The people in Colossae had heard the good news of the kingdom; had become followers of Jesus and now were bearing the fruit of Jesus in their lives. But the Apostle Paul didn’t want them to stop there. He wanted them to have completeness in Christ, making Christ the center of all they did.

This church had to deal with the challenges of the Roman Empire, plus some theological confusion. We have some challenges, too—materialism that is sucking us dry and preachers who are bleating out some of the weirdest theology that ever came down the pike. So Paul tells this church they have to quit taking baby steps and to get on with the mission Christ gave to all Christians. He would tell us the same thing.

Paul first mentioned all God had done for these folks: He had qualified them to share in the inheritance of the people of the kingdom of light, rescued them from the dominion of darkness, sin and selfishness, and brought them into the kingdom of his Son, redeeming them through the forgiveness of sins.

Christians are made fit when they no longer belong to darkness. The light we have experienced means we’re no longer slaves to sin and no longer have an allegiance to self and to being the rulers of our own little kingdoms. We’re now part of the kingdom of Jesus.

Jesus has come to get us, because God’s grace is a gift of rescuing, redeeming and forgiving.

Paul didn’t pray for the Colossian church to just sit back and let God mature and change them. He didn’t pray that if it didn’t happen they weren’t to worry about it, or that if it didn’t happen it wasn’t their fault, or that if they didn’t mature and change it was God’s fault and that they were to live however they wanted to live.

No, Paul’s prayer was that they would act on what they knew and have the expectation of God working in their lives.

He prayed, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding the Spirit gives so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way.”

Paul said the knowledge of what God’s will would enable them to live lives worthy of the Lord. Of course, they would be required to act on that knowledge.

In our culture, it’s easy to always think of “God’s will” as referring to specific things for our lives. In other words, we want to attach what’s important to us to God’s will. Paul’s praying they would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will referred to knowledge of the things God wants to see in the lives of all his followers.

His will is, obviously, that we live his kingdom desires of justice and service, live in communion with him, live with moral integrity and live a life of material generosity. We are called to live lives worthy of the Lord, to represent Jesus to a watching world that loves to see us stumble and fail. We are God’s representatives on earth and expected to live as if Jesus was living through us.

Paul prayed for four things to happen in the lives of the Christians at Colossae: “… bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful things to the Father … .”

He prayed they would bear fruit in every good work. He prayed that in their knowledge of God, they would experience growth. He prayed they would have the strength to endure their circumstances and they would be patient with people. And he prayed their hearts would be filled with gratitude.  

Every disciple is to bear fruit, every disciple is to commune with God, every disciple is to have endurance and patience, and every disciple is to be filled with joyful thanksgiving.

One way to help us act on what we know God wants to do in us is to ask ourselves where we’re seeing the answer to this prayer in our lives. Do I know God’s will? Do I know what is important to God, and if so, is it important to me? What evidence is in my life that God is important to me?  Am I bearing fruit that is in line with what is important to God?  

How’s my communion with God going—praying, listening to him, worshipping him, engaging the Scriptures in order to connect with him? How well am I dealing with difficult circumstances and challenging people? Is my heart filled with gratitude for what the Father has done to rescue and redeem me into the kingdom of the Son he loves?

These aren’t guilt questions. They’re honest questions of people who say: “God, I love you, and I follow you. I’m your disciple, and I want to represent you well. So God, how am I doing? And God, where I’m struggling, I pray you especially will work in me and help me to live a life worthy of you.”

Left, Right & Christ: Evangelical Faith in Politics by Lisa Sharon Harper & D.C. Innes (Russell Media)

In a country where partisanship has devolved into demonization of opponents and where politics has become a full-contact blood sport, two committed evangelicals offer some hope. They tackle the issues that divide the nation with the intention of helping readers understand them from a distinctly Christian perspective. They succeed in part.

Lisa Sharon Harper, director of mobilization at Sojourners, writes from the perspective of a liberal Democrat. D.C. Innes, associate professor of politics at The King's College in New York and an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, examines issues from the viewpoint of a conservative Republican.

On the positive side of the ledger, both writers make clear their belief that neither political party offers perfect solutions and neither should demand the allegiance a Christian owes only to Christ and his kingdom. Furthermore, the authors model the way people with strong Christian convictions can come to drastically different conclusions about political issues, state those views forcefully, but still view those who disagree with them as brothers and sisters in Christ—albeit misguided spiritual kin.

On the negative side, the writers offer no middle ground. They represent absolute polar opposites and offer what might be considered false dichotomies. But maybe that's intentional. The book bills itself as a conversation-starter. Perhaps it is the reader's role to discover the sensible middle between the extremes.

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard

Plano

In the Company of Others by Jan Karon (Penguin)

In this "Father Tim" novel, bestselling author Jan Karon takes the beloved Episcopal priest Timothy Kavanagh and his talented wife, Cynthia, to Ireland, the land of his ancestors. But what is supposed to be a holiday celebrating Cynthia's 64th birthday in a bed-and-breakfast becomes a stay fraught with intrigue, broken promises, bitter feuds and family secrets.

The cast of characters includes two brothers who grew up at nearby Cathamore, a massive family estate. The elder Paddy gains the major inheritance, while Liam receives one valuable painting and makes his living running Lough Arrow Lodge with his wife, Anna. When the painting goes missing, a feud comes to light. Cynthia and Timothy hope to discover answers to the century-old conflict in an old journal.

