All posts in Unvarnished Jesus

  • March 31, 2006

    The New Birth

    Day 31

    John 3 & 4

    We live in a world gone wrong. At every level people are looking for answers. There is an increasing desperation for answers. The politicians have failed. The philosophers have failed. The artists and the entertainers can only reflect our pain or distract us for a moment. The scientists and engineers have filled our world with scientific explanations and technological wonders. But they have not answered our biggest questions and our souls are still empty. We can put a man on the moon, a machine on Mars and twenty thousand songs on our iPod…and we are still miserable and the world is still wrong.

    Ain’t it the truth.

    The answer is Jesus. I don’t mean that as an obligatory Christian cliche. I mean that as the single deepest conviction of my life. The reason Jesus is the answer in a world gone wrong is because of what has gone wrong. It’s not really the politics or the economy or the society that has gone wrong — it’s the people who have gone wrong. We are wrong. Our hearts are corrupt and our souls are empty. Jesus says we must be born again. And only Jesus can give us this new birth. Only Jesus! Get that in your head! Not Washington, not Wall Street, not Microsoft, not NASA, not Hollywood, not the UN, not the Elephants, not the Donkeys, not Oprah or Dr. Phil.

    Only Jesus can give us the new birth. And without the new birth — the new movie, the new iPod, the new CD, the new diet, the new fad, the new idea, the new boyfriend or girlfriend isn’t going to do much. It sure isn’t going to make you new. I know what I’m talking about. Jesus is the answer. You must be born again.

    That’s what Jesus said to Nick at Nite and that’s what Jesus says to you.

    Being born again is not just a rite of passage into evangelical Christianity.
    Being born again is not just a pardon for what we’ve done wrong.
    Being born again is the creation of new life on the inside.

    The new birth is what can make us right.
    Do you want to change the world? I do!
    It’s done one life at a time by the new birth.
    Jesus is currently offering the new birth.
    But for a limited time only.

    There’s a woman sitting by a well today.
    She’s out of hope at the end of her rope.
    You know what she needs.
    You have her answer.
    Will you tell her?

    John 3:16 is the most famous.

    John 3:17 is so true…
    God didn’t send His Son to condemn the world but to save it.

    But John 3:18-21 is true too.

    He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.

    If people don’t love the truth there is no hope. Before a person can be saved they must believe there is truth and want the truth and be willing to come to the truth and to face the truth.

    Here’s something a little weird I found that goes along with John 3:18-21…

    Blindman Prophecy # 25

    You try to con me with ‘I seek what truth there might be’
    No! You hide from the truth like daddy Adam and mommy Eve

    Blindman can see through your Groucho disguise
    Your talk of seeking for truth is a pack of lies

    You want to find truth like a criminal wants to find a cop
    You love your sin and the truth might make you stop

    O get mad get mean get smart get on your pompous high horse
    Blindman said the word ‘sin’ — gotta rip out his tongue or worse

    You say that’s for Sunday School boy and girl to make them mind
    But I went to Big Sin U. and got a degree — blind, bind and grind!

    The truth is God is and you is and sin is and grace is
    So grace is because you is in a big mess and God is

    Love

    But God’s not a magician with a magic wand to make sin go poof
    It took the deeper magic of the Tree and here’s the proof–

    He raised THE ONE from the dead — and baby that’s a fact!
    So face the fact, cut the act, get on track and don’t look back!

    Frankie boy you can keep singing your ‘Did It My Way” theme song
    Croaking out your tired alibi, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong!’

    Damn

    Nation of those who refuse the mercy of God in their pride
    Or you can trust in the One who lives again though He died

    So ask yourself this little question: What year is it and why?
    And then know this: The Time Divider is awaiting your reply

    -Blindman at the Gate

    ________________________________________________________

    I’m very excited about tonight.

    The Message: “End Time Perils and Opportunities”

    Plus I’ve got a Russian surprise for you. You know Paul Polikoff is here, but there’s more to the surprise than that. Trust me, you’re going to like it!

    Plus…we’re going to do something special in the Upper Room after church tonight.

    God is on the move and we’re on board!

    Let the Revival Train roll!

    BZ

    0 Comments / Unvarnished Jesus /

  • March 30, 2006

    A New Beginning

    Day 30

    Introduction

    In the first twenty-nine days of our sixty-one day odyssey we journeyed through Matthew, Mark and Luke — the synoptic gospels (so called because they are “similar”). The synoptics cover roughly the same events, only from slightly different perspectives. The Gospel of John is altogether different. John wrote his gospel as much as forty years after the other gospels. By this time there was no need for John to cover the same material as the other three gospel writers. John’s gospel is much loftier. It contains the profound insights of a man who was the most intimate of Jesus’ disciples. Matthew, Mark and Luke wrote their Gospels during the heady days of the first two decades following the Resurrection. By the time John pens his gospel, the mood is different. John’s gospel doesn’t have the same sense of rush and breathless excitement as the Synoptics (especially Mark — the first gospel written); instead John’s gospel has a depth and maturity that makes you want to read it very slow and meditatively. John is not particularly concerned with the chronological order of his gospel and at times it’s hard to distinguish from Jesus’ words and John’s commentary. But since it is all the inspired word of God, it doesn’t really matter.

    I love the Gospel of John. It is definitely my favorite gospel. I can’t wait to get started!

    Picture yourself sitting with the aged Apostle John; maybe by a fireside with a cup of tea. His hair is white and his face is marked by time, but his eyes are bright and his mind is sharp. He is talking to us about Jesus. Sometimes he is telling about Jesus, sometimes he is quoting Jesus, sometimes he is commenting on deep spiritual truths, and they are all mixed together so you are not always sure what parts are the “words in red.” It doesn’t matter. You know the Spirit of God is speaking through this lone survivor of the original Twelve. He has outlived the rest by decades and you get the distinct impression that God has allowed it to be so in order that we might receive treasures of immeasurable worth from this venerable man of God.

    _______________________________________________________

    The Gospel of John begins with a grand introduction,

    “In the beginning was the Word.”

    This is an intentional echo of Genesis 1:1. The message is simple: Jesus brings a new beginning. The first chapter of John is primarily about introductions. John introduces Jesus as the Logos, the Word, the express image of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, the Eternal Son.

    John introduces the prophetic forerunner, John the Baptist.

    We are introduced to half of the disciples: four by name (Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathanael) and two implicitly (James and John).

    We have John the Baptist’s formal introduction of Jesus as the Messiah to the Jewish nation,

    “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

    This was the answer to a two thousand year old question. When Abraham and Isaac were walking up the Moriah ridge to offer the sacrifice (presumably at the highest point, which is now known as Skull Hill or Golgotha),

    Isaac said to his father, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb?”

    Abraham answered, “God will provide for Himself the lamb.” (See Genesis 22)

    For two thousand years Israel waited for the fulfillment of Abraham’s prophecy. John the Baptist identified Jesus at the very beginning of His ministry as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.

    The next day John the Baptist gave a very clear testimony to the identity of Jesus,

    “I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

    This will be the Jesus that John focuses on in his gospel — Jesus the Divine Son.

    Each of the four gospels presents Jesus in a particular light,

    Matthew gives us Jesus the King.

    Mark gives us Jesus the Servant.

    Luke gives us Jesus the Man.

    John gives us Jesus the Son of God.

    John 1:19 through John 2:11 covers five consecutive days.

    Day 1 (Friday) John 1:19-28 “I am not the Christ.”

    Day 2 (Saturday) John 1:29-34 “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

    Day 3 (Sunday) John 1:35-42 Andrew and John begin to follow Jesus.

    Day 4 (Monday) John 1:43-51 Philip and Nathanael meet Jesus.

