Mega-JOY-normous

Working Christmas Eve

I’m not sure there’s anybody who loves the idea of working Christmas Eve. Oh, I’m sure there are a few of you out there. But I’ll be honest, I’ve always had a sense of dread waiting on the holiday schedule to come out.

The only thing worse might be pulling the overnight shift. Outside. With livestock. That’s exactly the scene we see in chapter two of Luke’s bio of Jesus (Lk 2:8-11). A group of smelly shepherds pulling an all-nighter with a flock of equally smelly sheep.

One thing they have going in their favor that night is they have no clue that it’s Christmas Eve. That will change soon enough. For the moment, they’re just doing their job, caring for the herd.

Down in Town 

The good doctor paints a picture of the scene that silent night. “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night” (v8). That little phrase which starts the verse, “and in the same region,” connects what’s about to happen with what just went down in town.

What these dudes don’t realize is not far from them are an unmarried teenage girl and her carpenter fiancé have just given birth to a Baby (Lk 2:6-7). Why would they know? Why would they even care? I mean, they’ve got a job to do. Running off to a baby shower in the middle of their shift is NOT part of the job description!

Not Easily Scared

Just who are these guys anyway? Most of us have a picture in our heads of shepherds as wimpy and weak. For years, I saw them sorta like sandal-wearing hippies hanging out at Woodstock.

Wrong. Think cowboys. They spend most of their lives outside, protecting the rams, ewes, and lambs from sneak attacks by predators like wolves, mountain lions, and bears (oh my!). And they’ve got mad ninja skills with those shepherd crooks.

In other words, this bunch isn’t easily scared. They’ve seen it all. Well, until tonight. That’s all about to change.

A Heavenly Ambush

Luke then tells us about what can only be described as a heavenly ambush. “And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear” (v9).

When God’s messenger suddenly shows up, the Lord’s glory floods the blackness of night with the brightest of light! Imagine your eyes adjusting to seeing in the dark when out of nowhere you’re hit with the most dazzling brilliance. You can bet these boys are seeing spots and rubbing their peepers.

In the Sky or Eye to Eye?

I don’t know about you but I’ve always pictured the angel as hovering in the night sky above the shepherds. But the truth is, there’s absolutely nothing in the original text to suggest that.

The author simply says the angel makes his appearance to them. And yes, I did say “his” appearance. The Greek word for “angel” (Gr. αγγελος/aggelos) is a masculine noun. The only named angels are Gabriel and Michael. Sorry if that blows your angelic stereotype.

While Scripture does say angels have wings and can fly (Ex 25:20; Ezek 10:5-21; Is 6:2, 6), there’s every possibility that this angel is simply standing in the middle of the boys. Not hovering. Face-to-face. Eye-to-eye.

Afraid with Mega-Fear

We then read what I think might be one of the great understatements in history. “And they were filled with great fear” (v9). This divine sneak attack has these rough, tough herdsmen suddenly shaking in their sandals!

Luke goes out of his way to make sure we know these are totally freaking out. You can easily translate the original text here (Gr. ‘εφοβηθησαν φοβον μεγαν/‘ephobethesan phobon megan) as “they were afraid with mega-fear!”

While we don’t know exactly how many shepherds there are, we do know that there’s only one angel. Apparently the intimidating presence of this messenger from God flying solo has the herdsmen totally outnumbered.

Take a Deep Breath

The angel does his best to calm things down. Before they do anything rash, he has something to say. “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (v10).

Calm down, boys. Let’s all take a deep breath and take it down from Defcon 1. The divine being says to the shepherds that there’s no reason to be afraid…ESPECIALLY not now!

Sound Familiar?

“Fear not” (v10). Sound familiar? Well, it should. We see God remind us to do just that on just about every page of Scripture. It’s all over both the Old and New Testament documents. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be anxious. Don’t worry.

It’s there in the beginning. In the prophets. In songs. In wisdom literature. Gospels? Yup.  Letters to various churches. Encouragement to pastors and the followers of Jesus.

We’re Gonna Need These

Here’s just a few of my “no fear” faves…

• Genesis 46:3
• Deuteronomy 3:22
• Deuteronomy 31:6
• Joshua 1:9
• Psalm 23:4
• Psalm 27:1
• Psalm 34:4-7
• Psalm 56:3-4
• Psalm 118:6-7
• Proverbs 29:25
• Isaiah 35:4
• Isaiah 41:10-14
• Isaiah 43:1
• Matthew 6:25-34
• Mark 4:39-40
• Mark 5:36
• Mark 6:50
• Luke 12:22-26
• John 14:27
• Philippians 4:6-7
• 2Timothy 1:7
• 1Peter 3:14
• 1Peter 5:6-7
• 1John 4:18
• Revelation 1:17

Can I make a suggestion? Bookmark them. Put them somewhere on your phone or tablet. Here’s a crazy idea. You might even memorize a few of them! Yeah, I know. It’s radical.

But here’s the deal. You may not need them now…but you WILL need them. I certainly know it won’t be long before I need punch fear in the face with the truth of God! So why not be ready?

Fearing God

On the other hand, some of you may be wondering about how we’re commanded to fear God (2Chr 19:7-9; Prov 1:7; Is 11:2-3). What’s up with THAT?!? On one hand, this kind of fear is about reverence and worship.

But recently I heard someone (I wish I could remember who it was so I could give them proper credit) say that it’s safe to fear God because He’s the only one who won’t use it against us.

Mega-JOY-normous

Meanwhile back under the night sky in the Judean countryside, the angel’s come straight from heaven with breaking news! This just in! And this is not some disturbing report about a heartbreaking tragedy. This is GOOD NEWS! We’re talking GREAT JOY for EVERYBODY!!! Let’s just say this is the ultimate push alert!

Remember how the shepherds were afraid with mega-fear? This news is so VERY good that they can replace that with mega-joy! When we look at the original Greek, we see the very same adjective (Gr. μεγα/mega) describing their fear as the joy contained in the angel’s report. You could say it’s mega-JOY-normous! Okay, maybe not.

Not Limited to a Select Few

This breaking Good News isn’t limited to a select few. It’s not just for the rich. Not merely the powerful. Not just for season ticket holders. Not only for certain races or religions. Nobody’s getting left out. This is “Good News of great joy that will be for ALL THE PEOPLE!” (v11 emphasis added).

For those of us who think God’s kingdom is some sort of exclusive club for people who look like them and act like them, you might want to sit down. It’s open for anyone who places their trust in Jesus. That’s the ONLY requirement for entry.

Kind of a Big Deal

It’s at this point that the angel gets to the details of the Good News. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (v11). This is not average birth announcement. That’s because this is not your average baby.