As Father Tim unravels the mystery, he leads Liam's alcoholic mother to recover her faith tattered by lost love. And he shows his new flock how to put aside bitterness and stubbornness to say, "I'm sorry." While Kavanagh may be retired from the church, he proves once again that a pastor will always be a pastor as he teaches lessons of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Kathy Robinson Hillman,

former president

Woman's Missionary Union of Texas

Waco

Our passage this week begins with the portion of Scripture called the “Shema.” It is the first passage of Scripture a Jewish child learns, and it is the beginning of the most important liturgical prayer in Judaism.

The term “Shema” comes from the Hebrew of Deuteronomy 6:4. It is the first word of the sentence. We translate it “hear.” What we hear is a truth and a command that bring both identity and purpose to those who will receive it.

It is significant that the truth that shapes all that comes after it is a truth about God. It is not about me or you or any other person. It is not about nations, cities or politics. It is not about ethnicity or language. It is not about education, jobs or money. It is about God. This is where life really begins and where eternal purpose is found—not in me, but in God.

This is somewhat like doing an extended math problem. If you do the first sum wrong, it doesn’t matter if you do everything else right because everything else is based on a faulty premise. So it is with life. If we miss the first truth—that life draws its meaning, hope, and fulfillment from God—then it doesn’t matter if we do everything else right. We will have built everything on a faulty premise. This is the power of the Shema. It is a first principle for life, and it is about God.

Naturally this leads us to some self-reflection. What is the first principle of our lives? Have we started with the correct foundation, or have we immediately gotten off to the wrong start? Have you ever wondered why you seemed to be doing everything right but still felt empty inside?

It could be that everything you are doing is flowing from the wrong source, starting from the wrong place. Hear! “The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). This is where life begins. This is where our true identity lies. It lies with the one, true God.

Out of this initial truth flows the initial command: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). If God is the source of life, and especially meaningful life, then it only makes sense we should respond to God with love.

This is a wholehearted and full-bodied love. It is the kind of love that shapes our actions, our thoughts and our other values. Those of you who have children can understand this love. It is the love you have for your child. It is the love that orders your day, that gets you up earlier than you might choose, takes you on errands you don’t personally need to run, shapes your schedule for the day, your values at the store and your priorities with your money. It is an all-encompassing kind of love that so fills you up that you rarely, if ever, think of the costs associated with it.

Such love is the proper response to the God of all creation who graciously offers us a place in the divine kingdom. God wants this command to “be upon your hearts” (Deuteronomy 6:6).
    
Unfortunately, we are not naturally inclined to respond to God in love. Our self-love motivates us to elevate ourselves to the position of “Lord of my life.” We forget the principle truth that the Lord is God, and we forget to love God as God deserves.

God knows about our forgetfulness, and it is for this reason that Deuteronomy contains the further commands to talk about this truth and this command “at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:7). God wants us to impress this truth and its command upon our own hearts and upon the hearts of our children. God wants us to “be careful that you do not forget the Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:12).

What are some ways that you can impress this truth and this command upon your own heart and the hearts of those in your family? Do you talk about God at home? Do you use the Bible study lessons and the sermons as starting points for godly conversation with your spouse, your children, or your parents? Do you read the Bible together or pray together? What is one fresh way that can impress God upon your own heart this week?
    
In closing a lesson that has given so much emphasis to responding to the command of God, it is good to hear also the words of Deuteronomy 7:6-9. Read those verses a couple of times. They remind us that any love we show God is a response to the love God already has shown us.

It is God’s gracious choice and action that give us any hope at all. It is God’s grace and love that provide even the possibility of a meaningful life. The first principle of this life is about God, and it is God’s grace that has revealed this principle to us.

How will you say thanks to God this week for the grace and love that bring identity, purpose and meaning into your life?

One of the world’s most popular games is chess. It is played by friends and strangers alike. It can be played in person, on a computer, online, in tournaments and even through mail correspondence.

The movement of the pieces is easy to master, yet learning to play chess well is a challenge. One reason for the challenge of playing chess well is players will not improve their game unless they are challenged by someone with better ability. Thus, many people can play chess, but only a few accept the challenge of playing it well.

Jesus had a way of challenging people who wanted to be his disciples. In Matthew 8:18-22, he encountered a couple of men who wanted to follow Jesus, and they each were challenged by Jesus in their willingness to follow.

Are you ready to follow right now? (Matthew 8:18-20)
In Matthew 8:14-17, Jesus had just healed many who were sick and demon possessed. With verse 18, he noted the crowd gathering and decided to go to the other side of the lake.

Why would he do that? Perhaps he wanted to avoid the appearance that he was a messiah who cared only about healing people’s physical ailments. Perhaps he didn’t want to gather a crowd of followers who were only interested in him for entertainment purposes.

Once on the other side of the lake, a teacher of the law asked about following Jesus declaring, “I will follow you wherever you go.” What a bold statement of unwavering commitment.

This man must have come across to Jesus as an eager beaver full of excitement at the beginning only to expend all that energy once the venture was begun. Jesus’ reply was not one of eager acceptance. Instead, Jesus cautioned this man by telling him he did know where he would be staying. In other words, Jesus was telling the man he was homeless. What a bold statement that challenged an eager disciple.

It should be noted that Jesus experienced the turning away of many would-be disciples. In John 6, the day after feeding the 5,000, Jesus taught the crowds that came back to him about the bread of life. When the crowd realized there would not be a second day for a free lunch, only tough teachings, they left (John 6:66).

