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Christmas Controversy

Posted in Christmas, Commentaries, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 30, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The topic of “Christmas” has become increasingly controversial within Christian circles.  This seems sadly ironic given Western Christianity’s passion for cultural relevance, while at the same time, many within the church willingly abstain from the one season in which the culture tepidly engages with its songs and stories.  The arguments against this celebration go something like this:

“Christmas has its roots in Pagan festivals!”

“Jesus wasn’t even born this time of year!”

“It probably wasn’t even cold in the season of Jesus’ birth!”

“The wise men didn’t arrive on the night of His birth!”

“Christmas is too commercial!”

And on and on….

Sadly, these types of arguments just make pious church folk seem even more joyless and effectively remove Christ from Christmas in the process. 

Does it really matter whether it was winter, or cold, or what the exact date was?  I would contend that there is a marked difference between celebrating the birth of Christ and celebrating Jesus’ birthday.  If we have no way of knowing the exact date, should we simply forfeit the celebration of His coming? 

The truth is that ancient people were very attuned to the seasons and the cycles of the sun and moon; especially as they related to growing and cultivating food.  As such, the winter solstice was a significant marker in every year, as the descent into darkness finally halted, and the days began to grow steadily longer. 

To be sure, the Pagans did center their celebrations around this annual event, but they were ultimately taking their cues from creation itself.  No doubt, early Christianity arranged their festivals/feasts to in some way counter these Pagan offerings, but the changing of the seasons was a far more significant point of reference. 

The scripture teaches us that the invisible qualities of God are “clearly seen and understood” in the things He created (Rom.1:20), and that because of this, men have no excuse for not finding Him.  Indeed, this is why so many lost people are prone to worship created things like the sun, or moon, or nature itself. 

As the Pagans looked for a source of hope, they found cause for celebration in the turning of the seasons, even if they did not recognize the One who set those patterns in motion.  Should we, who claim to know Him, forfeit our remembrances because they made their arrangements first.

It only seems fitting that we would celebrate the arrival of the “Light of the World” amidst the darkest days of the year.  Alas, our tradition is not rooted in paganism, it is derived from the creation which so clearly magnifies our Creator. 

There are those who would further argue that it was ultimately the death of Christ on the cross that matters, and that the birth of Christ wasn’t particularly consequential.

But before His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus sacrificed His deity; not only to become a man, but to become a man of sorrows, who was acquainted with grief. 

He sacrificed His perfect fellowship with the Father to come to this earth as our Savior.  He sacrificed the glory of heaven for a manger, the rejection of mankind and ultimately crucifixion.

He did all this to become Emanuel, “God with us.”

How much more clearly could God have expressed His love for us than this.

And when the angels shared the glorious news of His arrival, it was with shepherds.  Powerless, voiceless, working folks of no reputation.

He wasn’t born, nor did He live His life anywhere near the seats of human power.  There is no record that He ever went to Rome, and He rarely even visited Jerusalem.

Indeed, when the Son of Man chose to be born on a roadside, raised by a working-class family in Nazareth, and to spend His years of ministry pouring into 12 simple men of little influence, He was making a statement about how He would change the world.

He clearly demonstrated that His Kingdom was not of this world, and He steadily refused to become entangled in the affairs of men.

Make no mistake; the sacrifice Jesus made to become “God with us” was no less profound than the one He made on the cross.

It was the day that our redemption was set in motion, and it certainly warrants a season’s worth of rejoicing.

As the Ark of the Covenant was returned to the tent of David (1Chron.16), which signified the return of God’s tangible presence in the midst of His people, David praised,

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name

Make known among the nations what He has done

Sing to Him, sing praise to Him

Tell of His wonderful acts

Glory in His holy name

Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord Rejoice

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad

Let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

Let the sea resound, and all that is in it

Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!

Let the trees of the forest sing,

Let them sing for joy before the Lord!

And as our God humbled Himself to come and dwell amongst His people, why should our celebration be any less jubilant.

As for the commercial aspect of Christmas, this season is whatever we choose to make it in our hearts and in our homes.  If we decide to adhere to the cultures take on Christmas, then we have no one to blame but ourselves. 

Boycotting Christmas does not serve His purposes nor glorify His person.  There are no bonus points in heaven for historical datebook accuracy.  If we don’t like what Christmas has become then we need to change it for ourselves, and for our children, and for our grandchildren, and for our neighbors and for our community.

