Category: New Testament

What Is the Mysterious Generation of Matthew 24? – March 23, 2023

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Debate abounds regarding Matthew 24:34. Is this generation those who were alive in Jesus’ day? Is it the Jewish race in general? Is it those who will be alive at the time of Jesus’ return? Much of how we interpret the entire chapter of Matthew 24 hinges on the understanding of verse 34.

What I would like to do is step back from commonly cited arguments for a moment, and instead focus on the plain flow of thought of Jesus in the immediate context of the narrative. Let us read Matthew 24:32-37.

“(32) Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; (33) so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. (34) Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (35) Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. (36) But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. (37) For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.”

Notice first, that verses 32-33 regard seasons. Jesus beckons us to the simple truth that we are able to discern the coming of summer, because of the coming of spring. In general, we know that the season of springtime weather and plant growth points to the general time of summer. We mark the exact day on the calendar that a season changes, but we know that the weather and growth patterns do not follow a hard and fast rule. It can snow in spring. It can get be cold in summer. Flowers may pop out of the ground earlier than the calendar dictates because seasons are broad phases of time.

Jesus is first telling his disciples to discern seasons. He is beckoning them to look upon the events and foreshadowing of events of which He has spoken just previously – wars, earthquakes, famines, false teachers, antichrist influences, lawlessness, etc. These, the Lord says, are the beginnings of the birth pains (verse eight). These general occurrences will happen more frequently and more intensely as the season of Christ’s return draws nearer.

However, the Lord continues in the chapter to speak with specificity about the Abomination of Desolation that will come during the Great Tribulation (verses 15-21). Jesus warns His followers that the temple in Jerusalem that is to be rebuilt toward the end of days will be invaded by the Antichrist, as he ruthlessly pursues the Jews and all who refuse to worship him. Jesus reminds his disciples that those who live during this time are to run for the mountains to experience God’s divine protection. Then, the crescendo of events leads to the glorious second coming of the Lord, accompanied by signs in the heavens (verses 29-31).

On the heels of all this narrative, Jesus speaks of the season of His return (verses 32-33), before moving quickly to the day and hour of His return (verses 36-41). There is a great difference between a season and an hour. Seasons are broad, sweeping periods of time, while a day and hour are rather specific and narrow.

In between the season and the day/hour, Jesus declares, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” (Matthew 24:34-35) Notice how he uses the phrase “pass away” three times in these two verses. The emphasis is that: 1) this generation will not pass away until every detail of what Jesus has foretold happens; 2) heaven and earth will surely pass away; and 3) God’s Word will never pass away.

Do you recognize the flow of thought with Jesus mentioning “passing away” three times? He says, in effect, that there is a day that “this generation” will pass away, but it is not until every single Word that God has spoken about the end times comes true. He proclaims, in neat alignment with this thought, that heaven and earth will also pass away. The contrast is about what will not pass away – the Word of God.

In other words, Jesus is wanting us to know that not only will the world as we know it one day be gone, but “this generation” as we know it will also be gone. We must rely solely on the Word of the Lord. We are very apt to rely on things that we should not. We assume society will go on and on. We assume the universe will go on and on. The Lord makes clear that society as we know it – and the world as we know it – have an appointment of judgment with God Almighty. In the meantime, every single detail that the Lord has specified about the end times will come true. All of the book of Revelation will be fulfilled. All of the details in the prophetic parts of the book of Daniel will come true. All the events of Matthew 24 will take place. Every word of God as presented in the canon of Scripture will happen, and – after all of the events of the tribulation have concluded – then the ungodly social order that we have all lived under for so long, will be terminated. After the people are judged, then the created order itself will be judged and remade.

In fact, this is what we find in Revelation chapters 20-22. The Great White Throne Judgment is the final demise of all who have rejected Jesus and His righteous kingdom, followed by the making of a New Heaven and New Earth. I see the same flow of thought in Jesus’ words of Matthew 24:34-35. The current, godless age (this generation) will pass away first – after every Word of God is fulfilled concerning end times – then, the old heavens and earth will pass away.

The word for “generation” in the Matthew 24 text, is the same Greek word used in Mark 8:38, where Jesus declares, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” We see here the word “generation” used to contrast the current, evil age to the time of the return of Jesus Christ. This is precisely what we see in Matthew 24! The Greek “genea” can simply mean “an age, the period or the persons.”

I believe that Jesus is giving to the disciples in Matthew 24, a clear explanation of end-time events sequence. We are to watch for the season, knowing that serves as a warning that the day/hour could come completely unexpectantly within the season. The Lord also wants to emphasize that nothing He has told us will go unfulfilled. Though the evil society we have known has an end date, and the broken creation in which we have lived has an end date, the Word of God stands forever!

Whether we are the people who see the season or see the day/hour, we live during a godless generation (or age) that must meet its end under the judgment of holy God. Jesus and His Word is our only safety in all of this.

Surely, the society of people alive at the day/hour of the return of Christ, will be the evilest of all, under the tyranny of Antichrist and the great delusion the Lord sends (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). In a sense, that particular and literal generation also will not pass away until the Lord has fulfilled every word of His own concerning the end of time. We can apply the meaning generally to this evil age (as compared to the day the Lord reigns unhindered), or specifically to the evil time of society during the tribulation. Nonetheless, the interpretation still stands. The old has to go; the new has to come.

Are you prepared?

Are You Involved in Satanic Activity?

