David Bahn – Reflections – Page 46 – Light from the Word and through the lens

Tell your story

September 27, 2024

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Acts 26:12-26

“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Giraffe – Up Close and Personal | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania | June 2024

My grandmother Dodson (“Memaw Dodson”) told the greatest stories. My favorite was when she cut a turn too short, missed the bridge and rolled her 1952 Buick into Cripple Creek. The windshield shattered into a million small pieces – the windshield still in place. It made tiny prisms, and when she came to, seeing the sun shine through she saw the scattered colors. She said, “Law, I thought I was in glory!” That was 60 years ago. I still remember it. I think “Law” was her way of not taking the Lord’s name in vain, but it surely meant “Lord.”

Hers was a simple story that conveyed profound truths. We will one day die. We will face judgment (though that was not part of her story – only the outcome of her faith: glory). And glory! Beautiful glorious light. Life. Awareness. Otherworldliness. All these were the ethos from which her vision and story took shape. It shaped my heart as well.

She got all that from the witness of Paul and others to Jesus Christ. Paul leans heavily into the resurrection of Jesus – a favorite theme of his throughout his missionary travels, and echoed in his letters to the churches of the northern Mediterranean region and into southern Europe. It’s what gets the attention of the people he evangelizes. And the cross. He calls the cross foolishness to the Gentiles and a stumbling block to the Jews. He writes: “but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

The idea of a crucified Messiah was a stumbling block because it conflicted with the Jewish nation’s expectations of a conquering, earthly Messiah. Still prevalent today in much of prosperity gospel preaching. Check out TV evangelists: so very few speak of the cross of Jesus, his suffering and death.

Greeks, valued philosophy and reason, so the cross seemed like foolishness, as the concept of salvation through a crucified man was irrational by their standards. Again, much the same today. Think of the way heroes conquer: might and power. Decisive victory.

Jesus’ victory, however, was both through death and resurrection. He didn’t just die in agony. He rose in victory. He didn’t just carry our sins, taking them into his body. He brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. He didn’t just overcome the sharpness of death. He ascended to the right hand of God and reigns there forever. He didn’t just confound the naysayers. He confirmed the faithful.

Each of us fit into those categories in some way or another. Tell your story. Who knows how it might inspire, encourage, or bring light to darkness for someone else and shape their lives forever.
It must certainly happen

September 26, 2024

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Acts 26:12-26

“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Giraffes | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania | June 2024

I’ve written previously about the little Greek word, δεῖ. It means it is necessary. That small word shows up here in verse 23. It has to do with the inevitability of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection: “saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

It would be great if nothing bad ever had to happen. If child birth was painless. If weeds never grew in our gardens. If every sales call went perfectly. If we never had to deal with disease, suffering, or death. It would be great if the scales of the balance were always properly and fairly balanced. But we live in a fallen world. And there are consequences for sin. We live in the midst of them. People get sick and die. Sales calls sometimes blow up before our very eyes. People are accused falsely. Bullies get the better of the meek.

But God loves us. He has set his heart on our eternal good. He desires we know his love and love him in return. And God is just. The wages of sin is death, and because of all that Jesus had to die.

Of course that’s not all. For Jesus not only died, he rose from the dead. That had to happen as well. He was perfectly obedient. He was completely faithful. He was pure and sinless. He had to be raised from the dead. His faith and faithfulness, love for God and man, perfect obedience to the Father’s will – if there was true justice – required Jesus to be raised from the dead.

Not only did Jesus have to be raised from the dead, he had to be the first to be raised from the dead. “The first” means there will be more. That is the good news – the light of which Paul spoke here – that is being preached all over the world.

Paul will have to endure further trouble, suffering, hardship, and difficulty. This was also part of what Jesus told Ananias – who came and baptized Saul after his Damascus Road experience. I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name,” Jesus tells him (Acts 9:16).

Today we walk in the light of God’s love, Christ’s redemption, and the Holy Spirit’s sanctification. It must certainly be this way. The gospel must be preached. The lost must be found. Those walking in darkness must be brought into the light. And in all this, God’s name will be eternally praised.
Testifying both to small and great

September 25, 2024

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Acts 26:12-26

“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Giraffe under the Baobab Tree | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania | June 2024

“Do you really think that’s enough?” I had no idea to whom I was speaking. He was in the hospital, nearing the end of his life. I had been asked to visit him those many years ago. I was a vicar – a third-year seminary student, something of an intern – and one of my responsibilities was hospital visits. In those days, long prior to HIPAA regulations, I would go to the three hospitals in the area, look at the list of patients, see who were listed as Lutherans, and go to their rooms to visit them. This was different because I had been specifically asked to visit him and he was not a Lutheran.

