The Christian's True Confidence - Psalm 49:5-15

A Legacy of Confidence and Courage

Psalm 49:5-15 Why should I fear in times of trouble? The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. 6 They trust in their wealth and boast of their abundant riches. 7 Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God-- 8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying-- 9 so that he may live forever and not see the Pit.

10 For one can see that wise men die; foolish and stupid men also pass away. Then they leave their wealth to others. 11 Their graves are their eternal homes, their homes from generation to generation, though they have named estates after themselves. 12 But despite his assets, man will not last; he is like the animals that perish. 13 This is the way of those who are arrogant, and of their followers, who approve of their words. Selah 14 Like sheep they are headed for Sheol; Death will shepherd them.

The upright will rule over them in the morning, and their form will waste away in Sheol, far from their lofty abode. 15 But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me. Selah (CSB)

When it comes to teaching about God's word in catechism class there's certainly many teachings that are controversial to the world. The Bible is very clear and upfront right away that, at times, it's going to offend the sinful flesh within all of us. The Bible is going to present truths about God that are challenging and difficult to accept. The Bible tells us things that only God can do that are beyond the realm of our control or power. And the entire essence of Christianity – faith, is something that is not based on our works or ability.

So, in many respects it shouldn't surprise us that the Bible tells people things that they don't want to hear; or in the very least things that they don't want to believe. What I find interesting is that one of the most controversial things about the Bible, and something that comes up often in Bible instruction, is that God would deliver people by bringing them to heaven. In catechism class we talk about the different ways that God delivers us from evil. God can use His power and might to miraculously take evil way. God can use some earthly agent to protect us from evil. But God can also use evil to bring a Christian home to heaven. According to the world, that doesn't seem like God is delivering us from evil. When somebody dies, especially somebody who's been a faithful follower of God, it's hard for us to reconcile in our minds that that was good for them that God used that to deliver them.

But in terms of our faith there is no greater deliverance then eternal life in heaven. God may use a miracle to protect us from evil or he may use an earthly agent to deliver us from evil but while we're here on earth we still are under the same threat. Until we get to heaven, we have not reached the final goal that God has accomplished for us and what he intends for our lives. The reason this is controversial in the world around us is because it's not really what many people are looking for. And it’s tempting for Christians to do the same – to place their hopes in this life and not the next. How often do you long for heaven? How much time do you spend investing for eternity through the Word of God, rather than investing for life today? The old saying “what have you done for me lately?” comes to mind when people talk about their faith or perhaps the reason why they don't have faith. For so many people God hasn't done enough for them lately so why trust in Him for the future?

Just like that, something so simple and basic to the Bible; so fundamental to our Christian faith - that God delivers people by bringing them home to heaven - becomes a controversial statement in and of itself. It’s offensive sometimes to even say that. Many people would rather trust in themselves or in politicians to find purpose in life. Many would rather pursue money and possessions rather than the peace that surpasses everything in Christ Jesus.

In our portion of God’s Word today, the sons of Korah express similar thoughts as they begin with that very first question “why should I fear in times of trouble?” If we wanted to look for a modern-day answer to that question it wouldn't take us very long. People fear and tremble over so many things nowadays. Financial crisis, climate change, racism, political influence and control, protection for our children, gun control - there's so many topics today that people have fears about. And it's easy to let our lives turn into a tailspin when we don't have the kind of control that we want to have in these issues. If we feel like the world is going down the wrong path, or the wrong kind of influences are gaining control, it's so easy to let fear control our lives.

But the sons of Korah asked this question in almost a defiant way. They speculate with confidence why should I fear with knowledge already about the answer. The question merely sets the stage for the one answer that is already apparent for the believer. They don't have to fear because God is in control. From their perspective they also list a multitude of reasons why, reasonably or logically, they could fear. These reasons apply also to us as Christians today.

• ·       Wicked foes that surround us.
• ·       Threats to our faith on a daily basis.
• ·       Vanity and futility seemingly everywhere around us.
• ·       The hopelessness of looking out into to a world that seems to have given up every aspect of following God.

All Christians who have ever lived recognize the imminent threat of dangers like these particularly to our faith.

And even if you're not a religious person you can still find a multitude of reasons to fear. The biggest one, that we all face, is stated in this psalm as Sheol. Sheol was the Hebrew understanding for the grave, for the place of the dead. When somebody stopped living they would go to Sheol. It is the place that was beyond human control, it is the realm of death. Sheol is the great equalizer for all mankind. No matter how powerful you are; no matter how much money you have; or how much land you have; no matter how much influence you have - no one can escape Sheol. The poor and the rich are equal in the realm of the dead.

As Christians we recognize that there are greater dangers to us, especially to our faith, than the prospect of death. But the reality of death is a common bond that we share with all people. The underlying question here is when we look at the reality of the world around us what hope do we have?

When contemplating wisdom and instruction, Solomon once remarked in the book of Ecclesiastes “all is vanity and there is nothing new under the sun.” We certainly see that to be the case as the sons of Korah describe the hope that many people have in the world when facing death. Their hope is in their possessions, and their money, and their influence. People have hope in these things for the present time but also that they would leave a legacy for themselves and for the generations to come because of these things. And some things never change. It's the very same approach by many people today. For them life becomes a matter of getting the most and of having the most fulfillment and pleasure today. We hear terms like “following our own dreams” and “finding our happiness” and “living our best lives.”

The point of this psalm is to confront those hopes in view of the reality of Sheol. The Psalm states: Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God-- 8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying-- 9 so that he may live forever and not see the Pit.   

The reality of death rips to shreds any hope that we have in money or possessions. They can be a type of temporary balm to the difficulties and adversity's that we face on earth, but it's more like a form of lying to ourselves about the reality of the future. We know that there's a lot more to human fulfillment and existence than having the most and finding the greatest pleasure. Deep inside we all long for true meaning and purpose in our lives that cannot be purchased with money or gained by possessions. We live this way because God created us to recognize who He is; and He wants us to seek after Him and find in His Word. The psalm describes that as redemption.

No amount of human effort or influence can get us the redemption that we need; that fills our hearts from the void that sin and iniquity have created. Only God can redeem a human soul. The psalm goes on to tell us why – because of what Sheol does to money and possessions: But despite his assets, man will not last; he is like the animals that perish. 13 This is the way of those who are arrogant, and of their followers, who approve of their words. Selah 14 Like sheep they are headed for Sheol; Death will shepherd them.