Just down the road in Bethlehem, something VERY special has just happened. Someone VERY special has just happened! How special? We’re talking about the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord! Yeah, He’s kind of a big deal.

A Savior to Our Rescue

First of all, this newborn Baby is our Savior. He’s the One who’s come to our rescue. The problem is that some of us don’t realize we need to be rescued. The cool thing is that Jesus is ready to respond the moment we do.

According to A.T. Robertson, the Roman emperor loved it when people living under his rule referred to the emperor as “savior.” Sounds like politicians haven’t changed much. Early believers more appropriately applied the term to Jesus.

The Hero from Heaven

Second, the Child is the Christ. The Greek word Χριστος/Christos means the Anointed One and is the equivalent of the Messiah in the OT. This is the long-awaited Hero from heaven the Jews have been expecting for a few thousand years.

We see the first hint of Christ to our rescue moments after first parents buy the lie of a satanic snake and rebel against God. Yahweh warns the serpent of One who will come and crush its head (Gen 3:15).

The Lord in Authority

Third, the Infant is the Lord (Gr. Κυριος/Kurios). This term describes someone who is the master, owner, or chief. Think about it for just a moment. This tiny Baby in the manger is actually the One with controlling power and authority.

And check this out. Did you notice that it’s an “angel of the Lord” who appeared in the dazzling brilliance of “the glory of the Lord” (v9)? In other words, who sent the angelic messenger to tell the shepherds this amazing news? Lord Jesus!

Everybody’s Invited!

There’s absolutely no reason to terrified. As a matter of fact, this news is so incredibly good that we should be jumping for mega-joy! According to the angel, everybody on the planet is invited to God’s party!

As Savior, He’s come to our rescue. From whom and what? From ourselves and our own sin. As Christ, the long-promised Messiah is finally making His appearance. And not a moment too soon! As Lord, He’s in total control.

The angel is right. This is GREAT NEWS!!! See, working the nightshift on Christmas Eve can have it’s benefits. Just ask the shepherds.

©2018

Jay Jennings

Holy Home Invasion

Tied up at Gunpoint

There’s a HUGE crash as the front door flies open! Before anyone knows what’s happening, a handful bad guys have you and your family tied up and at gunpoint.

I don’t pretend to be a victim of a home invasion and certainly never hope to be. I hate it for anyone of you who may have been.

But did you know that Jesus actually talks about one of these attacks in Scripture (Mk 3:22-30)? Not only that, He’s actually the One who pulls it off! I’m telling you, there’s some wonderfully wild stuff in the documents we call the Bible. Do yourself a huge favor and read it for yourself.

An Accusation from the Home Office

Interestingly, the Lord shares this story while He’s at a residence in the fishing village of Capernaum in Galilee. A team of religious leaders from the home office have arrived. They think they’ve figured out how the radical Rabbi/Carpenter is kicking some serious demonic tail.

According to them, Jesus has the ability to exorcise evil spirits because He’s actually playing for Satan’s team. They accuse Him of being a mole or a plant. Their theory is that demons do what He says because it’s all part of the devil’s con game.

Our Savior tells these so-called experts to pump their brakes. They’ve got it all wrong. He’s got supernatural connections alright. But it’s with the Holy Spirit of God. They’re on an eternally slippery slope when they accuse Him of collaborating with the very one He came to defeat.

Wild Reports out of Galilee

As we mentioned earlier, this is at a home in Capernaum. It’s either the house Peter and Andrew share or the Son of God has His own place. It’s actually the same location and same moment when Jesus’ family comes to take Him home because they believe He’s lost His mind (Mk 3:20-21).

Not only have Mary and His brothers arrived. Some religious honchos have come to town to get to the bottom of all the wild reports they’re hearing from Galilee. Chances are local scribes and Pharisees made a 9-1-1 call to Jerusalem after Jesus handed them their lunch five times in a row (Mk 2:1-3:-6).

Jumping to Conclusion

A team of Jewish lawyers have already come to their conclusion before they come to town. Christ isn’t crazy. According to them, it’s worse than that. He’s controlled by Satan.

“But the teachers of the religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, ‘He’s possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That’s where He gets the power to cast out demons’” (v22).

Jewish Bible Scholars

In the original language, Mark describes these teachers using the Greek word γραμματευς/grammateus. It literally means one who writes. Back in the day, this is somebody who works as a clerk or specializes in written documents.

In this case, those documents are the Scriptures. And at this time, we’re talking about the Old Testament since it is the ONLY testament around in the early First Century. They’re big-time Bible scholars.

Did You Hear the One about the Lawyer?

These religious teachers are experts in God’s Word and its application. They are seen as lawyers when it comes to God’s Law. So apparently lawyer jokes go back a few years. These attorneys will soon find out the joke’s on them.

John Mark has mentioned scribes on three previous occasions (Mk 1:22; 2:6, 16). But this is a new crew. These are the big dogs who’ve made the 85-mile trip from Jerusalem to put an end to this nonsense in north.

Beelze-what?

They cut to the chase and make their charge. “He’s possessed by Satan, the prince of demons” (v22). The translators of the NLT have tried to do us a favor and do the heavy lifting for us from the original Greek. But there’s some cool stuff going on here.

“Satan” is actually “Beelzebul” (Gr. Βεελζεβουλ/Beelzeboul). It’s the proper name for a Philistine deity, a variation on “Baal-Zebul” which mens “Baal the Prince.” The Israelites liked to twist it into Beelzebub, a putdown that means “lord of flies.”

Savior from Heaven or Trojan Horse from Hell?

Beelzebul is the handle they gave the devil as the demonic boss of all evil spirits. Just about every appearance of this title is in connection with this same story in the first three Gospels (Mt 12:23-32; Lk 11:14-23).

Their point is that Jesus casts out evil spirits because their satanic supervisor has told them to go. “That’s where He gets the power to cast out demons” (v22). According to them, Christ isn’t our Savior from heaven but a Trojan horse straight from hell.

A Teachable Moment

But whattaya know…the Son of God graciously sees their vicious indictment as a teachable moment. “Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration” (v23). He invites them over to explain.

The Lord doesn’t light them up. He doesn’t throw them under the bus. Instead He takes a moment to teach. There’s a lesson for all of us. His response is compassionate and caring.

Jesus begins by asking these scribes a question. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” (v23). Okay, boys. Since you’re the religious experts, tell Me how this works. He asks them to explain how in the devil’s name this would happen.

Gotta tell ya, the first thing that came to my mind is that scene in “Liar, Liar” where Jim Carrey beats the stuffing out of himself.

Civil Wars and Family Feuds

The Jewish teachers have got nothing. It’s almost like they haven’t thought their theory through. Jesus follows with a couple of examples of why their idea doesn’t hold a drop of water.

