One key truth: Jesus is our perfect substitute and conquering victor over sin, death, and the devil.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Luke 4:1-13

One Stands; Everyone Else Sits

Jesus’ public ministry didn’t start off slow—it kicked off with some serious action. Right after being baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, he went straight into the wilderness for 40 days of fasting. No food. No water. Just Jesus, alone, physically drained, and totally human. And that’s exactly when Satan decided to strike.

The prince of darkness saw his chance. He threw out every tempting offer he could—power, food, glory—all to try and distract Jesus from his mission. If he could just get Jesus to cave, to forget why he left heaven in the first place, then the whole plan of saving us from our sins would fall apart.

But Satan should have known who he was messing with. Every single temptation was shut down by the power of God’s Word. Jesus stood firm. Satan never stood a chance. This was a total victory—just like the one that would come a few years later when Jesus gave his life on the cross outside Jerusalem. His death paid for our sins. His blood washed us clean. And that victory? It wasn’t just for that moment—it’s ours today, tomorrow, and forever.

Right now, you may be chilling—scrolling through your phone, maybe sitting in a comfy chair. That’s cool. But don’t forget: while we sit, Jesus stood. He stood against Satan. He stood in our place. And because he won, we don’t have to fight this battle alone.

Victory is already ours.

Prayer:
Thank you, Almighty God, for cleansing me of my sin and calling me your own. Use your Word to remind me daily of Christ’s victory and help me seek to serve you alone in all I think, say, and do. Amen.

One key truth: Because Christ is the redeemer of our stories, we can overcome evil with good.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Genesis 45:4-7

Love Your Enemies, Overcoming Evil With Good

When it comes to the stories of our lives, there are chapters that read like Joseph’s life. Past and present events leave us wondering, “What good could come from this?” We ask this when we don’t get into the school of our dreams. We ask this when our families move out of state in the middle of our high school career—and we have to say goodbye to familiar rhythms and our friends. We ask this after a break-in, when our belongings are stolen. And we also ask this after someone inconveniences us, disappoints us, or seriously wrongs us. We look at our past or present suffering at the hands of others—and the hurt—and may justify in our heads, “We need to repay them for what they did to us.”

But that would only be true if we sat in the seat of the divine storyteller—God himself. You see, we not only want to be the central character of our story, but we want to be the narrator of our story, too.

And we’re neither.

How can we recover the sleep that we’ve lost to our restlessness and anxiety? How can we reclaim all the tears shed over hurts we’ve received? How can we heal ourselves from the pain of our guilt and the weight of our shame? And yes, how can we pay back the injustices we’ve experienced?

If it was up to us to redeem our past, we couldn’t do it. No matter how many “good” things we might try to do, before a holy, righteous God, our guilt would remain. If it was up to us to undo the damage our sins had done, we couldn’t do it. If it was up to us to salvage some greater, prevailing storyline from our suffering, the storylines we come up with shortchange us on comfort in the long run.

But that’s exactly what happens when we want to sit in the seat of “storyteller.” We feel like it’s on us to write ourselves out of the mess we’re in. We fixate on the present or ruminate on the past—and all the while we miss the forest for the trees.

Thankfully, Joseph’s comfort is your comfort, too. And what comfort is that? You don’t hold the pen that writes the pages of your life. God does. When he writes, grace spills from his pen. And if you doubt that to be true, look to the cross of Christ—and see our God reinvent what was intended for evil for good—immense, infinite, eternal good. Jesus is the better, greater, truer Joseph. Jesus wasn’t just rejected by his family; he endured rejection by his heavenly Father. Jesus was sold for pieces of silver—not into slavery—but into death. Jesus, on the cross, debunks the storyline that “what goes around comes around,” because he—unlike Joseph—was perfect and blameless, and yet died as the worst of criminals. Why? So that we would not. So that we could go free! The chains of sin and death have been shattered! Jesus’ empty tomb continues to sing songs of liberation for the weary and broken. God used Joseph to deliver an entire region. God, in Christ, would save the entire world.

