The Big Tent. Acts 11:18.

Peter opened the door to his house and immediately felt tension in the room. His guests were not happy. He dropped his bag, kissed his wife, and began to greet the men who had gathered to see him. He hugged them, kissed their cheeks in ceremony, and sensed their cold, stiff anger. He knew what this was about. But they were going to spell it out anyway:

“You visited uncircumcised Romans!” one yelled.

“And you ate a meal in the man’s house!” another added. “A centurion, no less!”

Peter tried to answer, but the Jewish followers of the Way went on and on. Peter knew every man by name. They all worshipped Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. But they were convinced Peter had lost his mind. In his zeal to share the gospel, he had crossed the line, not merely entering the home of an uncircumcised gentile—which is bad enough—but Peter had actually sat down and eaten the man’s food! What Jewish man would do such a thing?

Peter held up his hands and the crowd finally stopped shouting accusations. As they calmed down, he took a seat to tell them a story.

“Gentlemen. Recently I was in the town of Joppa. I had a quiet room by the sea in the home of Simon the Tanner. I was there praying one afternoon, when I saw a vision. I was outdoors and a huge sheet was coming down from the sky. As it came toward me, I could see animals standing around like sheep in a field. The sheet came to rest on the ground and it was covered in vermin and varmints. There were lizards and iguanas and camels and badgers and foxes and wolves and turtles. There were meat-eating birds, eagles, hawks, and vultures. Carrion birds and scavengers and every unclean pest you can imagine. Right in front of me, so close I could reach out and touch it, was a fat black and white hog, the biggest swine I’ve ever seen. The beast had tusks on either side of his face like a pair of spears.” Peter paused for a moment to let the image sink in. He waited.

“What did you do?” one man asked.

“Nothing. But then I heard a voice. A command. ‘Get up, Peter. Kill, and eat.’ Peter spoke slowly.

“I said, ‘No, Lord! For nothing common or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth!’ I was horrified. As I know any of you would be. But then the voice spoke a second time. ‘What God has made clean, no longer consider unclean.’”

Peter paused again. Waiting. Finally someone spoke, prompting him for more.

“And then what happened?

Peter looked around the room at each of the men. “Then it happened a second time. The Lord said, ‘Kill and eat,’ and I objected, and he said, ‘What God has made clean, no longer consider unclean.’ And you know what? It happened a third time.” Peter spoke enthusiastically. “THREE TIMES God told me to ‘kill and eat,’ and three times he repeated, ‘What God has made clean no longer consider unclean!’ After the third time, the sheet and all the animals were drawn back up into heaven, and the vision ended.”

“And then, before I could even catch my breath, there came a knock at the door. Three men arrived at the house and suddenly the Holy Spirit told me to go with them without asking any questions or having any doubts. I answered the door, and they told me that a Centurion, a man named Cornelius, had been told by an angel to send to Joppa to find Peter who is also called Simon. I told them I was Peter, and they said the angel told Cornelius that I had a message for him. So I invited the men to spend the night and we set out early the next morning for Caesarea.”

“When we got to the house of Cornelius, the centurion fell at my feet as if to worship me. I stood him up and assured him I was a man, same as he. And then I raised with him the same issue you raise with me now: I said, ‘You know it’s forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner.” Peter paused, eyeing his guests to be sure they were following his point. Then he went on.

“But God has shown me that I must not call any person common or unclean. That’s why I came without objection when I was sent for. So now I ask: ‘Why did you send for me?’”

Peter looked at everyone in the room. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “And this is where the story gets crazy.” Peter grinned.

“Cornelius had been praying four days earlier and a man in a dazzling robe stood in front of him. An angel. The angel said, ‘Cornelius, your prayers have been answered. Send someone to Joppa to the seaside home of Simon the Tanner. Ask for Peter, who is also called Simon.’ So Cornelius looks at me and says, ‘here we are. I have gathered all my family and friends to hear what you have to say.’”

Peter looked around the room. There were so many important leaders of the faith. Peter’s wife was there. His children.

“What could I say? What could I do? God sent me the vision. The angel told them to send for me by name. I was astounded. I looked at Cornelius and said the only thing I could say: “Now I really understand that God doesn’t show favoritism.”