First He says, “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse” (v24). A nation with that level of turmoil will destroy itself from the inside out. Its own citizens are its worst enemy. That even goes for Satan and his evil empire.

Secondly, the Son of God explains, “Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart” (v25). Okay, do I really need to explain this one? I think we all know families that are more than ready to play the feud…and I DON’T mean with Steve Harvey! Of course, I don’t mean yours. Heaven forbid.

Closing the Loop

With after drawing those examples, the Lord closes the loop and tells them how ludicrous their assumption is. “And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive” (v26).

Again, nothing but crickets from these Jewish hotshots. Don’t you just wonder what this moment must have been like? How long does Jesus wait in awkward silence before He continues?

Holy Home Invasion

At some point, Christ continues. “Let Me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house” (v27).

Here’s where we get to the home invasion. Let’s break it down so we understand who’s involved and what’s going on.

Satan’s Turf

Jesus uses the strong man’s house as a picture of Satan’s turf. Thanks to our sin and rebellion, we’ve opened the front door to the devil so he could walk right and rule our fallen world.

Our Savior tells His team how “Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out” (Jn 12:31). Paul warns the Corinthians how the evil one “is the god of this world” (2Cor 4:4). In other words, the strong man’s house is our fallen world.

Our Hero to the Rescue!

There’s only One who has the muscle and authority to break in and take the devil down. You get three guess as to Who that is and your first two don’t count. Yup. Jesus. I knew you could do it.

But there’s more to this holy home invasion than just overpowering our enemy. Jesus will “plunder his goods” (v27). What in the world does the devil have that the Lord would want? Us.

That’s right, Christ crashes through the front door in order to free us from the power of Satan, sin, and death. We’re the stuff He’s come to steal! Our Hero has come to our rescue!! This scene makes “Taken” look like a fairy tale.

Tweet This

Just in case these religious teachers have missed His point, Jesus sums it all up. And to do so, He makes sure their paying attention by dropping the phrase “I tell you the truth” (v28).

This little expression is Jesus’ way of telling everybody He’s about to say something important. VERY important. No, it doesn’t mean that He’s been playing fast and loose with the facts up till now. This is His way of saying this is the bottom line of what we’re talking about.

“I tell you the truth” (v28). This is the first time of the fourteen times the Lord uses these words here in Mark’s Gospel (Mk 6:11; 8:12; 9:1, 41; 10:15, 29; 11:23; 12:43; 13:30; 14:9, 18, 25, 30). Each time He does, it’s His way of getting everyone’s attention. If there was social media back in the day, He might say, “Tweet this!”

No One Is Beyond God’s Reach

Okay. Everybody listening? Listen up. “All sin and blasphemy can be forgiven” (v28). Whoa. Picture jaws on the floor all around the room. Think about what Jesus has just said. There’s nothing you and I can do that can’t be forgiven.

There’s no sin and no slander that God won’t forgive. Not adultery. Not armed robbery. Not murder. Not suicide. That includes breaking any or all of God’s Top Ten (Ex 20).

How’s that possible? Because of one incredibly important fact. Jesus is a better Savior than we are sinners. No one, and He means NO ONE is beyond the reach of His rescue.

One Very Important Exception

Apart from one very important exception. The Lord spells it out. “But anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences” (v29).

What in the wild world of sports does this have to do with the scribes accusation of Jesus playing for Satan’s team or His point about the holy home invasion? Turns out, everything.

Rejecting His Rescue

To blaspheme (Gr. βλασφημεω/blasphemeo) is to defame, slander, insult, speak evil against somebody. It’s intentionally trashing someone’s reputation. In this case, slandering the Spirit of God.

It goes a little something like this. The Holy Spirit’s job is to open our hearts to God’s goodness. We insult Him when we reject His offer of rescue in the form of the Son of God.

Sawing off the Branch

When we turn our backs on Jesus, we give God’s grace the Heisman. That’s when we blaspheme the Holy Spirit. You can’t shake your fist at your Forgiver while at the same time accepting His forgiveness.

Or as the Message puts it, “You are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives” (v29 The Message).

Evil Spirit or Holy Spirit?

Mark tells us this is exactly why Christ connects the dots for the scribes. “He told them this because they were saying, ‘He’s possessed by an evil spirit’” (v30).

Possessed by an evil spirit? Are you kidding me?!? Not even close. Jesus isn’t possessed by some evil spirit. He’s baptized by THE Holy Spirit! As a matter of fact, all three Members of the Trinity were there at the Jordan River that day (Mk 1:9-11).

It was an amazing moment when His Heavenly Dad gave His Son the ultimate “attaboy,” while the Spirit gave Him the supernatural ability to carry out His unbelievable search and rescue mission of sinners like you and me.

Evil spirit, no. Holy Spirit. Yes!

Tied up in Knots

So what do we do with all this talk of demonic possession, religious accusations, holy home invasions, and slandering the Spirit of God? I admit that it can get just a little confusing.

What has you tied up in knots? What has a hold on you that won’t let go? A sin? An addiction? A temptation? A self-destructive behavior. No matter how much you try or struggle, you can’t get free.

Let Him ALL the Way in

The great news is there’s Good News. There is Somebody who can cut you loose.  Jesus is able to punch demonic forces in the throat because He has the unlimited power of God’s Spirit at His disposal.

Only when we allow the Son of God to enter our lives do we have any hope of taking out the evil we’ve allowed in. Let Him in. I mean ALL the way in! Let Him do what He does best.

Do you need a holy home invasion? To be honest, we all do at some point.

©2017

Jay Jennings

Gracious Last Words

“The Lord be with you in spirit. Grace be with you” (2Tim 4:22).

Signature Sign Off
Ever know somebody with signature sign off? You know, a little catch phrase they use to say “goodbye.”

Looney Tunes always end with “That’s all, folks! Bob Barker closed “The Price Is Right” for years with, “Have your pet spayed or neutered.” Legendary newscaster Walter Cronkite signed off by saying, “And that’s the way it is.” And you’ve gotta love Ron Burgundy’s “Stay classy, San Diego.”

Grace on the Green Mile
Did you know that Paul had signature sign off too? Sure did. Oh, he varies it just a bit from letter to letter. But he ends each note by pointing back to God’s amazing grace.

His very last letter is no different. As the apostle writes to Timothy from Death Row in Rome, he doesn’t disappoint when he signs off. “The Lord be with you in spirit. Grace be with you” (v22). Who expected to find grace on the Green Mile?

After writing 13 documents that we now include in the New Testament, these are the very last strokes of Paul’s pen before his execution. Think about that for just moment. Very. Last. Words. His famous last words are gracious last words.