You are set free from the burden of redeeming your life’s story; that weight has already been worn by Christ. The gospel shows us that no evil we inflict or experience is irredeemable. The gospel not only gives us reason to reconcile with those who’ve wronged us, but the gospel gives us the resources to reconcile with them, too. Such grace means you can never irrevocably, irredeemably screw up your life. God takes our mistakes and reinvents them into demonstrations of his goodness, his steadfast love, his abiding care, and unwavering faithfulness. God’s prominence persists in spite of our problems; God’s providence prevails over our pain.

Because Christ is the redeemer of our stories, we can overcome evil with good.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are both the author and perfecter of our faith. You knew us before we were born and knit us together in the wombs of our mothers. We thank you for being our redeemer from sin and death. Thank you for redeeming not only our lives, but also the story of our lives. Help us to be reconciled with those who wrong us. In your name we pray. Amen.

One key truth: You are covered—head to toe—by God’s grace. And his love doesn’t just cover you: his love qualifies you.

I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:1-18

The Least Qualified Are the First Sent

Do you like going to the gym? Maybe you do, and maybe you don’t.

Maybe you like exercising—you just don’t like the feeling you get when you walk into the gym and you’re surrounded by people whose bodies are as toned and sculpted as Greek statues. You don’t like the feeling you get when you’re struggling to bench press as much as the “body builder” next to you is curling. You don’t like the feeling you get when the elliptical has exhausted you after just five minutes and the woman next to you has been on hers for nearly fifteen minutes and barely broken a sweat. We don’t like the feeling of not measuring up—where you say to yourself, “Maybe I shouldn’t be here. Maybe I don’t belong here.”

Isaiah knew the feeling.

God gave him a vision of fiery angels, billows of smoke, and the LORD Almighty enthroned in radiant splendor. This vivid, awe-filling vision would humble even the haughtiest of the LORD’s prophets. It is in this vision that the LORD Almighty calls Isaiah, son of Amoz, to serve him as his prophet. And as Isaiah is brought into God’s “office,” the first voice he hears isn’t that of the LORD, but of choirs of angels flying throughout the temple. And these angels describe God as, not just holy, but three times holy—absolutely holy. The choirs are so loud, the temple is shaking, and smoke is billowing everywhere. “Woe to me!” Isaiah cried, convinced he would drop dead where he stood—because he knew that no sinner could see God’s face and live. Isaiah felt like he shouldn’t be there—like he didn’t belong there.

You would be very wise to cry out “Woe to me” every morning when you wake up and every night before you go to sleep. We would be wise to we say it together. Don’t ever stop confessing sin, don’t ever stop fearing sin, and don’t ever stop hating sin. “The soul who sins is the one who will die ” (Ezekiel 18:4). There it is: cold metal grating on hard steel. The tragic truth is this: Sin kills… every sin kills… my sin kills me and your sin kills you!

But this vision doesn’t end there. Isaiah continues, “Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’” The verbs that describe what this divine fire does as it touches Isaiah’s lips paint amazing pictures of God’s love for you. The first: “Your guilt is taken away.” It’s a picture of God removing the immense, debilitating burden of guilt from you forever. The second: “Your sin is atoned for.” It’s the picture of your sin being covered forever—that there’s Someone who stands between you and the unrelenting holiness of God—Someone who makes peace between you and God so you can stand before him forever.

That Someone is Jesus.

He touches our unclean lips with the tip of the cross—the symbol of our forgiveness. He declares, “You are no longer a sinner, but a saint!” Jesus satisfied God’s justice by embodying the needed atonement to cover over your sins. Your Savior declares you clean! Your God qualifies you to confidently stand before him.

