Tag: hope

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Template for a great leader.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son. Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly.” Psalms‬ ‭72‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

King David in Psalm 72 seems to pray a proclamation of true leadership, true reasons for royalty to protect, provide and preserve the kingdom. David’s prayer captures the core of what it looks like when one leads with power and wealth to wield and leverage righteousness to yield prosperity, peace and equality.

The psalm lays out the template for Solomon to be an effective and truly great king. The king should be deeply invested in the people, that they would “flourish during his reign,” that they would prosper in every way possible. Yet the king’s eye would always be attentive to “rescue the poor when they cry to him,” and “help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.” The king’s heart would constantly be leaning toward the weak and needy, obsessing with ways to “redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.” The might and authority of great kings, great leaders is to always look out for the least, lifting them from pits, lending them their own power.

We may recognize, this is how our Almighty God rules and reigns forever. God’s power and wealth have no end, His wisdom stoops toward the weak and His peace, grace and mercy are lavished on the meek and humble. Yes! This is not just a template not for kings, but for anyone who would lead others in their care! Question: How would you say David measured up to this kingly template? How about his son, Solomon. How do you think he did?

Prayer

​Dad,
We are not You, not God! However, being created in your image, we are like you. That whole idea of emulating your character and qualities, criticality shows up in how we lead others. I am not a king, nor hold any kind of political position. Yet as a pastor, I have a charge to lead in a righteous and godly manner. I believe it does mean that I get to leverage what little power and money I am given to manage, it must be distributed with an eye to the poor and a heart towards the least of these! I must lead as you have led us – with wisdom, grace and mercy. Amen.

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Among the hopelessly confused.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Paul, writing to the churches in Ephesus, while Timothy was Bishop, hits hard about abandoning the “Gentile” ways. The majority of the city were Gentiles. Cities have a culture, and Ephesus was a deeply religious city. Problem was, it was zealous about the worship of Diana, god of fertility. Diana (Artemis) was the patron deity of Ephesus, Turkey, whose temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World! Her giant statue stood in front of the ginormous Greek temple, prominently placed downtown, at the corner of their market and main street. The locals, merchants and marines, all believed their livelihood depended on keeping Diana happy. The entire city was entirely idol worship.

When Paul says the Gentiles were hopelessly confused, he uses two Greek words that mean walking around in futility. The term “mataiotés” refers to the concept of vanity or futility, often used to describe the transient and purposeless nature of worldly pursuits and human endeavors apart from God. Translation – pursuing fake gods, personal ‘em betterment, and seeking higher powers eventually becomes empty and meaningless. Nasty trick, right?

Paul’s words to us futility seekers is to BEWARE. It only leads to dark, closed minds and hardened hearts. No one seeks “enlightenment” trying to pursue dark, closed minds and hearts! Paul warned that it only leaves us with no sense of shame (apalgeó: callous, to cease to feel pain, to be past feeling), living for lustful pleasure and eagerly practicing every kind of impurity. The non-God/fake god route literally yields an empty, passionless, gluttonous life! But every “Gentile” I know thinks they are the exception. They can beat the odds, they’re special. They believe they can find and live the happy fulfilled life sans the living God. And every single time they are deceived by their own arrogance and end up hopeless, yet still trying to prop up the lie that it’s working.

Paul explains that the only way to escape this Gentile-foolery is to instead, “let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. And, by putting on a new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” I say to my fellow Gentiles, I beg of you – give it up. Quit trying to customize your own religion to become something or someone that is impossible to be without Jesus.

Prayer

​Dad,
Growing up in a non-religious family, there were a few who tried to better themselves through enlightenment, and some that even thought church attendance and volunteering would suffice as a path to the good life. In the end, they found their attempts to be empty when facing death. At the end of their days they desperately wanted truth and answers about the afterlife. Those things can only be found in You. Thank you for your patience and grace in our searching, our longing. May you meet each soul with mercy as they turn their hearts towards You. Amen

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Jerusalem has its day.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jerusalem had, has and will have its day! God seems to really care about cities, especially Jerusalem. There are more than 300 cities mention in the Old Testament and hundreds more in the New Testament. When Robin and me had the privilege of going to Israel, I realized the importance of geography, specifically the cities where all the people of the Bible have lived. I believe that a third of our theology is found in the geography of the land of Israel. It’s hard to completely understand God’s entire story without having a grasp of the history of the region.