Here we get a taste of the brutal side of true equality. True equality means that no matter how good you paint yourself out to be in life you're still a sinner who needs redemption from God. True equality means that whether you're rich or poor you're in the same boat - outside of the realm of eternal life with God. Equality recognizes that both the wise and the fool must confront death at some point. It's sad that so many people live their lives not only in denial of this truth, but in ways that continue to suppress it. It's almost as if we go out of our way to do anything we can to avoid the reality that's coming down the road – even though we know deep in our hearts.  

This is quite a problem that is described here by the sons of Korah. These are not light topics. And yet, remember the beginning defiantly asks “why should I fear in times of trouble?” When there’s so much of life that is ultimately beyond my control, and I can’t escape the reality of the grave – what gives me courage?

Well, this is not arrogance, and it's not foolish thinking, it's the reality of having confidence in God's redemption through Christ. Your courage as a believer stems from the riches of God in Christ Jesus, not in the riches of your bank account or any other element of human legacy. You can be honest about the reality of facing death at some point in your life, but you don't have to shutter in fear because you have something that is greater and more powerful. More pointedly, you have someone who is greater and more powerful. The only thing you can carry with you that won't get ripped to shreds by Sheol are the merits and accomplishments of Jesus. He has redeemed your life from sin, death, and hell. His victory of life is yours by faith.

A Legacy in the Gospel is worth building today and leaving to the next generation in the future. Let us not bind ourselves to the world around us – in futility and fear. Now that you are redeemed by Christ, when God looks at you He sees someone who has conquered the grave. You have every right to boast that you will get to heaven and that you have nothing to fear; not because you earned it; not because you accumulated enough wealth on your own; not because you found the secret to success in this life. You have full confidence and assurance of eternal life and victory over the grave because God is received you as His own by faith – faith that is guaranteed by the blood of God’s own Son. Amen. 

The Good Samaritan and the Meaning of Parables - Luke 10:25-37

See the Meaning of This Parable

1. By looking at your needs, because of sin

2. By looking at Jesus, with a healing faith

Luke 10:25-37 Just then, an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “What do you read there?” 27 He replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.” 28 He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell among robbers who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 It just so happened that a priest was going down that way. But when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite also happened to go there, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 33 A Samaritan, as he traveled, came to where the man was. When he saw him, he felt sorry for the man. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He put him on his own animal, took him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day, when he left, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. Whatever extra you spend, I will repay you when I return.’ 36 Which of these three do you think acted like a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?” 37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he replied. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

This is one of the most well-known parables in the entire Bible. Unfortunately, because of that it's also one of the most misused parts of the Bible. Sadly, when you Google the parable of the Good Samaritan, you're likely to find upwards of 10 different interpretations of these words. God is quite clear that in the Bible He delivers His Word with one purpose and that each account has one primary meaning. This is not to say that there can't be many lessons learned from one section of Scripture. But when we're talking about interpretation, we should refer to the way that the Holy Spirit intended the words to be read.

All the parables of Jesus ultimately get down to a meaning. The point of the parables is not to dissect the story per se but to get to the effect of the story. Most of us grew up learning the familiar definition of a parable as “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” You can have all those things right in your mind but if you don't have the correct meaning, the correct purpose, the parable doesn't help you.

So, what is the meaning of the parable of the Good Samaritan? What is the effect that this section of Scripture should have in our lives? Like I said, there's a lot of ideas out there. One Bible scholar says this in a magazine article about the parable the Good Samaritan: “The story has proven a popular one for sermons over the years, and it has been interpreted in many different ways—ranging from a tale about ritual purity to lessons about personal safety and even freedom fighters or universal healthcare.”

Most people say that we should read this parable as a call to action to be better to people – whether that’s in the realms of fighting for freedom or striving for healthcare. While that lesson may be there, and it's certainly something that God wants us to be doing, it is not the meaning of the parable of the Good Samaritan. And more importantly, it’s extremely foolish of us to take something that Jesus spoke with the broader purpose of helping others .and push our own, modern, cultural interpretation on it.

This parable is all about focusing on what Jesus does for us that we couldn’t do for ourselves – whether that be healing alongside life’s road, or learning how to help others. This story is all about bringing people closer to God. Sometimes we approach that topic by looking at what we do or what others do; in essence, by looking at each other; but not because we see God in ourselves. It's helpful to look at ourselves and to look at others because it reminds us of our need for God. It sheds light on the awesome contrast between His works and ours. Looking intently at our actions, whether good or bad, is a constant reminder of why we need God in our lives.

So, although God points at our lives in this lesson let us see Him most in the meaning.

Most interpretations of this parable will have you believe that you are the Good Samaritan, at least that you ought to be. In fact, Jesus himself says “Go and do likewise” at the conclusion when considering the Good Samaritan’s actions. But in the meaning of the parable you are not the Good Samaritan - Jesus is. It's true that we are to show mercy as Jesus has shown mercy, but we know that we don't. It's a valuable lesson for us to see that this is the right way to treat people, but we know we can't. Only Jesus can show the type of mercy that God is describing in this story. If we want to see ourselves, we should see it in the wounded one. It's also true that at times in our lives we could be the priest and we can be the Levite. Those individuals in the parable stood for the religious elite who used the Word of God to make their own commands about righteousness and eternal life, and in that way turned their backs on true charity for others.

In fact, it was a scribe of the law who asked Jesus the initial question that led to this parable. In the very first verse of our text a lawyer, meaning one of the scribes, stood up and asked Jesus: “Teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life?” This man was someone who had been raised to think that he had to accomplish his own salvation. His religious leaders, his spiritual mentors, had drilled into him an insistence that he had to achieve righteousness before God. And so, it seemed like a completely natural question to ask, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Sometimes we forget that the overarching context of this parable is about eternal life. So many people turn it into a basic lesson about doing good here on earth; and true it is enough that it is, but it is even more. And to get to the meaning behind the parable you have to remember that it’s about eternal life. You cannot broach the topic of eternal life without considering what God has done. That wasn't the philosophy of this lawyer who asked Jesus the question, but it is the truth of the matter. And at the end of the parable it's what the man would have went away with having learned from Jesus that day. Getting to the bottom of eternal life, and answering our questions about it, can only come through the mercy of Jesus.

