The Most Radical Words

 

Last weekend I read a short book of letters that one man wrote to his nephew about Jesus. The man was a priest and his nephew was finishing high school and so the man wrote a series of letters to give some spiritual guidance to his nephew, particularly about Jesus. 

I thought the book was so-so. I’m not Roman Catholic and the things that he said that specifically connected to that tradition did not really speak to me. But he did write one thing that very definitely caught my attention. He told his nephew that “The most radical words in the gospel are “Love your enemy.”” 

If we think of someone as an enemy then we have some very strong and persistent feelings towards them. And none of those feelings are positive. Enemies? The things that come to mind are words like contempt, antipathy and hatred. Their downfall, or even destruction, would be a source of gladness as we hear of it. 

Love them? Love my enemies? I think not. However, if we did love them, that would indeed be a radical thing, and Jesus calls on his followers to do just that thing. In Matthew 5:44 he says:

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

I’ll agree that to love one’s enemies is a very radical thing to do, and in our day of strongly held opinions, freely and widely shared on social media, it seems very easy to find people whom we might consider as enemies. But I believe Jesus says something much more profound, much more radical, and much more powerful, when in Luke 7:48 he speaks to a woman and says: 

“Your sins are forgiven.” 

Rather than giving godly guidance on how to treat people we disagree with these words get to the heart of the human condition, and its only possible resolution. 

All humans, from the ones you admire the most on the one hand, to the ones whom you want nothing to do with on the other hand, and including the person staring back at you in the mirror, are sinners against a holy God. Sinners who have no hope save this one thing: To turn from their sin and have faith in Jesus as their savior.

If you turn to Luke and read the whole story he doesn’t tell us much about the woman, except that the people who are with Jesus at the time don’t have a very high opinion of her. And she herself never says a word, but shows the love that she has for Jesus through her actions. Jesus, knowing that her sins are many, declares her forgiveness.

Luke doesn’t tell us much about the woman. Did she understand that her sins, all of them, were ultimately offenses against God? Did she have any clue that her sins were direct offenses against the very man to whom she is showing such devotion?

Loving my enemies the way that Jesus would have me do it is a good thing, but to attempt to do that before having my own sin dealt with would be to put the cart before the horse. I need my sin forgiven and Jesus very freely does that, for me and for all who come in faith to Him. Turn to him and hear him speak, to you, the radical words of true freedom, “Your sins are forgiven.”

 

 

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Making The Cut

May is coming to an end, and so that means that football season is getting closer. The picture is from an article just before the beginning of last year's season for the Green Bay Packers. On the first day of the last season there were 53 men on the roster. As preparation begins for the 2019 season some of those 53 men will be returning. Some will have retired or had their career end through injury. Others will have joined new teams through a trade or free agency. And others may be barely hanging on to a roster spot. They will enter training camp wondering if this will be the year that they get cut and someone else gets the spot that they had on the roster.

The other night Robin and I were reading from Luke 7:11-17, which says:

"Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.  As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”  Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”  And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”  And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country."

It's an absolutely amazing miracle by Jesus. A large crowd. Someone who is very clearly dead. At the words of Jesus, and nothing else, the man comes to life. The witnesses praise God and spread the word about Jesus.  

It is an absolutely amazing miracle, recorded by Luke, but not even directly hinted at when we come to John's gospel. A powerful miracle that doesn't make the cut. John has seven miracles scattered through the first 11 chapters and as far as the remainder of Jesus' miracles are concerned he says this:

"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

John freely admits that Jesus did many miracles, but he only needs seven to make his point. Read these and follow where the evidence leads, to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now as good as football is, there is something about the gospel that is infinitely better.

Each of the 32 NFL team has 53 players. That’s 1696 players beginning the season with the goal of being one of the 53 who will win a Super Bowl ring on the last day. Some won't make it through the season due to injury. Some will lose their place to better players as the season progresses. Some teams will emerge as strong ones, and the weaknesses of others will become apparent. And then bit-by-bit teams, and their players, will be eliminated in the playoffs.

To end the season as a champion there is a matter of being in the right place at the right time. But that won’t happen unless you have the basic ability in the first place, in terms of having the skill set needed to make the cut and stay on the team.

One aspect of the good news of Jesus is that making the team is fairly easy. Just show up with faith in Jesus. Paul puts it this way:

 "Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Skilled player, even a superstar, or not…it doesn’t matter. There is a place for you with Jesus. Injury that won’t heal? No problem. Jesus has a place for you. Don't like your coach? Don't worry. The coaching of Jesus will be perfect for you. Perhaps you play quarterback and think that Jesus already has too many? Come anyway, because there is no limit to the depth chart. Afraid you won’t get a ring if you don't get into the game? Fear not. Everyone who is on the team, be it in the game or on the sidelines, when the final whistle blows receives the same reward.

"Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.