Jesus

Drawn to God’s Presence

Matt Otto D-Groups , , ,

Many of us are familiar with the idiom “home is where the heart is,” yet most of us are less acquainted with its origin. The idiom communicates the sentiment that home is the place you are drawn to because it is where you find the people you love and who love you. It further carries with it a sense of wellbeing, comfort, and safety. Whether the idiom’s origins go all the way back to the first century and the Roman statesman Gaius Plinius Secundus – also known as Pliny the Elder – or not, its appearance in English literature can be traced back to an unsigned poem published in 1828 named ‘Tis Home Where’er the Heart Is. The poem beautifully develops the heart’s powerful longing for home.

Jesus, as a good Jewish boy, grew up with parents that impressed upon Him the significance of the temple. As the sinless Son of God, He also had an innate understanding of its importance in relating to His Father. Similar to the Garden of Eden and the Israelite tabernacle, the temple served as the place where heaven and earth met or, better yet, where the presence of God met humanity. So in Luke 2, the author connects Jesus to the very presence of God by placing Him in the temple. It is here that He is presented and joyfully recognized by Simeon and Anna, and it is here that, at age twelve, the Son of Man is found among the theological elite confounding and mystifying the great minds of His day with His understanding and answers. The sinless God-Man is entirely unencumbered by sin’s effects on His mind. Without a sin nature, Jesus’ mind was never clouded or fatigued, never inconsistent or distracted, and never misinformed or forgetful.

So like the learned rabbis, we too are amazed, because we find the young man sitting in the temple completely at home. As a matter of fact, upon finding their son after frantically scouring the city for three days, Jesus informs His parents that He “must be about [His] Father’s business” (v. 49, KJV). Jesus came for a distinct and life-altering purpose. The Apostle John hints at this when he says that Jesus “made his dwelling [tabernacled] among us” (Jn 1:14). Did you notice what John is implying? Jesus came to us to be the Temple (Jn 2:18-22; Col 1:19)! He came to us so that by His death and resurrection He might usher in the New Covenant through which the dividing curtain between God and man might be torn in two (Matt 27:51) and the temple expanded beyond a single building.  Now God, the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:26) not only makes His home with us, but in us (1 Cor 3:16-17). The people of God, the Church, now become a temple able to experience the presence of God at all times and in all places (Eph 2:19-22).

As mentioned at the outset, the poem ‘Tis Home Where’er the Heart Is describes the heart’s overwhelming desire to be where it is loved. But the poem goes further by shedding light on the heart’s yearning to be renewed, and to be free. Jesus, the perfectly sinless Son of God has come to mingle among those made of mud and blood – you and me. The glory of God Himself has been revealed in the flesh, visible for all to see (Jn 1:14; Lk 1:1-2; 2:30). Both Simeon and Anna recognized infant Jesus during His presentation at the temple. In Jesus, they and millions have found where their heart has found a home, their life has been made new, and the shackles of their sinful past have fallen off.

Come home! Run to Jesus! He is your comfort and salvation. And, be like Simeon and Anna who embraced Jesus and gratefully spoke of Him to all who would listen.

Isaiah 40:1-5 (NIV) – “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

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Children Change Your Life

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

God always gives good gifts.

In God’s sovereign and providential plan every moment, event, and circumstance – regardless of how it makes us feel – is for our good and for His glory. God is never frivolous or nonchalant with His actions. His ways are steadfast and His intentions are clear. He wants you to know Him and treasure Him, so you might worship Him.

The births of John the Baptist and Jesus are extraordinary – miracles that invite an elderly barren woman and a young virgin girl to be part of God’s plan. He meets them in their disappointment and innocence, interrupts their lives, and goes so far as to name their boys before they are born (Lk 1:5-2:7). The two “baby blessings” will ultimately make God’s glorious name known among the nations. While they bring physical life into the homes of Elizabeth and Mary, they will eventually bring spiritual life to mankind (Lk 1:76-79).

It is breathtaking how much wonder these two boys bring to all who are privileged to witness their births. The text is flooded with expressions of praise and joy! The parents, the neighbors, the shepherds, and many others marvel at God’s grace and mercy as they hear and see about God’s plan for John and Jesus.

