Trees Undervaluing Good – Overestimating Evil – Underestimating God

Trees – I have admired, photographed, felled, bucked, trimmed, burned, planted, pruned, carved, climbed, and picked fruit off them. Maybe you have as well?

Trees – Have you stopped and paused for their daily, soul-refreshing dance in the low morning and evening sun as they are putting on their annual Autumn Extravaganza, spilling buckets of color over entire forests and landscapes, in backyards and orchards, along trails, city streets, and roadsides.

Trees – Food, fuel, shade, building material, tools, furniture, baskets, toys, … They are an incredible part of God’s good creation and provision. Then God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them”; and it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good…
  Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:11-12, 29-31 (NASB)

Trees – They are mentioned sixteen times trees in the first three chapters of Genesis, the Bible book of Beginnings, eight times about two specific trees, and six of those about the tree “of the knowledge of good and evil.” The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…
 Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 1:8-9, 29-30 2:8-9, 15-17 (NASB)

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the one tree that was off limits. The tree that has terribly affected all of mankind, all of creation, and all human history. The tree by which Adam and Eve sinned, and sin infected all of us.

Why did God plant it in the first place if they couldn’t eat its fruit? Why plant a tree they had to continually say no to? Why did God plant it when He knew satan could and would use it as a source of temptation? Why plant it when the stakes were so high and the consequences so dire and far-reaching?

It was a very good command, “from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die,” because knowing evil is overrated, and only God can handle the knowledge of evil without being corrupted by it, we surely can’t. They knew good, that’s all they knew, what could knowing evil possibly add to that? – nothing. I wish I knew less evil, were more like a little child whose sin nature hasn’t blossomed yet. It doesn’t take long for evil that is unleashed in the mind (knowledge) to work itself into our hearts, onto our lips, and take hold of our feet and hands (experiential knowledge), and from there extent itself into the lives of others.

That tree was a daily reminder that some things are better left in the hands of God. We are created in the image of God but not to be God, we are not qualified to occupy His throne, no one is, and when we try it always ends in disaster and death.

That tree asked a daily question, “Do you trust God?” even when He says, “No” or “Don’t.” So, do you? Do trust in God’s wisdom and goodness, and that He both knows what He is talking about and means what He says?

Heeding God’s good command to bypass that tree was a declaration of trust, an act of faith, a choice for good and life. But we know it didn’t take long for Adam and Eve to ignore the command not to eat of that tree (Genesis 3), to be duped into thinking that knowing evil and playing God was worth risking all the good God had blessed and surrounded them with, and to be deceived into thinking that God’s declared consequences to their actions somehow did not apply to them.

You and I are familiar with the knowledge of good and evil. For one, the taste for sin has been an inherited trait ever since Adam and Eve ate off that tree. For another, we are also guilty of continuing to snack and gorge ourselves on the fruit of that tree, falling to the same deception to mistrust and underestimate God, and that there is some way for us to be God.  

The command regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil still stands – “Don’t eat from it.”

 To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans

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SHARE – The 1 Timothy 6:17-19 Challenge

SHARE

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NASB)

They, my son and two grandsons, were panning for gold down at the creek behind our house. When I checked on how things were going, the six-year-old was busy marking his claim, which had already produced, “Six flakes, Opa.” Yes, a rock boundary was going up around his 4×4 foot spot, along with clear, loud, and repeated instructions, “EVERYBODY! No one is allowed to step on and dig in this spot. UNDERSTAND!” I understood alright, but I also didn’t have the heart or courage to inform him that he was prospecting on MY property, and it’s just not wise for a sixty-year-old to argue with a six-year-old. I think that boy needs to start memorizing the scripture above.

Raise your hand if you are rich or if you wouldn’t mind being rich, finding the motherlode next to my grandson’s claim. If your hand went up, or if it was twitching but you kept it down because you’re trying to be humble, then you might want to memorize and learn to practice 1 Timothy 6:17-19 as well. Of course, it is never enough to merely memorize some of God’s instructions and commands for living, we also need to grasp and do them. Did you notice:

1. The dangers of riches/wealth.

• It can make you conceited, proud, arrogant, haughty. All of these impact generosity and sharing negatively.
• It tends to make you self-reliant instead of relying on God.
• It can make you forget to give God both credit and thanks.

