Showing posts with label Peter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peter. Show all posts

Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Today marks the last "official" day of our daily readings in the New Testament for Greater Things.... But, I hope you'll continue reading. After doing this for 31 days, I hope it has begun to become a habit for you. Our Gateway website, under the Life Journal heading, has the daily Scripture readings for New Testament and Old Testament. You can even read online.

I won't be writing everyday, though I will keep doing my daily readings. I do plan to still write a few times a week on the Scripture readings, plus other things. If God has used this to encourage you this month, you might think about bookmarking this or subscribing to it.

I've been amazed all this month with the way God has been using these readings, at least in my life. I keep feeling like God picked all these Scriptures just for us, even though the reading plan was put together a few years ago at a church in Hawaii. For instance, our key Scripture for Greater Things... is John 14:12, where Jesus said: "'I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.'" (italics added) Jesus says the key to doing even greater things is our faith in him.

So, our reading today comes from Mark 7-8, and there's a passage in Mark 8 that sums up all we've been trying to do this past month. Jesus and his disciples have headed north from Galilee, and as they're walking along, Jesus asks them who people think he is. His disciples repeat what they've heard, saying people like the prophets, Elijah or even John the Baptist (who had been executed by King Herod Antipas, Mark 6). But then Jesus gets to the crux of the matter when he asks his followers, "...'But who do you say I am?'..." (8:29, NLT - italics added)

That's really the question, isn't it? Not just who people or disciples in First Century Palestine said Jesus was, but who do we say he is. Who we say, what we believe, makes all the difference in the world. It determines whether we believe what he says, whether we're willing to follow him, no matter what. It determines whether we're a follower in name, or a follower in reality. And Jesus tells us from John 14:12 that who we believe he is, our faith in him, determines how much God can and will use us.

Peter makes the amazing statement that must have been floating around in the minds of at least some of the disciples, but no one had said it yet: "...'You are the Messiah.'" (8:29) The Messiah was the Hebrew term (or Old Testament term) for God's anointed One. It was believed by First Century Jews that someday the Messiah would come, from the line of King David, and he would liberate his people, freeing them from captivity and slavery. Jews today are still looking for the coming of the Messiah, whereas Christians believe he has already come in Jesus Christ. The Greek term for "Messiah" is "Christ." Peter was saying to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the anointed One of God." "Christ" is actually a title, not a proper name. Jesus is the Christ.

The Jews pictured their Christ or Messiah as a warrior-type king who would vanquish their foes and lead them to re-establish the Kingdom of Israel, as in the time of King David, a thousand years earlier. There were certainly prophecies that pointed to the Messiah being a liberator, but there were other prophecies that most Jews had overlooked. As if to say this to his followers when Peter made this statement, Jesus proceeds to tell them what will happen to him - and it wasn't exactly according to the script most of them imagined for the Messiah or Christ. Perhaps this was one reason Jesus wasn't fully understood until after his death and resurrection.

Jesus told that, as the Messiah or Christ, he "...'must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead.'" (8:31) I'm certain the disciples didn't really hear what Jesus was saying, because all of this went against everything their faith had taught them about the Messiah. How could their conquering King be killed? The reason the disciples had a hard time at first believing in Jesus' resurrection, even though he told them he would (as we see here), was because this was so far outside their expectations, they couldn't begin to swallow what Jesus was saying.

But Jesus doesn't stop there. He goes on to talk about what it means to be his follower - then and now:

"...'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?'" (8:34-36)

Here is the picture Jesus paints of what it means to follow him, to put our faith in him. It's a radical turning from self to God and others. It's selling ourselves out for Jesus Christ, so that nothing and no one is more important. It's sacrificing everything for him, and receiving eternal life! And it is this kind of life, a life of faith in Jesus fully lived out day-in and day-out, that Jesus says he can work in and through to do even greater things. Every time we fall short of this picture, we diminish what Jesus can do in us and through us. Yet, this goal is so impossible, in and of it self, that it takes the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, living in us to move us in this direction, enabling us to live this radical lifestyle.

The question Jesus confronts all of us with is actually very simple: "Do I really believe you are who you say you are - the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed One of God? Am I willing to redirect my life and actions to align with this belief - to live what I say? Ultimately, this is the question that confronts every one of us. Who do you say Jesus is?

Mark and the Invitation of Jesus

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Today we move into the Gospel of Mark, looking at the first two chapters. But I want to first share a little background about Mark.

Most scholars believe that Mark was the first of the Gospels written (but not the first writing of the New Testament - some of Paul's writings date to the late 40s), somewhere between 55 and 65 A.D. It was written by John Mark, a disciple of Jesus, but not one of the original twelve. He is mentioned in Acts as accompanying Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:5), but he did not stay for the whole journey (13:13). As Paul prepared to depart on his second missionary journey with Barnabas, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along, but Paul strongly disagreed since John Mark had left them on their first journey. Barnabas ends up taking John Mark with him to Cyprus, while Paul takes Silas with him on his second missionary journey.

Sometime after that Mark probably wrote his Gospel. Many scholars believe that while Mark probably knew Jesus firsthand and followed him, he depended on the Apostle Peter for many of the details of his Gospel, giving it the credibility of one of the greatest apostles. Mark's Gospel is the shortest of the four Gospels, and was written to Gentiles (probably in Rome) instead of Jews. Therefore, he wanted to emphasize that Jesus was the Son of God who came not as a conquering king but as a humble servant. For that reason, unlike Matthew, he is less concerned to show how Jesus fulfilled Jewish prophecy. His focus is on what will make the most sense to Gentiles who may know little or nothing about Judaism and the one true God, and it may explain why he shows us more miracles than any other Gospel. Interestingly, Mark is the only Gospel that tells us absolutely nothing about Jesus' birth or coming into this world.

Most scholars believe that both Matthew and Luke had copies of Mark as they wrote their own Gospels, for virtually all of Mark is repeated in one or both of these other two Gospels. This explains why we often read the same stories in these three Gospels, though Matthew and Luke added their own insights and purposes to make them distinctively different. These three Gospels are sometimes called the Synoptic Gospels, differentiating them from John, which has little overlap.

Mark begins his Gospel with John the Baptist announcing the Messiah, the anointed one of God, is coming. Jesus comes to John, his older cousin, and is baptized by him in the Jordan River. "As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, 'You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.'" (Mark 1:10-11, NLT)

The very first words Mark records out of Jesus' mouth are these: "'The time promised by God has come at last!' he announced. 'The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!'" (1:15) These words sum up Jesus' message throughout Mark - repent and believe!

Very soon after that Jesus begins calling his disciples, and his invitation then is the same as his invitation today. To Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, Jesus said, "...'Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!'" (1:17) He would repeat that same basic invitation, Mark tells us, to the brothers James and John, and to Levi (Matthew), the tax collector: follow me!

Last night our Life Group finished watched the three-part video series "Simple" by Pastor Andy Stanley. The three messages were: "Follow," "Believe," and "Obey." Our group really enjoyed all three, but it helped to hear Stanley talk about where Jesus began with people. Not do this, or follow these rules, or jump through these hoops. He simply said, "Follow me." Go with me, get to know me, discover who I am and what I'm about. Walk with me. I love that! Let's get to know and trust each other first. That's the way all relationships begin - walking through life together.

Mark tells us Jesus invited five disciples this very way, but my guess is he used this same basic invitation with everyone. Too many folks want to make it hard - they want to make Christianity a religion of rules, when it all begins with a relationship. That doesn't mean there isn't a place for doing the right things - Stanley got to that in his third message, which we watched last night, and it was obedience. But obedience comes after a relationship is established and we come to believe and trust Jesus. In the beginning, we just follow.