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When most of us think of Satanic activity, we may think of Ouija boards, poltergeists, sorcery, etc. But what about the subtler ways the devil operates – even through us? After all, he is by nature a master deceiver. Jesus said that he “has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him” and that “he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). What if, as Christians, we are neglecting to realize the very damaging and sly things that Satan is doing each day, because we are focused only on the obvious. The Apostle Paul highlighted this concept when he warned fellow believers about false apostles and deceitful workmen in the church itself. He tells us not to be surprised by this because “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Based on solid biblical truth, we have reason to be wary of Satan’s cunning modes of operation. He wants to catch us off guard.

Let me bring to your attention a reasonably well-known, but highly undervalued verse in the Bible. This Scripture makes obvious the hideous ways the devil works to damage God’s kingdom, and it is through God’s own people! The setting is that our Lord Jesus is explaining to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer, be killed, and then be raised to life. He is, in a nutshell, laying out the purpose for which He came to earth. Without this ultimate plan, none of us can be saved. But, as Jesus expounds the coming days of His death and resurrection, Peter pipes up with an incredible statement. The Bible specifically says, “And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘Far be it from you, Lord!’ This shall never happen to you’ (Matthew 16:22).

In a crazy turn of events, Jesus then looks at His dear friend, His disciple, and declares to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23). Wow! Jesus looks at Peter and tells Satan what to do! What is going on here? We know that Peter is not possessed by Satan, for Peter clearly was a follower of Jesus Christ, even despite his failure. Why then is Jesus addressing Satan when he looks at Peter? Because the apostle in this moment is allowing the thoughts and ways of the devil to be his guide in attitude and behavior. Peter is allowing Satan to control him in this instance. He is giving the devil a strong foothold in his life and, by doing so, is moving to stop the most important plan of God. Peter becomes a momentary enemy to God with this declaration motivated by the ways of Satan (whose name, in fact, means “adversary”). No wonder the Apostle Paul instructs us in Ephesians 4:27, “give no opportunity to the devil.” So, is it possible that committed followers of Jesus Christ can be involved in Satanic activity? Absolutely! Let’s explore how and be on guard.

When Jesus accused Peter of acting in Satanic ways, He made clear the reason. Christ announced directly, “You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23). That’s it. Plain and simple. The activity that warranted Jesus to name it “satanic” is the deed of concentrating on things that are of man and not of God. I am sure, then, that I am guilty at times of devilish work. Any time that I decide to put the interest of my humanity above the interest of God and His plan, I am on Satan’s side. This is utterly convicting. How often we are tempted to believe that only unbelievers and “very lost” people are involved in Satanic activity, and how wrong we are! The devil is a most cunning creature, who uses whoever he can to defy the plan of God. As demonstrated in this precise moment with Peter, the main endeavor of God that the devil seeks to destroy is the salvation of humanity. That salvation required the infinite suffering of Jesus, His cruel death, and His miraculous resurrection. Peter had wanted none of it to happen – in Peter’s humanity that is. Poor Peter loved His Lord, and he did not want Him to suffer. Peter had given up his way of living to follow Christ, and he no doubt wanted to keep following, misunderstanding the long-term plan. Peter thought His Lord unworthy of suffering and death – and maybe part of the reason was selfishness – that Peter did not want to suffer and die. In any case, God’s plan was being thwarted.

I think of what would have happened if Peter would have gotten his way and Jesus would not have died. None of us would be forgiven. None of us would ever enter into the kingdom of God. None of us could have true relationship with God. None of us could ever walk in the New Heavens and New Earth. No wonder Jesus called this behavior satanic. The devil wants to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10); he wants none of those good things for you.

We understand that what seems like a harsh reaction by Jesus to his beloved Peter is truly a just reaction. It is honest. Peter was letting Satan have his way in him. That is scary. That is horrible. And we do the same when we put our own selfish or shortsighted plans ahead of God’s ideas. If I take the path of least resistance even though I know it does not honor God’s commands, I am acting in a devilish way. If I do what is best for me even though it is not the best for the witness of Jesus to the world, I am being Satanic. If I exalt my desires above the desires of God as spelled out in His Word, I am joining the devil’s side. If I refuse to stand up for Christ for fear of human consequences, I am aiding Satan. Jesus came to this world, and He suffered. I will suffer, too. Jesus came to this world to die in my place. Now I must die to self. Jesus came to this world to obey His Father and work the plan. I must obey and work the plan, too. When I allow any of my human longings to be more important than my longing to love God and His ways, Jesus rightly says to me, “Get behind me, Satan.”

Let’s us pray and commit to never hear those words said to us. Let us keep setting our minds on the things of God and not the things of man. It’s that simple … and that difficult.

Birth Pains of the End Times

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People and politicians promising deliverance from the ills of the world. War. Threats of war. Entire nations clashing with other nations. Famine. Earthquakes. Persecution of Christians. Betrayal. False teachers making people believe wrong doctrine. Lawlessness. Half-hearted believers. Yet, in all this, the true Gospel is preached everywhere.

Does all this sound like the days in which we live? Surely it does. We do, in fact, live in the last days of which Jesus spoke. Since He left this earth in the early first century A.D., all people have been passing their time in “the last days.” The only question is, “How much longer will the last days … well … ‘last'”? Actually, that’s not the question, because God clearly tells us that we cannot know its answer.

However, our great Savior outlined a pattern we may observe. The pattern does not give us a day, year, or century; but it assures us of the absolute direction of the plan’s fulfillment. We are left with a confidence in the sovereignty of God despite the trouble of the last days.

