Monthly Archives: April 2012

"So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty." Luke 17:10

Jesus' words at first they sound a bit harsh and unbending. However, when you read the fuller context you discover they are very harsh and unbending!

The parable preceding this verse involves a master who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep. Jesus asked if after the servant performed those duties would the master invite him to come and sit down at the table and eat with him? The answer was no! In fact, the master would say to the tired servant, "fix me supper." Further, the master would not even be expected to say "thank you" to the servant. Why? Because the servant was simply fulfilling his duty.

Then Jesus directed the parable at us. We are servants, and we perform our duty without expectation of thanks or extra time off.

This is one of those "harsh sayings" by Jesus that we prefer to gloss over. We'd rather have the parable of the labors in the vineyard (everyone paid the same no matter how long or little they worked), or the Prodigal Son (he had done nothing to redeem himself). Let's spend a few moments with it, though, and let the harshness make its point.

First, we are servants. Paul often described himself as a slave. Though that word is often translated as servant, it means slave. You are owned by God, bought with a price. Now the very good news is that ownership by God provides our greatest freedom, but we must never forget we belong to God. He is the Master. The Creator. We are the servants and creations.

Second, as servants we have duties to perform. Here is where the harshness enters. Duty sounds legalistic and coerced. Duty does not sound like it belongs in the same sphere as grace. But it does. Duty is obedience in the face of inconvenience.

We must not make the mistake of serving God only when it seems sensible and rewarding. Incentive is not our motivation. Sometimes serving God is not easy and certainly not fulfilling. Serving God can be a joyful delight! At other times it can be a puzzling burden. The servant serves even when he or she does not "feel" like it.

There's the rub. We live in the age of feeling. Post-modernism (whatever it is) is mainly a feeling. Today when people do not feel like serving God (take worship as an example) then they do not serve. Why? Because they do not feel like it, and feelings reign.

Also involved here is the overwhelming desire to avoid any appearance of hypocrisy. The thinking goes, "if I serve (worship), but do not feel like it, then I am a hypocrite." Sincerity is the most highly prized value in our upside-down world, but it is usually simply an excuse for lack of commitment.

Hypocrisy, or at least the charge of hypocrisy, is out of control. Jesus certainly condemned hypocrisy in the Pharisees, but they were engaging outward behaviors in order to wield power or curry favor with God and other people. That is far different from doing the right thing because deep down you know it is right, even though you do not feel like doing it. We have so twisted the notions of hypocrisy and sincerity that if we don't feel like being godly then we implicitly have the right to act ungodly. At least we then have avoided the appearance of hypocrisy!

I believe this is the kind of absurdity Jesus addressed in this obscure parable. Sometimes we have a duty to perform. So we do it. That may mean simply showing up, to pray, to worship, to give, to serve.

Duty is a very Christian word. It highlights the backbone of belief and the unassailable commitment to holiness. Duty is the daily "putting on" of Christian qualities. N. T. Wright wrote, "If we don't 'put on' God's holiness when we feel like being unholy, then we have guarded our sincerity at the cost of our obedience." Never forget you are a servant, a slave of Christ. Obedience is your obligation.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

April 30, 2012

"For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 14:11

Somewhere in my files I have a story, purportedly true, about a "Cutest Kid the World Contest." Sponsors promised cash prizes and free trips to Disney World. Hundreds of hopeful parents showed up, their cute kids in tow, eying one another suspiciously and sizing up the competition. Tables on the stage held trophies and ribbons. The contest seemed legitimate.

It was not. Either organizers were overwhelmed and under-prepared or they simply did not have the promised prizes. After a two hour delay and growing protests, one sponsor took the microphone impatiently and unwisely said, "Well, if you want a trophy why don't you just come up and get one!" A mad rush ensued. Parents tripped over one another, pulled and tugged on the cheap metal and plastic cups. One man grabbed the largest trophy and swaggered up the aisle with it.

I have wondered what the parents really thought after those frantic hours. Sitting at home did they ever realize all they had was a cheap, plastic trophy? They fought and labored for nothing."

Many people collect these kinds of trophies in life. They are the achievements for which we have paid a huge price and yet receive nothing of eternal value in return. These trophies are susceptible to moth and rust and thieves. Or downsizing. Or the stock market. Or a hurricane. Or cancer. Cheap trophies provide satisfaction for a little while, but in the quiet watches of the night we sadly realize they are meaningless.

While at a banquet in the home of a prominent Pharisee, Jesus observed an unseemly scramble for the most important seats at the table. That scene prompted the parable in Luke 14:7-11. A few details on first century banquet etiquette will help clarify the setting of the parable and enable us to connect it smoothly with contemporary life.

At a great social event, the host would always sit in the middle of the center section of a horseshoe table arrangement. The guest of honor would sit at his right hand. The next most important guest would be on the immediate left of the host. Third most important in the second seat to the right of the host and so forth.

Also of note here is that first century banquets did not have an official start time. They would be set for a particular evening, but not necessarily at 7:00 pm. People would begin arriving as early as they wished, and when they did they would be tempted to take the seats of honor.