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10 Popular Christian Phrases that Can be Misleading

Posted in Commentaries, Lists, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 31, 2025| Leave a Comment »

  1. Winning Souls for Jesus:  This phrase is derived from the concept that life is essentially a battle between the forces of good and evil, and that our mission is to win souls to team Jesus, so that team Satan doesn’t gain the upper hand.  But Christ has already defeated the power of evil (1Cor.15:55-57, Heb.2:14-15)), and He has not given us the ability to “win souls” (1Cor.3:6-9).  Our real mission is to be a manifestation of Christ’s presence on the earth (Rom.8:29, Col.1:27) and to allow the Lord to draw men unto Himself (John 6:44).  We make disciples of all nations (Matt.28:19) by being faithful disciples ourselves.
  1. Soldiers in the Lord’s Army: For many, the concept of being a soldier in the Lord’s army can conjure all sorts of glorious imaginings of epic battles, and grandiose victories, but the scripture doesn’t seem to support such a picture.  Like Peter, we imagine that grabbing a sword is the way the battle will be won (John 18:10), but Jesus explained that this wasn’t the case (John 18:36). Ephesians 6:10-20 makes it clear that we’re not battling against each other, and it speaks of protecting ourselves against the relentless attacks of the enemy.  While 2Tim.2:3-4 speaks of enduring hardship like a good soldier and of not becoming entangled in temporal affairs. 
  1. Making a decision for Christ:  There are several different phrases that float around the evangelical realm that seem to point to a moment of salvation.  Things like, “I invited Christ into my life,” or “I repented of my sins,” or “I made a decision for Christ.”  They all seem to point to a specific instance where my eternal status changes from unredeemable to redeemed, and my eternal trajectory shifts from hell to heaven.  And while I don’t deny that such a moment exists, I don’t believe we are well equipped to discern it (Matt.7:23).  Only the Lord can decide when a heart truly belongs to Him, and each of these expressions simply describes a step along our lifetime journey of pursuing Him.  Inviting the Lord into our lives is a great step, but He won’t be content to sit on the shelf with all of our other interests.  Repenting of our sins isn’t simply a matter of being sorry for our transgressions, it’s about going on and living a different life, which takes more than just a singular moment.  And making a decision for Christ isn’t necessarily the same as surrendering our life to Him.
  1. Defending the Faith: The nature of faith is that it cannot be defended, because to those who are perishing, the cross is foolishness (1Cor.1:18).  The scripture tells us to be prepared to give a reason (or a defense) for the “hope that we have” (1Peter 3:15). This of course presumes that we as Children of God would live in a way which might cause someone to make such an inquiry. Unless hope becomes visibly manifest in our lives, the source of that confidence will be of little consequence. I would suggest that the culture isn’t growing more hostile toward God’s message of hope and love; they are instead growing more resistant to a religious system that doesn’t seem to offer them either one of those things. God has called His people to live by faith (2Cor.5:7), not to simply be defenders of the ideology of faith.
  1. Building the Kingdom: There is a big difference between building a house and moving a house.  When we build a house, we choose a site, make our plans and build to suit our desires; but when the house already exists, we must go to where it is and study its design if it is to arrive intact at its new location.  The Kingdom of God already exists, and God Himself was the Architect and Builder (Heb. 11:10).  God is not interested in some earthly replica of His Kingdom; He means for His Kingdom to come on earth as it already exists in the heavenly realm.
  1. The cause of Christ:  The “Cause of Christ” can mean different things to different people.  Too often we attach the name of Jesus to causes we’ve become zealous about as though He shares our passion and position (Matt.7:21-23).  But He is not fickle (Heb.13:8).  The Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10), so we are called to be compelled by His love and to regard “no one” from a worldly perspective, as we’ve inherited the ministry of reconciliation (2Cor.5:14-18).  This is the cause of Christ and it will not change.
  1. Saved, sanctified & going to heaven:  The decision to surrender our lives (i.e. take up our cross) and “follow” Jesus is not a one-time thing, it’s an everyday process (Luke 9:23), and a journey that lasts a lifetime (Phil.1:6), which is completely at odds with our cultural and religious paradigms.  We prefer to think of ourselves as, “saved, sanctified, and going heaven,” which implies that the work has already been completed, and we’re just waiting for the bus to take us to our heavenly mansion.
  1. The Anointing:  Our present use of the phrase “the anointing” is something of a misnomer.  Before Christ, access to the power and authority of the Holy Spirit was limited to a chosen few.  But because of Christ’s sacrifice, all believers have a direct connection to the indwelling Spirit.  All who belong to Him can rightfully be classified as “anointed” (2Cor.1:21, 1John 2:20). Holy Spirit empowered giftings are not expensive presents that God only bestows upon His favorite kids, they are tools provided to faithful followers.  An anointing was never intended to be something we could possess.  It is simply a garment, provided by the Lord, which allows us to serve His purposes.
  1. God is in control:  God is most certainly omnipotent, and sovereign over all things.  He is the Lord of heaven and of earth, but that does not equate to Him being in “control”.  He gave the earth to man and gave men the ability to choose who they would serve (Josh.24:15).  He does not send the molester into a child’s bedroom, and he does not place the drunk driver behind the wheel.  He sets before us life and death (Deut.30:19) and then lets us choose for ourselves.  Those choices have significant consequences, which affect both us, and the people around us.
  1. Fruitful ministry: Culturally, we tend to view an endeavor as being fruitful if it gets results (e.g. productive, profitable, prosperous, popular…), but the “fruit” that God seeks is Christ’s character (Gal.5:22-23) being revealed in the hearts of His children (Col.1:27).  And that fruit can only be produced by abiding in the vine (John 15:5).