You might not feel like you belong at the local gym—but never doubt your belonging to God in Christ. Covered head to toe in his grace, God asks, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Equipped by his Holy Spirit—where you are, as you are—answer his call, “Here am I. Send me!”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in your love for us, you would die our death on a cross and credit us with the gift of your holiness. Thank you for your boundless mercy and gracious gift of forgiveness. Because of you and you alone, we not only have confidence to stand before you on the day you take us to heaven; because of you, we have confidence to dynamically live our lives of faith before the world. In your name we pray. Amen.

One key truth: Our God stands by ready to give exactly what is needed when and where you are afraid to shine for our Savior: not an escape from shining our faith, but a boldness to shine even brighter.

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.
Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Acts 4:23-31

Rejection is Not Proof of Failure

The past few days had been quite eventful for the apostles Peter and John. While they were at the temple in Jerusalem, they met a lame man begging temple-goers for money. And God, through Peter, performs an amazing miracle and heals that man on the spot! Just as Jesus had promised, his chosen apostles were equipped with an incredibly unique outpouring of the Holy Spirit—enabling them to perform amazing signs and miracles. Those miracles were performed not only to confirm their message, but also to draw massive attention to it. And this miracle did! And as a massive crowd gathers around Peter and John, they share the good news of Jesus.

While many who heard [their] message believed in Jesus, not everyone did. Members of the religious elite—the Sadducees—arrive at the scene, and with them the captain of the temple guard. The Sadducees hated the name of “Jesus.” And they would not tolerate anyone proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead on temple grounds. So, they had Peter and John thrown into prison.

The next day, Peter and John stood on trial before the Sanhedrin—the religious ruling council. That should sound familiar. Because that’s the same religious ruling council that oversaw the trial of Jesus—the same council that accused Jesus of blasphemy, condemned him to death, and had him crucified. The Sanhedrin eventually let Peter and John go, but not without a series of serious threats. They were told to never teach anyone about Jesus or talk to anyone about Jesus ever again . . . or else.

How would you react to this news? That you can never talk about or share the good news of Jesus ever again—by threat of capital punishment? Let’s be honest: we’d be afraid. Extremely afraid.

Thankfully, you and I live at time and place where we’re able to worship freely and talk openly about God’s Word and the hope we have in Jesus. And yet, so often we don’t.

You see, we don’t need the help of a Sanhedrin to silence our sharing of Jesus, do we? We care so much about what other people think about us that we’ll willingly silence ourselves. We’ll treat religion as a taboo topic like everyone else. We want a comfortable Christianity. A Christianity that never pushes us outside of our comfort zone. A Christianity that compromises conviction for the sake of fitting in. Fear is one of Satan’s favorite weapons he works against the Church; and his goal is to rob us of courage to the point where the only place we’re comfortable talking about Jesus is here.

But when adversaries of the Church would plot her destruction, the One enthroned in heaven laughs. Nations can rage and people can plot against God’s plan of salvation: it’ll backfire every time! Herod, Pilate, and the Sanhedrin tried to bury Jesus—and it looked like all their plotting had paid off as the Son of God hung on a cross; yet there, in the weakness of the cross God revealed his strength; there, in the foolishness of the cross God revealed his wisdom. There on the cross, God was winning—not for himself, but for you! God was winning you!

In Christ, we find God’s faithfulness to his word as he fulfills centuries of promises to you. Jesus is the greater Passover Lamb who would be sacrificed once and for all for us—so that we would have complete forgiveness before God! Jesus is the Suffering Servant that Isaiah spoke about—the one who willingly endured hell so that we who cling to him in faith would inherit heaven as our home!

That these Christians cry out “Sovereign Lord” invokes a dimension of God’s divinity—his might, his control, and his power over all things. In other words, your God defines himself by promises he’s made and fulfilled for you. That alone gives us boldness, doesn’t it? When this world would rage against Christians everywhere, your God thunders back, “Who again is Lord of heaven and earth?” That’s a gamechanger, isn’t it? That means that, instead of running from confrontation and discomfort, we can run to God for courage and confidence to face it.

