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I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. Job 19:25
Yesterday I spent my birthday doing something I’ve had a life-long love for which was instilled in me by my father at a very young age. I’ve always loved preaching. I remember lining up the kitchen chairs and inviting my brothers to ‘church’. Sometimes they came. Sometimes I just spoke to empty chairs.
The lesson for the day was how we should always be ready to tell others of what Jesus has done in our lives. Growing up in a pastor’s family I have to admit that I always admired the testimony other people had. I enjoyed listening to how Jesus had saved them from the pain of abuse and the power of addiction. I envied their stories because, in my shallow way of thinking at the time, I saw my life as boring, uninteresting and void of anything to share.
Now, at the age of 59, I look back on that thought process and wonder what I was thinking. I also look back over those years since then and marvel at God’s wonderful grace.
If you had told me ten years ago that I’d return to a position in which I’d be able to teach the Word of God I’d have scoffed at you. I was divorced, fighting legal problems and on the edge of bankruptcy. It seems in most church circles legal problems and financial issues are forgivable. Divorce is not.
Maybe that’s why I’m so much in love with a Lord and Savior who consistently brought people into my life individually and through the written word to show me that although man’s grace is limited, God’s grace is unconditional and unlimited.
Maybe that’s why I’m so thankful for my wife and best friend as well as a few other people in my life who refused to give up on me; refused to let me give up on myself.
Maybe that’s why I’m so thankful for my church family at ZionLutheranChurch. They know I’m not perfect. They know I’m flawed; that I have bruises and weaknesses. They know they have the same struggles. And so we travel this journey together seeking the Divine Guidance we need to draw other like-minded, wounded people to a savior, a redeemer that lives.
The older I get the more I realize I don’t know. But I know my redeemer lives and a living redeemer is enough. Today I begin a new year of pilgrimage. I don’t know where it will lead, but I know who will lead me through it.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, while others may mark my life as a failure or question my walk with you, I thank you that you love me as I am. Give me strength to walk with you in the days ahead. Amen.
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15
We’re looking at the ‘YOU ARE’ statements of Jesus. The ‘YOU ARE’ statements of Jesus remind us of the identity we have through our faith in Christ. Jesus never indicated in his teaching that his followers would be obscure and unprepared for the challenges before them. Quite the opposite. We are the salt that brings out the best in the world; we are the light to guide the world to fulfillment; we are so intertwined with the Son of God that others would be hard-pressed to see the difference between us and Him.
Now, Jesus moves further yet. Salt, light and abiding in him bring us into a friendship like none other. The fourth of our ‘YOU ARE’ statements is one that we tend to forget most often. Jesus tells us in John 15:15 that, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Think about what that verse is really saying. Jesus, the Son of God, the one who stood beside the Father and helped him create this beautiful world we live in calls us friends. Too often we get wrapped up in religious tradition and focus on the theology of scripture and, in so doing, lose the significance of the fact that God wants to be friends with you.
What must it have been like in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool evening air. The human couple, no doubt, had so many questions to ask their friend, and he enjoyed their company immensely.
That friendship was lost when Adam and Eve fell into sin. The whole story of mankind is God’s attempt at regaining the friendship he lost with us as a result of sin. That’s why Jesus came to die on the cross. It wasn’t just to forgive our sins. It wasn’t just so we could live in eternity with Christ in Heaven. It was because he wanted to restore a lost and cherished friendship with us.
When I was about 6 years old, my family spent an entire summer living in a small, borrowed cottage on a lake. A few cottages down from us, another family moved in to spend the summer as well. I was excited because this family had a boy my age. My new found friend and I played from sunrise to sunset exploring the shoreline, walking nearby trails, having all sorts of adventures.
One day we got into a horrible argument. I don’t remember to this day what it was about, but I do remember spending the next two or three days without my friend because we refused to talk with one another. I remember the loneliness. I remember the sadness. When good friends fight it cuts a part of you out.
I also remember reconciling the relationship. We both said we were sorry. There were a few moments of awkwardness, and then, as if nothing had happened, we were off on some new, exciting, great adventure. Our friendship was restored!
When Jesus says, I no longer call you servants, I call you friends, what he’s really doing is calling us back to the relationship he’d always wanted to have with us. A relationship that sin has kept us from having with him.
Sin isn’t a very popular term in our society. We like to call it poor choices, bad decisions or any number of other things. But the fact is, sin is sin and it separates us from a God who wants to befriend us but simply can’t outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
So, what does friendship with Jesus look like? I want to leave you with an acronym that reminds us of true friendship in our earthly realm and, especially with God through Jesus Christ. The acronym is the word CRUSH. Now, you might think it’s an odd acronym because usually we associate this word with passing feeling temporary infatuation, but bear with me on that part.
- The C in CRUSH stands for Confidant. Jesus says, in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
A good friend is one who is willing to confide in you about their deepest, darkest secrets. They are comfortable telling you their true feelings because they know they can trust you and that you won’t think less of them for how they feel.
