And if you are looking for a guaranteed return on the investment on your life in Christ, here it is: The Lord Jesus Christ will return in his glory and the glory of God the Father who sent him, with his holy angels, to gather all who belong to him.
Tag Archives: Hope
The Lord Will Provide
Jesus’ twelve apostles had just returned from their first mission, where they proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and healed the spiritually and physically sick. As they were sent out by and with the power and authority of Christ, their mission was effective. Even Rome’s regional ruler, Herod the Tetrarch, took notice. But it was a short-term mission, and they soon returned to Jesus, eager to tell him all that they had done.
Resurrection Encouragement
Despite its certainty, as Western-culture moderns, we have a hard time thinking and talking about death. Such talk seems to our ears, well, morbid (which may make you wonder why I am talking about it today on Easter Sunday of all times!).
When God Seems Late
There are times when God seems late, when his timing does not align with our timing, and this can breed frustration even doubt. But think about this with me: If “by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,” and if “all things were created through him and for him,” and if “in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16-17), and if “he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3), is he really ever late?
Peace! Be Still!
While Jesus had been ministering throughout Judea, he decided to take a trip to the land of the Gerasenes by direct route, across the Lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee. Traveling with a select group of disciples by boat, Jesus boarded and went to bed. Perhaps telling of his fatigue, Jesus slept through what likely began with the serene sway of a rocking boat into a stormy squall, as the cooler air from the surrounding mountains collided with the warmer air of the sea. So fierce was the storm’s surge that the boat began to fill with water. If there were a time for panic, this was it—even for a crew of salty fishermen. Meanwhile, Jesus slept soundly in the stern.
The Family of Faith
When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth, from preaching throughout Judea, he didn’t receive what we would call a “warm welcome.” Rather than celebrating his ministry, the people wondered, “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works?” (Matt. 13:54). To them, he was just the carpenter’s son, the son of Mary, the brother of James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, and his sisters.[2]
The Sown Word
In the tenth chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul describes the necessity of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, as “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” One cannot believe the gospel if one does not hear it, in various ways and various forms, and one cannot hear it unless it is shared or proclaimed. Hearing then is necessary for salvation, but hearing is not enough. The gospel must be truly believed, yet not all who hear believe.
A Gospel Ministry
This is how Christ builds his kingdom, through the faithful preaching of the Word and sacraments, through the diverse use of our gifts in service, and through our tithes and offerings. It sounds remarkably ordinary, and it is, but God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; what is weak to shame the strong; what is low and despised to build Christ’s church, that in it and through it he might be glorified. All glory be to Christ!
How Great a Debtor
Jesus was invited to dine with a Pharisee. Perhaps surprisingly, he accepted. He who said that he came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10) would presumably have plenty to seek and save over supper. But as the party proceeded, it was unexpectedly crashed, by a woman known not by name but by sin. Luke records neither.
The Dwelling Place of God
Have you ever longed for something, with great anticipation, only to find that when that something arrived it fell far short of what you imagined? How often is our ideal contrary to reality? How often does this lead to frustration with our circumstances and discouragement in the moment? It is likely that all of us have experienced this to one degree or another. But what if your religion, family, home, nationality, your identity, were all connected and directed toward what was to come, and what if you had waited not three or four years but seventy? It sounds like a set-up for disappointment. Coming out of the Babylonian exile and returning to their homeland, the children of Israel were more than disappointed; they were despondent.
Planter, Pastor, Preacher 