Category: Kingdom

The Danger of Jesus’ Resurrection

Resurrection is dangerous! Jesus is not safe. The physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus will challenge you at the very depth of your soul. The resurrection of Jesus changes everything!

There is an annual event in Australia called the Festival of Dangerous Ideas.  A couple of years ago they included a Q&A time with some panelists surrounding the question – “what dangerous idea has the greatest potential to change the world for the better?”  Several panelists answered that question in unique but logical ways based upon their worldview.  And then the question was directed to Peter Hitchens and his answer clearly startled the others.  “The most dangerous idea in human history and philosophy remains the belief that Jesus Christ was the son of God and rose from the dead, and that is the most dangerous idea you will ever encounter.”

The moderator didn’t appear to understand the danger of the resurrection and so asked “why dangerous?”  To which Hitchens responded: “Because it alters the whole of human behavior and all our responsibilities.  It turns the universe from a meaningless chaos into a designed place in which there is justice and there is hope and, therefore, we all have a duty to discover the nature of justice and work towards that hope.  It alters us all.  If we reject it, it alters us all as well.  It is incredibly dangerous.  It’s why so many people turn against it.” 

He was right.  The physical and bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the most dangerous idea.  If true, it changes everything.  Chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps have no eternal value or significance!  Resurrection changes everything. Resurrection isn’t soft and cuddly.  Resurrection is dangerous. 

I’m afraid we aren’t aware of just how dangerous it is.  Christian philosopher Stephen Davis says: “Christians today do not seem to be astonished at the idea of resurrection (after 2000 Easters, we seem to have gotten used to the idea), but we ought to be.” If, as a Jesus follower, the most dangerous idea of all ideas doesn’t rock your world, then maybe your faith is too safe.  And if you’re not a follower of Jesus, welcome to Christianity’s dangerous idea!

Paul spent much of his life trying to destroy the dangerous idea of Christianity until he had a life-altering encounter with the resurrected Jesus.  He went from killing Christians (ISIS) to being a Christian pastor.  In 1 Corinthians he writes about the implications of following Jesus. Paul shows us why resurrection is so dangerous. 

The resurrection of Jesus turns the world upside down.   Jesus had been arrested, beaten, and executed. One thing the Powers That Be can’t tolerate is being rejected and so they rejected Him! They killed Him. End of story. But then, something extraordinary happened. God said, “Uh, No. That isn’t the end of the story!” And though He was indeed good and dead, God amazingly and graciously resurrected Jesus – back to life!

The guards who’d been posted at the tomb ran to tell the chief priests what had happened. Their lives were in jeopardy for failing to prevent the tomb from being opened. To break the Roman seal that had been placed at the entrance to the tomb was against the Emperor’s law and punishable by death.

Jesus showed Himself to those disciples of His who had run away in fear and when they experienced Him and recognized the nail marks on His hands, they came out of hiding! Until they encountered the Risen Christ, they viewed the world the way others did.  But when they saw Him risen and alive, they unlocked the doors, came out, and began turning the world upside down! They knew another reality that was bolder, truer, and stronger than the powers that had been paralyzing them with fear. Jesus had risen!

The resurrection of Jesus deals with the problem of death.  One quarter of the gospel accounts focus on the death of Christ. Plenty of other information was left out so that we would grasp the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus did not die as a good example; He did not die because He was a nice martyr; Jesus Christ died for our sins. Sin is a concept one doesn’t hear a lot in our culture today. We hear about illnesses, addictions, and disorders, but we don’t hear much about sin. Yet, the truth is: Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of every man, woman, and child that has ever lived. Sin is the reason Jesus went to the cross.

Christ had to die because you and I were in trouble with God. What puts us in trouble with God is our sin. Just so that there is no doubt, let me clarify what sin is: Sin is anything contrary to the character and commandments of God. To boil down this definition even further, sin is merely leaving God out and failing to worship Him properly.

Jesus Christ died for our sins.  He was our substitute.  A substitute is a person who takes the place of another. We should have died for our sins but Jesus died in our place. Jesus took your place that you might have His place. He took your hell that you might have His heaven. That is His substitutionary death. It is the heart of the gospel. Jesus’ life does not save us. His teaching does not save us. He saves us by His death on the cross. There is no other way to get rid of our sins. The good news of the gospel is that when Christ died for our sins, He died for our past, present, and future sins. He covered all of our sins for all time. Are you having trouble forgiving yourself for sins you have committed? Remember, Christ’s death was sufficient for your sins. His death satisfied God’s wrath against sin. 

