An Average Joe

Stephen continues his amazing sermon before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:9-16.  The high priest has basically asked him how he pleads to the charge of blasphemy (Acts 7:1).  

Instead of answering the question, Steve begins by flipping open the Bible and proving to the council that Jesus is indeed the long-awaited Messiah that God promised throughout the Old Testament.  

In other words, Steve says the entire OT is about Jesus!

We must not get sidetracked when we study the OT.  These are not a series of moral stories about great men and women who are to be emulated.  Not at all.  They are not the heroes of the story.  

This is God's story!  He is the Hero!  Through the OT, He shows us how He consistently does amazing things through the lives of jacked up, stiff necked, sinful people.  

God is the Hero of the story! 

Steve first tells the story of how God graciously interacted with Abraham, his son Isaac, grandson Jacob and his great grandchildren, "the twelve patriarchs" (Acts 7:2-8).  

Again, don’t take the bait and see these men as great examples.  This is messed up bunch that God graciously used.  

Abraham lied about his wife to save his own skin, not once, but twice.  Isaac was the head of horribly dysfunctional family.  Jacob was a conniving backstabber who schemes to get his brother's birthright.

At this point, I would strongly encourage a reading of Genesis 37, 39-49.  This is the story of Joseph that Steve is about to relate.

This leads us to the twelve patriarchs.  Surely the dozen sons of Jacob were the pillars upon which the nation of Israel stands.  These twelve men are so famous and respected that the twelve tribes take their names from them.  

But there's just one problem with all of that.  It's not true.  Jake's boys put the funk in dysfunction.  These so-called twelve patriarchs are probably better understood as the Dirty Dozen.  

Stephen tells us that "the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt" (v9).  Not exactly the behavior you'd expect from the founding fathers of your faith.

The reason this shouldn't surprise us is that the twelve patriarchs aren't the heroes of the story.  And neither is their brother Joseph.  

Sure, he is less culpable but he's brought some of this on himself with all this immature talk that his brothers and parents would bow down before him (Gen 37:6-11).  Talk about a cocky kid brother!

Joseph is just, well, an average Joe.  There's just one thing different about the boy.  "But God was with him" (v9).  An average Joe accompanied by our awesome Jehovah.  God's great big hand is strongly on little Joe as he rolls into Egypt.  

The presence of God in someone’s life means nothing but lifestyles of the rich and famous, right?  Wrong.  

It’s not long before Joe is wrongly convicted of raping his boss’ wife and tossed into prison for decades.  But he was able to stand strong because "God was with him” (v9).

Joe didn't use any great skill or wisdom to break out of prison.  Nope.  This was God at work.  

Don't forget, God is the Hero of Joe's story.  It's God that "rescued him out of all his afflictions" (v10).  

But this amazing comeback story of our average Joe doesn't stop there.  God then "gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt” (v10).  From the prison cell to the throne room.  Talk about a turnaround!

God eventually places Joseph as number two in authority of the Egyptian government under Pharaoh.  Our sovereign Lord then brings Joe's family to town looking for food during a famine.  Eventually, Jacob and the entire fam pack up and move to Egypt.

God is not only the Hero of average Joe's story, He's the Hero of the Old Testament.  He's the Hero of the entire Bible.  And He's the Hero of my story.  Hopefully, He's the Hero of your story.        

The story of Joseph reminds us that any average Joe that God chooses to use will do great things.  Because He is the Hero of the story.

©2011

Jay Jennings

Stephen Goes into OT

 If you're a sports fan, you know that overtime is crunch time.  OT is where it all happens.  It's at the end of the game where victory is decided.  

In the Bible, the OT is certainly crunch time and where victory is decided.  But there's one big difference, the OT (Old Testament) comes FIRST.

Here Stephen goes into the OT to explain to the Sanhedrin that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah that God has promised (Acts 7:1-8).  He walks through the OT to show them that all of God's interaction with their forefathers was all about Jesus.

We must never forget that the Old Testament is NOT about great heroes.  It's NOT about wonderful examples of morality.  

There is only one Hero of the story in the OT.  Jesus.  The OT is part of a grand narrative about Christ.  The OT is filled with shadows, types, promises and prophecies about Jesus.  

Some call it the Meta Narrative.  That simply means the Big Story.  

Whatever we read in the OT, we must see in light of Jesus.  We must read it in light of how God uses an endless list of sinful, jacked up people to fulfill His promise of salvation through His Son.

The OT is crunch time.  The OT is where the game is decided.  The only difference is that in the Bible, the OT happens FIRST!

 

Stephen's Jewish enemies drag him before the ruling council.  The proceedings begin with the high priest asking our man Steve, "Are these things so?" (v1).  This is the equivalent of the judge asking the defendant, "How do you plead?"

Well, Steve doesn't exactly answer his question.  Rather, he uses it as an opportunity to preach a sermon.  He basicly opens the Old Testament to its first book and begins walking through God's story, explaining that Jesus is Messiah.  

This is a reminder that we must "always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1Pet 3:15).  

Are you and I ready?  We need to be.  Maybe not to preach a sermon, but to share the good news of Jesus.

Let's remember how Luke describes Stephen.  The apostles appointed him for service along with six other dudes (Acts 6:5).  These men were to be "men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (Acts 6:3).  

