“Therefore encourage one another and build another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
How good are you at encouraging others? As Christians, we recognize the need for encouragement. We live in a fallen world filled with false ideas, and we need a community of brothers and sisters in the Lord who will remind us of what is true and uplifting.
I love that God commands that we encourage each other. It’s not an optional nicety for those who want to do something extra. Every Christian is commanded to be an encourager. I need to see myself as someone called to this. Even on days where I need encouragement, I need to be thinking of how I can encourage others.
God smiles on His children looking for ways to build each other up in a world where so many are anxiously trying to tear others down.
Let’s meditate together on why encouragement is so vital for God’s people.
Why Encouragement Is a Big Deal
Chuck Swindoll is a 91-year-old pastor who has been a pastor to many other pastors, including myself, through his books. He explains that encouragement is “putting courage into someone else.” When you encourage others, you inspire confidence, assurance, and hope for the future because they are more prepared for what life will throw out them.
Swindoll writes:
“Encouragement is awesome. Think about it. It has the capacity to lift a man’s or a woman’s shoulders. To breathe fresh air into the fading embers of a smoldering dream. To actually change the course of another human being’s day, week, or life.”
Have you stopped to consider how powerful your words of encouragement might be to someone else today? You might be used by God to say the exact words someone needed to hear that might change the trajectory of their day, and possibly, their life.
When I first arrived at Grace Point Community Church, I sat down for coffee with the previous pastor, Steve McCracken. Steve was mentored by Swindoll. Rather than making me feel like I was being examined, he spoke words of life, joy, and excitement about the future. Throughout that first conversation, I felt built up and encouraged by this godly man, who I now consider a friend and mentor. And by the way, Steve has continued to be a man who lives out Ephesians 4:29. His words communicate the grace of Jesus Christ.
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29)
Our World Is Desperate for Encouragement
Here’s the reality: Everyone needs encouragement. I have yet to meet someone who is tapped out with too much encouragement or is too busy to hear uplifting words of encouragement.
Scripture says that when we speak words of encouragement, we help to lift someone’s heart.
“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” (Proverbs 12:25)
Quite honestly, our world is full of discouragers. We see this online, in the workplace, and sometimes even within families and churches. Too often, I’ve heard of someone pouring cold water on the embers of enthusiasm or someone feeling let down by a negative word when they were desperate for a word of appreciation for their hard work.
So much power rests in the tongue (James 3). It can build up, and it can tear down. It can heal, and it can cut like a sword (Proverbs 12:18).
Frankly, if you have an accurate theology from Scripture, you should expect people to be discouraged as a default setting. They are dealing with loneliness, pain, anxious thoughts, fear of death, fear of rejection, shame, and guilt. Without intentional encouragement a person’s heart can grow hard with sin’s deceitfulness.
Consider this little devotional to be an urgent encouragement for you: You can be an encourager! You can help change the trajectory of someone’s story. You can be someone who lifts others up rather than pushes them down. We all need encouragement.
And for Christians, this is commanded because we know the greatest Source of encouragement. Jesus Christ sought us when we were lost in our sin and shame, and He lifted us out of the miry pit and set us on the solid rock of salvation. He showed us grace and forgiveness and gave us fresh purpose in life. Without Jesus, we too would have few encouraging words to say about life and the state of the world. But in the power of the gospel, we have every reason to encourage others and to build up weary souls.
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Who can you encourage today?
Prayer:Lord, make me an encourager today, by the power of Your Holy Spirit!
In 1865, a bishop named J. C. Ryle wrote a book called Thoughts for Young Men. Don’t let the humble title fool you. Despite being a very short book, it was packed with powerful exhortations for young men of his day. But because Ryle used timeless, Christ-centered principles, that little book is still very relevant today. I’ve taken several young men through it who found it both bracing and helpful.
He started by saying, “Seek to become acquainted with our Lord Jesus Christ… Till you know this, my warnings and advice will be useless, and your endeavors, whatever that may be, will be in vain.”
In a similar tone, I want to offer five exhortations to young men today, as a brother in Christ. Today, the challenges many men face are very different in one sense. We live in a much more tech-saturated atmosphere, and the temptations and distractions often look very different. But our calling as men remains the same: we must turn from self to Jesus Christ so that we can serve, lead, and bless others by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Turn from Self to Jesus Christ
In 1 Corinthians 16, the Apostle Paul counsels:
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14, ESV)
For a young man to stand firm in the faith, he must first bow the knee to Jesus Christ. As Ryle pointed out, unless you are first born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, you cannot live out your God-given calling. So, break with sin, deny yourself, and surrender to the Lord who purchased your soul with His lifeblood on the Cross. “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Some young men assume that being a Christian is following religious rules, respecting God and the Bible, or attending church services on Christmas and Easter. But the reality is that a profound change must take place in your soul. You must be made new.
You have to turn from the sins you’ve been indulging in and surrender your whole self to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. You must know that His death is enough and that you are accepted, justified, and cleansed in the sight of God through faith in Christ alone. Only then, will your conscience be cleansed and your heart made new.
Fear God, not man
In our social media age, many young men desire approval online. They crave attention and admiration, but they should be craving fellowship with the God who made them. The Bible insists that the years of your youth are precious and few, and you’ll never get them back.
“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Youth is fleeting, hell is real, and there is no refund for wasted years. Rather than following the cultural compromises of our age, make it your ambition to know Jesus Christ every day more than the day before.
Put Christ at the center of everything you do in life. Seek His honor and glory, not your own. Live for an audience of One. Live on mission as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Have a vision for your life that is bigger than yourself.
This doesn’t mean you should be a lone ranger. Find other men for community and accountability. You need to be in a band of brothers who are pulling in the same direction and want to see you succeed in faithfulness to Christ. Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). A fire grows cold until you add more pieces of firewood. And those who isolate themselves are rarely on fire for Christ.
Receive your identity from Christ, not the world
Many reach for the phone in their pockets to answer their question: “Who am I really?” Reject the devil’s lie that you need to “find yourself” before you can really be the man God calls you to be. If you belong to Jesus, then you can already hear God’s blessing over your life: “You are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.”
You don’t need to create your own persona. Your identity is secure in Christ, and His image is being renewed in you (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). If you base your identity on what the world says men should be, the goal posts will be constantly shifting. You’ll never know if you’ve done enough.
