Celebrating Restoration

This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.  Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:9,10 ESV)

Celebrating Restoration

When I have been gone on a trip, my wife and I usually celebrate by going out to eat.  When family visits, we celebrate with a meal.  When we hear good news we eat!

And the same thing happens here.  The exiles have returned home!  And a feast was announced.  A grand feast of amazing tasty food… and everyone is invited.

But note… this feast did not happen merely because they returned to some physical land.  It was more than that.  They were celebrating their return to God’s favor.

Ezra read God’s Word… which they had missed for many years… even BEFORE the exile… and then announced the celebration.

This is what God should actually be best known for.  While the world has grown to see the very real threat of God’s wrath, there is something even bigger, more powerful, more awesome.

God loves it when His people return to Him.  Whether exiles from Babylon, prodigal sons, or modern converts.

And He calls a feast!

Come home and eat with Him!

Inside

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20 ESV)

Inside

One of favorite historical places I have visited is Chartwell, the home of Sir Winston Churchill, Britain’s famous WWII Prime Minister.

I have walked through his bedroom, stood near his writing desk, wandered around his garden, and observed his whiskey cabinet.

I was inside.

But I did not eat there.  I did not dine with him there.  I did not share a meal with him, there.

But oh, if I had… my awe would be intense.

Jesus calls His people to come in to His home, heaven.  But we will not be wandering through like tourists.  We will not have to merely imagine His presence there.  We will not have to be sentimental, or academic, or simply interested.

We will EAT WITH HIM!

We practice it when we are allowed to celebrate His Communion.

We practice it when we worship.

We practice it when we spend quality time with other believers.

When we get to come in through Him, the door… we will eat with HiM!

Effective Grumbling

“I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”  In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. (Exodus 16:12,13 ESV)

Effective Grumbling

Israel’s God was shockingly generous.  Rather than snub the Israelites for their grumbling, God grants their desires.  Rather than empower Moses to lecture them on their attitudes, He grants them food, even meat.  Rather than ‘teach them a lesson,’ with a grumpy look, and a woodshed visitation, God gave them food, good food.

It seems God was more interested in their love than their instant obedience.  It seems God is more interested in displaying patience than enforcing good behavior.  It seems God knew them… their real needs, their hunger, their fear, their insecurity. And God gave them what they needed.

Not because they grumbled… but because He desired to help.

Not because they grumbled… but because He is good.

Not because they grumbled… but because He loved.

And God kept doing that, all the way through the cross to the empty tomb.

Trust

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord. King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. (II Chronicels 7:4-6 ESV)

Trust

Those cattle and sheep were not merely an expensive offering to the Lord (although they were, that…). Even more, the sacrifice above and beyond the minimum that God required showed that King Solomon had decided to trust that God would provide for him. 

Solomon did the same thing when he told God that he preferred God grant him wisdom instead of financial security and wealth. 

I wonder if I would have that kind of trust.

I have enough food in my refrigerator to last many days.  I have enough medicine in my cabinet to last many weeks. I have enough funds in my checkbook to last many months. 

Solomon gave all that extra to the Lord, as sacrifice.

He was making a truly wise (although foolish in the eyes of the world) statement.

Solomon trusted God more than Solomon trusted chariots, mounds of gold, majestic trading ships, and good loyal friends.

Solomon’s attitude towards his food proved his trust of His God.

Vinedressers

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. (John 15:1 ESV)

Vinedressers

A grape does not determine it’s own flavor.  A grape does not determine it’s own vintage.  A grape does not determine it's own value.  A grape does not determine it’s own pairings.  A grape does not determine it's own usefulness.  A grape does not determine it's own harvesting, processing, aging, bottling, and sales plan.

A grape needs a vinedresser.

Even Jesus had His vinedresser, His Father.

We need that, too.

Sometimes I think I am a pretty clever grape.  Sometimes I try to define myself according to my own standards.  Sometimes I act like I am in charge.

And while it might SEEM insulting, demeaning, or sad to admit that I need a vinedresser… it is not!

Because that vinedresser is grand!  He knows and loves me!  He knows and loves the marketplace!  He knows and loves everything about grapes!

And He is good!

Jesus had His vinedresser… and we have the same one!

Violent Words

From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence. (Proverbs 13:2 ESV)

Violent Words

Talk is not cheap.  Our words are the first view others have of our hearts, our desires, our hopes, and our expectations.  What we say out loud has immediate and long lasting consequences.

When our hearts are knitted to the Word, Christ Jesus, our words will cause our lives to bear good fruit… good results… good effects… good witness… good relationships… good gospeling.