Because Mark wrote to people who may have known little or nothing about Jesus, his emphasis on Jesus' invitation is a great way for us to begin today with those around us who aren't sure about Jesus. Just come check him out, start following him, and see where he leads you. Don't worry about all the rules, etc. - just get to know Jesus himself. We can tell our own story of how we began to follow him, and not try to force things. We might just be surprised by how much happens when we simply do things Jesus' way.

Standing Up for the Gift of Grace, by Faith

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Chapters 15 and 16 of Acts are filled with powerful stories, including the beginnings of Paul's second missionary journey, and there's no way I can do them all justice. So, I'm going to focus on the first Jerusalem council, found in Acts 15, because a very important decision was made here by the early church that has huge implications for us today.

In Acts 10-11, Peter had his first encounter with Gentiles, and discovered that when they placed their faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit came to live in them, just as He was doing in Jews who were placing their faith in Christ. This event showed that God had much bigger plans than the salvation of a relatively small race - He was setting in motion the salvation of the world!

Now, in Acts 15, we read that some Jewish Christians were trying to force these new Gentile Christians to first become Jews through the rite of circumcision. There was an act they had to do to become a follower of Christ. But Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed with this teaching. So, the church in Antioch of Syria decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to consult with the apostles and elders of the church, at what has been called the first Jerusalem council.

There's more to this story, but it's interesting to note a pattern that begins here that would carry on for a few centuries in the early church. A controversy arises that threatens to split the church. Because there is no written Scripture, as we have today, or least none that was yet accepted as what we would call New Testament Scripture, how did the early church make decisions? By councils - gatherings of church leaders who prayerfully sought the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. And it's also interesting to note that these controversies - some of which would be labeled heresies - caused the church to get clear about what it believed and what it didn't. The doctrines of the church aren't heavy handed rules but are more like foul lines in baseball that help Christ followers know what's in bounds and what's out of bounds. Otherwise, well-meaning Christ followers can drift into all sorts of dangerous beliefs. Doctrines are important, and they were often settled or determined in response to a controversy or heresy, such as the one we see here in Acts 15.

Back to our story, when Paul and Barnabas arrive in Jerusalem, they discover the same controversy has been brewing there as well (15:5). "So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue." (15:6, NLT) After lots of discussion, Peter shared the conclusion they had reached:

"God knows people's hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus." (15:8-11)

This became the crucial distinction for the Christian faith, and yet a battle that continues to be fought today. How often do we find ourselves believing we have to follow certain rules, do certain actions, meet certain standards, in order to measure up and be saved? The Bible often calls these "works." How many people have said, "Let me clean up my act first, and then I'll commit my life to Christ." But what they're saying is actually this, "There are certain things (works) I must do first (such as circumcision in the First Century church), before I will be acceptable to God." But Peter called grace "undeserved." We don't deserve it; we can't earn it; we can't be good enough to gain it. We can only receive it, by faith, with gratitude.

This was a battle Paul would fight over and over again with Jewish Christians in many of his writings. He tried to spell it out very clearly in his letter to the Ephesians: "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." (2:8-9) We are not saved by works. We are saved by grace, through faith. This became, in fact, the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation nearly five hundred years ago.

This decision by the first Jerusalem council would set the foundation for a Christian faith that would never be first and foremost about rules, works and meeting certain criteria, but about a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. We can't earn it, and we certainly don't deserve it. But, we can accept it gratefully, and then seek to serve Christ as an expression of our gratitude, rather than as a condition to earn our salvation.

This misunderstanding is still with us today in many circles, with many folks in our churches closer to the beliefs of the Jewish faith than the Christian faith. Which is why it is such Good News - no one has to measure up to receive this "undeserved" gift of grace - in fact, no one can measure up! We're all in the same boat, so none of us is in a position to brag or boast. We are all saved by grace, through faith!

