Grace

I finished up Genesis in my daily devotions this week and was struck by how it ends. The Patriarch Jacob, on death’s door, offers his pronouncements about the future of his sons. Perhaps our guess is that as an old man—some older folks seem to soften up—he would go easy on them. But right out of the gate, we realize there won’t be any free passes. Dad tells the truth and there are consequences. He begins with Reuben, the firstborn, and the beginning is promising, until its not:

“Reuben, you are ymy firstborn,

my might, and the firstfruits of my strength,

preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.

Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence,

because you went up to your father’s bed;

then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!”

What’s that bit about Jacob’s bed and couch, which is the ground for why Reuben loses stature? Back in chapter 35:22, we read the following: “While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine. And Israel heard of it.” That’s all we hear until it comes time for Jacob’s pronouncements in chapter 49. Maybe Reuben expected praise from Jacob, assuming that his father was unaware of his betrayal and his sexual sin.

Next up is Simeon and Levi, and they seem to fare no better:

“Simeon and Levi are brothers;

weapons cof violence are their swords.

Let my soul come not into their council;

O my glory, ebe not joined to their company.

For in their anger they killed men,

and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.

Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce,

and their wrath, for it is cruel!

I will divide them in Jacob

and scatter them in Israel.”

We’re reminded of the injustice committed against Dinah, when Shechem the Hivite seized her and “lay with her, and humiliated her.” The response of her brothers Simeon and Levi was to slaughter all of the men of the city, plundering all of their goods, along with their women and children. For their cruelty, they are destined to be scattered. So far we’re 0-2.

But then we come Judah, we find that the pronouncement is quite different:

“Judah, your brothers shall praise you;

your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;

your father’s sons shall bow down before you.

Judah is a lion’s cub;

from the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He stooped down; he crouched as a lion

and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?

The mscepter shall not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

until tribute comes to him;

and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

Binding his foal to the vine

and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,

he has washed his garments in wine

and his vesture in the blood of grapes.

His eyes are darker than wine,

and his teeth whiter than milk.”

Jacob’s pronouncement over Judah is markedly different from that of Reuben, Simeon, or Levi in that there’s no mention of sin and its consequences. That’s not because Judah was more virtuous than his brothers. In fact, we remember that whole episode in chapter 38 where we find out that Judah had a thing for prostitutes and through a series of unfortunate events, including Judah breaking God’s law by refusing to give his son in marriage to his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar, he impregnates her, thinking that she’s a prostitute. It’s hard to find a more twisted, sinful episode than this one in the Bible.

But when hear Jacob’s future pronouncement over him, it’s mind-blowing. All of his brothers will praise him and he will have the honor of being the one through whom a forever king will come. As Jacob notes, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah.” Knowing what we know about Judah, how is a sinful son rewarded so lavishly? One word. Grace. Grace alone explains why Judah, despite his wickedness, was chosen by the Lord for the honor of bearing through his own lineage, the Christ.

Each of us, sinners as we may be, can say much the same as Judah could. That if not for grace, a grace that comes to us through the sin-bearing death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our prospects for the future would be less than hopeful.

Contractors of Grace

With God’s help, I’ve been trying lately to offer specific, bold words of encouragement. This is something that I admire in others and want to grow in myself. Would you be surprised to know that for the Christian, being an encourager isn’t optional—it’s a command? The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thess. 5:11:

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

For me, it’s a bit of an experiment, as I’ve not been so direct with encouragement before. It’s been interesting to see the reaction when saying things like, “You are a great mom. I know it can be hard, but keep going.” In my observation, most people are not accustomed to hearing unprompted encouragement. The initial reaction is something like bewilderment blending into joy. To say to someone who in public prayer has just exposed themselves to the observations of others:“You don’t know how much that prayer blessed me.” Or better yet, being more specific: “In your prayer, that bit about courage in evangelism challenged me to share with my uncle” is a glorious display of building one another up.

