It's a Trap!

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1Tim 6:9).

Long, long ago, in a land far, far away, a rebel leader suddenly realizes the evil empire has suckered his troops into an ambush. In “Return of the Jedi,” Admiral Ackbar quickly understands Darth Vader has played him for a fool and shouts the legendary line, “It’s a trap!” How did he not see this coming?!?

In another long, long ago, in a land far, far away, another leader sees the danger ahead of time. In a letter to a young pastor named Timothy, Paul carefully points out the hidden threat ahead. “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (v9). The lure of money is incredibly tempting. Getting rich sure seems worth the risk. But before you get bamboozled into taking the bait, listen to the apostle and Admiral Ackbar. “It’s a trap!”

This wasn’t just a good idea or a suggestion from a highly paid consultant. Paul and Timothy have personally witnessed the damage done by those consumed with a quick cash grab. It wasn’t that long ago that a team of spiritual snake oil salesmen weaseled their way into Ephesus Community Church. These hucksters distracted the followers of Jesus with a phony gospel filled with kooky myths, monotonous genealogies, religious flimflam, and downright demonic doctrine (1Tim 1:3-4; 4:2-3). As profitable prophets, they understood that there’s no business like God’s business (1Tim 6:5).

The apostle has already given the old heave-ho to a pair of these false teachers named Hymenaeus and Alexander and handed them over to Satan (1Tim 1:20). When the Lord had an assignment for Paul in Macedonia, he turns over the helm in Ephesus to his young protege Tim (1Tim 1:3). Continue the reforms, find new leaders with godly integrity (1Tim 3:1-13), keep the main thing of following Jesus the main thing (1Tim 3:15-16; 4:3-16), and institute Gospel style care of the elderly (1Tim 5:1-16).

Eventually it was greed that brought down the false teachers. They bought the lie that “godliness is a means of gain” (1Tim 6:5). They worshiped at the altar of More. They didn’t realize they had a terminal case of affluenza. They didn’t understand the secret of godly wealth is appreciating what you already have. Contentment in Christ is not only the vaccine but also the cure for the disease (1Tim 6:6-8).

For those who fail to get their affluenza shot, greed is their downfall. Paul describes them as “those who desire to be rich” (v9). The Greek word he uses translated “desire” is boulemenoi. It paints a picture of someone who doesn’t just have a vague desire to pad their portfolio. No, this is a person who intends on piling up cash and has put a plan in place. They don’t just think being rich is a great idea. They have a strategy. Spoiler alert! This isn’t going to end well. 

Our enemy loves to bait his trap with Benjamins. Don’t believe me? The apostle points out that those making plans to get rich quick will “fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (v9). Yeah, we’re not talking about doing something for kicks and giggles. This isn’t seeking thrills on a zip line, going sky diving, or hang gliding. Paul uses the word “fall” (Gr. empipto) which means to unexpectedly drop into a pit or suddenly experience disaster. When talking about what you should and shouldn’t do on your God ordained day off, Jesus said, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls (Gr. empipto) into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?” (Mt 12:10). If you’re wondering, that sheep didn’t intentionally swan dive into the trench. It never saw it coming. And when we fall under the temptation of money, we won’t either. 

If the fall isn’t bad enough, the landing area is worse. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Check out Paul’s not-so-subtle description of your destination. Temptation. Snare. Senseless and harmful desires. Ruin. Destruction. Doesn’t sound like a day at the Magic Kingdom, does it? While we could take an in-depth look at each of these terms, let’s take a closer examination at one. “Snare” is the Greek noun pagis. We’re not talking about a piece of Ringo’s drum kit. This describes any kind trap, net, noose, or pit.  It’s concealed danger. Something that catches fast and holds tight. A booby trap. A hidden mine. A roadside I.E.D. A bear trap slamming shut on your ankle. The empire’s tie-fighters have locked onto your spaceship. Can you hear Admiral Ackbar? “It’s a trap!”

But instead of blowing you out of the solar system, the result of this ambush is something else entirely. When we take the money bait, it will “plunge people into ruin and destruction” (v9). The enemy isn’t taking prisoners. It’s taking them down. All the way down. The word the ESV translates as “plunge” is buthizo, which paints a terrifying picture of being thrust down under the surface and dragged down to the bottom. When Jesus joined a commercial fishing crew, they miraculously hauled so many fish onto their boat that “they began to sink. (Gr buthizo)” (Lk 5:7). But the deadliest catch is in fact the lure of money. It will drag you to the sea floor of your own sin.

I’m not saying Paul would have sniffed out the empire’s ambush ahead of time. But he certainly sees the booby trap of greed before anyone else. Listen to the apostle. Listen to the admiral. “It’s a trap!”