    Day 5 (Tuesday) John 2:1-11 The Wedding in Cana and Jesus’ first miracle.*

    * John 2:1 “On the third day.” The “third day” means Tuesday. This is how we identify the previous four days. Tuesday was always the day for weddings in Israel. In the six days of creation the third day is the only day in which it is recorded, “Good saw that it was good”, twice (see Genesis 1:10, 12) Since the third day, or Tuesday, is the “doubly good” day, it was the day for weddings. This is true in Israel even today. Our Israel tours always arrive in Israel on a Tuesday and we usually go from the Tel Aviv airport to a park in old Jaffa (Joppa) overlooking the Mediterranean, and there are always weddings taking place in the park.

    John chapter 2 is centered around two divergent events: The turning of water to wine at the wedding in Cana and the cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem. In one Jesus makes wine from water and the other Jesus makes a whip from cords. In these two events we see the full spectrum of Christ: The compassionate Christ and the confrontational Christ. To discover the Unvarnished Jesus, we must see Him in both aspects.

    ______________________________________________________

    My good friend Dmitri (Paul) Polikoff from St. Petersburg, Russia will be spending the next couple of days at our house. Paul will be with us in church Friday night.

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PHILIP!!

    (He’s 14)

    0 Comments / Uncategorized, Unvarnished Jesus /

  • March 29, 2006

    The King and His Cross

    Day 29

    For the third time in our Two Months of Discovery we find ourselves treading upon the holiest ground of all. The Garden of Gethsemane, The Courtyard of Caiaphas, Pilate’s Praetorium, The Via Dolorosa, Calvary. These places have been sanctified beyond reckoning by the blood of Jesus. And what shall we say about holiness of the Garden Tomb where the body of Jesus laid from Friday evening till Sunday morning? If ever there were holy ground, surely this must be it.

    Our journey with Jesus today began on one mountain and ended on another. We began at the Last Supper in the Upper Room on Mount Zion in Jerusalem and we ended Luke’s Gospel watching Jesus disappear into the clouds as He ascended to heaven from the crest of the Mount of Olives.

    Our salvation has a geography. It has a geography because we are saved by events, not ideas. Events happen in a place. I have been to these places and I’ll never be the same for having been to them. The places testify to me that what Jesus suffered was real. These places remind me that the resurrection is the greatest fact in history.

    I was talking with a man yesterday who knew I’d been all over the world and he asked me, “Of all the places you’ve been, which is your favorite?”

    I replied, “Paris is beautiful, Rome is wonderful, India is exotic, Sydney is stunning, but without a doubt my favorite place is Jerusalem.”

    “Why is that?”

    “Because of Jesus.”

    0 Comments / Uncategorized, Unvarnished Jesus /

  • March 28, 2006

    Are You Ready?

    Day 28

    The three chapters of Luke 19, 20 and 21 take place over approximately three days as Jesus enters into the final week before His death. Most of Jesus’ teaching during this time takes on an eschatological tone. Jesus prophesies events concerning the immediate future of Jerusalem and He prophesies even more regarding His Second Coming and the final establishment of the Kingdom of God as a political kingdom on earth.

    The purpose of the Parable of the Minas was to correct a misunderstanding of the disciples that “the Kingdom of God would appear immediately.” Instead of neglecting strategic effort and idly awaiting the final appearing of the Kingdom, the parable teaches us to “do business” until the King comes.

    Interestingly, Jesus based this parable on a real historic event. With the death of King Herod in 4 B.C., Herod’s son Archelaus traveled to Rome to receive commission from Caesar to reign as King of Judea. (See Matthew 2:22) As with the nobleman in the parable, the reign of Archelaus was protested by the Judean citizens. Jesus knew history well enough to use this as a backdrop for an important parable.

    The parable concludes with the king returning and slaying those who opposed his reign. When Jesus returns to set up His throne at His Second Coming, He will bring awesome judgment on those who oppose His reign. This is the central theme of the battle of Armageddon and the judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.

