In 1968 Jerry Snell opened a door in the hallway outside our first hour chemistry class. He invited me into what I discovered was a darkroom. Soon I was on the school newspaper and annual staff as a photographer. Later I learned that Jerry was a Lutheran who was planning to become a pastor. A few years later I was not only a Lutheran, but I was heading off to seminary to become a Lutheran pastor, too. Jerry followed a year later and served as a pastor in Missouri until his untimely heart attack and death. I thank God for Jerry and enjoy photography still today – not to mention rejoicing in having served as a Lutheran pastor in congregations in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas and Texas. I’ve retired now and serve part time as a Congregational Support Specialist for the Texas District of the LCMS. I also provide coaching and leadership training through various PLI cohorts and with individual congregations and organizations.
David Bahn is a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Diane, father and grandfather. He is an avid amateur photographer. His photo website is “Flowers by God Photos by David” He also publishes a devotional blog DavidBahn-Reflections.com.
He and Diane live in Cypress Texas and enjoy visiting their grandchildren who live in the United States and Germany.
He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in 1979, and earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1991.
Diane, his wife, is now retired from PLI (PLIleadership.org). They have offered presentations on Marriage and Ministry Partnership, Leadership, Changing Your Congregation’s Culture, and Missional Living. They look are working with PLI International training pastors and wives of the ELVD Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania.
David’s personal mission statement is “Leading people to realize Jesus’ calling and plans for their lives.”
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
For the record, I love tulips, and am thankful that there are people who plant tulip bulbs and grow them for others to enjoy.
Many years ago I received a birthday present that I did not want, nor did I appreciate. It came from my mother and it really hit me wrong. It wasn’t like the husband who gave his wife diet pills for her birthday. She actually had remarked about wanting to try these particular pills; but you just don’t do that! It wasn’t like the time I gave Diane a lawn mower for Mother’s Day. She actually did appreciate that gift! It was something I didn’t want, desire, enjoy, or wish to be involved in.
Maybe I should have had a better attitude, but when I opened the package of tulip bulbs, I was so disappointed that I said (very sarcastically), “Thanks. I’ll give you a drill for your next birthday.” I’m not sure why she thought that I needed or would want a package of tulip bulbs (I really would have enjoyed an electric drill or some tool). Today tulip bulbs might go over better for me. But I’d rather have a tool or a piece of photographic equipment so I could take photos of tulips!
When Jesus prays for his disciples he prays for things they actually do need, and for which I would yearn as a follower of Jesus. Consider the list of things Jesus prays for as he prays for his disciples:
Knowledge that everything comes from God;
Deep conviction that Jesus is God’s Son;
Protection of the Father from the evils of the world;
Unity with other disciples that mirrors the oneness of Jesus and the Father;
The fullness of Jesus’ joy in their hearts; and
True sanctification in the truth of God’s word.
These are precious gifts which Jesus asked the Father be given to his disciples. Which of these gifts would you consider less than welcome? Which do you especially appreciate? What a joy to have the fullness of God’s love in Jesus, and to know that his prayers for his disciples are so well-suited to our deepest needs!
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus prays in his own behalf, “Glorify your Son…” Doesn’t that strike you as selfish, or at least a bit self-centered? He is asking that the Father give him glory. He is asking that he be reinstated to his former realm of honor and glory. He is asking that the spotlight be turned on him again, and that the angels, principalities, powers in the heavenly realm and the people of earth, and all of creation exalt him and give him their worship and praise.
Or so it seems. While it is true: Jesus is praying that he be glorified, his prayer is not selfish or self-serving. In fact his glory will be bought with a price. He is heading for the cross, and will be lifted up before all to see. I will appear to many to be utter shame, but it will be his finest hour. For Jesus will die in faith and perfect trust in God. He will endure the scandal, shame, and suffering of the cross in the confidence of the Father’s faithfulness, and in anticipation of the greater joy of our redemption.
God’s glory is founded in his grace (Ephesians 1:6), and Jesus is God’s perfect gift of grace to us. There will come a time for judgement. There will come a time for retribution. There will come a time when every knee will bow – of those who love Jesus and those who despise him. There will come a time when the scales of justice will be balanced and every evil will be accounted for. But that is not God’s greatest glory. It will happen. But the greater glory will be found in the company of the redeemed because of what Jesus faced shortly after praying this prayer.
I want to live to bring that kind of glory to God.
Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
The small alleyway led to a beautiful teal-colored set of doors. (Chartres, France)
Sometimes, despite our most fervent prayers, God doesn’t show up the way we want him to. The cancer isn’t cured. The company fails. The foreclosure goes through. (Thanks to Andy Stanley for these specific examples). A careful look at the whole story of Jesus, Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11) reveals a startling fact: Jesus actually created the events and added to the drama of these events by his inaction and delay in coming to heal Lazarus before his death. Not only that, he tells his disciples and the messengers who tell him of Lazarus’ illness that this whole episode is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it (John 11:4).
