Podcast
Trinity Evangel Church
Hosted by Trinity Evangel Church · EN
Sermons from Trinity Evangel Church in Marysville, WA
34episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Baptisms - April 5 - 2026
Apr 5Tap to summarizeBaptisms - April 5 - 2026In order of testimonies: Julia Sarr (01:57) Lucy Monnie (06:58) Henry Monnie (10:44) Selah Lugg (13:31)
Transcribe →Peace to You
Apr 5Tap to summarizePeace to YouOr, The Comfort and Commission of the Risen Lord JesusIf you’d seen your Master crucified on Friday, what would you want to hear on Sunday? According to Peter and John, Jesus' tomb was empty (John 20:1-10). Then Mary Magdalene came and said she had seen the Lord and that He gave her a message about ascending to heaven (John 20:11-18). If any seed of hope started to grow in your heart that Jesus was alive again, what would you want to hear Jesus say? Remember that when the authorities arrested Him, you ran. The shepherd was struck and the sheep scattered (Matthew 26:31). Which would be heavier: your grief or your guilty conscience? What if Jesus really is alive? What will He think of how you handled the last few days? The disciples only had to wait until Sunday evening to find out. What Jesus says first is not quite "Peace be with you," as the ESV translates, but more precisely, "Peace to you." The Greek (εἰρήνη ὑμῖν) may assume a verb, but it’s compact. Jesus is not expressing a wish; may peace be with you. He is making a declaration. The risen Lord who just purchased peace is now announcing it to the men who abandoned Him. And what is this peace? A feeling of calm? That starts to scratch it. It’s not the absence of all conflict; there is great trouble, sorrow, and fear all around. Peace in verse 19 corresponds to shalom, a word of wholeness, of harmony. It describes a certainty that the important things are in the right place, and the rest of the things don’t matter or will be arranged in place at the right time. When Jesus stands before His frightened disciples and declares "Peace to you," He is saying: the thing that was broken between you and God is now fixed. I fixed it. It is finished, and here I am to prove it. In verses 19-20 John emphasizes the comfort of this peace. In verses 21-23 John describes the commission that flows from it. The Comfort of Resurrection Peace (verses 19-20) Jesus makes clear both His resurrection and His attitude toward them. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. (John 20:19–20) On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors... for fear of the Jews. Having arrested and crucified Jesus, would the Jewish authorities hunt down His followers? The disciples met together rather than separating, but not in the open. Then Jesus came and stood among them. John doesn't say Jesus walked through the doors or simply appeared. Somehow, in a miraculous way, Jesus came through the physical barriers. The reason the disciples locked the doors is fear. Jesus appearing among them was startling if not a new reason to fear what He would say to them. And he said to them, "Peace to you." Jesus promised this peace on Thursday night: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you" (John 14:27a). He immediately followed that by saying, "Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I will come to you'" (verses 27b-28a). He's back just as He said. He didn't take His peace away from them, He secured it for them. What a burden of grief He could have laid on them. Instead, peace first. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and side. This confirms three things. First, Jesus' identity. He is the same one who had been crucified and pierced on Friday. Second, Jesus' bodily resurrection. The disciples were seeing Him in the flesh, not a vision. Third, Jesus' peace. This is what makes His declaration so thick. His wounds bought and brought peace with God (see Isaiah 53:5). The scars are the proof of purchase; He made “peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20). Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. They should have rejoiced. Jesus was alive, He was with them, and He declared peace to them even though they had deserted Him. The risen Lord replaced their confusion, their conviction, and their cowering with the comfort of one word: peace. The Commission of Resurrection Peace (verses 21-23) Jesus makes clear His intent to use them going forward. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:21–22) Jesus restates His message: again, "Peace to you." The repetition means more than Hello. His wounds purchased their peace with God. Peace is a reason to rejoice. And peace comes with responsibility to announce it to others. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. Jesus already prayed this in their hearing (John 17:18). He hadn’t abandoned His plan even though they had abandoned Him. He commissions them. And He supports their commission: he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." The peace that comforted them now compels them. They are not merely recipients of His peace, He sends them as representatives of it. “This peace is not merely to fortify the hearts of the disciples amid all the enmity and hatred of the world; they are to be possessors of the Lord's peace because as his witnesses and messengers they are to dispense this very gift of peace in a peaceless world.” (Lenski, p. 1369) Conclusion There is no greater comfort and no more compelling commission than what the risen Jesus gave that Sunday evening. He found His men fearful and hiding. He declared them forgiven and showed them the proof of His victory. Then He sent them out. We have reasons to rejoice this Easter morning. Because the tomb is empty, death has no final claim on those who belong to Jesus. Peace to you! Because He showed His wounds, we know the price has been paid in full, not partially, not provisionally, but completely. Peace to you! Because He said "Peace to you" to men who had abandoned Him, we know that His grace is faithful. It does not shatter when we fail. Peace to you! And because He sent those same failures out as His messengers, we know that our usefulness to God does not depend on our track record but on His resurrection. Peace to you! The peace Jesus declared that evening is the same peace He declares to everyone receiving Him. It is not a wish. It is a fact, accomplished by His death and confirmed by His rising. It is for you who believe, it is for your children who believe. It is for our comfort, it is our commission from our risen Lord. Peace to you! Charge Jesus is risen from the dead, so all who believe in Him have peace. MEDITATE on peace. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts" (Colossians 3:15). MEDIATE this peace. We preach the “good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)” (Acts 10:36). Peace to you! Benediction: Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21 ESV)
Transcribe →The King of Peace
Mar 29Tap to summarizeThe King of PeaceThe best form of government is a Monarchy. The history of the West, long before America's War for Independence, has gone through all sorts of political strife and structures. We're born into one political system and think that's the way it's always been. But a Constitutional Republic - the sort that we're blessed with in America - is a very recent endeavor in our overall historical narrative. The West has tried on all sorts of political clothes. Our current system of modern liberty is pretty new, and can trace its roots to the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin summarized the basic options we have when it comes to government institutions: a Monarchy, an Aristocracy, or a Democracy. Samuel Rutherford wrote Lex Rex, arguing for a Constitutional limited government. John Locke expounded on the people's consent. And James Madison put a lot of that together when he drafted much of the United States Constitution. Today we enjoy the blessings of these ideas in consequence. A Constitutional Republic with limited government is the best form of government we've had on this side of Adam's rebellion. We have had to try on all these political clothes, dressing and changing, because men are sinners. In Federalist 51, James Madison writes, If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. (Federalist 51) And yet, men are not angels. Men are depraved. Limited authority is the best bet we have when having to deal with the sinful ambitions of men. And so, we argue and debate, filibuster and freeze budgets, vote and elect. It limits sin, yes. But it also limits righteousness. It limits the good a righteous ruler may intend to do. It's necessary, yes. And it's all extremely inefficient and exhausting. And, even with all of the checks and balances, how much evil still gets through? That's why I believe the best form of government is a Monarchy... as long as you have an inherently wise and fully righteous monarch. If there was no sin, the most efficient and productive form of government would be a monarch ruling with expediency, building for the good of his constituents. And that's what we will have in King Jesus. He will rule as a Monarch, an Emperor. There will be no need for our votes controlling folly; no need for our political theory controlling sinful ambition. We will not be poor subjects waiting for permission from a power-hungry tyrant. No, we will rule as kings. We will build, make decisions, and bear productive fruit. But we will be kings within his Empire, laying down our crowns at his feet. There will be no sin and no strife. We will live in the Kingdom of Peace, with the King of Peace at its helm. What a day that will be. And that King of Peace reveals himself by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey colt some 2000 years ago. For this Palm Sunday, we're going to review that scene from Luke chapter 19, verses 28-44. I'm going to pull 3 main points out of this section. It's 3 points about the King. The King Reveals Himself (28-35) We typically associate the Triumphal Entry with Jesus coming into town like he normally would, and a spontaneous crowd bursts out into praise. But that's not what we see happen here. Jesus is not a passive actor in this scene, simply receiving praise. Not at all. Jesus is the one who sets the entire scene up. He's the protagonist. Jesus sent 2 disciples to bring the colt that he knew was ready for him. And to make sure the owners knew it, they were told, "The Lord has need of it." Jesus then sits on this colt and rides it into the city. This is the only recorded moment in the 4 gospels when Jesus rides an animal. So, no, this was not just another normal stroll into town that was interrupted by the crowd. Like an effective politician, he set this up. Jesus was not responding to what they were doing. They were responding to what he was doing. He planned this. He organized it. He made it happen. Jesus intended for exactly this to occur. Jesus was revealing himself to be the King the prophets spoke of, in line with the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. Him organizing for a colt to be ready for him to enter Jerusalem is on purpose. This is a symbolic act to show the people that he is their king. Where earlier he would tell people not to make him known, here he is very explicit in his communication. He's proclaiming himself to be the Messiah. He is revealing himself to be the long-awaited, rightful King of Israel. The prophecy in Zechariah tells us what the colt was supposed to demonstrate - humility. Yes, there will be a time when King Jesus will enter on a great white horse. But this entry is introducing the humble king. So humble, in fact, that not only is he riding a donkey, but he's riding the colt of a donkey - an animal that has not even been prepared to be ridden. The colt demonstrates the humility of the king. But don't let his humility deceive you. He very much is the King. He has revealed himself to be. And he receives worthy praise. The King Receives Praise (36-40) This multitude is acknowledging Jesus as "the King who comes in the name of the Lord." They publicly proclaimed him to be. "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!" The crowds exclaim. This was indeed pretty risky for Jesus. This is not a private confession, as was Peter's. This is a public rally heralding Jesus as the Son of David - the rightful King of the Jews. The religious leaders are based in Jerusalem. King Herod is in Jerusalem. If Jesus didn't want to draw this sort of attention, he would've told the disciples to cut it out. But the exact opposite happens. Not only was it Jesus' initiative to make a scene here, when the Pharisees tell him to make his disciples stop, he rejects their demand. Jesus approves of the behavior of the crowd, and says it must happen. "It's either them or the stones." I don't think the stones crying out would have helped the Pharisees' case. Again, the King is the protagonist. He's not passive. The emphasis is to be put on Jesus revealing himself and receiving their praise. He set it up to happen. And he approves of it happening. The King Pronounces Judgement (41-44) Luke is the only one who records this part of the Triumphal Entry about Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Jesus approaches Jerusalem as the rightful King of Israel. He receives the welcome and praise, but he knows what's about to happen. He knows that the leaders of the city, along with many in it, will reject him. They will do so because they don't know the things that make for peace. The things that make for peace were hidden from their eyes, and so they did not know the time of their visitation. This is where many commentators, I believe, mistake what's happening. They claim that the Jews misunderstood the nature of the Messiah's rule. If they would have seen that the rule of the Messiah was to be spiritual, with a spiritual kingdom, they would have received their King. Except that the context of Zechariah is about a physical kingdom, not a spiritual, non-political one. You can't eisegete the text and call it exegesis. And the most common title for the awaited for king of Israel - the Messiah - is the "Son of David." Where was David's throne? On earth. So, where will the Son of David's throne be? On earth. The "Son of David" is not a heavenly title. So, no, Jesus' rule should not be reduced to a spiritual reality. Jesus' claim was and is political. The Jews did not misunderstand the nature of his rule. What they misunderstood was its means. The rule of the Messiah was, indeed, going to be physical. But the way he was going to bring about his physical reign was through spiritual means. He was going to build it inside-out. The cup would be washed on the inside, so that the outside would be clean. The Kingdom of the Son of David will be brought about through changed hearts turning to him for forgiveness and cleansing - a people made new. The Kingdom of the Son of David is more than physical, but it isn't less. And because the Jews reject their King, they are judged by the King. Because they did not know the things that make for peace, they will not have peace. What Makes for Peace Notice how Luke introduces the Triumphal Entry. Right before Jesus entering Jerusalem, Luke tells us about Jesus' Parable of the Ten Minas. We usually remember the nobleman who gave minas to his servants. But that parable also included citizens who lived on the nobleman's lands who "hated him" and said, "We do not want this man to reign over us." And the very last verse of that parable is the nobleman dealing with these citizens, whom he now calls his enemies. Luke bookends the Triumphal Entry with the parable of the nobleman slaughtering his enemies who didn't want him to reign over them, and with Jesus weeping over Jerusalem because it rejected the things that make for peace. Luke's depiction of the Triumphal Entry and Israel's rejection of its King is him playing out that section of the Parable of the Ten Minas in real time. What makes for peace? What does peace have to do with government? Peace is the end of government. That's the entire point of good politics. Peace for its constituents is the ultimate objective of the government institution, whether it be a monarchy, aristocracy, or democracy. The reason we want our God-given rights secured, the reason we want justice upheld, is so that we can have peace. Without rights secured, there is only tyranny. Without justice, there is only strife. Without the preservation of life, li...
