Parkwood Baptist Church

“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food...” – Daniel 1:8

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said  to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.  If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your goods or worship the golden image that you have set up.'” – Daniel 3:16-18

“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house…got down on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” – Daniel 6:10

We begin the second  half of our Lenten journey in the Book of Daniel.  It highlights a part of our story when the people of Israel are in a time of transition…a time of exile.  The Northern and Southern Kingdoms of Israel had fallen and much of the land destroyed by the Assyrians and the Babylonians.  Some remained as slaves in their occupied homeland and others were taken captive as servants of the conquering nations.

Every story has its ups  and downs.  The circumstances in any individual’s life can go from prosperity to poverty in a heartbeat.  We see governments tumble and boundary lines change in a day.  If there is anything certain on this journey called life, it is that things change.  Storms can come up quickly and throw us off balance.  So, what can we do?  Is there anything we can hold on to…an anchor…a rock…a fortress?

God is our Rock and our Fortress.  He is the constant throughout our story.  He does not change and His love for His people does not waver.  David said,

“Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea…the LORD of hosts is with us…” – Psalm 46:2, 11

This is illustrated in the Book of Daniel.  In the familiar stories of these exiled believers we see an unwavering devotion to their God.  Although their world has been turned upside down and their circumstances have become hostile…unfamiliar…and dangerous, they have a resolve that keeps them focused.  It is a testimony of what genuine love looks like in adversity.  There is a faithfulness that circumstances cannot change.  It is a devotion that stays constant in the face of threats and struggles.

We all have times like this in our specific stories when things seem unsure, circumstances change, the doctor’s report is bad news.  Jesus said that the “sun rises on the evil and the good, the rain falls on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).  The Bible gives us the good and the bad stuff in our story.  It is not the “scrubbed” or edited version.  It is life uncut.  The story of God loving His people in good times and bad…at home or in exile…in sickness and in health.

Our relationship with God does not give us a free pass from the challenges of this world.  It does not make us immune to tragedy or having to walk through the valleys of life.  In Psalm 23 David said, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.”  He acknowledges that there will be valleys, but his strength is that the LORD…The Good Shepherd is with him.  HE is with us.

Daniel and his three friends knew that God was with them.  They loved God more than their circumstances or comfort.  It was their relationship to God that gave them the strength to remain faithful no matter the pressure…no matter the danger…no matter the outcome…”even if He doesn’t deliver us we will remain true to Him”.

Today, in the changing world around you, tie your line to the Rock of Your Salvation and hold on to Him.  It is the only way to make it through the storm.

This is your story.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD; though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” – Isaiah 1:18-20

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” – Jeremiah 33:3

“Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.  Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!” – Ezekiel 18:30, 31

Earlier in our story we were introduced to the prophets (Samuel, etc).  They are people that are brought into our story to teach us about our Father and about having a relationship to Him.  They did this in several ways.  First, they were responsible for reminding God’s people of who they belonged to and where they came from.  There have always been many temptations and distractions that cause us to forget that we are God’s creation and that we are meant to fellowship with Him.

Secondly, the prophets provided principles that gave guidance for daily living.  There is a “divine design” for a healthy relationship with our Savior and with each other.  It is easy to get into routines…good and bad…that become mindless and void of the passion that fuels our walk with God.  Healthy relationships require daily attention and these Books of the Bible (The Major Prophets) chronicle Israel’s struggles in following that advice.

Thirdly, God gave His precious promises through the prophets.  They challenged the people of God to recognize the benefits of walking in harmony with God’s plan and the impact that it can make on our life today and in the future.  The Scriptures listed above give us the hope that there is always opportunity for repentance.  No matter how far we have wandered or what we have done, God gives us the chance to turn back to Him.

The Major Prophets of the Bible served during very unstable times during the history of Israel.  They constantly rebelled against God and followed their own way.  Even when they worshiped the God who loved them, they were just going through the motions.  It was described in Isaiah as “lip service”.  It was being religious without a relationship.  The prophets remind us that our story…the One story is a love story.  Yes, there is a lot of warnings about the consequences of rejecting God recorded in these writings and, yes, we see the devastating…destructive results of people choosing their own way.  But, we also see that there is always…without exception…opportunities to repent.  God never allows judgement to come without calling for people to return…to come home.

