May 4 - Fulfilling

Read: Luke 4:16-30

And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:21 ESV)

Have you ever finished accomplishing or doing something and felt completely fulfilled? Fulfillment is a mysterious and elusive thing. Some people clamor and claw for it their entire lives.

I can't imagine being in the shoes of one of those people who had known Jesus his entire life and hearing him stand up to say that he was the fulfillment of Scripture. It probably would've been pretty tough to deal with. I mean the Bible basically says it was because the same crowd of people tried to kill him.

Jesus was unique. He was prophesied about. He was the Messiah. He was the fulfillment of Scripture. He found his fulfillment in Scripture.

While you and I are not quite as unique, special, or privileged as Jesus —we too can find our fulfillment in God's purpose for our lives. There is something we are supposed to do. There's something we are supposed to accomplish. There is something God has promised. Finding that, doing that, hearing that, will lead us to the kind of fulfillment we can only have in God.

February 25 - Famous

Read: Matthew 4:23-25; Mark 1:35-39; Luke 4:42-44

So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. (Matthew 4:24 ESV)

If you could pray for someone with pretty much any ailment in existence and they were miraculously healed do you think it would make you famous? Never mind your particular personal stance on the possibility of miracles. If you could instantly heal people you would get attention of all kinds. You would be famous.

Jesus had begun to travel quite a bit in his ministry. He was basing his work out of Capernaum, but was spending a lot of time in the overall geographical region of Galilee. He healed a lot of people, and huge crowds began to follow him.

What merits fame? Sometimes it seems like people become famous over the most frivolously silly things. When is the last time you remember someone becoming famous for the good they were doing?

Jesus worked with his fame. A couple of his miracles actually involved feeding the humongous crowds that had begun to follow him. He used his platform to great affect. He used his influence. Each of us have our own sphere of influence. We have our own platform. We may not be famous or have large crowds following us, but we still must daily choose how to use that influence to shape the world around us.

February 24 - Authority

Read: Luke 4:31-37

...and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. (Luke 4:32 ESV)

We all know and recognize authority. Even if we don't like that authority or feel like it is being abused we know authority when we see it. Official representatives of our government carry authority. Officers of the law, firemen, first responders, and other emergency personnel carry authority. Even the IRS has authority.

Authority is power. It is a voice of order. When authority speaks, those of us within the sound of the message have to choose how that we will respond. Compliance or rebellion? The trick I think sometimes comes in recognizing and validating authority. It's fairly easy if a policeman pulls up behind you with their lights flashing and siren going to recognize the authority they should have over you. Sometimes in the world of Christian faith this seems to get a little unclear for people.

As Christians our ultimate authority is Jesus. The demons he cast out recognized his absolute authority. As such, we should filter life's big decisions, personal victories, and private troubles with Jesus. He already knows them, but his authority works in our favor. In fact, in some ways it actually extends to us. Jesus cast out demons because of his authority, and for nearly two millennia his followers have done the same thing while operating as heavenly representatives of his authority.

Also, chances are pretty good that God has placed us under the authority of a fellow believer. Timothy was under Paul, even as Paul had submitted himself to the authority of the disciples and other Christian leaders such as Peter and James. Rare indeed is the occasion that God places us in a position to love and serve Him without living under authority. It's unhealthy and dangerous. Who is your authority? How are you submitting to them?

February 23 - Hometown

Read: Isaiah 61 & Luke 4:14-30

And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown." (Luke 4:24 ESV)

Jesus grew up in Nazareth. It was his earthly home. A small town with probably around one hundred inhabitants, the chances are pretty good that Jesus pretty much knew everyone by name. What would you think if someone you've known for a long time came and told you they were God? I think I would probably respond a lot like the crowd in Nazareth.

Sometimes its hard to go home and be taken seriously. The people who have known you the longest can sometimes be your harshest critics. They still see that little kid they watched grow up. When faced with that actuality we have to confront it as Jesus did— by lovingly stating our purpose, vision, and calling.

We might not be given an actual platform to vocalize our entire directive in a single setting. This is where relationships become so important. Relationships give us context and platform to share what God is calling us to do in a way that is natural. You may still catch flak like Jesus did, but go with your heart and your gut.

Jesus declared his intentions and mission in very specific terms by reading from Isaiah 61 that day. It was a prophetic kind of declaration. It was his mission statement. It still is today. How has Jesus fulfilled the claims of Isaiah 61 in your life? Do you know anyone that needs to hear these promises from Jesus? Do the people who are close to you believe what you have to say about Jesus? Sometimes sharing life's big moments with people from our past, even people close to us, can be really hard to do. The difficulty doesn't release us from the obligation of doing it.

February 22 - Jesus Preached

Read: Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14-15

And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. (Luke 4:15 ESV)

I can't speak for you, but most of the time when I think about the life and ministry of Jesus I wind up dwelling on his miracles. There were so many, and they are awesome stories of the restorative nature of his redemptive love for mankind. If I'm not meditating on or studying about one of his many miracles I am usually thinking about the final moments of his ministry that led up to his torture and murder, or of course the act of his execution itself. Then there is always that intriguing time after his resurrection where he lived among his followers before eventually ascending into Heaven.

