Already Clean

Ever wash your car only to have it rain?  Most of us have.  On the other hand, most of us haven’t washed our car after a rain.  Why?  Because typically the rainstorm cleans the car.  It no longer needs washing.

As Jesus was teaching His disciples about abiding in Him and bearing fruit, He makes a simple statement worth taking note of.  He says, “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (John 15:3, ESV).  In other words, they did not need to wash themselves because He had already washed them clean.

The sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to wash all of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  God doesn’t need effort to make us any “cleaner.”  We abide and bear fruit because of the salvation He has already given us, not to earn or secure it.  Quit trying to earn your salvation.  Quit performing works of the flesh with the hope they will make you good enough.  Quit trusting the emptiness of religious ritual.  Rather, place your faith in Jesus, and allow Him to thoroughly wash you clean.  Only He can do it.  Trust in Him and see what a difference He can make.

Delivered

FedEx.  UPS.  The Post Office.  The pizza guy.  All of these deliver.  Theoretically, they all deliver promptly and consistently (this is especially important for the pizza guy).  When something has to get from point A to point B, we put it in the hands of a delivery person we trust.  We want to be confident that what we have entrusted to them gets where it needs to be, by when it needs to be there.  While packages and pizzas are important, they are not the main thing in this world that needs to be delivered.  We are.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that Christ delivers us.  When we place our faith in Him, we can be confident that He can get us where we need to go.  The Scripture says, “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.  We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, in Him” (Colossians 1:13-14, HCSB).  The word “rescued” is the Greek word “rhoumai.”  The word speaks to our need to be freed from captivity.  It reminds us that we are unable to move out on our own.  We need someone to rescue us.  We need to be delivered.  As a matter of fact, a few versions of the Bible actually use that word in their translations (ESV, KJV, NKJV).

Apart from Christ, we are in the dominion of darkness.  We are trapped in a place of hopelessness and despair.  There is no way for us to get out.  We cannot escape.  We are trapped.  Despite our best efforts, we cannot break out on our own.  We cannot earn our way out.  We need to be rescued.  And Jesus is our rescuer.  Paul tells us that Christ liberates us by purchasing our freedom.  He redeems us.  The Bible says, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Galatians 3:13, HCSB).  Jesus paid for us with His death.  The sinless paid for the sinful (1 Peter 3:18).

Through His redemption, our sins our forgiven.  All that we have ever done (or ever will do) has been paid for by the death of Christ.  Sin no longer has dominion over us (Romans 6:14).  We are set free.  When we place our faith in Christ, we are moved from one kingdom to another (2 Peter 1:11).  We are transferred from darkness to light.  Captivity gives way to freedom.  Hopelessness yields to hope.  Christ rescues us.  In Him, we are delivered.

Shining Lights

I am not mechanically inclined.  I cannot fix most of the things that go wrong with my vehicles.  Fortunately, I have friends and family that are pretty good with a wrench, and they are usually willing to help me out.  With that said, however, there is one piece of mechanic handiwork I excel at.  I have gotten very good at changing headlights in my wife’s mini-van.  When I say very good, I mean very, very, very good.  Indy 500 pit-crew good.  I can get those things in and out fast.

The reason I am so good at it is because they keep blowing out.  And, when they do, it’s difficult to see (and to be seen).  With only one headlight, my van only puts out about half of the light it’s supposed to.  Thus, my vehicle is at risk, and so are the countless others who encounter it on the roads.  My family is not safe because people cannot see them as easily.  So, I am constantly changing headlights.  Why?  Because, light makes a difference in the darkness.

As Christians, we are called to live lives that shine in the darkness. When our lives aren’t quite shining the way they need to, we diminish the impact we might have on the people around us.  Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:14-16 (HCSB).

In other words, when we live for God, our lives shine and point others towards Him.  People see God’s work in our lives and recognize His influence.  He is praised and glorified.  Conversely, when we hide our lights, God’s presence is not so easily seen.  Why?  Because light makes a difference in darkness.

