Surprise! You have a test today! (Part 1)
This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Shadows: A Glimpse of a Substitute! (WATCH HERE)
22 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
Yikes!
Obviously Abraham had a close connection to the Lord as he didn’t ask for two forms of identity or question whether he was hearing voices. He had heard and learned the voice of the Lord and the Lord gave him a challenging task: Give back to me your one and only Son.
Whenever a test was assigned, there was a subtle hope the teacher would give you the questions that would be on the test with the answers those questions demanded. So it is with our spiritual lives, isn’t it? Don’t you wish that every test to our faith was given to us in advance with the proper answer spelled out for us so there is no doubt in our mind as to what we should do?
Abraham didn’t get the question in advance, but over the years his experience with the Lord had let him learn the answers.
He knew that Isaac was a gift from God as he fathered him at 100 years of age and his wife Sarah at 90. Physically this was an impossibility which they laughed at, but God’s power made it possible.
Abraham knew that God had made a promise that he would have many descendants. This promise was given 25 years before Isaac came on the scene and after a wrong answer of having Ishmael with his servant Hagar.
The test for Abraham was whether he would hang on to his son and love him more than loving God. The test question: “Abraham, what is the first priority of your heart?”
This is a good test question for us too. Even though we can look back at the track record of God working in our hearts, we are still tempted to let other things and other people take a first priority. We may even have good excuses, but still come up with wrong answers. We can justify working every Sunday by thinking that is the only option to provide for our family. We can justify overlooking a sinful behavior in a family member to keep the relationship over the concern for the spiritual wellbeing of the individual. We can choose friends that lead us to activity that isn’t God-pleasing thinking that we don’t want to be alone. The list can go on. Any test question that God provides that challenges the first commandment (You shall have no other gods.), is a tough one for us to always get right. We love the people around us. We love the experiences the world presents to us. We love our ego and pride.
And so all too often we fail this test question. And so we repent and ask God’s Spirit for the strength of faith that Abraham exhibited. This whole account he didn’t waver. He got up the next morning and went. He took his son to the top of the mountain and was ready to take his life and light the fire. But God saw Abraham had answered the test correctly and stopped him:
Genesis 22:11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
May God give us the same resolve to always keep the love of the Lord the first priority in our heart!
Apply: What things in your life are the greatest temptation to dislodge the LORD from the primary position in your heart?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love, grace and faithfulness to forgive us when we fail the tests to our faith and for your willingness to restore and strengthen us for the tests that will come. AMEN.
Shadows
This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Shadows: A Glimpse of a Substitute! (WATCH HERE)
When I was in grade school, I remember having a sleep over at my friend’s house. I was old enough to be OK overnight a friend’s house, but young enough to be a little on edge about being in a strange place at night. As the light’s were shut off, I remember looking out the window and was convinced there was someone outside eating a peanut butter sandwich. In the morning I told my friend and we laughed because the reality was it was just a tree casting a shadow that my mind turned into a scary person eating a sandwich.
Shadows are not realities, but create an image that we form into what the reality is. A shadow doesn’t exist in a vacuum, but rather is the result of some reality…you just can’t see that reality. When you see a shadow, you have guesses as to what the reality is, but only when you see the reality can you fully understand the shadows that were cast.
God used shadows in the Old Testament to cast an image of his Son Jesus and his saving work. All the events of the Old Testament move history toward Jesus. Some events were very specifically initiated to give people a little glimpse of the Messiah, Jesus, who was to come.
The interesting thing about a shadow is that once you see the reality of what causes the shadow, you no longer focus on the shadow, but on the reality.
The Apostle Paul was inspired to give this insight in Colossians 2:16-17:
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
The religious festivals (Passover, Day of Atonement, etc.) along with monthly celebrations and weekly Sabbath Days were not the reality themselves, but rather pointed to the reality. Paul was saying, don’t get stuck on the shadow when you have the reality right in front of you.
The interesting thing about seeing the reality, you now look back and see what was causing the shadow. The branches of the tree made the shape of the man eating a sandwich, the events of Jesus life give definition to the activities of the Old Testament.
