the Word that words could not convey

The Word for today:
Ezekiel 3:22-5:17

God often commanded his prophets to proclaim his Word in theatrical ways.

Sometimes, in fact, the prophet's life--more than his word--is the message.

When the Pharisees wanted to see a miracle (a "sign") Jesus said that "No sign will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:39-40)

Jonah never made a prediction, so how can Jesus call him a prophet? The answer is that Jonah's life itself was prophetic of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The prophet was the prophecy!

God told Hosea to marry a prostitute. Through the graphic illustration of Hosea's dealings with his wife, God revealed the lengths he would go in order to bring unfaithful hearts back to him.

The book of Ezekiel sometimes reads like street theatre. The first (see 4:1-2) of Ezekiel's prophetic "sign acts" was to create a detailed model depicting Jerusalem under siege.

Then (4:3) the prophet was to take on the role of God. The iron wall set up between him and the city showed that Jerusalem had cut itself off from God.

Next (4:4-8) the prophet lay upon his side--a day for each year--to symbolize the years of punishment the Jews were to suffer in exile.

In Ezekiel 4:9-17, the horrors of famine due to siege are symbolized by the prophet's food and drink, carefully measured out--a near-starvation diet of eight ounces of food and a jar of water per day.

The knife and razor, the last symbols we encounter (5:1-17) in our reading today, suggest Jerusalem's complete destruction.

***

But the ultimate sign awaited the ultimate prophet. Outside the city's walls, on an outcropping of rock, on intersecting beams of wood, God's wrath against sin collided with his profound love for the world in the person of his son.

He himself was the truth he taught. He was the Word that words could not convey.

Something greater than Jonah--or Ezekiel--was here. (1)

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(1) Matthew 12:41

Son of Man

The Word for today:
Ezekiel 2:1-3:21

mark this: Ezekiel 2:3-5
"Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.
For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God.'
As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse--for they are a rebellious house--yet they will know that a prophet has been among them."

"Son of Man." The phrase is found 100 times in the book of Ezekiel, and it's found a few times in the book of Daniel. It also happens to be, far and away, Jesus' favorite description of himself. He described himself that way 86 times.

Why? What made it his favorite self-description?

I can't speak for Jesus, but I think the phrase was his favorite because it could mean so many things.

It means he's one of us.
The prophet Isaiah said that unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given (1). That child, born to all of us, is Jesus--"Son of Man."

It means he's God. 
One of the most well-known prophecies of the promised Messiah ("the Anointed") occurs in Daniel:
"I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14)

When the high priest demanded to know if he were the Son of God, Jesus replied that he is the Son of Man!--specifically that Son of Man, the one described in Daniel's prophecy:
Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"
And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." (Mark 14:61-62)

That the high priest knew Jesus was declaring his deity when he invoked this title is seen by his reaction:
And the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving death. (Mark 14:63-64)

It means he came to save everyone.
One person, his mother, could claim him as "Son of Mary" (2). One nation, Israel, could lay their claim to him as "Son of David" (3). But as "Son of Man," he came to rescue us all:
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10)

Finally, most personally and profoundly, the title was a reminder of his mission. For in order to save the lost, he moved, every day, ever closer to the cross.

The law said that sin would have real consequences; that the sins of the fathers would be visited upon the children:
He does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. (Exodus 34:7)

Jesus, as the Son of Man, would be punished for the sins of every one of his "parents"--
For the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all (4).

And he will be mourned, like an only son, by those whose sins caused him to die on the cross:
They will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

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(1) Isaiah 9:6; (2) Mark 6:3; (3) Matthew 21:9; (4) Isaiah 53:6

illusive, elusive, and allusive

The Word for today:
Ezekiel 1

I'd never had a vision of God. But all that changed a few years ago when God revealed himself to me in a spectacular way.

Hah! I'll bet you're thinking I've lost it.

You may be right, I may be crazy, but...you too can have a vision of God, just like I had. It's right there in Ezekiel chapter one:
In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. (Ezekiel 1:1)

That's the first sentence of chapter one. The chapter's last sentence confirms what he has seen:
Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. (Ezekiel 1:28)

***

I once sat down and read Ezekiel chapter one--slowly and out loud--ten times in a row. The vision is illusive, elusive, and allusive. So hang on...

The shifting, illusive, uncontainable vision of God in Ezekiel chapter 1 speaks of the limitlessness of God, and the impossibility of pinning Him down.
When tomorrow you perceive a Jesus you'd never seen before, it's not a different Jesus. Though he is "new" to your perception, the absolute Jesus--the Son the Father knows--has ever been the same. Throughout eternity, we will perceive the unchanging Jesus as ever "new."