Getting to the Good Stuff
I don’t know about you, but I’m tempted to blow right past the opening and closing verses in many books of the Bible. Get past the blah-blah-blah. I want to get to the good stuff! What if this IS the good stuff?!?

But here’s what I always have to remember. If God’s Spirit has inspired each and every writer of Scripture (2Tim 3:16), then He has every bit of it there for a reason. That includes these opening and closing lines. Is it possible that they hold the key to unlocking the entire message of God’s Word?

Passing the Torch
Before we dig into what Paul’s writing, let’s zoom out to see why Paul’s writing. The year is 67 AD. The place is Rome. Specifically the Mamertine Prison. Better known as Caesar’s SuperMax. It’s the cellblock reserved for condemned prisoners.

The apostle knows he’s going to die and die soon (2Tim 4:6-7). He writes to a young pastor named Timothy he considers his spiritual son (2Tim 1:2). Paul fires off one last letter with two purposes. First, he’s passing the torch of ministry (2Tim 2:1-4:5). Second, he begs for one final visit (2Tim 4:9, 21).

Paul’s Sign Off
Which brings us to his sign off. “The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you” (v22). Paul reminds his protege that Jesus is always with him in order to lead him. He reminds Tim of the God’s amazing gift that none of us deserve. In other words, we can trust in Christ’s leadership because of the overwhelming goodness of all He’s already done for us.

Check out Paul’s signature close in every one of his notes. Grace drips off the page in each one. Yup. That’s right. Every single epistle (Rom 16:20; 1Cor 16:23; 2Cor 13:14; Gal 6:18; Eph 6:24; Phil 4:23; Col 4:18; 1Th 5:28; 2Th 3:18; 1Tim 6:21; 2Tim 4:22; Titus 3:15; Phm 25).

Gracious last words.

The Grace Sandwich
It only makes sense, really. Paul kicks off every letter with greetings of grace (Rom 1:7; 1Cor 1:3; 2Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1Th 1:1; 2Th 2; 1Tim 1:2; 2Tim 1:2; Titus 1:4; Phm 3). Grace at the open. Grace at the close. Think of the apostle’s letters as a delicious Grace Sandwich.

I’m pretty sure we can all learn a little lesson from the apostle formerly known as Saul. No matter what we have to say to someone, let’s wrap it in grace. Start with grace. End with grace. Talk about speaking the truth in love! It’s impossible to beat someone over the head with a 20-pound study Bible while marveling at the mind-blowing generosity of our great giving God!

The Promise of Jesus’ Presence
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s back up to the first half of Paul’s two-part sign off. “The Lord be with you in your spirit” (22). The apostle reminds Tim of the powerful promise of Jesus’ presence.

Sixteen times in this little letter, the man from Tarsus refers to the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth as the Lord. We find five of those are right here in the final chapter. If you’re curious, this is the important Greek noun κυριος/kurios, which means master, boss, or leader.

Buying Fire Insurance
This title speaks directly to Jesus’ authority. He’s not just my Savior. He’s also my Lord. He’s come from the luxury of the heavenly palace to our rescue by diving into the dumpster of our sin.

Jesus lived the perfect life I failed to live. He died the death I should have died. He rose to the new life I don’t deserve. He trades His perfection for my rebellion (2Cor 5:21). He transforms me from an enemy of God with my picture on a heavenly wanted poster to a child of God with my name listed in the divine will (Rom 5:8-10; Col 1:21-22).

If I’m willing to place my trust in His overwhelming goodness as my Savior, why would I not trust Him to be the Leader of the my life as my Lord? Let me try this another way. We can’t just buy His fire insurance without submitting to His authority. We can’t have one without the other. When we place our trust in Jesus, we place our trust in the total package.

24/7/365
Paul wants Tim to realize that our Lord’s leadership is available 24/7/365. He’s always right there. That’s how Jesus earned the Hebrew nickname of “Immanuel” which means God is always with us (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23). Just before He headed home to heaven, the Son of God wanted His followers to never forget, “I am with you always” (Mt 28:20).

For years I thought Christ was some cosmic killjoy looking to make sure I avoided fun at any cost. Following Jesus means wiping that smile off my face and kissing good times goodbye. I thought submitting to His commands was becoming a religious rule-follower that had all the excitement of eating my Brussels sprouts. (I apologize to anyone out there who really likes these disgusting little veggies.)

God’s Guardrails
What I’ve come to understand is that my Lord leads me out of His love. His commands don’t steal my joy but are the true source of my joy! Jesus tells folks to stop working so hard to earn God’s approval. Instead, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt 11:29-30).

Following His guidance is the key to unlocking God’s tsunami of blessing into our lives. It’s the whole reason Christ came. Satan is undoubtedly out to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus’ mission was to lead us into the overflowing and overwhelming life of God’s goodness (Jn 10:10).

Think of our Lord’s leadership as God’s guardrails which keep us safe. It’s His way of keeping us out of trouble. It’s His way of saving us from ourselves. I don’t know about you but I’ve made a hot mess out of my life too many times by ignoring His commands. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I hope you don’t make the same mistake.

Paul Gets Personal
As he has done through a huge chunk of this letter, the apostle gets personal. When he writes, “The Lord be with you in spirit” (v22), Paul’s actually writing just to Timothy. The “you” here is actually singular. It’s a little something something we miss in our English Bibles.

His point? Jesus promises His personal presence to Tim and each one of us who place our trust in who He is and what He’s done. Actually, a slightly better translation of this sentence might be “the Lord IS with you in spirit” (v22). Paul is making a statement. He’s stating a fact.

This Time It’s Personal
The apostle reminds the young pastor of a truth we ALL need to hang onto. My Leader is right here by my side every stope of the way. Every follower of Jesus has has a PERSONAL relationship with the Son of God. Not just preachers. Not just professional Christians. You. Me. Us. Them.

Yeah, I know. Too many times it certainly feels like the Lord is nowhere near me. Not in the same zip code. Not even in the same area code. Just because I don’t feel His presence doesn’t mean He’s not there. Just ask a couple of His followers who hoofed it back to Emmaus after His crucifixion (Lk 24:13-35).

Jesus’ direct involvement in our eternal rescue is a game changer. I can be sure that God loves me. And this time it’s personal.

His Grace Is with Y’all
Which brings us to the second half of Paul’s two-part sign off. “Grace be with you” (v22). This time the apostle uses a “you” (Gr. υμων/umon) which is plural. While this may be a VERY personal note to Timothy, Paul wrote it with the expectation that everybody would hear it.