God doesn’t call you to merely be an alpha male who gets the girls and the applause. God calls you to embrace the humble mindset of a servant, like Jesus (Philippians 2:1-5). Instead of focusing on finding “the perfect girl” out there, aim to become the kind of sacrificial, servant-hearted man that a godly woman would want to marry. Worldly men think that by boasting and exaggerating their abilities they can impress others, but it actually reveals how fragile their sense of self really is.
Your identity in Christ is not fragile. On your best days and your worst days, you can say the same thing: “I am loved, known, redeemed, and governed by a King who will not give up on me.”
“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.” (Philippians 1:6)
Choose commitment over consumption
Young men, God has a purpose for your life, and it’s not ultimately about you; it’s about His glory and your dependence on Him for everything. If you don’t find satisfaction in making everything about His glory, your hungry soul will turn elsewhere for joy.
“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22, NIV)
Too many young men spend countless hours playing video games, looking at porn, scrolling social media, and smoking weed. They live as a consumer rather than a contributor. Many young men are floundering, and this is because they avoid making and keeping commitments.
Think about what Jesus did for you on the cross. He finished the work He was given. He did not quit early. My friend Rob recently used the phrase, “It’s about the last five percent.” In other words, a job done well is a job done completely. If you will be a man who keeps his word, finishes the degree, shows up on time, completes the project, and is dependable both on the job and at home, you will be ahead of most men today.
Many young men have this contagious fear of commitment, especially fear of committed relationships. I say “contagious” because oftentimes they hang with other men who also fear commitment. They affirm each other by saying, “You’re just keeping your options open.” But that’s not how God’s men live. They stand firm. They make promises and resolve to keep them. They commit to others. They serve the needs of others before themselves. That’s how Jesus lived.
He knew His mission in life: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He could say from the Cross: “It is finished” (John 19:30). He didn’t quit before that last five percent. Because He finished His job, He had the authority to command those who follow Him to do their job (Matthew 28:18-20).
Submit to Scripture, not your feelings, as your highest authority
Feelings are real. We don’t want to downplay suffering or trauma. But young men need to know that feelings were never meant to be your authority. They alone do not tell you the truth about who you are.
Because we live in such a therapeutic culture, many young men feel that if something is uncomfortable, painful, or requires a lot from them, then it must not be for them. But the Bible says that God uses suffering to mold us and grow us into the men He wants us to become. Sometimes, as a man, your calling is to step into the discomfort and accept the suffering of life, not because pain is good in itself, but because it is building you into a Christ-shaped servant of God.
Consider the Apostle Paul’s example. That man suffered at a level you and I probably never will. Just read his journal of pain in 2 Corinthians 11:23-29. After reading it, I guarantee your life will seem pretty cushy by comparison. Jesus Himself said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NLT). He said, “I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19, NIV).
Some young men have said things like, “I just don’t have peace about this decision yet.” Let me just give a friendly reminder that Jesus was sweating drops of blood the night before doing His work on the Cross. We shouldn’t assume our emotions can show us what we’re to be about. When Paul was heading to Jerusalem, he was warned by numerous people to turn back because suffering awaited him. Even the Holy Spirit told him suffering was coming! Here’s how he responded:
“I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” (Acts 20:22-24, NLT)
All Paul knew was that God had called him to preach the gospel of a crucified and risen Savior no matter what. So, he assumed he’d have a cross to carry, too.
Instead of searching your feelings for the right answers, submit your mind to Scripture.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)
Don’t neglect time with the Lord in His Word. You need it more than you need that protein drink or those supplements. You need it every day like a compass when you’re trekking through the woods. It’s that vital.
Take heart, man of God, He has not left you alone. Your Father is with you and for you in Christ. And He will be your Shepherd if you will stay among His faithful sheep.
If you have thoughts or questions, I’d love to hear from you!
This last week, I preached a message at Grace Point on the end times, a subject formally known as eschatology. I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to preach a sermon on the end times that covers everything you wanted to say, but a single message forces you to focus on what really matters. And the heart of eschatology is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
As disciples of Jesus, the return of our Lord is something that should never stray far from our thoughts. As I said in the sermon, “The question is not whether Jesus is returning; the question is whether you will be ready when He returns.” Jesus told us to stay vigilant.
“Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:44, ESV)
Because we know who wins in the end, Christ’s return is something we must not merely be prepared for, but long for with joyful anticipation.
Of course, this doesn’t mean we can disengage from living life in the present. We’re called to live today in view of how this whole thing ends. Our lives should demonstrate that we are not captive to the secular voices and treasures of this world. We are sons and daughters of God, and we worship King Jesus, the Lord of the universe. By focusing on the end times, we are really focusing on the reign of Jesus, which is breaking forth in our hearts and lives and churches today.
If you ask the Apostle Paul how he was able to fight the good fight of the faith, finish the course, and keep the faith, he would say he kept his eyes on the prize:
“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8, ESV)
Will you be counted among those who love Christ’s appearing?
Christ’s first coming is a historical fact. The weight of the evidence is simply too overwhelming to deny. Christ’s second coming is still in the future but no less certain. We are to be ever ready for His return, but even the history-deniers will be overwhelmed with the reality of that day.
I love looking at the contrast between Jesus’ first coming and second coming. Just as God’s people once looked forward to the Messiah’s first coming, not knowing exactly what that would look like, so we today look forward to the Messiah’s second coming, a day of such extraordinary importance that it’s hard to overemphasize. Both comings fulfill prophecy, demonstrate God’s faithfulness, and call for a response of faith, repentance, and commitment to holiness. The fact that Jesus came once, fulfilling God’s promises, guarantees He will come again to fulfill those remaining promises.
Let me encourage you to prayerfully reflect on how the two comings of Christ compare and contrast.
How the First Relates to the Second
At His First Coming, He came in humility and weakness as a helpless baby. At His Second Coming, He will come in majesty and power as an omnipotent warrior.
At His First Coming, He came as God incognito, living in obscurity for much of His life. At His Second Coming, He will come as God in all His glorious splendor, and “every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him” (Revelation 1:7).
At His First Coming, He came to inaugurate a kingdom with small beginnings and largely unseen. At His Second Coming, He will establish His kingdom in its fullness, and it will be seen across the world.
At His First Coming, He came to seek and save the lost, offering salvation to all. At His Second Coming, He will come to judge and rule as King, bringing destruction on all who have rejected His offer.
At His First Coming, He came as a substitute sacrifice and ransom for many. At His Second Coming, He will lovingly embrace all who trusted Him as their substitute and ransom.
