Today’s Reading:

Leviticus 3-5 & Mark 5: 21-43

Guest Author: Magnolia Hood

The fragrance industry is a very lucrative one.  Some reports it being worth billions of dollars a year.  Now there’s nothing wrong with this since for the most part, I imagine that we all like to smell good, right?  In reflecting upon today’s readings, these two are closely related in my mind.  Really?  You may think.  But yes, here is how.  You can find perfume, parfume, cologne, and all sorts of body mists and sprays mostly anywhere in today’s society.  They tend to be affordable for all budgets and financial backgrounds.  This week while I was at work, I was thumbing through a magazine as I waited for a client and I came across one of those sample sheet inserts for Coach perfume.  So I peeled open the insert, and was instantly a fan!  I WANT THAT PERFUME!!  So went looking for it.  Google revealed to me that it was available for anywhere between $65 and $85 for a 1.7oz bottle.

This fragrance that I find pleasing does not come cheap, right?  Going back to my previous statement, fragrances can cost various depending on your budget.  I am sure that I can find a cheaper (generic) version of this fragrance that will not set me back so much.  I am quite sure that I can bypass the trip to Macy’s and go to Walgreens and find a similar smell.  The only problem is that someone that is also a fan of that fragrance and actually has the authentic version will be able to tell the difference should we ever share a car, elevator or classroom.  The point I am trying to make, is that though the generic is cheaper, you will always be able to tell the difference.

That takes me to our reading for today.  In Leviticus, God is giving instruction to Moses as to how Aaron and his sons are to give atonement offerings to God for the sins of the people.  The distinctions between the different types of offerings have different procedures, purposes, and significances.  The one recurrent theme that I find is no matter what you use for sacrifice, or even how you sacrifice; it must be “an aroma pleasing to the Lord”.  So whether it comes from the herd, or the flock, it must be an aroma pleasing to the Lord.  So it makes me wonder; what causes this aroma?  We no longer have to come to our churches with rams and goats in tow, so how then do we make this aroma?  Here’s what I have found:  you must come to God with a repentant heart and a willingness to confess what the sin is.  We initiate reconciliation with God, by humbling our own hearts, and coming to God accordingly.  How pleasing would it be if we came to God like the woman in our Mark 5 reading?

God desires our sacrifice of ourselves on the altar of repentance.  To lay aside our ideas and thoughts that can cause blemishes.  He wants our investment, and our participation.  Just as the priests had to participate fully even to the laying on of their hands onto the head of the sacrifice, to symbolize how the animal was taking the place of man.  Today, can you lay your hand on your own head, and sacrifice yourself today?  Yes, it may cost a lot, but it would be a most recognizable fragrance to our God.

When I was newly married and in Bible College, I lived in a rented three room house.  It was small, but adequate as I didn’t have much stuff to place in it.  It was like a palace to me as opposed to living in a shared dorm room!  My thought today centers around God’s love for three-room houses.

In Exodus 40 the Tabernacle is erected and arranged and in verse 33, “Moses finished the work.”  When man ended, God began.  The cloud covered the Tabernacle and the glory filled the Tabernacle.  God’s presence came down from the mountain and was dwelling in the midst of His people.  Visible guidance came from the cloud by day and fire by night and it remained throughout the years of their journey.

The Tabernacle was basically a three-room house.  The outer court, the inner court and the Holy of Holies and God dwelt therein.  It wasn’t a spectacular edifice; merely a tent, with a wall of linen curtain around it and badger skins dyed red to cover it all and protect from the harsh climate surrounding it.  But, it was God’s dwelling place.  Because the design was heavenly, it was therefore orderly (Heb. 8:5).  The arrangement of the Israelites camp was so impressive and orderly with the Tabernacle in the middle and three tribes on each of four sides that it inspired Balaam who was sent to curse the camp, to bless it instead. (Deuteronomy 23:4-5, Joshua 24:9-10)

God called the Israelites to be holy, to be set apart to Him and His purposes.  The difference would be visible and bring God glory.  God’s glory came in the midst of them when they obeyed His explicit instructions.