If this is a message about eternal life, we ask ourselves why so much focus on our lives? Why is the parable talking about helping somebody out with their earthly needs? Why do we so naturally see ourselves in this parable? And perhaps most clear of all why does Jesus himself command go and do likewise? The purpose behind all of these close connections with our lives is to show us why we need God. Each of these lessons from God is like looking into the law. When we hear the law of God, we may think that we've kept it well enough; we may think that it's a positive message for our lives; we may think that it can produce the right kind of living in our lives. But the entire purpose of God's commands in the law is to show us where we've fallen short – and more importantly, why we need God.

The law of God never gives us a positive message about our lives because we can't keep that law as God demands. If we come away with a positive message from the law, it means we’ve changed the meaning of what God demands – we’ve lightened the load to make it more bearable in our lives. The harsh truths from this parable are that we haven't measured up as good people. We haven't loved our neighbors as ourselves. We haven't put God above all else. We haven't shown unconditional mercy and kindness to everyone in need, regardless of who they are. In each of those points we learn valuable lessons for our lives things that we should be doing things that are moral and right and good, and things that we often think have a positive effect in our spiritual lives.

But when it comes to our faith, and our standing with God, the singular effect of all of those things is failure on our part. Whenever we honestly look at God’s laws we see and feel that effect. In this sense we might say that the story of the Good Samaritan is somewhat discouraging one; it's a constant reminder of what we're not. [We assume we can read this parable as the Good Samaritan because we’re Christians, and not as the priest or Levite]. But it’s only discouraging if we don't see Jesus as well.

One of the reasons people like this parable is because it brings a little humanity to the Bible. It expresses themes that we all struggle with and that we all think about. It describes emotions that we all desire and that we all seek to perform. In that sense many people today see this parable as an ecumenical bridge to all different religions. To them it doesn't really matter so much who your god is, or what he has done, but whether you're doing what is you should.

That may sound good in our culture and in our society but what a depressing picture it is. What a deliberate attempt to purposely leave Jesus out. Only through Jesus do we get an answer to the question that this story is all about. What must I do to inherit eternal life? Obviously before we can get to eternal life we have to talk about the life that we have now. That's where we see all of the examples of this parable. The selfishness to overlook someone in need. The love and compassion to care for somebody who is vulnerable. Kindness to extend mercy to anyone regardless of who they are. These are all things that deal with the here and now, not eternity. But to really grasp our need to, really recognize the longing that we have to be with God in heaven, we must first come to grips with the reality that we are in.

And so, thank God that this parable has much more meaning then just a story about humanity. Ultimately, it's a story about exactly what Jesus did for us. It’s a beautiful picture of the gospel itself. What He did when you are beaten up by the world and distressed because of the perils around you. What He did when you act selfishly and condescending to others. What He did when you were a foolish example of what it means to be a follower of Christ. What Jesus did for us in our greatest needs, and what Jesus does for us when we fall so deeply away from His Holiness.

Jesus gently stoops to your life, binds up your wounds and extends perfect healing, and covers you in the safety of His grace and mercy – until you can stand again and walk the path of your faith; and He sticks with you. Just as the Good Samaritan told the innkeeper to charge everything to his account, so also Jesus continues to pay your spiritual expenses until you reach heaven.

That's the answer to the question of eternal life; to see and trust in Jesus as your only source of hope; that He is the way the truth and the life as he promised. Why do we try to take Him out of this story? Why would we fall for the temptation to make this parable only about ourselves? Only Jesus can take away the sins that haunt you from day to day. Only Jesus can grant the type of forgiveness and renewal that we need to stand before God and fulfill his will. The type of love that we so desperately seek from God and that we can bring to others when they’re broken up and hurt. No matter who the individual is or what they've gone through only Jesus can grant the balm and healing that can truly bring the peace of God to lift us out of the gutter of our sins and justly deserved condemnation.

This story is about eternity more than it is today. We may have lessons for both, but God’s meaning – His singular interpretation - points to our Savior.

It's sadly ironic that the very purpose of this parable, dispelling the notion that you can gain eternal life by what you do and how you treat others, is the very meaning that so many believe and teach today. This well-known story is not a victory march for human morality. It's a lens through which we more accurately see ourselves, and then more accurately see our God. There's enough lessons here to be learned for an entire sermon series but let it suffice to understand that eternal life is yours in Jesus Christ. Equipped with that simple and singular truth delivered to you through the unadulterated word of God you can be the kind of neighbor that God demands and more importantly – you have a home in heaven with God. Amen.  

The Triune God at Work - 2 Corinthians 3:4-11

Theme: The Most Glorious Triune God

1. The Son gives life over death

2. The Holy Spirit gives true meaning to words

3. The Father gives competence under His covenant

2 Corinthians 3:4-11 Such is the confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent by ourselves to claim that anything comes from us; rather, our competence is from God. 6 He also made us competent as ministers of a new covenant (not of letter, but of Spirit). For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 If the ministry that brought death (which was engraved in letters on stone) came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look directly at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (though it was fading), 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be much more glorious? 9 For if the ministry that brought condemnation has glory, the ministry that brought righteousness has even more glory. 10 In fact, in this case, what was glorious is no longer very glorious, because of the greater glory of that which surpasses it. 11 Indeed, if what is fading away was glorious, how much more glorious is that which is permanent!  

It's common thing in athletics that when your team is losing you keep your mouth shut. I've been in plenty of different athletic contests before and there's no shortage of individuals who want to get the last say on something even if they can't win the contest. There's a variety of reasons why people do this. Sometimes people do it because of an insecurity in their attitude. Sometimes they do it to try to deflect from their inability to beat the competition. Sometimes people do it just because they have no self-awareness of what it looks like.

It's not just sports where this happens either. It could take place in just about any area of life. The lesson is: if you're not superior at something, and you're in the presence of someone who is, it's probably a good idea to listen. I wouldn't go around telling a race car driver what to look for on the track. I wouldn't go to a movie premiere and criticize the special effects department about deficiencies in one area or another. I wouldn't go to operating room and whisper over the shoulder of the surgeon. It’s not my place to do so. Each of those realms is beyond my qualification.