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The Way

Posted in Commentaries, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 25, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The danger of living in the social media age is that we can gather a following of like-minded folks, spend our days shouting into the echo chamber, and cancel anyone who dares to disagree with us.  Devoid of any contrasting perspective, it’s easy to deceive ourselves into believing that our perceptions have become reality.  And with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we can be sure that our electronic feed will remain full of voices that endorse and reinforce our illusion.

While this type of pattern is unhealthy on many levels, it is most dangerous from a spiritual standpoint.  Throughout the scripture we are warned against leaning on our own understanding (Prov.3:5-7), about the deceitfulness of our hearts (Jer.17:9), and of the great deceivers and deceptions that will be visited upon God’s people (Matt.24:24).  We are cautioned against focusing on what is seen, as it is perishing (2Cor.4:18).  And most importantly, we are told to fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb.12:2).

I suspect that popular renderings of a singular “Anti-Christ” figure, from our depictions of the End Times, have clouded our understanding of the true spirit of anti-Christ, which manifests in many forms.  While we’ve been taught to make bold declarations against such things, I have found that these spirits are not nearly as intimidated by our use of Jesus’ name as we might think.  Like the sons of Sceva, the Chief Priest (Acts 19:13-16) or those people Jesus spoke of in Matthew 7:21-23, we can try to evoke His name while having no genuine connection to Him (John 15:5).  In such instances, this word carries no spiritual authority. 

Ultimately, attacking the authentic, life-giving connection to Christ is the aim of the anti-Christ spirit.  It tries to redefine the “work of God” as being something other than believing in the One that He sent (John 6:29).  It offers symbols and rituals and formulas and brokers as a substitute for a genuine one on one relationship with the person of God.  It offers earthly prosperity and temporal gains as a substitute for genuine spiritual authority. 

It encourages us to know ministers by their gifts instead of by their fruit (Matt.7:16).  It fills the atmosphere with voices and things to look at, so that we don’t discern the still small voice of God (1Kings 19:11-13) or fix our gaze on the Giver of Life (Heb.12:2).  It inspires religious leaders to build an earthly replica of the kingdom, so that the genuine Kingdom does not become manifest.

This spirit does not care that Jesus’ name is plastered all over our buildings, bumper stickers, t-shirts and letter heads, as long as we don’t look anything like Him (Rom.8:29).  It does not oppose our gatherings, as long as people aren’t genuinely connecting with the Savior (or each other). It does not resist our endless Bible study, as long as the scripture remains little more than a tool for the rationalization of our own carnal interests (John 5:39-40).  It is not against us viewing Jesus as a resource for strength, as long as cultivating an authentic relationship with Him never becomes the goal.  In such cases, the inclusion of Jesus’ name actually lends a sense of legitimacy to the whole deception.

Evidence of this spiritual influence would be a people who call themselves “Christians” yet aren’t identifiable by their love and grace for one another (John 13:35); who aren’t concerned about the fact that they nor their leaders look or sound anything like Christ (Rom.8:29), and who are more concerned with current events (i.e., the seen realm) than eternity (i.e., the unseen realm) (2Cor.4:18).  They would likely be a people who were known more for their divisions than their unity (Eph.4:4-6).

