Christian Standard | April 2021 by Christian Standard Media

fr o m th e pu bli sh er

one victory

istory is full of victories. Some, like the Super Bowl, are watched by millions of fully committed fans only to be forgotten the next year by all but the most committed. Some victories actually turn the tide of history from one empire to another, leaving those who follow to speculate on what might have happened had the battle been lost and the tide not turned. Some victors are heralded as the greatest of all time but are later found to have cheated to gain an unfair advantage. Some victories change the course of history but are completely forgotten by later generations. Games, empires, and champions have come and gone over the centuries— some are remembered but most are forgotten.

But there is one battle, one moment, and one champion remembered by all the world, and the victory won was for the whole world and for all time. The location of the battle was obscure in its day but afterward it became the center of the world—the center point of the world’s three great monotheistic religions, whose conflicts with one another have continued to mark it for millennia. This particular battle initially went unnoticed by nearly all the world. It didn’t even look like a battle; instead, it looked like a fairly typical criminal execution of a religious leader rejected by his own people and put to death by an occupying force.

a p ril 20 21 3

A largely untraveled man, barely an adult by most standards, with only three years as a public presence— without abundant finances, proper education, public writings, a formal organization, or a visible army— fought an invisible battle with an enemy no one acknowledged. He came without conventional weapons, brothers-in-arms, any perceived strategy, and without any apparent pathway to a positive outcome. He died virtually alone, abandoned by nearly all who called him a friend. He died naked, surrounded by murderers and thieves, as pious religious people cursed, spat at, and reviled him. For the professional soldiers who stood guard near him, it was “just another day.” He died in physical agony . . . for no crime (because those in authority knew he was without fault). Two religious cowards, accompanied by two straggling followers, buried him . . . and that was the end of it. No one knew what was actually happening. No one could have imagined that a strategy for battle that had unfolded for thousands of years was playing out before their eyes. No one realized that what seemed like epic failure was only the crisis moment that would bring the greatest victory of all time—a victory the whole world would remember forever.

God; Jesus’ victory removed all power Satan held over this world and the children of God for all time. Jesus crushed the serpent’s head. He was victorious over all the world’s accumulated sin—past, present, and future—covering over sin’s guilty stain with his perfect blood. As the hymn proclaims, “He arose the victor from the dark domain and he lives forever with his saints to reign!” It was over 2,000 years ago, but it remains as powerful as if it were yesterday. The world cannot forget Jesus’ victory, though untold numbers have tried to snuff out its memory, explain it away, discount it, and ignore it. Still, the resurrection victory towers over the wrecks of time. Every other earthly triumph will come and go, many will be forgotten, but this one, only this one, will remain the achievement that will forever define who we were, who we are, and what we will be! Jesus is risen!

That Friday over 2,000 years ago was the date of the greatest battle of all time, and daybreak the following Sunday testified to the greatest victory of all time. Nothing compares to it. One man faced all the forces of darkness and the mountain ranges of sin that had piled up over countless years, and he flattened them. His victory was absolute. He was victorious over physical death, the inevitable consequence of even just one sin against God, because Jesus never sinned . . . not even once. He was victorious over Satan and all the allies of that ancient enemy of

Jerry Harris is publisher of Christian Standard Media and senior pastor of The Crossing, a multisite church located in three states across the Midwest. @_jerryharris /jerrydharris

CHRISTIAN STANDARD + THE

LO O KO U T

FOUNDED 1866 BY ISAAC ERRETT Devoted to the restoration of New Testament Christianity, its doctrine, its ordinances, and its fruits.

team Jerry Harris, Publisher Michael C. Mack, Editor Jim Nieman, Managing Editor Megan Kempf, Designer Abby Wittler, Designer Renee Little, Operations Kim Harris, Marketing + Advertising Tracy Nichols, Customer Service

Subscription Information

To order Christian Standard for yourself, your church, or your group, visit christianstandard.com or contact Customer Service. Bulk pricing is available.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

resur

720.598.7377 info@christianstandardmedia.com

Volume CLVI. Number 4. Christian Standard (ISSN 0009-5656) is published monthly by Christian Standard Media at 16965 Pine Lane, Suite 202, Parker, CO 80134. Periodicals postage paid at Parker, CO, and additional offices.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

judas iscariot

the roman centurion

caiaphas

pontius pilate

W H AT J U D A S CAN TEACH US ABOUT JESUS

CAUGHT BETWEEN KINGDOMS

CAIAPHAS AND THE CENTRAL PA R K F I V E

P I L AT E ' S GUIDE ON HOW TO MISS THE TRUTH

Ryan Rasmussen

Kendra Dunahugh

Austin Gohn

Dan Hamel

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Christian Standard Media, 16965 Pine Lane, Suite 202, Parker, CO 80134. Phone: 1-720-598-7377.

SUBSCRIBERS: Send address changes to Christian Standard, 16965 Pine Lane, Suite 202, Parker, CO 80134. Send old and new addresses, complete with zip codes, at least six weeks before delivery date.

Christian Standard is published by Christian Standard Media, www.christianstandardmedia.com.

Email: cs@christianstandardmedia.com Website: www.christianstandard.com

In Every Issue 2-3

10-11

12-13

from the publisher

BOLD

HORIZONS

The Most Impor tant Aspect of Meeting Together Megan Rawlings

OneIN Uses Trusted Links to Par tner with Nationals and Spread the Gospel Laura McKillip Wood

6-7 from the Editor

rection barabbas

simon of cyrene

the repentant thief

joseph and nicodemus

guards at the tomb

THE S TA N D - I N

THOSE MOMENTS T H AT COMPEL US

A HOPE OF S A L VAT I O N

MORE THAN LABELS, TITLES, AND ACCOLADES

' D I D T H AT JUST HAPPEN?'

Caleb Kaltenbach

Te r r e n c e T u r m a n

Chris Hankins

Ben Siemon

T r e v o r D e Va g e w i t h M a r k A . Ta y l o r

14-15

16-17

76-93

e2:EFFECTIVE ELDERS

METRICS

THE LOOKOUT

THE FINAL WORD

What ’s Your Trust Factor? Kent E. Fillinger

94-95

Unity Matters: Two Essentials We Need to Experience Oneness Gar y L. Johnson

INTERACT

f r o m th e edi to r

Put Yourself in the Story

magine being an eyewitness to Jesus’ final days on earth: his entry into Jerusalem, his celebration of Passover with his followers, his trial, death, burial, resurrection, commission, and ascension. Try to put yourself there as part of the crowd or one of his followers or even one of his detractors on the dusty streets of the Holy City.

As you read these articles, imagine you are in the sandals of the men and women who came face-toface with Jesus. Their participation in these events surely affected them enormously. Picturing the events through their eyes might affect you, too, as you experience, through them, Jesus’ humble strength and sacrificial love.

In this issue, which is a sequel to last April’s Resurrection issue, we provide nine character studies of witnesses to these historic events. None were the main characters in Jesus’ passion, but all were vital to the story. Our writers this month are all relatively younger ministers, and several are new to the pages of Christian Standard. I think you’ll enjoy their writing and will want to see more from them.

This Easter season, as you read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ passion, put yourself in the story. What might it have been like to be the owner of the house where Jesus and his followers celebrated the Passover meal? Imagine inviting Jesus into your home. Envision being in the upper room with Jesus and his disciples. What do you see and smell and taste and hear? Take in Jesus’ unwavering words, servant attitude, and resolute actions.

a p ril 20 21 7

Imagine being Malchus, the servant of the high priest, that night in the garden. You’re caught up in a melee not of your making and end up losing an ear. But then the one you came to arrest looks in your eyes as he touches your ear and immediately heals you.

after the resurrection narrative in the same chapter. Although there were 40 days between Easter Sunday and Jesus’ ascension, the writers placed the events very close to one another. I think they did that for a reason.

Each person in the story witnessed something —Someone—extraordinary. They beheld the miraculous, the transcendent, the transformational. They experienced perfect, unconditional love. We can learn a great deal from these people, because we’re not very different from them, and the days in which we live have many similarities to theirs.

The resurrection leads to the commission. It also provides the power necessary to accomplish it.

Like them, when we come into the presence of Jesus, we are changed and we want to know him better. Nothing else in the world compares to knowing him. As the apostle Paul said, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:8-9, my emphasis). Paul’s deepest desire is mine as well. It’s the desire of every sincere Christ follower. “I want to know Christ,” he said, “yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (vv. 10-11). I want to know Christ and the power of the resurrection like Mary Magdalene knew, like John and Peter and Thomas and the rest of Jesus’ earliest disciples knew. Yet there’s much more. Like Paul, I haven’t “arrived” yet! So I keep pressing on, day by day, year by year, through pandemics and politics and my own pesky sin problems. Thank God for the sanctification process! No, I don’t yet know Christ as I want to, nor the power of his resurrection, the fellowship in his sufferings, or conformity to his death. But I’m growing, and I notice that the closer I get, the further I still have to go. As I grow closer to Christ, I also see more clearly the connection between Jesus’ resurrection and commission. In all four Gospels, a commission is given shortly

I want more than to know about Jesus or about his resurrection. Rather, I want to experience them and live them out in my life. They have become a part of me through my faith, having been activated at baptism, through the gifting of the Holy Spirit. Everyone who comes in contact with me should then experience Jesus and his resurrection power through me. The Christian life is a life of overflow. (I haven’t arrived at that goal either, but I’ll keep straining toward it.) The early church that witnessed Jesus’ life and teaching could not help but go and tell others. The power of his resurrection compelled them. May knowing Jesus and the power of the resurrection do the same for all of us!

@michaelc.mack @michaelcmack @michaelcmack /authormichaelcmack

8 c hristia n sta nda rd

a p ril 20 21

BOLD

visited many churches for various reasons during 2020. In quite a few houses of worship, I experienced roughly the same thing. As the doors opened, I could feel vibrations from the percussion and bass in my chest. The smell of coffee would drift toward my nose and awaken me. The welcoming team would greet me and ask about my week with genuine interest. “Don’t forget to check in on social media!” they would say. Sign-up sheets for “groups who do life together” and other activities to “get involved” were on strategically placed tables. Finally, I’d enter the sanctuary, grab my seat, and listen to another in a long string of incredibly inspirational messages (although rather scarce in Scripture). These sessions made me feel good. They inspired me. I was very much in my element with my people. But it wasn’t church.

The Most Important Aspect of Meeting Together by Megan Rawlings

To be clear, there was nothing “wrong” with any of the things I saw, felt, smelled, or heard. It’s simply that all too often, we fail to focus on the most important aspect of meeting together as a body: the gospel. Alexander Campbell said, “The testimony of the apostles is the only and all-sufficient means of uniting Christians.” He placed an emphasis on New Testament Christianity, which is what drew me into the Restoration Movement. You see, the New Testament church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). The New Testament church heavily relied on and shared the gospel of Jesus Christ. In a 2020 survey, Barna discovered 72 percent of current pastors believe the greatest concern for the Christian church is watered-down gospel teachings. Another major concern for preachers were “prosperity gospel teachings” (56 percent). Survey after survey has shown that Christians are tired of what I call the “cool church.” They long for substance, depth, and most importantly, the gospel.

R e s u r r e c t i o n S u n d ay

“

Resurrection Sunday is April 4. It is the perfect time to emphasize what many in our movement are preaching every weekend—the passion of the Christ. Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, which necessitated a sacrifice to satisfy God’s wrath. For thousands of years, God’s people sacS u r v e y a f t e r s u r v e y h a s s h o w n t h at C h r i s t i a n s rificed animals to atone for sin, a r e t i r e d o f w h at I c a l l t h e ‘ c o o l c h u r c h .’ T h e y but that was not enough because l o n g f o r s u b s ta n c e , d e p t h , a n d m o s t i m p o r ta n t ly, animals were simply spoken into the gospel. existence. Humans, however, were made from the very breath of God—we

a p ril 20 21 11

were made in his image and likeness—but we are inherently unclean because of Adam and Eve’s legacy—their sin. Mere man could not pay sin’s penalty. The only true fulfillment was a sacrifice without blemish—without sin. That could be accomplished only by God himself, who came to earth in human flesh. Not because he needed us, but because he loves us and wants us.

The Gospel Jesus displayed this passion as he hung in pain and agony on the cross for six excruciating hours. After his brutal death, Jesus was put in a borrowed tomb because he didn’t have his own. But three days later, after the darkest time the world has ever known, a miraculous resurrection occurred in which Jesus conquered sin and death once and for all! Jesus died to save the thief who hung beside him (Luke 23:43), the Roman soldiers who took part in his murder (Matthew 27:54), and everyone else who were lost in their sins. Jesus also hung on the cross for you and me. Colossians 1:17 says, “He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together” (New Living Translation). This means that because Jesus is thinking about us, we exist. While he was on the cross, he was taking on the punishment we deserve because he could not stand the thought of living in eternity without us. We now have the opportunity to respond to his story and share it with others. This is what the church yearns for. It’s what we are called to do. It’s for this reason the Restoration Movement is known and should be known. 

abou t the au thor

Megan Rawlings is the founder and CEO of The Bold Movement. She is an extrovert, pastor’s wife, and lover of the Scriptures. /tbmministry @tbm_ministry @tbm_ministry @theboldmovement theboldmovement.com

hori z ons

hampa sat next to her husband, Mukul, in their apartment in Calcutta, India. Their neighbor sat across from them, nervously describing how the company he had worked for as a day laborer had closed due to the COVID-19 quarantine. Money was scarce before the lockdowns, but now survival would be nearly impossible. This man was a member of the house church Shampa and Mukul had started, and here he was, struggling right in front of them. Shampa glanced at Mukul. She looked back at their neighbor. “As long as the lockdown continues, you and your family can come and have food with us,” she said. In the back of her mind, she knew they did not have the money to support this entire family, but how could they allow their neighbors to go hungry?

ministry Uses Trusted Links to Partner with Nationals and Spread the Gospel by Laura McKillip Wood

When the man left their home, Mukul and Shampa reassured each other. “Just trust in God,” they said, feeling hopeful but uncertain. “We forgot for just a moment that the one who holds the future has a greater plan for us,” Shampa said. And God did not forget them. He supplied food not only for their neighbor and his family, but for 200 families in their community through Mukul and Shampa during the quarantine.

Trust Shampa and Mukul work as Trusted International Families (or TIFs) for a ministry called OneIN. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, OneIN’s founder and president, Chris Alexander, has been a missionary for 37 years and has worked in countries such as Zambia and Ukraine, and in churches in the Indianapolis area. He started OneIN because he saw the need to empower the poor in other cultures and plant seeds for the gospel by making the most of all of their resources, including relationships with national believers. Traditionally, Western churches have done cross-cultural ministry by sending an American family or team to live and work in the country. This requires a large amount of money and a long period of cultural adjustment and language learning, and it often results in rapid turnover and less ministry happening.

“

OneIN is reimagining how missions can be done. “We are rethinking how to work cross-culturally with people by developing and leveraging relationships of trust that have been built over significant periods of time when we aren’t already in the country ourselves,” Alexander explained. neI N b u i l d s o n t r u s t b y c o n n e c t i n g w i t h One “We have people in our churches i n d i v i d u a l s w h o a l r e a d y h av e a n e x i s t i n g l o n g -t e r m who have had significant experiences overseas and still have r e l at i o n s h i p w i t h C h r i s t i a n s i n o t h e r c u lt u r e s . close, trusting relationships maintained over decades with people in countries where we are called to serve.” Additionally,

OneIN builds on trust by connecting with individuals who already have an existing long-term relationship with Christians in other cultures. These individuals serve as links between OneIN and national families who can potentially serve as OneIN representatives—TIFs—in underserved areas. After some training, TIFs become grant recipients who issue small, no-interest loans to entrepreneurs who want to start or grow small businesses and have a solid plan for doing so. Clients repay their loans as their businesses grow, and the money goes back into the fund to be redistributed. When handled properly, the revolving loan fund eliminates the necessity of additional resources coming from the West.

Empowerment OneIN’s unique plan enables small business owners to support themselves and their families. “I like to empower people,” Alexander said. “To me, having the opportunity to be used in a small way to help people meet their physical needs, create stability for themselves and their families, and provide an avenue to share the gospel is the most natural way of outreach.”