    Jesus’ Triumphal Entry is a kind of humble foreshadowing of what will be the most glorious event in human history: The return of King Jesus to set up His throne and rule the nations from Jerusalem. This time Jesus will not come lowly upon a donkey, but He will come in glory upon a white horse. Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

    The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers in Luke 20 is also prophetic in nature. Jesus is announcing that the Kingdom of God is no longer going to be resident in Israel as a political nation. Tomorrow I will be watching the general elections in Israel with great interest as I understand that Israel has a special place in the covenants of God and in His prophetic agenda; but I also understand that the political nation of Israel is not the custodian of the spiritual Kingdom of Heaven.

    After Jesus confounds the attempts of the Pharisees and the Sadducees to defeat Him in debate, Jesus presents a conundrum to His opponents by asking them how the Christ could be merely the son and descendent of David, when David in prophetic scripture calls the Messiah “Lord.” Jesus also alludes to the great Father to Son promise of Psalm 110, where the Father tells the Son to sit at His right hand until His enemies are made His footstool. It is evident that in the week leading up to the crucifixion, Jesus is looking beyond His impending death to this great promise from His Father.

    Of course Luke 21 is full of prophecy. Some of it has already been fulfilled. Luke 21:20-24 is prophetic of the period from September 4, A.D. 70 (the destruction of Jerusalem) to June 5, 1967 (Jerusalem coming back under Jewish control).

    As I read Luke 21:25-26, I have the distinct impression that I am reading about current events and impending calamities. But Jesus instructs us that this is the time to anticipate His soon return.

    Jesus closes His eschatological discourse upon the Mount of Olives with an exhortation to cast off the cares of life and the dissipating effects of an indulgent lifestyle and by a devotion to prayer to be living in a state of readiness so that we might escape the great judgment of the Day of the Lord and stand before the Son of Man.

    Are you ready?

    Are You Ready?
    Bob Dylan

    Are you ready to meet Jesus?
    Are you where you ought to be?
    Will He know you when He sees you
    Or will He say, “Depart from Me”?

    Are you ready, hope you’re ready.

    Am I ready to lay down my life for the brethren
    And to take up my cross?
    Have I surrendered to the will of God
    Or am I still acting like the boss?

    Am I ready, hope I’m ready.

    When destruction cometh swiftly
    And there’s no time to say a fare-thee-well,
    Have you decided whether you want to be
    In heaven or in hell?

    Are you ready, are you ready?

    Have you got some unfinished business?
    Is there something holding you back?
    Are you thinking for yourself
    Or are you following the pack?

    Are you ready, hope you’re ready.

    Are you ready for the judgment?
    Are you ready for that terrible swift sword?
    Are you ready for Armageddon?
    Are you ready for the day of the Lord?

    Are you ready, I hope you’re ready.

    0 Comments / Uncategorized, Unvarnished Jesus /

  • March 27, 2006

    Kingdom Lifestyle

    Day 27

    I got saved. Everything turned around. It’s been one sunny day after another. And everybody is so nice.

    How about a dose of reality?

    Jesus says, “It is impossible that no offenses should come.”

    Whoa!

    So we might as well prepare ourselves to walk in forgiveness. Seven times a day if necessary.

    But that doesn’t mean we can go around being offensive and expect no consequences.

    Woe!

    “Woe to him through whom they do come.”

    And if the offense is so severe that it causes one of the little ones to no longer believe (see Mark 9:42), Jesus says it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and thrown into the sea than to face God’s judgment. I’m thinking of pedophile priests and womanizing pastors.

    But most things that we take offense over are not nearly so egregious; in fact most issues of offense are just plain petty and we simply need to forgive, forget about it and keep on the journey. The Christian life is dominated by a forward look. Whatever inclines us to look back is a detriment and a danger. Remember Lot’s wife.