Prayer:
Lord God, Heavenly Father, so often we are afraid to give reason for the hope that we have in your Son. So often, we let fear get the better of us and we hide our faith from others. For times like these, we rest in the refuge of your grace and forgiveness. By your Spirit, work within us a confidence to be your witnesses boldly. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

One key truth: Your baptism is the explicit proof of your adoption into God’s family, and God’s pledge of undying devotion and fidelity to you.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Titus 3:4-6

The Cure for an Identity Crisis

Have you seen the docuseries called, The Curious Case of Natalia Grace?

Natalia was born in Ukraine with a rare form of dwarfism, and subsequently surrendered by her mother for adoption. Eventually, a family from Indiana, the Barnetts, adopted Natalia. But the relationship she had with Kristine and Michael Barnett—her foster parents—was anything but ideal: their relationship was abusive, manipulative, and dangerous.

Why? Depends on whom you ask.

Kristine and Michael Barnett depicted Natalia as a sociopathic con-artist who tried to harm them; Natalia, on the other hand, would tell you the actual crimes committed were by Kristine and Michael Barnett; they, according to Natalia, neglected her, abused her, abandoned her, and disowned her.

So, who’s telling the truth?

Right when a particular side of the story sounds more plausible, the docuseries presents you with reason to discredit it. It’s as if the producers want you to be left constantly without any narrative clarity—starving for closure that will ultimately never come. You’re left feeling like Natalia’s belonging to a family that loves and cares for her is an ending to the story that is always out of reach—where adoption into that kind of family is too good to be true.

Our adoption can sound too good to be true, too—can’t it? That’s what your baptism is: Baptism was—and is—a washing of rebirth and renewal—a washing of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the explicit proof that God has adopted you into his family. In baptism, he has adopted you to be his.

As much as we get hung up on the “how” of baptism, our real hangups are on the “why.” “If baptism is not merely a sign, but a seal of God’s grace, why would God both sign and seal himself over to me?”

We’re self-righteous and proud. We’re selfish and unsympathetic. We’re users and abusers. We’re liars and cheaters. We’re hateful and hurtful. We’re not even worthy to stoop down and untie the straps Jesus’ sandals. Why would God want to adopt us into his family?

It’s when you and I ask “Why?” of our adoptions that our God takes us to the waters of Christ’s baptism.

Think about it: why would Jesus need to be baptized? Why would the sinless Son of God need a washing of rebirth and renewal? Why would the blameless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world need to be baptized for repentance and the forgiveness of sins? He’s not being baptized for his own sake—but for yours. It was fitting for Jesus to be baptized as us for us to fulfill all righteousness.

That word—righteous—refers to absolute, complete, total perfection and holiness. And if we had any hope of standing confidently before God, that righteousness is something we didn’t have and couldn’t give—but we desperately needed it.

There at the Jordan River, we find the sinless Son of God emerging from the ranks of sinners to live and die for sinners like us. In Christ, all righteousness has been fulfilled.

Jesus actively kept his word to the letter—and not one stroke of the pen fell through his fingers. Jesus has passively suffered and died—clothed with our rags of sin and regret—so that we would be clothed with the robes of his righteousness. Your baptism is assurance Christ’s wardrobe is yours. Your baptism is God’s promise to you that you, in Christ, are completely and totally forgiven—that you have been washed—head to toe—by the cleansing tide of his grace—that you belong to him!

Some adoption stories of this world might resemble the story of Natalia Grace; but your adoption into God’s family is a completely different story. No cliffhangers. No lack of closure. Your baptism is God’s pledge of undying devotion and fidelity to you! In Christ, your adoption into God’s family is signed and sealed.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, at the waters of your baptism, you emerged from the ranks of sinners to live and die for sinners like us. But because of you, our primary identity is that we are baptized children of God. Whenever we doubt your love for us, bring us not only to the waters of your baptism, but the waters of our baptism, too. For there, we’ve been clothed in your righteousness and adopted into your family. In your name we pray. Amen.

