Jesus told jokes

I’m not really sure why, but most – if not all – of our descriptions of God have an ominous, somber, super-serious tone.  We imagine God sitting in Heaven, looking down on Earth, being constantly disappointed.  Worse yet, we think that God is always mad at us…with an itchy trigger finger to punish us the moment we step out of line.  To even think of God having a sense of humor or even comedic timing?  Yeah, right…

When we look at Jesus’ ministry, we do see times that He doled out just punishment (John 2:13-22), but we don’t see Him walking around as a grouchy sourpuss ready to flame-spray all the bad people.  Instead, He’s often charged with being a “friend of sinners” and one who “eats and drinks with sinners” – those who were seen as low-brow and low-class in Jewish society.  If Jesus was as pious and solemn as our modern depictions go, I can’t imagine Him being invited to many parties…let alone being called a partier’s friend.  When you enjoy a meal with others, there are stories told, jokes made, and much laughter.  “Stoic Jesus” would have been left alone in a corner somewhere…instead, the “sinners” knew who He was and often invited Him in.

While that’s an indirect proof of Jesus’ use of humor, there are other examples found in Scripture.  I think we miss them because most of the time when we read the Bible, we’re looking for serious, life-changing truths…and we gloss over the tangible descriptions of everyday life.

The most obvious joke Jesus told was illustrating the hypocrisy we often have in our relationships.

Matthew 7:3-4
Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye?

As a skilled speaker/teacher, Jesus would have paused to let the absurdity of the situation play out in their minds.  If you have a beam of wood sticking out of your head, how in the world are you able to see the splinter in another’s eye?  And then you offer to “help” them with their issue…but when you get close enough to reach their eye, they are taken out by the beam sticking out of your head.  Ironic situation, meet slapstick comedy.  Or to put it in a more modern setting: imagine going to a blind optometrist.  How helpful would the appointment be if he can’t see the letters either, let alone walk around the exam room without crashing into everything?  How funny would this be to watch as an SNL skit?

Jesus also used humor to chastise those who were “religious” but also full of themselves.  While reprimanding the Pharisees, He said

Matthew 7:23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!   You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness.  These things should have been done without neglecting the others.

In all honesty, Jesus could have stopped there.  Instead, He furthers His point by using this humorous illustration:

Matthew 7:24
Blind guides!  You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel!

Both gnats and camels were considered “unclean” in the Mosaic Law.  Neither should be eaten.  There is some evidence that the very pious would run their wine through a strainer in order to make sure that no gnats or bugs had landed in their drink.  Jesus’ contention is that the scribes and Pharisees have been missing the point of the Mosaic Law.  They’ve been “majoring on the minors” so much that while they scrutinize everything for a gnat out of place that they miss the fact they were willing to eat an entire camel!

Although there are other ironies and humorous stories I could reference, in this last Scripture example, I can envision Jesus using “air quotes” as He talked.  The day after feeding 5,000 men (plus the women and children present), many of those who ate the loaves and fish tracked Jesus down.

John 6:26-27
Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.  Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal of approval on Him.”

They worked to find Him – not because they realized that the signs/miracles Jesus performed demonstrated He was the promised Messiah – instead they spent their energy to seek Him out for another free meal.  When Jesus pointed out their true motivations, they keyed in on the word work in relation to eternal life and performing miracles for themselves:

John 6:28
“What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.

They were asking how they could earn up enough favor with God so they could manifest their next meal.  Sounds familiar, right?  “If I follow the rules, give to the synagogue, do the right sacrifices, God will give me stuff…right Jesus?  Just tell me all the good things I need to do to earn the outcome I want.”  They also thought that there were many things they needed to do, since they asked about works – plural.  Jesus’ reply is tongue-in-cheek, correcting their use of the plural works and pointing them to the air quote singular “work” they would need to do to obtain eternal life:

John 6:29
Jesus replied, “This is the work of God – that you believe in the one He has sent.”

Just like they missed the point of the miracle – it was evidence that Jesus was the promised Messiah – they also completely missed that eternal life was something He would give you.  You can’t do enough works to earn a gift…eternal life is a gift free of charge, no “work” necessary…you only have to believe in Jesus for it.

Remember, when you read stories in the Bible…these aren’t made up fairy tales, they actually happened.  The people in them didn’t know the next verse, they simply lived it out.  Of course, there were serious moments, but there were also times of fun, laughter, and joking.  Some jokes were even told by God Himself.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

The “how” of living the Christian life

Last time, we learned that the Christian life is a miracle of resurrection – that after we believe in Jesus for eternal life, God is the one (not us) who empowers our mortal bodies to accomplish the good desires He has given us.

And while that truth lifts a great weight off of our shoulders, you may have the same question I had when I was first exposed to this teaching: That’s great to know that I don’t have to muscle through my desire to do good and my inability to consistently do it…but…exactly how does God empower my spiritually dead body?

Fortunately, Paul got real specific about this topic with the group of believers in the city of Corinth. 