You actually can feel the city’s significance as you ascend into Jerusalem. Millions of people want to visit just to see, even touch a part of the history of these ancient places. Jerusalem continues to play an important role all the way through to the end of days. Revelation mentions the new Jerusalem in Rev 3:12, 21 and 2:10.

Isaiah prophetically predicted the true central, and extraordinarily eternal coming of the Messiah into this famous city. “The glory of the Lord rises and appears,” over Jerusalem and “all nations will come to your light.” The importance of cities has me thinking a lot about my own city of Los Angeles, City of the Angels. Maybe I am being too negative or critical, but LA hasn’t felt all that angelic for sometime. I am very thankful for the myriad of nonprofits and ministries that are helping the poor, the disenfranchised and the homeless, but it is tough work! Our streets of LA and the surrounding suburbs have thousands of mentally ill or desperately addicted men and women pandering and panhandling our streets everyday.

While driving down my own main street a woman crossed the street against the red light, she was not only completely naked, but she had a needle dangling from her arm as she zombie-walked to the other corner. It was crushingly sad to see her in such desperation. We need the light and love of Jesus to penetrate our dark streets of lawlessness, rage and hopelessness. My suburb city and Los Angeles need the angels of God just to bring the possibility of hope. Jerusalem will have its final days, but until then I pray that Los Angeles, New York, Portland, Austin, Detroit, Chicago and Washington DC will have the light of Christ shone down upon us.

Prayer

​Dad,
I see the brokenness within our cities and I pray. I pray that Satan would be banished from our city and that your mighty warrior angels would return to being hope, love, justice and righteousness. I want children to be able to walk their neighborhood in safety. So that single moms can shop without fear of street thugs. So that fathers would quit filling the bars and return home, spending what little money they make on the families instead of their cars, their beer and their drugs. Bring Your light into our dark streets Oh God! May your glory rise once again. Amen.

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A blameless man gets blamed.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s be honest, God is certainly not overly concerned about creating mystery and tension in our human experience! The book of Job is one of those proofs. Job is the oldest written book in the Bible, from an unknown author about an unknown man. Job presents more questions than it does answers, but it is a fascinating read!

We are introduced to Job in poetic storytelling fashion – “There was once a man…” But remember, this is no fairytale! He lived in the land of Uz. Where is Uz and why does it sound so similar to Oz? Uz is a bit of a mystery as well. It is believed to be ancient Edom, and was located in the northwest corner of Arabia, southeast of Israel. Today it would possibly be Uzbekistan. When was Job alive? Many scholars place Job in the patriarchal period, around the same time that Abraham lived (Genesis 11:28–29). Even though we know very little about Job, he was noted to be blameless (“tam” perfect), a man known for absolute integrity (“yashar” refers to living in accordance with God’s laws and principles, embodying integrity and righteousness). Additionally, he stayed clear of evil in his dealings with others.

Not only was he a straight up solid, honest man – he was really wealthy. Not just wealthy in the currency of the day (animal stock), but also in the amount of ranch-hands he employed. And, he and his wife had 10 kids! Wow, Mrs. Job must have been a very busy woman as well. It is noted that he was the richest guy in the region. It doesn’t take much of a stretch to realize this, the people who knew Job and saw what he had would have completely believed this guy was BLESSED by someone. I would say he was blessed by God, the creator of all things. Others, may have thought he was blessed by nonexistent little g-gods. Some may have even thought that Job was such the richly righteous guy that he was PERFECT and deserved the wealth, massive land ownership and large family. This is just the kind of setup to tell us what ended up happening to Job and it would rattle everyone’s ideology AND theology!

The story shifts from a scene on earth to a scene that takes place in the heavens. “One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.” Job‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬. Read the story for yourself, but be warned, it’s a rough ride to figure out the one thing we all want to know – WHY? Lots of Biblical scholars try to explain Job as though it were simple and clear. I have some thoughts, but I enjoy the mystery more than clarity at this stage of my life.