God gives himself to us in Christ. It is the gift we desperately needed. It was the gift we didn’t deserve.

“But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

Exodus 3:20

God Gives Himself as One of Us

Moses had asked God to see his glory. God compromised with him. Moses could see his back and his goodness, but he could not see his face, because no one can see the face of God and live

Mary and Joseph looked down into the manger at the face of the infant child staring back at them. They looked upon the face of the eternal God.

This is the mystery of the incarnation. That the God whom no one can look upon without dying masked his glory in human flesh so that everyone could see him.

Do you want to know God? Look at Christ.

Want to know God’s compassion? Look at how Jesus’ heart went out to the people who flocked to him. They were like sheep without a shepherd.

Want to know God’s power? See the Son of God heal the sick, drive out demons, and raise the dead to life.

Want to know God’s love? See Jesus hanging on the cross pouring out his life to repair the broken relationship between God and man.

Who could but sigh: Immanuel (God with us)! Who could but shout: Immanuel! (Christian Worship 330:2)

God gives himself to us in Christ. It is the gift we desperately needed. It was the gift we didn’t deserve.

Sit in wonder as you look upon the face of God veiled in flesh. See his glory in the grace he shows to you.

He took on that flesh for you. He took on that flesh that it might be pierced by nails and put to death to pay for your sins. He took on that flesh that you might have eternal life.

What a miracle! What a gift!

Prayer:
Father in heaven, fill my heart with wonder and thanksgiving as I ponder the gift of the Christ-child. Amen.

A repentant person is a joyful person, and a joyful person will always have fruits of repentance present in their life.

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Luke 3:8a

A Real Christmas Results in Great Joy

How would you define a “joyful” person?

Is it someone who always has a smile on their face? Is it someone who is friendly to everyone they meet? Is it someone who shares a lot of joyful quotes on Instagram?

Smiles can mask a world of hurt on the inside. Friendliness isn’t always genuine. The person sharing those joyful quotes might be in their room alone feeling isolated.

So what is a joyful person?

It’s important to differentiate between happiness and joy. Happiness is an emotion. It comes from your circumstances. Joyfulness is a condition. It comes from Christ assuring you of his abiding love and your glorious future. Therefore, joyfulness is enduring.

Consider this: a joyful person is a repentant person.

At first read, these two things might seem to contradict each other. Isn’t repentance all about feeling sad? This is true in a way. Repentance is feeling sad over one’s sin. However, it also involves trusting in Jesus’ forgiveness.

The person who is repentant knows their enduring condition of being forgiven through Jesus’ death on the cross. They know that heaven is their inheritance no matter how bad things get here on earth. That leads to joyfulness.

That joyfulness will inevitably lead to fruit. The person who is secure in their forgiveness in Christ wants to live a life giving back to him. They want to live a life full of love for God and others. They want to share the joy they know with others.

The historic Christian Church gave Latin titles to each Sunday. The title for the third Sunday of Advent was “Gaudete” which means “to rejoice.” It was a reminder of how closely joyfulness and repentance are to one another.

Let the joy Christ has worked in you by making you his child lead you to produce fruit in your life as you live for Jesus and your neighbor.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, make me a joyful person through your Spirit and produce fruits of repentance in me. Amen.

In order to have a real Christmas, we have to understand why Jesus came and why he is coming back.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

A Real Christmas Requires Remembering Why Christ Came

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (TV Version) is the greatest Christmas movie of all time.

If you haven’t seen it, Clark Griswold is your everyday middle-class American who wants nothing more than to give his family the perfect, old fashioned, Griswold family Christmas. He wanted his family to have a real Christmas. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Hilarity ensued. Watch the movie when it comes on TV in a few weeks.

What is a real Christmas anyways?