Friendship with Jesus means he is willing to listen to our struggles, but not only that, he wants to help us understand life, others, and God himself. The deeper our friendship with Jesus, the easier it is to understand life.
- The R in CRUSH stands for Reliable. Proverbs 18:24 says “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Reliable friends are friends you can trust. They won’t lead you into things you shouldn’t be in. They won’t drag you into gossip or other activities that tarnish your relationship with family, God or others. You can trust a reliable friend to think of your best interests. You can trust Jesus to think of your best interests too.
- The U in CRUSH stands for Understanding. Proverbs 17:17 tells us that “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.” Loyal friends understand your feelings. They may not agree with them, but they will stand by you. Who better to understand you than Jesus? He was there when you were formed in your mothers womb. He has watched you grow up, been there through the struggles, sees your pain, your emotional scars, your fears, your worries. He will always be there for you.
- The S in CRUSH stands for Sincere. Proverbs 27:5-6 tells us, ‘Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.’ This verse reminds us that good friends are sincere. When they see you on a slippery path to destruction they will warn you of the consequences; they may try to show you the error of your ways. But they will always do so in love. They will always stand by you even if you make the wrong choices.
- The H in CRUSH stands for Healing. The ultimate sacrifice is the sacrifice of one’s life for another. Jesus said, in John 15:13, ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’
We celebrate the heroes of our lives, but the greatest hero of all is Jesus Christ. He gave his life so we can live, not only here on earth, but in eternity with him. By giving his life for us we can be healed or forgiven of our sins. He is a friend we can count on, and he earnestly wants to have a deepening friendship with us.
My prayer for us today is that we will remember that Jesus wants to grow deeper in friendship with us. There is nothing you have done, or will do that will cause him to longer be your friend. He offers you forgiveness and strength to face the battles ahead.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I’m amazed that you would choose to be my friend. Thank you for giving your life for me and that you base your love for me on who you are and not on what I can do for you. In your name I pray, Amen.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.’ Matthew 5:13
How we feel about ourselves is extremely important in our family relationships, work relationships and virtually every other aspect of our daily lives. Psychologists refer to our view of ourselves as our ‘self-image’ and it includes our feelings, emotions, intellect and experiences growing up. It encompasses a person’s entire being.
Jesus often taught us about who we were when we lived in relationship with the Father. This week let’s take just five of these statements. I call them the five ‘You Are’ Statements of Jesus.
The first ‘You Are’ statement comes from Matthew 5:13. This passage is one of the beginning sections of the great ‘Sermon on the Mount’. Jesus says to his listeners, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.’
The first thing we need to do is to realize what salt meant to the people of Jesus’ day. Salt was extremely valuable, especially in the ancient world. In fact, its value cannot be under estimated. Roman soldiers received their wages in salt. The Greeks considered salt to be divine. The Mosaic Law required that all offerings presented by the Israelites contain salt. (Lev. 2:13)
When Jesus told his disciples that they were “the salt of the earth”, they understood the meaning of that statement. They were a valuable commodity! The same is true for us today. You need to realize that no matter where you are in life, Jesus Christ sees you as a thing of great value.
In our day, salt may not hold the same value as in Jesus’ day, but it still has many useful analogies for our lives. Salt enhances the flavor of our food. In the same way, we as believers in Jesus Christ are called on to add flavor to the lives of those around us. When I was in college a friend of mine came to my apartment to babysit my two small children while I went out. When I returned, she had taken it upon herself to make Peanut Butter cookies for the new boyfriend she wanted to impress. She offered me a cookie and it was a good thing she did! She had mistaken the container of salt for sugar. The cookies were inedible because they were all salt.
A good lesson for us to learn is that salt, when used properly, is not overpowering. Some foods require more salt than others. Some require less. In our life situations we need to seek Godly wisdom to know how to add just the right amount of salt to each situation; in other words, just the right amount of living our faith is important to show the love of Christ to others.
Not only does salt add flavor to food, and life, it also acts as a preservative. Those listening to Jesus knew the preserving function of salt. Salt was added to fish and other foods in order to keep it from spoiling in the hot, Judean sunshine. We, in turn need to make a stand for what is right in our world. However we should do so in a loving, gentle manner. That means we take a stand for God’s Word without being judgmental and offensive. Jesus exemplified this by the fact that he was a friend of sinners.
Jesus says one more thing about salt. He offers us something of a warning when he says, “But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
Jesus warns us that salt can become contaminated, corrosive and even poisonous. When this happens, it’s worthless and must be thrown out. It’s so worthless it can’t even be used on fields as fertilizer. This thing of great value can become a thing of danger or disappointment.
Sometimes we make decisions and choices that destroy our testimony for Christ. We lose, in a sense, our saltiness through disobedience. The good news is that there is always hope. You can never be so ‘un-salty’ that God cannot use you! I John 1:9 reminds us that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. Confession and repentance restores our saltiness so we can be used effectively by God. It may take some time for others to trust us. It may take some time for this new saltiness to make a difference. But we can know, because of God’s promises, that he will restore us completely through his Grace and the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.