The Bible you hold in your hand is like a radio receiver, capable of hearing the spiritual dimension.
In the physical realm, we cannot hear some frequencies that are known to exist. The spiritual realm is the same. Elisha could perceive spiritual "frequencies" that eluded his servant, Gehazi (1). Aaron was given a blood-tipped ear (2) which, it is inferred, opened his understanding. Developing a blood-tipped ear--increasingly relating all scripture and all reality to the cross of Jesus Christ--will attune you to spiritual frequencies that the natural ear cannot receive.

Ezekiel alludes to the complex, multi-faceted Christ--due to appear in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John:
In the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man. (1:5)
Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. (1:10)

Q. Is there anything Biblical which comes in a package of four--yet presents the likeness of a single man, who at one and the same time is...
a King;
and a servant;
just a man;
and yet at the pinnacle; seeing all from the summit, yet seeing no peer; a picture of power and grace?

A. Yes. The Gospels!—
Matthew-- represented in Ezekiel by the lion, symbol of kingship;
Mark-- represented in Ezekiel by the ox, symbol of the Servant;
Luke-- represented in Ezekiel by the face of a man, symbol of Jesus the Son of Man;
John-- represented in Ezekiel by the eagle, symbol of Jesus the Son of God.

Ezekiel's vision contains a perfect summary of the four-fold literary wholeness known as the gospels--and a perfect blending of seemingly contradictory attributes of Jesus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) 2 Kings 6:15-17; (2) Leviticus 8:23

Jesus became like I am so that I could be like I AM

The Word for today:
Philippians 4

mark this: Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

and this: Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

"I think, therefore I am."

That's not how it works for me.

I'm aware of existence because the wind nearly stood me up when I ran yesterday; because my wife's new haircut sent a tingle all the way from my eye to (and through) my heart this morning; because the fragrance of lilacs is wafting through my window as I'm typing these words.

None of this involves any thinking.
For me, it would be much closer to the truth to say, "I think, therefore I am not." When I start to think, dark things float across my eyeballs, my windows, my rear-view mirror.  Especially my rear-view mirror.

Thinking reminds me that I am not tough enough, or young enough, or smart enough, or kind enough. I think that others wish me ill, that situations are stacked against me, that the odds are long, and that the wind is ever in my face. I think, therefore I am not.

If you've gotten this far and you've guessed that I'm now going to launch into some warm fuzziness about positive thinking, then you don't know me. You'll find none of that here. This might shock you, but the facts are these:
I am not tough enough. I am not young enough. I am not smart enough. I am not kind enough.    I am trapped within these real limitations.

But I found my way out, and here it is:

I think, therefore I am.   I think about I AM.

"I AM" is Jesus' name before he emptied himself (remember chapter 2 of Philippians) and became the baby in Bethlehem, who grew into the man who went to the cross. If you read the 3rd chapter of Exodus you will know all about I AM.

The Bible is I AM's autobiography. So when I think about the great I AM, I try to think about everything in scripture that I can understand. But it's a big book, and when the whole of it is just too big for me, I turn to the briefest biography of Jesus that ever was written:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

The way out of our limitations is to remember that Jesus, who is portrayed by those words, died our death so that we could live his life.

Or, to say the same thing more biblically:

Jesus became like I am so that I could be like I AM.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

enemies within

(by Pastor Joe)

The Word for today: Philippians 3:12-21

mark this: 3:18-19
For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

The cross is in the news again. It seems like it faces constant attack, litigation, debate, defacement or just plain old controversy.

Why is that?

What is it about the cross that has simultaneously blessed, repulsed, strengthened, divided and confused people throughout history?

Mormon teaching finds the symbol of a cross, "inharmonious with the quiet spirit of worship and reverence(1)"
Jehovah Witnesses believe that Jesus died not on a cross, but a pole, and see the cross as idolatrous.
Muslims hold that Judas, not Jesus, was crucified on the cross, in a case of mistaken identity.
Secular humanists seek to rid our culture of every public reference to the cross. (This includes even trying to change the official city logo of Las Cruces (NM), pictured above. All of this is odd seeing as Las Cruces means the crosses.)

It is easy to understand why opponents of the Christian faith would attack the cross-it is THE central message of the Gospel. But the problem is not so much with those who are outside of Christianity. The problem is that many of us within Christianity have become enemies of the cross ourselves.