2. The possibilities of riches/wealth.

• It creates opportunities to do good to others.
• It enables generosity, a lifestyle of sharing
• It can be converted and invested into an eternal portfolio.

So, how do God’s instructions and commands figure into your wealth management and investment strategy? What I am hoping is that you will sign up with me for a yearlong pursuit of living out 1 Timothy 6:17-19, a 365-day challenge of growing in doing good, growing richer in good works, expanding our generosity, and developing daily sharing readiness.

Let’s begin with two daily practices:

1.  Every morning recite 1 Timothy 6:17-19.

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed (NASB).

2. Every morning pray 1 Timothy 6:17-19.

Father in Heaven, please help me not cave to the temptations that come with wealth: pride, arrogance, conceit, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, forgetting to give you credit and thanks, and that my security and hope are found only in you.

Please help me recognize and engage with today’s opportunities to do good, to use my riches to be rich in good works. I asked for Your help Lord to maintain an attitude of generosity all day long, to be in the grip of a ready-to-share-what-I-have spirit.

Father, I want to be a wise investor of all you have given and entrusted to me: my money, possessions, time, skills, know-how, knowledge, experience, gifts, and spiritual wisdom. Please help me to finish today with some heavenly profit, with You being pleased with my growth in generosity and sharing. (Feel free to write your own 1 Timothy 6:17-19 prayer)

Amen.

To God be all glory throughout 2023. Love you, Pastor Hans

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When? – Are You Ready for It?

Through observation, the pursuit of wisdom, and computer modeling we might achieve some high probability on some aspects of the future, but no one can speak with certainty about the near and far future, except God.

Everything in our world and lives is fragile. The environment, economy, political structures, peace – all fragile. Our bodies, minds, health, families, achievements, possessions, relationships – all fragile. Our fragility, our mortality, and our ignorance are the main reasons for our interest in the future. We live in the hope that knowing something about the future will lessen our fragility, achieve some kind of stability, and postpone our mortality as long as possible. And yet, despite our best efforts our world and each one of us woke up to the same fragility we went to bed with.

On their way out of the Temple complex Jesus’ disciples looked back and commented on the magnificent structure and beautiful architecture. “It’s all coming down, every last stone,” was Christ’s killjoy answer (Mark 13:1-2). Knowing their Jewish history, they were aware that it couldn’t happen, 600 years earlier Solomon’s temple was leveled by the Babylonians. Knowing this was a troubling prediction of the future, an announcement of war and defeat, an end to national aspirations and existence, they asked, “When?” and, “What are the warning signs before this happens?”

They did ask the right person, Jesus the Son of God. Who do you consult when it comes to the future, both in this life and in eternity? It will make a huge difference in your preparedness. At least five things are certain regarding the future: 1. It will come; 2. You will be in it; 3. It will unfold according to God’s will, plan, and word; 4. You will either be prepared or unprepared. 5. The only way to be prepared is to listen to and believe God.

Instead of having his disciples get out their calendars so they could mark a specific date, Jesus gave them a rather lengthy and confusing answer. He certainly doesn’t clear it all up for them. Christians have puzzled and debated over Mark 13 and Matthew 24-25 (and eschatology, the study of the end times) for the past 2000 years. In his answer, Jesus speaks of both the near future (the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. and the Jewish Nation ceased to exist for almost 1900 years), and events reaching far into the future, including His return at the end of the ages.

The one thing Jesus is crystal clear about concerning the near and far future is the importance of preparedness to handle it, live through it, and give final accounting of our entire lives to God. He emphasizes:

• “See to it that no one misleads you” Mark 13:5. There will be lots of prognosticators, Christian or otherwise, with predictions, dates, explanations, interpretations of history, news, and natural events. Some will even claim to be Christ or make Christlike claims. None of them will help you be prepared, but they can derail you. Be discerning.

• “Be on your guard” Mark 13:9. “Pay attention to yourself,” persecution will come. Satan, sinful humankind and evil have no regard for God, Christ, God’s rule, ways, and kingdom. Serious following Christ will bring you into conflict with the religious, governmental, and even familial order of our world. Persevere.

• “Be Alert” Mark 13:33, 34, 35, 37. Don’t let not knowing God’s timing and waiting lure you into becoming careless, slack, sleepy, and self-focused. Live every day in such a way “the master of the house,” the Master of your life, the master over now and forever will be pleased, honored, and glorified. Be faithful.