But he was very ill, and his family and friends were quite concerned for his eternal wellbeing. When I visited him, I asked the Kennedy Evangelism questions, “Have you come to the place in your life that if you were to die tonight you know you would go to heaven?” His answer was a common one: “I hope so.” Then comes the second: “If you were to die tonight and stand before God and he would ask you, ‘Why should I let you into my heaven?’, what would you say?” His answer: “Well, I’ve always tried to help the youth…” He may have said a bit more, and when he was finished, I asked, “Are you sure that’s enough?”

He started to cry. This 60-year-old man had tears running down his cheek. I began to share every Bible passage I could think of, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). By grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourself, not by works lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).” These I shared in the same way here – by memory. So I may have a word or two out of place. I’m sure I shared other Bible promises as well. But I do remember perceiving that the Holy Spirit had brought him to a place of peace with God when I left that day.

Days later he died, and I was asked to do his funeral. Only then did I discover I had spoke truth to power. This man – who appeared quite small in his hospital bed, was actually quite a great man. He was the former head of the State Parks and Recreation Department. The former governor spoke at his funeral. I had no idea. Mine was not a Paul moment of great courage. Mine was a moment of blythe unawareness, and a desire to share the message of God’s grace and truth.

Paul spoke to small and great. The Philippian jailer. The fellow prisoners in the jail. Lydia and others. Now it’s Festus, Felix and Agrippa. And he was fearless. Bold. Dedicated to the truth and grace of Jesus Christ. Willing to tell it like it is. Unapologetic. Courageous.

I wish I had more of Paul’s courage. I wish I was more bold. But I am thankful for his courageous faithfulness. You and I are beneficiaries of his faithful witness to Jesus Christ. Ignited by Jesus’ Damascus Road confrontation and mission mandate. Fueled by God’s grace. Sustained by the Holy Spirit’s presence. Giving us meaning and purpose today. Anticipating the joyous vindication in the life of the world to come.
Meaning, Purpose, or Survival?

September 24, 2024

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 26:12-26

“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Giraffes | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania | June 2024

Meaning and purpose were illusive to me in my high school and early college years. I couldn’t find my way in the education or vocation spheres. I had toyed with the idea of being a doctor. But my grades wouldn’t support that idea. I had grown up in a mom and pop motel and talked about going to Cornell University. They have a world-famous hotel management school in Ithaca, New York. But finances and grades precluded that. And let’s not talk about real estate. Except that proved to be the deciding factor.

My Damascus Road conversion was on Interstate 55 in southeast Missouri. There was no flash of lightning. No voice from heaven. Just the voice of God through Jerry. My word of new direction was delivered in a 1966 Ford Fairlane on I-55. “Dave,” said Jerry, “I just think you would be a better pastor than a real estate broker. Some of those reading this will recall this conversation – together with my comment that he could have said I would have been a better fill-in-the-blank than a real estate broker.

But Jerry said, “pastor.” And once I acknowledged that, my life turned around. I had nearly made the bad dean’s list before dropping out of college for a time. And although I did not graduate from college with honors, I would have – had they counted only my last three semesters in that calculations. But I did graduate. From there it was on to seminary, then to Utah, Colorado, Arkansas, and now Texas.

I did’t realize what I was getting myself into at that point. But I had been surviving until that life-changing conversation. Jesus showed me much more. And my life was truly changed. I hadn’t been living in obstinate opposition to Jesus’ ways. But I certainly was not experiencing the fullness of his calling.

I’ve not suffered anything like Paul did during his life as Jesus’ ambassador. He lived out a very unique and challenging calling. He recounts it clearly. Jesus told him, “I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Opening eyes, turning people from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, and helping people take their place among those who believe in Jesus is a challenge and an honor. We might shy away from such a high challenge. But here is God’s calling through Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth. Written 5 or 6 years before these events before Agrippa.

Jesus died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Martin Luther wrote about it this way: Jesus…redeemed me…so that I may be his own and live under him in his kingdom and serve him.

