The Host of Heaven

Andreas turned his head as the door shot open, and in burst his friend, Seth, panting and out of breath. “I flew home as fast as I could,” he said. “The whole place is stirring with amazement, everyone dashing about. Did you hear the news?”

Andreas answered, “What news?”

“What news? Ah, that’s just it: what news! We should have expected it, I suppose, but the King has caught us off guard again—this time with the most shocking plan. You won’t believe it.”

“Try me,” insisted Andreas.

Seth paused, caught his breath, and began to relay the report announced by the Herald Angels from all their posts in the heavenly realms: His Majesty, the Great Lord of all, the very Son of God—King of creation, Eternal Word, Ruler over all principalities and powers, Master of the universe, Commander of all kings and princes and prime ministers and presidents on earth, the Eternal “I Am” … HE has announced that he will LEAVE HIS THRONE. It’s unbelievable.”

“Leave his throne?! Don’t be ridiculous. God is God, and the Son is at his right hand evermore and evermore—Amen. Seth, have you been dreaming?”

“Well, I’m as shocked as you are,” he replied, “but I assure you it’s no dream. Who would dream up something like THIS? All the angel leagues are in a stir, and if you look into the faces of the company chiefs you can tell they’re serious—it’s for real.”

But Andreas replied, “What’s for real—what will the Great One do? Leave his throne and withdraw his light from all the heights of heaven? Impossible.”

“Let me go on,” Seth insisted. “There’s more—all about the creatures made in the Creator’s likeness. It seems the image-bearers have reached an appointed time. They have failed repeatedly to submit to His Majesty and rest in his reign, and so finally he has said that it is time. Time to deal with the rebels, time to settle accounts with those humans.”

“Sounds ominous,” Andreas said. “Do you think he’ll wipe them out. Like when our ancestors rebelled; God did not spare them but sent them to the gloomy dungeons to await final judgment” (2 Peter 2:4).

“That’s just the problem—or the irony of it all. The tone of the announcement is not doom and gloom. The Master Plan is full of hope—somehow… I don’t know how…”

Andreas pressed his friend, “Seth, do you think this has something to do with the Great Concealment? You know, the mystery that is always kept behind closed doors for all of us angels. I think it’s the only secret that stands in God’s Heaven. Do you remember how eons ago, when the grand Archangel Gabriel inquired about the Master’s future plans, and he was denied? Angels have always longed to look into the mysterious, ingenious plot of Almighty, but this one episode is concealed (1 Peter 1:12). Something about ‘condescension,’ I think.”

Seth paused to ponder. It was quiet for a few minutes as the two considered what weighty events were unfolding before them there in the corridors of heaven. Then they were interrupted as a diving squad of the Seraphim blared trumpets just outside their quarters. Seth and Andreas scurried to the ledge.

There before them, streaming from the windows and doors of all the mansions of heaven were myriads of myriads, and countless scores of angels in regal flight, all in full dress and perfect formation, all clearly more serious AND excited than they had ever been before. It was a display to take your breath away—so much so that Andreas and Seth almost forgot to do what destiny demanded: to join the streaming companies winging through the corridors of heaven, and to enter into the eternal song of praise: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” They sang out like never before. And as they flew, they glanced about with wonder and curiosity. What was going to happen?

A moment later word came to all the commanders across the vast expanse of heaven, and instantly each of them called their followers to silent attention. Andreas and Seth joined the countless host of heaven lining the sides of the vast interior atrium. Above them hovering in perfect attention was the Guardian Corps, the legion of angelic forces who sustain God’s people day and night. Across the great open space and up about a dozen levels were the Cherubim, who never rest and always look upon the Master. Above the Cherubim stood the Twenty-Four Elders, and to their left were the mysterious four living creatures. On yet another level there were the saints in white robes—the martyrs, bowed in adoration. They were surrounded by the choral brigade and those who blew the trumpets. Further up and further in, near the center of the dome of heaven, were suspended before the Almighty the numberless band of infants, all in perfect praise. And out in the midst of the open expanse was a display like never before from the Seraphim, the mighty six-winged creatures who flew back and forth before the staring faces of millions of angels of every description, and as they had always done the Seraphim called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isa 6:3).