We are starting the season in the church year called Advent this week. Advent helps us prepare are hearts for Christmas when we celebrate Christ’s first coming, but Advent is really about looking ahead to Christ’s second coming.

In order to have a real Christmas, we have to understand why Christ came the first time and why he is coming again.

Jesus didn’t come at Christmas so that we can take a break from school every year. He didn’t come to teach us a lesson about gift giving. He didn’t come to show us how to live our lives.
He came at Christmas to live for us. He came to die for us.

Jesus lived a perfect life, and he’s given us all the credit. He allowed Roman soldiers to shed his blood on the cross, because that blood was considered sufficient payment to God for your sins and the sins of the whole world.

In other words, Jesus came at Christmas so that you might be holy and blameless.

Those words are really important. The fact that Jesus has made you holy means that he has set you apart and taken away your sin. The fact that you are blameless means that the devil can’t accuse you of any wrongdoing. Jesus has taken it all away. You are an heir of heaven.

Paul wanted the Christians he was writing to to remember that. He wants you to remember that too.

As you prepare your heart for Christmas, remember that Jesus came to make you holy and blameless. Remember that he is coming back one day to take you to be with him in heaven forever.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for making me holy and blameless in your sight. Help me to reflect your love to everyone I come into contact within this world. Amen.

Jesus is the standard.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:24-28

Free from Judgment

Don’t judge me by my clothing! Don’t judge me based on my family! Don’t judge me based on one bad decision, or by my grades, or the way I look…and the list goes on. No one likes to be judged and evaluated by someone on the outside, because it’s scary! We know our own flaws and imperfections, and we tend to spend a lot of time and energy trying to cover them up.

From that perspective, it’s an even more scary thing to imagine facing judgment before the almighty and all-knowing God, yet that is something that awaits every person who has ever and will ever live. The writer to the Hebrews points out that for a child of God this appointment before the judgement seat of Christ doesn’t need to be a scary thing, because we already know the verdict that will be rendered.

Even though Jesus already knows your flaws and imperfections, he chooses not to judge you by those. Instead, he chose to lay down his own life and suffer God’s anger and judgment in your place! The writer to the Hebrews says that Jesus was sacrificed once for sin at the cross, and according to God’s perfect judgment that one sacrifice was enough! Your sins, whether known or hidden, are all gone. That means you have salvation already now. You’re a member of God’s family, already now. Stop living in fear of judgment! And someday, when Jesus returns, it won’t be to deal with your sin again, but to bring new life in heaven and eternal salvation to those who wait for him. What a day that will be! Amen.

Prayer:
Jesus my Savior, you suffered God’s judgment in my place and took my punishment on your own back. When I feel guilt and shame over my sins, or when I fear being judged for my thoughts and actions, remind me of this truth. Amen.

Death is not forever.

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.

On this mountain, the [Lord Almighty] will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Isaiah 25:6-9

You Will Live Forever

The casket was open in front of the church. A woman lay inside… a wife, mother, friend, teacher. Her body was there, but she wasn’t there. She was wearing a pretty dress, her usual hairstyle, nice make up… but she was just an empty shell of the woman loved by her husband and children and friends. Death had changed everything.

Maybe you’ve experienced a similar scene at a funeral. If not, you will as the years pass. At some point it will also be your turn to be in a box in front of the church. The somber scene of a funeral displays the tragic reality of life: the wages of sin is death, and all have sinned, so all will die. Nothing can change that.

But listen to Isaiah forecast something different for the future. He talks about the shroud (the cloth draped over a casket at a funeral). He says the shroud covering the world is going to be destroyed! He says that the Lord is wiping away tears from the faces of his mourning people! The Lord is welcoming people into a feast! Where does this joyous change take place? On the “mountain of the Lord.” How does one get there? Jesus is the key. He climbed Mt. Calvary’s cross to destroy the shroud!

This past week, churches around the world celebrated All Saints’ Day. It’s a day to remember those who’ve died. More than that though, it’s a day of celebration knowing where they are – the Mountain of the Lord!