Getting CrossFit

“Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving full acceptance” (1Tim 4:7-9).

Happy New Year! I’m sitting here writing to you on the first morning of 2016. Let me make a couple of predictions about the coming months. First of all, people will pack local gyms as they resolve to get rid of those unwanted love handles. Second, you won’t  be fighting for a treadmill or elliptical machine in February. 

In a letter to the lead pastor of Ephesus Community Church, Paul encourages Timothy that there’s no time better than the present to hit the spiritual gym. “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (v7-8). It takes intense training to live a godly life on both sides of eternity. It’s time to hit the spiritual gym. Get CrossFit.

The apostle wants Pastor Tim to focus on his own spiritual fitness as they work together to get the Ephesian believers spiritually healthy again. A team of false teachers have been serving up nothing but religious junk food (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3). These hucksters sprinkled just enough Jesus on their teaching that it seemed like truth. Think taco salad. Tasty? You betcha! Healthy? Not so much.

A critical point in our training regimen is to stop woofing down the Twinkies and Ding Dongs of phony religion. “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths” (v7). Paul once again points out the danger of any teaching that distracts you from following Jesus. It’s anything “irreverent” (v7). The word here (Gr. bebelos) describes something ungodly, profane, or vile. It carries the idea of being over the edge or having gone too far. 

We need to avoid “myths” (v7). The term in the original language is muthos, which means a fanciful story that’s not true or a tall tale that often tells stories about supernatural beings or cult heroes. Think urban legends. The false teachers have been spreading this garbage for quite a while (1Tim 1:4). Don’t get sucked back into them again. This is exactly the warning Paul gives Tim a second time in his second letter (2Tim 4:4). Peter goes out of his way to say the apostles aren’t cooking up “cleverly devised myths (Gr. muthos)” about Jesus (2Pet 1:16).

We all have friends who are over the top in their love of stuff like the Marvel Comic Universe and Star Wars. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with doing a little cosplay or going to Comicon. Just be careful that you’re not fooled into letting the Force be with you instead being filled with the Holy Spirit. You need to put down the light saber and open up the Sword of the Spirit!

Step two is “train yourself for godliness” (v7). Here’s the big idea in this passage. If you were at the health club, they would probably have this painted on the wall as motivation. The word “train” is the Greek verb gumnazo, which means to exercise with discipline, intensity, and focus with the goal of increased strength. It’s the source of our word gymnasium. 

This sort of spiritual training is disciplined and focused. It’s not erratic. It’s not hit or miss. It’s not messing around with aerobics one day, free weights the next, and a little hot yoga the day after. Don’t just flip your Bible open just read at random. Read through entire books. Do studies on topics like prayer or worship or righteousness. Let your training have a routine and a purpose. That’s what it takes to be CrossFit.

I have to tell you that gumnazo originally meant to train naked. Yeah, you read that right. This part of the application is totally up to you. I personally choose to do my morning devotions in no less than my pajamas. But there is an idea here of being laid bare before the Lord. As we study His Word, let everything in you be exposed to God’s truth. Nothing is hidden from your Creator (Ps 139:1-6). While we want to keep our clothes on at the gym, let’s bare all before Almighty God…spiritually speaking.

The focus of our intense, spiritual training is “godliness” (v7). You can translate the word here (Gr. eusebia) as godly life, reverence, or piety. It literally means “good (eu-) worship (-sebia).” This may come as a shock to some of you, but worship isn’t just a set list on Sunday morning. Worship is a lifestyle. We worship well when we put into practice God’s truth. We worship well when we live what we say we believe. We don’t just know God’s commands, we DO God’s commands! One of the goals for a follower of Jesus is to live a “peaceful and quiet life, godly (Gr. eusebia) and dignified in every way” (1Tim 2:2).

Paul does tell Tim that “bodily training is of some value” (v8). Staying in good physical condition has it’s place. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19). We need to be a good steward of that temple. We should take good care of the only physical body God has given us. But remember, you can’t turn back the clock. Don’t turn exercise and appearance into an idol. 

While it’s good to stay in physical shape, “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (v8). We live a life of good worship to our Savior when we do what He commands. Obeying God is ALWAYS the right thing to do! It’s worthy it every single time. But we have to train with focused intensity. Let’s continually go back to Scripture and hold ourselves up to God’s holy and perfect standard. Let’s connect in Gospel community with other believers for encouragement and accountability. 

At this point in the letter, Paul makes sure Tim and anyone else reading this letter realizes getting CrossFit is a really big deal. “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance” (v9). There’s a pretty good chance this was a catchy slogan in the early church that summed up important doctrine. The apostle uses it several times in his personal letters to his pastor/proteges (1Tim 3:1; 2Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8). Folks can trust this truth. You can take it to the bank. Getting regular spiritual exercise isn't just a great idea for the here and now but for the hereafter.

