Applying the Word; June 2, 2018

Posted on June 3, 2018 by jgarrott

Mark 4:24-25 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

Translations make a big difference in understanding. This passage was in my memory as, “Be very careful what you hear,” and it wasn’t until I read the Japanese, which says, “Pay close attention to what you hear,” that I realized how the NIV expresses it. For once, I approve of the NIV editors’ choice! All too often we sit in church and the message is like water on a duck’s back, maybe making an impression at the moment but not sinking in at all. Here Jesus is pointing out how dangerous that is, because we tend to think we have knowledge of God and His kingdom, only to discover we know nothing at all. That’s why the Bible is full of admonitions like, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16) That connects with the Old Testament admonition: “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8) These days we get hung up on the word, meditation, and devise all sorts of systems and formulas, when what Jesus is saying is simply to think about it, letting it percolate in your mind and heart. Then we need to progress to living it out, as it says in James 1:22, or else we’re just playing mind games.

I have long known that James 1:22 was directly aimed at me, because I grew up immersed in the Bible, and virtually all of it is very familiar to me. The problem has always been in grasping how it applied to my daily life, and then living it out. Like Paul, I don’t want to be someone who teaches others but then blows it himself. (1 Corinthians 9:27) That’s one of the biggest reasons I like Wayne Cordeiro’s SOAP system of daily devotions, which I have followed for quite a few years now. Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer form the framework. Far too many devotional guides leave out Application, which leaves a SOP that might make you feel better for a moment, but doesn’t really change you. I have found that it is when I apply what I hear God saying to me that it genuinely cleanses me, washing out the old and recreating me in the image of my Lord. (Romans 8:29)

Father, thank You for Your gracious faithfulness to teach me Your Word. Thank You for the privilege of sharing that with others. Help me both apply it consistently in my own life and lead others to do the same, so that we may be Christ’s disciples indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Response to Evil; June 1, 2018

Posted on June 3, 2018 by jgarrott

Mark 3:5 He looked round at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

Two things stand out to me in this verse, one about Jesus and the other about the man who was healed. In the first place, this says Jesus got angry. The other, more famous instance of that was His response to those who were more interested in making money than in allowing Gentiles to have a place to pray to Yahweh. (John 2:13-17) Here, too, His anger is at those who are more interested in keeping their grip on power than meeting the needs of those supposedly in their care. It was deeply distressing to Him, which is something we tend to overlook. The action He took, however, was not to attack those who were in the wrong, but to meet the need that they had ignored. That leads us to the man who was healed. Anyone who has been around stroke victims has no problem picturing what it means when it says he had a “shriveled hand.” In that condition, what Jesus told him to do was actually impossible. Stretching it out was precisely what he couldn’t do. However, in obedience to Jesus, he attempted it, and as he did so, full motion and function were restored. Since I teach at Nagasaki Rehabilitation College, I’d call that “instant physical therapy!” A major issue for those who need PT is in getting them to attempt that which is difficult, or perhaps even painful. That’s why those who really apply themselves are so inspiring. In this case, we have no idea whether the act of lifting his arm and stretching out his had was painful, but it might have been. Regardless, he acted in obedience because Jesus had said to do it, and his faith was magnificently rewarded.

Both of these factors speak to me. I too am deeply distressed as I learn about people who stubbornly cling to political power instead of seeking to fulfill their commission and meet the needs of those around them. The resistance of the swamp to being drained can be pretty intense! I am not to allow my distress to tear me down, but rather let it move me to effective prayer to tear down the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8, 2 Corinthians 10:4) From the standpoint of the man who was healed, I am to be obedient to whatever the Lord tells me to do, even if it seems impossible or is painful in the doing. I’ve got to believe Him and listen to Him more than I listen to the world, the devil, or even my own flesh. I’ve watched painful rehab, and I’ve got to be willing to go through it myself. God’s plans are always good and the devil’s are never good, so I’ve got to remember that and act accordingly.