What can we do to let our lights shine?  For one, we need to let God deal with the sin in our lives (1 John 1:9).  There is no reason for us to stay in the brokenness and impotence of unforgiveness.  As King David lived a life of deception regarding his sin he said, “When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat” (Psalms 32:3-4, HCSB).  Eventually, David came to his senses and quit trying to hide his sin.  He turned to God in brokenness and accepted His forgiveness.  He encourages us to do the same (Psalms 32:6).

Second, we need to spend time with God. When Moses was in the presence of the Lord, his face reflected it (Exodus 34:29-35).  Our lives also reflect the time we spend with God.  We cannot live the lives we are called to in our own power.  We need God’s help.  We must spend time with Him.  When we do, we can walk in a way that honors God.  In essence, we become more transparent and the light people see is Jesus (John 8:12).  That’s important because the world doesn’t need us.  It needs Jesus.  We need to do whatever is necessary to get out of the way so He might shine in and through us.  May we strive to be like that city on a hill that can be seen for miles around. May our lives point others towards the One who brought us out of the darkness (1 Peter 2:9).

A Word of Promise

Promises, promises.  We all know what it’s like to give a promise, keep a promise, and even break a promise.  In one form or another, promises are a part of our everyday life.  What we soon learn in life is that a promise is only as good as the person who makes it.  A politician makes a promise…grab your wallet.  A friend make a promise…maybe he’ll come through.  Jesus makes a promise…you can bank on it.

On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, He was not the only person being crucified.  The Bible tells us that two thieves also hung on either side of Him.  It’s entirely possible that these men were more than just petty burglars.  Some suggest that they may have been insurrectionists and revolutionaries.  Regardless, they both had very different attitudes in regard to Jesus.  One was bitter and angry.  The other remorseful.  One mocked and ridiculed Jesus.  The other seemed to see something different in the life of the Man in the middle.  As a matter of fact, he not only defends Jesus, he also asks Jesus to remember him.  To this request, Jesus makes a promise.  He says, “I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43, HCSB).  Jesus promised a repentant man that he would be with Him.  His faith would be rewarded.  This man who had done nothing spiritual or religious.  He had engaged in no rites.  No good deeds had come from his life.  He had not earned this forgiveness.  He epitomized what it meant to be unworthy.  Yet, Jesus gives him this marvelous promise.  He gives a hopeless man hope.

His words serve to remind us that we too are secured by a promise.  Our hope rests not in our own efforts.  It is not built on our own goodness.  It rests in the grace of God.  Not one of us deserves paradise.  We deserve a cross.  Yet, God in His great love poured out His mercy and gave us life in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5).  Like this thief, we too have a past.  We too are in a hopeless situation.  In Christ, however, we have a future (1 John 2:25).  In Him, we have hope.  In His promise we can rest.

A Word of Forgiveness

Last words reveal a lot about who a person is and what he cares about.  Perhaps some of the most famous last words in all of human history were uttered by Jesus as He hung on the cross.  The Bible records for us seven different sayings of Jesus as He lived out the last few hours of His life.  The first was simply a plea for forgiveness.  The Bible says, “Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, HCSB).

Keep in mind that Jesus is suffering a horrible, tortuous death.  He has been beaten and mocked.  The cries of ridicule continue as He hangs on the cross fighting to gasp enough breath to live.  His tormentors kneel below Him gambling for His clothes.  The typical cries from Roman crosses would have been pleas for mercy or words of scorn and hatred.  Jesus’ were different.  He prays for those who persecuted Him (Matthew 5:44).  He asks His Heavenly Father to forgive them.

The Bible says, “For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die.  But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8)!  It’s hard to forgive someone you love.  It’s even harder to forgive someone you don’t.  It’s almost impossible to forgive an enemy.  Yet that’s exactly what Jesus did.  He died for the ones who beat and mocked Him.  He died for the ones who stripped His clothes and humilated Him.  He died for the ones who nailed Him to the cross.  He died for you and me. 