This is still true in our story today.  God brings people into our lives…like prophets…who remind us of who we are and where we came from.  They help get us on the right path and encourage us to fall in love with God all over again.  And…at the same time…God uses us as “prophets” in the lives of people around us to do the same thing!  We can proclaim the message to others that it is not too late and that they can experience a fulfilling relationship with the God who loves them if they will answer His call.

So, I will challenge you today to refresh your relationship with God and also make a commitment to be a source of encouragement to others around you.  In other words…be a blessing!

This can be your story!

“The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth. Let the wise hear and increase in learning and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:1-7

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.  For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” – James 1:5-8

Our God is telling us this story…this one story…our story to let us know who we are and where we came from and why we are here.  He wants us to know that He made us, that He loves us, and He wants us to know Him.  However, He does not tell us the story just to give us information about our life, He is telling the story so that we can learn “how” to live our lives.  Our Storyteller is a Teacher!  His desire is to help us to learn, grow, and mature in our relationship with Him and others.  So, today, in order to become all that we were created to be, we must sit at our Father’s feet and listen to the story.

It just makes sense that when God most clearly revealed Himself in Jesus, that He was commonly called “Rabbi”…Teacher.  Jesus was a Master Storyteller using parables and illustrations that brought the majestic Truth about God down to our level.  Even His enemies said of Him, “no one has ever taught like this”.  Yes, Jesus came to be our Savior and Redeemer…Hallelujah!  But, because He is also our Teacher, He continues to help us know “how” to live that salvation out.

The Bible calls this wisdom.  It is filled with it.  Today in our journey, we come to some Books that are categorized as “wisdom” literature, most well-known being Proverbs.  This Book is a reminder that God is the Teacher and we are the students.  So, to begin in receiving wisdom…instruction…insight…one has to realize that you need it.  That is one of the reasons that you frequently read in Proverbs that the “fear of the LORD is the beginning” of learning.

When we read about the “fear of the Lord” in Scripture, it is describing a humble state of mind rather than an emotional response.  It is acknowledging that we have a lot to learn, not a lot to be afraid of.  It is coming before our Creator to worship Him and to learn from Him.   Many in the Bible come before the Lord saying, “Here am I, O God, have your way with me.”

In other words, wisdom…genuine wisdom…can only be received if we acknowledge we need it.  We must be teachable.  We must realize that we do not know it all and, even the stuff we do know, we don’t know “how” to apply.  The fear of the Lord…humility…is the beginning.

Likewise, the opposite of wisdom, foolishness, begins with pride.  “I will do it MY way!”  “I know what I am doing!”  “I don’t need a god to tell me how to live.”  “I will eat of the fruit of the tree if I want to…you’re not the boss of me!”…and, here we are back at the beginning.   Back to the original problem the Bible calls sin.  Choosing not to believe in Him…not to trust His word…not having faith in our Father.

Take time today to sit at the feet of the Master Storyteller.  Ask Him to give you some wisdom today…to teach you something.  But, as James says above, come in faith because you know that He loves you.

Learn from your story.

“For it is good to sing praises to our God.” – Psalm 147:1

“The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it…The prospect of the righteous is joy.” – Proverbs 10:22, 28

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.  I am the Good Shepherd.” – John 10:10, 11

“Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” – Ephesians 5:18-20

“Is anyone cheerful?  Let him sing praise.” – James 5:13

Our story is a really good story!  It is a story of Good News that should bring us joy.  When we receive good news we clap and shout and dance and, many times, sing!  Let’s stay parked another day at the oasis of the Psalms.  We learned yesterday that our story has a sound track and today we are invited to join into the chorus.  God, the Director, Producer, and Writer of our story, also has composed the music of our journey.  You see, God wants your life to SING!

Many, however, do not see it that way.  They read the Bible and see God as a cosmic killjoy.  They see God as a tyrannical deity that wants to rule over us as slaves…to burden us with rules and regulations and call it “religion”.  In other words, God is set on taking all the joy out of our lives.  It’s no wonder that people flee from the church rather than embrace it.