The troubles and events of the first paragraph of this article are the things of which Jesus spoke in Matthew 24:5-14. He knew that rudimentary methods of war would escalate to more technological and biological methods. He knew that natural disasters would devastate entire regions. He knew that ISIS would drive Christians by the tens of thousands from their homes in Iraq and torture and kill many of them. He knew many false preachers and teachers would water down true Christianity and cause numerous souls to be disillusioned and many hearts to grow cold in their love and faith. He knew that the internet and satellites would make it possible for the Gospel to be preached nearly anywhere.

In speaking of many of these difficulties, Jesus clearly articulated, “All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:8, ESV). I want to emphasize His use of the phrase “birth pains.” The Apostle Paul spoke similarly in Romans 8:22 (ESV), “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” So what has this discussion of such a vivid and trying human experience to do with the last days of history and the whole creation?

Birth pains notoriously increase in intensity and frequency as the time for delivery draws near. Clearly, God wants us to know that all of the difficulties and disasters of which we spoke at the beginning of this article have always been with us, but they will happen with greater frequency and greater intensity as the time of Christ’s return draws near. Wars and Christian persecution and natural disasters and the influence of false prophets and the downgrade of Christian dedication will be on the rise. None of this should discourage us, for Jesus said, “See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6b, ESV). In other words, we are not caught off guard by the daily news; but we grow ever more prayerful and vigilant, as all the news is just a reminder that the time until God’s final judgment grows shorter. However, none of it happens outside the sovereignty and watchful eye of the Lord!

Jesus said of the “labor pains” that “this must take place.” Yes! Just as the labor pains of a mother must occur in order to ensure the delivery of a child, the labor pains of this world must happen in order for the delivery of the new creation. A woman’s body ramps up the production of certain hormones in order to stimulate delivery. Though the process is painful, the process is necessary. The pains are not for the purpose of destruction, but for the purpose of life! So, too, it is with the delivery of God’s kingdom. The New Heavens and the New Earth will only be born after the labor pains of the end times. We are not to be destroyed by these convulsions, but we are to be prepared by these pains. The distress is meant to push forward the process of delivery – not impede it. The pains awaken us to the reality of our own frailty and inability to navigate the judgment of God without the grace of Jesus Christ. The afflictions prod us to witness to those who are lost in their sin. The pains alert us to the short life of this old, sinful world. The pains get us ready for delivery by making us stronger in difficulty and more vigilant in living.

Birth pains lead to life. The contractions result in delivery and new life. And so it is. Jesus endured the greatest pain ever imagined on the Cross. Using the same Greek root for “pangs” in Acts 2:24 (ESV) as is used for “birth pains” in Matthew 24, Luke declares, “God raised [Jesus] up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” In other words, the miseries of death could not prevail when it came to the Son of God. He was delivered! The pain led to victory and new life for all who believe.

This is why Romans 8:29 (ESV) declares that Jesus is “the firstborn among many brothers” (emphasis added). After experiencing the pain of the human dilemma throughout His earthly life, Jesus’ “birth pains” intensified toward the end. Hatred for Him and false accusations about Him grew until He was finally arrested, tortured, and crucified. Nonetheless, the pain led to life and resurrection for Jesus and new, spiritual life to all who believe and walk with Him.

Meanwhile, we remain watchful, guarding our lives carefully as we see God’s plan unfold. The labor pains will lead eventually to life. The pangs spur us on to value what is important – to stay focused on our Hope, our Savior. The contractions grow in intensity and frequency, as they lead to the great delivery of God’s people and this creation. Don’t give up as the pain comes; look up to the Ultimate Deliverer. Jesus said, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13, ESV).

Stick around for the birth, will you?

What Demons Know

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There is an appointed time and place of God’s unbelievable judgment. Demons know this. Though they continue to wage war against God, they are fully aware of their own coming demise. Demons also know of the current power of Jesus Christ to command their comings and goings, for they acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. Demonic powers recognize the God-Man and His dominion. They react to His kingship now to the degree God ordains in this age, and they will finally be demolished to the absolute degree at God’s appointed time.

If only we human beings knew of God’s power and judgment! And, of course, I mean “knew” in the sense of acting upon the information. I fear the people of God live far too timidly in this dark world and experience far too little victory and hope. Jesus is Lord over the domain of darkness and self-destruction. Let’s recognize Him as such and take Him at His Word.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all explain the account of Jesus casting a legion of demons out of a man in the first century A.D. While Matthew tells us of two demon-possessed men, Mark and Luke focus on only one of the demoniacs at the scene. The demons had such horrid effects on this human life that no other people could come near the man. He was violent, self-destructive, out of his right mind, and living among the tombs of the dead due to the influence of Satan’s minions. Matthew tells us of both the demon-possessed men that they were “so fierce that no one could pass that way” (Matthew 8:28, ESV). Mark explains the horror: “He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones” (Mark 5:3-6, ESV). The physician, Luke, informs us that the demoniac wore no clothes while living among tombs instead of in a house. We have, therefore, a terrible and comprehensive description of Satan’s influence on this person. The demons wrought devastation in this life – and the effects were obvious to all.

And yet, despite all the damage the demons could do, they yielded to the awesome power of Jesus. Even though no human could get near these demons inhabiting a man, when Jesus came close, they met Him and cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29b, ESV) Notice three things about the demons’ knowledge:

    1) They recognize and name Jesus as the Son of God, and
    2) They realize there is a specific, future time of their punishment; and
    3) They admit that Jesus has the power to torment them.