Transcribe →When History Hinged
Mar 22Tap to summarizeWhen History HingedOr, The Birth of Our LordThe opening of Luke chapter 2 might be the most familiar part in Luke's gospel, and certainly the most recognizable lines about the birth of Jesus in all the Bible for these last 2026 years. They sound familiar, they are no longer that surprising, and yet the longer we look at these verses the more we might realize our image of the birth story is more fuzzy than factual. I don't want to poke holes in our nativity scenes, the ones in our minds or the ones we bought from Target. It's not more mature to be a killjoy, and certainly not about the Incarnation. That said, there's plenty of joy in the story as we read it in Scripture, and there are some surprises yet to be discovered. We're not looking for new info as much as we're looking with fresh eyes. Let's see what Luke says, note a few things that he doesn't say, and then consider how what happens here has changed everything. The Providential Decree (1-3) Luke opens this section with a setting of context and contrast. We're in the days of Caesar Augustus. Caesar became a title like “emperor”; it was not a first name. And Augustus was also a title, not this monarch’s original name. He was born Gaius Octavius, and the Roman Senate honored him with the title “Augustus” (meaning “majestic”) in BC 27 a few years after he had defeated Mark Antony and ended the civil war (Garland). The context includes all the world, or at least the “inhabited world.” The Roman Empire dominated the world at this point; it was the center of activity and the most important, civilization-shaping force. All roads led to Rome, all rule came from Rome, the Caesar did whatever he wanted, because no one had more power than him. Taking a census implied power to take taxes. To be registered was to be listed by the government for sake of knowing how many people needed to pay, since Jews wouldn’t be registering for military service (Bock). It's why the KJV translation skips straight to a decree “that all the world should be taxed.” But this historical context is also a contrast in power and extent of rule. Caesar Augustus, at the top of his administrative game, had nothing compared to the kid King born in his days. For those with eyes to see God’s hand, we know Augustus himself was only doing what God ordained in His providence. Verse 2 adds detail, but do you know what these details are doing? Who is Quirinius, and what does Syria have to do with Judea? Who cares about Syria? Syria was north of Galilee and the governor of Syria was the "point man" for Roman interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. Those living in the "sub-provinces” of Judea and Galilee had to comply with the rules set out by the Syrian administration, and outranked Herod the king of Judea (Luke 1:5). So naming the current emperor tells us the era and naming the governor tells us who put boots on the ground. There’s another historical question. The Jewish historian Josephus records a census under Quirinius in AD 6, but Jesus was born before Herod the Great died in 4 BC, a gap of about ten years. There are a few credible explanations, including that Quirinius may have served in an earlier military or administrative role in Syria before his later, well-documented governorship. But Luke’s history has only been proven accurate, so we can trust his info. Verse 3 also isn't really quite as obvious as we picture. First, what percent of the world population was actually traveling at this point? And second, were they all traveling on the same weekend? Third, what even does own town mean? Birth place, because of local birth records? Family property? Most people probably didn't have to go home, they were home. And such a census was taken over the course of a year, so it's not like Bethlehem was the Leavenworth of Israel where everyone was going on the same weekend for the tree lighting. It wasn't a "special" occasion, even though in God's providence it became one for us. The Prophetic Destination (4-5) We first heard about Joseph in Luke 1:27; Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Apparently both Joseph and Mary lived in the town of Nazareth, which was in the region called Galilee. Joseph needed to travel for sake of obeying the census requirement. He had to go from Galilee south to Judea (no mention of Samaria), and he needed to go to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, about 90 miles away. This chapter (verses 4 and 11) is the only place in the Bible that refers to the city of David as other than Jerusalem. But Bethlehem was the hometown of David’s dad (Jesse, see 1 Samuel 17:12, 58), so it is accurate even if not frequent. All this suggests that “ancestral registration” was the reason for going to Bethlehem (Bock). We know from Micah 5 that the prophet foretold the birth of the messiah from a little town called Bethlehem. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2 ESV) Luke 2:5 is also surprising. Why was Mary traveling with him? She's still called his betrothed, which continues the theme that Mary and Joseph still had not met in the marriage bed. But why would the betrothed travel? Married, sure. Again the verse seems to answer that it's because she was with child. From his side, Joseph knew that he was to be responsible for this son (which we know because of Matthew's account). And since she was near her due date, Joseph wanted her with him. From her side, did Mary remember the prophecy? “he shall be great to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:4 ESV). The Pivotal Delivery (6-7) This has to be in the top three of most understated verses in the Bible. This does not describe the couple rolling into town late at night after all the other travelers took the best hotel rooms. They had been in Bethlehem for some unspecified number of days. Plus, again, it's not certain how many other out-of-towners there really were. And they didn't have hotels like we think of. They were there. She gave birth. That's the story. It was her firstborn son, a statement not necessarily about her having more kids, though we know she did. Firstborn is a key spot, the rightful heir, though usually it