Passing through

I was born in Richmond, came to life in Chesapeake, went to college in Lynchburg, served in Bassett & Crewe. Virginia born and bred, I’m now North Carolina bound. I love this Commonwealth, AND it’s weather. To all the fair-weather Virginians loving the warmth who were cursing the fickle weather last week I say- love all of her. After all, she is an Old Dominion…

I posted this on my Facebook status earlier today because I saw all the people celebrating the 70-80° weather we’re experiencing today.  The old saying here in Virginia is “Welcome to Virginia! Don’t like the weather? Wait five minutes!”  So naturally, the same folks who have been touting the wonderful southern weather of Virginia were also cursing the hot flashes our commonwealth was going through last week.  We were in the 60’s one day -wearing short sleeves, and in the 30’s the next – back in our coats.

So, I thought I would declare my love for the Old Dominion state, and her fickle weather, for all to see on Facebook.  (Didn’t I just say yesterday this wasn’t going to be “bash Facebook” week?)  As I was writing that simple status update though, I got a bit misty because I realized that within the next few weeks, I will no longer be a resident of Virginia.

For those who aren’t connected to me on Facebook, I just announced that I will be taking a new position at Hillmon Grove Baptist in Cameron, North Carolina.  I’m excited about the things God has in store, but it’s dawning on me, perhaps for the first time, that I will no longer live in my home state.  This struck me as odd, because I’ve moved around all my life.  I went to three different schools the first three years I went to school!  I’ve forgotten more phone numbers than most people have ever had.  But, no matter where I’ve lived, it’s always been in Virginia.  Not anymore…

My beautiful wife once told me while we were dating that if we were to be married, her home would be wherever I am.  She was so right!  We’ve been married almost 8 years now, and we’ve lived in a spare bedroom, an apartment at a children’s camp, a four-plex apartment, our first purchased home, and a parsonage!  Keelie is my constant.

All that to say this: North Carolina is not my home.

But ya know what?  Virginia is not my home either.  As emotional as this time might be, it’s not devastating because I know that ultimately I’m just passing through.  I’ve spent just shy of thirty years in Virginia as a sojourner, a foreigner, a stranger in a strange land.  Like Abraham of old, I’m looking ahead.

⁸ By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. ⁹By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. ~Hebrews 11:8-10

I named my second son Tripp, to remind him and our whole family that this world is not our home.  We’re just on a trip.  We are passing through this dying world, and our citizenship lies in the New Jerusalem.

We live in this world.  We serve here.  We love the people here.  We seek the good of the city in which we live.  But ultimately, we are ambassadors of a Great King, and one day we will go home to His great Kingdom.  Just as Keelie said that I am her home, so it is true the where God is, that must be our home. Heaven is not great because the streets are golden and the gates are pearly. Heaven is great because Jesus is there!

Because of this, we do not hold to this world’s standards.  We subscribe to the values of our King.  We do not hold too tightly to anything that cannot make the journey home with us, for we are just passing through.

Bible in 90, Day 76: His time

John 6-15

image courtesy of sibaudio at stock.xchng

The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing.

I guess the first time I heard this was in Josh Harris’s I Kissed Dating Goodbye. It’s true of sex, it’s true of just about anything in the Christian life.  There are some things that are good, but only in a certain context.  Fire is wonderful.  Put it in a fireplace, and it can heat your home, cook your food, and roast your marshmallows.  Put it on your couch and it’s not so wonderful!

Jesus knew this.  He was constantly speaking of His appointed time, and the apostle John mentions it frequently as well, especially in today’s reading (John 7:1-9, 7:30, 8:19-20, 12:23-37, 13:1).  He stayed home from a feast because it was not yet time for Him to reveal Himself to the world.  Crowds of people couldn’t seize Him because His time had not yet come to be given over to the authorities.  Eventually, His time did come, and knowing this, He willing submitted to all that the authorities did to Him.

Jesus had a clear view of God’s plan and timing.  Because of this, He knew exactly what to spend His time on.  No moment of Jesus’ life was wasted, even if it appeared that way to those around Him.  There was an appointed time for the fulfillment of the prophecies about Jesus’ being betrayed, abused by the Jewish leaders, and finally killed.  He knew this, and walked in confidence that nothing could happen to Him before this time.

Jerry Falwell used to say that God’s man in the center of God’s plan is invincible until He’s done with him.  If we are doing what God has called us to do, and are walking in obedience to Him, then nothing can touch us to harm us unless it is part of God’s plan and will for us.  Jesus knew this and lived in light of this.

Let’s remember that God has a plan for us.  Let’s live confidently, expressing bold obedience to God, knowing that we’re invincible until He calls us home.

originally at Words of Reason

Bible in 90, Day 75: I find no fault

Luke 21 – John 5

image courtesy of leocub at stock.xchng

Fear of man is a terrible thing.  It can lead a perfectly rational man to do irrational things.  Take Pilate for example (Luke 22 and following).  He was a Roman governor and therefore had a great deal of power in his region of influence.  The Romans withheld capital punishment from local authorities, reserving it for Roman officials use only.  They could not legitimately find Him guilty of blasphemy in their own court, so, when the scribes and Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus, they brought him to Pilate on trumped up charges of treason.

Pilates dilemma was complex.  First of all, he saw right through the plot.  Had he been actually convinced that Jesus was guilty of treason, he would have had no problem putting Him to death.  But the governor had enough sense to see that they were simply trying to have this man killed out of fear for their own power.  Secondly, Pilate was afraid of the Jewish leaders.  If he had confidence in his own leadership, authority, and ability to keep the region under control, he would not care that they wanted Jesus dead and would have sent them away.  Third, and most difficult of all, Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent.  He affirms this three times in Luke’s account of the trial (23:4, 14, 22).  He declared, “I find no fault in this man” (23:4, KJV).  Matthew tells us that Pilate’s wife even had a dream about Jesus and warned Pilate to stay away from that innocent man (Matthew 27:19).

What, then, is Pilate to do?  Does he judge according to the truth, the truth he openly confesses?  Or does he condemn an innocent man because of the crowd?  Mark tells us the answer – he wanted to please the crowd (Mark 15:15).  He let his fear overrule his knowledge of the truth.

It is interesting to read all four accounts of this trial and note how violently Pilate wiggled to try and get out of this nasty situation.  He knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that this man Jesus was not worthy of death.  Jesus was a sinless man, so far above reproach that even false charges that were planned ahead of time could not stick (Mark 14:53-64).  It would be one thing for His disciples to assert Jesus’ sinlessness after His death, but for a Roman governor to affirm it in open court should speak volumes to us.  The Pharisees claimed that Jesus’ testimony concerning Himself was not valid (John 8:13), but here an official judge has declared Him innocent and they did not accept it.

Jesus lived the sinless life that none of us can.  He was truly the sacrificial Lamb who was without spot or blemish.  He came and lived out the Law, and fulfilled all the Law.  He died in our place, and He could do so because He did not have to die for Himself.  He did not deserve to die, not only by Pilate’s Roman standards, but even by God’s holy standards.  He was not only innocent, He was sinless.

Let’s look to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).  Let’s examine his sinless life and follow in His steps as closely as possible.  We will never be sinless while we still live on this earth.  Try as we might, we will still fail.  This should drive us to Christ all the more!  Let’s fall at His feet, knowing that we still need the gospel of His grace today.

originally at Words of Reason

Bible in 90, Day 53: The Suffering Servant & The Coming King

Isaiah 53-66

*image courtesy of cafe-ole at stock.xchng

Today’s passage contained some of the best passages about Jesus in the Old Testament.  We see Him here as the Suffering Servant.  Chapter 53 is a famous passage on the humility of Christ.  It seems the disciples didn’t quite remember this passage when they were thinking about their picture of the Messiah.  They expected the triumphant, conquering King who would come and put an end to all evil.  Isaiah paints a different picture of Messiah’s first coming.  He is nothing exceptional to look at, He is despised by men, even His own, and worst of all He is killed.  He is buried among the wicked, crushed by the Lord, oppressed, and afflicted.

Not exactly what some were looking for in a Savior.

Chapter 55 is another passage that looks forward to the ministry of Messiah.  Jesus would allude to the first few verses of this chapter in John 7:37, 4:14, 6:25-59.  He offered the same promise of water for those who thirst and bread for those who hunger.  As in Isaiah’s prophecy, these are offered freely, and result in the end of hunger and thirst.

Chapter 61 features the only passage of the Bible which we actually see Jesus read in the Gospels (see Luke 4:16-21).  He reads the passage from verses 1-2a, and then proclaims that these words were fulfilled in that very moment.  This represents part of Jesus’ mission as Messiah.  He was anointed by the Lord, He came to preach the gospel, bind up the broken, proclaim freedom the year of the Lord’s favor.  He fulfilled all these things.

It is interesting to find such vivid descriptions of Jesus’ life in the Old Testament.  There is such rich imagery in Isaiah’s words.  This is clear when we read these passages on the other side of the cross, but perhaps for those who lived before His time it was not so clear.  Many were obviously unaware of the nature of the first coming of Messiah.

Many today are obviously unaware of the nature of the second coming of Messiah.  Many look at the life of Christ in His first coming and think that this is the only side to Jesus.  They remember His meekness, but not His wrath.  They remember His humility, but not His royal position.  They remember His forgiveness, but not His judgment.  They remember the words, “Blessed are the peace makers,” but forget He also said “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 5:9, 10:34).  They remember that He died, but not that He will never die again.

Let’s remember the humility, gentleness, and self-sacrifice of Christ.  Let’s also remember His soon coming in victory and judgment.  Let’s not be caught off guard like those who were surprised at His first coming.

*originally at Words of Reason