    Attitude is almost everything. What should be our dominant attitude? Gratitude. It seems that about one in ten of those transformed by Jesus really has an attitude of gratitude. Make up your mind to be the holy tithe of gratitude for what Jesus has done.

    _______________________________________________________

    This is the third time in twenty days we have met the would-be disciple known as the “Rich Young Ruler.” His question was simple: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus’ answer is also simple — if you go all the way to the end of His answer — “Follow Me.”

    Yuppie: “What shall I do…?” (Luke 18:18)

    Jesus: “…follow Me.” (Luke 18:22)

    A couple of comments…

    # 1. When Jesus said, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, God”, Jesus wasn’t claiming not to be good…but to be God. The young man had approached Jesus as if Jesus were a mere man. The ruler didn’t yet have a revelation from the Father of who Jesus was. Later this week we will read Jesus saying, “No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him.” Inheriting eternal life requires a revelation that Jesus is God. We will see much of this next week when we are in the Gospel of John.

    # 2. The young man could not inherit eternal life by giving away his possessions, but such was the hold of materialism upon his life that it was going to take a radical decision for him to be able to connect his life with Jesus — which is how we inherit eternal life. Jesus didn’t require this of everyone. Jesus said nothing of this to Nicodemus who, according to Josephus, was one of the wealthiest men in Jerusalem. For Jesus to be Savior, He must be Lord.

    ________________________________________________________

    For the third time in the Gospel of Luke Jesus explicitly tells His disciples what is going to happen to Him in Jerusalem. He will be betrayed, delivered to the Gentiles, mocked, insulted, spit upon, scourged, killed…and rise again on the third day. How did Jesus know this? By revelation from God? Certainly, but how? Jesus knew these things because everyone of them is prophesied in the Old Testament. It seems as if no one else saw these Messianic prophecies (probably because they didn’t want to), but Jesus saw them.

    ________________________________________________________

    Today is my day off. I was in the ministry for over 23 years before I started taking a regular day off. How stupid is that? (Don’t tell me.) Peri and I are headed to KC to hang out on the Plaza. I believe ahi tuna is in my future. Stay happy! Most of the time it’s a choice.

    Blessings.

    BZ

    P.S.

    The attitude of gratitude song for today is…

    What Can I Do For You?
    Bob Dylan

    You have given everything to me.
    What can I do for You?
    You have given me eyes to see.
    What can I do for You?

    Pulled me out of bondage and You made me renewed inside,
    Filled up a hunger that had always been denied,
    Opened up a door no man can shut and You opened it up so wide
    And You’ve chosen me to be among the few.
    What can I do for You?

    You have laid down Your life for me.
    What can I do for You?
    You have explained every mystery.
    What can I do for You?

    Soon as a man is born, you know the sparks begin to fly,
    He gets wise in his own eyes and he’s made to believe a lie.
    Who would deliver him from the death he’s bound to die?
    Well, You’ve done it all and there’s no more anyone can pretend to do.
    What can I do for You?

    You have given all there is to give.
    What can I do for You?
    You have given me life to live.
    How can I live for You?

    I know all about poison, I know all about fiery darts,
    I don’t care how rough the road is, show me where it starts,
    Whatever pleases You, tell it to my heart.
    Well, I don’t deserve it but I sure did make it through.
    What can I do for You?

    Great song!

    0 Comments / Uncategorized, Unvarnished Jesus /

  • March 26, 2006

    Finding the Lost

    Day 26

    I just can’t get over it. I’ve never seen it so clear. I would never have guessed that (so far) this would be my number one discovery from the Unvarnished Jesus: The Pharisees. They’re the worst. They are the absolute polar opposite of Jesus Christ and diametrically opposed to what He preached. They are anti-grace, anti-Jesus, anti-Messiah, anti-anointing, anti-Christ!

    The Pharisees were the catalyst for an enormous amount of Jesus’ teaching. In fact, I would say that all of Luke chapters 14, 15 and 16 are about Jesus contending with the Pharisees.

