John 16:33–He Has Overcome the World

John 16:33–"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have trouble.  But take heart, I have overcome the world."

This statement comes right after Jesus has again prophesied His impending death.  Understanding this context adds a certain amount of girth to Jesus' assertion.  The heart of His affirmation is that there is a peace that He offers, a definitive and otherworldly peace.  But this peace is based on what Jesus has done, or more accurately to this verse, this peace is based upon what He is about to do.  But there is so much application here for us too.  There is so much comfort to be found here for us, that whenever we would we would face trial and tribulation that may come from evil, we know that we too can find comfort in Christ and peace in what He has done.

Praise be to God!

Col. 3:15–Let the Peace of Christ Rule

Colossians 3:15–"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful."

This is an exhortation but in the context of this chapter of Colossians it can actually seem like an after though, as if Paul is saying: "Oh yeah, and..."

But I do not believe that is the intention of this verse whatsoever.  God is calling us, quite directly, to let the peace of His Son rule in our hearts.  Now this does not mean merely that we would give some sort of ascent to peace, or even that we would 'try' to be more peaceful.  No!  This is about supremacy; it is about submission.  The point, or the goal, is that we would truly let the peace of Christ reign in our hearts and in our lives.  This means that the peace of Christ will be ever set before us as our guide and our chief, keeping us inline as well as promoting a specific sort of life ethic.  Let us then strive to make this verse a reality in our own lives so as to submit fully to the will of God in Christ!

Take up Jesus' Yoke for Rest

Jesus said this in Matthew 11: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  (Matt 10:28-30).

Many people quote the first part of this passage, more commonly spoken as this: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest...For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Unfortunately, this neglects the weightier part of this passage, chiefly, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me..."

Jesus is talking about peace and He is talking about peace, but He is not saying that we should lay down from work or rest from our labors.  On the contrary!  Jesus is exhorting people to come to Him so as to rest in their work, true work that is found in Him.  This is what He means.  Jesus uses unambiguous language here.  He is, actually, telling us that we will work but that our peace and rest will come through the work we do for Him.  Let us always remember this if ever we feel tired and broken down!

Turning to God in times of Weariness

How far would you have to be pushed for you to be pushed too far?  Or, how many times would you have to be patient before you ran out?  Or, at what point would you finally throw your hands up and look a person into the eyes and say: "Enough! You've gone too far and I cannot help you any more!"

Sometimes it can be a healthy thought experiment to consider these things in lieu of God and all His gracious majesty.  I recently thought of such things during a particularly challenging day.  Work had been crazy and unstable.  The drive home was backed-up with rush hour traffic.  My night's plans were thrown off by life's improvisations.  And by the end of the night, I was both exhausted and irritable.

As I was lying in lying in my bed, trying to decompress from the erratic jar of my day, when the Holy Spirit spoke into my heart and my head.  To be honest, the voice was comforting but unwelcome at first, because when He spoke, I was slammed deeper into my mattress with conviction and awe.

We, every human being that has ever lived, behaves like a tired, upset, moody, crazy toddler to our Heavenly Father.  Yet He, in His infinite grace, never runs out of patience, never gives up, and cannot be pushed beyond His limits because He has none.  When the Holy Spirit spoke this to me, I was astonished at how easily I found myself bogged down by my limited patience and the meager issues that seem so big.  Truly, sometimes a healthy dose of godly perspective is all a person needs to turn back to God and receive some much needed peace.

Peace of God

Peace.  It is one of the buzz words employed by Paul but it is steeped in theological merit.  In the postmodern world, peace has become a generic term for good relations or the goal of disparate international alliances.  In the spiritual realm, though, peace holds a much more significant definition, aptly describing how, through the blood of Christ, we can be reconciled to God (Rom. 5:1-2).

In this, the greatest sense, peace is purely relational, a designation reserved for how Christ Jesus has affected the relationship between man and God.  The ultimate referent for peace is what Jesus has done, breaking down the wall of hostility, the Law, that had separated man and God as well as Jew and Gentile in order to bring all who are faithful to His self (Eph. 2:14-15).