When you buy something at a store, the clerk accepts your money and gives you a receipt confirming that the bill was paid in full. If there is ever a dispute about whether the payment was made, all you have to do is produce your receipt. The payment for sin that God demanded has been paid, and the empty tomb is proof that the payment was received and the debt satisfied. The resurrection is our “receipt” from God the Father that He accepted His Son’s payment for sin on the cross

In the resurrection of Jesus, God keeps his word.  Paul does not try to prove that the resurrection of Jesus actually happened. Instead, he assumes the resurrection as fact. In these verses, he simply wants us to know that Christ has risen from the dead. The gospel still works today. As Christians what we really need is to be reminded of what we already know. We need to preach the gospel to ourselves every day. When we do this, we experience a new surge of life and love for Christ.

Paul reminds his readers of what the gospel is. The term “gospel” means “good news.” This is the message that Paul preached to the Corinthians for the eighteen months he served as their pastor. Paul is writing with the confidence that the Corinthians are believers. “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” An important phrase immediately jumps out: “according to the Scriptures.” In the Old Testament, God predicted that Christ would die and rise again. One of the strongest arguments that Jesus is the Christ is how He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy.

This gospel was “of first importance” and foundational to everything else in the Christian life. It isa non-negotiable. The reason for this is the gospel did not originate from Paul or any other man; rather it was received from God and then delivered to people. It is God’s gospel, not ours. No one would have ever devised a plan of salvation like this one, for mankind always tries to obtain salvation the old-fashioned way—“to earn it.” But the good news of the Christian gospel is that salvation is a free gift—costly to Christ but free to us.

The resurrection of Jesus requires a response.  The great tightrope walker Blondin strung a wire from one side of the Niagara Falls to the other. A crowd gathered to watch him attempt to walk out over the deadly falls. The silent tension turned to cheers as they watched him walk out, turn and come back. He asked the crowd, “How many believe that I can walk to the other side and back while pushing a wheelbarrow?” To which they shouted, “We believe, we believe!” And, Blondin did in fact walk out and back with a wheelbarrow. Upon his return, Blondin asked, “Who believes I could push a man in this wheelbarrow while walking out and back on the wire?” Again the crowd responded with enthusiastic affirmation. “OK,” he asked, “Who would like to get in?” The crowd fell silent.

Trusting Jesus is not simply assenting to the facts of the gospel message, there is a decision that implies actually getting into the wheelbarrow. The proof of the resurrection is its dangerous power to change lives. The gospel centers on Jesus Christ, not Buddha, not Mohammed. God wants to know: what are you going to do with My Son, Jesus? Responses such as: “I go to church every week and I’m a good father or mother” have nothing to do with the gospel. The gospel centers on Jesus Christ.  Each of us must give a response to the resurrection.  And it may be no!  I reject the resurrection.  But you’re response may very well be – I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead; I love Jesus and I want to follow him – welcome to the revolution!  Your relationship with Jesus changes everything. 

Silent Saturday: The Day Between Death and Resurrection

Silent Saturday. That’s what we’ve come to call the second day, the day between crucifixion and resurrection. For the followers of Jesus left behind to grieve and prepare his body for burial, it must have been an odd day. What should they do? Cry? Hide? Leave? What do we do in the numbing silence hours after a loved one dies? They rested and wondered what was next.

But what about Jesus? Physically, there was rest. His body lay in the tomb. Spiritually, however, something else was happening.

Upon his death, Jesus’ spirit descended to Sheol (Hades). Sheol is the biblical concept of death prior to Jesus’ resurrection. When he died, Jesus went to the place of death. Sheol is where both the faithful and the unfaithful waited. The faithful awaited the Messiah to rescue them, as referenced in Psalm 139, Romans 10:7, and Luke 16.

When Jesus descended to Sheol, he was truly experiencing death. He was really dead! He remained under the power of death. Holy Saturday reminds us that Jesus entered death and stayed dead. The gap was long enough for him to genuinely taste death (Hebrews 2:9) and to endure the anguish of being in death’s grip (Acts 2:24). He fully entered the land from which no one returns, undertaking the profound loneliness of death as part of his mission to redeem us. His disciples experienced his death as if it were permanent. Remarkably, this is good news for us.

