Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Matthew 10:1

Messengers

Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson—ever heard any of those names before? Most likely. Not only are they some of the NBA’s best, but they also played together on the 1992 Men’s Olympic basketball team. When NBA players were given the green light to play in the Olympics, the players selected were professional basketball’s best scorer, best passer, best defender, best shooter, and best rebounder. They were known as the Dream Team.

You would think, with so much hanging in the balance, that Jesus would have assembled a “dream team” of disciples. This was a one of a kind moment in history. God had come to save the world. And his gospel would need to go out from there across hundreds of nations, over thousands of years, to billions of people.

But Jesus didn’t put together the dream team. How surprising, how unexpected! Instead, he called people to be his disciples who didn’t always “get it” and didn’t always have all the answers. Jesus called people with emotional baggage, character flaws, checkered pasts, confidence issues, and family drama. He had come not to call the healthy but the sick. And he started by calling these disciples.

Perhaps it’s obvious how much the disciples he called to follow him have in common with the people he calls to follow him today. A dream team of disciples we are not. That’s not denying that God’s people indeed have a variety of gifts and talents. What it is saying is that we don’t have to be supermen or superwomen to be useful in God’s kingdom.

Our names won’t find their way into any history books, most likely. They probably won’t mean much to people who live 100 years from now. But we can make a big difference in the lives of the people around us right now as Jesus works through us in their lives. So we follow him as the disciples did—learning from him, caring like him, serving for him. Superstars? Not at all. We’re just happy to be on the team.

Prayer:
What a privilege it is to be called your disciples, Lord Jesus. Bless me in my service! Amen.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:6

Surprising Recipients

I pray that it doesn’t happen to any of us often, but perhaps you know what it’s like to be so “stomach flu sick” that any sort of movement, whatsoever, is going to make bad things happen. So, the cool bathroom floor becomes your temporary bed, and all you can do is stay put. That’s the picture Paul paints of mankind’s natural spiritual state with the word powerless. Too weak to move, helpless, and pathetic.

But it gets worse. Paul also describes himself, his hearers, and us as “ungodly.” Day after day, time after time, we cross our arms and dig in our heels, turning away from the things God wants, and turning toward all kinds of things that will wreck us. Who would actively seek out people so foolish? Who would patiently and repeatedly welcome back people who’ve acted so selfishly, knowing that their NEXT selfish act is only moments away?

Paul goes on to say that someone might be willing to give up their life for a noble cause, but who dies for a scoundrel? A degenerate? A parasite? Jesus does. So excessive is God’s affection, so unwavering is God’s commitment to save, that Jesus died for the ungodly. How surprising, how unexpected!

And it begs the question, who might be the surprising recipients of the love that we now show to others? It’s pretty easy to love the people who love us (although that’s not always such a cinch either!). When we love them, it’s generally not all that surprising. But it’s when we show kindness to and sacrifice for those who make us clench our teeth, that’s when we are most closely imitating our Savior, and reflecting the surprising love that that continues to be shown to us. Holy Spirit, help us do this!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you laid down your life for me when I was helpless and ungodly. That is good news, both surprising and welcomed! Send me your Holy Spirit in powerful Word, that I may grow in faith and show genuine love and kindness to friends and enemies alike. I ask it in your name and to your glory. Amen.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
Matthew 9:35

Good News

Recently, actor John Krasinski attracted the attention of millions of Americans with a homemade, self-produced news show that featured only good news in every segment. He called it SGN-Some Good News. And Americans flocked to it, reposting it on their social media feeds, and giving the show’s initial episode 18 million views on YouTube. It’s not hard to understand why. People are desperate for some good news.

It was not all that different 2,000 years ago. People back then faced disease and witnessed oppression. They saw marriages break apart and families disintegrate. They wrestled with hypocrisy and anger in themselves. They experienced disillusionment, and they coped with tragedy. Its manifestations may have changed over the years, but sin was indeed able to mess things up back then, just as it does today. People needed some good news.

And Jesus brought it, going through all the towns and villages, proclaiming the good news. But Jesus’ good news was more than just human-interest stories of kindness and hope. The good news that Jesus brought told people of the kindness of the eternal God, bringing hope of eternal life to people surrounded by sin on every side. He proclaimed the good news of the kingdom!