The when, the future, your and my future, and all God has revealed about the future will come.  Knowing the exact times and dates and having predictive markers, is not near as important as who we listen to today, who we serve today, and how we live today. It is only through believing and serving God/Christ today that gets us ready for tomorrow.

            To God be all glory. Love you Pastor Hans

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First Questions – Has God really said ..? Where are you?

“Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 (HCSB), was the serpent’s opening line to innocent Eve. She didn’t realize it was a nasty, mean-spirited, loaded, gossiping, God-slandering, doubt-inducing, setup question straight from satan’s evil heart. It is the first question recorded in the Bible (God’s written word).

 Eve was quick to correct the factual inaccuracy of the devil’s question, but she failed to ask, “Why are you saying something I know is not true?” If you are a lawyer, maybe you are yelling, “Objection! Eve had no knowledge of good and evil. She had no experience with deception, lies, or slander. Everyone she had ever talked with she could completely trust.” Fair enough, I am sure the devil was fully aware of this as well. On the other hand, she did know how to think, by correcting the serpent she demonstrated that she knew what the serpent said was not what God said, what God’s will and command were. Her innocence as to good and evil did not excuse her culpability, God certainly did not think so.

 But back to the question that slithered from satan’s foul mouth. “Did God really, actually say …” How much gossip and slander have been introduced like that? And notice he asked it behind God’s back. That opening is laden with the accusation of unreasonableness, of God being ridiculously harsh and out of touch. “You can’t …” gives you the tone, the negativity, the implications of God restraining us, holding back on us, denying us our freedoms and rights. “You can’t eat from any tree in the garden?” and there it is, the bold-faced lie put right in the mouth of God, the soundbite edited in hell, fingering God as being mean, lacking goodness, setting you up. After all, Adam and Eve had to eat something. Amazing, isn’t it, how much that cunning serpent managed to pack into a single question. The devil is still using the same playbook, and sadly, he is finding far too many participants willing to listen to lies about God, putting things into God’s mouth, believing and repeating disinformation edited in and posted from hell.

Adam and Eve bought the lie, dismissed God’s command, and fooled themselves into thinking that the consequences God had decreed somehow no longer applied to them. They ate of the one tree declared off limits. The effects were both immediate and far-reaching, they still are with every action against God’s will and commands. Immediately they felt shame, lost innocence, became afraid of God, tried to cover up, and started hiding, eventually, they died and faced God’s eternal judgment.

“Where are you?” is the next question echoing through the Garden of Eden. It wasn’t that God needed information as to Adam and Eve’s location. It was, however, the first time God had to ask it because they had never before hid from Him. It was an invitation to come out from where they concealed themselves and come clean. God’s “Where are you?” is still echoing throughout the world, not because God doesn’t know where we are, but because He wants to know where we are in relationship to Him. So, “Where are you?” Hiding from God? Trying to cover your sin, shame, and guilt on your own?

Adam, Eve, and astonishingly the serpent, stepped out of their hiding spot. Adam doesn’t come clean, he simply explains why he was hiding, maybe playing the sympathy card. But God probed, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” To which Adam replied by pointing the finger at his wife. Turning to Eve God asked, “What is this you have done?” To which she responded by pointing her finger at the serpent. How quickly sin tap-rooted itself deep into their hearts and minds, only fessing up when asked, no taking personal responsibility, blaming someone else, no asking for forgiveness, no pleas for mercy.

God’s “Where are you?” drips with mercy. He didn’t have to come looking for them. He could have walked away, abandoning them to the serpent, the deceiver, and death. But right there God promised to send someone who would crush the serpent’s head. That someone is Jesus Christ, who “came into the world to save sinners” 1 Timothy 1:15 (HCSB), “seek and to save the lost” Luke 19:10 (HCSB).

“Where are you?”

To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans

P.S. I spelled satan with a lower case s because I don’t think he deserves a capital letter S

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A Good Name – Being Called a Good Samaritan

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold. Proverbs 22:1 (NASB)

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27 (ESV)

It’s still on my key chain, a Datsun emblem that came with our second car, a 1978 Datsun F-10. If you are old enough you might remember that in 1986 Datsun changed their name to Nissan. Dunkin Doughnuts dropped the Doughnuts just a few years ago, although they still sell doughnuts. The famous musician Prince changed his name to a symbol and since the symbol does not have a pronunciation was then referred to as TAFKAP, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Ron Artest, the basketball professional, changed his legal name to Metta World Peace and then to Metta Sandiford-Artest.

