Today’s featured band typically ranks as one of the top ten Christian bands of all time. Thanks to songs Dare You to Move, Meant to Live, and On Fire, Switchfoot has made a big impact on the Christian community. Yet, thanks to films like the Ultimate Gift featuring a montage scene with On Fire playing in the background, Switchfoot has crossed over to influence secular audiences as well.
Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. 14 But the gate is narrow (contracted [k]by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it, Matthew 7:13-14.
The attached You Tube above mixes powerful words of On Fire with an emotional scene in the Ultimate Gift. One of the last Christmas gifts I received as a teacher at Red Lion was the Ultimate Gift DVD. In this scene, the character Jason Stevens played by Drew Fuller is forced to make an important decision in his life. May the attached songs inspire you like they have motivated me.
As a former seminary student, I’m always curious to hear what kind of message is presented at a funeral. Unless my ears are deceiving me, nearly every speaker assumes that the individual lying in a coffin is now in heaven. If you listen to the words of Jesus in the passage below, just the opposite appears to be true. This is just one lingering question about the afterlife.
Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. 14 But the gate is narrow (contracted [k]by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it, Matthew 7:13-14.
Except for those individuals for who experienced a near death experience, the afterlife and heaven remain a mystery. All Christians have is the promise of John 14:1-4 and 1 John 5:11-13 in the Bible. The author of Hebrews refers to members of the Old Testament of dying prior to receiving what was promised to them by God. The key to securing a place in heaven is faith.
For it is impossible [to restore and bring again to repentance] those who have been once for all enlightened, who have consciously tasted the heavenly gift and have become sharers of the Holy Spirit, 5 And have felt how good the Word of God is and the mighty powers of the age and world to come, 6 If they then deviate from the faith and turn away from their allegiance—[it is impossible] to bring them back to repentance, for (because, while, as long as) they nail upon the cross the Son of God afresh [as far as they are concerned] and are holding [Him] up to contempt and shame and public disgrace, Hebrews 6:4-6.
Jesus alludes to the above passage in his Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13:18-19. Can you lose your salvation? Well, to those who are infant Christians, not fully knowing the decision they just made, they can slip away if the Devil steals what was sown in their heart. Meanwhile, to those who pervert God’s grace with addictions to their flesh also may find their selves on the outside looking in. Don’t take the chance of walking on this fence spiritually. Rather, habitually walk with God daily to confirm your spiritual reservation in heaven.
Due to copyright restrictions, the attached clip from Forrest Gump had to be altered to avoid any lawsuits. Subsequently, as Forrest Gump played by Tom Hanks begins running across the country to sort things out in his mind, the audience is reminded that sooner or later, it happens. These unforeseen, embarrassing, and painful events serve as trials to bring about maturity in life.
And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I will be security for him; you shall require him of me [personally]; if I do not bring him back to you and put him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 For if we had not lingered like this, surely by now we would have returned the second time, Genesis 43:8-10.
At the end of the opening book in the Bible, Moses records the great famine that stuck Egypt. This once in a century weather pattern brought devastation, destitute living conditions and starvation. If it wasn’t for Pharaoh’s dream and Joseph’s interpretation, countless individuals would have starved to death. While fall temperatures are like a breath of fresh air, soon or later bad weather will arrive.
And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so, now do this; take of the choicest products in the land in your sacks and carry down a present to the man, a little balm (balsam) and a little honey, aromatic spices and gum (of rock rose) or ladanum, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12 And take double the [grain] money with you; and the money that was put back in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again with you; there is a possibility that [its being in your sacks] was an oversight. 13 Take your brother and arise and return to the man; 14 May God Almighty give you mercy and favor before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved [of my sons], I am bereaved, Genesis 43:11-14.
Perhaps, this is a message Jesus reinforced to his disciples prior to his death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, 1 Peter 3:15-16. Well before the Boy Scouts motto, “be prepared,” was conceived, Jesus instilled this within the leaders of the first century church, Matthew 26:41. Therefore, don’t be caught off guard by the Devil’s schemes, Ephesians 6:10-18. Rather, arm yourself with the armor of God so that you’ll be prepared the next time it happens.
If you read the Bible long enough, you’ll see that you can’t hide from your past. Whether it’s the sins of the father developing in your own children or receiving what you have previously sowed, time has a way of exposing the iniquities of your past. This is the conclusion that Judah came to as the trick that he played on his brother Joseph was coming around to burn him once again.
Joseph said to them, What is this thing that you have done? Do you not realize that such a man as I can certainly detect and know by divination [everything you do without other knowledge of it]? 16 And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? What shall we reply? Or how shall we clear ourselves, since God has found out and exposed the iniquity of your servants? Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, the rest of us as well as he with whom the cup is found, Genesis 44:15-16.
Whether you were called to the principal’s office as a child, questioned by your parents for suspicious behavior or pulled over by a police officer for going over the posted speed limit, these previous encounters serve as a form of discipline. Following an entire chapter known as the Hall of Faith, Hebrews 11, the author follows this up by writing about the importance of discipline. According to Hebrews 12:11, discipline is designed to expose any sort of iniquity.
Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven ([e]left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have [f]given up resentment against) our debtors. 13 And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.14 For if you forgive people their trespasses [their [g]reckless and willful sins, [h]leaving them, letting them go, and [i]giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their [j]reckless and willful sins, [k]leaving them, letting them go, and [l]giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses, Matthew 6:9-15.
During one famous first century speech, Jesus adds another dimension to iniquity and transgressions. At the end of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus points out a condition to forgiveness. If you are willing to forgive and overlook any iniquities and transgressions made against you, God will show mercy by forgiving all of your sins. However, if you aren’t willing to forget the iniquities of others, God won’t forgive you. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit exposes the iniquities of your past, may God give you a heart of compassion and mercy.
Once a month, a story about a good Samaritan goes viral. The most recent story involves a Lowe’s employee who found an unmarked envelope with $4,000 in cash. Rather than claim this for himself, this employee went to the surveillance video to see who dropped this cash. Before his shift was over, this woman was reunited with her cash meant for children’s clothes and items for school. No tangible reward has been announced at this time.
And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so, now do this; take of the choicest products in the land in your sacks and carry down a present to the man, a little balm (balsam) and a little honey, aromatic spices and gum (of rock rose) or ladanum, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12 And take double the [grain] money with you; and the money that was put back in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again with you; there is a possibility that [its being in your sacks] was an oversight. 13 Take your brother and arise and return to the man; Genesis 43:11-13.
When was the last time you were given too much change by a cashier? Did you immediately go back to this register and give back the difference? If no action was taken, did you feel a sense or gnawing in your heart to make this situation right? A few years ago, I was going through self-checkout and realized that I forgot to scan one of my items. The next time I went to buy groceries, I bought one, but scanned it twice to make up for my oversight.
So they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house and talked with him at the door of the house, 20 And said, O sir, we came down truly the first time to buy food; 21 And when we came to the inn, we opened our sacks and there was each man’s money, full weight, returned in the mouth of his sack. Now we have brought it back again. 22 And we have brought down with us other money to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks. 23 But [the steward] said, Peace be to you, fear not; your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money. And he brought Simeon out to them, Genesis 43:20-23.
Joseph’s brothers had a similar encounter on their return trip from Egypt. Stopping at a place to spend the night, Joseph’s brothers each realized that all of their money was placed back in their sacks of grain. Subsequently, upon arriving, Jacob gave each of his sons with twice as much money, for their previous and current purchase. According to Moses, Joseph’s steward refers to his brother’s honesty as a treasure from God. Behind the scenes Joseph paid for their grain out of his own pocket. This is one of many examples of rewards for doing the right thing.
Sometimes in life, you are in the wrong at the wrong time. Meanwhile, you may be an innocent bystander, but in the heat of the moment, blame will be cast in your direction. As an aging father who still haven’t emotionally gotten over the death of one of his sons, his youngest son has been targeted by the governor of Egypt. This prompts Jacob, the father of Israel to reply, “why did you do this to me?”
And when [the families of Jacob’s sons] had eaten up the grain which the men had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food. 3 But Judah said to him, The man solemnly and sternly warned us, saying, You shall not see my face again unless your brother is with you. 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down [to Egypt] and buy you food; 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you, Genesis 43:2-5.
The question why did you do this to me often is expressed by a disappointed parent or a significant other as your relationship comes to a crossroad or ends. Before cell phones, I went out late one summer night in college. Rather than wake up my parents in the middle of the night to let them know I was going to spend the night at a friend’s house, I decided not to call. In the morning, my mom thought I had died so I was on the other end of why did you do this to me?
And Israel said, Why did you do me such a wrong and suffer this evil to come upon me by telling the man that you had another brother? 7 And they said, The man asked us straightforward questions about ourselves and our relatives. He said, Is your father still alive? Have you another brother? And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, Bring your brother down here? – Genesis 43:6-7
Ten of Joseph’s brothers were on receiving end of this question from their father Jacob. In the defense of Joseph’s brothers, they were being honest with the governor of Egypt. None of Jospeh’s brothers realized that telling the truth would place Benjamin’s life in danger. Perhaps, the main point in today’s passage is that everyone will have to stand in judgement, giving an account to whatever, you’ve said or done in life, Matthew 12:36. With in mind, act wisely.
When I first started working in the United States back in the 1980’s, an employee was responsible for anything that they broke at work. If an accident happened, money would be withheld from your paycheck until this debt was paid off. Somewhere in the past 40 years, the concept of bearing the burden of responsibility has been replaced by passing the buck and blame to other people.
But Judah said to him, The man solemnly and sternly warned us, saying, You shall not see my face again unless your brother is with you. 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down [to Egypt] and buy you food; 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you, Genesis 43:3-5.
