Life This Side of Heaven

As the Father’s festive celebration upon the return of his wayward son got underway, it’s easy to assume that "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" has come to a close. And in many cases that’s where folks leave it. But in this story, which could be better described as “The Parable of the Forgiving Father,” there’s another important scene that follows and which is often forgotten. It focuses on the relationship between the father and the older son. There are actually two wayward sons in this story. (Episode image courtesy of Jan van 't Hoff/Gospelimages.com Used with permission.)

While well-known as "The Parable of the Prodigal Son," a more apt title might be "The Parable of the Forgiving Father." The actions of the foolish son hit close to home are more than familiar. It’s the amazing and unconditional love of the forgiving father that’s the focus of these famous words. (Episode image courtesy of Jan van 't Hoff/Gospelimages.com Used with permission.)

When it comes to the Parable of the Prodigal Son, it's worth noting that the word “prodigal” doesn’t actually appear in the story. And it’s not terribly useful title. It simply means “someone who spends money in a reckless manner.” Today, we would more than likely use the word, “fool.” It brings to mind the old English saying, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” But the parable isn’t about good sense and savings. It’s about relationships – the relationship you and I have with our heavenly Father. (Episode image courtesy of Jan van 't Hoff/Gospelimages.com Used with permission.)

Have you ever bought an appliance that was in less than shiny, showroom shape? The adversary works hard to make you believe that's how God sees you. Even though God has taken away your sins, the enemy would have you believe that the blemish and scars of your sins remain. Paul wants you to know that nothing could be further from the truth. You were not purchased at markdown. And just wait until you hear how he how describes you.

Imagine waking up and not recognizing anyone, the people around you, your friends, your parents, the love of your life, or even yourself when you looked in the mirror? It sounds like the plot from a movie that you might enjoy with a big tub of popcorn, doesn’t it? It's actually more familiar than you may think.

"Where there's smoke, there's fire." Have you ever heard that phrase? It’s an expression used to indicate that when one thing is present, another is sure to follow. However, in this case, it’s not very encouraging. However, Isaiah tells us what follows when the smoke and fire of judgment for our sins has been removed.

“Turn to me.” It’s a remarkable request. Here in Psalm 69, David cried out to God for help. He implores God for relief and rescue from the suffering he’s experiencing at the hand of his enemies. Jesus quoted this psalm in preparing for His crucifixion. And yet, in order to rescue you and me, it meant the Father turning away as the punishment that has brought us peace poured down upon Him.

Have you ever had a difficult time finding your way out of a parking garage? When you and I are faced with temptations, they don’t usually come when things are bright in our lives and we can see clearly. Temptations often seem to come when life feels cold, dark and uncomfortable. Like a dimly lit parking garage, it may feel like it’s difficult to see where the lines are drawn. We live in a culture where the lines are blurred between what is right and what simply feels right. Here in 1 Corinthians, Paul indicates the way out by pointing us to our Savior and the salvation you and I have in Him.

An upset means a surprising victory by team that was expected to lose. On the other hand, it also points out a stunning loss for team that was expected to win. Our coach Paul, the apostle, points to a chalkboard full of examples from the Old Testament to keep our eyes focused on our Savior.

“Fight, Flight or Freeze.” Have you ever heard of this phrase? It describes the physiological response we have to keep safe, preparing us to face, escape, or hide from danger. Facing danger, and following the destruction of the land and their exile into Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar, the people of Israel in Ezekiel's day had their own reactions to the plight that now faced them. It could be described as Defend, Debate or Despair." However, when confronted by our sins, God leads us in faith to a better response.

It's hard not to marvel at the beauty of the redbuds that start to bloom at this time of the year. They also remind this writer of the beauty of God's patience in calling me to repentance and revealing to me each day the beauty of His mercy.

The Queen’s Guard, who stand watch at Buckingham Palace are famous for their silence. In fact, they’re often as famous for their stoic speechlessness as much as they are for their bright red and black uniforms, bearskin helmets and bayonet rifles. They don’t say anything, even if tourists approach them to say “hello,” or have their picture taken. They stand watch. When God made Ezekiel “a watchman for the house of Israel,” He made clear that his calling was to speak, and not to remain silent.

The ultimate arrival for you and me, following this wilderness journey, will take place when we reach our heavenly home. But as Paul makes it clear, we are not traveling through this life with the possibility of becoming citizens. We are citizens of heaven right now. In joyful assurance through faith, the apostle wants you to know, “Our citizenship is in heaven.”

A tower under construction in the south end of Jerusalem, in Siloam, came crashing down taking the lives of eighteen people. And Jesus was aware that the popular buzz surrounding this tragedy, and others like it, was that those who were killed must have been really bad sinners who had it coming. There's a reason that we tend to think this way. But Jesus tells us that we’re looking at incidents like this all wrong. Instead of putting on our judges’ robes to guess who’s the biggest sinner he redirects our attention to where it should be.

Jesus lamented over Jerusalem and their rejection of God's love. So what did Jesus do? Jesus didn’t stop there in His sorrow. He went to the cross. He announced, “On the third day I will reach my goal.” And here’s where you and I can take our cue for this Lenten journey.

