We Shall All Be Changed…In The Twinkling Of An Eye

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was a divine act that changed the course of human events, forever. The flat line of human death that swept unrelentingly through history skipped a beat in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ truly died. He was crucified on a Roman cross and no one ever got off a Roman cross alive. He was taken down and wrapped in many pounds of burial spices then wrapped in linen grave clothes. He was sealed in a carved out stone tomb. Three days and three nights later something staggering happened. He said he would; it was unthinkable, but he said he would. He said he would rise again (Mark 10:34). And he did! God raised Jesus Christ up from the dead (Acts 2:24).

Christ’s resurrection was not just the resuscitation of a broken body. Jesus’ being raised from the dead involved a total transformation of his humanity that enabled him to appear, to vanish and to move unseen from one place to another (Luke 24:31, 36).  God recreated Jesus so that he became fully glorified and deathless (Philippians 3:21; Hebrews 7:16, 24). Jesus, declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4), lives and is a glorified human being who will live forever—and so will those who trust in him for salvation.

The Bible says that we who are alive when Christ returns, will at that moment, be transformed. “We shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52).” Christians who have died before the Lord’s return will be raised to life and transformed, never to die again (1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Jesus Christ “will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body (Philippians 3:21).” “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4).”

Christianity rests upon the empty tomb in which Jesus was once buried. It is the absolute proof that the Christian message is indeed good news (Acts 2:22-32). Christ’s resurrection guarantees that our sins are forgiven and that we are justified (Romans 4:25). And it is our rock solid hope of everlasting life in the coming kingdom of God (John 11:25; Matthew 25:34). Christ is risen! May you have a blessed and very happy Resurrection Sunday. Hallelujah!

Fear Not Little Flock

In last week’s blog I wrote that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). He was determined to finish his course; to be the full and final sacrifice for the sins of the world. He embraced his Father’s will and His Father’s love to save sinners. On his way to Jerusalem Christ made a stunning statement. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32).”

What fear is Jesus Christ trying to banish from our hearts? The Lord is trying to cancel out our fear that God is not the kind of God who really wants to be good to us. There are times in our lives when we feel that God really does not want to be gracious to us; that He does not want to be generous and kind. Sometimes even when we know that God is good we still feel that He is angry with us or that His arm has to be twisted before He will meet our needs.

The context in which verse 32 is set is all about worry and fear: “do not worry about your life…which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature…why are you anxious? (22, 25, 26).” Most of us are good at worrying. In fact we could probably earn a doctorate degree in the subject! But Jesus wants us to know that God, our Father, does not begrudge being good to us. He knows all that we need and He desires to meet our needs. We can cast all our cares upon Him because He truly cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). That’s what the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is all about.

The Bible tells us “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16, 17).” Scripture asks the question, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:31, 32).”

God gave up His only begotten Son to be the sacrifice for our sins, because it is our “Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” It is God’s delight to forgive us; it is His pleasure to grant us everlasting life. God chose to save us through Jesus Christ gladly, purposefully; it wasn’t an accident or second thought! God is not acting in this gracious way to hide an evil motive. He is good and kind. Psalm 145:9 declares, “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works (Psalm 145:9).”

Mediate on this grand truth this week: God wants to be good to you with all of His heart. Let Him! Let Him save you from the power and penalty of sin. Let Him fill your heart with joy. Jesus Christ “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” because “it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Fear not!

 

He Set His Face Toward Jerusalem

The next few weeks my posts will be centered on Christ and his death and resurrection for our salvation. In Luke 9:51, the Word of God tells us something staggering about Jesus Christ: “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” Setting his face towards Jerusalem meant something very different to the Lord than it meant for his disciples.

 For the disciples, the journey toward Jerusalem meant that the long awaited kingdom of God was at hand (Luke 19:11). Jesus would enter the city and be crowned king. He would rule the world in righteousness. There even arose an argument among the disciples as to which one of them would be the greatest in the coming kingdom (Luke 9:46). For the disciples the trip to Jerusalem meant that glory was just around the corner! But going to Jerusalem meant something different for Jesus.

 Going to Jerusalem meant that Jesus would die. The Lord declared “Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem (Luke 13:33).” And Jesus was well aware that his death would not be quick and painless. Christ said “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him (Luke 18:31-33).”

 When Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem, he set his mind and heart to die. And it is good to remember that Jesus is a real human. He had a nature just like ours. He was made like us in every way (Hebrews 2:14-18). He was in every way tempted just as we are (Hebrews 4:15). It is normal to shrink back from pain and misery. As a man he would have delighted in marriage and loved his children. He had a mother and brothers and sisters. He loved the beauty of nature. But he turned his back on all of this and set his face toward Jerusalem to face mocking and whipping and beating and spitting and crucifixion.