Steve shows that he’s "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5).  Once he starts serving, he’s "full of grace and power" as well as "doing great wonders and signs" (Acts 6:8).  

When the Jewish leaders confront him and try to debate him, they’re frustrated by his "wisdom and the Spirit" (Acts 6:10).  No wonder.  With God’s Spirit giving him the words and wisdom, they don’t stand a chance.

The only way they could ever beat Stephen was to cheat.  Just like they did with Jesus, his opponents cook up people willing to commit perjury in order to get him out of the picture (Acts 6:11-13).

Stephen begins his impromptu message by flipping back to the opening pages of the OT.  He tells his Jewish brethren how "the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham" (v2).

Let's be clear about one thing.  Steve is NOT sharing a series of stories about characters from the OT.  He's sharing ONE story about GOD!  

Watch how the One moving the story along, the One making everything happen is actually Almighty God.  He's the One appearing (v2), calling, showing (v3), removing (v4), giving, promising (v5), speaking (v6), judging and afflicting (v7).  

Stephen walks his listeners through the story of Abraham in Genesis (Gen 12:1-4; 17:7-8; 48:4; 15:13-14; 17:10-14).  

This is a not-so-subtle reminder that the first book of the Bible is not a story full of legends and fairy tales.  

It is history.  Or rather His Story.  It is the beginning of the story of God's gracious interaction with His creation.

Heroes are made in OT.  And God is THE Hero of the OT.   

©2011

Jay Jennings

Jesus Never Wobbles

"If we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself” (2Tim 2:13).

Remember Weebles? They were goofy little egg-shaped toys that would wobble but never fall down. No matter what you did to these little roly polies, they would always return upright. 

So what in the world do Weebles have to do with following Jesus? Okay, hear me out. Sometimes my faith in Christ is strong. Too often I get knocked for a loop. Too often I doubt. Too often I fail to trust Him. Too often I wobble. 

Here in 2 Timothy, Paul tells his young buddy how there are going to be times when our unbelief gets the best of us. But there’s good news in the Good News. Our Savior remains rock steady. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself” (v13). 

We may wobble but Jesus never wavers.

If you’re familiar with Paul’s second letter to Timothy, you have to wonder if he’s not wobbling. Could you blame him? He’s currently in Caesar’s SuperMax, otherwise known as Rome’s Mamertine prison. The apostle is not just in heavy chains (2Tim 1:16; 2:9) but on Death Row (2Tim 4:6-7). He’s desperate for one last visit from his protege (2Tim 4:9, 12). I don’t know about you, but my faith wouldn’t just be wobbling. More like in free fall. 

It’s at this point in his letter that the apostle leans on lyrics of a first century worship song to make his point. It goes a little something like this. Following Jesus is a matter of life THROUGH death (2Tim 2:11). There’s no easy button or fast past, but just wait to see the ultimate payoff (2Tim 2:12a). If I reject Christ my entire life, He will eventually give me exactly what I want in eternity…and that’s NOT a good thing (2Tim 2:12b). 

The last line Paul quotes from the tune describe our weakness and Jesus’ strength. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself” (v13). Smart folks who have forgotten more about the Bible than I’ll ever know are divided on this verse. There’s a huge difference of opinion on what the apostle is trying to get across. In other words, what’s he referring to when he talks about our faithlessness? Is this a lifelong rejection of Jesus (like in 2Tim 2:12)? Or is it a short term season of disbelief? 

Let me put all my cards on the table. I land on the latter. I could be wrong. I begin to think so when smart dudes like John Piper and John MacArthur take the opposite view. Slippery slope, don’t ya think? But there’s one thing we all agree on. One thing we need to remember. God’s Word is ultimately about God, not us. So no matter whether Paul is talking about our faithless rejection of Him over a lifetime or our temporary distrust, one thing is certain. “He remains faithful” (v13). The big idea? Our Savior is rocky steady.

We may wobble but Jesus never wavers.

Don’t forget who’s the Hero of Scripture. Jesus. He says so Himself (Jn 5:39). He goes so far as to say that when Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, “He wrote of Me” (Jn 5:46). In what might be the greatest Bible study the world has ever seen, the resurrected Christ unpacked Scriptures Big Idea to a couple of dudes headed home to Emmaus. “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Lk 24:27).

Jesus is the Point. He’s the Hero. He’s the Reason. Everything from Genesis to Revelation is there to shine the spotlight of salvation on our Savior.

So let’s turn it around. Who is God’s story NOT about? I can say for certain that it’s NOT about me. Pretty sure it’s NOT about you either. At it’s core, Scripture is NOT a handbook for unlocking God’s blessings. Are we part of the story? You betcha. But we’re not the point.

If that’s the case, do you know who else isn’t the point? People like Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Solomon, John the Dunker, Peter, and the rest of Jesus’ Dirty Dozen. We need to stop turning these people into some sort of Sunday School version of the Avengers. Each and every one of them are flawed and fallen. Each one of them desperately in need of a Savior. 

What does this have to do with what Paul writes to Timothy? They were far from perfect with less than perfect faith. God includes this endless parade of goofballs, weirdos, washouts, and knuckleheads in His grand story to show just how faithful He is when we’re faithless. 

Adam wobbled when he sat passively while a talking snake seduced his wife. 

