David Bahn – Reflections

Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work. Exodus 20:9–10

The sabbath was made for man. Mark 2:27

When I was a young boy in Sunday school, my teacher was a godly man, a carpenter, and one who spoke a very real country dialect. “He done [sic] a bad thing, when he took the life of that slave down in Egypt,” he would say. He had an impact on me much more by his presence and example than by his teaching of the Sunday school lesson.

One such lesson was on the Sabbath. There was no subtlety about questions of Saturday versus Sunday. There was no discussion of our freedom to worship on any day we choose. The message was simple: Sunday was for church and not for fishing. Yes, even fishing was not an acceptable Sunday activity in those days – not to mention that all the stores were closed and there was little else to do on a Sunday afternoon. Golf or even football had not reached its prominence as distractions or passions in those days. The idea of not fishing didn’t exactly appeal to me those many years ago. But often the idea of not doing something in order to keep the Sabbath involved doing just that.

Little did I realize at that time that this commandment is an invitation to something far better than giving things up. It is an invitation to find rest in God. There are so many good reasons to do this:

• You discover that the world can continue to function without you.
• You discover that you are feeling and experiencing things that were heretofore numbed by busy-ness and hyperactivity.
• It requires you to acknowledge that you are not God, nor can you function as though you have his resources 24/7.
• You learn that God has deep truths to speak to quiet hearts.
• You discover that “in repentance and rest is your peace,” but too often we “would have none of it.” (cf. Isaiah 30:15).
• You realize that you can accomplish more with fewer hours if you take the time to rest before you begin to work.
• You enrich your own life and the lives of others as you gather for public worship.
• You honor God, saying in effect, “I want to give this day to you, Lord God.”

None of this is for God. Nor is the Sabbath something we should serve. Indeed, as we embrace this invitation to worship and to rest, we discover that we are the better for it.

Indeed, you are my lamp, O Lord, the Lord lightens my darkness. 2 Samuel 22:29

Christ says, “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.” John 12:46

We were in a pit in the basement of Caiaphas’ palace; the place to which the soldiers had taken Jesus when he was arrested earlier that Thursday evening. There I read Psalm 88, and when I got to the words, “darkness is my only friend,” our guide (who had quietly gotten out of the area) turned off the lights. We were enveloped in total darkness. Silence. Darkness. It was a stunning and sobering experience. We all realized just a tiny bit of Jesus’ suffering in that moment.

But Jesus is the light of the world. A light no darkness can extinguish. How could this be? God lightens our dark moments. God welcomes us into the light of grace and truth. “In his light we see light,” says the psalmist (Psalm 36:9).

Had the light not gone out on Jesus 2000 years ago, however, we would be still locked in the darkness, estrangement, sin, and death. Jesus, the light of the world came, showing the light of God’s love and was snuffed out by those he came to save; the Father who sent him caused him to suffer and die. But Jesus died in perfect faith and overcame death and the grave. Darkness was pierced by the light of his righteousness, and he lives and reigns now from on high, enlightening the souls of all who believe in him.

The more I reflect on the power of faith the more it is clear to me that faith derives its power on the absolute faithfulness of God. Jesus is the light of the world, pure, true, faithful, and good. In his light we see light.

How can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. Job 9:2–3 (NASB)

By this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:19–20

Martin Luther had a come to Jesus encounter with God 500 years ago, and came out on the other side with great peace and confidence in God’s grace. Augustine had a similar experience. But it seems few people struggle with the idea of God’s judgment these days. God is so often portrayed as a kindly old grandpa who loves us with little justice or holiness in the mix. He is so often portrayed as a “Oh well, I know you didn’t do everything right, but you weren’t too bad, so it’s OK” kind of judge.

That does not line up with the God of the Bible. Job’s encounter with God – as it is played out especially in the closing few chapters – depict a God of great justice and holiness. He is one who could not be answered once in a thousand times.

What we cannot do, however, Jesus Christ had done for us. His cry from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is a cry for justice. For Jesus had done nothing wrong. He had fulfilled all righteousness. He had satisfied the righteous demands of the Law, and cried for justice as he offered himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

That is why, even when our hearts condemn us God’s word of mercy, forgiveness, grace and love sustain us. We cannot answer to God on our own. But what we cannot do, God has done through his Son, Jesus Christ. Those who let him do the speaking will find grace and confidence in his good word to us.