But when our hearts are knitted to anything else, our words will precede the effects of being outside of Christ.  Terrible results, both temporally and eternally.  Selfish results, both intentionally and unintentionally.  Violent results, both towards others and towards ourselves.

Talk is not cheap.  Talk mirrors our hearts, and anticipates our actions.

The good news is that we KNOW the words of eternal life.  Christians KNOW the Word.  Our words, then get to mirror and display our beloved Savior.

Enough

The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want. (Proverbs 13:25 ESV)

The Path to Enough

Righteousness leads us to the definer and enabler of righteousness: the One True Living God.  When our bodies, minds, and souls are striving to serve HIM, righteousness follows. 

And the more that righteousness becomes our foundation, framework, ends, and means… the more satisfied we will be with life.

Because that kind of life (righteous rather than my-right-aimed, serving God rather than seeking to be served, loving rather than demanding to be loved), connects us to God Himself.

All appetites become transformed under the focus of the gospel. 

We want, perhaps slowly at first, to want what God wants.

We desire, perhaps with gradual awareness, to live alongside Him.

We find that we need, despite our one time rebellion, to know about Christ, to know Christ, and to be known by Christ.

Instead of, in frustration, having to say, “enough is enough!”  We can listen to Him saying, “you have enough.”

Appetite

The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want. (Proverbs 13:25 ESV)

Appetite

Another example of how the Bible uses food to illustrate an important point.  When I am hungry, I am often REALLY hungry.  And when that occurs I gobble all the food I can see… regardless of need, healthiness, or generosity.

But when I am content, I find it easier to eat purposefully, gratefully, and thoughtfully.

Contentedness, whether regarding my stomach, my checkbook, or my self-worth, enables me to be more righteous in my consumptions.  But discontent, coming from self-focus, greed, and too much self-awareness, pushes me towards injustice, me-ism, and wastefulness.

My appetite displays who I really am.

And I can compare myself to Christ while on earth.  He ate, as we see often in the gospels… but He ate to God’s glory, not His own gratification.  As a human, He had appetite… but His appetite gave way before the Spirit of God when He went to meditate in the desert.  His appetite could have driven Him to selfish consumption… but He divided fish and bread, shared meals with the disciples, and did not aim at accumulation.

May my appetite be more towards righteousness, and less towards my full belly. Checkbook, and friendlist.

Feasts

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. (John 11:55 ESV)

Feasts

The Feasts were created by God for many worthwhile purposes.  Here, as the time of Christ’s atoning death was nearly at hand, God providentially brought many faithful to Jerusalem to take part in the Feasts.

Those Feasts, all seven of them, were amazingly beneficial for God’s people.  But here, unbeknownst to them, the Feasts were being used to get them ready for a most amazing event.

The author of this gospel is clever.  He writes that they were coming to purify themselves (referring probably to the Feast of Unleavened Bread).  But while they were celebrating that Feast, on a hill nearby, God’s people were being given an opportunity to be finally, truly, absolutely pure.

The Messiah was going to be killed for their impurity.

The irony and symbolism are rich.

They ate their Feasts, celebrating their celebrations, while Christ’s body was being broken, and their remembrance given meaning.

This year, their Feast was more healthy than they imagined!

Unnoticed but Necessary

Now therefore the wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send to his servants. (II Chronicles 2:15 ESV)

Unnoticed but Necessary

King Solomon sent meals to those who were cutting and preparing wood to build the temple.  Obviously, the wood itself, after being cut, placed, and decorated was the more obvious resource.

But the wood would never have been given to the temple if Solomon had not fed the workers.

When the temple was seen, everyone noticed the UP FRONT and SHINY parts of the temple.  But behind the scenes was much work, many offerings, hard labor, generous donations, and unseen activities.

Solomon was imitating God in this action.

As active as He is in sunrises, salvation stories, and lives saved… He is ALSO active behind the scenes.  Holding atoms together.  Keeping planets and stars in gravitic orbit.  Moving hearts.  Changing minds.  Fixing broken relationships.  Giving second chances.  Teaching about love.  Being patient. 

His work behind the scends does not get as many headlines.

But it is just as necessary.

Try to praise Him for the behind the scenes, as well as the loud and obvious.

Good and Rich

Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; (Isaiah 55:1,2 ESV)

Good and Rich

The restaurant was called The 1913 Room.  And it was the fanciest restaurant I had ever (or have probably since) visited. 

I do not remember the bill, but it was very, very, very expensive.

But within a few hours, I was hungry again.  That is the inevitable and unfortunate nature of physical food.  It can be good, but it is temporary.  It can be rich, but the need to repeat makes it unaffordable.