Father, sometimes I feel drained after reading and/or watching the news over the Internet. The blindness and evil expressed can be overwhelming. Help me remember always that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) Help me always do as You direct, whether that is comfortable at the moment or not. Help me indeed stretch out to be and do what You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Good News; May 31, 2018

Posted on June 1, 2018 by jgarrott

Mark 1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

I find I rather frequently quote this very succinct expression of Jesus’ message. Various things about it are worth noticing, the first being the timing. Jesus didn’t start His public ministry until John was arrested. I’m sure John wasn’t happy at being arrested, but maybe he would have been had he realized that event was clearing the deck for the ministry of the Lamb of God, whom he had already recognized. (John 1:29, 36) It is also significant that Jesus wasn’t going to steal any of John’s thunder, as the saying goes. John’s ministry was valid and important, and not even the Son of God was going to push him out of the way. The second thing that stands out to me is that the the good news is very simply that God’s kingdom is near, it has become accessible, but repentance is necessary to receive it. Far too often we try to leave repentance out of the picture, either for ourselves or for others. That simply doesn’t work. Repentance is necessary because it is the antidote for pride, which is the original sin. Thinking we don’t need God, or thinking we know better than He does, will positively keep us from His kingdom. That was exactly the sin of the Garden of Eden, when Eve was persuaded by the devil that she could decide something other than what God had said. (Genesis 3:4-6) Repentance is acknowledging we were wrong and then turning and doing something different. At the very least we have to repent of ignoring God in order to turn to Him to receive His salvation.

This is the message I preach, and how I wish it were more received! Japanese are very hardworking, to the point that one of the first Japanese expressions a foreigner will learn, living here, is gambaru (as an expression of resolve) or gambatte (as an admonition to someone else). There is no direct English equivalent, but the closest you could come would be “try hard,” or “do your best.” That national character makes the idea of salvation by grace through faith very suspect for the average Japanese. There is a proverb that says, “There’s nothing more expensive that what is free.” In other words, there will always be a price to pay, and the more hidden that price, the higher it will be in the long run. The problem for an evangelist in Japan is that countering that expectation can lead quickly to legalism, which is so counter to the Gospel that Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians to refute it. As Jesus did, I need to express that following Him will cost you your life, but that the one you will receive in exchange is far better. (Matthew 16:24-25) Of course, our flesh doesn’t like to hear that! However, being upfront about it is far more likely to generate true disciples for Christ than any approach that soft-pedals repentance. I am to continue to insist that salvation is by grace through faith alone, but that receiving it calls for letting go of everything else. I can’t get that through to people in my own strength and wisdom, so I’ve got to trust and depend on the Holy Spirit to do it in people’s hearts and minds, perhaps even using me in the process.

Father, thank You for calling me back to basics. Thank You for the ideas You are giving us for reaching out to our neighbors. I pray that Your Spirit would indeed prepare their hearts for what You want to speak through us, so that they may indeed repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Jesus’ Authority; May 30, 2018

Posted on June 1, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The Great Commission is rightly enshrined in many churches, but I’m not sure we are capable of grasping the full depth and breadth of its implications. In one sense it “puts teeth to” the commission that Jesus gave those in the upper room immediately after His resurrection: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21) Here He states that all authority has been given to Him, and then He delegates that authority to those who follow Him. Prior to this, it was the Roman Centurion who understood most clearly what Jesus’ authority meant, when he said that Jesus didn’t even have to be physically present to command healing for his servant. (Matthew 8:8-9) It was that authority, along with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, that enabled the disciples to be so utterly fearless and bold in front of the Sanhedrin, (Acts 4:5-12, 5:27-32) as well as empowering martyrs down through the ages. When we realize what it means that we can pray in Jesus’ name, for example, it changes just about every aspect of our lives. Most importantly, it should cause every believer to be dedicated to personal discipleship and to making more and more disciples for Christ, just as He tells us here. It is only as we submit ourselves to His authority that His authority operates through us to defeat the devil and draw people into His kingdom.

As a child of missionaries and a missionary myself, obviously this passage has been big for my whole life. However, there’s a world of difference between intellectual knowledge and daily, practical fulfillment. As has been stated in the Coaching seminars I’ve attended, the weakest part of the Church is making disciples, and I’m no exception. I have made more converts than disciples, and Jesus didn’t tell us to go make converts. I have been somewhat allergic to legalism, having seen the tremendous damage it can do, but in reaction I have failed to stress sufficiently the practical reality of being a disciple. God is indeed the God of grace and love, but we need to align ourselves with Him for that to flow through us properly. I think I’m continuing to grow, but I’ve got plenty of room for more growth! I’m not to be satisfied with converts, but keep pressing in for disciples, for God’s satisfaction and glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the person You’ve had on my heart for the past couple of days. I pray for Your timing and Your words to enable him to get past the lies of the enemy that have kept him from You, so that he may indeed be born again into Your family while he has opportunity, drawing his wife right along with him, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Gift of Jesus’ Life; May 29, 2018