would be connected to the father. It was standard to wrap a kid in cloth, like a blanket. This would be part of the sign to the shepherds (see verse 12). The manger was a “feeding trough” for animals, which suggests a place where animals would be, like a stall, but there is no mention of actual animals in the room. Records show that many houses had a main room for the family, then an attached building or room, sometimes with a place for guests on top and storage/warm place for animals underneath. There is no mention of a grumpy inn keeper (named Guido). The word inn is also imagined more by us than what it probably was. The Greek word kataluma is the same word used for the upper room in Luke 22:11, so it's a guest room, not a commercial inn. Conclusion In The Last Battle, Lucy said, “in our world too, a stable once had something inside it that was bigger than our whole world.” What is significant: BC and AD, abbreviations for Before Christ and anno Domini, “in the year of our Lord.” The monk, Dionysius Exiguus, first reckoned years this way in 525 (while trying to calculate the date for Easter). We've got people pushing BCE/BE (Before Common Era and Common Era) these days, but if anyone asks why the change, it still gets back to the same thing: Jesus' birth. The years of the world’s history are measured according to God’s visit (remember Zechariah’s song, Luke 1:68 and 78). Luke describes the most significant birth in human history…and just moves on? The Messiah, the Son of David, the King of kings, the Most High in flesh, in the form of a humble baby. This is the pivotal moment in eternity. The birth of our Lord is when history hinged. God was sovereignly orchestrating world events to deliver on an ancient promise, and it arrived without any of the fanfare we'd expect. What is God putting into place today? Charge We are given apostolic application from the history and theology of Christ’s birth. Have the mind of Christ among yourselves (Phil 2:5). You do have this mind in Christ Jesus, you have the example of Christ. So, as you have been encouraged in Christ, seek the good of one another. Benediction: May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5–6 ESV)
Transcribe →Life After the Sunrise
Mar 15Tap to summarizeLife After the SunriseOr, Saved That We Might Serve HimZechariah is fired up that his mouth is opened. More than only a natural positive response, the Holy Spirit fills him with praise and prophecy. This is a spiritual song, we know it's an inspired song. It contains psalm-like reasoning, but we might want to make sure we know what he’s talking about. As Mary's song was called the Magnificat after the first word in the Latin translation, so Zechariah's song has been known as the Benedictus, also after the first word in Latin. It means “Blessed be.” It's the first explicit blessed be the Lord in Luke's book. It's blessing not as in favor from the Lord (as was said about Mary) but blessing the Lord for His favor. This spiritual praise song is not subjective, as in, it's not Zechariah's personal testimony of what the Lord taught him, though that would’ve been good. This spiritual praise song eventually gets around to Zechariah's own son, which would have been not only more personal but very appropriate. He had had an angel come from the Lord's presence to give that announcement. And yet this spiritual praise song is about God's promise to deliver Israel. It's not actually Christian, at least not like we think about Christian. On the timeline, the first disciples to be called Christians were those in Antioch (Acts 11:26), decades after this event in Luke 1. It’s also not really Christian in that it’s still focus on one nation, not all the nations. In fact this observation has added weight to the argument that Zechariah actually said it, and that he said it at this time before Jesus was even born, because it represents Jewish hopes and Jewish reasons for praising the Lord based on Old Testament Scriptures. Had it have been written later, let alone written by someone in the church long after and read back into Zechariah's mouth, the expectations would have been less physical and less national. So we've got evidence that recommends Zechariah's authorship, and good, but then maybe we have to ask, was Zechariah's approach immature? Was Zechariah wrong, as in, if he really knew what was going to happen with Jesus' ministry and teaching and death and resurrection, would he have edited his praise? Well, why did Luke include it, some 30 years after Jesus? Luke had the perspective. Luke could have tweaked it, he could have made an editorial comment, sort of like he did about John himself in verse 66, or he could have just left it out of his record altogether. But Luke offers no correction. Even more than that, the credit for this perspective of praise belongs not to Zechariah but to the Holy Spirit. This is exactly what the Spirit wanted sung, and then put in Scripture. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel." It’s in the first verse of the song! And it’s included to increase our certainty in what we’ve been taught, just as Zechariah himself had learned. Verse 67 tells us whose word this is, verse 80 gives a growing-up summary, and then the song is divided by two uses of the idea of visitation. Visited by the Deliverer (68-75) Verses 68-75 are one long sentence. It makes no sense to say that Israel means Jesus. In other places we do see that in some ways Jesus is the ultimate Israelite, one who is God’s Servant and completely faithful unlike Israel. But also Jesus is the one who saves Israel, He fulfills the promises for their good, not fulfills the promises in their stead. A person is involved. Without saying Jesus' name, Zechariah refers to this one that his son would announce as the horn of salvation, an image of battle and strength leading to victory (for example, Psalm 148:14). Think of an ox with horns, and so many warriors wore horned helmets to symbolize the power (see Deuteronomy 33:17, Bock). He's from the house of his servant David, part of the Davidic covenant, resonating with Gabriel's words to Mary (1:32). Salvation was promised by the holy prophets of old, they would be saved from our