Don’t miss the point that godliness is of value both now and in eternity. Remember, eternal life starts NOW! Our relationship with Jesus allows us to tap into God’s promise of everlasting life long before we face physical death. We’re able to enjoy God’s overflowing and abundant life on this side of eternity (Jn 10:10). This happens when we follow His rules and laws for life. God’s not a cosmic wet blanket and party pooper. His guidelines are the key to tapping into His overwhelming goodness. They’re guardrails to keep you and me out of the ditch. There’s blessing in obedience, just ask King David. “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments” (Ps 112:1). Why not worship well now and enjoy God’s goodness here and now? We do that by getting CrossFit.

Do You Speak Klingon?

“nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith” (1Tim 1:4)

Do you speak Klingon? What’s your take on Yoda’s species? Do really think Captain America is a member of the Tea Party? Let me get this out on the table from the get go. I’ve paid cash money to watch more than my fair share of movies from the all the sci-fi and superhero franchises. But I have many friends who are so consumed with these fantastic stories you might think they live aboard a starship or in the Marvel Universe. Have they ever sucked you into a black hole of discussion about the impossibilities in the conclusion of “Interstellar”? 

Well if you’ve been hanging around Christians for any length of time, you know our friends who go to ComicCon haven’t cornered the market. Have you walked down the aisle of your local Christian bookstore lately? We’re constantly playing a goofy game of “Pin the Tail on the Antichrist.” You’ve got “The Bible Code” and its whacky sequels. There are books cooking up countless crazy connections between 9-11 and obscure Old Testament commands. You’ll even find authors claiming to find the cure for your irritable bowel in the pages of the Bible. I would say you can’t make this stuff up, but somebody clearly has!

Don’t make the mistake of believing this is some sort of recent fad. Church folks have been cooking up whacked out conspiracy theories for a thousands of years. When we take a look at one of the letters Paul wrote Timothy, we see it was going on at the megachurch in Ephesus. Yeah, THAT Ephesus. The apostle tells his protege that Jesus’ followers should not “devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith” (v4). Some of the most popular hobbies in the Ephesian church are interminable discussions about urban legends that aren’t in the Bible. Stuff, in the long run, that doesn’t mean a hill of beans. 

These aren’t occasional confabs over coffee at Starbucks. Paul talks about how they “devote themselves” to them. He uses the Greek verb prosecho, which means paying very close attention to something. It can easily be understood as being consumed or even addicted to a particular activity. That makes this a worship issue. Do you spend more time on particular preoccupations than on things that have no eternal significance? We can do this with our smart phones, Facebook, Pinterest, sports, and scrapbooking. None of these is really evil all on their own. But anytime you take a good thing and make it a god thing that’s a bad thing. In a word, that’s idolatry. A certain section of the Ephesian church has unhealthy obsession with debating issues that don’t matter. How about you? What have you allowed to be your personal time suck?

For the Ephesian church, a boatload of their schedule is loaded with debates over “myths” (v4). A closer look at the original language reveals exactly what’s going on. This is muthos, which is fiction, a fable, or made-up story. We’re talking about fairy tales. This term can even mean a wild rumor or whacky conspiracy theory. Imagine a small group devoted to digging into the pages of the Weekly World News or one of the other tacky tabloids at the checkout counter. I don’t know if you realize this or not, but you really can’t believe everything you read on the internet. Shocking, right? 

Apparently these whacky goofball stories are all the rage in the first century church. Later in this letter, Paul tells Tim, “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths (Gr. muthos)” (1Tim 4:7). A few years later in another note, the apostle warns Tim again how Jesus’ followers are easily distracted and “wander off into myths (Gr. muthos)” (2Tim 4:4). Paul alerts Titus that the congregations on Crete must avoid “devoting themselves to Jewish myths (Gr. muthos)” which pull them away from God’s truth (Titus 1:14). Don’t think the man from Tarsus is the only one who sees these religious fairy tales as something to be avoided. Pete’s the leader of Jesus’ apostles and promises, “We did not follow cleverly devised myths (Gr. muthos) when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2Pet 1:16). 

But that’s not the only unhealthy distraction. Tim’s also trying to put the kibosh “endless genealogies, which promote speculations” (v4). Folks are spending WAY too much time and energy trying to trace their family trees. We all want to tell people about our impressive ancestors. Tell me you haven’t looked back at your ancestors to see if you’re a descendant of royalty or some celebrity. While it’s nice to know all about your memaw and pawpaw, there’s nothing to truly gain by spending hour upon hour climbing your family tree. I don’t know about you, but I’m a little afraid about what I might find along the way. A dive into one of these genealogical rat holes is “endless” (v4). Paul uses a Greek term here (Gr. aperantos) that means something that cannot be passed through. It’s boundless, limitless, and interminable. A series that never stops. It’s a conversation from which there is no escape! You’ve been cornered in a few of those, I’m sure.