And then they stopped. All at once, as if with no direction, and there was perfect silence again. It was at this moment, as Andreas and Seth and a million others looked up, that the unimaginable took place. The King of kings and Sovereign Son of God, arose, stepped away from his throne, and began to lower himself before the ranks of heaven, moving downward, down past the infants, down beside the martyrs, down before the Cherubim, down in front of the Elders and the Guardians and all the countless array of angels. Down the Son went, down to the very floor of heaven, down to a door that had been locked and sealed since the beginning of time. And there the Son of God stood, below all the host of heaven, his throne now completely out of view.

It was then, while every eye was riveted on him and every ear attentive, that the Son began to speak. Andreas and Seth craned their necks to look and listen. And what they heard was this:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Son goes as light into darkness… I am the light of the world… I am the light that goes into a dark world… The Son goes to seek and to save the lost… I go into the world not to condemn but to save… Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends… The Son goes not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many…”

Seth and Andreas gasped. Heaven’s corridors shuddered.

The Lord continued, “The Son goes into the world to save sinners. This is love, that the Father sends his Son to atone for the sins of his people.” Then he paused, and shouted, “And the Word became flesh.”

At that, Jesus took the key—a key that had been kept by the Father from all eternity—and with it he opened the only passage to the world. Unlatching the door and lifting it to the side, the Son of God stood at the precipice of humiliation. Then he looked up and saw the Father’s face beaming with approval. He glanced to every side, around and above, and as he did the host of heaven broke out in thundering applause. Finally he looked down. And he leapt. And there was Christmas.

“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,

And with fear and trembling stand;

Ponder nothing earthly minded,

For with blessing in His hand,

Christ our God to earth descendeth,

Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,

As of old on earth He stood,

Lord of lords, in human vesture,

In the body and the blood;

He will give to all the faithful

His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven

Spreads its vanguard on the way,

As the Light of light descendeth

From the realms of endless day,

That the powers of hell may vanish

As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph,

Cherubim with sleepless eye,

Veil their faces to the presence,

As with ceaseless voice they cry:

Alleluia, Alleluia

Alleluia, Lord Most High!

(Liturgy of St. James, 4th cent.; Trans. by Gerard Moultrie, 1864; Public Domain)

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Plan to read the Bible

I've always found that if I don't have a plan to follow, my Bible reading practice wanders and fizzles and falls apart. You too?

Some years back I came up with a two-year schedule for reading God's Word cover to cover. A two-year pace seems (to me) to work really well: slow enough to allow you to breathe and reflect a bit as you go, but fast enough to get through the Bible without taking "forever."

The way it works you read a chapter a day on the weekends, and two chapters each weekday. I've laid it out so there's some movement back and forth between the Old and New Testaments along the way. We've posted the reading plan for 2011-2012 at our church's website--click here if you're interested.

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

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Ever Forming, Never Formed

For many years I've been working on a book about spiritual formation and the ongoing battle with sin. A book about how the Bible calls us to be holy but also states that we remain sinners. A book about being content in Christ yet not complacent with sin. And a book about this paradox of authentic Christian growth: the more you advance in faith and spiritual maturity, the more conscious you become of the odious presence of sin in your life. The book is called Spiritual Formation: Ever Forming, Never Formed, and it releases on Nov. 10.

I'll be grateful to receive feedback on this work that readers may wish to offer (peterknelson@gmail.com)!

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"God Is the Gospel"

Lately I’ve been reading John Piper’s book, God Is the Gospel. He raises some incredibly important issues about the essence of the gospel and the core reality of salvation. For example:

• “… even though the gospel purchased and promises many good gifts, from the most spiritual to the most material, yet God him­self is the ultimate good promised in the gospel” (145).