At His First Coming, He rode a young donkey and was welcomed by a crowd expecting a king who does what they want. At His Second Coming, He will ride a white warhorse and will be welcomed by multitudes who obey Him as King, bowing to what He wants.
At His First Coming, He wore a crown of thorns, and many mocked, beat, and spit on Him. At His Second Coming, He will wear many crowns, and many will wail, flee to caves, and shudder because of Him.
At His First Coming, He was lifted up on a cross for people to jeer. At His Second Coming, He will ascend a throne for people to cheer.
At His First Coming, His face was so badly beaten, people hardly recognized Him and looked away in either sadness or disgust. At His Second Coming, His face will radiate brighter than the sun, all will recognize Him, and people will either look on with joy or look away in shame.
At His First Coming, He came as a suffering Servant to purchase redemption for His people. At His Second Coming, He will come as a ruling King to apply redemption fully for His people.
At His First Coming, He came to absorb God’s judgment for the world’s evil. At His Second Coming, He will come to pour out God’s judgment on all those who sided with the world’s evil.
At His First Coming, He was rejected by many as the Messiah. At His Second Coming, He will be recognized by all as Lord.
At His First Coming, He came to die and rise again. At His Second Coming, He will come to raise all who have died in Him.
Are you interested in learning more about Jesus Christ and what He’s done for you? I’d love to hear from you!
My wife, Whitney, and I recently celebrated 13 years of marriage. Over those 13 years, God has been so very gracious, and I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be married to such a godly, compassionate, devoted, and beautiful wife and mother of our four children.
As I think about marriage, I can’t help thinking about the many myths that pervade our culture. I firmly believe that marriage is not first about us—it’s about God and His covenantal faithfulness to His people. Therefore, it matters deeply how we think about marriage. Our enemy deceives and distorts our thinking about marriage, often in very subtle and small ways initially, teaching us to believe that marriage exists for reasons that ultimately undermine its grand and glorious purpose.
We need to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16), identifying counterfeit pictures of marriage for what they are and returning again to its biblical purpose.
Myth #1: “Marriage Exists to Make Me Happy”
Like every diabolical myth that our culture embraces, there is a grain of truth in this one. Does God want us to be blessed, happy, and fulfilled? I would argue He clearly does, but He is equally clear that ultimate satisfaction cannot be found outside of Him. True happiness is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. He came to give us joy and fullness of life in Him (Psalm 16:11; John 10:10). There is a supernatural joy found in surrendering our lives to His leadership and obeying His commands, which are for our good (John 15:10-11).
“Happy are those who obey theLord, who live by his commands.” (Psalm 128:1, GNT)
When we admit we don’t know best and humbly surrender the steering wheel of life to Him, He fills us with His Holy Spirit, and we delight to do His will.
Marriage is a good and glorious thing. I can certainly testify that Solomon was on the money when he said, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22). The problem is that many people think marriage and/or a romantic relationship will fill the void in their soul. How many men have looked dreamily into the eyes of their girlfriend or wife and said, “You complete me.” And what often happens is that he is looking to his girl to be his functional savior who will make his life meaningful. The Bible calls that idolatry. Only God can give us the ultimate satisfaction our hearts hunger for, and to seek it in any created thing is to turn that good thing into a god thing, which is an idol.
Marriage does not exist simply to make you happy. Despite this myth being so common, what many don’t realize is that by looking to marriage to make them happy, they are putting an unbearable weight on their spouse, asking them to be something they simply cannot be. When challenges come, it will devastate you, because you thought, “Marriage is supposed to make me happy, not frustrated.” In the end, believing this myth leaves both husband and wife hurt, angry, and disillusioned.
Look to Jesus to be your Fountain of joy and living water, and then you can pour into your spouse with joyful service. See marriage as an opportunity to grow together through challenges and become more like Jesus as you pray together, serve one another, and care for one another through the good and bad of life. Seek Christ first as your reason for living and, out of that purpose, you can seek to encourage your spouse in their relationship with the Lord.
Myth #2: “Love in Marriage is Primarily about Romantic Feelings”
This myth is founded on a misunderstanding of love itself. In many minds today, love is more equated with a strong—even overwhelming—feeling. At the end of the day, this reduces love to chemical reactions in the brain and emotional highs. We use phrases like “swept off my feet” and “falling in love.” But no matter how powerful such feelings may be in the moment, they were never designed to sustain a marriage or be the foundation of your marriage.
Biblical marriage is covenantal. It is founded on a promise and a commitment. We still see it in our traditional wedding vows: “for better, for worse… till death do us part.” The whole reason for wedding vows is to give your marriage a cement foundation, not a foundation of quicksand. Feelings come and go. And very often, people conclude that because the romantic feelings have faded, they are no longer “in love,” and therefore, to be true to themselves, divorce is the obvious next step.
But when your marriage is viewed as a covenant, the foundation for that marriage is not fleeting feelings, but the vows made before God. In marriage, something unique happens, as two souls are joined as one.
Jesus rooted His view of marriage in Scripture:
“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’”And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” (Matthew 19:4-6, NLT)
Myth #3: “The Grass Is Greener Outside My Marriage”
Many assume that marriage is about personal fulfillment (Myth #1), and then go on to assume that because their marriage is facing challenges, they must have married the wrong person. “I’m not supposed to be unhappy in my marriage.” Some may even go the religious route: “God wouldn’t want me to be unhappy in marriage.”
When this is your thinking, someone else suddenly seems so perfect for you (an obvious lie to everyone closest to you), and you’re tempted to pursue romance outside your marriage (which hurts everyone involved). The enemy would have us believe we married the wrong person and that our “soul mate” is still out there. This leads to emotional drift and comparison.
The issue is not whether you are perfectly compatible with your spouse; the issue is with whom you are in covenant. God is utterly opposed to infidelity and seeking romance outside your covenant.
Didn’t theLordmake you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. “For I hate divorce!” says theLord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says theLordof Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.” (Malachi 2:15-16, NLT)
If the grass seems greener elsewhere, then you probably need to start watering your grass. Cultivate your marriage by communicating honestly and reigniting the romance with date nights, having sex, and finding new things to enjoy together.
Myth #4: “Marriage Should Be 50-50 with No Roles”
This myth is very popular, and it fits with the egalitarian mindset that says, “Men and women are totally equal; therefore, there should be no distinct roles!” Many would say that assigning roles to the husband or wife is outdated and at times demeaning. What this myth gets right is that marriage does involve two people with equal value. But while men and women are equal, they are not equivalent.
