– 2 Corinthians 1:8-10

Paul’s words in the opening lines of 2 Corinthians speak for themselves, so much so that I am tempted to not write anything at all, and simply let them stand alone.

What have I to add? Paul has encapsulated the tragic beauty of the life of a follower of Christ succinctly and perfectly.

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We who follow Christ, we are not promised  an easy life, or a perfect one.

As Paul did, we will suffer under pressure, pressure that will leave us in despair – such that we despair even of life itself.
Despairing so that in our hearts we feel the sentence of death.

But this, in the great sovereign plan of our God, leads us to rely on Him all the more.

How great is our God?
So great that He raises the dead.
So great that He has delivered us, and will continue to do so.

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“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

Paul is not ashamed, but we often confuse what exactly it is he is not ashamed of.
A cursory reading might leave one feeling Paul is not ashamed of the gospel in regards to its content.
And while that most certainly is true (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; Philippians 1: 12-14; Colossians 1: 24-29), and the content of the gospel most certainly is paramount (Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Corinthians 2:2;  1 Corinthians 15:1-4), it is not the content of the gospel that Paul is referencing here when he says he is not ashamed.
Rather, Paul is referring to the gospel as it is the means of delivering the transforming life of Jesus Christ.

It is not the sword that delivers the power of God, nor the wisdom of man, nor persuasion, nor coercion, nor bribery. It is the glorious and majestic nature of the one, true, living, almighty God.

Yes, we are to be prepared “in season and out of season” to preach the Word and give an answer for the faith we hold dear (2 Timothy 4:2), but we must not be under the illusion that it is our efforts alone that render the gospel so powerful. It is because of the One Whose gospel it is.

And it is the great and glorious gospel that is open to all, to Jew and Gentile alike.
As God has divinely worked throughout Redemptive History to bring His truth to His people and to all the nations, so will He continue to do so.

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“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

Romans 1:18-5:21 supports the principle argument made here, the argument that no one is righteous and none have hope, save for in the gospel.

And what is the gospel? The righteousness of God, the righteousness that we cannot attain on our own.

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesu Christ to al who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:22-24).

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Why has the gospel been extended to us? Because the graciousness of God.

How has the gospel been extended to us? In the sacrificial and atoning death of Jesus Christ.

By what means do we receive the gospel? Through faith – faith that is from first to last and from beginning to end. For the righteous shall live by faith.

In the parable, we see several men bringing their friend to Jesus to be healed.
This individual was a paralytic and could not walk – his friends had to carry him on a mat to the house where Jesus was.

However, Jesus was inside the house, and the crowd that had gathered to see Jesus prevented the four men from bringing their friend inside the house. What happens next is quite remarkable.

Rather than be dismayed, the four friends determine Jesus is the one chance for their friend to walk again and do the only thing they can think of: They climb on top of the house, dig a hole in the roof, and lower their friend through it.

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The faith of the friends is incredibly simple and there isn’t the slightest hint of hesitation.
Without even bothering to consider the ramifications of their actions or how ridiculous they may look, they do whatever it takes to make sure their friend has the opportunity to be healed by Jesus.

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While the faith of the four friends is simple, it is also extraordinary. This parable takes place early in the ministry of Jesus,  He was probably still relatively unknown. But these four friends, they had faith. They had faith Jesus was the only hope for their friend. They had faith that if they could bring their friend to the feet of Jesus no matter the cost, he would be healed.

In response, not only does Jesus heal the paralytic and enable him to pick up his mat and walk out of the house, He cleanses him of his sins as well. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven,’” (Mark 2:5).

Jesus heals the individual physically and spiritually, meeting both his temporal and his eternal needs.

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Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

  – Ephesians 3:20-21

These words, spoken by a pastor I once knew, horrify me each time I think back to them.
This pastor certainly had good intentions – he was trying to get a group of college kids to read the Word of God, and he was trying to convey how important the New Testament is to our spiritual journey and our relationship with God.

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At a certain level I can understand why he said what he did: The Old Testament can be daunting and overwhelming, its books long, confusing, and seemingly nonsensical.
The New Testament, however, is certainly “easier” to understand when compared to the Old Testament;  it is a clear record of who Jesus Christ was (and is) and what that means for us as believers in the family of God.

But what this pastor failed to communicate is that without the Old Testament, the New Testament has no basis – no foundation. Without the Old Testament, the New Testament is meaningless.

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It is said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.

As such, we see in the New Testament not something that is relevant and important while the Old Testament is purposeless and meaningless; rather, we see the New Testament as a record of the continuing faithfulness and revelation of our mighty and sovereign God, a fulfilling of the work He began at creation, continued through Israel, and continues still to this day through us, His church.