Antipas may have thought that he was as sly as a fox when the Pharisees came to Jesus with the warning, “Herod wants to kill you,” but Jesus made it clear that you have a God who wants to save you for eternal life. And in love for you, has done it!

The folks in Jerusalem were no fans of the prophet Jeremiah, and what they considered to be his constant nagging. His message was unrelenting and unremitting. What he held out before them was a persistent and painful truth that they refused to hear. And we may even take it out on a pastor or well-meaning friend who does the same. But the call to repentance is not nagging. It’s not simply a call to turn away from sin. It’s also a wonderful call to turn to God in faith in whom we find forgiveness.

“Trust your gut.” Have you ever heard that phrase? It’s an expression which means, “Trust your intuition. Do what feels right.” But think of how often easy it is for us to second guess those things that God has warned us about in His Word. When we listen to our gut, it means trusting in what we we think is good, or what feels right –instead of what God says is actually good and right.

Psalm 91 is a remarkable psalm which gives great comfort, and especially in times of distress. So, it’s ironic to hear that this was the Psalm that the devil quoted –out of context– in an attempt to dissuade Jesus from His journey to the cross. That alone makes it another good reason to have a closer look at it during this season of Lent and discover what God is actually saying in these words.

There’s a similarity in each of the temptations Jesus faced from the enemy – to doubt the Father’s love. When faced with the temptation to put that love to the test, Jesus's response instead was to place His confidence it it. Through faith, His victory is ours.

From the desert floor to the highest peak, providing a vantage point where all the kingdoms of the world could be viewed in an instant, the devil tried another tack in his bid to tempt Jesus. In in this temptation, the adversary shows himself to be the liar that he is. The temptation tossed before our Savior was this: “If you worship me, it will all be yours.” In other words, "We can call this whole battle off. You don’t have to go the cross."

It may not sound like a big temptation on the surface – turning stones into bread. As Jesus is God in the flesh, this would have not been difficult. Here’s the One, after all, who would go on to feed the five thousand with so much bread that they had to use baskets to collect up the leftovers. But the first temptation our Savior faced in the desert is about more than just a loaf of bread.

It’s often assumed that the reason the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to record Jesus’ response is for the purpose of providing instructions, the blueprints by which you and I can overcome temptation. It certainly does provide us with useful direction. But actually, it’s much more that.

Here in Romans, Paul describes two things that belong together like peas and carrots – it’s faith and confession. As Christians, we believe the Jesus has given us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. And with joy, we tell others of our Savior and the salvation He has brought us. We outwardly confess what we inwardly possess.

In classical artwork depicting the Transfiguration, the glory surrounding Jesus, Moses and Elijah is often depicted by halos around their heads. It’s that familiar little circle of light by which the artist wants you to know that the person in painting is holy. Of course, it’s neither realistic nor helpful. So, instead of halo, imagine a hardhat. That may sound odd at first, but consider the words recorded for us here in Hebrews.

Have you ever been shushed at the library? There are sometimes when you and I shouldn’t be talking. You shouldn’t talk in library. You shouldn’t chat at the opera. And it’s never a good idea to start a loud conversation at the movies. Chances are good that someone is going to turn around and go, “Shush!” But Peter discovered another one. We shouldn’t talk when God is speaking. We will miss what He's saying.

Instead of rejoicing at the Transfiguration of our Lord, and taking it all in, Peter felt the need to state the obvious. He said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here.” It’s not hard to imagine why he would have said that. Here’s the glory with which you and I will see our Savior in heaven. And to see Moses and Elijah there with Him must have been thrilling. But there’s more to it than that.

Today is Ash Wednesday in the Church Year. It signals the beginning of the 40-day penitential season of Lent. With contrition we reflect on our sins and our need for a Savior. And the custom of having ashes smudged onto our foreheads on Ash Wednesday is a sobering reminder that one day, at the end of life, all that is left are the ashes. But you and I have a Savior who lifts us from the ash heap.

What an incredible conversation that took place at the Transfiguration. Up until this point, throughout the Old Testament, God’s people had spoken and sung about the incredible rescue He had brought them from their slavery in Egypt. As they crossed the parted waters of the Red Sea, it meant their freedom, their future, and their way to the Promised Land. But now, the exodus which Jesus was about to bring to fulfillment meant something even more incredible.

What’s a hand heart? It’s a gesture with you can make with your hands to signal your affection. To make the image even more dramatic, folks on social media will often make the gesture with their hands head up to the sky so that the sun can shine through and light up the shape of the heart. And here's a handy way for you and me to view the bright glory that was revealed in Jesus as the Transfiguration.

In Psalm 3, David invites us to find our delight where he has found his. In Jesus, you and I can rejoice and sing with him, “I’ve found my delight.”

Does God truly deliver us from evil? We pray this petition regularly whenever we pray the Lord’s Prayer. That being the case, what are we to make of those times when we do experience harm? How should we consider hearing the news from the doctor that we have cancer? What does this mean when the horror of war breaks out as it has now in eastern Europe? Has God not heard out prayer? Has God failed to deliver us from evil?

