Some years ago – never mind how long precisely – having little ambition and nothing particular to interest me around the house, I thought I would surf about a little upon the Internet.

Through the providence of God, I found a YouTube video of Paul Washer entitled, “Shocking Youth Message.” As I was engaged as a youth Sunday school teacher from time to time, I invested an hour and watched it. I suggest you do the same now if you haven’t seen it already. http://youtu.be/cncEhCvrVgQ.

If you don’t have the time, or if you’ve seen it before, just watch the first minute of this excerpt up until the point that Brother Paul silences the crowd.

Though just into my 40s and a generation removed from Washer’s audience, the Holy Spirit of God convicted me through his words, “I don’t know why you’re clapping. I’m talking about you.” The kids in the audience were in an emotional frenzy, going with their worldly feelings and not letting Washer’s biblical message penetrate their stony hearts. At least that’s what I think was going on inside them, because that was what was going on inside me. I was no different in my life. It took the startling words of a preacher clearly calling me a phony to shock me out of my complacency.

You see, I was a great Pharisee. I went to church every Sunday, I sang in the choir, I read scripture, I taught Sunday school, I attended Bible study, I donated time and money, I maintained the church website, I edited the church newsletter, I was an elder and I was certain that Christianity was something I did very well.

Please don’t miss that last statement: Christianity – was something – I did.

Could this be true of you as well? Is your Christian faith primarily something you do?

Like Nicodemus, I had heard about the things of God and I knew a lot about God, but I didn’t know God at all. Nicodemus was a bible teacher; he sang and read scripture in the temple; his faith was something that he did very well. But he couldn’t see or comprehend the kingdom of God. Nicodemus visited Jesus at night, ashamed to be seen with him in the daylight. In John 3:3, Jesus says to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus doesn’t get it in John 3:4, so Jesus spells it out for him in more detail in John 3:5-8, to which Nicodemus replies in verse 9, “How can these things be?”

It’s almost like Nicodemus is proving Jesus’ point for him. He obviously hasn’t been born again, therefore he doesn’t understand. It’s not that Nicodemus doesn’t want to understand, rather, he is incapable of understanding. His understanding is so tightly wrapped up in his religiosity that the truth cannot penetrate it.

I, too, was insulated from the truth. For me, the first crack in my stony heart (that I was aware of) was made through the words of Brother Paul Washer when I first seriously entertained the possibility that I wasn’t a ‘good Christian’ like I thought I was. Perhaps Jesus’ unexpected response to Nicodemus’ question was a shock to him too. In John 3:10, Jesus says, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” Calling a high priest of the Jews a phony tends to have a shocking effect.

Could this be true of you as well? Are you a phony, masquerading as a Christian, wrapped up in religiosity?

I must confess that I still have a tendency to revert back to what comes most naturally to me. My default setting is a desire to earn my way to heaven by doing good works.

By relying on myself and what I do, I diminish Christ and what He did.

Reliance upon the person and work of Jesus through faith alone guarantees me reconciliation with God; reliance upon myself and my tainted works guarantees me a nice hot corner of hell all to myself.

And yet even this exposes yet another form of Pharisee-ism.

Because I know I shouldn’t rely on myself or my works, I sometimes think I’m smarter or more clever than others. Putting my old works into the dustbin (where they belong) are my “new good works.” But these new good works are just as filthy as my old ones, and I am still a Pharisee because I want them to count for something!

Counting nothing to my account should count for something, right?!?

Do you see how insane that is? I can’t get out from underneath it.

But King Jesus can get me out.

Ray Ortlund addresses this paradox better than I could:

With Jesus, we are saved.  Everything is going to be okay.  Without Jesus, we are damned.  Nothing will go right.

Forsake all fraudulent success.  Make Jesus your goal, your arrival, your identity, your comfort, your okayness, and he’ll gladly give himself to you — and on terms of grace.  But reach for anything else, and it will turn into its opposite and betray you.