Noah wobbled when he passed out drunk and naked like a Jeff Foxworthy “You might be a redneck” punchline. 

Abraham wobbled when he not only pretended Sarah wasn’t his wife (Guys, you DO realize that’s NEVER gonna end well, don’t you?), but thought he could help God’s plan by sleeping with his wife’s maid.

David wobbled when he seduced one of his soldier’s wife and then had him killed in cold blood on the battlefield.

Solomon wobbled when he repeatedly married women who didn’t share his faith and eventually found himself far from God.

John the Dunker wobbled when he was in the slammer and doubted that his Cousin Jesus really was Messiah.

Peter wobbled when he denied he even knew the Lord when a teenage girl confronted him (cue the rooster).

Those not-so-brave disciples wobbled and scattered like cockroaches at Jesus’ arrest and execution.

They wobbled. We wobble. But Jesus never wavers. God uses each of them to shine the spotlight on our always faithful Savior. We place our wobbly trust in the One who never wavers. Christ lived the perfect life we failed to live. He died the death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to a spectacular new life that we don’t deserve. We trust in the One who is undeniably trustworthy. 

We may wobble but Jesus never wavers.

Think of it this way. It’s MUCH better to have a weak faith in a strong object than a strong faith in a weak object. Follow the logic. I can have all of the faith in the world that I can fly cross county on a paper airplane. But no matter who’s folding or slinging that flimsy glider, this isn’t going to end well. On the other hand, I might have serious doubts about a successful flight from LaGuardia to LAX on Southwest. But despite my lack of faith, that airliner is still getting to Cali. (However, I’m NOT making any guarantees on the luggage.) It’s better to have a weak and wobbly faith in a strong object. There’s no stronger object of our faith that Jesus.

We may wobble but Jesus never wavers.

THE Hero of THE Story

“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my Gospel” (2Tim 2:8).

I don’t watch the original “Rocky” and pull for Apollo Creed. Lex Luthor may be Superman’s archenemy, but the Man of Steel always gets top billing. If you’re cheering for Mr. Potter to stick it to George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” you’ve got serious issues. In the great stories of our culture, you always pull for the hero.

In a letter to his sidekick Timothy, the Apostle Paul reminds him that when it comes to the grand story of God as told in His Word, there’s only one Hero. “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my Gospel” (v8).

Paul wants Tim to never forget that the whole thing points to Jesus, the Radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth. He’s God’s Anointed One. The One who walked out of the graveyard after being dead for three days. The Descendant that God personally promised King David would one day be King forever. He’s the Point of Paul’s viral message about God. 

Never forget that Jesus is THE Hero of THE Story.

That’s a pretty big deal if you know what’s going on Paul’s story as he writes. He’s behind bars (2Tim 1:8, 16; 2:9). That’s certainly not the first time the apostle been locked up for telling people about Jesus. But this incarceration is different. He’s on Death Row in Rome’s Mamertine Prison (2Tim 4:6-7). This joint is so tough it makes Shawshank look like Club Med.

Despite his desperate situation, it hasn’t changed anything about the apostle’s trust in who Jesus and what He has done. If anything, Paul’s grip on Christ is even tighter. He knows that no matter what happens to him on this side of eternity, Jesus ultimately wins. And when Jesus wins, those who follow Him do too. If you have any doubts about the Lord’s final victory, you might want to flip to the back of the Book. While Revelation might be a little hard to understand in some places and downright weird in others, one thing is sure. Jesus wins. Remember, He’s THE Hero of THE Story.

That’s important for every person who trusts in Jesus to realize. Sure, a few of us may live some pretty sweet lives here on Earth. But most face of us face all sorts of pain, suffering, disease, disappointment, abandonment, and shame. Take it from our man Paul. He’s not exactly living large unless you’re talking about shipwrecks, jail, beatings, and a contract on his life (2Cor 11:23-28). But despite walking the Green Mile, he continues walking with Jesus. He trusts in the THE Hero of THE Story. It’s a great reminder that we can too.

The apostle hopes Tim will keep the main thing the main thing. Rather, the Main One the Main One. “Remember Jesus Christ” (v8).  He uses a Greek verb here (Gr. μνεμονευο) that means to recall or keep something specific in mind. In other words, think about it and keep thinking about. It’s actually from a couple of words that mean to stay right there and chew on this. 

But it’s more than just keeping something on the front burner of your brain. It’s doing something about it. When you first see μνεμονευο, you may want to ask Pat Sajak if you can buy a vowel (Well, at least a Greek vowel). Instead Paul wants folks to not just remember but respond. Keep recalling Christ. Keep reacting to what He’s done for you.

We see that when we check out a couple of other times we see this word in the NT. Jesus tells His posse to recall and respond to what He’s told them. “Remember (Gr. μνεμονευο) the word I have said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (Jn 15:20). Recall His instructions. React accordingly.

When Paul tells the Galatians about his big meet-up at the home office in Jerusalem, the leaders of the early church just put a couple of things on his to-do list. One of them, “they asked us to remember (Gr. μνεμονευο) the poor, the very thing I was eager to do” (Gal 2:10). Recall their instructions about those living in poverty. React accordingly and do something about it.

