Spirituality Column #750

March 30, 2021

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

‘Father, Forgive Them …

By Bob Walters

“… for they know not what they do.” – Jesus on the Cross, Luke 23:34

Mercilessly hung on the cross, Jesus uttered first these words of forgiveness.

Obedient unto death for His Father’s glory, Jesus spoke of divine forgiveness and human ignorance. He revealed His endless grace, called on God’s endless mercy, and called out humanity’s endless darkness: “…for they know not what they do.” 

On the cross, Jesus was telling us all, “You can trust me … you are forgiven.”

On the ground, people cloaked in ignorance still wondered, “Who ARE you?”

Forgiveness has a funny way of stealing the show at the crucifixion.  As Christian believers we celebrate forgiveness of our sins in Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross.  We are maybe a little less attentive to Jesus forgiving those in close proximity to the event: Pilate, soldiers, Pharisees, the jeering crowd, followers hiding in fear, etc.  We probably don’t spend a lot of time on the “know not what they do,” the “ignorant” part.

Early-20^th century American humorist and commentator Will Rogers was fond of saying, “Everybody’s ignorant, only on different subjects.”  Not known for his religious leanings, Rogers nonetheless perfectly hit on the confined nature of human knowledge.  We all possess some knowledge about some things, and time and again we see that the things we don’t know – our ignorance – bring out fear, hostility, and indifference.

At Calvary Pilate knew Roman governance but he didn’t know truth.  Pharisees knew the Law but for years selfishly had misapplied it.  They then blindly ignored and became hostile when the Law’s prophetic fulfillment – Jesus Christ – arrived in their midst.  They refused to see God’s Truth they should have recognized. Roman soldiers knew how to put a man to death but were entirely indifferent to who Jesus was.

Jesus’ disciples knew Him personally, yet even after all they had heard and seen, 10 of them hid in fear.  The 11^th, John, was at the foot of the cross, and the 12^th, Judas, hung himself. John, let’s note, was the only disciple not to eventually die a violent death.

When we don’t know what we are doing or what’s going on around us, our ignorance might feel like bliss and even lessen our guilt.  Are we accountable for what we don’t know?  Jesus on the cross graciously called for God’s forgiveness of his accusers despite their ignorance, hostility, and indifference; His love was that great.

Jesus tells us to love God and love others, forgive our enemies, and invites us to follow Him.  We love being forgiven, but the cross shows us how the world – in its ignorance, hostility, and indifference – reacts when Truth arrives to replace worldly lies.

The world won’t change Jesus; we can trust that.  He changes us when our trust, love, and faith join Him on the Cross; sin and ignorance fade, and truth lights our way.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) has this theory – it’s not scriptural, it’s a theory – that most of Jesus’ followers, the cheering celebrants of Palm Sunday, were not at Calvary but in fearful hiding from Jewish leaders.  The jeering crowd with the Pharisees were likely rebels who that morning had assembled before Pilate to beg Passover Amnesty for their leader, Barabbas.  The Pharisees wanted Jesus dead, this loud cohort wanted Barabbas alive, and so Barabbas, a rebel who was to be crucified that day, became the first person directly “saved” by Jesus.  One imagines the “two thieves” (insurrectionists? Mark 15:7) were surprised to see Jesus in (their ally?) Barabbas’ place.

Spirituality Column #749

March 23, 2021

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

The Light Beyond

By Bob Walters

“So from that day on they planned together to kill him.” John 11:53

It didn’t take long for the Jewish leaders to get their wish.

As the Jerusalem Passover celebration loomed a couple of weeks ahead and as Mary, Martha, and other mourners looked on in nearby Bethany, Jesus summoned four-day-dead Lazarus out of his grave. Word of the miraculous reversal of death spread quickly throughout Jerusalem and the inner chambers of the cursing Jewish leaders.