Let me tell you today that nothing could be further from the truth!  Our heavenly Father who loves us, wants us to experience life “abundantly” and joyfully!  God wants you to be happy and fulfilled!

Why are we so skeptical of good news?  I confess that many times when I receive good news my first thought is, “OK, but what’s the catch?”  I am waiting for the proverbial “other shoe” to drop.  The Scriptures above give quite the opposite perspective of the God who adores us.  The wisdom of Proverbs tells us that when God blesses He does not add sorrow to it!  God is not interested in blessing you just to  “pull the rug” out from under you.

The words of Jesus clearly show us His intention and purpose as our Good Shepherd…too give us life…but not just life…life ABUNDANTLY!  The truth is that we can never experience the abundant life that God has designed for us without a relationship to Jesus.  Unfortunately, this is the polar opposite of what the world thinks of Jesus.

Therefore, people search high and low for the things that will give them joy in life.  They confuse pleasure with fulfillment and chase every vice the world has to offer.  Unfortunately, they always end up empty and, most of the time, in a worse place than before.  The noise of this world drowns out the symphony of God’s love and their ears grow dull to the music they were designed to dance to.  The joy that God intended for them seems an unbelievable fantasy…”what’s the catch?”  Have you ever been there?  We all have.  You are not alone in this story.

Please don’t misunderstand, life is not always a picnic in the park.  The songs we sing are sometimes sad and in a minor key.  Our story’s playlist has songs from all genres expressing many emotions.  To experience abundant life is to experience all of life.  This Book of Psalms is a testament of that truth.  There are happy ones, sad ones and downright angry ones, but all are sung in the context of a relationship.  An “abundant” and growing relationship with a loving Father.

O Believer, no matter how you are feeling today, let your heart sing to the Lord.  He waits to hear from you.  “It is good to sing to the Lord”.

Right now, in your story, a song may be just what you need.

“Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.” – Psalm 147:1

“Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly of the godly!” – Psalm 149:1

Oh, I forgot to tell you…this story…the “One Story” has a sound track!  Yes!  Our God, the Author of our story is a lover of the arts…music, poetry, dance…etc.  In fact, all creative expression started with Him and comes from Him.  Looking at the world around us we see and experience the creative work of God with all our senses.  Our most prolific song writer in our story, David, tells us that,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4).

Our God is an Artist!  He understands that a good story must speak to all the senses in order to reach us on the deepest levels.  He has created this world with a rhythm that can be experienced most deeply when set to music.  So, it is no accident that the largest Book of the Bible is a song book and that it is set right in the middle of our story.  Yes, our God, the Author of our story is a music lover.

By the way, although there are 150 chapters in this musical collection, there are lots of songs scattered throughout the Scriptures.  In fact, many significant events in the Bible are accompanied by music.  Why?

Most will acknowledge that the music and the arts communicate to us on a deeper level than mere words.  There is something special that happens when music is integrated into a story.  It can move us in ways that touch us emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.  A great musical score, for example, can pull us into the movie and we find ourselves “caught up” in a moment.  Words alone can feed our minds but, when put to music, can pierce our hearts.  The tears begin to flow or the feet begin to dance and we are brought into a whole new experience.  Let me give you a few examples from our story:

After the crossing of the Red Sea:

“Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, ‘I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea.” – Exodus 15:1

After David killed Goliath in the Valley of Elah:

“As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.  And the women sang to one another as they celebrated…” – 1 Samuel 18:6, 7

From beginning to end we find poetry and music in the Scriptures.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, sings before going to Bethlehem (Luke 1:46-55).  Jesus  quoted words of a song from the cross (Mark 15:34).  Paul and Silas sing in the prison of Philippi (Acts 16:25).  In Revelation all of heaven is filled with singing!

Today, I want you to realize that this story is not just a dry narration to feed you with information.  It is a production for you to experience!  God has brought together this symphony of details and set them to music in order to reach us in on a deeper level.  The Book of Psalms is a wonderful illustration.  Within its verses we find comfort in our darkest hours, encouragement when we are defeated, assurance when we are lonely, and joy in victory!  But, most of all, we find a God who calls us to love with all that we are.