For example, the Sabbath day was a weekly occurrence for years. However, just observing the Sabbath was not the main thing. Finding rest in Jesus was the ultimate reality. Unfortunately many had become obsessed with the fine points of Sabbath law that they missed finding rest in the love, grace and forgiveness of Jesus.
Mark 2:27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Look forward to this series as we see more clearly the reality of Jesus through the shadows he cast in the Old Testament…this week, the shadow of the substitute.
Apply: How have you seen shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for casting shadows in the Old Testament that give greater insight into the reality of who you are and all you came to do! AMEN.
To Reach People…Lead them to Jesus!
This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Everyone Outreach! (WATCH HERE)
Loving people opens doors.
Listening to people builds trust.
But finally the only way a person is going to spend an eternity in heaven is connecting them to the Gospel, the good news about Jesus.
Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Perhaps this is the most challenging. Often we comfort ourselves and just say, “I will show them love and that will be my witness.” True, it is a witness. Showing love expresses the heart of Jesus to people and that is attractive. However, witnessing someone’s acts of love is not the way the Bible describes someone coming to faith. Only exposure to the Gospel through the Word of God, spoken, read, or heard does the Holy Spirit work saving faith in the hearts of people.
So eventually, we must be courageous enough to share the message of Jesus. Here’s three reminders as we do.
First, remember the Gospel is GOOD news!
The very definition of the Greek word implies the announcing of good news to someone. It’s like the angels at Jesus’ birth who couldn’t wait to tell the shepherds good news!
Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Certainly our culture likes to skew the message of Christianity as judgmental, limiting, or made up. But remember with certainty, when you share Jesus with someone…it is 100% good news!
Second, if you don’t feel comfortable with a certain conversation, invite the person to where the good news is. Your Gospel-centered, church family is a great asset for your witness opportunities. Inviting someone to come with you to hear the Gospel from someone else is a completely legitimate form of sharing your faith. Philip worked this approach with his brother Nathanael. He didn’t try to answer Nathanael’s questions. He just said, “Come and see.”
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
Third, just share what you know and have experienced about Jesus. Tell your story with Jesus. We can make sharing our faith complicated if we feel like we need to answer every question with a Bible verse or have every point of theology down in our minds before embarking on a conversation. Jesus simply directed his followers to “Be his witnesses.” (Acts 2:9) Being a witness is simply sharing what you have seen and heard. It doesn’t answer every question, it just shares the reality which you have experienced. Personally, this approach makes sharing my faith easier. I often preface what I say (after listening and gaining trust), “I understand what you are sharing, what I’ve found is that…” (and then I go on to share what Jesus has meant to me and make connections to the story the person has shared about their life.)
Fourth, remember that changing hearts is the work of the Holy Spirit. He alone works the change. We get to share the message. He gets to change a person’s heart.
So give it a try. Take a deep breath. Say a quick prayer and lead a person to Jesus!
Apply: Pray for a conversation with someone in which the Holy Spirit makes it easy and obvious how to speak about your faith and lead a person to the good news about Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, give me courage to speak boldly and clearly about the good news you have given to me so that one more person might call on you in faith and be saved. AMEN.
To Reach Others…Listen to Others!
This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Everyone Outreach! (WATCH HERE)
One of the hardest things to do is listen…like, really listen.
Our attention can easily be drawn by a text message that comes in on our phone and we miss what someone says.
Our mind shuts down when we assume that we know what the person is going to say.
Our effort diminishes when we have an initial reaction of disagreement and shifts to a mode that desires to counter and answer.
Being curious and asking questions is hard to do, however, you might say it is biblical. James writes (1:19) “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,…” Your mom said, “God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason.”
Why is taking time to listen such a loving thing to do and so important to reaching others for Jesus?
- Listening shows the other person that they are important.
When someone takes time in this busy, sound-bite world to actually listen to what you have to say, it is a valuable commodity. Some may be glad that you pay a counselor to listen to you rather than take the time to listen themselves (perhaps more relationships would avoid counseling if regular listening took place!). When you put aside your phone, and give your attention to the one talking, it communicates in a strong way that the person, their life and their thoughts are important to you. And when someone feels valued, it earns you the right to speak into their lives. Why?