Such a life – not living for ourselves, living under Christ, serving him in whatever vocation to which we are called – is much more than surviving. That is the abundant life. That is thriving.

Thrive, by Casting Crowns
Have you seen Jesus?

September 23, 2024

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Acts 26:12-26

“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Warthog | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania | June 2024

Unexpected turns of phrases always catch my attention. To that end, I had to read twice the phrase in this passage: “witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.” Paul is recounting how Jesus spoke to him on the road to Damascus. As Jesus spoke to Paul he was telling him the purpose for his appearing, “to appoint you as a servant and witness.” Somehow, Jesus’ appearance to Paul on the Damascus road was not to be the last. Paul would see him again. And he would witness to Jesus’ appearing in the things (not people) that would unfold in and through Paul’s ministry.

Those would be things like miraculous escapes from prison, healings, conversions, and demonic deliverances. Jesus was behind all those things. Jesus was still at work and Paul was to be a witness to Jesus’ work in the world, and in people’s lives.

So when I see the miraculous medical sojourn of a little baby – born when the doctors had advised her parents to give up even before she was born – I must realize this is Jesus at work. And when I hear of a dramatic conversion of a young man, raised in a Jewish family, and now a believer in Jesus, I need to see Jesus at work in this. And when two people whose marriage was on the brink find a way to put things back together again, I need to realize this is Jesus at work. I need to see Jesus in these things. And I need to witness to that as well.

It’s very easy to credit modern medicine, social and psychological factors, and emotional growth in these things. The world always points us in that direction. But just because it’s easy to see something, doesn’t make it right. And just because Jesus’ influence and participation isn’t always obvious to us doesn’t mean he’s not behind it all.

We’ve been praying for our six week old grand-niece these past few days. She just received a liver transplant yesterday and we are praying that her health will be fully restored. When that time comes, we are praying also that her parents also see Jesus in her recovery. He is surely there. And we long for others to see his presence in these blessings.
Today’s Psalms for September 22, 2024

September 22, 2024

Please pray these Psalms with me today, on this Lord’s Day

Psalm 22 (the Psalm Jesus prayed from the cross)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
²O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.

³Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises^[a] of Israel.
⁴In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
⁵To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

⁶But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
⁷All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
⁸“He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

⁹Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
¹⁰On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
¹¹Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is none to help.

¹²Many bulls encompass me;
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
¹³they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.

¹⁴I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
¹⁵my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.

¹⁶For dogs encompass me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet—
¹⁷I can count all my bones—
they stare and gloat over me;
¹⁸they divide my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.

¹⁹But you, O Lord, do not be far off!
    O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
²⁰Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dog!
²¹    Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

²²I will tell of your name to my brothers;
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
²³You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
    and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
²⁴For he has not despised or abhorred
    the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
    but has heard, when he cried to him.

²⁵From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
²⁶The afflicted^[d] shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
    May your hearts live forever!

²⁷All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before you.
²⁸For kingship belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations.

²⁹All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    even the one who could not keep himself alive.
³⁰Posterity shall serve him;
    it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
³¹they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
    that he has done it.

Psalm 52

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
    The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
²Your tongue plots destruction,
    like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
³You love evil more than good,
    and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
⁴You love all words that devour,
    O deceitful tongue.

⁵But God will break you down forever;
    he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
⁶The righteous shall see and fear,
    and shall laugh at him, saying,
⁷“See the man who would not make
    God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches
    and sought refuge in his own destruction!”^[b]

⁸But I am like a green olive tree
    in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
    forever and ever.
⁹I will thank you forever,
    because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, for it is good,
    in the presence of the godly.

Psalm 82:3-4

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
    maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
⁴Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Psalm 112:1

Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
    who greatly delights in his commandments!

Psalm 142

With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
    with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
²I pour out my complaint before him;
    I tell my trouble before him.

³When my spirit faints within me,
    you know my way!
In the path where I walk
    they have hidden a trap for me.
⁴Look to the right and see:
    there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
    no one cares for my soul.

⁵I cry to you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,
    my portion in the land of the living.”
⁶Attend to my cry,
    for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
    for they are too strong for me!
⁷Bring me out of prison,
    that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
    for you will deal bountifully with me.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version.
ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by
Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
What Does it Take to Convince You?