In 1 Corinthians, Paul shares a quote that was familiar at that time: “Bad company corrupts good character.” The apostle challenges us to take a careful look at the company we keep. It’s been said that it can affect our relationship with God. But more specifically, it does this by affecting our understanding of what God Himself has said to us in His Word.

Have you ever opened up a bag of chips and was frustrated to find that so much of it was just air? If you’re feeling that the chip makers are a little stingy with their salty snacks you’re not alone. Now, here’s another question. Ever get the feeling that sometimes all this talk of forgiveness is filled with a lot of air?

Every four years the Olympics take place. And every four years, new controversies erupt over the judging of those events. Of course, judging is necessary in an athletic competition. And there are times when judging is necessary in our lives as Christians. But, it's also important to avoid our own judging scandal. Thankfully, what Jesus is warning against here in Luke with these words, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged,” is explained by our Savior Himself in the very next sentence He spoke in this verse.

Jesus’ command to “Love your enemies” is a hard one to swallow. How do you love those people in your life, who, quite frankly, stink?

"Woe!" It’s not a word that shows up regularly in our conversation these days. But it does show up a lot in the Scriptures. By contrast, the word "Whoa" seems much more familiar. And this also is included in Jesus' warnings in His Sermon on the Mount. Jesus opens our eyes to see the blessings that are ours through faith, that may well surprise us, and leave us saying, "Wow!"

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus assures you that without any doubt, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.” In Christ, it is an accomplished fact. It’s yours and mine right now and you and I are a breath away from the full enjoyment of it.

Are you hungry? Chances are good just asking that question may make you think of taking a break and having a snack. In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount He said, “Blessed are you who hunger now.” However, instead a quick spiritual snack, what Jesus gives us through faith satisfies completely,

In this portion of our Savior's Sermon on the Mount, He spoke the familiar words that are often referred to as the "Beatitudes." That's because each phrase begins with the word, "Blessed." From time-to-time, that word is often mistaken for "happy." But that's a poor translation for this important word. You may, or may not, be happy now, but you are blessed.

One of the familiar encouragements of our culture tells us to look inward and draw strength from ourself. However, when you and I draw strength from ourself the time will come when it’s going to run out. By contrast, the strength we draw from God is inexhaustible. The prophet Jeremiah likens it to a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream.

Happy Valentine’s Day! How do you show someone that you love them? Chocolates, flowers, candy? Would any of these be enough to convince you of someone’s love for you? And is it enough? However, this Valentine’s Day, consider how God has shown His love to you and me.

In 1968, the first 9-1-1 call was made in the United States. It's been said that "it was created with the advantage that ‘it is brief, easily remembered, and can be dialed quickly.’” David must have had something similar in mind here in Psalm 71 and in another of his other psalms. He called upon the Lord and teaches us to do the same. In fact, he used words that are familiar, and heard often in 911 call centers across the country every day. He said, “Make haste to help me.” Or in other words, “Please come quickly!”

You’ve got to be kidding? What Jesus instructed Peter to do must have seemed counterintuitive. In other words, it didn’t seem to make any sense. Have you ever found yourself questioning God's instruction? Have you ever been tempted to feel that you knew better, or had a better understanding of the situation?

“Oh, that’s real mature!” Once kids start sticking their tongues out at each other, any helpful part of the conversation is over, and you can be pretty sure that whatever disagreement they’re having isn’t going to come to a constructive conclusion. That’s usefully when a parent steps in and calls time-out. And it’s almost what the apostle is calling for here in 1 Corinthians. What he does, instead, is actually even better.

“Not me, please don’t call on me …” Do remember the fear of being called upon in class? You’re not alone. So do a lot folks. Have you ever felt frightened that God has called upon you to share His love with your family and friends. You're in good company with Isaiah the prophet. At some point, he must have felt like that student in the classroom that hoped not to be noticed. However, take a look at what changed that.

When Isaiah heard the angels singing praise to God, he responded with an unusual confession. He didn’t bow his head and say, “I’m a man with an unclean heart.” He didn’t say, “I’m a man with unclean hands,” or even “an unclean mind.” All of that would have been true as well. But he mentioned his lips. But now, consider what often comes out of our mouths.

I’m almost certain that when I see Jesus on the Last Day, I’ll be crying. It won’t be from sorrow – far from it, but it will be crying. Before I explain, take a look at the "crying" described in these words from Isaiah. The angels cried out. Isaiah cried out. And on the day that when you and I come face-to-face with God we may well cry as well.

Essential workers. That’s a phrase that suddenly became a part of our common vocabulary a couple of years ago. Here in Luke, you and I get a glimpse of the nature of our Savior’s work. This included bringing aid to those who were afflicted by demons and others suffering from a variety of illnesses. But it also reveals work which, while in today's culture we may be tempted to think of secondary, Jesus considered to be urgent and indispensable.

Leading up to these words in 1 Corinthians, Paul has described just a handful of the gifts that God gives to His Church. Nevertheless, as Paul points out, none of them will remain. The time will come when they will pass away. However, there are these three gifts from God that will remain: faith, hope and love.