The 50-50 mindset sets up your marriage for scorekeeping, power struggles, resentment, and confusion because it erases the God-given roles the Bible describes for a husband and a wife. According to Scripture, the husband is the sacrificial head of the wife (Ephesians 5:25). He is called to lovingly lead, protect, and provide. The wife is called to be the sacrificial helper (Genesis 2:18). That title “helper” is not demeaning; it is used of God more than anyone else in Scripture. It implies that the man needs help and support if he is going to lead well. Together, this dynamic is powerful and effective.
As Whitney’s husband, I know how badly I need her help and input, but I also recognize that God has called me to lovingly lead as the head of our household. When we work together as God prescribed, our marriage reflects the gospel (Christ and His Church) and is able to flourish as loving partners who embrace the roles God has given us.
This complementary approach says that each plays a vital but different role in making the marriage thrive. God blesses us when our marriage is structured around His good design and under His reign rather than bending to cultural pressures.
Myth #5: “It’s Just a Piece of Paper”
When I first announced that I was engaged to Whitney, a couple of my co-workers at a bank I worked for encouraged me to have a prenuptial agreement. I said I saw no point in doing that. They said, “It’s just covering your bases in case it doesn’t work out.”
What a horrible way to begin a marriage! In my years as a pastor, I have occasionally heard the explanation from couples that they haven’t wedded yet because, after all, “it’s just a piece of paper.” One man I sat down with later told me that the Lord had convicted him, and he admitted that this line was just an excuse for him to live with his girlfriend while putting off getting married as God designed.
What this lie misses is that marriage is far more than a mere contract; it is a covenant entered publicly which points to the glory of the gospel. A contract says, “I’ll commit to you as long as you keep your end of the bargain.” A covenant says, “I am committed to loving you no matter what—for better or for worse.”
God loved us first, not when things were going well, but when we were still sinners running from him (Romans 5:6-8). When we trusted in Christ for salvation, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit and bound in union with the Lord by covenant. Marriage is a signpost for this glorious reality of union with Christ (Ephesians 5:31-33).
Conclusion
Underneath all these myths is the big lie of individualism, which undercuts all relationships with self-centeredness. Rather than choosing to love our spouse through thick and thin, these myths undermine the foundation for the marriage relationship. The real question husbands and wives should be asking is, “How can I honor my marriage by serving my spouse today?” When we have that approach of loving service, we put the gospel of a God of unconditional love on display for the watching world.
Are you interested in learning more about Jesus Christ and what He’s done for you? I’d love to hear from you!
In the musical The Greatest Showman, P. T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) assembles a group of social misfits and turns them into a team of incredible circus performers. One of the standout themes of the film is this hunger for acceptance. The misfits have grown accustomed to being shamed for their appearance or status in a culture where “polite” society disdains outsiders as problematic. But Barnum, a flawed and, at times, abrasive man, nevertheless sees potential in these outsiders and tells them they cannot let the elites define them.
The Greatest Showman reminds me of a parable that Jesus told in Luke 14 about a man who hosted a banquet.
Here’s the context for when Jesus told this parable. Jesus was a guest in the home of a “ruler of the Pharisees,” and several of the religious elites would have been sitting in a U-shaped pattern around a table. Luke implies that Jesus was invited to this dinner party so that the Pharisees could evaluate Him, because he says “they were watching Him carefully” (Luke 14:1).
Unprompted, Jesus tells the ruler that when he has a banquet like this, he shouldn’t invite family and friends; instead, he should invite “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” (v. 13). Just imagine how that would have landed, as the religious leaders look at one another uncomfortably. To break the ice, one said, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
In other words, “Why don’t we just celebrate the fact that we’ll all be included in the banquet hall in the kingdom!” Here’s where Jesus gives the parable of the great banquet.
“A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet He sent His servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses.” (Luke 14:16-18, ESV)
Note that the servant announced the dinner was ready to “those who had been invited.” Kenneth Bailey explains that in that Middle Eastern culture, the host would send out the initial invite seeking an RSVP to find out how much food needs to be prepared, and those who RSVP’d would receive a follow-up message once the banquet was all ready.
So, these guys who give various excuses for not coming had already said they would be coming. Scholars note that the excuses given were incredibly lame. For instance, one says, “I need to go see the land I just bought.” But, much like today, in the ancient world, you wouldn’t purchase a piece of land before first going to see it. The second says he can’t come because he has to go examine some oxen that he bought, but that again wouldn’t make sense. No farmer would purchase livestock prior to examining them.
Today, this would be like someone saying, “I know I said I could make it to your wedding and reception, but I’ve gotta go take a look at the car I just bought.”
The last excuse, Bailey points out, is the biggest insult. He says he’s married a wife, and he can’t come. What kind of excuse is that? Did he forget he’d be married when he RSVP’d? He didn’t even ask to be excused. He basically just said, “I’m married, so I’m not coming.”
The master of the house gets angry. He’s been publicly insulted in an honor-shame culture. But here’s where Jesus drops a bomb. Instead of retaliating against those punks who just insulted him, the master tells his servant, “Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame,’” intentionally echoing what He’d just said a few verses earlier (v. 21).
The image is startling. Jesus is directing this parable at these religious leaders sitting on either side of Him. They were the ones who knew the Hebrew Scriptures. They knew the promises of the coming Messiah, and they claimed to be awaiting the arrival of God’s kingdom. They are like the guests who had RSVP’d to the banquet.
But when the Messiah finally shows up and announces God’s kingdom is arriving through Him, they are unwilling to go to the party. So, what does Jesus do? Does He angrily cancel the banquet? No, He goes out to the margins of society—to prostitutes, beggars, tax collectors, and sinners. And He says, “Come to the banquet. The food is ready!”
I love this image, because it teaches us how to think of mission. Many people will reject the invitation to meet Jesus, but that should not deter us. We simply must go to the ones who are hungry for God.
Religious hypocrites are those that make a show of devotion to God. They use lots of “God talk,” may go to church, and claim to be on God’s side, but they don’t actually want God. If God was to show up in the flesh, they wouldn’t recognize Him.
Others make only a half-hearted commitment to follow Jesus. They RSVP that they want to go to Heaven, but Jesus is such a low priority for them that the moment something “more pressing” comes along, they have plenty of excuses for ignoring Him.
