empower me today to be a clear and consistent witness for you. Give me words as needed. Give me nerve when I feel afraid. Teach me to speak clearly when called upon. Thanks.

The Price He Paid

Scripture – Mark 14:60-65: ⁶⁰Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶¹But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” ⁶²“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” ⁶³The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. ⁶⁴“You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death. ⁶⁵Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.

Reflection: The raw courage of Jesus to open himself up to the physical pain He would endure is striking to me. The prospect of that is something I’m very much afraid of. I never saw “The Passion” movie because I don’t like watching graphic violence. (That’s why I don’t watch any of the “Saw” movies, either.)

I’m reminded in all that Jesus endured, He was never out of control. He could have stopped it any time. This was part of the gift He gave humankind.

Lord Jesus, give me courage today to face whatever comes – to embrace whatever cost may come with following you. You know how weak I can be. I trust you to give me all I need to serve you this day. Thank you for trusting me.