As we go through life, recall Jesus and react accordingly. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way. When we run the grueling marathon race of life, we must keep our eyes on Christ the entire time, “looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2). When I don’t know what else to do, I just take a long look at the Lord. When I remember how incredibly good He is to me, how merciful He is to me, how much He’s forgiven me, how gracious He is to me, I can’t sit still. I’ve gotta do something! I recall the Gospel and react accordingly. Always remember Jesus is THE Hero of THE Story. Always remember Jesus is the Hero of YOUR Story and MY Story.

Paul refers to our Savior here as “Jesus Christ” (v8). You do realize that Christ is NOT His last name, don’t you? He’s not the Son of Joe and Mary Christ of Nazareth. Christ is His title. It means the Anointed One and is equivalent to the OT term Messiah. In other words, Father God has anointed His Son Jesus to be the Hero He’s promised to rescue His chosen people for the past a few thousand years. 

It’s all part of being THE Hero of the ENTIRE Story. For instance, did you know Jesus gets a mention VERY early in the opening pages of Genesis? After Adam sat passively while his wife fell for the lies of a satanic snake and sin entered God’s perfect creation (Gen 3:1-7), our Heavenly Father warns the serpent that a Hero is coming to crush his head (Gen 3:15). That Someone is Jesus.

That releases a tsunami of predictions, prophecies, and promises about the Messiah that washes the pages of the OT. Smart folks who study this sort of thing say there a literally hundreds of them. Here’s just a few. He’ll be a member of Abraham’s family (Gen 12:3; 22:18). His mom would be a virgin. (Is 7:14). Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Heir to King David’s throne (2Sam 7:12-13). Suffer and die for our rebellion (Is 53). That’s just the tip of the messianic iceberg.

What’s the big deal? It means the Messiah is THE Hero of the Old Testament. So if Jesus is the Messiah, He’s THE Hero of the OT! Sure, there are cool stories about some crazy characters. Folks like Noah, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, David, and Jeremiah. And guess what. They all were jacked up sinners in desperate need of a Savior just like you and me.

The Jewish people had seriously high hopes for the Messiah’s arrival. He would not only fulfill all the prophets predicted but they expected a whole lot more. Specifically, He would punch their Roman oppressors in the throat and lead Israel back to glory. Or so they thought. There was only one problem. God had other ideas.

The Heavenly Father would send His Son to rule and reign, but first He would come this first time to serve and suffer. Specifically, die on a cross in our place. However Jesus wouldn’t stay dead. Or as Paul wants Tim to never forget, Christ was “risen from the dead” (v8). As cool as sending the Roman army running away like little school girls might be, walking out of your own tomb three days after your funeral has that beat by a long shot. You do that kind of thing when you’re THE Hero of THE Story.

Flash back before His crucifixion. Several different times, the Lord tells His crew that it was going to go down this way. For instance, after their crazy mountaintop encounter with Moses and Elijah, Jesus instructs His inner circle not to say a word about what happened “until the Son of Man is raised from the dead” (Mt 17:9).

As you might imagine, Christ’s miraculous resurrection is a game changer for His followers. Seeing the risen Jesus transformed the disciples from freaked out cowards into fearless messengers of the Gospel. It’s the consistent center of the message believers spread around the Mediterranean Rim in the Book of Acts (Acts 1:3; 2:24, 31-32; 3:14; 4:10, 33; 5:30; 9:3-8; 10:40-41; 13:30, 34, 37; 17:3, 18, 31; 22:6-10; 25:19; 26:12-18, 23).

Paul reminds Tim to rewind to the Old Testament again when he refers to Jesus as “the offspring of David” (v8). He’s the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to David. “I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom…and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever” (2Sam 7:12, 13). The Gospel writers refer to Jesus as the “son of David” a grand total 13 times. That’s Bible talk for THE Hero of THE Story.

Jesus as the ultimate Hero of God’s story “as preached in my Gospel,” according to the apostle. Throughout all of Paul’s letters, he makes it clear He’s put his trust in the promised Messiah. THE Hero of the OT. Risen from the dead. THE Hero of the NT. Descendant of David. THE Hero of the ENTIRE BIBLE!

Did you know that Jesus goes out of His way to say that very same thing? He makes it clear that He’s the point of Scripture (Jn 5:39). He goes so far as to say that when Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, the Big Mo was writing about the coming Christ (Jn 5:46). Jesus is THE Hero of THE STORY.

After His resurrection, Jesus caught up with a couple of dudes headed home to Emmaus. He led this pair on what may be the greatest Bible study EVER. “Beginning with Moses and the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Lk 24:27). Jesus is THE HERO of THE STORY.

So what’s all this mean? First and foremost, it’s NOT about me. And I’ve got bad news. It’s not about you either. It’s also not about Moses. Not about David. Not about Isaiah. Not about Peter. Not about Paul. It’s about the Messiah. It’s about Jesus. 

Jesus is THE Hero of THE Story.

It means that because Jesus is risen, we will rise (2Cor 4:14). We have absolutely no reason to fear our inevitable date with death. Our Heavenly Dad gives us eternal life when we believe in His Son’s perfect life, substitutionary death, and victorious resurrection (Jn 3:16). If you can’t trust Placing the One who marched right out of the cemetery, who can you trust? 

The Risen One is THE Hero of THE Story.