“That was it. Jewish. Gentile. Roman, even? God sent me to the home of this Roman centurion to talk about Jesus, the Messiah. So I told them the whole story of the gospel. And you know what? I never even finished. I talked about the crucifixion and resurrection and while I was still talking, the Holy Spirit came down on the whole house, and suddenly we heard Cornelius and all his family and friends speaking in other languages and declaring the greatness of God. And not only did I hear it, but the six believers with me heard it. After that, what more could I do, but have the new converts baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Peter stopped speaking abruptly. He was overcome. He had seen God perform an amazing act of grace. God had opened the tent to welcome the Gentiles. This new faith, faith in Jesus, was a BIG TENT.

“Whosoever will may come” Revelation 22:17. Anyone can be saved! Everyone can be saved! People talk about a “Big Tent.” Christianity is a BIG TENT. Everyone is welcome! Everyone!

What God cleansed, no longer consider unclean.

Peter was excited. But what would Peter’s friends say? The room was silent. These men were devout, deeply committed to the belief that believers in Christ must be circumcised and follow the law of Moses.

The room was silent for a beat…

“When they heard this, they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, ‘So God has granted repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles!” Acts 11:18.

Indeed he has, Peter thought.

“God has granted repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles.”

God, thank you for the BIG TENT of our faith. Show us how to love people from other cultures. Help us to welcome them into your kingdom!

ΑΩ

PROUD TO BE IGNORANT. Acts 7:22.

Have you noticed the way some Christians are proud to be uneducated? Preachers will say things like “well, I’m just a poor country preacher, but …” and you can tell they wear that badge with pride. Pride in your own ignorance is a classic example of anti-intellectualism, and it has deep roots in the American church.

We Americans have always taken pride in our common-sense and homespun wisdom. Perhaps it began with colonists who refused to be impressed by the English with their education and culture, then continued with frontiersmen and westerners who refused to kowtow to those from the finer schools “back East.” Being a Native Texan I absolutely get that. When it comes to on-screen manliness, the tough cowboy who can barely spell his name beats the absent-minded professor every time. But we don’t live on a movie screen; in the real world the balance of power is decidedly different.

Most Americans have a sort-of average education. Most of us completed high school and college but were not really paying attention. We may not remember much, but we are familiar with the broad strokes. We cannot perform calculus, but we remember the struggle to survive a difficult math class. We cannot name three works by Shakespeare, but we recognize the man’s portrait when we see it.

But what if you lacked even that? What if, instead of classes that you ignored and then forgot as quickly as possible, you had NO education?

My grandfather is a case in point. In 1905, Willie Wales, the oldest of what would become ten children, quit school at 8 years old to earn cash money driving mules out of the forest loaded with virgin timber. Paw Paw, as my generation called him, was a smart man with no education. When he was in his sixties, his bosses at the ESSO refinery in Baton Rouge told a reporter that old Willie was “able to cope with any situation, no matter how critical. He has a level head and a practical manner, and … is one of our most valuable employees.”

Willie may have had a level head and a practical manner, and he was certainly good in a crisis. But he was keenly aware that he had not completed his education. He read the newspaper and the Bible and was by no means illiterate. But he refused to teach Sunday school to even the smallest children, concerned that he would be handicapped by his lack of education. I think he simply believed there were so many others who WERE educated, that the children would be better off learning Bible stories from them.

Unwilling to teach, Paw Paw served the Lord by visiting those in the hospital. He was such a faithful visitor, the preacher joked that when he got a telephone call about a church member in the hospital, he would arrive only to find “Mr. Willie” had already been there.

I am proud of my grandfather’s faithfulness, and of his willingness to serve the Lord in whatever manner he could as an uneducated man. But I also know that he was painfully aware of the loss.

An education means something—and no one knows that like those who must do without. An education provides tools: tools with which to THINK, to REASON, to DEBATE, to DRAW CONCLUSIONS. Education will help you understand the Bible. Education will help you persuade others that the Bible is true. Education will help you dissect fact from fiction and truth from lies. Education is one of the most powerful tools we have. And yet many of us paid as little attention as possible in school, even in college. Others worked hard, but do not see much value in education, not our own, nor that possessed by others.

Where do you think Jesus stands on the subject? When it comes to education, WWJD: What Would Jesus Do? What does God have for you and me?

Would God prefer servants who are educated or servants who are not educated?

Consider these examples.

“Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds” Acts 7:22.

Moses had all the advantages of Egyptian learning and Hebrew learning. Can you imagine ways in which God might have used this broad and deep education in the life of Moses?

Young Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, arrived in Babylonian captivity “skillful in all wisdom and endowed with knowledge, understanding, and competence to stand in the king’s palace.” The four were already educated, and then were chosen to be part of a group of young Hebrews that would be educated for an additional three years (sounds like law school), so they might learn “the literature and language of the Babylonians” Daniel 1:3-5. God blessed the education of these four: “God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom” Daniel 1:17.