I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. Psalm 18:49

Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance! Acts 28:31 (NIV)

I’m watching the Olympics again this evening, even though I might be one of the very few who are doing so). There have been moments of great applause for various athletes, teams, nations, and records. Something inside of us gets hooked and we jump to our feet when our team wins, or a brilliant performance is given.

God’s praise is a matter of witness to others. We proudly wear our team regalia, jerseys, hats, and colors. We let people know that we love the Texans, Cowboys, Astros, or Cardinals. Sometimes that is contagious. Whether or not it is contagious when it comes to our praise of God, it is proper to wear the colors, wave the cross, sing his praise, and let people know that we acknowledge God’s proper place in our life – whether or others acknowledge him or not.

When athletes win, they get a prize. Olympian gold medal winners receive $25,000 from the US Olympic Committee. They may share that glory and even some money with their friends and family. But there’s a limit to their prizes.

Not so with God! God’s victory through Jesus calls for songs of greatest praise. That’s not just because our emotions get caught up in a momentary accomplishment. We do so because Jesus Christ has fought the ultimate battle with sin and death, and come out as our eternal victor, and gives us the full glory and blessing of his victory. No athlete can do that. For that reason, we say – eternally – Yay God for God!

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them. Isaiah 41:17

Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. Revelation 22:17

Have you ever been deeply thirsty? Have you ever experienced a thirst that goes beyond I-just-finished-cutting-the-grass-in-the-hot-summer-sun? Most of us have not. Few of us have had a Louis Zamperini kind of saga with day after day of near-death lack of water. His powerful story is told in the book, Unbroken, which also gives witness to God’s powerful work of grace in his life.

Nonetheless, some of us are more spiritually thirsty than we might realize. I say that because we drink all kinds of spiritually polluted water in an effort to quench a thirst that only God can slake. Porn, gossip, materialism, and gratuitous violence all offer a counterfeit relief from a thirst in our souls for the water of life. They make us think we are alive. They offer us a numbing placebo that, like saltwater seems to satisfy, but only drowns our souls in its effluence.

What a blessing it is to realize that our thirst may be slaked by God! Whether we are poor and in need of the solace of God’s eternal treasures, or simply thirsty for truth, God satisfies us with the water of life: a gift of his grace.

When Jesus was on the cross John (19:28) tells us, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), ‘I thirst.’” Note this was near the very end of his suffering, and remember, too, that Jesus had promised, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6).

Remember, Jesus is the water of life. He satisfies the thirsty soul and promises that whoever drinks of the water that he gives will never be thirsty again. The water he gives will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Ahhh…how refreshing!

May the Lord our God incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways. 1 Kings 8:58

His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:3

We walk a fine line between hubris and irresponsibility. On the one hand we must not think of ourselves more highly than we ought. This tautology is self-evident to all but the hopelessly narcissistic. We must all embrace the truth that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “None is righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). So, does that let us off the hook? After all even Paul says, “I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). 

On the other hand, however, a plea of “I just couldn’t help myself,” will not help us in court, nor will it help us before the God who judges the thoughts and motives of our hearts. We are culpable. No one is to blame for our actions – even if we have been abused, deceived, or blinded. Our sinfulness will certainly not only be found out, it will condemn us.

That is why we must pray. In fact, prayer is the key to striking the balance between hubris and irresponsibility. In prayer we acknowledge we need help, and we take responsibility for doing what is good and right and in alignment with God’s will. A prayer to for help to stop drinking while planning a weekend binge is no prayer. A failure to pray for God’s help to resist temptation when facing a challenging situation is irresponsible. 

God’s gift to us of his Son, the righteousness of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, the promise of eternal life through the faith in Jesus Christ is truly all we need. We have been saved. But God does not stop there. He moves us with his Holy Spirit to incline our hearts to him and his will and ways. He guides us in the paths of righteousness through his word. He assures us of his love, and graces us with his daily presence. Embracing those gifts, looking to him in humble faith, and seeking to follow him in all our ways puts us on a path of eternal blessing. 

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. Psalm 80:19

When the Lord saw the widow, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, rise!” Luke 7:13–14

When Diane and I were first married, we appropriated three or four pieces of furniture that had sentimental value. Two of them may also have actual value as antiques, all of them needed restoring. So we set about restoring them: stripping the old varnish, and discovering a beautiful patina that had been covered over the years. It was a work of love, and the results were quite satisfying. We still use them today.