2 Corinthians 3:18
We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.

In the preceding verses (2 Corinthians 3:12-16), Paul is clear that the mirror he is referring to is the Scriptures.  While the Old Testament was The Scriptures of Paul’s day, the New Testament describes how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures and the resulting, permanent adjustment He made to our relationship to God.  As such, the same mirror analogy applies to the New Testament Scriptures, and God uses the entirety of the Bible to change us.  As for seeing the glory of the Lord, consider the following verses:

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  We observed His glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:18
No one has ever seen God.  The one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side – He has revealed Him.

The Scriptures – both Old and New Testament – reveal who Jesus is.  We see His excellence, His grace, His kindness, His righteous anger, His love, His tenacity, His creativity, His plan…we see that He is the way, the truth, and the life…and most of all, we see His glory.  Jesus is the glory of the Father.  Jesus is our perfect representation of who God is and what He is like. 

The Scriptures are the mirror for us to see the glory of the Lord…The Scriptures are the mirror for us to see Jesus.  Look at the rebuke Jesus gave to the religious egg-heads of His day:

John 5:39-40
You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about Me.  But you are not willing to come to Me so that you may have life.

They used the text to justify how good they were before God, how much better they saw themselves as compared to others.  However, they had completely missed the point of reading/studying/memorizing Scripture.  The fulfillment of Scripture was standing right in front of them…and they missed it.  In fact, because they were so wrapped up in their own outward goodness, they were not willing to see Jesus for who He is. 

There were other times Jesus pointed out this fundamental truth – that all Scripture was pointing to Him:

Luke 24:27
Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He [Jesus] interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

Luke 24:44-45
He told them, “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”  Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

We cannot properly understand the Scriptures until we recognize that they are the reflection of Jesus.  If we go to the Bible for any other reason, we will miss the point.  But…if we approach the Bible with the mindset that they are about Him (and not us)…then we will observe His glory and be transformed by the reflection…transformed to be like Jesus, step by step, and growing from glory to glory throughout our lifetime.

Most Christians, if they look at their Bibles at all, read them because they feel “they have to”, or they feel guilty if they don’t, or they want to find a way to prove themselves right on a certain topic.  Don’t miss this – if we go to the Scriptures to find Jesus, if we spend time there to understand who He is…the reflection of Him in the Scriptures will change us to be like Him. 

That is how Jesus empowers our mortal bodies to live the Christian life – He does it by making us more like Him.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

I've apologized, so now what?

I messed up at work this past week.  I behaved in a way that is very atypical for me – while I was leading an online team meeting, I forcefully corrected a coworker.  You know the type of “discussion” I’m talking about – the kind where an awkward pause hangs in the air and the meeting clunks along afterward.  While the message I delivered may have been necessary, there were three glaring things wrong with it – my tone was condescending, I’m not his manager, and it was done in a public forum (there were two other coworkers and our manager on the call as well). 

No matter how much I thought my message was needed and/or right for him to hear…it wasn’t for me to say – in that manner or in that place.  So I called him the next day, and let him tell me everything I did wrong, how it made him feel, and how I wasn’t his manager.  While I was able to explain my motivations, he (rightly) insisted that I didn’t have all the information to provide the kinds of comments that I did.  I apologized for overstepping my boundary of being a coworker and for doing so in a public setting.  We ended the call in a friendly manner, and both moved on with our day.  In the days since that conversation, I have separately apologized to our other coworkers who were on the call.  They, too, have accepted my apology.

While I don’t expect any lasting damage to our friendship or ability to work together, a little awkwardness is bound to hang around for a while.  How will the next meeting I lead be conducted?  If I speak forcefully about anything, even on topics or relationships outside our team, how will I be perceived?  It’s been said that it takes years to build a good reputation, but one moment has the power to destroy all those years of work.

I’ve apologized, so now what?

A few days ago, I was reading in Proverbs while eating breakfast.  I normally study from the CSB translation, but this time I happened to be reading from my old NIV 84.  Here’s what practically jumped out on the page:

Proverbs 16:6
Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.

My application was, and is, obvious.  Going forward, I cannot be preoccupied with how my teammates perceive me.  Instead, to re-solidify their trust in me, my focus will be to treat each of them in a loving manner and faithfully perform my responsibilities for my team – just as I have in the past.  To avoid making the same mistakes, I need to have an interest in and a healthy respect for the Lord’s instructions.

Don’t misunderstand me here.  I am not saying that I need to work harder to better behave myself.  I did not act poorly because I wasn’t trying hard enough.  Instead, I had forgotten who I am.  James warned us about this:

James 1:22-24
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

Don’t read that the wrong way, look back at the text…the word is the mirror that reveals what we look like, it shows us who we really are.  In James’ illustration, the mirror isn’t there to reveal our flaws – instead it shows us who we are in Christ!  It’s when we forget what [we] look like that we become hearers and not doers.

Since I have believed in Jesus for eternal life, I am forever a child of the King of the Universe.  As a member of the family, my identity is with Him.  I will be able to remember this as I look to His word to be reminded of who I am…and as I remember my identity, I will naturally treat my coworkers with love and faithfulness.

Because that is who I truly am.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Fought over by two women

Only once have I ever been fought over by two women.  Well, “girls” would be more accurate.  Towards the end of my fourth or fifth grade year, a large group of us were at a friend’s house for a party.  For the start of one particular game, everyone had to make a big circle.  As I looked for a place to stand, the unthinkable happened – a girl that I knew, who I really liked said, “Hey Ken, come stand by me.”  Before I could process her invite, another girl who was on the other side of the circle and, unbeknownst to me, really liked me said, “No Ken, come stand by me.”