• Redemption, forgiveness, imputation, sanctification, liberation, healing, heaven—“none of these is good news except for one reason: they bring us to God for our everlasting enjoyment of him. If we believe all these things have happened to us, but do not embrace them for the sake of getting to God, they have not happened to us” (47).

• “The critical question … is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?” (15).

• “The best news of the Christian gospel is that the supremely glo­rious Creator of the universe has acted in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection to remove every obstacle between us and himself so that we may find everlasting joy in seeing and savoring his infinite beauty” (147).

• Behold your God! (Isaiah 40:9). This “is the most gracious com­mand and best gift of the gospel” (56).

• “There is no gospel where the glory of God in Christ is not shown. And there is no salvation through the gospel where the glory of God in Christ is not seen” (97). See 2 Corinthians 4:4-6.

• “There is no sure evidence that we have a new heart just because we want to escape hell” (121). Wanting to avoid hell isn’t wrong, but the evidence we’ve been changed is that we want to escape hell and enter heaven in order to revel in God’s glorious presence (121).

The impact of reading this book has been to stimulate me to lift up my eyes, look away from myself, and gaze upon our magnificent Lord and gracious Savior!

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Imprecatory Psalms

In Psalm 69:22-28 David cries out to God in a prayer of “imprecation.” That means cursing or condemning: his appeal is that destruction would be brought upon those who are God’s and his enemies. “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous” (69:28 ESV).

What do we do with such fierce verses? Are there people who, as enemies of God, should be the target of such prayers today? Here are three key Christian responses to the imprecatory Psalms:

Recognize that you deserve God’s righteous wrath. You and I are only spared justice and welcomed into God’s friendship by sheer mercy. We’ve sinned and snubbed God’s honor—regardless of whether our sins are glaring or more socially acceptable. Take no comfort in the idea that you’re “not that bad.” Fair compensation for our sin would be spiritual and eternal death (Rom 6:23).

Follow the biblical line of thought to that destination where the longing for justice points. That is, listen to your heart as it cries out for enemies of God and of his people to get what they deserve, and then see how he deals with that injustice. How does the Scripture story unfold so as to provide resolution for the guilty sinners? Answer: the cross. We’re “justified” (i.e., declared not guilty) through the death of Christ in our place (e.g., 2 Cor 5:21; Rom 3:24; 5:8). And this justification, this pardon for violations of God’s just and holy standards, is realized in any given person’s life not on the basis of deserving but as a gift, a gift to all who believe in Jesus—who entrust their lives forever into his care.

Then redirect your righteous rage against God’s enemies who insult and abuse and even murder Christians, and release it at the cross. That is, transfer your soul fury into prayer that injustices committed will be dealt with—fully and finally—in the way God has established in his New Covenant, the final chapter in his grand plot of conflict resolution. Refuse to cultivate hatred for enemies, but instead obey Jesus: “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27-28 ESV). In fact, if we harbor hate in our hearts, we’re saying that the cross was not sufficient to satisfy a just God! Don’t go there. Be content with his good plan for meting out justice in this world, and pray for the Lord’s life-changing hand to bring more and more sinners into his justifying grace.

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Letters from Jesus

The letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor (Rev. 2-3) contain brief, urgent words of the risen Jesus sent from heaven via the Holy Spirit to John the Apostle, the recipient of that grand vision we call “Revelation.” John’s job was to take down the message and get it to the churches.

Now in case you think Jesus’ words to a particular church (e.g., at Thyatira, Smyrna, or Sardis) were meant for them alone, look closely at how each of the letters ends: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” That’s plural “churches”: each church was supposed to see what Jesus said to the others; we’re expected to be reading (or hearing) each other’s mail this way!

Let me touch on a few words of Christ’s fierce love for his church (and don’t forget 3:19, “those whom I love I rebuke and disci­pline”):

• The believers at Ephesus are steady, patient, and discerning, and they have the good sense to reject false teachers (2:2). “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love” (2:4). Are you firm on God’s truth while your zeal for his honor fades?