When Jesus came robed in flesh, He was living, walking and talking with His people, doing the work, performing the ministry in a physical sense.  I am reminded today  that after Pentecost, when the Spirit came to indwell man,  God also dwells in a three room house – our physical bodies made up of body, soul, and spirit.  So in this context, does God not also require the same from us as He did the Israelites;  to be holy, set apart to Him and His purposes. We are also to be distinguished in nature and in character from the world – different in the way we think, act and live.  The difference will be visible and bring God glory.  His living in us makes our holiness possible.  (Ex 31:13)

That three-room house God dwells in contains the outer court (our physical body), the inner court (our soul), and the Holy of Holies (our spirit).  In Colossians 1:26-27, Paul writes to the church of Colosse “the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.  To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles:  which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (NKJ)

I can’t imagine what waking up every morning and seeing the Tabernacle would have been like, but we have such a greater reality to face every morning – the very real and present God dwelling inside of us.  I have to agree wholeheartedly with songstress7′s blog from Sunday; Do we esteem the presence of God within us?  Does it inspire awe and wonder that He has chosen us to indwell?  Does it make a visible difference in the way we live our lives and conduct ourselves?  Does it make us think, act and live differently from the world?  Does our character and our very nature reflect the indwelling God?  Do we bring God glory every day we live?

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.  For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (I Corinthians 3:16 – NKJ)

It was a hot summer night in a time when only a few churches were air conditioned. Ours was not. The windows were raised and so was the level of excitement. Boys were seated on one side and girls on the other. We were having a ‘Kid’s Crusade’ and the secrets of the Tabernacle were being reveled through the wonderful media of flannel graph. As each layer of flannel was removed showing the details that lay beneath, a cowbell would ring out indicating a question was about to be asked. The boys were competing against the girls. At stake was a wooden ruler for everyone on the winning side. Even better was that the one that answered the most questions without getting any wrong won an incredible 6 foot long candy bar! It had come down to a sudden death play off. I was representing the boys and an emaciated looking girl with blond hair and green eyes was all that stood in the way of certain victory. Suddenly, the cowbell rang out! The question directed to me was easy. “Out of what was the bronze basin made? There was no way I could miss that one. I stood up, looked confidently at the blonde haired green eyed girl and with a defiant tone answered “Bronze!” “Yes – but what did they use in the making of the bronze basin and its stand?” came the reply. Well maybe I had been a little overly confident. Perhaps it was a trick question. As I stood there scratching my head in absolute bewilderment one of the boys behind me whispered “Mirrors.” I wasted no time in repeating, “Mirrors, they used mirrors.” “Yes – and what were the mirrors made out of?” I needed no help on this part. I had seen plenty of mirrors and they were all made of “Glass!” “Wrong – the basin and stand were made from mirrors of bronze.” came the reply. Well, I didn’t get the 6 foot candy bar. I didn’t get a ruler. I did marry the blonde haired green eyed girl twelve or thirteen years later and my palms still get sweaty every time I hear a cowbell.

It is amazing what we remember from the first time we are exposed to the wonderful details of God’s dwelling among men. Most of the gold, about a ton of it, would never be seen by the Israelites. It was either covered or displayed in places too holy for the common man. Each piece foretold God’s redemptive plan. Carefully crafted to precise details by those with the ability, willingness and resolution to give their best for God it stood as a reminder to this fledgling nation that God was in their midst. We no longer need a Tabernacle to recall Matthew 28:20 …. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

As an artist, I should be thrilled that I Exodus 35 fell on my day to blog. I can stand on my soapbox and talk to everyone about appreciating the arts and the artists as ministers. However, what I really want to do is tell you about Abbey.

My wife and I just returned from a two-day conference in Irving, Texas that featured Dr. Karyn Purvis, who specializes in assisting children from hard places (especially foster/adoptive kids) heal from their past by giving their caregivers healing tools. Through the course of the conference we discussed issues that foster children may have with sensory perception. Imagine that you live alone with no contact with another person. You wake up each day and trot off to your dining room table where you eat and work. The days are extremely quiet with little to no noise in your home. You find that you make noises or talk to yourself just to get a little audio stimulation for your brain. You do this for years and this is your normal way of life. Now imagine that one day you receive an E-mail that declares that you are required to work and eat from your new office, which is a cubicle in the middle of O’Hare International Airport. You brain immediately goes into overload. What sounds like garbled noise to most people sounds like a thousand jet engines in your head. You fight to concentrate on any one task but can’t block the deafening noise out of your person. You soon find yourself completely overwhelmed and start to tear up with no sign of solution to the dilemma in sight. A businessman happily and briskly walking by is whistling near you. The high pitch noise is the last straw and you sucker punch the man in the gut. Security is called in for the seemingly random act and you are put in a holding cell.

A Sit N' Spin was on of Abbey's favorite activities.