Just as Jesus took our sins, he has also taken all our lonely dying upon himself. Let the gap be the gap.

The Mockery of the Cross: Jesus’ Final Words and Victory

Cruel and mocking words followed Jesus to his death: “King of the Jews… Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God… He saved others, but he can’t save himself!” It may not have been surprising that he faced rejection in the end; after all, these were the same people who had turned away from him during his life. However, what likely made his death even more painful were the words he didn’t hear. He heard nothing from the Father—no words at all. Mocked. Forsaken. Abandoned. Alone. Jesus died.

To onlookers, it seemed as if it was all for nothing. Jesus appeared to be just another crucified man, lifeless on the side of the road.

Yet, what no one could see was what was happening on the other side. Once mocked, Jesus now triumphs over Death itself. “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).

On a hill far away, where the tree of death once stood, now stands the Tree of Life.

The Significance of Jesus as the Passover Lamb on Holy Thursday

Flesh, blood, atonement, love—this is the language of Holy Thursday. Jesus and his disciples find a room to remember Passover, the ancient celebration of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. On that Exodus night, the blood of the lamb spread on the doorposts of the Israelites atoned for their sins and protected them from the wrath of God that was poured out on Egypt.

Now, in an upper room, Jesus positions himself as that Passover lamb about to be sacrificed, whose blood will atone for sin and protect against God’s wrath. While the first Passover and the original (old) covenant focused on national Israel, Jesus expands the second (new) covenant to include all who confess faith in him. Those saved by the blood of Jesus the Lamb become a royal priesthood, “declaring the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

The mission of the Church is beautifully intertwined within the events of Holy Thursday. Jesus is the Lamb whose body was sacrificed and whose blood was shed to atone for and forgive the sins of those who confess faith in him. These believers become a movement of priests, declaring the gospel of freedom and taking on the Abrahamic mantle of blessing the nations (Genesis 12).

On Holy Thursday, how do you perceive your calling to share the gospel and bless the people closest to you?

Lessons from Jesus: Trust Amid Uncertainty

The Olivet Discourse is a significant part of Wednesday during Holy Week, found in Matthew 23-26, Mark 13, and Luke 20-21. In Mark’s account, Jesus speaks about the destruction of the Temple and urges his followers to pay attention to the signs of the end of the age. While much of what Jesus discusses in this Discourse is prophetically linked to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Roman Empire, our contemporary American fascination with End Times interpretations can obscure the original meaning of his words. Nonetheless, the Discourse reminds Christians to trust in Jesus and remain steadfast when everything around them falls apart.

This reflection is especially relevant during Holy Week. When Jesus is arrested, his followers flee and become scattered, filled with fear and uncertainty about the future. Their world has been turned upside down. What about you? How do you respond when your life is unexpectedly shaken? Where do you turn when everything seems to collapse? If your refuge isn’t Jesus, you may be standing on sinking sand!

Bear Fruit

Tuesday of Holy Week is often associated with the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree. This passage can be difficult to understand. Many theologians interpret it as Jesus cursing the nation of Israel for failing to bear spiritual fruit. They were not worshipping God and, as a result, were not producing the characteristics of a godly life. The entire scene is quite sobering.

Jesus intends for each of us to bear fruit. The only way to do this is by staying connected to the vine (John 15). The vine represents Jesus, who is our source of life. Christian theology and history reveal that practices such as prayer, Bible study, fasting, serving, worship, and connecting with fellow believers are effective ways to remain connected to Jesus. Which of these practices are you engaging in this week as we draw closer to the cross?

Turning Tables

On this Monday of Holy Week, after entering Jerusalem as king, Jesus goes to the Temple. Once there, He overturns tables and calls the worshippers back to purity and holiness. People are healed, and children cry out, “Hosanna!”

As a follower of Jesus, you are the temple in which the presence of God dwells. The beginning of Holy Week presents an opportunity to reflect on purity and holiness. What does Jesus need to overturn in your life to take first place?

The Jesus Way of Masculinity

Jesus changed the trajectory of his family tree, and he can work with you to change your course. You can say NO to the past and let Jesus recreate something different through you. He can save you and give your family a new story.

Part 2: Everyone has a past. How will you make a new future?