But the Gospel is food that is good, on the level of God’s post-creation decree, that “it is GOOD.”  The food of the gospel is the absolute perfect wonder of heavenly eternal life. 

The Gospel is food that is rich, on the level of God’s glorious invaluable blessings of heaven.  The food of the gospel is the unimaginable blessings of heavenly eternal life.

The meat you eat tomorrow will fade away.  The drink you imbibe tomorrow will fade away.  The things we consume are just that:  consumed.

But come to Jesus… that your soul may live, forever!

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“Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vineyard. We will not drink the water of a well. We will go by the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. (Numbers 21:22,23 ESV)

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“Mine” is one of the first words many toddlers learn.  It is also one of the worst words we use, at any age.

The king of Sihon thought that his fields, vineyards, and wells were HIS.  But they were not.  They belonged, like ALL things, to Jahweh, God.  Moses promised that when traveling through Sihon’s territory, they would not take what the king claimed.  But Sihon refused.  Not only did he not offer to help the wanderers, but he would not allow Israel to even come close.

Sihon paid a terrible price.

And we should take note.

The owner of the cattle on a thousand hills, God, did not put those fields, vineyards, and wells into Sihon’s stewardship merely for Sihon’s benefit.  God placed those parts of HIS “cattle” in the place where they could be used to help and bless others.  Sihon missed that.

We sometimes pray, when in need, “Lord, You own the cattle  on a thousand hills… please aid me with some of those ‘cattle.’  And that is a good prayer.

But are we not also in Sihon’s shoes?  And do we not also act like Sihon?  Hording what the Owner has put into our care?

He has given us fields, vineyards, and wells so that we can bless and help others.

There are wanderers nearby… you know what to do.

Sweet Words

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. (Proverbs 16:24 ESV)

Sweet Words

A GPS that I used many years ago had a variety of voices available.  As a lark, we once set the voice to mimic the host of the TV show,  The Weakest Link.  She sounded curt, sharp, and almost angry.  Instead of saying, “YOU are the weakest link!”  she pronounced, “YOU have missed your turn!”, “In 100 meters, YOU must turn left!”

It made us laugh, but admittedly it also made me uncomfortable.

It did not take me long to change the voice to a kindly Southern gentleman.  “I am so sorry, suh… but you should cahnsider a U-Turn…”

Both voices imparted the same information.  But they spoke with different attitudes.

Our words, our information, our discussions can be gracious or angry.  We always have the option to speak kindly or impatiently.  We can talk in friendly tones, or the tones of an enemy.

And it is more than just how it makes someone feel.

Somehow, those gracious words are actually good for the soul!  And Christians are all about soul improvement.

Winsome words are perhaps connections to the sanctified parts of our soul.  Because our Savior is winsome.

Words that are thoughtful, and well-purposed are perhaps connections to the sanctified parts of our soul. Because our Savior is thoughtful and well-purposed.

Words that are welcoming and inviting are perhaps connections to the sanctified parts of our soul.  Because our Savior is thoughtful and well-purposed.

Our words are a pathway to Jesus.  Make them sweet.

Good Food

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it. (Proverbs 15:17 ESV)

Good Food

Many arguments arise about what “GOOD FOOD” really is.  Some enjoy McDonald’s, some enjoy Filet Mignon, some enjoy kale, some enjoy strawberries, some enjoy creamed cheese on celery, some enjoy spaghetti, with our without meatballs.

Some enjoy herbs… some enjoy a fattened ox.

But what makes such foods good or not-good is not the food itself.

But rather the community in which it is consumed.  The relationship with those we eat with.  The context of the meal.  The love of family, friends, and fellow believers.

And the best food of all, in that way, is the food we eat celebrating our Lord’s Supper… because therein we are united and uniting in Christ Jesus.  Together.  Because of His love.

East with those who share Christ’s love… and even raw radishes are eaten with joy.

Weekly News

The Snow is maybe done for now…

Regular Scheduling!

Tomorrow, JubiWednesday at 6:00 PM

Opportunities

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (I Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

Opportunities

We tend to think that only MAJESTIC things can give glory to God.  We tend to think that only EARTH-SHAKING things can give glory to God.  We tend to think that only HEADLINE-MAKING things can give glory to God.

But we can give glory to God when we do mundane things like eating and drinking.

Those everyday, unnoticed, un-marqueed, un trumpet-announced things like taking a bite of pizza, or drinking a sip of tea, unsweetened or sweetened.

That is why Paul adds the phrase, “whatever you do.”

God is big enough to take glory from us in every situation.

He gave us life, so everything we do can be directed at His glory.