Peace, in its truest sense, refers then to how Christ Jesus has reconciled us to God through His blood (Col. 1:21-22).  Additionally, the peace we receive from God arises out our justified status (Rom. 5:1-2).  This cannot be emphasized enough: peace is a gift from the Lord that stems from the applied work of Jesus.

Additionally, peace is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), that guards are hearts and minds as its ruler that leads us in brotherly love (Phil. 4:7; Col. 3:15).  As we receive the gift of peace, which is made sure by the blood of Christ Jesus, we are to pass it on.  In essence, peace is to be our very way of life, living peacefully in peace.  Peace is thus not merely a word, but it reflects the restored relationship between man and God through the blood of Christ.  Therefore, we should pursue peace as to pursue Christ.

God's Rhythmic Creation

God, in His infinite wisdom and perfect creativity, designed all of creation with built-in cycles.  There are years, seasons, weeks, days, and a number of other measurements of time and change.  God is a God of rhythm and restoration.  Even in the original seven-day week instituted at creation, each day served its own purpose and function.  Unfortunately, as a result of sin, all of creation is less than its original perfection and the intended rhythm of life has become fragmented.

The resulting symptoms of the fragmentation of life from its intended solidarity are plenty but probably the most devastating is the apparent separation between a splintered humanity and an infinitely whole God. Humanity is rife with compartmentalization that prevents our whole selves from connecting to the Lord in true relationship.

We can become easily overwhelmed in the fragmentation of the world.  The result is that we are constantly uneasy and lacking the peace that we have been given in Christ.  This is evidence of a disconnect between what we believe and what we experience.  Part of this disconnect is that we have lost touch with God's intended cycle of life, instituted at the dawn of creation.

The writer of Ecclesiastes paints a picture of ideal life under heaven, a life where there is a season and time for everything (Ecc. 3:1-8).  The writer, most likely Solomon, is defining what could best be described as the ideal life under the sun.  Simply stated, the ideal life is making the most of every moment with all wisdom so that the time we have is used for what is supposed to be used for.

Today is the day, the only day that we have to live.  This is why we are to be present today in worship and in praise (Psa. 118:24).  Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, but today is a gift; that's why we call it the present (thank you, Kung Fu Panda).  The point is simple: not to live in the past or spend too much time thinking about tomorrow.  Today is the day.

God created the whole of the universe with cycles and seasons.  When we align ourselves with God's seasons and His cycles, we position ourselves for right relationship with Him.  There is a rhythm to this world.  A rhythm of work and rest, of pain and healing.  All of creation sings God's glory.  The rhythm of life is both biblical and desirable.  Let us press on to fall into the rhythm of God's creation for the purpose of right relationship with the Lord Almighty!

Seeking Quiet through the Noise

In our world we are constantly bombarded with noise and device that continually distract us from our primary purpose.  From email, social-networking, video games, phones, computers, iPods, movies, to television, everything seems to lead us to diversion in an ever-fragmented society.  The pull of the digital world is strong as its bells and whistles steal our focus and fill the quiet of our hearts and minds with noise.

It is this noise that we should be made aware of.  Often in life, we can go for some time without addressing an issue simply because we have not been made aware of it.  The noise of the modern digital world is such an issue.  Many people live lives like they handle their computer or digital device: switching back and forth between simultaneous programs.

This sort of fragmentation is not beneficial or effective.  It's like putting one pant leg on, brushing the teeth of the left side of your mouth, putting on a shoe, turning off the alarm clock, turning on the TV, checking emails, pouring a bowl of cereal, then putting on the other pant leg, brushing the right side teeth, and sitting down to eat your cereal after putting on your other show.  Clearly, this is an exaggeration, but if we're honest, is it that far off?

True multi-tasking is not the same as doing everything at the same time.  Multi-tasking is always measured in effectiveness, not in how many things can we do simultaneously, but how many things can we do well.  If we are being a poor friend, a sloppy employee, or an ineffective communicator, it might be that we are being distracted by the noise around i.e. TV, emails, texts, phone calls, etc.  If our goal is to be excellent, a realigned measure of focus might be in order.