Now before I intertwine the Scripture for the day let me briefly tell you about Abbey. Abbey is a girl who appeared to be about 7 to 9 years old. She is in a loving foster family and attended one of Dr. Purvis’ summer camps for foster children. Abbey is an adorable little girl who has sensory issues. I believe she actually has issues with balance. What I mean is that her body chemistry is such that she is in a constant state of limbo. A toy that the camp had for this problem is Sit N’ Spin. One could tell from the video case study that Abbey enjoyed spinning on the floor toy. One day Abbey was spinning on the beloved toy and her head was getting too close to the corner of a table. Naturally, as a good camp aid, the adult came over and told Abbey that she needed to stop her play. This sent Abbey into a HUGE meltdown. This adorable little girl suddenly became an enraged little person that could out cry, kick, or scream any adult. When Abbey was calmed down and asked what she needed, it was discovered that she wanted to break her record for “number of spins in a row.”  The meltdown was actually a result from a precious child not understanding how to cope with her situation.

The part that touched me was when I observed a change in Abbey. Suddenly, her eyes went from being chaotic to focused. Abbey was thinking clearer and was recounting the recent events that found her lying in the arms of Dr. Purvis. Abbey began to cry shameful tears and pleaded with Dr. Purvis, “When my mom picks me up… when you tell my mom what happened, don’t… don’t tell her I ruined the entire day.” Dr. Purvis stroked her face and assured her that she hadn’t ruined the day and that Abbey was in fact a great girl.

It was the shameful emotions of Abbey that struck through my bones and straight to the core of the marrow of my being. I’ve felt that way loads of times. Come on! I’m sure that you have too. It’s those times when you get caught in your sin or you realize what you’re doing. It’s the times when you suddenly examine yourself and the Holy Spirit shows you an area of disobedience. The guilt and the shame settle in the pit of your stomach. You feel as though you have ruined everything and like Abbey, don’t want everyone to know that you wrecked life.

Israel seems to have this problem. Despite all the miracles that God performed to rescue them from slavery they still did not fully trust Him. Moses goes to meet with God on Mount Sinai for an extended period of time and like Abbey the Israelites act out. They aren’t sure what to do in the situation so they make a god that can lead them. Their sin is pointed out to them by God and Moses. Upon returning to Mount Sinai Moses quickly admits to the Lord that his people are sinful. I can only imagine how ashamed and scared Moses must have been in Exodus 34:8 & 9. Like Abbey Moses has that pit in his stomach that God could change His mind about Israel. Moses begs that God would make them into His inheritance still. God doesn’t exactly comfort Moses. Instead He makes a covenant, a promise, of the great things He will do for Israel if they will follow His commands. I also think it’s interesting that God has a talk about NOT intermingling with the other people groups so that Israel doesn’t once again decide to worship an idol. It’s almost like Dad saying, “Now we saw what happened last time we did this so let’s think of some ways to avoid it in the future.”

The part of today’s reading that I’m connecting with is that God doesn’t want me to setup camp in my shameful emotions. In this passage it was unbelievable news for the Israelites that God would create a covenant they could trust that proved how precious they were to Him. For me, for us, it’s amazing that Christ died and rose again to away our shame.

Genesis 31-33  Mark 3: 1-19

Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.  How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?  What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

These words come from a man who has learned well that leading the people of God requires more than human leadership skills.  Dislodging God’s people from the clutches of Egypt required strong intervention.  Now that the people of God were free, Moses was not going to settle for less that the Presence of the Lord.  He understood that God’s people must possess some distinguishing qualities.  The big difference between an Israelite and one who was not was the Presence of God. 

Not many people understood in Jesus’s day that He represented the Presence of God on earth.  In Mark 3,  Jesus encounters a man with a withered hand.  I doubt that there was much available in the medical community of Jesus’s day for withered hands.  Such crisis situations for Jesus provided  opportunity to heal the man.  Standing at the edge of the crowd as always were the Pharisees checking whether or not Jesus would heal on the Sabbath.  Jesus argued, “is it good or is it evil to do good on the sabbath?”  He healed the man with the withered hand.

The Bible is replete with stories of great men and women who have experienced the living Presence of God in their lives.  I think of Isaiah’s vivid encounter with God in the year that King Uzziah died.  David, in spite of his obvious humanness, knew a one on one relationship with God.  The Apostle Paul’s Damascus road experience made a powerful impact on his life, and the lives of the many churches he founded.

