Good Friday

 Living on a farm, I think, keeps me in view of, and especially during springtime with new life hatching forth, the essence of Eden, the seemingly long ago garden, paradise lost, that we and all creation groan painfully to see restored. ( Romans 8:19-22 ) 

From the chilling strikes of lightening followed by the outbursts of thunder, to the voracious roar of the lion and to the fierce, relentless crash of the ocean waves, all creation not only groans to God, but cries out that man is to blame for such disorder and disruption of harmony, for the cruel confinement to brokenness. 

And rightfully so. 

Man sinned. 

And creation was subjected to the fallout.  

My thoughts are that God imparted grace to a few creatures, mainly dogs, to make the journey a bit less grievous for their person by offering up a measure of kindness and encouragement in their delightful demeanors. Not all animals hate us. Most, but not all. 

On this Good Friday, as I sit and remember the cross, as I trace out through my mind the events leading up to the crucifixtion as told in the Scriptures, I think to myself that I'm thankful for the work Jesus accomplished and its sufficiency to restore us back to the Garden. 

But was that what Jesus was doing?

Restoring us back to the Garden? 

No.

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." ( 2 Corinthians 5:21) 

Jesus lived and died to give us something far better than our former garden life. 

His righteousness has been imputed to us through his sacrifice on the cross, enabling us to be adopted as God's children and be blessed with every spiritual blessing. Now, it is as if Adam and Eve chose not to sin. This is the abundant life Jesus came to give us. ( John 10:10, Ephesians 1:3 )

I assumed Jesus restored us back to our original position, but if that is what happened in salvation, then we would be placed back into a state of probation. We have something exceedingly more precious: Through the cross, we now have the benefits of perfect obedience. We can enjoy the tree of life. 

Isn't that glorious? 

Since the purpose of all things is to bring God glory, this truth must reveal more of his glory than the original arrangement, mainly that his amazing grace and redeeming love are on full display for us in the death and resurrection of Jesus. It's too vast, and more than that, unsearchable for us to span the depths of God's sovereign purposes, but I caught a glimpse of it. 

I think of Jesus's consecutive parables in Luke 15 of the lost items: the wandering sheep, the missing coin, and the prodigal son. In each story, the rejoicing that is demonstrated at the finding of the lost, treasured possession is heart-thrillingly jubilant. 

I lost my sister at a young age, and I believe when we are reunited one day in Heaven somehow our reunion is going to be all the more sweeter for the length of time we've spent away from each other as we worship at the feet of Jesus together.  

The message of the cross and the hope Jesus imparts to us through its agony and joy is like that beautiful, famous Tolkien quote at the end of Lord of the Rings: "Everything sad is going to come untrue, " but it's the second part that takes my breath away:

"and it will somehow be greater for having once been broken and lost." 

This is the unfathomable and glorious message of the cross. 💜

#holyweek #goodfriday 

 

 

Influential Evidence

Jesus of Nazareth is the most influential figure to ever walk the face of the earth. He has impacted every aspect of human culture. through every age, but we must have eyes to "see" the evidence.   

Jesus's ministry spanned only three years. He had no modern technology, no social media platform, no transportation, except for an unridden donkey colt on Palm Sunday that somehow, someway allowed Jesus to ride him through a crowded, dusty street in Palestine calmly, without bucking him off his back. Jesus was born into a poor, common family. There was always gossip about his conception. He was not a military leader. He didn't acquire land or receive political power. His followers were a rag-tag bunch who were confused and unfaithful. 

By our human standards, Jesus certainly didn't meet the requirements for being a trendsetter. 

He was not a threat to the Roman Empire, but the Jewish religious leaders did not agree. Under Roman occupation, the Jewish leaders along with the people convinced Rome, carried out under Pontius Pilot, to execute Jesus. 

That should be the end of story, right? Wrong. 

When a bomb detonates, the explosion it makes spreads debris over an area that leaves clues for the forensic team to piece together enabling them to retrace what actually happened. In a similar way, we can detect the life of Jesus as we trace his influence through the ages, the influence he has imprinted into the world he created, into its history. 