This letter may have Tim’s name on the envelope but the message was to be read to the entire church in Ephesus. While the “you” may be plural here, Paul is once again stating a very singular fact. A VERY important fact. Grace IS with you all. The Lord is with you. His grace is with y’all.

These are gracious last words.

Grace Breaks Free
Grace. THE most scandalous idea in the entire Bible. Let’s be honest we’ve done our best to tame this beast over the past couple of thousand years. We’ve attempted to domesticate grace by reducing it the name of our quick “thanks God for the food” prayers before we eat.

But we can’t stop grace. We can’t even hope to contain it. God’s grace will eventually snap the chains like King Kong in captivity. It must run free. No matter how hard we try, grace can’t be kept in captivity.

Our Great Giver
Jesus used Paul to release His grace on the Gentile world for 30-plus years. The apostle has loved telling everyone who listens all about it. Each time he does, the man from Tarsus uses a Greek word (Gr. χαρις/charis) which describes goodwill, favor, kindness, benefit, blessing, or simply an unearned or undeserved gift.

Grace is a quality that adds delight and pleasure wherever it goes. As marvelous as it is, grace places the focus on the overwhelming goodness of the giver. And in this case, The Giver is God!

Paul’s Big Point
There’s probably no better description of God’s overwhelming goodness toward you and me than what Paul has to say in his letter to his Ephesian friends. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not the result of works, so that that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8:-9).

The apostle’s big point is that God’s grace is absolutely essential. Why? I can’t rescue myself. Self-salvation is totally impossible. You and I are incapable of following the rules in order to earn God’s favor. Hey, if Paul couldn’t pull it off, what shot do we have?

One-Way Love
Remember what I said about how grace focuses on the goodness of our Great Giving God? Paul Zahl says it this way. “Grace is a love that has nothing to do with you, the beloved. It has everything and only to do with the Lover.”

In his book Grace in Practice, he goes on to say, “Grace is love that seeks you out when you have nothing to give in return. Grace is love coming at you that has nothing to do with you. Grace is being loved when you are unlovable…Grace is one-way love.”

Starting to see what makes grace so amazing?

The Unobligated Giver
Tullian Tchividjian puts it this way. “Grace doesn’t make demands. It just gives. And from our vantage point, it always gives to the wrong person…Grace is a divine vulgarity that stands caution on its head. It refuses to play it safe and lay it up. Grace is recklessly generous, uncomfortably promiscuous…Grace is unconditional acceptance given to an undeserving person by an unobligated giver.”

Just in case we miss his big point, let’s remind ourselves of who he’s talking about. You and I are those undeserving persons. God is the Unobligated Giver. We’re recipients of His descending one-way love. He has refused to play it safe. He has throne caution to the wind.

Transforming Grace
That’s the big idea behind Paul’s signature sign off. Grace. Love toward us that’s recklessly generous and uncomfortably promiscuous. It’s turned the apostle’s life upside down (or better yet, rightside up!). Grace transformed him from a murderer of Jesus’ followers to a missionary with a message.

Here’s how Paul describes it. “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain” (1Cor 15:9-10).

Paul Signs Off
That’s the reason he signs off every single time by mentioning the grace of God. And there’s no better time to than as his pen strokes the page here for the very last time.

Gracious last words.

©2017 Jay Jennings

The Eternal Standing O

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (2Tim 4:18).

And the Crowd Goes Wild!

A spectacular performance results in an enormous ovation. Like the packed house at a concert jumping to its feet when the band rocks their encore. Like the standing-room-only crowd at a stadium celebrating a score. The better the show, the longer the cheers.

You might think this would be the last thing a prisoner on Death Row would be writing about. There’s not much to celebrate when you’re in your final days of walking the Green Mile. Prison? Cheers? Ovations? Celebrations? Unless you’re the Apostle Paul.

A Letter from Death Row

It’s late in the year 67 AD. The place is Rome, specifically a nasty dungeon known as the Mamertine Prison. Paul is a condemned man (2Tim 4:6-7). He’s writing one last letter to his spiritual son, a young preacher named Timothy (2Tim 1:2).

While he’s desperate for one last chance to see him (2Tim 4:9, 21), the apostle knows his situation is about to change. Drastically change. Radically change. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen” (v18).

Busting out of the Joint

Paul knows he’s getting out of the joint soon. Very soon. But not because the emperor will grant him a pardon. Not because a judge will overturn his conviction. Not because of some plot to bust him out of the joint. No, he’s not walking through the prison doors to freedom. He’s walking through the door of death and into the gates of Heaven.

Jesus is coming to his rescue as He’s done so many times before. But this time it’s different. This time it’s permanent. This time it’s paradise. And when Christ carries him home, the apostle is going to cheer like never before. He’s going to celebrate God with the rest of creation.

The applause will be loud and long because the performance has been unmatched. Great big cheers for our great big God. It’s going to be the Eternal Standing O. And nobody deserves it like Jesus.

Double Deliverance

Maybe you’re wondering the reason behind all the raving applause. Specifically, Paul says it’s because “the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom” (v18). This is double deliverance. Out of evil. Into joy. Talk about going from worst to first!

First of all, the apostle tells Tim how Jesus is the ultimate Lifeguard who “will rescue me” (v18). He uses a Greek verb here (Gr. ρυομαι/ruomai) which means to bring someone out of severe danger, deliver, draw out of desperation. 

It actually comes from a root word which describes a fast-moving current, rip tide, or raging river. Picture a lifeguard jumping down out of the tower and sprinting into the surf.

The Gospel according to Baywatch?

Okay, I realize this conjures up images of David Hasselhoff and the Baywatch gang running in slo-mo down the wearing red swimming suits. But seriously, have you ever seen a highly trained lifeguard risk their own life to save someone who’s struggling to survive in the surf? Maybe you’ve been the one they’ve brought back and rescued.

When your lungs are filling with water, a lifeguard doesn’t stand up in his chair and shout swimming instructions to you over a bullhorn. This is no time to learn the backstroke or butterfly. You don’t need an education. You need a rescuer who will get personally involved and come to you!

Jesus to the Rescue

That’s exactly what Jesus has done for Paul, for you, and for me. When we were drowning in the sea of our own sin, He didn’t yell for us to swim harder. Christ jumped up from lap of Heaven’s luxury and dove headlong into the mess we made in order to save us.

We can’t save ourselves. None of us can. Not you. Not me. Not them. We can give it everything to get out of this rip tide of rebellion but it won’t happen.  We don’t earn our rescue. We can’t obey our way to safety. The only way we’re going to make it is when our Lord does what He does best. Save. That is, after all, why we call Him our Savior!

The Great Exchange

Our salvation is all part of a crazy swap that some folks refer to as the Great Exchange. In one of his letters to Corinthian Christ followers, Paul talks about how Father God had His sinless Son grab our utter rebellion and give us His absolute obedience (2Cor 5:21). 