What about the Apostle Paul? His was an excellent education.

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers” Acts 22:3.

Researchers believe Paul’s training began when Paul was fifteen and lasted EIGHTEEN years. Gamaliel was a leader among teachers (Acts 5:34) and Paul soon became a rising star among the Pharisees “I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age” Galatians 1:14. Not only is Paul well educated in the scripture, but he knows the literature and cultures around him, quoting pagan and secular writers in Acts 17:28 and in Titus 1:12.

Finally, consider Ezra, whom the Bible repeatedly refers to as an “expert in the law” Ezra 7:21. Ezra was a scribe, which some describe as a PhD in the law of Moses. According to tradition, Ezra had memorized the entire law of Moses and could write it down from memory.

In fact, some historians believe that at the time of Jesus ALL Jewish children were expected to memorize the Torah by age 12. In other words, ALL Jewish children memorized Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy before age 12. That is five books, or 187 chapters, or 5,852 verses. Can you imagine? (No wonder the Jewish people to this day are an academic force to be reckoned with.)

Imagine this: you are excited about your Bar Mitzvah, the invitations have gone out, you are looking forward to the party and the gifts you will receive, but Mom reminds you, “You still have to memorize the last four chapters of Deuteronomy!”

Think about that. Everyone named above—Moses, Daniel and his friends, the Apostle Paul, Ezra, Jesus and the disciples—and EVERYONE ELSE that was raised Jewish in those days—memorized GENESIS, EXODUS, LEVITICUS, NUMBERS, and DEUTERONOMY. Well, let me make one correction. Moses did not memorize the five books of the Torah. Moses WROTE them. Everyone else memorized them.*

And most of us have not even read all five books.

God, help us appreciate the education you have provided for us. Show us how to strengthen our own education in areas that may be weak. Give us a deep appreciation for the Bible and help us become true scholars of the scriptures. May you be glorified by our minds!

ΑΩ

* P.S. A man I grew up with is now a rabbi in Jerusalem. Ross told me he is not convinced that all children memorized the Torah, “but the elites certainly did. In fact, many memorized the entire Hebrew Bible, and vast portions of the Talmud as well.” Memorized the entire Hebrew Bible? The Hebrew Bible is numbered and arranged differently than the Protestant Old Testament, but is essentially the same 39 books. And my rabbi friend reports that many of the most accomplished rabbis memorized the entire Hebrew Bible–the complete OLD TESTAMENT–and would then begin memorizing the rabbinic writings of the Talmud. Wow.

LEADERS KNOW HOW TO PRIORITIZE. Acts 6:2-3.

If a teacher can’t say no, she will say yes to the principal and parent volunteers and end up serving on five committees and organizing school-wide rallies and fundraisers and having two or three after-school activities happening in her classroom every week. Soon the teacher will be pulled in so many directions she will become burned out and be no use to anyone.  Her classes will suffer, though they are the real reason she gets up and goes to work every day. The classes should have been her priority.

But the same thing can happen to the principal: he will find himself at sports events and district meetings and talking to parents and working all weekend and he too will suffer burnout. Jobs are like that: whether you are the “Indian” or the “Chief,” you are always at risk: low-priority activities will increase until you are unable to do the most important tasks well. Believe it or not, even the CEO must stay in his lane. In fact, a CEO I know was replaced last week because he allowed some of the out-of-office trappings of his executive role to draw his focus away from the work he was doing that earned him the leadership position in the first place.

Examine your role and your skill set. There are tasks that are yours alone, jobs that require the talents, gifts, and experience that got you the position you have now. But many other opportunities will come your way, tasks you may want to handle—tasks you probably could do better than anyone else—but you must let those tasks be done by others. You must maximize your strengths.

Do what you do best. Say no to the things that someone else can do.

The New Testament church grew like wildfire in the early days. They saw amazing successes, but they experienced growing pains as well. At one point, men were trying to feed and care for widows and it began to distract the apostles from their preaching. Finally, they had had enough. The apostles called the believers to a meeting and addressed the problem:

“It is not right for us to neglect the preaching of the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty” Acts 6:2-3.

The apostles knew they were called to preach. They had seen the risen Christ. They had the gifts and the calling. They jealously guarded their time and energy, finding others to handle the distribution of resources. Someone else could divide up the food among the orphans and widows. Did the apostles consider this task important? Absolutely. They wanted only the best men to handle it, men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom. But catch this:

It is quite possible the apostles would have handled the task more efficiently if they had done it themselves. But they knew it was distracting them from their main focus: preaching the word of God. So they delegated the task to others.

