With the Olympic Games being held in China last month the controversy over expressing Christian faith there has received some attention.  Some countries’ Olympic Committees, like Belgium’s, heavy-handedly forbade religious expression and required the signing of agreements to that effect.  Others, like the United States have said nothing to their athletes and have left it up to them.  The Communist Chinese government on its part has pointed out that such religious expression is illegal in their country and that they will deal with it accordingly.  They thwarted President Bush’s intention of worshipping in an unregistered church by removing such pastors and church-members from the province.

I think it is safe to say that Biblical Christianity is counter-cultural in China.

But what about America?

Congress and (since the 14th Amendment) the states are prohibited from establishing a state religion and from prohibiting anyone from freely exercising their faith, so the United States is certainly not “officially” Christian.  Nevertheless it is correct to say that Christianity is historically the predominate faith.  For that reason ours has been called a “Christian Country” with a “Christian Culture.”

But is it still that way?

Perhaps in name, but not in reality, and therein lies a problem. 

Ours is no longer a Christian culture in terms of morality.  In our culture today, morality is determined by some apparent “cultural consensus.”  When the majority of people who dominated the media reach a consensus that something is right or wrong, they claim they are merely “reflecting society” and it becomes the standard.

This relativistic morality has invaded law, so that determination of obscenity depends upon the “community” consensus.

This approach to morality itself stems from what I call the official religion of our country – Darwinism (in whatever derivative form.)  It has become the basis of law and the evolutionary view of the world has been raised to heights of religion, providing the ultimate explanation of where we come from, where we are going, and what is the meaning of life.  According to this religion we are derived from single-celled organisms, we are destined to return to dust, and the meaning of life is to preserve the species and to seek what is pleasing to the individual.

This anti-Biblical religion has also found its way into mainline denominations, many of whom no longer confess that God created the world as He revealed it to us in the Scriptures.  Likewise in many denominations preachers are free to question the truth of Scripture, questioning basic moral virtues like chastity and honesty, not to mention crucial teachings such as original sin, and salvation alone though Christ.

Why make the point? Because if ours is not a Christian culture any longer, then to the extent that we would be fundamentally in tune with our culture, we would be at odds with Christ, the truth, the gospel, and salvation itself.  Indeed we would be in danger of being lost altogether.

This is what the apostle John was driving at when he wrote, 1 John 2:15-17 15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

If we as Christians are in fact not really supposed to be in step with our culture, reflecting and affirming it, then how should we relate to it?  Like the Christians of previous generations, we are called to be a witness to it.

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In his reference to being “torn to pieces” and being “injured” the Prophet Hosea, is referring to the damage done to the Israelites in war.  In His reference to “healing” and “binding” the people of Israel are looking forward to future victories and deliverance from their oppression.  But God had something else in mind, earlier we read that the Lord was waiting, “until they admit their guilt.” (Hosea 5:15)

The Lenten Season is a time for us today to admit our guilt to God Almighty.  Yes, God still waits patiently for us, but too many times we try to do it our own way.

As it was for the Israelites of old, so also it is for us. The only way is God’s way and the only way to true repentance is through faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Faith comes to us through the Holy Word of God.

There are many in the world around us that do not know God’s plan.  We have been called to share the message of salvation through our faith in Christ Jesus.  “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)  How many people do you know that are in need of God’s gracious forgiveness?  Maybe a friend, co-worker, your hair dresser, or a neighbor.

By sharing your faith you are unlocking the truth of their salvation.  What a wonderful message– the unending love of God for all His children and how He showed that love by sending His Son, Jesus Christ into the world to save us from our sins.  Jesus accomplished this task by living a perfect life in our place.  Then according to God’s will He gave His life for us as He was nailed to the cross, carrying with Him the sins of the world. Yes, your sins. Only those who believe this message of salvation will reap the benefit and have eternal life before the throne of God in the eternal day. 

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

 John 3:16

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During the night while the disciples were asleep, Jesus’ divine nature was displayed in a way that had been hidden until now. He was "transfigured," meaning, His outward appearance had changed and He exuded a brilliance like a great white light. Moses, the great law-giver, and Elijah, the renowned prophet of long ago, appeared with Jesus on the mountain. The three of them discussed our Lord’s impending death.