It means that because Jesus is a direct descendant of King David, we can be sure God is the ultimate Promise Keeper (Dt 7:9). He never lies. Ever (Num 23:19). If He says it, He will do it (Rom 4:21). Even when my faith wobbles like a Weeble (and I know it will!), I can be sure that Jesus is rock sold (2Tim 2:13). And as the Son of David, Christ is the true source of mercy and healing (Mt 15:22; 20:30).

The Son of David is THE Hero of THE Story.

It means that Jesus is the point of the Good News. Our Savior said He’s the one and only way to eternal life (Jn 14:6). The apostle Christ called Rocky told the religious police that they not only murdered the Messiah but that He’s also the exclusive source of salvation (Acts 4:12). Any other alleged good news offers no good news at all.

The Jesus of the Gospel is THE Hero of THE Story.

While you and I aren’t the point of God’s great story, Jesus invites us to be a part of it. He may have wrapped up the writing of the Bible, but He’s far from done. When we trust in Christ, we become part of His story. Think about that for a moment. We’re now included in the same grand narrative with names like Noah, Nehemiah, and our man Paul. Rocky may have an endless movie franchise. Superman may be the Man of Steel. George Bailey may be the favorite son of Bedford Falls. But Jesus is THE Hero of MY Story.

Remember, Jesus is THE Hero of THE Story.

Who You Gonna Call?

“To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (2Tim 1:2).

Who you gonna call? Who’s your 9-1-1? Who’s that person you have on speed dial when your world crumbles? Who’s your go-guy or gal? When the fecal matter hits the whirling device, we all have somebody we call. For Paul, it’s Timothy. How do we know that? Well, that’s exactly the person the apostle reaches out to when he ends up on Rome’s Death Row. He scribbles Tim’s name on the envelope of the last letter he’ll ever write. (Okay, I realize it’s a scroll of parchment, not an envelope. Work with me here.) 

The book of the Bible we call 2nd Timothy is actually a note from the Apostle Paul to Pastor Tim. Knowing he’s just hit life’s two-minute warning, the man from Tarsus writes, “To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (v2). In the face of certain death, he reminds Tim just how much he means to him. He wishes God’s best for him. And he points to the Savior they both serve. 

With his life on the line, Paul opens his heart about the two most important relationships in his life. One horizontal. One vertical. One human. One divine. He reaches out and reaches up. Is there important theology here in this one little verse? No question. And we’ll certainly drill down on some of that. But don’t miss just how incredibly personal the apostle is as he writes.  

Paul starts with the horizontal relationship he has with Timothy. When we last left Tim, he was pastoring the church in Ephesus, a large seaport and cultural crossroads on the western coast of what we know today as Turkey. Paul left him in charge of the cleanup caused by a team of false teachers who distracted Ephesian believers from following Jesus (1Tim 1:1-7). I told you the Timster was on the shortlist of the apostle’s go-to guys.

Timothy grew up a couple of hundred miles west of Ephesus in the town of Lystra. He’s the product of a biracial mixed faith marriage. His mom was a Jew and his dad Greek (Acts 16:1). More proof that there’s no racial or religious prerequisites in following Jesus. Like a good Jewish mother, Eunice taught him the Old Testament growing up (2Tim 1:5; 3:15). It’s no surprise they gave him a name that literally means “one who honors God.”

There’s probably a good chance Jesus used the apostle to bring Timothy to faith on one of his first trips to Lystra (Acts 14:6-23). Paul brought Tim onto his team later at a third tour stop in Lystra (Acts 16:1-2). Tim’s half-Hebrew heritage caused quite a scene. At the time, there was a HUGE controversy about what it meant to be a Jewish follower of Jesus. That’s why Paul “took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Greek” (Acts 16:3). Don’t just blow past that. Tim agreed to be circumcised…as an adult! Talk about a willingness to sacrifice so that others would hear about Jesus!! Kinda makes sharing the Gospel with your neighbor look wimpy, doesn’t it? 

Paul calls Tim “my beloved child” (v1). The original language is absolutely drips with sentiment and emotion. The apostle is secure enough in his manhood to tell Tim he loves him. I gotta admit, this is still a struggle for me at times with other men. If you love someone, tell them. It doesn’t mean you don’t back it up with sacrificial demonstrations of your feelings. But say it. To your spouse. To your kids. To your parents. To your friends. Say it out loud. And say it often. I. Love. You.

Tim has a special place in Paul’s heart as his “child” (v1). Not his blood kin. But his spiritual son. The apostle drops the Greek term teknon, which can mean an immediate offspring or descendant. It comes from from a root word describing a person so precious that you would do anything to protect them. Teknon carries the idea of deep affection. It’s indeed a term of endearment and affection.

You’ll quickly see from other uses in the NT that this is someone with whom you share an intimate friendship. There’s that amazing story of the time a group of dudes brought their disabled friend to Jesus. The Savior took one look at him and said, “Take heart, My son (Gr. teknon), your sins are forgiven” (Mt 9:2). It’s no surprise when the Corinthian church was a hot mess, Paul knew his boy Tim was the one to go there. “I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child (Gr. teknon) in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ” (1Cor 4:17). It’s as if apostle is such a proud spiritual father that he tells Tim, “You’re my boy, Blue!”

