BIBLE READING: Judges 9

Gideon’s defeat of the Midianites was unexpected. God had whittled his army down to 300 against more than 100,000, and they won handily (Judges 7.19-23; 8.10). Add to that Gideon was an unmotivated, cowardly cave dweller with no clout and little experience (Judges 6.11, 15). This victory was clearly Divine.

But the victory did not serve to further God’s glory among his people. As Gideon completed the assault against the Midianite kings, he kept their purple garments and ornaments from their camels as a token and reminder to himself (Judges 8.21, 26). The people were ready to make him a king, and though he refused, he accepted a tremendous amount of gold spoil from them which he made into an ephod (8.21-27). This was put in his city as a testament to his leadership and caused the people to be unfaithful to, even to whore after something other than, God (8.27). Furthermore, Gideon’s proud choice put a superiority complex in the minds of his family, becoming a snare to them and the nation (8.27). They were now the leading class in Israel (9.2). In this climate, Abimelech stepped in to take advantage of his opportunity. He convinced the tribes of his worthiness and consolidated his power by killing 70 of his brothers (9.1-6). However, this unsanctioned behavior prompted God to create discord between Abimelech and the tribals leaders (9.22), leading to conspiracy, war and ultimately the circumstance leading to his death (9.25-55). It all seems a bit random, but ‘thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing is seventy brothers’ (9.56).

How sad that this was the follow-up to a clearly Divine moment of salvation! And yet we see once again the depravity of human choices apart from God’s leadership. Godly influence can so easily be undone by pride. For all the good changes in Gideon’s time, his legacy left the nation in a worse place than before. The good of the past didn’t justify the lapse of judgment in the present leading to failure in the future. We must learn to be on guard and not allow past success to prop us up with pride. Even the ‘greatest’ people of faith made choices that negatively impacted their families and the future (think David with Bathsheba). As the scriptures say, ‘pride comes before a fall’ (Proverbs 16.18) and ‘do not think more highly of yourself than you ought to but think with sober judgment’ (Romans 12.3).

We have been saved through a clearly Divine act of God’s grace, and any success we experience in our lives should be treated as his grace. We must position ourselves and our families in this grace by teaching them to give him glory. This means we don’t act for our own pride when teaching and training them. We must act with settled determination to help others know God rather than act for our good. We must check our desires to ensure we don’t leverage our opportunities to receive attention deserving of God. This is how we raise a generation to know God. But more importantly this is the purpose of our lives.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2.9-10)

BIBLE READING: Judges 2

Judges 2.10-23 summarizes the sad cycle of the book of Judges: The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD (2.10-11) … so he gave them over to plunderers (2.14) … Then the LORD raised up judges who saved them… whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers (2.17, 19). This generation did not know life in slavery, and many of them did not know war (Judges 3.1). They were recipients of this good land but were not equipped with a knowledge of God to make them grateful (Judges 2.10-11). Instead, they were entitled and enticed by everything but God (Judges 2.12-13). The kernels of disobedience from the conquest generation (Judges 2.1-2) quickly blossomed into betrayal which led to overt rebellion against God.

In this context, we learn much about the faithfulness of God, who kept reaching out through discipline and salvation. But I want to focus on their habitual response: “they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers” (2.19)

Human rationale can be ridiculous, even stupid at times. How bull-headed do you have to be to spurn the one who saved you?God’s activity is completely undeserved and demonstrates unparalleled love and desire for relationship. And yet people so easily take that for granted. Perhaps we have fallen victim to this before. Have you ever pled with the Lord to change your circumstances, even making promises to be different and more faithful, only to slide back into your routines afterward? This is a natural response that is not just rude; it is wicked.

This generation did not see the hand of God in their circumstances because they had not been trained to do so. They knew what they wanted and even what others were doing; but they had no knowledge of God’s operation through his servants or his ability to save. And so, as the prophet would later say, “My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4.6). He’s not referring simply to book smarts but awareness of God’s nature and work. When God’s people don’t know and trust him, they will credit other sources and turn back to what is comfortable or attractive.

We are inundated with information like never before and it motivates us to the same place it did these people. We are drawn by emotions and attractions. This can lead to superficial practices, and worse, a heart that desires its own pleasure. God’s people turn back from God when relationship with him is not clearly in view. We must be diligent to establish our lives in the knowledge of God and his efforts towards us. He does not give us good things so that we can go about life without him. Instead, we are his workmanship created in Christ so that we might be a people for his own possession (Ephesians 2.10; 1 Peter 2.9-10). Let’s not be foolish and let comfort, pleasure or good things draw us from the one who gives those good things. Instead, “in everything give thanks for this is the will of God” (1 Thessalonians 5.18) and “let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (Hebrews 13.15)

BIBLE READING: John 13
This blog is an excerpt from the sermon “Unconditional Love”

“[Jesus] laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (John 13.4-5)

Jesus knew that in a few hours, pain was coming. He would be beaten beyond human semblance (Isaiah 52.14, Matthew 20.18-19), pierced, mocked and then hanged on a tree to be a spectacle. He knew one of his inner circle—Judas—would betray him (John 13.2, 21-ff). He knew his apostles didn’t understand what was coming or what he was doing (John 13.7). Knowing these things, Jesus got down on the floor and washed feet, because he loved his own to the end (13.1). Love wasn’t something he merely felt; it was choice that he made long before this moment. The fact is Jesus had already stooped down from the glories of heaven to live in a broken world; and he continued to stoop down to show the love of God to the world. The humble movement of Jesus shows God’s Divine nature to love and serve.