Though Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), even His demons must acknowledge the Truth of God in Jesus Christ. Satan makes it his business to slander and lie by twisting the truth and withholding it from us, but Jesus stands as the Truth of God in Person. Lies cannot stand up to Jesus, who is the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Though they rebel against His way, the demons realize their rebellion is, in fact, against the very real God of the universe.

The demons function in futility. They work hard to torment and enslave, knowing all the while the final doom they face. As Matthew recorded, they know the time is coming. Luke says, “And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss” (Luke 8:31, ESV). Satan and his disgusting servants are aware of the material of the book of Revelation, as well they should be; for hell itself was originally prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)

    Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while … And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10, ESV)

The demons’ awareness does not stop them. Jesus made clear that “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10, ESV). The devil will battle to the bitter end. Knowing his fate is sealed, it appears his goal is to take as many people with him as he can.

We notice that although the demonic forces torment willing humans, demons recognize that Jesus has the power to torment them eternally. For every bit of destruction Satan has brought upon mankind, he will be repaid. His cohorts know this. Justice will be served by the holy God who sees everything and rights all wrongs.

My prayer is that we would act on the knowledge we have. Demons know much, but they have no saving faith. In a discussion about faith and works, James tells us that true faith will result in action. He brings to our attention demons – who believe in the sense of knowing – but are not saved from damnation. He says to the church, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder!” Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? (James 2:19-20, ESV)

James here expresses a vital truth. At the very least, we need to know what demons know about God’s power and judgment. However, we must also ACT on our knowledge, for that is true belief. Angels and demons are who they are from now into eternity; humans alone are the objects of God’s wonderful salvation. In fact, when Peter tells us of this good news of salvation through Jesus, he adds that they are “things into which angels long to look” (I Peter 1:12b, ESV). In other words, angels do not know of the glorious experience of being loved despite sin — to the point of Jesus paying the price for their lives. Only a redeemed human can know the depth of that love. Angles and demons remain who they are – with their end already determined, glorious and damnable, respectively. People, on the other hand, must decide to act on the truth we have been given. We must believe to the point of a changed life.

If we as Christians acted out our belief in 1) Jesus as the Son of God, and 2) His power to bring about His specific, future time of punishment; the world would be different. I would worship Him more intensely and prayerfully witness to unsaved people with increased fervency.

Knowing the fear demons had of Jesus’ power, I should act more boldly in the spiritual realm. Putting on the full armor of God, I should stand firm. (Ephesians 6:13) Waging war against demonic strongholds on a regular basis, I should actively access divine power and begin destroying the work of the enemy in my life. (II Corinthians 10:3-4) After all, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8b, ESV). Obviously, even the demons know that!

Confident Conscience

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A tormentor and murderer of believers. A man so fixated on his own, false religious zeal that he despised God’s own people and threw them into prison. This was the apostle Paul in his early days. So, if anyone had reason to bear a guilty conscience and be left in the misery of regret, it was Paul.

I think about the real man, Paul, as he sat chained in an underground Roman prison. The tables are turned, and the redeemed Paul is now the one being persecuted for his faith. He knows his execution is near, and he is left with his thoughts and his God in the dark, damp, disgusting dungeon.

If Paul was a human like you and me – and HE WAS – then his mind had to have drifted back a few years to Stephen, the first martyr of the Church. After Stephen witnessed to the crowds of God’s love in Jesus, the crowd rushed at Stephen and stoned him to death. And guess what leader was there approving of Stephen’s execution? Paul! In fact, as Acts 8:3 (ESV) details, “But Saul [Paul] was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” With all this in mind, we can only surmise that Paul had to be pondering the irony of his situation. The persecutor has become the persecuted. The murderer is about to be murdered.

Now we might conclude that Paul’s psychological position at this point would be one of weakness. Feeling sorry for himself, he might have thought, “Well, I deserve this.” If I were Paul, I would have been tempted to believe the worst – that because of all my sin, I was finally going to get what I had coming to me. God’s care of me might have been seriously clouded by my own guilt. Could I even call on Jesus now to help me … after all I’ve done? Why should God deliver me from circumstances exactly like those to which I had sinfully committed other people? Why should God help me, when I had been so evil?

Miraculously – and I mean by the actual miracle of God’s grace – Paul’s psychological bent at this point in his life was one of strength … and a confident conscience. Against all odds of human tendency, Paul penned the following words from his dungeon soon before he was beheaded, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:18, ESV).

Can you believe it? Paul was not drowning in guilt or pity. He believed God would rescue him from every evil deed – despite the evil he had done. Paul was fully convinced that Jesus had already taken the hit for his sin when He died on the Cross. Paul – even in his last days – lived by the truth of the full forgiveness we find through Jesus Christ. The blood Jesus shed was truly a healing salve for Paul’s guilty conscience, broken heart, and haunted mind.

Jesus gave to Paul not only a clean conscience, but a confident conscience. Jesus enabled Paul to live above both the physical and psychological circumstances that would seem to hold him down. History upholds the execution of Paul under Emperor Nero. He did not recant. His head was placed on the chopping block, but his conscience was unbroken. At the moment of his death, I wonder if Paul was recalling the words he had written in Romans 5:1 (ESV), “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”?

Personal Reflection Questions:

1) For what sins should your conscience be broken and guilty?

2) Have you really trusted that the substitution of Jesus enduring the wrath of God on your behalf has cleared your guilt before God?

3) Will you, as Paul, trust God today for a clean conscience through Jesus AND a CONFIDENT conscience for all the future holds?

Can You Be Sure?

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Belief in a vague idea of Heaven and Hell is one thing, but confidence in the place to which you are personally headed is another, as I experienced in a recent encounter.