These biblical examples can be intimidating to us “every day” Christ followers.  The title of a book that I read many years ago, Does God Still Guide? poses the question that many have asked.  Is our “walk of faith” sterile in comparison to the towering experiences of our spiritual forebearers?  Does God really have time to busy Himself with the mundane issues of our experience?  What distinguishes us from the rest of society.  Moses’s question to God becomes our own. 

In 1901, Frank Graeff penned these lyrics.

   Does Jesus care when my heart is pained

   Too deep for myrth or song,

   As the burdens press and the cares distress

   And the way grows weary and long?

No doubt every Christ follower has had days when he/she could pen such lyrics.  Gratefully, there is a refrain to these lyrics which became a hymn.

      O yes He cares, I know He cares

      His heart is touched with my grief;

      When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,

      I know my Savior cares.

I no longer wonder about the distinctive of God’s Presence in these days.  When I gave my life to Christ as a young teenager, something remarkable happened.  My decision that day became a seed that fell into the ground which not only changed my life, but it has affected the life of everyone that I would influence in the future.  God had much more to do with my conversion than I did.  It was His goodness that drew me. 

No doubt, the same has been true in your life.  The change God made in you has brought about change in those you have influenced. 

“What else will distinguish me and your people from anyone else on the face of the earth?” Moses asked.  The answer for Moses and the answer for all of us is the evident Presence of God in our life and experience.

This week I have another compare and contrast for you, based on our Old Testament and New Testament passages.

In Exodus, we’re getting deep into the instructions that God gave the Israelites for consecrating the priesthood and the implements of the Tabernacle, and the instructions are very detailed and specific… and rather a bloody business, when you think of all the animal sacrifices involved.

The purpose of all of this instruction, the rivers of blood spilled, the precise measurements and the ritual, was to set these people and these things apart — designated as holy for God’s purposes.  It was intended to keep the people from looking at them as common, and taking them for granted.

God Himself was to dwell in this place.  He was finally coming to live with His people, but He knew his people very well by this point, and He knew how easy it would be for them to find His presence… well, commonplace.

Looking at it like a marriage, once you get past the honeymoon stage and settle in to daily life, it’s all too easy to get accustomed to the other person’s presence, and to stop paying attention.  To take them for granted.  Sometimes, even, to get irritated at their constant nearness and want to ignore them.

That would be the last thing He wanted.

So did God really need all the ceremony?  Was that much death truly necessary?  Could He really not relate to His people without fresh blood on the altar and an exclusive patented blend of spices burning in the room?

The way I see it, it wasn’t for Himself that God decreed the meticulous rituals.  It was for mankind, who would without them far too easily forget that they were in the presence of something magnificent, holy, and eminently worthy of awe and respect.

Fast forward to Mark chapter 2, where God is once more dwelling among mankind — but this time, undercover.

The religious people of the day took great pride in continuing the ceremonies that were set out in the Torah, and in scrupulously following the letter of the law.  In fact, Jesus’ behavior was positively scandalous in their eyes, because he consorted with disreputable sorts like tax collectors (agents of the hated Roman government), loan sharks, and prostitutes… Not only that, he didn’t demand his followers jump on board the latest religious craze and fast along with the Pharisees and John’s disciples.  He let his followers pick grain for a snack on the Sabbath, for pity’s sake!

But Jesus had a point to make.  He wasn’t here to impress the religious people of the day.  He was here to do something completely different… to shift the paradigm of how mankind related to God.

It was the poor, the sick, the sinners who needed His attention, not the self-righteous.  And it was the heart and the intent of the Law that the religious folk were ignoring in favor of making a show of following  the rules.

Jesus came not to abolish the law, as He said in Matthew 5:17, but to fulfill it in a way that had never been done before, and to teach mankind how to follow the heart of the message:  love.

³⁶“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  ³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[a] 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[b] 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  (Matthew 22:36-40)

And the heart of the message goes both ways — our love for God, and His love for us:

 ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  (John 3:16-17)

We no longer have to bring sacrifices to the temple and stand back for fear that the holy presence of God will strike us dead on the spot.  The altars at our churches aren’t doused with fresh animal blood, and anointing oil isn’t a product that’s exclusively available to the priesthood on pain of excommunication.

We live under the grace of God by virtue of Christ’s completed work, and we are no longer obligated to follow the letter of the law in order to be in right standing with Him…  We have the gift of the Holy Spirit to enable us to enter into His presence at any time, day or night, in ways that would make the priests of Exodus tremble to consider.

And many times, we forget that we are in the presence of something magnificent, holy, and eminently worthy of awe and respect.

Lord, remind us not to take Your presence for granted this day.