In the absence of Christ’s Lordship, such a people would be destined to idolize mere men, and likely to crown themselves an earthly king (1Sam.8).  And apart from the guidance of Christ’s Spirit, they would be highly susceptible to hollow and deceptive philosophies, which depend on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world (Col.2:8). 

It would be difficult to argue that this isn’t a fairly accurate portrait of Western Christianity.

There are so many scriptures that appear to be warnings for individuals who count themselves as believers, or followers, or even disciples.  Passages referencing a people who possess a form of godliness but also deny the power thereof (2Tim.3:5), who honor Jesus with their lips, but whose hearts remain far from Him (Matt.15:8), and/or who will exchange God’s thoughts for the rhetoric that fuels their true passion (2Tim.4:3-4).  Yet we can convince ourselves that these words don’t really apply to us because we are good and moral people, who hate what is evil and champion the proper value system.

Despite the fact that many Christians would say that we are fast approaching, or perhaps even living amid the “end times”, there seems to be little concern regarding the Lord’s admonishments to the churches in the book of Revelation.  If we really believe His return is imminent, we should probably be mindful of what it looks like to forsake our first love for some other passion (Rev.2:1-7) and perhaps be on the lookout for the false prophets who threaten to lead us astray (Rev.2:18-29).  We might also want to ponder what might cause Him to view us as “lukewarm” (Rev.3:14-22).

Jesus taught that He is the way, the truth and the life; and that there is no other path to the Father (John 14:6).  But the anti-Christ spirit works diligently to separate our concept of these things from the person of Jesus.  It invites us to fix our eyes on anything but Him.  Unless Christ becomes the embodiment of our truth, we will never walk in the way He’s ordained for us, nor experience the life He died to give us. 

Ultimately, God’s ways are much higher than our ways (Isa.55:8-9) and that pattern was so perfectly demonstrated by Christ that at the end of His life He was able to say that, if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father (John 14:9).  Through this perfect reflection of the Father’s heart, Jesus became “The Way” for us (John 14:6), and now the only thing that keeps us from walking in that way is “the way that seems right” to us (Prov.14:12) instead.

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The Government of God

Posted in Commentaries, tagged , , , , , , on March 12, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Jesus explained the government of God when He told His disciples that, “the Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does (John 5:19)”.  Paul further explained that the head of every man is Christ, and that the head of Christ is God (1Cor.11:3). 

By walking in perfect submission to the leadership of the Father, Jesus gave us a clear demonstration of, “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” which allowed Him to rightfully claim, if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father (John 14:9).

As amazing as that claim was, He also told His disciples that it was better for them that He go, so that the Holy Spirit could come (John 16: 7-11), which speaks of God’s provision for us to experience the government of God as well. 

Once again, Paul expounds that Jesus has been given all authority, and that He is the head of the body (Eph.1:22-23), which ultimately is our source of life (Col.2:19).

I submit that the Lord has no interest in some earthly replica of His government or kingdom.  We are not building some new hierarchy or structure we are submitting to the Kingdom rule that already exists in heaven between the Father and the Son.

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Three Brothers

Posted in Stories, Word Pictures, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

(Another older writing)

Today, it all became clear to me.  It wasn’t always that way; for many years I felt caught between two worlds or more accurately between two brothers.  I (Marcus) was the second of my fathers’ three sons; born seven years after my brother Phillip and just a year before my brother Andrew.  My father is the King of this great land and of course that makes each of us a Prince.  The affairs of the kingdom have kept my father away for as long as I can remember and thus much of what I know of him has come through my older brother Phillip. 

As the first born and the first heir to the throne, he has access to things within the kingdom that Andrew and I don’t.  I’ve never struggled with that knowledge, but it has always been a point of resentment for Andrew.  He’s never seemed content with his role in our family or in the kingdom.  All through our childhood his discontent grew stronger, along with his resentment of Phillip.  I tried to stay out of that conflict, but eventually I was drawn into the middle and forced to choose a side.  To understand that choice, I must go back to the beginning.

Andrew and I have always been close; I suppose this is largely due to the small difference in our age and the fact that Princes rarely have the opportunity to interact with other children.  Even so, our temperaments seemed to fit well together.  Andrew is fierce and impulsive; full of passion, emotion and expression; while I am naturally cautious and thoughtful; more of an observer and slower to speak.  Though I am older, I’ve always tended to yield to Andrew, even in the times when I’ve disagreed with him.  I guess that I’ve rarely felt passionate enough about my own beliefs to fight with him; and to disagree with Andrew will always mean a fight.  We spent almost every waking moment of our childhood together and this forged an unbreakable bond between us, or so I thought.

