Missing the Obvious

 

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 3:22 ESV

 

Many of us, in the course of our spiritual journey, come to believe that God is one whom we must seek out. We come to believe that he is one whom we must discover. We come to believe that God is someone whom we must pursue.

 

We, then, set out to do just that. We set out to do whatever it takes to discover God. We set out to do whatever is necessary to understand God.

 

While I tend to believe that our intentions in doing so are good, we are missing something. In fact, we are missing the obvious. We are missing the obvious because God has clearly revealed himself to us.

 

We see this, first of all, in our Christmas celebration. We see it there because God didn’t expect that we should come to him. Nor did he wait for us to come to him. He, rather, came to us.

 

God came to us in the flesh. He came to us, born as a baby. And he, then, lived among us.

 

We see this also in the third chapter of Luke. We see that Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized. And, after he’d been baptized, and as he was praying, the heavens were opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice spoke from heaven.

 

This voice declared the words that we read above. God declared that Jesus was his beloved Son. And he declared that he is well pleased with Jesus.

 

These words were spoken to Jesus, of course. But they were spoken to Jesus in the hearing of all who were there. They were spoken to Jesus in the hearing of all of those who had come to be baptized, as well as John the Baptist himself.

 

In this way, Jesus’ identity was made clear to them. They came to understand Jesus’ identity from the mouth of God himself. They were able to hear the voice of the Father speaking of Jesus’ identity.

 

We learn from this that God is not hidden from us. He isn’t one who conceals himself from us. We learn from this that God is one who comes to us and reveals himself to us.

 

Although you and I weren’t there to observe Jesus’ birth, and although we weren’t there to hear the voice of God at the time of Jesus’ baptism, the same is true for us. In Jesus, God himself comes to us. And God speaks to us, making clear the identity of Jesus.

 

He does so primarily through his Word. He does so primarily through Scripture. In this way, he speaks and reveals to us these truths.

 

And, for this reason, we need not do anything great. In fact, there is nothing at all for us to do. We need only to listen. We need only to receive his Word. We need only to believe the Word he has spoken.

 

Deliver Us From Evil

 

“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:3 ESV)

 

It’s clear to us, as we look at the world of today, that evil has grown. It’s clear to us that evil has become worse. We see it in world events as well as in the actions of individuals.

 

We see this also as we look over the course of time. What was once unthinkable has now become common. What was once absurd has now become very real and ordinary.

 

As we’re confronted with this evil, we wonder what can be done about it. We wonder where we can look for help. And we look to many individuals and institutions to provide that help.

 

We look to our legislators. We do so, believing they can create laws that will eliminate the evil with which we live. We look to the courts. We do so, believing that they can change the moral compass of our nation. We look to the military. We do so, believing that their might can not only hold evil at bay, but put an end to it in the places it is sent. We look to our schools and universities. We do so, believing that if only a better education is granted to more people, they will leave their evil thoughts and actions behind. And we look to psychologists, counselors, and health professionals. We do so, believing that the source of evil is nothing more than an illness or a disease to be treated.

 

In the prior two verses, Paul asked for prayer from the people. He asked for prayer that he and his companions might be delivered from evil, or from the evil one. “For not all have faith,” he reminds them.  But, as he goes on to state in the verse seen above, “the Lord is faithful.”

 

The Lord, he says, will establish them and guard them against the evil one. He will strengthen and protect them from the evil one. He will establish them and keep them from evil.

 

Although it’s a simple reminder, what is the source of our help? What is the source of our deliverance? That source is none other than the Lord.

 

Certainly, he can work through people and institutions to carry out his work. He can use legislators and the courts. He can use armies and military might. He can use the education system and health professionals. But we must bear in mind that he alone is the source of our aid.

 

We, then, must look to him. This, after all, is what Jesus taught us to do. He taught us to pray to the Father that he might deliver us from evil. He taught us to pray to the Father that he might deliver us from the evil one.

 

And, no matter how it may seem, we can know and believe that he will do just that. He will do so because he is faithful. He will do so because is both willing and able to guard us.

Assumptions

 

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 ESV)

 

So often, in life, we take things for granted. We assume that things will work out as they should. We simply trust that they’ll function as intended. And we presume that the desired results will be achieved.

 

For example, as I leave my house each morning, I take for granted that my car will start. I assume that it’ll fire up and take me where I need to go. I plan my day around the assumption that I’ll be able to get to the places I need to be. And this is true even when the weather is extreme.

 

Because of these assumptions, we give no real thought to them. We seemingly have no concern for them. We’re not worried or apprehensive about these things in any way.

 

This is true also when it comes to our faith. We take for granted that the Church will do its job. We take for granted that it will grow. We take for granted that our faith will spread. And we take for granted that people will honor his Word.

 

For this reason, we fail to pray for the salvation of souls. For this reason, because we take these things for granted, we fail to look to the Lord on behalf of the Church.  And, for this reason, we fail to look to the Lord on behalf of the unsaved.

 

We don’t tend to offer up the petitions requested by Paul in the passage above. We don’t ask that God’s Word would speed forth. We don’t ask that it would be honored. Nor do we ask that the Church might be delivered from evil men.