He does for us what we could never do for ourselves. Christ doesn’t teach us how to swim. He dives in to take our sin. But He doesn’t stop there. Jesus graciously exchanges our badness for His goodness. I told you it was a crazy swap.

But there’s a bit of problem. Too many of us don’t think we need to be saved. We don’t realize we’re being carried away by the current. When Jesus comes to our rescue, we tell Him to leave us alone. We’re fine. We fight against Him like so many drowning victims struggle against the lifeguard. Relax. He’s got you.

Dirty Deeds

Paul points out that he’s counting our Savior to pull his sorry carcass out of danger from “every evil deed” (v18). Not just some evil deeds. We’re talking all of them. Every. Single. One. If you’ve been following the apostle’s current situation, that would include anything thrown at him by guys like Alexander who’s been a real pain (2Tim 4:14).

When we serve the Lord and start spreading His message, we’re going to face opposition. Moments before He’s betrayed and murdered, Jesus warns His team how they can expect to be hated since the world hates Him (Jn 15:18-20). 

Christ also tips us off to our supernatural enemy known as Satan. The devil is out to steal, kill, and destroy anything and everything that has to do with God’s kingdom and Jesus’ followers (Jn 10:10).

Self-Inflicted Wounds

But there’s a massive pile of “evil deeds” (v18) from which the Lord saves us as well. Those self-inflicted wounds. Those dirty deeds I’ve done to myself. Paul tells believers in Rome of his own struggle with sin after Jesus saved him (Rom 7:14-20). He desperately wants to do the right thing but all too often he is his own worst enemy.

Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Taken the t-shirt to Goodwill. Too often my biggest enemy is the goofball looking back at me in the morning mirror. As if I don’t have enough problems dealing with a culture which opposes Christ and the devil, I’m also in a cage fight with my own flesh.

The apostle reassures Tim that Jesus will eventually rescue us from all of them. Sound familiar? Paul seems to echo the words of Christ when He coaches up His crew on prayer. The Lord closes His model prayer by saying, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/ruomai) us from evil” (Mt 6:13).

From the Outhouse to the Penthouse

The man from Tarsus goes on to say that the Lord won’t just pull him out of trouble and leave him there. Picture an accident scene on the shoulder of a busy interstate. A good samaritan pulls an unconscious person out of a burning car. But instead of calling 9-1-1 and waiting for an ambulance, the dude drives away, leaving the victim in his rearview mirror.

Paul knows our Savior won’t just save his eternal bacon but promises to “bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom” (v18). This is double deliverance we talked about earlier. From the outhouse of evil. To the penthouse of paradise. Just like we can’t imagine what the Son of God left to come to our rescue, there’s no way we can wrap our minds around what it will be like to spend eternity with Him.

Draw Us out to Draw Us in

The phrase in the ESV “bring me safely” is actually one single word in the original language. And it’s a very familiar word: σωζω/sozo. The writers of the NT drop this little jewel a grand total of 118 times. So yeah, it’s kind of a big deal.

This is the word we normally translate as “save,” as in Jesus “will save (Gr. σωζω/sozo) His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21). It’s Peter’s cry for help when his own attempt at water walking doesn’t go so well. “Lord, save (Gr. σωζω/sozo) me!” (Mt 14:30). There goes Jesus being a lifeguard again!

Christ pulls us out of our own sin in order to pull us close to Himself. As Matt Chandler says, He draws us out in order to draw us in. That’s because Jesus wants to give us Himself. Forget all the other bennies you’ve heard about Heaven. Gates made of massive pearls. Golden pavement. Crystal rivers. The most awesome thing about eternity is God. Being with Him is THE Blessing! Nothing else comes close.

Death as the Doorway

So instead of freaking out about his certain execution date, Paul explodes in praise to his Savior! “To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen” (v18). The closer he gets to it, the more he realizes his death is simply a doorway to eternity with the Son of God. It’s that same thought that’s behind the tough he mentions to his Philippian friends. “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21).

Because of who Jesus is, all He’s done and all He’s going to do, Paul says the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter deserves an unlimited ovation. When we give God glory He so rightly deserves, we do everything we can to make Him famous. We raise up His name higher than any other. We shine the light on His righteous rep. We use our lives as a magnifying glass so that others can get a good look at the Lord.

Glory Words

We celebrate our Savior “forever and ever” (v18). The apostle actually repeats the same word (Gr. αιων/aion). You can easily translate this as “eternity and eternity.” In other words, we’re to join the unending, everlasting cheers for Jesus. It’s been going on longer than anyone can remember. And it’s not stopping anytime soon. This is the Eternal Standing O that only Jesus deserves.

Paul busts loose with this little ditty which theologians like to call a doxology. That’s a two-dollar word that simply means “glory words.” You bump into doxologies all throughout the Bible. Sudden explosions of praise which detonate whenever one of the writers of Scripture can no longer contain themselves when considering who God is and what He has done.

They’re littered all over the Old Testament (Ex 15:18; 1Chr 29:10-13; Ps 41:13; 72:18-19; 89:52; 106:48; 146:10; 150:1-6; Is 6:3). The words of glory keep on keeping on when you flip over to the New Testament. In the Gospels (Mt 21:9; Mk 11:9-10; Lk 2:14; 19:38). In the letters (Heb 13:20-21; 1Pet 4:11; 2Pet 3:18; Rev 4:8-11; 5:9-14; 7:12; 19:1). The apostle is personally responsible for this and four more (Rom 11:36; 16:25-27; Eph 3:20-21; Phil 4:20; 1Tim 1:17).

Never Stop Never Stopping

Long before Andy Samberg’s mockumentary, the inspired biblical writers were all about never stop never stopping when it comes to giving God the glory. It’s the never-ending applause for the only One who really rates. It’s the everlasting cheers for the only One who is truly entitled. It’s the Eternal Standing O that only Jesus deserves.

It’s amazing what happens when I get my eyes off my pathetic little pity party and look up to my awesome Savior. Can we be honest? Whatever you and I are facing probably finishes a distant second to Paul’s situation as he writes this letter. 

If he can spontaneously combust in worship of Jesus while walking the Green Mile, what’s stopping you and me?

©2017 Jay Jennings

Jesus to the Rescue

“my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me” (2Tim 3:11)

The hero to the rescue. You see it everywhere. In the movies. On TV. In literature. The Calvary thunders over the hill at the very last moment. Just when the evil genius is about to destroy the planet, (insert your favorite superhero here) swoops in out of nowhere. Just as Darth Vader is about to zap Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon save the day.