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As the 105 wears on, don’t forget the truths of the Old Testament, for they form the very foundation upon which the New Testament  rests. Don’t be relieved that the 105 has finally moved on from the Old Testament – rather, remember that the New Testament is a fulfilling of the Old Testament, a revelation of God, and rejoice.

These are the opening words of the book of Lamentations, and what follows is one of the most horrifying and tragic accounts ever recorded. Penned by the prophet Jeremiah, Lamentations is a firsthand account of Babylon laying Jerusalem to waist.

“Look, O LORD, and see! With whom have you dealt thus? Should women eat the fruit of their womb, the children of their tender care? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord? In the dust of the streets lie the young and the old; my young women and my young men have fallen by the sword; you have killed them in the day of your anger, slaughtering without pity.” (2:20-21)

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Jeremiah mourned the fall of Jerusalem and was wearied by the devastation - the city had fallen because of the sin of Israel:

“This was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.” (4:13)

Jeremiah was confident, however, that the Lord would not forsake Israel forever. He cried out to the Lord, and beseeched Him to return.

“Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old—unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.” (5:21-22)

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While the situation certainly was dire, all hope was not lost.

Just prior to the fall of Jerusalem, we find an event in the life of Jeremiah that symbolizes his hope in the faithfulness of the Lord; Jeremiah is confident the Lord will raise up a remnant to return to Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 32 records a transaction in which the prophet buys a field from his cousin Hanamel (32: 8-12), a field it only makes sense for Jeremiah to own if one day, the Lord will allow a remnant to return to Jerusalem.

“For thus says the LORD: Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise them.” (32:43)

These words may seem insignificant to us, but to a people fearful of the impending doom facing Jerusalem, they would have inspired hope and confidence in the faithfulness of the Lord.

While Jeremiah is often regarded as confusing – it is a collection of Jeremiah’s anthologies and is not assembled in chronological order – we do take note of  the prophet himself.

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The Lord sovereignly calls Jeremiah, choosing him even before he had been formed in the womb:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”  (1:5)

However, Jeremiah is hesitant and unwilling to respond to the call of the Lord:
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” (1:6)

The Lord’s response to Jeremiah contains some of the most comforting words in all of Scripture:
But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” (1:7-8)

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These were powerful words spoken by the Lord  - the message Jeremiah preached to Jerusalem was not a popular one, and Jeremiah surely would have failed had it not been for the strength of the Lord.
Throughout Jeremiah’s life, he was criticized, castigated, and ignored. He never married, was viewed as an outcast by his family, and was largely considered an enemy by the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah, however, was faithful, and could not keep from speaking the Word of the Lord:
If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. (20:9)

Even after the deportation of a majority of the Israelite community to Babylon, Jeremiah chose to remain in Jerusalem with the haphazard collection left behind to make sense of the devastation that had come upon the city. Ultimately, Jeremiah was carried off to Egypt, and it was there He died.

A home isn’t just a house or a town or a job.

Whatever we treasure in our hearts or whatever we hold dear, that’s home.

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It seems fitting, then, that the Word of the Lord is so explicit as to what things we should treasure in our hearts:

“How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O LORD;
Teach me Your statutes.
With my lips I have told of
All the ordinances of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts
And regard Your ways.
I shall delight in Your statutes;
I shall not forget Your word.”

– Psalm 119:9-16

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I pray that no matter what afflicts us in this life, we steadfastly treasure the Word of the Lord in our hearts, and come to regard His Word as our foundation – our home.

No matter the trouble and turmoil of this life, we will always have a home in the Word of God, a refuge that encourages us, supports us, and gives us strength.

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.

– Psalm 46: 1-3

If you were sick, old, poor, infirm, disabled, or unloved, the Infirmary was where you wound up.
Usually, there were 60-75 “residents” to one nurse, and the level of care provided was inhumane at best.

To this day I shudder just thinking about the Infirmary – men and women in various states of undress and self-defecation, sitting around for hours at a time with nothing to do.

There was one group of mentally challenged men I saw each week that I don’t believe ever moved – I think they sat on the same bed under the same window and wore the same donated clothes, day-in and day-out.

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These, the poor and disgusting of humanity, the lost and the forgotten, while stuck in the most miserable, haunting, and horrifying of situations, shared one beautiful thing in common: They loved the Word of the Lord.

They begged us each time we came to sit with them and read to them – they longed to hear the Bible read aloud.

Often, as we would sit and read passages, those listening would recite it back to us before we even finished it – they knew it by heart.

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More often than not, they requested that we read a Psalm.
Why?
Because to them, stranded in the Infirmary and with no hope for a future so long as they had breath in their lungs, the Psalms gave them just that, hope.