You may ask, "Why did all this happen?" According to His human nature, we can surmise that this event gave Jesus, strength as His bitter passion and death on the cross loomed in the very near future. But, there is more. Jesus wanted to reveal to disciples present, that He is truly God. He has not only a human nature, but also a divine one.

This is also important for you and me today! God the Father spoke and said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!" God was indeed "well pleased" with His Son. He sent His Son, Christ Jesus, to earth to take all our sins upon Himself and to suffer death so that we could be set free from our sins and be declared "not guilty." Because Christ would accomplish this saving work, God was well pleased with His Son.

Trust in our Savior who is true God and true man. He has taken your sin and you are declared "not guilty!"

Thanks be to God!

My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Savior divine!

Now hear me while I pray,

take all my guilt away,

O let me from this day be wholly Thine!

ELH # 184

Public domain

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The reason old habits are so hard to break is because so often we deal with the symptoms rather than the root problem. And the root problem is sin in our lives – it is disobedience toward the God who created us and gave us life to honor Him. Until we deal with our relationship with God, our lives will not have the richness God intended for us to experience.

The even harsher reality, though, is this: while many people have come to this same conclusion, they all have experienced only frustration and uncertainty trying to fix this problem on their own.

2,000 years ago a Jew named John – called “the Baptizer” –  pointed  people  to  One  who claimed  He  could  deal  with this harshest of human realities by Himself becoming our Substitute before God. This was Jesus that John pointed the people to; and he called Him “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” What John meant was that Jesus, the Son of God, would be everything we could never be, and do everything we could never do. So that you and I might have forgiveness and peace with God, and the power to deal with sin and its affect on our lives.
   
One suggestion for a New Year’s resolution: Get to know Jesus better through His Word, the Bible, and His people. And may you have a Happy New Year in Jesus!

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”  John 1:29

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Patience is essential for you and me, just to get through this life. Life comes with many hard spells, unpredictable losses and disappointing failures. God wants us to be patient. He promises to be with us in times of trouble. There are many times, however, when you and I have not been patient – when we have doubted God and his presence. We even blame God at times when trouble comes to us.

Patience comes to us when we understand that God is in control and that He has made promises about our future. God promises that our future is secure in heaven because Jesus suffered for us. Jesus, God’s one and only Son, patiently endured the hardship of the crucifixion. Even though He was innocent, He suffered for you and me, making our sin and guilt His own. He died and rose to life again. On account of His Son, God forgives us for our failures and our impatience. God promises that all who believe in His Son have eternal life in heaven – guaranteed!

A frightened Kindergartener can endure the first day of school because she knows that her mother will return again in the afternoon – she is reliable. You and I can be patient, waiting for the Lord’s return, because He is perfectly reliable. The Bible demonstrates that He has never gone back on his word and assures us that He never will.  Come, Lord Jesus!

“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.” James 5:7

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Is our attitude toward the Bible like that? To study it seems like a project with too many pieces. “If I start on this project, will I only get more confused? Why get started on something that I can’t finish.”

The truth is that we do have trouble understanding the Bible. The Bible’s God-inspired message is clear, but we don’t easily understand it because of our sinfulness. In fact, without God the Holy Spirit, we wouldn’t understand it at all. The Bible says, “The man without the Spirit does not understand the things that come from the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:4). This is humbling. But it is for our good. God leads us to realize that we are dependant on his help to understand. He provides the help!

Long ago, in the Old Testament times, before Jesus came, the Lord said this, “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in
their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

God is the one who brings understanding to the mind and heart. He brings people to understand both his law and his new covenant. The law of God shows us our sins. By the law he leads us to confess our sins to him. The new covenant is his promise to save us through his son Jesus Christ. Jesus was born into the world at just the right time as a sinless human being and 33 years later died for the world’s sins at the cross! When God leads us to confess our sins and to believe in Jesus, we are saved! He becomes our God! We become his people! We are also set on the path of true understanding.

As we study the Bible with faith in the mind and heart, he leads us to an ever greater appreciation for the details of the plan he set in motion, even from eternity, to save us from our sins through his son Jesus Christ! This is something God’s people can never get enough of!

“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
                —Jeremiah 31:33

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Which of these two do you think was repentant? Of course, the correct answer is the tax collector. To repent is to be sorry about our sins and to trust that Jesus is our Savior from sin. He wants us to confess our sins to Him and to trust in Him for the forgiveness of our sins.

