Thirsty?

Have you ever been thirsty, really thirsty? 

The desires in our souls are often compared to thirst.  When you are thirsty, the desire for water can override everything else.

We pursue money, sex, entertainment and a thousand other desires like our lives depend on it. Driven by an overpowering thirst, our lives are poured out in a passionate pursuit.

God saw this happening with the ancient people of Israel and said: 

“My people have done two evil things:

They have abandoned me—

the fountain of living water.

And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns

that can hold no water at all!” (Jeremiah 2:13, NLT)

Here in this passage God is using a metaphor.  He is comparing the thirst of the soul to the thirst for water.  Our souls hunger and thirst for God.  Without God we are parched and thirsty on the inside.  God says here that He is the fountain of living water.  There are two evil things God addresses.  The first is that His people have abandoned Him.  The second is that they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns.  The cracked cisterns are a metaphor for things that we pursue to satisfy our thirst.  A cistern stores water so that when the spring rains are finished and the dry months of summer come people do not die for lack of water. We are dying for lack of "living water", because money, sex, entertainment and all our other pursuits can never satisfy out souls.

Fixated

Fixated or Fixation: the state in which an individual becomes obsessed with an attachment to another human, an animal, or an inanimate object. (Wikipedia) Acquire an obsessive attachment to: (Webster)

 What does it mean to be human? The scientific community has given us the Latin name: Homo sapiens: according to Wiktionary this is from Latin homo (“human being, man”) + sapiens (“wise, sensible, judicious”) We consider ourselves wise, sensible and judicious. And yet, Idolatry is part of the human condition. It is as old as humanity itself. Did you have to study Greek mythology? I suppose we all did. It is part of our culture. The days of the week are named after these deities. Tuesday – Mars the god of war; Wednesday – Mercury the god of commerce; Friday – Venus the god of love and beauty. When we think of idolatry, we think of statues and objects. However, consider what the gods we just listed represented. They represent things that even now men and women devote their lives to. When a person devotes his/herself to beauty or Aphrodite, there is no end to the surgery, dieting, exercising and products that can be part of the sacrifice. Aphrodite can be a terrible task master. Some damage their health to look better, taking steroids or harmful drugs. Others become enslaved to the point that the condition known as anorexia develops. When a person makes the pursuit of profit their sole purpose in life, do they not demonstrate what they are willing to sacrifice to Hermes, giving up family and children? The ancients gave names to the deities and we no longer recognize them by their names, but we still serve the same deities. We sacrifice health, family, children, integrity and our souls for the things these deities represent.

 

 We call ourselves wise, sensible and judicious. We pursue wealth, position, peace, beauty and happiness with all we are. And yet, we live in a world where many of us are Struggling, Hurting, Stressing, Cheating, Spending, Worrying, Medicating and Avoiding? What is the cause of the worry and stress around us? Our world is fixated or obsessed with so many things that promise happiness. Our gods have failed us, and sold us into slavery.

 Jesus taught that the first commandment is the most important commandment. The first commandment is: “You must not have any other god but me.” (Exodus 20:3, New Living Translation) This rule has to do with why we were created. It has to do with who we are. We were created to have a relationship with God. What is more, we do not break any of the other 10 commandments without breaking this one first. I believe that this is the problem; not just a problem, but the problem. I believe that the reason we are Struggling, Hurting, Stressing, Cheating, Spending, Worrying, Medicating and Avoiding is found in this commandment. Therefore, I believe that the answer to finding freedom from the worry, fears and struggles of our present day lies in this commandment. This is the most important commandment. The Bible puts it positively: “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” (Deut. 6:5, NLT)

 I have been influenced by two books recently. The first one is “Gods at War”, by Kyle Idleman; and the second is “Counterfeit Gods”, by Timothy Keller. I recommend reading either of these books for a fuller treatment of the subject, and I must give credit to these men for places where I have borrowed directly from their books and for stimulating my thinking on this subject.

As humans we will give our lives to something. For example, if a person makes acquiring wealth their goal, they will end up serving money, fixated on it. If a person makes being accepted their goal, they will end up serving those they try to appease. We have a name for this, we call it codependency. Anything that we cannot live without will end up controlling us. Our hearts become fixed on the object or objects we trust for our happiness, security or success. We end up serving these things that have now taken the place of God. For example if we need to feel secure, and money makes us feel secure, we will pursue money. But, a different person will seek security in a relationship with the opposite sex, so they will pursue relationships. As we look at the heart in each of these scenarios we see we are trusting in something other than God to meet our deepest need. We are looking to this object to be our Savior. This is what idolatry is. Every one of us will look to something or a number of things to meet our deepest needs. Every one of us will serve a god or many gods. It is the way we are created. We each have a soul hunger that can only be satisfied in the one true God, the God we were created for. It is not a question of if we have idols in our hearts. I believe it is a lifelong process of allowing God to show us what our idols are.

 Romans 1:21-25 puts it this way: “They knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." (NLT)

He Carries Our Burdens

Are you facing a situation that is beyond hope? Perhaps it is a relationship that you know will never get any better. Perhaps it is a physical condition. Jesus is the only one who can take these burdens for us. When our strength and wisdom have no answers there is still a place to turn. The Bible tells us, “He took up our pain, and bore our suffering.” (Isaiah 53:4, NIV) John in his account of Jesus’ life tells of an incident where a friend of His died. A dead person would seem to be about as far beyond hope as it gets. In the case of this friend, Lazarus, Jesus chose to bring him back from the dead. There are not a lot of cases where Jesus chooses to do this, but He does promise to be with us. He does help us carry the load. He took up our pain, and bore our suffering. God gives us hope even when things seem beyond hope.

Bad Things Happen

John tells the story of walking one day and seeing a blind man. Everyone knew that this man had been born blind. The question came up as to why this person had been born blind. The assumption of John's day was that either the person with the problem or the parents of the person had done something bad. When asked why this had happened to the man, Jesus said it was not that the parents or the person born blind had done anything wrong. But, it was rather an opportunity for God's work to be displayed and then Jesus healed the man. God wants a relationship with beings that like Him can make their own choices. Because of this, He has allowed us to make our own choices even though He is all powerful and could have made us differently. We all make bad choices at times, and and when selfishness and hate take over someone's heart evil choices are made. As a result, there are evil and tragedies in our world. In these there is opportunity for God's work to be displayed. We see God's work in people reaching out to offer healing and help to those struck by tragedy. And, we see His work ultimately in the fact that He has reached out to us to offer healing and help to each of us through His Son.

Mary Magdalene

We meet Mary early in the ministry of Jesus. Luke mentions her in chapter 2 verses 1& 2: “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out.” Jesus had traveled about from town to town with the twelve and with these women. We know that Mary the mother of Jesus and this Mary stayed by the cross as Jesus suffered. There is an account in the New Testament of a man afflicted by a legion of demons. However, 7 demons is a large enough problem. The number is given to us to indicate that her affliction was severe. Therefore, her gratitude was great. She was first to the tomb, the most persistent in seeking His body, and the first to see Him alive. Perhaps her great deliverance explains the depth of her devotion, and perhaps it is a credit to her gender. It was because of such devotion that she was there to be the first one to see that the stone had been removed from the tomb. Mary was the first to see the risen Lord, and it was because she was pursuing the right thing. She wanted Jesus. She needed Jesus. She stayed there at the tomb until she knew what had become of Jesus. She found out He was not in the tomb because He was alive. He is the way the truth and the life. We have evidence. We have facts. But, what we need is Jesus. All of our hope is in Him. What are you pursuing?

He is the King!

There were four insults thrown at Jesus while He was on the cross. 

These four insults were the truth.

 In their insults, Jesus’ tormentors preached the gospel and gave a message of hope to those of us who are willing to hear it.

 I must first set the stage. It was not just the insults that Jesus endured. His suffering was for our salvation. Therefore, all the sins of the world were heaped upon Him.

 Look at how this process began. In humility and as a true servant seeking the best for his disciples, Jesus washed the disciples feet. Then thy sat down for what we know as the last supper.

The apostle John was sitting next to Jesus and this is what he records of one of the events at that table: Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!” (Betrayal is one of the worst things that can happen in a relationship. Jesus is sitting with those whom He has spent almost every waking minute for 3 years. He was troubled and it showed. John says that Jesus “was deeply troubled.“)

 John continues: The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. The disciples are shocked. They cannot imagine anyone of their number doing such a thing.

John continues: The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”

Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.”

And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him.

Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.”

None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. So Judas left at once, going out into the night. (John 13:21-30, NIV)

 The sins and suffering of humanity were heaping up on the shoulders of Jesus.

This was an emotionally unsettling evening for the disciples, but for Jesus the suffering was only beginning. 

After the meal we have the account of Jesus taking time to pray just before His arrest.

 This time we will read the account as it was recorded by Matthew. Matthew records: Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.”

He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Please note that Jesus in His own word said, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.”)

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn't you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.”

When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn't keep their eyes open. So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!” (Matt. 26:36-45, NIV)

 I have taken you to these passages because I want us to reflect on how difficult this was for Jesus. Luke, the doctor, tells us that His anguish was so great He sweat drops of blood. After this He was arrested. His friends and followers deserted Him. There was a shameful mockery of a trial, a trial in form but not following the rules. After being denied justice and condemned to die having done nothing wrong, He was hung on a cross.

 Let’s review. He was betrayed. He was distressed and in anguish. He was falsely accused and tried in an illegal court and condemned to die in the most painful way that could be devised. Then while He was hanging on the cross insults were hurled at Him, insults that proclaimed the truth of the gospel. 

We, humanity, were throwing back at Him the very work that He was accomplishing. The meaning of the cross was what was used as insults. How profane and yet magnificent in the same moment; Profane that men should so abuse such a great gift, magnificent that God should show such love and patience toward us.

 Let’s read Matthew 27:39-44: Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Their jeers and taunts were cutting and hurt, and I want us to realize that they were throwing the truth back at Jesus. In these insults, those that spoke proclaimed the truth of the gospel. The very message of the cross was contained in their words.

Jesus had told them that they would destroy the temple and that He would raise it back up in three days. They were blind and did not realize that Jesus was speaking of the temple of His body. Jesus had taught during His ministry that He was ushering in a day when God’s worshipers would not worship at a geographical temple but that they would worship in spirit and in truth. This taunt was an attack on Jesus as the way to the Father. They themselves pointed out the truth that Jesus is now the way to worship the Father. There is no longer a temple, because Jesus and His body is the temple.

Next they jeered at Him and said, “Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” They had heard Jesus say that He was the long awaited Messiah, the anointed one of God. They were rejecting the truth that Jesus was the hope of Israel, the fulfillment of God’s promises and the very Son of God. It was the truth, and He endured them challenging Him to prove it. As the Son of God, He could have finished them all with a mere word, and yet in His anguish and suffering he endured their insults. They proclaimed in their insult the truth that they will one day confess on bended knee, that Jesus Christ is Lord. He is the anointed one of God.

And still they dug the hole a little deeper by proclaiming another truth as if it were an insult. This one was hurled by the leaders of the people. As the representatives of the nation, their words carry special significance. This is what they said, ““He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself!” They did not know what they were saying. Jesus had told them He came to seek and save the lost. Jesus had told them that it was the sick that needed a doctor and that is why they did not see their need, and here they are confessing in the form of an insult that they understood that He was a Savior to those in need. Jesus said in John 3:17: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” In their insult, the leaders proclaimed this very truth.

Finally, with one last insult they completed the gospel. Here is what they said, “He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.” In their roles as representative heads of the nation they acknowledge the truth that is the hope of nations. He is the King.

We look to governments for justice and the solution of social issues, and government owes it to us. However, like the leaders of Jesus’ day, our leaders are human and sinful just like us. We hope and wait for the King, just like they did in that day. When He comes to take his throne perfect justice will reign and there will not be social problems. They were waiting for a King but in their blindness they were insulting the very one in whom they professed to hope.

 Jesus endured the shame, the suffering, the injustice and the insults because he was and is exactly what they said.

He is the temple.

He is the Son of God.

He is the Savior.

He is the King.

We have a choice. We can add our voice to those mocking by simply denying that Jesus all these things. Or, we can acknowledge who He is and invite Him to be our Savior Lord and King.

The Meaning of the Cross