Brian Castelli – With His Heart

I have never been big on wearing jewelry. There was the gold chain I wore back in the Disco era (Yeah. I’m that old…) just to please my future bride. Then there was the shark’s tooth necklace I wore once (and only once) after my daughter gave it to me for my birthday. (It’s very cool as the rear-view mirror ornament in my truck, but around my neck? Nah…)

This morning I read Proverbs 3. Verse 3 (HCSB) reads as follows:

Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.
Tie them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.

When we tie something around our neck, what happens? The thing is with us everywhere. We can’t get away from it. In fact, it becomes such a part of us that we don’t think about it being there. Haven’t we all worn a ring or other jewelry so long that we just forgot we had it on? And then, when we took it off, it felt like it was still there? That’s the picture: Make loyalty and faithfulness so much a part of our lives that they become part of us. Written on the heart, they become part of who we are.

Be loyal. Be faithful. Enjoy your day!

This time of year we often find ourselves at graduation ceremonies. My family and I visited a local church recently to be present for their “Graduate Sunday”–a time when they recognize the seniors who have been a part of the church family.

The text for the day was Philippians 1: 9-11:

1:9 And I pray this, that your love may abound even more and more in knowledge and every kind of insight 1:10 so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ, 1:11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

(http://beta.net.bible.org/#!bible/Philippians+1)

The preacher highlighted three things that really stuck with me:

1. Of all the things Paul could have wanted for the Philippians–safety, wealth, health, etc.–his prayer for them was that they love more and more.  (Verse 9)
2. That they will be careful to know the difference between what’s “good” and what’s “best.” (Verse 10) Not settling just for what’s good. Not settling for what they can do to get by.
3. That they will bring God glory. (Verse 11)

The preacher urged the graduates–and the rest of us–to ask ourselves the following questions on an ongoing basis:

• Am I settling for good, or am I striving after what’s best?
• Am I making choices that please God, that bring glory to Him?

Our job is not done. As these graduates move on, they need us to pray and encourage them to strive for the best and to make God-pleasing choices.

I used to work as a grunt in a machine shop. Whatever dirty job the boss wanted done was assigned to me. The problem–besides the dirt and tedium–was that my boss usually only told me half of what I needed to know to complete the job. When I got half done, I’d ask for additional directions and get–you guessed it–half of what I needed to know to finish. This process would repeat itself. Purists in the audience will be quick to point out that the theoretical conclusion of always getting half meant I would never actually finish! Luckily the tasks were entirely practical and I was eventually able to get close enough to declare the jobs complete for all practical purposes.

I would have benefited tremendously from some kind of road map to my end goal, how a task fit into the larger scheme of things, and the step-by-step directions for how to get there. In chapter 1 of J. I. Packer’s Knowing God, the author provides all three. In fact, The Study of God delivers with three main thrusts:

• Road map
• Reasons
• Recipe

Road Map

Packer opens the chapter with a discussion of the universe. He asserts that God made the universe, that it operates according to principles He put in place, and that where we’re going in the book requires us to at least agree to think about it in this way. As such, Packer invites the skeptic to table their doubts for a time and join him on the journey. His request:

I ask you for the moment to stop your ears the those who tell you there is no road to knowledge about God, and come a little way with me and see. After all, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and anyone who is actually following a recognised road will not be too worried if he hears nontravellers telling each other that no such road exists.

In the same way we trust MapQuest or our GPS to show us the way–until the directions tell us to take a left turn into a corn field–Packer is inviting us to trust him that there is, indeed, a road to God that can be followed. He says that if we give him a chance we’ll see the road and not the corn field.

More on Road map, Reasons, and Recipe in subsequent posts…

My edition of J.I. Packer’s Knowing God has two prefaces, a short one penned for the update in 1993 and a longer one for the original edition penned in 1972. The latter contains a most interesting description of Packer’s intended audience.

Referring to a previous work by theologian John McKay, packer describes “balconeers” and “travelers.” One could think of the balconeers as those:

…sitting on the high front balcony of a Spanish house watching the travelers go by on the road below. The “balconeers” can overhear the travelers’ talk and chat with them; they may comment critically on the way the travelers walk; or they may discuss questions about the road, how it can exist at all or lead anywhere, what might be seen from different points along it, and so forth; but they are onlookers, and their problems are theoretical only. The travelers, by contrast, face problems which, though they have their theoretical angle, are essentially practical–problems of the “which-way-to-go” and “how-to-make-it” type, problems which call not merely for comprehension but for decision and action, too.

As he approaches God in this book, Packer is staking claim to writing a book for travelers–those who not only wish to know God but also wish to know how to live, how practical knowledge of the creator affects their lives.

