Scribbles on the Heart

Two days ago we celebrated Joel's seventh birthday. Today, we celebrate his new birth! At a little after 7:00 this evening Joel trusted Christ as His Savior! During supper, out on the patio, we were reviewing Ethan's memory verse for Sunday School - "The lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all He has made" (Psalm 145:13). So, does this mean we can trust God to give us a new bicycle tomorrow? Our kids apparently have a touch of the prosperity gospel in them because Joel and Ethan both answered in the affirmative. "But did God promise us a new bicycle?" Of course not, so what did He promise? "A new body when we die," Joel answered. Who will get this new body? "People who are saved." Are you one of them? "Ummm... no." And so, the real conversation began. For some time now Joel has been able to articulate saving faith very clearly for his age, and for some time he has known that saving faith is something he does not possess. We have been encouraging him to think about it, pray about it, ask questions about it, and when he is ready we will be thrilled to walk him through expressing this faith to God in repentance. So tonight I simply asked, "What is stopping you?" "Well, I just don't have the time." We all know what a seven-year-old's schedule is like, what, with all the car playing, Veggie-Tale watching and tree climbing. I told him that when he's ready we will make the time, no matter what. He said, "Then I guess we ought to do it tonight." Exactly what I was hoping for!

I encouraged him to talk to God about this while I get his brothers in bed, and then if he still thinks this is the right time we will stay up and talk some more. And so we did. I was walking him through some Scripture and came to Romans 10:9-10. "For with the heart one believes and is justified..." O boy. I forgot "justified" was in there. How do I explain "justified" to a seven-year-old? Only seconds into my explanation he said, "Wait, I know this. When we sin it's like scribbles on our heart. When we confess our sins Jesus' blood is like an eraser and then God doesn't see the scribbles anymore." Martin Luther himself couldn't have said it better!

His prayer was a beautiful seven-year-old prayer, "God, I hope you'll save me because I'm a sinner. Please forgive me, and I hope You'll help me to do what's right."

My son is now my brother, and the scribbles on his heart are forever erased. Thanks be to God!

The Human Side

John 2:1-5

While reading John, like the other Gospels, it is sometimes helpful to read it from the vantage point of the present (the time of the book’s writing) looking back. For example, John 1:11-13 leaps off the page when we consider what happens in Acts. The Gospel, scorned by the Jews, breaks free from national Israel and spreads like fire through the world of the Gentiles.

“He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” Yes, we figured that out when they killed Him. “But to all who did receive him… were born… not of the will of man, but of God.” Ah, that explains what happened on Pentecost. God is doing this!

This story, however, I want to understand from the past. Only I can’t. What was Jesus like prior to age 30? We know about his miraculous conception. We’ve studied Mary’s “magnificat.” We know that while some said “wow” and walked away, Mary “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk 2:19). We are familiar with the story of Jesus the boy genius who confounded the Rabbis and terrified His parents by hiding out in the Temple. We know that after this Jesus “increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Lk 2:52) and that after this chapter Joseph is conspicuously absent from the biblical narrative. What is so mysterious to me is that after the second chapter of Luke, 18 years pass before chapter 3. What was Jesus like?

John’s Gospel opens with Jesus as the Word who was God in eternity past and then thrusts Him into the earthly scene on the heels of John the Baptist. Other than calling a small band of disciples the first thing we see of this 30 year old mysterious Deity-in-flesh is Him prematurely (in His own words) revealing His God-ness in obedience to the wishes of His mother. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with His mom and the Word did what she told Him to do.”

I am not trying to be irreverent; I am merely trying to point out that there are some very human dynamics going on here. Mary knew that Jesus was far more than simply a man. From his conception she knew that Jesus was of God. At least by age 12 she knew that He had a special mission from His Heavenly Father. At His crucifixion it is clear that they were very close, and even into Acts we see her allegiance to her son/Savior (1:4). But, the first thing John tells us of her is that she was very comfortable playing the roll of His mother.