John doesn’t give us a nicely wrapped-up ending to the encounter with Nicodemus. It just abruptly ends and we don’t hear of old Nic again until after Jesus is killed. In John 3:1-21 he visits Jesus at night so he cannot be seen by anyone. But in John 19:39, Nicodemus buys a load of burial spices and he, along with Joseph of Arimathea, prepares Jesus’ body for burial in the light of day. It seems that he was no longer ashamed to be counted as a servant of Christ.

In the end, I hope this means that Nicodemus was saved; because I need the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ as much as he did.

Could this be true of you as well?

Christianity isn’t about what you do. It’s about what Jesus has already done. Don’t ever lose that focus.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith – Phil. 3:8-9

I hear of others just outside of my circle who are afflicted as well. Loss of work and home, debilitating disease, dementia, depression, cancer and suicide are among the sufferings of the people who know people I know.

What makes these problems more heartbreaking is that many of those suffering these things don’t know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. They don’t know that God’s grace is sufficient to get them through their struggles (2 Cor. 12:9).

Poetry rarely appeals to me, but this poem by John Piper touches something in me that prose just doesn’t reach. Read it three times and then meditate on the words of Jesus, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

What is God’s sovereign grace?

Not grace to bar what is not bliss
Nor flight from all distress but this:
The grace that orders our trouble and pain
And then, in the darkness, is there to sustain.

– John Piper

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/not-grace-to-bar-what-is-not-bliss

The devotional told the story of a pastor who gave a group of children one Lego block each, and then asked them to add each of their blocks to his block and build a “Lego church.” His intention was to demonstrate that each of them was a part of the church. The pastor said that some tried to build something resembling a house, but many pieces were sticking out “on a limb.” Since there were so many different kids with different ideas, the construct looked like “nothing you have ever seen before.”

The pastor summed up this object lesson with the following:

The real church is like that. Each of us brings our piece to add to the whole and even if someone suggests we add it in a certain place, we have our own ideas and place it where we will. It seems like a mess! But then we are reminded that this is not our church [but] Christ’s church and he builds it as he wills it.

God does receive us in the shape we are in and fits us into his church, but the fact of the matter is that we just don’t fit very well; nor should we. We come to God’s church in a worldly form. He meets us where we are, like the woman caught in adultery and like Zacchaeus in the tree, but he doesn’t leave us in the shape we were in when we met Him. The woman caught in adultery was told to go and sin no more (John 8:10-11) and Zacchaeus repented and promised to repay his victims four times over (Luke 19:8).

Likewise, if we remain in the worldly shape that we were in when we come, the church we form will be worldly as well. That’s what the devotional writer got wrong. God’s church doesn’t have parts sticking out in random directions that serve no purpose and we aren’t the ones who form God’s church in the first place! No, Christ reshapes us into the kind of block that He needs for His good purposes. (Matthew 16:18) Look at the quote above again. In one sentence the writer says, “…we have our own ideas and place it where we will.” And two sentences later, he says that Christ “builds it as he wills it.”

Which is it, Mr. Devo Writer?

Are we building it or is Jesus?

In ancient times, the Tabernacle was constructed to very exacting specifications. It wasn’t a random conglomeration of whatever rocks and branches the carpenters found lying around. God spoke to Moses about the materials, the processes, the sizes, the adornment, and the order of all of the parts of the temple, including the priests themselves! (Exodus 26:1-27:21) He ordained who would do the work of the Lord within the temple; and how and when they would do it in order to please Him (Exodus 28:1-31:18). The devotional writer is saying the exact opposite – that we come as we are, we decide how we are going to be, what we are going to do and we make something pleasing to God all by ourselves.

Nothing could be less biblical.

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of — throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself. – C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

Advent: noun [ad’-vent]

1. The period beginning four Sundays before Christmas, observed in commemoration of the coming of Christ into the world.
2. Arrival or coming.