So let's start with the world history timeline itself: BC ( meaning before Christ ) AD ( Latin anno domini - in the year of our Lord ) 

Then there's the impression he has made throughout every generation in art, music, literature, education, film, and science. Think about that. 

And healthcare. Christians invented hospitals. The teachings of Jesus, to consider others better than yourself, that all people are image bearers of God, that this world is only our temporary home, compelled Christians to stay and care for others inflicted even with the most hideous and terribly contagious diseases. 

2,000 years later: 

The Bible is the best selling book of all time. 

Around a third of the world claims they are Jesus followers. 

Something changed that motley crew Jesus chose to continue his ministry, willingly dying horrific deaths, with the power to turn the world upside down and people right side up.  

If Jesus has impacted history with such force, and he has, don't we owe it to ourselves to investigate his claims? Wouldn't it be rather foolish not to consider this overwhelming evidence? 

You may think Christians should not pose their "world view" on you, that no one can know the truth. But don't you realize you just insinuated that you know the truth by asserting that, "no one can know the truth?" That in and of itself is a truth claim. Everyone has faith in something. 

So what do you have faith in? 

If you subtract Jesus from your life, you have not rid yourself free from faith. You've just exchanged one faith for another. You are now allowing another community to tell you who you are. Does that community have the same evidence as Jesus? 

You are betting your life and afterlife on the hope that there is no Jesus when the world we live in could not prove his existence more. It's like creation and culture are slamming us over the head with the evidence, but we refuse to "see." That's blind faith, as we continue to "be true to ourselves and decide truth for ourselves." And how is that working for us? Look around. 

It takes faith to believe that Jesus doesn't exist. In fact it takes little faith to believe he did exist with all of the evidence stamped into every aspect of every culture in the history of the world. Even the Jewish religious leaders admitted that the tomb was empty - that's why they had to come up with a conspiracy story to account for the missing body after putting Jesus to death. 

But their story couldn't stick to the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." 

Tomorrow I'll show even more evidence. I'm determined to do this on holy week, to make the case for Christ, so unbelievers can wake up from their nightmare and see reality and believers, like me, can stop sleepwalking through life, blending with our culture, and start living through the Resurrection power of our Lord Jesus. 

You could say that I've been influenced. 

#holyweek 

Holes in Humanity

Hole to Whole; Better Yet 

"Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exist. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water.... If I find in myself a desire, which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." C.S. Lewis 

For me the second most convincing piece of evidence in the case for Christ is what I call "the holes in humanity." 

We are born needy. 

Psychologists tell us, even though we know ourselves, we are born needing an identity, a purpose, meaning, satisfaction, a way to handle suffering, shame, and guilt, and we need hope.

Jesus provides an answer for all of these. 

Jesus makes sense of our deepest longings, our voracious appetite to be loved and valued and affirmed.  

In other words, Jesus feeds and satisfies the hungry human heart with all of its many cravings. 

Often times in our modern culture, Westerners, because so many now are secularists, will say that they don't believe in or are skeptical of organized religion and the supernatural. They say they believe only in the natural, the material world, what science "proves." 

Science can explain many things, but not this, not the holes in humanity. Science can not account for man's neediness or tell us who we are or why we're here. Science can't help us to forgive others or show us what to do with our guilt and shame. Science can't answer the most fundamental questions of the human heart. It offers no hope for the future. 

An atheistic world view says in essence: "You have no purpose. You are here by accident. You must either not think about all of these questions ( That's impossible. ) or just create your own purpose. ( That's never going to be substantial enough to satisfy the ache or bolster up under the enormous weight of the human condition. ) 

A secular world view doesn't fit the desires of mankind. A religion, even a type of Christianity, although it can't be true Christianity without embracing the core doctrines of the faith, that has dropped the notion of the supernatural, or refuses to embrace it, has nothing of substance to offer mankind. ( More on this in the next blog.) 

We need something outside of ourselves. When a secular person attempts to explain why human rights are important, they can't. There is no reason for human rights, or morality for that matter, if we are just a product of the strong eating the weak, a collection of molecules that randomly joined forces without a battle plan, rhyme or reason. Like one philosopher said, something to this effect: "We got here by killing each other; now love one another." 