My young mind was spinning, because no girl had ever expressed interest in me before – and now there were two calling at the same time!  What happened next was as if the three of us were in a bad Nickelodeon tween show: each girl grabbed an arm, like I was the tug-of-war rope.  They see-sawed me back-and-forth for about 10 seconds, each insisting that I stand by them.  When they stopped, all eyes were on me to choose which one I was going to stand next to.  Ultimately, I chose the girl I believed was more attractive.

In the introduction to his collection of wisdom sayings, Solomon warned his son of a similar situation.  In his illustration, Solomon personifies Wisdom and Folly as two women calling out for his son’s attention.  What’s interesting is that both women use the exact same opening offer:

Proverbs 9:4-6
“Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, [Wisdom] says, “Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine I have mixed.  Leave inexperience behind, and you will live; pursue the way of understanding.”

Proverbs 9:16-17
“Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, [Folly] says, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten secretly is tasty!”

Which one will Solomon’s son choose?  Both offer relationship, sustenance, and experience to those who answer their call.  In the moment, he can choose either Wisdom or Folly – and since their initial offers don’t differ very much, he may make the wrong choice.  Fortunately, Solomon provides some additional detail about these women, so his son can understand who is calling out for his attention, and where a relationship with either of them will end up:

Proverbs 9:10-11
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me [Wisdom] your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.

But for those who choose to dine at Folly’s house, there is a plot twist waiting for them:

Proverbs 9:18
But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol [the grave].

This illustration closes out Solomon’s introduction to his proverbs, and his point is clear – Wisdom will extend your physical life, whereas Folly will shorten your days.  After looking at the offers made by Wisdom and Folly, it should come as no surprise that Solomon then chose the following as his first two proverbial sayings:

Proverbs 10:1-2
Solomon’s proverbs:
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.
Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone, but righteousness rescues from death.

When both Wisdom and Folly call out, when they fight each other for the son’s attention, Solomon’s son may feel like he’s the tug-of-war rope between his two options.  Ultimately, however, he is going to choose the one he believes is more attractive.

Hopefully, he listens to Solomon’s advice.  Also hopefully, so do we.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

I don't know what to read next

One morning, a guy got up early, made coffee, and sat down to read his Bible.  The problem was that he didn’t know where to start.  After a few moments of staring at the unopened book sitting on his kitchen table, he still didn’t know what to do.  So he prayed, “Lord, I don’t know what I’m doing here.  Please give me direction on what I should read and what I should do today.”

Not knowing where to turn, he decided to randomly open to a page and point at a verse.  He hoped God would guide him.  Not wanting to end up in the Old Testament, he veered towards the right side of his Bible.  He landed on Matthew 27:5, Then he went and hanged himself.  “That’s…weird,” he muttered. “God, I’m looking for guidance here…” So he flipped a few pages forward and stopped at Luke 10:37, Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”  Feeling a bit unnerved, he sought safety in the book of John.  Quickly turning there, he stopped at John 13:27, So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

I joke, I joke.

Randomly opening our Bibles, hoping God will direct our flipping around so we land on a piece of wisdom is never a good idea.  However, wondering what part of the Bible to read next is a very common concern for Christians who choose to spend time and effort seeking God.  There are lots of blog posts, study guides, and other plans out there.  Which one to choose?

You could treat the Bible like one big book and read it cover to cover.  In fact, many people do that – only to get bogged down in Exodus and then quitting at some chapter in Leviticus.  Read-the-Bible-in-a-year plans also take this approach.  You’ll end up reading 3 or 4 chapters a day, every day.  I have finished a yearly plan like this once.  It certainly had its benefits – knowing exactly how much to read, seeing some familiar New Testament references in Old Testament passages that I don’t routinely read – but you have to be aware of the drawbacks, too.  The challenges with this approach is that you’re mainly reading for information and not life change; also your daily chunk of chapters could easily become an anxiety-driven checkbox for your day.  All in all, I’m glad that I completed a full read of the Bible, because getting a 30,000 ft view of Scripture was great – but I do not have any plans to do it again.

Over the years of reading/studying/teaching the Bible, I have found that the slower approach is better.  Take the text in smaller pieces…think about it, pray about it, and then take what you learn into your daily life.  To help with that, I offer 3 suggestions:

·       Proverbs – Whatever day of month it is, read that chapter of Proverbs.  This is my go-to if I’m not sure what to read next or if I just want to read the Bible while I eat breakfast.  Chapters in Proverbs are easy to drop in anywhere and not lose any context.  Read through each proverb and look for truths you have experienced, perspectives you might not have considered, or situations you can trust God with.  It’s ok to linger on a proverb and just think through it.  Since this blog is posted on the 15th, when I turn to that chapter, I’m immediately challenged with the first verse:

Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away anger,
but a harsh word stirs up wrath.

 We can easily see the truth in this statement, but let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?  Allow yourself the time to think through questions like:

Why do I immediately recognize this to be true? 
How do I respond to gentle answers? 
How do I respond to harsh words?
Which one am I more likely to give at work? to my spouse? to my kids? to strangers?
Where in my life can God help me to be intentional about giving others a gentle answer?

I’m sure you could follow this train of thought with a few more questions of your own.  Just one verse…and a lot of good applications that can come from it.  These are easily found when you look at the Proverbs chapter that match the day of the month.

·       Psalms – Where the Proverbs are steady, logical life-principles, the Psalms are dripping with emotion and relationship.  The shortest one is just 2 verses (Psalm 117) and the longest is 176 verses (Psalm 119).  There are 150 Psalms, so you could easily read one Psalm per day and have a five month plan laid out for you (maybe spread out Psalm 119 over a few days).  What you’ll find is a lot of raw emotion, especially in David’s psalms.  He wasn’t afraid to tell God exactly how he felt, for better or worse, and in vivid detail.  Don’t get caught up in any graphic details or cultural references you may not understand…instead look for the theme of each psalm and think about why the Israelites would have sung these lines to God.  You might be surprised to find out that ancient people and modern people aren’t all that different in their struggles, concerns, and aspirations.

·       John – The book of John is THE place to start when reading the Bible.  John’s gospel is the only book explicitly written to non-believers to explain who Jesus is, the purpose and result of His mission, and – most importantly – how to obtain eternal life from Him.  The apostle admits that he could have written about any number of scenes in Jesus’ life, but the specific ones that he selected were to convince his readers that Jesus is the Son of God and that by simply believing in Him, anyone can have eternal life.  John gives no additional conditions or requirements.  In this gospel, you’ll find that in order to obtain eternal life, you don’t have to confess all your sins, believe certain facts in a certain order, promise to live better, repent, or make a commitment to follow Jesus – while all those are good things, they are not pre-conditions of eternal salvation.  The only requirement for eternal salvation is that you believe in Jesus for it.  Don’t believe me?  John’s gospel has 21 chapters – read one per day for the next three weeks, and ask God to show you exactly what He requires.

The main thing is that we continually get into our Bibles.  There are too many things that clamor for our attention every day, and this is the book that God has crafted over the centuries in an effort to reveal Himself to us.  Don’t get hung up on what to read next…just take the next step and don’t be afraid to take your time.  It’s more important that you grow in your relationship with God than checking the box on a reading plan each day. 

The focus isn’t on how many times you’ve been though the Bible…instead, how many times has the Bible been through you?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Paper towels and mixed messages

There’s plenty of guilt to go around these days, even when it comes to what I should be using to wipe off my kitchen counters.  Within the last week, I’ve watched a TV advertisement that claimed in order to protect my family from germs, viruses, and food-born illnesses, I need to buy their paper towels.  The convenient single-use paper towel, they claimed, was superior to cleaning with a dishrag that was previously used and now sitting in my sink.  The commercial went on to warn me how a multi-use dishrag was a festering breeding ground for all sorts of nasty bugs, and it also contained bits of food and grease from whatever it was I cleaned up last time I wiped down the counters.  You wouldn’t wipe off the door of your microwave with a slice of pizza would you?  Then, obviously, any responsible adult who desires to protect their family would buy these paper towels.

And then today, when I was flipping through an online list of “Top money wasting purchases when cleaning your home”, what did I come across?  But, of course: paper towels.  This story said a roll of paper towels was too easy for a family to use up quickly and inefficiently.  They did the math, and if you used 2 rolls a week at $1/roll, then that’s over $100 for the year!  And, of course, you should feel guilty for the strain you’re putting on the environment.  Paper towels are tough to recycle, so you’re just filling up your community’s landfill by using them.  Instead, they suggested, I should buy some cheap, reusable microfiber towels.

So, no matter my choice, I am either a poor excuse for a family man or someone who hates the environment.  Talk about getting mixed messages!  You could tie yourself up in knots trying to figure out what is “the best” way to wipe down your kitchen.

We’ve been looking for a new church home, and we recently attended a church on a friend’s recommendation.  To be honest, after over a year of online services from various churches, it was refreshing to be a part of a group worshipping God.  The pastor was an engaging speaker who quoted a lot of Scripture.  His current series centered around the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 4:22-23).  He was spending one week discussing each fruit listed by Paul.  The week we attended, the topic was faithfulness.

While most of his talk was spot-on, there was one part when my ears perked up.  He made a statement to the effect that “We Christians have erroneously combined the ideas of faith and belief.  When in fact, they are two different things.”  And I thought, “Right on. They are different. I’m interested in what he has to say next.”  He then continued to say that believing something isn’t enough, that God expects us to put action to our beliefs and that’s called faith, and that’s what a Christian does.  After repeating a few more times that believing wasn’t enough, he cited a commonly misquoted passage:

James 2:17-19
In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.  Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.  You believe that God is one.  Good!  Even the demons believe – and they shudder.”

“See?” the pastor said, “The demons believe and that’s not enough.  We have to have faithfulness and put action to our faith.”

I winced.  It’s a common misquote, but it’s still a misquote.  To find out what James meant by faith without works is dead, click here to read last week’s post.  The pastor finished his preaching and then another lady came on stage to wrap up and dismiss everyone.  What really worried me was something she said next.  She invited anyone who wasn’t a Christian to join God’s family, and all you had to do was “believe and follow Jesus”. 

