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It has been a week of sickness at my house.  Our little girl has RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) – a potentially dangerous infection of her respiratory system.  My wife and I both have colds – the annoying kind that just wears one out without much external symptoms.  If our house was a ship – we would be flying a yellow flag and anchored outside the harbor.

There is no treatment for RSV or the common cold.  They are both virus related.  The only thing that can be done is treat things symptomatically.  Breathing treatments, Tylonol, and nasal suction for the baby – and Advil Cold and Flu for the adults.  Our baby is doing fine – and responding well to things.  Her parents on the other hand…

All this leads me to reflect upon Jesus’ conversation with the wise teacher of the Law.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”…But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God. -John 3:5,21

Unlike my virus – which is now firmly and comfortably at home in my nasal passages – there are things in our lives that cannot be treated symptomatically – however hard we try.  There are support groups for every kind of addiction. Government programs for childhood obesity.  Self-help books to give us a better and brighter self-image.  And in the end – while all these things can be helpful – none of them really accomplish a thing.  We can treat the alcoholism, we can stop looking at dirty pictures on the net – but unless the underlying sin is brought to bay – nothing lasting will be brought about.  Self-help books, support groups, or just plain willpower will not change nor heal what is beyond help -  our very souls.

In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus was adamant about the impossibility of seeing the Kingdom of God without first treating the underlying problem – our inherent  sinfulness.  To further compound the problem – the only way that disobedience can be taken care of is to throw out everything and start again.  The old nature won’t work – and cannot be patched  – that is  Christ’s message.  Unless we are born again by the Spirit of God – not wiped clean but MADE clean – then we will never see the Kingdom of God – in this lifetime nor the next.

Only then – when the old has been destroyed and the new in place – then can we do the things that will bring us out of darkness.  Only with the imperishable seed of Christ can we  see our problems for what they are – sinfulness   Only with the Spirit can we overcome these problems – not for our own health – but for the greater glory of God.

Where are you today?  Have you struggled constantly with actions and attitudes – but never seem to get peace?  Do you replace one addiction with another, or go from program to program seeking happiness.  Quit trying to treat it symptomatically – it cannot be done.  Seek instead the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

Off to take another Advil…

But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent for the Sprit of His Son into our hearts, crying “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, than an heir through God. –Galatians 4:4-7

Last week, my older brother and his wife had a child. She was 110 pounds, and 56 inches. Mother and daughter are doing well. A process that has lasted for years finally resulted in the adoption of their youngest child at age 13. Congratulations!

Scripture uses this wonderful act of taking on the care of a child that is not our own as a way to describe our relationship with God. Before Jesus came into our hearts, we may have walked among people of grace, we might have attended their churches, and we might even have shared last names. But only that glorious adoption achieved by the grace of Christ allows us to be truly a part of the community – as if we had always belonged. Notice in the Scripture “And because you ARE sons” – there is no distinction as to how we came to be God’s children – we simply are. My brother does not have an adopted child, he has a daughter. She is my niece – as much so as my other nieces and nephews. And we are God’s children – no matter how long and circuitous the route.

Additionally, the whole adoption process allows us to see that no act of ours can get us into the kingdom of God. My niece (no modifier, remember!) could have banged on my brother’s door all of her life. Her entrance into his family depended not so much on her, but on the actions of others – her future mom and dad, the courts, laws, etc. If they had not wanted her – no amount of actions on her part would have been successful. In the same way, we are now members of the Kingdom of God, not by our own actions, but by the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. He WANTED us to be a part of the family of God, and sacrificed Himself in order to achieve that goal. The Holy Spirit is SENT so that we may cry out “Father!” – in the intimate and reverent way that the name implies. We must always remember that it was God who wanted us – and was willing to sacrifice His “real” Son so that we too may become heirs to His family.

I am so proud of my niece, and proud of her dad and mom for staying the course through years of hurdles and setbacks. Glory be to God.

Graphic: Paulo Correa

Speak to the sons of Israel, saying “If a person sins unintentionally in any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done, and commits any of them…
-Leviticus 4:2

The entire fourth chapter of Leviticus deals with the consequences of unintentional sin. Unintentional sin – an offense unknowingly committed, a line crossed unawares. Intentional sin is dealt with severely, but in the Law of God there is exceptional grace for the unplanned transgression. God has been sinned against, but in His mercy He provides for avenues of atonement that both testify to the nature of human sinfulness and the lengths to which God will go to demonstrate His love for us.

Of interest in this chapter is the graduated scale of sacrifice needed to atone for these sins, a range which is based upon the standing of a member in a community. Going in reverse order, a “common person” is to offer a female goat or lamb without defect. (Lev. 4:27 – 35) A leader of the people would sacrifice a male goat, again without defect. (Lev. 4:22 – 26) If the community as a whole has unintentionally sinned against God, they are to offer a bull of the herd. (Lev. 4:13 – 21) A priest who is found guilty is to offer a bull without defect. (Lev. 4:2 – 20) This graduated scale is based upon the impact of unintentional sin on the community, based on one’s standing in that community. A common person is to offer up a lamb – which will hurt, but not have far reaching consequences. A leader, by offering up a male goat without blemish, is also sacrificing some longer term benefits for his herd. The community as a whole is to offer up a bull, a symbol of strength and power, which will also have long term effects on that herd. A priest who brings guilt upon the people by his transgression is to offer a bull without defect – a sacrifice that will take a long time to overcome. Actions have consequences, and the greater one’s standing in the community, the greater and more far reaching those consequences become.

By the grace of Christ, we no longer have to offer up sacrifices. We still unintentionally, or often intentionally, sin against God’s Law. Here is what we must learn from this passage:

1. We must constantly be guarding our own hearts and ways. Are we daily seeking guidance from the Word of God, participating in His will through our prayers, and walking in His Law in our daily actions? In this lifetime we will never be free from sin, but are we trying our hardest to walk as people of grace? Do we actively go to God in a spirit of repentance, knowing that He will both discipline us in the long or short term, but also knowing that He does so out of love and forgiveness?

2. We must realize the enormous responsibility our political and religious leaders have. Are we praying for them – even if they did not receive our vote? Are we holding them accountable for their transgressions against God? If they repent of their sins, are we extending to them the same kind of grace that God has shown us?

3. As a community, do we understand that by straying from God’s law we have caused Him to withdraw many of His blessings from our nation? Are we willing to sacrifice our pride which demands that we go our own way, instead recognizing that Christ is the King of all nations? Will we work for revival in our churches and communities – praying that God will light an unquenchable fire in the hearts of all people – leaders and followers alike?

Where do we stand with the Law of God? Will we first seek the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness? Or will we continue to sin against the God of all love – whether knowingly or not – and thus bearing the consequences of His wrath.

Real. Comfortable. Church. That was the billboard that overlooked the highway cutting through Knoxville for quite a while. The picture of a couch behind these words made the meaning clear – we want you to be as relaxed as possible while worshipping the King of kings.

A culture of informality has swept over this nation. Casual Fridays are now the norm in many areas – I still hesitate to sign over my hard earned check to a bank teller that is dressed down. At a local eatery that I frequent, I routinely see men and women dressed in what must be pajamas coming in to get breakfast. Customer service agents call me by my first name without asking permission. It seems that at times we are working very hard to break down the structures of civilization – all in the name of being comfortable.

This informality has spilled over into our churches. Dress for church was a special thing – our Sunday best. A tie at the least, a tie AND jacket would be preferred. Women were also tastefully and modestly dressed. The overall goal of Sunday clothes was not to show off what we have – but to put on the best garments for the formal worship of our Creator. Jackets and ties now are often the exception in our houses of worship. The standard attire for Sunday mornings is now polo shirts and pants (or shorts) for the men and comfortable (and often very revealing) dress for the women. Pastors have left their robes in the closet, and now preach in jeans and golf shirts.

Back to the billboard. In order to be theologically correct, they should have tagged on this warning: “Choose Two.” A Real Church cannot be comfortable – as the Word of God rightly preached often convicts to the very soul. A Comfortable Church is not real – as it will never address the issues that face faith and life in a biblical and fruitful way. As for being Real Comfortable – staying at home on the couch is where we would find that.

What we need is a true revival in our churches. A revival of spirit – so we may correctly and faithfully follow the Holy Spirit in all that we do. We need a revival of purpose – so that we may carry out Christ’s command. We need a revival in community – for only together can we hold each other accountable. And a revival of attitude – for we are saved by grace by none other than the King of kings and Lord of lords. In that, and not in our pursuit of the informal, may we find our comfort.

In a past life as a salesman for NFIB, my job was to talk to small business owners about the problems that they were facing. Inevitably, we often would start talking about challenges at home as well – as the line between home and small business is often very blurred. Small business owners are lone rangers by nature – but this loneliness saddened me.

It also infuriated me, as the vast majority of these businesses were owned by Christians. I could see pictures on their office walls of church functions, I could tell they were believers from the way they talked, and I usually saw a Bible somewhere on their desk. What raised my hackles is that as I talked to these hard working men and women, it dawned on me that never had anyone from their church visited them at work. The one place that defines an entrepreneur – their business – is the one place that the church never seemed to want to go.

If the church is going to have an impact – be it at the local or national level – we need to get out of our walls and meet people where they are working. The reason why military chaplains are so effective – and I served as one – is they are going through the same things that their flock is going through. Hospital chaplains do the same – visiting the sick and their family members where they are hurting the most. But the local church is nowhere present – expecting people to come to Sunday worship, Bible studies, small groups, and youth programs – but never going to them.

As humans, we are “hard-wired” to work. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden to till it, to care for it – in short, to work. Work, in many ways, defines who we are. Men – more so than women – will usually respond to the question “Who are you” with “I am steel worker”. Small business owners – be they male or female – are even more apt to define themselves by their work. Of course we are much more than what we do – we are after all Children of God, as Christians heirs to the Kingdom of Grace. But we cannot dismiss the simple fact that we also see ourselves by what we do.

Jesus did say “Come to me” (Matt 11:28), but He also said to His disciples “Go and make disciples…” (Math 28:19) The church – her pastors, elders, officers – needs to go out to where people are. Meet them at work, at the office, on the floor of the factory, out in the hot sun. The church needs to see how her members sweat away the day – whether they are straining their back or worried about how to make payroll. Only when the church understands the very basic cares and triumphs of her members can she then go about helping them lead transformed lives in the love and grace of Jesus Christ.