We are also in need of restoration. We are all covered over with the aged and ugly varnish of sin. We may or may not be valuable in the world’s eyes. But God’s work of restoration indicates his love for us, his estimation of our value, and points us toward a beautiful future of his making.

Nowhere is that more clear than when we face death. Just as the widow at Nain was dealing with the terrible loss of her only son (and only source of security, Jesus enters and removes death’s sting. God’s salvation comes to us sometimes in dramatic fashion. When we face illness, loneliness, sin, guilt, despair, and even death, we long to see his face shine into our lives and give us hope. God’s restoration process will ultimately be experienced on the Great Last Day when everything is restored to God, and we are restored to him, and we shine like stars in glory with Christ. In the mean time, his restoration process is at work in us daily, making us over into those who are grateful for his love and work in our lives.

Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6

See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 2 Corinthians 6:2

We are currently nearing the end of a bucket list vacation, and have had the opportunity several times to seize the moment, and take advantage of a particular site or sight. High on the list are two magnificent experiences: seeing Denali – mountain peak that is beyond belief in its grandeur and majesty, and seeing a number of eagles from our Deadliest Catch excursion today. Seeing Denali put us in the 30% club, since 70% of the time people who travel to that area of the country do not see the mountain because it is covered in clouds! Seeing the eagles was stunning, delightful, and impressive. In either case, however, it was a matter of an opportunity not lost. 

There are times when limited time offers actually are limited time opportunities. I’m not talking about TV commercials, or high-pressure sales associates. God doesn’t coerce. There is, however, an eternal now for those who would embrace the love and grace of Christ: it is the now of daily repentance and faith. Five hundred years ago Martin Luther said, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ called men to repent, he meant that the entire life of the believer should be one of repentance.” Jesus’ first recorded message in Mark’s gospel is, “The time is now. The rule and reign of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) 

There will be a time when the offer of God’s salvation will no longer apply. When we die or when Jesus’ returns our eternal fate is confirmed: either we have lived a life of repentance and faith, or we have despised God’s calling and gifts. But even now, as you and I read these words, God invites us to call upon him, to believe in him, to receive his gift of eternal life and salvation. That is good news…right now and forever!

One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4

Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2: 11

I recently listened to an interview of Rosaria Butterfield, a former LGBT proponent who was brought to faith in Jesus Christ and is now married to a pastor. She speaks of being converted, but not from lesbianism to heterosexuality, but from unbeliever to follower of Jesus Christ. She expresses quite eloquently the struggle against sin, the blessed identity we have as image-bearers, and the impact of living under the rule and reign of Christ. Her contention is that original sin corrupts every part of our being – even our motives for doing good. 

As I read the passages above, and reflect on her insights I am struck with the idea of how delightful it will be to confess Jesus Christ as Lord on the Last Day, when the sinful nature will be completely done away with. How grateful I will be to shed this body of sin and be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, in a new glorified body, and a heart no longer struggling with sin. 

When we pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” we are praying for that day. We are praying for the time when sin has lost its luster and its ability to hide beneath even the most godly-appearing actions. We are praying for that time when God is glorified by everyone – some under duress, others filled with eternal joy and gratitude. 

In the mean time we who know Christ’s love and mercy delight in his goodness and ways, and have the opportunity to honor him as we declare to all people the works, mighty acts, merciful love, and ultimate victory of Jesus Christ over sin, death, and the devil. 

Return to your God, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God. Hosea 12:6

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

A call to return implies that people have wandered. Sometimes that is a long and well-worn path. They turn their backs on God, his ways, his laws, his values, and his gracious redemption. They ignore their neighbor in need. They determine for themselves what is good and evil. They despise Jesus’ sacrificial death, ignore the life-changing power of his resurrection from the dead, and deny their need to answer to him on the Great Last Day.

Most who would read these words would not embrace such a lifestyle. We thank God for his redemption. We rejoice in his salvation. We seek to honor him by keeping his commandments. We do not walk the well-worn path of abandonment. Yet this is a call for us as well: “Return to your God…”

Luther puts it this way:

…the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. (Small Catechism, Baptism)

Returning implies not only the past wandering, but a recommitment to the present life of “compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” The drowning of the old nature in baptism gives way to a new kind of life. This is not a one-time act. It is a way of life. And when we lose our temper, realize we have hardened our hearts to the plight of others, been unkind or arrogant, we repent and return to God, and seek to reflect his love, mercy, humility, kindness and patience with us.