The teacher of the law who seemed so eager to follow Jesus apparently did not count the cost before making his ebullient statement. In Luke 14:25-35, Jesus wanted those wanting to be one of his disciples to count the cost before taking the first step.

Jesus expects total commitment from his followers, just like the teacher of the law proclaimed. Jesus wants total obedience on a disciple’s total commitment.

Are you ready to delay following right now? (Matthew 8:21-22)
The next person to meet Jesus also wanted to become a follower. Unlike the teacher of the law, this man had some family obligations that prevented him from following Jesus immediately. Evidently, this man’s father was gravely ill and needed his son’s care until death. At that point, the man was willing to follow Jesus.

Jesus’ reply may come across as harsh or even cold-hearted, but Jesus was not critiquing a social custom of the time. Instead, he was criticizing limited discipleship. That’s the kind of discipleship which places real limits on following Jesus.

Limited discipleship is cheap. It looks for a bargain from God. The disciple wants all of the blessings God has, but the follower wants to work as little as possible for them.

Limited discipleship is narcissistic. It values only the interests of the disciple not the leader. It’s about the follower and not about the Lord. Limited discipleship defines service as what God does for the one following and not what the disciple gives to God.

Limited discipleship does not pick up the cross. It just walks around the cross, studies the cross, even touches the cross, but by no means does it pick up the cross.

Comfortably following Jesus?
In America today, comfort is highly valued. Whatever makes our lives easier is what we want. We watch our giant plasma-screen televisions in HD while reclining in our rockers waiting for dinner to finish in the microwave, as we utilize our smart phones to interact nonconfrontationally with our “friends.” All the while, we’re thinking how hard the commute home was in our air-conditioned cars with heated seats.

The challenge of Jesus is about radical discipleship. This kind of discipleship is radical, because Jesus actually expects his disciples to come to him on his terms and not their own.

The challenge of Jesus is about being willing to change, and change is not comfortable. Are you ready to follow Jesus? Hold on a minute. Are you waiting to follow Jesus? Stop standing there and move. It’s time to say, “Whatever you want, Lord. Come, go or stay. Help me to be obedient.”

God hates poverty. Poverty always is a product of sin, although not necessarily the sin of the poor person. Sometimes it’s sin perpetrated upon them by other individuals or by the surrounding systemic evil that infects institutions and the culture in general.

It’s easy to become frustrated with poor people you’re trying to help, because many of them contribute to their poverty with poor choices. But, if you haven’t been trapped in a cycle of poverty, it’s hard to understand how it can affect a person. It doesn’t just affect one’s physical condition; it  also can affect one’s mind. The pressures of survival for them in the present make it impossible to think about the future. So no matter how much money, food, clothing and things you give these poor people, nothing changes.

For change to occur, you have to have hope. So God sought to institute his economics of grace on the nation of Israel in order to diffuse, or derail, cycles of poverty and to give people hope.

Moses told the children of Israel: “Don’t be hard hearted toward those in need.”

The opposite of faith isn’t unbelief; it’s cynicism. Sometimes it’s hard for us not to be cynical about alleged needy people. Some drive new luxury cars or high-dollar pickups and buy groceries with food stamps. And, we even may have seen them paying for groceries with food stamps, and then using cash to buy beer, cigarettes and dog food.

They don’t have money to pay rent or utility bills, but have expensive cell phones and bodies covered in tattoos that cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Their children may be hungry and in rags, and their babies may not have milk or diapers, but they have money for lottery tickets.

This makes us angry, but we must remember there are charlatans among the poor, too.

Sometimes it’s hard not to be cynical, but it’s cynicism that creates hard hearts. Scripture is clear as to how you and I are to view the poor. We’re to have a spirit of generosity toward them; not hard hearts, but open hearts.

The Israelites were told “…don’t act in a tight-fisted way toward the poor.”

In Deuteronomy 15:8, there’s a word that is the key to how believers are to relate to the poor and those in need. That word is “lend.” Nowhere in our text does God say that we’re to “give” anything to the poor. The word “give” is used twice in Deuteronomy 15:9-10, but always in the context of giving a loan to that person in need.

There are at least four reasons why it’s better to lend to the needy rather than to simply give to them.

First, when you lend to someone it creates the opportunity for a relationship. When you give, they go their way, and you go your way. When you lend to someone, you've got to sit down with them and talk with them about the terms and conditions of the loan. A relationship begins.

Second, it’s better for us to lend rather than to give because when you lend to someone it heightens their self image. When you always give to someone, they begin to feel as if they can’t do anything on their own, that they’re on the dole, that they can’t get by without a hand out from someone. When you lend to them, you’re saying, “I’m willing to place my trust in you.”

Third, lending rather than giving puts the biblical principles of responsibility and accountability into play. Life works much better when we’re responsible and accountable.

Fourth, when God commands the people to lend, he’s telling them to invest in one of his most precious commodities—the poor. It’s an investment where you really can’t lose, because God guarantees the loan.

Some of you are going to say, “Let’s get real. How many of those loans do you think will ever be repaid?”

The eternal underlying principle for us is we should never lend to the needy based upon the probability of getting it paid back. In fact, mentally, you probably should just write off the loan. But it’s still engaging a person in a relationship, holding them accountable and responsible, elevating their self image and investing in God’s most precious commodity.

If someone comes up to you and says they need money for food, the easy, nonrelational, nonbiblical thing to do is to give them some money. That’s a quick-fix conscience reliever. But it leaves that person the same way. The biblical thing is to say, “Come with me, and I’ll buy you groceries, and you can pay me back later.”