In fact, what usually happens is that secularists will borrow from Christianity to explain why racism or murder is wrong. And if one must take from another religion to explain their own, well, it's as empty as the desolate heart it's failing to appease. It is simply not livable. 

Other religions offer some solutions for the neediness, but still leave, or even create, more questions than answers. None fit so perfectly as Jesus. 

Just like the influence of Jesus is revealed in our art, literature, music, and films, humanity's neediness shows up too, constantly. It's pitiful. We want to be rescued, sought after, and acknowledged. We want to know we count, that life isn't "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." 

"Everybody's got a hungry heart." Springsteen was right about that. "Like a river that don't know where it's flowing, I took a wrong turn and I just kept going." 

In a nutshell, that sums it all up, doesn't it? From the moment Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, humanity has been swirling in the murky, black waters of neediness unable to save ourselves in the powerful stream of the drowning current. 

 Jesus says:

"You did not choose me, I chose you..."  ( John 15:16 ) 

"I love you because I love you because I love you." ( This song is sung throughout the entire counsel of Scripture from God's redemptive plan and covenant in the Garden after the fall until the last verse of Revelation and beyond. )

"You are created in my image." ( Genesis 1:26 ) 

"I formed your inward parts; knit you together in your mother's womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. I formed your days. You are absolutely no accident. That's outrageous." ( Psalm 139 )

"Because of your sin and fallenness, you could not search for me, but I searched for you. And I found you and saved you." ( Isaiah 53:6-8, Ezekiel 34:6, Romans 3:23, Psalms 53:1-3, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Proverbs 20:9, Matthew 18:10-14, Luke 15, John 10:10 ) 

"In me, you are a new creation, I have sacrificed my perfect life for yours. Your sins are forgiven. Your nakedness is covered. Your guilt is swallowed up. You are adopted by God as his child. My death brought you back to God. He wanted you back." ( John 17, 2 Corinthians 5:17 ) 

"You have work to do that I foreordained for only you to do in my kingdom. And you will serve my purposes in your generation." ( Ephesians 2:10, Acts 13:36 ) 

"I am giving you my Holy Spirit to be with you forever. You can not fail in your mission, no matter what trouble comes your way. All of it is used for your good and my glory" ( Romans 8:28, John 14:16, John 16:33 ) 

"I am placing you in a new family." ( Matthew 16:18 ) 

"I will never leave nor forsake you, even though I'm also in Heaven preparing a place for you to live with me forever." ( John 14, Deuteronomy 31:6-8 ) 

"I'm coming back to get you." ( John 14:3, Revelation 22:12-13 ) 

"I will deliver you from every evil deed and lead you safely into my heavenly kingdom." ( 2 Timothy 4:18 ) 

"I've seen all of your tears; I've kept them each in a bottle. One fine day, I'll wipe them all away." ( Psalm 56:8, Revelation 21: 1-4 ) 

I could keep going, but I have animals to feed.

And a purpose to fulfill. 

#holyweek  #maundythursday 

Exhibit A: Blood and Guts

"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared first to Cephas, ( Peter ) then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me." ( Apostle Paul writing, 1 Corinthians 15: 3-8 ) 

Some of the most compelling evidence for the life and resurrection of Jesus is how the disciples and apostles died.

If you are seriously considering the claims of Jesus Christ, the buck starts here.

We see in the historical record that each of them except for John died a martyr's death. 

Don't believe history? There is far less written about Julius Caesar than Jesus, and no one seems to question his existence. 

John who was entrusted with the care of Mary wasn't "let off the hook" however; he was boiled in hot oil and exiled to the island of Patmos where he penned the Book of Revelation. 

Andrew and Nathanial were crucified. Thomas was pierced through with spears. Jude was beaten with a club. Matthew was speared and staked to the ground. Philip was impaled with iron hooks and hung upside down to die. Simon the Zealot was crucified and sawn in half. Mark was dragged to death. Luke was hanged. Matthias was stoned and beheaded. James, the brother of John, King Herod put him to death with the sword. James, the half brother of Jesus, was thrown from a wall and beaten to death with clubs after refusing to deny Jesus. The Apostle Paul was beheaded at Rome by Nero.