What I love about this parable is that it shows the incredible grace of God. He wants people to experience His joy. Those with hearts that hunger for Him will come to His banquet. When the servant says he has invited everyone from the city and “still there is room,” it reminds me of the greatness of God’s heart for the lost.
The master says, “Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled” (v. 23).
It’s like the kingdom is ever-expanding, and God wants Heaven crowded. But why does the servant have to “compel people to come in”? Here’s what I see. The invitation is going out to the marginalized, the outcasts, the misfits, to those who have always felt that they don’t belong. But they hesitate.
Why do they have to be compelled? Because at first they cannot believe that some great noble hosting a grand banquet would want them there. They have been convinced that they are worthless, that no one would want their company.
Here’s the part that breaks my heart. Many people believe this today, and they struggle to believe that God could really love them this much. Grace is not easy to believe. It sounds too good to be true. The hope of the gospel will always feel unreal until you understand the depth of God’s love for you.
If you want to know how deeply God loves you, you have to understand that God is the one hanging on the cross. There we see God in the flesh laying down His life for a world that had rejected Him, spat on Him, insulted Him, and treated Him as the ultimate outsider. The Bible says Jesus became sin for us so that through the shame of the cross, we might be welcomed in.
I don’t know about you, but when I read this parable, I want to go tell everyone I meet how much Jesus loves them! I want them to know about the redemption He accomplished for them and for the world. If people reject the invitation, I don’t want to be discouraged. I want to go “to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in,” that the Lord’s house may be filled.
The parable ends with Jesus giving a warning: those who were initially invited but never actually came will never taste the banquet. They were so close, but never actually entered the Kingdom of God.
Are you interested in learning more about Jesus Christ and what He’s done for you? I’d love to hear from you!
A recent report said in the United States, “anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern.” Over 56 million adults are affected by them, which comes to 19.1 percent of the US population. But in the younger generations, it gets even worse. Researchers have noticed there has been an incredible uptick of anxiety-related issues among Gen Z (those born after 1997). They tend to report more stress and anxiety than previous generations. Many researchers have noticed the direct tie between young people using smartphones and social media and this rise of anxiety.
Because I’m a follower of Jesus, I believe He is not only the Son of God, but that He speaks with profound wisdom and insight into all aspects of human life. That means that while He was here on earth 2,000 years ago, Jesus’ message is always relevant and timely. Let me encourage you to take the time to read the entirety of His famous Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7 this week. In that sermon, Jesus tells us how to say “No” to anxiety.
Fear is the first negative emotion described in the Bible, and fear and anxiety are closely related.
The most frequent command in the Bible is “Fear not.” Some have said that we find it 366 times in the Bible. Now think about that. That’s a “Fear Not” for every day of the year, even on leap years!
The key to overcoming anxiety is getting a bigger view of God. Anxiety is actually a symptom of small faith. That’s exactly what Jesus says in this passage. Anxiety stems from seeing your problems as bigger than your God.
There is a way to deal with problems productively without magnifying them or seeing them as bigger than God. And the key is to see your Heavenly Father’s direct care over every aspect of your life. Remember, God does not roll the dice when it comes to your life. He exercises His Fatherly control over everything that you are dealing with—no matter how big or how small it might be. As my pastor friend Steve McCracken has said, all of life is “Father-filtered.”
Essentially, Jesus taught that the secret to overcoming anxiety in your life is to choose to delight in the sovereign power and gracious provision of our Heavenly Father.
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26, ESV)
Jesus reminds us to study nature, to look at the flowers and the birds and take a lesson from creation so that we better know our Creator. A few days ago, my family and I went to Washington Park here in Portland and checked out the International Rose Garden. At one point, a bold (and fat) squirrel ran right up to my kids (pictured above). The reason? My boys were eating from a bag of mixed nuts, and he wanted in on that. In other words, the squirrel decided he could trust us because he saw us as a source of provision.
That got me thinking about why we do or don’t come to God with our problems. Do we really see Him as our Heavenly Father who loves to provide for His children?
Elizabeth Cheney wrote this little poem called “Overheard in an Orchard” to help us understand what Jesus is saying here:
“Said the robin to the sparrow, ‘I should really like to know, Why these anxious human beings Rush about and worry so.’
Said the sparrow to the robin, ‘Friend I think that it must be, That they have no Heavenly Father, Such as cares for you and me.’”
Part of the reason for this passage is that Jesus is telling us we have every reason to be settled and secure, every reason to feel confident about the future, every reason to be happy, because we really do have a Heavenly Father who cares for us unceasingly and individually.
This is also a message about our witness to the world. The gospel is a joy-giving message (Luke 2:10). And it’s a message for everybody! So when we live as children of our Father, we adorn the message of the gospel and give people a reason to want what we have.
I want to point out something pretty basic here. We can choose not to be anxious about the things of life. How do I know that? Because Jesus tells us not to be anxious. Many times people say things like, “I just have an anxious personality” or “I’m just a worrier,” like it’s a permanent fixture of their identity.
Let me say something that many need to hear. We are not merely driven by instincts and genes. Being human means God has given us agency. We can make choices that change the course of life. We don’t have to do what we’ve always done. When people say, “This is just how I am,” they aren’t recognizing that freedom from sin and fear is found in Jesus. That’s part of what it means to be redeemed.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can choose to live differently. And in this passage, Jesus is calling us to a new way of life. To look at life the way He does. To have the mind of Christ. He wants us to see that we can choose to delight in God, no matter what circumstance we face.
Here is something very practical to try: For every worry that enters your mind, choose to delight in God in that specific area.
Jesus asks that rhetorical question to put things in perspective: “Isn’t life more than what you put in your mouth and what you put on your body?” The obvious answer is….yes! You are not the sum total of your diet or your wardrobe. Life is not quantifiable like food or clothing.
Jesus is telling us that when we feel anxious and start worrying about the future, what we most need is to shift our perspective. We need to see things as He sees things, with God at the center of all reality.
There’s a little parable that illustrates this principle of choosing to delight in God.
Once upon a time, there was a widow with two sons. One sold fans; the other sold umbrellas. Sunshine brought her misery, because she knew no umbrellas would sell. Rain brought her misery, because she knew no fans would sell.
Finally a friend remarked, “If the sun is shining, people buy fans. If the rain is falling, people buy umbrellas. Change your attitude; be happy!”
It’s a simple story, but this is actually a life-changing principle. If you look for reasons to be anxious, you will always find them. But if you look for reasons to be happy and grateful to God, you will always find far more.