What is your main focus? What is the key thing you contribute on the job? Focus on that and protect it—never let other things draw your attention away from your top priority. What is the main way you make a difference at home, among family and friends? Again, focus on that. Let nothing stop you from blessing the people in your life by offering your very best, whether it be preaching the word or something else. Establish your priorities, then keep them in focus.

Stay in your lane, do the thing God made you to do, and do it with excellence!

ΑΩ

HOW CAN JESUS CLAIM TO BE THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN? Acts 4:12.

If God provided a way for sinners to be rescued, why are people so unhappy about it? I have often heard people rail against Christianity for its claim to exclusivity:

“How can you say Jesus is the only way, when there are millions of people around the world who never heard of Jesus?”

The answer is that it is not me saying it. Jesus said it:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6.

Not only did Jesus claim to be the only way, but his followers repeated that claim and related additional claims that set Jesus apart from all other religious figures.

Matthew reports that Jesus said he came to fulfill the law and the prophets, Matthew 5:17.

Mark reports Jesus’s words: “The Son of Man did not come to serve, but to be served, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:45.

Luke reports Jesus saying that he “came to seek and to save the lost” Luke 19:10.

John reports Jesus saying: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” John 3:36.

John writes, “Whoever has the Son, has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” 1 John 5:11-12.

Paul writes, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 2:5.

Peter’s words are reported by Luke: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12.

Even the Old Testament prophet Micah plays a role, prophesying of a child who will be born in Bethlehem: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” Micah 5:2.

Finally, Isaiah, writing 400 years before Christ, “endorsed” this one who was to come: “The Lord Himself will give you a sign: a virgin will conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name, Emmanuel” Isaiah 7:14.

Isaiah goes on: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6.

In spite of the agreement among New Testament writers–and the consistency with Old Testament prophecies–many people, particularly those who follow other religions or no religion, call Jesus a good man and a great teacher–but nothing more. I have personally been told by Jewish people, Muslims, and agnostics that Jesus was “a good man and a great teacher.” That seems to be the accepted phrase.

However, this “good man and great teacher” claimed to be God.

Some will immediately stop there and rattle off a list of reasons why the scripture is too old and too-often manipulated to be trusted. But the Dead Sea scrolls (recently discovered ancient copies of every Old Testament book except Esther) prove that much of the scripture has been preserved perfectly for thousands of years.

Those responsible for copies and translations take the matter seriously—no one is rewriting the text, neither intentionally nor negligently.

And if the Old Testament has proven reliable, there is no reason to keep pushing the notion that the New Testament has been manipulated by each new generation like a message in the “telephone game.” The Biblical text is reliable because those who have been charged with its preservation and translation take the matter extremely seriously. The text is reliable—and in that text, Jesus repeatedly claimed to be God: “I and the Father are one” John 10:30. If Jesus had not made such a claim, he would not have been crucified.

Some skeptics answer this question with more questions: ‘What proof do you have that Jesus was an actual person and that he was actually crucified?’

We can answer those questions with the writings of Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian (who was not a Christian). Although Jesus was crucified a year or two before Josephus was born, the historian who grew up in Jerusalem was convinced of the truth of certain facts about Jesus. In A.D. 93 and 94, Josephus reported as truth the following information:

“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man … a doer of wonderful works-a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [reported to be] Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day … and the tribe of Christians, so named for him, are not extinct at this day.”[1]

Few serious scholars question whether Jesus was crucified. The crucifixion is a known, historical fact. My question to the skeptic is, WHY did they crucify this man? The answer is that he said things his Jewish audience considered outrageous blasphemy and a capital crime. And what did Jesus say? He said he was God. That is, Jesus actually said, “I and the Father are one” John 10:30.

A “good man and great teacher” does not go around saying he is God. Jesus either spoke the truth, or He knowingly lied (and died for that lie), or he was mentally ill. As C.S. Lewis pointed out, Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord.

The evidence indicates Jesus is the Lord. He is one with the Father. And He really is the only way to Heaven. And because Jesus claimed to be the only way to Heaven, I am compelled to make the same claim.

ΑΩ

[1] The writings of Josephus provide a useful extra-Biblical record of first-century Judaism, early Christianity, and an independent source of information about Pontius Pilate, Herod the Great, John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus, and Jesus.

The Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3, From THE WORKS OF JOSEPHUS, translated by William Whiston, Hendrickson Publishers, 1987. Cited by PBS Frontline at– https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/primary/josephusjesus.html#:~:text=He%20was%20%5Bthe%5D%20Christ%3B,ten%20thousand%20other%20wonderful%20things

Fasting, Praying, Servant Leadership. Deuteronomy 9:18.

Image generated with A.I.

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses recounts his experiences leading the difficult people of Israel (whom he describes as “stiff-necked,” Deuteronomy 9:6). After they left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, God called Moses to visit with the Lord on Mount Sinai. Moses went up the mountain, was gone forty days, and God gave Moses the Ten Commandments carved into two stone tablets. During those forty days, “I did neither eat bread, nor drink water” Deuteronomy 9:9.

Moses then reports that God told him to go down the mountain because “thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves” v.12. Moses goes down the mountain, sees the people worshipping the golden calf, throws down and breaks the two stone tablets, and falls down before the Lord, Deuteronomy 9:15-17.

“And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger” Deuteronomy 9:18.

Wait. Didn’t Moses just finish a forty-day fast? And now he fasts for another forty days? Or is it a single, 80-day fast? Opinions vary. I am persuaded that this is a second 40-day fast, although Moses probably ate for several days in between. (In later verses, Moses reports that before going back up the mountain, he first carved from stone two new tablets on which God would write a second copy of the Ten Commandments.) Regardless of the time that may have passed, we know that God miraculously sustained Moses through a fasting experience most would not survive.

But even if you believe Moses only fasted for forty days one time, consider this: WHAT KIND OF LEADER FASTS FOR FORTY DAYS ON BEHALF OF HIS PEOPLE? Would you do it? Would I? What was in his heart, that Moses would even consider it?

Perhaps you answer, Well, I’m not Moses. I’m not in charge of Israel.

Maybe not. But do you lead a family? Do you lead a business? Do you lead a marriage? Do you lead students? Do you lead teammates? Do you lead your friends?

Each of us has a circle of influence. The circle of people around you may be as large as Israel or as small as a few friends. But YOU have an influence. YOU are a leader. Even if you are the child, the baby of the family, you do have an influence, right? We all do.

INFLUENCE IS LEADERSHIP. You ARE a leader.

Do you pray for the people within your circle of influence? Would you be willing to fast for them for a single meal? A single day? Multiple days?

What about the difficult question of children who walk away from the faith of their parents? I don’t have a magic bullet. There is no easy answer. If you are a parent, you know we must be extremely reluctant to blame parents for the decisions of children. Children make their own decisions–and the Holy Spirit deals with them in His own mysterious ways (Romans 11:33, Ecclesiastes 11:5, TLB).

But as parents, can we lead like Moses? Are we doing what Moses would do?

Moses fell down on his face, crying out to God for the children of Israel. Moses fasted for these people, though they made him furious. Can you fast for your children? Can you fast for those you love? Are you praying earnestly for them? Do you keep a written prayer list?

God, make us leaders who pray and fast for those we lead. May we lead the way Moses led.  

ΑΩ

Do the Ten Commandments Make Any Difference Anymore? Matthew 13:52.

Pictured: Moses holding the Ten Commandments at the center of a statue of lawgivers atop the East Facade of the United States Supreme Court building.

My friend James wrote recently that the Ten Commandments play no role in the life of a Christian. I disagree–and contrary to my usual approach, I am going to begin with my conclusion. This topic is challenging enough it makes sense to state the conclusion first, then discuss the basis on which that conclusion rests.

Should the Ten Commandments Matter to Today’s Christian?

Yes. First, the commandments play a role in salvation as they so easily prove to each person that he is a sinner. This is an essential part of soul-winning. We fulfill the Great Commission by helping people understand their sin and their need for a Savior. There is no better tool for revealing sin than the Ten Commandments.

Second, Jesus describes the Old Testament law as a treasure. He expects us to cherish the law–and all of the Old Testament. The words of Christ are enough to convince me to read, study, and treasure every word of the Old Testament–especially the evangelistic tool that is the Ten Commandments.

But my buddy James is not completely wrong. Those Christians who do not understand grace can tend to obsess over their sin and guilt, not realizing that Jesus has washed all that away and wants them to walk in freedom. Such an over-emphasis on the law is a mistake. Our concern with the law should be limited.

First, our interest in the law is limited because the law cannot save souls.

The law NEVER saved anyone’s soul. Even Abraham “believed God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness” (see Romans 4:3, quoting Genesis 15:6). That is, Abraham was saved because of his faith in God, not his success at obeying God’s law. The same is true for all believers, both before Jesus died on the cross and after: the law cannot save souls.