It’s OK to recognize when we're not the experts or when someone else who knows better. But human nature doesn't want to expose things that we don't know and it doesn't like to admit when others know better than we do. And so sometimes even we end up playing the fool.

In our text for today the Apostle Paul is defending his ministry, his call from God to proclaim the word of God to the Corinthians. He had to do this because certain individuals came into their congregation and started boasting about how great they were as minsters. They appealed to the Corinthians to listen to their messages because of how well they could speak, or how influential they seemed, rather than focusing on the actual content of their words.

Paul had to remind the Corinthians that the glory of a message is about God, not man. And Paul's message to them was that although there's a lot of personal glory in an earthly ministry when people are listening, that glory pales in comparison to the glory of what God has done for us.

So, when Paul talks about the competency that he had, it wasn’t about looking at what he did but instead about trusting in what God had done. That's where our competency comes from as Christians. That's where our courage to witness of Christ comes from and that's where our sufficiency in our faith comes from. What we see here in this section is an example of how our Triune God works on our behalf and through it we witness His unmatched glory.

The Son gives life over death. The Holy Spirit gives true meaning to our words. The Father gives competence under His covenant.

The name of Christ is mentioned at the very beginning of our text and His fingerprints are throughout the rest of the section. The main message is that God gives life to those who believe in His Son – the one who is the only way, truth, and life. To believe in Jesus is to have the victory of life over death.

Look also at all the various synonyms that Paul uses to express the same thing. He mentions the new covenant vs. the old covenant. That's a connection that goes all the way back to the Old Testament. He mentions a ministry of condemnation vs. a ministry of righteousness that again is a product of what Christ has done for us. He mentions the glory that is fading away with the glory that is much greater. He mentions the ministry of men vs. the ministry of the Holy Spirit. All of these contrasts get to the same effect, and that is the blessing of what we have been given through Christ.

We could summarize all these thoughts and condense them into two terms: law and gospel. When we use the terms law and gospel in our ministry, we understand them to be encapsulating all of these thoughts that Paul expresses. On the one hand is what we have because of our sins and the state that we're in because of our situation. On the other hand, is what Christ has accomplished for us what only He could give. The difference between law and gospel is the difference between death and life. That's the result of each of those images that Paul uses. And Jesus is the one who makes all the difference.

Of course, that doesn't mean that the other two members of the Trinity, the Father and the Holy Spirit aren't also integral in our faith life – and in our spiritual competency. Paul teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the one who gives meaning to our words. Again, this section is about ministry. The ministry is always a difficult thing to understand and explain because God gives us the responsibility of speaking on His behalf. That thought alone doesn't make a lot of sense in our minds. If the eternal, almighty God has everything in heaven and earth at His fingertips, why would He use sinful, mistake prone, fallible humans to proclaim the Word of Salvation?

Naturally we see why we have a hard time understanding the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In the text Paul uses the contrast between the letter and the spirit. In Paul's words the “letter” is a negative concept. It's not where we want to be as Christians. It's not what we want to be proclaiming. We want to have full assurance and we want our hearers to know that when we speak on God's behalf the Holy Spirit is working through us. But how can we give that assurance when we have to use letters -words themselves - to transmit the gospel to others? It seems impossible for us not to fail through the letter.

What is meant by the “letter” is when we use words apart from their intended meaning. You see in whatever context you’re in, you can hone in on the letters or the words themselves without paying attention to the broader context or the meaning of those words. For example, take this phrase:

“I saw a man on a hill with a telescope.” – We see the words clearly – but what is their meaning.

In this phrase, there could be up to five different meanings:

·       There’s a man on a hill, and I’m watching him with my telescope.

·       There’s a man on a hill, who I’m seeing, and he has a telescope.

·       There’s a man, and he’s on a hill that also has a telescope on it.

·       I’m on a hill, and I saw a man using a telescope.

·       There’s a man on a hill, and I’m sawing him with a telescope.

Each of those meanings could technically be derived from those words. But I’m sure you know which ones are most likely. Usually through the context it's easy to determine what the clear words mean but people can always strip the words of their context. People can take the letter literally and they can miss the meaning. This is what Paul was condemning in this section. He was specifically speaking of people of the Jewish nation who took the Old Testament laws by the letter in their literal meaning but stripped them of their context and their purpose. That's why Paul says the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. When you do this with the word of God, and you make commands that God doesn't make, it leads a person down the wrong path. It leads them further away from life in Christ, the life that only the Holy Spirit can give, and it leads them to trust in themselves which is going to result in spiritual or eternal death.

God has given us His word and He's also given us the meaning of those words through the work of the Holy Spirit. When it comes to our ministries, it's the Holy Spirit who's going to bless the efforts on giving meaning to the words that we speak. Let us be careful not to get in His way by presenting the words outside of their context even if the letters themselves could technically work.

Finally, we come to God the Father in our text. The Father builds upon the accomplishments of Jesus and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit and blesses us with competence under is new covenant. The Old covenant in the Old Testament served a purpose but it was not to bring life. God ushered in a better covenant - a newer covenant through the gospel of Jesus in order to give us life.

The word “competency” means that we are sufficient and able to do what is necessary. We began by asking how sinful human beings could transmit the message of salvation from a perfect God. This is the answer to that question. We can do that because God makes us competent. God makes us sufficient. The purpose of this text, again, is not to overemphasize Paul’s authority or how important humans are in the ministry but to show us how the Triune God does allows us to effectively use His word.

This competency comes from the blessing of the New Covenant. And it leads to the highest form of glory. Here's where Paul uses an object lesson from the Old Testament for people who were relying on the old covenant to be saved. He uses a story about Moses; when Moses received the law on the mountain and his face shone brightly because he was in the presence of God. As amazing as that glory was to show how important Moses was, it pales in comparison to the glory that God receives as our Lord and Savior – the glory of the New Covenant.

Trying to boast in our efforts and in the glory of our own works as Christians or in our own ministries is like trying to brag to God when He's in control of everything. It's embarrassing and it's foolish to do so. God’s taken care of everything – that’s the whole point of the gospel. Why should we try to one up Him? What good does it do to brag about ourselves when He’s already conquered death and hell?  Oftentimes, just like athletic contests it's a product of our own lack of self-awareness and our own insecurities because of our sins. This is not how God wants us to feel as Christians. This is not how He wants us to look like to the rest of the world. He wants us to trust and to know that He has made us competent. In place of the rightfully earned condemnation that we deserved because of our sins, He gives us life through Jesus. In place of our own futility and struggles to understand His word and transmit it to others, He blesses us with wisdom and understanding from the very Author of the Bible - the Holy Spirit. And in place of the old letter that kills, He has given us a new covenant that forgives and renews.