OneIN has big goals for 2021. They plan to start working in 12 new countries, one each month. By linking with people they trust in each country, empowering each of those people to issue small loans, and allowing them to choose from their own contacts within their own home countries, OneIN hopes that by 2022 they will have a greater network around the world that is not dependent on large financial contributions from American Christians or the actual presence of Americans in the country. Thus, they can continue regardless of pandemics or political shifts. Mukul and Shampa still live and work in Calcutta. Not only were they able to help their neighbors during the quarantine, but by working as TIFs for OneIN, they are empowered to loan funds to small businesses to grow and develop their businesses. As TIFs, they find their roles rewarding, helping people improve their financial resources. More importantly, they serve as ministers of the gospel in a community that needs their presence. 

abou t the au thor

OneIN does not require loan recipients to be Christians. In fact, they encourage TIFs to reach out to people who do not have an existing relationship with the church because they want this to be a way to present the gospel naturally. “People in their home cultures understand how to reach people better than I do. We’re trying to make small trust leaps so that the distance culturally and relationally is manageable, and people are most receptive for presentation of the gospel,” Alexander explained. When people’s physical needs are met and they feel capable of taking care of their dependents, they begin searching for meaning in life. They often turn to God and grow spiritually as a result of their contact with their TIF.

Growth During the pandemic, Alexander saw ministries faltering because of travel restrictions and quarantines. American Christians working internationally sometimes were unable to live in their host countries and could not minister effectively there. Alexander realized how effective OneIN’s model can be in a time when travel is restricted but technology is not. Through relationships cultivated long-distance with people already living in the culture, OneIN-maintained ministries began

Laura McKillip Wood, former missionary to Ukraine, now lives in Papillion, Nebraska. She serves as an on-call chaplain at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha. She and her husband, Andrew, have three teenagers. /laura.wood2 @woodlaura30 @woodlaura30 lauramckillipwood.com lauramckillipwood@gmail.com

a p ril 20 21

planning for the future and ways to maintain their work, despite the pandemic.

“Americans have the financial resources to help; what is lacking is the ability to trust others with those resources.” OneIN works to connect people, share resources, and open the door to the gospel.

e 2:e ffe ct i v e e ld e r s

ords are powerful, especially a person’s final words. A loved one’s final words impact us for years to come. In the same way, the final words of Jesus will continue to impact us until he returns. Jesus not only spoke seven separate times from the cross, but in his last hours, he offered up a prayer that included us. A careful reading of Jesus’ longest recorded prayer (John 17) reveals Jesus prayed not only for his followers then, but for his followers now. Quite literally, Jesus prayed for us. And he asked God for only one thing on our behalf—that we be united.

Unity Matters: Two Essentials We Need to Experience Oneness by Gary L. Johnson

Don’t miss the significance. Jesus had only a few hours left before his crucifixion, but he was most focused on our unity. Period. Big, expansive ministry was not at the forefront of his mind or his prayers. Nor were capital campaigns or technology upgrades. Nothing mattered more to Jesus in his final hours than for us to be united. Jesus did not pray that we would experience philosophical or organizational unity, but relational unity. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20-21). Jesus did not just suggest we live this way, he commanded it (John 15:9-12). This is important to Jesus because the degree to which we are united in the church is witnessed by a watching world outside the church. My, how we need those prayers today. A year has passed since COVID-19 began taking its toll on our country and particularly on our relationships. Like cream rising in milk, COVID-19 slowly brought conflict to the surface among us. As Christians, we disagreed over whether to wear masks and a host of other issues. Not only did we socially distance ourselves, but we relationally distanced ourselves from one another. Now is the time for us to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). After all, our unity mattered more to Jesus in his final words than anything else.

“

How do we experience relational unity in the church, and in our marriages, families, and friendships? Similar to the two substances that are needed to produce water D o n’ t m i s s t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e . J e s u s h a d o n ly a f e w —hydrogen and oxygen— h o u r s l e f t b e f o r e h i s c r u c i f i x i o n , b u t h e wa s m o s t relational unity also requires f o c u s e d o n o u r u n i t y. P e r i o d . two essentials—both of which were modeled by Jesus. Elders must pursue both of these essentials, for we are called

Submission Is Essential, Not Optional Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart, a person speaks (Matthew 12:34). The way we think determines how we speak. Think of how Jesus spoke. When speaking about God or to God, Jesus always used the term “Father.” Only once did Jesus address him as God (i.e., “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [Matthew 27:46]). Though he was equal with God (Philippians 2:6; Colossians 2:9), Jesus willingly submitted himself to God. He chose the lesser, respectful role of a son to a father. Jesus made a conscious choice to submit under the sovereign authority of God throughout his earthly life. Even in his final hours, Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane that God’s will would be accomplished in his life; nothing more, nothing less, nothing else (Matthew 26:39-44).

This is easier said than done. Leadership expert Ken Blanchard defines EGO as “edging God out.” We need God’s presence and power to become united. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). As elders, each of us must depend on the Lord to empower us to be both submissive and humble if we desire to become one with one another in the same way Jesus and the Father are one. Scripture says Jesus lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25). It’s good to know Jesus is still praying for us. 

To experience relational unity, we must intentionally and mutually submit to each other. The apostle Paul commanded us to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). One practical way we honor Jesus is by living in true submission to one another, both in the church and in our homes. Submission is witnessed in servanthood. Jesus did not come to be served, “but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). When we have this same attitude to serve others before self, there is a great likelihood we will experience relational unity.

Humilit y Is Essential, Not Optional

abou t the au thor

In Paul’s Christological statement (Philippians 2:1-11), we read that Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross” (v. 8). Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, modeled perfect humility. From the day of his birth to a humble girl, when he was laid in a manger in a barn, to the day of his humiliating death on a cross, Jesus walked in true humility. Humility means to “go to a lower place,” and Jesus did just that. He left his regal home in Heaven. He came to wash feet, touch lepers, welcome tax collectors and sinners to his table, and ultimately he gave his life so that others may live eternally. Christlike humility is not a philosophy but a reality. Jesus chose to walk humbly with his God (Micah 6:8), and so must we. If we hope to experience relational unity, we must embrace authentic humility. When threatened by predators, a pufferfish will inflate to more than double its size. Its sharp spines can deliver toxin that is up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. The toxin in one pufferfish can kill 30 adult humans. In something of a similar manner, when we puff

Dr. Gary Johnson served 30 years with Indian Creek Christian Church (The Creek) in Indianapolis. He is a cofounder of e2: effective elders, which he now serves as executive director.

/e2elders @e2elders

a p ril 20 21

ourselves up, both in pride and power, we become toxic to those around us at church, home, or wherever we happen to be. Relational unity requires us to be both submissive and humble.

to lead by example as we follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

ME TR I CS

n the early 1970s, half of Americans said that most people can be trusted, according to the General Social Survey and the American National Election Survey. In 2020, that figure dropped to less than one-third. The United States is the only established democracy in the world to see a major decline in social trust. Two-thirds of Americans say religious and nonreligious people generally are equally trustworthy, according to a 2019 Pew Research Center survey. Evangelical Protestants are more likely than other Americans to say religious people are more trustworthy than those who are not religious. Forty percent of evangelical Protestants take this position, compared with about 25 percent or fewer across other religious groups.

What’s Your Trust Factor? by Kent E. Fillinger

W h at C o n f i d e n c e H av e A m e r i c a n s H a d i n C h u r c h e s and Organized Religion? Confidence in organized religion was tops among all other institutions from 1973 to 1985, based on Gallup surveys. In the 1970s, 65 percent of Americans said they had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the church or organized religion. This confidence level dropped sharply to 45 percent after the Boston Globe’s 2002 exposé revealed Catholic church leaders were aware of and did not take strong action to stop serial sex abuse by priests. It recovered slightly in the years after that scandal to hover around the 50 percent mark. Then, between 2010 and 2017, confidence in the church or organized religion declined steadily to the 40s. In 2018 and 2019, only 36 percent of Americans’ had a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in religion. This number rebounded somewhat to 42 percent in 2020.

How Much Do People Trust Ministers? Gallup’s research of the business world has long indicated that “people leave managers, not companies,” and that same conclusion may apply to organized religion. People may be leaving ministers, not churches. Since 1977, Gallup has measured Americans’ views of the clergy’s honesty and ethics 34 times. In 2019, only 37 percent of people gave ministers a very high or high rating on the honesty scale, the lowest rating ever. Although the overall average positive rating during that time period was 54 percent, it has consistently fallen below that level since 2009. The historical high of 67 percent occurred in 1985. A 2019 Pew report discovered that most churchgoers trust ministers to give advice about religious issues, but fewer trust them on personal matters. Sixty-eight percent said they had “a lot” of confidence in their ministers to give advice about faith matters, such as “growing closer to God.”

One third of the people Pew surveyed said they would be “not too comfortable” or “not at all comfortable” going to their minister to talk about anxiety or depression. And 45 percent expressed discomfort with talking to their minister about financial problems. Only 8 percent of young people ages 13 to 25 said they could turn to a “religious leader” if needed, compared with 74 percent who said they could turn to a parent, 45 percent to a close friend, 17 percent to a teacher, and 9 percent to a coach, according to The State of Religion and Young People 2020 survey by Springtide Research Institute.

How’s Your Trust Level as a Leader? Many church leaders have felt betrayed or been betrayed by people they thought they could trust. These betrayals often foster a spirit of mistrust. So, the question to ask yourself as a church leader is, Would you call yourself a high “truster” or a low “truster”? In The Leadership Challenge, James Kouzes and Barry Posner defined the high truster as one who says, “I will trust this person until I have clear evidence that he or she cannot be trusted.” And the low truster says, “I will not trust this person until there is clear evidence that he or she can be trusted.” Deepening a relationship requires someone to take the initiative in trusting another person. Kouzes and Posner noted, “Trust exists when we make ourselves vulnerable to others whose subsequent behavior we cannot control. By trusting another person, we become dependent upon that person.” Trust begets trust. So, one of the best ways to be trusted as a church leader is to extend trust to those on your leadership team and staff and to those in your church. Leaders must both say and demonstrate that they trust others.

How Do We Build or Rebuild Trust? In addition to extending trust to others, leaders can build or rebuild trust in some of the following ways. Leaders must recognize and respond to those who resist building trust. Your efforts to build or rebuild trust will likely be faced with resistance from your staff,

When trust has been abused or betrayed in your church by yourself or previous church leaders, you must treat your congregation like a rescue dog from a shelter. When you adopt a rescue dog, you must be prepared to consistently show kindness, trustworthy behavior, and honesty to create a trusting relationship over time. Resistance to rebuilding trust also flows from a fear of negative consequences when people assume there is too much to be lost by taking the risk to trust again. Inviting people to become part of the trust-building process rather than mandating their participation is a good solution to offset these fears. An embedded “we-they” mind-set in your staff, leadership, or congregation can also create resistance to rebuilding trust. Breaking down silos and engaging people as owners in the process can help to conquer such a mind-set. Leaders must create a “HOT” environment. Leadership architect and change strategist Samuel R. Chand said, “Trust is fluid. It takes time to be built, but it can be destroyed in an instant. Trust grows in an environment that is HOT: Honest, Open and Transparent.” Transparency is drawn from the principle of light, which gives people a sense of comfort and confidence because they know nothing is hidden. The opposite of creating a HOT environment is to foster settings that withhold information, keep secrets, or have hidden agendas. Leaders must talk straight. You need to call things what they are. Stephen M. R. Covey said, “Get a reputation for being clear and upfront about bad news. People might not always like what they hear, but they’ll learn they can trust what they hear.”

abou t the au thor

Be sure to share both the what and the why behind the information you are sharing or the direction you are asking people to go.  Kent E. Fillinger serves as president of 3:STRANDS Consulting, Indianapolis, Indiana, and regional vice president (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan) with Christian Financial Resources.

/3strandsconsulting 3strandsconsulting.com

a p ril 20 21

leaders, or congregation. Resistance stems from skepticism that your statements or actions are sincere or realistic.

Eighty percent of churchgoers said they would be either “very” or “somewhat” comfortable going to their minister for advice if they had doubts about their faith, Pew found. Roughly three-fourths also said they would be very or somewhat comfortable asking for advice about marriage or relationship problems, parenting problems, or problems with drugs or alcohol.

18 c hristia n sta nda rd

a p ril 20 21

J J UE D S AU S S WHAT

CAN TEACH US ABOUT

(HE MAY NOT BE WHO WE WANT HIM TO BE)

a p ril 20 21 21

BY RYAN RASMUSSEN

YOU might be surprised that the name Judas means “let God be praised.” I find it incredibly ironic that the man who betrayed Jesus would carry a name of such reverence. Sometimes, though, things aren’t what they seem. For example, the fact that Judas Iscariot was a disciple at all must have baffled those who spent time with Jesus. While Jesus welcomed misfits and the marginalized into his friend group, Judas must have seemed “next level” in this regard. The Gospels documented that Judas, the band’s treasurer, would regularly skim money from the group’s funds (John 12:6). A theology degree isn’t required to recognize a separation, of sorts, between Judas and the other disciples. The Gospel writers always include his name last when listing the Twelve, which seems to imply they’d rather leave him off the list altogether. In last April’s Christian Standard, Bob Russell surmised that Judas’s impatience with the pace of Jesus’ ministry ultimately may have led to his downfall.

I think the source of Judas’s betrayal was a gradual corruption of his heart. His catastrophe began with greed, which led to stealing. He perhaps initially just “borrowed from the petty cash.” Then he rationalized that he deserved some personal reimbursement for extra time spent handling the funds. Slowly his attitude toward Jesus changed because of his secret sin. Instead of a teachable spirit, Judas became cynical. Instead of enjoying fellowship with the disciples, he became distant. Instead of loving Jesus, he began to resent him. When Jesus rebuked him for his criticism of Mary’s extravagance, Judas had enough. “Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?’” (Matthew 26:14-15). Judas had become arrogant as well as bitter and decided to lash back.

Maybe Judas assumed Jesus would be a political leader and had finally realized that wasn’t happening. Perhaps Judas wanted to witness Jesus’ power on display, but Jesus mainly exhibited service and humility. Maybe Judas thought he might gain financial prosperity as a disciple but finally recognized Jesus wasn’t interested in that. Jesus sometimes isn’t who we want him to be.

c hristia n sta nda rd 22

THE COSTS OF FOLLOWING—AND SERVING—JESUS Years ago, while serving at a church near Boulder, Colorado, I preached a sermon about the cost of following Jesus. I remember feeling pretty good about the message. I looked forward to standing in the lobby after the service to receive attaboys, high-fives, and handshakes to stroke my ego a bit. But I wasn’t prepared for the middle-aged man who approached me. Without a clue of the socially awkward position he was placing me in, he asked what following Jesus had cost me. I remember others who had gathered around being thrown off by his blunt question. I’m sure from what he could gather, I sort of had my cake and was eating it, too. I had a home in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, a beautiful young family, and I worked at a megachurch. To his point, it didn’t seem like following Jesus was costing me much. I stuttered and tripped over my words as I responded to him. I left the church that day feeling like maybe he had a point. Fast-forward about 10 years. I wish I could revisit the conversation with that man. I entered ministry because I wanted to help people. A few student pastors invested in me as a young person and I wanted to pay it forward. That was a long time ago. Things were different then. In retrospect, the times seemed simple. In the early years of my career, I recall telling people what I did for a living and folks would respond with respect or reverence. It always made me uncomfortable, so I’d sometimes try to lighten the mood with a mild cussword or something. Back then pastors were viewed as good people, I think. Yeah, there were some bad apples here and there: TV evangelists and scam artists, Bible thumpers and hellfire preachers. But generally, the local reverend made hospital calls, counseled struggling couples, and took phone calls in the middle of night. That’s why I accepted this calling, I wanted to be that guy. Now, a decade later, when I think of what following Jesus has cost me, my stomach starts to hurt a little. My family looks different now. I know Jesus didn’t take my marriage from me, but sometimes I wonder how much weight ministry put on that relationship. I’ve had to let go of staff people I loved like family. Now, I’m sometimes awkward with people I work with. I struggle with knowing where to draw the line between boss and friend. I wrestle every day with whom I can trust. Can I be friends with people who go to my church? Can I really let people in? If people really knew me—if they knew my issues—would they still let me be their pastor? I’ve battled bouts of depression, and my greatest fear, other than being alone, is failure. I am terrified of disappointing people. Ministry is different for me—and, really, for all ministers—these days. Now I’m a face. Now I have a platform and I have to have “takes” on things politicians say or don’t say. I have to

a p ril 20 21

I guess it boils down to this: I’m tired. I’m tired of having to appease people. I’m tired of having to be what people want me to be. And I am often convinced there is no more unqualified person in a role like mine than me. But I’m still here. And I’m not going anywhere.

OUR EXPECTATIONS OF JESUS I’m still here because I believe in Jesus, the power of the local church, and that in the end the things I’ve laid down for the sake of kingdom work will not compare to the fruit that will come from those sacrifices.