Second, our interest in the law is limited because Christians have been freed from the law.

Peter saw a vision of unclean animals and God told him to “kill and eat” Acts 10:13, indicating (in part) that we are free from Old Testament dietary law. Then God sent Paul as an apostle to the uncircumcised Gentiles, indicating that God’s children were freed from the law of bodily circumcision. Soon Paul became the great expositor on grace, articulating in letter after letter that “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and of death” Romans 8:1-2.

We have been literally “set free” from the law.

But if we are free from the law, is there any reason to think about the Ten Commandments? Or to even read the Old Testament? Why bother with Moses and thou shalt nots and all the rest of it? What difference does it make for those of us who never lived as Jews and have no experience living under the law?

If the law cannot save souls, and we have been freed from the burden of following the law, what interest should we have in the law? Why read it at all?

Look to the words of Jesus.

Look to the words of Jesus. The words of Jesus show the relevance of the Old Testament.

Jesus spoke of the law with great respect: “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the law to fail” Luke 16:17. In Matthew 5, Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished” Matthew 5:17-18.

In Matthew 13:52, Jesus compares the law—and the entire Old Testament—to treasure. Should you be interested in treasure? Yes!

What can I say to my friend, James? Should we revere the Ten Commandments? Yes. More importantly, should we read, study, and teach the Old Testament scriptures? Yes.

Jesus made a pre-emptive strike. That is, before anyone could ask the question, he said in effect, ‘Hey, don’t assume I’m getting rid of the law, or the Old Testament. Because I’m not.’

How else do you interpret “I did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it”? He is stating in plain language—I am not tossing out the law. I am fulfilling the law.

What does ‘fulfill’ mean? Consider what else is fulfilled: PROPHECY. Jesus fulfilled numerous prophecies, a number between 300 and 570, depending on which scholar is doing the counting. Jesus also fulfilled the law. Jesus stood in the law, as one born under the law (Galatians 4:4) and lived a perfectly sinless life that fulfilled every statement in the Mosaic law. Then the only man who ever lived a truly holy life gave his life as a sacrifice for us—who are also born under the law. When he fulfilled the law, he also redeemed us from the law. He rescued us from the punishment our deeds deserve.

Knowing Jesus FULFILLED the law should make studying the law MORE important to his followers, not less.

Think of it this way—if Jesus had abolished the law, he would have abolished a part of the system that shows us—and all mankind—our need for salvation. The law exists in part to prove to each person his inability to obey it. The law teaches us that we are sinners. “The law became my teacher, leading me to Christ” Galatians 3:24.

But Jesus FULFILLED the law, rescuing mankind at the same time. And that is why the law is relevant. That is why the Ten Commandments remain relevant to our lives. The Mosaic law—and the Old Testament that is built on that legal regime—is part of the system leading us to salvation.

Yes, we should read the law and the entire Old Testament. We should study it and master it.

Jesus considered the Old Testament a treasure—even knowing, as he did, that there would be a New Testament coming, another 27 books of scripture to guide his children. Jesus looked at both the Old Testament and the New Testament and called them both treasures:

“Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom treasures both new and old” Matthew 13:52.

The Old Testament is a treasure! Cherish it!

ΑΩ

If Moses and the Ten Commandments are no longer relevant, why do martyrs in heaven sing about it? “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” Revelation 15:2-3.

For more on the relevance of the Old Testament, consider: https://dadsdailydevotionals.com/2024/03/15/which-is-better-old-treasure-or-new-treasure-matthew-1352/ and https://dadsdailydevotionals.com/2024/03/14/treasure-matthew-1352/


“We Had No Idea How It Was Going to Work.” Mark 16.

Christian testimonies frequently include the phrase “we had no idea how it was going to happen.” God calls us to step out in faith, often when things look impossible. For some, it may be a mission trip. They sign up to go, but explain later, “We knew we did not have the money, but God said, ‘Go,’ so we went,” and somehow the money was provided. Or a church needs a new building. The people realize they lack funding, but they begin making preparations to purchase something, and are amazed to see the way God provides. This can happen in any area: God may call you to do something that looks impossible.

How can God’s people accomplish God-sized tasks? By taking the next small step.

Greatness does not happen in a single, amazing moment. Those who have experienced such moments—the gymnast who scores perfect tens or the pitcher who throws a perfect game—would be the first to tell you that their one amazing achievement was the culmination of decades of smaller moments. Greatness is the result of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of small steps.