These are the blessings of our most glorious Triune God, and it's why we are privileged to stand for His word and to minister in His name. Amen

"How to..." teach - Joshua 8:30-35

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Theme: How to teach

Joshua 8:30-35 At that time Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal to the LORD, the God of Israel, 31 just as Moses the LORD's servant had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used. Then they offered burnt offerings to the LORD and sacrificed fellowship offerings on it. 32 There on the stones, Joshua copied the law of Moses, which he had written in the presence of the Israelites. 33 All Israel, foreigner and citizen alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on either side of the ark of the LORD's covenant facing the Levitical priests who carried it. As Moses the LORD's servant had commanded earlier, half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, to bless the people of Israel. 34 Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law-- the blessings as well as the curses-- according to all that is written in the book of the law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read before the entire assembly of Israel, including the women, the little children, and the foreigners who were with them.  

With the beginning of school upon us we are reminded of several different subjects that occupy the focus of students in the year ahead. One such study is history. One of the interesting aspects of history is combining the past with the present. One way this is done is by considering present day historical sites that have a special meaning in the past. There’s something about location that lends meaning and context to certain events. Some famous historical sites that students will undoubtedly learn about are: 

• ·       Roman colosseum.
• ·       Gettysburg battlefield.
• ·       Independence hall in Pennsylvania
• ·       Reflection pool at ground zero in NYC.

The importance of these locations is not so much about where they are but more about what happened there. Every special historical site was once a common place at some point. That changed with the significance of whatever event occurred there.

The Bible mentions plenty of special historical sites too. Many Christians travel annually to these locations. For some, it is a deeply religious experience – the term “pilgrimage” has been coined. For our purposes, however, we seek to learn about what made these locations special; for we are reminded that it’s not about one given spot, but about the God who chose to act in several ways that made those spots significant.

One such location of importance in the Bible is Shechem. Shechem was a tiny plot of ground in a valley between the two mountains listed in our text – Mount Ebal in the north and Mount Gerizim in the south. According to our text, shortly after the Israelites entered Canaan by crossing the Jordan river and defeating the cities of Jericho and Ai, they stopped at Shechem, built an altar to God and rededicated themselves to His Law. It was actually Moses who commanded that they do this once they finally returned to their homeland. This event alone was significant in its own right, but consider some of the other events that happened on the same plot of land.

Shechem was where Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, settled when he entered Canaan. He, too, built an altar there to God. Shechem was also where Jacob settled after returning from Laban’s home. He built another altar there and his famous well. Joseph was buried in Shechem, after his body was transported back to Israel. Shechem was where the kingdom of Israel was divided after the reigns of David and Solomon, separating the people into ten northern tribes and two southern tribes. And in the New Testament, Shechem was where Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, Jacob’s well in fact. There He explained to her what true worship of God was really about, not location per se, but instead what God Himself does for His people.   

For the Jewish people, and even more so for their Samaritan neighbors, Shechem was an extremely significant place. By looking at this history a bit, hopefully you can gain some understanding on why and also why the Jews and Samaritans were at odds with each other. The significance of Shechem was diminished over time as the attention of God’s people was directed south near Jerusalem. This created strife between Jews and Samaritans. It’s also is not lost on us that the region of Galilee, where our Savior did so much of His work on earth, was north of Shechem. In many ways, and most importantly by the forgiveness of sins, Jesus sought to re-unite these two fractured sides, all around what Joshua and the people of Israel originally committed to here – the Word of God.

We gain some insight into the significance of Shechem today, but more so we understand what we should be focused on as we teach others about the significance of what God has done. As we seek to memorialize those people and places that are influential in our lives, especially in our faith-lives, and as we seek to continue living in that which our Lord has done for us – we pay attention to this account.

The main lesson we see is that in order to teach, we need to care about the subject matter. One of the underlying reasons why Israel struggled to stay with the Lord throughout so much of their history is that they stopped caring about Him and His Word.

The prophet Zechariah captured this type of scene well, one which played out time and time again: Zechariah 7:11-12 “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.”

Jesus encountered the same struggle in His time: Matthew 13:15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.

When we stop caring, we stop growing in our faith; not because it’s up to us to build ourselves up, but because we end up shutting our eyes and ears to God. Make no mistake, it is God who does the work of saving and strengthening – in every aspect. You don’t have to be a scholar, or theologian, not even a pastor or teacher to be effective. Throughout the history of God’s Church, the best educators have been parents teaching their kids in the fear of God and the simplicity of His grace. God does the work – all of it. But if you don’t care it will show.   

How do you show that you care? It’s simple – people will see it by looking at the place God occupies in your life, especially in light of your other priorities. What you choose to spend time on is often dictated by how important the activity is to you. The literal hours of the week need not be dominated by church or Bible activities – but it should be clear that God is your priority in all things. You don’t need to invest a ton of hours to make God important and to teach that message to others. Very often, it will be easy to tell how important God is, even if a person doesn’t know the exact number of hours you put into it.

We see examples of this in Scripture, like in Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Our Gospel lesson is another example – more pointed in fact. What a contrast between the Pharisee and the tax collector! We didn’t need an entire biography and breakdown of each man’s life to see it. Their priority as it concerned their faith in God was manifested in one simple attitude. People will see the same thing in your life – especially as you teach others and witness to what God has done for you.

We see this in our text, too, in what Joshua and the Israelites did at Shechem. They built an altar. They made sacrifices. They carved the Law back into stone. They gathered the entire assembly together – young and old alike – and listened to the Word as it was read. And they reaffirmed their belief and confession in the LORD. They stopped their daily activities and took the time to do these things in order to show how important they were. Observances like these make a difference in how people learn about their faith. If what they did sounds familiar, it should, because in each of its parts it’s very similar to what we do each Sunday. We take time to listen to God. We deliberately stop all other things we are doing, and we make this a priority. We offer Him the sacrifices of time and money. We train ourselves to focus so that we can listen to His Word – all of it. These practices are powerful factors in the way we teach others. If you want your witness to be effective, you need to care about it.