If I was a non-Christian or someone who was not used to church-lingo, I would have been very confused.  The pastor just said multiple times that “belief” wasn’t enough, that I also needed some kind of actionable faith.  But then she said all I had to do was “believe and follow”, without giving any explanation as to what that meant, especially in relation to what the pastor said.  Talk about mixed messages!

Our word choices matter, and we have to take into consideration the audience we are speaking to.  I spoke with the lady afterwards and although I knew what they were trying to say, I warned her that between the two of them, there was the potential for a lot of confusion.  We talked through everything and came to a basic understanding.  There would have been a lot less confusion if either of them had clearly stated that the preacher’s message was directed towards those who already believed in Jesus for eternal life, and her invitation was for those who have not yet been convinced of Jesus’ offer.  Here’s a rundown of what else we discussed:

·       What the demons “believe” in James 2 isn’t belief in Jesus for eternal life.  Eternal life isn’t offered to fallen angels, so in context, what the demon “believes” is that there is only one God.
·       Believing in Jesus for eternal life is how a person is “saved” and joins God’s family.  There are no other conditions.  (John 11:25-27; Acts 16:31; Eph 2:8-9; 1 Tim 1:16)
·       All believers are called by God to act out our faith. See the James 2 passage the preacher quoted.
·       Choosing to “follow Jesus” is often our first action based on our new faith in Jesus, but it is not a requirement for salvation.

One last thing to note – a clarification, if you will.  In preparing for this post, I have changed my mind on the idea that belief and faith are two different things.  In Greek, they are different versions of the same word, with the only difference between them is that belief is a verb (pisteuo) and faith is a noun (pistis).  As such, if you say that either you believe in Jesus for eternal life or you have faith in Jesus for eternal life, you are saying the same thing.

I hope that clears things up.  I wouldn’t want to give you any mixed messages.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

For my son - The snooze button is a liar

My youngest son has officially finished high school and is getting ready to embark on the next phase of his life.  As I am nostalgically thinking of that time in my own life, I am also thinking of the things God has taught me since then.

This is the first post in a three-part series where I am remembering lessons I have learned later in life that I would love for my son know now...

I chose this post because, as an adult, he is now fully responsible for his choices in life.  The successes and failures of his time management will be his alone.  While there’s not a specifically required time of day to spend with God, first thing in the morning is often the best…provided we do not give in to repeatedly hitting the snooze button.

The snooze button is a liar
Originally posted on December 13, 2018 

A blaring alarm clock is not the thing you want to hear first thing in the morning.  The alarm tone is purposely loud and obnoxious so we are awakened from our slumber to start the day at the right time.  Even though we’re the ones who picked the time for the alarm, we still resent that the alarm is interrupting our sleep.

We’ve got a ton of things to do, and a schedule to keep if we want to do them well.  Yet, sitting deceptively close to the “Alarm Off” button is another button.  It is usually several times larger than the one to stop the alarm – the Snooze Button.

When the alarm is blaring, the main thing I care about is hitting the button to make it stop…but this other button makes an enticing offer: I could lay my groggy head back down on the pillow for an additional 9 minutes.  The Snooze Button invites me to give up “just a tiny fraction” of my morning so I can get that much more rest before starting my day.  I let it convince me that I will feel better and more active, if I could just get a few more minutes of sleep.

But let’s be honest: I rarely hit the Snooze Button only once.  And when I do eventually get up, the morning is super-rushed because I’m now pressed for time.  I barely have time to shower, dress, grab my work bag, and stuff some food in my face before running out the door, all of which could have been easily managed had I not pressed the Snooze Button.

But I’ve noticed two things – First, I am NOT more rested when I take the Snooze Button’s offer of additional sleep, broken up into 9 minute chunks.  If anything, I feel more tired and frazzled at the start of my day.  Secondly, whenever I “sleep in” the first item on my to-do list that gets dropped is my time reading God’s Word.

All throughout the Bible we see examples of God wanting to spend time with us, but what we also see is that God expects us to put in some effort and desire to be with Him.  Look at the three “IFs” Solomon gives his son, and what result will come if he actually follows through:

Proverbs 2:1-5
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding;
furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,
if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure,

then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.

Why do we need to spend time in the Bible?  Paul reminded Timothy of the Scripture’s usefulness and effect on his life:

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

One last example.  Peter is reminding his readers of their main source of food for spiritual growth:

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation

There are numerous other references and examples I could give, but I think you get the point.  God wants to meet with us, but we need to intentionally set aside time to do so.  Perhaps you need to take the small step I need to take: stop hitting the Snooze Button.  That button lies to us – we don’t get what it promises.  We end up starting our day rushed and feeling bad, while missing out on something much, much better.

Are you skeptical that God couldn’t use 9 minutes with Him to make a difference in your life?  I dare you to try it this next week and find out.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Don't use a commentary like this

One of the rallying cries from the Protestant Reformation was sola scriptura – Scripture alone is our final authority for faith and practice.  That led to a significant development in the history of Christianity: the right to private interpretation.  The combination of the Gutenberg Bible and the Reformation put Scripture into the hands of lay people.  However, with this historical development, we didn’t just gain access to Scripture, we also took on a responsibility.  As R.C. Sproul once pointed out,

“Private interpretation never meant that individuals have the right to distort the Scriptures.  With the right of private interpretation comes the sober responsibility of accurate interpretation.  Private interpretation gives us license to interpret, not to distort.”