Invest time, money and relationship in the person. In God's crazy economics of grace you might just find yourself engaged in a relationship with a poor believer whose depth and tenacity of faith in tough times might be a great witness to you. For sure, God’s blessing will begin to work in both of your lives in ways you never expected.

Are we tempted to see the poor simply as a problem we hope will go away? Or do we put on the spectacles of the Holy Spirit and begin to see them through the eyes of Christ as people made in the image of God; people brought across our path to give us the privilege of investing in their lives in the name of Jesus.

Doctors, electricians and CPAs all have something in common. They all have to pass certifications in order to practice their professions. They reached the benchmark by passing exams and practicing their trade.

How do people know if they are leading a life pleasing to God? A life is formed by the choices one makes, so how does one make choices that please God? No comprehensive checklist of things to do to please God exists, but in Matthew 7:1-27 Jesus describes choices his disciples will make in a life right with God.

Judging or judgmental? (Matthew 7:1-6)
More than likely, the opening verses of Matthew 6 are the verses most frequently taken out of context. “Do not judge.” It sounds like it could be one of the Ten Commandments. It’s short, direct, and clear. Do not judge. Enough said, right?

Wrong. In verses 3-5, Jesus explains how to judge someone else, namely in a nonhypocritical manner. Why would Jesus describe how someone is to judge another if judging were a sin? He wouldn’t. Judging is not the sin but being judgmental is. The person’s attitude is all-important when examining others. Judging should be done in a loving way that is helpful to the other person, so the other person will receive it well (v. 6).

Ask, seek, knock (Matthew 7:7-8)
Judging should not be done without prayer. In these verses, Jesus was not describing one prayer but a lifestyle and attitude in prayer. With this statement, Jesus reminded his followers that part of prayer is about making requests of God.

Asking is petitioning God for something or someone. It is a simple request. Jesus then added the word “seek.” When a person seeks something, action is wedded to the request. There is a greater sense of urgency about the petition.

The last word Jesus used was knock. When someone knocks at a door, a sense of  persistence is noted. Prayer requests that are active and persistent further one’s relationship with God, and they receive God’s approval.

God gives good gifts (Matthew 7:9-12)
What the petitioner receives are good gifts. God gives good gifts. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James. 1:17).

In verse 12, Jesus appended the Golden Rule to the verses about God’s giving. Just as God gives good gifts, so too are his disciples. Followers of Jesus are to give good to others whether it is good things, good will, good attitudes or good actions. God works for good of those who seek him, and his followers work for the good of others they meet.

The narrow and wide gates (Matthew 7:13-14)
Doing to others what you would have them do to you is difficult. Following Jesus is difficult. Jesus described it as entering a small gate and walking on a narrow road. Few find this narrow and difficult road, but this road leads to life.

Many enter through the wide gate and take the broad road that leads to destruction in life. This is the easy road, yet it is a difficult way of life. It is difficult, because it is not life. The broad road is an imitation life. It is a fake.

False prophets and judging, again (Matthew 7:15-20)
Naturally, there will be people who seek to lead Jesus’ disciples astray from the narrow road. These false prophets look innocent like sheep, but in reality they seek to devour the faithful as ferocious wolves.

How does one avoid these false prophets? By judging which prophets to follow and which to avoid. Just as harvesters make judgments or decisions about which fruit to pick from their trees, so too will God’s followers make judgment or decisions about what teachers to follow.

The most frightening verses in the Bible (Matthew 7:21-23)
At this point in Matthew 7, Jesus gives the strongest warning possible to any who would desire to follow him. On Judgment day, many will claim Jesus as Lord, meaning that they claim to be one of his followers. Jesus will accept a few. Many claiming Jesus as Lord will list their accomplishments for the kingdom. They will have done many good works.

Jesus’ reply will be: “I never knew you.” The word “knew” entails relationship. Many of those who did good works for God did so without any relationship with Jesus. Believing in Jesus and accepting him as Savior is about relationship. These who believe they are saved base their belief on their works. Good works do not save. People are saved by God’s grace through faith and not by deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9).

How many in our churches will hear Jesus say, “away from me.” Those are truly frightening words.

Foundations of life (Matthew 7:24-27)
Jesus concluded Matthew 7 and the Sermon on the Mount with a simple illustration from everyday life. Those who heard his words and practiced them would be like a builder who built upon a strong foundation. The house this builder made would withstand severe storms.

Those who did not put Jesus’ words into practice would be like a builder who built upon a weak foundation. The house this made would not withstand severe storms.

Everyone will experience difficulties or storms in life. One’s foundation in life will determine how well this person will survive the storm. They key is putting Jesus’ words into practice. Many people have heard Jesus’ words and know his teaching, but Jesus requires that his followers act in accordance with his teaching. These people will live on the narrow road and find acceptance on the day of judgment. They will be welcomed by their friend, Jesus.

Despite all the joy and fulfillment I have received from following God’s commands and seeking after the divine will, I still occasionally experience moments of sullenness when some command of God seems burdensome to me. It is at those times (or as I come through them) that the ancient truths of Scripture are replayed in me: I rise up in selfish rebellion and willfully seek to establish myself as the supreme standard of good in my life.

It is because I still find this recurring rebellion in me that I suspect all people who wish to be good struggle with similar temptations. What do we do when the commands of God seem to us to be burdensome? How do we react when the revealed will of God appears to serve no useful purpose or interferes with our pursuit of fun?