It was in this miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus that the die was cast, the Rubicon was crossed, and the concluding events of the Messiah’s mission to save the world by revealing the true light of God’s love, compassion, and righteousness were put into motion.  The furious and threatened Pharisees, Sadducees, and all the Sanhedrin – the entirety of the Jewish ruling council – cemented its intention to have Jesus killed.

Ironically, the high priest Caiaphas sealed the decision by stating a prophetic truth even he did not understand at the time (John 11:50), “…it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”  He knew not what he said.

The Jewish leaders had two problems (John 11:48): Jesus overshadowing their religious authority with the Jews, and Jesus eclipsing their civic position with the Romans.  If Jesus was this supposed “new king,” their leadership and status would end.

In the big picture, they had no idea how absolutely correct, but wrong, they were.

Their opportunity to kill Jesus materialized when He came near: His “Palm Sunday” entrance into Jerusalem for the Passover and Festival beginning later that week.  The scheme they hatched was to arrest Jesus for the Jewish heresy of claiming to be God and have the Romans execute him for claiming to be a king. 

Even at the Cross, it was still “so far, so good.”  Then Easter happened.

Caiaphas thought having this one man die would save the Jewish nation.  Wrong; having “this one man” die, God’s plan all along, would save all nations.  It was they, because of their unbelief in the Messiah who lived, who would be condemned.

That was what God had promised all along: Israel was God’s chosen nation through which He would deliver a savior Messiah for the rest of the world.  The point was neither to save nor abolish Israel or the Law, but to complete (“fulfill” in Matthew 5:17) them both in the establishment of God’s kingdom over all the earth.

The Old Covenant of the Law would be fulfilled with the New Covenant of faith in Christ, where it matters less who you are than whose you are: less about behavior and bloodlines and all about love and belief that Jesus is the Lord and Saving Son of God.

When Jesus famously told Martha outside Lazarus’ grave, “I am the resurrection and life” (John 11:25) before Mary and the mourning witnesses arrived (John 11:33), Jesus wasn’t just comforting her about Lazarus not being dead.  Jesus was declaring true the widely held Jewish belief of an unknown light beyond this world.

And that true, eternal light for all humanity was, is, and always will be, Jesus.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) thinks Lazarus should have “his own Sunday” before Easter.  The miracle’s exact timing isn’t recorded in scripture but it appears to have been about a week before Palm Sunday.  It’s most definitely the trip-wire event that shattered the patience, nerve, and little remaining courage of the Pharisees.

Spirituality Column #748

March 15, 2021

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Stuff I Don’t Worry About

By Bob Walters

“The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature.” –  Parable of the Sower, Luke 8:14

Worry is a faith killer.  If you ever worry that your faith is not growing, maybe it’s because you worry too much. 

Jesus’ familiar Parable of the Sower, cited above, addresses worry and how our cares and anxieties about the world reduce and restrict our interest in growing in faith, wisdom, joy, hope, Christ, and Godly understanding.  Alas, Satan runs the world so a sure Christian witness of Jesus’s truth and God’s glory is a sure indicator we are carrying an alien passport.  And yes, it’s tough to perpetually live as the visiting team.

What I’d like to address today though is not “worldly worries”; we all have them.  It’s best to pray about them seeking the Holy Spirit’s comforting peace.  It works.

Instead, let’s address the worries Christians carry about their actual faith: Am I saved?  Am I doing enough?  Will I get rewards?  By trusting Jesus, we can significantly pare down our palette of divine worries.  So, about the following, I don’t worry much:

- Am I saved?  Yes, I am … unless Jesus lied.  And Jesus didn’t lie.

- Proving the Bible: I think the Bible proves itself and defends itself, and that it is borderline folly to try to “prove the Bible” in worldly terms when it is not a worldly book; it is a divine book.  It is a book of God’s truth Satan wants us to doubt. I’m going with God.

- “If it’s true”:  Meaning, the Jesus resurrection thing.  How could all that happen?  In an altered repeat of the previous paragraph: Worry if God’s truth is true? Really?

- Creation: I wasn’t there and didn’t see it, but it is pretty obvious to me it happened and didn’t “just accidentally happen.”  I no longer get stuck in Genesis 1 and 2 because the point is not proof; the point is God is the Creator and Creation is good.

- Judgment: I embrace meeting and joining my Lord. I can’t wait.  You know that line about “do not worry about tomorrow…” in Matthew 6:34?  Live, embrace, and love Jesus today, and quit worrying about tomorrow and judgment.  Focus on love, not fear.

- Heaven: Haven’t been there yet, but my joy is seeing glimpses of it, even in the present world, in and through the truth of Jesus Christ.  I know Heaven is there, it is the ultimate “tomorrow,” and that whatever it is exactly will be well worth the wait.

- Rewards: Whoa … lots of New Testament mention and (in some circles) Christian conversation about heavenly rewards believers receive.  I don’t doubt it a bit, or worry or think about it. That’s because generally I think in small human terms, not God’s divine terms.  Jesus and the Holy Spirit help with God’s terms, but whatever God does, I’m fine as long as it glorifies God.  Rewards?  Whatever.  I won’t be disappointed.

- Losing my faith: I take Jesus at His word that we are forgiven our sins and He opens God’s Kingdom to us.  I am thankful for Jesus, not worried about my faith in Him.

- When the Bible seems to contradict itself: OK, Rule 1: It doesn’t.  Perceiving a contradiction in the Bible means, “I don’t understand.”  It’s an opportunity to think, thank, pray, meditate, and call on the Holy Spirit for instruction, wisdom, and growth.

And when that happens, I don’t worry; I get to spend quality time with God.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) isn’t perfect but knows God is.  No worries.

Spirituality Column #747

March 9, 2021

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Fair, Safe, and Happy

By Bob Walters

In a memorable Sunday sermon, the preacher employed the literary imagery of Narnia’s lion “Aslan-as-Jesus” to counter humanity’s knee-jerk desire to feel “safe.”

The scene is in the first book of the Chronicles of Narnia classic children’s series by C.S. Lewis.  In chapter eight of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, upon learning the “king” she would soon meet was a lion, young Susan asks, “Is he safe?”

“Is he safe?” the preacher repeated loudly, departing from the book’s gentle but stern voice of Mrs. Beaver.  “Is he safe???” he echoed again. 

“NO!!! Of course he’s not safe,” the preacher fairly thundered. 

And then, quietly, the payoff line: “… but he’s good.” 

Probably nothing has been larger on humanity’s radar screen in the last year than “feeling safe.”  We all (well most of us) politely wear masks, limit gathering with each other, and try to make wise decisions about acceptable risks of everything from family celebrations to vacations to vaccinations.  There is seemingly no more currently ubiquitous or powerful human urge and herd motivation than trying to “feel safe.” 

But that is so weak and human, as opposed to being courageous and Christlike.  Nothing about Jesus’ coming to earth was safe for Him, and no idea Jesus presented about himself or His mission of salvation had any promise of earthly safety for humanity.  We cannot look at Jesus in our own temporal light of is it fair, am I safe, or am I happy?

Those are not the questions to ask Jesus.  The sheltering wings of Christ represent the long game, opening up for us the opportunity to join God in eternal glory, not to have a hedge of safety on earth where all is fair, all is safe, and happiness rules.

When we see safety hysteria en masse – and we’ve all seen a lot of it in the past year; it was a year ago this week (March 11-15, 2020) that “things shut down” – it suggests “safety” is the highest priority of human existence.  We must push past that.

I think of all things that I’d philosophically put way ahead of my own safety – God, love, faith, family, nation, integrity – and pray I’d have the courage at the moment of challenge to summon the same resolve as Jesus: to focus on mission, not safety. 