Why would any Christian want to do so?
I think the primary reasons revolve around control and comfort. We like to be in charge, we like life as easy as it can be; but the message of the cross is diametrically opposed to either of those. Our world is focused around the here and now. The god of this age is an uncontrolled lust after whatever makes one "happy" the gluttonous pursuit of any and every appetite. And we don't even feel guilty of any of our depravity, instead we celebrate the very things that ought to cause us shame.

That's not a good road to take and it only leads to destruction, as stated in today's verses.
The scary thing about all of this is how tempting it is to construct a cross-less religion that promises us total fulfillment and and demands nothing from us. Many have already chosen to journey along that primrose path.

The real battle for the cross is NOT external (against other religions or non-religions), but within the walls of every church and within the heart of every Christian. Everyday I am face with the following choices:
- Will I live for the Kingdom of God or for the here and now?
- Will I submit to the Lord Jesus or will I be my own ruler
- Will the driving force in my life be to please God or to feed my own appetites?
- Will I be a friend or foe to the cross?

Too often, I have chosen to go against the very instrument that has saved me.
But I have good news. There is hope for enemies of the cross!
Simon Peter went from “Get behind me Satan!(2)” to “Feed my sheep(3).”
Apostle Paul went from “blasphemer and persecutor and a violent man(4)” to “God’s chosen instrument(5).”

When we embrace the "weakness" and "foolishness" of the cross, we can see God's power operating out of our insufficiencies for His glory. Always remember:
"The cross cannot be defeated, for it is defeat (6)."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(1) Mormon Doctrine p. 172
(2) Mark 8:33
(3) John 21:17
(4) 1 Timothy 1:13
(5) Acts 9:15
(6) GK Chesterton.

losing my religion

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The Word for today:
Philippians 3:1-11

mark this: Philippians 3:8-9
I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

Religion won't get anybody into heaven, but it will keep a lot of people out. That's the startling principle which Paul explains in our passage today.

The Bible student should be aware of words which are often set against one another:
1. flesh vs. Spirit
2. works vs. faith
3. religion vs. relationship

Let's take these words a pair at a time--
1. flesh vs. Spirit:
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Galatians 5:17)

Paul tells us to put no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3)

Jesus said that flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:6)

What they mean is that the good things we ("flesh") do cannot restore our relationship with God. It can only be restored by faith in what God ("Spirit") has done through Jesus.

2. works vs. faith:
So then, those who are of faith are blessed...but all who rely on works of the law are under a curse. (Galatians 3:9-10)

Jesus pictured this spiritual principle by contrasting two roads:
"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it." (Matthew 7:13)

The narrow gate is an illustration of salvation by faith, only through Christ. It represents the true salvation--God's way.

The wide gate includes all religions of works and self-righteousness. Each of them is assumed to provide the entrance to God's kingdom, but they all lead to destruction.

3. religion vs. relationship:
Paul was the most religious man in all of Israel--
For I was circumcised when I was eight days old, having been born into a pure-blooded Jewish family that is a branch of the tribe of Benjamin. So I am a real Jew if there ever was one! What's more, I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. And zealous? Yes, in fact, I harshly persecuted the church. And I obeyed the Jewish law so carefully that I was never accused of any fault. (Philippians 3:5-6)

But he came to understand that religion was an obstacle to his relationship with God:
I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. (Philippians 3:7-9)

Paul lost his religion. I hope I'm losing mine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

sizzle, and fragrance, and steam

The Word for today:
Philippians 2:19-30

One of the truly beautiful images in all of scripture is found here in Philippians 2:
But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering... (Philippians 2:17)

The drink offering is mentioned in Exodus and Leviticus.

Wine was poured over the sacrificial lamb while it was being roasted on the grates of the altar. You can, in your imagination, hear the sizzle and see the drink offering go up in steam. It would just evaporate and disappear.

Philippians was written during Paul's first Roman imprisonment. About five years later, 2 Timothy was written during Paul's second Roman imprisonment. With the threat of death constantly hanging over his head, his long race of faith nearing its end, he uses the image of the drink offering in both letters:
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:6-7)

Paul wanted his life to be poured out and consumed in the service of Christ, so that when it was over there'd be no trace of Paul left behind. He wanted his life to stand for nothing but Jesus.

Jesus poured out his soul unto death (1) for Paul, and you, and me. No love was ever as poetic, or as creative, or as revolutionary, or as desperate, or as ardent as the love poured out on the cross.

Now may we, like Paul, offer our transitory lives in reckless self-abnegation;

in sizzle, and fragrance, and steam;

nothing left behind

but Jesus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) Isaiah 53:12