JUSTICE IS NOT DEAD

Have you seen the movie God Is Not Dead?

Yah, me either. 

I'm sure it's probably good.

But I'll tell you what I have seen-

once upon a time ago

a few of my friends where watching

  hilarious YouTube videos

and came across a Batman "remake"

put on by this random kid.

Of course I'm not cool enough

to find you that video.

But it is something of the effect

with this kid in a Batman mask

sneaking up on someone in the kitchen.

The person in the kitchen asks,

"What would you like for breakfast?"

The kid speaks in his most dark and heavy

Batman voice replying,

"Justice!"

and jumps on the individual.

I'm not sure why, but we all found that absolutely entertaining!

{If you need time to try & find that video go ahead I'll wait right here.}

Anyways, I couldn't help think of that

as I read the Word today-

Matthew 12: 15-21

{*scripture refers back to Old Testament Isaiah 42:1-4}

I have read this before,

so when I come across scripture I have read numerous times

I try to find something 

that I hadn't noticed any times previous.

What about you? What do you see?

{note I say "see" & not just "read"}

This was mine, end of vrs 20

..."till he leads justice to victory..."

Till He leads justice to victory.

I love that.

What an obscure &

interesting thing to say.

Till He leads justice to victory.

What does that mean?

Well, when I don't understand something

I pull apart at the words.

I define them.

What does justice mean?

As Americans we've certainly

used it a whole lot.

As Americans we've certainly

abused it a whole lot.

But it is not just Americans now

is it?

I didn't need a dictionary to look it up,

we know it

{or think we know it}

all too well.

Justice=making right what was wrong, correcting, making  a punishment/payment for the crime

Well, if that is the case

why wasn't justice winning?

The verse says that he will lead it to victory;

thus, it was losing before.

Is justice dead to you?

Why?

I believe justice is dead...

justice orchestrated by man that is.

Why? Because man is broken & flawed.

Genesis 1-3

During the time of which Jesus was alive

the Jews were being suppressed by the Romans.

The Jews eagerly,

desperately,

anticipated freedom.

They believed that Jesus would fulfill their expectations.

He didn't.

He did much more.

Have you ever heard "Wake Me Up" by Avicii?

Go listen...again, I'm not going anywhere.

"All this time I was finding myself & I didn't know I was lost."

-Avicii

I love that.

How true of today 

&

of history.

The Jews, the chosen ones of God,

called to be holy/set apart,

didn't know they were lost either.

John 1:1-14

How do you know when you are lost?

Truth is we are all lost,

wonder-ers in the dark,

afraid of the light.

That Light is Jesus.

The light reveals everything.

Everything about us is not all fine & dandy.

How can you refute that?

The Jews wanted an army,

they wanted a military leader.

What they needed,

what we need,

is a Savior.

{Yes, a looking within ourselves

at our own destruction & depravity

rather than sending war}

Note what happened in the beginning of our reading,

Jesus was healing people.

But then a strange thing happens,

he tells them...

no, he warns them,

to not tell anyone.

Why?

Because they're glorious moment

was yet to come.

The Cross.

Remember when I asked:

What does justice mean?

Now I ask:

What does justice look like?

Is it this?

  

{images taken from Bing} 

Or is it this?

Let me give you a hint.

The first picture is a lifeless, cold statue created by man.

The second a depiction of God in flesh being taken of his life by man.

The root of the problem with justice is not

the measurement given-

for all don't measure up-

the problem was the beholder. 

Man tried to make things right.

Every hear someone say:

"Two wrongs don't make a right?"

Well, how can something good come from that which does not know true good?

They didn't,

we don't,

know we are lost.

They wanted justice.

But that justice was directed towards others;

what they really wanted was vengeance.

God sacrificed his son to take upon himself our punishment.

Isaiah 53

But the story doesn't stop there.