Do We Really Believe in Prayer?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , | Posted On Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 12:01 AM

As we begin Acts 12, we read that King Herod Agrippa (grandson of Herod the Great who ruled at the time of Jesus' birth) began persecuting Christians. The apostle James, brother of John, was killed as the first apostle to die for his faith (Judas took his own life). When Herod earned brownie points with the Jews for his persecutions, he had Peter arrested and planned to bring him to trial (and most likely, execution) after the Passover.

Herod took extreme precautions to keep Peter locked up. At any given time there were four soldiers guarding him. It was not unusual for a single soldier to be chained to one hand of a prisoner, but in Peter's case, there was a soldier chained to each hand, plus two at the door of the cell.

Suddenly a bright light and an angel appear in the cell. The chains fall off Peter's wrists, and the angel leads him out of the cell. We're not told how Peter got past the guards, but we know at dawn there was "a great commotion among the soldiers" (12:18 NLT) when they discovered Peter was missing. Herod had the soldiers executed as the standard punishment of the day when a prisoner escaped.

Meanwhile, Peter proceeds to the home of of a Christ follower named Mary, mother of John Mark, where he finds many followers gathered for prayer. In fact, the writer Luke shows us that prayer surrounds Peter's stay in jail. Acts 12:5 says, "But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him." Acts 12:12 tells us that when he arrived at the home of Mary, "...many were gathered for prayer."

It raises a curious question - would Peter have been rescued if those Christians had not been praying? Obviously, we don't know the answer to that, and we never will, at least this side of heaven. But we know the people prayed and Peter was miraculously released. Yet, when Peter knocked at the door of Mary, her servant Rhoda recognized his voice and was so excited to see Peter that she ran back in to tell the others. But, in her excitement, she failed to open the door for Peter, and those gathered in prayer didn't believe her at first. Isn't it interesting how sometimes we pray for something, yet we are surprised or even don't believe it when it happens? Do we really take prayer seriously?

There's an old story told about a liquor store that opened in a small town. Many of the folks were very concerned, and organized a prayer rally against the liquor store. Soon after the store was struck by lightning and burned down. The liquor store owner sued the church for the loss of his building, but the church members denied having anything to do with it. When the case came before the judge, he noted that it was strange that apparently the liquor store owner believed in the power of prayer, but the folks in the church did not.

I don't tell this story as an indictment against drinking (though it needs to be handled very, very carefully) or liquor store owners, but use it to make the (hopefully) humorous point that many times Christians pray but don't really expect God to act. When God does act, we are so surprised by it that we look for other explanations. Yet, the person of genuine faith is constantly watching to see God work, and this person prays because she or he believes God does answer prayer - maybe not the way we want, but He does answer.

This month hundreds of us have been praying and fasting, in addition to reading our Bibles. We've been praying that God will work in us, to grow our faith, so He can work through us to do even greater things around us. But what happens when God starts answering our prayers? Will we believe Him, or will we deny it and miss the boat?

I want to encourage you and challenge you to take your praying seriously. It is not an empty ritual, but a way God works in our lives and transforms us. If you're asking God to change your heart, to trust that God really does love you, that God's power and presence become real in your life, that His healing power is experienced in our church, and that our church will care so much for the lost and hurting "sheep," that we will do whatever it takes to bring them safely "home" to Christ and his church, then begin to expect these changes. Don't be surprised or fight them - cooperate with the Holy Spirit at work in you. There's an old saying, "seeing is believing," but in the world of prayer and faith, "believing is seeing!" Trust God to work through your prayers, and you won't leave Him at the door when He knocks on your life.

Taking My Witness Beyond My Limits

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , | Posted On Monday, October 19, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Today's reading from Acts 10-11 shows us a watershed moment in the spread of the Christian faith. Up until this point, the apostles had limited their teaching and preaching to specific Jewish audiences. After all, they were Jewish, Jesus was Jewish, and so they had no real reason to go further. For Jews, the world was divided into two basic camps: Jews, and everyone else, whom they called Gentiles. Some Gentiles had probably come to faith in Christ, but the apostles weren't seeking them out. With the persecutions in Jerusalem (that killed Stephan), the apostles and disciples began to fan out, beyond the Jewish lands and culture. At the same time, God opened a new door through a Gentile named Cornelius.

Cornelius was a Roman centurion or army officer in Caesarea who was seeking after God. He was a part of a class of people the Jews called "God-fearers," who were Gentiles but seeking the God of the Jews. Cornelius receives a vision from an angel to seek out Simon Peter. Shortly afterwards, Simon Peter also has a vision, where he was shown animals that had been forbidden for Jews to touch or eat. Now a voice says to him, "'Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.'" (10:13 NLT) Peter cannot imagine doing this because it goes against so much that he had been taught as a faithful Jew. But the voice says to him, "'Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.'" (10:15) Simon Peter was being challenged to freedom in his faith in ways he had never imagined. He was being challenged to put behind him rules for rules' sake, and instead look at life and existence from God's point of view.

Immediately after his vision, Peter is summoned to visit Cornelius, and he goes. Entering the home of a Gentile again went against so much Peter had been taught as a Jew, but God was expanding his vision. He shared the story of Jesus with Cornelius and his guests, and the Holy Spirit fell upon them. "The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too." (10:45) And immediately afterwards, they were all baptized. Peter and his Jewish friends were discovering that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of David, was not just the God of the Jews - He was the God of all people.

There are huge implications in this event for us today. Sometimes I find myself trapped by old ways of thinking, that only certain people could or would put their faith in Christ. When I see folks who have lived very far from God, when I see folks from other religions and lands, I sometimes have a hard time seeing them as potentially being followers of Christ. So, I do nothing. But God led Peter from the Jews to the Gentiles, to open the door of faith to people Peter would have never imagined could or would respond. Who am I overlooking today? Who do I dismiss as someone who would never be interested in faith in Christ, who could never change? How much am I limiting how God wants to work in and through me?

I've discovered that because God gives me free will, my thoughts can often prevent me from being open to all God wants to do. Yet, the Bible shows us there is no one beyond God's reach. Every single human being born on this planet is a sacred creation of God's, whether they recognize that or not. And every single person needs what Jesus Christ has to offer, because he came for all.

When Peter explained to the remaining apostles and believers in Jerusalem what had happened, they were at first concerned. But as soon as they heard that the Holy Spirit had come into the lives of these Gentiles too, they realized God was doing a new thing. "...'We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.'" (11:18)

With this event, the apostles began to understand for the first time that Jesus died for all people, not just the Jews. It would radically change their outreach in the coming years. Today we need to ask ourselves if we are unintentionally standing in God's way to reach people that we never imagined could be reached. Just because they don't look like me, or have different backgrounds, or have sinned more than I think I have doesn't mean they are outside God's love or reach. And if God wants to reach them, am I willing to be used by Him if that is His will. Will I go where it's uncomfortable for me, as Peter did, in order to be faithful to my calling from God to carry out His witness? I know I need to be a lot more open to how God wants to work. What about you - who could God use you to reach?

Am I Going to Live by Fear or Faith?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 12:01 AM

In Acts 4 the Apostles Peter and John are confronted by the religious leaders, many of whom had been instrumental in Jesus' death. They were disturbed that Peter and John were teaching that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. They were also disturbed by the healing of a crippled beggar (3:1-11, NLT2), and so they had them arrested.

Before these religious leaders the next day, Peter testifies, "'There is salvation in no one else (but Jesus)! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.'" (4:12) Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ, God's own Son. Acts tells us that the religious leaders were amazed at the boldness of Peter and John, but since the man they healed was standing there with them, clearly healed, they were left with little they could say or do. So, they warn Peter and John to never speak or teach in the name of Jesus again.

Peter and John were faced with a crossroads in their faith at that moment. Two months earlier Peter wouldn't even stand up to a servant for his faith, and now he was facing some of the religious leaders who had dealt with Jesus. I understand Peter's denial. Call it peer pressure or call it fear or call it a desire to please people and fit in, but I've been there. I've downplayed my Christian faith to look cool or to avoid a put-down. I'm not bragging about that - in fact, I'm ashamed that I've done that. But I understand where Peter was coming from.

Now, Peter is faced with another opportunity to stand up for his faith, and this time the response he and John give is very different: "...'Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.'" (vss. 19-20, italics added) This time, Peter makes the decision to obey God rather than give in to his fear of what others will think or do. This time, he acts in faith, not knowing what the outcome will be, but deciding he can't do otherwise. This is the answer I want to give, and it's the answer I'm going to try to live, by the grace of God.

Peter and John remind us that we are called to obedience in our walks of faith. We won't do it perfectly - we're human, and we still struggle with sin. But, at the same time, if we made a decision to put our faith in Jesus Christ, his Spirit lives within us, working within us, empowering us to go far beyond what we ordinarily think we're capable of. However, we don't discover this until we have to live it, until we have to act "in faith" on it. Talk is cheap until we're faced with real life and its consequences. It's only then that we can truly walk by faith, or give in to fear.

This time around Peter and John walked by faith, and the religious leaders ended up letting them go. When Peter and John returned to the other Christ followers, they prayed to God for even more power and boldness: "'...give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.'" (4:29-30)

And this prayer became reality time after time after time in the early church. And, through God's Spirit, it's still happening today, if we live this faith. The Holy Spirit is no less active today than He was two thousand years ago - but too often we're just more timid in seeking Him and living by faith. We don't experience God's power in our lives because we back down too quickly. We don't pray for boldness and we don't act "in faith." But I don't want to live that way - I want to live by faith. I want to be bold. I want to see God's miraculous signs and wonders at work today. And, by faith, I'm praying that God will do this work in me, so He can do it through me. How about you - will you join me in this prayer...and this walk of faith?

Am I Looking for God Today?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Our Life Group met last night (Tuesday night), and we got to talking about how often God says "remember." He tells us in the Lord's Supper to remember. God was always telling the Jews to remember how He had led them out of Egypt. Someone once told me that Christianity is an "historic" religion, because the easiest way we can see God's hand working is when we look back across our lives or the life of the church.

Some of you may know that my desks at home and at the church are a mess, covered with piles of stuff. I'm not particularly happy or proud of that, but there's at least a little method to my madness. What I've discovered over the years is that I forget things I don't readily see. Out of sight - out of mind, as the old saying goes. And it's certainly true for me.

And what I've discovered is that this is also often true for us in our faith journeys with God. Out of sight - out of mind. We remember on Sundays, when we're at church, but for a lot of the rest of the week, for a lot of us, God doesn't have a very active role in our lives.

In Acts 3, the Apostles Peter and John go to the Temple one afternoon not long after Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit into the lives of Christ followers. It's the mid-afternoon prayer service, and as they arrive, a man crippled from birth is being carried in so he can beg from those coming and going at the Temple. He sees Peter and John and begs for money from them. Peter tells him he has no money to give him, but he'll give him what he can. And what that, he commands the beggar to get up and walk in the name of Jesus.

Verse 7 says, "Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man's feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened." (NLT2) Everyone around was absolutely astounded by this miracle. Then, in verse 12 it says, "Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd, 'People of Israel,' he said, 'what is so surprising about this?'" (italics added)

People didn't expect to see God work. They were at the Temple, the center of the Jewish faith, but they were surprised to see God show up. How often do we live our lives not expecting God to show up. Would we be just as astounded to see God working? And it wouldn't even have to be a physical miracle. It might be a person choosing to forgive someone who has hurt them. It might be some words of encouragement at a low moment. It might be a helping hand that comes just as we pray for help. Are we looking to see God at work around us today? Do we believe He's active in our world, or does He just stand back and watch as the world goes by?

I believe we need to re-examine our faith if we're not routinely seeing God at work all around us. We need to see if we've parked it for the week, and only take it out of the garage on Sunday mornings. We need to ask ourselves if we really believe God still works in the lives of people today - in my life. Would an act of God be "so surprising" to me?

Sometimes I feel like what I need is a "God" radar that is constantly scanning my surroundings, scanning the people with me, scanning what I'm reading - the Bible or otherwise - , to watch for God at work. To remember that He is always with us and at work in our world. To see Him all around us in creation and people and love. I need to be looking for Him, because as God said, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV)

This is one reason why worship is important - it's a weekly reminder of God and how great He is. But even worship one day a week is not that much. And that's why a daily time with God, reading our Bibles, praying, etc., is critical. Each day I begin it with my personal time with God, and among other things, that time with Him keeps Him on my mind, helps me remember Him and watch where He's working. It's harder for Him to be out of sight, out of mind. And when I'm watching for Him and actively seeking Him in my life, I will see Him at work. I will experience Him in my life - each day. In fact, I need to be watching for Him in every moment of my life, because we never know when He's going to do something to get our attention.

Seeing God work today shouldn't be a surprise. Seeing God heal or forgive, or even simply love us, needs to be a part of our daily lives. We see what we look for. Seek God will all your heart, and you will find Him, perhaps even in ways you never expected. Look for Him today!

Who is Your Cornerstone?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , | Posted On Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at 12:01 AM

In Luke 20 Jesus continues to teach and have encounters with the religious leaders. In vs. 17 Jesus asks his listeners, "…'Then what does this Scripture mean? "The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone."'" Jesus is quoting from Psalm 118:22. It's interesting that both the prophets Isaiah (28:16) and Zechariah (10:4) made references to this "cornerstone." In the New Testament Matthew (21:42) and Mark (12:10) both quote Jesus on this same saying. Luke again quotes it in Acts 4:11. The Apostles Paul (Ephesians 2:20) and especially Peter (1 Peter 2:4-7) reference this same "cornerstone".

So, if this Psalm is quoted by Jesus, Isaiah, Zechariah, Paul and Peter, among others, it must have been significant. So, we go back to Jesus' question - what does it mean?

Jesus is applying this Psalm to himself. He has just entered Jerusalem (on what we call Palm Sunday) and faces his last week on earth. He knows that on Friday he will be rejected by the religious leaders and the government and even the people. He knows he will hang on a cross and die. He understands that his rejection is only days ahead of him. Yet, in spite of this "rejection," he will become the cornerstone of life and faith.

The cornerstone was the first and most critical stone laid in building a structure, because everything else was built from it and on it. If the cornerstone was improperly placed, the whole structure would be in jeopardy. So, the cornerstone was crucial.

Jesus is quoting this scripture to tell his listeners that rejecting him doesn't change his importance and significance. God placed Jesus as the cornerstone of life and living, and apart from him, life will never be all it can be.

Many of the people in Jesus' time rejected him, and many still reject him. They fail to realize who he really is and why he is so important. Sometimes it's intentional, but often it's simply from neglect or laziness. Yet, the day will come when everyone will know who Jesus is. Paul wrote to the Philippians: "Therefore, God elevated him (Jesus) to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (2:9-11)

Jesus is Lord and Master, whether we realize it or acknowledge it. But those who fail to acknowledge him will find that they built their life on something that will never support life now and for eternity. This isn't what Jesus wants, nor is it what his church wants. So, am I building my life upon the cornerstone? Have I chosen a cornerstone that is sure and true and strong? And what about those around us? Our goal and mission is to lead everyday people to build their lives on this cornerstone, this rock, that will withstand all the floods of life and remain standing into eternity. With so much at stake, how can we do anything less?

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