Phillip is very much a reflection of our father.  He is even tempered, wise beyond his years and deliberate in all that he does. He always seemed much older than us and has always been busy with the matters of the kingdom.  I can scarcely remember a time when he’s acted like a child, even when he was one.  Everything that he says or does seems to be motivated by either, “the kingdom calls” or “it is what father would want”. 

Those phrases tend to aggravate Andrew, but I’ve never sensed any pretense in Phillip, so I tend to view them as noble.  Phillip was always fair with us, though he could be very firm as well.  I know that he was aware of Andrews’ feelings toward him, yet he never acknowledged them or acted in a way that I thought was retaliatory.  He didn’t really have to force us to do anything, but often Andrew would complain bitterly whenever he asked anything of us.  Though Phillip and I are probably more alike, we’ve rarely spent much time together and thus we haven’t shared the closeness that Andrew and I have.

As we reached early manhood, I sensed Andrew becoming more distant.  He would leave the palace and be gone all day.  He was rarely willing to speak of where he had been or what he’d been doing.  In this time, his resentment for Phillip seemed to grow into hatred.  Just the sight of him would cause Andrew to seethe.  On occasion I tried to reason with Andrew about this condition, but his anger would normally just turn on me, so I quickly abandoned that effort.  As much as I could, I tried to remain neutral, but the day eventually came when that became impossible.

Late one evening, I was lying in my chamber, when I heard the foot steps of many men moving through the passageway.  I quickly moved to the door, just in time to see the door of Andrew’s chamber close.  I quietly moved down the passageway, intent on learning the source of this commotion, and as I paused at the door, I could hear Andrews’ impassioned voice.  He was describing how they were going to overtake and kill “him” and I suddenly realized that the “him” that they were speaking of was Phillip. 

I was immediately torn as whether to burst into the chamber, letting them know that their plan was exposed or whether I ought to run to Phillip.  After a momentary pause, I chose the latter and quickly went to awaken Phillip.  Even coming out of a deep sleep, he seemed immediately coherent and calm.  As I excitedly conveyed what I’d heard, he didn’t seem at all worried or even surprised.  When I was finished, he told me that he knew that this day would eventually come and then he asked me a disturbing question.  He said, “Which side are you going to take”? 

I was instantly irritated by the idea that he would expect me to choose between my brothers and after some hesitation, I blurted that out.  Phillip calmly agreed that no man should ever have to make such a choice, but went on to say that all of my tomorrows would hinge on that choice tonight.  He also reminded me that if Andrew was successful in killing him, that I would be the next in line for the throne, which is something that I’d not yet considered.  Phillip genuinely seemed more concerned with what decision I was going to make, than with the fact that Andrew and his accomplices could arrive at any moment. 

It felt as though either way I chose to go, one of my brothers surely would be destroyed.  I asked Phillip, “how does one make such a choice”, to which Phillip replied, “For me it is simple; what would father have me do”, “but the question you must resolve is whether that will be your standard”?   As I sat there in a daze, Phillip eventually broke the silence, thanking me for warning him and assuring me that he would handle Andrew’s uprising.  Before I departed from him, he reiterated that no matter what happened, whether I acted or failed to act, I will have made a choice.

As I made my way back, I noticed that all was silent in Andrew’s chamber and I tried to convince myself that it had all been talk; but as I stepped through my own door, a voice emerged from the shadows, “good evening Marcus”.  Surprised, I stammered, “Andrew, what are you doing here”?  He said, “I’ve come to speak with you brother, where have you been so late in the evening”?  I replied, “Well it seems as though we’re all having difficulty with sleep tonight, what is it that you’ve come to speak about”?  “We’ve come to discuss the future of the throne”.  “We”, I replied; “Yes, I’ve some friends with me”, said Andrew.  I could sense their menacing presence in the room as I said, “Since when does a brother need friends to speak to his brother”?  To which Andrew replied, “My friends haven’t come for you”. 

“Who have they come for” I inquired.  “I think you know” responded Andrew.  I let out a sigh and said, “Yes I suppose I do; but then what happens”?  “Why you’ll become the first heir to the throne of course”, he replied.  After a silent moment, I asked, “What if I refuse to be a part of this…brother”.  At that moment Andrew stepped out of the shadows, with his sword drawn and moved slowly toward me.  Upon reaching me, he raised the tip of his sword to my chest, just poking through the cloth of my shirt and said, “The choice is yours…brother”.