enemies. There would be the mercy promised to our fathers. God would remember his holy covenant, referring to the oath that he swore to our father Abraham. And again, delivered from the hand of our enemies. This salvation is not simply salvation of individual souls, but a generational, even militaristic salvation. There would be forgiveness of sins (see verse 77), but it's not spiritual only. For that matter, it is not saved to get off earth and into heaven. Zechariah looks to those who are saved to serve. The description at the end of verse 74 into verse 75 shows the purpose: that we...might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. There is no language here that limits serving to the temple or to certain days. It's all the days. This anticipates a life of serving not just following a set liturgy. Visited by the Dawn (76-79) The second section of the song is also one long sentence. It opens with a reference to John, but his name is not said (which Zechariah would have been a big deal to Zechariah since his faith to name his son John is what got his speech back). But in the song it’s not as much his son’s identity as it is his role. What a title: Prophet of the Most High. It's the third mention of the Most High in Luke 1. Gabriel said that Mary's son would be the Son of the Most High (verse 32), and it would be the power of the Most High that would cause Mary to conceive as a virgin (verse 35). This Most High was coming. The work of the prophet would be less predictive but still preparatory. The prophet would point to the Lord and also give knowledge of salvation, especially in the forgiveness of their sins. The ESV has tender mercy in verse 78. It’s σπλάγχνα ἐλέους, “bowels of mercy.” It’s the guts, the inward parts, the place where a man’s care comes from. Compassion moves the Lord. Mercy was promised (verse 72), and mercy is behind the prophet's message. Mercy is behind forgiveness, and mercy is behind the dawning of the sun, light to those in darkness, guidance and peace. The sunrise shall visit us from on high! He is the dawn, the “dayspring” (KJV), the “morning star.” He is the saving light! In verse 68, Zechariah uses the past tense, God "has visited" and redeemed His people, as a completed act. But then in verse 78 the same root verb appears in the future tense: the sunrise "shall visit us." So within a single hymn of praise, God's redemptive visitation is treated as both accomplished fact and coming reality. Many years ago near the end of my days living in Southern California I got tired of waking up to sun again every morning. “Again? Can’t there just be a cloud?” Now having lived in Marysville for almost 25 years, I have empathy for those who appreciate the sun. The sky is a great metaphor for our souls, and God is not tired of the light. And in one way, we live after the sunrise! In another way, we anticipate the sun even more. This is good news! This is hope connected to all sorts of Old Testament Scriptures. From the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, through the psalms of expectation and anticipation, to many prophets who spoke of the light. Conclusion Zechariah did not get to see all that he looked forward to. He was an old man when John was born, and there's no record of Zechariah's presence when John began his ministry thirty years later. We know more than Zechariah. But Luke wrote this part so that we would believe like Zechariah. Zechariah had learned his little-faithed lesson, doubting the word he'd received. The Benedictus is a song of believing. Luke wrote so that we'd have certainty in all that the Lord "spoke by the mouth of the prophets of old." This includes a future for the nation of Israel. Depending on how you count, we're only about 50 generations into the predominant rejection of Jesus as Lord by the Jews. How many should make us doubt the words of God’s covenants? This has not stopped the mercy of God. This has not changed God's Word. It does mean that parts of what Zechariah blessed God for are still to be seen. There are spiritual and political mercies still to come. The Most High has come, and He is coming again, He will visit (as verses 68, 78). We are saved to serve. Is it obvious that we are a people living in the sunrise, distinct from those still in darkness around us? Charge Christians, you are saved to serve. You were lost, you’ve been found, and now you are to be faithful. The Lord has filled your cup again as you have worshipped Him. Now you are called to be poured out again as a drink offering for the Lord this week. Don't hold back! Benediction: [May you be] strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:11–12 ESV)
Transcribe →Named by Faith
Mar 8Tap to summarizeNamed by FaithOr, The Birth of John the BaptistUnbelief shuts mouths. When we believe, we speak (as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:13), and when we don’t believe, we don’t want to say anything. This is a principle, and so the sign of silence given to Zechariah was a discipline that fit the doubt, a discipline aimed to grow faith. Zechariah was given an explicit message from the angel Gabriel who had come from God's presence (1:19). The priest’s first response was doubt. He didn't think it was possible that he and Elizabeth could have a child. He asked for a sign, and Gabriel said, “behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words” (1:20). The point of this paragraph is to record the birth of the Messiah's forerunner as announced by the angel. But it also shows the renewal of Zechariah's faith, and opens the door for people to start paying attention to God's mercy on the move. 1:57-66 A Surprise Birth (verses 57-58) Though the angel announced a son to the soon-to-be dad (1:5-25), dad's been quiet, in more ways than one, since Gabriel shut his mouth nine months ago. There was no mention of his direct interaction with Mary for the three months she stayed with Zechariah and Elizabeth. And even now that the due date has arrived, Zechariah is still not center stage. As prophesied, Elizabeth delivers a baby boy. It wasn’t a surprise to her, or Zechariah, but it would have been a big surprise to everyone else. She’d kept herself “hidden” (1:24). It