What We Can Learn from the News

It seems like every day we see another story that reminds us of just how broken we truly are.  Parents murdering their children, shooting rampages in nursing homes, and unmitigated greed and corruption dominate our news cycles.  It’s all so tragic.  For many of us, we just turn off the television or shut down the computer without thinking too much about what we just witnessed.  But, if we pause for just a moment and ponder what’s happening around us, we might learn a thing or two.

All of these stories remind us of the broken condition of man.  Humanity does a lot of wonderful things.  We are also capable of some horrible things.  The Bible tells us that each one of us are broken and corrupt in our sin (Romans 3:23).  We all are far from perfect.  And, while many of us are shocked by what we encounter in the news, we need to remind ourselves that in our fallen state, we are all capable of the same sort of behavior.  The Apostle Paul says, “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature” (Romans 7:18, NLT).

Since we are broken in our sin, we need help.  We cannot fix ourselves.  Only God can really deal with our greatest need.  James quotes the book of Proverbs when he writes, “God opposes the proud, but favors the humble” (James 4:6, NLT; see also Proverbs 3:34; 1 Peter 5:5).  We need to humble ourselves and allow God to have control of our lives.  In our pride, we become so self-sufficient.  We believe that we can do it all.  We feel like we have no need for God.  In reality, our self-sufficiency is part of the trap created by our sin.  We do indeed need God.  His grace can change us.  He can make us whole.  We just need to let Him.

Today’s headlines also remind us that we need to do a better job getting out the message of hope.  We are surrounded by hurting, broken people.  Some are overwhelmed by the reality of their lives.  Others feel like there is no where to turn for real answers.  Yet others are so caught up vigorously pursuing their own agendas that they are missing what life is really all about.  For those of us who have accepted Christ and follow Him, we need to be busy touching people’s lives with the love of God.  We need to lovingly engage our culture while avoiding the dangers of becoming immersed in it.  We need to let others know that there is a God who loves them and gave His Son to redeem them.  The Bible says, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news” (Romans 10:15, NLT)!

The news can be a daunting thing.  It can really overwhelm us if we let it.  The next time we see something that shocks us, we need to stop and realize something.  It’s grace that keeps us from being in the headlines, and it’s grace that can change them.

Happy Kidney Day

I know a man who had a heart transplant a few years ago.  Every year on that date, his family celebrates “happy heart day” to commemorate his new heart.  Through most of the nineties, I suffered from kidney failure.  In late 2005, I ended up on dialysis.  Three years ago today, I had a kidney transplant.  I am so thankful for that gift.  A young man in our church was a match and gave me the gift of life.  He’s an awesome guy.  Thanks Brad for making this a Happy Kidney Day.

It reminds me so much of God’s gift of salvation.  God, in His great love, offered me something I could never have on my own.  In His grace, He made it possible for me to receive forgiveness and be made whole.  He enabled me to have a relationship with Him.  I didn’t deserve it.  I couldn’t earn it.  I was stuck in brokeness with no hope.  But God gave me a substitute.  Jesus made possible what was impossible.  The One that was whole sacrificed for the one that was broken (1 Peter 3:18). 

Three years ago, I received something I didn’t deserve.  It gave me a new lease on life.  Nearly thirty years ago, I also received something I didn’t deserve.  It gave me abundant life (John 10:10).  In both cases, someone else touched my life because of love and grace.  That’s what grace does.  It reaches out to us, even though we don’t deserve it.  Isn’t grace a marvelous thing?

The Kind of God We Serve

We often hear people question the character of God.  They say things like “what kind of God would allow…” or “what sort of God would do…” or “what type of God would cause…”  Things like evil, death, sickness, sorrow, grief, and judgment are all laid at God’s feet in an accusatory way.  In the Bible, Jonah also questioned God about His character.  Only, his challenge was a little different in nature.