Changing your name might give you a chance at a fresh start but it doesn’t make you better. Nissan still had to produce quality automobiles, Dunkin still had to brew a great cup of coffee and not mess up the doughnuts, Prince still had to strive for artistic excellence, and brawler and technical foul collector Artest actually needed to live up to the peace his new name on his jersey proclaimed.

We all have a name and name/s that go with our name, adjectives, descriptions, testimonies, reputations that we have both earned and have been given. Jacob, meaning heel-grabber, cheater, supplanter, lived up to his name for almost 40 years of his life, until ran into and wrestled with God for a night and was given a new name, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel (God’s fighter)” Genesis 32:28 (NASB, parenthesis New Unger’s Bible Dictionary). Quite the name change, and a lot to live into and up to.

Nobody gets a “good name,” accidentally, you have to choose good and consistently do good to earn it, to deserve it, to be known by it. You have to value having a good name. If you had to choose between a “Good Name” and 5 million dollars, what would you pick? Would you be tempted to settle for half and a little less good of a name?

Some names have been ruined. Unless you are a Neo-Nazi or white supremacist the name Adolf is soiled by unspeakable evil. Judas Iscariot ruined a good name by his betrayal of Jesus. Only David Ortiz was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year. There are a number of players with far better statistics than David, but their names are also synonymous with cheating, with taking PEDs, and the excuses of “everybody was doing it,” “the league turned a blind eye,” does little to absolve them.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, a Priest, Levite, and Samaritan all have a chance to earn the label “Good,” have an opportunity for respectability, a title worth having. In their present Jewish society, the Priest and Levite already had a position and title, the Samaritan, however, did not, he and his people were considered no good by even the critics of priests and Levites. 2,000 years later only one of the three is remembered as and titled “Good.” That’s a mighty long good beside his name.

The Samaritan got the “good name” because he did good, and in the process lifted the perception and reputation of all Samaritans. All who heard Jesus tell the story of the Good Samaritan had a much tougher time thinking and talking bad about Samaritans. The good that makes for a “good name” reaches further than you might think.

Jacob and the Samaritan got their name changed but not without wrestling. Doing good does get easier the more we do good, but fears, temptations, frustrations, limitations, weariness, hurts, our old history, cultural norms, evil, and the devil himself won’t stop trying to pin us down, keep us from trusting God when He tells us that making the choices of a “good name,” is the way to go. Ultimately, the best way is to live in such a way we will have a “good name” on earth and in heaven, and one day get to hear God say, “Well done, my good and faithful my servant ______” (Matthew 25:21).

To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans

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CARE

            Welcome to 2022, another 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, and 31,536,000 seconds stretching out over the horizon of life. Of course, we have no idea if we will make it all the way to that last second and glimpse 2023’s horizon, but I am sure hoping we both will.

            In order to reach the 2022 horizon we had to spend all those 2021 months, weeks, days, minutes, and seconds, every last one of them. We have to do the same journeying to the 2023 horizon; the only question will be how we will spend 2022’s days and seconds.

            A lot can change in a few minutes, even a split second. In Luke 10:25-37, you find Jesus and a lawyer having a conversation, and maybe Jesus’ most famous parable as the answer to the lawyer’s self-justifying question, “Who is my neighbor?”

            Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?“

            And the lawyer said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.”       

            Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” Luke 10:30-37 (NASB)

            The lawyer wanted to know when and from whom he could exempt himself regarding the command to love your neighbor. He wanted to know under what circumstances he didn’t have to care.

            Jesus left him no wiggle room, race, inconvenience, danger, busyness, religious excuses, not knowing the person, all went out the window. The priest, Levite, and Samaritan saw the same scene, were confronted with the same dilemma (or was it an opportunity), they all felt something, all three had to make a quick decision. The reason the Samaritan made a very different decision was that he “saw and felt compassion,” which caused him to care and act with mercy.

            2022 follows 2021 and 2020 (sometimes you learn very profound truths in a pastor’s note), years hamstrung by COVID and its variants, escalating political strife, deep ideological divisions, relentless violence, economic hardships, disasters, misinformation, lies, and fears. I am sensing a fatigue, a weariness, a deep tiredness setting in. It makes it tougher to care. It makes it easier to ask the lawyer’s question, looking for the minimum level of caring, which puts us in danger of not caring at all. But care we should, care we must, it is synonymous with professing Christ.

