I was given a copy of “The Other Jesus” by the author in exchange for an honest review. Dave Campbell makes some wonderful observations on how we see Jesus, where we get our idea’s from and some changes we have to make in our thinking. He lines that all up with what the Bible says about Jesus and how we have imagined Jesus wrongly.Though I didn’t agree with everything 100% (can we ever), I did find this a very insightful. Dave has an easy writing style and this was a joy to read. Where some non-fiction, even inspirational, can be dry, this one was not. I give it a solid 4 stars. I will be reading more from this author.
Tag Archives: God
Second Chances
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The Bible says that Noah “found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Because he listened and was obedient his whole family was saved from the devastation on the earth due to the flood. The only remaining eight people on the planet!
The Bible isn’t clear about the beliefs of Noah’s wife, sons or daughter-in-laws. We do know that Ham saw his father in a drunken, naked state and shamed his father by boasting about it to his brothers. Some even believe that Ham’s sin was something even worse. We do know that from the time of the flood to the tower of Babylon was around six generations (scholars vary on the amount of time). So what happened in those six generations? Who dropped the ball? Talk about a second chance. Don’t you think that the story of the ark was a favorite bedtime story for all of the kids, grandkids, great grand’s, etc. They wasted their second chance.
Our own children can be like that sometimes. Growing up in church. Knowing the word. But never having a personal experience with God. Somewhere along the long genealogy the personal relationship was let go. They ‘practiced’ their religion out of duty or tradition. Or possibly they started to believe that the story of the flood was just that, a story. Each of us has to reach a place where we build a relationship, personally with God. Unfortunately, that sometimes has to happen in the midst of a crisis.
Then there is the story that Jesus tells about the man who was forgiven a great debt, only to run out and demand repayment from someone who owed him a very small amount, (Matthew 18). What did the unmerciful servant do with his second chance? He used it to be a jerk. His end was worse than his beginning.
“’You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you? In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.”
His original sentence would have just been jail time for an unpaid debt. Now he was to be tortured until the debt was repaid. (Which basically would have been never). How could he ever earn enough without being able to work? He was like us. We owed a debt we couldn’t pay.
Before you despair, there are plenty of people in the Bible who did wonderful things with their second (and third and forth) chances. Let’s do a quick rundown of a few.
Rahab, saved the spies, her life and the life of her family was spared and now she is listed in the genealogy of Jesus.
Ruth was forsake all to go with her mother in law, after they lost all the men in their family. She took her second chance and placed it in the hands of Naomi’s God and she too is in the genealogy of Jesus.
How about David? He was continually given another chance. He sinned with Bathseba, had her husband killed, lost the child from that sin, but repented and went on to be a great King. He invented instruments, wrote songs and psalms and instilled worship into the church.
The whole city of Ninivah took the second chance offered by God, through the disobedient Johan, and the whole city was spared.
Every disciple, but Judas, took their second chance and they changed the world. Peter became one of the leading heads of the early church and went out to the gentiles after having denying Christ!
There are more, in the bible, in history, and in the Church.
What will you do with your second chance?
He Is Willing
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God is willing. In Luke Chapter 5, a man with leprosy says to Jesus, “Lord if you are willing, you can make me clean.” The Amplified says, “Lord, if you will, you are able to cure me and make me clean.”
The man knew that Jesus was able, but he was unsure about the willingness of Jesus. But Jesus proved His willingness by reaching out and touching the leper. Leprosy is highly contagious, that is why they had to live outside of the city and had to call out “unclean” as they walked among people. Years later, leper colonies were established to keep the spread down to a minimum. So needless to say, you never touched a leper. But Jesus did. God with Us reached out in love and touched this hurting, shamed, lonely man. Probably the first human contact the man had had in years, and most certainly his first contact with a loving Savior.
Jesus’ reply is simple, but life changing. “I am will: be cleansed.”
In Matthew 19 there are parents trying to bring their little ones to Jesus. The self-important disciples think that is ‘below’ Jesus to waste time with mere children. Jesus however said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for it is to those who are childlike that the Kingdom of the Heavens belongs.” No one was too young, too old, too rich, too poor, too pretty, too ugly, too far-gone for His love, His attention. He took time for them all.
Blind Bartimaeus knew this. Mark 10:46-52 The Message
“They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, “Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped in his tracks. “Call him over.”They called him. “It’s your lucky day! Get up! He’s calling you to come!” Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus. Jesus said, “What can I do for you?” The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you. “In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.”
He continued to yell, as they continued to tell him “shut up.” He heard the call. He knew that there was faith activated. He always knows. He went to the man who demanded an audience with the one who could restore his sight. Willingly Jesus granted his simple request. Bartimaeus lost the name “blind” that day.
Jesus is willing. God is willing. When Adam gave everything, legally, over to Satan, that was no surprise to the Father. He knew what was going to happen, but He willing created man and gave him dominion. Then when there was no other way for redemption, Jesus willingly shed His own innocent blood, bore our infirmities and sin, or shame and our punishment. The Ultimate Sacrifice. The Father willingly allowed His Son to pay our price. The cross proves their willingness.
Then the most amazing thing of all! They willingly forgive us for nailing Him to that symbol of shame! They willingly seat us in Heaven, right with Christ. They willingly hand over all authority and dominion that we so carelessly gave to the enemy!
Yes, He is willing. What do you need?
Religion or Relationship?
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John the Baptist was quite the minister. He was a Wildman with long hair, dressed in goat’s hair clothing, living in the desert, eating things most decent people wouldn’t, and preaching to a people who hadn’t heard the voice of God in over 400 years. John railed at the religious leaders, railed at Herod, and prepared the way for the Messiah. His message was simple “repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” (Matthew 3:2). A stiff necked, self-righteous people who thought they were special because God had chosen them, better than anyone else, needed to hear that they were sinners in need of a forgiving Father.
As he was standing at the Jordan one day, ministering according to his calling, the religious leaders show up. Did John puff himself up, feeling self-important due to the recognition of the ‘rock stars’ of his day? Did he welcome them with open arms? No he yelled for all to hear, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee the wrath to come? Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance- let your lives prove your change of heart.” He threatened them with hell-fire, then preceded with, “Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.” (Matthew 3:9).
John is a wonderful example of humbleness. He is NOT week or wishy-washy. He does NOT compromise his message or cow-tow to the big-name-leaders of his day. He DOES admit that he is nothing and the one coming after him is everything. He even goes as far as to say that he is “unworthy to untie the shoes” of the one coming after. And as he is standing at the Jordan that day, immediately after he warns the religious leaders, Jesus shows up, asking to be baptized. Once again John proves the condition of his heart by humbly declaring that Jesus was the one who should be baptizing him. Jesus insists, so that “righteousness will be fulfilled.” John clearly is not spouting and practicing religion. He is in relationship with God. How do we know that? Because he does as Jesus asks.
God is pleased with it, saying in verse 17, “This is my son, My Beloved in Whom I delight,” and is most versions says, “In whom I am well-pleased.” Moving on from John to Jesus, we see another example of a relationship. Jesus goes on to minister to the people, teaching, healing, casting out demons and feeding thousands, all proving his relationship with the Father. He only did what His Father told Him to do and only said what He told Him to say. Teaching in the temple they were all amazed at how He taught. He taught with authority, “and not as the scribes.” What was the difference in their teaching? The scribes knew the scriptures, memorized them even, but Jesus knew the one who authored them.
The religious leaders claimed a physical relationship with Abraham. They were all about their genealogies. But God always wanted a spiritual relationship son’s and daughters who loved Him. They would give a lengthy history of all of their ancestors, stopping at “Joseph, son of Abraham,” but never went back far enough to say, “Adam, the son of God.” In fact, that was one of the issues they had with Jesus. He claimed to be the Son of God, and they called that blasphemy. How little they understood the love of the Father.
Religion can’t save. It can only give a list of ‘do’s and don’ts’ that we can’t ever manage to adhere to. Religion kills.
God never wanted the law. He wanted Sons and Daughters, children to love. Relationship with Him brings life and life more abundantly.
What do you want?
Religion or relationship?