When I was in 9th grade (I think it was), I went on this trip without my youth group called S.E.M.P. It stood for Students Equipped to Minister to their Peers. This was a week long seminar at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL. In the mornings we spent our time in Apologetic training and outreach techniques.

Then in the afternoons we would split up in different groups designated for a specific area in the city to evangelize. One day, my group of five or so choose to just ride the trans back & forth sparking up conversations when we could with strangers. At this one point I sat towards the end of the subway while the rest of my group sat huddled together a few seats ahead. Across from me sat this Muslim couple and their son. The father saw my badge that we were all wearing that identified us as from S.E.M.P. Lone behold, he started asking me what it was about & what we were doing! So surprised & shaking in my boot so to speak I told him. I wasn't even talking about Jesus yet & my heart was about the leap out of my chest! It was because I knew God orchestrated this without a doubt! Next thing I know the man asks...more like tells me to tell him about Jesus. Wow! Cool! With him, his wife, and their ance son listening to my every word I told them about Jesus their Savior & Lover. It was awesome! Beyond words really!...But you know what?

I left out the most important part.

I forgot to mention the resurrection!!!

JESUS DIED FOR YOU, PEOPLE! BUT HE ALSO ROSE AGAIN!!

God is not dead.

John 19:28-42, 20

I realized now what the Word meant about leading justice to victory.

If justice can not be carried out by man, then it needs be carried out by that which deigned man {for note that which designed man was not flawed, for our brokenness was chosen by our disobedience to that which was good=God}.

So thus, God carries out Justice. He is Justice.

And He is fair, for if He wasn't we would all be in Jesus's place.

I used to think I could have handled that punishment.

No way, not even for a second.

But although sorrow lasts in the evening, joy comes in the morning. 

Three days later Jesus broke the bondage of sin and death.

Jesus is alive.

Jesus is ALIVE!

Buddah, Muhammed, Shiva/Krishna/Kali (& thousands of other names I can't pronounce), Joseph Smith, Friedrich Nietzsche

are all dead.

Justice is dead.

We are dead.

Dead in sin.

"How can this be?..." John 3 reading {click & read}

God is not dead.

Justice, Jesus is not dead.

Happy Easter. 

"In, Not Of this World" Issue

"Dear God, make me a bird. So I could fly far. Far far away from here."

-young Jenny Curran from Forrest Gump

 When I was in junior high I became a part of a dynamic youth ministries group that I was basically consumed by until I was in 11th grade. Along with its new faces and themes for each year, there were a handful of lessons one would hear countless times due to being in the group for so long. We would have "welcome the 7th graders" & "farewell to the Seniors" night about the time summer rolled around. We would have a "music to die for" series somewhere around the fall soon followed by an outreach video that either invoked a boy seeing demons through his "magical glasses" or a family boarding a plane that represented what eternity they would spend.

Christmas lessons during December, dating lectures during February, heartbreaking crucifixion sermons during Easter, same old same old. However, one of those repeat "offenders" was a lesson that talked about the type of friends one had. I remember my youth leader saying, "Show me your friends and I'll show you who you'll become."  

Through the years and different experiences (both for the better and worse) I have become friends with several "non-believers" as the church would say. 

"It's easier to pulled down than up."

                   -junior high youth leader

 I was taught that as a believer being one/united with a unbeliever was unhealthy; thus, limited time should be spent with them. But then again ministry needed to take place, so we were also taught that we had to become like "them" to "win" like Paul spoke about in 1 Cor. 9.

I guess because of these reasons I always felt weird inviting people to church. I thought: "why take them somewhere where they will hear that of which I should already be preaching to them by the way I live my life everyday?"   

Now I am not completely dismissing what I was taught all these years, for there is some truth to it. But as you can see it can sound a little contradictory and harsh or fake. I think we should evaluate everything that takes up too much of our time "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"-Matthew 6:21

This could even be people or things of the church. Just because it's "good" doesn't mean it is good.

Through the different circumstances in my life and some by my will, I have come to have many friends who are non-believers. And man, are they beautiful...