    Consider…

    Luke 14 opens like this…

    Now it happened as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.

    This led to a debate about the legality of healing on the Sabbath and a series of teachings and parables on humility, the Kingdom of God, the cost of discipleship and the worthlessness of salt that has lost its flavor — all directed at the Pharisees.

    Luke 15 opens like this…

    The tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes complained saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

    This led to Jesus’ three parables on lost things: The lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son.

    The common theme of chapter 16 is the proper use vs. the corrupting influence of material wealth. The chapter opens with Jesus giving the parable of the unjust steward (where Jesus says we should make friends by unrighteous mammon) and it closes with the story of the miserly rich man who went to hell. Right in the middle of the chapter we read these words…

    Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard these things, and they derided Him

    And here’s the amazing thing: Of the three religious parties predominant in Jesus’ day — the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes — Jesus would have identified theologically with the Pharisees. Jesus would have had major theological differences with the Sadducees and the Essenes, but Jesus would have largely agreed theologically with the Pharisees. I’m sure that growing up and prior to His ministry, Jesus associated with the Pharisees and probably would have been identified as an adherent of the rabbinical tradition of the Pharisees. But for all of that, it was the Pharisees who must vehemently hated Jesus and most ruthlessly pursued His murder. And it was the Pharisees who were the recipients of Jesus’ most scathing rebukes. But the difference between Jesus and the Pharisees was not doctrinal. It was a difference of the heart. The Pharisees had orthodox doctrine…but hate-filled hearts. The Pharisees were sound in their theology, but self-righteous in their spirituality. Let that be a sober warning to us.

    The highlight of the Luke 14, 15 and 16 has to be the parable of the prodigal son. This may be Jesus’ greatest parable. It may the most powerful revelation of the heart of the Father heart of God. Unconditional love. This is the thing the Pharisees knew nothing about, and it was why their souls were lost and corrupt. They were the older brother, the son who was lost, not outside, but inside the father’s house. They were the one’s who never understood what was going on at the Father’s house…

    The Celebration of Salvation…

    The Party of Grace…

    The Music of Mercy…

    The Dancing Redemption…

    If you don’t yet understand these things and the father’s extravagance upon the prodigal’s return, you don’t yet understand salvation.

    The last time I was in St. Petersburg, Russia I made a special trip to the Hermitage Museum just to see Rembrandt’s Prodigal Son. Instead of viewing hundreds of masterpieces like I had done on previous visits, I went to the Hermitage to see this one painting. It was worth it. Jesus’ passionate parable of the prodigal son was worthy of Rembrandt’s best efforts. Jesus’ lesson on unconditional love brought out the best in Rembrandt, and it will bring out the best in us.

    Amen

    BZ

    0 Comments / Uncategorized, Unvarnished Jesus /

  • March 25, 2006

    Fear Not Little Flock

    Day 25

    In poems and hymns and sentimental religious writings Jesus is often described as “meek and mild.” Apparently this has much more to do with a fondness for poetic alliteration than any desire to accurately describe the unvarnished Jesus. Meek? Yes. Mild. Never! Meek and wild. Meek and radical. Meek and controversial. These may not sound as poetic, but they are infinitely closer to the truth. One thing Jesus never was was mild.

    You see this quite clearly in Luke 12 and 13. These two chapters are almost entirely teachings from Jesus; 84 of the 94 verses are the words of Jesus. Some are very familiar words of comfort from Christ. But these two chapters also contain some very strong words of confrontation from Christ — and often the words of comfort and the words of confrontation are only verses apart.

