Abortion Victory is Overdue

Bible General

A huge abortion victory for the tiniest among us! Courageous lawmakers in Texas passed the most restrictive anti-abortion law in the United States. The legislation was passed in early summer but was immediately challenged by pro-choice groups. A federal judge ruled in favor of the law so the abortion rights activists took their challenge to the United States Supreme Court where the justices declined to stop the law.

Abortion Victory: About Time

Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 abortion has been with minimal regulation on control. It has become the cause célèbre among feminists who see any restriction as an assault on their bodies. Pro-life groups have brought multiple bills to law in many states only to see them struck down by the Supreme Court. Conservatives have been terribly disappointed by justices thought to be conservative but who fell into line with pro-abortion reasoning. Chief Justice John Roberts has been one of the greatest disappointments and, not surprisingly, announced that he would have stopped the law if he could. This is a major victory that comes as an answer to prayer from many Christians.

The new law, applicable only in Texas, prohibits abortion if a heartbeat can be detected. It makes no exception for rape or incest. The law also allows citizens to sue anyone who violates the law.

We are pleased with the law and hope other states will quickly follow suit. But the legislation does not go far enough. One can easily imagine an abortion doctor who does not hear an obvious heartbeat and proceeds with the termination. Abortion should be outlawed except in the case of imminent and certain threat to the physical life of the mother.

Abortion Arguments Fail

Protests almost always feature people with signs and slogans saying: “My body, my choice!” What they deliberately ignore is that the discussion is not about “their body.” It is about the body of an unborn child. It is about the body of a child at its most vulnerable moment. Half of the cases are a direct assault on the life of another woman. The unborn child is a unique being with a unique DNA profile. The unborn bare the very image of God himself.

No one is worried about “your body.” Our concern is for the body of a tiny child in your womb.

Numerous other arguments are offered that are economic (I can’t afford to raise a child), social (I’m not ready to be a mother), or even academic (I haven’t finished my education). But none of these arguments address the certain death of another person in order to achieve those goals.

Abortion Victory Brings More Work

Men and women will continue to create “unwanted” children. The plight of these precious, innocent souls should be of concern to Christians. Now that victories have been won, we must work to provide support for the pregnancies that arise and for the children that will be preserved by this law. Immediate work on adoption laws is necessary.

We must also work to teach our children what the Lord teaches about human sexuality. Intimacies are given by God as an extraordinary gift. But that gift is only appropriate in the context of a God-blessed marriage. Old fashioned thinking? Yep. But it is good thinking. Lessons about abortion begin at a very early age; don’t be lax!

calendar

2 Peter 3:8 One Day is as a Thousand Years?

2 Peter, Bible General,
One Day is as a Thousand Years

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:8, 9

Peter makes a statement, almost offhand, that one day is as a thousand years. It’s unexpected although in context it makes perfect sense. It’s important not to misunderstand Peter’s point and make this into something that it is not.

Peter does not that one day literally equals one day. We know this because of the way Scripture uses the word day in other passages. For example, the Bible says in Genesis 11:26: “When Terah had lived 70 years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.” If Peter is taken literally, then Kenan was 25,550,000 years old when Abram was born (70 years x 365 days per year x 1000). In Psalm 90:10, using the same formula, the days of our lives are 25,550,000 years. Jeremiah prophesied that Judah would go into captivity for 25,550,000 years. They would still be there! “One day is as a thousand years” is not to be understood literally.

One Day is as a Thousand Years is Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a writing technique common to the Bible and common speech. Someone may ask the age of someone else. You might reply, “he’s as old as dirt!” You don’t mean that literally, you are saying that he is very old.

Mark says of John the Baptist that “all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem” were going to be baptized (Mark 1:5). Surely not every person was going out. Mark is emphasizing that many people were traveling to be baptized by John.

In 2 Peter 3, “One day is as a thousand years” serves to illustrate and highlight Peter’s following statement:

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

Peter wants the hearers, and the scoffers (vs. 3), to understand that God does not operate on their schedule. God’s time is not our time. The hyperbole emphasizes Peter’s point.

One Day is as a Thousand Years Makes Perfect Sense

Taken in context we observe the following.

