Tasked With Judgment
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce
I’ve always found this passage chilling. I get goosebumps when I think of how Lewis flips the familiar phrase “Thy will be done” from The Lord’s Prayer. He cleverly inverts it to demonstrate the reality of those who reject the compassion of their Creator and instead make themselves god.
Humans choosing Hell for themselves is demonstrated by passages about judgment from John Chapters 3 and 5. In the gospel of John, we see Jesus easing the Jews into an understanding of who he truly is, but in Chapter 5 he really starts pulling out all the stops: “You thought the Father would be your judge? Well, it’s actually going to be me. Who or what does that make me then? Yep, the Father’s equal, folks. In fact, if you believe in me, you won’t be subject to death. I can breathe life into your dead limbs just like the Father because… (ready for it?)... we’re one and the same.” I can picture the Pharisees exchanging glances of disgust and horror over this “heretical” statement.
Jesus says something similar in John 3, but with more subtlety; you can see he’s already preparing the soil: “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19). Who is “the light”? Jesus himself. But what about “the judgment”? Well, first, let’s remember the scenario played on repeat throughout the Old Testament: the Jews would run to the Father in times of need, then ignore him when times were good; He would show them their brokenness, then forgive them when they ran to him again in desperation.
But now, Jesus is informing the Jews that he is the last line of defense against eternal separation from the Father. There will be no more “next times” or “whoopsies.” When the Jews, or any humans, choose to reject Jesus the Son, that’s it. There are no more “second chances.” He is their second chance because He is the judgment. In other words, our decision to embrace or reject Jesus will determine our post-death futures: basking in the ecstasy of God’s presence or cut off from the very source of being, joy, and goodness (aka Hell).
One of the many pieces of good news about this reality is that our judge is also the one who died for us. Not so he could guilt-trip or manipulate us with, “See what I did for you? Now YOU deliver by doing what I ask of you,” but because he actually cares about saving us from ourselves. And if you really think about it, who gets the privilege of being judged by the person who died to save them? By the one who loves them more deeply than any other being in existence? Sign me up!
Ashley Carr
Giver of Life
Giver of Life
Do you remember in the not-so-distant past when a new word entered our vocabulary, COVID, and life as we knew it came almost to a stop? It seemed as if overnight everything familiar changed. We no longer went to work. The roads and freeways were quiet. Children didn’t go to school. We didn’t worship in church. I remember coming to the office every couple of days to check the mail and it was an eerie feeling to be in an almost empty building. Life seemed to have gone out of it because it had. Yet, God the giver of life, never left and he never left us.
Looking back, what happened was almost miraculous. No one gave up and said, well I guess we just won’t have church during the pandemic. We pivoted. Ryan preached from trails, groves, vineyards, beaches, and soon the courtyard as well. Our services went online and our staff began taking care of people in a whole new way. We formed teams to call people, we found new volunteers to help shut-ins and many others who needed help, we took prayer requests, we had online meetings and we PRAYED! We all learned the true meaning of working remotely and doing it in a completely different way. Thanks be to God. We learned so much about ourselves, other people, and our Creator.
There were so many unknowns during that time. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you. So instead let’s talk about what we did and do know. Life went on even though it was different. We found our strength in the One ultimately in control when everything seemed to be out of control. We knew that Jesus was interceding for us with the Father (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25) and was our advocate. (1 John 2:1) Jesus Christ alone mediates between God and man. “For there is one God and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) Jesus is always pleading our case, like a defense lawyer before the Father on our behalf. And he is appointed by his Father. John 5:26 says, “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.”
Jesus tells us in John 10:10b, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." This promise means that though life changes, sometimes even drastically, we can count on the giver of life to see us through and give us purpose and a hope.
Deb Hill
Worthy of Honor
Worthy of Honor
Though it may seem odd, some fathers are jealous of their sons. They don’t want their sons to be more successful than they are. They don’t want their sons to receive more recognition than they do. They don’t want their sons to receive more glory than they get. Not so with God.
As was pointed out in yesterday’s devotional, there is perfect harmony between all members of the Trinity. One thing this means is that there is certainly no competition between Them. Another thing this means is that One rejoices when one of the Others is made much of. In other words, the Father is absolutely delighted when the Son is honored. In fact, verse 23 teaches that the Father is dishonored when the Son is dishonored. Our heavenly Father wants us to honor His Son!