 How could Jesus do this? He prayed “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done (Luke 22:42).” In embracing the Father’s will, Jesus embraced the Father’s love for sinners—for you and me. It was because the Father’s love filled Jesus that he set his face toward Jerusalem. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).”

 As we near Resurrection Sunday (March 31) and we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, think about the love of God that enabled Jesus Christ to set his face to go to Jerusalem. If you are not yet a believer I declare to you that God desires to save you and to grant you the forgiveness of your sins and the gift of everlasting life through Christ. God loves you; do not perish in your sins.

 If Jesus Christ is your Lord and you are saved, I ask this question: toward what is your face set? Are you reaching for the things of this world or the upward call of God in Christ (Philippians 3:12-14)? I declare to you, in the words of an old song “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.”

 

 

 

The Importance of Family

I am in the state of Ohio this week. I’m with my mother who had lifesaving surgery. My wife and oldest son are with me, along with my youngest son and his fiance. I also have a son and daughter-in-law who live in Poland who sent an e-mail to encourage my mother. We circled the wagons to bring love and support to my mom who was going through a critical time.

 

 The Bible is upfront and clear about the importance of family life; both the physical family and the spiritual family. The concept of the family is introduced at the very beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 1. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it (26, 28).”

 

God’s plan is for men and women to marry and have children. In fact, the blessing of family life is the essential building block of a stable society. Parents are to teach their children about God and His will (Deuteronomy 4:40; 6:4-7). And children are to honor their parents (Exodus 20:12). These commandments are not just limited to the Old Testament. They are New Testament imperatives as well. Scripture says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’ And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1-4).” The book of Proverbs provides a precious promise for parents: “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it (22:6).”

 

The heart of God towards humanity is not just to save individual people, but whole families. When God saved Noah from the flood his whole family was saved as well (Gen. 6:18). The sign of God’s covenant with Abraham, circumcision, was not applied to Abraham alone, but to every male in his family and household (Gen. 17:12, 13). In the New Testament salvation came to whole families too (Acts 10:30-43; 16:25-34). In 1 Corinthians 7:14 we learn that a spouse who is an unbeliever is sanctified, meaning that not only are children under God’s grace, but the unbelieving spouse is in a position to be saved through the witness of the believing spouse. God desires for families to be healthy; physically, emotionally and spiritually.

 

But, now Jesus said something very interesting about families. “While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, ‘Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.’ But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother (Matthew 12:46-50).’” Christ was not saying that our biological families are not important. They are very important as we have seen. But when we are saved we become a part of an even greater family—the family of God. The apostle John wrote, “But as many as received [Christ], to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12, 13).”

 

When we receive Christ as Lord and Savior God becomes our Father (Romans 8:14) and Christ becomes our Brother (Hebrews 2:10, 11). And we go through a spiritual operation called the new birth that saves our lives. We go from being doomed to perish to having everlasting life (John3:16). This spiritual family is drawn from every nation, tribe, people and language (Revelation7:9) and love should be the defining characteristic of this family (John 13:34, 35). The biological family is the stabilizing foundation for human society. It should be nurtured and protected. But it is even more important that we become a part of the family of God, because that family is forever. And just like in our biological family there are times when we need to circle the wagons around the family of God for protection and encouragement and support.

 

 

Being Light in a Dark Place

There isn’t any question that American culture has been transformed from a dominantly Judeo/Christian culture to a dominantly secular one. Biblical values and morals are not embraced by our society. We cannot win in the courts or at the ballot box that which has been lost in the court of public opinion. How we as Christians choose to respond to this is important for our witness for Christ.

 

Perhaps we should put into practice the strategy that has attracted people to Christianity for over two thousand years—authentic Christian living. We could argue, cajole and protest, but Jesus said “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44).

 

A Barna Research study asked non-Christians whether they viewed the role of Christians in America as favorable or unfavorable. In 1996, 85% viewed Christians favorably. In 2008, just 12 years later, that approval rating dropped down to 15%! When respondents were asked to describe Christians in the later study adjectives like judgmental, hypocritical, close-minded, and insensitive were used. I understand that the words and actions of Christians may be misunderstood. But if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…well, you get the point.

 

The characteristics the world should see from our lives are listed in the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22, 23).” No one ever turned someone away from Christ by offering to be a friend, by helping someone out, by being kind and good.

 

The apostle Paul gives us good advice for living in a non-Christian culture. He wrote “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one(Colossians 4:2-6).

 

There’s the strategy for reaching others for Christ in a secular culture: pray, live wisely towards others, speak to encourage and edify and be ready to share the truth of the gospel when asked. It worked in the totally pagan society of the first century! Jesus Christ said “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).” So let it shine for your family, your friends, your neighbors and your co-workers. Let's not be intimidated, let's shine!

Eureka! Evolution! Well…?