Our lesson this week addresses these questions. Moses is speaking to the children of Israel, who are about to enter the Promised Land. He is reminding them of God’s commands and their importance. As he does so, Moses reveals God’s purpose for the commands.

The commands are not simply for the benefit of Israel (Deuteronomy 4:5). They also are meant to help Israel be a witness to the greatness of God among the nations (Deuteronomy 4:6-8). By faithfully obeying the commands of God, the people of Israel will become the kind of people and the kind of society God desires them to be. In so doing, they will fulfill their purpose within the larger plan of God, giving glory to God and a witness to the world.

Have you ever considered that God’s commands help you find your place, your role and your purpose in the plan of God? It is true. When God gives the commands to forgive, to love, to gather and to be holy, God does so for our personal benefit and also for the larger purpose of building the community of faith. I am to love my neighbor, not only because it is personally good for me, but also because it is good for the kingdom of God.

Through my love, I may receive personal satisfaction and fulfillment, but I also will be witness to God’s love and a representative of God’s kingdom. As Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). So, then, obedience fulfills a purpose greater than personal satisfaction.
    
Because God’s commands are meant for purposes I do not always fully understand or appreciate, the temptation always will exist to view these commands through the lens of my own self-interest. I will want to do those things I understand for reasons that benefit me, and in so doing, I may reject purposes of God I do not fully appreciate.

In Deuteronomy 4:15-20, Moses specifically warns the people of Israel against just such a temptation. “Watch yourselves very carefully so that you do not become corrupt,” he says (v. 16).

Moses knew the people would be tempted to be like the other nations around them. They would see the other nations worshipping other gods, making idols and giving reverence to various aspects of creation.

Idols and the stuff of creation were things the people could see and often handle. They were easier to grasp than the idea of an invisible God. Their purposes were more concrete and understandable.

A god who specializes in war or crops is pretty easy to comprehend, but Moses reminded the people that their God, while vastly more complex, was also the God who had delivered them from Egypt, given them an identity and a purpose, and was providing for them a place.

Idols were easy, but they were also cheap, powerless and ultimately useless. With the challenge of serving the God who had deep purposes and plans came true reward. Consequently, the people were instructed to be “very careful” about maintaining the priority of God and God’s commands in their lives.

What competes with God for your ultimate loyalty? What competes with God’s call on your life as your true source of identity? Do you define yourself more by your work, your hobbies, your music or by the fact that you are a child of God?

Have you ever found yourself disappointed by some activity or achievement that you were just sure would make your life better? Have you ever been left unfulfilled by something that promised to give you the good life?

If so, then you know how idols can be easy but also cheap. The God we serve is not easy. Nor are the Divine gifts cheap. On the contrary, the grace of God to us is more costly than truly we can appreciate.

Consequently, the blessing we receive when we respond in faith to the will of God is of surpassing value as well. We may not always understand or like the commands God gives. We may find them difficult, hard and uncomfortable, yet it is in the difficult obedience that we can prove our trust in the goodness of God. Deuteronomy 4:39-40 serves as the final challenge of this lesson: acknowledge God is Lord; keep God’s commands; reap the rewards.

We’re all prone toward prejudice in some form or another, but for God to use us effectively in his purposes, he must break us of our prejudices.

Cornelius’ conversion wasn’t by mere accident or chance. Carrying the gospel to him represented a new step in the gospel work of the church. Although Cornelius was a good man, he still needed to be saved.

Peter is the main character for the first half of the book of Acts, chief spokesman for the apostles and the clear leader of the early church. But, even though the Great Commission was the clear mandate of Jesus Christ to the disciples, Peter and his peers kept toting around a heavy load of prejudice against those who weren’t Jewish.

The fact that Peter was staying with Simon the tanner indicates he was beginning to move away from the enslaving traditions that held his nation in spiritual bondage. Tanners were considered to be despicable among Jews because their trade was unclean. Working with dead animals caused a person to be ceremonially unclean, so they could not participate in the religious practices of Judaism. Being a tanner was on par with being a leper.

God was at work with both Peter and Cornelius, preparing them for a divine meeting. God orchestrated events to bring these two men together in a way that shocked both of them by breaking down the wall of prejudice between them.

Only the living God can work in both the believer and the unbeliever to bring about the salvation of the lost. The Lord is the initiator in gospel work, and we’re his messengers. He works through human vessels like us to declare the goods news of Jesus Christ.

Luke gives clear details of the story relating to Cornelius’ conversion. Acts 10:3-4 says: “One day at about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God who came to him and said, ‘Cornelius!’ Cornelius stared at him in fear. ‘What is it, Lord?’ he asked. The angel answered, ‘Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon, who is called Peter, who is staying with Simon the tanner whose house is by the sea.’”

If you’re wondering why the angel didn’t deliver the message of the gospel to Cornelius, it’s because an angel doesn’t understand what it’s like to come to faith in Christ and to receive forgiveness, mercy and grace. Peter didn’t possess the eloquence of an angelic messenger, but he knew what it was like to be a lost sinner saved through the atoning death of Jesus Christ. He understood what it was to be dead in his trespasses and sins, and then to be made a new creature in Jesus Christ.

Who would you send: one who knew about the message, or one who knew the message experientially? We’re qualified to proclaim the gospel to unbelievers because of our personal redemption through the saving work of Jesus Christ. That alone qualifies us to testify of the gospel of Christ.

