Bottom line up front (BLUF): Wise Fear

Text: “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷ Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:4-7, ESV).

Context: The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), are written in such a way as to lead up to the cross of Christ. The fancy theological phrases that we use to unpack the infinite wisdom of the cross of Christ all flow from the work of God via the person and work of Christ. Terms like justification, vicarious subtitutionary atonement, reconciliation, imputation, ransom, et al all flow from what unfolded by divine design in Jerusalem, Israel 2,000 years ago. There’s no escaping it.

It is Jesus who is the hinge of history. Everything rises and falls upon God’s work, because God is the Author of life (Acts 3:15). But what is so interesting to me is how often God speaks directly to a reality so many of us face: fear. We fear evil; we fear nefariousness; we fear the seemingly endless craftiness of those who love not the Lord but power. It’s an old, old story, of course. Nothing has changed. But Jesus speaks to our weak faith and fear so clearly.

In verses 4-7 of Luke 12, Jesus tells those who are truly his disciples/followers/friends, to not fear the wicked. He doesn’t tell them not to fear anyone, but to fear God. That’s so important. Fear is not necessarily a bad thing, in other words. We are to fear God. Why? Because that’s the beginning of wisdom. It is folly to not fear God. But we’re not to capitulate to the wickedness of evil men or demonic forces.

Encouragement/takeaway:  Maybe this is for me as much as for anyone else, but I do know what fear tastes like. I do know what it’s like to feel that evil is winning, to see that light is being eclipsed, that spiritual blinders are worn by so many. I totally understand that. After all, when the light came into the world, men crucified it, because their hearts were evil; sinners love the darkness (John 3:19, ESV). But Jesus tells his people in Luke 12 that we are of more value than many sparrows, that we are to fear not the schemes of the wicked, but to fear God, knowing that no one escapes his eye.

Bottom line up front (BLUF): Lambs in the Midst of Wolves

Text: After this the Lord appointed seventy-two^[a] others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. ² And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. ³ Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. ⁴ Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. ⁵ Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ ⁶ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. ⁷ And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. ⁸ Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. ⁹ Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. (Luke 10:1-12, ESV)

Context: This is where the Lord Jesus Christ sends out the 72. They were to bear witness to Christ, the truth. But Jesus told them something very, very important. It was an image they’d track with, something they saw regularly—sheep and wolves. Jesus tells them, “I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Lk 10:3, ESV). Why did Christ use that metaphor? Well, because the forces that hate the truth are like wolves; they’re out to devour. To quote Jesus’s words to Nicodemus, “the people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19, ESV). See Christ’s consistent teaching? Be wise, be discerning, be alert to the wolves. Again, and again, and again, his teaching emphasizes this.

Encouragement: If you’re perhaps like I am, you have sung great hymns of the faith like “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art” and “It Is Well” hundreds of times in your life. I certainly have. But do we believe what those hymns teach—things like that we sinners are “wretches” who are saved via God’s amazing grace; that “God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die”; and that “Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, that Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul”?

That’s the reason for the seriousness of understanding Christ’s teaching about wolves, and how God’s people are sent out as lambs in the midst of them. We’re to recognize the battle lines; we’re to understand the war into which we are commissioned by the Lord; we’re to see why the imagery of wolves and sheep pervades the Bible and should therefore fill our minds. Why? To teach us that the battle is not ever won by us. We’re simply sheep. The battle was won by the Lamb of God, Christ the Lord. Our duty is fidelity to him. As Esther said, “and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16, ESV). Ultimately, it’s faithfulness to the truth that conquers. All lies will be exposed in God’s time. Our job is just to trust the Lord and be faithful.

Strong writing employs vivid imagery. Why? Well, it is kind of like the cliché says: Every picture tells a story. It is the same when it comes to the wisdom literature in Scripture. In Proverbs, for example, look at how image-rich Solomon’s words are: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil” (Proverbs 4:23-27, ESV).  

The Images:

* The heart is compared to a spring of water.

* Deceptive speech is visualized as ‘crooked’ ways

* Being wise about the way one walks is compared to the eyes to the front, walking the straight and correct path.

Connection: For several years, my family and I lived in Savannah. We absolutely loved it. The beauty of parts of Savannah is stunning. The food is excellent if you know where to go. The Revolutionary War history is pervasive. There are several parks there that we often walked and lounged in. The list is long of things I love about Savannah.

But the image of eyes looking directly forward that Solomon uses in Proverbs 4 reminds me of the surreys that were common in the touristy sections of Savannah. The horses would pull carriages with tourists. The drivers of the buggies would narrate the history of Savannah–famous writers and architects and leaders who were part of Savannah’s impact. But those horses had leather shingles on their heads that kept their eyes looking ahead. They were not to be distracted. They were to walk the straight path, the way the man driving the buggy led them down the brick and stone streets downtown.