An announcement was made recently by the University of Minnesota with the following headline: “First Artificial Enzyme Created by Evolution in a Test Tube.”[1] Do you see something wrong with that headline? Read it again, I’ll give you a minute. OK, here’s the rub as Shakespeare would say. If the enzyme is “Artificial” (made by human beings rather than being found in nature) and if it was “Created” (caused to exist by means of a designer/creator), then it certainly did not evolve on its own!

The U. of M. announcement states that Burckhard Seelig and a team at the university used “directed evolution” to create a new functional enzyme. The article states that there is a new biochemical structure that may resemble what enzymes looked like billions of years ago back in the “Land that Time Forgot.” The study further declares that directed evolution should be distinguished from rational evolution. Rational evolution suggests a preconceived plan, but directed evolution is very different (so they say).

Rational enzyme design begins with a preconceived idea of what the new enzyme should look like and how it should work. But directed evolution involves producing a large number of candidate proteins and then screening a number of generations to produce one with the desired function. Wait…all this thinking is making me sweat. Let me take off my lab coat and think this through for a minute.

Have you got your thinking cap on? OK: proteins were “screened” to “produce” one with a “desired function.” Isn’t screening something to produce a desired function a rational design? I know, I only have a B.S. in Theatre/Speech and another degree in Theology, but the U. of M, study wants us to think that this enzyme came into existence by neo-Darwinian evolution—and me thinks not!

The article goes on to say, “To my knowledge, our enzyme is the only entirely artificial enzyme created in a test tube by simply following the principles of natural selection and evolution." Give me a break! This is not “natural selection and evolution. This is artificial selection—a form of intelligent design; the same type of intelligent design that one uses when making different varieties of roses, dogs, apples or any other type of organism for a “desired function.” It really doesn’t matter (I don’t think; I could be wrong) whether you create a random pool of organisms to choose from or you follow a planned design of steps: “selection” by a scientist’s “mind” is intelligent design. Am I wrong? If the scientists were really allowing the principles of natural selection and evolution to work they would have cast the biochemical matter out into the world, gone out for pizza and let nature do its work.

The U. of M team leader, Seelig, said of his work “It’s kind of like giving typewriters to monkeys. One monkey and one typewriter won’t produce anything clever. But if you have enough monkeys and typewriters, eventually one of them will write ‘to be or not to be’.” Oh, I see. I wonder if that’s how the “Curious George” series of books came to be? Actually, I read somewhere that when monkeys were given typewriters they urinated on the key boards and broke the machines. Besides that, his analogy is very misleading. Seelig began with a desired result; the monkeys don’t care what they write.

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[1] www1.umn.edu/news/news-release/201

Observing Lent

In the Roman Catholic Church and in many other Christian traditions this past February 13^th began a season known as Lent. The forty day season of Lent is a time of fasting, prayer and penitence until the day before Easter (or as I prefer calling it, Resurrection Sunday) on  March 30^th. The word “Lent” comes from an Old English word “Lencten” meaning spring.

Usually people are encouraged to give something up, to fast in some way as a spiritual discipline; a little spiritual spring cleaning, if you will. I remember when I was growing up that Lent was a time for me to perhaps give up candy or to stop teasing my sisters. There is nothing commanded in the Bible about observing Lent. Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was a one-time sacrifice for all sins, perfecting forever those who believe. Hebrews 10:12-14 declares. “But this Man [Jesus], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

There is no work that we can do to make us acceptable to God. Christ has done that work. Scripture declares that God has “made us accepted in the Beloved,” Jesus Christ. Still, there is a place for spiritual disciplines; training ourselves to think and live righteously (1 Timothy 4:7-9). And it would be good to prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate the great victory of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

Skipping a meal or part of a meal to spend time in prayer is a good thing. Foregoing buying that new item to save money to give as an offering is a good thing. Turning off the television to read the Bible together as a family is a good thing. Making a personal sacrifice or doing an act of service or praying for someone out of love for God and Christ is a beautiful and noble thing to do.

Here are some suggestions on what you can do for your mind, body and spirit in these days leading up to Resurrection Sunday.

MIND: Scripture says “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).” Perhaps out of love for the Lord and for your own good, turn off the TV or computer or put down that book or magazine. Instead read the Bible or a good Christian book or spend time in prayer for family and friends. Make a commitment to worship with the family of God on Sunday.

BODY: The Bible states, “do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20). Perhaps out of love for the Lord and your own good you could put down that can of soda, eat right, exercise a little, stop staying up so late or perhaps stop the self-glorification of your body. Take the time you use at the gym to admire your physique and find ways to serve other people.

SPIRIT: The Word of God reveals that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22, 23).” Perhaps out of love for the Lord and your own good you will reach out to heal that broken relationship or share the gospel with someone or be more patient and helpful with someone or find ways to put more joy and kindness into the lives of the people you love.

I once was told that if I spent three months in the Word of God rather than watching TV or reading or playing sports I would transform my life. It worked for me. Why not invest some time before Resurrection Sunday preparing yourself for what really matters?