Maybe for you, this kind of Thessalonian boldness is as natural as breathing. For most of us, progress will be steady, but incremental. Building something of value takes careful thought and intention—so much more, the building up of a child of God. What a wonderful part we have to play in each others’ lives! You and I are contractors of grace, building one another up for the sake of Jesus!

At TTBC, we want to create a Thessalonian culture of encouragement. I want to urge you to try it. To look someone in the eye, and offer them specific, lavish encouragement. Watch as the initial flush of embarrassment morphs into a warm smile. As a church, we may be a bit unpracticed in this discipline, but as we start to obey God’s command to build one another up, it will be no surprise when someone piles on reassuring words. The truth is, we leave too many good things unsaid.

There are some who feel listless among the local church, wondering, “What’s my part to play in all of this? One thing you can be for the building up of the body, is an encourager. You can be the reason why someone presses on. We’re called to “spur one another on to love and good deeds.” What better way than to say to someone, and you can say it in a hundred different ways, “You’re doing great. Keep going!”

Insulated Saints?

I wonder if you felt the buzz or heard the jarring tone of the public safety notification—a statewide 9-1-1 emergency services outage. Though we can dial up our local police and fire departments directly, the idea that the system we rely on in a crisis can be knocked out can be an unsettling reality. Suddenly, the cover has been torn off—the best of human help is limited, even fleeting. As I type this out, according to the latest report, the authorities still don’t know what happened. Safety is more fragile than we often assume. And yet, the Bible teaches us that in a crisis, there are safety services that can never fail.

Listen to God’s unfailing safety services in Psalm 34:4-7:

“I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are uradiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him

and wsaved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.”

 If one were to cross-examine the Psalmist, they might raise and objection: “Surely, he has not delivered you from all your fears and all your troubles!” Surely, God doesn’t insulate the saints. Consider Paul, who said on behalf of the apostles, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted by not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Add to that a shipwreck, a stoning, and a litany of other hardships, and the evidence seems scant for a God who never fails to hear and answer prayer.

At times, God may seem like the 9-1-1 services that dipped out today. But here’s the difference. God is devoted to a more significant plan of salvation than the first responders in our cities and towns. The Lord is saving the souls of his people, which includes trials of every kind. That’s right—crises are part of His saving plan for us. While we suffer through hardship, prayers for strength to endure are answered. Pleas for patience and provision are met. Cries for renewed faith and hope are granted, and opportunities to testify to the grace of Jesus are plentiful. He may spare us from pain, but when immediate rescue is withheld, we can know from God’s certain Word that He’s working out a more significant rescue—the salvation of our souls. And so, next time we place a 9-1-1 call to the Lord in prayer, regardless of what we perceive the response to be, rescue is on the way.

A Good Father

Fathers’ Day is this Sunday. For many of us, we can’t help but have mixed feelings as we think about our own fathers and the influence they’ve had on us for good or for ill. Maybe we wonder if we’ve honored our fathers as we ought to, as the Scriptures teach us to do. For those of us who are fathers or who aspire to be, we wonder what our legacy will be. Fathers’ Day is that day each year that fathers feel most appreciated, but also, the most vulnerable—hyperaware of our flaws. If we could sum up how people feel on that day, we might begin with, “It’s complicated.”

But one thing that’s uncomplicated is that the Bible describes God as a good Father. In fact, He’s a perfect Father to His people. To sample God’s Word on His fatherhood, James 1:17 tells us that “Every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of Lights…” He’s a father who knows what we need. And to boot, everything good we have comes from Him. Psalm 103:13 says of Him, “As a father shows compassion to His children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him.” We all bear the scars of compassion withheld. We fear being left alone, forsaken. But God is tender towards those whom He loves, and He leaves the 99 to pursue one lost sheep, that He might bring us home on His shoulders rejoicing.

The author of Hebrews highlights his loving discipline of us, though at times it’s painful. Earthly fathers may punish out of frustration or hold back because they fear being misunderstood. But God hazards us misreading Him and administers the discipline that we so desperately need. And the Apostle Paul opens the letter to the Ephesians highlighting that God the Father “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” He not only provides our daily bread, but has provided His people with the Bread of Life, Jesus, whose sin-bearing death and resurrection has brought us back to God.

Some of us don’t know how to approach a father so good and so tender because we have no earthly frame of reference. It almost seems too good to be true. He seems to be too good to be true. But here’s a wonderful thing to ponder, whether your dad was absent, whether he was exemplary, and everything in between. Our earthly fathers were given to us for a short time. The role they play in our lives, compared to forever, is a flash. But the Eternal Father, the one who will outlast this sinful, broken shell of a world—He’s our Father forever. And so, no matter how we feel about Fathers’ Day, no matter how complicated, we can rejoice that our Heavenly Father has no flaws. Nor has He ever failed us. He never will.

Are Christians Optimists?

 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” - Jeremiah 29:11

I once heard someone say, “As for man, I’m a pessimist. But as for God, I’m wildly optimistic.”That’s something to ponder isn’t it? The world seems to have a more optimistic view of man than the Bible does. The prevailing culture claims that within man is all the light we need—we just need to harness it. The Bible’s view of man is not that we are sinful as we could be, but that rather, sin touches every part of us. This is why the Puritans in particular, who I mentioned a few posts ago, are often accused of being too severe. Charles Spurgeon, commenting on John Bunyan said of him, “The man is a walking Bible—prick him and he bleeds bibline.” It seems that those who are most acquainted with Scripture come to understand that the heart of man is a heart of darkness. But God, whom the Apostle John refers to as light without darkness has lit us up and continues to crank the wattage.

The hope of Jeremiah 29:11, the kind of verse you might find on a bumper sticker in Mobile, Alabama isn’t a promise to Judah that everything was going to go swimmingly in the near term. Exile in Babylon would be their reality because of their idolatry and disobedience. It would do no good for Jeremiah to send God’s people in Exile a shipment of rose-colored Ray Bans. They needed to hear the truth about their sin. I think what we often call pessimism is really just a strong dose of realism. They needed to be pieced by the two-edged sword of God’s Spirit and His Word, that they might turn back to Him again. And that’s where the optimism comes in. For the contrite and lowly, wherever God is, so is hope. God has plans for His people.

While we wait for His return, we have hope that the future he’s promised to us will come to pass. The question is, are we willing to wait for it? And do we know that apart from God, we ought to be helplessly pessimistic. But because we have God, or rather, He has us, we can be wildly optimistic about our future with Him. As for man apart from God—there’s nothing to be hopeful about. But man with God? Even us? You should hear about His plans for you. They’re utterly breathtaking.

Eyes on God

There’s a video clip turned famous meme where a tuxedo-clad groom all but falls apart when his bride comes into view. We’re left wondering who the woman is that triggered such a volcano of emotion. I’ve often compared this modern trend, of capturing the groom’s reaction to the bride to what often passes for worship in the church today. Instead of all eyes being on the bride, our eyes shift away from her to the groom. With groom gazing, as with modern worship, we’re more interested in our emotional response to God than to God Himself. Of course, every analogy breaks down at some point. In the Bible, God is compared to a groom. But we get the point.

What we need most at Tremont Temple is to gaze at God. To behold his holiness. To eye the righteous judge who is full of wrath. To look upon our Merciful Father, who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Ex. 34:6) We need to feel small before the One who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked the heavens with a span.” (Isa. 40:12a) We need to stare at Him who is mighty to save (Zeph: 3:17). The One whose counsels will stand, and who will accomplish all His purposes (Isa. 46:10).

Sure, the Scriptures say a lot about us. But too much of our contemplation is about us. Only God will do. Only an unbroken vision of His character will sustain our faith when the winds and waves batter us. If we find ourselves wondering why there seems to be little power in our lives and ministries, it may be that we’ve taken traded in our theology for anthropology. More solid food is to feast on God’s character, His attributes, and His savings acts, which find their pinnacle in Jesus Christ, His sin-bearing death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and return.