Prayer

​Dad,
Early on in my faith journey I learned a very important lesson. You are God, I am not. You are always right, true and just. When things don’t seem right or make sense this side of eternity, I am 100% sure that it is my human perspective that cannot see nor understand the full scope of your will and your ways while here on earth. I knew then what I am still confident about today – I live on a broken planet among broken people and we all exist in the shadows until the full light of Jesus Christ is revealed at the end of days. Amen.

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Unexpected stories from extraordinary people.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Luke was not one of Jesus’s original 12 Apostles. So he wasn’t an apostle, but he sure acts like one. It is believed that Luke was most likely one “of the seventy,”. History tells us that Luke was a really smart guy! He was a physician, a theologian and a historian. If you see the trifecta of those skill sets you know why Luke starts his gospel, his account of the life of Jesus with such bravado. “Many people have attempted…” but I also have investigated and decided to write an accurately ordered, successively, one after another account!

According to history, Luke had not been a follower of Jesus before he died. Being biologically Jewish but culturally Greek, he had to have followed the controversial stories of Jesus admitting that He was THE Messiah. Luke became a believer, then a follower of THE WAY (a common phrase used to describe Jesus people). Luke not only journaled, he also journeyed with Paul, eventually writing the book of Acts. Luke was the best of biographers, writing one about the life of Jesus, the other the life of the early Church. It is believed that Luke wrote Acts in such a way that Paul would present the “book” to Caesar himself in Rome. Acts is a full testament of truth about the power of Jesus to transform a religious terrorist into an evangelist while watching the fulfillment of a promise of bringing salvation to the Gentiles as well.

Luke writes to Theophilus, a title given to a person of great wealth and influence. It is not clear whether this man was a High Priest in Jerusalem just after Jesus’ day, or that Theophilus was a high-ranking, influential Gentile official. Most likely the latter. Either way, Luke tells Theophilus, “you can be secure in the truth” of what you have been taught.

Secure in the truth – oh how I wish this generation would anchor themselves to the faith they were raised in, knowing that it is not a truth, it is THE truth. These facts about Jesus aren’t “my” truth nor “our” truth – it is God’s truth. These two books (Luke and Acts), written by Luke, were used to bring many people to faith in Jesus Christ, and to believe in His death and resurrection! Then help guide them to follow Jesus, obeying what he taught, doing what he did for the rest of their lives. Luke’s book are more than just stories about Jesus, they are also systems of how to live our life being a disciple and making disciples. Thank God for His living Word inspired, directed and recorded by men like Dr. Luke!

Prayer

​Dad,
The consistency and wonder of your Word just continually amazes me. Most of the men and women recorded in the Bible were just normal, if not ordinary people. However, then comes these really unique and driven people like Doctor Luke and the Apostle Paul. Thank you for working in and through all of us, making wise the simple and using the weak to speak to powerful rulers. Amen.

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Just look up.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

King David’s magnificus opus, written in his younger poetic stage of life, when creativity is at its highest expression, was inserted into the Psalms towards the end of his life. In this Psalm David captures the unbridled beauty in all of creation. “When I look…”

When was the last time you simply looked up at the night sky to behold the wonder and majesty of the heavens above? I live in an overexposed, light polluted area of California, so it’s almost impossible to see the bazillions of stars that fill our expansive universe. A quick trip to our desert or our mountains opens up a cornucopia of dazzling sparkles suspended in pitch black heavens.

Even more arresting is the comparison of just how big the firmament above us is to how minuscule we really are. It can be frightening to think about. There are 8 billion humans on this spinning globe and 200 billion trillion stars in just our own universe! David asks the only appropriate question when digesting such a dilemma. “Who are we (mere mortals) that you should think about and care for us?”

God created us. God crowned us with glory and honor. God gave us charge and authority over all creation. WHY? For sure we are NOT like the rest of creation, as amazing, inexpressibly beautiful as it is. We are more, by a scale of infinity! Because God put in us His own image, His own essence. We are like God, but we are not God.