I could barely breathe at the revelation that my own brother was willing to destroy me, but before I could respond, Phillip and a squad of palace guards poured through the door.  Before Andrew could fully turn, Phillip had knocked the sword from his hand and had his sword drawn on Andrew, while his accomplices were immediately subdued by the guards.  To my surprise, Phillip did not address Andrew, but instead he queried me. 

He asked, “So have you decided Marcus”?  “Decided what”, I responded weakly.  “Which side you choose”, said Phillip?  After a moment I asked, “What if I choose Andrews’ side”?  “If that is your decision, I will lay down my sword, surrender my claim to the throne and put myself at Andrews’ mercy”.  His words were like a kick in my stomach, no matter what I chose it would mean the destruction of one of my brothers.  As my mind flooded with thoughts and memories; memories of Andrew and I laughing together as children, thoughts of his sword at my chest; it suddenly became very clear to me and I said the only thing I could think of, “what would father want”? 

At those words Andrew screamed in agony and it was finished.

In the time that has passed since that night, I’ve often wrestled with whether I’d made the right decision, but today it was resolved forever in my mind.  Today, our Father came home.

This story is a parable about the relationship between our body, soul and spirit.  In the story, Andrew represents the body, or more rightly our flesh (i.e. our carnal nature).  We naturally feel more connected to the flesh, because we grew up being guided by it and our relationship is much closer than to that of the spirit.  Like Andrew, the flesh always wants its way, even to the eternal destruction of the soul.  Phillip on the other hand represents our spirit, which is our connection to the spiritual realm and to our Father in heaven.  Like Phillip, the spirit is motivated by the things of the kingdom and is edified by doing the Fathers will.  As in the story, the spirit is not willing to destroy the soul to gets its own way, but if we are willing to submit (through our spirit) to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the kingdom rule of our King will be manifest, even in His apparent absence. Marcus represents our soul (i.e. our mind, will and emotions), which is what makes us who we are and lives on for eternity.  As in the story, we don’t like to have to choose, but the Bible clearly says that the flesh wars against the spirit and that what is pleasing to the flesh is not pleasing to the spirit; it goes on to say that the flesh needs to be put to death, so that we can partake of a life in the Spirit.  While the battle between the flesh and the Spirit may be difficult and confusing today, it won’t be on the day we come face to face with “Our Father”. 

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The Resume of a King

Posted in Stories, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »

(Written many years ago)

Long ago, in a kingdom far away, there was a magnificent king, whose reign was without precedence.  His wife the queen had borne him many sons, and with each kingdom that his army conquered, he would crown one of his sons as the ruler over that new land.  This continued until all of his sons were on the thrones of their own kingdoms.  Yet even then his domain grew.

On this night, the king’s palace was filled with the noise that accompanies a large celebration; there was music and laughter and occasionally boisterous shouts of joy.  Despite these festivities, the king’s personal servant (Thaddeus) noticed that the king was alone on the vast balcony adjacent to the ballroom.  Though Thaddeus knew from the king’s posture that he was deep in thought, his affection for the king compelled him to interrupt.  He was not afraid to approach, as the king was always patient and kind with his servants.  As Thaddeus reached him, he bowed low and said,

“Begging your pardon, sire, is all well with you?” 

The king’s eyes remained fixed on the dimly lit horizon, but his face shifted into a shallow smile; “You are a faithful servant, Thaddeus, and I am thankful for your concern,” he said. 

This response left Thaddeus in the awkward position of not knowing whether to dismiss himself or to wait for additional response.  As Thaddeus was prone to, he chose to wait.  After a thoughtful pause, the king continued

“I am pondering matters of the kingdom and I find myself with the need to speak of it.”  At that, he turned to Thaddeus and looked him in the eyes.  “Would you be willing to serve me in such a way?” he said. 

Thaddeus felt the blood rush to his face.  While the king had, on occasion, asked him about happenings within the household, he wondered what he could possibly contribute to a discussion on matters of the kingdom.  His voice broke slightly as he responded, “Sire, I will endeavor to serve you in any way that you see fit, but wouldn’t the members of your court be better suited for such a dialogue?” 

“Indeed, that would often be true, but these matters concern them, thus it would seem imprudent in this instance,” he replied. 

Thaddeus bowed his head and said, “Let it be as you wish, lord.”

