authority

Merry Christmas

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Every year we do this
Do you remember why?

Christ’s beloved friend John says,
In the beginning was the Word,
And the Word was with God,
And the word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him, 
and without him was not any thing made that was made.

So what’s he doing here,
In a small town, in a manger,
Unknown, all but forgotten
With no earthly hope of importance?

In him was life
and the life was the light of men
The light shines in the darkness, 
and the darkness has not overcome it.

Darkness does not get along with light.
It flees any light, and does not desire it.
Somehow darkness invaded the soul of men,
Nay, it was invited by man to live within him.

Why?
When the light is so beautiful and full of life?
Man thought he knew better
and sought knowledge
Knowledge of good and evil,
but not wisdom to know the difference
Knowledge without
guidance and discipline.

And isn’t that the rub?
No one likes being told
What to do,
what to believe,
what to think,
how to act
(unless he is the one telling, of course).

He was in the world
and the world was made through him
yet the world did not know him.

He came to his own, 
and his own people did not receive him.
But to all who did receive him, 
who believed in his name, 
he gave the right to become children of God.

And the Word became flesh 
and dwelt among us, 
and we have seen his glory, 
glory as of the only Son from the Father, 
full of grace and truth.

This is Jesus!
the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world! 

Merry Christmas

Wonderful buildings

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“Take heed that no one deceives you.” Mark 13:1-8

How much of the future should we seek to know? The Bible has always spoken against pursuing knowledge about tomorrow outside his counsel, the most famous being King Saul’s desperate grab for that very thing at Endor (I Samuel 28). Yet at the same time, God speaks in words of prophecy to his people about things to come.

Jesus has completed his teaching in the temple and the band of disciples makes their way back to Bethany at the Mount of Olives. As they leave, one of them is awestruck by the magnificence and splendor of the temple buildings. Jesus turns this into an opportunity for prophecy, saying that these great buildings will be broken down stone by stone, leaving only rubble.

This must have been a shock to the disciples. The temple was the core of Judaism. Without it, the sacrifices for the sins of the people and the nation could not be made. Yet no one remarked on or questioned this saying. Later, four of his closest men came to him while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, and asked “When will these things be? What will be the sign?”

There is a great difference between Saul’s request and that of the disciples. Saul sought information in ways forbidden by God. The disciples asked a natural question of the most natural person: Jesus, the speaker of the prophecy, who just happened to be God in the flesh.

Jesus then gives his famous list of signs: the appearance of false messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, nation arising against nation and kingdom, earthquakes and famines. These things, he says, are but the beginning of birth pangs. Yet in the midst of it all, we are not to be frightened, for they must come about. It was if he was saying, “Now you know. Stop worrying.”

But first he gives what may seem to be an unlikely instruction: “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Sometimes it seems we humans jump at the chance to believe anything but the truth. Eve in the Garden is the earliest example. All it took was a little questioning for her to act against what she had previously known without a doubt. Jesus warns his disciples – the apostles – about the very same thing. Don’t be misled. Don’t be led astray.

He warns of someone actively seeking to get us off track. It is not an accident nor a blunder nor a mere misunderstanding. Someone is lying in wait to take us where we would not ordinarily have gone. Someone is cunning enough for us to think it is a good idea, in fact, the best thing to do. This someone would have you believe they come in the name of Jesus. They may even claim to be Jesus himself.

How do we overcome this? There’s only one good answer. You must know Jesus closer than you would know any brother. His voice must be easily recognizable to your heart, as the sheep know the voice of the shepherd. Draw near to him and he will draw near to you (James 4:8). Start today. Sooner is better than later.

On choosing leaders

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“Give us a king” I Samuel 8, 9 & 10

People in all places and times have sought leaders to rule over them. I’m not sure I know the specific reason people would want this. Perhaps they realize the efficiency of concentrating power in one person in order to focus the energies of all. Perhaps they merely want someone to blame when things go wrong.

The people of Israel were growing uneasy with the prospect of putting Samuel’s sons in charge. The sons had rejected Samuel’s ways and were displaying a knack for dishonest gain, taking bribes and perverting justice. The elders confronted Samuel with a demand to “drain the swamp.” Their solution? “Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.”

I’m not sure which nation they had in mind. There were not many shining examples of excellence in governance in those days. Samuel was not pleased, but he did something that evidently the people and their elders had not. He prayed to the Lord. And the Lord answered him.
The people have not rejected you, the Lord said. They have rejected Me, just as they have done since the day I brought them out of Egypt. Nevertheless, the Lord instructed Samuel to listen to the people and to sternly warn them about the nature of kings.