Don’t be afraid of the shroud of death – there’s life on the mountain of God! By God’s grace, you will ascend the mountain of the Lord to live with all who’ve gone there before you. Together you will live with God for eternity! What a joyous day that will be!

Prayer:
Lord God who holds the power over death, keep me close to your all the days of my life. When your time is right, bring me home to live with you and those who have gone before me forever. Amen.

The heart of a follower of Jesus when sharing the gospel is a heart that looks for nothing in return.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:22-23

Whatever it Costs

It can be hard to get fired up to share the gospel. As a follower of Jesus, we know we are supposed to share the gospel, but it can be hard to be motivated to share the gospel. That is because you don’t get anything in return. Getting a reward is a great motivator. Tell a teen that if they clean their room they can go to the movies with their friends. Chances are that room will get cleaned. Tell a teen to mow the lawn and they will get paid $100. That lawn will get mowed, edged and swept. Tell a teen that if they clean the toilets they will get a brand new car. Those toilets will sparkle. Tell a teen to do any of those chores because Mom or Dad says so, it is safe to say that teen will be less motivated. A person is highly motivated to spend time, effort, and energy if they know they will get something in return.

That is why it can be difficult to be motivated to share the gospel. It costs a lot and you gain nothing. Paul said he would do whatever it takes to win someone over to the gospel. If he had to be uncomfortable, he would. If he had to be weak, he would. If he had to be ridiculed, he would. If he had to pretend to like something he really didn’t like just to build a relationship, he would. If he had to spend his own money, he would. If he had to give up his Saturday, he would. He would do whatever cost him just so that he might possibly win someone over to Jesus. And what did he gain from all of that effort? Nothing. Actually, he received hardships more times than not.

So why was he so on fire to share the gospel? He didn’t need a reward because he already had everything. When you have Jesus, you have heaven. Imagine having a visa gift card that never ran out. When you went out to eat with your friends, wouldn’t it be easy to pay the bill for everyone. When you have everything, it is easy to pay whatever it costs and you want to share what you have with others. So if you are struggling to share Jesus with the people around you, take a moment and think about how awesome heaven is going to be. Then look at that person and think about what they are missing out on. You will be motivated to do whatever it costs here on earth to possibly get to share with that person the joy of having everything in heaven. Amen

Prayer:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for giving me everything. There are so many people who have nothing because they don’t have you. Give me the opportunity to share the gospel with them. When I get the opportunity, give me the motivation, courage, and words to say. Amen

Submission or you first love is at the heart of every God pleasing relationship.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:21

How to Date the Follower Way

Being a teenager is the time in your life when you transition from being a kid to adult. For many of you, that transition comes with experiencing dating (aka looking for the person you want to marry and practicing being in a marriage relationship.) The world has so many wrong ideas about dating and relationships, so it is good for you to look to God for guidance.

Gentlemen, God tells you to practice being the kind of husband who submits out of reverence for Christ. That means you do what is best for your potential future spouse. You practice faithfulness and sexual self-control by making sure you both save sex and anything imitating sex for marriage. It means honoring marriage by not living together until you are married. It means you make sure that you and your potential future spouse go to church together regularly. It means confessing when you did something wrong and asking for forgiveness. It means forgiving when your potential future spouse sins against you. It means showing the same love Jesus showed you by doing what is best for your girlfriend even though it comes at a sacrifice for you. Be the kind of leader in your relationship that is responsible for making sure your relationship is a God-pleasing relationship.

Ladies, God tells you to practice being the kind of wife who submits out of reverence for Christ. To be clear, that does NOT mean you do everything your boyfriend wants you to do. It means you support and help your future spouse be the kind of man God wants him to be. If he wants to be sexually impure before marriage, you lovingly but firmly say no. God thinks you are worth it. He gave up everything for you. He sent his Son who submitted himself to death on the cross for you. Help your boyfriend value you the same way. If he is not ok with giving up his sexual needs for you, he is not someone you want to marry. Dump him. If he does value you the way God does, help him be the kind of man God wants him to be by being patient and kind, supportive and encouraging. Forgive and ask for forgiveness. Submit to your future spouse by submitting to Christ first.