When Jesus was crucified, his body was quickly laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped the body in linen with seventy-five pounds of “myrrh and aloes … in accordance with Jewish burial customs,” John 19:39-40.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome then wanted to anoint the body. But there was no time because sunset was approaching which would begin the Sabbath. Work had to stop. The tomb was sealed with a huge stone. The ladies gathered their herbs and waited. All day Saturday, they did nothing. Then on Sunday, they got an early start: “And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?’” Mark 16:2-3.

You probably know what follows: they find the stone already rolled away, an angel sitting inside the tomb, and no sign of Jesus. The angel tells them Jesus has risen, and the women leave the tomb shocked and amazed, Mark 16:4-8.

But did you catch the small step of faith? On the way to the tomb, the women turned to each other and asked, “Who will roll away the stone for us?” Mark 16:3. They KNEW the tomb was sealed with a huge stone. Some say the stone may have been tipped or rolled down an incline, so that opening the tomb after it was sealed would have been all the more difficult. These three ladies knew for a fact that the three of them would be unable to move the stone. But they went to the tomb anyway. They collected their spices and went to the tomb to anoint the Messiah. They had no idea how God would work things out. But they took that next small step. They obeyed God. They followed his plan.

What small step can you take today to follow Christ? Is there a mountain in front of you? Don’t look at the mountain. Look at that one next step! God does not call you to read the entire Bible today. Just read that first verse. Read that first chapter. You do not have to win your friend to Christ in a day. But say something encouraging. Invite him to church. Give him hope and grace. Take that single, next step.

God, give us the grace to see small steps, not overwhelming obstacles. Remind us that we only have that next small step in front of us. As long as we keep walking, the mountain will take care of itself.

PROGRESS: BUILDING LIVES, BUILDING SOCIETY. Mark 5.

Pictured: the bell tower of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas.

Americans struggle to appreciate the march of human progress because we are surrounded by it. Driving across this great nation today can seem like an endless line of truck stops and fast food, gas stations and coffee shops, oil wells and 300-foot wind turbines. We sing songs complaining “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” We have progressed so far we no longer appreciate progress.

This is a uniquely modern perspective. Our forebears were surrounded by wilderness and knew death was never more than an infection away. Progress was wholly positive for our ancestors.

Imagine settlers moving into the American colonies. Three families find a spot near a river with high places for houses and fertile land for farming. They dig a well and build three log cabins before winter sets in. Soon a few more families move in and in a year or two, the group builds a larger building that will serve as a school during the week, a church on weekends, and a town hall for political meetings, trials, and more. Eventually they build a bridge or two and an ice house or a hospital. And every step along the way is cause for celebration! This is progress! Our little town is growing! We have carved a little civilization out of the forest.  One day a piano teacher moves to town, and maybe an old actor who wants to start a theater, and suddenly we have culture! What had once been a hundred miles of forbidding, endless forest is now interrupted by the lights of a warm, welcoming town. That is progress.

The Bible—particularly the rich pages of the Old Testament—has a lot to say about progress, from infrastructure (including water, sewer, safety, and security), to education, laws, religious practice, and everything necessary to build a new nation. Your work and mine are part of that: we are agents of progress. We BUILD the society. We CONTRIBUTE. God put each one of us here to make a difference, to make an impact.

The ministry of Jesus in Mark chapter five may be the last place you would look for a word about “progress.” But we see it there too. First, Jesus and his disciples are met by a demon-possessed man. Jesus speaks to the demons who identify themselves as “Legion” (“for we are many” Mark 5:9). Jesus casts the demons out of the man and allows them to enter a nearby herd of pigs. Suddenly the 2,000 pigs stampede over the cliff and are drown in the sea—an amazing story, but that is not the point. The point is, Jesus gave this man his life back. He rescued him! The man was suddenly in his right mind, He cleaned up, dressed himself, and was no longer a raving madman living in a graveyard but sat down at peace. Restored. Then he went into the ten cities of the Decapolis and told everyone the Good News about Jesus.

Then Jesus sailed across the sea and was met by Jairus, a synagogue leader, whose daughter was dying. On the way to heal the child, the crowd pressed against Jesus, and Jesus “realized that power had gone out from him” and turned to find out what happened. A woman who had been “bleeding for twelve years” admitted she touched him and had been instantly healed. Jesus told her to go in peace, “your faith has made you well” Mark 5:22-34. Jesus rescued her too. He restored her health, delivering her from the shame of being perpetually unclean according to Leviticus 15:25-30.