Peter’s vision of unclean animals on a sheet lowered from heaven, along with the verbal command: “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat” awakened Peter to visit his own prejudice against the Gentiles. The vision puzzled him, and he was not sure how to respond to it. But, God’s words were clear, spoken three times, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

Clean and unclean animals in the vision represent Jew and Gentile. The Jew is represented by the clean animal and the Gentile by the unclean, and both are part of the church.

The sheet being lowered from heaven is the church.  The church was born in heaven in the mind of God. And, then the church came down to earth to be a sanctuary for all saved people.

The sheet returning to heaven symbolizes the rapture, a church of saved people of all nations, colors and tongues being accepted by God.  

Peter may have been a bit dubious about the vision, but before he could fully analyze it, the men sent by Cornelius showed up. What’s the mathematical probability of that happening? Well, God not only prepares the receiver and prepares the messenger, he also has divine timing.

Peter was a bright man, so he understood God was saying, “I accept saved people of every nation, color and tongue, so I’d strongly suggest that you do the same.”

When Peter met Cornelius, he heard the story of how the angel had appeared to the centurion with a message to send for the apostle. Peter’s response to Cornelius indicated his reluctance had been conquered: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34-35).

There are natural, cultural and personal barriers that may hinder the gospel work that God has called you to do.

We all face cultural barriers constructed by racial, social and economic prejudice. These must be laid at the foot of the cross. We have the gospel message to give to the world. It’s not the job of angels; it’s the job of the redeemed. When we yield to the Lord and put our prejudices to death, he can use us mightily in his service.

Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America—and Found Unexpected Peace by William Lobdell (Collins)

As I devoured William Lobdell's fascinating tale of lost faith, I kept wondering how—or if—things could have turned out differently.

Losing My Religion traces the arc of a spiritually inquisitive life. That life begins in a nominally engaged Episcopal family and spins out of control through the narcissism and hubris of youth and young adulthood. Then it curves toward Christ in passionate evangelicalism, seeks intellectual rigor in mainstream Protestantism, gravitates toward heritage in Roman Catholicism and ultimately lands confidently outside the faith fold, in confirmed atheism.

Lobdell's career parallels the latter portions of that arc. When he embraces Christ as a young adult, he fuses his journalistic aspirations with his robust evangelical faith. He wins a job reporting on religion for a Southern California newspaper, and he enthusiastically tells the transcendent, triumphant stories of people living out their faith. But his job ultimately leads him to tell stories about fraudulent faith and forces him to question his own beliefs.

Could Lobdell have maintained his faith if circumstances had been different? He covered the pedophile-priests scandal while preparing for conversion into the Roman Catholic Church. The seamy stories he reported undermined his faith and led him away from Christ. What if he had another job? Could he have balanced clergy failure with Jesus' faithfulness? He says no, but I wonder.

Christians need to read this book. Lobdell's saga is sympathetic, even wistful. We need to learn how atheists think, and he provides a primer.

Marv Knox, editor

Baptist Standard, Plano

The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us by Matt Woodley (IVP)

Don't pick up this book expecting a word-by-word exegetical examination of the first Gospel. That's not what IVP's Resonate series aims to offer. Instead, approach The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us as an invitation to enjoy a brisk walk through the familiar Gospel with a new friend who offers valuable insights along the way—and who, by the way, happens to tell stories exceptionally well.

With pastoral sensitivity and a storyteller's knack for offering engaging illustrations, Woodley seeks to make the life of Christ accessible to a 21st century audience. References to popular cultural seem more natural and less self-consciously trendy than in the first volume of the Resonate commentary series. Perhaps a few of the specific allusions to novels or music may seem dated in a few years, but the personal stories the author tells likely will prove to be—in the words of ethicist T.B. Maston—"abidingly relevant."

Woodley emphasizes the central teaching of Matthew's Gospel by focusing on its bookends—the opening proclamation that the birth of Jesus signals "God with us" and the closing promise of Jesus, "I am with you always." That's a message that never goes out of style.

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard, Plano

I Never Thought I'd See the Day: Culture at the Crossroads by David Jeremiah (Faith Works)

With this unique book, one simply has to list the chapter titles to reveal what concerns the author. The subtitle "Culture at the Crossroads" is well stated, especially for Christians. Jeremiah's introduction says a lot: "A Slow Drift in the Wrong Direction." Following this are discussions of nine areas that indicate definite disturbing trends for Christians to consider concerning contemporary American culture—"When Atheists Would be Angry," "When Christians Wouldn't Know They Were in a War," "When Jesus Would Be So Profaned," "When Marriage Would Be Obsolete," "When Morality Would Be in Free Fall," "When the Bible Would Be Marginalized," "When the Church Would Be Irrelevant," "When a Muslim State Could Intimidate the World" and "When America Would Turn Her Back on Israel."

After introducing each chapter with current—sometimes shocking—quotes, these topics are presented with scriptural answers proposed to each area. Jeremiah concludes by using Romans 12:1-2 in answering the dilemmas provided in his text by titling the final chapter "When Changing Your Mind Could Save Your Life." This well-documented book is a vital one for Christians, as well as others, to read if they truly are concerned about the direction America's culture is taking in today's society.

Ed Spann, retired dean

College of Fine arts, Dallas Baptist University

Our passages this week teach us three truths that need to find a home in our lives. The first truth is about life. God values it. So should we.

As God helped the Hebrew people understand what it means to be the people of God, one of the essential commands was, “you shall not murder” (Deuteronomy 5:17). No community can exist where such a command is ignored. No civilization can flourish where the lives of its citizens are not valued and protected.