Love is not a romantic feeling. True love is submitting to each other in a way that would make Jesus smile when he looks at your relationship. That is how you date the way followers of Jesus date.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you gave up your life for me because it was best for me. Help me to show you first love and do what is best for those I have a relationship with. Send me your Holy Spirit to help me do this. Amen

What you gain on earth is temporal but what you gain in heaven is eternal.

“Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Mark 9:35-37

For Nothing

There were two men. The first man was a worldly man. He worked hard because he had goals he wanted to achieve. He got a good paying job. He bought a big house. He always had a nice car. He bought a boat. He ate in fine restaurants. He wanted to be seen as a generous person so every Christmas he gave to a charity. He was very political. Every year, he and his college buddies would travel to Las Vegas for their annual fantasy football draft. He won the fantasy football championship four times. He never married but had a few girlfriends. He invested well into the stock market. He retired early. He traveled the world. He died. He was not a follower of Jesus.

The second man was a follower of Jesus. He worked hard but his goals were different. He got a good paying job. He got married and committed his life to putting his wife first. They had four kids. He never could afford a fancy car but he had the car that he needed. He couldn’t afford to eat in fancy restaurants or go on fun trips instead paid for diapers and Christian education. He turned down the promotion so he could spend more time with his family. He was in charge of the Sunday school at his church. He gave generous offerings to the Lord. He would invite anyone and everyone he met to church. Once he retired, he mowed the grass at church and the yard of his neighbor who was an older widow. He too died.

The first man gained everything he ever wanted but took nothing with him when he died. It was all for nothing. The second man was a servant putting others before himself. He did it all for nothing, not looking to get anything in return. He did it out of love for his Savior whom he followed and out of love for others. In the end, he gained everything in heaven.

Which man are you?

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, through your saving work on earth and the cross, you have made me your follower. Give me a heart that loves, not looking to get anything in return. Keep my eyes focused on heaven where you will give me everything. Amen

We are saved by the compassion and power of Jesus.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

Mark 7:31-37

The Word Not Dependent On Ears

This is one of Jesus’ coolest miracles.

You probably know the passage, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) So, what do you do if you can’t hear words?

This man most likely had been unable to hear since birth which means his life had an emptiness that is hard for us to comprehend. We hear words. We think in words. We speak in words. If you can’t hear words, you can’t think in words, let alone speak. He had no way to organize his thoughts into words. His world was one of silent emptiness.

But the worst part of his situation was that he had no way of coming to know Jesus. News about Jesus had spread, but not to him. Reports would have come in about the Messiah who heals and saves, but he would have no idea. Jesus could preach a perfect sermon, but he would never hear it. And if he can’t hear the Gospel, he can’t be saved, right?

Oh, the compassion and power of Jesus! He knows exactly what this man needs and interacts with him individually. He touches his ears. He touches his tongue. He sighs up to heaven. And using his powerful Word that is not dependent on the ability of one to hear or understand, Jesus opens his ears, gives him the ability to immediately speak plainly, and gives him faith.

This is who Jesus is and this is how he deals with you. He knows exactly what you need and interacts with you individually. When you were dead in your sin, his Gospel created faith. For some of you, when you were unable to comprehend the words of Jesus because you were a baby, he opened your heart and gave you faith through the Word connected to the water in baptism. Yes, Jesus is powerful. Yes, he has compassion for you. Yes, he loves you. What grace that Jesus used his power to make you his follower.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, We thank you that you have opened our hearts by your Word. Give us the opportunity and the determination to bring those who do not know you to you. Thank you for the people in our lives who brought us to you. Amen