God never meant for our destiny to be unclear in the least. He intends for us to have assurance of the outcome of our lives, and I believe that is one reason the devil tries frantically to steal from humans a true understanding of their eternal condition.

Have you ever heard someone say falteringly, “I hope I make it to Heaven” or “I’m trying to be good so I can go to Heaven”? Those who say such things demonstrate a hesitance to declare with boldness a truth about their future … and their present.

After getting a refill on my iced tea at a local restaurant, I paused at the table of an older gentleman with whom I have tried to have several conversations about Jesus. This dear man struggles with guilt about many things – including his service in Vietnam. In the past, I have assured him that we are all on equal ground as sinners and that I am no better off before God than he is. We all have selfish hearts and are corrupted at the core. The only difference is that I have trusted Jesus to be my righteousness for me, because He bore the penalty of God’s wrath against me at the Cross.

On one particular afternoon, this man was sharing a conversation he had just had with a cardiac nurse who was trying to discern whether or not he understood the seriousness of his condition. He told me that he proudly declared to her, “I am not afraid of dying; everyone has to die.” Then he said to the nurse, “The only thing we have to be afraid of is where we go after we die … and no one can know that ahead of time!”

Wow. This confused gentleman actually had the first part of his idea correct to some degree; for Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body [Satan and his followers] but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him [God] who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28, ESV) Obviously, there is validity to a healthy fear of our soul ending up in Hell.

It is the second part of this man’s thought that I had to immediately and gently confront, for it was way off base. His real fear was in the not knowing that he could know where he was headed.

I looked at him, addressed him by name, and said, “Yes you can know where you are going. I know. I know because I believe in Jesus and trust His sacrifice for my sin.” I could have added, “And I have trusted His life for my living”! However, my hurting friend soon changed the subject – still not ready to deal with the main issue of his soul.

The Bible is unequivocal in its assertion that we can know our destiny. The Apostle John proclaims I John 5:12-13 (ESV), “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Notice – amazingly – that our assurance of our place after death is directly related to our current status of life. Those who are certain of Heaven in the future have that confidence based on the reality of Jesus’ life in them presently. If a man, woman, or child has the Son of God as the source of their forgiveness and hope, then that person already has life. Eternal life is a continuum. It begins with true, life-changing belief in Jesus (not simply mental assent) that continues drawing us closer to Him and His will, and then it culminates in the reality of Heaven.

Do you have the Son of God? Really have Him? For you who want the promise of Heaven, He cannot simply be a mental concept or a part of your life. He must be your life. That life He gives you is eternal. He gives it now, and He sustains it past your death and into an infinite future. Amen!

Who Do We Think We Are?

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In the middle of a Bible teaching session about the Trinity last week, I found myself stopping in my tracks as I read a particular verse to the crowd. The question that immediately bombarded my mind was, “Who do we think we are?” We can be so self-focused. We often look at circumstances with a main concern of, “How will this affect me?”

The problem with that attitude is … the Holy Spirit Himself chooses not to be self-focused – even though He is God! The third Person of the Trinity has every right to receive glory, yet He has chosen to glorify Someone Else!

It hit me right between the eyes – that tremendous statement of Jesus about the Holy Spirit in John 16:14 (ESV, emphasis mine), “He will glorify me.”

If the third Person of the Godhead willingly lifts up Jesus with His very existence, what in the world am I doing? Am I thinking I am better than God, as I attempt to serve myself at any given moment instead of pointing all hearts around me to Jesus?

Does my frustration about situations glorify my own feelings instead of God’s sovereignty? Does my anger at people exalt my wish to be placated more than a longing for God to be obeyed? Does my pride in accomplishment turn people’s eyes toward me instead of toward the Savior? Does my fear glorify ominous circumstances rather than the God of all comfort and hope?

Two of the great mysteries of the Trinity are the willing submission of the Son to the Father and the willing glorification of the Son by the Spirit. We simply cannot get around this clear revelation. And what a loving example for us! The three Persons of the Godhead love one another so much that they willingly do what is essential for our redemption.

Holy Spirit, thank You for making Jesus big for the world. Thank You for lifting Him up that we might be saved by His death and resurrection. And Holy Spirit, please help me to make Jesus the biggest thing in my life. You are God, and You give me the power I need to glorify God. I love you!

Comparing Your Life to Someone Else’s Life: The Problem and the Answer

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“Lord, what about him? Why is his life easier than mine?” or “Lord, what about her? Why is she so healthy while I suffer?” or “Lord, what about him? Why does he live in a big house with lots of things and I don’t” or “Lord, what about her? Why is her family so functional and mine dysfunctional?” or “Lord, what about him? Why is he so successful in his pursuits while I seem to fail at so many?”

Comparisons. Questions about why things are different for other Christians. We all tend to measure our circumstances against those of other people. However, this aspect of fallen human nature can lead to all sorts of problems. We waste our time contemplating and comparing, and we cease following Jesus as He intends. We are too busy looking side to side rather than to our God in front of us.

Jesus counseled Peter in comparing and contrasting. Immediately following Peter’s restoration as beautifully outlined in John 21:15-17, we find our Lord preparing Peter for a great sacrifice. Jesus was reassuring his dear friend of forgiveness for the denial of a lifetime. Remember when Peter swore after the arrest of Jesus, “I do not know the man”? Recall that three times poor Peter denied His Savior. (Matthew 26:69-75) What a deep peace must have descended upon this disciple as Jesus now commissioned him three times to serve God. What a flood of hope must have swept over Peter as he walked again with His Savior. Yet, in the midst of the rejoicing, Truth called Peter to understand a difficult part of the future.

Jesus looks at His precious disciple and says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (John 21:18, ESV) The Bible makes clear in the next verse what Jesus meant by these words: “(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this [Jesus] said to him, ‘Follow me.'” (John 21:19, ESV)

Our Lord here tells Peter that he will be crucified for Jesus’ sake. He allows Peter to see that he will be a martyr for the Kingdom of God. And yet, this tough information was followed by Jesus’ command to “Follow me.” Christ did not tell Peter of the unbelievable task he would face in order to discourage him. Jesus did not reveal this part of the future and then say, “Give up” or “Turn back, Peter, because it will be too much for you.” No! Christ says, “Follow me!” In other words, Jesus knows that Peter will make it. Although crucifixion seems too much, our Lord knows the Source of His child’s strength. Perhaps Jesus here had in mind the words of Hebrews 12:2 (NIV, 1984), “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” You see, Jesus set our salvation before His eyes as He accomplished the unfathomable task of deity dying for sin. He looked to us as His motivation. Now, we look to Him as our motivation and strength.

Next, we encounter the great comparison. After hearing this news of his own martyrdom, Peter “turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved [John] following them . . . When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about this man?'” (John 21:20-21, ESV) I chuckle as I read these words because I can hear myself. “Jesus, what about her? What about him? Why is my life more difficult or my way not as prosperous?” Can you hear yourself too? Oh, how blatantly human were the disciples of Christ! Peter has just had an intimate and healing encounter with Jesus and then heard of his high – but challenging – calling. No sooner did Peter turn around than he was comparing his lot to that of John! “Lord, what about him? Is he going to have to be crucified?”

Now, Jesus is the God of Truth – not psychological babble. He deals with the human tendency of comparison in a very direct way. He pointedly says to Peter, “If it is my will that he [John] remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22, ESV) Wow! “What is that to you?” This rhetorical question of our Savior rings in my ears and resonates in my heart. I have heard Jesus speak it to me a thousand times since studying this passage of Scripture. If someone else’s way seems easier, what is that to you? If some other Christian’s life seems to make more sense, what is that to you? If someone else seems more successful, what is that to you? If someone else is healthier or more materially prosperous, what is that to you? If someone else seems to be more blessed than you according to your understanding of things, what is that to you?

In other words, we should not compare. On this, Jesus is abundantly clear. In essence, Jesus says, “Peter, don’t look at John’s way. Look at ME!” In following Jesus and not the lives of others, we find our peace and our fulfillment. In living out Hebrews 12:2 (cited above), we find our true joy.

In fact, Peter died a martyr’s death, having been crucified under the reign of emperor Nero. John, however, was the one disciple to die of natural causes after having been exiled to the Isle of Patmos and writing the book of Revelation. Nonetheless, despite the difference in their lives’ ends, both Peter and John had God’s joy and God’s reward. We hear the words of Peter as he writes to the people of God being persecuted in Asia Minor, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, . . .” (I Peter 1:3, NIV, 1984).

No doubt, we will talk with Peter and John in Heaven, and both will say what a marvelous thing is salvation! Both will recount the faithfulness and love of God. Both will testify to the goodness of God, though their lives were very divergent.

Do not look to the circumstances and lives of others. Do not look to the left at one person or to the right at another. Look straight ahead – at Jesus. And hear Him say of any potential comparison, “What is that to you? You follow me!”

No Further from God’s Love in the Lows of Life

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We live in a culture marked by insecurity – ups and downs. Walking into a coffee shop, I spotted near the front door a leading newspaper with charts strewn across its front page. Each one showed lines shifting sharply upward and downward in spurts – all describing financial markets. Every morning, my blood tester shows me whether or not my blood sugar level is high or low compared to normal. Our ministry’s website analyzer graphs peaks and valleys according to people’s interest in our site. We are inundated with ups and downs. Even our emotional mood changes with circumstances, body chemistry, and human interaction.

In the midst of continual fluctuation, what a comfort it is to realize that God’s love never vacillates. No high or low – no up or down – can ever change the care and love of our God who transcends a fickle world. Though riding the roller coaster of an unstable world system may tend to make us feel insecure, God’s faithfulness never lessens and never ceases. We may be tempted to feel less loved because we endure a particular shift or low point, but – in reality – NOTHING separates us from God’s love. Take the poetic words of Romans 8:38-39 (ESV) at face value:

    “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Did you catch that all-important phrase, “Nor height nor depth”? The highs of the stock market or my savings account make me no more a receiver of God’s love than do the lows of the same. The zenith of my physical health makes me no more accepted by God than my illness. I see God in the peak of my joy and favorable circumstances, but the pit of sadness and suffering do not move me any further from my Creator. Nothing separates me from His love – no height and no depth – nothing.

We rest secure and accepted because God’s love is relentless. His love does not wane when circumstances do. His love does not increase when blessing comes. Why? Because His love is infinite in strength. Compared to the changes and situations of life, God’s love cannot be measured. His love is always at full capacity. His love consumes whatever would sever us from Him. The appearance of angels in our lives does not make God love us more, just as the attack of demons cannot remove one bit of His love from us. Life itself cannot divide us from God’s love, yet neither can death. No matter the place or way in which we find ourselves, God’s love is greater and unyielding in its grip on us.

Let no man of earth or demon of Hell steal from you this truth. Let no circumstance of life – good or bad – high or low – take from you this hope. Let no argument, speech, or false teaching rob you of this fact. Nothing in all creation can separate you from God’s love. He is the Creator. He loves you. Everything He made ultimately bows to His will. All creation belongs to Him. Nothing under His sovereignty can diminish His love for you, because He is THE Sovereign!

Come high, come low. Come angel, come demon. Come today, come tomorrow. Come life, come death. Come anything. God’s love is with me. Always. Highs don’t draw us closer, and lows don’t take us further from His love.

Isn’t He Just a Carpenter?

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“What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter? And he could do no mighty works there.” (Mark 6:2,5; ESV)

Jesus walked the dusty path to His own hometown, Nazareth. Demons had been running from people’s lives at His word. He was setting the oppressed free and delivering hope where none had been. Diseases and afflictions were disappearing all over the place as Jesus healed so many. He had been bringing dead people back to life and preaching a message that was unlike any that had ever been heard. He was – in a completely wonderful way – out of control! Jesus was shaking up the sad and hopeless paradigm. He was bringing life and healing . . . and truth.

On the heels of all this amazing, other-worldly stuff; Jesus enters Nazareth. The people who had known Him since childhood now asked some pointed questions about Christ: 1) What is the wisdom given to Him? 2) How are such mighty works done by His hands, and 3) Is not this the carpenter? (Mark 6:2-3, ESV). They ask the questions from a perspective of familiarity and unbelief. Startled by the “neighborhood boy’s” ability to shake up the world, they demonstrate their heart’s dilemma by asking these questions. How could it be that a carpenter’s son from the simple town of Nazareth could heal the sick and boss around demons? How could this man who grew up like others as an earth-bound human actually perform miracles – do the supernatural? Isn’t He just natural, like the rest of us? “How are such mighty works done by His hands?” What a question! These neighborhood folks were throwing away their chance at real life by refusing to acknowledge the greatest miracle behind all the miracles – God in the flesh!

A person must see Jesus as Creator – as God – in order to see Jesus as He truly is. Jesus is God. And to talk about mighty works on earth . . . well, that is an understatement, indeed! The earth only exists because Jesus made it. His contemporaries could not grasp the origin of His healing and life-giving power because they refused to believe His work as God. Though walking around in human flesh 2000 years ago, Jesus is God’s Son, “Through whom also [God] created the world . . . and [Jesus] upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:2-3, ESV).

Dare we talk about His carpentry work? Let’s do so! Jesus not only grew up learning to measure, cut, and build with the wood of trees; He brought all trees into existence and causes them to grow! He waters the earth and brings forth life. He laid the foundations of the universe itself – measuring both galaxies and molecules. He skillfully designed and put together the world itself. And yet, the people of His hometown could ask, “Is not this the carpenter?” They only saw Him as a common worker in wood from a family in Israel. They did not see Him as the Builder of Life.

The incomprehensible miracle of Jesus is the intersection of the divine and the regular – the supernatural and the natural. He is God, but He chose to experience humanness in order to save us. The very fact the Nazarenes took offense at is the very thing that saves us. Jesus is fully human and fully God. His real work is traced even to the creation of the universe and continues through the annals of time. He is the Master Carpenter, the Architect of people and of their salvation. Ever in the business of building and doing mighty works, Jesus told His followers before He departed the earth, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2, KJV). Abraham of the Old Testament days was living and looking forward to his best home yet to come. As this life could not fully satisfy Abraham, Hebrews 11:10 (ESV) says, “He was looking forward to the city that has foundations whose designer and builder is God.” Yes, Jesus is building a city for us, a perfect home.

The problem with which we must grapple is the one we find in Mark 6:5. Because the people of Nazareth refused to believe the true nature of Jesus (as they revealed in their questioning), the Bible says, “And [Jesus] could do not mighty works there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them” (Mark 6:5, ESV). The people could receive no mighty work of God because they refused to believe the true reason Jesus was able to do great works. They saw Him only as a regular carpenter – not the Builder of Life.

Do you need a mighty work of God in your life? How do you view Jesus? Do not be blinded by familiarity as the Nazarenes were, having heard His name so many times. Believe in Him completely. Trust in Him as the Carpenter you need to construct your life. He is waiting to forgive you, build you, and do mighty works. And one day, we shall walk in that city whose Designer and Builder is God.

Are Christians Praying Humanist Prayers?

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Paradigm shifts. They are often necessary. In the case of much prayer within the church, it is time for a paradigm shift. Our consumer-driven, self-absorbed culture has pushed prayer into a veritable humanist corner. Humanism claims that the reasoning of humans is to be valued above any divine thinking or supposed supernatural working. Although most Christians do not intend to function from a worldview antithetical to biblical Christianity, we may be doing so by default. As with any practice, prayer must be measured against God’s holy Word. We must do what Romans 12:2 commands us and ensure that our patterns of thinking do not simply flow with the culture at large, but rather press upstream against ungodly currents.

While recently teaching a Bible class, I was suddenly struck with a reality to which I had not previously paid much attention. We were considering the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:7 (ESV) about Jesus’ amazing condescension from Heaven to earth two thousand years ago, “But [Jesus] made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” We honed in on the fact that Jesus made a willful decision to serve His Father even though Jesus is Himself fully God. Jesus chose not to grasp at His own rights (Philippians 2:6), but He elected rather to do the Father’s will . . . no matter the cost. In doing so, He demonstrates to us the proper attitude for genuine Christian living (Philippians 2:5).

What hit me the hardest was Jesus’ approach to His Father’s will; Jesus always submitted Himself to the Father’s plan and glory. Though fully God, Christ worked the blueprint of the Father in order that the perfect will of the blessed Trinity be accomplished. Most notably, we remember Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the eve of His arrest as He contemplates the degree of suffering He is facing. Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39, ESV).

Wow! Jesus was God in the flesh, and He actually says that He would rather have the Father’s will accomplished than gain what the humanity of Him desired – to escape suffering. Hence, the dramatic difference between Jesus’ prayer and Peter’s “prayer.” Peter had not wanted Jesus to suffer either, but he allowed no room for God’s mysterious will and thus boldly declared about Jesus’ explanation of His own future crucifixion, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You” (Matthew 16:22, NASB). No sooner had Peter uttered His disgust with the plan of God than Jesus turned to Peter and proclaimed, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23, ESV).

Notice the underlying similarity but weighty and stark difference between the petition of Peter and Jesus. Both Peter and Jesus were troubled by the thought of the Son of God suffering so horrendously. However, the difference is critical. While Peter acted completely out of human flesh and thinking without giving room for God’s unfathomable will, Jesus submitted His pain and reluctance to His Father in order that God would get His way – which is the best way by infinite measure!

When I thought about the prayer of Jesus in the Garden, I pondered my own prayer life. So often we Christians begin prayers like this, “Dear God, I ask you to . . .” And then follows a list of items we present to God – things or circumstances we desire. We often give no thought to whether these things are God’s will, sometimes even foolishly believing God intends to spare us from all pain. We ask for relief as we see it and expect it. Instead, we ought to express our sorrow and anxious thoughts to God, and then we need to ask God to dominate any plan of ours with His perfect and mysterious will. If the Son of God prayed that God’s plan would override the desires of His humanity when the two were in disagreement, then we certainly should as well!

When Jesus instructed His disciples on prayer, He expressed at the outset in definitive terms that three things are priority for sure: God’s name is great above all and to be held in highest honor, God’s eternal kingdom is to come and take priority over human plans, and God’s will is to be done on this earth where our feet tread each day (see Matthew 6:9-10). We are not taught by Jesus to pray for human passions unless these longings glorify God’s name and press His kingdom forward in a world of much darkness. Prioritized over all is the ongoing will of God.

We must ask ourselves a difficult but essential question, “Am I praying for the glory and will of God or for the avoidance of anything my flesh deems difficult? Humanists place people above any supernatural being. Humanists trust in the thinking of people to solve our every dilemma. Christians place God above the will of humans. Christians trust in God’s sovereign plan to make life what it should be – even when pain is part of the picture. So I ask myself, “Am I praying as a humanist? Or as a Christian?”

Autumn Reminders of an Eternal Kind

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‘For “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.”‘ – I Peter 1:24 (NIV – 1984)

Fall. It is a season that reminds us of endings. Once thriving leaves now drop from their branches bursting with color, but dying. Beautiful summer flowers have lost their grandeur and now succumb to hues of brown and gray. Colder temperatures flow in and bright, long days full of sunshine move out. We are inundated with change. We are regularly reminded of our helplessness to stop the flow of God’s creation. We are caught between summer and winter in the fleeting uniqueness of autumn. Though the season brings its own joy with fabulous scents and colors of orange, yellow, and red; we know it is the end of summer and the start of a period of dormancy and cold.

As we enjoy the changes of fall, let it remind us of a vital truth. I believe God intends for us to see with physical eyes something that points to a lasting, spiritual truth. When you look at a fallen leaf or disintegrating, summer flower; think this thought:

    “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” (I Peter 1:24, NIV, 1984)

Let crinkling leaves and fallen blossoms remind us of something God wants always at the base of our thinking – we are finite and fallen and soon to pass. Any glory we claim to have is as transitory as summer leaves. We live and we die. We seek to accomplish much, but in the end we disappear from this earth. We cannot prevent our own demise. We stand helpless before our “fall.” Except for one thing!

Notice the severe difference God highlights between people and His Word. People wither and fall as the grass. God’s Word stands forever! God’s Word never bends, stoops, or loses its glory. Its beauty never fades; it’s “color” never wanes. No season comes that stops God’s Word. It endures, and endures with full dignity – “standing,” as it were! No weather pattern knocks God’s Word down. No disease causes His Word to waste away. No disaster or tragedy causes His Word to twist or weaken. Through every change, through every heart break, through every earth-shattering event, through death itself; the Word of God stands!

I believe God purposefully showed us the drastic difference between our glory and His Word here in I Peter to remind us to stay focused on Him and not our own selves. I believe one of the reasons for autumn is to demonstrate through His creation an important reminder about human nature when compared to God. Our Lord graciously desires us to live with a constant awareness of our impermanent nature and His eternal nature. Of our failing attempts and His trustworthy ways. Of our sinfulness and His holiness. Of our dependence and His self-sufficiency. Of our need for His Word at the deepest and broadest levels.

You see, God reminds us at the end of I Peter 1:25 (NIV, 1984), “And this is the word that was preached to you.” This is no small or incidental statement! The Word that stands forever can be accepted into your own heart! The seed of God’s Word can be planted in your soul so that the death of you is certainly not the end of you!

God expresses this hope very succinctly in I Peter 1:22 (NIV, 1984), “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” Do you see it? We can be born again of an imperishable seed through God’s Word! When I put my hope for forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ, I am born of a seed that cannot be abolished – a seed that lasts forever and ever. The enduring Word of God gives me eternal, unbending life. Come seasons, winds, storms, difficulties, even death itself; but I will survive and live forever because the everlasting Word of God has been preached to me. And I have gladly and humbly accepted!