            Our 2022 Theme: CARE – Luke 10:25-37, all the way to the 2023 horizon and beyond. It is awesome and right to be known for being a Good Samaritan, for being someone who cares.

            To God be all glory throughout 2022. Love you, Pastor Hans

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Call Tychicus or his sister

So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. Ephesians 6:21 (ESV)

How are you doing? What are you doing? Those are two good questions to ask yourself, and those who care about us want to know the answers to those two questions.

“Tychicus … will tell you everything.” Full disclosure, real transparency, complete and honest answers. No safe answers, partial admissions, changing topics, hee-hawing around, hiding, or running for the fig leaves.

So, how is it with you? What are you doing these days? If Tychicus had full access to your life, what would he report? What would you want to hide from him? What would you be too embarrassed to tell him? What would you be ashamed of? Would you secretly hope for Tychicus to leave sooner than later before he found how you were really doing, before you had to tell him what you were actually up to? Would Tychicus find an open book, a closed book, or a quickly hidden book?

What we don’t want people to see or know about us says a lot about us. The less transparent and accountable our lives are the more we have to fake it, pretend, equivocate, and obfuscate. We will develop a public image (what we want people to see and know) and a hidden/private image (who we really are and what we are actually doing). The more this invades the inner circles of our relationships the lonelier we become and the more we are in trouble.

So, how is it with you? How is it with your soul? What’s going on in your life? What are you doing? The Apostle Paul gave Tychicus full access to his life and gave him permission to give a full report, to tell “everything,” the good, bad, and ugly, the struggles, the challenges, the problems, the worries, the failures, the ….

Jesus is the only person ever who didn’t have to hide anything because there was nothing to hide, not a single sin, no failures, regrets, bad motives – nothing. He was genuine, spotless through and through. He was “tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin” Hebrews 4:15 (NIV). Jesus did that in obedience to God for you and me, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV), because He wants you and me to know the joy, liberty, the peace of living without needing to hide anything.

“Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with” James 5:16 (MSG), is James’ advice to all followers of Christ, and all who want to live life with freedom of transparency, freed from sins we are trying to hide and which will keep us bound and afraid as long as we hide them.

So, how is it with you? What are doing? Really!

To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans

P.S. Call Tychicus, or his sister.

 

 

 

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I once was …, but now …

I actually had hair at one time. I used to be able to eat an extra-large pizza all by myself. I could run a mile in under 5 ½ minutes a long time ago. I did split wood all day for months on end with a 10-pound splitting maul. I used to drive cars without air conditioning. I did drink five large milkshakes in a row back in college. I was the kid with such a bad reputation at school that when my youngest brother went there five years later teachers fretted, ‘Oh No! Another Frei!”

I am sure, you too have your own list of what you once were and did (Why not send me a sampling – dergermanshepherd@gmail.com), but your present reality is much different. John Newton, the vile slave trader turned preacher, captured the “I once …, but now …” with these famous words:

“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.”

This of course is the scenario God is waiting for, Christ died for, and the church exists for each one of us. That what we were is no longer be who we are, that through God’s grace in Christ each one of us will be brought from death to life, from sin and futility to holiness and good works, “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT2).

Salvation also means transformation, the church word for that is sanctification, which means being set apart for holy use. Who and what we were is no longer who we are. We are, with God’s help, continually changing for the better, becoming more and more like Jesus.

I understand this with my head, but it sure is easy to act like who I once was rather than in congruence with who I now am in Christ. I am always just one decision, one careless word, one rash response away from acting like the old sinner rather than the new person I am in Christ.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we have no business acting and sounding like who we once were, being identified by the sinful behaviors and attitudes of our old life. We are not called to the old nor to go backward, but we should be a living illustration of what Rufus McDaniel wrote, “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought Since Jesus came into my heart!”

To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans

 

 

 

 

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Waiting – Don’t Waste It, Part 3, Waiting and Working

“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” Matthew 24:42-51 (ESV).