Let us recommit ourselves to deep meditation on God, Himself! Let us pray for robust, Spirit-wrought revelation of God’s unchanging character. Let us clear away the wild brush and thorns that have obscured the old paths. Let us worship God, and not worship worship, which is ultimately the idolatry of the self. Let us be in awe of Him whose rescue plan is our hope in life and in death.

The Very Word of God

This past Sunday, I met again with those who sent me back to New England in 2013, after three fruitful years of pastoral training. Our family worshipped at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and shortly after, I was interviewed before the church by Pastor Mark, my mentor in ministry. I shared with old (familiar!) faces and new about the stunning legacy of Tremont Temple Baptist Church. I shared that we are known as the first integrated church in America—that Frederick Douglass read aloud the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 at the abolition rally at Tremont Temple. I shared that the church has been a faithful steward of the gospel since 1839 and still is.

Mark asked me to share prayer requests, and among them was a praise for something that I testified to as a distinct mark of God’s grace among us at Tremont Temple. I quoted 1 Thessalonians 2:13:

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”

Some people are governed by emotions. Institutions are often governed by ideology or cultural prerogatives. But the church of Jesus Christ is governed by God’s Word. He speaks to His people by His Spirit, through His Word, and we hear the voice of a Father who has never failed us—not once! This is something I have appreciated and praised God for over nearly ten years as a pastor of this flock, that the Bible is received as the very Word of God.

As we continue to make progress as a church in making God’s Word the center of our life together, allowing it to govern us is challenging! At times, God’s Word is pure comfort. At others times, it convicts and corrects us. All of this is for the building up of the body of Christ into maturity. Dear brothers and sisters, may we continue to press into growth, for our good and for the glory of Jesus! Pray that we would hear God’s Word as the very Word of God!

The Puritans & Progress

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” - 2 Corinthians 3:18

I have often been amazed how quickly people write off the Puritans. Their reputation takes on a life of its own. Their works, shot through with the bright hope of glory, are commonly quoted to the effect of, “I’m more wretched than you can imagine.” Evidently, some believe this to be a faithful summary of the Puritan outlook on the Christian life—but they are mistaken. Take in the warmth of the English Puritan Richard Sibbes, who preached and pastored at Gray’s Inn in London the early 17th century, who wrote: “There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.” I can’t think of a more hopeful thing to ponder this morning.

These misunderstood servants of Christ from centuries past raise an important question for us today. How should the redeemed talk about ourselves with regard to sanctification? Taking the risk of generalizing a bit, I would argue that we ought to take a Puritan outlook. We ought to acknowledge our depravity, as all good Puritans do, but we ought to embrace hope. As the Apostle wrote to an imperfect church, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you, will bring it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ.” We know that the work of Christ in us isn’t yet complete. But it will be.

The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians gives us a hopeful picture of sanctification, that as time passes, our transformation into the image and likeness of Jesus is incremental—from one degree of glory to the next. How does this change the way we talk about ourselves? It means that the goal for today isn’t perfection but progress. If perfection today is our aim, our joy will be sapped due to our inadequacy. But if the goal is a half-step towards holiness, there’ll be room for joy.

The wonderful thing about Paul’s description of sanctification is how the verse ends: “For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” As you seek to make progress—to take one more step forward in faithfulness, you do so by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. God is behind our progress, whether it’s a leap forward, or a half-step, which is what it is most days. Even if on a given day, we seem to take one step backwards, our outlook is comprehensive. We mourn our sin, repent, and rise in hope, because we wake up to new mercies every morning. (Lam. 3:22-24)

Would you ask yourself this morning, “What is one step I could take today to honor Jesus more?” My friend, pray and pursue progress in the Christian life. The Spirit and the Word are your helpers, and one step towards Jesus is cause for great joy. And always remember, “There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.”