Yes, your life has a sound track.  Go to your favoritie Psalm today…hit “play”…and enjoy your story!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore…Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” – Psalm 46:1, 10-11

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness’.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

Have you ever been in the midst of a chaotic situation where everyone is running around frantic with anxiety?  There is not enough time to finish…not enough people to pull it off…not enough money to make the deadline?  Life can be crazy at times and, if we are not careful, we can live in a constant state of emergency.  This is one of the reasons God established Sabbath.  It is a call to His people to come into His presence and be still.  The truth is that for most of us the “be still” part has to happen first.  How many times have you looked a stressed out person in the eye and said, “Hey, just calm down and take a deep breath.  It will be OK!” ?  This is the Sabbath principle.

God is that person in the room that’s not panicking!  He knows the situation…He knows you…and He knows the outcome.  At first this annoys us.  “Hey God!  Why aren’t you helping?  Don’t you get it?  Don’t you understand the gravity of this situation?”  And as the volume of our voice rises and the knot in our stomach tightens God looks us in the eye and says, “Hey, just calm down (be still)…take a deep breath and know that I am God.  I got this.  Just trust me.  My grace is all you need.”

When whenever we take our eyes off of our Savior and begin to think that it all depends on us…we get into trouble…we get anxious…we get stressed out.  It is then that God gently reminds us of Sabbath just as Jesus called His disciples to come and find rest.  It begins with a trust, a faith in a compassionate God who, not only can do it, but has our best interest in mind.  By the way, this IS our God!  He is the Good Shepherd!  You can trust Him today with all that is stressing you out.  He is with you and He is not panicking.  So, take a deep breath, look into He eyes and rest today.

“And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?’ Then Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge of protection around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.‘” – Job 1:8-12

“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” – Job 13:15

I don’t think it’s an accident that the Book of Job follows the Book of Esther in the Scripture.  Both of the Books are unique and present very important aspects about our Heavenly Father.  To gain some understanding in these areas at this time in our story will help us address some questions later.  With Esther, we are reminded that even when God is not mentioned or seen He is still present in the circumstances of our lives.  This gives us strength when we feel that we have been forsaken.  Like David in Psalm 22, which begins, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” but moves to, “But you, O LORD, be not far off! You have rescued me!  You who fear the LORD praise Him!” (Psalm 22:1, 19, 23).  As we live out our story, Esther gives us the confidence that God is not only with us, but calls us to join Him in His work.

Job shows us another truth that can radically change our perspective on another important issue…suffering.  To know God is with us always is comforting, but what about during hard times?  Knowing God is present when we are suffering can bring questions and sometimes “rock” our faith to the core.  We find ourselves asking, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” or, “If God loves me…?”

The story of Job illustrates for us a relationship between the Creator and the creation that is so powerful…so wonderful…so grounded in love and trust and faith…that it can survive anything!  Maybe this is the first time that you have thought about this mysterious and, somewhat disturbing chapter in our story this way.  I challenge you to hear it today.

When we read the Bible, each parable…each event…each story is filled with unending lessons and insights into God and how He works in our lives.  That is why we can always gain “fresh” understanding every time we read it.  But each story has also has a meaning that is foundational…a bigger picture purpose that ties it in with the greater story.  This “big idea” in every story is consistent with what we have read from the beginning and what we continue to find true in living our story today.  These Truths are timeless and forever relevant in our relationship with our God.  In other words, the story of Job is filled with many insights and spiritual truths, but all should be grounded in the context of a loving relationship with a God who wants us to become all we were created to be in life.  And, as we know, sometimes that involves suffering and how we deal with it.  God uses Job to teach us about the strength of a genuine faith relationship with God.

Job is doing great!  He is described as a righteous man that has pleased God.  Satan questions the sincerity of Job’s love and commitment by pointing out that anyone can stay faithful when things are good.  And, by the way, he’s right…right?  Genuine love stays true no matter the circumstances.  God expresses His confidence in Job and His expectations of Job in the following 42 chapters.  “Me and Job are solid.  Through thick and thin, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…you’ll see.”