" I THINK THE SOURCE OF JUDAS’S BETRAYAL WAS A GRADUAL CORRUPTION OF HIS HEART.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later” (Romans 8:18, New Living Translation). I can’t help but wonder if things would have turned out differently if Judas had been willing to lay down his expectations of Jesus. That’s a theological wormhole we don’t have time to explore here. So let’s ask the more important question: Are there expectations you have of Jesus that are keeping you from knowing or seeing him in his fullness? Are you bitter because he hasn’t given you the life you think you deserve? Has obedience to him cost you in ways that sometimes make your stomach hurt? Jesus sometimes isn’t who we want him to be. But . . . whatever it is you want him to be, remember this . . . he’s better. His will for your life is anchored in a profound love for you. Be patient. Stay the course. Trust Jesus. 

Ryan Rasmussen serves as lead pastor with First Christian Church in Canton, Ohio.

condemn or support people or causes that I sometimes don’t fully understand or that I wrestle with theologically. Now everyone seems to have wedged their Jesus into whatever political preference they walk in. Sometimes I just want to shake people and say, “Jesus isn’t who you think he is.”

caught between kingdoms THE WORDS OF THE ROMAN CENTURION WHEN HE CAME FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE TRUE SON OF GOD STILL RESONATE

a p ril 20 21 25

By Kendra Dunahu gh

is retirement drew near. He’d been serving Rome faithfully for 23 years. Now 43, he was ready to hang up his helmet. His decision to enlist with the Roman military had been a practical one. As a poor man’s son, he knew he needed a stable source of food and shelter. He often wondered what life might have been like had he chosen a different profession.* Had he been a farmer or fisherman, perhaps his closest friends would still be alive. Perhaps a mistake at work would not hold the potential for violent execution. Perhaps dread would not fester in his gut at all hours of the day. The sound of horses trotting down the street set him on edge. The trill of a child’s playful scream sent shivers down his spine. The clank of the hammer in the blacksmith’s hand brought him back to battle. Yes, retirement sounded good to him.

c hristia n sta nda rd 26

He woke up earlier than normal one Friday morning. He got dressed and made a mental note to pick up barley the next time he passed by the market. He then reported to the governor and began his shift. A great crowd, led by Jewish officials, appeared to be making a spectacle over a Jewish man who they said had been causing all kinds of trouble by claiming to be the Son of God. The centurion had heard rumors of this man. He knew this rabbi-carpenter had professed authority to forgive sin, to be one with God, to be the giver of life everlasting. He saw the effect this poor wanderer had on the Pharisees, and the centurion had often thought to himself, It’s as if he has a death wish. The centurion had no use for the kingdom of God of which this carpenter spoke. The military man’s life was inundated with kingdoms as it was—between Tiberius Caesar and the Jewish law keepers breathing down his neck. And so it was again today that he found himself caught between Rome and Jerusalem, waiting for orders from Pontius Pilate. The mob raged loudly until Pilate approved the death penalty for Jesus. He was handed over to the centurion’s soldiers, who had an affinity for mockery. The centurion wondered how many terrible dreams might result from this day on duty. After the long trek up Calvary, the centurion stood guard at the foot of the cross for hours. How could I be so lucky? he sarcastically thought. He glanced up at the sun. His stomach began to growl . . . Then darkness . . . utter darkness swept in, as the sun fled from the sky. Then shaking . . . violent shaking which would not relent. Then ripping . . . sudden ripping heard from the direction of the temple. The dread buried deep within him seemed to change color and swell as he stood still in front of this carpenter whose eyes had closed forever, the centurion thought. It suddenly dawned on this man of war what he’d done at the hand of these kingdoms he served. In spite of himself, the centurion proclaimed, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

a p ril 20 21

The Gospel accounts of the crucifixion tell us little about the Roman centurion who made this proclamation recorded in Mark 15:39. So, I consulted various texts to gain a better understanding of this man and his situation. Here is some of what I learned. (See my sources at the end of the online article at ChristianStandard.com.) Based on the fact that Jesus was crucified prior to the Judean War, it could be inferred the centurion was a native of Palestine who served in the Roman auxiliary forces. The centurion was a middleranking officer—in charge of somewhere between 80 and 100 soldiers. However, specific facts about this officer’s character and life trajectory remain a mystery. The centurion at the cross likely started life as a poor man. Whether Jew or Gentile, he may have felt additional strain in keeping the peace with the religious leaders of Jerusalem. The centurion was caught between political loyalty to his employer (which claimed that good times had come at last under the rule of the self-acclaimed son of God, Caesar Augustus) and appeasing the power of Jewish law (which claimed that a mighty king from the line of David would come and deliver the nation of Israel from the oppression of opposing nations). Being caught in the middle of these systems could have left the centurion feeling quite distant from and unsure of who God truly was. After all, if Rome had reached the peak of glory under the rule of their “son of God,” then why did he and his men have to work so hard to defend it? If the Pharisees really longed for the peace their supposed king would bring to Israel, why were they themselves not acting in peace toward their fellow Jews? But then, suddenly, every social structure the centurion had willingly or unwillingly entangled himself in disintegrated. Every barrier was torn down. The world stopped, the earth shook, and the centurion found himself face-to-face with the true Son of God.

who was the centurion?

The dread buried deep within him seemed to change color and swell as he stood still in front of this carpenter whose eyes had closed forever the centurion thought.

It suddenly dawned on this man of war what he'd done at the hand of these kingdoms he served.

In spite of himself the centurion proclaimed

"Surely this man was the Son of God!"

The year was 1957, and things were looking up for John Perkins. He had a beautiful family and had been moving up the work ladder since leaving the Army in January 1953. Now in his late 20s, John was enjoying the stability of good food, good shelter, and good money. As a black man born in southern Mississippi, John had felt the rippling effects of oppression. He much preferred his current circumstances in California, where he’d moved shortly after his brother was killed at the hands of a white deputy marshal. As a man who had seen apathy toward inequity from the churchgoers in his hometown, John had no great interest in what “their God” had to offer. He was convinced that change for the black community in the South would come about by political means and learned to make a religion out of the pursuit of economic success. Then his young son began attending a Bible school not far from their home, and, little by little, things changed for John. It began to dawn on John that God desired nearness with him. He began to open his heart to the possibility that the kingdom of God Jesus spoke of held relevance not only for his spiritual condition but also hope for the societal inequities he saw around him. He writes in his book, Let Justice Roll Down, “I’d never heard about an in-living Christ. I’d never heard that being a Christian was Christ living in me, and me living out my life in Christ.” In a moment, the wall John M. Perkins had put up against God disintegrated. Every barrier built by oppression was torn down. The world stopped, the earth shook, and he found himself face-to-face with the Son of God. John eventually felt led to go back to his home state of Mississippi to be an emissary of God’s justice and equity for the black community. He, his wife, his children, and others within his faith community took steps to undo systems that upheld subjugation, often at the expense of their own safety—all as a result of John’s decision to say, “Surely this man is the Son of God!”

a p ril 20 21

what empire holds you back? This Easter season, what empires are blocking you from seeing the kingdom of God unfold? Maybe the empires of innovation and finance have advised you not to get involved with a God who might require time and resources. Perhaps the realm of conventional church culture has kept you from stepping out where the Spirit leads you. Maybe the very real oppressors of anxiety and trauma have snuck in and erected barricades of skepticism. Whatever the case, you should know this: The kingdom of God is near. The kingdom ushered in by the death, burial, and resurrection of the true Son of God—where strength is to serve, where loss is to gain, where leaders stoop low, where the ones we hate are loved, where the abused are told, “You are safe here”—that kingdom is very near. His kingdom illuminates all other powers, exposing the upright and crooked alike, and inviting them to take heed of this poor carpenter. “Surely this man was the Son of God!” The centurion's words resound as the walls crumble to the ground and light radiates out from Christ's kingdom—light which, both little by little and all at once, reveals the unceasing proximity of Creator God. 

*While based on biblical events, some parts of this article employ creative storytelling that includes fictionalized dialogue and description.

Kendra Dunahugh moved from Hillsboro, Ohio, to Cincinnati in 2011, where she studied music and psychology at Cincinnati Christian University. She currently lives in East Price Hill with her husband and two daughters and serves as the associate pastor at Echo Church in Walnut Hills.

ministrymusicandmotherhood.home.blog

an emissary for equity

By Au sti n G o h n

Caiaphas

a n d t h e C e n t r a l Pa r k F i v e

a p ril 20 21 31

In the summer of 2019, between seasons of The Great British Baking Show, my wife and I bingewatched the dramatized miniseries When They See Us. It was a true binge because we started the show at 8:00 on a weeknight right after we put our son down to bed and finished it around 2:00 a.m. Directed by Ava DuVernay, When They See Us is a four-episode series depicting the events that unfolded surrounding the Central Park jogger case in New York City in 1989 when five Black and Hispanic teenagers were falsely charged with assault and rape of a White woman and convicted for the crime. It follows the story of their arrests, trials, time in prison, and ultimate exoneration in 2002. The second episode depicts the trials that occurred six months after the initial arrests and coerced confessions. There was no conclusive physical evidence against the defendants. All the testimonies had major discrepancies, and, for a brief moment, it seemed like the trial was going in favor of the five teenagers. But by the end of the episode, the five were found guilty on all counts. It’s a particularly difficult episode to watch, especially when you’re used to watching lighthearted British television about baking. It’s devastating to see the boys’ faces when they’re found guilty— the shock, the trauma, the disbelief of experiencing such a profound failure of the justice system. (There was no way I could go to bed after seeing that without watching the final two episodes.) Of course, like anyone who is trying to tell a story, DuVernay took creative liberties when depicting the trials. On the whole, though, the second episode of the miniseries made the viewer feel what it’s like when the justice system fails you, and it’s a feeling that can help us as we explore the Gospel episode when Jesus faced the high priest Caiaphas—one of the people responsible for the greatest failure of justice in history.

no one nam es their ki d caiaphas

When I read a Gospel, I often reimagine it as if it were a modern-day, binge-worthy show—maybe a docuseries like The Last Dance or a dramatized retelling like When They See Us. The difference, of course, is that with the Gospel, we believe the director (or author) was inspired by the Holy Spirit as he put together his storyboard and edited it into the version we read in our Bibles. In all four Gospels, just before Jesus’ crucifixion, there’s an episode where Jesus was on trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (see Matthew 26:57-65; Mark 14:5365; Luke 22:54, 63-71; John 18:13-14, 19-24, 28). Caiaphas was the high priest at the time; he served in his role for nearly 18 years (a rather long tenure for a high priest). The priesthood itself was mired in corruption and compromise. The role of high priest, especially, had become a position with a sizable benefits package from living arrangements to salary to influence—one you could keep as long as you remained friendly with Rome. Among other responsibilities, the high priest also was in charge of the intra-Jewish justice system. Caiaphas’s name probably wouldn’t be remembered except that he was high priest at the time Jesus was at the height of his ministry. Caiaphas was responsible for Jesus’ arrest and for recommending his execution to the Roman governor, Pilate— since, at this point in history, the high priest and his council could merely recommend charges to the Roman authorities under which they lived. The high priest’s actions in this episode are the reason no one names their kid Caiaphas. As Eugene Peterson wrote in The Jesus Way, “The mere mention of the name Caiaphas triggers an avalanche of associations, all of them negative.”

W e ' r e n ot j e s u s i n th i s s to ry. . .

we' re caiaphas .

c hristia n sta nda rd 34

caiaphas i n our c u lt u r a l m o m e n t

In a cultural moment marked by nationwide protests against failures of the justice system, especially as it pertains to race, it’s easy to see how Caiaphas embodied a failed justice system in his own time. After orchestrating a secretive arrest in a firstcentury park—an arrest intended to avoid the attention of the public—Caiaphas led a late-night trial with Jesus at the center. Christian commentator Darrell L. Bock said it was not technically a trial but more of a charge-gathering phase. (Caiaphas was the Linda Fairstein of this story; Fairstein’s office oversaw the Central Park jogger case.) As part of the trial, Caiaphas and his council sought “false testimony” (Matthew 26:59, English Standard Version) they could use to build their case against Jesus. In the end, they could find only two people who quoted Jesus out-of-context on his comments about destroying the temple. Then, after a direct interrogation about whether or not Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus quoted the prophet Daniel in reference to himself, and Caiaphas charged him with “blasphemy” and its corresponding consequence, “death” (Matthew 26:65-66). Jesus was an innocent man who experienced a failure of the justice system, albeit a failure that was predestined. It’s all very reminiscent of When They See Us. Now, to humanize Caiaphas a bit, we must remember that the stakes of this case were high. If Jesus wasn’t actually the Messiah and Caiaphas let him go, he’d be complicit in allowing a false Messiah to lead Jews astray and threaten their somewhat stable relationship with Rome at the time. If Jesus

was the Messiah and Caiaphas played a role in killing him, the high priest would be in trouble with God. In the end, Caiaphas got this wrong (even though he was unwilling to admit it)—a fact that’s made clear when Jesus was “exonerated” through his resurrection. Jesus knows how it feels to be failed by the courts, and not just the “official” ones. Jesus knows how it feels to sit in the defendant’s seat, to be unjustly accused, to have the inconvenient facts ignored for the sake of building a case—what the Central Park teenagers (and many others throughout history) felt when they were convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. Jesus also knows how it feels to be accused by the court of public opinion, since the court he sat under wasn’t a real court by any measure. He knows what it feels like to be mobbed on social media or elsewhere without due process by those who, often in reaction to injustice, end up becoming perpetrators of injustice themselves. Jesus identifies with all of it.

a p ril 20 21 35

when j esus an d caiaphas sw itch places

The irony in this episode is hard to miss. Caiaphas was sitting in the judgment seat, but ultimately it is Jesus who sits in the judgment seat. When Jesus said, “But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64, ESV), he was referring to the day when he will return to take judgment into his own hands. In the end, when Jesus and Caiaphas switch places, nail-scarred hands will hold the gavel. That’s good news for anyone who has ever suffered injustice. Yes, we should work to right wrongs in this world— without becoming unjust in the process ourselves. We should pursue justice and work to address problematic patterns in the justice system. We should seek to exorcise the ghost of Caiaphas wherever he haunts our own moment.

Caiaphas is the figurehead for all of us who are complicit in the death of Jesus. We all took part in the greatest failure of justice in history. As Paul wrote, “There is no one righteous [or just], not even one” (Romans 3:10). We all fall into the category of the unjust. We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, but the good news is that seat is not haunted by the ghost of Caiaphas. We’re all Caiaphas, yes, but Jesus is not. Jesus, the true judge, who had all the charges he could ever need to convict us, gave his life so that through faith people like us could stand before his judgment seat clothed not with our failures but with his righteousness—even people like Caiaphas. 

In the end, though, it’s Jesus who will make all wrongs right—because our best efforts can go only so far. Jesus will take justice into his own hands on behalf of all those who have experienced injustice, and he will execute it perfectly. It can be easy to say, “Caiaphas will get what he deserves,” and separate ourselves from his fate. There’s a tendency right now to split the world into two groups: those who perpetrate injustice (represented by Caiaphas) and those who suffer it (represented by Jesus), one being the guilty party and the other being innocent. If that’s how we’re reading this story, we’re reading it wrong. We’re not Jesus in this story, even if there are points in our lives where we have suffered injustice and can identify with Jesus. We’re Caiaphas.

Austin Gohn serves as lead pastor at Bellevue Christian Church in Pittsburgh. He is the author of A Restless Age: How Saint Augustine Helps You Make Sense of Your Twenties. He has written for The Gospel Coalition, Fathom magazine, and Gospel-Centered Discipleship (gcdiscipleship.com).

Pilate’s Guide on How to Miss the Truth . . . and 3 Questions to Help You Discover It

By Dan Hamel

a p ril 20 21 37

MOST OF US think we are unbiased in our quest for truth. We like to think of ourselves as impartial evaluators of data who seek to arrive at the best decision. But the truth is, most of the time, we desire a specific conclusion, and we search the data in such a way that helps us end up there. We overlook red flags and yellow lights. We come up with excuses and unreasonable explanations. And we usually don’t even realize we are doing it. We think we are looking for the best answer, when in reality we are looking for the least complicated answer, the least demanding answer, the most convenient answer. Such was the case for Pontius Pilate.

Searching for the Answer You Want to Find Emperor Tiberius appointed Pilate in AD 26 to serve as governor of Judea, a post he filled for 11 years, including for the entirety of Jesus’ three-year public ministry. Throughout his governorship, Pilate made decisions that consistently advanced his own agenda at the expense of the people he governed.

