Our God who Walks Beside us
(NCV) Daniel 3:20 Then he commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tied up and thrown into the blazing furnace while still wearing their robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes. 22 The king’s command was very strict, and the furnace was made so hot that the flames killed the strong soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace. 23 Firmly tied, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was so surprised that he jumped to his feet. He asked the men who advised him, “Didn’t we tie up only three men and throw them into the fire?”
They answered, “Yes, O king.”
25 The king said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire. They are not tied up, and they are not burned. The fourth man looks like a son of the gods.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went to the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, come out! Servants of the Most High God, come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.
We all learned the story of the three Hebrew boys and the fiery furnace. The Chaldeans had conquered Jerusalem and taken some of the best and the brightest young men to become assimilated into the Babylonian society. Among these young men were Hananiah whose Babylonian name was Shadrach, Mishael’s was Meshach, and Azariah’s was Abednego.
When I was a child, I devised a plan to save myself if I were ever in the same predicament as the Hebrew boys. My idea was to do whatever the Hebrew captives were expected to do, bowing down before false gods, eating food offered to idols, but in my heart I would remain true to my God. Problem solved!
Except, I could never divide my loyalties like that—God requires all of my worship. The young Hebrews did not know whether God would deliver them from the flames or walk beside them in the fire. They only knew that their allegiance was to the God of their fathers. How can we do any less?
May we cling to the faith that has sustained us, regardless of our circumstances, knowing that God is our Protector. Jesus told us in Matt 10:28 not to fear those who can kill the body, but instead fear the One who can destroy the body and the soul.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pureness of Heart
(KJV) Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas,
and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?
or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;
who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity,
nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD,
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Often when I read this psalm I focus on God’s sovereignty. After all, when you start with a declaration that “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” where else would you go? But today I wanted to talk briefly about the way David believed we should approach God.
David says we should have clean hands and a pure heart in approaching God. All Christ followers should strive for righteousness, which is right standing with God. We are not born righteous. I think of it as putting on the coat of righteousness—at first the coat may be a little oversized, but the longer we follow Jesus, the better the coat fits.
But it is important to understand that there are many times when we are not righteous, but instead we are broken, seemingly beyond repair. Yet God, the great Architect, is able to put us back together because God takes us where He finds us, but He does not leave us there.
May we seek out and indeed strive to put on God’s righteousness every day, and may we know, believe and understand that it is by approaching God that our brokenness can be exchanged for righteousness.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Undying Love
(NIV) Eph 6:2 With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Love. Songs have been written about it, poems have extolled its pleasures, and crusades and wars have been fought, all in its name. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul ends by asking for their prayers, first for all of the saints and then for himself. Notice how Paul was specific in his prayer request. Otherwise, his friends would have surely prayed for his deliverance.
But Paul knew his imprisonment could work to the good for those listening to his voice. His prayer that God would give him the words to say should be the prayer of all Christ followers as we reach out to those we meet. For many years my morning prayer has included the request that God send someone across my path that I can help. And I ask that God prepare their heart, and He does.
Paul’s mention of “undying love” served as encouragement to these new Christians to keep their faith. There were many distractions and outright obstacles to the faith, but it was imperative that the Ephesians, and indeed that Christ followers today, keep their love pure and focused on Jesus.
May we learn from the early churches the need to “turn our eyes upon Jesus,” and may we, too, ask God for the words to say as we share Jesus with all we meet.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A Call to Easter People
(NIV) Phil 2:5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus there’s just something about that name. Written by Bill and Gloria Gaither in 1970, this song captures the essence of the power behind the name of Jesus. Certainly, the name “Jesus” was popular during the time of our Lord, but it was only when the name was given to the Son of God that it was able to change people’s lives.
Yesterday, we celebrated Easter and today we are called to live like Easter people. What St. Augustine meant by the term “Easter people,” was simply this: their faith in Jesus Crucified and Risen must be lived by imitating Him in daily life by the way they spoke, thought and acted. So today it is our responsibility, and indeed our joy, to live in the power of the resurrection as Easter people.
May we awaken from our slumber to a new day of having true joy in the Lord and the power of the Resurrection. .
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I am sharing today a portion of a sermon I delivered on Good Friday a number of years ago.
The Yellow Brick Road
Mark 15:16-20 (NRSV)
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
16 Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. 18 And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 20 After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
It was the 1960’s. We gathered in front of our new color TV to watch the annual presentation of the Wizard of Oz. Corn was popped in our iron Dutch oven, coca colas were poured, and the saga of Dorothy began. Dorothy and Toto, running from a mean old woman determined to take Toto from Dorothy, are swept away to the wonderful world of Oz where their dangers only worsen. The only hope to return home is in reaching the great and powerful Oz, and the only advice they received is “follow the yellow brick road.”
Our Scripture today tells us about the last road Jesus would ever walk. Just one week earlier throngs of people welcomed Him into the city of Jerusalem, shouting “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord”, yet there was an unseen danger. Much like the Wicked Witch of the West planning a way to destroy Dorothy and steal her ruby slippers, the religious leaders were already plotting Jesus’ demise.
Have you ever thought about some of the similarities between the fictional account of Dorothy and the narrative of Jesus’ last days. Both the Yellow Brick Road and The Road to Calvary seemingly were one way roads. Neither Dorothy and her friends nor Jesus and those who accompanied Him met anyone traveling from the opposite direction
Both roads had a singular destination–there was no city beyond Oz nor a place beyond Golgotha.
Neither Jesus nor Dorothy traveled alone, yet none of their friends could help them.
But here is where the roads diverge. While one leads to a magical, mythical land, the other leads to the cruel and very real Place of the Skull.
The phrase, “Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore” has become a way of acknowledging our situation has changed, not just changed but has spun out of our control. In other words, things are so different that our normal coping mechanisms will no longer work.
Have you ever had a time when you wished for either a yellow brick road or perhaps a pair of ruby slippers that you could click together three times and you would magically be transported away from your troubles? When Jesus prayed in the garden, asking that the bitter cup before him be removed, he had a very real choice to make. Would he remain faithful to His calling by staying on the Road to Golgotha, or would he take the alternate route, a yellow brick road, still filled with danger but ultimately lifesaving. We all know the choice He made. He was obedient to God, even unto death.
When the Roman Empire ruled the world, there was a saying–all roads lead to Rome. From the time Jesus took his first mortal breath, all roads for Him led to the place where he would die.
Jesus was just where He was supposed to be that fateful day when He walked, stumbled and even crawled towards Calvary. Jesus was just where He was supposed to be when He rose from the dead, and He is just where he is supposed to right now as He sits at the right hand of God the Father.
Each one of us is called to take up our cross and follow Jesus, not down the yellow brick road but on the road to Calvary.
I must needs go home by the way of the cross,
There’s no other way but this;
I shall ne’er get sight of the gates of light,
If the way of the cross I miss.
Refrain
The way of the cross leads home,
The way of the cross leads home,
It is sweet to know as I onward go,
The way of the cross leads home.
I must needs go on in the blood sprinkled way,
The path that the Savior trod,
If I ever climb to the heights sublime,
Where the soul is at home with God.
The way of the cross led Jesus Home, and it leads us home today.
May we determine to be Easter people today and every day.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 