Ultimately, though, what we teach is more important that how we teach. No matter how caring we are, Christian education is about much more than just our efforts and intentions. If we’re not bringing people to God, we’re not helping them at all. We also see this at Shechem. The practices that Moses commanded Joshua and the people to do were not rituals void of meaning. Each activity was aimed at honoring and praising God for His gift of deliverance. The structure was designed to help the people of Israel understand and remember this.

A couple of important details come to the surface. First, Joshua read the whole word – blessings and curses. Joshua didn’t sugar-coat the Word. He didn’t share the parts that he knew the people would enjoy and avoid the more unpopular portions. He delivered the entire Word to them. We know that today as law and gospel – law being the message of God’s judgment over our sins and the gospel being the free and complete forgiveness we have in Christ. Joshua taught it all to them because he wanted the people to see not only what God does in His love, but also the great wickedness and tragedy of our sins that He had redeemed them from. The various rituals that followed – the altar construction, the sacrifices, the etching of the law, the responsive shouting back and forth were there to help the people learn of God’s great work and respond in thankful praise.    

The importance of the content is also shown in the fact that Joshua spoke to the entire assembly. It was important that all people hear this – men, women, children, and even foreigners who were in the camp. All who diligently teach of God today continue in the same fashion – declaring the whole Word and proclaiming it to all – with the singular goal that the grace of Christ shines forth clearly.

We see then, that the content of God’s Word – the whole message of law and gospel, is really what leads us to care about sharing it with others. If you find yourself unmotivated or uncertain about teaching others – go back to the Word. Return to the same source that Joshua used and to which he directed the focus of His people. This is how we become caring Christians – we see, learn, and understand what God has done for us. At some point in your life people took the time to teach you about this. They shared the stories of God’s Word, they helped you learn what God has done for you. They gave you rituals and practices to help you worship God and continue growing in your faith. And you’ve been abundantly blessed because they taught you all of this. The faith that was established by the Holy Spirit in your heart, and which has continued to flourish there has sustained you on life’s weary journey. It comforts you when you are afflicted by evil and wickedness in the world. It reassures and renews you when you fall from God’s grace in sin and unrighteousness. It gives you peace when you face life’s unknowns, with full confidence that Jesus is leading the way. What a blessing you have and what a critically necessary education you’ve been given!

Now in your life, you have the ability to give the same. You can teach others – not out of your skills or because of your credentials, but simply because you have been forgiveness and redeemed also. Go forward in confidence in your task of Christian education. Show everyone around you how much you care and how important it is. Leave no one behind and let no Word of God go unspoken or unheard in your life. And most of all – tell them about Jesus – your Savior and their Savior. Let all be done to His glory. Amen.

"How to..." love others - Luke 6:27-36

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Theme: How to love others

Luke 6:27-36 "But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don't hold back your shirt either. 30 Give to everyone who asks from you, and from one who takes away your things, don't ask for them back. 31 Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  

Love is a reflection of Christ

The devil has many crafty and far-reaching techniques when it comes to temptation. One of the most dangerous is something that we often don’t think about. Satan uses God’s Word to tempt. Sounds strange doesn’t it? But isn’t that what the devil did to Jesus? He used a portion of Psalm 91 in an attempt to get Jesus to follow his command. Satan did the same thing to Adam and Eve. It wasn’t written Scripture per se, but he did use what God had spoken about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Throughout history, this technique has been a major way that Satan has influenced, and even gained the upper hand on, many Christians. We tend to assume that as long as we’re using Scripture, we’re in a safe place. But what we forget is that we have a sinful flesh that seeks out opportunities to follow our own word over God’s. It helps to quell the conscience if we can label one our own opinions as “Biblical” or if we selectively choose what to follow from Scripture, as Satan tempts us to.

The verses before us today contain another piece of the Bible that Satan has used to lead many astray. We know it as the Golden Rule: It comes from the very words of Christ, is in verse 31: “Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.” This principle is completely Biblical. There is nothing wrong with it, just as there was nothing wrong with Psalm 91 or God’s command in the Garden, either. But Satan takes it, manipulates the meaning, offers an alternative interpretation, and mankind has gravitated toward it ever since. To many people, the Golden Rule has become a universal religious moniker. It stands for them as the main purpose of all religions, not as something unique to Jesus. And it has become a way for humans to justify themselves by their own works, instead of submitting to God in repentance and faith. The idea is that our purpose here is not so much to believe in Jesus or to follow the true God, but to do good to others. Like all false teachings, it operates on half-truth. It takes something well known and experienced and changes its very purpose as ordained by God.

In many ways, the theme of our lesson today – love – has traveled a similar path in our culture. It’s become a highjacked word. It’s been stripped of its Biblical meaning and used as a way to promote sin. It’s been separated from its source – Christ, and championed by human interests and desires.  

So, what is to be made of the Golden Rule today. How should we love others? We ask for blessing in this study from the Holy Spirit – the Author or truth and of our faith.

First of all, the love that Jesus is teaching about is more than a rule. Jesus certainly tells us to love others and we would have them love us. But there’s even more. He also instructs us to: Do unto others more than what one would typically expect of you. You see, we tend to take that Golden Rule and apply our own stipulations to it. Sure, I should love others, but only if they deserve it. I should treat others well, but not if they’re evil people. I should go to the extra mile only if it’s someone who shares my beliefs – whether religious or political. We tell ourselves that if they don’t meet those requirements we’re free to mock them, treat them horribly, make fun of them, and look down on them. Okay, so maybe we don’t tell ourselves that but isn’t that how we often act? Christ tells us even more. He holds us, as Christians, to a higher standard because He established a higher standard by His life, work, and path to the cross.

·       Christ turned the other cheek

·       Christ allowed His garment to be taken away.

·       Christ did good to those who treated Him the worst. (even on the cross He pleaded for their forgiveness).

We see more than a mere rule here through the word, grace, in this section. You may be puzzled by grace not being in the text, but that’s because it comes out in a different word – credit. When Jesus asks the crowd three times, “What credit is it to you?” the word is grace. This doesn’t mean we store up grace when we do good things for others. Rather, it shows us that our good deeds are a reflection of what God has done for us. So Jesus asks us, when we refuse to love others because they don’t align with what we think is lovable, what kind of grace is that? What kind of grace is it to share with others only because we expect to get something in return? What kind of grace is it to love others only when they deserve it? That’s not the grace you were shown by God. Jesus says, even sinners can display those cheaper versions of grace. 