How surprising, how unexpected! It wouldn’t have been at all shocking if the Son of God had come proclaiming the bad news. It wouldn’t have been at all shocking if Jesus had proclaimed, “You deserve only anger from a holy God.” He would have been exactly right.

But the Son of God came not to destroy us, but to destroy the devil’s work by achieving perfect obedience in his life and by offering a perfect sacrifice in his death. The price has been paid in full, and we didn’t have to do anything to earn it. That’s good news.

In the end, Some Good News lost a bit of its luster as John Krasinski faced popular backlash for selling the rights to the show to CBS. Yes, even the best news that comes from the heart of man can still result in angst and turmoil. But the good news of the kingdom never loses its luster. God has come near and paid for sin. That’s surprisingly good news in a bad news world.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, make your good news a comfort for me in our chaotic world and my hope of a brighter future with you in eternity. Amen.

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
Matthew 9:1,2

Your Sins are Forgiven

Matthew chapter 9 is one of the most rapid-fire chapters of the Bible. In fewer than forty verses, we see Jesus perform at least seven miracles, answer questions and complaints from the teachers of the law, Pharisees, and even followers of John the Baptist. All the while we see him confidently going about his ministry, calling another Apostle, instructing his disciples, and explaining his purpose on earth: to forgive sins and save souls. He raises a girl from the dead. He reads minds. He heals the blind, the paralyzed, the demon-possessed, and a woman with an unknown malady of constant bleeding. Except for time out to eat at Matthew’s house, the text of the chapter suggests that these events happened in a very short period of time during a brief stay in Jesus’ “own town.”

Jesus’ “own town” was Capernaum. This was his base of ministry in Galilee. Often he visited there, but he wasn’t completely welcome there. In Matthew 11:20-24 we read that Jesus warned this city that it would be judged because the people refused to believe in him despite the miracles he performed in their midst.

But therein Capernaum Jesus shows us why he came into the world—he came to forgive sins. He said to the paralyzed man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

When God declares our sins forgiven, we can be assured that they are completely gone because God cannot lie.

If your sins are burdening you, if your guilt is weighing you down, take heart. In Jesus, your sins are forgiven!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, the forgiveness of sins you freely give assures me that I am free of God’s sentence of condemnation. Clinging to your forgiveness by faith, I am blessed with a close and loving relationship with God forever. With all my grateful heart, I thank you. Amen.

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”
Exodus 3:14,15

Have Faith in the I AM

When Moses asked for God’s name, God replied by calling himself, “I AM.”

That might sound like a strange name to us. But consider how often Jesus, himself, used this name to bring comfort to the hearts of God’s children.

“I AM the Living Bread,” Jesus says to those who have been starving for forgiveness, love, and attention.

“I AM the Light of the World,” he says to all who’ve lost their sense of direction.

“I AM the Good Shepherd,” he says to the vulnerable sheep who are hurting.

“I AM the Way,” he says to all who are searching.

“I AM the Resurrection and the Life,” he says as you cry at the coffin of your friend, your dad, or your mom.

“I AM … with you, always, to the very end” of whatever path you happen to be traveling.

And wherever you are on that path, the job God has given you is exactly the one he gave to Moses. It is to remember that the person you have been doesn’t change who you are through faith in Jesus. You are God’s child. Your job is to remember that, just as God called Moses to be there for Israel, he has called you to be there for your family, friends, and neighbors—not to be the great I AM—but to point them to the great I AM.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank you for being consistent in who you are so that I can find regular comfort in who I am in Christ Jesus, my Savior. Amen.

Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”
Matthew 9:12

The Promise of Forgiveness

Compared to some of the other disciples, we don’t know a whole lot about Matthew. Other than the story of Jesus calling Matthew to be his disciple, Matthew’s name is only mentioned 4 times in the New Testament, and those 4 times are each a listing of the 12 disciples. He’s typically way down on the list, in the eighth or ninth spot.

What we do know about Matthew is that he had a very bad reputation in his community. You see, he was a tax collector. He collected money from his fellow countrymen on behalf of the hated Roman government. To make it worse, tax collectors were expected to overcharge and keep the extra money for themselves.

Jesus, of course, was well aware of what Matthew did for a living. And, when Jesus was scolded for eating dinner with Matthew, Jesus didn’t excuse Matthew’s sins. Instead, he announced that spiritually sick people like Matthew were precisely the people he had come to save. One wonders how Matthew felt as Jesus publicly described him as a sinner.