Let’s take a moment to check our own horizontal hold. Who’s YOUR spiritual dad or mom? Who’s the person Jesus used to bring you to trust in Him? Who’s that person who walked with you during those awkward baby steps of faith? If possible, thank them. Do you have someone currently serving as your spiritual mentor? Hopefully so. And how about someone who looks to you to be their Paul to their Timothy? If not, take a look around. There’s no doubt some passionate follower of Jesus who would love to have you pouring into them. 

At this point, Paul begins the pivot from horizontal to vertical. He wishes Tim God’s “grace, mercy, and peace” (v2). We’re talking about the Triple Crown of God’s goodness! Grace is God’s descending, one-way love. It’s getting good we don’t deserve. In contrast, mercy is not getting the punishment we DO deserve. We’ve been rebels against God’s kingdom ever since the day Adam and Eve decided they wanted a piece of fruit instead of the goodness of God. Instead punishment, He gives us His mercy. God’s peace is a whole lot more than just a lack of war. It describes freedom from anxiety, unspoiled harmony, and the perfect rhythm of life. Like I said, the Triple Crown of God’s goodness.

The apostle is clearly looking vertically towards heaven when points out that these three gifts are “from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (v2). We need to remember God isn’t some angry distant diety hoping you’ll mess up so He can zap you. He’s a loving Dad. He cares deeply for you. He wants His best for you. Jesus’ kid brother James may have had a different earthly dad but fully realized this about our Heavenly Father. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). God the Father is a good Father. He’s a good, good Father.

Paul keeps his eyes on the vertical and tells Tim “Christ Jesus our Lord” (v2) is also fully involved in delivering the Triple Crown of God’s goodness. By using this phrase, the apostle wants us to know Jesus is much more than a great teacher from the boondocks of Galilee. He’s much more than the hottest new rabbi or spiritual swami making headlines. He’s much more than some mysterious miracle worker able to heal any disease or disorder thrown His way. He’s the Second Person of the Trinity. He’s the Son of God. He’s God in a bod. He’s the Christ. He’s our Lord.

The apostle drops Jesus’ name a total of 13 times in this letter to Timothy. Each time he does, he ALWAYS includes the incredibly important title of Christ. (You DO know Christ isn’t Jesus’ last night, right? He’s not the Son of Joe Christ and Mary Christ of Nazareth.) Christ is the Greek word Christos, which means one who has been anointed for a special cause or purpose. 

The Christ is the NT title corresponding with the Messiah in the OT. The Hebrew Messiah is the Hero God promises to send to make everything right. He initially made that promise in the very first family meeting after the Fall (Gen 3:17). Someone’s coming to the rescue. He promised it to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3; 15:1-18; 17:18). He promised it to David (2Sam 7:9-17). A Hero was on the way! Messiah was coming! In Jesus, Christ has come!!

If you’re like me and not Jewish, what’s the big deal about the Hebrew Messiah? Here’s the good news. Or should I say Good News. Christ Jesus didn’t just come to save the Jews but save everybody THROUGH the Jews. And Tim’s the perfect example. Remember, he’s half Jew/half Gentile. In Jesus, He’s 100% saved!! Jesus is everybody’s Messiah. He’s everybody’s Hero. Yours. Mine. And anybody else who calls on His name.

Christ Jesus is also the Hero of the entire Bible. It’s ALL about Jesus. Everything from Genesis to Revelation points to Him. Smart folks in seminaries call the Big Story of Scripture the Meta-Narrative. In other words, there’s an overarching story going on all throughout the pages of God’s Word. There’s just one point. There’s just one Hero. Christ is THE Hero of THE Story. Not Moses. Not David. Not Paul. Not Tim. Jesus Himself said as much (Lk 24:26-27; Jn 5:39-47). Every story in the Bible points to Him in some way. As Messiah, Jesus is THE Hero of THE Story.

The Son of God is also “our Lord” (v2). The word in the original language (Gr. kurios) describes a master, the one in control, the person to whom things belong, and the one who decides. It literally means the Supreme One. As Lord of His followers, Jesus is our boss. Have you seen the bumper sticker that says “My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter”? He’s the Ruler. He’s the Decision Maker. When we humble ourselves before our Savior, He doesn’t just forgive our sins. He becomes our Lord. In other words, you can’t simply buy the fire insurance. We’re to do what He says. Not because Christ is some power-hungry megalomaniac. His commands are the very source of the overflowing and abundant life He came to bring us (Jn 10:1). Jesus is our Lord.

As Paul addresses this note to Timothy from Death Row, he packs these opening lines with a ton of both intimacy and hope. He reaches out horizontally to one who’s been there for him so many times before. He certainly doesn’t have to check in his man card for telling Tim how much he loves him. The apostle looks vertically to God, the ultimate source of goodness. God’s goodness isn’t cut off just because Paul’s in the slammer. With death on the doorstep, apostle calls horizontally and hopes vertically. How about you? Who you gonna call?

Cleaning House

As we read the closing verses of Nehemiah, let’s take just a moment to realize these are the last words of the Old Testament to be written before Jesus comes back. When the author puts down his pen, God won’t utter one word for almost 400 years until His Son arrives in a feed trough in Bethlehem. Many scholars believe God hangs up the phone of the OT at the end of Nehemiah. With that in mind, what do we do with these final verses (Neh 13:30-31)? Are these simply the closing sentences from Nehemiah’s personal journal? Or do they give us a sneak preview of something (or should we say Someone) to come? 