Jesus put it another way when He commissioned the 12 disciples to go out and spread the Word. He said to them, Matthew 10:7-8 “And as you go, preach, saying ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

How we treat others is really a reflection of how God has treated us. It leads us not only to consider what we’ve shown others, but also what God has shown us. If God has been merciful to us, especially in our sins, why should be withhold the same love to others?

Love does not necessarily mean like

One of the things that trips us up the most when it comes to loving others is feeling like we’ve betrayed our own values. This is another reason why love is often cheap in the world – people usually do not practice it in a truly unconditional way. This is not an easy fix either. It feels unnatural to go against one’s own conscience and support something evil or wicked. But strange as it may sound, love does not demand we do that.

God calls us to love others, not to like what they’re doing. You probably remember that there are different Greek words for love. There is a friendship love, and romantic love, and a commitment love. Christian love does not mean that you have to tolerate, support, or condone wickedness and evil. But you must be committed to sharing the love of Christ to all – especially to the wicked and evil. Loving others doesn’t mean you have to support what they do or what they believe. It doesn’t matter what you think is most wicked in the world (robbery, murder, sexual immorality, racism, foul language) you are given the high and privileged status to love others as Christ loved you and thereby help them see that they have a Savior who forgives too. But you don’t have to like what they do. You don’t have to be friendly to the sin they commit.   

One of the reasons we struggle with this is because in our culture love most often is equated with liking. It’s a deep liking of course, but if love is often stripped of its unconditional commitment to what is right, it becomes nothing more than infatuation; and of course, we are not infatuated with the things that violate our values the most. The result? We don’t love others as Christ loved us. This can be fixed by understanding what kind of love we are called to – committed love that stands for the truth of God’s love in Christ – not love that joins in with and accepts any belief or behavior.

Within this committed love is the purest form of love possible – the love of the gospel. Don’t confuse this with the former. Just because we imitate the love of Christ in our lives does not equate the two. People around us need Jesus – not just us. We don’t win souls to God by showing how to love – we do it by showing them Jesus. Only Jesus can love in this way. This is grace. This is the highest form of love. This is the love that no Christian, no matter how kind, compassionate, understanding, empathetic will ever be able to put into practice the way that Christ put into practice. To give people this love we need to give them the gospel.

Love that foregoes individual rights

The last thing we contemplate about love is that it willingly gives up individual rights. You simply cannot love as Christ is calling you to if you don’t put other peoples’ interests above your own.

Matthew’s Gospel in this account hearkens back to an old Jewish law – “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Jesus spoke against this precept, telling the crowd to offer the other cheek when struck and to show mercy in the place of vengeance. Jesus wasn’t forsaking what God previously said, rather He was correcting the misunderstanding of it that had arisen in His time (civil vs. moral law). For Christians, Jesus shows us that we can practice something better than the preservation of our individual rights. We can show merciful love and thereby point someone more directly to Jesus.

This doesn’t mean we must allow anyone to what they please to us. There’s a healthy balance to protecting our lives and self-denial by faith. Truly, it’s not loving to allow wrongdoing or sin to exist, even when directed our way. But for the most part the things God asks us to forego involve rights and freedoms that are not matters of life and death. Jesus is asking you to diligently examine situations that arise in your life when you have the opportunity to deny yourself in order to point more clearly to Him. Are you willing to do this? It really is the pinnacle of a submissive faith before God.  

We think of our Scripture reading from 1 Corinthians 13. Several expressions of love in that chapter involve service to others and self-denial. Listen to a modern paraphrase of verses 4-7:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride; 5 Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil; 6 It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true; 7 Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things. (BBE)

This is definitely a rare form of love today. We live in an era that exalts individual rights above all else. This is one reason why we often struggle as a society to come together. We know that we have to work with others in many areas, but when we hold individuality and personal rights as the greatest virtue, we diminish the importance of helping one another. Part of Christ-centered and motivated love is that it allows us the liberty to forego our personal rights out of concern and care for others, and most importantly out of honor to God. 

There’s great wisdom in Christ’s words on love from our section today. We see that our love is to be a reflection of Christ’s love. We see that to love our enemies or those caught in sin doesn’t mean we have to like what they’re involved in. And we see that love allows us to deny ourselves for Christ’s honor and glory and that others would see Him more clearly in the Gospel. These are important lessons for our lives and values we should diligently consider practicing.

But above all, let us be thankful that God has shown us the highest and most perfect form of love in His Son, Jesus. There’s much to follow here, but the true lesson is astonishment and gratefulness that we could receive such love as sinners ourselves. As John wrote, Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God (1 John 3:1). Return to the words of your Savior often, to behold His love for you, to appreciate it in thankfulness, and to improve upon showing it to others in your life. Amen.

"How to..." be content - Philippians 4:8-13

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Theme: How to be content

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-- meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  

Contentment is the lost virtue in our culture. It’s often no longer pursued by people and even more so not understood. Yet, the law of God in our hearts beckons us for contentment, the problem is that we’re looking for it in the wrong ways and in the wrong places. We often think of contentment as being okay with life and the attendant circumstances around us. It’s often used in unfortunate or less than suitable situations – where we have to deal with something that is beyond our control. There is certainly an element of contentment that fits this mold.

However, what Paul is speaking about here, and more importantly when the Bible uses the idea of contentment, it means to be self-sufficient and independent of external circumstances. That’s a similar idea to dealing with something beyond your control but it emphasizes even more – that you are in control in a way. That may seem like a foreign thought to a Christian. How can we strive for independence and self-sufficiency when the essence of faith is to trust and rely upon God? The answer is that those gifts come from God, as Paul eloquently summarizes in the last verse of our text: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Like so many virtues from God, the world and our sinful nature take the concept hostage and turn it into something that it isn’t. This is what happens with contentment today. This is why people aren’t pursuing it. They’re looking for the same thing in a different way.

We’ll come back to that thought in a moment but first let us consider what contentment is from Paul’s words here. Two important thoughts come to mind – meditating and doing.

