homeless Master

 

And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

Matthew 8:19-20

It is remarkable but true... Jesus lived His life the constant recipient of hospitality. He was a homeless man Who came to bring humanity back home to God. And this reminder to an excited scribe reiterated the cost of a disciple: "wild animals have homes... I don't". In order to emulate the Master, a disciple must be willing to live without a home. Disciples must be strangers to this world. We must be pilgrims on a journey, not content to be wrapped up in our earthly accomodations. We must live simply so we can be consumed with God's presence as our ultimate destination.

When a disciple follows a Master with no home in this world, the emphasis is on what a true home really is. It isn't a destination or a domicile, but a desire. It becomes about the relationship we have with the people we are with and the Savior we follow, not the maintenance of the things we have. And it is those relationships with God and fellow disciples who become family that make wherever we are truly home in our hearts.

Oh, You did not have a home
There were places You visited frequently
You took off Your shoes and scratched Your feet
'Cause You knew that the whole world belonged to the meek
But You did not have a home, no, You did not have a home

Birds have nests, foxes have dens
But the hope of the whole world rests
On the shoulders of a homeless man
You had the shoulders of a homeless man

And the world can't stand what it can't own
And it can't own You 'cause You did not have a home

-- Rich Mullins

refugee disciples

 

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

Acts 11:20-21

The gospel advances through the church in unforeseen ways. That is the story woven through the book of Acts. Who could have guessed that the gentile city of Antioch would become "the next big thing" in church growth and missionary advancement of the Christian faith? But that is exactly what occurred. Right on the heels of two church history defining events (1. The persecution and scattering of the church after Stephen's martyrdom and 2. The conversion of the gentile Cornilius' household as God led Peter to bring the gospel to a Roman) the gospel goes wide after Christians flee Jerusalem. And in Antioch a gospel-driven church is born.

These scattered Christians had every earthly reason to keep quiet. The Jewish authorities were cracking down. Christian leaders were being hunted, imprisoned, and killed. Yet the refugee disciples kept the gospel alive, and in every city where they fled, churches flourished. Jesus was building His church with obedient, courageous disciples whose faith did not die when they did.

Thank God that Christians have been faithful to the gospel as courageous, refugee witnesses. They will not buckle under pressure. The gospel boldly lives even under the most oppressive efforts of those who hate the truth to suppress it. And courageous disciples who bravely make other courageous disciples will bring the gospel message around the globe. We are still called to live out this command with a refugee mindset! This world is not our permanent home. God's hand will build a thriving church from refugees who will abandon all except the love of their Savior.

rescued

 

He sent from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of many waters...

He brought me out into a broad place;

he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

Psalm 18:16, 19

Every relationship that God has with every person who trusts Him for salvation is a rescue. The world is imperiled by sin and rebellion against God and is doomed for hell. Each person is caught up in this conspiracy. But God reaches out in love and offers hope, forgiveness, and a new life with Him when He rescues.

This is vividly known in the gospel. Jesus came to save us from sin's peril, to forgive us, to give us His righteousness in exchange for our guilt, and to put us in the freedom of living as children of God. There is no more amazing way to live. We are rescued from the dominion of darkness and placed into the kingdom of the Son He loves.

O God,

That You would delight in me now as Your child is the greatest experience of all. Thank You for the rescue that You provided as such great cost. 

Lord Jesus,

You were sent from on high. You took my sin and forgave me. You drew me out of the floodwaters of my sin and saved me from eternal death and misery. Thank You, Lord, for giving me amazing new life in You, Jesus.

Amen

from pit to palace

 

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Genesis 37:23-24

The long story of Joseph and his brothers ends the book of Genesis. Joseph is a good kid with a jealous bunch of brothers. He is clearly his father's favorite, and though he never asked for that favor from his father, that paternal doting enraged his brothers. Although it seems Joseph was somewhat naive, his willingness to share his prophetic dreams unfortunately make him look better than the rest of his family and this was perceived as arrogant. His brothers turned their jealously to hate, and then hate to conspiracy.