All this mindless lip-flapping will simply “promote speculations” (v4). These aren’t so much controversies as distractions. God’s people argue about a boatload of stuff in the Bible that we don’t really have the answers to. How often should we celebrate communion? Should be people be dunked all the way under during baptism? Worship songs or hymns? How loud the music should be? Should we go on? I’ll answer for you. No. Some folks refer to these as open-handed and close-handed issues. There are doctrinal points we need to keep in a kung fu grip. You know the ones. The Trinity. God’s creation of the universe. How we broke His perfect creation. Jesus is the sinless Son of God who died for our sin, was buried, and rose on the third day.  

The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing. We should put all our efforts into “the stewardship from God that is by faith” (v4). Don’t major in the minors. Let’s avoid speculating on things that we can’t know for sure. Instead, let’s focus on our loving Heavenly Dad, our awesome Big Brother Jesus, and the brothers and sisters we’ll be spending eternity with. That’s the family we need to devote ourselves to. That’s the genealogy that really matters. This is a HUGE reminder that we’re to carefully take care of all that God has given us in Christ. It’s all about our faith in Jesus. What He did for us that we could never do. 

I really don't care if you can shoot the breeze with Worf in his native Klingon tongue. What intergalactic race of beings Yoda is part of, I care not. And I don’t give a hot hoot about Captain America’s political leanings. Instead, how about we spend a good bit of our calendar on what really matters? Who Jesus is. What He has done. Loving those around us. Being a firehose of His grace to everyone we meet. 

Descending into Greatness

“Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name” (Phillippians 2:9).

I always hated Opposite Day. It’s a ridiculous (and completely made-up) holiday where everything you say and do is the reverse of what you think it should be. Oh, it’s not on anybody’s calendar. Hallmark doesn’t waste their time coming up with sappy or snarky cards for it. No, Opposite Day usually rears it’s nonsensical head when one of your goofy friends in middle school announced it out of nowhere. Suddenly everything gets flipped on it’s head. Yes is no. Up is down. Pretty is ugly. It made my head hurt. I guess it’s one of the many reasons I’m glad middle school is in my rearview mirror.

But what if everyday was Opposite Day? What if we lived on a planet where everything we did was backwards? What if down is really up? The more I read the Bible, the more it sure seems our world is actually running opposite of the way God designed it to work. Here in Philippians 2, Paul writes about how the Heavenly Father actually lifts up His Son because He went down. “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name” (v9). He lifts Him up precisely BECAUSE He dropped down. Apparently in God’s original plan, they way up is actually down. Bill Hybels coined the phrase “descending into greatness.” Jesus leads the way for us as we descend into greatness.

One cool way to think about Philippians 2:6-11 is as a mini-biography of the Second Person of the Trinity. The apostle pulls back the curtain heaven and gives us a sneak peek at Christ before He left paradise for the third rock from the sun. “He was in the form of God” (Phil 2:6). But here’s the goofy thing. From this point, Christ continually descends. Long before He hit the road for Israel, the Son of God didn’t exactly have a chokehold on His own divinity. He “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (Phil 2:6). Jesus “emptied Himself,” added 100% humanity to His 100% divinity and dove headfirst into the hot mess of our sin and rebellion. He descends. In Philippians 2:7-8, we read a super condensed version of His life as the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth. Jesus does what we could never do. He descends to live a life of perfect obedience to His Dad. He descends further to take our place on the cross for our sin. He ultimately descends into the grave as a dead man. 

It’s at this point everything reverses. Instead of the downward trend, the Son walks out of the graveyard when His Dad raises Him to life. If that’s not crazy enough, the resurrected Jesus actually ascends back home to heaven riding a cumulonimbus cloud (I honestly have no idea what kind of cloud it really was, I’ve just always wanted to type the word “cumulonimbus”). Things continue to rise faster than internet start up. “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name” (v9). Jesus’ humiliation (Phil 2:5-8) results in His exaltation (Phil 2:9-11). In God’s economy, down is up. Our Savior leads the way to descend into greatness. 

Paul tells his friends back in Philippi how “God has highly exalted” His Son (v9). What we see as two words in the ESV (“highly exalted”) is actually one word in the original language (Gr. huperupso’o). It’s a compound Greek term that literally means to “hyper lift.” Forget cranking up the hyperdrive and traveling faster than light in the Millennium Falcon with Han Solo and Chewie. That’s playground stuff compared to God the Father giving His Son the hyper lift! That part sounds pretty sweet, doesn’t it? You may be down with the whole greatness deal, but not so hot on hitting the down button of humility. Could it be that Jesus did all that humble stuff so we don’t have to? I mean, my best life now certainly can’t include something as messy as humility, can it? I hate to break it to you, homey. Christ did all that humble to show EXACTLY what we should do. If we’re to follow Jesus, we’re to follow Him as He descends into greatness.