Since we are the representatives for the Creator of the Universe, the last thing we want to do is advocate something that God did not say.  So then, how can you avoid distorting God’s message?  By taking the steps we’ve already taken.  First, we observe well – we use our reporter’s hat and our detective’s hat to make observations from the text.  Then we allow context to guide our interpretation and compare Scripture with Scripture to make sure we’re seeing the consistency in God’s message.  Only after taking these steps are we ready to ask for help from someone else.

We never want to become arrogant in our study process to think that the Holy Spirit is only talking to us, that He’s never said anything to anyone else.  If you stop and think about it, thousands of people have traveled this road ahead of us, and some have left behind some valuable helps.  There can be great value in consulting what someone else has already learned, as demonstrated by one of my favorite poems, The Bridge Builder by Will Allen Dromgoole.

When we properly use a secondary resource, we can leverage what we’ve learned thus far against the contributions of others.  However, do remember that they are called “secondary” resources for a reason…they are to be used only after you have observed and interpreted the biblical text for yourself.  Never forget that order.  To run straight to a commentary without even thinking through the text shows a lack of trust in what the Holy Spirit can teach you.  Scripture doesn’t yield its fruit to the lazy.  While it’s certainly easier to google up an interpretation of a passage, this short-cut will end up short-circuiting your growth and development.    

After we observe and interpret the text, we are ready to see what someone else has to say about the same passage.  You’ll be surprised at how many others came to the same conclusion you have.  You may find another aspect of text or a cultural influence you weren’t aware of, and that may affect your interpretation.  You may also find that you disagree with a commentator’s interpretation – if you do, put on your reporter’s hat and detective’s hat again and see which of you did a better job observing the text!

There are many types of secondary resources out there that can help you with your study of Scripture, but I want to focus on the main two: concordances and commentaries.

A concordance is a tool that enables you to look up terms – think of it like an index to the Bible.  A concordance lists all of the words of the text alphabetically, with references for where they appear, along with a few of the surrounding words to give some context.  Using a concordance is probably my favorite part during Interpretation.  I love finding out the exact meaning of an author’s choice of words.  However, using a concordance goes beyond studying terms:

Suppose you want to study the life of a particular person, and you choose Moses.  Use a concordance to look him up and you’ll see that the bulk of his life is detailed in the book of Exodus.  However, you will also see that Moses is discussed in both Acts and Hebrews – he’s been dead for 1000’s of years at this point, yet there is important information about him presented in the New Testament.  His life is discussed in Acts 7 and he occupies the largest amount of text in “God’s Hall of Fame” found in Hebrews 11.  If you hadn’t looked it up, you may have missed one or both of these passages on his life – and you would not have gotten God’s full picture of Moses’ life.

Another good use of a concordance is if you want to do a topical study.  If you wanted to look up all Scriptural references to money, you’d instantly have a listing of all verses in the 27 books that mention money.  You’d also see that there are a lot of references to money in the gospels – and that’s because Jesus talked about money A LOT.

The other secondary resource we need to discuss are commentaries. 

Have you ever listened to the teaching of someone who is masterfully explaining the Word and thought, Wow, I’d like to have them sitting beside me next time I come to the Scriptures.  Well, a commentary does essentially that.  A commentary offers you the insights of someone who has perhaps spent his or her whole life studying the text.  While a commentary cannot do your study for you, it certainly is an excellent means of evaluating and expanding your own study.

There are a seemingly infinite number of commentaries out there, with many different (and often conflicting) interpretations – so which one should you choose?  If you purchase a written commentary (as opposed to any available online), you want a good, single-volume, general commentary, one that covers both the Old Testament and the New Testament in one, or at the most, two volumes.

You’re looking for a commentary to add detail and insight into the text, but you don’t want a deep dive into the weeds about an individual topic.  Also…don’t spend a ton of money on a 24-volume set!  Lastly, be careful whom you listen to, because at least at some level, we all bring our theological systems and assumptions when we read the text.  Some commentators force their belief systems into the text…but your early work with your reporter’s hat and detective’s hat will help protect you from running off with misinterpretations.

If you are unfamiliar with the author, you need to find out his or her theological perspective – is he conservative or liberal, does she believe in the essential truths of Christianity?  So how do you discover the answer to those kinds of questions?  Two ways, really:

1.       Google them.  You can’t believe everything on the internet, but you can probably find a synopsis of who this person is and what they believe…especially if you find they have a website with a belief statement.
2.       You can turn to a passage that you have studied on your own and know that you have come to a correct interpretation, then compare the commentator’s answer to your own. 

Why is it important that you know the author’s theological perspective?  If you don’t know, then you could be setting yourself up for bad advice.  We find this warning among Solomon’s proverbs:

The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)

If you still are unsure if you should use a particular commentary, then the next step is to consult a mature, studied Christian whose opinion you trust.  Ask your pastor or teacher.  Either would be ecstatic to answer that kind of question for you, because it demonstrates that you are studying your Bible and practicing discernment when you do so. 