Encouragement:  It is that image—of focus upon the straight path that remains with me. Isn’t there wisdom here? I grew up in church, and I can still hear the country preachers under which I sat for many years, quoting the psalms. One of the verses I don’t remember not knowing was this one: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105, ESV). Again, the image is so clear.

Read another Conroy piece, this one a memoir about his year teaching students isolated from ‘cultured’ America–black and segregated students in the mid-twentieth century, just a boatride from Savannah, GA, who endured in a universe of illiteracy, superstition, racism from all sides, snakes, hogs, swamp, shrimp, oysters, and heart sufficient to touch all who will attend.

Again, Conroy pressed his finger into my heart, prodding me to labor to try and make a difference for good.

As promised, here’s Part 2 in a short exploration of the problem of evil and suffering (theodicy). I do not know of anyone who is honest who has not wrestled with the problem of evil and suffering. I mean, who among us does not know suffering either first-hand or know of someone who has suffered incredibly?

I think, for example, of those people who longed to have children, but could not, for any number of reasons. I think of parents whose children have died. I know few sorrows greater than outliving one’s children. It runs against the grain of our most natural understanding. I think of those who’ve suffered physical torture and abuse at the hands of evil men. I think of the sorrow of watching loved ones succumb to dementia and the rotting of their minds and natural functions. I think of the casualties of war–those who suffer from contaminated earth and resources. I think of the Vietnam-era Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who often suffered immensely from the effects of poisons that were used during that war. I think of fellow Soldiers I’ve known who’ve lost parts of their bodies and souls in service to what they may’ve initially believed to be just and/or noble causes. I think of children who, though in the bloom of youth, are instead abused, trafficked, and sold due to the vileness of man’s corrupted nature. This is not even to mention so-called natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons, floods, fires, volcanoes, et al. The list could continue perhaps indefinitely.

The biblical worldview speaks to this, of course. Below are some initial thoughts on the problem of evil and suffering:

• Scripture acknowledges the existence of evil and suffering; it does not (like some cults and other worldviews) deny evil or suffering, or downplay their vast impact.
• Scripture teaches that God both uses evil and suffering and is sovereign over them. In fact, all things ultimately redound to God’s glory.
• Scripture teaches that God is a Savior by nature. If moral rebels refuse God’s offer of salvation, redemption, and restoration, that says more about man’s nature than it does about the problem of theodicy.

These are just some of the initial thoughts for such a tender issue and foundational topic. More to come… Thanks for reading along so far.

Bottom line up front: The Crucial Significance of If

Text: Three is an important and pervasive number in Scripture. God is called holy, holy, holy (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). After his crucifixion, Jesus was buried; three days later, he arose, just as he had said (Matthew 28:6). Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17). God is triune (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God in three persons). Peter denied the Lord Jesus Christ three times (Luke 22:34). Again, again, and again, we see that God uses three often in Scripture.

Context: It’s the same pattern in Proverbs 2, in just the first few verses. The word if is used three times to show the condition of God’s wisdom for all who might receive it. “My son, if you receive my words …” (Proverbs 2:1, ESV). And in verse three, “yes, if you call out for insight” (Proverbs 2:3, ESV) and the following verse read, “if you seek it like silver …” (Proverbs 2:4, ESV).

How clear is that? If denotes that a condition must be met. If this, then that. But only if.

Encouragement/takeaway: Over and over and over, God calls out with offers to all who will hear and obey. If, if, if … Who will respond in repentance and faith? That is God’s knowledge alone. Our job is to be obedient to herald the truth. Those who respond in repentance and faith will be saved. Those who refuse will receive justice. No one receives non-justice. Some receive grace and others harden themselves. Again, again, and again, you see that pattern in Scripture.

I’ve been in ministry—military and civilian—for decades now. I’ve seen God grip men and women and make them tender to the truth. I met with a young man even this very week who is planning to leave his position of command in the Army to enter the Christian ministry as a chaplain and pastor.

I’ve also seen men and women over my decades in ministry who hardened themselves and went a very different direction; they hated God and embraced an anti-God lifestyle. That is the way it goes. But there that little grammatical conjunction is again, and again, and again in Scripture: If.

Issue: The issue of purpose/goal is unavoidable.

Context:  The academic term for this is teleology. It simply means the issue of purpose/goal/end for which something’s designed. Telos in Greek simply means “end, goal, or aim.” And logos means “word, reason, system.” So, teleology is the system or reason regarding purposes/goals/aims.

The Issue Made Plain: As Soldiers, we’re guaranteed in our official Army doctrine (FM 7-22 and FM 3-83, e.g.) the following as part of what the Army calls Religious Support: “RS includes providing those aspects of religious education, clergy counsel, pastoral care, authentic worship, individual spiritual readiness practices, and faith group expression that would otherwise be denied as a practical matter to Soldiers under the varied circumstances of military contingencies” (FM 3-83, 1-12).