Posted on May 30, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 27:50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

I hadn’t thought about the fact that, because Greek uses the same word for spirit and breath, this verse uses a standard Japanese expression for death: “His breath was taken.” In Japanese there is actually a pun between breath and life, though not to the degree of the Greek identity of spirit and breath. In any case, the point here is that Jesus gave His life, rather than anyone taking it from Him. That is exactly what Jesus Himself had said previously. “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” (John 10:17-18) This is of course the ultimate gift, as came out in the discussion of the Last Supper two days ago. Jesus had said clearly what the motive was for this gift: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) There is medical confirmation that Jesus’ death was a deliberate gift on His part, because of the sequence expressed in this verse. Death by crucifixion is actually by asphyxiation, because the body becomes too exhausted to draw another breath. Here, however, Jesus cried out just before dying, which doesn’t fit that pattern at all. The Roman soldiers, well used to crucifixions, were surprised that He had died so quickly. (John 19:33-34) Some have said that was because He essentially “bled out,” having been scourged just before being crucified, but there too, crying out just before death would be an impossibility. We are faced with the inescapable conclusion that Jesus gave His life, rather than having it taken. If that fact doesn’t generate humility and gratitude in your heart, you haven’t understood it yet.

This is just as true for me as it is for anyone else. Any time I get to complaining, even within myself, about what I am going through, that means I have forgotten that Jesus gave His life for me. Any time I look down on someone or despise them for any reason, I have forgotten that Jesus gave His life for them. Any time I doubt God’s love in any way, I have forgotten that Jesus gave His life. John 3:16 is justly famous, but it is a prime example of the phenomenon of familiarity breeding contempt. As Jesus said in John 10, He did take His life back up again, but first He had to lay it down. I need to let that truth “dwell in me richly,” as Paul said, (Colossians 3:16) meditating on it so that it shapes my every thought and action. I have grown spiritually over the years, but I still have plenty of room to grow in this area. When I truly grasp the love of God in Christ, Christ will be formed in me, for His glory. (Galatians 4:19)

Father, thank You for Your incredible love in sending Your Son. Lord Jesus, thank You for Your incredible love in giving Your life for me, and for all mankind. Help me both grasp that love more and more and communicate it more and more effectively, so that there may be a massive increase in Your family, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Giving Your Life; May 28, 2018

Posted on May 30, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 27:4-5 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

Judas essentially did as the chief priests and elders told him to do. They had no more concern for his life than they did for Jesus’ life. The Japanese says they told him, “You take care of it.” The problem is, we can’t really atone for our own sin. By his own confession Judas had sold an innocent man’s life, so he gave his own in exchange, but it doesn’t work that way. If he had committed his life to live sacrificially as Jesus would have wanted, that would have been far better. That is what Peter did, after his betrayal of Jesus, and Jesus met with him personally after His resurrection. This all comes back to the two ways to give your life. Jesus had told his disciples that those who follow Him do give their lives, (Matthew 16:25) and He told James and John they would both give their lives as He was going to do, (Matthew 20:23) but James was the first of the apostles to be martyred, while John was the only one of the 12 to die a natural death. There are many ways to give your life for Christ, but suicide is not one of them. Living in Nagasaki Prefecture I am very familiar with the story of Fr. Maximillian Kolbe, since he ministered here for several years. He ended up in Auschwitz, and volunteered to be executed instead of another prisoner who had a wife and children. That was indeed giving his life, but it wasn’t suicide. We are to hold everything, even our physical lives, loosely, recognizing that they belong to God and not to us, so that they may accomplish His will.

I am as challenged by this as anyone. If faced with Fr. Kolbe’s choice I hope I would do as He did, but meanwhile, I am to give my life one moment at a time. Sometimes I think martyrdom would be easier! Like Judas, I am faced at times with the temptation to deal with situations in my own strength and wisdom, taking human advice that can turn out to be demonic. I’ve got to remember that only God knows what’s really going on, and only Jesus’ blood can atone for sin, either mine or any one else’s. I must remember that everything belongs to God, including every minute of my life, and so seek to use it as He desires and intends, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am all too prone to get possessive of “my” time. Help me indeed let go of my life, to live every moment in Your perfect plan, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Communion; May 27, 2018

Posted on May 29, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 26:26-28 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