Then John reveals an important truth and an inexplicable application of that truth. John tells us that, “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed tow days longer in the place where he was” (John 11:5-6). Then a few verses later he says, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him” (John 11:14-15).
There is so much here:
A timing choice on the part of Jesus that allows Lazarus to die with all the pain, grief, and disappointment that goes along with death.
A desire on Jesus’ part for a greater blessing and good for all involved than Jesus’ immediate intervention in Lazarus’ death.
A declaration on Jesus’ part that there is a light to be embraced that has to do with Jesus’ presence in the world and that is to be raised up after Jesus is gone.
An implied calling for us to seek God’s glory through Jesus Christ in every circumstance.
As the encounter unfolds you will see that Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead in the face of Lazarus’ four day rest in the tomb, stinky body, and despite Mary’s snub of Jesus in her anger and disappointment at his untimely delay (cf. John 11:20), and the disbelief of all those who were there to witness the miracle. Everyone had concluded that God was too late. If he had just been there on time, all could have been well to their way of thinking; but not now. God was too late in arriving. Lazarus is dead. Four days worth of grief, sadness, disappointment, decay, and stink cannot be redeemed.
The foreclosure has gone through. The cancer has taken the life. The company has already failed. The real question in these situations and all of life is really, “Why doesn’t God act on my schedule?” The answer isn’t rationally-satisfying. But, through this miracle, we know that God can act in the face of the worst of circumstances. We also know that sometimes he doesn’t act according to our timetable. In the mean time he calls us to trust in him. Jesus says, “If you believe you will see the glory of God” (John 11:40). That glory of God is centered, rooted, and experienced in the context of God’s grace and love. Whatever else we may conclude about God’s timing, work in our lives, answer to our prayers, the light of God’s love and grace is the only light that shines through the darkness that from time to time closes in on us.
We are called here to believe that God loves us no matter what circumstances we may face in life, to embrace the hope of the resurrection, and to seek the glory of God in every circumstance. That is what I am seeking to do today (cf the little challenge to that in my sabbatical blog post if you’re interested). I hope you will join me in that calling.
I have entered a phase of my sabbatical that will take me away from my daily blog posts. I anticipate resuming these in early August. Until then…God’s peace and favor be upon all who follow Christ!
A two-foot-long salmon fights the swift current up river in Canada, seeking to get to its spawning grounds.
If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained.41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.”42 And many believed in him there.
Sometimes we may wonder whether or not we have any impact for good in the lives of others. Whether it’s raising our children to be productive and faith-filled, successful and well-adjusted, or witnessing to our neighbor or co-worker, we might sometimes ask: is anything getting through? I’m not certain whether John the Baptizer ever felt that way – though there is good reason to think he did (cf. Matthew 11:2-3). But a look at this passage (and the fuller context of John 9 and 10) reveals that John’s witness proved effective because he spoke the truth.
Too many times we think we have to build fancy and convincing cases for the cause of Christ or even a moral and just way of living. While there are times to do so, the power of our witness and calling in Jesus is not in our ability to convince someone to buy into our way of thinking. John was apparently not a miracle-worker, but everything he said about Jesus was true. And that won the day.
John was a firebrand of a man. He shook people up and confronted them boldly – in the manner of Old Testament prophets. But in the end it was simply the truth of his witness that made the difference. Maybe you are a firebrand. Perhaps you see many people brought to your way of thinking along life’s way. But the power of our witness lies in the truth about Jesus. He is the Son of God, full of grace and truth. That witness has power.
John 10:21-42
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained.41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.”42 And many believed in him there.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Star Lilies at Minter Gardens in Chilliwack, BC
A quick search of the web revealed a number of different ingredients of abundant life. From joy to gratitude, and prayer to revival, even eggs were listed as an ingredient of abundant life; although that was under the listing for Life’s Abundance Cat Food! What if we were to consider Jesus’ own teaching regarding abundant life. He came to give abundant life to his followers so let’s take a look at the surrounding verses.
Sadly, there are those who would steal, kill, and destroy us all. From the man who kidnapped and held captive the three women in Cleveland, to the teacher having inappropriate relationships with students, to the thug who makes his living by armed robbery: all these take away life. But Jesus says that those who seek to approach us apart from him, as well as those who would point us to God apart from Jesus are on that list. Abundant life centers in Jesus; without him we have a vaporous illusion and no life.
Therefore abundant life is a life connected with God. Life apart from God is an oxymoron; life does not exist apart from God. So if we wish to be fully and truly alive we must be connected to God. Jesus does that. He is the pathway, the gate, the door to God. But there is another wrinkle: we won’t find him, or God, or life on our own. We need a guide, or in Jesus’ words, a shepherd. Jesus is the one who guides us to God, leading us to life. His mission is to give life, not to take it away. He protects us from those who would harm us. He will do all that is necessary to do so: he will lay down his life for the sheep.
