CONSTANTLY CRUCIFIED

My recent epiphany has come as the result of reading the book, Viral Jesus, by Ross Rohde. It made me realize how weak my faith had become lately. It brought me both a vision for what could be and condemnation for what I have been lacking in my walk with Jesus.

In response, God spoke to me through one of the letters of Fenelon in the book, Let Go, (which seems to have been written specifically for me). Here’s what I read the other day:

“Do not be like a person I just met a short time ago, who, after reading the life of one of the saints, was so angry about his own life in comparison that he completely gave up the idea of living a devoted Christian life. I know this will not be true of you.” (pg. 26)

So, in one book Jesus revealed to me how far I had fallen, but in another book he encouraged me not to give up hope.

What I’ve also realized in this process is that the areas of my life where I have failed to live out my calling as a follower of Christ are all due to the same failure to die to myself. I can vividly recall moments where I have allowed my fear of man to keep me from speaking the truth. I can remember the conversations where I held back the name of Jesus in order to protect my own reputation. I can replay the scene in my mind – over and over again – when I let an opportunity to share my faith in Christ slip away because I was not ready to suffer persecution for my faith.

In each of those moments, scenes and conversations what I lacked was a willingness to die, even a little bit, so that Christ could live in me. My cross was somewhere under my desk at work, or in the backseat of my car in the parking lot.

Suddenly I am aware that death to self is more practical and tangible than I imagined. Being thought of as “the Christian nut” by my coworkers is the fruit of embracing my own cross. Having people mock me for being “Joe Christian” is what it costs to follow my Jesus with everything I have. Suffering the contempt of my unsaved friends is necessary to the process of dying to myself. It’s also what makes it possible for the Gospel to impact the world I live in – and to impact my life as well.

Unless I die to my flesh, I cannot fully experience the resurrection life of Christ within me.

The real truth. The very shameful and painful and embarrassing part of it, is that I have loved myself, my status, my reputation, more than I have loved my friends and my coworkers. That is my own sin. That is what drives the nails deeper into my heart. I am horrible and selfish. I am the monster that needs to die. Let me crucify that worthless creature of arrogance and pride. I want those nails to pierce this flesh. I need to let this dark person taste the metallic flavor of death on his tongue.

Only Jesus can drive those nails. As much as I long to dance on the grave of this selfish bastard, I love myself too much to do the deed myself. So, please, Lord Jesus, make me to lie down on this rugged cross. Bind my wrists to this cruel beam. Press the tip of that iron nail into my hand. Lift that hammer, Lord Jesus. Drive it deep. Deep enough that it won’t come loose again tomorrow.

I need your life, Lord Jesus. I need to know the power of your resurrection by sharing in your sufferings. I need this constant, daily, crucifixion if I am ever to reach the end of this road and look up into your wonderful face. Only then may I lay down this cross of death. Only then may I lay it aside and rest in your comforting arms.

Until then, I pray, let me be constantly crucified and surrendered to your perfect will.

Let your Kingdom come, Lord Jesus.

-kg

ANTITHESIS: JESUS AND JONAH

Jesus makes an interesting comment in the Gospel of Matthew when the Pharisees and the Sadducees demand a sign from him to prove he is the Messiah.

"An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed." (Matthew 16:4 ESV)

Now, of course, we know that what Jesus meant by "the sign of Jonah" was that he would spend three days in the tomb and raise from the dead, just as Jonah was three days in the belly of the great fish. But, Jesus doesn't explain this to them here. He just makes the statement and then "he left them and departed".

I started to wonder what they may have understood him to mean by "the sign of Jonah" since it could mean anything. As I began to speculate on how they might have received the words of Jesus here I realized something fascinating about Jonah and Jesus - They are absolute opposites.

Jonah was a reluctant prophet. Jesus willingly left the splendor of heaven and humbled himself to become one of us - even submitting himself to death upon the cross. (see Philippians 2:5-11)

Jonah was sent to a pagan land. Jesus was sent to the House of Israel. (See Matthew 15:24)

Jonah was sent to proclaim a message of judgment and doom. Jesus was sent to deliver "Good News" of blessing that the Kingdom of God was coming to Earth. (See Luke 4:18)

Jonah's message was received with repentance which resulted in mercy. Jesus' message was received with opposition that resulted in his crucifixion and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70. (See Luke 19:41-44; Matthew 24:1-28)

So, Jesus and Jonah couldn't be more different. They were sent to different people with different messages that were received in divergent ways with radically different results. Sort of like when you press a signet ring into soft clay or wax and the impression left behind reflects the empty spaces of the original.

It kind of makes me wonder if the "Sign of Jonah" isn't about more than just the resurrection of Christ. Maybe Jesus left this illustration unexplained so that those he left behind could meditate on Jonah and perhaps see Jesus in the negative space.

-kg

THE UNANSWERABLE VERSE?

"On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.." -(Genesis 15:18 ESV)

According to one recent anonymous comment on a previous article where we explored the identity of Israel in Scripture, this passage in Genesis 15:18 is "the verse replacement theology cannot answer."

[Note: "Replacement Theology" is the term used by Zionists and Dispensationalists to refer to the teaching that true Israel is anyone who is in Christ. To me the term is inaccurate because nothing is being replaced here, only fulfilled.]

Of course, I couldn't take this comment without providing a response. So, let's look at what the Scriptures say about this passage and how we should understand it in light of what the Apostles taught in the New Testament.

The great confidence my anonymous friend has in this Genesis passage comes from the assumption that it is plain as day that God (in this scripture) is making a promise to every Jewish person on the face of the planet. You can almost hear my friend-with-no-name saying, "See? It says right there, 'to your offspring' and he's talking to Abraham, so God's promise was made to all of the children of Abraham. I rest my case."

