The Inviting Presence of God

Busy-ness makes us forget about the presence of God. We are so busy with so many things – some good, some not – we forget that as imagers of God, and as bearers of his Spirit, we are constantly in his holy presence. Our lives are burdened with chaos on a daily basis as we are constantly flooded with cultural noise from nightly news casts, web posts and messages, as well as our day to day grind. We hear many different sounds in our hectic lives that threaten to muffle the voice of God – the only sound that really matters. What is more, the chaos that is life demands our response. It demands our attention. It demands that we talk back to the cacophony of voices flooding our ears. And before we know it we are yelling and screaming, like everyone around us, to keep up with the busy-ness of our lives. In other words, we respond to the cacophony with more noise; we reply with noise of our own. Instead of limiting what we listen to and focusing on the things in life that really matter – faith and family – we respond in kind to a thousand voices by yelling, screaming, demanding to be heard by a chaotic cultural that simply cannot hear us.

 

The futility of chaotic communication describes idolatry. The prophet Habakkuk knew this kind of idolatry – yelling and screaming, demanding a response from an object that has no voice of its own. In Habakkuk’s day, Israel had become accustomed to this futile communication strategy where people who are made in the image of God craft an idol in their own image in order to pray to it. Think about the absurdity: people create something that they then believe has control over their lives. Who created who? Habakkuk points out the obvious irrational logic: the wooden idol cannot breathe so it has no voice with which to respond (“there is no breath in it,” Hab 2:19). And do not think yelling louder will help; it is futile. And so this is the communication of idolatry where idols make us chatter because they do not talk back. Before we know it, our lives are full of chatter. We chatter to the idols of our culture but they do not respond because they cannot respond. After all, we made them with our own hands; they have no breath in them.

 

Habakkuk aims his prophetic critique at such chaotic communication: “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (Hab 2:20). Simply put, God will speak if we will be silent and listen and stop chattering. He is our Creator and we are his creation. We bear his breath (Spirit) within us so there is always an open channel of communication between us and God. Habakkuk 2:20 should be read in its idolatrous context. It is not an isolated proof text for silent meditation but an exhortation to stop chattering to idols, to be quiet and listen to our Creator.

The phrase “awkward silence” has come to define us, and so we chatter. We deplore silence as a "gap" needing to be filled. In our busy-ness we chatter to anything and everything while focusing on nothing, to the point where we are restless, anxious, and tightly wound. I am reminded of Augustine who said, “Our hearts are restless until they find rest in you, Lord.” Throughout the Bible, silence is an invitation to enter the presence of God and to be reminded of the Creator-creature distinction. It is he who made us and we belong to him (Ps 100:3). Silence reminds us of God’s holy presence in our hectic lives. When we are tempted to chatter to a breathless idol we should remember that God is on the throne, and, in contrast to idols, has something to say.

While it may sound like I am offering silence as a personal spiritual discipline to practice alone while the world goes about its busy-ness, I think it has more an outward focus than an inward one. In other words, there is an outreach component to being silent and listening for the voice of God, for when we get silent and listen for his voice, only then will we who bear his very breath become his voice to a noisy world.

Foot Washing

Foot Washing


A common form of hospitality offered to travelers in biblical times. A host offered a basin full of water to a guest so he/she could clean their feet upon entrance into the home. The dusty and dry climate of Palestine made foot washing a necessity as people often walked along dirt roads with nothing more than sandals on their feet. Foot washing was so common that hosts who failed to offer this basic expression of hospitality and comfort were severely criticized (Luke 7:44).

Although a staple of hospitality, foot washing was considered to be the lowliest of activities performed by a servant. It was so demeaning that Jews did not was the feet of other Jews but left the task to Gentile slaves. More often travelers simply washed their own feet rather than having the chore performed for them (Gen. 18:4; 19:2; 43:24; Judg. 19:21; Luke 7:44).

Because foot washing was performed by a person of inferior social status for a superior (1 Sam. 25:41), it would be unthinkable to reverse this socially accepted norm in a culture saturated with relative social status. So for Jesus, a superior, to perform this demeaning chore for his disciples, his inferiors, makes his object lesson all the more dramatic (John 13:5-17). Jesus washed his disciples’ feet to show them that no role is too lowly for him to show the extent of his love (John 13:1). Peter learned the necessity of spiritual cleansing when Jesus washed his feet (John 13:8). Jesus also taught his disciples the importance of following his example in their own lives by washing one another’s feet (John 13:14). No act of service is too lowly for Christ’s followers and no one is too great to perform such a humble act.

Some early churches may have taken Jesus’ example literally (1 Tim. 5:10). Widows seem to have expressed their devotion by washing the feet of other Christians. Such good deeds need not be taken literally today but can be expressed figuratively in other culturally accepted acts of service. Nonetheless, some churches do perform ritual foot washings today.

Another one of my entries in The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013).

Openness Theology

The following is a dictionary definition of openness theology from my entry in the Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013). Openness Theology is the view that God’s relationship to the world is open and dynamic as he adapts his will to the free-will of humanity. Love is the most important attribute of God which is expressed by his commitment to mankind’s freedom. God’s love may be rejected but this is the risk he takes to preserve free-will. God is omniscient in that he exhaustively knows all that can be known, but this does not include the future acts of free creatures. The future is open, even for God. Human will cooperates with God’s will to guide history. God is not the ultimate explanation for everything that happens; human decisions and actions make an important contribution too. History is the combined result of what God and his creatures decide to do. Instead of perceiving the entire course of human history in one timeless moment, God comes to know events as they occur. God’s own intentions are subject to revision based on his creature’s actions. Opponents of open theology maintain that it contradicts classical definitions of God’s immutability, omniscience, omnipotence. Opponents also illustrate how predictive prophecy often found in Scripture negates open theology’s claim that God’s knowledge of the future does not exist. N.b. This is not my personal view but simply a dictionary definition of Openness Theology.

Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark

Has the church in America lost its sense of discipleship? I ask this question in the face of the mass-marketing of Christianity in the public square, on billboards, in bookstores, and in politics, where it's beneficial from a societal standpoint to be a Christian. Christian consumerism has bred an environment where people go to church, not to involve and immerse themselves in the ministries of the church, not to serve fellow brothers and sisters in tangible ways, but to be served and to shop around for the sake of convenient Christianity. Further, the political realm has turned Christianity in America into little more than competing fraternities and sororities, each swearing allegiance to a set of mostly impractical propositions. The "I follow Paul" and "I follow Cephas" factions of the Corinthian church in the NT has become the "I follow Perry" and "I follow Obama" factions of American politics, neither following Christ to the cross. Our political arena uses Christianity to great effect to strengthen its platforms; this is the opposite of service and sacrifice to which the gospel calls. The marketing of Christianity in America has bled into the church where many American Christians view the church like a catering service, which provides goods and services for them, not the other way around. There is little sense of commitment to the cross as a way of life. We are in a sense asleep to the hard realities of the Christian life; we need something to awaken us from our slumber. The Gospel of Mark does this with a heavy dose of discipleship. Mark reminds us what Christianity is all about: following Christ to the cross. Mark's Gospel sets apart the life of Christ as well-pleasing to God (1:11), and challenges us to mirror his servant-heart as God's grace empowers us.

Mark's emphasis on discipleship presents Christianity as an active relationship, not a passive religion. I would argue that this is exactly what the church in America needs to experience. I define discipleship as turning men and women into fully devoted, mature followers of Christ, who follow Jesus into the waters of baptism so they can follow him to the cross. I'll speak more on the baptismal undercurrent of discipleship in my next post, which deals with the baptism of Jesus in Mark 1:1-13. The word discipline is embedded in the word discipleship. I'm not talking about church discipline, but simply about the fact that the Christian relationship is not a bed of roses. It's not a smooth path. Christianity is not convenient. It's anything but the glitz and glam of the political arena, or the marketing strategy that says, "Membership has its privileges." Christianity is a hard life, and people need to understand this reality before signing up. If the example of Jesus means anything, our master lived a life of service, suffering, and sacrifice. We must regain a sense of selflessness which seeks the betterment of the church rather than the betterment of our own self-centered lives. To attend a church primarily for the services it provides is symptomatic of the illness - Christian consumerism.

Mark's Gospel disciplines us by calling us to model the sacrificial ministry of Jesus. Beginning with our baptism, we emulate our master; our dying in baptism is a metaphor for our daily dying as sacrificial servants. Baptism is not a once-and-done religious ritual; it is a reminder of our commitment to grow continually as disciples, and to die daily as we model the ministry of Christ. What is more, there are not many warm fuzzy feelings in Mark. There are no pictures of me and Jesus walking hand in hand down the beach, nor is he carrying me, as in the Footprints poem. Instead, Mark paints a picture of Jesus walking as a sacrificial servant in front of me on a rocky path, while I follow him carrying my own cross. Discipleship, then, involves our desire to learn from Christ what it means practically to be a child of God.

Insights from Jesus' Mother

The text below is from a sermon I occasionally deliver on Mother’s Day.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, does not receive a lot of attention in Protestant churches. This is mostly a knee-jerk reaction from her exaltedness in the Catholic Church. It is as if we Protestants are so afraid of potentially worshiping her that we swing to the opposite extreme and eliminate her from conveying any significant theological reflection. This is unfortunate, not because Mary should be worshiped, prayed to, or seen in some way as miraculous in and of herself, but because she has some things to teach Christians of all stripes. Yes, Mary has some things to say, even to us Protestants! Put provocatively, Mary speaks doctrinally in the NT. Her song in Luke 1:46-55, called the Magnificat (Latin), is one of the most significant theological reflections in all of Christian Scripture.

Mary praises God for his graciousness toward her (vv. 46-49)
God is to be magnified and rejoiced in because he cares deeply for his creation by acting on behalf of individuals. God sees the minute details of our lives. He knows our humble state and seeks to lift us up. God is the sole source of blessing for his people. We do not bless ourselves nor do we provide for ourselves. Mary proclaims that when other people call us “blessed” it is because they recognize that God blessed us first. Further, the very ground of our existence is the gratuitous grace of God. Mary realizes that she is a recipient of God’s grace, which cannot be earned. Our blessedness is the Lord’s doing.

Mary recognizes that God’s grace extends beyond her (vv. 50-53)
God provides for the humble and hungry as he topples the arrogant and prideful. It is easy for us to be stingy with God’s grace. It is easy to take pride in receiving grace as though we are more special than others. But Mary reminds us that God extends his grace to all who fear him. And this is not once-and-done. God’s grace does not begin and end with us. Instead, he has been about the business of extending his grace from generation to generation, times past, present, and future. However, God is not the sole distributor of his grace. We, his people who have received his grace, bear the responsibility of sharing that grace with others. Mary reminds us that God’s grace is not to be hoarded but distributed. She also teaches us that it is not all about God’s grace; it is also about his judgment. As God exalts the humble he humbles the exalted. Rulers and rich who have no need for God are reduced to empty beggars. God could have chosen any of the rulers in the first century to be the bearer of the good news but he chose Mary, who had nothing, to be filled up with his grace.

Mary testifies that God keeps his promises (vv. 54-55)
God’s promises are rooted in his faithfulness, not ours. I once heard someone say that God’s promises are dependant on our response. That is a pretty high view of humanity and the kind of thought process Mary warns against in v. 51. Are we so proud that we actually believe our merits outweigh our failures (or will eventually do so) therefore granting us the right to inherit the eternal promises of God? Scripture is full of people and nations failing miserably in every aspect of life but who receive the precious promises of God in spite of their sins. Mary affirms that God’s faithfulness trumps our faithlessness and this must remain the core doctrine of the church.

A Loving Community

Jesus told his disciples that all people would know they are in fact his disciples if they love one another (John 13:34-35). Sounds easy enough right? Most devoted Christians would openly declare their “love” for their brothers and sisters in Christ. But isn’t “love” overused and broadly defined in our culture? For example, I love my wife but I also love popcorn. I love my parents but I love my dog as well. “Love” is thrown around in English and has all but lost the sacrificial sense Jesus conveyed when giving his disciples the new command to love. Jesus explained the kind of love he was talking about: “Love one another as I have loved you” (v. 34). The love Jesus commands of us is sacrificial, selfless, and underserved.


The church is community of love. More specifically, it is a community of God’s love. The church exists because of his love. Creation itself exists because of his love. Have you ever thought about why God created humanity in the first place? Was it to fill a void in himself? Was he lonely? Did he need servants? No. The Bible illustrates that God himself is community: “Let us make humanity in our image” (Gen 1:26-27). God is, and always has been, the perfect community of holy, sacrificial love. He created all of creation out of his pure love. Put simply, he loved so he created. God didn’t need to create humanity to fill a void in his heart, stroke his ego by telling him what a great God he is, or to serve him (as in many pagan creation stories in the ancient Near East). He created because he loved.


The church is to be a community that reflects the gracious nature of God’s love. We are to live our lives as testimonies to the love of God which creates and sustains us. Jesus said that if we reflect the selfless love of God, the world will take note (John 13:35). When we love one another in sacrificial and practical ways we actively reflect the love of God. So, “love” is no longer a broadly defined, emotionally hyped word that applies to anything and everything from spouses to favorite foods. Love is sacrificial. Granted, it is emotional as well; no one can truly demonstrate love without having a measure of genuine emotion or feeling in his/her heart. To do so otherwise is hypocrisy. But love is not sheer emotion; love is action-oriented. As the DC Talk song says, “Love is a verb.” Love is demonstrable; it works, it serves, it honors, and it is selfless – like God.


So should our love be for one another. It is not enough to declare “I love my siblings in Christ.” What do I mean by “love”? The world will not notice the kind of love that is simply spoken yet not demonstrated. It sees enough of that in itself. The world will know that we are Christ’s disciples if we love one another in tangible, practical, sacrificial ways. Jesus taught that the most effective evangelistic effort is when Christians truly love one another. It sounds counter intuitive to define evangelism as: reaching out by reaching in but that’s exactly what Jesus calls us to do! As a community of love, the church’s primary evangelistic tool is to love one another first by reflecting the kind of love Christ had for his disciples. Then and only then will the world take notice and want to become part of a loving church family.

Kingdom Blessings (Part 2)

The Christian life is no picnic. Granted, having a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ is full of inexhaustible joy. But suffering and trials can push joy out and invite fear in. On the surface this seems inconsistent with Jesus' words, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10); unless, of course, we have misinterpreted the "fullness" of life in Christ. This brings me back to the so-called "health and wealth" gospel of the previous post. I've often heard John 10:10 used in the context of rewards for faithful service by health and wealth preachers. Their logic is simple: if you're in debt, Jesus wants to lift you out because that isn't life to the full. Or, if you have cancer you should have more faith when you pray for healing because living with cancer isn't life to the full. Whether the context is health or wealth the point is that God rewards faithful servants with good things in this life. So, if you're having trouble it must be due to some deficiency in your faith.

What are the present rewards for faithful service? Jesus affirms the exact opposite of the health and wealth gospel: "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Jesus affirms at least three things: 1) the world is full of trouble, 2) you (his followers) will experience trouble and trial, and 3) he has triumphed over the troubled world. Troubles of the world such as job loss, debt, depression, cancer, and the like, are par for the course and not reflective of one's faith, or lack thereof. The point is not that Jesus will spare us from trouble but that he has defeated it on the cross.

Jesus suffered the cross in spite of his faithfulness and we too will suffer in spite of ours. Just like Jesus, cross-bearing is our lot in this troubled world. What are the present rewards for faithful service? Cross-bearing. Discipleship is not about being saved from the storms of life, it is about weathering those storms. The storms will come and our faithfulness determines how we will weather them. It's difficult to see God's glory, trust his plan, and feel his love in the midst of a turbulent storm but we trust Christ when he says he has overcome this fallen world. Although we do not see it we trust in his victory (Heb 2:8).

Many of us are in the midst of financial storms. Theses storms often make us question our faith. Why do I serve God? Why do I contribute at church? Why did I lose my job when that job itself was an answered prayer? Not that I'm God's greatest servant but surely I don't deserve to worry about where my next meal will come from. I don't deserve to fear not having enough money for rent. Why does trusting Christ seem not to pay off? These are honest questions and should be lifted up before God's throne in Jobian cries and laments. But one thing is certain, the NT does not promise economic rewards for faithful service. In this life the Christian is only promised that God will provide for basic material needs - daily bread.

Materialism = idolatry. To expect material rewards for faithful service is fundamentally opposed to the values of the kingdom of God. We live in an idolatrous world that sees wealth as the supreme sign of status. We must not cave in to the idolatrous materialism of our culture by adopting a health and wealth gospel. To expect financial blessing as a reward in this life is to reject Jesus' call to cross-bearing. Cross-bearing, suffering, persecution, however you want to label it, may extend to our finances if God deems necessary to transform us into the image of Christ. We are called to suffer for and in spite of Jesus' name (Acts 9:16; 2 Tim 3:12).

Jesus never promises his disciples economic affluence. He calls them to self-denial, sacrifice, cross-bearing, and even severe suffering for the kingdom of God. God will reward faithfulness in terms of the values of his kingdom and his righteousness which is opposed to the idolatrous kingdoms of the present world. Perhaps we need to be reminded of the painful process of transforming our minds in order to see the world's troubles in the shadow of the cross.

Kingdom Blessings (Part 1)

I was watching a televangelist recently. His sermon was about material wealth and the current economic climate in America. It sounded fairly straightforward and observant until he made a prophetic announcement to his church. He prophesied that if the church would simply be more faithful, God would pour material blessings down from heaven and the church would reap a financial harvest. He prophesied a message of financial profit as the reward for faithfulness.

Some refer to this message as a “health and wealth gospel,” “name it, claim it theology,” or even baldly, “prosperity theology.” It’s a common ideology in many American churches (hardly elsewhere!). Many honest, sincere, conscientious Christians believe that faithfulness is a good business investment and reaps a financial reward. Since we’re talking numbers here let me explain the prosperity theology with a simple mathematical formula: spirituality = financial prosperity.

There are prooftexts that, when flattened, reduced to their least common denominator, and taken out of context, can lend themselves to a prosperity theology. Just like anything, prosperity theology is “biblical” if you know what to look for and where to look for it. If the starting point is that God blesses spirituality in terms of financial prosperity, you can find it in the Bible. I have found that anyone can find nearly anything in the Bible given a certain amount of creativity. But I digress.

The prosperity gospel seems pervasive in Scripture. God himself said, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this and see if I will not throw open floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it” (Mal 3:10). Sounds straightforward huh? Granted, this passage is more about tithing under the old covenant but never mind the context. Or take Deut 8:18: “But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” Who can argue with that? God designed work so that we reap a financial harvest as the fruit of our labors. Granted, it is God who ultimately gives but he gives without restraint right? Never mind the context, again. Don’t read what’s written before and after it. Never mind that it was originally a warning to the arrogant regarding prosperity (Deut 8:17-19). And again, never mind that it was originally written to ancient Israel under the old covenant of Moses as God was about to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land. Indeed he made Israel prosperous!

We need to be more careful with our handling of Scripture. I say this with humility since I have my own agendas that Scripture obviously supports;-) Christians today are not ancient Israel. We are not entering a Promised Land in this fallen world. We are not under the old covenant of Moses but are under the new covenant of Christ. God is not promising us riches, prosperity, and a land flowing with milk and honey. Those were his promises to ancient Israel; and he fulfilled them! The ancient, theocratic kingdom of Israel is not the current kingdom of heaven. We should define “blessings” based on the kingdom we belong to. Granted, material blessing was certainly part of the old covenant. Just read the blessings and curses in Deut. The OT passages mentioned earlier should not be rejected simply because they were part of the old covenant. It is not that they do not apply to the church today but it is a question of how they apply, and to what degree. They are reapplied in the new covenant in a more spiritual way – a Christ-centered way. They are indeed part of Christian Scripture but just like the sacrifices and other cultic ceremonies in the OT, they are applied spiritually and symbolically to the church due to their fulfillment in Christ. We now seek to apply the theological principles rather than the specifics.

It’s not just the OT. There are plenty of NT passages that when read as proverbs or as stand alone verses, lend themselves to prosperity theology (Luke 6:38; John 10:10; 2 Cor 9:6-10). Of course, the question is, what do these passages mean in their contexts? Reading the whole context should drive one away from a materialistic interpretation: Luke 6:38 is about judgment and/or grace, not wealth; John 10:10 is about eternal life – life in Christ, right here, right now. “Life to full” is relationship with Christ no matter what our present economic status looks like. Indeed, "life to the full" is as about contentment. Even 2 Cor 9 is a specific admonition to a specific church on a specific occasion for a specific purpose. The principle of reciprocity expressed is more spiritually focused than materially. It speaks of God meeting our needs not our greeds. It’s about sharing material wealth out of love for our siblings in Christ, not about receiving rewards.

Don’t misunderstand; I’m not one who claims that the new covenant is entirely spiritual. Material blessings have a concrete application in the church. When we care for one another’s needs we do so materially (1 John 3:16-18) and spiritually. The NT is full of passages that convey financial responsibility, stewardship, and material blessing. But, and this is the main point, financial blessing is not presented in the NT as a reward for faithfulness. It is true that God blesses us, and finances may play a role, but it is not true that God rewards our level of faithfulness with an accompanying level of material blessing. Rewards in the NT are primarily spiritual. Rewards are viewed as the gracious gift of God, not as wages earned (Matt 20:1-16). Rewards, for the most part, are conferred at the future judgment; and those are given graciously not meritoriously (Luke 14:12-14).

I think it shipwrecks faith to tell a struggling soul that if she just has more faith God will heal her illness, get her out of debt, or make her wealthy. Tell that to Jesus or Paul. Both were persecuted for their faithfulness. God takes care of basic needs (Matt 6:25-34). When we aren’t healed of cancer, heart disease, or depression, when we continue to be weighed down in debt, when we continue to live paycheck to paycheck, is that due to our own spiritual sickness? Not according to the Bible. There’s probably more going on than meets the eye. Perhaps God is revealing his power to withstand, his grace to cope, and drawing us closer to the cross (2 Cor 12:7-10).

The Kingdom and the Cross: A Christmas Meditation (Part 3)

The kingdom of God, which formed the heart of King Jesus’ preaching, was so radically different from what the people wanted and expected, it eventually led Jesus to the cross. Mockingly, King Jesus received his crown and was hailed “King of the Jews” while on the cross (Matt 27:37). The compassionate, caring reign of the shepherd-king was unwelcomed in the militant melting pot of first century Palestine. People wanted a warrior-king and would settle for no less. King Jesus sought to transform such muddled thinking. The kingdom he inaugurated and proclaimed was one of service, compassion, and care – a real revolution centered on meeting people’s physical and spiritual needs.

The rest of the NT shows how the earliest Christians tried to live in the kingdom while extending its reign all over the world. We see pictures of Christians struggling to reflect, albeit imperfectly, the compassion and care of their King. The early church understood that proclaiming the reign of King Jesus was a practical affair, not a pious, ritualistic religion. They declared their sole devotion to Christ. Christ is Lord; Caesar is not. But to declare Christ as Lord implied living a lifestyle that reflected his lifestyle. The Christian proclamation of the kingdom of God is about ethics – living holy lives, and sacrificially serving others.

Christmas is not just about King Jesus. It is not simply a holiday to remember the birth of the son of David who was born in Bethlehem. To proclaim the birth of our King Jesus is to proclaim our identity as his subjects. If we are going to declare Jesus as our King we must be loyal subjects. We must live lives that reflect that of the shepherd-king. We must extend the compassion and care which characterized his ministry in our own time, in our own ways, with our own hands. Family members are suffering due to job loss. Church members are suffering due to cancer. Neighbors are suffering divorce. You fill in the blank. Christmas is a unique time of year to look closely at the lives of others to see where we, as subjects of the shepherd-king, can extend his compassion and care.

To proclaim the birth of our King Jesus is to call ourselves to accountability and responsibility and to reflect his compassionate, caring reign. This is the true spirit of Christmas.

The Shepherd-King: A Christmas Meditation (Part 2)

After over 600 years of oppression by foreign rule, Israel eagerly anticipated her Messiah-King. God kept his promises to King David by sending the “son of David” – born in Bethlehem. But the birth of King Jesus was anything but kingly. No palace. No crown. No triumphant announcement to society’s elite. Instead, Israel’s king was born in a cave, wrapped in cloth, and placed in a feeding trough (Luke 2:7). His birth announcement rang just loudly enough that shepherds tending their flocks in the distant fields heard it (Luke 2:8-15). But the shepherd-audience would prove prophetic to the kind of king Jesus would be.

Israel longed for a political, military ruler to deliver her from Roman oppression. She anticipated a “son of David” that would re-enact all the vengeance of David himself, and then some. But God’s promises are based on his own expectations, not other’s. He sent a “son of David” to be sure. But this new king reflected the shepherding heart of David rather than his militant heart. Instead of a warrior-king God sent a shepherd-king. Israel was surprised, shocked, and saddened. How can a shepherd deliver a nation from hostile enemies? The scepter shall not depart from Judah (Gen 49:10). Oh, Jesus will rule with a rod of iron but in his own time, at his second coming (Rev 19). The defeat of his enemies will be more swift and decisive than that of David. But his victory is primarily a spiritual one. The revolution of Jesus is ethical, not militant.

There is more to being a king than having power. Even in the OT, the king’s reign was to be a compassionate and caring one. The OT reminds earthly rulers of how they should rule: “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked” (Ps 82:3-4). Jesus’ reign perfectly fulfills such expectations. He is compassionate and caring. He bridles his great power, not lording it over his people and not seeking impatient vengeance upon his enemies. He tends his flock as the shepherds who heard the angelic proclamation at his birth. Jesus is the “son of David” who reflects David’s own shepherd-heart.

I think this shepherd-king is exactly what Matthew has in mind when he calls Jesus “Son of David.” Jesus extends the compassion and care of a shepherd, not the sword and shield of a monarch. Matthew prefaces many of Jesus’ miracles with the phrase “Son of David, have mercy!” For a good glimpse of the reign of King Jesus see Matt 9:27-31; 12:23; 15:22; 20:29-34; and 21:14. The reign of the son of David is one of compassion and care and total fulfillment of Pss 23 and 82. “Son of David” is synonymous with shepherd-king.

Jesus’ kingship is defined by how he serves the oppressed and outcasts. This was not what Israel expected. Israel wanted a warrior but God sent a shepherd instead. The compassionate and caring reign of King Jesus is the real meaning Christmas.

The Promised King: A Christmas Meditation (Part 1)

Have you ever wondered why God became flesh in Jesus of Nazareth when he did? No, not the precise date in the first century, for no one knows for sure. I mean the historical circumstances of Israel – the people of God – in the first century. Why did God see the first century context as the appropriate time to send Israel her long-awaited Messiah? What was going on in the life of Israel that prompted God to send King Jesus?

The OT held the expectation that God would fulfill his promise to David – to send one of his descendants to reign righteously over Israel (2 Sam 7:8-16). The Messiah would be the sort of king David was – powerful, righteous, a man after God’s own heart. He would destroy the enemies of Israel, elevating Israel to its rightful place as the sovereign nation of the world. Granted, there were a lot of conflicting notions concerning the Messiah in the first century but this political, powerful, revolutionary, military king was virtually agreed upon by the major Jewish sects. This expectation, hinted at in the OT, was never realized in any of the Israelite kings who followed David. Who then? When? How would God reveal his anointed one?

By the NT period, Israel had longed for this king for almost 600 years. Israel endured successive cycles of oppression by Babylon, Greece, and Rome. Heavy taxation and unholy customs took their toll on the people of Israel. To say that Israel was anxious for her promised king puts it too mildly. They pleaded and prayed to God to deliver them from their oppressors and to restore them to their ancestral land. If God was to fulfill his promise to David, now would be a good time to act. Six hundred years is long enough.

Matthew 1 describes the lineage of the long-awaited king, the son of David (Matt 1:1). Indeed, King Jesus was the promised “son of David” through whom Israel and the whole world would receive deliverance from oppression and sin. In fact, “son of David” is one of Matthew’s favorite titles for Jesus for it aptly describes his mission and reign. Matthew 2 describes the early childhood of King Jesus after his birth in Bethlehem – the hometown of King David (Matt 2:1). The story is decorated with gifts for a king – gold, incense, and myrrh (Matt 2:11). The story includes the paranoid, schizophrenic “King” Herod and his own terrifying thought that his throne would be toppled by this new King of the Jews.

So, the stage is set. God’s anointed King Jesus has arrived in Bethlehem - the birthplace of King David – to restore the glory of Israel above all other nations and to reign as her Messiah and King.

Psalm 100

Life is to be rooted in thanks. Thanksgiving is not a specific action expressed verbally in prayers or around a table during the Thanksgiving holiday; it is a lifestyle. Our lives should be ongoing expressions of thanksgiving to God. There is no singular way to define thankfulness. An attitude of thankfulness expresses itself in how one lives his/her life. This holiday season in America is a unique celebration where we, as a nation, remember that God is our Provider. We are not thanking ourselves. We are not trusting in ourselves. We are acknowledging the goodness and faithfulness of God. We are not implying that God only blesses America but rather are thanking God for blessing America.

Psalm 100 is a psalm of thanksgiving. It comes at the end of a series of psalms (93-99) that express the Kingship of God. God’s role as King is highlighted in these psalms and Psalm100 rounds off the section by highlighting the role of God’s people. We are instructed to thank our King and be loyal subjects. This psalm praises God simply for being God. Psalm 100 is very instructional and uses royal language to describe the relationship between God and his people. Simply put, God is our King and we are his servants. The word translated in v. 2 as “worship” is more accurately translated as “serve.” This word is used specifically throughout Psalms to express the role of a king’s subjects. Their lives are devoted to the King and they live lives of thanksgiving and service.

God is praised for his role as the Creator in v. 3. A literal translation of this verse is, “It is he who made us, not we” (v. 3). Understanding that God is the King who provides for and sustains his people is crucial to a lifestyle of thanksgiving. We do not provide for ourselves. All that we have is from God. We are stewards of his blessings and graces. We own nothing and attribute all we have to God. Verses 4-5 must be read together since they explain why we should live lives of thanksgiving: “For the LORD is good and his loves endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (v. 5). In short, v. 4 tells us to be thankful and v. 5 gives us the reasons.

Psalm 100 is appropriate for our current Thanksgiving holiday. But I challenge you as American Christians, as the world’s most blessed inhabitants, to live lifestyles of thankfulness. Do not settle for an annual holiday to express thanks to God. Take it to its logical conclusion and devote your entire life to serving King Jesus.

Psalm 117

Worship has a missional dimension. Put differently, worship invites outsiders into the presence of God. Worship reaches out to the lost. It is an invitation to the lost to join the saved community in order to praise the name of the Lord. Worship brings the unsaved into the saving presence of God. Granted, worship functions for believers as well. It is that grand experience of joining together in praise to God, recalling our identity as God’s children. But worship is not complete, not what it should and must be, until all people are drawn into God’s presence.

This missional dimension of worship is the focus of Ps 117. This is the shortest of all the psalms but it thinks on a grand scale. Psalm 117 anticipates the day when all God’s creation comes together to sing his praises. This is not to suggest that unbelievers will be forced to participate in this praise service, but it certainly hopes that they will be moved to repentance. Worship that includes the world’s population is envisioned. “All you nations…all you peoples” is typical language in the psalms used to refer to those outside of God’s people (v. 1). The psalmist expresses the desire for all to come into the presence of God to sing his praises. Here, worship is an invitation for outsiders to become insiders. Worship should not be exclusive but rather inclusive.

Verse 2 provides two concrete reasons why God should be worshiped. First, because of his “great love.” The Hebrew word for this phrase is hesed. That sounds easy to grasp but the problem arises in that we have no single word in English that expresses the fullness of this word! The Hebrew word often deals with love in its absolute, purest, fullest extent. This is love so deep and so strong that only God demonstrates it perfectly. Second, God’s “faithfulness endures forever” (v. 2). Our faithfulness waivers but God’s remains firm. God is praised for accomplishing what we cannot. As Paul states in 2 Tim 2:13: “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful.”

Paul uses Ps 117 in Rom 15:11 to express God’s invitation of salvation to all humanity – even Gentiles. Thus, those who are not thought to be the people of God are invited into the community of faith. Paul’s point is that God’s gospel reaches out. Therefore, all humanity is invited to sing praises to God. Worship extends beyond the lives of those who currently believe. It invites the unbelieving to join the chorus. Psalm 117 anticipates a worship service that is global in scope. It is a psalm for any Lord’s Day, but it is especially appropriate for the celebration of a worldwide communion Sunday. God is missional, so the gospel is missional, and our worship should also be missional.

Psalm 112

How do you define “righteousness?” Surely it deals with faithfulness and love for God as well as for each other. Interestingly, the writer of Ps 112 suggests that righteousness is directly related to material generosity. Perhaps no area of life reflects our faith more than wealth. How we view material possessions reflects how we view God. The Bible consistently calls the people of God to be distributors of wealth rather than consumers of it. We are stewards of wealth not owners of it. We must see that God is the sole source behind our ability to earn a living. No matter the amount of our income, we must learn to view material possessions as opportunities to reflect the giving heart of God. God is the great Giver and we, as people made in his image, should be givers as well. God designed us to be distributors.

The writer of Ps 112 understood the difference between being a consumer of wealth and a distributor of it. The entire psalm reflects a “righteous” individual (112:3, 4, 6, 9) who sees wealth through eyes of faith. For the psalmist, being “righteous” is synonymous with being generous. The righteous person shares wealth with those in need (vv. 5, 9). God knows this man’s heart and knows how he views his wealth. God knows that the righteous person sees his/her possessions as gifts of God that are not to be hoarded selfishly but rather distributed selflessly. It takes a great deal of spiritual discipline to develop such a mature view of wealth.

The righteous man probably did not come to practice generosity out of the natural state of his heart. Rather, he learned generosity through studying and obeying God’s word (v. 1). This may be an allusion to Deut 15 which is an entire section of the Law devoted to generosity. Again, the righteous person views his wealth through eyes of faith. The righteous man has learned to trust in the Lord for his own sustenance (v. 7). It is because he is blessed by God that he now blesses others. God blesses those who bless others.

This psalm does not suggest that you will become rich if you simply resolve to be generous. There is no health and wealth here. However, this psalm does suggest that you will be “blessed” (v. 1). Being blessed is better than being rich. Throughout Psalms, blessed is described as that which is favorable in God’s eyes. Being blessed means that God looks on you favorably.

The apostle Paul uses Ps 112 in 2 Cor 9:9. He appeals to its message of generosity in an effort to get the Corinthian Christians to send material support to the poor Christians in Jerusalem who were devastated by a severe famine. Paul’s main point is that since God is generous the church should be generous as well. God’s generosity is to be reflected in the material lives of his people. We are to be distributors of wealth since God himself is a distributor. The message of Ps 112 is that distributors are both righteous and blessed.

Psalm 109

The Imprecatory Psalms are among the most difficult psalms to read for Christians. They seem to be in direct contradiction to Jesus’ command to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44). The Imprecatory Psalms are: 35, 55, 59, 69, 79, 109 and 137. The word “imprecation” simply means “curse.” Thus, the Imprecatory Psalms call down curses from heaven onto the wicked enemies of the faithful. Perhaps you have never been as angry at the wicked as these psalms reflect. But let us be honest. What is your first response to men like Adolf Hitler, Osama bin Ladin, and Sadam Hussein? I would be willing to bet that these names don’t fill your heart with warm, fuzzy thoughts of love and forgiveness. Honestly, they make us quite angry. This is the kind of anger reflected in the Imprecatory Psalms.

For the sake of space, I will not comment in as much detail on a specific psalm at this time. I will instead discuss the emotions and theology behind Imprecatory Psalms. Nonetheless, Ps 109 is one of the severest of these psalms. In short, the wicked man is cursed because of his failure to reflect the love of God. He is cursed because of his hard heart and lack of love. The wicked man is not so much cursed for his personal attack of the righteous (though that comes into play in vv. 2-5) but more for his outright rejection of God. The psalmist is angry because the wicked fail to reflect the loving-kindness of God.

The most important aspect to gain from the Imprecatory Psalms is that vengeance is completely given to God. The psalmists do not act on their own initiative. They have no malicious intent but rather commit the matter to God. They give to God not only their lament about their own desperate situation, but also the right to judge the wicked who cause that desperate situation. They leave everything in God’s hands, even feelings of hatred and aggression. They express those feelings and then give the matter wholly to God.

The Imprecatory Psalms are not designed to be the conclusion of our anger toward the wicked. I think these psalms reflect the first step in the forgiving process. You see, if we are honest, forgiveness is not usually our first response to evil; it is anger. These psalms allow us to vent our anger, direct it toward God, and wait for his judgment. Then, and only then, after giving the matter to God, can we forgive. In short, when confronted by evil in our world, step one is to express our anger, giving the matter to God, and step two is forgiveness. I think the Imprecatory Psalms reflect step one in the forgiving process while Jesus’ words in Matt 5:44 reflect step two. You cannot learn to love and forgive your enemies until you first learn to give the matter to God.

Psalm 96

Worship is the response of the creation to the Creator. It is when God’s holiness overwhelms us to the point that all we can do is kneel in humility. Biblically speaking, worship is composed of two central elements: 1) praise to God for his holiness, and 2) encouragement for the people of God. Worship is both vertical (praise to God) and horizontal (encouragement for one another).

Psalm 96 expresses both of these elements of worship. The author honors God for his glory and then declares that glory to the assembly of God’s people. The psalmist is careful not to silence his worship. It is declared publicly (vv. 2-3). We are to praise God by singing of his marvelous acts of deliverance done on behalf of his people. When God delivers his people from times of trouble a “new song” is called for (v. 1). New acts of deliverance are cause for new songs of praise. The old doesn’t always apply in the new. The kind of singing described here is that of public declaration. This is no mere internal reflection on the glory of God (which is appropriate at times) but is rather an announcement in the midst of the assembly. God’s salvation is not to be kept secret but rather proclaimed for all to hear (vv. 2-3).

The author continues his praises emphasizing God’s worthiness of worship (v. 4). When God is compared to all others only he is worthy of worship (vv. 5-6). God’s splendor is such that no other god can compare. His holiness demands worship (v. 9). The fact that God’s holiness is completely and totally incomprehensible to us should drive us to worship. It is in worship that we recognize that God’s holiness exceeds our imaginations. He is totally beyond all that we can imagine.

Even the natural creation praises God (vv. 11-12). The visible creation is a testimony to the creative power of God. Jesus described this aspect of worship when he declared that even if humanity refused to worship God the stones would “cry out” (Luke 19:40). Jesus’ point is that all of nature is meant to glorify God; and it does!

So as we assemble together as the people of God let us not forget to sing the praises of our glorious God. But rest assured, even if we, in our stubbornness, fail to worship God, creation worships regardless. Let us take the opportunity, as the assembly of God’s people, to worship God for being our Creator.

Psalm 32

Confession plays a pivotal role in the Christian’s life. It is that grand event that brings sin out of the darkness of deceit and into the light of life. The expressed, acknowledged sin has lost all its power to enslave. It has been revealed and judged as sin and can no longer hinder fellowship. Dietrich Bonhoeffer suggests that the final breakthrough to Christian fellowship occurs on the level of sin. That is, we have “fellowship” with one another because we share the reality of sin in our lives. No one is immune to sin. The fact is that we are sinners. But confession allows us to experience the grace of God, enjoy fellowship with each other as recipients of that grace, and undergo the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. In short, confession begins the process of repentance and allows us to be transformed into the image of Christ.

Psalm 32 is listed among the so called Penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143). These psalms are confessions to God. Specifically, Ps 32 teaches the role of confession as that which leads to a repentant lifestyle. It is the first step in the healing process. The psalm begins with a statement of blessedness (vv. 1-2). “Blessed” may be loosely defined as “favorable in God’s eyes.” Thus, those whose sins are forgiven are favored by God. God smiles upon those who humbly admit their sin and turn to him for forgiveness and healing. David then describes the role of guilt in the confession-repentance process (vv. 3-4). He describes how keeping sin private and in the darkness led to an aching within him. This is not a physical aching but rather that which stems from a hurting soul. It is a deep sense of discontent. Guilt, if not confessed, eats away the inner-life. But upon confession guilt disappears and forgiveness reigns (v. 5). Guilt is not necessarily a bad thing. Granted, if it causes paralysis and stagnation in one’s spiritual life then guilt is one of Satan’s most effective tools. But if it causes us to be pro-active, leading to repentance and a changed lifestyle, guilt is one of God’s motivational tools. In short, guilt should not cause paralysis but rather should cause us to be pro-active, leading to confession and repentance.

David then exhorts us all to take advantage of confession as we pray to God (v. 6). He emphasizes the freewill involved in confession (v. 9). God does not force us to turn to him as one forces an animal with a bit and bridle. Instead, he encourages us to turn to him out of our own freewill and common sense. Confession is our response to God’s initiative of grace. God invites us to turn to him and we humbly accept his grace. The end result of confession is joyful fellowship (v. 11). Once again, through confession, sin looses all its power to erode our spirits.