Packer was motivated to write the book–really a series of articles that became the book–by his perception that the church of 1972 was weak–weakened by an ignorance of God. I wonder how much worse it is today–in a society where many young people do not even know that the Bible has two testaments. Of the ignorance, Packer identifies two causal trends:

Trend one is that Christian minds have been conformed to the modern spirit: the spirit, that is, that spawns great thoughts of man and leaves room for only small thoughts of God. The modern way with God is to set him at a distance, if not to deny him altogether… Furthermore, thoughts of death, eternity, judgment, the greatness of the soul, and the abiding consequences of temporal decisions are all “out” for moderns…

Trend two is that Christian minds have been confused by modern skepticism. For more than three centuries the naturalistic leaven in the Renaissance outlook has been working like a cancer in Western thought. [Many] came to deny… that God’s control of this world was either direct of complete, and theology, philosophy and science have for the most part combined to maintain that denial ever since.

Packer’s invitation to the reader comes from Jeremiah 6:16:

Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good path is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.

Packer is calling us back to the old paths, on the ground that “the good way” is still what it used to be.

Usually, I speed read through the books I select. I write all over them, with underlines, marks, and extensive notes in the margins. Reading for me is like a relentless march to the sea. once in a while, however, I discover a book with a depth that puts me in full stop. one such book is Knowing God by J. I. Packer. Last year I read through page 166 of it’s 279 pages–and stopped dead. The book–constructed from some 22 solid lessons about God–did not bend to my will, did not succumb to my fast pace. At page 166 I paused long enough to realize I had missed something, and the realization prevented my return. There is something deeper there. A slower pace is required. I have resolved to begin again. It is my intention to document my journey in this space.

I have been incredibly impressed by DA Carson. I’m not even sure what he is. He’s clearly a teacher. Theologian? Pastor? Just not sure. I know one thing: Listening to him teach frequently blows me away.

This week I have been listening (via mp3) to Carson teach a lecture on Christ in Culture. In it he made some insightful observations:

• In the famous “Therefore, give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” passage in Matthew 22, Christ was saying that there were things that Caesar had dominion over, but God has dominion over all. Caesar only operated within the authority God granted him. Christ was not arguing for separation of the secular and the sacred, the church and the government.
• Christianity is not associated with a particular form of government. Those of us in the States have a tendency to think that democracy and Christianity are linked in some way, but it’s clear from history that democracy is not the answer. One need only look at the way democratically-elected leaders become dictators outside of the West.
• Democracy only works when there is substantial agreement among citizens about what “good” and “right” are. As the people in a country diverge on these beliefs, democratic government is increasingly called upon to settle disputes and, ultimately, favor one group over another. Take, for example, the recent controversy with the Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts were attacked for not allowing gays to act as scout leaders–a move that elevated the rights of gays over the rights of Boy Scouts. In such cases, one side or the other usually loses freedom.

Christians, therefore, have only one hope. It is Christ and him crucified, risen to ransom sinners from their doom.

If you read through the psalms, you might get the idea that David can’t quite make up his mind. One minute he is full of praise, the next he is lamenting over his sins or his enemies or both. I think there is a clear message there–that God is present, brings joy, and sustains us even when things look really, really, really dark. But that is the subject of another post…

I read Psalm 39 yesterday. I can’t shake what David wrote. It hits very close to home. The psalm reads, in part:

⁴LORD, reveal to me the end of my life
and the number of my days.
Let me know how transitory I am. ⁵ You, indeed, have made my days short in length,
and my life span as nothing in Your sight.
Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor.

Selah

⁶ Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.
Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain,
gathering possessions
without knowing who will get them.
⁷ Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.

When I was younger, I really felt immortal. I didn’t walk around thinking, “Wow. I really am going to live forever!” But I didn’t think about illness, weakness, or death very much. While I was vibrant and strong, while my extended family was relatively young and healthy, I went about my life as if the end wasn’t near. It seemed so far off.

Age is the great equalizer. As my energy has waned, as my health has become less-than-perfect, as family members have died, had surgery, required biopsies, my perspective is beginning to approach David’s. How much time do I have left? Am I ready to face God? Have I accomplished all that I set out to accomplish?

My wife says this is my mid-life crisis talking. She might be right, but I think David’s words in verse 7 apply regardless of time of life. My hope is in Christ. To put my hope in my failing body or fleeting achievements is, pretty clearly, the path of folly.

I received a copy of an “untimely deaths” chain e-mail message today. The message gave examples of people who cursed God, flaunted his laws, and then died an untimely death. The conclusion was obvious: These people got what they deserved. While I agree, I also think that the message isn’t limited to just those who are overtly wicked. All of us, both the wicked and the righteous in man’s eyes, are destined for the same end unless Jesus covers us. That is the great message of the Gospel.