Advent is a time of preparation in the Christian liturgical calendar observed by many Christians. It is traditional, not biblical; but it is not sinful either, as long as all the foofaraw doesn’t obstruct the good news of Christ.

The Distraction

Christmas trees and wreaths, mistletoe and silver bells, candy canes and presents, Santa Claus and Rudolph; even many Christmas carols can distract us from the advent of Christ. Saying Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays isn’t even the point, nor is erecting a nativity scene in the town square. Buying gifts, gathering with family or friends, and taking time off from school also have nearly nothing to do with the coming of Christ.

The Danger

Don’t get all wrapped up in the traditionalism, sentimentality and emotionalism of Christmastime. Most Christmas traditions celebrated in America aren’t biblical anyway. Retelling a mythologized version of Jesus’ birth complete with an innkeeper, a stable full of animals and three kings (none of which are mentioned in scripture) conceals the truth of the historical birth.

The Dilemma

Even if we can get past the distractions and the dangers of Advent, we still have a dilemma: Why are we going through all these preparations for something that has already happened? Is it just a commemoration, or is it something more? Maybe we can take a clue from the words of some biblical Christmas carols.

Joy to the world the Lord is come, let Earth receive her king;

Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing.

Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing all ye citizens of heaven above;

Glory to God, all glory in the highest; O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus; born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s Strength and Consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear Desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

The Declaration

I submit to you that these lyrics are not solely about the first advent of Christ, but equally about the second. Keep in mind that Jesus promised to come again and call his church home to Himself (John 14:3). Go ahead and re-read the words to the songs above with this second, future advent in mind.

Really. Go back and re-read them. I’ll wait.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As this season of advent (Christ’s imminent arrival) progresses, let us press onward and remember His first coming in lowly circumstance and poverty, but don’t falsely romanticize it! The incarnation was at once, the most selfless act of condescension ever performed and also the most valuable gift ever given by our sovereign God. Christ’s second coming will not be so quiet.

Are you ready to sing with the joy of angels that Christ has returned?

Are you ready for the advent of Christ, today?

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for you. Are you preparing a place for Him?

“We are a resurrection people living in a perpetual Advent.”  – David Ridenhour

God expresses His love in Mark 10:21-22 and John 11:5-6 just as much as He does in John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. Mark 10:21-22

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. John 11:5-6

Verses 5 and 6 paraphrased: “Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Therefore, when he heard Lazarus was sick; he didn’t go to him right away. He waited around until he knew Lazarus was dead.” This makes no sense to our human sensibilities. Death is our greatest enemy, right? We want it to say, “Jesus loved them so much that he ran as fast as he could and healed Lazarus.” But it doesn’t say that. Instead, because of Jesus’ great love for them, He didn’t go right away. He put them through a miserable trial so the final outcome would make them even more joyful and bring God greater glory.

Jesus wanted to do something extraordinary for these friends he loved so dearly. He wanted to do something for them that he had never done for anyone else before, and would never do again. He brought his friend Lazarus back to life after four days in the tomb!

(Isaiah 54:7,8; 49:14-15; Romans 8:18)

How often does the love of God manifest itself in ways that are directly opposite what we expect?

How often do we thank God for this?

In Mark 10:21-22, the Bible says that Jesus felt a love for the rich young man who came to him seeking the way to eternal life. How did he show his love for the young man? He did this in a way similar to that of Mary and Martha; he put a trial before him. It was certainly not what the man (or the disciples for that matter) expected. Don’t you think that Mary and Martha expected Jesus to immediately come and heal Lazarus?

The point of this trial seems to be a test of whether the rich young man really wanted to be a part of the Kingdom of heaven or not. There is nothing you can lose in this life (including this life itself) that Christ cannot give back to you twofold or more in the next. (Job 42:10, Matthew 19:29)

Jesus spoke the truth in love for the benefit of the young man’s soul, but the man wasn’t willing to bear the cost of discipleship. Unlike the account of Lazarus’ resurrection, this one doesn’t have a happy ending. The young man went away grieving, because the cost was too high. From a salvation perspective, the rich young man committed suicide that day. He stood in the presence of the light of the world, and chose darkness. He stood before Him who was life itself, and chose death.