Partnership in the Gospel

In many churches marked by a zeal for biblical truth there’s a lack of mutual affection and joy. Why the disconnect? Surely love and joy ought to flow from sound doctrine. Consider how Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi which opens:

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” - Philippians 1:3-5

The word “partnership” that Paul uses is the word ‘koinonia’ which is commonly translated “fellowship.” It has been famously used in the modern church to signify something like getting together to watch the game and gobble up buffalo wings. Or as our former Senior Pastor Denton Lotz often jested, “Fellowship isn’t just two fellows in a ship.” He had us cracking up with that one, but the point was made. Fellowship or partnership in the gospel isn’t casual. Though it may include some measure of buffalo wings, partnership in the gospel centers on life together on mission for Jesus.

Of all of Paul’s letters to the churches, Philippians strikes us more as a letter commending faith rather than correcting error. Galatians and 1 Corinthians stand as examples of Paul rebuking churches that were veering into shocking sin. Philippians seems filled with affirmation. But even the church at Philippi had its blindspots. Paul hints throughout the letter about a matter of disunity that he clearly states towards the end of the letter. He calls on two members of the church, women named Euodia and Syntche to “agree in the Lord.” (4:2) Thus, it’s no surprise that Paul calls the whole church in chapter 2 to walk in the pattern of humility that Jesus displayed. The one who “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:8)

When our life together centers on Jesus’ death and resurrection—in effect, when we are truly partnering in the gospel, a humility that produces unity, love, and joy will be stoked. When we’re eager to agree in the Lord—that is, to embrace His commands together, we will be “of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (v. 2) We will “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than ourselves.” (v. 3) We will “look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (v. 4). This goes for pastors and those in the pews alike. When our life together centers on Jesus and His gospel mission, we can pray for one another like Paul does at the opening of the letter. May this kind of unity, grounded in humility lead us into affection and joy as a congregation, so that we display Christ to all who cast eyes on us!

When Bad Stuff Happens

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

- 1 Corinthians 16:13

When the flames of affliction set fire to our best laid plans, theology look out. It’s not when things are going well that our doctrine of God is on the crucible, but when bad stuff happens. When the heat is turned up, it’s revealed that we’re not a special case in God’s kingdom. We will be tried and tested like everyone else. But how will we respond when we can’t see wisdom in His will for us?

The famous composer Beethoven lived in fear of losing his hearing. He felt that deafness would spell the end of his creative ability. His worst fears were realized, as he went on to lose his hearing completely. But unknown to him, while completely deaf he would write some of the most enduring and brilliant music the world has ever heard. With all distractions shut out, the notes and melodies flooded in, and perhaps it can be said that his deafness, a trial that would altar his life forever, turned out to be a catalyst for excellence.

Who are we howl against providence when we have trouble keeping a calendar? Who qualified us to critique the wise plans of God, who has purchased us for His own purposes and glory? Dear friends, when trials come that have your head spinning, it’s good to acknowledge that we don’t know exactly why, but whatever the reason—it’s bound to be good. You can’t see it yet, and nobody is asking you to. But our faith ought to change how we process pain.

We may not know why, but we do know whose hands our trials have passed through before reaching us. Look at those hands. Do you see the wounds from the nails? You can trust a God like that, even when the heat is turned up.

The Power of Presence

“Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:25

There’s no substitute for old-fashioned, in-person fellowship. But the post-Covid reality among many in the Christian church is an increasingly virtual one. Meetings that would’ve been conducted in person have been relegated to the screen. In the virtual corporate world as well, the newest wave of office fashion is business casual on top, plaid pajama pants down below. Perhaps it could be said with some irony that only a part of us can truly be present over a Zoom call. Presence matters. It matters especially when our meetings aren’t merely a matter of information transfer, but of worship.