God had called Jonah to take a warning to the city of Ninevah.  Jonah had no desire to see the Ninevites receive a second chance, so he ran. God managed to get Jonah back on track with a storm and and a whale.  When Jonah finally goes to Ninevah, he pronounces God’s warning, and then watches in disgust as the people repent and God relents.  As Jonah sits hillside waiting on God’s judgment to fall, he sulks and pouts.  Then, he questions and gripes.  The Bible says, “So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love” (Jonah 4:2, NLT).

God is indeed patient.  The Apostle Peter writes, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9, NLT).  His patience is rooted in His grace and His sovereignty.  Not only is God patient, but He is also merciful and full of compassion.  While His patience affords us the time to respond, His mercy reaches out and offers us forgiveness and restoration.  The Bible says, “But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5, NLT).  The next time someone asks you “what kind of God…,” remind them of His mercy and compassion.  Remind them of His patience and grace.  Remind them of the forgiveness He readily offers.  That’s the kind of God we serve.

When God Changes His Mind

We all know what it is to change our minds.  We do it all the time.  We sit in a restaurant debating what to order.  Back and forth we go.  This or that.  That or this.  We announce one thing to our spouse and then bam.  The server comes and we order something else.  We changed our mind.  They fact that we are prone to change our mind is why we have delete keys on our computers and return departments in our stores.  We completely understand what it means for us to change our minds.

From time to time in the Bible, however, we see where God “changed his mind.”  What exactly does that mean?  When the Bible speaks of God changing His mind, it doesn’t mean that He is indecisive.  Nor does it mean that He confused and misguided.  It simply means that God in His grace changed the course of His actions.  For instance, in the book of Jonah, judgment was coming to the city of Ninevah.  God had sent Jonah there to warn the people that it was on the way.  They all needed to change how they lived.  They did.  From the king on down, the people responded in brokenness and contrition.  And, God changed His mind.  He withheld His judgment.  The Bible says, “When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened” (Jonah 3:10, NLT).

When we read of God changing His mind, a few words should come to ours.  Grace.  Repentance.  Forgiveness.  These are exactly the elements we see in this verse.  It’s God’s grace that sends a messenger, and offers a second chance.  It’s His grace that allows us the opportunity to repent and be forgiven.  It’s the repentance of the Ninevites that shows their sincerity.  The reality of their shortcomings weighed heavy upon them.  They knew they had to change their behavior.  Thus, they repented.  Likewise, we often need to change how we are living.  We can indentify with the need to turn around and return to God.  When we come to the place where we realize our own shortcomings, we find a God ready and willing to forgive.  The grace that started the whole process comes into play again.  God forgives when we turn to Him in confession and godly sorrow (1 John 1:9).  His grace beckons us home.  Isn’t it wonderful that God changes His mind, and gives us an opportunity to change ours?

Second Chances

Do you ever wish life had a rewind button?  I do.  I don’t know how many times in life I have wished I could undo something, redo something, or not do something.  Wouldn’t it be great if we could just simply get a do over.  Say what we meant to say.  Not say what we did say.  Go this way instead of that way and visa-versa.  But, in all reality, how often in life do we get a second chance? 

About half way through the tiny book of Jonah, we see a prophet on the run getting a second chance.  God had called Jonah to carry a message to the Ninevites, and Jonah didn’t want to go.  So he ran.  Some time at sea, and in the belly of a fish gave Jonah a whole new perspective.  So, the Bible tells us, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time.” (Jonah 3:1, ESV).  Jonah received a second chance.  God gives Jonah another opportunity to do the right thing. 

Second chances are an awesome thing.  They are really rooted in God’s grace.  None of us deserve a mulligan.  Nor, are we guaranteed one.  But it’s wonderful when we get them.  The question really is how will we respond when we do get one?  Will we be obedient the second time?  Will we do the right thing if given the chance?  Or will we simply refuse again?  Maybe we will just sit stunned and do nothing because we just can’t believe that God can forgive us for our failures.  Don’t waste the second chances God gives you.  Act on them.  Accept His forgiveness and His calling.  Let Him use (or reuse) you today.