September 20, 2024

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Acts 28:1-18

So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

²“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, ³especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. ⁵They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. ⁶And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, ⁷to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! ⁸Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

⁹“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

¹²“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, ¹⁷delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you ¹⁸to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Tawny Eagle | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania | June 2024

I remember the deodorant commercial from decades ago: Stay cool, calm, and collected. Sometime later I borrowed that phrase with a twist: We need to be cool, calm, and correctable. In other words, we must always hold our convictions carefully – with a balance of certainty and curiosity constantly correcting each other. We must not be so curious and cautious that we stand for nothing and fall for anything. Nor must we be so convinced and certain that we are not willing to reexamine our ideas and beliefs in light of further evidence.

The most profound example of one who will not reexamine his beliefs is the conspiracy theorist. You can tell if someone is such a one if you ask, “What would it take to convince you that you’re wrong?” And he answers, “Nothing can convince me I’m wrong.” That’s a dangerous place to live. Ask Paul about that. He had to learn a thing or two. Jesus asked him, “How long will you kick against the goads?” There comes a time when our convictions fail to serve us well.

On the other hand there is great danger if we are constantly swayed by the latest wind of doctrine. One day we believe in Jesus. The next day it’s Joseph Smith, or Jim Jones. One day we’re committed to God, the next day it’s the latest worldview fad.

There is danger on both sides of that road. We can lose Christ, or fail to recognize him for who he is – depending on which way we are leaning on any particular day. If we’re far from God and refuse to consider the claims of witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection we will be forever sorry.

Paul was struck to the ground and had to hear from Jesus directly. He had to be asked, “How long will you kick against the goads?” The reference there is to a sharp stick (goad) used to urge beasts of burden forward. Kicking against them will only hurt, not get rid of them. If Paul had continued in his rigid and strong opposition to the message of Jesus, it would have served only to cause himself great harm. Jesus wasn’t going away.

Perhaps you are kicking against goads. Maybe you wish to get rid of a pesky intrusion into your life. Even Christians struggle against God’s ways and calling. There comes a time when we must stop pushing him away. It will only hurt us. Or maybe you’re casting about wondering which truth is true. Jesus is the embodiment of truth…and grace. That is a good place to take your stand.
Easy Question # 2

September 19, 2024

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Acts 28:1-18

So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

²“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, ³especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. ⁵They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. ⁶And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, ⁷to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! ⁸Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

⁹“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

¹²“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, ¹⁷delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you ¹⁸to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Field Bindweed | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania | June 2024

The most challenging question in the Bible is asked by God speaking to Adam immediately after their disobedience, “Adam, where are you?” The most defiant question is asked by Cain: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The easiest question in the Bible is the question of the angels to the dumbfounded disciples after Jesus’ ascension: “Why do you stand there looking into the sky?” Answer: Because we’ve never seeen anything like this before!” But I think this is Easy Question # 2: “Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?”

It is a wonderful question. It has to do with God’s power, God’s grace, and Jesus’ righteousness. Without God’s power – even over death – there would be no hope of a resurrection. Without God’s grace the resurrection would mean little to us. Jesus’ righteousness – full and complete – required that he be raised from the dead.

“God is not a wimp,” said my counselor one time. He was probing deep things in my heart and pushing me to consider what God wanted from me in the face of some very difficult things I had experienced in my life. Indeed he is not. God is able to do whatever is needed in every situation. His arm is not too short. He is all powerful. God can raise the dead.

Jesus’ resurrection avails to our eternal good – starting today. Just the fact that Jesus rose from the dead is a hard reality for the devil and his minions. Those who oppose Jesus will one day bow the knee to Jesus when he returns on the Great Last Day. But this is not God’s desire. He wants all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Jesus resurrection is the first fruits of redemption, life, and hope. By God’s grace, Jesus’ resurrection opens heaven’s gates for all who believe.

Jesus’ resurrection vindicates Jesus. He is shown to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the grave. All the taunts of the demons. All the jeers of the mob at his crucifixion. All the self-righteous dismissals of the religious leaders. All these evaporate on the First Easter.

Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? Because our faith is weak. Because we don’t understand the depth of God’s grace and love. Because we don’t know the power and grace of God.