Just in case you think I’ve lost my ever-loving mind, check out just a handful of passages from both the Old and New Testaments on God’s view of humility. Do you want God’s attention? “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My word” (Is 66:2). Jesus tells His posse, “For he who is least among you all is the one who is great” (Lk 9:48). Not once but twice, Christ makes the point, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11; 18:14). Apparently His boys weren’t quick on the uptake about this idea so He had to repeat Himself. And both Jesus’ kid brother and the leader of His apostles drop a quote from Proverbs 3:34. “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; 1Pet 5:5). Just in case you haven’t been paying attention, anyone who goes up against God loses. Every. Single. Time. Jesus calls us to follow Him and to descend into greatness.

Meanwhile back in heaven, we read how Father God “bestowed on Him the name that is above every other name” (v9). So just what name is Paul talking about? God already told Joe and Mary to name their oldest boy Jesus some 30 years ago. That can’t be it. It’s not Christ. That name means “Anointed One” and is equivalent to the promised Messiah we read all about in the OT. Let’s be clear about one thing. Jesus’ last name isn’t Christ. He’s not the Son of Joe and Mary Christ. Christ is His title. Are you tracking with me? 

So just what name is His heavenly Dad handing the resurrected and ascended Jesus? I think Paul solves the mystery for us down in verse 11. “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil 2:11). There’s a boatload of stuff going on when the Father gives the Son the name “Lord.” The Greek word kurios means master, ruler, and the one in charge. Christ returns to His Father’s side and takes the reigns of Creation. He’s the Boss. But “Lord” is also the word the translators used in an ancient Greek version of the OT called the Septuagint. As an act of reverence, they couldn’t bring themselves to actually write out God’s personal name Yahweh. Instead they substituted Lord. Ever wonder why you see “LORD” in all caps in your Bible? That’s where it all started. I think there’s a very good chance the Father calls His Son “Yahweh” once He’s back home in heaven. 

So what do we do with all this? First of all, we can be confident of Jesus’ current location. He’s with His Father. Second, He’s not just boosted up a couple of inches. He’s hyper lifted! Third, we can be sure that He’s now fully in control of everything that’s going on in the universe. Fourth, Christ has led the way for us as His followers as we are to descend into greatness. In God's economy, down is up.

Talking Back to the Smack

A lot of folks today think that talking trash is something new. They believe it just started in in the past few years. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? A basketball player flaps his gums about how he’s going to school his opponent. A cocky football player won’t shut his yapper. I’m not saying talking smack is right, but it’s certainly nothing new. A gang of thugs starts chirping, trying to intimidate Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem from rebuilding the city walls (Neh 2:19-20). You might not think that the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes would know how to comeback to their smack. But Nehemiah makes it clear that he knows exactly how to take out the trash.

Before we jump in to the specifics, let’s back up and see exactly what’s going down. The city of Jerusalem is basically a pile of bricks. Back in 586 BC, God sends Nebuchadnezzar’s battalions to level the city and haul the Jews back to Babylon into exile. Over the next 70 years, the LORD coordinates a series of very interesting events. First, the Persians knock the Babylonians off as the world’s superpower. God then uses a series of Persian kings to not only send His people back to the Promised Land but put the full resources of the government behind it. A series of three different resettlement and rebuilding teams make the 1,000 mile trip back to Jerusalem. Zerubbabel leads the first, Ezra the second, and Nehemiah the third. 

Nehemiah is probably the most unlikely leader of the bunch. Zerubbabel is the grandson of King Jehoiachin, the second to last ruler over the southern kingdom of Judah. Ezra is a priest, a scribe, and one of the greatest Bible teachers ever mentioned in the Old Testament. Nehemiah? Just a lowly servant at Artaxerxes’ palace (Neh 1:1). As the “cupbearer to the king” (Neh 1:11), he’s the royal wine steward. But his role is just a little different than the dude with the corkscrew at that high dollar restaurant. His job is to check for poison in the wine. You can figure that there might be some, how shall we say it, “significant turnover” in the cupbearer position when the king has lots of enemies. But his job gives Nehemiah regular access to the most powerful person on the planet. When God breaks his heart over the crisis in Jerusalem, the king’s servant sommelier leverages his position to seek Artaxerxes’ assistance to rebuild the city walls. The next thing you know, the Persian dictator gives this lowly servant everything he asks for. “And the king granted me what I asked for the good hand of God was upon me” (Neh 2:8). Maybe you think there’s no way Jesus could ever do anything through you. Remember, God has a habit of raising up leaders from the most unlikely of places. 