The challenge, the resolution this first day of 2025, is to find a dark sky tonight and just look up. Look up and gain David’s poetic perspective. Whatever number of stars you may see, imagine multiplying it by millions. Allow yourself a moment to realize how small we really are and how marvelously ginormous God is! Now, think about this, we may be small but we are not insignificant. We may be weak, broken from the weight of our own sin and selfishness, but we were created by and for our eternal God, one God with no other gods before our after Him. That God knows us, loves us and made us for so much more. I join David’s crescendous refrain, “O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!”

Prayer

​Dad,
I, like David, often feel so small, so unable, incapable of doing enough good to change the overwhelming chaos of these cultural moments. But when I look up and see Your majesty displayed in an array of brilliance in the innumerable stars that shine above me – it reminds me. I maybe small, but I am not insignificant. I am made and loved in Your image. You have charged me and given me authority to do Your good will here on earth. Amen.

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The religious seeker.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Mark is tricky in writing about this moment with yet another religious leader. As we make our way through the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, one of the rhythms we are used to is this lead line, “one of the teachers of the law…” It’s normally the cue that Jesus is about to be setup in an attempt to find justifiable cause to arrest him for some egregious religious infraction the religious leaders cooked up to silence him. Ah, but this one is different. This religious teacher is different. He’s not a trapper, he’s a seeker! This teacher was searching, not trying to set up the savior.

The first clue Mark gives us is this, “he realized Jesus had answered well.” So many people say they know all about Jesus, all about Christianity, but have ever read about him or definitely not experienced him for themselves? Turns out they’ve only heard comments from others who have also never met the real Jesus. This religious outlier was different because he really wanted to know the truth. Jesus was excited to share it with him.

We’ve seen Jesus use this version of the Shema before. This time, the man seeking wholeheartedly agreed with Jesus.

  • Yes, there is only one God and no other.
  • Yes, we are to love God heart, soul and strength – AND love our neighbor as ourself.

Then, surprisingly the religious teacher adds a critical commentary about the inefficiency of the law in regard to sin – He says about the most important thing is in fact “more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law,” (12‬:‭33‬). Jesus was delighted with his summary and said “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” Basically, he gets it.

His next step towards full citizenship in the Kingdom of God would be faith in Jesus as the Messiah who would be the finality, fulfillment and completion of the Law in every way. Who was this religious leader in Mark 12? We don’t know. My guess is that once this religious teacher, likely from team Pharisee rather than team Sadducee, watched as Jesus went to the cross as an innocent man. Then followed the story, hearing about Jesus resurrection from the dead. And, after putting all the pieces together, just like other very faithful Jewish people, he believed in Jesus as the Messiah who came to reconcile all people to God. The Bible does not tell us what happened to him, but I think there’s a good chance we’ll find him when we get to heaven.

Prayer

​Dad,
It is so good to read about a few of the religious teachers, lawyers and leaders who honestly sought after truth! You promised it wouldn’t be hard to find truth if people actually looked for it. Same today, right? For those who seek they will find! You are not hiding. You are not avoiding or ignoring those who look for truth, you welcome it! Thank you for seeking us first, loving us first, and pursuing us always. Amen.

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In, but not of.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” ‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Paul, writing to “young” Titus, gives Pastoral instruction of how to guide the flock in the faith. “Young” Titus does not mean that Titus was a young man, just that he was younger than Paul. Titus had served with Paul before Timothy and long after Barnabas. Titus was such a devoted and trusted Pastor that Paul sent him to one of the most difficult cultures to become Bishop over several churches that had been planted.

Titus was Bishop of the island Crete. The Bible Project talks about the Crete culture and just how throughly worldly they were. The Cretans were proud and known for being deceitful liars! Titus’ first task as Bishop was to kick out the compromised pastors and install true godly men. Here in chapter two, Paul makes the point that is crucial when living under extremely wild cultural influences. The gospel must prove itself in the public square! “The gospel has got to work in the worst of the worst cultures. Christianity is compelling when it looks culturally similar but is based on a different value system and devoted to a different God,” (Bible Project).