Fighting the fragmentation of the digital world we live in is not an easy proposition, particularly considering how plugged-in each of us is on a daily basis.  Research as recent as 2009 indicates that  around 90% of American households have computers, 83% have internet access in their homes, 83% of adults have a cell-phone, and some 80% of families have at least one modern gaming system (X-Box, Wii, Playstation 3, etc).  This means that nearly every American is totally drowning in a sea of potential distractions.

The only thing that has any ability to cut through the noise of the digital world is the Lord, His Word and Holy Spirit.  Getting into His presence is the only thing capable of slicing through the tumult of the world, which works tirelessly to distract us from Him.  In reality, we are always in His presence, but we are often too distracted to be aware.  Practically speaking, we need to turn down the noise in order to hear His voice.  And, although this can be literal noise like turning our phones on silent, it is also an inner silence.

There is a distinct and clear quietness that accompanies the Christian life. When we allow and schedule times of quiet, we turn off the distractions and focus on the Lord.  We should strive to make a regular habit of turning off the noise and disturbances of this world so that we can focus on, truly meditate on, the Lord, His Word and His will.

When we put Him first in this manner, we will be blessed and the distractions of the digital world will somehow seem to have less weight in our lives than we had previously thought.  So let us resolve to not allow the digital world and its devices of distraction decide when we will be devout, but let our devotion to the Lord guide how we can most effectively use the digital world to live out our ultimate purpose of bringing people to Christ.

Rest for the Redeemed

Rest, a time of refreshment, relaxation, and recovery.  The seal of the Mosaic covenant was the keeping of the sabbath. The sabbath represented the seventh-day rest of creation.  On every seventh day the Israelites were reminded of God's sovereign work of creation.  Thus, the cycle of the week was a constant reminder of the Lord and the people's dependence on His provision and sovereignty.

The sabbath day was a day of rest but it served as much more than a mere "day off."  It was a theological construct.  On the sabbath, no work was to be done so that the people could focus on the Lord and His providence.  Sabbath rest was a requirement and a seal of the covenant but it was to be surpassed by another, Promised Rest, that was to accompany the Promised Land.  The Promised Land was to be paired with a Promised Rest.  Unfortunately, due to covenant infidelity, the Israelites never saw the fulfillment of the Promised Rest.

This understanding of rest was amended under the New Covenant.  The sabbath, and its theology, was changed by a new law, the law of Christ and grace.  Under this new law, the rest for believers is not cyclical in the same sense but it is determined and bestowed by the Lord (Matt. 11:28-29).  Rest is no longer dependent on the cycle of the week but is a constant state of being, a state of rest.  Our rest is wholly dependent on the Lord alone.  It is our reliance on the Lord that gives us our rest.

Additionally, the Promised Rest under Christ has a future fulfillment much like the Israelites' rest had a future fulfillment in the Promised Land.  For Christians, rest has its ultimate realization in the eternal presence of the Holy Lord.  This means that the rest we have now is only a part but to be made whole later in the Lord.

Rest, defined, refers to a time of relaxation and relief.  Rest is often understood in relation to a particular activity or time but, as has been shown, rest is not defined in terms of activities or times.  Rather, rest in Christ is a lifestyle, an attitude towards life itself, an utter reliance on the Lord.  Rest is then paired with our understandings of hope and peace.

In Christ, rest is not occasion-dependent but is continuous because it is based on our reliance on the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, Christians live in a state of rest because the Holy Spirit, who dwells within believers, is the giver of rest.  Rest is one of the beautiful gifts that God bestows.  Let us strive to live in the Spirit and thus live continuously in His rest.

Christ's Christmas

Some 2,000 years ago, in a small rural suburb of Jerusalem, a woman and her soon-to-be husband arrive at an inn but there is no vacancy available.  The woman, though a virgin, was quite pregnant and the baby's delivery imminent and near.