 Waiting, watching, working – did notice these three in the scripture above? All three are part of the Christian life. We are waiting for many things. Toping the list is the return of Christ, but we also wait for redemption, for restoration, for deliverance not just for own self but for all of creation (Romans 8:18-25). We wait for prayers to be answered, for directions, for the mortal to be swallowed up by immortality (1 Corinthians 15:50-58), for fully applied justice (Revelation 6:9-11), and so much more.

The major challenge in our waiting is to be continually watchful, staying awake, being alert. The longer the wait the easier it becomes to relax on our assigned responsibilities, to get sidetracked by our own interests, to fall into a short-sighted way of doing life, to lose both a Jesus and God’s kingdom focus.

The disciples wanted a timeline, a date around which to manage their lives. They wanted to know, “How long?” Jesus told them that they need to focus on a different question, “How well?” The length of the wait is not near as important as what we do and who we are while we wait. Jesus stressed faithfulness, wisdom, and the blessing of doing what God assigns to us, not just occasionally or when we feel like it, but day after day, no matter how long the master has us waiting. Christian waiting should always be marked by faithfulness, wisdom, a dogged day by day perseverance, and a heart and mindset which finds its greatest joy in doing what God wants us to be doing (see Matthew 25:14-46).

It is hard not to notice how politically incorrect Jesus’ answer is, “Master, “servant/slave,” “cut him in pieces,” (that last one will really fly in children’s Sunday School). Whatever our sentiment, you can’t miss how serious Jesus wanted his disciples to take this. They wanted to know how long before they got to lay their hands on glory, reward, and liberation, Jesus told them to daily focus on God’s will, God’s assignments (no matter how tedious, taxing, and thankless), and the blessing of carrying them out faithfully. Jesus called doing anything else and doing anything less “hypocrisy.”

You can’t read a passage like the one at the beginning of this pastor’s note and not ask yourself some serious questions and after answering them you might have to make serious adjustments. So, take some time right now, reread the scripture above, write down the questions, then write your answers, and finish with writing down the concrete changes you have to make for you to be that, “Blessed … servant whom his/her master will find so doing when he comes.”

 

To God be all glory. Love you and miss you, Pastor Hans

 

(What concrete responsibilities has God assigned to me? How faithful am I with those responsibilities? How seriously do I take them? How excellent do I carry them out? What gives me the most joy? When do I feel most blessed? What do my answers to the last two questions reveal about me? My focus on Christ and his kingdom? Have I relaxed? Become sleepy/ Derelict with my God-assignments? How do I get back on track? What practical changes do I need to make? …)

 

 

 

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Watching While Waiting (Waiting – Don’t Waste It, part 2)

“So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?’ He replied, ‘The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!’” Acts 1:6-11 (NLT2)

For almost 2000 years Christians have been waiting for Christ to return, that’s a very long wait, that’s 80 generations (if you count 25 years as a generation) waiting their entire lives. I would call that serious waiting.

There they were gawking into the empty sky Jesus just disappeared into when two angels told them to snap back to a life of waiting, watching, and working. Maybe we need some snapping back ourselves? It is easy to get sidetracked, bored, and passive while waiting. Jesus had warned his disciples about becoming lax and irresponsible while waiting (Matthew 24:42-25:46, Mark 13:33-37), “Stay alert!”

Staying alert is one of the big challenges in waiting, it so easy to slip into Netflix filled waiting, simply passing the time waiting, whatever I want to do kind of waiting, and before you know it you’re just staring into space – spacing out.

So, how do we stay alert in both waiting for Jesus’ return and the waiting in everyday life? Here are there things to learn to practice: 

1. Waiting with your ears open (Acts 8:26-31)

• • To the Holy Spirit – He has where you are in time, location, and situation for a reason.
  • Listening to obey (James 1:2-7). Listening to the Holy Spirit is about wanting to do God’s will, not about evaluating options.
  • To what you hear around you – Learn to listen for clues of God being at work in people, hearing people’s questions, confusion, searching.

2. Waiting with your eyes open (Acts 17:16-17)

• • To spiritual reality – There is a spiritual dimension, a bigger picture to all of life.
  • Noticing what is right in front of you.
  • Seeing opportunities to advance God’s kingdom.

3. Waiting with our life open (John 4:3-10)

• • When you are tired, exhausted, busy.
  • When you encounter different people and situations.
  • When you are alone or with your group.

Maybe God is trying to open up your ears, your eyes, your life in the midst of all the current waiting. What does God want you to hear, to see, to be open to?

To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans

 

 

 

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