Encouragement: There is always a God of the system. We Soldiers, and the Civilians we serve, invariably worship at an altar. It’s simply a matter of whether that altar is true or false. Worship is inescapable. Something or someone will always demand allegiance. This is what I mean when I say that teleology is unavoidable. “Man is incurably religious,” is bromidic because it’s so demonstrably true. When we see Soldiers—young, old, or somewhere in between—rest assured that each one has a view about his/her purpose/goal for serving.

Our spiritual core demands answers regarding the unavoidable issue of purpose. Just as commanders are to declare their intent to the units they lead, each of us is to know his/her heart, soul, mind, and strength vis-à-vis the issue of teleology/purpose. It’s oft cited for good reason, and that’s Frankl’s wisdom in Man’s Search for Meaning: “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”

Jog, walk, sprint. Jog, walk, sprint. Jog, walk, sprint. It was before dawn still and the humidity thick and heavy. Small birds began their morning chorus. The light slowly increased in the sky and I could see other soldiers doing PT, too, the sounds of their running shoes on the pavement. An occasional vehicle passed. The drivers would slow their speed a bit when they glimpsed the flashes from our reflective belts and running shoe reflectors. After I turned around and headed back for the final stretches, again I was moved by oaks, cedars, and cypresses. These were in an old cemetery, and I paused to capture the moment. I cannot explain my fascination with trees, but for some reason, they move me deeply, as if their years are telling a story.

Question: Is your hope rooted in truth? The reason I ask is because there is so much drivel out there trying to pass itself off as reasons to hope. The whole prosperity false gospel traffics in this sort of nonsense, as if God is a cosmic bellhop whose main calling is to provide self-absorbed sinners their every whim. Last week, I read an article in the news where a woman was offering crystals filled with blessings for (you guessed it) a financial donation. I’ll not be donating my hard-earned money to her or anyone else for crystals filled with blessings. But apparently, some folks do. As Vonnegut was fond of quipping in his satirical novel Slaughterhouse-Five, so it goes.

Hope & Truth: In Hebrews 6, the biblical writer puts it this way when exploring wise and rooted hope: “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:19, ESV).

Encouragement: No spiritual high jinks in Scripture. No crystals of blessings contingent upon financial donations. In Christianity, the believer’s hope is rooted in the infinite-personal God who is holy, holy, holy, who never lies, who is unchanging and faithful, who spoke the cosmos into existence and upholds it by the word of his power, who preserved Jonah in an underwater leviathan and deposited him three days later in order to preach the gospel in Iraq, and who told Doubting Thomas to not disbelieve but believe, who told skeptics that he was going to the cross, but in three days, he’d be raised. And despite added Roman guards at the tomb of a dead man, after having been publicly flayed, crucified, and buried, he was raised bodily and built his church, just as he said. There are no spiritual high jinks in this, you see. It’s the greatest news possible and the reason Christians have hope. It is because God keeps his promises, because God is faithful, because even though the powers of hell and hucksters continue their ways, the true God does not pimp the gullible with wish projection. It is something altogether different and pervaded with truth and hope. God says to taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8).

I’m currently camping out in the book of Judges for some of my studies. Judges is replete with larger-than-life characters. Many folks have at least some familiarity with Samson, Delilah, and Gideon. I was not blessed with the genetics of a Samson or the manipulative nature of a Delilah, but I certainly see things in Gideon’s character that are instructive.

Gideon was called by God. God was going to use Gideon mightily. But Gideon was oftentimes a reluctant man. He was prone to question God and trust people. That’s folly, of course. But it’s folly we often learn the hard way. Just a few of the times God dealt with Gideon’s reluctance follow:

• After the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and even spoke to him in Judges 6:12, it’s striking what Gideon’s response was: “Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has this happened to us?” (Judges 6:12, ESV)
• And in verse 15 of the same chapter, we again see Gideon’s reluctance: “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel?” (Judges 6:15, ESV).
• And then there’s the infamous incident of Gideon and the fleece. And what do we see therein? Gideon’s reluctance:

Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. (Judges 6:36-40, ESV)

Encouragement/takeaway: God did indeed use Gideon mightily. But what Gideon had to learn again and again was that it was God’s own faithfulness to his promises that was the bedrock. It was not Gideon’s talent, Gideon’s wherewithal, or wisdom. It was God’s word, God’s fidelity, and God’s work. When I meditate upon Gideon’s life and ministry, so often I have to repent because I see Gideon’s weaknesses in myself. He tended to overestimate man and underestimate God, and that is both arrogance and folly. God does his work his way. And that way invariably crushes our human pride so that any boast is to be in the Lord alone.