Just like the Bonnie Tyler song of the ‘80s, every one of us is holding out for a hero. Ever wonder where we get this standard storytelling cliche? I have a sneaking suspicion it’s because God has written this plot line on our very souls. Long before Marvel Cinematic Universe was a gleam in Stan Lee’s eye, we’ve longed for the Lord to save our bacon.

Jesus to the rescue!

It’s not just a mega-theme in God’s ultimate story, it’s one of the top two. Wonder what sits at number one? God getting the glory only He deserves. But a close second is Jesus to the rescue. It starts in the opening pages of Genesis when God announces to the satanic snake that a Hero is on the way to ultimately smash his sinful skull (Gen 3:15).

You know this Hero by several different names. Christ. Lord. Son of God. Son of Man. The Word. The Way. The Truth. The Life. Immanuel. The Lion of Judah. The Alpha and Omega. But these three handles best describe One coming to our rescue. Deliverer. Messiah. Savior.

The Old Testament is an endless series of announcements of Messiah’s eventual arrival. The NT reveals our Savior’s secret identity as Jesus, the humble Carpenter/Rabbi from the boondocks of Galilee. Before Christ Jesus returns to heaven, He promises to return one last time to save the day one last time.

Jesus to the rescue!

Which brings us to Paul’s second letter to his spiritual son Timothy. Talk about someone in need of rescue! The apostle is behind bars and facing capital punishment (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). While he certainly hopes Jesus will bust him out of the joint before it’s too late, he’s desperate for one last visit before execution (2Tim 4:9, 21).

They always say your life flashes before you just before you die. Maybe that’s why the apostle flips through the scrapbook of his relationship with the young pastor from Lystra who has been a huge part of his life over the past few years. Timothy’s been his apprentice during both the good times and bad. Tim knows all about Paul’s “persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from the all the Lord rescued me” (v11). Time and time again, Paul can personally testify about Jesus to the rescue.

Our Bible begins this verse with “my persecutions and sufferings” (v11). But these two are actually the last things in a list Paul started in verse 10. He encourages Tim for being such a great student and putting into practice all he’s learned from the apostle. “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (2Tim 3:10).

Thanks to those handy dandy verse numbers, many of us may have stopped before reading on and finishing the list. Don’t forget to add Paul’s “persecutions and sufferings” as God’s spokesman to most of the known world.

Did you know the authors of Scripture didn’t include these chapter and verse numbers? Scholars added those numbers so we could find specific passages more quickly. Chapters started showing up in the 5th Century. Verse numbers hit the pages more than one hundred years later in the 1500s. Think of them like street addresses that help you find your way around. Sort of a biblical Google Maps. For those of you lucky enough to grow up in a Baptist church, imagine doing Bible drills without them! Yikes!!

Most of the time, these chapter and verse numbers are a huge help to us as we find our way around God’s Word. Occasionally, they create artificial or awkward breaks in passages. This would be one of those. The apostle included his “persecutions and sufferings” (v11) in Tim’s apprenticeship checklist. We should too. Being a good follower of Jesus means following Him through the hard times.

When you first read the combo of “persecutions and sufferings” (v11), you might think it’s really two words for the same thing. Not so much. The first term in the original language (Gr. διογμος/diogmos) describes a chase, intense harassment, or an organized and planned oppression. In this situation, you’re the hunted and the hunter is in hot pursuit. It’s something that happens TO you.

This is a case of “it takes one to know one.” Paul knows what it’s like because he’s been the hunter. The apostle formerly known as Saul was on a mistaken one-man mission from God to wipe Jesus’ followers from the face of the earth (Acts 8:1). After Jesus set him straight, the tables were turned. The former Pharisee often found himself square in the sites of those who wanted to do the same to him. There was the time Jewish leaders in Pisidian Antioch “stirred up persecution (Gr. διογμος/diogmos) against Paul and Barnabas” and chased them out of town (Acts 13:50).

If “persecutions” are what happens TO you, “sufferings” (v11) are what happen IN you. The word in the original Greek (Gr. παθημα/pathema) focuses on strong inward emotions or what’s going on inside you. It’s all about pain, affliction, calamity, affliction, or something that must be endured. At dinner on the night before His execution, Jesus tells His team, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer (Gr. παθημα/pathema)” (Lk 22:15). And this passage from Luke is the source for our word describing the internal suffering or the passion of Christ. It’s something that happens IN you.

Why are “persecutions and sufferings” important when it comes to following Jesus? I don’t know about you, but it would be my personal preference to avoid these two things like a nasty combination of an IRS audit and colonoscopy! But then again, that’s why God didn’t leave me in charge.

First of all, don’t make the mistake of thinking that hard times mean Christ has turned His back on you. The apostle tells the Romans that there’s no way “tribulation, or distress, or persecution (Gr. διογμος/diogmos), or nakedness, or danger, or sword” will ever separate us from Jesus’ love (Rom 8:35). And, as they say in those Ginsu knife commercials, “But wait, there’s more!” Because God’s grace and power shines brightest in our weakness, Paul actually finds contentment “with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions (Gr. διογμος/diogmos), and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor 12:10).

Meanwhile back in 2 Timothy, the apostle takes a little stroll down memory lane and recalls all “that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured” (v11). If you’re familiar with Paul’s travel history, you probably recognize these places. They were all tour stops on his original Gospel expedition with his buddy Barnabas.

Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra are cities in the southern central part of what we know today as Turkey. So Paul’s descriptions of what went down there aren’t some generic, hard-to-pin-down generality of harassment. He is incredibly specific. In other words, these are real events involving real people at real places in real points in history. If you’re still not buying what he’s selling, Dr. Luke carefully has researched these events in one handy dandy little book known as Acts.

The apostle’s first stop in this terrible triple-header is “at Antioch” (v11). This is not to be confused with another Antioch we see in the NT, which was the capital of Syria. Syrian Antioch is the location of the multicultural megachurch that sent Paul and Barnabas on their original mission trip in the first place (Acts 11:19-27; 13:1-3). Here in 2 Timothy, he refers to another city by the same name in the region of Pisidia over in Asia Minor.

After Paul announces that Jesus is the long promised Messiah in a synagogue in Antioch (Acts 13:14-41), Jewish leaders in the city lose their ever-loving minds (Acts 13:45). As a result, the apostle and his boy Barney take the message of Christ to the non-Jewish people of the city and they go absolutely gaga over it (Acts 13:46-59). That leads to Jewish leaders inciting a riot and running the two evangelists out of the city (Acts 13:50).

The second stop is “at Iconium” (v11). As a result of the persecution in Antioch, Paul and Barney hit the road and head east about 85 miles away to what we today call Konya (Acts 13:51). Once again, they head straight to the synagogue and break the news that Jesus is the Hero whom Jews have been expecting for several thousand years (Acts 14:1).