This e-mail arrived at a time when I was doing some heavy thinking about death, wickedness, righteousness and salvation. I am of the opinion that God makes things line up like this once in a while. I have learned over the years *not* to ignore them when I see them. (I am also convinced that many times God lines things up for me and I miss them. Oh, well…)

I have been studying the book of Luke for the last few weeks. The text in Luke has made me think about what it means to be good in God’s eyes. In chapter 18, Jesus meets a rich young man. You can read the story yourself here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2018:18-27&version=HCSB

This guy is holy and righteous, having kept all the commandments since his youth. I mean, he is as holy as any man can be. He’s that guy that everybody talks about being so perfect. He didn’t curse God. He served God. He didn’t disregard God’s laws. He kept the commandments. Yet Jesus said he was lacking. Lacking! Here’s the super-religious guy, and Jesus said it’s not enough. The Bible says the dude walked away sad.

The crowd watching the discussion with the rich young man asked Jesus, “Who, then, can be saved?!!?” I mean, if this guy can’t get in, what hope do the rest of us have? Jesus’ answer is awesome: “What is impossible for man is possible with God.”

Over and over in scripture, we are told there are two paths to hell. One is to live a life disregarding God, cursing him, rejecting his laws, rejecting his offer of salvation in Jesus Christ. The second is to do good things such that (we think) God *must* let us into heaven. If we’re good enough, we think, God *must* let us in! Right? Wrong. Both groups are equally lost, equally wicked in God’s eyes. Both groups are trusting in their own efforts to save them. Under our own power, heaven is impossible. Impossible.

But there is hope. It *is* possible with God. The third path is the one Jesus calls us to. It’s the same path he called the rich young ruler to follow in Luke 18. We’re called to follow Jesus. The righteous and the wicked alike must come to him and say, “I’ve got nothing! Save me!” This applied to John Lennon and Mother Teresa. This applies to Charles Manson and Billy Graham. It applies to all of us.

Jesus Christ is the public speaker I would have loved to hear in person. We are blessed by having many of his words–both public and private–recorded in the Bible. In my reading this morning I was reminded of just how radical his message was to the Jews he ministered to.

In Matthew chapter 8, a Roman Centurion came to Jesus to ask Him to heal his servant. Upon seeing the faith of this man, a non-Jew and a member of the people who were oppressing the Jews, Jesus says these words:

I assure you: I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith! I tell you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Let’s remember who Jesus was speaking to. This was a people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These were God’s Chosen People. They thought their birthright was a passage to heaven and that Gentiles (non-Jews) were lost. In this passage Jesus says clearly that salvation has come for the whole world–and that birthright will not be enough! This was a radical message to his audience, no doubt one that did not earn him favor with some of His hearers.

In Acts 10, Peter is preaching to a Gentile household. As he witnesses to them, the Holy Spirit fills his listeners. They become believers in Jesus Christ even though they are not Jews. Verse 45 proves what a radical idea this is:

The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

The “circumcised believers” here refers to Jews who had come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus the Radical. He wasn’t afraid to Speak up!

It happens all the time. The most recent occurrence happened when I was working with some folks to tutor at a local high school. In the midst of the altruistic discussion I thought, “I’m doing a really good thing here! Am I not a good person?” Pride. Paul was right when he wrote:

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

(Romans 7:21)

In the book The Reason for God, pastor and author Tim Keller writes:

The devil, if anything, prefers Pharisees–men and women who try to save themselves.

Keller is known for his talk about self-salvation projects. He says there are two ways to be your own Savior and Lord:

The first is by saying, “I am going to live my life the way I want.” The second is… trusting your own goodness rather than Jesus for your standing with God.

The folks in the first group are easier to identify. They are ignoring Jesus. Folks in the second are more difficult to pick out. They are doing “good works” as if those good works will ultimately save them. It’s as if they are trying to be so good that God has no choice but to open heaven’s gates for them. Both groups are ultimately lost because neither is dependent on Jesus who is salvation. This is a critical difference.

What about me? I am a former card-carrying member of the first group. These days I have a tendency to end up in the second group, as evidenced by the example at the start of this post. I want to do things that come from a heart that is being transformed by Jesus Christ, but I have a tendency to look for ways I can build myself up in the process. Let me try to be clear: I don’t believe we ought to live in guilt or constantly beating ourselves up. But I do believe that, in recognition of our natural state and the incredible sacrifice Jesus made to get us out of that state, our service should come out of gratitude and joy for what has been done for us, not by us.