This is significant for at least two reasons. First, in the context of this passage, Jesus knows that the Jews are very careful to honor the Father. Saying that it is impossible for them to honor the Father without honoring Him is another way of Him saying, “I am God.” He is claiming His equality with God.
The second reason it is important is that it lets us know that we should be as careful to honor the Son as we are to honor the Father. And how do we do this? By hearing and obeying His Word and by giving Him the worship and commitment He deserves as a co-equal with the Father and a member of the harmonious Trinity.
So here’s a suggestion for today: prayerfully renew your commitment to honor Christ and then ask for guidance in how to do that. The Father will be thrilled that you are trying to honor His Son!
Scott Smith
Trinity in Harmony
One of the distinctive features of music produced by the legendary Southern California band “Beach Boys” over the decades has been its amazing musical chords and harmonies. According to Quora.com “Brian Wilson, the main songwriter for the Beach Boys, was known for his innovative and complex chord structures…layering multiple instruments and harmonies to create a dense, rich sound.” Thanks to Wilson’s talents as a composer, Beach Boys fans worldwide have been treated to many memorable melodies!
We know that the “physics“ of sound itself - things such as volume, frequency, pitch, resonance and harmony - all exist because they are part of God’s creative design. So is the marvelous ability of the human ear and mind to absorb and appreciate musical sounds. God has likewise shaped the human soul such that it can be deeply moved by melodious compositions, harmonies and musical chords.
Theologians draw a parallel between this and the internal dynamics of the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In his book Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith, Michael Reeves observes that “The Father, Son and Spirit have always been in delicious harmony, and thus they create a world where harmonies - distinct beings, persons or notes working in unity - are good, mirroring the very being of the triune God.” We conclude that in each and every one of the Trinity’s mutual actions and affections there is a concert of beautiful, divine harmony. There never has been, and never will be, a note of dissonance or competition between them. We see an example of their harmony reflected in Jesus’ words “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (Jn. 5:19) ESV
Let us praise God for the harmony that flows eternally from the Trinity! And may we marvel in the knowledge that as God’s people He continually invites each of us to take part in this holy harmony. Ask the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in your prayers how you can enter into more perfect harmony with their actions, affections and will. I trust your soul will delight in the ways God answers this prayer!
Pastor Dave Korinek
Night vs Light
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night… - John 3:1-2
There are times when a few small words can open up worlds of insight into a story or passage of scripture. In this story, there are two little words at the very beginning of this passage that completely change the way that we read the story of Nicodemus. John makes sure to tell us that Nicodemus, a Pharisee and “ruler of the Jews,” came to Jesus (and here are the words) “by night.” Why would John draw our attention to that little detail? It doesn’t seem like the time of day really matters much to the rest of the narrative. Why do you think that he came to Jesus “by night”?
Well, my Mom told me the answer to that question many times growing up. She would tell me, “Nothing good happens after dark!” I used to roll my eyes at her, but now that I have kids, I find myself wanting to say the same thing to my kids. Why? Because I remember the kind of trouble that I used to get into when I was younger, and I know that there are just more opportunities for trouble when the lights are low. Maybe it’s because there are fewer people out, or you are less likely to be seen, but all I know is that Mom’s wisdom, although I hate to admit it, is pretty accurate.
So, maybe John adds this detail to let us know that Nicodemus was doing something naughty by going to see Jesus. Of course, we wouldn’t see it as naughty at all… from our perspective, we see this as the best possible choice because we know who Jesus really is and we know how much he can help. However, from the perspective of a good “leader of Israel,” to go and learn from this rebel Rabbi named Jesus, would have been highly inappropriate. So maybe Nicodemus didn’t want people to know that he was interested in Jesus.
Hmm. Do you know anyone who sneaks around and sorta wants to hide their faith? We don’t really need the night anymore to hide. We can even hide in our churches. We might be open about our faith in the light of day on Sundays, at church, but what about the rest of the week? I know that there have been times when I have been tempted to hide my faith, or at least to avoid bringing it out into the light. Maybe this is a challenge for us today. What are some ways that we can bring our relationship with Jesus out into the light today?