Our world treats love like something that ebbs and flows with the circumstances of life; but Jesus teaches that love is a constant— it is unconditional—and as we grow, we ought to express love more like Jesus. In this moment, Jesus washed feet to teach us what love looks like (John 13.15). If we call him Teacher and Lord (John 13.13), we should do this too. He’s not talking just about washing feet. He’s talking about learning to love by choosing to serve. 

Am I willing to wash feet if it means suffering? People sometimes say and do hurtful things out of ignorance. Your pride, reputation and even relationships can suffer and make you want to protect yourself. What does love look like in these circumstances?  Love bears all things… hopes all things… endures all things (1 Corinthians 13.4-8). Love keeps its mouth shut (Isaiah 53.7; John 19.9-11) realizing the foolishness of trying to defend my own pride.

Am I willing to wash the feet of Judas? There will be people who accuse you of wrong things. They will manipulate and abuse their relationship with you. How you respond is not inconsequential. The example of Jesus is clear. Confront the evil in this world with humility and love.

Am I willing to wash feet even if it’s unappreciated or misunderstood? Many people will complain and coerce when love is not reciprocated. Some will stop serving altogether. We need to understand that is both immature and proud. We are not more deserving than Jesus. We are not deserving of love at all, and yet the love of God has been manifest to us in our worst of circumstances to give us hope (Romans 5.6-11). Unconditional love is a practice of the gospel.

Ultimately, we love because he first loved us and gave himself up for us (1 John 4.19). We did not seek him; he sought us. We did not deserve, but were, by most standards, unlovable. But God so loved the world that he gave his Son Jesus to teach us how to love God and love others

BIBLE READING: John 7-9

There was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him. (John 7.12-13)

There were obvious realities about Jesus. He did undeniable signs from God (John 3.2; 7.31; 9.32-33) and he spoke differently than most people, even the religious leaders (John 7.46). The crowds acknowledged these realities, but on many occasions were influenced by another present force: fear. In many cases they feared the religious leaders who did not believe in Jesus. These leaders had power to cast them out of the synagogue and even impact their social and economic status. When faced with the truth versus immediate consequences, many were swayed to follow the acceptable narrative (ex. John 9.18-23).

We know the influence of others is powerful. Hence the warning, “bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Corinthians 15.33).Throughout history, this fear has been one of the most powerful instruments of control. Whether real or imagined, the threats of military force, of public disgrace, and of financial ruin have all been used to motivate or discourage people, even nations. However, fear can limit our willingness to be honest and accept objective realities. It encourages us to conform to something more acceptable. It’s scary how blind we can become when strongly opposed and presented with consequences.

Fear can negatively impact our choices; but it can also be positive when properly placed. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1.7). In fact, Jesus would encourage properly placed fear. “…have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known… Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10.26, 28). Fear is a motivator. Fear leads us to protect the thing we value the most. In the case of most people that is their pride, their prized relationships, and their life.

Who or what do you value the most? Fear and love are intimately connected. I would argue that fear is an indicator of love. We fear losing what we love the most. In this world, fear often causes us to scramble and stress to maintain connection to these things, even at the cost of truth and reality. But the fear of God has just the opposite effect. This fear reminds us that we are not God and that he trumps all others. He can (and should) regard us with judgment, but instead he loves and gives us mercy (Psalm 31.19; 76.7-12; 86.11-17; ). We must not fear other forces that blind from this eternal truth. Whatever fear we face, let us realize how small it in compared to the holiness and love of God in Christ; and “let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7.1).

BIBLE READING:  John 2

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” …he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (John 2.19-22)

In the moment Jesus’ comments made no sense. The temple had taken 46 years to build—this man was talking crazy! Or was he… Some people wrote him off, but his disciples hung in there; and after his resurrection they understood what he was talking about. Moments like this remind us that, from the beginning of his ministry, Jesus understood his purpose and the mode through which it would be accomplished. Some would scoff and even his disciples would deny it (Matthew 16.21-23). But farther along it would all make sense.

It would be nice to have perfect clarity. But alas, we are limited by time, space and understanding. Something that seems confusing today may gain clarity with life experience and wisdom. Moments like this one in John 2, remind us that everyone has limitations in what we can know and understand. This is especially true regarding God’s word. There are some things we read and think they seem backwards or counterproductive. For instance, how can turning the other cheek be better for me when I’m being belittled and treated like a doormat? How can greater self-control give me freedom? Even in the church, people have reasoned against God’s patterns in favor of a larger organization structure because it leads to ‘greater good.’ In the moment we often reason for temporary results. But in God’s words are eternal truths that operate on a larger scope.

As the wise man wrote, “Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good” (Proverbs 16.20). Scripture requires reflection, consideration, time and experience to understand. That’s because we don’t have the Divine capacity to understand comprehend all truth in a moment of time. We can’t see the long-term effects of a bad habit. We can’t see how a bad situation can be good for me. Some of it is we just don’t know what God is up to; and we may never know. But some of it is that we just have to wait for God’s timing.

We must accept the reality that God’s word will prove true (Proverbs 30.5) and give us the best way forward. However, for this to benefit us, we must do 3 things:

1. Treasure his word in our hearts. Psalm 119.11. It keeps us from sin and becomes and active force in our lives when we need it. When God’s word is stored in our hearts, it can flow from our mouth and give us clarity from the Spirit.
2. Wrestle with these words. Peter warned us there are some difficult things in scripture to understand (2 Peter 3.16). Like other people of faith, we need to be willing to ask the hard questions. As we do, our understanding will be confronted, and we must evolve.
3. Learn to wait. Sometimes time is our best teacher. We’re all operating on God’s time schedule; and the sooner we can get on board with that, the sooner we’ll find the peace we’re all looking for. As the song says, “Farther along we’ll know all about it. Father along we’ll understand why. Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine. We’ll understand it all by and by.”