I can’t help but think of my relationship with my own mother, and how the Jesus/Mary relationship must have been very similar, and how it must have been very different. Several years ago when I told my mom I was considering becoming a military chaplain she said, “But those are rough people. Do you really want to be around people that rough?” What she really meant was (I think) “But you are my baby boy. I can’t imagine you hanging around with those roughnecks!” The beautiful irony of the situation was that she was on her way to Nicaragua, land of riots and kidnappings, following the journey Jesus laid out for her. What was it like for Mary when she saw the kind of company her perfect baby boy kept? Tax collectors. Lame. Prostitutes. Leprous. “But those are rough people…” And yet, unknowingly at the time, her journey would take her to the foot of her son’s cross – literally. What a roller coaster of emotions life must be for a mom.

Moms have an amazing knack for giving unsolicited advice to their sons in very inventive ways. One year while I was in Seminary, working full time, and trying to figure out how to be a dad to our first born, I got a very strange birthday present from my parents. A kite. Rebekah and I looked at each other and shrugged, and then it hit me. “I think my mom is telling me to relax,” I said. I was right, and so was she. It worked.

But surely Mary never needed to give Jesus any advice. Or is that what she is doing here? “Jesus, they have no wine (wink/nudge).” I’m not saying that Jesus needed the push. I’m just saying that maybe His mom thought He did. Several years have passed since my mom tried to talk me out of joining the military. She’s nothing but supportive now, and has been since before I made the final decision. Since then I’ve gotten her a tour of the B2 Stealth Bomber, which she loved. She saw me in my service dress for the first time recently and unable to come up with a more fitting adjective said I was “gorgeous.” I guess there was no other word capable of carrying the weight of motherly pride that was gushing out in tears and a huge smile. She’s in my corner, encouraging me, knowing that I can succeed far beyond what I am convinced is my own potential. But isn’t that what mom’s do, once they get over the initial shock of us growing up? How many men have gotten that motherly push to move out, get a job, ask the girl out… “They have no wine (wink/nudge).”

The point of all of this is that whatever conversations took place between Mary and Jesus between Luke 2 and John 2, they must have been very human. Jesus, born of a virgin, confounding the wise as a pre-teen, then shocking the human race by revealing His deity to save the face of an unnamed wedding host, was human. He had a mom just like you. They loved each other just like my mom and I do. And, just like I, at age 30, still listen to my Mom we may never have been able to tell the story of 30-year-old Jesus turning water into wine were it not for his mom saying, “Jesus, they have no wine (wink/nudge).”

Quality time with Dad

So this one time... I was playing with Seth by a river in Colorado, and well... I dropped him in. He cleaned up really nice though. It's amazing that kids survive childhood. What's more amazing is that even though we do things like drop them in the mud, they constantly want to be with us (at least the little ones do). One day when Joel was about two or three I peaked into his room as he woke up from his nap. In one smooth movement he opened his eyes, heaved his still heavy head from his pillow, and slurred with a sleepy tongue, “Daddy, let’s go play in the play room.” It seems that every waking moment these kids want to play, and they want to play with me or their mom. I'm sure that will change one day so I'm taking all I can get right now. How about you? Do you constantly crave time with your Father? We find so many things to do all day - news, work, jogging, vegging. Do you, as you lift your head from your pillow think about spending time in the presence of your Father God? You know that He desires that time with you, and honestly, He'll never drop you in a Colorado river. Cry out for Him. He'll be there.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"

witness

Our love of our Father should be so deep within us that we aren’t ashamed of it in front of our peers.

Jeremiah 1:7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. ⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD."

Christmas program, 2006 – Joel finds himself standing in front of 200, in his mind, dangerous, people.  With all eyes fixed on him, in a shaky voice he pleads, “Daddy?” Rebekah and I got his attention and watched the concern give way to joy as he pointed and announced to what could have been the world as far he was concerned, “There’s my Mommy and Daddy!” 

Do we love our Father enough to joyfully, unashamedly, confidently, point Him out to a hostile audience?

Daddy > the dragon ninja

I was catching a little Saturday morning TMNT when a dragon wrapped Master Splinter up in his tail and began thrashing him around, slamming him into the ground and surrounding buildings. My two-year old looked at me and said, "that dragon strong like you, Daddy!" Oh ya, that's the way it should be. The paradigm by which my boys evaluate the strength of a medieval, reptilian, martial warrior is me. Ah... fatherhood.

The Perfect Father

Matthew 19:14 but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."

As I search the Scriptures I do not see very many references to God’s fatherhood. They are there, please don’t misunderstand. But when compared to the frequency of references to God’s justice, righteousness, holiness, and others of His “harder” attributes, His fatherhood may appear to be a characteristic of lesser import. Reaching such a conclusion, however, would be to misunderstand the character of God.