A king of course, will reign over you. He is in charge; you are not. You will become his servants. You cannot come and go as you please, but only as the king directs and allows. Your children will be drafted to serve him. Some will fight his wars, some will plow his fields and harvest his crops. Others will cook for him or serve him hand and foot. And don’t forget, all his flocks, fields, vineyards and olive groves used to be yours. All his staff, generals and bureaucrats will have their salaries paid by you, the taxpayer. In time, you will cry out because of your king, but the Lord will not answer you.

Wow, what a deal! Of course the people agreed. They were obsessed with the idea that they needed a king to “be like all the nations.” The cost was not considered until it began to hurt.

Samuel chose a king for them, using a lottery system. The winner was Saul. After some searching, he was found hiding in the baggage. But, he was good looking and taller than anyone else in Israel, so what could go wrong?

Actually, Saul was a pretty good king while he followed the Lord. He won battles and dealt reasonably with people. But Saul eventually turned away and the Lord rejected him. Saul had many advantages, including having had the Spirit of the Lord come mightily upon him. In the end, Saul was just a man and saw only what men see. His vision did not glimpse the power of the Lord, but only the strength of his own arm.

Which is why the New Testament exhorts that “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). We don’t get to pick and chose – we pray for all of them.

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

You talkin’ to me?

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What will the owner do? Mark 12:1-12

The discussion about the authority of Jesus has ended. Or has it? Jesus begins telling a parable about a vineyard in the hearing of the Jewish leaders. Though the disciples often sought explanations to Jesus’ parables, Mark tells us the officials did not. His meaning was plain to them.

Jesus tells of a man who planted a vineyard. He outfitted it with everything needed to protect and operate the venture. Then he rented it out to growers to run the place while he went on a long journey. At harvest time, the owner sent a slave to collect his portion of the crop. The tenants beat the slave and sent him away with nothing. The owner sent others to collect, but each time the tenants treated them shamefully, injured them or even killed them.

Finally, the man sent his beloved son, thinking, “Surely they will respect him.” But the growers figured that if the heir died, the vineyard would belong to them. When the son arrived, they killed him and threw his body out of the vineyard. What will the owner do now? He will destroy the growers and give the vineyard to others.

Jesus drives home his meaning by quoting Psalm 118:22: The stone which the builders rejected became the chief cornerstone. This, coupled with the obvious allusion to the unproductive vineyard of Isaiah 5, left no room for misinterpretation. And the Jewish leaders understood him fully. They realized that Jesus equated them with the treacherous growers. After all, their ancestors had rejected and reviled God’s prophets.

To their credit, the officials did not attempt to shift the blame to others. To their discredit, they excused themselves, rejecting Jesus’ message and that of the scriptures they knew so well. They knew what he was saying, but refused to apply his words to themselves. They could not – dared not – see themselves in that light.

So they acted in the lack of light they had and sought to seize Jesus on the spot. The only thing that prevented them was the presence of the crowds. Fear of the people outweighed any fear of the Almighty in their hearts. So they retreated.

Jesus does not have to document or certify his authority. It is obvious and effective. All pretenders to the throne have to slink away. Any attempt to deny that authority in our own hearts will ultimately fail. Is there anything you need to set right and yield to him?

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

The right answer

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“We do not know.” Mark 11:27-33

Jesus returns to Jerusalem in the morning. As he and his disciples walk through the temple area, the Jewish officials approach him en masse: the chief priests, scribes and elders. In other words, this is serious. They want to see his credentials. “By what authority do you do theses things? Who gave you this authority?“

In their own minds, they are the ultimate authority of faith and practice on earth. And they knew with certainty that they had not given Jesus any kind of authority to teach or to act. They are speaking, of course, in reference to Jesus driving out the money changers and other vendors from the temple on the day before.

Jesus counters with a question for them. It is interesting that they take up this question as they are under no obligation to do so. Thus they unwittingly yield their authority to Jesus. His question is, “Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer me.”

This was a factual question with a definite answer. But instead of giving an answer based on truth, or even on their own professional opinion, they express fear of the reaction of the people, who no doubt were gathering now to see what was going on. They fall back to a “safe” answer that they hope will not cause too much trouble. So they offer up the pretense that they do not know.

Jesus will not play games with them and states flatly, “Neither will I tell you.” But in a sense, Jesus has already told them the source of his authority. John was indeed a prophet sent from God to proclaim the coming Messiah, whom he identified as Jesus. The officials’ refusal to accept this did not make it any less true, but served as an indicator of the state of their hearts.

The temptation to give a “safe” answer regarding, Jesus, God or the Bible is just as great today. Our modern society has determined we are now “post-Christian” and have been for some time. In other words, we have grown out of this phase in our development and are now able to regard things in a much more realistic and scientific fashion. The concept of God and religion is seen as no longer being useful. In fact it may be downright dangerous, and indeed, anyone holding to these outmoded beliefs is rightfully subject to ridicule, loss of position and power and general persecution.