• Smyrna faces persecution and poverty, yet ultimately they’re “rich” (2:9). Smug Laodicea, however, sees itself as wealthy and self-sufficient, while in the deepest sense they’re spiritually destitute (3:17). This contrast makes one think: is it treasure in heaven or on earth that excites you?

• Smyrna is about to face yet more suffering, but Christ lovingly assures them that they don’t need to fear: even if they end up in prison or are put to death, it all leads to receiving a crown of life—eternal joy beyond the reach of death (2:10-11). Does the threat of danger strike terror in your heart, or do you rest in the rock solid assurance that God works ALL things for your good?

• Sardis does good deeds and they appear to be “alive” as a church. But Jesus isn’t fooled by appearances; in fact, these “believers” are dead (3:1). So is Christ’s letter to them a coroner’s report: no hope for Sardis? No. He urges them to repent: there’s still time; they can still give up their play-acting, come to Jesus, and live!

• Truth is at stake in several cases: false apostles threaten (2:2); the “teaching of Balaam” (2:14) and the “teaching of the Nicolaitans” (2:15) are adopted by some, for which they must repent (2:16); a “Jezebel” figure is tolerated and her teaching is followed, so Jesus warns that this must stop (2:20); others who reject her teaching are commended (2:24); those who falsely claim Jewish identity are rebuked (2:9; 3:9); believers who “have kept my word and have not denied my name” are blessed by Jesus (3:8). Truth matters! Don’t let anyone tell you “doctrine” isn’t important and actions are what count—that’s an unnecessary and foolish either-or.

• Christ watches how these believers live—their “works” are fully known to him, no secrets (2:2, 5, 19; 3:1, 8, 15). Of course, we’re not saved by deeds, but our actions provide a window onto our hearts. So again, don’t fall for a silly either-or (e.g., like thinking actions don’t matter but beliefs do). What are our deeds saying (or not saying) here at GBC: is our faith obvious in how we live?

• Let’s come back to that prosperous congregation: Laodicea (3:14-22) has fallen into luke­warm religion—neither hot nor cold, neither for Jesus nor against him. They have a mild faith—mediocre, middle-of-the-road, tame, safe, beige, boring. When coming face to face with Majesty, one thing the sane cannot do is yawn: who yawns while riding the Maid of the Mist up beneath Niagara Falls? But Laodicea yawns. Why? They feel self-satisfied; wealth deludes them into thinking they “need nothing” (3:17). Jesus confronts this insanity: truth is, they’re “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” He says this not to condemn, but lovingly to confront sin and beckon these spiritually destitute souls to repent and receive life. What is the temperature of your faith today?

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Reflections on "Crazy Love"

Francis Chan’s recent book, Crazy Love (2008), has been among Amazon.com’s 100 best sellers for the last 255 days—currently it ranks #69, and #1 for books on “Christian Living.” I’d been wanting to read it, and on vacation this summer I had the opportunity to do so.

Just to be clear, in this case “crazy” has entirely positive connotations. Radi­cal devotion to Jesus and detachment from fleeting earthly treasures may look foolish to unbelievers, but Chan helps us see how it’s really any­thing else that’s crazy if you know and love Jesus. In fact, it’s insane to love things and yawn at Almighty God.

The book begins with a few chapters to help readers “see” God—to correct our small, shallow, and desperately inaccurate view of the Lord. Countless problems in countless stagnant, small-minded, conflict-ridden, love-starved churches are rooted in a failure to truly see God: horizontal troubles follow from vertical failings. “The core problem isn’t the fact that we’re lukewarm, halfhearted, or stagnant Christians. The crux of it all is why we are this way, and it is because we have an inaccurate view of God” (22). The theater of nature provides a special stage on which God displays his splendor: the heavens declare the glory of God. Chan goes to great lengths to help us step back and wonder at the awesome reality of the Lord God!

The key contrast in the book is between “lukewarm” and “obsessed” Christians. Lukewarm religious people make God puke—he wants to spit them out (see Rev 3:15-17). Chapter 4 profiles the lukewarm. The message is chilling, and indicting—and I must admit that I feel sin’s pull toward many of the ugly manifestations of the bland, nominal religion Chan attacks. But note, his frontal assault on the American church stems not from meanness but broken-hearted love for the church, the beloved bride of Christ.

Chan contends that “Lukewarm Christian” is an oxymoron—that is, there’s no such thing (83-84). Lukewarm church-goers, like the Laodiceans, aren’t Christians. “We will not see them in heaven” (84). Authentic followers of Jesus are moved, aroused and drawn to live out their faith in zealous (i.e., “hot”) ways. And so, those who profess to be Chrsitians should examine themselves (2 Cor 13:5); don’t assume you’re “good soil” (Mark 4:20) unless you’re fruitful in cherishing and spreading Jesus’ love. “I think most American church­goers are the soil that chokes the seed because of all the thorns” (67).

In bold contrast with the lukewarm, Chan points to the “obsessed” (ch. 8). Genuine believers are not just “nice,” decent, law-abiding folk, friendly and polite. There’s more, so much more, to true faith (130). Like loving enemies, and forgiving those who commit even heinous crimes against us. Christians are risk takers, bold to step out in faith and witness. Chan laments how the American church is so often safety-centered. “We’ve elevated safety to the neglect of whatever God’s best is…” (133), and his best for us is not always earthly comfort.

Authentic Christians are “obsessed with Jesus,” and that means they: give freely, love those who hate them, live lives that connect with the poor, admit their pride, seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known, think about heaven frequently, have a passionate love for God that overshadows every other thing and being, don’t put on an act for others or God, have a 24/7 spiritual life, and take joy in serving people (it isn’t a burden to them). Secular people may call such obsessed Christians “fanatics,” but the radical, unconventional love of Jesus that exudes from them will reach the hearts of many critics. Chapter 9 then gives several mini biographies of Christians, many of them relatively obscure, who’ve lived “obsessed with Jesus” lives (terrific stories!—though I have questions about some of those named).

This is a great book, and I hope you read it! But it does require some discernment—some (shall we say) “unpacking.” I think in particular of how Chan tends to err in the direc­tion of oversimplification. Like the many times readers are exhorted to “surrender totally,” be “obsessed,” give up everything, it’s all or nothing, no half-heartedness, trust God completely, be faithful in every aspect of life, hold nothing back…

Of course, this call to devotion is biblical and right and necessary, and we need to be confronted in our religious play-acting and self-protection. But Chan does not do enough to help us see how all these great biblical ideals are reached—even by the most mature of believers—only progressively and only in part this side of heaven. He does not do enough to help Christian readers process the present and future realities of ongoing sin. This is not to excuse willful sin, but to grapple with the Bible’s pervasive theme that we remain far from perfect all our days, all the way to glory (e.g., Matt 6:12; Phil 3:12; Jas 3:2; 5:16; 1 John 1:8-10). To be sure, Chan admits that Christians do sin and indicates that the aim in this life is move­ment toward Christ and not perfection (87-88). But the fierce “in your face” message of the book—as good and necessary as it is—becomes weakened by the shortage of attention to the way we exper­ience all the great, biblical ideals that are set forth only in part this side of glory.

With that word of clarification, I recommend the book. The strong points far outweigh this weakness. Chan’s word is a breath of fresh air and a kick in the pants all at once. Don’t miss it!

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Love for God's Word

In this world in which so many voices would tell us the Bible is just another religious book, just another ancient work of literature, just a compilation of human aspirations and cherished legends and so on, it’s vital to pause and get our bearings: to renew our respect for and devotion to God’s inspired and fully truthful Word.

And yet, some may find it odd to talk of “devotion” to a book. In fact, there are those both in and outside of the church who charge Bible lovers with “bibliolatry” (i.e., practicing idolatry with the Bible as our object of worship). What do we make of this?