One other matter deserves a bit of attention. In the first century, the poorer folks tended to arrive first. Why? Perhaps they were hungrier. Perhaps they were more eager to be a part of a social scene. The wealthier folks tended to arrive later. Why? Well for the same reason some of us do this today. We like to arrive fashionably late, as they say. This gives the impression that we are so very busy, but were able to work your party into our hectic schedules. To arrive early is to look, well, too eager. We play the same games today don't we?

Now in the parable, our first century Bob Uecher, thinking too highly of himself, took one of the positions of honor. The host came over to him, and somewhat apologetically explained that he was in the wrong place. How embarrassing! Our over-inflated guest has been punctured! Wanting to disappear, he slides around the table to the lowest places, and there endures the sideways glances of the higher-ups who are actually just as shallow as he, but happen to be a few rungs up on a meaningless ladder of social importance.

Why would Jesus tell such a parable? He understood human nature and knew that most people desperately try to make something of themselves. We want the place of recognition. We want the chief seat. We may try impressing the boss, or anyone for that matter, by calling attention to all that we have done for the company. I had a man tell me quite seriously that no one had done more for the church than he had! Every human being who scrambles for significance ends up with a cheap trophy.

Ironically, Jesus wants us to take the lowest place. Actually, He wants us to not rank any place of service. Just serve. Don't compare. Serve those who are "the least of these." Don't be discouraged if your place seems small. You can make it glorious by simply serving whomever you find there. Life will humble you if you try to exalt yourself. So try Jesus' way of humbling yourself and turn your attention to others. You find God's approval.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

April 23, 2012

"I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10

One of my favorite framed prints in the study at home is
Michaelangelo's depiction of God giving life to Adam. The original, of course, is on the ceiling of the Cistine Chapel. My humble print focuses solely on the two hands, God right hand and Adam's left. Google "Michaelangelo creation" for a refresher on the scene.

I'm looking at it as I write. God's hand, again the right hand, is stretched out, as is His entire arm. The index finger strains forward, nearly closing the final half-inch. The hand is rotated slightly inward, reflecting God's effort.

In fact, take a moment and push back an arm's length from your computer screen. Reach forward to touch it with your right index finger, then move a few inches farther back. Try again to touch it. Notice what your hand does as the right side of your body pulls forward. The tendon on the back of your hand will pull a bit tighter, and the entire hand turns in effort. You can see this in the painting. It is the moment of Adam's creation, and God is straining with every fiber.

Adam's hand is also stretched out, but not really mirroring God's hand and arm at all. Adam is languid, leaning back in the full fresco. The hand reflects his body. He is not reaching out to God with nearly the same energy God is reaching out to him. The left hand dips, the index finger hardly rising above the others. He is willing to receive God's first and greatest gift, but his hand is a study in anatomical insouciance.

I'm no expert in Michaelangelo, but in these two hands the
theology equals or exceeds the artistry. Of course, he had in mind Genesis, but I wonder if he also thought about the gospel of John.

The parallels between the first book of the Bible and the Fourth Gospel are obvious from the first words in each "In the beginning." The first chapter of both concerns life. In fact, surprisingly to some Christians, John reveals to us that Jesus was the agent of Creation. He was the Word that spoke, and that which was made in Him was life (1:4). Michael Angelo certainly saw these same parallels.

I'm sure he also noted the theme of life throughout the Gospel,
and I wonder if John 10:10, in particular, shows up in the hands in the fresco. "I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly." The fact that Jesus came, served, and died reflect God's straining effort to bring life to all who believe.

Michaelangelo certainly knew that in Genesis God breathed life into Adam (2:7). Yet in the fresco he depicted God as reaching out to give life by a touch. I doubt, this artist ever painted anything accidentally. Did he have something deeper in mind he wanted to depict about the giver of life? The Gospel may have affected him here too.

Jesus often "touched" to perform His miracles, and in chapter
9 Jesus gave sight to a blind man by touching his eyes. Chapter 10 is a continuation of the dispute with the Pharisees over that very miracle, and in this discussion Jesus declared Himself to be the Good Shepherd who gives life to His flock. He came that we might have life, and not just any life, but abundant life.

The Creator longs to be The Giver, of physical life, but also deeply meaningful and eternal life. His touch became flesh 2000 years ago, and He surrounds you this very moment, longing to bring the gift to full flower. He wants you to have abundant life.

God still strains forward. In His great faithfulness He reaches out to you every day, wanting to touch your heart, your, soul, your
mind. He is reaching out to you now. His touch is a whisper, a reminder. You will find Him in His Word, in the people He has brought your way, in nature, in quiet moments of reflection, and yes, in art. He is never silent, and He is not still. Your greatest challenge is to close the narrow gap between you and Him. He has
reached as far as His providence allows. His gift of your free will gives you the ability to reach back to Him.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

April 15, 2012

 

"That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death." Philippians 3:10

This article is not about heaven. That's not what I mean by "the other side." I have in mind what a friend said to me about a particularly difficult time she was going through. With a heavy sigh she said, "I just want to get to the other side of this."

