February 1, 2010

Genesis 33

I awakened to Laura’s scream and to the sight of snow covering the windshield. It was around 2 in the morning. I had been sleeping. Laura was driving on I-70 in Indiana when we hit black ice. Later she told me that when she hit it, the car immediately went into a spin. In front of us was a semi and behind us was a semi. She said it was like somebody just took the steering and guided it into a snow bank. Gathering my sleepy thoughts, I realized that steam was pouring out from under the hood. My next thought was, ”Oh no, the engine block cracked. I had a very difficult time getting out of the car for the snow was packed around the car half-way up the door. Getting out and popping the hood, I observed that the impact packed snow up into the engine compartment and completely surrounded the engine. The steam was from the melting snow. A highway patrolman almost immediately drove up, got out his shovel and helped dig me out. He helped push me back up onto the road, and then said, “There is an exit in 2 miles. You need get off there and check into the motel and wait till late morning to finish your trip.” He got back into his car and drove off into the night. Later I realized what an amazing thing it was that our car was removed from spinning at 55 mph between two semis and strategically landed in a deep snow bank cushioning our stop (no brakes were applied) so that there was absolutely no damage to either our car or our bodies. Most times we attribute such happenings to coincidence. I have too many such “coincidences” to think of them as just coincidences. I find it harder to believe in coincidences than that the might power of God was involved.

For those who have walked with God for some time, there come moments when you look back and have this overwhelming realization about the mighty power of God. It is not only that He is mighty, but it is also that he has used that power on your behalf. Such was Jacobs experience upon arrival at Shechem. It motivated him to build an altar and call it Elelohe-Israel which means mighty God of Israel. What prompted this building of an altar? I think he was reflecting upon where God had taken him the last 20+ years. He left Isaac penniless, single and a fugitive from Esau. He is now returning, married, twelve kids, wealthy, and reconciled to Esau. Only the power of God could change Esau’s attitude. He claimed that mighty God for himself. His time wrestling with God the night before meeting Esau and the evidence of God’s completed promise in Esau’s reconciled attitude wrought a change in Jacob’s attitude. Jacob/Israel had received more than just a glimpse of the glory of the Lord, and it changed him. How about you? Have you seen the mighty God of Israel. More important, have you seen the mighty God of __________ (insert your name in the blank.) That is when it begins to make a difference in us. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Matthew 21:1-22

JFK's presidency is often referred to as the age of Camelot. I was almost 6 years old when he was inaugurated. So I can't really say that I emotionally grasped the euphoria of the age of Camelot. But I do remember his famous speech where he said something to the effect of, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country." Why is Camelot idealized? Why is JFK idolized? I often wonder if JFK had not been assassinated, would he still have been idolized?

Camelot is idealized because Arthur was a king that broke the mold. JFK is idolized because he was a president that seemed to be breaking the mold. Arthur fought to establish right as might. Kings (at least from an American viewpoint) are thought of as powerful men who yield to their subjects only if it increases their own power. We view it as though they only care about their subjects, if it increases their control over them. Cynically, we also view our politicians the same way. JFK brought a young perspective to the presidency that inspired many young people to service. Arthur brought relief to the monarchy that inspired many knights to serve their country rather than themselves.

What's this got to do with Jesus? He is the epitome of the righteous King. He came to serve. Even as He presented Himself to the people as a King, He did so riding upon a donkey. By this time in His ministry, He could probably have organized His admirers to obtain chariots and bands and made quite a parade to enter Jerusalem to present Himself as Israel's King.

He entered the temple. He could have presented His plans to make Herod's temple even greater if He was recognized as King. But He drove out those who were profiting from religious corruption. He called the people back to humble prayer before God in the temple. The blind and the lame had been banned from the inner courts of the temple. The outer courts had been consumed by religious corruption. Obviously, this is the first time in a long time that the blind and lame could come in to worship. He healed them there in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy of 35:5,6. He served even the least of the people.

He looked for fruit from His nation. But He found none. In one great prophetic act, He cursed the fig tree that bore no fruit for Him. It withered. He used it as a teaching point for the disciples. Whatever you ask in faith, believing, you will receive. Faith in what? Believing what? Faith in Him as King. Believing in Him as King. Here is this serving King. He calls His servants to serve one another even as He serves. He doesn't tell us one thing while He does another. He served and called us to follow suit. Then He equips us with the promise that whatever we need to serve, ask for it trusting Him, and then we will receive it.

Now, I call that glory! It is a glory that far exceeds Camelot. It far exceeds any of the euphoric expectations of JFK's days as president. It is a glory that is the only true reality. It is a glory that will one day cover the whole earth. Let us hasten that day by serving, by proclaiming the glory of our King. Indeed we serve a glorious serving King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john