Today’s Reading:

Exodus 27-28 & Mark 1:23-45

I am excited to know that the Power of God is not limited to humans and the elements of the world, but every part of creation must submit to His world. Addiction is defined as the continued use of a mood altering addictive substance or behaviors despite the adverse consequences that may accompany those behaviors. The dangerous reality, is that some people who struggle with addiction do not realize that it is impacting their thoughts and actions in their everyday lives. Our text reminds me of three key factors that can help us as we endeavor to be like Christ: the power of god; the authority of God; and how we measure our behaviors.

When I think about the power of the blood of Jesus and how it has the power to wash away ALL my sins, I get excited to know God’s love is unconditional. I know the obstacles that I had to overcome; and to know that God can forgive me is a gift from an all seeing God. In the same manner what ever issue that I was tied to, God’s has the power to break every addiction, soul tie and habit.

Jesus’ actions showed that He really had the authority that He claimed. In this text, He cast out a demon. How? By His words! Nothing more. When Jesus merely said, “Be quiet and come out of him,” the demon left the man. His words had authority even over demons. The calmness with which Jesus expelled demons reflected His power: He never argued, struggled or created a scene. He simply ordered the demons to leave and they left. No wonder people were amazed. He had demonstrated the credentials to prove His authority.

In every area of our life, authority is essential. To determine distance, it is necessary to have a yardstick or standard of measure by which to calculate length. Thus, if someone wishes to know how long a room is, he measures it. God has provided a yardstick for us: Jesus and the Word. When we wish to know whether something is right or wrong, we should evaluate it by the standard of the Scriptures. Therefore, you need to have a Bible at your side while you are studying, and continually refer to it to be sure that what is taught in these lessons is true. The Bible is our yardstick.

Questions to consider:

What amazed the multitudes about Jesus?
a) physical appearance
b) intelligence
c) wealth
d) authority in teaching

How did Jesus expel the demon?
by conducting a seance
by a magical formula
by a simple command (rebuke)
by taking up a collection

What purpose did Jesus’ miracles serve?
they made Him rich
they demonstrated His authority and proved He was from God
they proved people today can do miracles
they served no purpose whatever

My daughter Natalie called me laughing on a Sunday afternoon.  She had just been to church in her college church in Springfield Missouri.  She told me that the pastor was preaching and asked a rhetorical question.  He asked,  “What was it that distinguished the Jews from all the people of the world?”  A man raised his hand sure of the answer and blurted out for all to hear-”Circumcision!”  The crowd tried to hold back their laughter while the embarrassed pastor said that while it is true that the Jews were known for circumcision, it was the Presence of God that distinguished them from all the people’s of the earth.

Exodus 25 begins describing the articles of the tabernacle which was to be a place that God dwelt.  This marks a change, because from before that time, God’s presence visited the people but didn’t dwell with them.  Dwelling means that God is “moving in” with his people.  For better or for worse,  the people of Israel and those of us who follow Christ will be known by our relationship to the one true God.  When we are rebellious, God’s Presence reminds us of our foolishness and calls us back into relationship.  When we follow God closely, his Presence brings the favor of God into our lives.

God is fiercely faithful.  When God moves in, he doesn’t leave.  We are unfaithful at times and we try to leave, but once God commits to staying, it’s for keeps.  We live in a world of unfaithfulness.  I saw T.D. Jakes preach yesterday and he was talking about the covenant of marriage which means we stay together even when we don’t feel goose bumps.  He pointed out that people even leave churches when they don’t feel goose bumps.  Dwelling together brings the relationship to a whole new level.  God says, I’m moving in, and I’m not leaving.  If we are ever apart, its only because you moved and not me.

I’m a bread man.  It’s true.  When the rolls are called up yonder I’ll be there.  I think bread gets a bad rap.  In the “land of plenty” we have relegated bread to a side dish, but in my opinion, bread is worthy of main course status.  On Valentine’s Day, My beautiful wife and I went to a swanky place called the WormanHouse overlooking Table Rock Lake in Branson.  The special of the night was filets covered with crab.  Before, the main course, however, the waiter  brought wonderful oven fresh spicy bread to our table.  The filets were just ok, but the bread was GREAT!

The Worman House on Valentine's Day

In our reading, the Presence of God is symbolized by this table containing the Bread of the Presence.  The table stood just outside of the curtain which contained the ark of the covenant which is where the Presence of God resided in all of its fullness.  When I picture the bread sitting on the table just outside the curtain, I imagine bread that sits under a heat lamp that keeps it warm and fresh and tasty.  There are twelve loaves which represent the twelve tribes of Israel.  In other words, the bread is us.  Just as this bread sat outside the ark of the covenant and soaked in the Presence, we are to soak in the presence of God and nourish a world that is starving for the Presence of God.