Months earlier, an angel of the Lord, Gabriel, had come to the woman and prophesied that the Lord Most High would descend upon her and she would bear a child, the Son of God, and that she would call His name, Jesus, meaning God saves.  The man she was betrothed to discovered that she was with child and, though he thought of divorcing her, when an angel came to him, in a dream, revealed that his betrothed's child was the Christ, the Messiah who would save all mankind from their sin.

At this time, near the end of the young woman's pregnancy, the emperor issued a decree requiring that everyone return to their ancestry's land to be censored.  The man took his pregnant fiance to the place of his ancestry, to Bethlehem.  The trip was arduous and long.  Upon arrival, the woman realized that it was time: she was going to deliver her child.

Although the inn was full, a man offered the couple a cave that served as a stable for livestock for them to stay in.  The woman delivered her child, an infant boy.  She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and placed him in a trough.

Meanwhile, shepherds nearby were watching their sheep by night as an angel of the Lord appeared before them and told them that in Bethlehem a child was born.  The angel told the shepherds to go to the town and to offer praises to the newborn as He was to be the Messiah, the savior of all mankind.  They left their flocks and the fields to find the couple and their child in the stable, the infant resting in a manger, wrapped in strips of cloth.  It was just how the angel had prophesied it to be.

The Christmas story is repeated yearly in the Christian calendar.  It is the beginning of Jesus' life and His ministry.  At this time, the 25th of December, let us take time to remember Christ, to remember the dozens of prophecies that were fulfilled in His birth, let alone His life.  A time to remember that God is sovereign and holy, and that He condescended into humanity for the purpose of redeeming His children from sin.  Now we can enter into right relationship with Him by Him and for Him.  Truly, this is what Christmas is all about.

When in the Wilderness

For the Israelites, the 40 years spent in the wilderness represented more than a topographical designation.  It was a place of sanctification and preparation.  The Israelites had to stay wandering in the wilderness for forty years and, due to their disbelief and unfaithfulness, none of the first-generation exodus survivors were allowed to enter the Promised Land (Num. 13-14).  The wilderness served distinct theological purposes.

Additionally, Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness following His baptism and prior to the start of His ministry (Matt. 4).  During His time in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted.  He also had to rely solely on the provision of God to sustain Him through the hardship.  The wilderness served as a training ground, preparing Jesus for His divine work.

We also spend time in the wilderness, although our wilderness experiences are not so geographically delineated as were Jesus' or Israel's.  Sometimes wilderness experiences do depend on actual, physical wildernesses, but, on the whole, the Christian's wilderness is one of the spirit.  Our wilderness is the world, specifically the fleshly world.  When we go out into the world of the flesh, we are entering a wilderness, a wilderness of desolation and of sin.

In these times, we need to be on guard to remain obedient through the hardships that will attack our hearts, our minds, and our souls.  We should rely on God for direction and guidance, for provision and sustenance.  The wilderness is a medium for sanctification.  This is not to say that Christians should willingly leap at every wilderness opportunity without preparation.  The wilderness can be dangerous and preparations need to be made for wilderness experiences.

For instance, the primary mode for making a camping excursion enjoyable is having the right gear: tent, sleeping bag, etc.  Similarly, handling the wilderness means having the right gear.  Since the wilderness for Christians is a spiritual land, this means having the Word of God printed on our hearts, His praises on our tongues, and our spirits fixed on the Lord.

When these components are in place, the wilderness can be a challenging but rewardingly sanctifying experience.  When we are not prepared for the wilderness, it can be dangerous. The wilderness will naturally push us to rely on ourselves for provision and to doubt the Lord, both being unfaithfully treacherous and sinful.  In contrast, the wilderness requires that we rely solely on God and do not doubt.  But thanks be to God for He is always faithful to use the wilderness for our good and steadfast to pull us through and closer to Himself! 

Hearing the Lord

Throughout Jesus' life and ministry, He repeats a simple but powerful phrase: "He who has ears, let him hear."  This line is pregnant with theological import.  Implied in this statement is twofold: first off, not everyone has ears; secondly, those who have ears might not be using them.  Because of Jesus' repeated use of this phrase, it is important.  The first question to ask is who has ears.