Everyone wants to be happy, but something that most people overlook is that happiness is a choice. Because true happiness comes from delighting in God.
Jesus isn’t just telling us to see the glass half full. He’s saying that with God, the glass is completely full. In other words, He’s calling us to see things as they really are. He’s not telling us to live in a dream-world. He’s telling us to see reality for what it is. There is a God who loves you more than you could possibly know, who knows your every need, and is already working out the details to make sure you have all things in Jesus. Through faith in Christ’s shed blood, you have been purchased, redeemed, adopted, made new, forgiven of everything that could be counted against you. And through faith in the empty tomb of Jesus, your eternal destiny is secure, and it’s not because you measured up. It’s all by sheer grace! That is gloriously GOOD NEWS.
A couple years ago, my friend Tim had an accident while helping his buddy. He fell off a ladder and broke his femur. For those who don’t know, the femur is the largest bone in the body. It was an extremely painful injury that set him back from doing some of the things he loves—like going for long walks and hiking to his favorite fishing spot.
But when I visited Tim in the hospital, he was smiling from ear to ear. Ordinarily, this might surprise me. But this is who Tim is. Or I should say this is who Tim is in Christ. When I asked him how he’s doing, he just told me how thankful he is that God has a good purpose in this. He actually looked forward to how God might use this painful injury! That’s what it means to choose to delight in God in all circumstances.
Are you interested in learning more about Jesus Christ and what He’s done for you? I’d love to hear from you!
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15, NLT)
Sometimes when I watch movies with my kids, I like to ask them what “gospel themes” they saw in the movie. I do this, because I recognize watching movies is something they love to do (me too, actually), and I want to seize as many opportunities as I can to disciple them in the way of Jesus and help them develop a biblical worldview—even at a very young age.
Now, this isn’t as torturous as it sounds. I don’t pause the movie every five minutes to quiz them. I try to talk after we’ve finished the movie. Sometimes, we only get through half a movie during the evening, so I will try talking with them at bedtime about where they saw things like evil, redemption, hope, and sacrifice show up in the movie.
Disney’s classic animated film The Lion King is one that actually carries a pretty powerful message about identity. I know, I know. There are some pantheistic themes to The Lion King. It’s good to address those, too. But I would argue that the whole “circle-of-life” thing isn’t actually the main theme of the movie. At the core, I think it’s all about how our identity shapes our purpose in life.
The Lion King is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, with the whole bit about the evil uncle slaying Hamlet’s father so that he can be king. But in The Lion King, as young Simba runs away in fear, he also ends up running away from responsibility.
He meets Timon and Pumbaa, a lovable meerkat and warthog duo that has developed a philosophy of life called “Hakuna Matata,” which apparently means “No Worries.” They are the classic slackers. They talk about embracing a lifestyle of “no rules, no responsibilities,” and how this leads to a carefree existence.
Honestly, I think there are a lot of Timons and Pumbaas in our world—those who would rather eat a plate of bugs than embrace any level of responsibility. The two teach Simba how to belch, joke, and sing. With nothing better to do, they speculate about the mysteries of the universe with no true authority or guidance but their own imaginations. Ironically, I think these comical clods are meant to be an indictment of where running from responsibility will take you—looking for satisfaction by eating slimy worms! Notice we never meet a Mrs. Timon or Mrs. Pumbaa.
Simba joins their lot for a time, until he runs into a freaky baboon named Rafiki, who tells him: “The question is… Who are you?” Simba regretfully admits he’s not so sure anymore.
Then comes the great turning point in the plot—the reason The Lion King is a compelling story, kids’ movie or no. Simba has a vision of his father, Mufasa, who says, “Simba, you have forgotten me.” “No,” Simba replies, “How could I?” Mufasa continues, “You have forgotten who you are, and so, you have forgotten me… Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king.”
That reminder is what makes all the difference and compels Simba to return to his place as king. In the same way, you and I who belong to the one true King need to remember who we are.
When you come to Jesus Christ, you leave your old identity behind, and you find your true identity in Him. Through our union with Christ, God our Father adopts us into His family, and He calls us His beloved children with whom He is well pleased (Matthew 3:17; Romans 8:14-17).
To our great astonishment, God now considers us royalty, destined to be co-heirs with Christ our King. This thought should blow our minds. If we really contemplate what this means, it just might!
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:16-17, ESV)
We belong to God our Father, and that means we who suffer in union with Jesus will one day be glorified in union with Jesus. See if your soul can take in the magnitude of that thought.
What does this mean? Well, for starters it means that we have indescribable value in God’s eyes. We matter more to Him than we could possibly fathom. It means there is a purpose and meaning to our lives beyond “Hakuna Matata.”
Ironically, if your existence is just about a grand “circle of life,” then the “No Worries” lifestyle actually makes sense. We live. We eat. We die. Our bodies become food for bacteria. So, why worry about how you live? Your “life force” is going to keep going around the same circle anyway, so you might as well live it up and enjoy yourself for your brief segment of the circle.
But if we belong to God, we really do have a purpose in this life that will carry forward into eternity. You were made to make a difference—to know God and to make Him known. It also means that God has a calling on your life. Like Simba, we have an enemy who wants to thwart our Father’s plans for us. He lies about our identity. He tells us we don’t matter to God, that we’ve sinned too much to be forgiven or used by Him.
That is why we have to take up the shield of faith, Scripture says, to protect us from all the fiery darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). Only through faith in what God says about us can we overcome and be more than conquerors through Him who loves us.
Remember whose you are. If you have trusted in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, you have a new identity. You belong to Jesus Christ. You are clothed in His righteousness. You are forgiven. You are valuable in your Father’s sight. He adopted you as His own child because He loves you, and He is not ashamed of you. He is well pleased to call you His own.
“In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:4-5, ESV)
Are you interested in learning more about Jesus Christ and what He’s done for you? I’d love to hear from you!
Modern Americans aren’t as fascinated with genealogies as ancient Jewish people. It’s true that many have done ancestry research. My Grammy Smith did some pretty extensive research into our family’s ancestry, and I learned some cool things about my ancestors from her. But the majority of Americans can’t even name all of their great-grandparents.
Ancient Jewish people, by contrast, kept meticulous records of ancestry. Part of this has to do with the laws regarding tribal distinctions and inheritance (Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7).