The king began, “Today, we celebrate the victory over still another foreign kingdom and yet, for the first time, I have not a son to crown as its king.”  Then, after another thoughtful pause he continued, “Many suppose that I have bestowed each of my sons with his own kingdom as a gift to them, yet in truth I meant for each of my sons to be a gift to the people within those lands.  I know the hearts of my sons and had one of them not been true, I would not have entrusted him with a crown.  I have found that royalty is not passed through the bloodlines, but that it is carefully nurtured in one’s heart.  As I look out on the vast horizon, I must now distinguish the man whose heart is prepared to sit upon the throne of this new kingdom.”  Again the king paused, and then thoughtfully said, “The heart of a man is not easily judged by the heart of another.” 

Thaddeus could feel the weight of the king’s thoughts, and hoping to encourage him, he said, “You are a good and wise king, surely you will find this man whom you seek.” 

The king smiled broadly, and with warmth in his face, he asked Thaddeus, “Whom do you see who might be fit for the rule of a kingdom?” 

Thaddeus felt unworthy to even ponder such a thing, but he was intent on serving his king.  “Your court is filled with noble men, lord, surely one of them would be fit,” he responded. 

“Speak freely, Thaddeus, whom do you see?” asked the king.

“I see Sir Fredric, the governor of the southern province, sire.  He seems to be a man of influence and persuasion, knowledgeable in the ways of government and diplomacy.  Surely such a man would make a fine king,” said Thaddeus. 

“Indeed, what you have said of Fredric is true, he is a very capable man and certainly well respected, but while he is knowledgeable in matters of the kingdom, he seems to lack an awareness of those closest to him.  His own family suffers from his neglect of their most basic needs.  A man who fails to provide for his own family is not fit for the leadership of any other,” the king responded. 

Thaddeus was embarrassed by the king’s quick dismissal of his suggestion and he wished that the king would simply dismiss him, but instead the king nodded for him to continue.

“What of your scribe, Denard?  He is a man who knows your decrees and tenants well, a man who is knowledgeable in matters of truth,” suggested Thaddeus. 

“Again, my servant, you have spoken well.  Denard is a man who is knowledgeable of the truth, but, alas, his heart is full of compromise.  Many are the men who acknowledge the truth, but few are those who embrace it.  A man who does not hold to the truth is like a ship without a rudder, he is a vessel unworthy of being followed,” concluded the king. 

Again, Thaddeus yearned to flee from this dialogue.  He was clearly not fit to speak of such things, but again the king nodded for him to continue.

“Sire, what of Sir Stephen, the head of your royal guard?  He seems to be a man without fear, decisive and strong, a leader among men.  Surely such a man could lead a kingdom,” asserted Thaddeus. 

“Indeed, Stephen is a valiant warrior and quite naturally a leader, but he is also a man of little mercy.  While that quality may serve him on the battlefield, it is needful in matters of the kingdom,” said the king. 

Exasperated, Thaddeus allowed his discouragement to spill onto his face, but the patient eyes of the king quickly calmed him.  “Go on,” said the king.

“Lord, what of the sage, Philibus?  He is a man of great wisdom and learning, even you look to him for counsel.  Certainly he would have the wisdom to guide a kingdom,” said Thaddeus.

“Indeed, Philibus is a man full of wise words and I do value his counsel, but wise words are merely seeds, which will only blossom into wisdom when they find a fertile heart to act upon them.  Each person has been endowed with certain gifts, and to be sure, Philibus is among the most gifted men in the kingdom; but while the nature of a gift ought to breed humility, it has instead become vanity in Philibus.  He is a man of little discretion, blinded by his conceit and ambition,” said the king. 

At this, Thaddeus dropped his head, feeling as though he had failed in his service to the king. 

The king sensed this frustration and asked, “Thaddeus, are you my slave or my servant?” 

Thaddeus was surprised by the question and his eyes rose to meet the king’s.  “I am your servant, sire,” he said. 

“What do you see as the difference between the servant and the slave?” 

“The servant is free to leave whenever he chooses,” he replied. 

“Then what keeps you here, Thaddeus?” asked the king. 

“It is my honor to serve you, my king,” he said. 

“Do you despise your station as a mere servant?” asked the king. 

Again, surprised by the question, Thaddeus replied, “No, my lord, I believe that my service is virtuous.” 

The king again smiled broadly and said, “I believe that too.”

Thaddeus was confused by the king’s inquiries and again wondered if he should dismiss himself, but after another short pause, the king began to speak,

“Thaddeus, why shouldn’t I crown you as the king of this new land?” 

