A Complacent or a Convicted Life?

Luke 19:1-10 

1         Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

2         A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

3         He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

4         So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5         When Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately.  I must stay at our house today.”

6         So he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly.

7         All the people saw this and began to muttered, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8         But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord!  Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9         Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

10     For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Zacchaeus’ salvation was evident by his lifestyle change.  Here he was, a grown man, wealthy and notorious in his community, climbing a tree!  He wanted to see Jesus so badly that he humbled himself like a little boy!  In verse 8, he proclaimed to the crowd, promising to offer half of his net worth to the poor, widows, orphans, homeless.  The crowd might have murmured half-hearted approval or disbelief, and then Zacchaeus cemented the evidence of his true faith by reminding the community whom he had swindled money out of.  Perhaps it was the poor old widow struggling to pay $100 in taxes; now Zacchaeus will repay her $400.  Perhaps it was that man whom he had a personal conflict with and slapped him with a $1500 tax bill; now he’s going to cough up $6000.  Multiply this by 10, and the total amount of money would be pretty staggering.  Zacchaeus might have to sell his possessions and even his house to repay all that debt!  He would be considerably poorer by the time he was through.  But I believe these are not just mere words but real actions, or else they would not have been recorded in the Bible.  His words were backed up by his actions.  Some years later, James thundered to this audience with these words, “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”  (James 2:18)  Jesus recognized that Zacchaeus’ change of heart was proven by his actions, and He forgave him of his sins.

I’ve been re-reading Francis Chan’s first book Crazy Love, and I’m convicted, especially the chapters about lukewarm people.  Ouch!  True believers offered to God the first and the best, and that’s what Zacchaeus had done.  So often, we give God our leftover time, money, energy, and devote the best to ourselves.  Malachi 1:8 “When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong?  When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong?  Try offering them to your governor!  Would he be pleased with you?  Would he accept you?”  says the LORD Almighty.   If you haven’t seen “Flywheel,” the first movie made by Sherwood Pictures, I’d highly recommend it!  The main character had to go through what Zacchaeus had gone.  He was a Christian who had to repent from cheating God on his offering (he puts an empty envelope on the offering plate), and then repaying back all the customers he had cheated and being honest with his business dealings.   Does my lifestyle reflect a true change of heart and real gratitude to God?  What is hindering my testimony to others?

Lord, convict us when we start to think we’re pretty good in Your eyes.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

To Serve or Not to Serve

Luke 10:38-42     

38  As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.

39  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He said.

40  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!”

41  “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,

42  but few things are needed—or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Often, I’d encountered Christian women who said they’re the Martha in the church, and they say this a little grudgingly.  I’m no slouch when it comes to Christian ministry, often juggling 6-7 different areas of service while raising my family.  I admit that serving God is like my full- or part-time job.  Some of my church sisters are indeed overworked and desperately need an extended time of renewal.  Others seems to be enjoying one conference after another, hopping from one Bible study and fellowship to another, or retreating from church life.  Why work?  Why rest?  Are we supposed to be a Martha or a Mary?  Jesus seemed to favor the restful Mary, and that doesn’t sit too well with the hard-working Marthas out there.  Perhaps I can offer another perspective, as one obviously in the Martha camp.  Inside, I’m a Mary, and I had to make time to be a Mary or else I can’t serve effectively as a Martha. The purpose of rest here on earth is to renew our passion, strength, and vision to serve God and extend His kingdom on earth.  But being finite frail human beings, if we don’t rest regularly, our bodies break down, as well as our souls, and in worse cases, even our families.  We’re not in heaven yet, so we’re not entitled to “rest” the rest of our lives away.

So ladies (and gentlemen too!), are we to be both?  Let’s know how to rest like Mary so then we can serve like Martha.

Who am I?

Luke 7:24-28   

24  After John’s messenger’s left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed swayed by the wind?

25  If not, what did you go out to see?  A man dressed in fine clothes?  No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces.

26  But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

27  This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’

28  I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

When John the Baptist was imprisoned by King Herod for his bold messages about repentance, he began to doubt about who Jesus was.  But Jesus was never in doubt about who John the Baptist was at all!  John was not a weak man shaken by every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:14), and he was definitely not a rich man living in finery.  According to Jesus, he was the greatest prophet ever born! 