While we don’t know what Matthew felt in the moment, we get a glimpse into his relationship with Jesus when we discover that the name Matthew means “gift of God.” You see, when other writers in the Bible write about Matthew, they don’t call him Matthew. They call him Levi, his given name. Only Matthew calls himself Matthew. He realized that Jesus’ willingness to forgive him and associate with a sinner like him was a gift from God.

Whether or not your name is Matthew, this is also God’s gift to you.

God knows all the ways we are sick with sin. This is why he sent Jesus whose blood is the medicine that cures every sin.

Prayer:
Father in heaven, you know my heart and are aware of my every sin. Let me never forget the gift of forgiveness already won for me by your Son, Jesus. Amen.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

This is the day the Lord has made

When I was a youngster, my father bought a poster with the Bible passage for today printed underneath a picture of an 18-month-old child. The child was eating spaghetti. And of course, as little ones eat, they don’t seem to think they’ll get the full nutrients unless they try to absorb some of it through their skin. So, this little one had taken the bowl of spaghetti (yes, noodles and sauce) and had dumped it over his head!

Of course, after beginning to “wear” the spaghetti, the child discovered that it wasn’t as pleasant an experience as he had anticipated. So the child was now sitting there, covered with spaghetti and sauce, and crying his eyes out. And at the bottom, it read: “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Yes, life can be messy. Unfortunately, often we cause the messes ourselves, because of our own sinfulness.

Yet, we rejoice!

How can this be? For one reason—Jesus. Jesus’ death washed my sins away. And Jesus’ resurrection guarantees that I, too, will be getting out of the grave someday. Guaranteed. No doubt about it. I WILL be going to heaven, because of Jesus’ wonderful work. And as long as we live, there will never be a day on which Jesus hasn’t died, on which Jesus hasn’t risen. It’s true. It’s done. We rejoice!

Even when there’s some spaghetti sauce running down our faces!

Prayer:
Thank you, Jesus, that I can rejoice and be glad this day because it is a day that you have made. Amen.

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
2 Peter 1:20–2:3

Lots of Light

Depending on where you live in the Northern Hemisphere, today and tomorrow are probably the days with the most sunlight for the entire year. Where I live, there’s supposed to be fifteen hours and twenty minutes between sunrise and sunset today. I hope it’s not cloudy. I love the sun!

I do not love the darkness. I associate darkness with people being able to do things in secret. In the sunlight, things are out in the open, but in the dark, people can get away with more. When it comes to false religious teachers, I imagine that they like to operate secretly, in the dark, fabricating stories and denying the truth.

How can I know if a particular religious message is true or false? Shine a light on it! Compare it to what God has said in the Bible.

And how do I know that I can trust what is written in the Bible? One of the Bible writers, Peter, assures me that what is written in the Bible was not made up by human beings. Yes, human beings wrote down the words. But God made sure that every word was true. Peter says that he and the other Bible writers spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

I can’t beat that method of enlightenment. Peter and the other Bible writers have told me all about Jesus, the Son of God, my Savior. I love the Son!

Prayer:
Lord God, your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Amen.

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Make the Signs Obvious

I was going door-to-door, telling people about Jesus in a community in Florida. Every home I stopped at had a little metal plaque nailed to the doorframe. It had Hebrew letters on it. Those little signs made it obvious that Jewish people lived in that home, and they had read the words of today’s reading from the Bible, “Write these words of mine on the doorframes of your houses.” Many Jewish people take these words quite literally. They nail God’s Word to the doorframes of their houses.

But it is clear from the Bible that God doesn’t want his people to simply nail his Word to the frames around the doors of our houses. He wants us to have his Word in our hearts and minds. He wants us to be talking about them all the time, at home or away, at night or by day. And he definitely wants us to be teaching them to our children.

Why are these words so important? Because in his Word, he gives us the words and promises about Jesus, our Savior. Jesus is the way to heaven. Knowing that through him, we have forgiveness and eternal life is the most comforting truth imaginable. No wonder our gracious God wants us to keep his Word close to us!

Prayer:
Dear Lord, may your Word always fill my mind and heart. Amen.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Matthew 7:24-27

Built on the Rock

When we bought our house, we thought that the yard looked pretty good. We liked how the water drained on the property, and we were impressed by the landscaping. But one of our new neighbors scared us. “Check the foundation of your house for cracks,” he said. “We saw the builder bring in a lot of fill dirt before he built, and we have always worried about your new home’s stability.”