The context of today’s passage is that the grain purchased by Joseph’s son was about to run out. Although Moses doesn’t offer a specific time frame, this is likely the second year of a seven-year drought. Before departing, Joseph’s brothers reveal that they won’t be able to buy grain unless their youngest brother joins them. Judah takes the lead, vowing to bear full responsibility if anything happens to Jacob’s youngest son Benjamin.
And Israel said, Why did you do me such a wrong and suffer this evil to come upon me by telling the man that you had another brother? 7 And they said, The man asked us straightforward questions about ourselves and our relatives. He said, Is your father still alive? Have you another brother? And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, Bring your brother down here? 8 And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I will be security for him; you shall require him of me [personally]; if I do not bring him back to you and put him before you, then let me bear the blame forever, Genesis 43:6-9.
Unfortunately, the older I become, the harder it is to find a leader who demonstrates this characteristic. Whether out of laziness or a scheme to get someone else in trouble, rarely does a leader immediately proclaim, “I take full responsibility.” Instead, people are hiding behind victimology to cover their ass. May today’s blog inspire future leaders to bear the burden of responsibility.
There were no all you can eat jots in the days of Jacob. Nor could the sons of Israel get unlimited free refills. Despite coping with the worst famine in his lifetime, Jacob wasn’t worried about stocking up on as much grain as his sons could purchase. Rather, deep down Jacob realized that all his family would need was enough to get by as the Lord would provide the rest.
But the hunger and destitution and starvation were very severe and extremely distressing in the land [Canaan]. 2 And when [the families of Jacob’s sons] had eaten up the grain which the men had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food, Genesis 43:1-2.
As a man in my fifties, it took time for me to know the difference between wants and needs. When you’re homeless, you need a place to sleep. If you’re hungry, you need money or a generous Samaritan to quench a grumbling stomach. Yet, in the days where I didn’t have much to offer, the Lord gave me a giving heart so that others had just enough to get by.
But seek ([z]aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness ([aa]His way of doing and being right), and then all these things [ab]taken together will be given you besides. 34 So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble, Matthew 6:33-34.
Jesus tells a parable in Luke 11:5-13. This gospel author provides context to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This variation offers a story of a friend who opens their door to a person in need. This individual doesn’t throw a party where you can eat until you’re stuffed. Rather, God understands the difference between wants and needs, illustrating that the Lord will give you enough to get by. Like the message in the passage above, those who place their full trust in God will be satisfied.
Listening to today’s featured band from New Jersey is like taking a trip down a musical Memory Lane. The best way to describe Novella’s music genre is somewhere between Guns-n-Roses and Pearl Jam. While their ballads are probably closer to the sound of Boston, Novella does have the ability to crank it up to a hard rock/soft metal.
Now these things are examples (warnings and admonitions) for us not to desire or crave or covet or lust after evil and carnal things as they did, 1 Corinthians 10:6.
My favorite Novella album is A Liquid Earth which is attached in the You Tube above. Songs like Bad Place, Stranger, and Story immediately got my attention. The sound of this album brings me back to my college days with boom boxes blasting rock and roll throughout campus. While Christian bands like Novella have been forgotten over the years, I hope that listening to this album will make you a fan of Novella.
Moses highlights the first reaction in the Bible to sin in Genesis 3:7-13. Whenever you break one of God’s commands, a spirit of conviction will visit your soul. Adam and Eve’s initial response to disobeying God’s only rule in the Garden of Eden is shame. Meanwhile, as this region slowly turns into an arid desert, the reality of God’s curse in Genesis 3:17-19 catches up with Adam as a farmer.
You shall be proved by this test: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go away from here unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you and let him bring your brother, and you will be kept in prison, that your words may be proved whether there is any truth in you; or else by the life of Pharaoh you certainly are spies. 17 Then he put them all in custody for three days, Genesis 42:15-17.
When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to buy food for Jacob’s family, none of them recognize him. Speaking through a translator, Joseph knows exactly what each of their brothers are saying as he is bilingual. As Joseph listens carefully to all ten of his half-brothers, there is a common theme shared between them. Each believe that how they previously treated Joseph is coming back to haunt them in the form of a curse.
And Joseph said to them on the third day, Do this and live! I reverence and fear God. 19 If you are true men, let one of your brothers be bound in your prison, but [the rest of] you go and carry grain for those weakened with hunger in your households. 20 But bring your youngest brother to me, so your words will be verified and you shall live. And they did so. 21 And they said one to another, We are truly guilty about our brother, for we saw the distress and anguish of his soul when he begged us [to let him go], and we would not hear. So this distress and difficulty has come upon us, Genesis 42:18-21.
From a modern perspective, some refer to this as karma. Others will point to this as you reap what you sow. Whatever you want to call this, you can’t run away from your past. Like the Boy Who Cried Wolf, when there actually is an emergency, no one will believe you. This is why the earthly brother of James called first century Christians to confess their sins to one another, James 5:16. When you do, healing will follow.
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