When we’re faced with an identity crisis, we should ask the Lord for His view of who we are: 

·         We are beloved children of God (1 John 3:1)

·         We are sinners saved by His grace (Romans 8:23-24, 11:18-20; Eph. 2:8-9)

·         We are disciples in the path to spiritual maturity (Matt. 28:19-20; Eph. 4:14-15, 22-24)

·         We are His branches in need of pruning (John 15:1-4)

·         We are God’s workmanship created for good works (Eph. 2:10)

·         We are an important part of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:14-20)

·         We are the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13-14)

·         We are ambassadors for God (2 Cor. 5:18-21)

I could go on and on, but do you see the point?  God has the highest and most accurate view of ourselves, not what we or what others think of ourselves.  We may think of ourselves too lowly or too highly, but God’s view of us is 100% correct!

Father God, thank You for knowing us intimately.  You see potential for Your kingdom in us, and You see the areas where we need pruning.  Make us useful instruments in Your sight, and help us be fruitful in the kingdom of God.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Having the Favor of God

Luke 1:24-38 

25  “The Lord has done this for me,” she [Elizabeth] said.  “In these days He has shown His favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

28  The angel went to her [Mary] and said, ”Greetings you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you.”

29  Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30  but the angel said to her, “do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

36  Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.

37  For no word from God will ever fail.”

38  “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”  Then the angel left her.

Few people recorded in the Bible have a true abiding relationship with their Creator.  Not many enjoyed the Lord’s favor. Abraham was titled the father of faith (Heb. 11:8-12, 17-19).  Moses saw the face of God and lived, and God spoke to him as a friend! (Ex. 33:9-17) David was said to be a man after God’s own heart (Ps. 51:10, 17).  Daniel was considered highly esteemed by God (Dan. 10:11).

For a long time, Elizabeth must had felt that God passed His favor over her and bore the shame from the community, even though she was righteous and followed all the Lord’s commands (Luke 1:5-7).  Now, Elizabeth was ranked with the holy women of the past—Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah—by conceiving a son by the hand of God destined to be greatly used by God.  God did favor Elizabeth, but he did so in His time and in His way (Is. 55:9). 

Mary now had the distinction of being the only mother in human history to give birth through a truly supernatural phenomenon to the Savior of the world!    The Lord has chosen her for this awesome spiritual responsibility.  She humbly accepted her unique calling and bore all the joys and burdens that came with it.  If she did not have a close relationship with the Lord or have a deep knowledge of His Word and His ways, she could not have lived through the weight of Simeon’s prophecy (Luke 2:34), the wonder of Jesus’ future ministry starting at age 12 (Luke 2:45-52), the miracle at Cana (John 2:1-12) and all the other miracles that followed, the horror of seeing her son nailed on the cruel cross (John 19:25-27), the shock and unspeakable joy of His resurrection and His ascension (John 20:19-20. Luke 24:50-53), and finally the founding of the first Christian church in Jerusalem (Acts 1:12-14).  What a spiritual roller-coaster journey Mary must had traveled through!  This favor from God carried much sorrow and opposition from evil men, but through her humble obedience over many years, the world is blessed with a Savior, and countless many have found favor with God through His salvation.

Do we find favor with God?  What prevent us from being used by God in a great and mighty way?

Being Faithful with Everything

Exodus 39: 32-42 

32  So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed.  The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses.

33  Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses:  the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases;

34  the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leather and the shielding curtain;

35  the ark of the covenant with its poles and the atonement cover;

36  the table with all its articles and the bread of the Presence;

37  the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its accessories, and the olive oil for the light;

38  the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent;

39  the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its stand;

40  the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting;

41  and the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.

42  The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

For the past several days, my mind was filled up with Scripture about building the Tabernacle and setting up the system of worshipping God.  I cannot help but think that everything was done by hand.  After all, the Israelites were doing this in the middle of the desert, with no sophisticated tools or even sewing machines.  I can’t imagine sewing all those curtains by hand, along with the intricate designs of the priestly clothes.  I can’t even begin to fathom what it’ll take to mold and fashion all that gold, silver, and bronze for the altars, clasps, bases, pegs, etc., out there in the hot desert.  Wouldn’t it be easy to cut corners?  Also, it was a little tiring to be reading everything the Israelites were making in order to carry out God’s commands, right down to the tiniest detail.  I’ve counted at least 35 separate items, each demanding the greatest of care to make.   Does God really care about all that?  You better believe it, or else it wouldn’t be recorded in the Bible!  What we think is important is not what God thinks is important (Isaiah 55:9).