Consider Psalm 130:5: “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Notice how waiting for the Lord and hoping in his Word are tied together: in fact, relying on God and depending on the Bible are profoundly intertwined. There’s no necessary conflict between trusting God and trusting his message to the world. In fact, not to cherish the Word and devote ourselves to it would be a serious problem. And further, how could we possibly not love to hear from the One who has forgiven and adopted and loved us? So let me urge you to think carefully and not fall for any simplistic separation between God and God’s message. Loving the Scriptures is natural and good and right for all God’s children.

Still, concern over bibliolatry is legitimate—it can be a real prob­lem. When is love for the Bible wrong?

First and foremost, when it’s not inspired by a love for the God who speaks in the Bible.

Zeal for Scripture also goes awry when it’s not paired with sincere readiness to embrace and apply what is taught. If we just love the intellectual stimulation of Bible study and theological bantering, but we don’t really (deep down) intend to live out what God says, we’ve put ourselves on the throne and effectively rejected God as Lord!

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Identifying that Special Someone

In the last post, I talked about how important it is, when preparing for marriage, to BE the right one rather than just to find the right person. Here, then, is a follow-up question: what should you be looking for in a potential spouse? How do you know that he or she really is “the one”?

Look for someone, and definitely wait for someone, who shares your faith in Jesus Christ (1 Cor 7:39; 2 Cor 6:14). Marriage is hard enough even when you both desire to follow the Lord and obey his Word. Not being on the same page spiritually leads to all kinds of confusion and trouble with: time allocation, spending, values, leisure, parenting…

Look for someone helpful—who’s learned (or is learning) to serve and support and bless others. When you see him with his family, does he help out around the house? Does she expect to be waited upon?

Marry a hard worker. A man who doesn’t provide for his family is out of line (1 Tim 5:8). A godly woman works with eager hands (Prov 31:13).

Look for someone with good friends. Having healthy friendships means a person knows how to give and take, listen and share, offer and receive correction, and be a steady support—good “practice” for marriage.

Marry someone whose character you respect. Attraction is not enough.

Look for humility—someone eager to learn and willing to apologize (Phil 2:3). Watch out for the refrain, “That’s just the way I am.”

Look for someone who has positive relationships with his/her parents.

Marry someone who’s a careful, patient thinker. For example, someone who can see the grain of truth in a viewpoint they reject, or who avoids sweeping generalizations that toss the baby out with the bath water.

Look for a maturing Christian who’s committed to a church body and is actively serving, learning, caring, and spreading Christ’s love.

Don’t marry someone you hope will change later: they won’t change. And marriage will only accentuate what bothered you before the wedding.

Marry a stable person, steady under pressure. Is he all roller coaster, highs and lows? Do you never know what mood she’ll be in? Then slow down—the stability for marriage isn’t there yet.

And by all means, be patient about this decision: better to be single and wish you were married than married and wish you were single.

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BEING the Right Person

In the life-stage of transitioning into adulthood, the relationships we long for are found not so much by looking but by being.

Do you want good friendships? Then make it your aim, first and fore­most, not to search out good friends but BE a good friend. Do you want to meet Mr. or Miss Right? Then make it your aim, first and foremost, not to seek out that special someone but to BE that special someone.

Let me focus on marriage in particular. The mindset of being the man or woman God wants you to be today is a stance of faith. It means trusting the Lord to work on you, help you grow in spiritual depth and personal maturity, and lead you into greater holiness.

You say “holiness” isn’t on your marriage preparation checklist? That’s all the more reason you need to focus on being the right person more than finding your special someone. Ephesians 5:21-33 reveals a breath­taking design for Christian marriage in which husbands and wives die to themselves and live to love one another, and that requires spiritual depth and maturity. It’s a beautiful vision of married life, but that beauty never flowers and its joy is never known by immature, self-seeking spouses.