My prayer for you today is that you will be salt to those around you. If you have lost that saltiness I pray you will go to the Father and ask Jesus for forgiveness. Jesus didn’t say ‘some of you’ are salt, he said YOU are the salt of the earth, and if he says it, it must be true.
PRAYER: Father God I pray for those struggling today. I thank you that we are the salt of the earth. Help us to be that flavor in our relationships that brings others to saving faith in you. Amen.
No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2:4 (NIV)
Military service is far more appealing during times of peace than in times of war. Growing up in the 1960’s, I remember the protests and controversy surrounding the Vietnam War. Every year the military drew dates for the draft. Those dates became the order in which men were required to report for military service and inevitably deployment overseas. The higher your number, the more likely you were to be chosen.
With few exceptions, there was no way out of fulfilling your requirements. Those that were called and survived left as boys and, the lucky ones, returned as men who’d seen things no man alive would want to see. But they hadn’t been called to be tourists. They were called as soldiers with a job to do.
It’s interesting that Paul makes the analogy of the servant of Christ and a soldier when he writes to his young protégé, Timothy. All those in the Mediterranean world knew about soldiers. Rome’s tight grip on the world was due to the presence of a well-trained and disciplined army. There may have been atrocities, but the main goal of the soldier was to keep Rome strong and they did very well at it for hundreds of years.
Soldiers aren’t called to live in peace, they are called to acquire and keep the peace. As soldiers for Christ we must remember that we are at war. Our main charge is not to develop strong churches and cool programs. While worship of almighty God is essential, one must never forget that we have but one command from our commander and that command is spelled out very succinctly in Matthew 28. We are to make disciples and teach them about Jesus.
Jesus didn’t make disciples from good, church-going men and women. He didn’t spend his time preaching to the choir; in fact he made it clear he was called to make disciples and followers from the sick, the destitute, and the immoral. The healthy don’t need a doctor, the sick do.
Each of us is called to be a soldier for Christ. Our primary job is to live the gospel of Jesus Christ out in a way that shows the world they can experience forgiveness and freedom from the sins and struggles that hold them captive.
Whether you are in full-time ministry or a factory worker, a teacher or a hamburger flipper, your mission is the same. Disciples aren’t made through well-designed programs or social media. Disciples are made through hand-to-hand combat.
As a soldier for Jesus, who can you touch today? Who do you know in your circles that need to feel the encouragement, forgiveness and freedom of the grace you have received through Christ? They don’t need to hear your sermons. You don’t need to have a seminary degree to show them the way. You just need to be willing to share your life with them.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you have called us to be a soldier in your army. Empower us with your Spirit to stay true to our calling so that we may win others to you. Amen.
When King David heard all this, he was furious. 2 Samuel 13:21 (NIV)
King David had many wives and children from those relationships. One day, one of his sons, driven by passion and lust tricked David and his half-sister into having her deliver food to his house. Once there he raped her.
There was no way that word of the attack didn’t reach the palace. In fact all of Jerusalem probably knew about the incident. Yet there was no ‘official word’ from the King as to any punitive action taken, other than the fact that David was reported to be very angry with the situation.
Two years later, another of David’s sons, Absalom, made good on a promise he’d made to his sister, the rape victim. He murdered his half-brother in retaliation for the incident that had been festering in his soul from the day his sister came sobbing to him with news of the attack.
Again, no ‘official statement’ came from the throne. However it was reported that the king was ‘deeply grieved’ over the events surrounding the death of his son.
Three years later, Absalom returned to Jerusalem. This time his goal was to gain the throne of his father, David. The ensuing civil war nearly cost David his throne…and cost him the death of one more of his children.
Absalom story is a perfect example of what can happen when sin isn’t confronted. Although David is referred to as ‘a man after God’s own heart’ his failure to lead his family speaks volumes!
Jesus calls us to be peacemakers. There is an old saying that ‘time heals all wounds.’ This is a lie. Don’t believe it. Wounds that are left to heal on their own are like cancer that goes untreated. The outside of the person may appear healthy and doing well, but inside a hideous beast is waiting to surface.
Allowing time to heal usually gives frustration, anger, resentment and bitterness to get a foothold on ones soul. That’s why Jesus taught us that if someone sins against us we are to leave everything and get it resolved. Paul tells us that we are called to ministry of reconciliation and that we shouldn’t let the sun set before we attempt to resolve the issue.
Conflict is inevitable. There will be some who simply refuse to reconcile. As children of God we are called to live at peace with all people regardless of the differences we have. Who do you need to forgive today? Who needs to be forgiven by you? What wrong have you been avoiding any involvement in? As a follower of Jesus it’s not an option to resolve conflict, it’s our duty.
PRAYER: Father God, you know how easy it is for me to become avoidant in the midst of conflict. Empower me with your Spirit to be a minister of reconciliation and grace to those who have wronged me and to those I’ve wronged. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 