Simon Peter who denied Jesus three times after he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot was also executed in Rome by Nero. As they carried out Peter's death sentence, he protested that he was not worthy to be executed like his Lord and requested to be crucified upside down. 

What changed Peter's mind? 

Why would all of the above, and there are many more, die in these horrific means? 

Would anyone die for a lie? Would you be tortured for a lie? Hardly. 

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ really happened. 

And the disciples and apostles along with many other followers are the first and most powerful fingerprints left behind for us to examine. 

Please don't ignore the evidence. 

Deal with it. 

#holyweek 

"Who is this?"

Palm Sunday: 

"The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. 'Who is this?' they asked." ( Matthew 21:10 ) 

"A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would NOT be a great teacher. 

He would either be a lunatic - on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg - or he would be the devil of hell. 

You must take your choice.

Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or worse. You can shut Him up for a fool or can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. 

➜➜➜ But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. 

He has not left that open to us. 

He did not intend to." 

C.S. Lewis "Mere Christianity"

 What say you? 

#holyweek 

Our Suffering Savior

"In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence."( Hebrews 5:7 ) 

This verse tackled me yesterday during my Bible reading plan. 

Oftentimes when I'm going through a struggle of some sort or experiencing pain, I tell myself to be quiet and stop being so needy and to "get yourself together, and there are people in much worse shape than you. You're living in 21st century America, for the love of all that is good in this world; put on a pair of big girl pants. You should be stronger than this." 

Jesus doesn't see it that way. 

And, lest we forget, he is the Son of God. 

This verse isn't just implying that Jesus cried out to God in the Garden of Gethsemane when he began to get a taste of the cup and what was to come. No, this says, "In the days of his flesh," this is a broad stroke, meaning his entire life on earth, not just one single moment. 

"Jesus offered up prayers and supplications," continuously to his Father. If Jesus lived in this way, how much more should we? And how much more MUST we if the Son of God came to his Father for help when inside of human flesh? I have to remind myself that God desires I come to him with every hurt and joy. He wants me to because, in truth, he sent Jesus Christ his Son so that I could be rescued and come again to him with my suffering and my praise, to come and be filled. ( John 17 ) 

"with loud cries and tears..." 

Crying empties the soul through buckets of tears those jagged edges that puncture the heart and make it bleed. 

Jesus knows this. He knows what it is like to be human. 

I want my children to come to me with their tears - how much more does God want this? ( Matthew 7:11 )

As we approach Holy Week, may we meditate on this verse and others like it, and remember that we have a Savior who knows what it is like to be us, to lament, to cry tears, to bleed. One who suffered as we suffer and so much more. 

Jesus didn't just say, "Hey, I love you." 

He proved his love in action, in agony, by living and dying in human flesh for us. ( John 1:14 )  

This is what makes Christianity different from all the other world religions and why, no matter what one believes about the existence of life, should seriously examine the claims of Christ before dismissing Christianity. 

Two questions, one for each group, the only two that exist in this world, those who believe what Jesus said and did and those who don't: 

Don't you think you owe it to yourself to at least look into the assertions of the most influential figure who ever lived on the face of the earth? It's a practical, reasonable question, I think. If someone was attempting to invent a religion, why on earth would they depict their hero so vulnerable and needy and weak unless it's true? Eternity is forever. 

And for those of us who are believers, why would we not follow him in lamenting prayers and painful cries to our Father instead of trying to handle things on our own?  We can't, you know? Handle things on our own. ( John 15:5 ) 

May we remind ourselves that Jesus was "saved from death" and raised from it. "He was heard." Another distinguishing feature of Christianity: We have a risen Savior. Our leader isn't dead. He doesn't possess a shrine where pilgrims come to lay out flowers and memorial trinkets to their deceased founder. 

No, our Savior's tomb is empty. 

So we could be full. 💜 

Today's recommendation: "Hope in Times of Fear, The Resurrection and Meaning of Easter" Timothy Keller