Josh Rose
Discipleship Pastor
Sabbath “Keeping”
Some years ago, while living in New England, my wife and I loaded the family into our station wagon for a road trip to visit friends who had moved to Minnesota. Two days into the journey, on a Sunday afternoon, we had crossed most of Indiana when I noticed the tank was almost empty. We pulled up at the next toll booth and asked the attendant where to find a gas station. To our surprise he responded that under “Blue Laws” in Indiana the sale of gasoline was prohibited on Sundays! (Indiana has since repealed that restriction but I’m told it’s still one of several states that prohibit the sale of automobiles on Sundays). Luckily, we had just enough gas left to limp across the state line into Illinois where they were happy to sell us gas on a Sunday!
Exodus 20:8-11 instructed the Jewish people that since God rested on the seventh day of creation they were also to keep the Sabbath holy and make it a day of rest. Truth be known, God didn’t “need” to rest after six days of creation. However, He did so to demonstrate the principle of devoting one day each week to rest for the health of man’s body, mind and soul. Sadly, Jewish leaders in the centuries before Jesus had tarnished this principle by adding numerous non-biblical prohibitions about the Sabbath. Although nothing in the Law of Moses prohibited healing someone on the Sabbath, Jewish religious authorities included this on their list of man-made restrictions. The theological term for their religious mindset is “legalism”.
Jesus repudiated this spirit of legalism and the Jewish leadership’s focus upon earthly traditions. He declared that the Sabbath was made for mankind’s benefit, not man for the Sabbath (Mk. 2:27). Jesus’ model of Sabbath “keeping” reflected his vision of bringing “life to the full” to all of God’s creation. Thus he was ready to heal the ill and infirm on any day of the week. The Pharisees were so spiritually hardened that they couldn’t celebrate a soul being healed when it broke their definition of “Sabbath laws.” Jesus’ choice to heal on the Sabbath demonstrates that everything life-giving is holy in the eyes of God.
Pray for Christian leaders at all levels in the church to choose grace over legalism, in all its forms, and affirm Christ’s vision of “life to the full” for God’s people.
Pastor Dave Korinek
Ripples of Faith
In John 5:5-9, we read the story of the healing of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus asks the man a question, “Do you want to be healed?” He had been lame for 38 years and we do not know how long he had been beside the pool hoping for healing. Of course, he wanted to be healed. His response was one of hopeless desperation, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” But then Jesus! Imagine how it must have felt to instantly be healed and able for the first time in years to move without help! The ripples from this story continue through the centuries.
In Scripture, we read the sad story of the rich young ruler who said “No” when Jesus asked him to take a step of faith by following him. He had put his faith in his riches which would never be enough. Why is it that we say “no” to God? Just a few years ago, I became stuck in my journey with the LORD. I felt bereft of His presence and was approaching quiet desperation. A friend suggested I become part of a training that would not only help me but show me how to walk with others on similar journeys. Driving on my way to the first meeting, I remember exactly where I was when I almost turned around to go home. I thought this won’t work either, why bother, nothing will change again! But I decided to take that step of faith anyway and continued on. I am so glad that I did as the Lord helped me become ‘unstuck’ and be blessed to accompany others in their walks with the Lord. The ripples from not turning around on that highway continue to grow.
“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7
If we truly believed these words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount, what ripples of faith might there be? We would trust in His love, His peace, His joy, His sovereignty and not in those things that promise that which they can never fully deliver. We would not trust in anything this world has to offer and those ripples would be eternal.
Reflection:
If Jesus were to ask you, “Do you want to be______________?”
What would you put in the blank? Loved, healed, peace-filled, content, etc. Meditate on Matthew 7:7 and consider what your “yes” will be.
Francie Overstreet
Superstition vs. Supernatural
“It’s surprising Japan has any problems considering how many omamori you can buy for every bad scenario!” I teased.
“Stop poking holes in the reasoning behind my gifts, Ashley. It makes me feel like my purchases are meaningless!”
Both of these statements were made in jest, but it was this conversation that came to mind when I encountered John 5 and the sick man who described the water “stirred by the angel.”
Let me back up. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Japan, where two religions dominate the cultural landscape: Shintoism and Buddhism. From my limited understanding, these religions have become heavily intertwined over the centuries, so at Shinto shrines AND Buddhist temples, you can find small silk amulets called omamori which you can buy fairly inexpensively to ward off challenging pregnancies, car accidents, or help you pass school exams, just to name a few; many of my fellow travelers were buying them up like their lives depended on them.