The passage below reveals that the residents of heaven are happy when a sinner repents and has faith in Christ for his salvation. We are not to trust in ourselves, as the Pharisee did, but in Christ alone for our hope of heaven. It makes God happy when, by the Holy Spirit’s work, people own up to their sin and have faith in Jesus.

It can be difficult to focus on ourselves and confess our own sins. For those who are faithful church-goers, it is easy to think of the absentees not in God’s house. For those who have been faithful ministers, it is easy to think of those who appear to be lacking in zeal and loyalty. For those who are tireless workers in their employment, it is easy to think of those who appear to be slacking off and wasting time.

However, the tax collector provides a good example for us. He focused only on himself and what he had done wrong, not what others were doing wrong.

For those who do as he did and are willing to confess their sins, they should know that God is persistent about saving them. In fact, God is persistent about saving you! He is joyful whenever one of His blood-bought children trusts in Jesus’ perfection—that His perfect life is credited to them. It gives Him great happiness whenever someone hears and believes that Jesus died on the cross in their place.

The tax collector directed his attention to the proper place. He said, “God, have mercy on me…” He knew that only God could save him. He knew God would do what His Word says He is happy to do…save us! 

“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”
Luke 15:7

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In the Bible God gives us many “No Trespassing” signs. Many of these are for our good and protection.

For example God says, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. Don’t go there. Don’t cross that line! Love your wife and protect your marriage.”

Or “DO NOT STEAL. Don’t go there. Don’t cross that line. Love your neighbor and protect his or her goods.”

Our inherent sinful nature prompts us to question the sign. “Should I really not cross the line? Will it really hurt me? It looks good over there. I can see short term pleasure! I can see worldly gain!” So often we ignore God’s signs and we cross the line.

Besides the earthly consequences, unfortunately there are also severe spiritual fines for trespassing God’s moral law – including ultimately, eternal death in hell.

Colossians 2:13 tells us, “And you, being dead in your trespasses… He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

When God raised his Son Jesus Christ from the dead on Easter Sunday, he demonstrated that he had forgiven all trespasses. His innocent Son Jesus (who had never crossed the line) had made the trespasses of others his own. He died on the cross with our trespasses and paid the fine for them with his own blood.

Believe in Jesus! Trust his message! It is what gives you spiritual life and allows you one day to cross the line that God wants you to cross – into his Heaven.

 “And you, being dead in your trespasses… He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”
Colossians 2:13

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“And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire, a still small voice.”
1 Kings 19: 12 

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Finding that shoulder is the easy part, actually. When we need to cry, there is usually a shoulder nearby. Our spouse. A parent. A good friend. What is the hard part then? Finding someone who can make the tears stop. There is really only one who qualifies. That someone is Jesus! He gives us a shoulder to cry on, but he does much more. He has the power to dry our tears and give us hope.

We learn this from Jesus’ ministry, on the day when He entered a town called Nain. As he approached the town a dead person was being carried out, the only son of a widow. She was crying. Though a crowd was around her—among them friends—no one in that crowd had power to stop her tears. Then Jesus went to her and said, “Don’t cry.”

When we were young, our moms and dads often told us, “Don’t cry.” Maybe it was over a scraped knee. But their loving words didn’t make the pain in our knee go away. This widow was suffering from a bigger wound. And Jesus too said, “Don’t cry.” But when it is Jesus saying, “Don’t cry,” that makes all the difference!

You see, Jesus came into the world to know pain and death. Jesus would soon know the worst pain ever suffered: the pain of his cross, where he would suffer hell for the sins of all. Then he would endure death. His body would be laid in a tomb. Truth is, this is the death we all deserve because of our sins—even the dead son of the widow deserved it. But Jesus wouldn’t remain in the tomb. He would rise again to life! Death never had any power over him. So when Jesus went to the widow’s son to comfort her, he went to her with power over death. After comforting the woman with the words, “Don’t cry,” he then spoke words of life to her son. “Young man, I say to you, get up!” And he did! Jesus had given him the gift of life!

While we can’t expect every pain to be healed so dramatically, there is always HOPE in Jesus! His cross tells us that all of our many sins are forgiven! The empty tomb tells us there is eternal life for every sinner who believes in him! This is the one and only “tear-drying” hope! Thank you, Jesus!

“When the town was with her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Luke 7:13

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