As a witness to the light

John 1: 8-9 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world

Our 2012 Lent season jumped off to a great start. If you remember we started the Ash Wednesday service in the dark after a power outage left us literally in the dark. The result was a number of people bringing flashlights to the service. I was somewhat disappointed when the lights came back on half way through the service. The mood set by the subdued lighting was inspirational.

There are many institutions of worship in our world. The number and variety of beliefs is staggering.  Even within the group of institutions that claim to the “Christian” there is a multitude of variations. But which has the right set of beliefs? We can turn to scriptures for guidance on how to discern the truth. From 1 John 4:1-3 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.

With this information we can gage the accuracy of a belief system. If there is no Jesus, then it is a false belief. If Jesus is not the Savior in the belief system, it is false. It may seem overly simplistic, but then again we humans are simple beings. Thus, God has given us a simple test to use.  John the Baptist was not Jesus, yet he came only as a witness to the light that is Jesus. He was the voice calling out in the wilderness, Isaiah 40:33 A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare  the way  for the  Lord  ;  make straight  in the desert  a highway for our God.”  He was making it know to all who would listen that the true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.  He was not the light, and he made no claim to be the light. He was merely the messenger. His message was not a welcome message for some. There were some who were threatened by his message. Ultimately John paid the price with his life for speaking the truth. Just as John discovered we may find we, and the truth, are not universally welcome. Yet if God is with us, who can stand against us? The answer is simple, no one. God will prevail. And our job is to let everyone know that the light of the World is Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Almighty God, Your Son is the true light of this world. His light shines Your love into the darkness. And the darkness has not overcome it. Guide us by the light of Your Son in our efforts to share His Good News with those who stand in the darkness. This we ask in the name of Jesus, the light and life of all mankind, Amen.

A man sent from God

John 1: 5-7  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 

Being called as a witness at a trial can be a very intimidating feeling. There is much to consider in testifying. If you are called as a witness then you have to remember what you saw, or heard. I have had this experience twice, and I would just as soon never ever have the experience again.

The Oxford American Dictionary offers several examples in defining what is a witness. It could be a person who sees an event take place. It can also be a person giving sworn evidence in a court of law or the police, or someone who is present at the signing of a document and signs the document to confirm this. In each case there is a tangible event that was witnessed, and is being given testimony about. This begs the question, can you or I be witnesses for Jesus Christ? We were not there when Christ walked the earth. John the Baptist was alive then, and he was a man sent from God. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light. You and I were not there. Yet we are called to be witnesses for Christ on a daily basis. This is an interesting play-on-words to by sure, yet how can we be a witness? A good question, and it is a line of reasoning that the detractors of Jesus will try to use in dispelling our testimony and our witnessing for Jesus Christ.

We cannot deny the premise that we have not seen Jesus Christ himself. Some may say they have, but that claim is to be resolved between God and that person. I will pass no judgment. But we are witness to Christ with the faith poured into us and in the form of the words of His Father and Christ’s own words as captured for all eternity in the Bible. The faith we are given by God through His Holy Spirit gives us the ability to read, comprehend, and remember what Jesus said and did. Additionally, we are able to witness to the love of Christ as expressed by His followers in our time. We are given a spiritual gift to speak about Christ. This fact is given in 1 Corinthians 12:3 “Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus by cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. We are witnesses because we, just as John the Baptist was a witness, because we are sent from God to be witnesses. We are given the words to speak by the Holy Spirit. We are given the love to share by Christ who first loved us. With these tools, we share our experiences, our thoughts, and the Word of God with others. We talk about the bright light that is Jesus Christ because we are sent out with that imperative. Be a strong witness, and give a good testimony!

PRAYER:  Lord and giver of life, you have placed us here to share what You have shared with us. We who are called to testify about the light that is Jesus Christ are humbled by the trust You place in us. We ask Father that You give us Your words, and the faith to fearlessly share our testimony with all who need to hear the truth. Help us to shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night. Amen.

Unbind him, and let him go

John 11:43-44 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

What is the absolutely best news that you have ever been given? Was it something simple, or something complex? Was it news about your own life, the life of a family member, or perhaps someone outside your family? Think about this for a while because we will use it in a comparison test later.