When a cross cultural stew of people place their trust in Christ, Jewish leaders begin a campaign against the Gospel and poison the minds of a many Gentiles in the city against  the message (Acts 14:2). Jesus uses the dynamic duo to save even more folks. But Iconium remains a city divided (Acts 14:3-4). When Paul and Barney get wind of plot to rock them to sleep with real rocks, they beat feet out of town (Acts 14:5-6).

From Iconium, they head south 30 miles to Lystra to the third stop in the terrible triple-header. This is where God uses Paul to heal a disabled man who had never walked in his entire life (Acts 14:8-10). Citizens are so blown away by this that they are convinced two of their gods named Zeus and Hermes have rolled into town (Acts 14:11-13). Paul does his best to let them know they’re not gods but they do know the One who is (Acts 14:14-18).

That’s when a posse of Jewish leaders from Antioch and Iconium roll into town, looking to for the two troublemakers. They fire up the crowds who hunt down Paul, stone him until they think he’s dead, and drag his unconscious body outside the city limits (Acts 14:19). Somehow, someway, the apostle survives and hooks up with Barnabas to take the Good News down the road to Derbe (Acts 14:20).

I don’t know about you, but I would totally eliminate Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra from any of my future travel plans. I certainly wouldn’t be giving them good reviews on Tripadvisor. You can take that to the bank! We’re not talking about a bad service at a restaurant or a dirty hotel bathroom. These are big time “persecutions and sufferings” (v11) that would lead most of us to put these places in our rearview mirror once and for all.

Oh, but not Paul and Barnabas! On their return trip to Syria, they hit these three cities a second time, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22). The Gospel is too important to let a little persecution stop them!

It’s likely that during those crazy days in Lystra that a young man named Timothy hears about Jesus as Messiah for the first time. A couple of years later on Paul’s second tour, he actually swings by Lystra a THIRD time! That’s when makes Tim part of his team (Acts 16:1-3). Young Tim was probably an eyewitness to the attempt to murder the apostle the first time he was in town. And you can bet he’s heard all the stories of the persecution that happened up the road in Antioch of Pisidia and Iconium.

You may be wondering how the world Paul survived three terrible tour stops where he was bullied, chased, harassed, assaulted, and left for dead. Well, he lets us know right here. “Yet from them all the Lord rescued me” (v11). While we don’t get details, the apostle gives all the credit for each one of his escapes to the one and only Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus to the rescue!

The apostle carefully selects a word here that the ESV translates as “rescued” (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai). It’s means to bring someone out of severe and extreme danger to safety. It describes deliverance…and I DON’T mean the kind with banjos. When someone comes to your rescue, there’s no doubt of the imminent danger. It’s what Michael Scott on “The Office” would call Threat Level Midnight. It’s not a matter of IF you’re in trouble but WHEN it will happen.

Check out a couple of other times NT writers use this term. The apostle and his team thought they were going to die when rioting broke out in Ephesus. Are you seeing a pattern here? But Paul writes to the Corinthians that’s exactly when God came to their rescue. “He delivered (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us. On Him we have set our hope that He will deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us again” (2Cor 1:10).

Jesus to the Rescue!

When Jesus teaches His boys to pray, He wraps up the model prayer by asking His Dad to “deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us from evil” (Mt 6:13; Lk 11:4). While Christ hangs on the cross, the crowd trash talks Him, “He trusts in God; let God deliver (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) Him now” (Mt 27:43). Pretty sure they’d be eating those words a few days later when He came strolling out of cemetery!

As important as it is for Jesus coming to our rescue when we’re stuck between the proverbial rock and the hard place, it pales in comparison to desperate need for Him as our spiritual Savior. After we completely trash God’s perfect creation through our own sin and rebellion, Christ executes the most spectacular search-and-rescue operation the universe has ever seen. The Lord left the pleasures of the heavenly palace to dive into the dumpster of the mess we’ve made.

Jesus rescues us by doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. He lives the perfect life of obedience to God’s commands that we’ve failed to live. He dies the brutal death on the cross for our sin that we should have died. He rises to the spectacular new life that we in no way deserve. Paul says it this way in a little ditty to the Colossians. God has rescued us and “He has delivered (Gr. ρυομαι/rhuomai) us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13).

Jesus to the rescue!

So what do we do with all this? First of all, Timothy has learned a lot from following Paul while he follows the Lord. As an apprentice to the apostle, he’s seen first hand that the abundant life isn’t an endless supply of rainbows, unicorns, and Skittles. As a matter of fact, his mentor makes that plain in the very next verse. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12). Remember, life is messy. Even for the the followers of Jesus. ESPECIALLY for the followers of Jesus!

Our Savior warns His team before His crucifixion that we can be certain everything will go completely off the rails. “In this world you will have tribulation” (Jn 16:33). Of all the promises in the Bible, you never see anybody claiming this one. You don’t see a whole lot of “in this world you will have tribulation” bumper stickers or coffee mugs at the Christian bookstore, do you?

But if we keeping reading Jesus’ words at that Passover party, He gives us a sneak preview of it all ends. “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). Spoiler alert! Christ wins. And when we trust in Him, we win too. The apostle desperately wants the folks in Colossae to never forget the end of the story (Col 3:1-2).

We need to know that Jesus always walks with us through the trouble. That’s why the prophets like to call Him Immanuel which means God is with us (Mt 1:23). He’s not just with us in the past tense. He’s STILL with us in the present tense. Our Savior is right by your side. Right here. Right now.

Jesus to the rescue!

Sometimes He plucks us out of the storm. Many times He walks with us right through the eye. Hang onto Jesus when the hurricanes of life make landfall. And no matter bad it gets, you can be sure that He’ll never let go of you. King David sings all about that. “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” (Ps 27:14). Or as my old buddy Ross Turner always said, “Wait IN the Lord while you wait ON the Lord.”

Jesus to the rescue!

Let’s not sugarcoat things. The commercial is right. Life does come at you fast. Don’t fall for the lie that following Jesus suddenly transforms life into an all-inclusive resort on this side of eternity. Not so much. When it comes to “persecutions and sufferings” (v11), it’s not “if” but “when.” Job loss. Betrayal by a friend. Bankruptcy. Something “suspicious” on an x-ray. Death of a loved one. We can guarantee that bad stuff will happen TO us. But remember Who is IN us (Gal 2:20; Col 1:17).

Paul wants Timothy and the rest of us to know that this isn’t just any random hero coming to save the day. Yeah, He has an “S” on His chest alright. But this time it stands for Savior.

Jesus to the rescue!