When we speak of God’s Provision, which has been the theme of these Scripture readings for the past several months, the ultimate provision is of His Son to be our Savior, and from Jesus’ perspective, it was giving His own body and blood for us. In the 20 centuries since this event much has been written about all that it meant then and all that it means now for every believer. I don’t need to write another theological treatise! However, I do need to keep growing in my own appreciation of, gratitude for, and response to this incredible act on the part of my Creator. We celebrate this event regularly, though different groups adhere to different schedules. We do so every fourth Sunday, which means today. (Actually, I celebrate every morning as a part of my personal devotions.) That is all well and fitting, since Jesus commanded it, but there’s the little matter of familiarity breeding contempt. All too often we go through the motions (whether we call it Lord’s Supper or Communion) without really remembering Jesus, which Paul records Jesus as having said. (1 Corinthians 11:24-25 Paul was of course not present on the original occasion, but he talked many times with probably most of those who were, so we have no reason to doubt his account.) The Old Testament points out repeatedly that ritual is meaningless for its own sake. Liturgy has its uses, giving us an anchor in times of uncertainty, but when we fail to consider the meanings behind it, it dulls our souls, when God, though never changing, is always new. We need to ask God to give us a fresh revelation of Himself every time we celebrate, because there’s no way we can grasp all of Him at once, and besides, we forget!

This of course applies to me in spades. I was baptized over 60 years ago, so it would be hard to calculate how many times I have taken the bread and the cup. On top of that, God alone knows how many of those times were meaningful and how many were empty ritual. When I celebrate by myself, I state that I am renewing the commitment of my own body to Christ, even as I receive the bread as His body given for me. Even there, there is the risk of it being empty words. Sometimes I feel like I am a case study in James 1:22, being familiar with the Word but failing to put it into practice! I have neither the strength nor the wisdom to follow through fully on my own, so I am totally dependent on the grace and mercy of God. Thankfully, those are poured out in abundance! As a pastor, my message to the believers is that God’s grace and mercy are equally available to them, if they will only receive His provision.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed live out Your Word more and more consistently, so that Your will may me done in and through me more and more fully, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Serving Christ; May 26, 2018

Posted on May 29, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 25:40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'”

It needs to be said that this is not a parable, it is a statement, perhaps a prophecy. He wasn’t giving a figurative illustration, He was stating flat out how things will be in the Judgment. That should make us take this very seriously indeed. Some churches do that, focusing on social ministries to the exclusion of even sharing the Gospel, but it does people no eternal good to have their temporal needs met without being brought into eternal life. On the other hand, some churches focus on sharing the Gospel to the point of despising social ministries, and that runs afoul of what Jesus said here. It calls for more wisdom than we have in ourselves, so we need to seek God’s guidance at every turn. I am reminded of something else Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41) We are to meet needs as we encounter them, but we are to do so in the name of Jesus, letting people know about Him so that they may have their eternal, spiritual needs met as well as their temporal, physical needs. I haven’t been on the ground with them to watch them in action, but my understanding is that Samaritan’s Purse does this very well. They are perhaps the world’s foremost emergency relief organization, and at the same time they are so effective in sharing Christ that some Muslim countries have rejected their help. We all would do well to learn from their example, as well as support their ministry.

This is something of an “Oh dear!” subject for me, because by inclination I tend toward the “Gospel only” camp. Cathy, on the other hand, doubtless has a mountain of rewards piled up in heaven because of all she has done for people. That’s probably why the Lord put us together! As much as I admire Samaritan’s Purse, I’ve only contributed to them financially once, and that wasn’t very much. I teach others about being channels of God’s supply, but I don’t know how available I am for that myself. I do know that it feels very good when I am able to go visit one of our members who is in a group home about 90 minutes away. I think that perhaps comes under what Jesus said here. In any case, I am to seek to see people as God sees them and act accordingly, as His agent for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me remember it when I am tempted to resentment when someone needs me to do something for them. Help me indeed serve You through serving those around me, however You guide me to do so. Thank You. Praise God!

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Accountability; May 25, 2018

Posted on May 28, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 25:21 (23) “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!'”