Being “the right one” is a goal that doesn’t impose a timetable on God. But the “gotta find someone” attitude is time-driven: it doesn’t consider that now may not be best and God may want you to wait. Maybe the Lord has a lot of refining to do in Mr./Miss Right’s life before it’s time for you two to meet—meeting today might be a disaster. Similarly, are you willing to look in the mirror and admit that that God has a lot of work to do?

Just to clarify, I’m not saying you should be utterly passive and never open your eyes to the people around you. My point is simply this: see today as God’s gift in which he aims to refine you and humble you and shape your soul in Christ-loving and Christ-like ways. Don’t assume you’re ready for marriage and it’s God’s job now to bring that special someone along. Assume, instead, that all delays are orchestrated by the Lord for good purposes (Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28), and that at the center of those purposes is sanctification—your growth in godliness. Your marriage will be SO much stronger and more joyful and satisfying if you trust God with time.

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Resurrection as Keystone

You simply can’t overstate the bedrock importance in Christianity of Jesus’ resur­rection from the dead. Put it this way: the resurrection is the keystone at the center of God’s grand arch spanning from history to eternity, bridging over the chasm of sin and death; without it, the whole structure of salvation comes tumbling down.

This, of course, means the resurrection—Christ’s historical, physical return from death to life—is not one of those peripheral points or secondary issues on which believers may feel free to differ. No, it’s pivotal and essential. I base this on Paul’s clear and relentless line of argumentation in 1 Corinthians 15:14-19. IF Jesus Christ was not raised from the dead...

• - Faith in Christ is useless and futile;
• - Preaching of Christ and spreading the Gospel are in vain;
• - Believers are false witnesses—we’re liars (i.e., about Jesus being raised and about our future beyond this life);
• - Believers are still in their sins—i.e., not forgiven, guilty of violating God’s justice and holiness, enemies of God;
• - Christians who’ve died are hopelessly lost forever;
• - We’re a pitiful lot—more pitiful than any other people on earth.

So the resurrection of Jesus is right at the heart of Christian belief—deny it or dismiss it or reduce it to some notion of “living on in our memory” and, very simply, it you’re no longer dealing with New Testament Christianity.

As you reflect on the importance of Christ’s resurrection, I hope it strikes you as glorious and breathtaking! Giving mental assent to Bible truths is crucial, but crucial as well is “getting it” deep down in your soul. The resurrection is no mere fact: it’s God’s magnificent stroke of victory in battle against sin, Satan and death (does your heart leap up and cheer?). And it’s the ray of hope for all who trust Jesus for true eternal life!

So stand in awe: Christ is risen—he is risen indeed!

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"Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted"

Here is a weighty and wonderfully truth-filled hymn about the momentous events of Good Friday. It was written by Thomas Kelly in 1804 as he reflected on Isaiah 53:4: "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted" (ESV). We will use this song in our Good Friday worship this evening:

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
’Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He!
’Tis the long expected prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
’Tis a true and faithful Word.

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting his distress:
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.

Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.

Mark the Sacrifice appointed!
See Who bears the awful load!
’Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man, and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost.
Christ the Rock of our salvation,
Christ the Name of which we boast.
Lamb of God for sinners wounded!
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.

[Listen to Fernando Ortega sing this song.]

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Prayer Is Hard

Prayer is difficult! Sound strange to say that? How hard is it just to talk to God—to tell him your concerns? You don’t have to yell or speak some fancy language or have lots of merit points to talk to God: just pray, talk (out loud, silently—or even “talk” with your posture, with your eyes, from the heart). Prayer is simple.

Okay, true enough. But acquiring and preserving the inclination to pray is hard. The longing and readiness to make time to be still before the Lord are easily destroyed. Why is this? There are several reasons.

First, Satan never opposes Christ-followers more than when we pray. After all, we’re no threat to his evil schemes on our own—that would be laughable, we’re like a fly to his bulldozer. But when we call out to the Almighty, Satan cringes. So if you mean to pray, be assured that Satan will come against you fully armed! Prayer is hard because prayer is war.