We checked the foundation. No cracks. We have lived in the home for ten years. So far, so good.

How about your house? Is it built on rocks or sand? How about your life? How stable is your foundation?

Jesus said that you need a solid foundation to withstand the storms of this life. If your foundation is built on sand, your life will come crashing down during stormy times. If your foundation is built on rock, you’ll be able to withstand life’s storms.

How do you build your life’s foundation on rock? Jesus is very clear about that. He tells you, “Hear these words of mine! Put them into practice!” The words of Jesus are what he says in the Bible. Those words include, “I am your Savior. You aren’t good enough on your own to get to heaven. But I was good enough to get you to heaven.” Trust Jesus. No foundation can be more solid than that, both for life right now and for eternal life in heaven.

Prayer:
Jesus, keep me firmly grounded, trusting your words for life now and forever. Amen.

The God of love and peace will be with you.
2 Corinthians 13:11

To the Anxious

Scott Stossel is a highly respected journalist. He is a graduate of Harvard. His abilities and work ethic have brought him to the point where he now serves as editor of The Atlantic magazine. Those who work with him have often observed how he is able to display a calm demeanor, especially in times of crisis.

It came as quite a shock to many of his colleagues, therefore, when Stossel wrote a book entitled, My Age of Anxiety. In his book, Stossel confesses that extreme anxiety often grips him. He writes, “On ordinary days, doing ordinary things—reading a book, lying in bed, talking on the phone, sitting in a meeting, playing tennis—I have thousands of times been stricken by a pervasive sense of…dread.”

After the book’s release, it became clear that Stossel was not alone. My Age of Anxiety spent weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Its popularity only confirmed what others were saying. Psychology Today has called anxiety “one of our modern plagues.” A recent report estimates that some 40 million adult Americans suffer from anxiety disorders, with almost 7 million suffering a level of anxiety characterized by “persistent, excessive, and unrealistic worry about everyday things.”

For many of us, this is not news. For many of you, severe anxiety—anxiety over past regrets, present problems, future outcomes—threatens to grip you every day.

What to do with such worry? What to do with such dread and so much fear?

First of all, confess to the Lord. Confess to the Lord that severe anxiety is a temptation into which you can often fall. Remember that Jesus died for your every sin—including your sins of worry. Take a deep breath. Bask in his forgiveness.

Then, rest on his promises. “The God of…peace will be with you,” Paul wrote. In Psalm 139, David reminds us that our God of peace is in front of us, behind us, around us. His right hand “holds [us] fast.”

When anxious thoughts trouble you deeply, look intently to your Savior God, who is your peace permanently.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, so often I give in to anxiety. Forgive me. Wash me in your blood. Surround me in your peace. Empower me to trust in you, my Savior. Amen.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them.
Genesis 1:27

Created by God

What a blessing it is to be created by God! And how humbling it is to realize how far short we have fallen from the perfect creatures he intended us to be. The Bible tells us we were created in God’s image and describes that image as perfect, holy, and righteous. And as we look in the mirror, we realize that no longer describes us.

When we look at the mirror of God’s commandments, perfection is not what stares back at us. When we consider what God wills for us to do, what do we find when we look at our lives? Sure, there are some outward signs of morality as we are kind to people, and we volunteer for things in our community. But underneath the surface, what do we see? Perhaps some hateful, unkind thoughts toward a sibling or coworker. Terrible language is thrown around as we work or mutter under our breath. Then there are the things that lurk in our hearts that we don’t like to acknowledge: greed, lust, selfishness, and anger. These things come out all too often in our words and actions as well. God’s image? Not so much.

That’s when we need to look to Jesus. In him, we find everything we are not: kindness, selflessness, generosity, contentment, a complete lack of pride and ego. Our Savior lived a perfect life in our place. He did everything that you and I have failed to do. He also avoided every sin and temptation that we fall into. Jesus is our perfect Savior and supplies everything that we lack.

And by the miracle of the cross, when God looks at us, he sees Jesus in our place. Through faith in him, Jesus’ righteousness is now our righteousness. His victory is our victory. Jesus has restored us and brought us back to God. He ensured that we will go to heaven, where we will live forever with that image of God fully restored!