Meditating is a term that needs a bit of further explanation because it has become a spiritual aspect of other religions. When we see meditating in our text today it’s not talking about spiritual thought apart from the true God or Jesus Christ. Christianity also has its own form of meditation and it centers upon the Word of God.

Paul lists a string of good things upon which to mediate. Things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and containing anything virtuous or praiseworthy. Paul is not leaving it up to the individual to decide what these things are. It’s true that we can have different opinions at times about what is lovely or of good report, but anything worth meditating upon comes from God. That’s why the very next verse follows up by saying, “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Paul had dedicated his life to teaching the Word of God to the Philippians and many other Christians. He helped found this church. This was the congregation of Paul’s supporter and friend, Lydia. This is where Paul was in prison and granted a miraculous escape, an opportunity God used to bring a jailer and his family from Philippi to faith. Paul had a history with these Christians and this was his final message to them. Part of his plea to them was to continue meditating on what they learned from God’s Word. That was the way to peace from God.

Another aspect of meditation that is worth explaining is that it involves activity of the mind. Again, the classic image of mediation that comes to mind, often from other religious practices, is that it involves freeing oneself from thought – sort of like focusing on nothing is that’s even possible. In this way meditation is seen as something that seeks to undue mental activity. The Biblical sense is quite the opposite, though. Strictly it means to think about something even more – to devote more mental activity to a given topic. While it is certainly helpful to block out other distractions when doing this, meditating upon God’s Word means having a sharper, not looser, focus on what we learn and understand. Meditating by faith in Christ also does not mean we let whatever thoughts we want drift into our consciousness. Rather, it more astutely zeroes in on the truth of God, and the blessings that Paul lists in our text. So, one key to contentment is to meditate on God’s truth.

The other thing mentioned in our text is the attendant result of meditation – doing. Again, Paul writes,  “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”   

As we know when it comes to faith – action always follows belief. So also, it is with meditating upon God’s Word. The mental activity of the mind or the heart is followed by the physical activity of the body. It is hypocritical to think about what is right or even to confess it with one’s words, and not do it in your life. So, Paul instructs the Philippians to do the things they know are proper and fitting from God. Don’t just think about them – do them too.

Paul unlocks the key to contentment with these two concepts. Mentally consider what God has said and then practice it in your life. Paul described how that worked in his life. Although he was faced with tremendous adversity, he was always content because thinking about what God had done and practicing the blessings of his faith kept Paul firmly centered on Jesus – the source of Paul’s contentment.

Contentment is elusive for our culture because this is a difficult thing to continue in. Paul lays out the process but the result is hard to come by. Difficulty arises when we are given supposedly better options by the world or by our flesh. Difficulty continues when we fall from God’s path in our sins and transgressions. Difficult envelops us when we lose a sense of what true contentment is by faith in Jesus. But the two steps that Paul lays out can always bring us back to God. Meditate on His Word and follow that Word.

These steps do not work as rigid laws that must be followed. That kind of thinking will only lead us to further despair and failure. The hope of these two steps is found in Christ, as Paul closes this section and his letter. Christ is what unlocks the mystery of contentment for us. In fact, that’s the very terminology Paul uses. As he talks about learning to be content in verse 12 the actual wording indicates understating the mystery of something. It’s the only place in Scripture that this Greek word is used. It is the root of where our English word of myth or mystery comes from. That fits well with something like contentment, which so often seems too good to be true or realistic for our lives. It’s akin to a myth that teaches a lesson but isn’t actually a substantive goal.

Paul explains how the mystery is made known – “through Christ who strengthens me.” The strengthening of Christ is empowerment. It’s the fulfillment of what true contentment really is according to the Christian faith. It’s not just about bearing under bad circumstances, but being free and independent in Christ. Contentment by faith is being able to get through any setting, not because you’re scrimping by at the bottom, but because Christ lifts you out of the mess and changes your life.

Just like Paul said, this affects us both mentally and physically. There is no greater message of liberation than victory over sin in Jesus. There is nothing stronger that can positively influence your thoughts, words, and actions than the power of the Gospel. There are plenty of physical hindrances from sin in our lives, but they all stem from the corruption of our hearts. If a person’s heart is right, actions will align; but an equal warning exists through sin. Sometimes we focus so much on what is outward that we forget the impact of the heart – what is inward. Empowerment from Jesus starts in the heart, by a quiet and confident faith in His work as our Redeemer from sin. This is the truth that changes how we live our lives. John likewise wrote, 1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

The question of contentment for you is not about whether it is possible in your life. Instead it’s about who you follow. In Paul’s final thought, it’s either Christ or you that receives greater emphasis. Sadly, many people use this very passage to push for their own rights and power. The lingering thought becomes what I can do in my life instead of what Christ has done for me. This is how we lose contentment. This is how we take a verse from God’s Word that is teaching us about peace in the heart and in our actions and it becomes a means to get more and more. And this is how we lose contentment.

There is no peace without Christ. Peace of forgiveness or peace of contentment. You lose Christ and contentment when you believe something else and when you emphasize something else. Yet, everyone still has a pressing need to feel fulfilled, at peace, and independent of worry and need. There are examples all over our culture. Although contentment is not lauded, the quest for it is abundant.

Take NBA star Stephen Curry as an example. Curry has exploded in popularity in the last 5 years. He has won multiple championships and become a global icon through it all. He has also become a champion of sorts for Christians in the process. You see, before every game, Curry takes a sharpie and writes out “I can do all things” on his shoes. His inspiration is Philippians 4:13 and he uses it an expression of his faith, but without the most important part of the passage Curry’s ritual becomes deflated of true meaning and merely an expression of self.

How quickly the path to contentment in Christ veers off into a different direction. Instead of using this verse as God intended it, as a message of hope that Christ is the one who empowers us to a position of independence by faith – free from the attachments and bondage of the law and its condemnations, it becomes a message of personal choice and determination to get what I want. Within that is encapsulated our cultures’ problem with contentment. We need it, we desire it, but we cannot find it, let alone understand it, without Jesus.

God wants you to be sufficient and content – but not on your terms or on the world’s terms. Let all things – empowerment, contentment, truth, joy, nobility, and every other virtue – be through Him who loved us and washed us from our sins – our Lord and Savior Jesus. Meditate on Him. Follow Him. Amen.