A lot has happened in Nehemiah’s life over the past couple of decades. It all started that day he was working as the royal wine steward to King Artaxerxes of Persia. His brother Hanani was fresh back from Jerusalem and told him about the crisis in the Promised Land. The once glorious city on a hill is in crisis. The people are in shame. The walls are piles of rubble. God uses the breaking news about the broken walls breaks Nehemiah’s heart. The LORD tweaks the heart of the pagan dictator to not only allow his cupbearer to return as governor of Judah but to bankroll the entire revitalization project. Despite a series of setbacks and major opposition, God’s chosen people have refurbished the walls (Neh 6:15), repented of their sin (Neh 10:28-39), repopulated the city (Neh 11:1-36), and rejoiced at what God has done on their behalf (Neh 12:43).

After serving 12 years as governor, Nehemiah heads back to his job at the Persian palace (Neh 13:6). At some point, the cupbearer checks back in on his friends in Jerusalem. He returns to find an absolute hot mess. He immediately gets to work. Nehemiah evicts one of Israel’s enemies from his apartment in the temple (Neh 13:4-9). He restocks the food pantry for those serving at the house of the LORD (Neh 13:10-14). He shuts down the massive market that had stolen the people’s focus and energy on their divinely ordained day off (Neh 13:15-22). He goes all MMA on the Jewish men who’ve not only shacked up with local pagan hotties but fathered children with them as well (Neh 13:23-29). Yeah, that’s probably not exactly the vacation to Jerusalem Nehemiah originally planned. 

As he wraps up his trip, Nehemiah ties a bow on his latest reforms. “Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priest and Levites, each in his work; and I provided for the wood offering at the appoint times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good” (v30-31). He goes down the list of all he’s gotten done. Foreign influence purged? Check. Job descriptions and assignments for the priesthood and Levites? Check. Firewood for the burnt offerings? Check. Delivery of the first and best? Check. 

While each of these is certainly a big deal in the context of Nehemiah’s journal, there’s something much bigger going on. Let’s back up and take a look at this text from 50,000 feet. Let’s see how this fits into what some people call the Meta-Narrative, or the Big Story of the Bible. Nehemiah’s last words actually point us to One who was to come. Way back at that extremely bad day in Eden, God promised to send Someone who would come to the rescue (Gen 3:15). That’s the first of endless promises of the Hero who will save the world. For centuries, God’s chosen people understood that He would send Messiah through them to bless every person on the planet. We have the blessing of biblical perspective to know just who He is. Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus Son of God. Jesus Christ. God loves us so much that He personally gets involved in our rescue (Jn 3:16).

So just how does this Big Story fit into Nehemiah’s final words? While Nehemiah makes sure to purify the priesthood of the mess of their own making, Jesus returns as the ultimate High Priest (Heb 4:14-16). Instead of simply mopping up the temple and spraying Fabreze around the joint, Christ cleans up the priesthood by becoming the priesthood. While Nehemiah hands out priestly assignments, Jesus transforms His followers into a “royal priesthood” (1Pet 2:9). The governor makes sure there’s enough firewood for the sacrifice, but our Savior carries the wood of a Roman cross for the ultimate sacrifice. And the king’s cupbearer restores the giving of the firstfruits, Jesus offers God’s first and best on our behalf. He’s the one and only Son of our Heavenly Father (Jn 3:16). He’s the sinless Lamb of God who takes away our sin (Jn 1:29).

Jesus does for us permanently what Nehemiah could only do for Jerusalem temporarily. We experience His rescue when we place our complete trust in what He’s done for us that we could never dream of doing for ourselves. He lived the perfect life that we completely failed to live. He died the death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to new life that we don’t deserve. That’s the hint of Who’s to come as Nehemiah closes out his diary. If you think the governor cleaned things up, just you wait and see what the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth is going to do!

Going into OT

Certain athletes are famous for what they’ve done in crunch time. Michael Jordan in basketball. David Ortiz on the baseball diamond. Tom Brady on the football field. Each of them built their legends in overtime. And If a game goes into OT, they are even more dangerous. These dudes may be clutch, but have you ever scene God when the game is on the line? He’s spectacular in OT. And by OT, I mean the Old Testament. Here in Nehemiah 9:7-37, we see God’s OT highlight reel. God’s people have just reviewed His top performances in the first books of the Bible (Neh 8:1-8, 13, 18; 9:3). A couple things standout. He’s unbelievably good. They are consistently bad. Yeah, God is especially awesome when going into OT.

Before the clocks runs out in regulation, let’s recap how we got here. The scene is Jerusalem in the year 445 BC. The governor is a man named Nehemiah. Over the past five months, he’s led the Jewish people in rebuilding the city walls that the Babylonian army knocked down 141 years before. You might be surprised to find out that late last year Nehemiah was working as a humble cupbearer for King Artaxerxes of Persia (Neh 1:1, 11). Everything changed when God broke his heart with breaking news about the broken walls of Jerusalem (Neh 1:2-11). The LORD proves that He’s got His hands on the project by orchestrating the entire situation in order to make it happen (Neh 2:8, 18). That includes getting the pagan king to not only give him the extended time off and bankrolling the entire project (Neh 2:2-8). 