Prayer:
Dear Savior, forgive me for all my sins. Thank you for living a perfect life in my place and earning salvation for me. Help me to know that in you, God sees me as righteous. Help me to live as his child today. Amen.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
Genesis 1:31

Perfect

Can you even imagine what perfection looks like? We often speak of having the perfect wedding, the perfect gift, or the perfect vacation. But let’s be honest, we have no idea what perfection really looks like. Especially now. A virus continues to bring our world to its knees. Sin continues to turn people against each other, whether they are husband and wife, Democrat and Republican, boss and employee. All around our world is breaking down. Death and decay show up everywhere.

It wasn’t always like that. At the end of six days, as God looked around at the beautiful and wonderful creation he had made, he could only come to one conclusion: “Perfect!” There was no sin to be found. And with no sin, there were none of its effects—no disease or death. Creation was not breaking down. People were not at odds with each other. Everything was in perfect harmony.

What would God say now as he looks down and sees all of this? Certainly, none of us would expect him to proclaim: “And God saw that it was very good.” But there is good news. God wanted us to have that perfection we have lost through sin. God had a way to fix what was broken, and it was “perfect.”

That way to perfection is Jesus. He came to live a perfect life in our place and to die an innocent death for us. Through his life, death, and resurrection, you and I now have a way out of this sinful world and a way to get back to the perfect life of harmony with God in a place he has provided for us. The way to this perfect heaven is through faith in Jesus. Our Savior will guide us through life in this sinful world, and in the end, will take us home to heaven. And once there, we will all look around and say, “Perfect!”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the victory you have won for me. Help me to know and believe that in you, I have the answer to this sinful world. In you, I have eternal life in heaven. Give me patience and trust as I wait for the day when you will take me home. Amen!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
2 Corinthians 13:14

God Is Always With You

It’s not easy getting up in the morning knowing that if you make the slightest mistake at work, your boss is going to jump down your throat in front of everybody. It’s not easy getting up in the morning wondering if today is the day your boyfriend is going to leave you because he’s fallen in love with someone else. It’s not easy getting up in the morning, dreading another lonely day. (Looks like it’s going to be another Lean Cuisine in front of the TV tonight.) It’s not easy getting up in the morning fearing your medical test results, your ADHD son’s future, or whether or not you’ll have enough money for this month’s groceries, gas, and mortgage.

It may not be easy to get up in the morning, but God gives you every reason to get up. Your boss may point out your every failure, but Jesus gives you his grace and forgives your every sin. Your significant other may dump you but God the Father promises his eternal love. You might not feel like you have any real friends, but the Holy Spirit gives you his fellowship and friendship 24/7. You may have numerous fears regarding your health, family, and finances, but God blesses you with a peace that is beyond all understanding. In our Scripture verse today, the Apostle Paul reminds you that you are truly blessed. Here it is again: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.”

Blessed with the grace, love, and fellowship of God, you can get up every morning knowing that God is always with you.

Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for assuring me of your continual presence in my life. No matter what the circumstances, I can count on your grace, love, and fellowship. Amen.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:42

Devoted to the Word

The members of the Jerusalem church had heard the apostle Peter proclaim the good news that Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had crucified, was the promised Messiah and their Savior. Through God’s Word, they received the gift of the Holy Spirit, who convicted them of their sin and convinced them of their Savior. Their sins were forgiven. Heaven was their home. Their hearts were filled with joy.

We are told, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” The Word of God was their delight. It was the one thing they needed. It was more precious to them “than thousands of pieces of silver and gold” (Psalm 119:72). It was their dearest treasure. Therefore, they not only held it in the highest regard, but they also put it into practice. They lived in the joy of the gospel. In their worship, fellowship, witnessing, praying, love, sharing, and offerings, they thanked God for the blessing of his Word.

God’s Word has not changed. It is still the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. The way of salvation has not changed. Jesus Christ is the only Savior this world will ever have. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Scripture continues to be the only true source for direction in this life and hope for eternity. Where repentant, blood-bought souls gather around the Word of God, regard it as holy, and gladly hear and learn it–there the power of the Holy Spirit will be present to lead us into all truth and the joy of the gospel.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to be devoted to the hearing of your Word, to fellowship with your people, and to prayer that is pleasing in your ears. Amen.