Once in Jerusalem, Nehemiah gets a firsthand look at the condition of the walls during a midnight ride around the city (Neh 2:11-16). It’s bad. REALLY bad. But that doesn’t stop him from sharing with the local leaders what God has laid on his heart. The king’s cupbearer reminds the city’s movers and shakers of just how awful the situation is. We can often become blind to the mess around us when we live in it everyday. He reassures them that not only has the king given them his royal blessing, but that God’s hand has a firm grip on the entire project (Neh 2:17-18). 

As the next scene opens, the music changes. Think the Imperial March from “Star Wars.” We see three bad dudes getting tipped off about what’s about to go down in Jerusalem. We see “Sanballat the Horonoite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Gesham the Arab” (v19). We’ve met the first two thugs earlier in the story (Neh 2:10). They hit the roof when they got wind of Nehemiah’s plan to help the people of Jerusalem. The best guess is that Sanballat and Tobiah rule over areas just outside the city to the north and east. We meet the third member of this unholy trinity. His name is “Geshem the Arab” (v19). He’s the newest member of the enemies’ inner circle. Geshem probably rules the area south of Jerusalem. He’s most likely from the city of Kedar in Arabia. If so, he’s a direct descendant of Ishmael, Abraham’s son by the servant girl Hagar (Gen 25:12-13). 

The gang of three is plugged into the rumor mill. They get wind of Nehemiah’s plan and “hear of it” (v19). Their sources tipped them off when this latest caravan rolled into the area (Neh 2:10). Now they hear of the plan to rebuild the walls just after Nehemiah’s meeting with city leaders. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem clearly have sources deep inside the Jewish leadership. Later, Nehemiah will discover just how deeply their diabolical tentacles extend into the people of Jerusalem (Neh 6:12, 17-19; 13:4-8, 28).

Once Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem find out, they immediately start talking trash. “They jeered at us and despised us” (v19). They hear. They jeer. Earlier we read that the situation is so bad that Jerusalem has become a local joke (Neh 1:3; 2:17). The city that was supposed to be God’s glorious city on a hill has been reduced to a punchline. Think Newark. Think Buffalo. Think Detroit. The crazy thing is that God is behind it all. One of the psalmist writes, “You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples” (Ps 44:13-14). This is a result of the open rebellion and sin of God’s people against His goodness and grace. The broken walls of Jerusalem provide plenty of material for local comedians. 

A big part of their smack includes the charge of sedition against the Persian Empire. “Are you rebelling against the king?” (v19). Rebellion is a REALLY big deal back in the ancient Near East. Dynasties would drop the hammer in a New York minute on any rumor of insurrection. Artaxerxes had heard this garbage before and shut down the Jerusalem project (Ez 4:12-22). It seems that Geshem is the source of the rumors of rebellion by the Israelites. We read later that Sanballat credits Geshem for telling him Nehemiah and the Jews are rebuilding the walls is in order to rebel against King Artaxerxes the Persian Empire (Neh 6:1-6).

So what does Nehemiah do? How does he respond to their trash talk? How does comeback to the smack? Does he buckle under their intimidation and bullying tactics? Not hardly. “Then I replied to them, ‘The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we His servants will arise and build’” (v20). “The God of heaven” is a name of God used a lot in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah to make the point that the LORD is the ruler over international situations. This trio of local toadies is certainly no match for the God who rules the universe from heaven. Nehemiah goes to “the God of heaven” in prayer. When King Artaxerxes asks his cupbearer what is bothering him, Nehemiah throws a quick prayer to “the God of heaven” (Neh 2:4). When challenged by these goons, he doesn’t tell them that he has the king’s support. He simply points out that God is behind the project. Nehemiah didn’t just have the king’s permission, he had God’s protection and provision. They won’t just make progress. Yahweh will make sure they prosper. 

Nehemiah then makes it clear to his enemies just exactly where they stand when it comes to what happens in the city. “You have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem” (v20). He draws a very clear and bold line between God’s people and His enemies. Once it’s obvious that Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem oppose the good of Jerusalem, Nehemiah tells them to put a sock in it. Zerubbabel and his crew had a very similar comeback when local thugs tried to intimidate their efforts to rebuild the temple. “You have nothing to do with us in building the house of our God” (Ez 4:3).