Many Christians are tempted to skip right past the genealogies when they come to them in their Bible reading. After all, we figure, what could all these hard to pronounce names have to do with me? That’s a fair question. However, every word of Scripture is God-breathed and recorded for a purpose (2 Timothy 3:16-17). So, even if there is no apparent reason for a particular passage in Scripture, it’s good for Christians to assume that there is a less obvious reason for it that might require some investigation.
For one thing, Jesus’ genealogies demonstrate He was a real man in history and that His contemporaries could even trace His lineage back thousands of years. Just imagine if you could trace back your ancestry that far. Suddenly, those unknown names might carry more significance for you!
Careful readers of the Bible have noted discrepancies between Matthew’s genealogy for Jesus and Luke’s. Some have wondered, Why do they seem to contradict each other? Did one of them make a mistake?
Matthew was a former tax collector who was accustomed to keeping careful records of names and dates. We shouldn’t assume he blundered in his genealogical research. And Luke was a medical doctor and careful historian. When put to the test, even skeptics have been brought to faith through their historical inquiries of Luke.
The one-time skeptic, Sir William Ramsay, a highly decorated historian in his own right, was originally skeptical of Luke. He thought the miracles recorded in Luke’s Gospel ruled it out from being true history. But then he investigated all the people, places, and events in Luke and Acts (the two books penned by Luke). It slowly dawned on Ramsay that Luke was no amateur historian.
On every point, Ramsay found Luke to be completely accurate. Even in the areas where he initially doubted Luke’s accuracy, he later found that it was him not Luke who was mistaken. Ramsay eventually concluded: “Luke’s history is unsurpassed in regard to its trustworthiness.” This led Ramsay to give his life to Jesus.
But is it possible Luke fouled up Jesus’ genealogy? For many reasons, the answer must be no. First of all, the discrepancies between Matthew and Luke primarily come between David and Joseph. The differences are too vast to attribute to a scribal error or minor mistake. For example, they even list a different father for Joseph, something that would have been very easy to track down (Matthew 1:16; Luke 3:23). In his genealogy, Luke works backwards, beginning with Jesus (a practice common with ancient Greeks like Luke). Matthew, a Jew chronicles his genealogy beginning with Abraham, the first Jew, and ends with Jesus (the common practice for Jewish people).
Luke makes it clear that he was aware of previous records of the life of Jesus, and he’s likely including the Gospels of Matthew and Mark in that reference (Luke 1:1-4). So, let’s give Luke the benefit of the doubt that he wasn’t a complete buffoon who couldn’t spot the differences between his genealogy and Matthew’s that modern day readers spot right away.
Furthermore, Luke had his own reasons for creating a more expanded genealogy, not just a facsimile of Matthew’s genealogy. He wanted to trace Jesus’ genealogy not just back through David and Abraham, like Matthew did, but all the way back to the very beginning. To Adam. And that’s Luke reminding us that Jesus came for the whole human race, not just descendants of Abraham. Jesus came for you!
The genealogies especially diverge between David and Joseph. Biblical scholars have come up with all kinds of possible reasons for the differences.
Some have argued that Matthew gives the physical descent for Joseph and Luke gives the royal descent for Joseph. On this view, the discrepancies are due to the fact that Joseph was a legal descendant of Heli, but a physical descendant of Jacob. This view invokes the law of Levirate marriage, that allows for a deceased man’s brother to father children for him through his brother’s widow (Deut. 25:5-10).
While possible, it should be noted that Levirate marriages were somewhat uncommon based on historical records, and it would seem odd for this to be the explanation for so many generations, and for these to all happen between David and Joseph.
I think a better explanation is found in the more traditional understanding that Matthew provides Jesus’ royal ancestry through Joseph, and Luke provides Jesus’ physical ancestry through Mary. By adoption, a more common method of becoming someone’s father, Joseph became the legal father of Jesus. Thus, the royal line was continued through Jesus, the firstborn of Mary, his wife. This fits with Matthew’s emphasis on Joseph in his birth narrative.
On this view, Luke, who has been focusing on Mary, is giving us Mary’s ancestry through her father, Heli. Luke can call Joseph “the son of Heli,” because if a father had no sons of his own, he would often adopt his son-in-law as his own son. Alternatively, Luke could be just calling Joseph the “son-in-law” of Heli, because genealogies typically focused on the males only (Matthew’s genealogy is an exception for including several names of women). This makes sense, too, because there was no Koine Greek term for “son-in-law,” so this would have been the best way for Luke to record Mary’s ancestry while only including male names.
Interestingly, this conclusion fits with other historical records, as even the Talmud mentions that Mary’s father was Heli. So Matthew traces Joseph’s royal ancestry, and Luke traces Mary’s royal ancestry. Either way, Jesus is the Son of David, both biologically and by royal adoption.
Jesus was the head of a new humanity, redeemed by God, set free from the curse pronounced on Adam, the former head of the human race.In this way, Jesus fulfilled every promise of a coming Messiah. Jesus came as the descendant of David who will sit on his throne, the Ruler promised to Judah, the Seed of blessing promised to Abraham, and the Snake-crusher promised to Adam (2 Samuel 7: 12-13; Genesis 49:10; Genesis 17:7; Genesis 3:15).
Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!
In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be My disciples.(Luke 14:33, ESV)
In the 2001 animated film Shrek, we meet Lord Farquaad, the pompous, proud, and vertically challenged villain. In one of the best lines from the movie, Farquaad sends out his knights on a high-risk mission to rescue a princess from a dragon.
With great feeling, he tells them, “Some of you may die. But that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”
The life Jesus Christ calls us to is radically different. Instead of expecting some kind of faux sacrifice akin to Lord Farquaad, Jesus demands a sacrifice that is personal and total. We’re called to surrender ourselves to Him and give our full allegiance to Him as the King who conquered death.
Jesus Himself came to slay the dragon and purchase His bride (the church) with His own blood. Almost every fairytale is just a dim reflection of the greatest story ever told.
Knowing Jesus made that ultimate sacrifice puts His demand on your life in perspective. In a world where you are encouraged to put yourself first, follow your heart, and live your truth, Jesus demands you deny yourself and follow Him. In fact, Jesus even said, “Unless you give up everything you have, you cannot be My disciple.”
Notice that Jesus doesn’t tolerate the easy-believism so prevalent today that thinks of Jesus as a ticket to Heaven, but not as the Lord of our lives. Jesus asked that searching question, “Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, yet don’t do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). As the risen Lord, Jesus calls us to give up everything for Him, to lay it all down at His feet and say, “Okay, Lord. It’s all yours.”