I’m not sure why I started on John 11 as the reference for this week of devotionals. I have learned to stop asking why when I am spiritually pushed. But here I am. Four devotionals later here we are with what is the best news any of us has ever been given.

So much is wrapped up in the story of Lazarus (no pun intended) from John 11:43-44. Jesus calls Lazarus out from the tomb. Lazarus, who had been dead, was now alive for all to see. (There is that sharing thing again.) Our take away from this is two fold. We, just like Lazarus, will be called out from the grave when Jesus returns in His glory. It is promised by Christ Himself!  That is a very big deal! It proves that we who are born into sin, and would be lost forever in death from sin, are in fact saved from eternal death. Jesus saves! Someone should write a song about that because it’s a catchy title. Oh, duh, someone already did.

The second part is illustrated by the words of Jesus “Unbind him, and let him go.”  Remember from a few sentences ago that we who are born into sin, now have been set free from sin. The bonds of sin have been removed. Christ died on the cross so that your sins, & my sins, are forgiven. Now that is truly liberating news! We are no longer shackled to our sins. The death penalty that is in sin has been commuted. We are set free! It’s okay, you can do your happy dance. Who cares if you are like me, and are dance impaired. It is your good news, and it is your happy dance. Dance as if no one can see you, and who cares is they do. You are free!

Now for the test I promised earlier. Compare what you thought was the best news you have heard in your life with the news from John 11:43-44. If your news was not as good as the fantastic, awesome, stupendous, & humungous news of John 11:43-44 it’s okay. You still pass.

PRAYER: God of all mercy and love, we who were dead in sin give thanks. We give You thanks for the life we have in Christ. And we look forward to being called from the grave when Christ returns in all His glory. We hold dear the words of freedom that are in “Unbind him, and let him go.” Our chains are gone we’ve been set free. For this we give You thanks in the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Teacher is here calling for you

John 11: 27-28 She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."

Do you have a habit? Is there something in your life that your carry out ritually? There are good habits, and bad habits. I have both in my life. Chances are that you also have good and bad habits. Welcome to humanity. None of us is perfect or without flaws.

I have developed a habit with the devotionals that I write. Some folks call it a good habit, some folks call it a bad habit. I leave it to the readers to judge. My habit is that I tend to talk about sharing our faith with others. I do not offer any apologies for this habit. It is what it is. I think I am okay with having this habit. My justification is that in the “Great Commission” (see Matthew 28:16-20) we are called to share this faith with others. It may make some of the devotionals a bit tedious, but it is what it is. John 11: 27-28 essentially lays out how we should be doing. Verse 27 (She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.") is the part where we confess our faith. Verse 28 (When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." ) is where we share what we confess. The story of Mary and Martha is a fascinating story. They are polar opposites in their expression of faith. Martha is task oriented, believes in Christ, yet does not expressively display that faith for others to see. Mary is open, expressive, and focused in her faith. Luke 10 and John 12 are sources you can go to for more information on these wonderful sisters.  Can you relate to either of these sisters in your faith walk? Are you one or the other? Interestingly you may be a little of both at different times in you life or even during your day. But the one thing I want to focus on here is in Verse 28. Martha confesses her faith and then she turns to her sister and tells her that Jesus (The Teacher) is here and is calling Mary. One of our greatest opportunities to minister to others is within our own family. We may have parents, siblings, children, or even grandchildren that we can share Christ with. We have many opportunities in our lives to have conversations with our family members where we have the opportunity to share the love of Christ with those who know Christ, or do not know Christ. If you are like me, you have a mixture of believers and nonbelievers in your family. I look at this situation as an opportunity to share with those I love and am close to, that which I am most grateful for. Keeping the light of Christ covered up or under a shade with your family misses what Jesus shared with us in John 11:27-28. We need to let our family know, just as Martha let Mary know. The Teacher is here and is calling you.

PRAYER: Father, Abba, You bless us with family. These are the people in our lives we knew first. They know us for all our glory and our faults. We are blessed with family. Help us to share Your message with our family. Let the words “The Teacher is here and is calling you” be our words to our family. We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Who with the Father and the Spirit are One in heaven, Amen.   

Do you believe this?

