200. He's Trying To Give You Life

John 8:11

I think it’s weird that Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery to go and leave her life of sin. I mean, that story is the ultimate example of the mercy and grace of Jesus, but then it ends with Him just saying, “Okay, stop sinning now.” Doesn’t that seem strange? Who in the world can simply ‘stop sinning’ just like that? If we could just ‘stop sinning’ when Jesus told us to, we wouldn’t have needed Him to come in the first place! I can’t stop on my own. I need a rescuer. The message that says, “stop being bad and be good instead” doesn’t really do me much good. That is, it doesn’t do me much good unless there’s more to it than meets the eye. You see, when I look at that story and cringe at the fact that Jesus said, “stop sinning,” I’m really just afraid. I’m afraid that He’s going to tell me the same thing. I’m afraid that I have to be perfect. I’m afraid of life without my sin. I’m afraid of Him because it feels like He’s trying to take something from me that I think I need. Here’s the deal: Jesus isn’t trying to rob us. He’s offering us something better. I bet the woman caught in adultery didn’t go on to be spotless for the rest of her life. She probably still battled those old insecurities from time to time. Jesus knew that would happen. He was the One who first showed her mercy. It was a glimpse at what life with Him could be. When He tells me to stop, it’s not a new standard I can’t meet. It’s simply an invitation into something so much better.

199. He Loves To Win

Matthew 4:1

Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit of God on purpose in order to go toe-to-toe with Satan. His clash with the devil was no accident, but rather an appointment. It was a scheduled fight. Here’s the part that’s hard to swallow: He does the same thing to us. The Spirit of Jesus lives in the hearts of believers and He’s constantly taking us places we wouldn’t go on our own. One thing that’s staggering in the Scriptures is the fact that the Lord never really says He’s going to make sure we avoid these battles. He doesn’t promise that we will always get to dodge the devil and sidestep Satan. Instead, Jesus gives Satan permission to sift Peter like wheat and tells us how to fight him. In other words, the fight is going to happen. You are going to face dark forces of evil. Here’s the real question: Why is that? Why does he make us fight on purpose? It’s because Jesus loves to win. The enemy of our souls hates love and he hates Jesus. He thinks the Gospel is stupid. He thinks people can never change and will always want to be self-centered and wicked like him. That’s why Jesus loves to fight that old snake! See, the Gospel is working! You’re not who you were. Sure, you fall and fail sometimes, but not all the time. The fact is, you’re changing! You’re new! The love of Jesus is making you something Satan can’t stand... it’s making you more like Jesus. Everyday, you are going to have to wage war, but don’t be afraid. Jesus loves to watch you fight and He’s going to make sure you win in the end.

198. He Loves Like A Husband

Ephesians 5:25

How much does Jesus love you? What does that love look like? Well, let’s conduct a little thought experiment: I want you to think about the best marriage you’ve ever seen in your life. I’m totally serious. I want you to think about a marriage that flat-out rocks. Now, it may not be your parents or anyone in your family, but somewhere in your life, there’s probably a marriage that’s so cool, you want one just like it. Take a second and picture that couple in your mind. Maybe you have a few of them. I want you to focus your brain on the most devoted, the most tender and the most in-love husband you personally know and just think about that dude. What is he like? What does he do for his bride? What happens to his face when someone mentions her name or when she walks in the room? How does he serve her? How does he sacrifice for her? How does he protect and defend her? How does he strive for her happiness? Can you picture his face when they’re together? Can you hear him laughing at her jokes or see the pride in his smile when he introduces her to one of his friends? Think about that husband. Really close your eyes and take a moment... Now, here’s the cool thing: That guy is trying as hard as he can to be like Jesus is. Ephesians 5 says that husbands who are doing it right should be loving like Jesus loves you. They should sacrifice and tenderly care for their girl just like Jesus does for you. Multiply that husband a million times and then you’re starting to see how Jesus loves you.

197 He Offers The Gift

Romans 5:16-17

Have you ever done that thing where something bad happens to you and your first reaction is that you start trying to remember all of your sins from that week to see if you can figure out what God is punishing you for? I’m sure you know what I’m talking about... your car breaks down or you get a traffic ticket or you bomb some test and without even meaning to, you start to think about how you lied to your mom that past week or thought about that one particular someone in a sexual way. Before you know it, you’re thinking that God is up on high watching the world and your life and that when you do some sin, He deals out some little punishment to get you back. Now this, of course, is entirely inaccurate. God doesn’t operate this way at all. If you have believed in Jesus, you’ll never be punished for your sins because Jesus was punished for all of them - (and by the way, a flat tire or a pop quiz isn’t the punishment for even the smallest of sins) We see the world this way because we think the opposite of sin is living right. We look at our life on a scale with sins on one side and good works on the other, and we try to keep things in balance with good works tipping the scale, but that’s all wrong. We could never live right enough to overcome our sin. The opposite of sin isn’t living right. The opposite of sin is grace. The sin of Adam doomed all of us from the very beginning, but the death of Jesus offers us the gift of grace: The antidote of sin.

196. He Has People In This City

Acts 18:10

There are going to be times in your Christian life where you will feel totally alone. You will sometimes feel like you are the only person you know who loves Jesus and believes that God is real and good and in control of things. And look, it’s really easy for people to preach sermons about how important it is to stand alone and how you have to be bold and let your light shine even if you’re the only one shining, but the truth is that standing alone sucks. It’s hard to be the only person walking with the Lord and Christians were not made to go through life alone. Even missionaries don’t go alone. If you are having a hard time because you’re the only Christian in your school or town or dorm or office, it’s okay. I know that’s hard, and for what it’s worth, I don’t think Jesus would just tell you to suck it up and stop whining. I don’t think Jesus would just tell you to be more bold and fearless in standing alone. In fact, when the Apostle Paul went to a city where there were no Christians and the people were hostile to the Gospel, Jesus appeared to Paul and said, “Hang in there Paul, and keep speaking. I have many people in this city.” That city was called Corinth, and there weren’t any Christians there... yet. Jesus was at work and He was using Paul to change everything. Jesus knew Paul wouldn’t be alone for long. The Lord is at work where you are. He knows who will be His and He may be using you to bring them in. Hang in there. You’re not as alone as you think.