The author of Hebrews calls us to faithfully gather of believers for worship and mutual encouragement. This is an essential habit of the Christian—and not one that we begrudge, because as 1 John 2:9-10 states: “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.” What do we do when we love somebody? We pursue them. Nearness is the context where love finds its fullest expression.

The application for the Lord’s Day to meet with God’s family—the ones we love isn’t a burden, but a boon. And the command is as clear as a bell. But how else could we apply this? I would suggest that for any significant meetings between believers, we ought to make every effort to meet in-person. Why? On the one hand, when it comes to tension or conflict, it’s always easier to be cold and distant in a detached environment. Said positively, when we’re sitting next across the table, love and unity flow more naturally. All the same, in the absence of conflict, excitement and joy for God’s mission are more easily stoked in the context of presence. Even if the whole world goes virtual, this is territory that we can’t afford to surrender!

There are churches today that are opting to go completely virtual—to offer high quality streaming services. But despite the efficiency and convenience of pajama church, it’s not biblical worship. It lacks essential ingredients. The power of presence—a love and unity that can only be achieved when embodied creatures go through all the trouble of getting to church, despite screaming kids, expensive T-passes, and fluctuating gas prices. God’s program for worship isn’t virtual. It’s a powerful display of Jesus crucified and resurrected bodily, for those who have gathered together in the flesh.

What Birds Can Teach Us About Fear

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” -Luke 12:6-7

What do the birds teach us about fear? More than you probably think. On the road south to Jerusalem, as Jesus trains the Twelve for a lifetime of ministry, he hits on the price of a bird to urge them towards faith instead of fear. Sparrows aren’t worth much. Less than a penny a-piece in Jesus’ day. And yet, Jesus never forgets one. The thrust of his reference to the birds is that we who are made in His image, and for whom He goes to the cross to die, are of more value than birds.

These verses, freshly cherry-picked from their context have been featured in many popular devotionals, focusing on God’s mindfulness of us. The point is made that we are the apple of His eye, and by grace alone we dare to make that claim. But we must go further than, “God knows every detail about me” or “I’m valuable to Him” if we’re going to get the juice from this lemon.

The tone of these verses is deadly serious. In fact, the fear Jesus is urging them away from is a kind of fear that the Bible says enslaves men. Foxe wrote a little book about it, with the word Martyr in the title. The problem of the passage is that in days to come, while establishing the world-wide church, those who “kill the body” (v. 5) would be stalking the lives of Jesus’ disciples. In fact, some of the ones hearing about the market price of birds would be among the first martyrs. The temptation would be great to shrink back in fear and to tone down messaging to save their skin.

The fear of death, which touches us all in some measure is the crux of the passage, and the birds help us overcome it. How? Just before these verses, in Luke 12:5, Jesus says, “Fear Him!” referring to Himself, the One who has authority to cast sinful men into hell. But of their future persecutors, he says, “Fear them not.” The Man who wields all authority on earth and in heaven is greater. And so, if Jesus looks out for the birds, surely he’s looking out for you.

If we follow this passage to its future and logical conclusion, we will be blessed to think on this: On Day of the Lord, even as Jesus casts our persecutors into hell, we will be gathered to our reward. Until then, the Greatest Man, to whom all authority has been granted, will not allow anything to befall us that isn’t ultimately for our good and His glory. And who knows—in a grand display of His mercy, He may even save some of our persecutors.

It’s spring now, and the sweet sound of chirping birds wakes us up. Next time you hear them, be reminded that He who looks after them, looks after for you as you suffer for his Name. How could He not? For you and I are of more value than many sparrows.

Introversion & the Church

Merriam-Webster defines an introvert as, “A typically reserved or quiet person who tends to be introspective and enjoys spending time alone.” Takes on introversion and extroversion abound. Whatever we want to call it, a relevant observation, particularly for the church, is that we all have different capacities for social engagement. It matters because God has called us to life together.

