What Does Jesus Have To Say About All of This?

Over the last few weeks and months, I have lost count of how many people have asked me, “What do you think about all of this?” And I would be more than glad to give you my opinion. (As I'm sure you would be delighted to provide me with your thoughts.) But more than I want you to know what I think about it, I want us all to know what God thinks about it. And one of the things that I have found myself doing over the last few months is diving into the Gospels and evaluating how Jesus approached his preaching ministry. In doing so, I have discovered what he had to say about specific things that were happening in his culture.

Jesus was ministering in a climate where sexism was the order of the day, and no one acknowledged the need for social justice. Politicians were corrupt, and the government was overflowing with fraud. Taxes were unfair, and crooks controlled the treasury departments. Yet, with all of this going on around Jesus, what did Jesus talk about most often? How was He addressing these issues that we consider so important?

Jesus does address some of them specifically. Such as moments when He went to the Samaritan well and made it clear that people should never judge another because of ethnicity. We even hear Him address subjects like taxation with His disciples. And on more than one occasion, He seems to speak directly to the ridiculousness of the day’s government order. But when you really dive into what Jesus had to say, despite all of these things that were going on around Him, what did he talk about the most? It’s an essential question that needs a precise answer.

Over the next couple of weeks, we are going to be in a series called Jesus Said It, exploring the top three things Jesus talked about during his messages and private teachings with his disciples. In Sunday’s message, we started with number three. Brace yourself. You might be shocked by what he chose to discuss in slot number 3. You can check it out here at this link.

What in the World?

It is a part of our family's vernacular daily, "What in the world?" Regularly, we ask the question about something my son has just done due to not thinking through an action's consequences. Other times, and most often, we ask about my daughter's reckless attempts at driving. Our entire family also uses this question as an opening comment to outlandish things we share with each other from Instagram or YouTube.

Two thousand years ago, Paul may have likewise used his version of this bewildered phraseology. Because, after hearing of the happenings at the Church at Corinth, I feel like he may have been searching for words on more than one occasion. Upon departing as their pastor, he had left them with a solid foundation. Yet, they quickly digressed into the muck and mire of sin despite previous deliverance. Drunkenness, sexual immorality, and divisive actions had once again become commonplace behaviors.

Unable to visit his former church in-person, Paul wrote to his congregants with incredible disappointment. In his letter, at one point, he is so frustrated that he expresses a desire to take a whip to the backs of those choosing to disgrace grace.

It leads me back to the question, "What in the world?" But, with a more sincere use of the inquiry as I find the Holy Spirit leading me to self-examination, "What in the world is in me?"

What part of the world's behavior, ideologies, philosophies, and sinfulness has gotten loose in me?

In my life, where have I become worldly? Where have I ceased consecration?

And, if I have in any form stopped yielding to grace's victory over sin(s), then why?

Paul's first letter to the Corinthians is authoritative in tone. With skill and precision, it will pierce the heart of any believer. I invite you to journey with me through the first chapter of 1 Corinthians in this message, "What in the World is in You?". In the message, I share why it's essential to know the meaning of some big, intimidating words in Scripture. Righteousness, sanctification, redemption... knowing how to yield to God's grace as we embrace his promises on these subjects helps us to keep the world out of our hearts and behavior. And, thankfully, as a result, we find:

1. Victory over the PATH of sin,

2. Victory over the PENALTY of sin

3. Victory over the POWER of sin

4. Victory over the PRESENCE of sin.
   

Check out the message in its entirety here: What in the World is in You?

How the Most Hated Man Loved

Who do you imagine when you think of the most hated man in history? Many people may think of men like Hitler, Stalin, or even Bin Laden. A case can be made for each of these individuals to be the most hated man the world has ever seen. They were responsible for mass genocide, the starving of millions, and a vast array of terrorist attacks. There were worldwide celebrations when these people died because it meant the world had finally been released from the strongholds they created. There is no doubt that these men have been universally hated throughout history. But I would argue, a case could be made for an even more hated man, Jesus.

During the height of his popularity, he was feeding thousands with just scraps of food; he was healing blind eyes and raising dead men back to life. When Jesus was doing these things, people loved him. He built a massive crowd of followers during this time because he was meeting all their physical needs. But when he shifted his ministry from the material to the spiritual, that love turned to hatred.

During this time, many people’s physical conditions were weak, but their spiritual condition was even worse. He began to challenge the very social and religious foundations that the community around him had laid. He was shaking up the culture of the world. Jesus was determined to get all of humanity back on the right track spiritually. He was determined to set everyone’s eyes back on God. However, it was the determination for this mission that led to the immense hatred from the very people he was attempting to save.

Hatred built up in these people because Jesus was calling them to change parts of their lives; he was challenging their comfort. While Jesus was meeting their physical needs, they were happy. But when he wanted to shake things up to meet their spiritual needs, they pushed back, and that love turned to hatred. Over time this hatred boiled over, and the people around Jesus couldn’t take it any longer. Jesus was making them so uncomfortable they had to get rid of him. The people had Jesus crucified, and they mocked him as he died. But those men and women weren’t the only ones whose actions showed hatred towards Jesus.

I heard a preacher tell a story of a dream he had once. He saw a man kneeling over a cross, hammering the nails into Jesus’s hands. He ran and threw the man off of Jesus, but he was shocked by what he saw. The preacher was now looking at the man crucifying Jesus, and he was horrified because the man looking back at him was himself. This dream made him realize something. He was just as responsible for killing Jesus as the ones who physically nailed him on the cross.

In the 21st century, it can be easy to think back and criticize those who crucified Jesus. We think to ourselves, “What were they thinking,” “I would have never done such a thing.” But in reality, our daily actions contradict those very thoughts. Every time we sin, we’re slashing Jesus with the whip one more time. Every time we disobey, we’re hammering the nail into his hands a little bit further. Every time the hatred in our hearts comes out through our actions, we require Jesus to spill one more drop of his blood. We, the people of the 21st century, and the rest of humanity are the ones who killed God’s son. That’s why I believe a case can be made that Jesus is the most hated man ever to live. Who else has been hated and killed by everyone in the world?

It’s a terrible feeling to have once you realize just how responsible you are. But thankfully for us, it didn’t end there. While Jesus hung on the cross dying, he said in Luke 23:34, “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” When he said this, he wasn’t only looking out at the Roman guards who nailed him on the cross; he looked at us. He was looking at every single one of us, knowing we were the ones putting him through that agonizing pain, and he begged his Father in Heaven to forgive us because we didn’t understand the gravity that our sins carried.

That’s how the most hated man loved. Amid the worst possible pain a human being can go through, he chose to forgive. He had the power to remove himself from that situation at any time he pleased, but he chose to stay. He chose to stay because he knew our sins needed to be covered by his blood. He knew that if we were to have eternal life, he must die.

Jesus said in John 15:13, “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” No one deserved this kind of love from Jesus. We have all hated him with our actions, but God’s grace creates in us the ability not only to be loved by Jesus but to love like Jesus. We are called to love others as he has loved us. We are called to show people, immense love, even if those same people hate us. If we are to love as Jesus loved, we are to love others more than they hate us.