195. He Will End This World

1 Thessalonians 4:16

Did you see the headlines? Blood has been shed. People are dying. There is unrest, uncertainty and unkindness everywhere. Political candidates are tearing each other down, while aggressive nations are building up their arsenals. Children are starving and the rich have more than ever before. People are moving so fast, they don’t have time to stop and listen or even really think. The planet is sick and tired. The world is full of hate, hurt and hopelessness. And we can’t fix it. That won’t work. People smarter and more compassionate than us have tried and failed. Earth is a terminal patient. No matter where you turn, you can’t get away from this sad, broken world... or can you? You see, it won’t always be this way. One day the blood will stop pouring. One day the debates will end. Every mouth will be filled and every tear will be dried. One day the drama, destruction and devastation will come to a sudden and abrupt halt. Why? Because, one day Jesus will come back. We don’t know when, but we know it’s going to happen. It will happen all of a sudden - in an instant. One minute the world will be as it is - as we know it - full of strife, pain and trouble and then, Bam! He’ll be here! He will show up with a shout that every ear will hear. He will change everything, in a moment. He’s going to wipe every tear from every eye and make everything new. Thing is, since we don’t know when this will happen, the only way to be ready for it is to get ready now. Live every single moment waiting for that final, world-rending shout of the Savior.

194. He Goes Down Easy

Matthew 11:29

Did you know Jesus only described Himself one time in the Bible? I mean, Jesus said a lot of stuff about Himself as far as who He was and what He came to do, but He only described His own character one time in all of Scripture. Do you remember what He said? It might surprise you. Before I tell you what it was, think for a second about this: If you were to randomly ask people on the street to describe God, what kinds of words would they use? Some folks might say that God is loving while others might call Him severe or judgmental. Some folks might say God is unpredictable while others might just point out His attributes and call Him ‘all-knowing’ or ‘outside of time.’ The Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus was the “visible expression of the invisible God.” In other words, if you want to know what God is like, you simply need to watch Jesus live His life. When Jesus described Himself that one time, He said, “I am gentle and humble in heart.” The most important thing Jesus wanted us to know about the heart of God is that He is gentle. The God who crafted the universe by the power of His word is gentle. It’s a word that means ‘sweet.’ It was a word used of winds that were warm, not cold and biting. It was used of wine and medicine that wasn’t bitter but would go down easy. God is gentle. You can approach Him. You can go to Him without being afraid. Out of all the things Jesus could have told us about the heart of God, He wants us to know that He’s sweet, not harsh.

193. He Didn't Take Sides Like Christians Do

John 8:11

What would Jesus do? That question is not only the most over-used of any Christian cliche, but it’s also one of the hardest things to truly know the answer to. After all, when you really read the Gospels, Jesus surprises you on every page. He doesn’t act, react or speak in the way we assume He would. People are always looking for something to stand for, which is good; but what if they stand for the wrong thing? What happens when Christians take sides on an issue that Jesus didn’t take sides on? What does it mean when Christians fight over something Jesus never fought about? What do non-believers think of Jesus and His followers when we completely mis-represent His heart and His Gospel? Once, some religious folks brought a woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus. They wanted to trap Him. They forced Him to take sides. The choice was clear: Either you agree with the traditional view of marriage and we kill this woman, or else you are against God. But Jesus didn’t take sides. He didn’t fall into their trap. Instead, He trapped them. He said, “Whoever hasn’t sinned, you start the killing.” They realized they were as guilty as she was. They deserved the same sentence. Then Jesus didn’t sentence anyone. He trapped them and then let them go. The world is not black and white, and the heart of God is more nuanced than we know. Love doesn’t take sides. Love is above sides. Jesus didn’t condemn this woman and He also exhorted her to change. People need love. They need Jesus. He was filled with compassion, not judgment. If we stand, let’s stand like He did.

192. He Was Bound For You

John 18:12

How did they do it? How did they get away with it? How did regular, little, human people arrest the Son of God? The first chapter of John’s Gospel starts out talking about how Jesus (who was and is and always has been Almighty God) created everything that is. Now, in the eighteenth chapter, a detachment of temple guards is arresting Him? What?! How could a bunch of glorified mall cops tie up the hands of the One who scattered the stars? Jesus invented quasars, killer whales and auditory nerve cells. Thermodynamics was His idea! He not only designed the ball and socket joint, but He fine-tuned the manufacturing process that would keep it self-replicating in every appropriate vertebrate until the end of time. How could it be that the Author of Life who has boundless creative energy and power was bound by a bunch of frightened soldiers? The answer of course, is that Jesus allowed these guys to arrest Him. He willingly let them tie Him up. Temple guards could never have bound His hands unless He presented those hands for binding. Why would Jesus do this? Well, Jesus was taking our place. His mission was to become our Substitute. He died that we might live. He became guilty so that we could be forgiven. He took our punishment for our sin so that we wouldn’t have to be punished; but before He bled in our place, He was bound in our place. Maybe there’s something that has you tied up - a cycle of wrong or a certain sin you just can’t quit. Jesus took your place. He wants you to be untied for good. He was bound for you so that you could be free.