It was fascinating to see my fellow travelers (who are certainly not Shintoists or Buddhists) buying these amulets like they actually held some sort of power. I’m sure for most of them it was more about the gesture of thoughtfulness it would convey to a friend or loved one if gifted on their return, but the amount of superstition puzzled me.
However, I am not one to judge. Growing up, I started to unconsciously believe that if I didn’t stress out before a test (it took many years for me to realize I believed this), I wouldn’t do well on it. How toxic!
It’s so comforting to be reminded of the power on display in the story of the sick man being healed by Jesus and beside the pool of healing, no less; the contrast between the power of superstition and Jesus’ supernatural power is made clear: what superstition can hold a candle to the light emanating from our God? Why put our trust in the whims of chance when we could put our trust in the Creator and Designer of the universe? Even if we “lose” while trusting in him, we’ve won. For as Paul says, “To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Does this mean the “death which is gain” or “living as Christ” will not be hard? Unfortunately, no. But when those who trust in amulets have wood, string and silk to hold on to when times get tough, we have a loving Savior who will hold us fast in his embrace when the darkness that surrounds us is too great to face.
Ashley Carr
A Direct Question
Do you want to be healed? It’s a direct question that demands a direct answer: yes or no!
It’s been 38 long years; who knows the last time this crippled man considered his plight. But now he must take responsibility for his future. However, he answers with an excuse that attempts to explain the reason his healing is not possible. Jesus is not looking for excuses, He is looking for a yes! There is no time to waste, Jesus calls this man to a place of decision; “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” This is this man’s moment to respond in faith and as he believes Jesus meets him in his time of need. No longer a victim of his circumstances, this man is no longer looking at what he can see, but with eyes wide open with faith!
What area of your life are you telling Jesus He can’t? How are you allowing your unbelief to hinder you from taking Christ up on His offer of healing? He is looking for your yes!
Margy Hill
Lord of a Better Day
“Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son will live.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.”
John 4:50 ESV
My father recently shared with me the story of how he came to faith. It was at the lowest point of his life. My dad was a body-builder in his early twenties and took a lot of pride in his physical ability. During a particularly difficult workout, he badly slipped a disc in his back, leaving him unable to do much of anything for months. Depressed and with no sense of self-confidence, he decided to show up to church for the first time in ages. My dad sat down in the farthest seat, scoffing at the service the whole time. I’ve heard this all before. How can people really buy into this stuff? However, in the middle of the pastor’s sermon, there was a sudden change of tone.
“I have a word for someone in the room.”
The pastor’s words seized my father’s attention.
“There’s someone in this room who’s been suffering from immense back pain for a long time now.”
This can’t be possible, My dad thought to himself.
“If you’re out there, I want you to come forward and receive from Jesus the healing you need.”
There’s no way this is happening right now. What the heck is going on? My father painfully got up and everyone in the sanctuary turned their heads in his direction. All eyes on him, he started limping down the aisles. There he was, the punk who was just making fun of the whole scene walking down the aisles from the very back, past every pew, unable to explain his trajectory towards the pulpit.
“I don’t know what I’m doing, but I trust you.” My dad spoke to his savior again after so long. He approached the pastor and told him his story. The pastor placed his hand on my dad’s shoulder, and the moment he began to pray, every ounce of pain disappeared. His back straightened before everyone’s eyes and my dad gave his life to the Lord right then and there.
It was a miracle that gave my father the faith to run the race ahead of him, trusting in his Savior. That same faith carries him through the highest and lowest points of his marriage to my mom. That same faith led him to raise his two sons, my brother and I, to put their trust in the one who healed him. You see, our Savior’s miracles draw us to trust in Him. Every miraculous work is done so that we might believe who He said He is.
“‘But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the man who was paralyzed—’I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.’”
Luke 5:24 ESV
Our Savior’s deeds point to a better day when He will redeem all of His people, wipe every tear from their eyes, and heal them fully of every pain they have ever or will ever experience. We can trust in Him to heal us continually today and completely someday. The official from Capernaum did so for the sake of his son. The centurion did too. And, my father certainly does. Jesus is the Lord of that better day. May He be Lord over us as well. Amen.
Jared Graf