Liar.

Cheater.

Thief.

Incestuous.

Prostitute.

Adulterer.

Murderer.

Idolater.

This is not a list of the characteristics of people we would want to associate with. But people with these characteristics appeared in Jesus’ family tree (see Matthew 1). You and I can choose many things but can’t choose our family.

I’ve watched many men remain trapped in the story of their past. I watched this play with my own family. I grew up in a blue-collar home. I’m proud because it taught me many things about life, working hard, and being responsible. But it also caused me to believe a lot of crap that followed me around for far too long.

My family tree convinced me that it was my lot always to be financially broke. My family tree convinced me I would never be better or escape the routine of hard labor. I would never become successful. I would labor until my body eventually gave out. Even though it was never said out loud, I learned that life was hard and could never rise above my station. The sins and circumstances of previous generations would continue the curse on me and my legacy through alcoholism, gambling, and abuse.

Have you found yourself in this trap?

A man’s past can betray his potential.

I think this is why I like reading Jesus’ genealogy. When reading the Bible, most people skip over this part of Matthew 1. It seems like a list of hard-to-pronounce names that have no bearing on the rest of the story. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Jesus’ family tree makes all the difference and influences who Jesus is.

Jesus’ family tree recognizes that God uses all sorts of people and situations to shape the future. While painful, the good and the bad of the past are relevant. Jesus’ history shaped him and his mission.

There’s much theology here that we don’t have time to explore but let me say this: Jesus redeemed his past and made a new and different future. And, through Jesus, this can happen for you, too.

Matthew’s Gospel, in verse 21, tells us, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” The name “Jesus” literally means “the LORD saves.” This is critically important.

Jesus saves you from your past and allows you to create a new future. He redeems all the garbage that can follow you through life, causing trauma and dysfunction. Jesus never ignores the past, but he can and will create a new family tree branch out of you.

Here’s a silly story from my past that proves this. I grew up in a family that swore and cussed often. By often, I mean all the time! Every other word out of the mouths of men in my family was dirty and ugly. Usually, they would include taking the LORD’s name in vain. It never bothered me because it was all I knew.

When I was 16, I started following Jesus. I never preached to my family. They could see a change in me. But what I began noticing is that the swearing and cussing died down. I never complained about it or spoke against it, but something happened. I believe God convicted them of their language, and he began to change them. Now, I rarely hear the men of my family of origin swear.

Hopefully, God is redeeming and growing a new branch through my family.

Jesus changed the trajectory of his family tree, and he can work with you to change your course. You can say NO to the past and let Jesus recreate something different through you. He can save you and give your family a new story.

Here’s why I think this is so important in the larger conversation of masculinity. Far too often, men believe that our masculinity is tied to the past. We must be like our dads or grandfathers. Sometimes this is great. You might have healthy male role models and want to pass on their influence. Often, many don’t. To you, I say discover a new future in Jesus and break the broken and painful cycles of the past. Let Jesus grow a new branch on your family tree. Or, if necessary, let Jesus start an entirely different tree through you.

_____________

This is a conversation that may bring up pain in you. Feel free to reach out for a private conversation if you need to walk through this with someone.  

The Jesus Way of Masculinity

While fully God, Jesus was also fully human. His humanness was incarnated in the masculine. Understanding who Jesus was as a man provides insight into how men can live out and model masculine characteristics as created by God.

I’m beginning a new series called The Jesus Way of Masculinity. While fully God, Jesus was also fully human. His humanness was incarnated in the masculine. Understanding who Jesus was as a man provides insight into how men can live out and model masculine characteristics as created by God.

The place where we begin, though, is not with Jesus. We’ll begin with Adam. The Genesis narrative describes “first things.” These first actions of God detail his creative design from chaos to order. Included in God’s creative design are people, specifically, male and female. Both are created as equal image bearers of God. Both sexes speak something about God’s nature. And. Both sexes reveal something about their responsibilities in creation.