In the end, commentaries can be both a blessing and a curse.  The downside is the tendency to start depending on them rather than familiarizing yourself with the biblical text.  There’s nothing wrong with commentaries, but remember that ultimately they are just one person’s opinion, and they are certainly not inspired Scripture.  At the same time, a scholar who has spent a lifetime investigating the biblical text can frequently get you past the barriers to understanding.  His comments can also help you evaluate your own personal study. 

REMEMBER: the use of secondary resources should NEVER be a substitute for personal Bible study, but rather a stimulus for it.  Always remember the order: First the Word of God, then the secondary resources.  Additionally…secondary resources are OPTIONAL, you are not required to look up a certain number of words or consult a minimum number of commentaries to have a successful understanding of the text.

Commentaries I recommend:
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Grace New Testament Commentary
Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary
Tony Evans Bible Commentary

Online concordances:
http://www.studylight.org
http://www.blueletterbible.org

Online commentaries:
https://planobiblechapel.org/soniclight/
https://faithalone.org/ebooks/

Using a resource listed above or one of your own, let’s see what we can find for our Joshua passage:

Concordance – look up important nouns and verbs, those are the most impactful parts of the text.  Some words have a clear, 1:1 translation…other words will have a richer meaning in the original language.  Try looking up strong, courageous, success, and meditate.

Commentary – choose a commentary (or two) and compare the author’s observations with your own.  What did you both see?  Do you differ anywhere?  If so, which conclusion best fits the text?

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

There’s only one correct Interpretation

Interpretation can be a very sticky subject within Christianity.  Lots of people have very strong opinions about what various passages mean…and not everyone agrees on what that is.  A common phrase thrown about is, “Well, that’s YOUR interpretation.”  We often bring our own baggage, theological systems, and assumptions when we try to interpret what God has said.  However, the truth is that there is only one correct interpretation for a particular passage…it isn’t mine, and it isn’t yours…no matter what we may feel a passage says or what we may desire a verse to be about, there’s only one true interpretation: what the original author intended for the original recipients of the text. 

So after we do our observation work – after we use our reporter’s hat and our detective’s hat to observe what is going on in the text – our next step is to use what we have found in the text to determine the original author’s meaning. 

It sounds simple, but can be difficult to do.  Interpreting honestly and clearly will take practice.  However, the best way to approach these next steps is to come in with the mindset that we are students of the Bible and disciples of Jesus…not students of Calvinism and disciples of John MacArthur…not students of Arminianism and disciples of John Wesley…not students of Catholicism and disciples of the Pope.  We want to know God through the pages of the Bible, and Jesus is our best and most-relatable example of who God is and what He is like.

That said, I want to offer you three steps that will help you unlock the biblical text, the three basic principles of Interpretation.  The best part is, you’ve already taken the first step:

Interpretation Step #1: Content

The content of a passage is the raw material you will use to interpret the text.  And because of the work you’ve already put in using your reporter’s hat and your detective’s hat, you have a good amount of observations to work with. 

The first step we take when we begin interpreting the Biblical text is to go back and read over all the observations we’ve written down.  Look at the “first impression” questions you had when you initially reviewed the text…did you find your answer in your reporter/detective work?  If not, that’s ok.  We still have ways to address them – and the next step can definitely help:

Interpretation Step #2: Context

Simply stated, context refers to that which goes before and that which follows after.  Anyone who has had to face the press can appreciate the importance of context.  We’ve all been in situations where part of what we’ve said to one person was overheard and taken out of context by someone else.  When something is taken out of context, an accurate understanding of the comment or situation often goes right out the window.

We can definitely do the same thing with the Word of God.  In fact, every major cult is built on a violation of the principle of context.  A great deal of doctrinal error could be corrected by simply asking, “Would you please read the previous verses or the ones that follow?”.  So whenever you study a verse, a paragraph, a section, even an entire book – always consult the neighbors of that verse, that paragraph, that section, or that book. 

Additionally, we need to recognize that the meaning of a word is also derived from how it is used.  I can use the word run in several different ways: I run marathons.  I run for political office.  My allergies are bad, they make my nose run.  The meaning of run varies on usage.  Same thing happens in the Bible…we cannot assume that every use of “saved”, “lost”, or “hell” is always equal to “saved from eternal damnation”, “unbeliever”, or “the bad place”.  If we are going to interpret honestly, then we can’t read by default or assumption – we must look at how a word is used in the passage by the author.  Different Biblical authors can use the same word to mean different things…we just have to be aware of it.

Keeping our interpretations within the context of the Biblical passage will safeguard against us reading our own assumptions or misunderstandings into a verse. 

Another great tool to help us determine the original author’s meaning is found in the next step:

Interpretation Step #3: Comparison

The Bible is comprised of 66 separate books; however, since God is the ultimate author of them all, we can expect that they all work together to tell who God is, what He is like, and how we can partner with Him now.  As such, we can expect that – when interpreted correctly – the Biblical passages will not contradict one anothr.