This simple and seemingly obvious command is part of the foundation for life together. The God who created life and now was creating a unique community that would be the vehicle of salvation for the world built into this community this fundamental principle: Life is sacred.

Thankfully, I currently live in a country where murder is rare and vilified, but I know life is not so precious in other parts of the world. Drug-related murder in Mexico gives us horrific stories of wanton violence. Tribal and ethnic violence burdens many countries. The death of non-combatants routinely are written off as “collateral damage” in war, and suicide-bombers claim some perverted glory in their indiscriminate murder of civilians.

Lest I think these are other people’s problems, it is good to remember the continuing legality and easy availability of abortions in my own nation. It is even more sobering to consider some of the questions possible parents now face thanks to many of the advances in medical technology.

Genetic screening raises the question of continuing a pregnancy when a child is diagnosed with Down Syndrome or one of the many other genetic malformations. Does such a genetic disorder preclude someone from the grace of God or from being blessed and a blessing in the work of God’s redemption? Does societal usefulness equate to human value? Does inconvenience give permission to end life?

In the midst of these questions and many more, we must all reckon with the clear command of God: You shall not murder.
    
The second truth our passages teach us is that God values justice. In Deuteronomy 19, God instructs the new nation to create cities of sanctuary to which those who are accidentally involved in a killing may flee for safety. It is not that those who make it to one of the three sanctuary cities is absolved from any wrongdoing. It is to guard the community from compounding an accident with injustice.

After a fatal accident, the emotions of the moment, the grief of family and friends, and the desire to “do something” could easily lead to an overreaction. The sanctuary city allows justice to be done. If someone is innocent of murder, their life is spared. If someone willfully committed murder, the city will hand him over. The primary concern is that every life be so valued that each person is afforded impartial justice.

In Deuteronomy 24, we find God’s concern for justice extends beyond murder. Here, quality of life is the issue. A creditor is instructed to not take a pair of millstones (event just an upper one) as a pledge because if that person defaults on the loan, then they will be without the means to produce a livelihood, or even bread for their family. Taking such a security against a loan is equated with taking a person’s life, for it would condemn them to starvation, or at the very least, perpetual poverty.

I find it interesting that the responsibility here lies with the creditor and not with the debtor. Someone might argue that if the debtor was foolish enough to use their millstone as a pledge, then they deserve what they got. But God does not condemn the debtor for their foolishness. Instead, God instructs the creditor about what God considers just. Those who need justice are seldom in a place to provide it. It is those who have power who bear the responsibility of providing it.

Have you ever considered justice as a sanctity-of-life issue? For some interesting discussion, consider how the issues of justice and life inform current issues like immigration, the payday-loan industry and the perception that wealthy people can get away with more because they can hire a better lawyer. God values justice. So should we.

Finally, consider the third truth drawn from our passages this week: We all need grace. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he reminds his listeners that, “unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

There is not much comfort or hope in that verse. There is not meant to be. We may seek for moral perfection, but it is only in the work of Christ that our hope lies.

This does not excuse our wrong actions and inaction. On the contrary, in thankfulness and obedience to our Savior who was perfectly righteous and who values life and justice, we ought to strive all the more diligently to see such values magnified in our communities, our nation and the world.

Grace enables us to act. What is one thing you can do to put these values into practice this week?

Don’t Worry, Be Happy. That was the title of a hit song performed by Bobby McFerrin. Simply put, that song’s title is easier said than done.

In Matthew 6:19-34, Jesus taught about worry and anxiety. He knew our tendency to fixate on problems thinking through innumerable scenarios that could bring disaster to us or to our loved ones.

Worrying about possessions (Matthew 6:19-24)
Notice how Jesus introduced the topic. He did not start by addressing worry directly. Instead, he brought up the root of many of our worries, our possessions.

So much of our time is spent on storing up treasure on earth. Of course, we excel at disguising our “treasure” by calling it things we need or just a little something extra. What we really have is just too much stuff.

Another possession many believers worry about is family. Although Jesus did not mention worrying about people, our loved ones easily could fit into this category. We worry about them, as if they were a prized possession and not necessarily as if they were individuals with free will. Our worry brings our loved ones down to the level of our possessions.

Worrying about necessities (Matthew 6:25-34)
In verse 25, Jesus addressed anxiety about those possessions necessary to sustain life. He was addressing an audience familiar with living on the edge of poverty and starvation. To say not to worry about adequate food and clothing is a real revelation.

Food and clothing are necessities, but worrying about how to obtain them will not help anyone to succeed in getting those items. Jesus taught his followers should trust God to provide the necessities of life. Again, easier said than done.

Worrying about a worldview
In verses 16-34, Jesus addressed how we look at life. So often, we think we can control more elements in our lives than we actually can. That’s why we worry. We think about what else we can do to avoid the negative scenarios running in our minds. Worry, however, does not work, because worry does not help us control anything. It merely occupies our minds with negativity.

Worry robs us of life. While we embrace our anxieties, we eliminate any room for the joy and abundance in life God has for us. We’re too busy living through potential disasters that might occur. We leave no room for planning the joys in life.

Worry signals a problem in faith–specifically, a lack of faith. Our worry means we do not trust God to take care of our needs and our possessions (including our loved ones). Thinking through negative scenarios is a lack of faith. It’s one thing to be prepared for problematic situations or even a crisis. It’s another thing to dwell on those negative situations and focus our minds chiefly upon them. That’s worry. Dwelling on the bad things that could happen.