So what exactly does Nehemiah mean when he talks about their portion, right, and claim? A “portion” is an allocated share. It’s something given or granted (Josh 18:5-6; 19:9). It’s a term also used as a way to describe of belonging to something (2Sam 20:1). Nehemiah tells these bullies to back off because the city was never given to you. God graciously gave it to His people. This points to the fact that ultimately God grants us our portion in Jesus. Remember our Savior’s words to Martha when she got her undies in a bundle over her sister Mary’s lack of help. While Martha flies around the house trying to impress everyone as the First Century version of Martha Stewart, Mary parks herself right in front of the radical Rabbi/Carpenter. Jesus tells her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:41-42). Jesus is our portion.

Nehemiah lets these knuckleheads know that they also have no legal leg to stand on when it comes to Jerusalem. A “right” is an entitlement or lawful requirement. No law ever entitled these outsiders to the city. And finally they have absolutely no claim on Jerusalem. A “claim” literally means a memorial or something based on an ancient tradition. They have no historic tie or link to this town. One commentator thinks this could describe a right to come and worship in Jerusalem. There’s no historic connection to the city and no reason to come and worship. The only One to be worshiped in this place is the God of Israel. 

It’s always important to place ourselves in the story. How do we fit in to what we read? I would love to put myself in the place of Nehemiah. And why wouldn’t I? He appears to be the hero riding over the hill to save the day just in the nick of time. He boldly stands up to these thugs and puts them in their place. Or maybe I’m a citizen of the holy city who’s inspired to get to work rebuilding the walls. But I think the best role for me in this story is one of the evil three, Sanballat, Tobiah, or Geshem. Without Jesus, I have no portion in God. Without Jesus, I have to right to salvation. Without Jesus, I have to claim God’s kingdom. I’m an outsider looking in. I’ve laughed at people who’ve chosen to follow Jesus. I’ve made them a convenient punchline. I’ve completely failed to obey God’s law. But Christ changes everything. He lives the perfect life when I’ve absolutely fallen flat on my face. He dies the death on a Roman cross for my sin that most certainly should have died. He rises to a jaw-dropping new life that in no way deserve. By placing my trust in Christ, He grants me a portion, right, and claim in His kingdom. Without Him, I’m standing alongside Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, on the outside looking in. 

If God part two

“If He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly” (v5).

I love movies where the good guys win and the bad guys lose. The shining knight slays the dragon. I especially love the flicks where there’s absolutely no hope and suddenly, out of nowhere, our hero busts onto the scene to save the day and thwart evil just in the nick of time. That’s when the cavalry rides over the hill. That’s when Han Solo roars to the rescue in the Millennium Falcon. No matter how great things look for the bad guys, good wins. Evil is thwarted. 

Peter continues his four part example from Genesis to reassure his readers that God will most certainly take care of a team of false teachers who have infiltrated local churches (2:1-3). He gives four case studies from the opening book of the Bible to calm everybody down. God took care of the fallen angels (Gen 6:1-6; 2Pet 2:4). He flushed worldwide wickedness with the Great Flood (Gen 6:8-13; 2Pet 2:5). He rained down His hot wrath on the terrible twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:23-28; 2Pet 2:6). He came to Lot’s rescue just before the mushroom cloud rose (Gen 19:1-22, 29; 2Pet 2:7). The apostle uses this OT Bible study to let us know God will win and evil will lose. Yeah, these spiritual hucksters may get away with their con for a while. But in the end, Yahweh will have His way. 

The former fisherman flips back to the opening chapters of Genesis for his second case study. For the second time, he says “if.” That’s probably better read as “since.” There’s nothing “iffy” about the big flood. A lot of folks question the truth of the biblical deluge. Maybe you’re one of them. I used to be on that team too. One thing is for certain. Jesus believed it happened (Lk 17:27). And if the One who predicted His own crucifixion and resurrection said the flood is real, then I’m going with what He says. It’s not IF there was a flood. It’s SINCE there was a flood!

Pete makes it clear that God “did not spare the ancient world” (v5). The writer of Genesis lets us know that it took no time for humans to completely jack up God’s perfectly crafted creation. It’s almost the blink of biblical eye from the day Adam and Eve fell for the lies of a demonic snake until “the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth (Gen 6:6). God didn’t just need to eliminate a few bad apples. He had to wipe the slate clean. He had to hit restart. And He was going to do that with a flood.

In one of the spectacular examples of grace in the OT, God reaches out and “preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness” (v5). God didn’t save Noah because he was such hot stuff. He wasn’t some Lone Righteous Ranger in a wicked world. Just before He handpicks Noah, God’s heart breaks over the people He created that must all be wiped out (Gen 6:5-6). Notice the sequence of events in Genesis. God doesn’t make Noah his number one draft pick because he’s clearly the best player available. No, it’s the other way around. Because “Noah found favor in the eyes of God” (Gen 6:8), he then is described as “a righteous man, blameless in his generation” (Gen 6:9). God’s grace radically transforms Noah. He becomes a “preacher of righteousness (v4).” And let’s be VERY clear about just who’s righteousness he’s telling everyone about. Noah is NOT saying, “Hey, look at me! Check out MY incredible goodness!” No, he’s announcing to the world the goodness, perfection and holiness of the One who showered him with descending one-way love. 