But we do know this. We do believe – even if our faith his weak. Jesus has been raised from the dead. It may be thought to be incredible. But it’s true. And it is profoundly good news. There’s no question about that.
Raise up a child

September 18, 2024

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Acts 28:1-18

So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

²“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, ³especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. ⁵They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. ⁶And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, ⁷to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! ⁸Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

⁹“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

¹²“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, ¹⁷delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you ¹⁸to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Lazy Lion | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania | June 2024

I am at the Circuit Visitors Conference at Camp Lone Star in La Grange, Texas. We are discussing a number of important issues. Most recently we are discussing pastoral formation – the process of training and equipping men to serve as faithful Lutheran pastors. Our District President spoke of his days at the seminary. He was told, “We are not here to help you grow spiritually. We are here to teach you theology.” He said there was little attention given to character and spiritual maturity.

Contrast that with what we teach in PLI today. Our approach is not only leadership training, but it is leadership within the context of a well-formed character. Character is not only contextual, but intentionally formed. Our District President is a man of remarkable character. Singular in his faithfulness, integrity, and good will. And it all started for him as a youth.

Paul’s comment, “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem,” indicates that his character was well-formed from his earliest years. It manifested itself in his extreme dedication to the Jewish religious practices and education. He identified himself as part of the strictest part of his religion.

But character needs constantly to be shaped. Sometimes it is a matter of little corrections. A friendly word, a challenge from a pastor, a request from a brother or sister in Christ can serve to make these little corrections. Sometimes there may need to be a stronger reshaping. Once I had to ask an elder to step aside from his duties until he and his wife repaired their fractured relationship. Thankfully he did. Another time I had to remove a confirmation teacher who was in an immoral sexual relationship. Sadly it does not seem to have reshaped him.

I’ve never seen anyone struck to the ground, hearing Jesus speak to him or her! But Paul’s conversion was dramatic, and his character radically reshaped!

My own spiritual journey is unlike Paul’s except in regard to my earliest spiritual formation. I was raised in a Christian family, and attended Sunday School and church throughout my youth. It was not a strict religious environment, but it was dedicated. My character has experienced reshaping throughout my life. Some of those reshaping moments have been difficult. Other have been almost pleasant.

But I am very much like Paul as he expresses in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I…am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” God is at work in our lives to shape us more and more into the image of Christ – whatever our training from our youth may have been. So we must not think we’re finished growing in our faith or character, but remain humble and open to the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts and minds.
Red or Clear?

September 17, 2024

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 28:1-18

So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

²“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, ³especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. ⁵They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. ⁶And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, ⁷to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! ⁸Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

⁹“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

¹²“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, ¹⁷delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you ¹⁸to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Dik Dik-2 | Tarangire National Park, Tanzania | June 2024

He was a young and dedicated pastor. The worship center was new and beautiful. Yet, there was something missing. An eternal light would adorn the chancel and serve as a reminder of God’s eternal presence with his people. It would symbolize the conviction that although God is everywhere present (cf. Psalm 139:7-10), he is specifically present in this place when people gathered in Jesus’ name. But should the soon-to-be installed eternal flame glass globe be clear or red? He was in charge of this decision. He was convinced of one color. Others believed it should be the other. I finally had to ask him, “Do you really want to die on this hill?” He realized the issue wasn’t worthy of the relational loss it would cost.

Paul, on the other hand, will not budge from his conviction about Jesus’ resurrection. He realized this was not about a little matter. This was about Jesus’ resurrection, eternal salvation, forgiveness of sins, and God’s ultimate plan for his kingdom goal. He makes this clear in his opening words of defense:

I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, ⁷to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! ⁸Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

His conviction of Christ’s resurrection, his belief in Jesus’ gracious power, his commitment to his part in the Mission of God are solid. He will not be moved from this conviction. This is not a matter of red or clear. It is a matter of eternal truth and grace. Jesus has been raised from the dead. He has won forgiveness of sins and salvation for all. Whoever believes in him will be saved.

I wonder how many times we stand on hills too small for principles too minor and bloody ourselves in battles that need not be fought. Whenever I help church leaders formulate strategic plans, I like to make the distinction between God’s good provision for his mission: the people, pastors, facilities, and programs on the one hand, and God’s mission on the other hand. People get stuck on what color the carpet should be, or what program must be retained or abandoned. Or what color should the eternal light be. But carpet wears out. Programs come and go. God’s mission goes on until Jesus returns.

Jesus went to a hill and died for the sins of the world. He won salvation for us by his death. His resurrection vindicates his whole ministry. It also give us hope, and reminds us in the face of every challenge or trouble: The tomb is empty. We stand on that truth with confidence and hope.