This means that we choose to find our identity in Christ, first and foremost. How you understand your identity is so important, because if you know who you are (or better yet, know whose you are), you can know what you should do. To give up everything for Jesus means that every aspect of your day should fit your identity in Christ. How you view your relationships, your career, your church, your money, and where you turn for rest, should all be shaped by Jesus.
If you’ve never thought of your relationship to Jesus as something that requires sacrifice, that should raise a red flag. Jesus emphasized repeatedly that there is a cost to following Him. Yes, there are rich rewards, both in this life and the next, and we certainly don’t want to minimize that. But if you’ve never felt like you had to give something up for Jesus, then you’ve missed something essential.
When Jesus called four fishermen to follow Him, we’re told that “they left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:11, ESV). While Jesus won’t necessarily call you to leave your career, He does call you to surrender it over to Him. In the same way, Jesus called Levi (also known as Matthew the tax collector) to follow Him as a disciple. This meant leaving behind his tax booth, which represented his livelihood and opulent lifestyle. But Luke tells us: “And leaving everything, he rose and followed him” (v. 28).
To reiterate the cost of following Him, Jesus gives two examples: a building project and a battlefield.
He says to the crowds:
“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:28-33, ESV)
How foolish, Jesus says, to start constructing something you aren’t committed to finish. And who would engage in a war without considering what it will take to win?
Have you counted the cost? Are you willing to put everything on the line for Jesus–even your own life?
It’s important to ask yourself some honest, gut-level questions:
Is there anything I’m not willing to give up for Jesus?
Is there anything in my life that I’m prizing more than Jesus?
Is there a sin I’m unwilling to repent of?
Am I giving Jesus time for communion with Him?
To live as His follower is to enter into His joy. Following Him will cost you everything, but the reward for following Jesus is beyond compare.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, following You is the greatest joy of my life. It’s an adventure of faith, and it’s exciting to see all the ways You are at work in my life and the lives of those around me. If there is anything in my life standing in the way of deeper intimacy with You or faithfulness to You, please reveal that to me by Your Holy Spirit. In Your Glorious Name. Amen.
Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!
One of the most common objections to Christianity I hear is the problem of evil. How could a good God allow so much evil in His world? I think it’s good to think through this question as believers. It will inevitably come up as you interact with others about spiritual things and seek opportunities to tell others about the hope of Jesus Christ.
Let me first say that there is something very right about that question. It assumes evil is real. That may not sound too profound, but it’s the common ground we all have to deal with. Some things are truly evil. It’s not just that I don’t like certain things or that I get disgusted by certain things. There are some things in this world that are objectively and unambiguously evil, and we all know this, even if our worldview doesn’t have a basis for saying it.
This last week, the world witnessed true evil. Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old Christ-follower and popular conservative with a massive social media following, was murdered with a single bullet. The event shocked the world. In fact, I’ve talked with many people who have said they were shocked, but not surprised.
I think what people mean is they are morally shocked by the act of cold-blooded murder, but intellectually, they know evil is sadly abundant in the world, so they aren’t all that surprised. I want to affirm the rightness of being morally shocked by the evil of murder. It is sadly the case that we are so inundated with news about murder, war, gang violence, and school shootings, that it would be easy for us to become calloused and forget how heinous each act of murder and violence truly is.
Charlie Kirk was an outspoken Christian. He was very vocal in his views, so his name and his online presence were well-known. Many people sharply disagreed with Charlie’s views, and he was constantly on the receiving end of mockery, insults, outright hatred, and death threats for him and his family. And he was shot in broad daylight while debating college students in his trademark fashion that made him so popular among conservatives. All of this helps us understand how shocking his murder was.
But I hope that we can see what is often lost in the noise: every murder is a violation of the sixth commandment. Murder is unequivocally evil, because every human life bears the image of God and has inestimable worth in God’s eyes. The Bible doesn’t offer a pat answer to the problem of evil or give us a clean explanation for the origin of evil. The fall in Genesis 3 explains the origin of human evil and the brokenness of the world, but the absolute origin of evil (Why did Satan rebel?) is not provided. This is likely because evil is ultimately irrational and incomprehensible.
We aren’t called to fixate on evil, but to think about things that are lovely, pure, true, and beautiful (Philippians 4:8). We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God who so lovingly and graciously gave up His life to rescue a world ensnared in the darkness of our own making.
So, while the Bible doesn’t offer a thorough explanation of evil, it does give us the resources for calling something evil and then finding hope in a purely good God.
We know evil is evil because of its contrast with a perfectly good God. God alone is the standard of absolute goodness, and it’s only by looking to Him as our fixed reference point for all reality that we can see what evil, by contrast, looks like. Those who say evil makes no sense if God is real need to consider how calling something “evil” could make sense if there is no God. Every time you call something like murder evil, you are assuming a standard of goodness. You are saying, “This (murder) is wrong, because it does not conform to that which is good, true, and beautiful (protecting and honoring each human life as sacred).”
If your worldview has no room for God, then on what basis are you calling something “evil”? If we are just the product of a natural, blind, irrational process with no divine Mind behind it, we can talk about survival of the fittest, but not the arrival of moral absolutes. It is only because there is a transcendent Authority on good and evil that we can step back and call something unquestionably “evil.” But the Christian hope gives us more than a basis to call evil what it is; it offers us Jesus Christ as the redemptive hope for a lost world.
In one talk he gave in 2023, Charlie said, “Here is the gospel in four words: Jesus took my place.” Charlie recognized that he was a sinner in need of a Savior, and that Jesus and His sacrifice are the only hope for forgiveness and eternal life.
Jesus, too, was outspoken in His views on God, morality, and truth, and Jesus, too, was murdered graphically and publicly.
What made Jesus unique, however, is that because He is the sinless Son of God, His death had the power to ransom evil people from their self-destruction and deliver them to the Kingdom of God.
Jesus said, “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:18-19, ESV)
Jesus took our place. He laid down His life to suffer the consequences of the evil you and I have done, but because He is Lord, He took it up again and rose to life. Jesus called people to repent and believe this good news. Outside of Jesus, we each have to deal with the judgment our sins deserve, and it’s only in Jesus that love will overcome hate.
May the death of Charlie Kirk spark a revival in our nation, with countless turning to Christ in faith. What man intends for evil, God intends for good (Genesis 50:20).
Jesus alone is the only hope for a lost and dying world, and because He is King, a glorious day is coming when all will be set right.
Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!