Listen, for example, to the words of Psalm 103:

“Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
The LORD performs righteous deeds
And judgments for all who are oppressed.”

– Psalm 103: 1-6

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May we long for the words of Scripture as desperately as those in the Infirmary.
May we always remember, that no matter how hopeless we may feel, our Lord provides, cleanses, saves, and restores us.
May we know its truth and hold it within us, depending on it for hope.

To the broken, desperate, and destitute in Jamaica, the Psalms are a reminder that God is loving and faithful.
To the broken, desperate, and destitute in Glassboro, the Psalms are a reminder that God is loving and faithful.

Yes, Nehemiah is a portrait of a strong leader. He is confident, deliberate, and intentional. He is organized, a clear communicator, and someone others want to follow. He casts vision effectively and leads others to accomplish that vision.

But if that is all you see when you read Nehemiah, you are missing the breadth an depth of what God is trying to communicate.
If all you see is the model for the perfect CEO or the next best seller on business techniques, go back and read Nehemiah again.
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The books of Ezra and Nehemiah (the two were originally one unified scroll) tell the story of how Jerusalem was rebuilt, first the temple and then the walls. And while Nehemiah certainly is a strong leader, often the wrong leadership characteristics are emphasized.

We see that, first of all, Nehemiah was a man of prayer – nine prayers are recorded throughout the book (2:4; 4:4-5; 5:19; 6:14; 13:14, 22, 29, 31).

We see also that Nehemiah was a servant leader; 5:14ff tells us that Nehemiah forfeited his own right to receive taxes so as not to place undue burden on the people of Jerusalem.

And we read that in the face of intimidation and opposition (6:8), Nehemiah choose to continue working and trust in the Lord rather than become distracted.
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In bringing the Jews back to Jerusalem, Nehemiah is leading the nation of Israel in the reclamation of their identity as the chosen people of God, and they go about this in many ways:

Did you notice how much emphasis Ezra and Nehemiah place on genealogy? The re-formed Jewish community is trying to establish as much continuity with pre-exile Israel is possible, and charting family lineages is the best way to do that.

Rebuilding the temple is such a priority because, what better way is there for Israel to reclaim its identity other than resuming worship of Yahweh?

The Jews also rebuild the walls of the city to keep themselves a holy people – sanctified and set apart for the Lord.
Levitical priests guard both the temple and the walls to symbolically show Jerusalem is a holy place belonging to the Lord.
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While Ezra and Nehemiah relate an exciting time in the history of Israel, the book of Nehemiah ends in a strange way; there is no closure or solution, only a list of further necessary reforms.
Such an ending is anticlimactic at best and actually rather disheartening – Israel has no king, and the presence of the Lord does not descend to fill the temple.

But in truth, Nehemiah is not the end of the story, and ending the book so abruptly leaves the reader to realize that the story of God’s people is incomplete.

We, with the perspective that Christ has come, truly understand that  only He could bring the finality and fulfillment the post-exilic community was longing for.

Its pretty common to think that because, in reality, you did just read that. Kind of.

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1 and 2 Kings tell the story of Israel’s monarchy – the time between the kingdoms of David and Solomon until the fall of the Northern kingdom in 722 BC and the fall of the Southern kingdom in 587/586 BC.

1 and 2 Kings were written to primarily answer why? Why was Israel cast into exile? Why did it appear the Lord had forsaken His chosen people? Why was Israel dispossessed from their land?

1 and 2 Kings were intended to be read by Jews living in exile, and they were written to help Isarel understand why they had been seemingly abandoned – their repeated failure to live in covenant faithfulness meant the Lord’s judgment had come upon them in the form of covenant curses.

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1 and 2 Chronicles are also history books, and relate the exact same time period as 1 and 2 Chronicles.
However, rather than answering why they answer the question now what?

1 and 2 Chronicles were aimed at Jews just returning from exile, returning to their once glorious city of Jerusalem, returning and having to rebuild their entire lives. To a people devoid of hope, 1 and 2 Chronicles were an attempt to provide just that – hope to a broken, battered, and defeated nation.

1 and 2 Chronicles are not an exhaustive history of the monarchy like 1 and 2 Kings, but are instead a selective history. They show David and Solomon in an idealized light (notice the absence of the Bathsheba narrative) to show Israel what a righteous king and kingdom look like.

The Chronicler sought to remind Israel of covenant faithfulness they once adhered to, and the covenant blessings that resulted.

The prophet Isaiah, who lived and prophesied during the time of Uzziah, promised as much:

“A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.”
– Isaiah 10: 21

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In reminding Israel what a righteous king and kingdom looked like, the author of Chronicles was calling Israel to faithful covenant living once again.