The male – Adam had a defined responsibility to work alongside God in creation. Prior to fulfilling his responsibilities, it’s important to see that Adam’s entire life was given to him as a gift from God. Genesis 2:7 (NIV) reads, “Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” This life-giving breath of God communicates that Adam’s entire life was predicated on the life given to him by the Creator. This life-giving breath suggests Adam’s inheritance as a son of God and led to his responsibilities in creation. Genesis chapter 2 highlights Adam’s role:

  • His responsibilities occur in a defined place – the Garden
  • He was to work and care for the Garden
  • He was responsible for his obedience to God’s commands
  • He named the animals
  • He recognized Eve as part of himself
  • He committed himself to her

We see Adam as being clearly created by God for a purpose. He was to manage God’s place on the earth, rule over creation (naming of animals), and nurture his relationships. All of this was intended to honor God in the way that Adam (and Eve) were the image bearers of God in the Garden and on Earth.

Very shortly, though, we discover that the original order was destroyed by original sin. Adam failed to fulfill his responsibility to nurture his wife and nurture his dominion over the earth instead choosing to rebel against God’s design. The rest of the story involves banishment and the beginning of God’s redemptive story climaxing in the incarnation of Jesus.

In Romans 5:12-21, the Apostle Paul contrasts the roles of Adam and Jesus. Adam failed to fulfill his image-bearing role which led to the “death” of all of creation. Jesus, and his “one righteous act” (5:18) bring justification. In other words, Jesus’ obedience had the potential to bring life back to all of creation. In short, I would suggest that Jesus, as the image-bearer of God, fulfilled the things at which Adam failed.

In general, we can apply this to the masculine role – you are an image bearer of God. Certainly, this applies to women as well. Genesis 1 seems to be clear on this reality.  But men cannot shirk this responsibility. The absence of men as image bearers of God in creation is a troubling reality in the 21st century. Many men flee any conversation about God or Christianity. Maybe this has occurred because of the deep feminization of the church and Christianity, but it’s not an excuse.

As an image bearer, men are called to take up the responsibility for revealing the presence of God in every facet of society and take back the ground lost to the enemy. This isn’t militant, nor is it Dominion Theology. It is the created nature of men, who, redeemed by Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit, fulfilling the intended purpose of the masculine.

So, an initial aspect of fulfilling the Jesus Way of Masculinity begins with a Christian man owning his call as an image-bearer of God and exerting influence over the direction of creation for the glory of God and the coming of the Kingdom.

Surrendered Leadership

How bad do you need to be for history to classify you as a scoundrel?  Paul Martin, in a Huffington Post article, cites some of the worst historical scoundrels like Daniel Drew, the Fox sisters, and Hetty Green.  These folks, and others like them, lived unscrupulously at the expense of others.

Now, how bad do you need to be for the Bible to identify you as a scoundrel?  That’s a whole new level.  But that’s exactly how Phinehas and Hophni are described (1Samuel 2).  They consistently robbed people; slept with whoever they wanted; disregarded authority; and ignored God.  Their story may not raise many eyebrows until you know that these two men were leaders.  They were part of a family that had been committed to serving God and God’s people.  But nothing they did reflected their position as leaders.

Leadership is hard.  If you lead, you get this.  As a country we’re tough on our leaders – from the government to the church and everywhere in between.  We certainly expect our leaders to be people of character and integrity, and we should.  But we also have the propensity to knock leaders down.  We want them to be the best, but we quickly look for their flaws and cheer when those flaws are well known.  Leadership is not for the faint of heart.

And that’s precisely why those who are leaders – especially spiritual leaders – need to pay attention to the details.  While Hophni and Phinehas were disregarding their character and position, God was raising up another leader to replace them.  Samuel was still a young boy but God was shaping him into the kind of leader both God and the people needed.  God gives us a hint of the kind of leader Samuel could be – “those who honor me I will honor but those who despise me I will disdain…I will raise up a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind” (1Samuel 2:30-35).

When it comes to spiritual leadership God looks for a particular kind of person – one that wants what God wants.  Wanting what God wants has a way of shaping our character and increasing our integrity. When temptations challenge our moral fiber, leaders after God’s heart trust God’s strength.  When moral failure happens, leaders after God’s own heart seek forgiveness and restoration.  Spiritual leaders don’t ignore or dismiss their actions they come to terms with the call and grace of God.  God raised up Samuel to do what was on God’s heart and mind.

Whether you are a Christian leader at work, in your home, with you kids, or at your church – God is inviting you to do what is on his heart and mind.  Phinehas and Hophni reveal the destruction unsurrendered leadership creates.  Don’t be a scoundrel!  Seek the heart and mind of God, surrender yourself to God’s purposes and lead well.