How about you?  Is your faith in God based on your circumstances and convenience?  Is your relationship to Him measured by how well He can please you?  It sounds ugly because conditional love is.  Job’s story is an example, extreme to be sure, of the strength of genuine love.

Today, no matter what, love God!

This is your story.

“Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her…the king loved Esther and she won favor in his sight…he set the royal crown on her head.”      – Esther 2:15-17

“And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:14

“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.  So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:7, 8

“But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is always at His work to this very day and I, too, am working‘.” – John 5:17

Today we look at one of the most unique chapters (Books) in our story…the story of Esther.  It is a story that movies are made of.  It has all the elements of a box office smash.  A powerful king…a queen rising from the ashes…an sinister bad guy…twists and turns…a dramatic ending where good triumphs and the people are saved!  Yes, Esther has it all…except one thing…no mention of God.  What?  That’s right.

What is interesting is that as we read this story and we are amazed at how God is orchestrating the events within it.  When we read the circumstances of Esther’s rise to the throne and we see God’s fingerprints all over it.  Even her cousin, Mordecai, whose words we read in today’s Scripture, recognizes that there is a purpose behind the things that are happening.  There is a Master Designer over it all.

The truth is that one cannot read the story of Esther and not see God and, yet…He is not mentioned.  Why?  I believe that at this point in our story, God (the Author of our story) has established the Truth that He is always present and working in His world that He created.  Jesus said in the Gospel of John that His Father was always at work.  He did not bring this world into existence and walk away from it.  Even when we walked away from Him, He has still remained active in pursuing us.

Jesus used a great illustration of this idea when He was talking to Nicodemus in John 3.  He compared the work of God in a person’s life to the wind blowing.  Wind is a powerful thing in our world and there is no argument about that.  We see its effects all around us.  In tornadoes and hurricanes, we see devastating destruction.  We feel its presence in a spring breeze on our cheek.  We can hear it blowing through an open window.   And, yet, we have never seen wind.  We know it is there because we see the results that it brings and, although it is “unseen” we know when it is there and when it is not.

Could it be that the Book of Esther is a “pop quiz” for us?  The Lord may be saying, “Read this story.  What do you see?  Do you see the trees moving?  Do you hear that sound?  What do you think?”

“It’s wind!  I know!  I know!  It’s wind!”

Friend, today let me assure you that God is not only present in this world but He is also working all around you.  Just like in the Book of Esther He is orchestrating circumstances and calling us…inviting us to join Him in His work.  Make no mistake about it…God has brought you into this world and He is intent on bringing you through it.  No, there probably won’t be a big neon lit sign or a burning bush, but I guarantee that, like the Book of Esther, if you look, you will see the evidence of His presence today.  And, when you do, consider that an invitation to jump in and be a part!

After all…this is your story!

“The people assembled with fasting and sackcloth…and they stood and confessed their sin…and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God…and worshiped” – Nehemiah 9:1-3

“And as He (Jesus) was setting out on His journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him and asked, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’  Jesus said, ‘You know the commandments; do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’  And he said to him, ‘Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.’  And Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’  Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” – Mark 10:17-22

The time of Ezra and Nehemiah was a time of revival and return for the people of God.  The vision of Nehemiah and the rediscovery of the Law of God had reminded them of who they were and called them back to their loving Father.  After hearing Ezra read the Law, they realized how far they had wandered from God’s design.  They had not kept the Law and had fallen “short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  This revelation led them to repentance.  A turning away from their sin and returning to God…a reconciliation…a homecoming.

The Law of God is a powerful thing in Scripture.  It’s purpose is to give us direction and guidance, but many times it brings frustration as we come face to face with our weaknesses and shortcomings.   Honestly, one could easily come to the conclusion…”If this is what it takes to get eternal life I am in big trouble!”  Actually, the Scripture tells us that this is also part of the purpose of the Law…to show us our inability to follow all that God demands.  In other words, we are in big trouble.