Once Nehemiah makes the 1,000 mile trip from Susa to Jerusalem, the situation is even worse than he realized. The walls were rubble and the gates charred (Neh 2:13-15). The city is basically a ghost town (Neh 7:4). Local thugs named Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem continually terrorize the rebuilding project (Neh 2:10, 19; 4:1-3, 7-8; 6:1-19). And if that’s not bad enough, God’s people are a total train wreck. They’re in debt up to their eyeballs to fellow Jews (Neh 5:1-5). To make matters even worse, they’ve disobeyed God’s direct command and hooked up with local pagan hotties (Neh 9:2).

I don’t know about you, but if I were in Nehemiah’s sandals I probably would have packed up my camel and headed back to Persia. But he knew this was not about him but God. The LORD laid this on his heart (Neh 2:13). The governor is a man of continual prayer (Neh 1:4-11; 2:4; 4:4-5, 9; 6:9, 14). Day after day, Nehemiah reminds the people of their situation may be awful but their God is awesome (4:14, 20; 5:9, 15; 6:16). Despite incredible distraction, the governor made one thing clear, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down” (Neh 6:3). But this was about more than a construction project. God is also rebuilding the broken and rebellious hearts of His people. He uses Nehemiah’s sidekick Ezra to do just that. The Big E just happens to be the best Bible teacher on the planet (Ez 7:6, 10). He repeatedly reads from the first five books of the Old Testament to remind folks of just how incredibly good their God is (Neh 8:1-18; 9:3).

It’s at this point that Ezra leads God’s people in praising the LORD for all He’s done. They start back at the very beginning of OT with His Creation of the entire universe (Neh 9:6). Then they walk through the pages of what seminary folks like to call the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. They praise Him for blessing Abraham and his descendants (v7-8). They praise Him coming to the rescue of His people in Egypt (v9-12). They praise Him for giving them rules to live by (v13-14). They praise Him for giving them food, drink, and clothing for 40 years (v15, 20-21). They praise Him for handing them a huge chunk of prime real estate called the Promised Land (v22-24). If you’re a grammar nerd like me, check out the action verbs Nehemiah uses to describe all that God has done…

“You have made” (v6)

“You preserve” (v6)

“the God who chose…and brought” (v7)

“You found…and made…to give” (v8)

“You have kept” (v8)

“You saw…and heard” (v9)

“(You) performed…You knew” (v10)

“You divided…You cast” (v11)

“You led” (v12)

“You came down…and spoke…and gave” (v13)

“You made known…and commanded” (v14)

“You gave…and brought…You told…You had sworn” (v15)

“You performed” (v17)

“You are…ready to forgive…abounding in love…did not forsake” (v17)

“(You) did not forsake…lead” (v18)

“You gave…and gave” (v20)

“You sustained…they lacked nothing” (v21)

“You gave…and allotted” (v22)

“You multiplied…and You brought…You had told” (v23)

“You subdued…and gave” (v24)

“(You) warned” (v26)
“You gave…You heard…You gave…saved them” (v27)

“You abandoned…You heard…You delivered” (v28)

“You warned…turn them back” (v29)

“You bore…and warned them…You gave” (v30)

“You did not make an end of them or forsake them” (v31)

“God who keeps covenant” (v32)

“You have been righteous…You have dealt faithfully” (v33)  

“You gave” (v34)

“You gave…You set before them” (v35)

“You gave” (v36)

“You have set” (v37)

Wow! God has been VERY busy working for the good of His people all throughout history!! And what verb shows up consistently here in OT? That would be “give” or “gave.” If you’re counting, that would be one dozen times in 30 verses. Our gracious God is a Giver. Over and over and over, He gives. His blessing. His love. His Son. His salvation. Don’t make the mistake of thinking there’s an Old Testament God of wrath and law and a New Testament God of love and grace. He’s the same God in both. Don’t miss the fact that His grace flows like a fire hydrant in the OT.

Well surely God’s people are up to something in response to His goodness. Oh, they’re up to something alright. 

“They and our fathers acted presumptuously” (v16)

“(They) stiffened their necks and did not obey” (v16)

“They refused to obey and were not mindful” (v17)

“They stiffened their neck and appointed a leader” (v17)

“They made for themselves a golden calf” (v18)

“(They) committed great blasphemies” (v18)

“They were disobedient and rebelled” (v26)

“(They) cast Your law behind their back” (v26)

“(They) killed Your prophets” (v26)

“They committed great blasphemies” (v26)

“They did evil again” (v28)

“They acted presumptuously and did not obey” (v29)

“(They) sinned…and they turned a stubborn shoulder” (v29)  

“(They) stiffened their neck and would not obey” (v29)

“They would not give ear” (v30)

“We have acted wickedly” (v33)

“(We) have not kept Your law or paid attention” (v34)

“They did not serve You or turn from their wicked works” (v35)

As they praise God for His incredible goodness, their history of sin becomes glaringly obvious. Despite our repeated rebellion and ingratitude, the LORD never, ever stops loving us. His grace is NOT dependent on our performance. Will life go better when we obey and do what He says? Absolutely! But there’s nothing we can do to earn His love. 

God shines in crunch time. When we turn our backs on Him and are completely unlovable, He’s at His best. When the going gets tough, our Savior gets going. He shines when the game’s on the line. If you think He’s great in the New Testament, check out the front of your Bible. He’s awesome in OT.