The Best Possible Life
The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:25)
As he gained speed going down a hill, the young boy racing along on his bike saw a sharp turn just ahead. But the speed was exhilarating, so he paused a second–and then another and another–reluctant to apply the brakes. He hit the curve at full
speed. When he hit a bump, he lost control and found himself flying off the bike. Both he and the bicycle were a bit mangled, but survived. But he learned the simple truth that sometimes we must give up something we enjoy in order to get something
better–or simply to survive. That is true in the physical realm, but even more so in the spiritual realm.
Jesus said, “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35) Giving something up in obedience to God might sting a little. But in the end, it’s the only course for keeping our bike on
the road and living our best possible life.
Mark 8:11-26
Mark 8:11-26 "Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again…” (Mark 8:25) Listen. I’m preaching this to myself as much as anyone reading this because it is a hard lesson to learn – especially if you have even the faintest streak of perfectionism in your soul. (Also, I think all people are perfectionists in some manner or another. After all, we were created to live in utter perfection with God and sin has disrupted that at the moment, but that inclination for perfection, utter beauty, order,...
Isaiah 49:1-12
Isaiah 49:1-12 “Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The LORD called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’” (Isaiah 49:1-3) Identity and purpose. This is what Isaiah gives us in this passage. First, he explains who he is –...
Ephesians 5:1-14
Ephesians 5:1-14 “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11) Near the end of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, he does what Paul almost always does – he gives a quick series of ethical injunctions. I suspect that these quick reminders are of greater importance than we tend to think. In fact, I suspect these are the topics that Paul wanted to talk about with the churches except that every church was having their own issues and Paul had to...
Mark 1:29-45
Mark 1:29-45 “Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons” (Mark 1:31-32) This early healing in Mark’s gospel of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law has always been a favorite of mine – and not only because it lends itself to the easy punchline: “…and that was the first (and last) time that Peter would be good enough for her daughter” ::rimshot:: No, I like this story because it puts on full display why...
Matthew 12:14-21
Matthew 12:14-21 “But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. When Jesus became aware of this, he departed” (Matthew 12:14-15) What do we do with nay-sayers in our lives? Answering this question is probably a fair bit contextual – that is, who the nay-sayer is matters; if it’s your mother, that’s an entirely different thing than if it is your boss at work – but even with this caveat acknowledged, I still think Jesus presents us with a model for how to live...
Psalm 89:1-2
Psalm 89:1-2 “I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens” (Psalm 89:1-2) Friends, it’s been a heckuva year. And, of course, the change of the calendar is psychologically refreshing, but it does not mean that everything will all of the sudden be better. However, as we stand upon the end of one year and face whatever...
Luke 1:57-66
Luke 1:57-66 “He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God” (Luke 1:63-64) I’ve always loved this story, but it has a particular (sad?) resonance this year. As you likely remember, Zechariah had been confronted by an angel of the Lord while working his duties as a priest in the Holy of Holies. It was here that he was told he would have a son, but when he...
Mark 1:1-8
Mark 1:1-8 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to...
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 “For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians...
Isaiah 2:1-4
Isaiah 2:1-4 Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall...