The lessons of Jesus are the lessons of courage, strength, selflessness, divine love, and obedience to God.  His purpose was not human “fairness.”  Safety? Jesus was wise about his own security until it was time to complete His mission on the Cross.

But it is silly to ask if Jesus became man so He could experience fairness, safety, and happiness.  No, no, and no; the mission of Christ – always – is God’s glory.  In this life Jesus promised us persecution, not safety.  He taught that in loving God and others we find the divine joy of relationship with God and the fellowship of believers, which is our true and highest birthright; the brightest and most shining goal of our Creation.

This isn’t about wearing a mask, distancing, or getting vaccinated; it’s about keeping our heads clear, our courage strong, and our armor engaged regarding God’s righteousness and the ultimate and eternal purpose of Jesus: glorifying God.

As most of our culture prioritizes, pursues, and idolizes the fairness, safety, and happiness – the comforts – of this life, let’s remember that the Lion of Judah is good …

… and righteous.  “Is He safe?” is the wrong question to ask.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes that compassion, not control, is Christ’s way.  

Spirituality Column #746

March 2, 2021

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Modern Babel

By Bob Walters

“Now the world had one language and a common speech”– the opening of the story of the Tower of Babel, Genesis 11:1

I wonder what the Babylonians thought when their plans to build a self-glorifying city and erect a similarly prideful tower to heaven to greet God were quashed by the most epic failure to communicate on human record?  I doubt they blamed themselves. 

Did they know that it was God who destroyed their ability to talk and work together?  Did they have any idea why?  Did they figure it was Satan?  Or an undoing by some pagan god annoyed by their fixation on heaven?  At that early point in Bible history – in Genesis, the first book of the writings of Moses – had anybody yet figured out the “God is always righteous and Satan is always a liar and pagan gods are always useless” dynamic?  I’m not sure if, back then, theology had developed to that level.

In the millennia since, everybody used to know the story of the Tower of Babel, especially back when Bibles were not hidden from the global and American public view of education, politics, popular culture, and most critically across all categories: children. 

In the brief verses of Genesis 11:1-9 we learn of Babylon’s plans to build a tower, of the Babylonians’ pride, of God’s displeasure, and His creation of multiple languages to keep the Babylonians from both their plan and their location.  Rather than us get caught up in the pointless dialectic of “this appears to explain the presence of diverse languages on earth,” God’s purpose here – and He always has one – is about enforcing His righteousness and will on his favorite though most rebellious creation: humanity.

The tower story is brief and then pretty much left behind as the Bible narrative unfolds.  But Babylon itself is mentioned in the Bible hundreds of times and never in a positive light.  Babylon was known for and remains a symbol of man’s work against God’s righteousness, toward man’s pride, and in perpetuation of pagan practices.  Babylon is the corrupt, Bible opposite of the perfect Garden of Eden.

We’re studying the Tower of Babel in our Thursday morning Mustard Seed Bible study and yes, I’m aware there are countless lessons and biblical subtexts regarding all that the tower stood for, and none of them were good.  But the point is that God told Noah, and Noah told his descendants, to disperse and populate the whole earth after the flood. They got as far as Babylon (the middle of modern Iraq), and … stopped.

God fixed it.  What I’m wondering about now, specifically, and this is with an eye on current American and global cultural attitudes, is this: Are we – all of humanity – in a grave season of great, God-offending disobedience which, like the Babylonians, has cut off our ability to communicate with each other?  I suspect we are.  Why do I wonder?

Because there is no common speech in the academy, media, culture, or politics.

Those who do not know the Bible, do not know God, do not know Jesus Christ, and know only their own lust for power and security will have no idea what I’m talking about.  Those of us who do know and believe the Bible, God, Jesus, and the Spirit can discern plain as day the Godly presence of a huge human “failure to communicate.”

It is a darkness, the darkness of Babylon, and it grips the modern world.

I cannot imagine God is happy … nor what He is doing … or going to do next.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes, “Nimrod” founded Babylon.  Enough said.