The ancient historians Josephus, Eusebius, and Philo provided unsavory accounts of Pilate’s leadership. They recorded how, under the cover of night, he set up imperial images throughout Jerusalem, knowing they would offend the Jews. And how he later brought golden shields with blasphemous inscriptions on them into the city and refused to remove them until Tiberius himself demanded it. They wrote of a time Pilate pilfered funds from the temple treasury to build a new aqueduct system and how, when a mob formed to protest the theft, he commanded his soldiers to beat them with clubs and trample them with horses, killing many. These stories align with Luke’s account in Luke 13:1, which reports about Pilate killing pilgrims from Galilee who were worshipping in the temple, and how he mixed their blood with the blood of their sacrifices. Pilate was not a merciful or kind man. To make matters worse, he was unwilling to reevaluate his decisions and alter course when it was clear he was wrong. He changed his decisions only when

c hristia n sta nda rd 38

A s we approa ch t h is E ast er season , how c an we ensu re we a re t r u ly on the quest for t r ut h and not just some answers t hat just i f y ou r a l rea dy est abl ishe d c onv ict ions?

a p ril 20 21 39

forced to by an authority higher than him. Pilate was not interested in the truth; he was only interested in advancing his own agenda and solidifying his preestablished convictions. He had no interest in discovering an inconvenient truth that might require something from him. We see these poor qualities on display in Pilate’s interaction with Jesus. When the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate, the governor knew what they wanted. And he knew if he refused them, he would have an angry, riotous mob on his hands during Passover, the most important week of the year. So when Pilate questioned Jesus (as recorded in John 18:33-38), he wasn’t a neutral arbiter of justice searching for truth, he was a biased inquisitor looking for the answer that would help keep his city undisturbed and himself as popular with the people as possible. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” And after a bit of back and forth, Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.” This confused Pilate, so he said, “You are a king, then!” And Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Which prompted Pilate to ask, “What is truth?” It was perhaps the best possible question to ask. The only problem? Pilate wasn’t really interested in Jesus’ answer. Pilate was interested only in an answer that was convenient, one that would help him further his political goals. So, even though his wife warned him not to trouble this innocent man, Pilate found the “answer” he was looking for and ordered Jesus flogged and then crucified. Not because it was right, just, or fair. Not because he was honestly searching for the truth and missed it. But, rather, beSearching for the Truth, cause Pilate could hear only what he wanted to hear, Even If It’s Inconvenient what he thought he needed to hear. And in that way, Pilate is like most of us.

As we approach this Easter season, how can we ensure we are truly on the quest for truth and not just some answers that justify our already established convictions? How can we know we are sincerely seeking God’s will and not just confirmation of our predetermined conclusions? Here are three questions that might help:

c hristia n sta nda rd 40

Question

What do I honestly want the answer to be? Socrates was known for teaching his students two simple words, “Know thyself.” In order to discern truth, we need to be mindful of our personal desires and our propensity to pursue them at almost any cost. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things.” If we are not aware of our internal longings and desires, we will be hamstrung in our search for truth. Often, because we want a certain outcome, we stack the deck by painting an incomplete picture, which likely keeps us from arriving at the truth. Being honest and upfront about our personal preference can prevent this from happening, or at least Question significantly minimize the distortion.

Consider Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus began his prayer by honestly identifying his desire for the cup to pass. Such honesty allowed him to easily discern between his personal preference and his Father’s will.

Am I willing to hold this decision with open hands? To be openhanded means we don’t hold on to something if it is being taken from us, and we don’t reject something that is being given to us. Our hands are open. To be openhanded means we don’t force our will upon a decision and fight for the outcome we want. Our hands are open. To be openhanded means we are willing to actually put into practice the words of the old hymn, “Wherever he leads I’ll go,” not the words of today’s anthem, “Wherever I lead, he’ll go.”

a p ril 20 21 41

Question

Have I submitted this to others? This question helps us discern if we are walking exclusively in our own counsel or in the counsel of a wise community. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” When it comes to such things as finances, relationships, hiring, and vocations, are we making decisions for ourselves and then telling others what we believe God said? Or are we approaching others and saying, “I have an important decision to make. I think God might be moving and opening doors for me. Can you help me discern if this is truly from him and what he might be saying?” And when we include others, are we simply asking a few friends who we know are inclined to agree with us, or are we seeking counsel from people who ask probing questions, who

are in different seasons of life than us, and who have experience outside of our realm of expertise? Moreover, have we sought the counsel of those with spiritual authority in our lives? What a blessing to have the prayerful wisdom and discernment of those who have been entrusted with keeping watch over our souls. Interestingly, in my role as a pastor and elder, there is about a 50-to-1 ratio of being informed by someone what God wants them to do compared to being asked to pray with someone about what God wants them to do. The gift of community and spiritual authority in the search for truth cannot be overstated.

Pilate missed the Truth because he wasn’t really looking for it. The truth was inconvenient. The truth is almost always inconvenient. But what sort of people will we be? Those who only pretend to search for the right answers as a salve for our consciences as we proceed to do what we want? Or those who are honest about our personal preferences, who hold our futures with open hands, and who seek truth with the help of others. The truth may be inconvenient, but as Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” 

Dan Hamel serves as lead pastor at The Creek in Indianapolis. He is married to Keren and is the father of Hudson and Advent. A graduate of Ozark Christian College, Dan has a passion for preaching, discipleship, the outdoors, and (sadly) the Denver Broncos.

@DanHamel

the stand-in

WE’RE STILL CHOOSING BETWEEN BARABBAS AND JESUS BY CALEB KALTENBACH

a p ril 20 21 43

In 2009, a young man named Hu Bin accidentally killed a bystander while drag racing through the streets of Hangzhou, China. To describe his trial as “shocking” would be an understatement. Though the judge handed out a measly sentence, a newspaper reported that people were more stupefied at who was standing trial. A few eyewitnesses of the accident and trial claimed someone resembling Hu Bin took his place in the courtroom. Some allege that Hu’s wealthy family hired a “stand-in” to serve his prison sentence. Flashing back more than 20 centuries, we see another case of a stand-in on full display when Jesus stood before Pilate.

THE POLITICAL EXTREMIST EVERYONE WANTED “Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas” (Matthew 27:15-16). Pilate asked if he should free Barabbas or Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 27:21). Much to Pilate’s dismay, the mob yelled, “Barabbas!” and “Crucify!” This crowd was a glimpse of humanity at its worst. Pilate’s angst only grew when the crowd questioned his friendship with Caesar, for some Bible scholars say Pilate was already on “thin ice” with Rome because of uprisings in Judea. Pilate, the ever-shrewd politician, eventually acquiesced to the crowd. Though Jesus and Barabbas had similarities (both were leaders, prisoners, revolutionaries, etc.), they are two of the most juxtaposed people in history. Without question, Jesus wins in the deity, integrity, and moral authority departments. As a standin, Barabbas bore no resemblance to Jesus. So, why did the crowd opt for Barabbas?

c hristia n sta nda rd 44

During the triumphal entry earlier that week, a crowd praised Jesus. Many pilgrims were in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. However, by midweek, Bible scholars say, the religious leaders enticed their fanboys to create a mob and choose to save Barabbas over Jesus (Matthew 27:20; Mark 15:11). But perhaps there was even more to the crowd’s choice. In laying clothes and palm branches on the ground and crying out “Hosanna!” the triumphal entry crowd obviously hailed Jesus as more than a rabbi. Their gestures were political—a recognition of Jesus as the Messiah and a recognition (or expectation) that he would forcibly vanquish the Romans. Yet, it was Barabbas who resembled the wartime Messiah they truly desired. In an article titled “From ‘Hosanna’ to ‘Crucify,’” Dr. Rebekah Eklund of Loyola University Maryland contended, “The embrace of Barabbas seems to echo the history of the Roman-Jewish War: that is, the Jewish people’s rejection of the nonviolent way espoused by Jesus and acceptance of leaders such as Barabbas.” The Gospels describe Barabbas as a well-known prisoner, murderer, and insurrectionist (Matthew 27:16; Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19; John 18:39-40; Acts 3:14). He was a “burn it down” and “win at all costs” guy who raged against the occupying force—an extremist political leader. But maybe there was even more to the crowd’s choice.

even today, NO ONE REALLY CHOSE BARABBAS THAT DAY— THEY REJECTED JESUS . . .

we're still

rejectingJesus

c hristia n sta nda rd 46

THE GRACIOUS MESSIAH NO ONE EXPECTED In addition to fulfilling Zechariah 9:9, Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on a colt was a sort of statement: “I am the Messiah, I am the King, and I bring peace.” People watching Jesus that week could’ve wondered why he didn’t strategize with the religious leaders, organize crowds, take back Jerusalem, occupy the temple, and resist arrest, while also wondering why he let others slap him around (Jesus’ disciples may have thought the same—Matthew 20:20-28). His messianic authority was questioned because he wasn’t the militant messiah they expected but the suffering servant described by the Old Testament prophet (Isaiah 53:3, 7 called him despised, rejected, a man of suffering, familiar with pain, oppressed, and afflicted). Those yelling “crucify” seemed to be proved right when he died on the cross. Many continued with their everyday life, convinced the resurrection didn’t happen, while awaiting the next “messiah.” And as for Barabbas, we have no idea what happened to him. Perhaps the New Testament authors wanted our attention on how Jesus’ substitution benefited humanity, not just Barabbas.

No one really chose Barabbas that day—they rejected Jesus. Just as Barabbas rebelled against the Romans, the crowd rebelled against God by rejecting Jesus. He was the Messiah whom no one expected or wanted but everyone needed. Barabbas was never chosen, but Jesus was rejected. Even today, we’re still rejecting Jesus. Most of us believe Jesus would vote for our candidate, hold our political views, be passionate about our cause, excuse our outbursts, and justify our animosity toward others. We want to do our thing instead of doing the right thing. Just as Lucifer wanted to replace God and as Adam and Eve wanted to be like God, we yearn to be the center of our universe. As did our first-century predecessors, we crave Jesus to be someone he’s not. But God redeemed the rejection of Jesus. Paul explained God’s redemption of Jesus’ rejection: God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). Even though the crowd decided to save Barabbas instead of Jesus, it was Jesus who chose to save the crowd instead of himself. Pilate, the religious leaders, the crowd, and humanity rejected Jesus, but it was Jesus who died for Pilate, the religious leaders, the crowd, and humanity (1 John 2:2). Jesus “was assigned a grave with the wicked” (Isaiah 53:9)—he died in place of Barabbas; he died with criminals, and ultimately, he was a stand-in for all of us (Romans 5:8; 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:3). He lived the life we could never live, paid a debt we could never afford, and rose to the newness of life we were powerless to do on our own.

a p ril 20 21 47

Personally, I appreciate how Jesus’ substitutionary atonement is clearly worded in Romans 8:3: “So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins” (New Living Translation). His substitutionary atonement granted us right standing with God (2 Corinthians 5:21), achieved peace with God (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14-16), and offered us a better way to love people. When Jesus stood before Pilate, he didn’t call down legions of angels, call anyone names, argue, or go “Old Testament” on the crowd. He willingly gave of himself to redeem us. His willingness to stand in for Barabbas showed us a better way to bring change. Sgt. Joseph Serna was an Army Special Forces soldier who served four tours in Afghanistan. Various media reported how he was nearly killed by a suicide bomber and a roadside bomb. Serna also narrowly avoided drowning one night when a dirt road gave way and his truck rolled into a canal. After 20 years in the Army, Serna returned home with three Purple Hearts . . . and post-traumatic stress disorder. Eventually, Serna was arrested for DUI and entered the court’s sobriety program for veterans. He appeared 25 times before Judge Lou Olivera (also a veteran) to show his progress in the program. One day, Serna confessed to lying about a urine test. Judge Olivera sentenced him to 24 hours in jail. On April 13, 2016, much to Serna’s surprise, Judge Olivera drove him to the jail, brought dinner, walked him to the cell, and entered the cell with him. The Washington Post reported that, as the door shut, Serna asked, “You are here for the entire time with me?” Concerned about Serna’s PTSD, Judge Olivera replied, “Yeah that’s what I am doing.” Jesus didn’t just stand-in for us during one moment in time. He promised to continue fighting for us and that he will always be with us (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 8:34).  Caleb Kaltenbach leads The Messy Grace Group and is the author of Messy Grace and Messy Truth (releasing August 2021). He and his family live in Southern California where they are anxiously awaiting Disneyland’s reopening.

THOSE

S I

M O M

O F

C Y R

B Y

R E N C E T U R

S THAT COMPEL US

H OW D I D S I M O N O F CY R E N E ’ S U N E X P E CT E D J O U R N E Y W I T H J E S U S C H A N G E H I M ? A N D H OW CA N I T C H A N G E U S ?

a p ril 20 21 49

I relish my memories of playing college football. I often think back to the locker-room antics and bus rides. I think about the big wins and bad losses. I remember all the sayings from the coaches and laugh; some would be fight-worthy insults except for the personal relationships we had. In saying all of that, I should clarify that I wasn’t just an ordinary football player, I was an offensive lineman. I specify that because most offensive linemen would tell you what we most enjoyed about football was moving a man against his will wherever we wanted to push him. As offensive linemen, the objective was simple: move the men in front of us out of the way so the pretty boys could move the ball and score touchdowns. Every time we lined up for a play, it was our job to “compel” the men in front of us to go where we desired them to go. If the difficulties and hard circumstances of life played football, they would be offensive linemen. That’s because hard, cruciform moments are able to seize a person and compel them to do something they would rather not experience. I’m referring to the unexpected cancer diagnosis at an annual checkup, the third miscarriage after all necessary precautions, and the child who goes wayward despite a faith-filled upbringing. Such unexpected and undeserved moments meet us on our road to Damascus and reroute us from our desired destination.

c hristia n sta nda rd 50

A CRUCI FORM LI FE

As I write this, I think back to my childhood watching my mother fight for her life after a terrible car accident. I think back to my college years when I received an academic probation letter and lost my scholarship. I remember the early years of marriage when my wife demanded a divorce. Those moments—different in their nature, time, and reasons—all had a similar impact. They gripped me. They compelled me. They moved me beyond where I was to where I now believe God was taking me. As I think back to them, I can see they are foundations to my life. Seeing my injured mother and enduring the years that followed has deepened my love for her and shaped my outlook as a parent. Those tough college years humbled me; I was knocked low enough to hear the gospel clearly. The early years of hard marriage moved me from dysfunctional manhood that had broken my marriage toward a godly alternative that helped save it. In his preaching, the late Dr. Gardner Taylor would say of such moments, “Life is built on a cruciform.” By that, he meant that everything worthwhile, worth having, or of any importance in life has a foundation built upon a compelling struggle. It can make you or break you. It will change you for the better or send you to your demise. It will lead to a cross-shaped life or leave you for dead. Dr. Taylor would always point to the example of Christ. Simply put, if the most significant truth about life is built on a cruciform, then all of life follows from that. The idea of life being built on a cruciform, once understood, I would imagine, is one that every generation of God’s people can attest to. The idea that life has a unique way of bringing us all to a place of Calvary is a fact few will debate. Life as we know it can quickly seem like our very own crucifixion, yet Jesus showed us through his resurrection that struggle and crucifixion needn’t end in defeat; instead, it can act as a foundation for something great and the doorway to something worthy.

EVERYTHING WORTHWHILE, WORTH HAVING, OR OF ANY IMPORTANCE IN LIFE WILL LEAD TO A CROSS-SHAPED LIFE OR LEAVE YOU FOR DEAD.

c hristia n sta nda rd 52

A L I F E - A LT E R I N G M O M E N T

Many of the people we encounter in Scripture were in a cruciform season and faced a “compelling” moment. One particular man, in fact, is known most for the very thing he was compelled to do. This man occupies very few lines of our sacred text, but three of the four Gospel writers saw fit to include what must have been the key moment of his life story. He was noted as “a man from Cyrene, named Simon” (Matthew 27:32) and “a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus)” (Mark 15:21, New American Standard Bible). As the caravan escorting Jesus toward his eventual death on Calvary passed by this man, Simon was “compelled” to come along for the journey with the expressed purpose of carrying the cross that would be used to slay the Lamb of God. This moment surely was not one Simon had mapped out for his life. No one wakes in the morning and sets out to carry a cross, yet here Simon was. He had unexpectedly found himself in a lifealtering moment. I earnestly wonder what that journey was like for Simon as he walked with the Savior of the world in our Lord’s final hours. I can only imagine how the bloody, wounded, struggling body of Jesus compelled him, along with the crowd’s loud derision, insults, and spit. Surely, he also was compelled by his own mental and physical exhaustion as he walked up that hill carrying another man’s death instrument. I wonder, Had Simon heard of Jesus? Did he know the charges levied against him? Had he seen the miracles? Was he a believer? Many have tried to fill in the blanks about this significant yet obscure man. Many believe the mention of his son’s names in the narrative point to their significance in the early church; many believe Simon and his sons became missionaries. Some have surmised that this moment, and the subsequent resurrection of Jesus, saved Simon and his family. The mention of “men of . . . Cyrene” preaching in the book of Acts has also been traced to this cross-bearing man. All of this has been researched but remains speculation. It’s tempting to believe that this cruciform and compelling moment paved the way for something great, something worthy. During this past year, all of us have collectively been through a Simon-like season. We were on our journeys doing what we’ve always done when we suddenly were caught up in the chaos of COVID-19—something we never expected, a trial we never chose.

a p ril 20 21 53

The new virus quickly became an invisible enemy that took our loved ones away . . . even if it didn’t kill them. It was a virus that divided us as families and as a people. Churches and schools closed temporarily (we thought); ultimately, we transitioned to virtual worship experiences and home academies. Inconveniences such as temporarily closed restaurants and canceled sporting events became more serious when businesses closed for good and jobs were permanently lost. And just as we were coming together to fight the virus, generations of pain and misunderstanding contributed to the explosion of racial tensions; this long-suppressed sin finally burst into light and received the public airing that will change the future. (Oh, and 2020 also was a presidential election year . . . one which spilled over into 2021!) If there was ever a moment to compel us to bear a cross like Simon, it was 2020. Yet, I am convinced that the God who is faithful and never wastes a moment in our lives won’t waste this one. WA L K I N G B E H I N D J E S U S

Earlier in his ministry, Jesus made a claim that has long been unsettling to his followers. He said, “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). Words have a way of finding the last corner of superficial faith in our lives. They exegete our hearts and bring to the forefront those things that live deep within us. And from time to time, God gives his people moments that are tangible expressions of his words. I believe we’re passing through just such a moment! How will this cruciform and compelling moment change us? I’m not sure how Simon was changed by his trek of carrying Jesus’ cross, but I am convinced he was never the same. I’m convinced he was better for it. May the same be said for Christ’s church as we walk behind Jesus!  Terrence Turman serves as a pastor with Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a proud husband and father to soon to be four children. Along with his pastoral duties, Terrence serves as a wrestling chaplain with the local FCA. @Terrence.aka.Tee terrenceturman.wordpress.com

a hope of salvation

BY CHRIS HANKINS

a p ril 20 21 55

“

THE REPENTANT THIEF'S STORY IS A BEAUTIFUL REMINDER OF GOD'S AMAZING GRACE

The repentant thief on the cross who put his faith in Jesus is one of my favorite people in the Easter narrative. Possibly more than any other Bible character, this man shows that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace and it is truly never too late to trust in Jesus. The repentant thief shows us today can be the day of salvation! While this crucified criminal is mentioned in all four Gospels (Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27, 32; Luke 23:32-33, 39-43; John 19:18, 31-33), it may seem we know little about him. But Matthew and Mark used the Greek word lēstēs to describe the criminals crucified with Jesus. In Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke used that same word to describe the robbers who “stripped [the victim] of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead” (Luke 10:30). From this passage, the word lēstēs indicates a violent person who takes the property of others by force, including possibly murder. We need to understand that the men crucified with Jesus were not mere pickpockets or petty thieves. No, the criminals were violent robbers not unlike the swarthy characters in Jesus’ parable. The men crucified with Jesus had committed serious crimes against humanity. In our society, it’s possible they would have landed on death row.

c hristia n sta nda rd 56

With this in mind, let’s explore Luke 23, which provides the lengthiest account of this criminal. Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:32-33, 39-43). In this fascinating interaction between three men, each within a few minutes of dying, we have two violent robbers on either side of Jesus. One man shows no remorse; he hurls insults at Jesus and uses his last breaths to mock him. The second criminal has a much different interaction with our Lord, and it ends with a surprising promise of salvation. How could this be? I believe the answer holds not only the hope of salvation for this criminal, but for everyone in the world, including you and me!

“

WHY WOULD JESUS HONOR THE CONFESSION OF A DYING CRIMINAL WHO WAS GETTING WHAT HE DESERVED?

a p ril 20 21 57

SALVATION IS A GIFT In the Lord’s interaction with the second criminal, we see three actions of faith that led Jesus to grant him salvation.

• and said “remember me,” which was his way of asking Jesus to save his soul, for he knew his body would soon be dead.

1. The criminal admitted his sin. This criminal was not a righteous man, for he had done something so despicable he had been sentenced to death. However, he readily admitted his sin and his guilt, and he declared he was getting what his deeds deserved.

Jesus assured the second criminal that his faith would not be forgotten and that “today you will be with me in paradise.”

2. The criminal believed in Jesus. He believed Jesus really was the Messiah (or Christ), the anointed King. Jesus was dying alongside him, and yet the criminal asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Clearly, the criminal did not think death would be the end for either of them. He believed Jesus would still be king of a kingdom, even though he was dying on a cross. The robber believed Jesus could make good on a promise of eternal life in his kingdom. I can’t help but wonder whether Jesus had preached to or spoken with the men in a holding cell while they were waiting to be crucified. We know the men were led out together (v. 32). But only one of the criminals believed in Jesus and his power, while the other chose to mock him. 3. The criminal confessed Jesus as Lord. While on the cross, the repentant robber did not just believe in his heart, he also confessed with his mouth (in the best way he knew how) that Jesus is Lord. The repentant criminal publicly . . . • rebuked the mocking criminal, • declared the innocence of Jesus, • declared that Jesus was king of a real kingdom,

Why would Jesus honor the confession of a dying criminal who was getting what he deserved? It certainly was not because of the man’s godly deeds or what he would do in the future. The man literally was about to die. There is only one possible answer . . . faith. The man admitted his sin, demonstrated clear belief in Jesus, publicly confessed him as Lord, and asked for salvation. This criminal of the cross was a living example of Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” The episode on the cross clearly demonstrated that no one is beyond the saving grace of Jesus!

"remember me"

a p ril 20 21 59

THE GOOD NEWS IS STILL THE GOOD NEWS It is easy to see the application of this truth for someone who has yet to place their faith in Jesus Christ. This is the good news of the gospel! No matter how far from God and how vile one’s past, salvation is still freely offered through placing one’s faith in Jesus and his substitutionary death on the cross. It is for this reason that Point Church, which I serve as lead pastor, has a campus at Central Prison, the largest such facility in North Carolina. It is for this reason we offer regular worship services to the death row prisoners. The good news is still good news to people far from God, for we regularly see robbers and murderers place their faith in Jesus Christ. In the past two years alone, 25 prisoners have seen their status change from sinner to saint as they were baptized into Christ!

• I will not regard anyone, no matter how terrible their actions, as someone Jesus cannot save and transform into a child of God. I thank the Father for this beautiful reminder that while I did not earn or deserve it, I am saved through Jesus’ great sacrifice and amazing grace. May I live the remainder of my life worshipping and glorifying the name of Jesus, whether it be for a few more moments— like the criminal on the cross—or for decades to come. 

Why is this reality so important for people like us who have already trusted in Christ? The reality is that the longer I am a Christian and the more good deeds I perform for the Lord, the easier it is to begin to feel as if I deserve God’s salvation or am worthy of it. I need to be reminded this is a false perception and sinful pride. No one is worthy. Instead, the opposite is true. I am utterly unworthy. I have done nothing to deserve salvation. And yet Jesus died to save me and all others. Therefore, • I will guard my heart against an attitude of self-righteous pride, lest I become a modern-day Pharisee. • I will live my life as a giant act of worship in gratitude to my Savior for giving me what I could have never earned or deserved. What amazing grace!

Chris Hankins serves as lead pastor of Point Church based out of Raleigh, North Carolina.

/chris.hankins.5 pointchurch.com

MORE THAN LABELS, TITLES, AND ACCOLADES

BY BEN SIEMON

a p ril 20 21 61

A LIFE-CHANGING TRUTH WE CAN LEARN FROM JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA AND NICODEMUS

Who we are becoming is more important than what we are doing. This statement has been part of my spiritual formation for the last five years, and yet it is antithetical to the values of the culture and country in which I live. An aspect of the American dream is to pull yourself up from nothing to make something of yourself. Unfortunately, that noble rags-to-riches quest has become a stamp of identity. For many of us, our identity is found in what we can do, provide, give, and improve. Who are we if not a successful businessperson, parent, grandparent, or student? In my 15 years of ministry, I’ve found that people discover who they are when those self-identifying labels are removed because of a painful job loss, divorce, rebellious child, or another difficult circumstance. We are not the total of the labels we acquire over a lifetime. There is a reason we are called human beings and not human doings. Joseph of Arimathea no doubt learned this life-changing truth as the Easter narrative unfolded.

c hristia n sta nda rd 62

A SECRET FOLLOWER We don’t know much about Joseph, but what little we know matters. He grew up in Arimathea, about 20 miles north of Jerusalem. Scripture describes Joseph as good, moral, and a nobleman, from which we can assume he was mature and had good parents. Joseph was someone your sons and daughters probably would respect and admire. The Gospel writers even tell us Joseph was a follower of Jesus . . . but there was tension in Joseph’s spirit. All four Gospel writers shared information about Joseph’s role in assuming responsibility for Jesus’ burial. John said Nicodemus, whom Jesus encountered in John 3, was also with Joseph. Luke provided hints as to the tension in this story. Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin. John 19:38 says Joseph was a follower of Jesus but kept that a secret because he feared the Jews. Through these texts, we can infer that being a follower of Jesus and having a seat on the Sanhedrin caused Joseph to be fearful. The Jews did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. The Sanhedrin council could not accept that Jesus was God in the flesh and they did not believe in the Trinity. God would never become human; they did not believe God would put himself in such a lowly position. To them, flesh and bones are reserved for finite creatures. Skin is wrapped around people who have time limits, hidden agendas, and buried secrets. Bones are supported by the drive to make these ambitions come true. Joseph likely loved what he did for a living. He probably was proud to have been born in a small town and moved to the big city outside of Jerusalem. He would have been the pride of his parents’ conversations back home. Surely, his family could not wait to hear the stories he would tell them every time he returned home. Though he enjoyed his job, Joseph didn’t think Jesus should have been crucified for the claims he made. The Gospel writers tell us Joseph kept his allegiance to Jesus hidden. What if the council finds out I am a Jesus follower? What if I lose my job or—even worse—they crucify me? What if I have to move back home and need to explain to my Jewish family that following Jesus cost me my job and my livelihood? Joseph had allowed his job, titles, and labels to form his identity. He feared all these things might be stripped away if he were more vocal about his faith in Jesus. Fear was hindering his spiritual formation. Joseph believed, “I am what I do.”

WHAT WAS HE THINKING? The Gospel writers tell us Joseph approached Pilate boldly. Boldness can sometimes be confidence mixed with fear. Joseph and Nicodemus wanted to take Jesus down from the cross because the sun would set shortly and Passover would begin. Deuteronomy 21:23 lingered in the backs of their minds. They didn’t want Jesus to be cursed for hanging on a cross after nightfall. Joseph was wealthy and likely hired others to help remove Jesus’ body from the cross and prepare him for burial. Nicodemus helped alongside Joseph and his team. Joseph secretly loved and cherished Jesus, but not enough to vocalize it. What possibly was going through Joseph’s mind as he and his team wrapped Jesus’ feet, hands and arms, torso, and then his thorn-pierced head? What memories of his time with Jesus were evoked in his mind?

It would be easy to make an example out of Joseph and Nicodemus. I don’t know that I am that different from these men. I have allowed labels, titles, and accolades to shape my identity. All of these are great things to hide behind. We have made “being a good person” and “making something of ourselves” to be the safes in which we lock away our most cherished and prized discovery—a life-changing relationship with Jesus. It was not necessarily a sin that kept Joseph away from Jesus. Although Jesus does tell us if we do not acknowledge him, he will not acknowledge us. The labels, titles, and positions we use to describe ourselves are what we do. They are not who we are. Our truest reality is that we are the beloved sons and daughters of God. If that fact costs us our job, salary, friends, or family, then let it be so. Joseph was loved before he left Arimathea to make his way toward Jerusalem, and we were loved before we ever started doing ministry. The one who left Heaven to make his way to Jerusalem is forming you and shaping you through his death, burial, and resurrection. May you, this Easter, discover that who you are becoming is more important than what you are doing.

WHO AM I? As a pastor, I can identity with the story of Joseph. Pastors are often described in the same manner as Joseph. They are thought to be kind, noble, and persons of integrity. Pastors often think about their ministry the way Joseph thought about his role as a disciple of Jesus. What if everything is stripped away from me? What if my secrets are exposed? What happens if I share some of the things I’m struggling with theologically? The greatest gift God can give pastors is the same gift he gave Joseph—the knowledge that, even if everything were stripped away, we discover (or have comfort) that we are not our jobs, and our jobs are not our identity. When I started out in ministry, I was eager to work hard and prove myself. I thought I had buried my false self and that no one knew what was going on inside of my spirit. However, I never considered that my false self would have a life of its own. Shortly after beginning my ministry, everything false and secretive came up for air. In the words of one of my college professors, I was “bad film”: I was overexposed to the Bible . . . yet underdeveloped by it. I did not know who I was if I were not a pastor. God did a beautiful thing in my life. He removed me from ministry for a brief season. During that season I discovered, through people who came alongside me, that I was not my job. My identity was never in jeopardy. Those months were difficult, but they were transformative. One of the greatest joys I have now is helping younger pastors avoid the temptation of believing that God’s love for them is dependent upon the number of people who attend their church, the sermons they preach, or the people they lead. 

Ben Siemon serves as lead minister at Rockingham Christian Church in Salem, New Hampshire. He and his wife, Krystal, enjoy hiking and exploring New England with their corgi, Bob.

a p ril 20 21 63

OUR TRUE IDENTITY

‘ D I D T H AT J U S T HAPPEN?’ T h e G u a rd s a t Je s u s ’ To m b Te s t i f y t o Re s u r r e c t i o n Powe r a n d L i v i n g H o p e B y

Tr evo r

D e Va ge

w i t h

M a r k

A .

Tay l o r

a p ril 20 21 65

My buddy Aaron and I were at our friend Matt’s house. We were 17, Matt’s folks were out of town, and we were bored. Matt’s stepdad’s prize vehicle, a beautiful, brand-new, gold Buick LeSabre, sat in his driveway. “Don’t drive the car unless it’s an emergency” the stepdad had told Matt before he left. “And if it is an emergency, call me, and I’ll tell you where I’ve hidden the keys.” It took us about 10 minutes to find the keys and 5 minutes more to jump into two cars (Aaron was driving a beat-up, primer-gray, ’77 Honda hatchback) for a joyride through town. We were speeding side by side, throwing pennies at each other through open windows as we raced down the road. Suddenly (I don’t remember why), Matt jumped the curb and was driving down the sidewalk when a utility pole loomed before him. With screeching brakes he bounced the car off the sidewalk, veered between the pole and a fire hydrant, and back onto the road, all with absolutely no damage to the LeSabre. Stunned, we pulled ahead, Aaron’s clunker in the lead, and turned off onto a side street. We stopped the engines, stepped out of the cars on trembling legs, looked at each other with our mouths open, and almost in unison said, “Did that just happen?” If you’ve ever had a “did that just happen?” experience, maybe you can relate to how we felt. It wasn’t possible that we’d just lived through our version of an action-movie-car-chase sequence with no injuries to our bodies, either human or auto. We couldn’t believe it. We could never recreate it. I think we felt at least an inkling of the astonishment the Roman soldiers experienced when they lived through their own “did that just happen?” moment guarding the tomb of the crucified Christ.

c hristia n sta nda rd 66

“ TH E WA S

FA K E

NEWS

R E AD I LY

B E L IE VE D A ND

QUIC KLY

S P R E AD, W H Y T HE

NOT ? R E AL

S TO RY A L L

AND

D E FIED

R E AS O N.”

a p ril 20 21 67

A Quiet Assignment But astonishment was not how they began their job, standing guard at a sealed gravesite quite away from the action. Were they bored with the assignment? They were soldiers, after all, trained for battle, not all-night tending to a dead body. Or maybe they were glad for easy duty. Much of their garrison would be doing crowd control in Jerusalem during Passover. Quiet days and dark nights would be much less stressful than tending to a population that hated them. But their time at the tomb turned out to be anything but quiet. At dawn on the morning after Sabbath, the earth rumbled, the ground shook, pebbles skittered off the hillside beside them, and the stone’s seal broke. Earthquakes were not common in that area; this was likely the first these men had ever experienced. That would be frightening enough, but then they saw the angel. With supernatural power, the angel, who looked “like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow” (Matthew 28:3), pushed the massive stone aside. The soldiers were terrified by what they were seeing. Paralyzed by their fear, they fell back “like dead men” (28:4). The angel seemed to ignore them, but spoke instead to the women who had come to visit the tomb. Scripture says nothing more about the soldiers while still at the graveside but hastens to relate the conversation of Jesus with these women as they traveled to share the news with the disciples. But I’m picturing these brawny men, sprawled on the ground, finding the strength to crawl to their feet and face each other after the angel and the visitors had left. And I’m wondering, how do you say in Latin, “Did that just happen?”

c hristia n sta nda rd 68

A Secret Payof f

An Unbelievable Story

At least some of these soldiers went to the chief priests who had convinced Pilate to station them at the tomb. It’s so interesting to consider how the Jewish hierarchy reacted. Evidently, they believed the report; their instinct was to cover it up, not to deny it. And instead of coming to faith because of the miracle, they only hastened to protect their own power and promote their own version of the truth.

It’s not impossible, but the story I’m about to tell you is hard to believe.

They paid off the soldiers, handing them “a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble’” (Matthew 28:1214). The fake news was readily believed and quickly spread, and why not? The real story defied all reason. Even the disciple Thomas, when confronted with Jesus face-to-face, had trouble believing the resurrection. But I can’t help but think that at least some members of this Roman guard couldn’t forget what happened. Even though they took the payoff, surely some of them were changed by what they’d seen. I imagine they remembered the incident for the rest of their lives, just as I’ll never forget our escape from catastrophe with Matt’s stepdad’s Buick LeSabre almost 25 years ago. I wonder if they talked with their buddies back at the barracks about the angel’s startling appearance, the opened grave, the missing body. I wonder if they told their wives. I wonder if some of them were eventually transferred back to Rome where they heard followers of The Way proclaiming the power of the resurrected Jesus. And I wonder if any finally fessed up and said, “It’s true! We were there! He did come back from the dead!” I wonder if any of them eventually became Christians themselves.

A minister I know served in Indianapolis and regularly visited a local prison with other members of his congregation. One guy he worked with there finally said he wanted to be baptized, a wonderful decision because this prisoner was the roughest of the rough. He was deemed to be so dangerous that the guards would never let him out of his cell without shackles that bound his hands and constrained his legs, forcing him to shuffle to his seat in the visitors room. The only place to baptize the man was in a nasty trough outside in the prisoners’ fenced-in exercise area. As they led the prisoner to this most unholy baptismal pool, the minister asked, “Can’t we remove these shackles for the baptism?” But the guard insisted, “Absolutely not.” So the minister and the church’s elders who were with him helped the man into the water. “I now baptize you into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” the minister said. As he lowered the man under the water, he added, “Buried with Christ,” and then, as he raised his head and shoulders out of the water, “risen to walk in newness of life.” But before he could finish the familiar formula, the prisoner stood up with a dramatic splash, and—wonder of wonders—the heavy iron shackles fell from his wrists and clattered to the pavement beside him! His soul was free, and so were his hands and feet! Did that just happen? One of the guards was so unnerved by the sight that he named Christ as Lord and was baptized on the spot! “We saw it with our own eyes,” one of the elders told me later. “I would never have believed this if I hadn’t been there to witness it myself.”

a p ril 20 21 69

Our Amazing Possibilities

“ O U R E N C O UNT E R S W I T H

JE S US

S HO U LD P RO M P T

E VE RY

C HR IS TIAN

E XP E R IE NC E ‘ D I D

TH AT

JU ST

H AP PE N ?’

I wouldn’t say we must have such experiences for our faith to be real. But I do believe our encounters with Jesus should prompt every Christian to experience “did that just happen?” moments. An alcoholic finds recovery. An adultery-ravaged marriage heals. A financially strapped businessman avoids bankruptcy. An estranged mother and daughter reunite. A prodigal returns. A porn-plagued young adult or old man rises above his addiction. A griefstricken family reaches out to bless the community around them. I’ve seen all of these. Each redemption story seemed unlikely if not impossible before it played out by the power of Christ. For some of these folks, the possibility of change was as frightening to them as the fear that struck the Roman guard to the ground. But confronted with “living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3), lives have changed and futures have been redirected. Can that really happen? The testimony of the Roman guard combined with the example of Christians all around us confirm the amazing possibilities. And this is why we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus today. 

M O M E NTS. ”

Trevor DeVage has been lead pastor with Christ’s Church located in Mason, Ohio, since 2013. He blogs regularly at trevordevage.com. Mark Taylor retired as editor of Christian Standard in 2017. His blog posts appear Saturdays at deancollins.co.

BY RENEE LITTLE

I had always assumed suicide rates were higher in the winter months. Cold winds, icy streets, gray skies, and more time alone indoors were all things I equated with sadness and depression. This most recent winter brought an even colder chill—a storm in the form of a pandemic that shut down activities, closed stores, and stopped people from gathering. And with this storm came the gusty wind of political tension. People bundled themselves up with fear, worry, and a deep sadness in what had been lost over the past 12 months. Save.org—a website operated by Suicide Awareness Voices of Education— shares that every year about 800,000 people in the world commit suicide. It is the second leading cause of death in people ages 15 to 24. I imagined the pairing of winter, COVID-19, and political tension in 2020 would lead to even higher suicide rates. I was shocked to see research that suicides do not increase in wintertime. Instead, spikes occur in the spring. Some research, such as that done by Johns Hopkins, shows “overwhelming evidence . . . that inflammation from various sources, including allergic reactions, can cause or worsen depression. . . . Seasonal allergies in the spring put a large number of Americans at a higher risk for depression.” This spring, as cold days melt away and warmer days arrive, do not stand down in your mission to reach the lost and to “do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10). Remember that now is the time, people are hurting, and you are needed—someone’s life depends on the door you are holding open. Commit your heart to reviving your core mission and renewing your approach.

c hristia n sta nda rd

SPONSORED

celebrations and investing At The Solomon Foundation (TSF) most Easters have been spent preparing for and celebrating grand openings of newly expanded church buildings. It is by far the most targeted grand opening date in our work with churches as together we create plans for growth. The year 2021 is different, as we are not only celebrating four grand openings this Easter, but we are investing everything we have into helping all Restoration Movement ministries celebrate “open doors,” whatever that may look like. TSF believes healthy leaders lead healthy churches, and therefore we invest in healthy leaders in several ways. We offer access to a clinical phycologist—Dr. Wes Beavis—who specializes in ministry burnout, we encourage leaders to rest or recharge for free at a four-bedroom house we own on the Oregon coast, and we host weekly calls to engage leaders and help them connect with one another. All 34 TSF staff members passionately care for the church, the leaders, and the people they are reaching. Join us in celebrating four newly opened doors this Easter: 1. “Open traffic patterns” . . . as Ekklesia Christian Church in Conway, South Carolina, purchased adjacent property to expand their reach. The purchase is allowing them to eliminate traffic bottlenecks and open up more parking spots. 2. “Open to updates” . . . as Harmony Christian Church in Georgetown, Kentucky, completes a renovation to open up restrooms, improve their HVAC, and make other upgrades. 3. “Open to expansion” . . . as Center Pointe Christian Church near Cincinnati opens a new, larger sanctuary and classroom space to keep pace with community population growth. 4. “Open to fun” . . . as Discovery Christian Church in Mars, Pennsylvania, renovated an abandoned family fun center into a new church building. The idea is to transform their local communities’ idea of fun from arcade games to learning about the life of Jesus and being a lighthouse of hope in a dark world. This last one is near and dear to the mission of TSF, as our fifth core value is to have fun. I cannot imagine a better way to have fun than to open the doors to the church, especially at Easter! 

Renee Little serves as senior vice president of project management with The Solomon Foundation.

c hristia n sta nda rd 76

how to use

Each week has a lesson aim, lesson text, and supplemental text.

Tabs indicate the week of each lesson.

Each week features three sections: Study, Application, and Discovery. Use the Discovery questions to study, discuss, and apply the Scripture passages in a group or class.

April 2021

o l d to n e w matthew

In the new heaven and new earth, we will hear, “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). But in Christ that future new has already invaded the current old. Students will learn how Easter brought that newness, how a paralytic and a tax collector received new leases on life, and how answered questions and pointed parables taught that newness.

matthew

L e t t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n o f J e s u s l e a d yo u t o m a k e d i s c i p l e s .

Sup

pl em

son tex t

s le

al te

M a t t h e w 2 8 :1 - 1 0 , 1 6 -2 0

ent

Acts 1:8 Romans 6: 3 - 4; 1 5 :1 7-2 1

s t u dy

A New Purpose for Life by mark scott

Disciples are not born (though they are born again), but they are made—by Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the “helping spirit” (thank you, Carl Ketcherside) in assisting Jesus in making more disciples; obeying Jesus’ commission gets the job done. But the reality of Easter is the main motivation to help Jesus make disciples. Seth Wilson (founding academic dean of Ozark Christian College) said, “The resurrection is not a matter of faith; it is a record of fact.” Faith (or the lack thereof) does not change the reality of resurrection. Easter changed Jesus’ stay in Joseph’s tomb; it also gave the disciples a new purpose in living.

The women became the first evangelists. The conflicting emotions of fear and joy propelled them to hurry and run to the disciples to tell them of the angel’s message. The good news of Easter will cause one to run. En route, the women met Jesus suddenly. Jesus greeted them very matter-of-factly by saying, “Greetings.” While desiring to hold on to him and worship him, Jesus redirected their zeal for mission. The women were to tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee. This northern area of Israel was the headquarters for much of Jesus’ ministry. From a mountain in Galilee Jesus ultimately gave his final marching orders to the disciples.

The Impetus of This New Purpose Matthew 28:1-10

The Commission of This New Purpose Matthew 28:16-20

Pilate had told the guards to make the tomb “as secure as you can” (Matthew 27:65). But securing that particular tomb would be as effective as a spiderweb in stopping a steaming locomotive. Following the Passover Sabbath, at dawn (Luke 24:1 says—in a number of Bible versions—it was “early dawn,” and John 20:1 says it was “still dark”), Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb (Mark 16:1 mentions Mary the mother of James and Salome, and Luke 24:10 mentions Joanna and “other women,” as well).

The soldiers, who “became like dead men” (Matthew 28:4)—in a cemetery no less—got bought off (Matthew 28:11-15). Matthew is the only Gospel that tells this part of the story. Disciple-making is the third major theme of Matthew’s Gospel (the first being Jesus’ kingship—“Son of David”—and the second being that of his kingdom—“Son of Abraham”). This passage is called the Great Commission because it is all-inclusive. It deals with all authority, all nations, all teachings of Jesus, and the all-encompassing presence of Jesus. Every Gospel, as well as Acts, has a commission statement (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:48-49; John 20:21-23; Acts 1:6-8).

The content of the angel’s message was, in essence, Easter’s song. First was the pastoral note—“Do not be afraid.” Angels habitually say that. In fact, Jesus repeated it when he greeted the women (v. 10). Easter is scary. If he is alive, then we will deal with him some day. Second was the factual note—“You are looking for Jesus.” But “he is not here; he has risen.” Third was the apologetic note—“Come and see.” God does not expect us to kiss our brains goodbye. He invites us to apply our minds to see if these eyewitnesses are credible. Finally was the missionary note—“Go and tell.” Jesus also repeated this (v. 10).

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

Matthew’s commission statement is filled with several important details. First the disciples were obedient to the angel’s message—they went to a mountain in Galilee to meet up with Jesus. When they saw him, they worshiped him. This would be expected. But some doubted. That seems most odd until we realize that the word for doubt means “hesitate.” Maybe they were still just awestruck. The resurrection had enlarged Jesus’ authority in heaven and earth (cf. John 5:22-23). While the going, baptizing, and teaching all are participles, they share the force of a command to make disciples. So, none of the steps are optional. The going matters for geography, the nations matter for ethnicity, the baptizing matters for the trinity, and the teaching matters for biblical literacy. Obeying this commission also contained a promise—namely, Jesus’ presence. He lives out one of his names, Immanuel (Matthew 1:23), through the Holy Spirit (John 14:17). Our new purpose is joined to a new presence. Faithful Rescue 2 Timothy 4:16-18

Paul wrote this Epistle in the shadow of his own death. There would be no physical or earthly rescue from that. But, previous to that entrance into glory, the Lord had rescued Paul many times (Acts 14:19-20; 2 Corinthians 11:23-29), including many times in court (Acts 21–26). He referred to one such time as the Epistle ends. He referenced his first defense (preliminary hearing that would lead to an ultimate trial). Even though others deserted (left behind) Paul, the Lord stood by his side and strengthened him. But God did not do that solely for Paul’s sake. He did it so that the gospel that Paul preached to the Gentiles would go forth. Paul held no animosity against those who did not stand with him. His actions mirrored those of Jesus and Stephen, in that Paul did not wish them ill (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60). Paul served the Lord faithfully because the mouth (likely a reference to the emperor Nero). was ready to face the possibility that God might praise for God who had the power to rescue Faithful Res2 Timothy 4:16-18

- 79 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

Lord’s record of faithfulness was without question. Paul had been delivered from the lion’s Paul was confident that if God wanted to deliver him, the Lord would do so again. But Paul also give him the ultimate rescue and bring him safely to his heavenly kingdom. Paul burst out in him. cue

Paul wrote this Epistle in the shadow of his own into glory, the Lord had rescued Paul many referred to one such time as the Epistle ends. though others deserted (left behind) Paul, the He did it so that the gospel that Paul preached him. His actions mirrored those of Jesus and

death. There would be no physical or earthly rescue from that. But, previous to that entrance times (Acts 14:19-20; 2 Corinthians 11:23-29), including many times in court (Acts 21–26). He He referenced his first defense (preliminary hearing that would lead to an ultimate trial). Even Lord stood by his side and strengthened him. But God did not do that solely for Paul’s sake. to the Gentiles would go forth. Paul held no animosity against those who did not stand with Stephen, in that Paul did not wish them ill (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60).

Paul served the Lord faithfully because the mouth (likely a reference to the emperor Nero). was ready to face the possibility that God might praise for God who had the power to rescue

WEEK OF april 04

Sometime in those predawn hours, a violent earthquake took place (this is the second earthquake mentioned by Matthew—the other was in 27:51). This was due to the direct power of heaven. An angel came and moved the stone in front of the tomb entrance. We are told four things about this angel: he sat on the stone, his appearance was brilliant (like lightning and white in color), he inspired fear, and he gave heaven’s sermon.

A p p l i c at i o n

When All Is Said and Done by David Faust

Jane has lived through two pandemics. She was born in 1918, the year World War I ended and the great flu epidemic swept across the globe. Now approaching the age of 103, she is cheerful and content. She looks forward to spending eternity with the Lord, and jokingly exclaims, “I don’t know why the Lord still has me here!” When all is said and done, Jane’s soul is at peace because she trusts in the Lord. After retiring from a long, respected career as the principal of a large elementary school, Mark served with me on the administrative staff of a Christian college. He was a leader in his church and a beloved father and grandfather. Mark seemed in good health when we met for a late-afternoon conversation. All of us who knew him were shocked when he died suddenly the next morning. After returning from the hospital that day, I sat at Mark’s desk. Sticky Post-It notes listed the tasks he planned to fulfill that week. No one had realized his time on earth was almost over, but we took comfort in the assurance that when all was said and done, Mark was ready to be with the Lord. Toward the Dawn

couldn’t obscure the stark reality that the king himself was dead and gone. Not so with King Jesus. His empty tomb contained treasures of a different kind—the glory of God, not the glitter of gold. Grieving visitors came to Jesus’ tomb in the early morning; one translation says it was “toward the dawn” (Matthew 28:1, English Standard Version). When we belong to Christ, that’s our vantage point. No matter how dark things get, we’re moving toward the dawn. Jesus spoke often about his own resurrection, but its full impact didn’t dawn on the disciples until after it happened. He predicted it would take three days to rebuild the temple of his body (John 2:21), compared his resurrection to Jonah’s startling return after a three-day burial at sea (Matthew 12:38-40; 16:1-4), and stated plainly that he would rise again on the third day (Luke 9:22). The visitors to Jesus’ tomb found his graveclothes neatly arranged the way a carpenter would fold up his dustcloth after completing a project (John 20:5-7). Afterward he provided “many convincing proofs that he was alive” (Acts 1:3).

In the New Testament, James compares our lives to “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). No one ever impacted the world more than Jesus of Nazareth, yet his physical life on earth was short, spanning only 33 years. Life’s brevity would be enormously depressing if not for the promise of resurrection and eternity to come.

Death wins skirmishes every day, but in the end, the battle belongs to the Lord. We don’t know whether our time on earth will end slowly or abruptly. But when all is said and done, on the day we die, nothing will matter more than what Jesus said and did.

At the Cairo Museum in Egypt, I viewed the contents of King Tut’s tomb. The burial chamber of King Tutankhamen contained a treasure trove of dazzling jewelry, statues, weapons, clothing—even a chariot. Tut’s mummified body was well-preserved in his solid gold coffin, yet all the glittering jewels and gold

Personal Challenge: Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life,” and he made it personal by asking her, “Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). What is your response to his question? Reflect on how Jesus’ resurrection impacts your daily life and your view of the long-term future.

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

Faithful Rescue 2 Timothy 4:16-18

- 80 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

Paul served the Lord faithfully because the mouth (likely a reference to the emperor Nero). was ready to face the possibility that God might praise for God who had the power to rescue

D i s c ove ry

by Michael C. Mack 1. Last week we were encouraged to talk to someone about living God’s way rather than the world’s way. How did that go? 2. What challenge did you face last week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to retell (not interpret) the story from the passage in 60 seconds or less. 3. What do you notice in this passage that perhaps you’ve never really noticed before? 4. Let’s dig deeper: • Look at the sensory details, descriptive adjectives and verbs, and similes used in this passage. How do these elements help you picture the events more clearly? • What emotions do different people display throughout this account? • Take a few minutes to look at repeated words throughout the passage: afraid, go, tell, worshiped. What does this repetition reveal to you? • Matthew used words like quickly, hurried, ran, and suddenly. Why did Jesus’ followers have (or need) a sense of urgency in the midst of these circumstances? • What role does worship have in these events? • How was Jesus’ presence and his power involved in providing his people with their new purpose? 5. What do you learn about God from this passage? 6. What do you learn about people? 7. Note the various instances of Jesus’ followers obeying directives throughout this passage (vv. 5-8, 10-11a, 16, 20). Why is obedience and not mere knowledge about Jesus’ mission so critical?

9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .” 10. What challenges will you face this week as you go? For Next Week: Read and reflect on Matthew 9:1-17 as we continue our study in the Gospel of Matthew with the theme, “Old to New.” You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

- 81 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

WEEK OF april 04

8. All of us who follow Jesus—that is, all of us who believe in his death, burial, and resurrection and who have been “buried with him in baptism into death, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God”—have been given a new life (Colossians 2:12). This new life is one of purpose—God’s purpose. As you go into the world this week, how will you carry out your purpose in making disciples?

matthew

L i ke t h e pa r a lyz e d m a n a n d M at t h e w f i n d t h e n e w w ay t o f o r g i v e n e s s t h ro u g h fa i t h i n J e s u s .

pl eme

n ta l

L e v i t i c u s 4 : 2 7- 3 5 Jeremiah 3 1: 3 1-3 4 Mark 1:4 -15

t t

M a t t h e w 9 :1 - 1 7

les

s t u dy

A New Way Forward by mark scott

Easter not only gives a new purpose (last week’s lesson), but it also charts a course for a new way forward— especially with regard to forgiveness of sins. Matthew clustered together several stories of miracles in Matthew 8–9 (three sets of three miracles each). But interrupting those miracle stories are two sections dealing with discipleship. The interruption in Matthew 8 concerned the “would-be” followers (8:18-22). They only thought they could pay the price of discipleship. The interruption in Matthew 9 concerned the calling of the writer himself (Matthew/Levi) and the subsequent party he threw for Jesus and the ensuing controversy that resulted from that party.

4:18-22). Jesus came up to his tax booth and said, “Follow me.” Matthew (“gift of Yahweh”) left the tax booth (remembering to take his pen) and followed Jesus. Matthew found a new occupation.

New Freedom Matthew 9:1-8

Jesus gave a threefold defense to such criticism. First, he quoted a common proverb of the day: healthy people do not go to the doctor. Two things lie underneath his sarcastic humor—by implication Jesus is the doctor and the presumption of the scribes is that they are well. Second, he quoted a very significant prophetic text (Hosea 6:6—quoted also in Matthew 12:7). Since Matthew’s account of his call is the only one to mention this passage, it probably meant he understood his call to this new occupation as nothing other than the overflow of the mercy (chesed) of God. Finally, Jesus tied the call of Matthew to his mission. He did not come to call the presumptuous righteous but sinners.

During the early days of his Galilean ministry, Jesus delivered his famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Sometime after that, he came to his own town (Capernaum). Jesus was preaching the Word to a packed house (Mark 2:2) when some men (four to be exact) brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus. Matthew made no mention of the roof demolition to get their friend to Jesus. For Matthew, the more important thing was the friends’ faith in Jesus and the new freedom the paralyzed man could experience. Jesus spoke words of encouragement and freedom to this man. What could be better than hearing, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven” (sent away)? While the man’s companions no doubt wanted healing for their friend, there is no record of their disappointment about this forgiveness declaration. But the teachers of the law had different thoughts. They were convinced Jesus had blasphemed. Jesus saw through their evil thoughts.

New Occupation Matthew 9:9-13 A local customs official sat near Capernaum collecting taxes for the Roman government. Perhaps he had even taxed the four fishermen who were now following Jesus (Matthew

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

New Forms Matthew 9:14-17 We do not know when John the Baptist’s disciples came and asked Jesus this question, but it makes perfect sense in this context. It concerned the forms that religious practices take. Spiritual disciplines demand things like fasting. Jesus seemed to be into feasting. All religious practices will assume some form. But if those forms are not somewhat fluid, they will turn into rigid legalism. Jesus’ defense took the form of three parables (the bridegroom, the patch, and the wineskin). All three metaphors have eschatological significance (Revelation 21:9-10; 7:14; 19:6-10; Matthew 26:29). A wedding is hardly a place to fast; it is a time to feast. The groom (Jesus) will be taken away (the words indicate a violent taking—a reference to the arrest in Gethsemane?). A new patch on an old garment does not work, and an old wineskin (that has already been stretched because of fermentation) cannot be used a second time or it will burst. The new way forward by Jesus had continuity with past forms but would need new forms to thrive. Faithful Rescue 2 Timothy 4:16-18

- 83 -

Faithful Res2 Timothy 4:16-18

cue

Paul wrote this Epistle in the shadow of his own ino glory, the Lord had rescued Paul many times to one such time as the Epistle ends. He referothers deserted (left behind) Paul, the Lord it so that the gospel that Paul preached to the actions mirrored those of Jesus and Stephen, in

death. There would be no physical or earthly rescue from that. But, previous to that entrance (Acts 14:19-20; 2 Corinthians 11:23-29), including many times in court (Acts 21–26). He referred enced his first defense (preliminary hearing that would lead to an ultimate trial). Even though stood by his side and strengthened him. But God did not do that solely for Paul’s sake. He did Gentiles would go forth. Paul held no animosity against those who did not stand with him. His that Paul did not wish them ill (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60).

Paul served the Lord faithfully because the mouth (likely a reference to the emperor Nero). was ready to face the possibility that God might praise for God who had the power to rescue

A P R I L 2 0 21

WEEK OF April 11

To prove he had authority to forgive sins, Jesus performed a miracle on this man’s paralyzed body. One of the many purposes of Jesus’ miracles was to prove he was God’s Son, and, as such, had authority to forgive sins. The man went home in his new freedom of body and soul, and the crowd could do nothing but be amazed and praise God.

But he did more than follow Jesus. Matthew threw a party for Jesus (Luke 5:29 says it was a “mega” feast). Of course, the only people who would be invited (or agree to come) to Matthew’s party were fellow tax collectors and sinners. If Jesus had been guilty of blasphemy before, now he was guilty by association. Jesus was too intimate with society’s ragamuffins.

A p p l i c at i o n

The Dinner Party by David Faust

It’s dinnertime in Capernaum. During the day, the streets buzzed with merchants hawking their wares and caravans carrying goods from faraway lands. But the hot sun yielded to the cool air of evening. Children’s voices echo through the streets as they finish playing and head home. Travelers settle into inns for the night. After cleaning and mending their nets, fishermen head to the docks and board their boats to spend the night fishing on the Sea of Galilee. At Matthew’s house a dinner party is underway. The downside of being a tax collector? Matthew’s neighbors hate him. The upside? Because of his sizeable earnings, he owns a large house with a spacious courtyard, and on this particular evening guests are arriving for a festive banquet. The aroma of honey, fresh-baked bread, and roasted meat fills the air while trays of grapes, cheese, olives, and dates are passed around. A lot of food and drink will be needed because the word is out that the popular young rabbi from Nazareth will attend the party tonight. Matthew’s business associates—other wealthy tax collectors—show up dressed in fine clothes. One by one several prostitutes arrive as well, their oncealluring faces now shadowed by hardness and hurt. The dinner companions come from different economic levels, but they share one thing in common: They’re all social outcasts. As the guests walk toward Matthew’s house, they try not to notice their neighbors’ hateful glares, and they ignore the disapproving stares of the Pharisees who stand on Capernaum’s street corners wearing long robes and praying long prayers. For this evening, at least, Matthew’s house is a safe place to gather. Spirited conversation and laughter fill the air as dinner begins and Jesus and his disciples mingle with the crowd. Not everyone is smiling, though. Scowling Pharisees pull Jesus’ disciples aside and ask a question that sounds like an accusation. They demand to know, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

sinners?” Undaunted, Jesus points out, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. . . . For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:10-13). Three Kinds of People Where do you see yourself in this story? Would you have enjoyed mingling with the crowd at Matthew’s dinner party? Would you have made some new friends? Would you have cringed and walked to the other side of the room when certain individuals walked in? Does any part of you sympathize with the Pharisees and wonder, “Is it really wise to hang around with a crowd like this?” There are three kinds of people in the world. The stubborn realize their souls are sick, but they decide to go it alone and suffer in silence rather than seek and accept the Lord’s help. The smug, like the self-righteous Pharisees, deny their spiritual weaknesses. They see no need for healing because they consider themselves healthy—at least in comparison with others. Instead of risking discomfort and swallowing their pride, they stand outside, criticizing the guests at the party. The searching, like the tax collectors and sinners who gathered at Matthew’s house, are willing to engage in the conversation and welcome the Great Physician’s help. Which kind of person are you? Personal Challenge: Do you socialize mainly with other believers, or are you cultivating relationships with non-Christians whose worldviews and lifestyles differ from your own? This week, share lunch or coffee with a neighbor or coworker outside your circle of church friends. - 84 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

D i s c ove ry

by Michael C. Mack

1. How were you able to live out your purpose in making disciples last week? 2. What was the biggest challenge you faced over the past week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 9:1-17 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to retell the story from this passage. 3. In each of the three sections of this Bible passage (vv. 1-8, 9-13, 14-17), what contrasts do you see between the different groups of people? 4. Let’s dig deeper: • What do you notice about how various people responded to Jesus? • What do you learn about Jesus’ authority? • What does this passage demonstrate about who Jesus values? • What does this passage demonstrate about what God values most? • What do you learn about Jesus’ purpose and mission? • What is the difference between being devoted to Jesus and being devoted to religious forms and practices? • How might legalistic attitudes (and a focus on our own self-righteousness) get in the way of loving God and carrying out his mission? 5. What do you learn about God from this passage? 6. What do you learn about yourself? 7. Who are the obedient people in each section of this passage and who are the disobedient? • What do you learn about living in obedience to Jesus?

9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .” 10. What challenge do you anticipate this week as you move forward in obedience to Christ? For Next Week: Read and reflect on Matthew 22:15-33. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

- 85 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

WEEK OF april 11

8. A challenge for some of us is to cultivate relationships with non-Christians whose worldviews and lifestyles differ from our own rather than socializing only with other believers. This week, with whom from outside your circle of church friends will you spend some time, perhaps over lunch or coffee?

matthew

L e t C h r i st m o l d h ow yo u v i e w l i fe a n d w h at yo u v a l u e .

Su ppl

les

M a t t h e w 2 2 :1 5 - 3 3

l text ta

son t ex

R o m a n s 1 2 :1 -2 C o l o s s i a n s 3 :1 - 3 M a t t h e w 6 :1 9 - 3 3 Jeremiah 3 1: 3 4

s t u dy

A New State of Mind by mark scott

Benjamin Franklin wrote, “But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes” (in his letter to Jean-Baptiste LeRoy, 1789). Jesus was asked questions about taxes and death by the Pharisees and Sadducees on Tuesday during his final week. We know more about this particular day in Christ’s life than any other day. Three events preceded these questions (the triumphal entry, the cursing of the fig tree, and the cleansing of the temple). These events prompted the religious leaders to ask, “By what authority are you doing these things?” (Matthew 21:23). Jesus eventually answered their question with three parables (Matthew 21:28–22:14). These parables were followed by three questions—one political, one doctrinal, and one hermeneutical (Matthew 22:15-40). In answering their questions about death and taxes, Jesus, drew a bead on a new state of mind about those issues. A Political Question Underlining Value Matthew 22:15-22 The Pharisees’ motives were clear. They tried to trap him in his words. Disciples of the Pharisees teamed up with the Herodians (strange bedfellows) to pose a political question to Jesus. It is unclear if their initial compliment was genuine or whether it was smoke and mirrors. Either way, their first assertions were true. Jesus was a man of integrity, taught the way of God, was not swayed by others, and paid no attention to who people were (literally, “did not regard the face of man”).

Jesus called for a coin. By producing a denarius, the Pharisees indicated they had accepted Roman rule to some extent. More than one-third of their income went to pay taxes. But that fact was not as offensive as the coin itself; it read, “Tiberius Caesar, son of divine Augustus” on one side, and “The most high priest” on the other (Mark Moore, The Chronological Life of Christ, p. 517). Jesus

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

Jesus’ answer was “evasive, brilliant, and condemning” (Moore, p. 517). Give to Caesar and give to God. Jesus was not saying that these two competing governments were equal. In fact, John Ortberg (in Who Is This Man?) suggested that Jesus actually called for a limited government. But Christians pay taxes (normally on April 15) because citizens of the kingdom of God are the best citizens of the kingdom of men (Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:17). A Doctrinal Question Underlining Life Matthew 22:23-33 Having seen Jesus shut down the Pharisees, that same day the Sadducees stepped up to the plate. Even though they did not believe in the concept of resurrection (or angels or spirits—Acts 23:8), they posed a doctrinal question to Jesus. While the Pharisees’ question championed Caesar, the Sadducees’ question championed Moses. (The Sadducees, of course, accepted the books of Moses as authentic Scripture.) Their question was clearly hypothetical. While having some basis in Deuteronomy 25:5 (which addressed raising up offspring for a deceased brother in the same household), their question was quite bizarre. A man died childless. The widow married through the family seven (literal or symbolic?) times. In the resurrection whose wife will she be? Jesus called them out, offered a bit of insight into the resurrected life, and nailed their hide to the wall by using the texts they did accept as Scripture to prove them wrong. Their question showed their ignorance of Scripture and their lack of faith in the power of God. Resurrected life will be life lived at other levels. Marriage and intimacy will not be necessary in Heaven. Our knowledge of Heaven is limited to what the Bible says. We should be careful about assuming this text teaches that husbands and wives will not know each other in Heaven. Finally, Jesus asserted that Heaven is filled with living people (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob)—not dead people. The crowd was amazed (marveled) at Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees, and they were astonished at his answer to the Sadducees. Taxes and the future can cause us anxiety. But they can also display what we value and how we view life. Faithful Rescue 2 Timothy 4:16-18

- 87 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

Paul served the Lord faithfully because the mouth (likely a reference to the emperor Nero). was ready to face the possibility that God might praise for God who had the power to rescue

WEEK of April 18

For a Jew, the imperial tax question was loaded. The Jews obviously were being oppressed by Roman occupation. If Jesus sided with Caesar, he would pit himself against the Jews. If he sided with the Jews, he would look like a political rebel—a charge they would later trump up with success (Luke 23:2). Jesus saw through their ploy; he knew their evil intent. He called them out—“Hypocrites” (play actors)—and drew attention to their deceitful motives. But he answered them directly.

drew attention to both the image and the inscription. They acknowledged that Caesar’s image was on the coin.

A p p l i c at i o n

Believers, not Lunatics by David Faust

Is there water on the moon? Until recently the scientific answer was no. You would be crazy to believe there is water on the moon, right? When the first Apollo astronauts visited the earth’s orbiting neighbor in 1969, they found it completely dry. But according to findings reported by NASA in October 2020, water may be distributed across the lunar surface, and not only in the moon’s cold, shadowy places, but in areas lit by the sun. The discovery was made by NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)—a modified Boeing 747 with a large telescope that provides enhanced views of outer space. “We had indications that H2O—the familiar water we know—might be present on the sunlit side of the moon,” said Paul Hertz, an astrophysicist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. “Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.” To be clear, no one expects to splash around in freshwater lakes on the moon’s surface. The Sahara Desert has 100 times more water than the amount detected in the lunar soil. But the presence of any lunar water is important as NASA considers sending explorers back to the moon later this decade. Waters Above the Skies Centuries before Christ, an inspired worshipper of God wrote, “Praise him, sun and moon; . . . Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies” (Psalm 148:3-4). What are these “waters above the skies”? This may simply be a poetic way of describing clouds that produce rain, but usually we think of clouds in the skies, not “above the skies.” One commentator speculates that this verse refers to an ancient belief that there was a lofty ocean in the sky where planets floated like ships in the sea, but

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

the biblical authors didn’t have to borrow from unscientific pagan myths to make their points. To me, the discovery of lunar water fits naturally with the psalmist’s mention of “waters above the skies.” Unfortunately, there are plenty of skeptics who consider it irrational to believe the Bible. TV personality Bill Maher scoffs, “I think religion is a neurological disorder.” Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist who authored The God Delusion, considers faith in God “an insult to human dignity” that turns “untested belief into unshakable truth.” In Jesus’ day, the powerful ruling class known as the Sadducees rejected the supernatural and considered resurrection impossible (Acts 23:8). Jesus told them, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29). The Sadducees’ two foundational errors—rejecting Scripture and denying God’s power—remain with us today wherever skepticism leads to “a form of godliness” but denies its power (2 Timothy 3:5). You’re not a lunatic if you believe in God and accept the truth of the Bible. These are reasonable positions. I still have lots of questions, but after years of examination I find the evidence for faith far more compelling than the case for unbelief. I’m not shocked when science corroborates a biblical truth. The discovery of water on the moon provides another reason to “praise the name of the Lord,” for “his splendor is above the earth and the heavens” (Psalm 148:13).

Personal Challenge: Read a book or an article that presents the reasonable evidence supporting Christian faith. Suggestions: The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek, or Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. Faithful Rescue 2 Timothy 4:16-18

- 88 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

Faithful Res2 Timothy 4:16-18

cue

Paul served the Lord faithfully because the mouth (likely a reference to the emperor Nero). was ready to face the possibility that God might praise for God who had the power to rescue

D i s c ove ry

by Michael C. Mack

1. With whom from outside your circle of church friends did you spend time last week? 2. What was the biggest challenge you faced over the past week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 22:15-33 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to retell the story from this passage. 3. In both sections of this passage (vv. 15-22 and 23-33), what contrasts do you see between trickery and truth, between folly and wisdom? 4. Let’s dig deeper: • Make a list with two columns contrasting the character traits of Jesus with those of his opponents. What do you learn as you compare these two lists? • What motives do you see in those who are trying to scheme against Jesus? • What motives do you see in Jesus? • John 1:14 describes Jesus as being “full of grace and truth.” How do you see that description played out in Jesus’ responses? • How would you characterize people’s reactions to Jesus’ responses to his opponents? 5. What do you learn about God from this passage? 6. What do you learn about yourself? 7. In what specific way will you obey Jesus’ maxim to “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”? (Hint: this may include much more than money.)

9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .” 10. What new challenge or opportunity do you anticipate this week?

For Next Week: Read and reflect on Matthew 20:17-28. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

- 89 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

WEEK OF april 18

8. It’s vital for us as Christ followers to know the Scriptures and the power of God. How can these two essentials help you this week as you share the Good News with neighbors, co-workers, or friends?

matthew

Fo l l ow J e s u s i n t o a n e w way o f l i v i n g .

pp lem e n ta

Daniel 6:4 A c t s 6 :1 -7 ; 9 : 3 6 - 4 2 Romans 12: 3 - 8

M a t t h e w 2 0 :1 7-2 8

les

s t u dy

A New Way of Life by mark scott

Clarence Jordan, the author of the Cotton Patch Translation, was touring a beautiful church building. His guide was boasting about the building, giving special emphasis to the cost of things. The guide told Jordan the cross on top of the church steeple cost $10,000. Jordan responded, “You got gypped. There was a time when Christians could get those for free.” Ouch! For believers, the cross is not only the means of salvation but also at the heart of the Christian experience. Christians are clearly called to follow the Lord in the cruciform life. Today’s lesson —the third clear prediction of the cross followed by the request of James and John for chief seats— underlines this. The New Way of Life Is Death Matthew 20:17-19 Jesus previously made veiled comments about his death (John 2:19; 3:14; Matthew 9:15; 10:38-39; 12:39-40). But with this third, more pointed comment (see Matthew 16:21-23; 17:22-23 for the previous ones), Jesus “clearly” predicted his death. This prediction followed the parable of the laborers in the vineyard in which all workers received the same pay even though they had worked varying lengths of time during the day. The kingdom of heaven operates totally on grace, but grace is shaped like a cross.

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

Once death to self has taken place, disciples are liberated to serve without qualification. The immediate literary context to this request by James and John (and their mother) goes back to Matthew 19:28. Jesus watched the rich young ruler—who was possessed by his possessions—walk away sorrowfully. Jesus then taught how difficult it was for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Peter reminded Jesus that the disciples had left everything to follow him and wondered what they would get out of it. Jesus promised the apostles they would sit on 12 thrones judging Israel. Maybe that was all James and John and Salome (their mother) heard. Perhaps they did not even hear the parable about grace and the first being last (Matthew 20:1-16). Salome desired the seats of honor for her boys and sweetened the request with her posture (kneeling down). Keep in mind that where one sat in the ancient world (especially at banquets) really mattered. The request sounds rash to us, but to a culture built on shame and honor, it was the way to climb the ladder of social respectability. Jesus did not rebuke James and John for their enthusiastic spiritual ambition, but he did redirect it. He asked if they could drink his cup. To drink the cup in this sense is to share in the fate of the person drinking it. Jesus talked about and prayed about his death in terms of drinking a cup (Matthew 26:27, 39). The two brothers seemed confident they could, though we do not know the inflection of their voices when they said, “We can.” Jesus promised that they would drink his cup—if they only knew (Acts 12:2; Revelation 1:9)—and reminded them that God the Father takes care of the seating chart. While the other ten were indignant (the word implies they voiced their anger), Jesus taught about servanthood. The apostles needed only to look to Rome for a different model of leadership. Transactional leadership was evident everywhere. To that Jesus said, “Not so with you.” Transformational leadership changes the person one is leading by serving them. In Greek the words end with the same sound—if you want to be megas you must be diakonos, and if you want to be protos you must be doulos. The new way of life is that of lowly service and ransom (the word for the purchase of a slave). There is something wonderfully salvific when we serve. Faithful Rescue 2 Timothy 4:16-18

- 91 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

Paul served the Lord faithfully because the mouth (likely a reference to the emperor Nero). was ready to face the possibility that God might praise for God who had the power to rescue

WEEK of april 25

While Luke inserted a significant “travel narrative” (Luke 9:51–19:28) at this point in his biography of Christ, from Matthew’s point of view, Jesus was already going up to Jerusalem. Within a few verses Jesus was riding a donkey into Jerusalem for the triumphal entry. Maybe the third time was the charm. Maybe the apostles would finally understand. With each clear prediction, Jesus’ specificity of details became clearer. The new elements in this last clear prediction was that Gentiles would be involved. (In fact, three of Jesus’ six trials ultimately were before Gentiles.) In addition to that, mocking and flogging would precede the actual crucifixion. This would all happen to the Son of Man (Jesus’ favorite self-designation, occurring 81 times in the Gospels). Of course, it would seem that the be raised to life part went right over the disciples’ heads. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was correct, “When Jesus calls a man, he bids him come and die” (The Cost of Discipleship; John 15:18; Galatians 2:20). The new way to life is death.

The New Way to Life Is Service Matthew 20:20-28

A p p l i c at i o n

Giving Back to Our Gracious God by David Faust

When I was a teenager, I heard someone say, “What you are is God’s gift to you. What you make of yourself is your gift to God.” I wrote that quote on a piece of paper, stuck it in my wallet, and carried it around with me for years. Life is a gift. David said his body was “fearfully and wonderfully made”—knit together in his mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-16). In light of modern science, this is a striking illustration because DNA filaments are literally woven together in a spiral shape. Life isn’t an accident of evolution. It’s a profound mystery designed and engineered by the living God. Every human life bears the stamp of God’s image and holds immeasurable value. That’s why it’s stunning when Jesus talks about laying life down. Since life is God’s gift, why would anyone choose to give it up? Jesus said he “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). In this verse, the Greek word translated “life” is psyche, which means soul, identity, or personality. At the cross Jesus sacrificed himself physiologically and psychologically—body and spirit—to rescue us from sin. God’s salvation plan begins and ends with grace. • He graciously gave us life when he created us. • We forfeited the gift of life by rebelling against him. • Through Christ’s death and resurrection, God made a way to restore us to life again. • His grace motivates us to serve him in love. How Are You Spending Your Life? We all lay down our lives for one thing or another. Either we intentionally invest time, money, and effort on things we consider important, or we drift along with the tide. It’s sad when lives are consumed by self-indulgence, like the prodigal son

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

who “squandered his wealth in wild living” (Luke 15:13). It’s equally sad when career successes, material possessions, or religious accomplishments lead to unhealthy pride and self-righteousness. Remember the prodigal’s angry brother? He complained bitterly that his hard work wasn’t properly recognized and rewarded (Luke 15:29). Unable to appreciate his father’s grace, he served out of grudging obedience rather than love. Ironically, we don’t find personal fulfillment by making personal fulfillment our primary goal. Jesus pointed out the paradox: Life isn’t meant to be spent on ourselves, but to be invested in Christ and the gospel (Mark 8:35), prioritizing God’s kingdom above our own self-interests. At 50 years old, the founder of the Navigators ministry, Dawson Trotman, was at a camp in upstate New York. One afternoon he was riding in a boat with campers on board when they hit some choppy water. Dawson and a female camper fell off the boat. To keep the girl from drowning, Dawson held her above the water and lifted her to safety, but he drowned in the process. At the funeral, Billy Graham described this act of heroism by saying Dawson “died the same way he lived—holding others up.” Jim Elliot died as a missionary martyr, but he insisted, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” In the hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” the songwriter Isaac Watts summed it up well: “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!” Personal Challenge: Read Romans 12:1-2. Make a commitment (or renew your commitment) to view your life as a living sacrifice to God. In prayer, offer your body and spirit to the Lord as an act of worship and consecration. Faithful Rescue 2 Timothy 4:16-18

- 92 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

Faithful Res2 Timothy 4:16-18

cue

Paul served the Lord faithfully because the mouth (likely a reference to the emperor Nero). was ready to face the possibility that God might praise for God who had the power to rescue

D i s c ove ry

by Michael C. Mack

1. How did you share the Good News with neighbors, co-workers, or friends last week? 2. What was the biggest challenge you faced over the past week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 20:17-28 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to retell the story in their own words. 3. How does this passage encourage you to live as a Christ follower? 4. Let’s dig deeper: • What expectations did Jesus’ disciples have? • What does this passage demonstrate about human desires? • What types of attitudes do you see in the various apostles? • How would negative (or unfavorable) attitudes of Jesus’ followers impact his mission for them? • What values does this passage teach about Christian leadership (as opposed to worldly leadership)? 5. What do you learn about God from this passage? 6. What do you learn about humans? 7. How will you obey Jesus by living according to his example? (To dive deeper, read Philippians 2:1-8 aloud and continue discussing.)

9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .” 10. What challenge do you anticipate this week as you serve others?

For Next Week: Read and reflect on 1 Samuel 8:4-22 as we begin a new study on the history of Israel from 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.

C H R I S T I A N S TA N D A R D

- 93 -

A P R I L 2 0 21

WEEK OF april 25

8. Whom and how will you serve this week?

Interact Messy Groups . . . Ron Fraser Thanks so much, David, for the sound teaching on these issues [e2:effective elders, “COVID-19, Elders, and Forgiveness,” by David Roadcup, p. 14, February 2021]. Group life can indeed be messy. Which is why leaders need to access God’s generous gift of wisdom for each situation.

Diversity v. Inclusivity . . . Charles Elgin Diversity versus inclusivity: the U.S. government goes to great lengths to promote diversity to ensure everyone recognizes that differences exist between people of various ethnicities [“Differences by Divine Design,” by Terry Allcorn, p. 22, February 2021]. But instead of promoting how to learn about our common needs, and developing common values, and coming to consensus about how to build an amicable social and economic society, the governmental desire seems to lead to victimhood and forced acceptance of anything that someone desires to do. God created all men in his image, breathed his Spirit into us, and gave us a heart to serve him. But it is the choice of individuals to respond to his Word. We must better learn the tenets of the Great Commission and step outside our door and GO!

Gary Genline This is the best article that has been written in the Standard about race, hands down. Thank you, Terry Alcorn!

Remembering Sam Stone . . . Sam Burton Many years ago, I had several interactions with Sam [Stone] at a difficult time in my life [“Longtime Christian Standard Editor Sam E. Stone, 84, Dies,” online article, Jan. 27, 2021]. He was so encouraging to me. I have always had the highest regard for him. I hope he's enjoying the Skyline Chili in the banquet hall for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.

Janet Hommel Mangas Loved him as a writing professor at CCU [Cincinnati Christian University] and enjoyed reading his work. May God bless his family and close friends with peace and comfort.

Larry Monroe Thank you, Mark, for this wonderful tribute to Sam [“Sam E. Stone: ‘A Steel Hand Inside a Velvet Glove,’” by Mark A. Taylor, online article, Jan. 27, 2021]. In my mind I will forever see Sam coming down the hallway from his apartment at The Christian Village at Mason, walking toward me with his thumb in the air as he passed the construction site where the Stone Center Auditorium is being built. . . . Sam was a constant source of encouragement to me and to every team member who served him in our ministry. What a privilege it was to have him with us as he finished life’s journey well to join his Savior in eternal rest and reward.

‘Run at It’ . . . Tina Anderson @tina.graand From my favorite article in the January edition [“Opportunities & Open Doors,” by Tina Wilson, p. 26, February 2021], “Any time God cracks open a door, even slightly, and we see a target that aligns with our core values and seems beneficial for the kingdom, we run at it.” - @tina.ekklesia

a p ril 20 21 95

Right Leader . . . John W. Samples Matt [Nance] is the right leader for the changing world of missions in the Middle East [Horizons, “Ministry to Muslims Provides Relief and Growth,” by Laura McKillip Wood, p. 10, January 2021]. I believe his faith, his theology, and his approach to missional goals is leading more than just CHLF [Christian Holy Land Foundation] into a new season of more effective ministering with long views of sharing the gospel for generational impacts. His Restoration DNA is solid, but not restrictive, and his love for the people is genuine, not theoretical. Having served for 15 years in the Holy Land, I am convinced that Matt is the right person for the times and delighted that CHLF was able to get someone of his caliber for these unpredictable times.

Transl[iter]ating . . . Roger L. Wever Thanks, Gary, for using the phrase “John the Immerser” in this article [e2:effective elders, “‘In God We Trust’?” by Gary L. Johnson, p. 12, January 2021]. I have always been a major proponent of this concept being stated correctly. I know of only one translation of the Bible that translates it this way and it is not a translation that has gained in notoriety yet. I always express it that way in lessons, sermons, articles, etc.

Correction . . . Ziden Nutt Relative to my article, “The Mission That Became a Movement” (November 2020), thanks to Margaret Kelly Dismore for pointing out that the ones mentioned were not the first direct-support missionaries [Interact, p. 95, February 2021]. Enrique Westrup did break from the Disciples and return to Mexico as a “direct-support missionary” in 1919. In fact, Christian Standard took up the cause and urged the brotherhood to support him. Others had gone as direct-support workers, including Loduska Wirick to Japan in 1890 [and] W.D. Cunningham in 1901, as isolated cases. The impact of the article was that it only appeared to become a “movement” when several in the 1920s broke from the Disciples, and many others soon followed them.

Jessie Wells Clark . . . Jeff Dye My father, along with my uncle, worked with Ms. Clark in Newark, New Jersey, in African-American evangelism in the mid-1950s and early 1960s [“Abiding Peace in Troubled Times”—a Christian Standard Archives article from 1950—by Jessie Wells Clark, p. 66, December 2020]. She was very conscientious and committed to going into homes to teach Scripture. She carried around a case she used to teach Flannelgraph lessons. She didn’t have a car, so she would take the bus or train to make visits and teach. She was a widow, [so she] went out on her own—something unheard of then. On a lighter note, when my dad would preach and say something she didn’t agree with, she would close her eyes and make a face my dad couldn’t help but notice.

Give us your feedback! @chrstandard

@christianstandardmagazine

cs@christianstandardmedia.com

For space, length, readability, relevance, and civility, comments sent to Interact may remain unpublished or be edited. We do read them all and prayerfully take them to heart. If we publish your comment, we will try to honestly reproduce your thoughts with those considerations in mind. Where we disagree, let’s continue to keep P.H. Welshimer’s words in mind to “disagree without being disagreeable.”

Beginning with our next issue, Christian Standard will become a bimonthly print magazine. This change will allow us to refocus our resources and efforts so we can provide more of the content you love. Also beginning in May, The Lookout will be published as a digital, weekly Bible-study resource exclusively on our website. Eventually we will produce these studies in yearly printed volumes. Be sure to stay connected for more updates on what’s to come!

oy ui’rnevited!

ADvirtual

T H E S O L O M O N F O U N DAT I O N C E L E B R AT E S

TSF

Ap ril 6, 2 0 2 1 | 3 : 3 0 — 5 : 0 0 pm ( m d t ) | Facebook LIV E JO IN U S FO R A V I R T UA L C E LE BRAT IO N PA RT Y!