Which brings us back to my opening statement: “God always gives good gifts” and children are one of the greatest of these. You don’t need to be a parent to appreciate this and to value them accordingly. Why? Because children come in both physical and spiritual form. The first is obvious to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and so on, because they were happy participants in the pregnancy announcement, the gender reveal, the snapshots of the newborn, and the celebration of many exciting “firsts”. The latter pertains to those who are a part of the family of God – the church. Followers of Jesus are children of God “born not of natural descent, … but born of God” (Jn 1:12-13). It is a thrill to be involved in the spiritual rebirth, spiritual growth, and spiritual journey of the sons and daughters of God – our brothers and sisters in Christ! Furthermore, it is a tremendous responsibility to be taken seriously (Matt 18:6). You and I have the privilege to love God’s children, encourage and edify them patiently, and model Jesus clearly. Just as parents are stewards of the hearts of their own children, so we are shepherds of the souls of children at our church. Regardless of age, they are God’s children, bought with a price (1 Cor 6:20)!

Your actions and words matter eternally. By God’s grace, they have the potential to spur children on to deeper faith, greater love, and more faithful service. It was Charles H. Spurgeon who quipped about the impact we have on the children in our care:

You may speak but a word to a child, and in that child there may be slumbering a noble heart which shall stir the Christian Church in years to come.

Rejoice in having the remarkable opportunity to participate in God’s life changing Gospel plan! Your participation will flood you with great joy… It may even change your life!

Psalm 127:3-5 (NIV) – “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.”

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The Prelude to the Gospel of Luke

Matt Otto D-Groups , , ,

Are you familiar with these opening lines from five classic literary works?

“Call me Ishmael.”[1]

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”[2]

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”[3]

“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.”[4]

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”[5]

Recently, I have begun to re-read many of the classics I was required to read for my high school English classes. I must admit it is much more enjoyable now than it was then, during my mid-to-late teens. Further, I must admit that some of the literary works like The Ilead, Beowulf, and Great Expectations demanded some additional help to understand their challenging poetry or underlying plot themes. So, I turned to what many students did – I purchased a small yellow and black booklet to help get a better understanding of what I was reading. Yes, you guessed it, I purchased a copy of Cliffs Notes for every book in question.

Now, I am not advocating purchasing Cliffs Notes for the Gospel of Luke – I am not even sure they are available or how helpful they would be, but I am suggesting you take a few minutes to read and ponder the first four verses of his account of Jesus’ life to identify the purpose and motivation for its writing. Similar to the memorable opening lines or paragraphs in classics, the first few verses of Luke’s gospel are familiar, captivating, and revealing.

In the case of the beloved physician and travel companion of Paul, Luke didn’t launch into his Jesus-account haphazardly or casually. On the contrary. Being a fellow worker of the Apostle Paul (Philemon 24), Luke accompanied the missionary and church planter on several of his travels and surely gleaned much from his efforts and passion for the Gospel. In turn, these shared experiences surely influenced his account of Jesus’ life and ministry. Through carefully recorded eyewitness reports, Luke wrote an orderly account so his readers might “know the certainty of the things [they] had been taught” (Lk:1:4) and furthermore, have their faith make a difference in the world and for the one to come.

Finally, Luke 19:10 provides us with the central theme of the Lukan account, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” It is a gospel account that shows Jesus came for sinners – specifically, humans who are broken, troubled, wayward, weak, and helpless. To use Luke’s word, “lost”. Again, Jesus says, “I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness]” (Luke 5:32, Amplified).

Jesus, makes all the difference! He becomes one of us, the Son of Man. He comes (Lk 1-4), He seeks (Lk 4-23), and He saves (Lk 23-24). Luke proclaims that Jesus invites sinners to His table and His invitation is for everybody. It is for you, for me, and for all those lost and longing. Have you accepted the invitation? Will you bring someone with you? That is the challenge that Luke lays before us.

Luke 1:1-4 (ESV) – “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”

[1] Moby-Dick, Herman Melville, 1851

[2] Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austin, 1813

[3] A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens, 1859

[4] The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway, 1952

[5] The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien, 1932

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The Fatherly King, Forever

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

Dads can create quite a stir on the elementary school playground. Claims of “my dad can beat up your dad” and “my dad is smarter than your dad” swirl among the littles as they banter back and forth, taking pride in their dad, who – in their mind is bigger than life.