Honestly, sometimes I enjoy those who think differently from me than those who think just like me. It seems to me like too many times when I try to fit in with the "christian" crowd I am needing to prove myself. But when comes to those call themselves: "pagans, witches, agnostic, atheist, spirituals, Buddhists, Hindus" or whatever, I can just be myself. (Now, note I say sometimes.)

These friends of mine are so loving, so admiring, so wonderful...needless to say they are close to my heart.

With these relationships being so near and dear to my heart, I can not dismiss the fact of what other relationship is so important to me-my relationship with Jesus.

Knowing Jesus intimately, I can't help but have a desire for others to know Him as well.

But let's by honest Christ-Followers, sometimes it's hard...infuriating...time-consuming...energy-draining...

And sometimes you selfishly pray "Lord take me away from here! From them!" Like Jenny in Forrest Gump or perhaps like the real person Jonah. {Read Jonah}

•   What keeps you from ministering? Outreaching? Sharing the Light?

I've been praying about this more often than not recently. And God through the weeks has taught me three things that have captured my attention concerning this topic...

and the issue is not them....

it is me.

He said:

YOU NEED TO HAVE PATIENCE

2 Peter 3:9

Romans 5:8

John 3:17

YOU NEED TO LOVE

1 Cor. 13

1 John 4:7-21

YOU NEED TO SHOW MERCY

Jude

2 Cor. 6:3-13

Matthew 19:14

Just as my Lord has done all these things for me, I must do the same.

You will never forgive someone as much as God has forgiven you.

Be the testimony rather than the testimony you want to share.

But be wise.

Proverbs 16

"IT IS WRITTEN: "AS SURELY AS I LIVE," SAYS THE LORD, "EVERY KNEE WILL BOW BEFORE ME; EVERY TONGUE WILL ACKNOWLEDGE GOD.""-ROMANS 14:11 

"HOW, THEN, CAN THEY CALL ON THE ONE THEY HAVE NOT BELIEVED IN? AND HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE IN THE ONE OF WHOM THEY HAVE NOT HEARD? AND HOW CAN THEY HEAR WITHOUT SOMEONE PREACHING TO THEM? AND HOW CAN ANYONE PREACH UNLESS THEY ARE SENT? AS IT IS WRITTEN: "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS!""-ROMANS 10:14-15

"City On Our Knees" by Toby Mac (video featuring Evangelist Billy Graham)

The Cost

With Easter right around the corner it is hard not to think about the cost of Christ's life for our sake.

A passion of mine is noting the wrong concepts or lies that have accumulated over the centuries concerning Christianity. Why have we made it so hard to say, "You're wrong." Because it is not tactful? Tolerant? Respectful? Did Jesus ever say to people, "You're wrong."? Does He say it to you?

Personally I hate traditions. Being raised in a Lutheran church (not hating on anyone who is "Lutheran") I was taught many traditions. To me now it is just too much religion for me to handle and not enough truth. One of those traditions was Lent-you know the thing where you are suppose to give up something for 40 days before Easter. Yeah, I never do that. (Again, not hating on those who do.)

When I was in High School my class was discussing what they were giving up for Lent (& this was a public school surprisingly). Some how I got pulled in the discussion and was asked the question. I responded the same as I would now, "I don't believe in giving up something for Lent. I believe we should do it every day and that is what I try to do." Needless to say my friends were dumbfounded-the concept of giving something everyday to God?! That's crazy! That's foolish! That's so so so...

so what?

This past week I was revisited by what it means to follow Jesus, my Lord. (I can't believe it has been 9 years since that day I came to know Him personally!!) I share with you now some of those passages asking that you first examine them yourselves, listening and grasping what words are jumping out of the page for you.

Matthew 20, Matthew 2, Matthew 10, Proverbs 16

Matthew 20 I list as "The Want Chapter" because everyone is telling Jesus what they want. "What do you want?"-Jesus

Well to be honest Jesus, I want things to work out the way I've planned it, I want things to be easy, I want to be loved, I want to not worry about money, I want to not have to work my hands to death....