    Consider…

    Jesus talks about fearing God because He is the One who has authority to cast a soul into hell. As a friend of mine says, “Jesus talking about hell is like the alcoholic uncle we try to hide in the back room when guests come over.” In today’s culture of political correctness where the only acceptable references to God are bland and anemic references to what A.W. Tozer called “the Mush God”, much of the church seems embarrassed by a Jesus who talks pointedly about hell. But Jesus does talk about hell, pointedly and often. The vast majority of references to hell in the Bible come from Jesus. So much for mild. Jesus doesn’t care one whit for political correctness. He’s not a politician.

    Yet in the very next verse Jesus talks about God’s concern for sparrows and how God’s caring interest for us is so great that He bothers to number the hairs of our head. Jesus presents God in extremes. The God with authority to cast into hell is also the God whose eye is on the sparrow and watches over His children.

    Jesus tells His disciples that it is the Father’s good pleasure to give them the Kingdom. “Fear not little flock.” Words of comfort. But then Jesus makes it clear that He did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Words of confrontation. The sword of Christ is not the sword of violence (like the sword of Muhammad), rather the sword of Christ is the sword of division. Jesus is the great divide of all humanity. Ultimately humanity will not be divided by race or class or nationality or politics, rather humanity will be divided by the Son of Man who will separate the sheep from the goats based on their confession or denial of Christ.

    Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

    When Jesus was told about a massacre and a disaster (Ch. 13:1f), instead of responding with polite and sympathetic remarks, the way a politician would, Jesus used it as an opportunity to impress people the severity of their own situation: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Words of confrontation.

    But in the same chapter we find Jesus in a synagogue healing a woman and saying, “Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound — think of it — for eighteen years, be loosed on the Sabbath.” Words of comfort.

    The chapter closes with Jesus mixing words of comfort and confrontation. Jesus laments over Jerusalem and says He often longed to gather them as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing. But then He speaks of the impending desolation that will come upon Jerusalem because they missed their Messiah in His first coming.

    Words of comfort and confrontation from Christ. We cannot divide them. We must receive them both.

    ______________________________________________________

    I’m spending the day in my study preparing my Sunday message, Professor Jesus. See you in the morning.

    BZ

    1 Comment / Uncategorized, Unvarnished Jesus /

  • March 24, 2006

    One Thing

    Day 24

    Yesterday’s blog focused on displacing demon power by Kingdom authority. Today I am still thinking along these lines. In Luke 10 Jesus commissions seventy other disciples to proclaim the Kingdom message and upon their return the first thing they report is their success in subjugating demon power by the authority of Jesus’ name. Jesus responded by saying, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” What did He mean by that? Was this a historic memory or a current observation? I would say both. As the Eternal Son, Jesus saw Satan fall from his original estate in heaven, but when the Seventy went forth proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, Jesus was able to observe Satan falling from his position of spiritual dominion.

    I remember ministering in Potosi, Bolivia a few years ago. Situated high in the Andes mountains at over 13,000 feet, Potosi is the world’s highest city. A literal “high place.” For numerous reasons Satan likes high places (part of it has to do with his expulsion from the mountain of God). Potosi is a city with a very dark history and literally dedicated to the devil. For three centuries millions of slaves were worked to death in the silver mines of Potosi to finance the wealth of the Spanish Empire. Today Potosi pays homage to Satan, giving him the honorific title of Tio (uncle). Images and idols of “Uncle Satan” as Tio are found throughout the city, including the gateway to the city and even in the Catholic cathedral! When I got to my room in the hotel, the bedspread had a giant image of Tio. The first thing I did was make a bold declaration: “Satan, there’s a new sheriff in town and His name is Jesus!” Then I fired up Handel’s Messiah on my iTunes and played it all night long. For three days I taught Bolivian pastors on spiritual warfare and the authority of the believer to exercise dominion over demonic influence and strongholds. Tio ain’t what he used to be. There was a breakthrough in Bolivia that is going on to this day. Jesus can look at Bolivia and say, “I see Satan falling from his perch of dominion — falling like lightning from heaven.” Hallelujah!