An Israeli tour guide was explaining how shepherds in the Holy Land do not drive their sheep from place to place, but rather that they lead them. They have a unique call that they use and the sheep literally know their voice and follow them. Some sheep don’t always get it, and some wonder, but the mode is: the shepherd calls/sings/whistles or in some manner calls the sheep, and the sheep follow. Just as he was explaining this the tour happened upon a flock of sheep that was being herded from behind: driven rather than led. Someone in the group challenged the guide: “How about that flock of sheep? They’re being driven, not led.” The guide simply responded: “That’s not the shepherd, that’s the butcher.” They were on the way to the slaughter house.
Being abundantly alive is more than being healthy and successful, certainly more than just being active. If we are going to have abundant life we will listen for Jesus’ voice and go where he leads us. To that end the question today is: are you driven or following? Driven people may look alive. Driven people may accomplish much. Driven people may be admired. But Jesus says those who are his follow him where he leads. The contrast is stark. Rather than being driven to the slaughter house Jesus would lead us to places and practices of life. Listen for his voice and follow him.
John 10:1-21
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, andthey will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash inthe pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
One of thousands and thousands of flowers at Minter Gardens in Chilliwack, BC
The whole story of Jesus’ encounter with this blind man, the Pharisees, his parents, neighbors is worth the read. I’ve copied it below. It is filled with plot twists, symbology, and delightful interplay between Jesus and the people surrounding this story. Most notably, however is the blindness of the Pharisees regarding Jesus and his work. They didn’t see that he truly was the Son of God. They dismissed his work as that of a sinner, a charlatan.
The proverb says, “Where there is no vision the people cast off restraint” (29:18). The King James translates the verse, “Where there is no vision the people perish.” Either is defensible, but the better translation seems to be “cast off restraint.” I used to be disappointed with the newer translation. I liked the stark danger of being vision-less; the idea being that if there is no future call, no purpose or sense of direction on the part of God’s people, we’re all headed toward death. That is not to say we’re all going to hell, but we march toward a slow, senseless death of spirit, (or of a church) if we’re not on a path of God’s revelation and leading.
Now, however, I fully and emotionally embrace the newer translation (I’m sure the translators of the ESV and other more modern Bible translators are relieved to learn that!). And here we see how true it is: without the vision or revelation that Jesus is the Son of God, the Pharisees cast of the restraint of love, truth, humility, and compassion in favor of discrediting Jesus. They are blind, and blindly they pursue Jesus’ demise.
We who know the full story, and believe that Jesus is the Son of God see something vitally important and momentous unfolding here. Not only is Jesus healing the blind man, he is uncovering the lack of restraint of the Jewish leaders. Not only is he showing that he is the light of the world, he is bringing this man into the light of life.
I tend to think of restraint as a bad thing. I want all of my options open. But structure, discipline, and certain kinds of restraint actually bring greater freedom. Diane and I discovered this last week at L’Abri in Canada. There was a schedule to keep, including meals, study, work, and even tea time! But we discovered a freedom within those boundaries and were refreshed in the process. Within the restraints of Jesus’ love, commands, ways, and call we will find great freedom and abundant life. What of God’s revelation to you do you need to keep in view today?
John 9:1-41
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash inthe pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered,“I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
Pastor James offers insights during a lunch at L’Abri Canada. He and others join the community from time to time to engage in theological conversation and discussion.
Last night we had a lecture here at L’Abri Canada. Clarke Scheibe, the director of this community spoke about Alain de Botton’s book, Religion for Atheists. In this controversial, but engaging book, de Botton offers his solution to the reality of modern secular culture: the lack of ritual. For example, he doesn’t believe in God, but loves singing Christmas Carols. He believes that there should be a set of commonly held morals, but believes that once a year the people ought to get together for a sexual orgy. It is a far stretch for me, but many people – including one young woman here at L’Abri – have seriously considered secular religion as an alternative to the church.
As Jesus interacts with the people of his day the question rightly comes up: who are you, Jesus of Nazareth? What authority do you have to speak into our lives? How is it that you are able to define good and evil, right and wrong? The answer is as profound as it is startling: Jesus is the One who existed before Abraham(!). He is I AM in the flesh. He is the Son of God from all eternity come to earth in the flesh.
If Jesus is some sort of Johnny-Come-Lately, he can easily be dismissed. But if he is God, he’d better not be dismissed. If he’s a fraud, better stone him indeed. But if he is God in the flesh, we had better listen to him and believe in his words.
de Botton’s ideas are new in some ways, and as old as Adam in others. For these questions, and any reaction to the Christian church’s abuses and faults (and there are many to be sure), have to do with defining what is good and what is evil. That question is an old one, and ultimately it must be defined by God or by man. I’ll go with God’s definition as revealed in Jesus of Nazareth. How about you?
David Bahn - Reflections 