This is one of Jesus’ most famous parables, and is the source of our using the word, “talent”, to mean ability, when it was originally a unit of weight, and then by extension, money. It has widely been pointed out that Jesus has the master saying exactly the same thing to the servant who started with five talents and the one who started with two, because they each used what they had been given and doubled it. It was only the servant who failed to use what had been entrusted to him who was condemned. As familiar as we are with this parable, we often fail to apply it to ourselves. Comparing ourselves with others seems much more common than not doing so, whether that comparison is for the better or for the worse. If we think we didn’t get as much as someone else, we destroy our own peace and joy with envy, which is a favorite tool of the devil. If we think we got more than someone else, too often we look down on the other person and fall into pride, which is the absolute favorite tool of the devil. Either way we lose, and only the devil is pleased. The Bible has a lot to say on this subject in various ways. In the Church, people often seek positions of authority because they like the respect and praise they see as attaching to those positions, but as James said, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) However, if you are gifted and called in that way, failure to teach puts you in the position of the third servant in Jesus’ parable. Any way you look at it, humility, commitment, and diligence are called for. If we seek and apply those, then we too will receive the accolade recorded here.

When it comes to ability, I’ve always been a “five talent” sort of person, which puts me in a special sort of bind. I have fallen short in both humility and diligence, at least, and God alone can rightly judge my commitment. Growing up, sports were about the only thing I couldn’t do well, but given adolescent priorities, that gave me an inferiority complex. I covered that up by despising those who weren’t as intellectually gifted as I was, using words to try to wound them. At the same time, because so much came easily to me, I didn’t try really hard at anything, which greatly limited my achievements. I skipped my senior year of high school, entering college out of the 11th grade, and was tied for the highest SAT score of my freshman class, but I failed two classes in that freshman year because I was too used to coasting through school. I’m sure I was a major disappointment to a lot of people! I’ve had a checkered career since then, skipping around a lot of jobs before ending up in Omura in 1981, where inertia, as much as anything else, has kept me. The one thing I feel I have done well, and that has caused people to want to emulate me, has been my marriage. Yesterday was our 49th anniversary, and I think a lot of people are somewhat in awe of what they see in our relationship. It all boils down to accountability for what we have been given, and God is the judge of that. I’m deeply grateful for His grace and mercy!

Father, this is a parable I’ve thought about many times. I have shown I can’t be the good and faithful servant You desire on my own, so I ask You to work that in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Serving God; May 24, 2018

Posted on May 28, 2018 by jgarrott

Matthew 24:45-46 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.”

We aren’t saved by God just to sit around and do nothing. Everyone has a different job, but there is no one who doesn’t have a place in God’s economy. The kingdom of God isn’t a welfare state! Far too many Christians are stuck in receiving mode, forgetting that God has stuff for them to do with what He gives them. We use the term, pew warmers, but some don’t even do that very often! We rightly talk about the grace of God, and works-based religion is futile. However, God has work for each of His children, and we are far better off in every way when we recognize that and apply ourselves to do His will. (Ephesians 2:10) Several years ago on a visit to the US we were able to visit an aunt of mine. Past 90, she was in a nursing home, blind and largely bedridden. As we talked, she said repeatedly that she didn’t know why the Lord didn’t take her home, because she couldn’t do anything. In the course of the conversation she told us about one of her grandsons who had come very close to divorce, but she had prayed for him and his wife and the relationship had been healed. I told her, “Aunt Saxon, that’s why God still has you here! You may be blind and bedridden, but you can pray, and do so with far less distractions than the vast majority of people. You are a warrior for God!” I think she was comforted by that, and I’m sure that when the Lord did take her home, she got lots of confirmation and affirmation for all she had done, even when she wasn’t thinking of it in terms of serving God.

Of course this applies to me, as it does to everyone. As a pastor, I am indeed in the position of “giving food at the proper time.” I am to be careful that I follow the plan of the Master Dietician, not just giving out snacks but making sure it’s balanced. When the menu is meat, I need to make it as tender as possible, so that immature believers won’t choke on it, but I’m not to avoid meat out of a fear of their choking. I’ve got to be careful the ingredients are pure, and not contaminated by the lies of the enemy. I’m also not to get stuck on my own favorite dishes, but give the flock the variety they need. If I will do that, I too will grow as God intends. I need to help the believers understand that those receiving the food are also servants of the Master, even though they don’t have the same job I do. We all want God’s accolade when our time here is up!

Father, thank You for being faithful, even when my faithfulness leaves a lot to be desired. (2 Timothy 2:13) Thank You for carrying us through to this, our 49th wedding anniversary. Help me indeed give Cathy what she needs at the proper time, since she is Your servant just as I am. May we fulfill all of Your purposes for us, separately and together, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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