The Israelites were faithful with everything the LORD had entrusted to them to make.  Am I faithful to do everything God has called and entrusted me to do?  Are there spiritual responsibilities that I’m neglecting?  Are there tasks, calling loudly and urgently, that shouldn’t be on my to-do list at all?

Lord, help me be wise in living my life for Your glory.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Is it a Virtue to Work 24/7?

Exodus 20:8-11  

8  Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

9  Six days you shall labor and do all your work.

10  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.  On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.

11  For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

God designed his laws for us to work 6 days and rest on the 7^th day.  When companies, computers, and most of the world are going at break-neck speed to accomplish the latest project and meet the latest deadline, God’s law contradicts the 24/7 mentallity.  When multi-tasking seems like a must-have virtue in today’s society, God commands His people to follow His pattern of work and rest.  But most of the world blatantly disobey this law:

·         I remember someone telling me that one time Japan was trying to implement a 10-day work-week in order to squeeze more productivity out of its workers.  The result?  People were even more stressed out, and productivity lowered drastically.  Japan couldn’t tamper with God’s design for the human body and mind. 

·         When I had visited my relatives in Taiwan as a college student many years ago, I was shocked to find out my aunt was required to work every Saturday morning, in addition to the 9-to-5, Monday-to-Friday work-week.  This was not overtime, by the way.

·         During our short-term missions trip to Israel, our hostess told us most Israelis would drive to the beach on the Sabbath, but few actually went to the temple to worship God.  (We witnessed this by the long line of cars heading to the coast in Tel Aviv).  How sad.  They kept the Sabbath technically, but they failed to keep it holy, as God had commanded.

·         How many of us as parents strive to get our kids into every conceivable extracurricular activity on Saturday and Sunday?  I had heard of a teenager who went to Chinese school on Sunday mornings due to the parents’ wishes, but she would like to go to church.  This is only one out of many examples.

·         How many working in shops, malls, movie theaters, restaurants, etc can enjoy either a Saturday or Sunday off?  The managers dare not close their establishments on weekends, their busiest and most profitable days.  One notable exception is Chick-Fil-a, which is closed on Sunday to allow employees to rest.  The size of their company cannot be compared to McDonald’s, but God has kept them in business over all these years and has blessed them.

When we go against God’s Sabbath law in our lifestyle, our bodies would break down prematurely, tempers would flare up inside the home, among other terrible consequences.  Do we trust God to help us do what we need to do without working extra hours?  I know some of your bosses and professors don’t think so, so they schedule meetings and classes early in the morning, late at night, and weekends.  Don’t you think the increase in cancer in industrialized societies recently is not just due to lack of organic food and clean water, but lack of rest?  We may not get much ahead in this world, we may turn down certain jobs in detriment to our careers, our kids may not have a lot of activities listed in their “school resume,” but we can choose to honor God and His laws with our lifestyles and bear testimony to others who are observing us as Christians.

Lord, help us not to conform to the standards of this world but to live in respect to Your Sabbath laws.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Praise the LORD!

Exodus 15:1-21          

1  Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted.  Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.

2  The LORD is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.  He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

11  Who among the gods is like You, LORD?  Who is like You—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

20  Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.

21  Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted.  Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.”

The Israelites had just taken part in one of the greatest miracles of all time—deliverance from their enemies, the Egyptians.  During the Passover, they left hurriedly in the middle of the night (Ex 12:29-42).  Did they burst into songs of praise when they left Egypt?  Perhaps when preparing the Passover, they were too tired and too busy (sounds like most of us!) to get ready to leave that they didn’t give God the praise and honor due Him.  No praises or thanksgiving to God from the Israelites were recorded. This was unacceptable to God, who deserves our praises.  After several days, the LORD disclosed to Moses, “..I will gain glory for Myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”  (Ex 14:4)  The weary, battle-hardened Israelite slaves, who long ran out of hope before God showed up, experienced an unforgettable display of God’s power when crossing through the Red Sea and then witnessing the deaths of their enemies when the sea came crashing down on them.  THAT did it, and the praises poured forth from their mouths, their hands, and their hearts, starting with their leaders Moses and Miriam.  Now they truly realized that God was fighting for them and that He can be trusted with their lives!  They finally started to know Who God is!

Does it take a huge cataclysmic event to move us to finally praise God?  We can praise the LORD for everyday little blessings—God’s Word and His Holy Spirit, peaceful lives, health, family, friends, freedom, church, job, clean air and water, food, opportunities, etc.  It shouldn’t take a disaster to fall on our knees before God!