I’m frankly troubled by a Christian world that often goes after the exotic and the novel while skipping that which we need the most-the bread of His Presence.  The latest fads and even the most exotic gifts mean nothing without the Presence.  People run from church to church looking for “something more’ while they ignore the fresh daily bread served daily.   Don’t settle for any cheap imitations.  Be a bread woman or a bread man.  That is what distinguishes us from the rest of the world.

In the Exodus reading today we discover such worthy themes as justice for all, the law of the Sabbath, and Israel affirming their covenant with God, Moses and Joshua ascending the mountain to meet with God.  Wonderful food for thought with far reaching implications; but the Matthew reading drew my attention and riveted my mind to some aspects of that chapter that I had never thought of before.

In the last four verses of chapter 28 we read Jesus’ last words to His disciples before His ascension.  I would imagine they were pretty important words and were actually included in Mark, Luke and Acts.  The eleven remaining disciples had been on a roller coaster of emotions facing the crucifixion, the burial, the initial confusion of the resurrection; and now, the impending departure of the resurrected Christ from the earth.  From the euphoria of finding that He was actually resurrected from the tomb they had placed him in, to not quite understanding what was happening on the mount of ascension.  He was compelling them to “Go and make disciples of “all the nations”, baptizing them, teaching them, and I will be with you always – even until the end of the age.”

 I don’t really think they comprehended what Jesus was asking them to do.   To say that they were “forlorn” was probably putting it mildly!  I don’t see them going home and packing their suitcases and taking off for the “uttermost parts of the earth”!  In fact, if I understand the history of the early church accurately, they went home and stayed within their comfort zone in Jerusalem until persecution forced them to rethink staying there.  The stoning of Stephen and the dragging out of their homes of some of the followers of Jesus lit a fire under them and they began to make their way to cities where they might be a bit safer.

Even then, I don’t see where the disciples were anxious to talk about their experiences with Jesus in the cities where they fled.  It was a group of Hellenistic Jews that fled to Antioch that began to speak about the things they had seen and heard that actually started the growth of the Kingdom and got the attention of the disciples who dispatched someone there to oversee the fledgling group of converts in Antioch. It took them some time to leave forlorn behind and become fearless in their pursuit of Jesus’ commission to them.

Should we criticize the disciples for their lack of exuberance regarding the Great Commission that Jesus’ gave them?  No, I personally have no right to because I have treated Jesus’ last words exactly like they did!  I have stayed within my comfort zone, my Jerusalem, for the majority of my over 50 years as a Christ follower.  The majority of the churches that I have been a part of have had a “fortress” mentality regarding the church – keep the world out at all costs!  Build up the walls, be ready to lift the moat as soon as any sinner made it in the fortress.  We wrapped our righteous robes around us so as not to be contaminated by the poor unrighteous sinners on the outside.  How opposite was our mentality from Jesus!  From the very beginning – even in the Old Testament, the Bible hints that the Gentiles (heathens/sinners) would be taken in.  In Jesus’ own family tree, three Gentile women are listed, Tamar, Rahab and Ruth.  Jesus was constantly teaching through the parables about His view of the Kingdom of God that encompassed the whole world.  At His birth, Gentile magi came a great distance to worship Him.  The story of the centurian in Matthew 8 shows in a beautiful way Jesus blessing on the centurian’s faith.

How wonderful it is for me at this stage of my life to be a part of a church that has a expanding world view of the Kingdom of God.  It’s not a time to be concentrating on the degradation of the world and being “forlorn” with no hope for the future of the church.  It’s a time to be “fearless” in our pursuit of spreading the gospel, the good news throughout Jerusalem (Murphysboro), Judea (Carbondale, Pinckneyville, Ava) and the uttermost parts of the earth (the entire country, Kenya, Nigeria, Europe) wherever God gives us the opportunity to sow and spread the gospel.  I’m so glad to have had my small view of the Kingdom enlarged to encompass the world.  As you are reading this, I will have spent my day yesterday working at the Dream Center Food Bank – letting my light shine and my voice speak the good news of the Kingdom.

No longer “forlorn”; let’s be “fearless” for God!  What an exciting time to be alive and full of the Holy Spirit!

“…and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes with palm branches in their hands and crying with a loud voice saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  Rev. 7:9-10