Back in 2011, I was an intern with the New England Center for Expository Preaching, which was basically a pulpit supply for New England churches. Every week, we were assigned a text and early on Sunday morning, we were sent packing to preach at a church we’d never been to before. I’ll never forget meeting Donald Dacey, a seasoned pastor who invited me to preach Psalm 73 in his pulpit at Bradford Evangelical Free Church in rural—and I mean rural central Vermont. It was small, wooden church filled with light, with an entire windowed wall facing the Green Mountains.

Before the service, Dacey shared his story with me, that he was in big international business for years, but ended up back in the U.S. at Westminster Theological Seminary and then Yale Divinity to prepare for the pastorate. He spoke of himself as a painful introvert, which is quite a thing for pastor to be. He described his wife as an “off-the-charts” extrovert who loves hospitality. Perhaps there’s some truth in the saying “opposites attract” but nobody has ever claimed to my knowledge that they make good ministry partners. He then shared what continues to inspire me to this day.

When he began his ministry, preferring to be alone most of the week, he largely isolated himself. Social interaction was at times a trial for him, with preaching and short, intentional meetings being his strong suit. But he noticed that not only was his wife, who always had a crowd of friends, was withering due to his reclusive ways, but also the members of the church clearly needed his care. That’s when everything changed. Despite his strong preference to isolate, he opened up his life and his home to the congregation, and it has made all the difference.

The call to engage isn’t merely one for pastors. There are roughly 59 “one-anothers” in the New Testament that call every Christian to know and care for the members of the body. Here are several:

“Love one another” - John 13:34

Bear one another’s burdens” - Galatians 6:2

“Forgive one another” - Ephesians 4:2

“Live in harmony with one another”

“Build up one another”

“Confess your sins to one another” - James 5:16

“Stir up one another to love and good deeds” - Hebrews 10:24

A searching question for all of us is how are we to obey these and many other commands from God’s Word specific to God’s family if we’re not pursuing relationships with one another? The truth is that it’s impossible.

And so, here’s a word to those among us who are shy to jump in—who feel tempted after worship to slip out the door. Take if from a mentor of mine who often says about what he terms “relational capital” that, “whatever you have in the bank, just make sure you spend it.” Yes, and amen! Some of us may be most at home in a crowd. Others, surely not. But whatever capacity you have to do others in the church spiritual good—the call is to press in. It may be just a little. Maybe socially speaking, you’re living paycheck to paycheck. But no worries! Just give Jesus and His people your best effort, and by His grace, it will be enough.

Seven Stanzas at Easter

Make no mistake: if he rose at all
It was as His body;
If the cell’s dissolution did not reverse, the molecule reknit,
The amino acids rekindle,
The Church will fall.

It was not as the flowers,
Each soft spring recurrent;
It was not as His Spirit in the mouths and fuddled eyes of the
Eleven apostles;
It was as His flesh; ours.

The same hinged thumbs and toes
The same valved heart
That—pierced—died, withered, paused, and then regathered
Out of enduring Might
New strength to enclose.

Let us not mock God with metaphor,
Analogy, sidestepping, transcendence,
Making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded
Credulity of earlier ages:
Let us walk through the door.

The stone is rolled back, not papier-mache,
Not a stone in a story,
But the vast rock of materiality that in the slow grinding of
Time will eclipse for each of us
The wide light of day.

And if we have an angel at the tomb,
Make it a real angel,
Weighty with Max Planck’s quanta, vivid with hair, opaque in
The dawn light, robed in real linen
Spun on a definite loom.

Let us not seek to make it less monstrous,
For our own convenience, our own sense of beauty,
Lest, awakened in one unthinkable hour, we are embarrassed
By the miracle,
And crushed by remonstrance.

—John Updike, “Seven Stanzas at Easter” (1960)

Listen Carefully to Jesus

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Seeing is believing,” but Christians live in the age of the ear, not the eye. Rather, hearing is believing, as Paul wrote to the Romans 10:17, So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ. It follows that the Spirit and the Word not only create faith, but sustain it to the end. For this reason, we must listen carefully to Jesus.

It’s here that we need to clarify something else. What is the Word of Christ that Paul goes on about? Isn’t it those specific words that some Bible publishers emblazon on the pages of the Gospels in bright red? Aren’t we to listen a bit more carefully to Jesus’ words in the Scripture? After all, don’t his words come with a bit more authority than Paul’s? Or John’s? Or whoever?

We must answer ‘No!’ All of the Bible is the Word of Christ! Liberal “theologians” from untold ages past have undermined the authority of God’s Word by suggesting that only Jesus’ words are Jesus’ Word. But because God is the ultimate author of Scripture, all of it is Jesus’ Word. We need to listen carefully to Jesus in Genesis and in Judges. We need to hear him in Haggai and in Hebrews. Indeed, we need to lean in whenever the Word is preached and while we sit under the lamp light with an open Bible. And that’s because listening to Jesus in His Word is the food that feeds our faith.

As we lean in as a church to hear what Christ says to us, may our prayer be a corporate one, as Paul wrote in Colossians 3:16:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

A church headed for glory together listens carefully to Jesus. How are you doing, dear friend, at listening? Ask God for the grace to listen a little more carefully to his voice today.

A Happier Prayer Life

“I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
    and I will meditate on your statutes.” —Psalm 119:48

What’s the key to a happier prayer life? Is it doubling down on discipline? A focus on the discipline of prayer is needful. But if we hope to have a happier prayer life, our gaze needs to fall on the One to whom we pray. This is why the key to a happier prayer life isn’t merely a calendar overhaul, but a deeper knowledge of God.

This is why Bible intake, rather than being a separate feature of the Christian life, is integrally tied to prayer. If prayer is a fire, the Bible, which reveals God, His Gospel, and His promises, is the fuel. Our prayer life will never rise higher than our contemplation of God’s Word. These two spiritual disciplines, which are often handled separately, are vitally connected.

In Psalm 119, the Psalmist is enamored with the God of the Word and so he goes on about his delight in the law, his commitment to it, and the blessing that it brings when he obeys it. In verse 48, the Psalmist vows to “lift up my hands towards your commandments, which I love…” Though there is no definitive posture of prayer in either the Old Testament or New, the lifting up of the hands in connection with prayer is profoundly emphasized in Scripture (1 Tim. 2:8). It may well be the case, that the Psalmist is modeling for us that our Word life is to be supplemented by prayer, and that our prayer life is to be supplemented by the Word!

How can we be happier in prayer? The key is to be happier in God! So it follows that the Word and prayer are the closest of friends. Or to touch on the analogy earlier mentioned, the Word lights the bonfire of prayer. And likewise, as we prayerfully pursue the God of the Word, the happy fires of prayer are stoked. No more wet wood. No more smoldering prayer. Dear friends, as we pursue a happier prayer life, remember that the key is knowing God. And we know Him as the Spirit reveals Him in His Word.

The Hands & the Heart

“For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

—Psalm 51:6-7

We’re all tempted to serve Jesus without savoring him. We neglect what Jesus calls in Luke 10:42, the “good portion.” But busy hands without a heart for Jesus is a recipe for sin and misery.

In Psalm 51, a freshly convicted David declares the vital connection between the hands and the heart. No amount of burnt offerings laid on the altar could please God. Superficial worship holds out hands to God, but holds back the heart. The problem was David’s sin-sick heart before the Lord, not a shortage of bulls and goats. One thing we can learn from David’s scandalous ordeal is that the matter of the heart is always the heart of the matter. Worship that pleases God flows from a humble heart.

Friend, are you neglecting the better portion? Have you made peace with certain sin-patterns in your life? Have you resisted church fellowship, one of God’s means of speaking into your life? Do you have busy hands, but a troubled heart? Jesus invites you to draw near to Him without delay. The image of Him on the cross, arms wide open, is an apt image for reluctant worshippers.