In John 10, Jesus preaches a significant sermon.  In this sermon, He says some very important things; however, for the purpose of this debate, one thing stands out for its significance: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27)."  The first indicator of having ears to hear is those that do are believers.

This seems harsh but it is absolutely biblical: only believers have ears to hear.  Unbelievers are not able to hear His voice no matter how hard they try because they simply do not have ears to hear.  This is clear that those that have the ability to hear have it because they are already His.  Because Christians belong to His sheepfold, they hear and know His voice because He is the true Shepherd of the flock; there is no other shepherd.  Any other potential shepherd is a false prophet, a heretic, a wolf, a thief, and a liar.

The story of having ears does not end with identifying who has ears, though, because Jesus says, "he who has ears, let him hear," indicates that not everyone who has ears uses them.  This is important and worth pointing out: not every believer uses his/her ears, and not every believer is listening to the Lord. This is challenging teaching but it is real.  The Lord's voice is not the only voice trying to speak to believers.  Because of this, understanding the practicals of hearing His voice is paramount and essential.

There's much to be said but it can be simplified into two basic points.  At the onset, His voice is a spiritual voice.  Because God is who He is and He speaks through His Holy Spirit, hearing His voice is a spiritual endeavor.  This seems rudimentary but its practical application is not.  When we say that hearing His voice is a spiritual undertaking, it conversely means that it is not a fleshly pursuit.

Because the fleshly man is utterly unable to understand the spiritual things (Rom. 8:7; 1 Cor. 2:14), hearing the voice of God is spiritually done.  This means that striving to hear God's voice requires the listener to transcend his/her fleshly listening faculties and in order to open his/her spiritual ears.  Opening  the spiritual ears requires active participation on the part of the potential hearer.

Romans 10:17 says that faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.  This is a remarkable verse that points to how spiritual ears are formed and tuned: through faith in Christ and His Word.  Hearing God's voice requires faith in Jesus because, through Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit which is the activator of our spiritual ears and the voice speaking thereof.

Think of a radio.  You can search every possible station and still not find the show you're looking for until you realize that you're on AM when the show is on FM.  Similarly, if we are trying to listen to God on FM (from the flesh) while He is on AM (in the Spirit), then we will not be able to hear His voice.  This points to the absolute necessity of the Word of God.  The Word helps us tune in our spiritual ears to hear the voice of God.  When we are devoted to the Word, we will be more apt and able to tune into Him.

Piece of Peace

Peace is an interesting word.  Its meanings range from quiet to solitude, from tranquility to contentment. The breadth of peace's place in the believer's life is huge.  This peace, divine peace, is a gift from God and is to cover our hearts and lives.  We are to live in the peace that God bestows upon us.

The peace that Christ gives to believers surpasses all understanding and is to guard our hearts and our minds (Phil. 4:7).  Peace serves a purpose, it is not just an attitude but is a state of being that keeps and protects believers from sin.  When we let the peace of Christ rest over our hearts, it acts as a protectant that prevents us from things like malice and envy, sin that can taint.

When peace is our state and how we handle the waves of this life, we will not let the fickle and mercurial nature of the world hinder our ability to live godly lives.  Jesus gives a peace that is dependable.  We can rest upon it.  This becomes crucial when we are constantly pushed to not be peaceful.  When life throws curves we should rely on the peace that God bestows to carry us through the toughest of situations with grace and dignity.

Being full of peace, peaceful, is also a way to live, an attitude to handle all of life's struggles.  Living in a state, an attitude, of peacefulness can be invaluable because we will become not be able to be overly-encumbered or overwhelmed by the world but will be in a place of contentment grounded in the Lord.  If the root of our peace is the Lord, we will not be shaken for the peace that passes understanding will help us to maintain a life of satisfaction.

The reality is that God desire for us to delight in Him and to only seek our satisfaction in Him.  This is what peace is all about: having our contentment and satisfaction met in Him.  When we truly rely on the Lord as the source of our strength and fulfillment, then we will understand what peace is all about.