To be honest, I find myself spending the least amount of time dwelling on what may have very well been the aspect of Christ's ministry that occupied the largest amount of his time. Jesus was first and foremost a traveling preacher. In today's lingo, he was essentially a missionary. All of the awesome stories we read about his life and works exist within the context of a man who regularly traveled across very rugged terrain to share the redemption story of the Kingdom of Heaven.

He went from town to town speaking in their synagogues. If there wasn't a nearby synagogue he looked for something else to speak from like a hill, or boat. Luke's gospel captures this wonderfully. Luke the physician recorded more of Jesus' words than any other gospel.

We live in an age when words seem to carry little weight sometimes. Actions are held to a higher level of credibility. Indeed Jesus' incredible acts of mercy were miraculous displays of kindness. However, they were made even more impactful by the accompaniment of his message. He preached that God's Kingdom had returned to man through mercy, grace, and repentance. He spoke and he acted on it. He didn't do either alone. He preached repentance and then became the sacrifice to pave the way.

February 11 - Bread and Stones

Read: Luke 4:1-13

The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." (Luke 4:3 ESV)

Jesus was tired and hungry when Satan came to tempt him. He had been fasting for forty days after being led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. Physically he was probably weakened. But Jesus showed us through his actions that physical strength can never account for spiritual strength.

It really is just like the enemy of our souls to come at us when we're already weak. He is sneaky like that. However, like Jesus we can stand on the reality of whose we are. Jesus is the Son of God, and the devil was trying to cast doubt on that. You are a son or daughter of God too, and the devil will no doubt attempt to cast doubt on that. Still, it is the truth of God's Word and our identity in Him that thwarts the enemy's plans for our lives.

Sometimes he sneaks in and tries to make something that's really bad for us look good. Kind of like trying to turn a stone into bread. Jesus could have done that, but he didn't need to. We probably couldn't turn a stone into bread, but if we're not careful in guarding our hearts we may let the devil trick us into thinking we need to.

The simple truth is that we don't need stones to become bread. We don't need whatever distraction the enemy offers us, now matter how enticing. All we need is to know who's son we are.

10 Temptation Truths

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. Temptation is real.  We all deal with it.  Some of us deal with it poorly, and some of us think we deal with it not-so-poorly, but we all could use a little, or a lot of, help.  Temptation is like bait on a hook.  Something used by the enemy of our souls to drag us away from all that God has for us.  It's a fight.  These ten things are some things we discussed in my Sunday School class this past week.  For more, and better, insight go read Luke 4:1-13.

1. Satan is a real enemy. We are born into a real war and he is a subtle, crafty, and sly joker.

2. Satan will hit you. He's not going to leave you alone. He will attack when you're physically weak whether it's when you're tired, hungry, or alone. Solitude is good, but isolation is dangerous.  Being connected to God's people helps.  Sometimes we create the atmosphere for our own temptation by doing something that might not be outright sinful but puts us in a physically, spiritually, or mentally weakened condition.  Staying up too late, excessive time on the computer, time with people we would be better off not being with--these are all things that set us up for temptation, but might not be sinful in and of themselves. It’s better to be preventative than reactive.  Take measures not to get in a precarious place, circumstance, or state of being.

3. Jesus is our victorious warrior King. Society teaches us to be proud, to have esteem, because we’re all winners.  We're not.  We're all losers.  All of us.  Yes, you're a loser.  We've been programmed to believe that we're the best thing since gravity, but we're not. We're wretched sinners by acts of willful commission and/or omission.Pride doesn’t give us high esteem, it makes us a proud loser. It causes us to ignore our need for God because we think we're awesome. We’re not our own hope. Christ in us is our hope for glory. He triumphed over Satan at the cross, we triumph over Satan through His resurrection. Condemnation is debilitating, but conviction is liberating. There is conviction in Christ, but there is no condemnation.

 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. - Colossians 2:13-15

4. The Holy Spirit is your Power. Jesus resisted temptation for 40 days through the power of God the Holy Spirit. You can live as He did, full of the Spirit of God.

5. The Bible is your counter punch.Just stop making excuses.  Read your Bible. We take it for granted.

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. - Proverbs 30:5-6

6. Christ is your identity. Sometimes temptation is much less about sin, and a lot more about Satan trying to deceive you about who you are and who you belong to. Whatever your issue, be it promiscuity, perversion, or pride, it is not who you are.  It does not define you. Relationship with Jesus renews in you a new identity.  His identity.

7. Escape is always possible. There is always a way out. God makes the way. We have to pick whether we want the hook or the door. When temptation comes keep your senses.  Look for the way out.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. - 1 Corinthians 10: 13-14

8. Satan eventually taps out. He's a quitter.  It's his nature. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

9. Repent when you tap out and fight again. Repentance is acknowledging that you bit the hook instead of running out of the door. It happens.  There are a lot Christians who have let Satan trick them into thinking that's not true. Don't let religious pride blind you to your own inadequacies. But don't beat yourself up about them either. Take them to Jesus, that's where they belong.

10. Life is a battle with many rounds. Discipleship and sanctification take time. You will win against the devil. Some things that used to be serious temptations are no long even remotely an issue. He'll bring some new temptations to the fight. He'll find new bait. Keep your head and your heart firmly at the feet of Jesus.