appears that only now does she let her friends and family know. "Surprise! A son!" Any grief they might have given her for keeping them in the dark was surely good natured, because otherwise they rejoiced with her. This is at least the initial fulfillment of the angel's word: "you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth" (1:14). It’s a surprise, but a welcome one. Everyone recognized this was a sign of God's great mercy. Mercy was part of Mary’s song (verses 50 and 54), and mercy is a key part of Zechariah’s upcoming song (verses 72 and 78). When God moves, He moves with mercy. It's a theme, Old and New testament. Showing mercy to whom God desires to show mercy is at the core of God’s revelation of His glory (as the Lord said to Moses in Exodus 33:18-19). The gift of this boy was a gift of mercy. This also pokes at our simplistic definitions where we say mercy is not getting the judgment we deserve and grace is getting the good we didn't deserve. Mercy is a potent kind of compassion and relieving provision, not just a buffer or shielding protection. A Surprise Name (verses 59-63) There are numerous examples in the OT of parents naming their children on the day of birth. Sometimes they waited until sometime in the first week, and historical records show that was rarely done on the eighth day. The eighth day for a male child was the day for receiving the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant: circumcision (see Genesis 17:12, which was part of Paul’s testimony in Philippians 3:5). They came, mother and father. But what has Zechariah been doing? The neighbors remarked about God’s mercy to her, they rejoiced with her (verse 58). We know he’s been silenced, but what has he been thinking? As well meaning relatives often do, they’re talking with all their assumptions. The boy's name would be his father's name. At the least it would be a family name. But Elizabeth speaks up: No, he shall be called John. How did she know this? Did Zechariah write it out for her? Did the Holy Spirit directly reveal it to her? The text doesn’t explicitly answer that question. Regardless, the people assume she can’t be right. She's not following the proper procedure. So they tried to get Zechariah's answer. Two things argue that Zechariah was both mute and deaf. First, they made signs, they motioned, gestured, did baby-naming charades. If he could hear, they could just ask and he could make signs. Second, if he could hear, then he also could have just pointed at Elizabeth and indicated that her answer was true. But they all wondered, which was before he started talking. They wondered: how could Zechariah and Elizabeth be on the same page? He asked, obviously with motions, for a writing tablet. It was a small piece of wood dipped in wax. (There's a great analogy related to this in 1 Peter 2:21, with letters carved directly onto the wood for a student to trace over, it was “under writing,” which is often translated as “example.”) Zechariah wrote the reality: His name is John. No questions. For the first time since talking with the angel, Zechariah sees what he’s supposed to do. He names John by faith. And this opens doors for more faith, for more wonder, and for talking. And again they Wondered. Little did they know, and they really did only know a little. A Surprise Response (verses 64-66) Zechariah didn’t know how or when he'd speak again. It happened just as he was told (1:20), but not like he expected. If he remembered the timing, "until the day that these things take place," wouldn't he have assumed that the "things" was the birth? But it's been eight days since then. Was he starting to think that maybe the "things" wouldn't be until John's ministry? What point in John’s ministry? How many father's hearts needed to be turned to their children (1:17)? Zechariah would have been the first one surprised that he could speak again. John was named by faith. Zechariah obeyed by faith and Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed. Both of these images are physical with figurative implications. He could talk again, and however it was connected, he could hear also. His first words were praise, blessing God. We'll hear more of his praise in verses 68-79. God opened and loosed (passive voice verbs), Zechariah responded, and so did the group respond by spreading the story. They were talking (the imperfect tense of the verb indicates an ongoing behavior). "What just happened? Did you hear about the old guy and his wife?" Luke doesn't say, but how much did Zechariah now get to tell Elizabeth? How much did Zechariah tell the others about what happened to him, the rest of the angel's message? It seems that he must have included some specifics, because as people talked, they realized that there was more to come. They laid them up in their hearts, saying What then will this child be? “The act of storing in the heart implies not only incomprehension, but also an openness to clarification in the future, a preparedness to live with unclarity in the hope that there will come a time when the puzzling signs will disclose their true meaning.” (Coleridge quoted in Garland) This is faith. They are paying attention, and also realize they need to keep paying attention. It looks like the start of something significant, but not everything is in the picture yet. They didn’t rush to judgement, but they also didn’t wait for complete hindsight. Luke adds a comment as narrator: For the hand of the Lord was with him. This is a reference to John, though he's just a newborn. It turns out, there is a reference to his "public appearance" as a grown man and prophet, but that is another thirty years from now. Conclusion How many moments of questioning did Zechariah have in those eight days? How many moments of questioning did these people have for the next thirty years? How many generations had been questioning for the four centuries since Malachi's prophecy about a prophet (Luke 1:16-17 from Malachi 4:5-6)? Mercy moves manifestly, more at some times than others, and mercy does not always look like we thought it would. But mercy always comes because God said it would. Zechariah was silenced for nine months and eight days because of his unbelief. God showed mercy to him and opened his mouth the moment he acted in faith. What has your unbelief cost you? What would obedience open up for you right now? Is there anything you know from God’s Word that you’re supposed to do but that your little-faith is keeping you from? Charge Christian, your whole life is to be an embodied, "Amen." What you have received in God’s Word, believe. What example you have seen from Christ, follow. May you bless the Lord, and may the hand of the Lord be on all your work. Benediction: May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 3:5 ESV)