Joseph's story also shows us a man whose life is testament to God's sovereign care. When the brothers are intent on murdering Joseph, the voice of Reuben spares his life. And then, quite "co-incidentally" a wandering trade caravan of Ishmaelites shows up at just the right time to provide Joseph's ticket to Egypt. There in God's directorial skill, Joseph would serve first as a slave, then live as a prisoner, and then rise to be prime minister of all of Egypt. This is not the typical career path. His wise administration would save a nation and his own family during a large-scale regional famine.

Of course none of this was known to Joseph as he sat stripped of his robe, vulnerable in a pit, listening to his brothers conspire to kill him, then sell him into slavery. It wasn't a great option to be a slave in the house of Potiphar, but Joseph made the best of it. It wasn't a grand ambition to be a prisoner in the king's dungeon. Yet a sovereign grace seems to be working and though the circumstances may make it look like God is far away, He is not. Joseph remained a faithful man of character and practiced an obedient faith. God rewarded that in ways that could never have been imagined. It had to be dreams coming true. Those insights can help Christians stay at the hard stuff of our lives, even if our present circumstances, like Joseph's, seem more pits than palaces.

the thief of God's glory

 

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:34

Waking up from a restless sleep to this reminder from Jesus could be no more timely. I should have thought on these words before bed! My problem with anxiety is that I think I am sovereign over my life and actions. I think that I have to plan it, do it, solve it, fix it, be there for it all, and have it all together to be fulfilled. But every one of these self expectations is God's job. I worry becuase I try to do God's job. 

Jesus illustrates God's sovereign care with birds and flowers. God takes care of animals and fields and never misses one moment. Every bird on the wing and wildflower blooming knows the Creator's sovereign care... and they do not worry. They just live for the glory of the Creator. So should I.

Lord,

I confess I have struggled against living for Your glory. I've let worry steal my peace and joy by usurping Your glory for myself. I am a glory thief. I've worried that recent circumstances will make me look bad, or make what I do look bad, and in doubling my efforts to take control, I've let worry rob Your glory as I've tried to look like the smooth controller of my life. I confess this as sinful anxiety and selfish worry. I want no part of them any longer because they do not bring Your peace. I ask Your forgiveness as I again seek to trust You to make Your beautiful, sovereign, redemptive plan work in my world.

Amen

Jesus: focus of hate

 

And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."

Acts 9:4-5

Jesus not only identifies with the persecuted church, but is Himself the real focus of persecution. When wicked people attack the church and individual Christians, they are in fact attacking only Jesus. He receives the pains of persecution. He is the focus of persecuting hate. When someone hates on the church, they attack Jesus Himself.

As seen with Saul, Jesus can easily end that persecution suddenly and powerfully. With a bright light, a voice from heaven, and a sudden crippling blindness, Saul was incapacitated in his agenda of hate and murder. With one powerful, probing question, Saul is led to acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

Jesus would turn Saul completely around. He would go from being a persecutor of the gospel to its most influential preacher. With that experience, he would turn from persecuting the church to instead suffering persecution himself. He would change from hating Jesus to being hated because He so passionately served Jesus. He would suffer for Jesus' name. And even as Saul suffered, it would be Jesus Who would endure that suffering with and for him.

Perhaps one reason Saul was so fearless and focused on the gospel was that from his very conversion he knew it was Jesus Who bore the pain of persecution. If it is Jesus who bears the hate and rejection, Who feels the wounds of persecution, Who prevails against attacks against His church, then we as Christians need not fear. Nothing will be successful in usurping the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And any pain we know in following Jesus is borne by Him.

secret power

 

You would shame the plans of the poor,

but the Lord is his refuge.

Psalm 14:6

God is bigger

than the worst oppression

He is stronger

than evil's affliction

We may suffer

for a time in persecution

but God delivers

bringing many to salvation

Men can impugn

the faithful for believing

but God is a refuge

to those who receive Him

Mockers hate faith

and plan to eradicate

God has grace

and easily moves to frustrate

The plans of the wicked fail

as God saves His dear ones

and righteousness prevails

In the kingdom of the Risen Son