He saved us, so everything we do can be directed at His glory.

He protects us, provides for us, guides us, teaches us, strengthens us, and enables us.  So everything we do can be directed at His glory.

Praise God for your next hamburger… or your next glass of water.

Tomorrow

And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood.  Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground,  two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. (Genesis 7:7-9 ESV)

Tomorrow

The Mayflower Pilgrims did not just pack today’s food as they boarded their westbound ship. They brought flour, seeds, and breeding animals.

The Roman Legions travelled with backpacks full of bread, wagons filled with flour, and herds of food-animals (most often, sheep).

Noah was on the ark for around a year.  We can easily imagine ark-rooms filled with flour, dried fruit, and meats.

But God also packed the ark with animals, two by two. 

Those animals were brought because God was providing for the future of His people, not only the present.

We might not plan well for the future, but God does.  We might not think beyond the next meal, but God does.  We might not be prepared for tomorrow’s unknown… but God has it firmly in mind, in reality, and in place.

We see His planning in the thread of the Messiah from Genesis to Matthew 1.  Things that took care of God’s people on a given day, were also part of God’s established plan for tomorrow. 

Moses’ Pentateuch was great for the wandering and settling Israelites… but the Scriptures were also a necessary part of God’s peoples’ future.  Moses was a two by two animal.

David was a great King for Israel… but David also was a necessary part of Israel’s future.  He was a two by two animal.

The prophet Isaiah’s words were great for Judah… but Isaiah’s words were also a necessary part of Israel’s future.  Those words were two by two animals.

God has prepared for OUR future, too.  God the Father is our future as well as our present.  God the Son is our future as well as our present.  God the Spirit is a Future as well as our present.

God has prepared for us.

Sacrifice

Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground.  In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. (Genesis 4:2-4 ESV)

Sacrifice

Two offerings… it is difficult to see why God was pleased with Abel’s sacrifice, and dissatisfied with Cain’s.  We know that the discrepancy exists because of this verse: By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4 ESV). SOMETHING about Cain’s offering was not as pleasing to God as Abel’s offering.

From the book of Hebrews, the difference has to do with faith.  Not saving faith, necessarily.  But faith that God will help.  Faith that God would keep His promises, and keep His people alive. 

Cain’s offering certainly involved work, but it was the work of a season or two.  Abel’s offering likely involved the work of years.  Animals take longer to develop than wheat.  Cain’s offering was a portion, probably leaving plenty to eat, and plenty to plant next year.  Abel’s offering was the firstborn, and was risking future generations of flocks.

This food-filled story reminds us that what we give back to God is not important to Him because of the monetary value.  But rather, He is pleased with our trusting sacrifice.  Our faithful sacrifice.  Our hopeful sacrifice.  Our dependent-on-HIM sacrifice.

The love He has taught us through His sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, shows us how to give to Him.  Give to God without fear of consequence, without uncertainty for our future, without jealousy of others’ gifts.

Give unabashedly, enthusiastically, and joyfully.

One Job

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.  And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:15,17 ESV)

One Job

We say it to the road worker who paints a crooked line: You had ONE job!

We say it to the road worker who paints a crooked line on the highway: Youi had ONE job!

We say to the last person to leave the building, who accidentally leaves the door unlocked: You had ONE job!

We say to the advertising agent who misspelled the company name:  You had ONE job!

Adam had one job:  Do not eat from THAT tree!

And he ate.

And so mankind needed the Messiah.

And lest we shake our collective fingers at that disobedient fruit eater… we would not do any better.  We would eat, too.  We would choose disobedience, too.  We would disobey.

In fact, we do.

And so we need the Messiah.

Now we have one new job.  Lean on Jesus.

Eat of Him… consume Him… fill ourselves with Him… embrace Him.

It’s a pretty good fruit, actually.

Work and Food

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15 ESV)

Work

From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, humans received the blessing of food through work.

The Garden of Eden was not a handout-location.  It COULD have been.  God could have done that.  But instead, God made a Garden… a food producing Garden.  And put Adam in it to work.

The result of work, before the fall ruined it… was food.  Good food.  Nutritious food.  Necessary food. 

And work is still good.  It still can produce food.  It still produces blessings.  In fact, work is the means God used then, and uses now, to produce blessings.

Blessings for the worker, AND blessings for others.  Because the food that comes from work is sharable, giftable, donatable, and used to help.

Adam was gifted the garden, and put to work. For God’s glory, for Adam’s benefit, soon for Eve’s benefit… and for the good of the world.

Work and food are already entwined.  Work and blessing are already entwined.  Work and love are already entwined.