John 11: 25-26 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

How often have you encountered something that sounds too good to be true? Many things we hear are too good to be true. Often we read in the news of someone who has lost money, property, or both to a con. With few exceptions (the one big exception I know of being the Gospel) if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.

Lent is an interesting time. We are reminded, as believers, or our fallen nature. We are at times bombarded by the message of how sinful we are, and just how sinful the world we live in really is. We can be filled with despair by the messages that are heaped upon us. And buried in the pit despair is exactly where Satan wants us to be. Because if we feel we are lost, that there is no hope for us, then we are lost. Lent is a great season to bring out the humility in believers. It is also a dark time for believers. It compels us to accept who and what we really are. It requires us to conduct a vigorous self-examination of what we really are. And it requires of us to turn to the one who is the “resurrection and the life.” When we walk around with the perception that overall we are pretty good and do not sin too much, we fool ourselves. And if you recall from our confessional, the words “the truth is not in us.” Check out 1 John 1:5-7 for a more eloquent explanation of where the truth leads us.

So, my friends, what do you believe? Lent is the time to look deep into your hearts and assess what you really believe. Do you believe that you live a good, honest and clean life so there are no worries? Do you believe that you are a hopeless sinner and that you are truly lost were it not for the grace of God in Christ Jesus? Or are you on the fence believing a little of each of the above? Go ahead, think about this important question and honestly ask yourself what do you believe. John 11:25-26 compels us all to ask this question of our selves today, tomorrow, and everyday of our lives. The words of Jesus to Martha, sister of Lazarus, hold out the only hope we poor sinners have. "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”  These words are the basis of our faith and hope in Christ. With these words, we are saved. Without these words, we are lost. There is a question to ask of yourself, the same one Jesus asked Martha. “Do you believe this?”

PRAYER: Almighty God, we are prone to having a good deal of foolish pride. We are often of a mind that we are righteous of our own doing. We can forget that we are truly and completely lost, without Your grace poured out for us on that terrible cross. Help us to remember our true condition. Help us to remember that You loved us so much that You gave Your only Son to die for us on that cross. Fill us with the faith to hold on when we have our doubts. This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.

The light is not in him

John 11: 9-10 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

I often marvel at my cat. She can walk, or run, through a dark house and not run into anything. Me, I am confident I will stumble into something or stub my toe walking in the dark.

It is good, and bad that we are often judged by the company we keep. If you hang out with good people, you are judged as being of good character. If you hang out with the dangerous crowd, you are judged as being dangerous.  In the John 11:9-10 passage we are cautioned about walking in the dark. “If anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” That warning, from Jesus, has a dual meaning I would like to unwrap. On one hand, Jesus himself walked among those in the dark. He called those who were not the elite, scholarly crowd to be disciples. He chose to call a tax collector to be a disciple. He went so far as to defend an adulteress from a self-righteous crowd that would have stoned her to death. But He was in the light because He is the light, and the life. He could confidently walk among sinners because He was completely, not just closely, connected to God the Father and the Holy Spirit. What does this portend to those who would also minister to those in the darkness we call sin? We are all sinners, yet some seem to be deeper in the darkness. Some are in so deep they do not even know they are lost to sin. Or they may be so lost they have given up even trying. Are we to just avoid those in the darkness? The answer is found in the words of Jesus from Matthew 9:9-13. Key to this is discussion is verse 12 in the NIV. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” The saved are already saved, it is the lost who need to be saved.

The second part of the message is stumbling in the night. If we minister to those in the darkness of sin, we must be careful to not fall into the trap that is within the darkness. Many have fallen along the way. As the old saying goes, the path of good intentions is littered with the wrecks of failure. We must ourselves stay connected closely to the light when we serve those who are in need. We must put on the armor of Christ, and keep that armor around us. There is a very slippery slope that is waiting to claim the next victim. Keeping your footing involves staying in the light. Be very careful my brothers and sisters in Christ.

PRAYER: Lord we look to You for the light that drives away the darkness. We seek the brilliance that is Your Son. As we go forward sharing the Gospel with those who need to hear of the Good News that is Jesus, let Your light shine around us. Keep us close Father, that we will not stumble and fall into sin. Guide us on Your path with the light of Christ. This we ask in the name of Jesus, the light and the life on all mankind, Amen.