And Jesus let him walk away.

This is the natural state of the heart of every person on earth. Do we have free will? A right to choose? Yes we do – and we choose sin and death over love and life every single time. We have no ability, unless acted upon by God, to choose to love and trust Him. Even Martha and Mary failed to believe when Jesus tarried so long (John 11:21, 32).

In both cases, Jesus used these events to teach a lesson to His disciples. In both cases the lesson was the same. Believe, trust and obey, and you will have eternal life in His Kingdom (Jer. 39:18; Ezek. 36:26-7; John 11:40, 14:1; Rom. 15:13).

Isn’t that what John 3:16 is all about?

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day. – Abraham Lincoln

Drive me to my knees, Lord Jesus. Drive me to my knees.

• You hear my Pharisaical prayers; thanking you that I am not like other sinners.
• You see me try to hide my selfishness; camouflaging it with pious works.
• You know the pride that wells up in my heart; like a spring of acrid water from the stony ground.

Drive me to my knees, Holy Spirit. Drive me to my knees.

• You hear my feeble pleas and groanings; and understand what’s in my heart.
• You see my sinful self as I really am; not as I present myself to the world.
• You know my confessions are incomplete; I’m not even aware of all the sins I should repent from.

Drive me to my knees, Dear Father. Drive me to my knees.

• You hear my hurtful words against Your image bearers.
• You see my shameful acts that reflect so poorly upon You.
• You know me better than I know myself.

Drive me to my knees, O God. Drive me to my knees.

Beware of no one more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us. – C.H. Spurgeon

Drive me to my knees, O Lord; so I can know Your grace.
Listen to my pleas, Dear Lord; and let me seek Your face.
Take my sins away, O Lord; as east is from the west.
Drive me to my knees, Dear Lord; in You I find true rest.

James 4:10 – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Matthew 25:31-34: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

v. 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

v. 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The Question: Do you believe this?

Do you believe that Jesus is coming again and that He will judge both the living and the dead?

Do you believe that He will separate all humanity into two groups?

Do you believe that one group will go away to eternal torment and the other to eternal life in the presence of God?

A simple yes or no is required. Either you believe it or you don’t.

If you don’t believe it and you call yourself a Christian, you either need to repent for your unbelief or stop calling yourself a Christian. I’m serious. You shame the name of Christ if you disbelieve His own testimony of what will happen at the end of days.

If you do believe it but don’t engage in personal evangelism, you either need to repent for your unbelief or stop calling yourself a Christian. I’m even more serious now. You shame the name of Christ even more if you say you believe his testimony, but disobey his commandments (John 3:36).

I think that there are only a few Christians who personally engage in evangelism to the extent they can. If you are doing so, may God strengthen you and bless your efforts.

Matthew 28:19-20 – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

In all likelihood, most of the readership of this little article believe that Jesus means what He says but, for some reason, don’t give much effort to personal evangelism. If this is the case with you, as it is with me, then we have some repenting to do.

If we really believed what Jesus said about a final judgment and eternity in either heaven or hell, then we would be far less complacent about our unbelieving co-workers, neighbors and family members.  But many of us don’t really believe Jesus, even though we say we do. The proof is found in our action or inaction in the face of certain death and torment for those on the judge’s left.

O Father in Heaven: Your ways are so far above and beyond my ways. Except for your amazing grace, I would be counted among the goats. Forgive my unbelief and strengthen me to share the Good News with those who need to hear it. Embolden me to speak the truth with love and humility to my family, friends and neighbors. For the sake of Christ Jesus and his unforgettable work on the cross, grant that I might become a better witnesses to the transcendent love that is you, O God. Amen.