Being a father (poor example as I am of God’s fatherhood) has taught me much about the character of my heavenly Father. I do not act as a father. I am a father. When I read a book to my kids I don’t preface it with, “as your father I am connecting with you in a special way through the reading of this book for your education and the strengthening of our relationship.” When I discipline them I don’t cite my parental authority to carry it out. When I get up before dawn to go to work I don’t announce that my motivation to do so is sleeping in the next room. Nor are these are actions a representation of a mere segment of my life. They are actions overflowing from who I now am. I am a father.

So it is with my Father. He need not say it frequently to make true. He demonstrates it throughout His Word and throughout my life. He provides as a father, disciplines as a father, instructs as a father, even when He doesn’t announce it in those terms. God’s attributes are eternal and therefore present in each and every one of His actions and statements. Unlike my imperfect fatherhood, His actions and statements are perfectly consistent according to His fatherly love for me. And so, I need not fear His “harder” attributes because it is my Father who is the Judge, my Father who is righteous, my Father who is holy, and all the while inviting me, His rebellious son, to walk in a father-son relationship with Him.

Even now through the unspeakable blessing of being a father myself He is drawing me closer to Himself – to His fatherly love towards me. The series of posts that will follow are a handful of those lessons that I rarely share out loud because my leak-happy tear-ducts betray how close these thoughts are to my heart. These vignettes are both convicting and humbling as they never fail to remind me just how finite I am and how perfect He is. My prayer is that these words challenge us all to walk ever more closely with the only One truly worthy of the honorable title, “Father.”

Melchizedekian Tithe or a Living Sacrifice

What does Melchizedek teach us about tithe? Those who confine the principle of tithing to the Old Testament do so (usually) by pointing to its Mosaic Law origins. Under grace we are not bound by law, so why would we insist that this one piece of the law is binding now? On the other side, some who believe the principle of tithing is for the church, point to Melchizedek as proof that tithe predates law. If tithe predates law then it is a constant principle, not belonging to one era or one people. But what does the Genesis 14 actually have to say about tithe?

Who was Melchizedek? Whether or not he was preincarnate Christ is irrelevant for our study. (Although, I would like to point out that the definition of his name – “King of Righteousness” – isn’t much help in that debate. My name means “My God.”) Abram saw Melchizedek as either God, or at the very least, a representative of God. So, when tithing to him, Abram was, any way you slice it, tithing to God.

But why? What was Abram’s motive? Tithe was a common cultural practice in the suzerain/vassal society of the land. The vassal tithed as payment for and demonstration of the suzerain’s protection. In rescuing Lot, Abram also rescued the five kings of the five cities, which had been captured along with Lot. In gratitude, the king of Sodom approached Abram, we learn later, to shower him with the goods won in battle. Had Abram accepted his offer it would have been a demonstration of humility by the king of Sodom as vassal, and Abram, suzerain. It is in the middle of this encounter that Melchizedek appears and Abram demonstrates to these four pagan kings who the real Suzerain is. He uses a common expression from their culture to honor his God as the one who “delivered thine enemies into thy hand.” This is why Abram refused the offer. It would have distorted the message he was preaching. He would have communicated, “I serve the Most High who alone can deliver us, but I’ll take your cash too.” No, Abram was no suzerain. He saw himself a vassal, and also demonstrated himself to be a one through his humbled posture. The act was not one of obligation, but gratitude. It was not one of necessity. It was not what the law teaches for Levitical provision. It was not the storehouse tithe of Malachi for temple maintenance. It was a one-time act, not the regular giving a church needs today. It was a ceremony borrowed from pagans to show those same pagans who they should be serving.

The tithe sermon I have heard several times goes something like this: We take “storehouse tithe” from Malachi (which appeals to law), point to Melchizedek to prove its timelessness (which was not storehouse tithe), go to Jesus’ conversation with Pharisees for confirmation (which was actually confrontation), and finally appeal to Paul for regularity (which was actually a one time gift for a specific situation and organized for convenience). God’s Word has a much simpler plan for the church. But I’ll worn you, it’s much more demanding (Romans 12:1-2). But, that’s a whole sermon, not a blog.