Like the people in Ezra’s day, our only option is to fall down before our holy God and ask for mercy.  Now it gets personal.  We know that we can’t meet the requirements.  The Law comes to guide and reveal our condition but it does not come to save.  We know that we are sinners so we come not by the Law but by relationship.

“Yes, Lord, I have wandered and followed my own way.  Yes, I have failed to live up to your standards.  The truth is, I will never be able to.  But, I love you and cannot live without you.  I also know from the beginning that you love me too.  Please forgive me.”

This is the plea of a child returning to a Father, not a slave meeting a requirement.

This is illustrated in the above encounter with Jesus.  A man asked Jesus about eternal life.  Jesus says, “You know the commandments”.  The man responds by saying that he has kept the commandments (good for him) but Jesus tells him that there is still one thing that he lacks.  Can you imagine working hard and living a good life and still missing eternity by “ONE THING”?

What is the one thing?  Jesus answers by giving several things actually.  Sell your possessions…give to the poor…and follow me.  Is Jesus bad at math or could these three things come down to “one” thing?  Could it be that Jesus is saying that it is not about religion, it’s about relationship?  Do you love me?  Do we love Him more than anything else (possessions)?  Do we love Jesus so much it affects how we treat others (the poor)?  Do we love Jesus so much that we will follow Him?

Keeping the commandments is good, but it cannot save us.  Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17).  On the cross He did what the Law could not do.  He fulfilled the requirements of the Law for us in order that we might have life and be free to love Him with all our hearts without fear of condemnation.  Our salvation comes through knowing Jesus, not the Law!

Wow!  What a story!

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple…more desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey…” – Psalm 19:7, 10

“This Ezra was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD the God of Israel had given” – Ezra 7:6

“And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people…all the people stood and  he read.” – Nehemiah 8:5-8

“Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction…” – 1 Corinthians 10:11

As we move ahead in our story, we fast forward through the time of the kings that followed David and the prophets that followed Samuel.  The prophets sang a consistent message through the years but most of the kings did not listen.  The power of the throne was too great a temptation and over and over again they “did what was right in their own eyes”.  God continued to call to His people through the Prophets warning them of the consequences of choosing to ignore His design.  But the people ignored the Prophets and followed their own selfish desires.  The ways of God were forgotten and, eventually, the earthly kingdom of Israel fell apart and the people found themselves in exile, stripped of their identity and at the mercy of their oppressors.  Once again, we are reminded that sin has shattered God’s original design and that our world calls out for a Savior.  This downward spiral is recorded in the Books of 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles.  This exile…this pain…this struggle was never His intention.

But God…

But God…the writer of this story, so intently “loved the world” that He intervened again to bring His people back to Him.  After years of exile, He caused the rulers of the time to have favor on His people and grant them permission to restore their Temple.  God also raised up leadership (Ezra and Nehemiah) to help lead the people back to His original purpose….relationship.  One of the central pieces of this early revival is the rediscovering of the Book of the Law.  The guidelines that God had given through Moses had been lost, or at best, ignored for years.  These ancient words would be essential for the people to get back on track.  They had forgotten the story and, therefore, forgotten who they were, who God was, and why He created them.  As we see in the above Scripture, Ezra dusts off the Book and reads to them their story.

This is the purpose of the Bible for us still today.  It is a record of our story.  It is a Book of lessons learned. Recorded so that we can avoid some of the same mistakes.  It is a reminder of our origins and why things are the way they are.  It is a map…a GPS-preserved for us so that we can find our way.

The written Word points us to the Living Word described in the Gospel of John:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” – John 1:1-3,14

The Scripture reveals to us the plan of redemption.  Cover to cover it chronicles our consistent rebellion and God’s relentless pursuit.  It is the story of sending Jesus to die on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice of a loving Father.  It is the story of God never giving up on us and doing everything to make our homecoming possible.  How do we know this?  It is in The Book.  The One Story.  The Holy Bible.

So, read it, digest it.  It has been given to us for instruction on how we can become all we were created to be.  It is how we can get to know the God who loves us and love Him more.

The Bible is His story.