Similarly, the title, Everlasting Father, has created quite a bit of discussion around the theological watercooler. Isaiah uses it to describe the long-promised and long-awaited Messiah. Some interpret the title describing Jesus’ divine nature and eternal relationship to His creation (Jn 1:1-5; Col 1:16-17). Jesus is the “Father of Eternity”, who is beyond creation, over creation, as well as near creation. While this is certainly true, Isaiah likely had a much simpler and more intimate understanding in mind. “Jesus opens the way to God’s fatherly heart”[1] and functions like the neverending fatherly King. He is the “Forever Father” behaving like the perfect father. He is present, faithful, devoted, kind, gentle and so on.

The gospels demonstrate this dynamic by consistently showing Jesus’ kingly goodness in action as He provides and protects during His earthly ministry. He loves the unlovable, heals the sick, and forgives the guilt ridden. Moreover, in the Gospel of John, Jesus explains that He provides and protects like a good shepherd does his sheep (Jn 10:1-18). Jesus, the Good Shepherd leads (v. 4), enriches (v. 10), and welcomes (v. 16). All the while His everlasting fatherly heart is evident – active, reliable, generous, caring, and tender.

I give [my sheep] eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one (John 10:28-30)

We are secure in our neverending fatherly King’s hands. According to Charles H. Spurgeon, “There is no unfathering Christ, and there is no unchilding us. He is a father to those who trust Him.”

John 1:1-5 (ESV) – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

[1] Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 4, Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2008), 204-205

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Advent: A Time To Remember

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , , , , ,

Advent is nearing and Christmas is just around the corner. As I walked through the church building this morning, there was delightful laughter and creative chatter filling every space. Lights, decorations, and greenery were going up, as glitter found places to eternally abide. Yet, for many, this season is filled with busyness, even stress. Still, Advent invites us to slow down. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming”… a translation of the Greek word parousia, which means “presence” or “arrival.” It is a time of preparation in anticipation of the arrival of Christ. It is a time to remember His story and rest in His presence.

As we come to the end of the year, the end of our “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” series, the end of the book of Malachi, and the end of the Old Testament, it feels as though we are standing at a place of tremendous importance. The closing verses of Malachi are burdened with the weight of the past and restless with the anticipation of the future. They form a connection between the Old and New Testament – a bridge between what God has said and done in the past and what He will say and do in the future. Here is what the prophet records in the final three verses of his message to God’s people:

Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction. (Malachi 4:4-6)

Malachi connects remembering God’s Word to the Messiah’s coming. Since the moment sin and the curse entered Creation, the promise of a Victor, Redeemer, and King ached in the hearts of men and caused Creation to groan with anticipation of its coming redemption (Rom 8:22-23). As the Old Testament unfolded over the centuries, the hope in the promised anointed King who would arrive and put this world – broken by sin – back together again seemed to turn into doubt. So, in God’s final oracle of the Old Testament, He reminds and reassures His people of His certain promises recorded in His Word: “The Messiah will come, and when He comes, hearts will be changed and evil will be destroyed!” What an incredible way to bridge the Old and New Testament!

So, here we are today. We find ourselves in the era between Savior Jesus’ first coming and King Jesus’ second coming. We need to remember the words of the angel as he spoke to Mary in Luke 1:31-32:

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus [which means “God saves”]. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.

This message is the Good News – the Gospel that is for all people! God has come “to seek and save” (Luke 19:10). The Good News is for Israel, for the lost sinner, and even for the follower of the Savior. Jesus’ first coming as the Suffering Servant reassures us of His return as the Glorious King! Let us then remember and prepare ourselves for His return. Spend time reading and meditating on His Word. This is what Advent asks us to do: simply remember, rest in His presence, and joyfully prepare for His return as the King to end all kings!

Joshua 1:7-9 (ESV) – “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

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What? Come Again?

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , ,

Certain events and ideas significantly alter the course of history. The Industrial Revolution, the Reformation, and World War II transformed society, religion, and politics as we know them. Similarly, the invention of the printing press, electric light, and the discovery of antibiotics revolutionized the world in which we live.