Sound similar to your request?

In Matthew 2 He continues to then ask me through the Magi following the star they so earnestly studied, "Who/what are you following?"

Well to be honest Jesus I am following things based upon money and the time that I have to spare.

Are you as well?

He reminds me of my purpose and calling as a chosen follower of His in Matthew 10. Just like He called his closest friends to himself and provided them with a distinctive mission, he does the same for you & I.

Personally, God has been taking me to this passage since I was in 9th grade during of which I realized I wanted to be a missionary. His mission, His command for all of us who call Him Lord is, "Go."

Where are you going?

Well I ask Lord, "Aren't you more concerned about who I am than what I do?" And although this is true, the last scripture in Proverbs convicts me of complacency in my heart.

You see thing is I have these mighty dreams but that is all they are. You ever hear people say, "you can do anything."? Yeah, I really hate that. Because it's not true. Truth says: "we can do anything through Him who gives us strength" and "all things are possible through Him".

This Easter, this season, this year, this day, this very hour I do not want to live for myself. For I was bought for a price. A mighty MIGHTY price. I can not just sit here and do nothing. I want to bare my Savior's cross.

"What do you want?"

"We want to sit by your right and left."

"You do not know what you are asking...Can you drink from the cup I drink from? Can you be baptized with the same water I am baptized with?"

"We can."-Matthew 20

Do you know what you ask for of late?

Can you suffer the way your Savior did?

"In their hearts human beings plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."-Proverbs 16:9

This morning here in Denver it was snowing like it was a blizzard (it is now all melted...this is why I love Denver). But I thought this to myself: too many times those wanting to follow Christ get ready to walk into that similar blizzard...but what they don't comprehend is that this isn't just a brief stroll, this bitter coldness & invisibility isn't just a 2-minute run through. No, this will last awhile. No, this is really hard. The air can be thick with snow, the wind bone-chilling, the steps short and shaking.

However, whatever the cost my brothers and sisters the Truth is that we are not alone!!! We are never alone!!!

Jesus once said, "those who look back are not fit for the work."

So I'm praying, "Jesus don't let me look back. Jesus, let me continue to walk with you wherever and not worry. Jesus, we're in this together."

At the end of Matthew 20 Jesus restores a man's sight. 

Hmmm....amazing isn't it.

At the end of this journey you'll realize it's not about your glory, it's about "sight".

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me."-Jesus (John 14:6) 

"Everything" by Lifehouse {listen & enjoy}

  

16th Street Crush

People say guard your heart/I was praying for somebody like you/people say be wise/but you're the wisest guy I've seen/You're not like me/yet we are very similar/You make me smile,/more importantly/You make me think./I like your style,/I like you just the way you are./My friends know about you/but they don't know/you like I do./Tell me & teach me more./You are important,/you are!/Yet, in all the words/I could say/& all the flutters/of the day,/You can't bring what I need./We don't have/to agree on everything,/tiss true-/however,/Jesus/ Jesus/  Jesus/it always ever has to be /about Jesus

Are you taking a hold/of this heart/or is it being held/captive?/Is it these games/we are playing/or/is it about the/last man standing?/Do you take this hand/of " I do's"/or/am I left blindsided?/You're walking in/circles around me,/already I'm/walking on hands/already I'm/daydreaming in a wasteland/You want me to go/further?/You're pulling on the rope/harder./My heads under water.

Standing alone/standing alone,/never alone./Purity of what again?/Left to innocence played on/an 8-track./Breeze is the breath,/death/to how it needs to be./Wreckage/came & stole/the façade,/covers tore open/the/infirmary for the heart./Eager for more of what?/Never satisfied/with plain./Waiting, watching/spinning/all become dizzy./Depth left/to a brick./Reasoning beyond/logic front center-/love/in the dusk./love in the dusk