Instead, we need to think through positive scenarios. That’s faith in action. Our thoughts can demonstrate our faith (see vv. 22-23). The Apostle Paul said we should “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” in Romans 12:2.

Worry reveals a selfish streak within us. It tells us that unless we do something, then we won’t get the outcome we want. It tells us the problems captivating our thoughts are so important nothing else in life is as significant.

Worry is a choice. People often tell me they are worriers, and that is just the way they are. It’s like they believe they never can change. In reality, they choose to worry. It has become a bad habit. Bad habits are difficult to break but not impossible.

Choose not to worry by focusing on God’s kingdom. Store treasure in heaven for an eternal reward. Show your love for others by sharing the message of salvation with them. Recognize God is in total control of your life and whatever you need. God will provide.

Investing in the future
Worry is about the future. It’s negative thoughts about what might happen in life. Jesus ended this passage by telling us to focus on today not tomorrow. We have so little control over tomorrow; we need to focus today on those few things that we can control.

By focusing on today, by serving God obediently, by thinking through positive scenarios, and by trusting our lives fully to God, we will take possession of what little control we have over tomorrow. We will be storing treasure in heaven by focusing upon what is significant in life. Pray God will help to occupy our minds with “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lively, whatever is admirable” (Philippians 4:8).

The issue with worry comes down to a simple question. Will you live a life that shows trust in God?

Karl Marx, the architect of communism, said, “Religion is the opiate of the masses.” He viewed religion as an intoxicant for depressed, downhearted and weak people.

Atheists claim God was invented by people with peculiar psychological needs. Peculiar psychological needs are the foundation of atheism; invented by people who, while they won’t admit it, are scared to death of a just God in whom they don’t believe. They feel duty-bound by their self-professed intellect to suppress God’s revelation through his created order; including his revelation to select people and people groups.

You can’t understand the sanctity of life until you realize it’s God-given. You can’t understand life at all.

Throughout history, people have substituted idolatry for worship of the real God. Or, they’ve tried to soften the nature of God, making him more tolerable to their way of thinking. They’ve often tried to shape his character to be more like we are so as not to be so fearful of him.

God has revealed himself as being holy, omniscient, sovereign, omnipotent and immutable. That’s a mouthful, and it’s threatening to a mind warped by self-aggrandizement and perceived intellectualism.

God’s holiness is a threat to people who prefer to be wicked. Since we’re utterly flawed with sinfulness, the contrast is quite threatening.

God’s omniscience is threatening, too. The combination of God’s holiness with his omniscience can leave you feeling naked with shame before him.

God’s sovereignty also is threatening. He’s in control. He will rule and judge, so I’m not free to do whatever I want. Because of his spiritual laws, I can’t choose good consequences for my bad choices.

God’s omnipotence is threatening, because when you put absolute power with absolute goodness it’s frightening—the realization that we don’t measure up to that kind of absolute goodness. He’s all powerful and all good, and he will determine the consequences for the choices we make in life.

God’s immutability is threatening because he never changes. I can’t change him. So guess who has to change? I do. But, how can any mortal change enough to satisfy this unchangeable, all knowing, all powerful, absolutely just God?

Atheists say we made up this God because we needed him to meet our needs. Well, if it were simply a matter of meeting our psychological needs, I think we would have made up a god who would be a lot easier on us. If all we believe in is a nebulous, non-defined “higher power,” a God of our own making and choosing, then we can continue to feel comfortable with a spiritual being of our choosing. That’s certainly the preference of most people. It’s much easier to be comfortable with a humanly invented error than with the true God.

Some people can’t stand the fact that God just knows too much. He knows everything we do. He knows everything we think. He knows our every action. He’s familiar with our habits in ways we aren’t. This can be frightening, but if our relationship with him is solid, it’s also comforting.

God is everywhere. David tells us if we go as far up as we can go, or as far down as we can go, we can’t escape God. He’s everywhere we turn. He has his hand on your life and mine.  

Some emphasize God’s sovereign control and minimize human freedom. Some focus on man’s free will to the neglect of God’s sovereign control. Scripture clearly emphasizes both. I’m truly free, but I can’t trick God. God knows before my every move what that move will be and how that move will lead to another.

In Psalm 39, David wrote God reaches down his right hand to hold us fast. In Scripture, we discover Jesus was and is at the right hand of God, so to me that means Jesus is God’s love reaching down to us. God reaches down his powerful right hand to us with an amazing, humanly incomprehensible love.

There’s really no comfort in life until your hiding becomes seeking. When you’re in distress, don’t be afraid; don’t try to run away from God. He’s not out to get you, but rescue you. We stop running when our fear gives way to trust, and we realize only God can help us.

It’s a frightening, obviously, when a person realizes God is everywhere, especially when he or she has been living life as if God is nowhere. It’s frightening when God suddenly shows up before the self-avowed atheist or agnostic; when he or she stops saying God is nowhere and, with profound awareness, realizes God is here and inescapable. As frightening and as awesome as that might be, the realization is that if there is a God, there is hope. Fear becomes hope.

Rather than trying to hide from God, David finally said, “Search me.” Rather than trying to avoid God, David finally said, “Try me.” Rather than trying to resist God, David finally said, “Lead me.”

We can’t adjust God to who we want him to be; we have to adjust to who he is. We can’t hide from him in the deepest cave or in the darkest dark. We eventually have to quit running and say, “Search me. Try me. Lead me.”