God places Noah and his family under the waterfall of His grace. In the meantime, God punishes evil. “He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly” (v5). Pete uses the Greek word kataklusmos. It’s the source for our term “cataclysm.” It describes complete and total inundation. There wasn’t just some localized flash flooding. God totally soaked the entire planet. Global catastrophe. Utter devastation. He flushed the toilet of evil. The apostle makes the point that if God can handle an entire world full of sinners, a few spiritual snake oil salesmen will be a piece of cake. The Good Guy wins. Evil is thwarted.

Lose the Force, Luke

And what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might (Eph 1:19).

I love me some "Star Wars." Especially the original trilogy. You know, the one that starts with Episode IV. Yeah, that only makes sense if you're fan. 

It's loaded with classic characters. Princess Leia. Han Solo. Darth Vader. Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke Skywalker. 

But let's be honest, these movies are entertaining but their theology was, shall we say, more than a bit wacko. There's that famous scene where the dearly departed Ben Kenobi urged young Luke to "use the Force, Luke." 

Here in his letter to his friends in Ephesus, Paul instead tells us to understand the unlimited energy source that God works in and through our lives. 

The apostle wants us to see "what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might" (v19). 

Lose the Force, Luke. Let the power of Jesus do the work.

This is a continuation of Paul's prayer that he began in Eph 1:16. First he asked God to shine His spotlight on the incredible hope we have in Jesus as well as breathtaking inheritance our heavenly Dad has for us (Eph 1:18). 

He then prays that God would pull back the curtain and allow us to see His incredible power at work in our lives. The apostle asks that God give us a tour of the reactor of divine power. 

Sorry, Iron Man. Your arc reactor is cool. But it's a 9 volt battery compared to amazing power of God that energizes the life of Jesus' followers.

Paul calls God's power "immeasurable" (v19). This is the Greek word huperballo/'υπερβαλλω. It means to surpass all measure, exceed to an extraordinary extent, go beyond all comprehension, something extreme or beyond comparison. 

If you've placed your trust in Jesus, God's power in your life is off the scale. It pegs the meter. It's off the charts. 

Stop and think about that for just a moment. Do you really understand what kind of supernatural energy is at your disposal? 

That's why the apostle asks God to pull back the curtain and get a glimpse. The term translated as "power" here is closely related to our word "dynamo." His power in our lives is off the charts.

But not everybody has access to God's unlimited power. This isn't like "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Just because someone possesses the Ark, it doesn't mean they can access God's power like some sort of weapon of mass destruction. 

No. Instead, the power of Jesus is "to us who believe" (v19). God only plugs in those who place their trust in who Jesus is and what He's done. 

He lived a perfect life that we didn't. He died a brutal death that we should have. He rose to a new life that we don't deserve. He did it. We didn't. 

We believe in what He did FOR us. This is NOT about the strength of our faith in Christ. This is about believing He's done for us what we could never do in a million years. 

It's NOT the power of our belief. It's about the power of the One in whom we believe.

This divine dynamo is the "working of His great might" (v19). We see another power-packed term here. "Working" is the Greek noun energeia/ενεργεια.

Looks familiar, doesn't it? Yeah, this means energy, power or force. In the New Testament, biblical writers only use it when talking about a supernatural power source, whether God or Satan. 

This is the energy of God. This is the power of God. This is supernatural force of God. Lose the Force, Luke. Turn to Jesus.

Speaking of Luke, the author of Acts used this same term when he related Jesus' last words to His followers. 

"You will receive power (Gr. energeia/ενεργεια) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). 

His disciples find out just a few days later that this amazing power source is actually the Person of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2-4). 

His indwelling Spirit is the reactor in each one of Christ's followers. And a huge purpose of plugging us into this divine dynamo is to tell others about Jesus. 

The Apostle Paul certainly understood that. "Of this Gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of His power (Gr. energeia/ενεργεια)" (Eph 3:7). 

He used God's supernatural energy to tell others about Jesus. A perfect example that with great power comes great responsibility.

We need to realize that Jesus can do absolutely crazy things in us and through us because the Holy Spirit is an unlimited source of energy.

 Later in this letter to his buddies back in Ephesus, Paul suddenly explodes in praise over the off the scale power of God in his life. 

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power (Gr. energia) at work within us" (Eph 3:20). 

Lose the Force, Luke.

©2013
Jay Jennings