Some passages are very easy to understand, others are more challenging.  That’s ok…because a great help is knowing we can use Scripture to interpret Scripture.  This is a great safety net, and the more you compare Scripture with Scripture, the more you begin to see and understand God’s larger picture.  The parts that are difficult become easier to understand as we work with Scripture as a whole.  And when comparing, we always interpret the difficult passages with what we understand from the clear passages – not the other way around.  Don’t take a difficult passage and try to force an unnatural meaning on something that is clear in and of itself.

A good illustration of this is John 3:16-17
For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so the everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

Jesus is being explicitly clear here with Nicodemus.  Eternal life is a free gift to everyone who believes.  Whatever other use of the word “saved” or “salvation” you find in other passages, if they are discussing eternal life, then that gift is free.  No strings attached.  No behavior change required.  No promise to do better.  The only condition Jesus puts on anyone receiving eternal life from Him is to believe in Him for it. 

So what does this mean if you find a passage that seems to say we must work for our “salvation” or that we must persevere in order to be “saved”?  Based on John 3:16-17, we know those understandings would not be accurate.  I suggest going back to the context of your verse in question…and then determine if the author has really used “saved” to discuss obtaining eternal life, or is he talking about being “saved” from something else?  Whenever you read the word “saved”, stop and ask yourself “Saved from what?”…because about 70% of the time when “saved” is used in the New Testament, it’s not referring us to obtaining eternal life.  Shocker, I know!  But this is where context and comparison are huge steps in our interpretation process.

Now we’ll take our three Interpretation Steps with our passage from Joshua:

Content: Go back and read over your notes.  Remind yourself of everything you’ve learned up to this point.  Do you have any unanswered questions?

Context: Read all 18 verses of Joshua 1.  How does our passage fit in the larger context?  Notice who else is encouraging Joshua to be strong and courageous.  For additional context, you could also read chapters 2-11.  If you do, look specifically for Joshua’s leadership – was he always strong and courageous, did he observe carefully the whole instruction God had given the Israelites?  If he did, then was he successful, like God promised?

Comparison: Beyond reading Joshua 1-11, think about how this passage relates to what we learned in Psalm 1.  List out the similarities you find.  Can you think of any other similar passages?  How well do they match up? (and it’s ok if no others come to mind)

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Put on your detective's hat, part 2

Last time, we put on our detective’s hat and looked for our first two clues: things that are emphasized and things that are repeated.  Now we move on to our next two clues, which rely on something we humans do, almost without thinking about it – compare and contrast.  Typically the first thing we notice in any given situation are things are that are alike or things that are unlike, and those are great skills to use when we’re studying Scripture.

Text Clue #3: Look for things that are alike.

There are two major categories for things that are alike, and they are as simple as remembering your grade-school grammar. 

Our first comparison tool is finding similes.  These are super easy to find, because all you’re looking for are the terms like and as.  When you find them, you’re going to have a word picture that draws a comparison between two things.  A couple examples:

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation

With this like comparison, we immediately get what Peter is trying to convey to his readers – our desire for God’s word should be just like that of a newborn’s desire for milk…because we recognize Scripture as that important and life-giving for us.

John 3:14-15
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

Jesus is drawing the parallel between those who looked at the bronze snake and believed for their temporal healing with those who will look at Him and believe for their eternal salvation.  His use of an as comparison removes any doubt that belief is the only requirement for us to be restored because of His death on the cross.

Related to the simile is the metaphor, but this time we don’t have a clue word to look for.  Instead you’ll see some figure of speech that describes something in a way that isn’t necessarily true but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.  Even without the words like or as, if you’re looking for them, trust me, you’ll see them.  Any of Jesus’ “I am” statements are good examples:

I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (John 15:1)
I am the good shepherd (John 10:11)

Jesus is obviously talking figuratively, not literally.  He’s using a metaphor to illustrate His point in a way that we can identify with.

Similarities have a ways of drawing attention to themselves, so get in the habit of looking for them.  Whenever you find one, write it in your notebook.  The biblical author is trying to communicate with you through the effective tool of comparison.

Text Clue #4: Look for things that are unlike.

The flip side of comparison is contrast – so we’re now looking for things that are unlike.  While there are several ways the biblical writers signify contrast, the main one to look for is the use of the term but.  The word but is a solid clue that a change in direction is coming. 

Many Proverbs use contrast to teach their wisdom:

Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses. (Proverbs 10:12)
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but one who hates correction is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1)

Another example of contrast is found in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus repeatedly says, “You have heard that it was said…but I tell you” (Matthew 5).

Similar terms include however, yet, and now.  These are variations of the term but – so it depends on the translation you are using.  Although it is a small word, but is one of the most important words you’ll ever come across in your study of Scripture.  Whenever you see it, always stop and ask, “What is the contrast being made?”

Things that are alike and unlike make use of the strong human tendency to compare and contrast.  They are huge clues to help us understand what the author is trying to communicate in the text.  Let’s stop here and try looking for these two Text Clues in our text from Joshua. 

What things are alike?  As with any step, if there’s nothing obvious, don’t force anything.  Move on to looking for your next clue.

What things are unlike?  Scan the text for the word but.  Even if you don’t find that exact word, there are some contrasts made here.

Remember, if you find things that are alike or unlike, be sure to write it down.

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken