Coffee With The Lord

Jesus – the “righteous guy” (and I mean really righteous – not “hypocritical righteous”) always hanging out with the wrong people! Caused quite a stir in the religious establishment (among the “hypocritical righteous)! They didn’t have the right “pedigree” or affiliation. The people he hung out with didn’t attend synagogue regularly (once a year, if at all). They didn’t keep all the “ritual stuff” … washing their hands at the right time, chanting the proper prayers, they didn’t “tithe” and a lot of other “religious things” the religious establishment expected. But they had this in common… they all needed God!

And then Jesus, led by the Spirit, stops by a Roman tax booth! Those guys were notoriously bad … rip off artists, complicit with the evil Roman empire, greedy and godless, loathed by any self-respecting Jew! Jesus calls Matthew, the tax collector, (the guy after whom this book in the Bible is named) and Matthew follows him! His life is transformed by God’s grace and invites all of his old tax collecting friends and other “sinners” that he knew over for dinner to meet Jesus!

Made the religious establishment mad! “When the Pharisees saw this they said to Jesus’ disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with the tax collectors and sinners?!’”

Jesus’ answer to them says a lot about Him… and a lot about what REAL Christianity ought to look like…

Jesus said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners!” (Matthew 9:12–13 from the NET Bible)

Three things about Jesus’ approach challenged me this morning and caused me to pray this prayer… Sincerely I might add…
• Lord, help me to put more emphasis on helping those who really need help!
• Lord, help me to exhibit your grace and mercy a whole lot more than religious ritual!
• Lord, help me to embrace Your passion and love for those who don’t know you and aren’t following you yet… Help me to effectively issue your invitation to “follow” with a humble loving heart! (After all, I’m just a sinner saved by grace!)

Oh, the power of an exemplary life! Today during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I read a perfect description of what one ought to look like. In the passage Apostle Paul describes what a born again, Spirit-filled Christian ought to be like in a pagan environment like Rome… What a born again, Spirit-filled Christian ought to be like among fellow Christians… What a born again, Spirit-filled Christian ought to be like all the time, everywhere! As I read the passage I was so challenged! I thought of authentic, born again, Spirit-filled Christians I knew who lived that kind of life… how deeply they challenged and inspired me… how they created in me a desire to be that kind of person – that kind of Christian!

Here’s what Apostle Paul said to believers living in ancient Rome (I urge you to read these words, pore over each phrase, and think about exemplary Christians you know who are like this)…

“Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the fellow Christians, pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:9–21 from the NET Bible)

Four like this that came to my mind were my dad and mom (Ewalt and Vera Bartel), my mother-in-law, Linda Barnett, and former General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, G. Raymond Carlson… Issue is, they’re all in heaven now! Who will take their place? Oh Lord, let it be me!! Let it be you!! Let’s impact positively our “Romes” and the coming generation with exemplary, born again, Spirit-filled Christians!

Last night at the church I’m a part of – Trinity Church, Cedar Hill, Texas – I taught a class on Leviticus. The class is entitled “Route 66” (it gets its name from the 66 books of the Bible) and helps provide an overview and working knowledge of each of the books of the Bible.

The book of Leviticus contains an interesting phrase related to each of the sacrifices offered by fire to the Lord… It says their odor was “a sweet smelling savor” to the Lord.

Now that’s an Old Testament concept. However in my Bible reading today during “Coffee with the Lord” (enjoyed, I might say on a flight from DFW to Hong Kong), I think I read about it’s New Testament counterpart…

The New Testament teaches the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf – for our sins – was a “once for all” sacrifice and completely adequate. It satisfied the righteous demands of a holy God! That sacrifice, however, calls forth our sacrifice – the offering of ourselves to God in gratitude and commitment. When we do that – when we respond in that way to what God did by offering up his only Son as our “atoning sacrifice” for our sin – when we respond to what Jesus did by willingly offering Himself on our behalf – it is very pleasing to God… “a sweet smelling savor” if you please! Here’s how Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, expressed it…

“Therefore I exhort (or urge) you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, TO PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A SACRIFICE – alive, holy, and PLEASING TO GOD – which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God – what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2 from the NET Bible)

I did it again… today… one more time! I offered God all I am and have… alive, holy (by His grace), and pleasing to God! Oh Lord, may it be “a sweet smelling savor” to You today! (Verse 2 of Romans 12 seems to say it also has life-transforming potential for me!)