2. Listening builds trust.
Giving your opinion at a moment’s notice is easy to do, but carries little value to most. Only when you have taken time to build at least a beginning relationship by listening does the speaker learn to trust you. One only has to look at comments on a Facebook post to realize that few people take time to really understand a comment or a question and just fire off their opinion or sarcastic remark. People are quick to share their opinion and spew their knowledge, but without taking time to build trust, the words will quickly evaporate without effect, except perhaps a negative one.
3. Listening allows you to respond to the real issue, not just the perceived issue.
It’s easy to answer the wrong question. The surface issue is not the real issue. When we react to people’s initial statements, we can often launch into an answer that has nothing to do with what they are really asking. However, if we stay in a place of curiosity and listen, we can allow the person to peel back the layers and really get to the heart of their belief system. I have learned this over the years and now much more often ask questions rather than give answers right away. A question I like to ask is, “Tell me how you came to that belief/understanding.” Or simply say, “Tell me more.” The person who raises the statement that God won’t condemn homosexuals is not needing a biblical listing of the passages to the point, but rather after a few questions you realize that the real issue is concern for a relative that has announced that is his preferred lifestyle and hoping there is a biblical loophole to be understood. The response is very different after you listened. The person who says “I don’t believe God would punish sin” is not needing the counter that he will, but rather time to explain she had a father who never thought she was good enough and is struggling to believe her heavenly Father would ever say that she wasn’t good enough. The response is very different after you listen.
To reach people we must learn to listen. Stay curious. Ask questions. Actively listen and watch God uncover the real hurt that his Gospel heals!
Apply: Practice asking one question in your conversations today. See what you learn as a result.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love and grace and the opportunity to share it. Help me be a better listener so I have more opportunities to share the great news of your Gospel. AMEN.
To Reach Others, Love Others.
This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Everyone Outreach! (WATCH HERE)
I remember as a kid growing up periodically going with my parents and guests to our home to tour parts of San Francisco (I grew up in that area). As we would walk along Fisherman’s Wharf (or other tourist parts of town), we would encounter different street artists doing their music or their “living statue” work looking for a few dollars in their donation tin. Usually scattered in the tourists and street artists were what I would call “Modern John the Baptists.” Usually, these individuals were sporting a long scraggly beard and unkempt hair, ragged clothes, and a sign in front of them that said, “Repent, the Kingdom of God is near!” This would often be combined with a portable speaker to broadcast words of condemnation of sin and the impending judgment of God.
To this day, I am curious if anyone will be in heaven because of this “witness” approach. While people would stand and watch other street artists, I only observed myself, parents and others passing by quickly past the street preacher and seeming to ignore his message.
While I can’t necessarily say the message was not theologically correct or perhaps even needed on the hearts of all who passed by, the approach didn’t seem to be resonating with anyone I noticed in the area (Again, my encounter was very brief.)
But perhaps this is the “picture” of evangelism that we sometimes carry, thinking we have to have the bold, in-your-face, condemning sin, confrontational message to bring to people.
To be sure, this courage was admirable and to be honest, probably a boldness we could all admire.
But I wonder if there is another approach…One that would more easily win the trust of a person and the heart for Jesus? Perhaps an approach that would better win an audience for the Gospel is one built on the love we have been shown in Christ.
1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
This is not a love that overlooks sin or is never willing to speak the truth of God’s law to the heart of an individual. (Love is always willing to point out what is spiritually dangerous.) This is love that shows genuine care and concern for another. This is love that is willing to move out of our comfort zone to engage people that are different than us. This is love that is willing to give time when time is at a premium. This is love that is willing to serve others when your to-do list is long. This is love that is willing to see every person as one for whom Jesus lived, died and rose again. This is love that simply reflects the heart of God who loved the world and sent Jesus for the world.
Love that reflects the love of Jesus builds a bridge to a soul that doesn’t know Jesus.
To reach others, love others.
Apply: Ask God to open your heart and eyes to see opportunities to love others today with the love of Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me so much that you did all for me to spend eternity with you. Lead me and help me to love others with the same kind of love to open doors to share your love with them. AMEN.