    Every place where Satan holds spiritual dominion, he does so illegally. But he will only be displaced by the proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom and the authoritative use of the name of Jesus. Every believer is deputized for this function and this is why we must go into all the world preaching the Gospel and challenging demon power in Jesus’ name.

    Luke 10 closes with the story of Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus and Jesus declaring, “One thing is needful.” One thing is needful. To sit at Jesus’ feet. To seek Him. To know Him. Mary was a One Thing woman. David was a One Thing man.

    One thing I have desired of the Lord,
    That will I seek:
    That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    All the days of my life,
    To behold the beauty of the Lord,
    And to inquire in His temple.

    -Psalm 27:4

    One Thing men and One Thing women don’t just idly sit around trying to be modern day mystics. Instead they have ordered their lives according to the One Thing priority of seeking the Lord Jesus. From this will come effective and fruitful labors.

    ________________________________________________

    I’m very excited about the message I’m preaching tonight at Friday Night Church. I’m calling it, Doing Life. It comes from this text: Luke 1:67-75. Don’t miss it. Either live online, or better yet, in person.

    See you tonight!

    BZ

    2 Comments / Uncategorized, Unvarnished Jesus /

  • March 23, 2006

    Storms and Demons

    Day 23

    I don’t like demons. They smell bad. Unclean, you know. Jesus didn’t like demons either. Jesus never met a demon that He didn’t didn’t like. I like what John Osteen used to say: “If I were God, the first thing I’d do is kill the devil. Then I’d invite all the demons to his funeral, and kill them too.” Well, that’s not exactly God’s plan, but something not too far from it will happen in the end. In the mean time the solution is the forceful advance of the Kingdom of God. Wherever the Kingdom advances it displaces demon power. This happens on both a personal and societal level. Jesus was a master at casting out demons. In the healing ministry of Jesus you really see His compassion, but in His deliverance ministry you really see His authority. Demons are terrified of Jesus — and they are terrified of people full of Jesus. As well they should be.

    In Luke 8 and 9 we see seven major miracles…

    1. Calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee.

    2. Casting out the legion of demons from the man in the Gadara.

    3. Healing the woman with the issue of blood.

    4. Raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

    5. Feeding the Five Thousand.

    6. The Transfiguration.

    7. Healing the demon-possessed boy.

    There are also five references to demons being cast out…

    1. Jesus is said to have cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene.

    2. The Gadarene

    3. The Disciples are commissioned to cast out demons.

    4. The demon-possessed boy.

    5. Others are said to be casting out demons in the name of Jesus.

    All these demons being cast out just thrills me. Like I said, I don’t like demons. And I absolutely hate the devil. Demons are not human. Fallen angels. Spirit beings which have become entirely corrupt and more malevolent than we can imagine. Even the most wicked and depraved human, still have some vestige of humanity. I assume Hitler at least loved his dog. But demons are different. They have no humanity; nothing redemptive or redeemable. The fall of angels is different than the fall of man. They transgressed with eyes wide open knowing fully what they were doing and fell with an utter finality. There is nothing to be done with demons but to wage war upon them and their works. That means setting people free by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the unique Kingdom manifestation of displacing demons. Every human vice and mental torment is a haunt of demon power. These things usually begin apart from direct demon power, but like jackals attracted to a wounded and dying animal, demons are attracted to human vice and misery.

    We can only imagine what led Mary Magdalene to become vexed by seven demons and how can we imagine the nightmarish road the Gadarene with his thousands of demons walked? But Jesus set them free. And He commissioned His followers to do the same in His name.

    I like what Martin Luther used to say, “I was born to battle devils.” Amen!

    By the way, you don’t have to go looking for demons like you’re on a snipe hunt. Just follow Jesus, love people, learn the power of God, and you will have opportunities to set people free from demon power by the authority of Jesus’ name.

    And this is for Satan…

    REVELATION 20:10!!

    0 Comments / Uncategorized, Unvarnished Jesus /
← Older Entries
Newer Entries →