We all understand that sigh and sentiment. In the middle of a stormy blast we long to get to the safety of the shore. The real challenge, and what I suggested to her, however, is that on "the other side" inevitably lies another problem. Our lives are a series of storm fronts moving through. It's as natural as nature. Good and bad endlessly follow one another.

Our initial impulse is to pray for deliverance, and that is good and right. The Bible, the psalms in particular, are full of prayers for deliverance and full of illustrations of God's deliverance (see Psalms 34 and 118 for example). Paul wrote Philippians while imprisoned, and no doubt prayed for deliverance. So when you are pressed, pray to get to the other side. God grants that prayer more often than we acknowledge (most problems do get solved to some degree, if not completely).

But what about that chronic and persistent problem, or series of problems? You've been looking for a very long time to "get to the other side." No shore is in sight.

On this Monday after Easter I want you to consider an important part of the answer. It lies in the difference between victory and vindication. We normally think of Easter as victory, which it certainly is in many ways. God conquered death and sin. "O the glorious victory!"

But the New Testament gives us another vital perspective we tend to overlook. Many years ago as I was teaching teenagers in a Bible study, I posed a question I hoped would take them to the heart of this insight. I asked, "When did God show Himself to be most powerful?" As I recall, they suggested the Exodus and the parting of the sea, raising Lazarus from the dead, stilling the storm, etc. Finally one girl named Rachael, said "what about the cross?" And I said, "you've got it!"

The cross was the victory. Easter Sunday was the vindication, God's stamp of approval, for the way Jesus lived, served, and gave His life. The victory you should really seek is not a solution to all your problems, but a way to love and serve others every day. In Paul's words, you only know the power of the resurrection when you share in Christ's sufferings and become like Him in death.

In the garden, Jesus prayed for deliverance, "let this cup pass from Me." But God did not take away the problem. The cross remained as the ultimate illustration of love and sacrifice. The cross is your goal. The needs of the person in the office next to you, the clerk at the store, the family member, these are your priorities. If you make solving your own problems the focus on your life, then you will miss life every time. Devote yourself to praying, encouraging, performing acts of kindness for others and you will experience victory and then God's vindication.

Again, prayers for deliverance are fine. They are neither selfish nor shallow. However, life becomes much clearer, and in many ways much easier, when we realize that deliverance from problems is not nearly as important as His presence during the problems.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

April 9, 2012

"These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." John 14:25-26

Jesus spoke these words the night He was betrayed. The next day He would die on the cross. He knew it, and so did His disciples. These stunned and bewildered men felt their hope dying within them. The Gospel of John provides unique insight into those tremulous hours, recording Jesus' efforts to teach and encourage them (chs. 13-17).

Several themes emerge from these fascinating chapters, and they provide a very good summary of the gifts God grants you this week and the attitudes He wants you to embrace. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would come and remind them. What would He remind them of? What does He remind you of?

You have peace. Peace is a major theme of this section. In fact, the 14^th chapter begins with the exhortation "let not your hearts be troubled." Those same words are near the end of the chapter. We also find the words "peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you" immediately following the teaching about the Holy Spirit.

Christians should be possessed of a certain inner tranquility. The storms may rage around you, and they certainly will, but you know deep inside that God is holding you together. That is part of the meaning of the word peace. Wholeness. Togetherness. Your spiritual center remains untouched because God guards your heart and mind through Christ (Phil. 4:7). You are whole and secure where it matters most. Listen to the Spirit remind you of this peace.

You have joy, another theme of this section (see especially 15:11). This second fruit of the Spirit is often absent among many Christians I observe, but today I want to highlight the fact of its presence in places you would not expect to find it. I have seen many Christians have a certain lightness of heart in the direst circumstances. A good-natured attitude in the pre-op room or even in ICU is not unusual. This is the laughter of the soul that knows its eternity is secure even though the next day may not be.

You have confidence. One of the most remarkable verses in this section is 16:33, "In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." The word translated as "good cheer" is derived from the same root word that means to be full of hope and confidence. We must admire Jesus' transparent honesty. He did not promise a life free from trouble, in fact He said precisely the opposite, which is why the encouragement to be confident has a particular ring of truth.

This confidence comes from the abiding presence of Christ in your life, a related major theme of this section (see 15:1-10). Certainly this abiding presence of Christ makes Christianity unique. You are joined with your Lord, the Spirit, and the Father (see the remarkable statements in 17:21 and 23). Whatever you face this week, you are not alone. You can be confident in God's presence.

British minister Alan Redpath summed up the confidence you can have in this way: "There is nothing—no circumstance, no trouble, no testing—that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone passed God and passed Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret, for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is. That is the rest of victory."

Disciples in the 1^st or the 21^st century can be so overwhelmed by trouble they forget the assurance that should sustain them. Samuel Johnson wrote, "People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed." That quote seems to apply particularly to the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit within you whispers the reminders. Take a moment to listen.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

April 1, 2012