And, I will agree, it really does appear to be a slam-dunk, doesn't it? Gee. Sure does. But, let us not forget that it is never a good idea to take one single verse of scripture to build a case for doctrine or belief. Right? We need to look at what the whole scripture says about this, not just the New Covenant scriptures, but also what is reinforced (or contradicted) in the Old Covenant scriptures. So, why don't we do that?

I'll start with an OT reference and then move to what I believe to be the real interpretation of this concept found in the teachings of Paul, the Apostle.

First, the OT reference (which I have mentioned on this blog before), is Psalm 50:7 -
"Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God."

Here, God speaks to Israel. Look at what He says to them:

"But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you." (v.16)

God calls Israel "wicked". Are they all wicked? No, not all of them, only those who are worshipping idols and disobeying His word. So, all of Israel is not automatically blessed. This reminds us (or it should, anyway) of the passage where Paul teaches us that circumcision of the flesh means nothing, only circumcision of the heart.

"For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter." - Romans 2:28-29

"For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God." - 1 Cor. 7:19

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love." - Galatians 5:6

Please keep in mind that when Paul talks about circumcision, he is not only speaking of a medical procedure. Not at all. He is referring specifically to a Jewish, racial identity. His point, over and over again, is that being Jewish by race or culture counts for nothing.

Now, here's the real clincher, (at least for me), when it comes to the question of the Genesis passage above. Is God's promise to a race of people? Or is God's promise to those who are in Christ? Here's what Paul says,

"Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring [seed]. It does not say, “And to offsprings [seeds],” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring [seed],” who is Christ." - Galatians 3:16

I don't think I'll need to break out the flannelgraphs on this one. It could not be more clear that Paul believed that the promises made to Abraham were not made to every single descendant of Abraham (other translations render the word "seeds"), but the promises made to Abraham were to his seed (singular)...and who is that one? (Say it with me class) - Jesus.

So, if we are in Christ, then we are Abraham's offspring too? And we're also heirs according to the promise? Let's see...

"And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." - Galatians 3:29

Whoa. There ya go.

If we are Christ's then we are the offspring of Abraham - the very one's to whom the promises were made. Or, more accurately, the promises were made to Jesus. If we are in Christ, then we also are partakers of that promise.

Just to drive this nail all the way home before I conclude, let's look at what Jesus says about the "seed of Abraham", shall we?

In the eighth chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus is going back and forth with the Pharisees who claimed to be the offspring (or seed) of Abrahm. Here is what Jesus says in response to their claim:

"I know that you are offspring [seed] of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children [seed], you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did." - John 8:37-40

So, although they claimed to be the "seed of Abraham", Jesus made the point that although they were descended from Abraham, they were not doing the works of Abraham. What are the works of Abraham? For what is Abraham known? Obeying the word of the Lord. So, only those who truly love and obey God are considered to be the true seed of Abraham of "Israel".

To recap, there is only one Israel of God and that is composed only of those who believe God and accept His Son as Lord and Messiah. Anyone who rejects Christ as Messiah is lost, is outside of the Israel of God and is - according again to scripture - anti-Christ.

Again, I want to emphasize here that this teaching is totally based on scriptural evidence and not my own opinion. Like Paul, I pray that all the Jews would turn to Christ and be saved. Thankfully, many Jews do see Jesus as the promised Messiah. We should pray for those who do not do so yet. God loves them, and all the nations of the Earth, with an amazing love and His desire is that none should perish but that all should come to the saving knowledge of Jesus, the Messiah.

-kg

Jesus: Messiah

Lately I've found myself re-reading the Gospels and replacing the word "Christ" with the word "Messiah". Why? Because I've realized that, for most of my life I've read the term "Christ" as if it were just a synonym for Jesus, or worse yet, as if it were his last name.

Of course, I do realize that "Christ" is not Jesus' last name. That's why I've begun to consciously substitute the word "Messiah" for the word "Christ" as I read the New Testament now. Because I've started to realize that the word "Christ" has very little actual meaning for me. However, the word "Messiah" is much more meaningful.

Here's the Webster's definition of "Messiah":
literally: "anointed"
1 the expected king and deliverer of the Jews
2 a professed or accepted leader of some hope or cause

As I read the New Testament with the more robust term "Messiah" in place of "Christ", I am reminded that Jesus is the anointed one. He is the expected king. He is my leader. He is the promised one who has the power to save me, and everyone else.

Certainly these two words are synonymous with one another. Using one over the other doesn't change the meaning of the text in any way. However, in a more practical sense, I am missing the fullness of this word when I read "Christ". Yet, when I read "Messiah" it sort of takes my breath away.

Maybe you're different. Maybe, for you, these two terms are virtually interchangable. But for me, they are not. The term "Christ" has become a title, an empty word containing no tangible truth. But "Messiah" to me is a word that comes alive in my heart. It reminds me that Jesus is the One. He has come. And He is still fulfilling the promises made to His people thousands of years ago.

"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." - John 20:31

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah." - Acts 2:36

I think that the original authors of these passages intended that the readers and the hearers experience a genuine sense of excitement at the sound of these words. When I read the word "Messiah" I get that sense of wonder again. I catch myself breathing faster.

Maybe it's because I am more aware than ever these days just how much I am in need of a Messiah that this simple exercise matters to me? I don't know. All I can say is that the New Testament is coming alive to me again, after many years of being stale, and I'm very thankful to know the power of the name of Jesus, and to call on Him as my Messiah, and Lord.

-kg