The churches in Crete were failing because the people and their pastors mimicked the culture so the word of God was discredited and the message wasn’t compelling. Paul’s words to Titus was to have high, holy standards, but be culturally relevant on the island. Not an easy task when Cretan culture was corrupt. One of their own philosophers, Epimendes, said, “Cretans are always liars, vicious beasts and lazy gluttons.” This is why it was so critical for the Pastors and their families to be different, but not so different that it made them unapproachable. The church’s elders were to set examples of marriage fidelity, not sleeping around. It was important for the elders to actually have children instead of being just a hip and cool childless couple. The kids would have an active role in also setting an example of godliness without judgment in the community. We’re not talking about some kind of super fake “holiness,” caricatured kids. It just means they were not lying, conniving, rebellious, drunken, and sexually loose teenagers! Sometimes it just takes someone who’s not a potty-mouth, crass, trash-talking gossip who just happens to go to church. It’s really NOT that hard to be “different” from the popular culture of the day – to be IN the world but not OF it. Paul basically wanted Titus, the elders and their families to not drink the immoral cultural-punch of society and be susceptible to every social virus that sweeps through town. So, Paul instructed Titus in a solid gameplay – to live IN this evil world WITH wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God, yet not be disconnected and disengaged from the people.

This is tough. It means we have to keep our own heart and mind clean – free of “sinful pleasures,” constantly attending to our own disordered desires, submitting them to the power of Holy Spirit to free us from every kind of sin. That alone should keep us humble and busy, realizing we’ve got our own battles to face. We cannot hide behind a false righteousness, like we are better than the culture, better than the liars, vicious beasts and lazy gluttons of Crete. May Jesus be revealed IN us and THROUGH us.

Prayer

Dad,
I get it. If I had not been raised in a totally non-christian household, this would be more difficult to understand. I knew the culture, the ways of our family and the their friends. For a while, I felt the need to pull away from all of it – just for my sake of sanity! I realized this was not good as a witness and had to humbly reengage, proving that I was still myself, but changed because of Jesus 👏🏼. Now, I clearly see how tough it is for those who are being changed by your grace, to see ourselves as sinners, still needy, humble and hungry for You. I completely agree with Paul’s words to Titus – they are true, but oh so difficult to live out. Help us live authentically, yet self aware of our own struggles. Amen.

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Prominence set in perpetuity.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked. And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.” Genesis‬ ‭25‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As we read through the story threads of God’s great plan, we realize something – these high moments were planned before time began! Even the novice reader knows about the famous big-three players in the Old Testament. Abraham, Isaac and who? That’s right – Jacob. These historical story is not remembered as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Esau! It would be and always was Jacob – the second born.

This plan was in place BEFORE Issac pleaded and prayed to God for an heir. Issac knew his own story well. His own mom and dad, geriatricaly had him l-a-t-e in life. Isaac didn’t want that to be his story with his beloved Rebekah. He saw what his mother, Sarah, had gone through and did not want that to be Rebekah’s experience. So yes he PLEADED, begging God, on behalf of his wife, to give them children. We think infertility is hard today! Infertility then meant the erasure of the family name and the vast wealth that had been passed on through each generation.

Rebekah became pregnant with twins! Double answer to prayer, but the children began fighting within her womb. Sibling rivalry started well before birth! In our current cultural war of women’s rights over their bodies, these two “not quite human until birth,” were obviously behaving like humans within Rebekah’s protective womb. This sibling squabblery prompted Rebekah to pray as well. “Why?” She asks! Rebekah simply asked the creator of all things, “What is going on in here?” pointing to her own swollen belly.

God tells Rebekah about her future, the boys future, and the future of the nation of Israel! You don’t just have twins Rebekah- you have NATIONS within your womb! Wow. They are fighting now because they will be rivals for the rest of their lives. One will be stronger and your first born will serve your second born. Whoa – that’s a lot of information to share with a momma pregnant with twins that are already tangling within. Oh, and by the way, Issac wouldn’t be much help because he was SIXTY when the boys were born! It would be up to Rebekah to maintain civility in the home and steer the future according to what God shared with her in those moments of desperation.

True to what God had told her, Esau certainly was a twisted pickle – “He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.” Question: Is it possible that the boys’ character was already evident in their womb story? It even showed up at birth, when Jacob grabbed at his brother Esau’s heel as they were coming out! Our job as parents is to steer the strong qualities of our children best we can. Esau was a difficult child, youth and young adult! He purposely married Hittite women, against his father’s wishes and just to give his parents grief! One of those women was a daughter of Ishmael, his father, Issac’s half brother and sworn enemy of Israel. “Esau’s wives made life miserable for Isaac and Rebekah.” (Genesis 26:35).

Parents, don’t beat yourselves up too badly, some of you will have an Esau! And some of you will birth and raise a Jacob who will take their prominent place in the future and in history!

Prayer

​Dad,
Oh how powerful are the origin stories of our lives and the lives of our children! To think that Rebekah bore the beginning of nations who would forever be at war. This is such a fascinating story to read as we come into this Christmas season, this advent, when Mary brings the Messiah, Your son into the world. Just as Rebekah bore waring twins, Mary bore the Savior who would end all wars. The Son of God who embodied hope, peace, joy and love! What a fantastically beautiful story with the “red-thread” of history that culminates in victory! Thank you for Your grace and fulfillment of every promise to us. Amen.

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Religious Entrapment.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?” Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I’ll tell you.” Mark‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Snakes and vipers are the slipperiest serpents in the animal kingdom. They are silent and smooth in movement and hissper so subtly in the garden. It reminds me of Kaa, the snake character, in Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 anthology collection, The Jungle Book, with his mystical powers of hypnosis. Or Nagini, the snake who was always at Voldemort’s side. Mark’s gospel lets us know right up front, this scene was a setup.

The religious leaders sent Pharisees AND supporters of Herod. No matter how Jesus responded to the cleaver question, it would be captured by eye witnesses and sent out through the social media of ancient days – word of mouth! But first they had to butter-up Jesus real good, trying to distract him from the nearly invisible snare. “We know how honest you are,” interpretation – we know you can’t lie. We also know you “do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances,” – interpretation – you are not influenced by others and can’t be fooled (even though they were trying to do so even then). And, “we know you are a “alétheia,” a truth teller,” – interpretation – you are morally bound by God’s character.

So… standing there with the religious and secular leaders salivating with their own diabolical deception, they deliver the inescapable question. “Is it “exesti,” It is lawful or permitted to pay “kensos,” taxes or tribute to Caesar? Is it proper to “didómi” give or grant this? I wonder how long Jesus paused before he answered? It must have seemed like a timeless, slow-motioned moment for the eager ears of these wise guys!

Mark tells us that Jesus saw through their “hupokrisis,” hypocrisy, an interesting theatre word used in those days by the actors in a play. It comes from the idea of filling in the cracks of statues with colored wax, thus giving the appearance of wholeness, without fault or blemishes. So to be a hypocrite was to be disingenuous, fake, pretending to have no flaws. Oh, these religious leaders had cracks and crevasses in their hearts – that’s for sure!

Jesus famously retorted with his own question, “WHY?” But then he did answer them by using an object lesson. “Does anyone have a denarius handy?” A denarius, a small Roman coin, used by most of the people in the city. Jesus didn’t have or carry any coins, Roman or Jewish (shekel). Someone handed Jesus a coin while the trappers waited in puzzled anticipation.

Great, “whose likeness and inscription – whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.” Well then, Jesus implied, you have your answer don’t you? Since that coin clearly belongs to the one whose picture and title are stamped on it – give it back to him. However, since we all bear the image of another stamped on our human hearts, we should therefore give ourselves back to God because we belong to him! Right?

Prayer

​Dad,
We are such an odd bunch, us and our unique peculiarities. We play our games. We challenge our own creator. We question goodness, true justice and love – thinking we can certainly do better! If it weren’t so sad, I’d have to say we’ve got to be kidding. We may not be trying to entrap Jesus specifically, but we are still working hard to skirt your will, your way. Since we bear your imprint, your image, why are we trying so hard to get away from you? I’m sorry for our lackluster faith and pushing the boundaries of your grace. Amen.