So, do we go along to get along, or do we stop, stand and proclaim the “right answer”?

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

The fever left

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“And he healed many…” Mark 1:29-34

What is our normal response when someone is ill? Isn’t it something like “take some medicine” or “you ought to see a doctor” or “get some rest”? What gave these people the idea to come to Jesus for healing?

After the synagogue service, Jesus went to Simon and Andrew’s house right away. There didn’t seem to be any sense of urgency, it was just the next item on the list. When they got there, though, they told Jesus that Peter’s mother-in-law was ill. Mark doesn’t mention any plea for healing, just a statement of fact. Jesus immediately responds by going to her.

His manner is not remarkable: no waving of arms, special words or an imploring gaze toward heaven. He simply goes to her, takes her hand and has her get up. The fever left her and she began waiting on them. A completely normal response for a completely well person. After all, she had guests in the house!

Later, when the sun had set (signifying the end of the Sabbath and its prohibition on working) people began showing up at their door. They had brought their ill friends and loved ones and even some who were possessed by demons. How did they know to do this? Word travels fast, even without electronic devices. I remember when Mount Saint Helens erupted that a study was done to find out how people had heard about it. The answer? word of mouth. That’s how I heard.

Mark tells us the news traveled to all parts of Galilee immediately following the synagogue service. No doubt a second bulletin swiftly followed after this woman’s healing, though it was not done so publicly.

What was Jesus’ response to the gathered crowd? Did he tell them they should set aside any ideas of being healed until they had submitted to God’s will? Did he explain this really wasn’t why he came, but instead for a greater spiritual purpose? No. In fact Mark records no words of Jesus, just his behavior. He healed many and cast out many demons (while making sure they kept quiet).

The people needed to see and decide for themselves who this Jesus was and why he had such authority and power. Is there anything or anyone that we need to come to Jesus for? Do we trust him to act, to help us?

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley

Authority

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This guy knows what he’s talking about. People sit up and listen. No mind-numbing waves of considered opinions. Just straight out telling it like it is.

Jesus and his small band of men have come to Capernaum, where they lived. First thing on the Sabbath, Jesus goes to the synagogue and begins to teach. People are astonished. He wasn’t teaching in the manner of their usual teachers, the scribes, but as one who had authority. One whose words rang true and commanded a response.

No one expected the response he got. It wasn’t from an intruder or stranger. Apparently they were used to seeing him there: a man with an unclean spirit. He complained loudly about what he saw and heard, yet made a startling declaration – “I know who you are – the Holy One of God.”

Jesus will have none of it. He silences the man in the strongest of terms. He commands the unclean spirit to come out of him. With violence and screams the spirit is removed.

Stop a moment to take that in. It’s not quite what you would expect in a worship service. First, everyone is astonished at the unexpected authority of Jesus’ teaching. Next, we see their sudden amazement when that authority is displayed in great power right before them.

Mark records the people’s reactions to Jesus. We don’t hear what Jesus says about himself or what the apostles said about him. We hear what ordinary people witnessed firsthand, what they saw and heard and told others about. And what they remembered most from that day was the authority of Jesus.

What does it mean for Jesus to have authority, in other words, to be Lord? Is he really Lord of my life, my words, my attitudes, my actions?

For more, see Mark 1:21-28.

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley

In my home, too?

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  • “…wives, be subject to your own husbands…” 1 Peter 3:1
  • “…husbands…showing honor to the woman…” 1 Peter 3:7

There is a school of thought today that says if all people were equal in every way, the ills of the world would disappear. The obvious fallacy to this is that it is easily seen that people are not all alike. This is proven when those who promote this kind of thought set themselves up as superior to you and me.

We can’t get away from the fact that any sort of society or civilization demands a structure of authority. Peter is illustrating God’s way and extends it even into our homes: “Wives, be subject to your own husbands.” This is true even when there may be a case where the husband is defiant and rebellious towards God. Such a man may be won over by the good example of his wife. To that end, a wife will focus on developing her inner qualities as opposed to fretting over her outward appearance.

Peter treats husbands in a unique manner. All others have been shown how to respond to authority. Husbands are instructed in how to be in authority. The simple phrase “live with your wife” indicates this is to be a shared life, making an effort to understand her and to act on that knowledge. She is to be honored, not because a woman is deficient compared to a man, but because anyone who submits to another places themselves willingly in an inferior position. They become vulnerable and dependent, no longer fully in control of their lives.

At the same time, wives are valued as highly as husbands by God, who has made both heirs of his grace. For a husband not to acknowledge and honor her standing before God is to strain his own relationship with Him, which likely will affect his prayers.

For more information, see 1 Peter 3:1-7.

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley