²⁵ I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. ²⁷ And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”²⁸ Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ²⁹ For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. ³⁰ Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. ³¹ Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. ³² For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

³³ Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

³⁴ For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? ³⁵ And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?

³⁶ For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

He’s God

This is the final post of 2009. Tomorrow begins a new year. A new decade.

Ten years ago, people were in a panic. The media was hyping Y2K. We didn’t know if technology could handle the jump to a new Century. Many people began stockpiling food and cash in case everything crashed. Many turned to God. People always seem to do that in times of potential crisis.

Of course, computers handled the change to the year 2000 without many hiccups. Technology continued to roll forward. The world breathed a sigh of relief. People forgot about God again. At least until Sept. 11, 2001, when they all came running back to God for another few weeks.

What about you? Do you truly live your life under the truth that He’s God, you’re not? Do you submit fully to his will and purpose for you? Do you give yourself completely to him? I know that there are times when I don’t, but I’m trying. Each day I must decide if I will submit to him.

I don’t know if you are one to make resolutions or not (you can read about my New Year’s resolutions tomorrow on my personal blog). If you are, why not make a decision to give yourself over to God even more in 2010. Make this next year one where you really do live life as a follower of Christ. I can’t think of anything better that one can choose to do.

My prayer: Lord, I give you everything in my life. As we begin a new year, I choose to follow you completely. Your will, not mine. Your plans, not mine. Your desire for me, not mine. I submit my life, my family, my calling to you. Amen.

See you next year.

²² Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. ²³ And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree. ²⁴ You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.

Grace: Kind & Severe

I think this is one of the best passages to help understand the power of God’s grace. It provides us with an incredible description of what it means to live under the grace of God. It means we have the choice. The freedom. The will to submit to God or to do it our own way.

We don’t like the word “severe.” We don’t want to use it to describe God. It’s because we read a word like severe and we think of “meanness.” We think of it negatively. We read this passage as if we think Paul is saying, “Look, God is a pretty cool guy. I mean, he’s really nice. But, wow, if you piss him off, then he can really lose it. And when God loses it, he goes nuts. He’s really severe in how nasty he gets.”

But I don’t believe Paul is saying that. I don’t believe the Bible teaches that God is like that.

I read this passage by understanding severe as “uncompromising.” “Decisive.”

In other words, those who reject God’s offer of grace and dismiss his desire to be in relationship are simply granted their wish. God is uncompromising in cutting those people off from relationship with him. It is a clean, clear break. It is severe.

And yet, because he loves us so much, he always holds out hope that we will repent of our decision. We will turn back and call out to him. And if we do, he responds again by bringing us back into his fold. Into his family. Does that sound severe?

You see, there are a few things we must understand. If we choose to reject grace, we can’t then get upset with God for granting us our wish to be separated from him. It’s our choice. We can’t say, “Okay, you’re God, I’m not.” And then expect to do things our own way. Do whatever we choose to do.

God is uncompromising. There is no room for negotiations. It is his way. He’s God. His kindness and grace welcome us into his family and invite us to experience all that he has planned for us in this life, but it must be done his way. That is a God who is both kind and severe.

My prayer: Lord, may I never take for granted your grace. Not just what it cost you in order to pay the price for my sin, but what it means to live for you. It means submitting my will completely to yours. To recognize that you are a God who is “all in.” There is no compromising. No “half-way” with you. I understand that. And I choose you. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

¹⁷ But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. ¹⁸ But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.

¹⁹ “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.” ²⁰ Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. ²¹ For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.

Perspective

I supposed it’s human nature. I’ve seen so many people do it. In fact, there have been times when I’ve been guilty of it. I’ve met people who criticize others who do it. They tell me how it kept them from following Christ for many years. And now, years after they began their journey with God, they do the very same thing.

I’m talking about judging those who are not following God. Pointing fingers at them. Thinking less of them.

Paul has turned his attention back to the Gentiles with this passage, and he reminds them that they should be careful not to be too critical of the Jewish people who have rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They should not be too proud of the fact that God has extended grace to them. Or that he has welcomed them into his family.

As I’ve said, I meet a lot of people who seem to be proud of the fact that they are part of God’s family and someone else is not. Rather than grieve for the soul of another, they take delight in the way things have played out.

“Well, they deserved it.” Is their reply when they hear of a drug dealer who is killed, or an outlaw biker is sent to jail. They ignore the homeless man with a smug, “He should get a job.” They see the hooker as someone less than human. Someone not worthy of any respect.

Never lose sight of the truth of Paul’s words: you are just a branch, not the root.

My prayer: Lord, may I never see myself as better than another. I’m not. You love that drug dealer, outlaw biker, prostitute as much as you love me. You heart is to see them come into relationship with you. To become part of the very same family I am part of. May I never lose sight of that truth. May my heart break for them the way yours does. And my I see myself as the same as they are – someone in need of your grace. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

¹¹ Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. ¹² Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.

¹³ I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this, ¹⁴ for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them. ¹⁵ For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead! ¹⁶ And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.

Never Gives Up

I suggested yesterday that God allows us to choose to accept or reject his love. If we want nothing to do with him, he’ll accept that. Sort of.

You see, even if we tell God to leave us alone, he will never give up on us. He may allow us to go through the darkness of not knowing his presence for a season, but he will never stop declaring his love to us. All of creation declares his grace, his love.

I’ve had people come to me and ask if there’s still hope for them. They will share about how they rejected God and told him to leave them alone. They renounced his existence. In some cases, they even hated God. And now, they fear that he will not forgive them. They fear that there is no longer any hope.

Often, I see tears flow when I explain that God never gave up. That it is never too late. He pursues us. He waits for us. He loves us. I tell them the story of the Prodigal Son and how the father would stand and watch into the distance, wishing his lost son would come home. How the father saw the son will still off in the distance and went running to him. God pursues us that way. He waits for the smallest of openings in our heart, and he runs to us, arms open wide.

In a few days we will celebrate the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010. It’s a time when many decide to start fresh. Perhaps, it’s a good time to open your heart again. He is waiting.

My prayer: Lord, thank you that you have never given up on me. On days when I feel like I have failed you beyond words, you still love me. On days when I choose my way over yours, you wait patiently. You allow me to live life my way if it’s what I want, but you still receive me back into your arms when I come, broken and bruised. Thank you for never giving up. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

⁵ It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. ⁶ And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

⁷ So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. ⁸ As the Scriptures say,

“God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”

⁹ Likewise, David said, “Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve. ¹⁰ Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”

Hard Hearts

At Bikers’ Church, I often teach people the importance of context. Whenever we read any Scripture, we need to always keep in mind the overall context of the passage, the book, and the entire Bible. Simply put, the Bible doesn’t contradict itself.

When you read this passage, you might think that these poor Israelites didn’t have a chance. After all, God hardened their hearts. Only a few remained faithful to the notion of Grace.

But I think that what this passage is really saying is that God simply said, “Ok.” He allowed them to the choice that they had already made. He didn’t push grace on them. If they chose to reject grace, God will let them. As we’ll see tomorrow, he will never give up home for them (or us), but God will allow them to choose their own path.

That idea always amazes me. God, creator of all things, loves me so much that he wont force me to love him in return. He wants the best for me, but will allow me to chose grace or reject it. And if I tell him I want nothing to do with him, his heart will be grieved, but he will honor our request. Sort of. (But that is for tomorrow’s passage).

My prayer: Thank you for loving me the way you do. It’s undeserved. The idea that I can choose to accept your love or reject it is incredible to me. The idea that sometimes I do reject it, is horrifying. I pray that I never take it for granted. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

¹ I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.² No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

⁴ And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”

Others

I wish we had time to tell the story of Elijah. It’s an incredible story. He stands up to false prophets and God faithfully demonstrates his power. He fears for his life and flees into the wilderness because of the threat of a woman. He cries out for God to kill him because of how miserably he is. And he learns that while he thought he was alone, there were actually 7,000 others standing up just like him. (You can read Elijah’s story here.)

Have you ever felt like you were totally alone? Like you were facing a battle without anyone else supporting you. It’s true that Elijah did stand alone in his battle with the Prophets of Baal. But he wasn’t alone. And it wasn’t just God who was standing with him. Again, there were 7,000 others. Why didn’t they reveal themselves directly to Elijah? We don’t know. But I have no doubt that God instructed them to stay in the background. Perhaps God wanted Elijah’s faith to shine as he stood alone.

The point I making is this: you’re not alone. And it’s not just God who stands with you. There are others. Sometimes we don’t see them. Sometimes we take for granted that they are there. Sometimes there is a reason they are not revealed at the time you think they should be. But they are there.

I often here people share their story of coming into relationship with God. Many times, they discover after that someone was praying for them. A family member, a friend, maybe even a stranger. People were there, supporting them, even though they thought they were alone.

A friend of mine was doing missionary work in Russia. One night, my daughter felt prompted to pray for him. I sent him a note the next day to let him know that we had prayed for him and hoped all was well. He replied later that day and told me how the night before he was having trouble at a border crossing. It looked like he was going to be arrested. And then, suddenly, he was released. We figured out the time zone changes and realized that at the very moment he was released, my daughter was praying for him. He was not alone.

In the midst of your trials and struggles. Don’t ever buy into the idea that you’re alone. Yes, God is with you. But there are others as well. You may not see them. You may not realize they are there. But they are.

My prayer: Thank you, Lord, that you have not called us to do this journey alone. In fact, it is your plan that we are not only in relationship with you, but with each other. We are called to live this journey together. Even when I feel alone, help me to not give in to those feelings. They are a lie. I am never alone. Thank you for that truth. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

¹⁸ This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.²⁰ As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

²³ “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25

God With Us

It is the day we celebrate the birth of Christ. The day “God moved into the neighbourhood.” (see John 1:14 in The Message). The story of Jesus began in Genesis 3, when God promised that a Messiah would break the curse of sin. And now, the Messiah has been born.

Everything we’ve written about since we started looking at the book of Romans finds it’s hope in this celebration. Jesus fulfills the Law and releases the era of Grace.

Take time today to reflect on what this day truly means.

Merry Christmas.

¹⁶ But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. ¹⁸ But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have:

“The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world.”

¹⁹ But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said, “I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation. I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”

²⁰ And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, “I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”

²¹ But regarding Israel, God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”

Not Everyone Will Hear

The fact is, not everyone is receptive to the good news that God loves them. There are a multitude of reasons why people reject the gospel. At the top of the list is a lack of faith. They simply cannot – or will not – believe.

But I love what this passage says: Faith comes from hearing.

In other words, while it is true that some will reject the message even after they hear it, the reality is that no one can accept it until they hear it. In other words, if you decide that a certain person isn’t interested in hearing the message, and therefore you don’t share it, then an opportunity is missed. Maybe they would have received it. Maybe, hearing you share your own personal experience is just what they needed to build faith in their own life. There’s no way of knowing unless you take the opportunity to share.

“But, what if they reject me?” You might ask. Well, consider yourself in good company. As Paul points out, people have rejected the prophets all through Scripture. People rejecting the good news isn’t something new.

The question we should be asking is, “What if they accept the message? What if, after hearing me share how God has changed my life, faith builds up in their heart and they respond by asking for more? What if, a simple conversation about my personal experience with Christ changes their life forever?”

Of course, we wont know unless you share.

My prayer: God, help me to always be open to sharing the message of good news. May I always be ready to give an answer to those who ask what matters in my life. When my actions cause someone to inquire about my life, help me to share openly the truth of your transforming grace. Amen.”

Until tomorrow.

¹⁴ But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? ¹⁵ And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

How Will They Hear?

Sometimes people tell me that their faith is a private matter. They don’t share their beliefs with others because they don’t like to reveal that side of themselves. Personally, I think that’s a copout. And, it goes against what the Bible teachers.

Others tell me that it’s really the job of preachers to share the good news. They may even use this passage, where it talkes about not being able to go unless you are “sent”. In other words, unless you’re called to go and share the good news, then it’s not your job to do so.

I agree 100% with the idea that only those who are called should share the good news. I think that is such a biblical way of thinking. Of course, so is Matthew 28:19-20, where Jesus commissions everyone who is a follower of his to go and share the good news. Yes, only those who are called should share the gospel. And yes, if you are a follower of Christ, then you’ve been called. So, share the good news.

Of course, sharing the good news isn’t really just about the words that come out of your mouth. I believe it has as much (if not more) to do with living a life that testifies to the changes that God brings. As one preacher of old put it, “Preach the gospel. Use words if necessary.”

It’s Christmas. Have you shared with anyone the incredible story of Christmas?

My prayer: Lord, may my life be an open testimony of all you have done for me. May my actions declare your goodness and grace. May everything I do point people to you. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 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. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Confess and Believe

It really is amazing that we can get this so mixed up, isn’t it? I mean, for 2000 years we’ve been debating what it takes to be saved. We keep making it about what we do (and don’t do). We keep coming up with a list of rules and regulations. Those rules are our way of striving to be good enough for God. They are our attempt to bring ourselves up to where Christ is, rather than allow him to meet us where we are.

And that’s what Paul is getting at in this passage. Look, you can’t go up to where he is. You can’t go down to find him. You can’t do anything to make it right. He does the work. It’s by grace along.

What’s our role? Receiving the gift of grace. Confessing our need for the gift, and believing that it’s truly all we need.

As you read these words, we are only a few days away from celebrating Christmas. Waiting for you is a gift. A gift of grace. Why not unwrap it today and allow it to be applied to your life?

My prayer: Lord, I can’t bring you down from Heaven. I can’t raise you from the dead. Why? Because you have already done it all. As you said on the Cross, “It is finished.” You accomplished it all. And you’ve come to me. I confess my need for you. And I believe that you’ve done it all. I receive your gift of grace, I open it and allow it to be applied to my life. I live for you. Amen.

Until tomorrow.