On an even grander, cosmic scale the second coming of Jesus is destined to change everything, and I mean EVERYTHING! The entire timeline of human history and God’s overarching redemptive story has been moving persistently toward this event and its terrifyingly glorious results. Still, the cynic scoffs at the notion that God is present in this world and that He cares about the chaos and anarchy that is swelling into an overwhelming tidal wave. The notion of Jesus, the Son of God, coming back to this earth seems to be an absurd and irrational dream. However, that is exactly what God has promised: the Suffering Servant will return as the Victorious King!

The final chapter of Zechariah gives a few details that will characterize the radical changes Jesus’ return will bring at His second coming. While the Bible is clear that “concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matt 24:36), the event and its effects are absolutely certain. Luke writes:

“And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:10-11).

So, what changes will Jesus’ return accomplish? First, He will execute judgment (Zech 14:12-15). All of God’s enemies will be subject to Him and ultimately destroyed (1 Cor 15:24-26). Second, He will rule (Zech 14:16-19). His authority will be unquestioned and His truth will be clear. His presence will be welcomed and He will be worshiped with thankfulness and joy. Finally, He will make all things new (Zech 14:20-21). Every aspect of life will be made righteous and holy. Even the most common, mundane, vulgar activities of life will shine and shout for His glory!

His coming will change everything about the world as we know it. Are you ready and eagerly anticipating His return? Don’t let complacency set in. Expect it! Live it! Share it!

2 Peter 3:4-5, 9 (ESV) – “… scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.’ … The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

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The Good Shepherd

Matt Otto D-Groups , ,

There’s nothing like show-and-tell in kindergarten! Remember when you would carefully choose your favorite talking robot, your cooing baby doll, or a unique souvenir from your recent family vacation, strategically conceal it in a backpack or other bag, and bring it to class? The anticipation would be palpable leading up to revealing your treasure to the rest of your little peers. Suddenly, the classroom would be filled with an audible buzz – gasps, giggles, and exclamations – as the item came into view and you began to share its significance.

In the Old Testament, God occasionally used the prophets as object lessons to “show and tell” the nation of Israel His plans, pleasures, and disappointments. Jeremiah (Jer 13:1-11), Hosea (Hos 1:2-9), and Isaiah (Is 20:1-4) are just a few examples of God’s unique, even strange, way of inciting His people to follow and obey. Unfortunately, the “sign acts” often received less than stellar reviews or positive responses. Similar to other prophets, Zechariah acts out the part of a shepherd – props and all – to warn Israel of the threat of bad leadership and in anticipation of good leadership. By donning two staffs, one called Favor (or Grace) and one called Union, the prophet anticipates the coming Messiah, Jesus, tending to His exploited sheep (11:7), dismissing their failed shepherds (kings, priest, prophets; v. 8a), and ultimately being despised and rejected by the flock He came to lead (vv. 8b-10).

Sadly, all of God’s glorious promises to the nation of Israel were put on hold, because God’s people – the very people that God chose as His own – rejected the Messiah who came from their very midst! Jesus, the Messiah and Good Shepherd “came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (John 1:11). The consequences of their rejection are frightening! In the familiar words of Paul we are told that “… the gospel, … is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Rom 1:16). Just a few verses later, Paul writes, “There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek” (Rom 2:9-10). In this context, the word “first” (proton) is not an indication of historical order or sequence, but rather of special relevance. In summary, as the word of the promised Messiah has gone “first” to the Jew, so does punishment for failure to respond to that word go “first” to the Jew.

Zechariah’s breaking of his staffs of Favor and Union are a painful picture of God’s rejection, but temporary! God’s temporary refusal to strive with Israel has opened the door for “other sheep” to be invited into the Good Shepherd’s fold. Also, God will not neglect or reject Israel forever. The Lord promises that He will “strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them” (Zech 10:6).

What a raw, yet wonderful picture of the Good Shepherd we find in Zechariah. It would be foolish not to listen to His voice and shameful to neglect showing Him off with our life.

John 10:10-11, 14-17 (NIV) – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…  I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.”

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