Second, prayer is hard because we’re proud. We want to be applauded as bright, successful achievers who can say, “I came, I saw, I conquered.” But prayer is that place where you fall flat on your face and see with painful clarity that your work is not what counts: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Cor 4:7).

Third, prayer is hard because we’re pragmatic. This outlook asks, “What works?”: we act, plan, organize; we live to check off the “to do” list. Pragmatists love visible, tangible, temporal effects—like numbers, dollars, bricks and mortar. But this fixation on human action and earthly results pushes soul-probing prayer down the list of priorities to a place where it shrivels up.

Fourth, distraction also ruins prayer—multi-tasking, busy-ness, frenzied lifestyles, the inability to quiet down and sit still. Our culture values maximum juggling of activities (email – work – text – shop – errands – study – clean – write – call…). Juggling is “in,” and yet how much can you really concentrate on each ball that’s in the air? But God says “Be still” (Ps 46:10). Jesus says, “Come and rest” (Mt 11:28-30). Are we willing to go against the current of a busy culture?

Fifth, we also find it hard to pray, of course, if we’re harboring sin in our hearts. Any time known sin is allowed to linger or (worse yet) is nurtured in our twisted hearts, we effectively put a lid on our own prayers. For example, God commands husbands to treat their wives with loving consideration “in order that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7): sin torpedoes prayer. Failing to fight sin is an attitude—whether we admit this or not—that says we don’t take God seriously and we don’t really care to speak with him in prayer.

So, watch out for these spiritual land mines—they’re deadly!

But having said that, take heart: God invites and commands us to pray (Matt 7:7; 1 Thess 4:17), and he’ll help us. Remember, greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Draw near to him, and he’ll draw near to you (Jas 4:8). The Lord is at work among his people “to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil 2:13). And he’s able to do far more than we ask or imagine for the sake of our spiritual progress and his greater glory (Eph 3:20-21)!

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How is your faith?

“How is your faith?” That’s THE pressing question on Paul’s mind as he waits to get word about his dear Christian friends in Thessalonica. Acts records his first visit there (17:1-10)—a short stay in which Paul taught from the Scriptures and summoned the people to entrust their lives to Jesus, the crucified and risen Messiah. Several people were persuaded (both Jews and Gentiles, 17:4) and embraced Christ in faith, and thus was born the church at Thessalonica.

But trouble struck this young body of believers quickly: within weeks of arriving, Paul was forced to leave town. He then proclaimed the Gospel in the next town (Berea), only to be tracked down there by his aggressive Thessalonian opponents. So he sailed 200-plus miles south to Athens, leaving the infant Thessalonian church behind. These were new believers and they were facing intense pressure from the Gospel’s enemies. Paul knew they could be in great spiritual danger.

Eventually he sent Timothy back to check up on them (1 Thess 3:2). Notice that when he did this, the aim was NOT to find out if the persecution has lightened up and the believers were safe and comfortable. No, the key concern was the status of their faith: were they still trusting and resting in the Lord Jesus Christ? Look at 3:1-10: Paul sent Timothy “to strengthen and encourage you in your faith” (3:2); “I sent Timothy to find out about your faith” (3:5); thankfully, Timothy “has brought good news about your faith and love” (3:6); “Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith” (3:7); “Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith” (3:10).

This is the issue that matters. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if you have a great family or wonderful friends or athletic ability or skill to succeed as a doctor or politician or nuclear scientist. In the end, it doesn’t matter if you’re popular or beautiful or strong or smart, or if your church has big numbers and attractive programs: heart-reliance on Christ is what matters.

Are you trusting Jesus today for saving grace and the sure hope of eternal life? Are you relying on him for reconciliation with the Father and adoption into his forever family? What do you “need” to be content in this universe? Is it enough to know Jesus and rest in his sovereign care? Will you still depend on him and look to him for peace that passes understanding and true meaning in life even when enemies of the Gospel mock and exclude and threaten and assault you? Paul eventually got good news: the faith of the Thessalonians was alive and strong! “How is your faith?”

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