Suddenly, a crowd arrived to tell Jairus that his daughter had died. Jesus told him not to listen, that she was only asleep. The crowd laughed: they knew death when they saw it. But Jesus went to the house and raised the child from the dead. “Immediately the girl got up and began to walk … at this they were utterly astounded” Mark 5:35-42.

Jesus did not go about building pipelines or bridges or hospitals or universities. He did something better—he restored broken lives. He rescued the demon-possessed and mentally ill, he healed the sick and unclean, he even restored life to some who had died. If that does not look like progress, we deeply underestimate the value of a single life. One life restored to grace, one mind returned to peaceful sanity, one person rescued from shame … these are accomplishments greater than all the progress being made by all the civil engineers in America.

Building infrastructure is important, critical for any society. But it cannot compare to the value of BUILDING LIVES.

True progress happens when we bless the lives around us, filling them with light and grace and forgiveness, peace and joy and hope for the future.

God, use us to build lives. Show us how to “build others up” according to 1 Thessalonians 5:11. Give us courage and love and the right words. Make us instruments of your progress as we bless others with truth, grace, and hope.

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UNITY: E PLURIBUS UNUM. John 17:20-21.

E Pluribus Unum. This Latin phrase was chosen by the founders as our nation’s motto. In English it means, “out of many, we become one.” Does one-ness matter? Does unity matter?

Most of us find reasons to divide ourselves into warring camps, even when everyone involved is a “good person.” Children naturally divide the kids around them into “good kids” and “bad kids” (or “heroes and villains,” as my daughter put it). That makes sense—some are nice to you, some are mean, and some are outright bullies.

This is even true for kids in private school. But what children can’t understand is that nearly all of the kids in a private Christian school might be in the “good kid” group if your school was a more accurate cross-section of America, i.e., a public school. To put it another way, the worst kids in a Christian school are usually misdemeanor offenders in a felony world. The people you consider villains may be good kids compared to the “villains” in a massive, big-city high school.

Why does that matter? Because we let trivial things divide us from our Christian brothers and sisters. We allow petty, childish disputes and jealousies to come between us and people that ought to be our friends.

I’m not suggesting you should have deep, personal friendships with one who abused you or otherwise crossed the line. I’m only asking you to look again at those childhood “villains” through the eyes of an experienced adult. Be willing to reevaluate. Because the world—YOUR WORLD—has enough REAL VILLAINS. Don’t make villains of those God might one day convert to friends.

Did you know Jesus prayed for us—His followers of the future—in John 17? He did. Notice what He prayed for:

“I pray not only for these, but also for THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN ME THROUGH THEIR MESSAGE. May they all be ONE, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be ONE in US, so the world may believe You sent Me” John 17:20-21.

Jesus prayed that his people would have UNITY. He prayed that though we are many, we would be one. Had he spoken Latin, Jesus may have prayed, “E pluribus unum.” Though we are many, may we become one.

God, show us how to pray and WORK toward oneness and unity, so the world will believe your message. 

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GOD CAN OVERCOME ANYONE. Ezra 1-3; Proverbs 21:1.

Image generated by A.I.

Have you ever felt good things would come your way if someone were out of the way? Is someone keeping you from your destiny?

There is no one God cannot move. No one can stand in God’s way.

“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever He wishes” Proverbs 21:1.

Think about that—God can put His hand into the heart of the king and splash things around. God can make kings, bosses, and those in authority feel kindly toward you. He can change anyone’s emotions. God can give you favor in anyone’s eyes. It is easier than making waves in a swimming pool.

“The Lord put it into the mind of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation…” God made Cyrus, a non-believing Persian, want to release Hebrew captives. King Cyrus returned thousands of God’s people to the Promised Land, along with thousands of gold and silver dishes and temple articles, Ezra 1-3. Why?

I don’t know. Who does that? What king sends away captives he could use as free slave labor? What king returns to a captive people priceless gold artifacts? What king makes sacrifices for the benefit of a God in whom he does not believe? Most kings are like the Pharaoh, refusing to let Hebrews go even after devastating plagues. So what is different about King Cyrus?

‘The king’s heart—King Cyrus’s heart—is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever He wishes’ Prov. 21:1.

Do you need to be blessed by someone in power? Do you need a job, a raise, or a good evaluation? Do you need a professor to look favorably on your efforts? Do you need a coach to see your potential? Pray the words of Proverbs 21:1. Ask God to turn that person’s heart wherever HE wishes. Pray hard, and never lose faith: God can change ANYONE’S heart.

Dear God, give us favor in the eyes of the people around us. May those in authority bless us every day.

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