 

We simply assume that these things will happen. We assume that the Church will faithfully carry out its mission. We take for granted that God’s Word will speed forth because it is, after all, God’s Word. We expect that his Word will be honored. And we presuppose that the Church will be protected from those who intend it harm.

 

We see from Paul’s request, however, that these are needs that ought to be entrusted to the Lord. We see that these blessings cannot be taken for granted. Like every other blessing that we need or desire, these are things for which we are completely dependent upon God.

 

I can say, speaking for myself, that I value the prayers offered up for me, as I serve the Lord. I value the prayers offered up for the ministry of the church. I value them because it’s only with his strength and blessing that we can accomplish anything.

Chosen

“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”

(2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 ESV)

 

Because the Lord is God, and because he’s all-powerful, it is clear to us that he is sovereign. It’s clear to us that no one can impose his will upon him. And it’s clear that he is in control of all things.

 

This is true also when it comes to our eternal destiny. Scripture similarly speaks to us of predestination. It tells us that we, as believers, have been chosen by God to obtain his blessings. It tells us that we have been chosen by God as recipients of his salvation.

 

This, however, raises some questions, especially when it comes to his redemption. It raises some questions as Scripture is clear that God desires for all to be saved. And it’s clear that he is the propitiation, or that he’s the atoning sacrifice, for the sin of the whole world.

 

This being true, God cannot arbitrarily choose some to be saved and others to be damned. He cannot ordain that some will spend eternity in hell with no chance of obtaining forgiveness.  How, then, are those truths reconciled?

 

This confusion is explained away in the above passage. Paul says that he chose us as the first fruits of those who are being saved. Here, we see the element of God’s sovereignty and his divine will. But we’re told also how we are chosen. It’s explained to us on what basis we are chosen.

 

He tells us, first of all, that we are chosen through sanctification by the Spirit. And to be sanctified means to be made holy. So, we are chosen as we are made holy by the Holy Spirit.

 

This reminds us that we play no role in our salvation. It tells us that the work necessary for our salvation is performed by God. And it leads us to trust not in ourselves, but in God, for this great blessing.

 

He tells us also that we are chosen to be saved through belief in the truth. As most of us know, we receive the grace of God through faith in Jesus. And our faith is the basis of God’s choice.

 

What I mean is this: God has chosen for salvation those who trust in Christ. He has chosen for salvation those who believe the gospel. He has chosen for salvation those who, in this way, receive the blessings he’s graciously made available to all people.

 

Motivations

 

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

(Colossians 3:23-24 ESV)

 

It’s that time of year when many of us make resolutions. We do so, viewing the new year as a new beginning. Recognizing our flaws, recognizing our sins, we want to do better.

 

Looking at it in terms of our faith, this is a good attitude. It’s a healthy attitude. As we live an ongoing life of repentance and faith, we turn from our sin and we look to Christ.

 

However, as we make resolutions, as we seek to better ourselves, I’ve noticed something. Christ is not the focus of the changes we want to make. We are.

 

The goal for many of us, with the new year, is to lose weight. This is why gym memberships take off at the beginning of each year. And, again, our motivation for doing so is to improve our health. It’s to improve the way that we feel.

 

The same is true when it comes to our eating habits. Many of us resolve to improve this aspect of our lives. And, again, our motivation for doing so is our own health. It’s to improve the way that we feel.

 

Many of us focus on other aspects of life. We resolve to live a simpler life. We resolve to buy less and to save more. And we resolve to be more generous.

 

Even though this sounds laudable, our motivation is once again ourselves. By doing this, we’re told, our life will be less stressful. Living in this way, we’re told, will reduce worry from our life.

 

Still others among us see that we need to be more forgiving. And, as we seek to do so, we focus on the personal benefits of forgiveness. We say that we offer forgiveness not for the sake of the person who wronged us, but for our own benefit. We do so because it frees us from bitterness and resentment.

 

There may be truth in each rationalization we make. Losing weight and eating better will certainly improve our health and the way that we feel. Living a simpler life will certainly reduce stress. And forgiving others does offer to us a sense of freedom.

 

However, even if we receive these side benefits as we repent of our sin and resolve to make these changes, Christ should be our primary motivation. We should desire to make these changes in service of Christ. And we should desire to make these changes for the glory of Christ.

 

In the third chapter of Colossians, Paul was instructing believers how to live with one other. He tells wives to submit to their husbands. He tells husbands to love their wives. He tells children to obey their parents. He tells fathers that they’re not to provoke their children. He tells servants to obey their masters.

 

Now, it’s certainly true that doing these things will lead to a more peaceful life. It will result in less conflict. It will lead to personal blessings as well as blessings for those who surround us.

 

However, he closes with the verses above. After telling them to do these things, after instructing them to live in this way, he tells them that, whatever they do, they are to work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. In other words, their focus was not to be on man, but on Christ.

 

Wives were to submit to their husbands for the Lord’s sake. Husbands are to love their wives for the Lord’s sake. Children are to obey their parents for the Lord’s sake. Fathers are to parent their children for the Lord’s sake. And servants are to obey their masters for the Lord’s sake.

 

Even though, as we follow these instructions, it’s clear that others will benefit, and even though it’s true that we ourselves will benefit, this shouldn’t be our primary motivation. We’re to do these things out of our love for the Lord. We’re to do them in service of the Lord. And we’re to do so knowing that he is the source of all blessings.