  • Some do not believe judgment is coming because it hasn’t happened yet.
  • Their justification for such a statement is the claim that nothing has changed since long ago.
  • Peter reminds them of the great flood; a waterborne judgment that looks toward the coming firey judgment yet to come.
  • It hasn’t come because God is not on man’s schedule, indeed “one day is as a thousand years.”
  • God may seem to delay only because of his patience toward men and his desire that all will repent.

When taken in its context, the statement as hyperbole becomes very clear. Nothing in the text suggests that it should be understood in any other way.

new outside

A New Outside Says Nothing About the Inside

Bible General

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

Matthew 23:25,26

The hotel manager was asked about renovation plans for his facility. I was a few feet awaiting finishing a complimentary breakfast of scrambled bland eggs and tasteless sausage. “I think we’re two years or so away. I’ve not been given a date yet.” He paused as if looking around for spies and then continued, “Really, I hope they’ll just update the outside and forget about the inside. Maybe people will be impressed with a new exterior and they won’t notice the inside is old.” Frankly, it looks pretty good to me. I’ve stayed here before and I’ll be back. But his comment about overlooking the inside caused me to think. A new outside says nothing about the inside

To me, the inside is far more important. When I travel, I stay inside the hotel. I’ve never sat and gazed at an outside wall. Likewise, it’s the inside of man that is most important.

The Outside can be faked.

John Travolta created the cowboy image with his film Urban Cowboy in 1980. Suddenly, city boys were wearing cowboy hats and boots. The truth is, those guys wouldn’t know the difference between a bull and a heifer but they could fake the look.

In Matthew 23, quoted above, Jesus warned about the superficial cleansing commonly done by the scribes and Pharisees. It’s a message for us today too. You see, it’s pretty easy to fake the Christian look too. A well-placed cross pin, a crucifix necklace, and an ichthys-like bumper sticker (fish) and you’re super Christian.

Anybody can buy a crucifix, they are less than $20 at the box store. Changing the inside is so much harder,

The Inside is real

“Character is what you are when no one is looking” was a quote sometimes attributed to coach John Wooden, a great ball player, coach, and encourager. He’s right. True character is on the inside. Reputation looks at the outside, character inside.

The Jews were to circumcise male children shortly after birth. It was an external covenant marking. But the Lord also told them to do some work on the inside.

“Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.”

Deuteronomy 10:16

“And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”

Deuteronomy 30:6

“Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”

Jeremiah 4:4

In the New Testament, when covenantal circumcision was no longer required for Christians, Paul reminded the Jews of the practice and emphasized the important internal character of man.

“For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”

Romans 2:28, 29

Faith and devotion to God has always been internal. Real change demands change on the inside and that is hard.

Changing the inside.

Let me offer a few thoughts on making permanent changes.

  1. Are you ready to be changed? When does a person lose weight? When does he stop drinking? When he is ready! Until you are really weary of an empty life you will not make a change. Some say you must hit rock-bottom before you will alter your path. Stop waiting for God to snatch you up and change you. Paul said we must “seek” God (Acts 17:27). You must make your own decision.
  2. Change demands honesty. I’m not talking about being honest with others, although that’s important too. Be honest with yourself. Inventory your life. Make an assessment of your weaknesses. Only then can you begin to change. To pretend a problem doesn’t exist is to guarantee it will grow stronger. Look beneath the surface. What’s your sin problem? Speak it out loud, God already knows it, and steal its power. Paul says we are not ignorant of the way Satan works (2 Corinthians 2:11). So put your knowledge to work.
  3. Empower the change. Virtually everyone in the world has access to the Scriptures but not everyone is changed. The problem is not the Bible. The problem lies with the reader. If you really want to make lasting change in your life you must tap into the power of the word. Romans 12:2 says we will be transformed by knowing Christ. You come to know him through a study of his word. Here’s a promise: The more you give yourself to Scripture and allow it to change you, the more you will become like Jesus.

Refugees

Encouragement,

by Linda Farris

This article is from a dear friend and fine Christian woman, Linda Farris. She, her husband Garland, and sweet son Jeff attend with us at the Eastern Shore church of Christ. She is a wonderful wife, mother of three, grandmother, and dear friend to all who know her. I am happy to present her article here.

 

 While preparing to go to worship this morning, I was mentally making a list of the things I have learned from the terrible pandemic caused by Covid-19. There really have been blessings, mixed in with the fears and the sorrows, brought on by this unexpected, unimagined plague.

  The thought of appreciating having God as our refuge came to my mind, then my challenge of staying focused kicked in. Remembering the time, while living in Kentucky, Jeff and I were stranded in our home by a terrible ice storm. We were without power, heat, hot food, lights, hot water, cell and phone service. We got through three days by staying in his room with a small transistor radio someone had given him. I had slipped out occasionally to walk our dog, try to get the one set of gas logs to burn, and check on the damage. (There was a lot!)  Not knowing the cell tower had fallen into the Cumberland River, most of my time was spent trying to contact my family, out of state, to let them know of our predicament. This was a situation where neighbors could not help neighbors and we had not seen or heard from anyone since the storm began.

  Finally, after hearing on the little radio the temperature was going to be 15 degrees that night, I knew I had to get us out of there to somewhere not covered with ice and snow. Climbing on our car to unlock the garage door, I managed to raise it manually. Then making sure Jeff’s stairlift was working I had to trust the battery to get him to the basement and into the car with our dog, Tex. When all that was done, while holding my breath and praying, we dodged trees and limbs in the driveway and down the steep hill.  Some men from the neighborhood were just beginning to clear the road with chain saws and muscle. The town was completely deserted, no gas, no Walmart, no restaurants, nothing happening, it was a ghost town. As we passed the veterinarian’s office his truck was parked outside, so I stopped to see if he had generators, and could keep our beloved pet. He was happy to assist us, and we were on our way.

 The trip to the Tennessee border was an adventure in itself but when we made it that far, the cell service was restored and our family was notified that we were on our way to our daughter’s house in Murfreesboro. Darkness had fallen when we finally arrived, exhausted and hungry, and so thankful to have made it. Once we were in the house our son-in-law’s greeting was, “Welcome, refugees.” Why did that offend me that night? Of course, he was trying to show understanding and compassion, however, I didn’t want to be looked at as a refugee “a person who flees for refuge or safety”.

  We are all refugees when we do not seek refuge in the love of God. Where else can we turn? He has offered “shelter in the time of storm” to all who believe and obey Him, accepting His gift of forgiveness. 

Yes, this is a difficult time but we are still blessed beyond measure by a loving God. He is our refuge now and always.

Enemies of truth

4 Enemies of Truth

Bible General, Church, Church Bulletin, Culture
Enemies of truth

“and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”

John 8:32

“relating to or existing in an environment in which facts are viewed as irrelevant, or less important than personal beliefs and opinions, and emotional appeals are used to influence public opinion: “

definition of “post-truth” from www.dictionary.com

Truth is not what it once was. We do not think of truth as we once did. Truth does not change. My understanding may change, but the underlying truth is the same. A lack of truth may be inconvenient as when an airline promises a seat after knowingly overbooking. But becomes catastrophic when eternal life is at stake. We offer 4 enemies of truth for your consideration.

Sadly, truth struggles today. Enemies of truth abound and endanger our future. We know who those enemies are, and we can fight back.

Enemies of Truth: Apathy

Years ago, a friend remarked that although he had studied a Biblical topic and knew what the Bible said, he just didn’t care. He didn’t think it made any difference. That approach to truth is apathy. It’s common today. Truth may exist, but so what?

Jesus said that we can know truth (John 8:32). But he also described the extent to which one may go to pursue truth. From the God of Truth (John 17:17), the Kingdom of Heaven is worth extraordinary effort to find and acquire.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:44,45).

What would you do; how hard would you work to save a loved one from death? There is no room for apathy in the pursuit of truth.

Enemies of Truth: Compromise

Compromise is a necessary part of life. We bargain and eventually compromise when buying a car. In business, a contract is the result of negotiation and compromise. A man who does not compromise will have little success in life.

But compromising truth is different.

To compromise truth is to attempt to change the unchangeable. King Saul thought to compromise truth when he chose not to complete God’s mission against the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15).

For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king” (1 Samuel 15:23).

Truth cannot be changed. To attempt to do so is a fool’s errand.

Enemies of Truth: Fear

It takes real courage to change, even in the face of truth. Because such change will result in new loyalties (to Jesus) and new alliances (the church), we can expect vociferous opposition to those that currently see us as mirrors of themselves. Still, truth must be chosen over comfort.

King Herod knew that John the Baptist was a prophet, and he knew the people so-honored him. He wanted to hear the words of this great man. But because of his public promise to Salome, he feared the scorn of his associates if he did not give her as he had promised. Her request was the head of John. Herod ordered him to be beheaded (Matthew 20:14 – 2)

You know the truth. Perhaps you operate with an out-of-sight-out-of-mind philosophy. It could be that your career, social standing, or family standing is threatened. Carefully thinking about the eternal outcomes is always appropriate.

Enemies of Truth: Sloth

Study is hard work. Solomon said study wearies the body (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Jesus used examples of hard work when he described searching for truth (Matthew 13:44 – 45; searching for treasure). While a Bible is easy to find, its truths require study, thought, and deep personal resolve. A slothful man rarely finds success, and when he does, he quickly loses it.

Jesus told a parable of three servants entrusted with a rich man’s wealth. Two of the servants worked and produced a return for their master. But the third man was lazy and afraid.

But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:26 – 30)

Observe that the master did not accept the excuse of fear, and he says the servant was slothful. Did you see the outcome? The slothful one was cast away into “outer darkness.”

Laziness and fear are terrible enemies of the truth. Let neither be named in your life. As Paul encouraged Timothy, be a “worker who never needs to be ashamed” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Doing God’s Will Is Crucial

Church, Doctrine,

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

Matthew 7:21

It is common to ignore clear Bible teaching on the subject of works. Indeed, works do not save us, and no person can cause God’s indebtedness to mankind. But, works are important in the Christian life.

There is no verse more clear than Matthew 7:21. Jesus speaks these words himself. They are a portion of the Sermon on the Mount. There is no textual issue regarding the verse.

The passage arises in the context of false teachers who creep in among true disciples. Our Lord says that words are not enough. We all know people who talk big but do nothing. Jesus’ words target these people. Calling Jesus “Lord” is good, but it is not enough. Jesus says the only one entering the kingdom of heaven is a doer of God’s will. “Do” is an action word, a verb, which points to labor. The Christian is a worker; else, he is lost. Jesus says in verse 23, And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Those who talk big while doing nothing are “workers of lawlessness” and will be eternally lost.

The Sermon on the Mount was not the only time Jesus talked about workers. In Matthew 12:46 – 50, Jesus’ mother and brothers were trying to talk to him. Jesus replied, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50). So again, the one who does God’s will is accepted.

Doing God’s Will is Taught by Jesus’ Followers

Doing God’s will is also a theme in James. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). The one who listens, but does not do, is deceived. He has convinced himself that all is good when he is lost. In the same paragraph, James tells his readers what a genuine Christian is. He is a doer. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27).

You cannot discount the Lord’s words about working as a Christian. It is the purpose of our existence. Paul writes, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus said those good works reflect the worldly man’s vision heavenward, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Doing God’s Will is a Habit of Jesus’ Followers

We should add that doing good works will never place God in debt to you or anyone else. We are saved by grace, and without it, we would be lost. Thousands of prayers, untold hours of good works, and service are meaningless without the grace of God. It is impossible to overstate the necessity of God’s grace. But let no one be mistaken: Our sovereign Lord requires works of those who belong to him. Apathy and a lackadaisical attitude toward serving God is spiritually deadly!

May we be known for our good works of service!

What Camp Cannot Do

Youth,

Christian youth camp is an unparalleled spiritual event for young people. Thousands travel to camps across the world every summer to spend time with other, like-minded youth while growing their faith. A Biblically sound camp is far superior to band camps, football camps, or scout camps. I’ve been involved in camps or retreats for almost 50 years as a youth and now as an adult. They simply cannot be beaten. Every year at the camp I attend, dozens respond, asking for prayers and desiring baptism.

Despite the impact of Christian camping, there are some things that camp cannot do.

Camp Cannot Stop Temptation.

Temptation is the bane of every disciple’s existence. From Adam and Eve until today, temptation attacks every believer. Even our Lord himself was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1-13). If Jesus can be tempted, surely we are vulnerable too. Nevertheless, we know that temptation is not the same as sin. Jesus was tempted but without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Paul reminds us that we are not forced to sin (1 Corinthians 10:12, 13). Sin is a choice that arises from temptation. James says it this way: our desires produce temptation, leading to sin and then sin leading to death (James 1:14, 15). We can avoid some temptations but not all of them. Without a doubt, our campers are tempted once home. Camp strives to encourage and give ways to avoid sin, but it takes continued encouragement from the family and the church.

Camp Cannot Make a Christian

During my days at Freed-Hardeman, I served on the dean’s disciplinary committee. I observed many students sent to a Christian college to “be fixed” by the school. Likewise, troubled young people are sometimes sent to camp for spiritual repair. Camp cannot, in a week, undo 51 other weeks of spiritual neglect by parents and local churches. Hear me, parents! Children need 24/7/365 spiritual nourishment. Christian camps and youth ministers can never substitute for godly parents. God’s best method of turning children into faithful adults is the faithful example of parents. Camp is a small, albeit important part, of their growth.

Camp Cannot Make a Local Community

There is something special about youth camp. It’s either hot or rainy, dusty or muddy. Showers seem to be optional for some. To get to camp, you travel to the end of the earth, past the last cell tower, jump off the edge and then turn right. The singing is heavenly, and the Bible study excellent. For a week, we are all part of a unique, sequestered community. But we all need more. The local congregation must be a community of believers involved in one another’s lives. Youth must never feel like they are fringe elements. They are workers for the Lord, just like the rest of us. Help them to grow into greater roles in the church.  We will answer how we aid the young in their maturing lives.

I am a believer in Christian camping, but it cannot do everything a young person needs. Parents are essential to the growth of their children, as are other local church members. This generation faces a level of worldly confusion and chaos with which we did not have to deal. Despite their vulnerabilities, which are many, our young people are among the finest I have ever had the privilege to work with. They are struggling to stay afloat; they need our help.

large fire but if not

Courage: But if not

Bible General, ,
large fire but if not

Christians have questions. Sometimes we even question God. It would be nice if we all went around singing, “It is well with my soul,” but we don’t and probably never will in this life. We face profound challenges almost daily and we struggle to understand why we are facing them. Problems are for others, not for me. Why is this happening to me? Why did she die; she was so good?” Most of the time life doesn’t make sense to us. Do you agree? Have you been there? Did you find the courage you needed?

Three devout men found themselves facing an impossible choice. They could serve God or obey the king. At first, it seems an easy choice – a no-brainer. Except, the king would kill you in a most gruesome way if you did not obey. Many would crumble in the face of such a dilemma. But these three did not.

Men of Unbelievable Courage

The king commanded all to bow to an idol image he built. Failure to do so meant certain death. Three men said no! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)

I’ve read this story since I was a child. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego were Bible school heroes because they went into the fiery furnace and survived. They didn’t even smell like smoke! But lately, their hero status has increased because of three words, “but if not.”

These three servants of God stood before Nebuchadnezzar and staunchly proclaimed their confidence in the God of heaven. Then, after the king confronted them and threatened them with death by fire, they said: “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.” They were confident in God’s ability to protect them from the fire and in his ability to defeat the king’s plans. Maybe they recalled Solomon’s proverb: “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will (Proverbs 21:1). God’s mighty victory over Pharaoh, generations before, could have given them strength too.

But If Not

Like courageous Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we know that God can deliver us from troubles small and great. Our problem is that we assume God will always act the way we think he should! That’s the power of their next statement to Nebuchadnezzar. “But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (vs. 18). “BUT IF NOT.”

If God has a different plan, we’re ok with that too. The three did not doubt God’s ability to save them. Instead, they doubted their understanding of the Lord’s marvelous plans. The Lord said it this way in Isaiah 55:8: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. Oh, how we wish God would answer our prayers our way!

You know how this story ends. Nebuchadnezzar did not change his mind. The soldiers threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the deadly fire. It was then that something truly stupendous happened. The king looked into the fire saw an angel protecting the men! “Come out, come here,” he ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The fire did not singe their hair. God had a plan all along! By doing things God’s way, the Lord provided a timeless story of trust and faith. Plus, Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful ruler of his day, was humbled by God’s show of power.

“Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.”

Daniel 3:28

God’s people gained a great victory that day, for the king issued a decree that protected the Hebrews from any assault on their worship. As for our three heroes, they were promoted to higher positions in Babylon.

God Cares for You Too

God will deliver us, but if not, the end result will always be better. May we live with Habakkuk’s courageous attitude:

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:17, 18

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Preaching Love

Bible General

Youthful adventures into the old Malone homeplace ensured my friends and I a good time every afternoon. Mr. Malone and his family moved and sold the land to a developer. I remember the dirt roads that led through the property. We explored constantly. Once the heavy equipment came in we would wait until the workers left and we crawl onto the great machines and into their scoops and buckets. When houses began to emerge from the red clay soil we would explore them too. It was great to be a kid.

But I have a strong memory of the dirt roads, especially after a long dry spell. The parched earth would crack and curl like the land was suffering from some awful skin condition. Dirt clods would explode in your hand leaving only a dusty cloud behind. Before long, the clumps of weeds and tall grasses would turn brown and begin to bow their tops toward the earth. They needed water. I’m sure that if dandelions could pray they would beg the good Lord for a refreshing shower.

Our world has become much like Mr. Malone’s farm road after a long drought. It’s dry. It’s parched. It’s scorched. But our world doesn’t need rain, at least not here on the Gulf Coast.

I suspect world rainfall totals are pretty consistent year-to-year. Our sunbaked world yearns not for water, but for love.

As I write this article war is looming between Israel and the Palestinians. In Birmingham, Alabama a teenager was killed in a drive-by shooting last night. Two employees at a box store near me almost came to blows right in front of the store. You don’t need a long list. You know exactly what I mean. Love is gone.

Unlike COVID their is no vaccine for meaness and hostility. You cannot inject love. But you can learn from the most loving teacher of all, Jesus.

Preaching Love: Jesus

Jesus entered this world in the midst of oppresive government and harsh religious oversight. Yet he taught love to his followers.

Among the first words Jesus uttered, he preached love:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48

It wasn’t just loving. Jesus was preaching love of your enemies! Obviously, if you love your enemies you will easily love your friends. But it’s worth noting that even back then, 2000 years ago, the world needed refreshing. What they didn’t know was that a torrent of love was about to be poured out. Dusty, cracked hearts were about to be shattered by the teachings and life of this carpenter from Nazareth.

According to Mark, Jesus elevated love to the greatest command. First, to love God and second, to love one’s neighbor.

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Mark 10:29 – 31

There is no command here to love self, at least not specifically. Love of self is assumed as it is the example of the kind of love one should show others.

Jesus preached love of others first.

The example of his love is even stronger than his words. Let’s begin with the Golden Text of the Bible

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

The immense love that brought Jesus to us in the first place is taught in these several words. The implication is that man was perishing and needed saving. Therefore Jesus came to save. But it even clearer in Romans.

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

The world needed to be refreshed and Jesus was the answer.

But, even these words and actions are shadow by the greatest act of love ever recorded. As our Lord hung on a cursed tree, his words there, as he was dying, ring loudly today. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:24).

Preaching Love: Our Words and Actions

Jesus combined his intentions, words, and actions into a single mighty message. His people ought to do the same.

While prepping this article I came across an author who has obviously looked at our public image from a political perspective. His article was first written in 2012 but has been updated. I commend Bryan Robert’s 7 Things Christians Need to Remember About Politics.

But politics is not the only venue for review. Consider our everyday lives; those moments when we come into contact with others who do not know Jesus and who know his people only through the shallow caricatures of the media. How do we show Jesus love at Walmart? How do we model real love in a traffic jam? How do we show people that the Lord’s disciples are different? Consider this from Jesus:

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

John 13:35

Only by showing love for one another, and by extension, those we come into contact with, will we ever show the world that we are different. It is a difficult task, but that one that can be accomplished.

The rains restored those old dirt roads on Malone’s property. Soon they became awash in mud which was a young boy’s dream. I know that the refreshing love of Jesus’ disciples can set the world awash in newly discovered joy as well.