Temptation

 January 8, 2023

I don’t know why I can’t leave well enough alone. I’m in our back room looking at the train layout that circles the room at about eight feet, and thinking that with a change in the brackets I made to fasten it to the wall, I could fit a secondary line beneath it just big enough for an HO set. I have most of the equipment; a couple years ago I picked up a couple boxes of assorted train stuff—four or five engines, a couple dozen cars, eight transformers, and lots of track. All that stuff is calling my name, and Linda isn’t discouraging me from my crazy ideas.

The fun for me is in the creation even more than operation. After all, you can only watch a train going in circles just so many times before it gets old, and I have neither the space nor the interest in building a layout with villages, staging areas, and mountains with trestles and tunnels. I appreciate those who have the time, interest, and money to create elaborate layouts, but I’m not one of them. It’s probably good that I don’t have the space. 

All of that makes me think about temptation. Any time I get to feeling a bit self-righteous, God reminds me that there have been plenty of times the only reason I didn’t yield to temptation was that I didn’t have the opportunity. Had the opportunity presented itself to me, I would likely have presented myself to the sin. It’s all about grace. I am keenly aware of the times God stepped in and stopped me from doing something foolish. Although I know it’s happened, I’m less aware of the times God steered me in a different direction away from the temptation without my knowing it. Whenever I have failed, it’s because I deliberately turned away from the provision God offered; whenever I succeeded, it’s because God smacked me alongside the head, got my attention, and intervened. To him alone belongs all the praise and glory!

Doing What Jesus Did

 January 6, 2023

In Mark 6:7, Jesus called his disciples to himself, not so they could merely enjoy being with him, but so that he could send them out to fulfill his mission of bringing the Good News to everyone they could reach. He does the same today. We aren’t called merely to gather and worship or fellowship or study, but to be with him, to learn from him so he can confidently send us into the world. Notice how Mark states the matter: “He began to send them out,” which means he wasn’t finished back then. He continues to send his followers into the world.

In vv. 12-13, when the disciples went out, they called on people to repent, ie. to change their way of thinking. When people change how they think, miracles happen. Demons leave, sickness departs. More than 50 years ago, I learned in beginning psychology class that more than 80% of our illnesses are psychologically induced, which means people could be free from many of their physical ailments if they changed how they think about their lives. I wonder what would happen in the Church if we Christians got serious about repentance—changing how we think.

In v. 30, Having told his disciples to go and preach, they went, and reported back the results. The response was far more than they could have imagined. Five thousand people wouldn’t have gathered to hear Jesus teach if the disciples hadn’t prepared the way by their spreading out through the land preaching. It’s the same methodology the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association used successfully for decades. At least a year before the event, teams of advance workers would actually move into the city where the crusade was to be held. The result was massive crowds when Dr. Graham arrived to preach. He merely copied Jesus’ method.

In v. 37, we read that Jesus commanded his disciples to do what they could not possibly do. When they told Jesus the people were getting hungry, he simply said, “You feed them.” I can imagine them looking at each other with incredulity. “There’s no way we can do this, Jesus; you’re the one who can provide the food. We’ve seen what you can do, so do it again.” But Jesus was adamant: this was their job. We don’t know what they were thinking when it all began, but I can imagine them muttering, “This is crazy; there’s no way. Why is he telling us to sit them down in groups?” 

But they brought the little they had and began to do the impossible thing he commanded. That which they couldn’t do on their own happened when they simply obeyed. It’s not our talent, our ability, or even our resources that determine what we can accomplish. It’s our faith and obedience that makes the difference. This entire sixth chapter of Mark is designed to teach us that what Jesus did, he wants us to do. He still feeds the five thousand, the same way he did back then, through the obedience of his followers who against all logic, believe his Word enough to act upon it.

Breathing Praise

 January 5, 2023

“The dead don’t praise the LORD.” —Psalm 115:17

As breath is life to the body, so praise is life to the spirit. If there is no praise, it’s because there is no life. The Christian who doesn’t praise God is a Christian in name only. As only the living breathe, so only the spiritually alive praise God. The level of my praise is the measure of my life. Prayer without praise is dead. 

Sleeper Faith

 January 4, 2023

Nearly fifty years ago, I was visiting my brother in law who at the time was living outside of Rochester, NY. He was somewhat of a gearhead, and had a friend with a “sleeper” 1958 Corvette. “How’d you like to go for a ride?” the my brother in law asked. “I’m sure he’d be happy to take you for a spin.” (For the uninitiated, a “sleeper” car is one on which the owner spent no money on frills like new paint or upolstery. Every cent went into the motor). 

Being somewhat of a gullible chump at the time, I said, “Sure,” and hopped in. At the time, my brother in law was living in a trailer court that only had a gravel driveway. His friend got behind the wheel, turned the ignition, hit the gas and popped the clutch. As my head jerked back, we barreled out of the driveway, literally took the corner on two wheels, and were going 120 mph before I knew what was happening. I’ve watched drag races, and have to believe we could have won that day.

Reading the first five chapters of Mark’s Gospel takes me back to that long-ago day. It’s like being climbing into the seat of a literary sleeper Corvette, revving the engine and popping the clutch. It’s a whirlwind, hang-onto-your-hat ride with Jesus at the wheel, laughing and saying, “You think THAT’s crazy; watch this!” He goes from miracle to miracle, healing, calling men to follow him, casting out demons, teaching, and all but challenging the religious leaders to a spiritual showdown. And all along, he’s telling people to stop being afraid and to believe the Good News. 

That command from Jesus is just as important today as it was back then. There was plenty to fear then, and there is plenty to fear now. He wouldn’t tell us to not fear if there weren’t legitimate things to be afraid of. But his word is true, and it takes the form of a command. He isn’t suggesting that we not fear; he commands it. He is able to command it because he is able to control it, if we believe. That’s the key: If I don’t believe God is in control in this crazy “sleeper Corvette” world, fear is the only other option. Jesus is behind the wheel; if you look close, you can see the twinkle in his eye as he stomps on the gas, takes the corner on two wheels, and glances your way to see you wide-eyed and white-knuckled, holding on for dear life. One thing Mark assures us—life with Jesus will never be dull.

Follow

 January 3, 2023

One of the first commands Jesus ever gave was to Andrew and Peter: “Follow me!” According to the Gospels, they did just that, and did it immediately (a favorite word of Mark). He called; they followed…immediately. There’s significance in that word. Too often, we act as if we had all the time in the world, when in reality, our time is limited, perhaps more than we realize. That’s a topic for another day.

Peter took Jesus’ command seriously, and without hesitation, he left everything his life had been, and followed Jesus. But at the end of Mark’s Gospel, there is a change in the wording. Peter followed “at a distance.” (14:54). By following this way, he ended up denying Jesus and grieving deeply at his weakness. Peter was afraid to come out in the open, much like ourselves. How often have I kept quiet when I could have spoken his Name? How often, instead of giving testimony, I sank into the shadows? Whenever we follow at a distance, we lose courage, because courage isn’t taught; it’s caught, and to catch it, we must get close to the Source. Denial, grief, and regret always follow when we follow at a distance.

In a Heartbeat

 January 2, 2022

Everything can change in a heartbeat. When I woke up in Cuba last April 13, I was planning to attend a wedding of two of my Cuban friends in just a couple days. Little did I expect to get a call from home telling me that my son Nathan had a brain bleed and had been taken to the hospital. One phone call, and everything changed. The wedding I had been excited to attend suddenly became secondary in my estimation. In the nine months since, life has remained changed. My prayers are more focused, I am more focused on life and relationships, so much of this world’s distractions and attractions have lost whatever luster they once had for me. They just don’t matter anymore.

The people of Ukraine—Everything changed when Russia invaded. Life suddenly became “un-normal” for millions. Things that were important suddenly became secondary.

When the new year began yesterday, football fans were looking forward to the Bills-Bengals matchup. A game that would determine placement in the playoffs was on the minds of every fan. No one in America expected that one of the players would be fighting for his life soon after kickoff. For Damar Hamlin, everything changed in a heartbeat. The game suddenly became just that—a game. As I write, we don’t know how this will end; we just know that life can change drastically in a heartbeat, and if it can change for Hamlin, it can change for you and me, too. Jesus spoke to the uncertainty of life when he said, “Watch, for you don’t know the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come” (Matthew 25:13). We usually think these words apply to the End of the Age, the Second Advent when Jesus returns to establish the Kingdom of God, but it is true for each of us with every single breath we draw. We don’t know which will be our last. We just don’t know. Which is why we are told to watch, to live as if the next moment will be our last. 

As a Christian, this means being aware of those around me. Many of my friends don’t know Jesus as the One who forgives their sins and offers them eternal life. Many of my friends don’t realize the seriousness of sin; the separation from God and others that occurs when we choose self over any and everyone else. Many of my friends are believers, but haven’t considered the seriousness of the call of God on their lives to bring the Good News of Salvation to others. And this includes myself. Every time I look into the eyes of another human being, I am looking into eternity. And when eternity is at stake, every moment counts…because everything can change in a heartbeat.

Immediately

 January 1, 2023

Today is the day of New Year’s Resolutions, and tomorrow we’ll begin procrastinating keeping them before ultimately breaking them in a week or two. Most of the time it’s probably not that important, but occasionally…

In the early days of his reign when David was king, it seemed he could do no wrong. Then came his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband; from that time on, David’s reign was one disaster after another. The worst was perhaps when his son Absalom plotted to overthrow the kingdom, but this was followed by others, one of which was a man named Sheba. There had always been a divide between the southern and the northern parts of the kingdom. David managed to unite them, but it was tenuous at best. Absalom’s rebellion was the chink in David’s armor, displaying the tribal and geographical weakness the northerner Sheba would exploit as he called for the northern tribes to rebel. 

To meet this threat, David ordered Amasa, one of his commanders, to assemble the army to meet the threat. Here we pick up the story.

“The king said to Amasa, “Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.” So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him.” —II Samuel 20:4-5 

There it is—delay, procrastination, failure to carry out orders as instructed. Before the story ends, Amasa is dead, murdered by Joab, David’s top general, who understood military necessity and the chain of command.

This brings us up to date, and the Scripture reading for today. Our men’s Bible study will begin studying through the New Testament in one year, beginning tomorrow. We are starting with the Gospel of Mark, and one of the most significant words in Mark’s gospel is “immediately.” Thirty six times Mark uses this word to describe how people responded to Jesus and his message. It would also be good if we could use this word to describe our response to Jesus. And it wouldn’t be a bad New Year’s resolution if we resolved to follow Jesus immediately, whatever he said, wherever he leads.