We are encouraged to take advantage of confession. It is a gift of God that he allows us to pray to him (or to confess to our siblings in Christ). Confession is a good thing! It is the first step in the healing process. Proverbs 28:13 sums up the message of Ps 32: “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

Psalm 46

In times of war Ps 46 reminds the people of God to place their trust in him alone. It is a psalm of confidence. Psalm 46 consists of two main stanzas declaring confidence in God: 1) vv. 1-7 describe the presence of God and 2) vv. 8-10 declare the power of God. The prevailing thought in the psalm is that God’s presence among his people is enough to secure victory for them (vv. 5, 7, 11). Since God dwells among his people they declare “Immanuel” – “God with us” (vv. 7, 11). Psalm 46 expresses the presence and power of God within his chosen people.

Many times we are tempted to place our trust in our own military prowess and might. It is easy for powerful nations to become arrogant, placing their confidence in their own ability to wage and win wars. But it is not so with the people of God. God is their refuge and strength (v. 1). Israel had a grand army at one time in her history. Her borders expanded more under kings David and Solomon than under any other Israelite king. Even so, the writer of Ps 46 reminds the nation in whom to place their trust (v. 1). Their faith is in God Almighty alone. For the people of God military might always takes a back seat to the sovereignty of God.

The world is a very unstable place (vv. 2-3). There is nothing in this world that is unshakable except the presence of God among his people. It is only in God’s presence that the church expresses her confidence in times of war. God acts on behalf of his people in times of war. He destroys the weapons of the enemy and brings an end to war (vv. 8-9).

The most comforting part of this psalm is when God speaks and encourages his people to be confident in him: “Be still and know that I am God” (v. 10). This is not casually waiting around with quiet contemplation. This is primarily not a call to quietly meditate (though there is nothing wrong with meditation). It is a statement of confidence that may be paraphrased, “Watch this!” The point is, wait, watch, and witness what God has in store for those who trust him. God is the God who delivers his people in times of trouble, even times of war. So, it is important for the church to declare their trust in God since he has placed his presence within her (1 Cor 3:16). Through the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit the church should express even more confidence than ancient Israel. Indeed, through the work of Jesus and the indwelling Holy Spirit, God’s people shout the same words as in Ps 46: “Immanuel” – “God is with us!”

Psalm 62

Do you need some stability in your life? Do you often feel like you are swaying back and forth because of all the different forces in life? If you answered, “yes,” then you have something in common with David as he wrote Ps 62. Psalm 62 is a psalm of confidence. David expresses his need to turn to God for stability in his life. God alone is truly stable. Augustine, in the 3rd century, spoke of the restlessness of the human soul until it finds rest in God: "You stir man to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you" (Confessions, 1.1).

David begins the psalm with a declaration of trust (v. 1). He gains a sense of inner stillness that comes with yielding all fears, anxieties, and insecurities to God in an act of confidence. This confidence in God alone allows David to use words such as, “rock,” “fortress,” and “refuge,” to describe God as well as the stability gained by trusting in him. Apart from God David sees himself as a “leaning wall” and a “tottering fence” (v. 3). The original context of the psalm is unknown but the words suggest David is assaulted by wicked people who he encounters day after day (vv. 4, 9). But people are not the sole source of his instability. Perhaps his troubles are also the result of placing too much trust in his wealth (v. 10). The exact cause of David’s restlessness is a mystery. Nonetheless, his secure foundation is God alone (vv. 5-7). David’s personal experience of having God as his refuge moves him to encourage his faith community to do the same (v. 8). He uses his personal faith to stimulate faith in others. Individual faith and communal faith go hand in hand.

David ends Ps 62 by teaching that God’s power and love go hand in hand (vv. 11-12). The combination of God’s power with his love is truly wonderful. As Stewart Perowne wrote, “This is the only true representation of God. Power without love is brutality, and love without power is weakness. Power is the strong foundation of love, and love is the beauty and the crown of power.”

The world tempts us to make it the source of stability in our lives. From people to money, the world asks us to place our confidence where it does not belong. The world and all that it offers is unstable. It is shaky ground at best. Psalm 62 calls us to make God the bedrock of our lives. He is our rock, fortress, and refuge. Only when we seek the stability God brings will we experience his calm, his peace. This stillness is like the peace of God which passes all understanding that will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7).

Psalm 29

People have a tendency to view storms rather negatively. They often inconvenience us and can cause tremendous damage. We should respect storms and take the necessary precautions to protect ourselves as well as those we love. But the psalms always view storms positively as they are testimonies to the power of God. The psalmists always give praise and glory to God for demonstrating his power through nature, especially storms.

Psalm 29 takes us on a journey through a storm. David describes a violent storm with its wind, rain, thunder, and lightning (vv. 5-10). Psalm 29 honors God for his power as demonstrated in a storm and exalts him as King over his creation (vv. 1-2, 10). The storm is not seen as an inconvenience to life but rather as a witness to the power of the author of life. God’s covenant name, Yahweh, is repeated 18 times throughout Ps 29. The point is that even in the midst of the storm it is God who receives the author’s attention, not the storm. God is Lord over the storm.

Psalm 29 begins and ends with a declaration of praise to God for his strength (vv. 1, 11). This is a literary device used often in psalms to remind the reader of the main point of the psalm. The main point is made at both the beginning and the end of the psalm: God’s strength is revealed in the storm (vv. 1, 11). Both the beginning and end of the storm are seen as times to reflect on the power of God.

Perhaps the storm is meant to remind us that God is in control, not us. As God’s people we exalt him as our King and praise him for his power and provision (vv. 10-11). But we often become arrogant by thinking that we have sufficient power to provide for ourselves. Perhaps the storm is meant to remind us that God alone is our Provider. The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace (v. 11). To further the point that storms were viewed positively in biblical times, Ps 29 was often read at the end of the dry season as the rainy season began. Storms were a welcomed relief and foreshadowed God’s care for another season. How do you view the storm? Is it an inconvenience or are you reminded of the power of God?