Truth is not determined by its acceptance or comprehension.

“Truth doesn’t change with our comprehension or acceptance of it. Truth is truth, whether we accept it or not. An example of that is this: We don’t cease to be what we are simply because a fruit fly can’t comprehend all our personality, who we are, and our personal history. That fruit fly will live and die without ever knowing anything about you…or caring. All it wants is the banana you left in a sack on a warm day. That’s it. It doesn’t care. Does that mean you aren’t who you are because the fruit fly doesn’t believe or comprehend? Does that mean that you cease to exist because the roly-poly out in your front yard doesn’t comprehend you? Does God cease to exist because our neighbor doesn’t comprehend him or choose to believe in him? Or their construct doesn’t “allow” him to exist? In this universe, we and our neighbor are just fruit flies. Our ability or inability to understand it is, frankly, quite irrelevant to the veracity of the truth or the existence of God. Simply saying “I don’t have the proof” or “You can’t show me the proof” — in the end — means diddly. Somebody in the 1200s couldn’t have proven anything about quantum mechanics with the constructs they had, but it didn’t change a thing about what’s in our universe.”

From the Sunday message, “Jesus Knocks it Out the Park”, Troy Church of Christ, May 20, 2012

Jesus Knocks it Out the Park

At this point in our journey through the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is in Jerusalem, and the religious leadership is testing and questioning him, trying to find a way to undermine his influence among the people. In this message, we’ll see the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and finally a teacher of the Law give it their best shots with what they think will be “gotcha!” questions. With each pitch, Jesus not only answers wisely, he knocks it out of the ballpark. As he does, we learn some important truths about life, integrity, faith, truth, and the world to come.

“…and render unto God what is God’s.”

During Jesus’ last week before the cross, the religious leadership in Jerusalem was constantly looking for ways to entrap Jesus and make him look like the false teacher they believed him to be so that they could prosecute him. In Mark 12, Jesus sees what they are up to, and tells a parable and answers one of their tricky questions in such a way that not only shocked them, but that completely turned the table. Join us as we explore Mark 12, and are ourselves challenged to “render unto God what is God’s.”

Sharing your faith in the workplace

I recently came across this video because of a story in the Christian Chronicle, and was excited because of some connections I have with members in the church that produced it, the High Pointe Church of Chirst in McKinney, TX. But I was unprepared for the goose bumps that would come when I found out that the couple that was reached with the gospel were Dennis and Sharon Welch, who work with the Cambodia Bible Institute in Phnom Penh, where I was a guest teacher last fall. Big God, great kingdom, but a small world!

If you struggle with sharing your faith at work, and have found some to be closed or even hostile at times to your sharing the grace of God, watch this video and take heart. Sometimes the seed just takes a while, and when it does take root, God does great things!

So roll up your sleeves…

Typically, I am an ESV/NIV/NASB Bible translation sort of guy, but every now and then The Message (no matter what you may think of it) just nails the mood and impetus of a passage all to well. That’s certainly the case with 1st Peter 1:13-16.

“So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, ‘I am holy; you be holy.’”

The Forgiveness of God

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103:12

In reading the Gospels, one cannot help being awed by the miracles of Jesus Christ. As was reported to John the Baptist, we see on every page that, “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” (Matthew 11:5) There is, however, one miracle that stands above them all—the divine act of the forgiveness of our sins.

Forgiveness is not normal. As human beings, our natural reaction to hurt or pain is retaliation, revenge, and a grudge. Storied feuds like the Hatfields and McCoys have played out between neighbors, coworkers, and nations since Cain and Abel (Genesis 4). Forgiveness is not the hallmark of fallen man, but of the divine nature of Jehovah, which is why the forgiveness of God jumps off the page and takes hold of our hearts. We know that we are seeing acts of divine love (Exodus 34:6-7).

We are utterly incapable of undoing our sin. In the age of reset buttons, reboots, and the ability to hit “refresh” when things go wrong, we are used to finding quick fixes to our mistakes and glitches. In matters of the soul? Not so much. There is no way to unspeak a harsh word, to untell a lie, or to pretend an abuse, a war, or a theft did not really happen. As Shakespeare’s Hamlet reminds us, we cannot simply wash our hands of sin’s stains. In our sin, we are in need of divine intervention.

This is where God works His greatest miracle. What we could not remove, God washes away (Hebrews 10:19-22). What we could not atone, He atones (Romans 3:21-26). Perhaps most astounding of all, He loved us before we loved Him back, and worked for our redemption while we were still holding grudges (Romans 5:6-8). Praise God!

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  – I Peter 2:3-5

(This article was originally written for the May/June issue of Christ for Today)

New Series on Sanctify My Heart!

Saturday we started a new series on our Sanctify My Heart ministry’s broadcasts. We’re now exploring Peter’s first letter, and the intro message was “A Living Hope”. You can listen in the player below, or check out our podcast and download the mp3 at our podcast page. God bless!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1st Peter 1:3-5, ESV)

This Week’s Sanctify My Heart, posted with vodpod