Thaddeus was stunned by the king’s question and he stumbled to find words, “I am but a lowly servant,” he said. 

“Do you believe that you are lowly by fate or by destiny?” asked the king. 

Thaddeus had never considered such a thing and was at a loss to respond.  Before he could answer the king answered,

“I believe that it is by fate, but that you have been destined for greater things” 

“My lord, I am honored by your words, but what do I know of ruling a kingdom?” asked Thaddeus. 

“You have been at my side for years, your understanding is deeper than you know and a heart that yearns to serve will always find a way to serve.  It is the only heart that can be entrusted with the lives of the people,” responded the king. 

Thaddeus stared into the compassionate eyes of his king and he felt hot tears streaming down his face.  The king reached down, placing his hand on Thaddeus’ head, and said, “You shall now have a whole kingdom to serve.”

In the years that followed that fateful day, the wise judgment of the magnificent king was affirmed as good king Thaddeus served the people of his kingdom with humility, honesty, wisdom and mercy.

“For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest (Luke 9:48)”

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Keys to the Kingdom

Posted in Commentaries, tagged , , , , , on February 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Many years ago, I felt like the Lord told me that He has not called us (i.e. the children of God) to be, “builders” of the Kingdom.  And as I pondered that word, He began to show me that there is a big difference between building a house and moving one.  When we build a house, we choose a site, make our plans, and build to suit our expectations/desires.  But when the house already exists, we must go to where it is, and study its design, if it is to arrive intact at its new location.  It takes a totally different skill set, and it is a completely different activity.

The Kingdom of God already exists and God Himself was the Architect and Builder (Heb. 11:10).  God is not interested in some earthly replica of His Kingdom (Acts 7:48-49), He means for His Kingdom to come to earth as it already exists in the heavenly realm.  Scripture tells us that He is the “builder of everything” (Heb. 3:4), and that unless He builds the house, we labor in vain (Psalm 127:1). 

When Jesus spoke of destroying the temple and rebuilding it in 3 days, He qualified that the former was built by human hands, while the latter would not be (Mark 14:58).  He promised that “He would build His church”, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matt 16:18).  Nothing that we’ve ever built has risen to that level.

I’ve heard many people use the first century church (described in the book of Acts) as the model or blueprint for what the Body of Christ ought to look like today.  And while there are certainly principles that we can derive from those early believers, they were never meant to become the prototype for the church. 

Reading through the New Testament, it is obvious that they had many of the same issues that we have today (e.g. arguments about doctrines, rituals, & traditions; factions; sexual immorality within the church…), and more importantly, they never became the glorious bride that Jesus returns for.

This isn’t to say that we (i.e. the Body of Christ) don’t have any role in the coming of the Kingdom.  Quite to the contrary, our part is essential.  Many have grabbed ahold of Paul’s allusions to a “wise master builder” (1 Cor. 3:10) as evidence that we are similarly called to be Kingdom “builders”.  But a closer examination of that passage seems to indicate otherwise. 

What he actually says is that he laid a foundation, as a wise master builder would (1 Cor. 3:10).  Part of moving an existing structure, is forming a foundation at its new location (preparing the ground), and that speaks to our role today.  He warns that no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:12). 

It is not incidental that within this same passage Paul points out that we can plant and water seeds, but only God can make them grow (1Cor. 3:7).  He is explaining the limited, yet vital role we’ve been given.  And so it is with the Kingdom of God.

Throughout the rest of that chapter, he reminds us that we are God’s field, God’s building (1Cor. 3:9) and God’s temple (1Cor. 3:16).  He’s not talking about structures, or organizations, or ministries, or doctrines, or methodologies, or networks, he is speaking of Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col.1:27). 

This foundation must be laid internally before it can be manifest externally.  Indeed, Jesus told His disciples that He would build “His church” upon the foundation (i.e. rock) of followers who’ve had the revelation of who He really is, and who hear the voice of the Father (Matthew 16:18).

Too much of the dialogue and activity surrounding the advancement of the Kingdom of God seems to take our focus off the King.  The idea that we are building something gets people excited.  It stirs our imaginations, and gets us strategizing.  But the Kingdom will not come until a proper foundation has been established, and that is ultimately a matter of the heart. 

To that end, I would submit that a more intimate connection to Him, and a greater to devotion to hearing/obeying His voice are the keys to seeing His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.  Without those critical elements, we are likely to build yet another religious monument, that either crumbles from decay, or which the Lord Himself knocks over.

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