Transcribe →Magnify the Lord
Mar 1Tap to summarizeMagnify the LordOr, Blessed Is She Who BelievedLuke weaves together the stories of two sons in the first couple chapters of his book. There's an announcement for each, and then the birth of each. But the section we're considering today is in between, when the two moms meet. Mary's response to Elizabeth's response lets us stop and worship a little though no kid has even been born yet. Mothers' Meeting (verses 39-45) Mary got more of a sign than she expected. The angel told her that her barren relative Elizabeth was going to have a baby. Mary went with haste, with spoude. It was probably a 3-4 day walk over 80+ miles and, though the text doesn’t explicitly say one way or another, it seems that she went alone. Elizabeth had been staying at home; she hadn't really talked to anyone, including her husband Zechariah, for six months. Enter Mary. And when Mary said hello, Elizabeth didn't jump as if startled, but her baby jumped as if recognizing something. Elizabeth was excited, but the baby moved on his own. Inside-baby John was taking his first prophetic steps. We know this because the Holy Spirit enabled Elizabeth to know this. She knew why her baby leapt, she knew something about Mary that maybe no one else on the planet knew, maybe more than even Mary at that very moment. Elizabeth knew that Mary was pregnant, and the window for conception was probably just a week or at most two. And somehow, again by the direct communication of the Spirit, Elizabeth knew that Mary's child was the Lord. You’ll sometimes hear the term Theotokos/Θεοτόκος, “bearer of God” or interpreted as “mother of God” in the Hail Mary prayer. This is not meant to focus on Mary’s status as much as it is to clarify that the human baby Jesus was also God from the moment of conception. The Council of Ephesus (AD 431) affirmed this truth against the idea that the divine and human natures of Jesus were completely separate. It's blesseds all around. Mary is blessed because of her calling to mother this Son of God (verse 42), and Mary is blessed because she believed the revelation of God (verse 45). Both of these are passive forms, emphasizing again that Mary is a recipient of God’s favor (as in 1:28). The fruit of the womb is also blessed, and Elizabeth knows who He is and that she has been blessed to even be in her Lord's presence. This is the first, but not the last time, Jesus is identified as Lord in Luke. By the Spirit Elizabeth is able to interpret the womb jumping as a conscious reaction of her son and also interpret it as his joyful reaction. John was jumping for joy that Jesus was there. Mary believed that there would be a fulfillment . God does what He says He will do. One part about this scene that is easy to see as quaint/serene that is anything but, is the small number of people that know about any of this and the location of the revelation. Two women, one past child bearing age and the other pre-wed, and an old man who's been mute and deaf for half a year, couldn't tell anyone if he wanted. The Holy Spirit Himself, not an angel, has come and made known that God is moving, but the spiritual forces of evil are in the dark. More is at play than two hormonal but giddy pregnant ladies getting together one afternoon. Mary's Magnificat (verses 46-56) More than wondering how Mary could talk like this, maybe we should ask why don't we? We have our own complete copies of the canon, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and we should be talking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Mary makes us look quite immature, and ignorant. Luke is the only author who included the "songs" of Mary and Zechariah; one commentator pointed out that they are like what we think of as an aria, a solo. Such poetic hymns are not out of context, but they are interruptions to the action. The pause helps us. Life is not quite a musical, but sometimes you need a song to sort of let you sit in the moment and soak up what's happening around you. Mary's song came to be called the Magnificat after the first word in the Latin translation (see also Psalm 34:2-3). It's a hymn of praise. She praises God for how He's treating her, how He's working for all those who fear Him, and how He's fulfilling His covenant with Abraham in particular to the house of Jacob. It’s full of Old Testament echoes, Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-2) and Habakkuk (3:18), Psalms of conflict and of covenant. Was it an immediate impromptu? No matter, it is persuasive. For Mary Herself (verses 46-49) Look at all the first person singulars, "my" and "me." Mary understands that the Lord is great and that God is her Savior. She is not great, she is of humble estate. She wasn't powerful or influential in a way the world would recognize, though now we do recognize her as the recipient of great things that God did for her. Here we are, another generation, calling her blessed. For God-Fearers (verses 50-53) God has been working from generation to generation. His work includes mercy, protection, and food for those who depend on Him. God has scattered the proud. He resists those who self-exalt their own self-sufficiency. One of the themes we'll see throughout Luke is the rich and the poor. I read a book called The Good of Affluence (by John Schneider) and will be referencing it, and recommending it, throughout this series. There is a simplistic way to become a Marxist, believing that "all the rich are evil and all the poor are saints." It is true that many of the "haves" deserved judgment. But there are at least four groups, not two. There are Haves and Have-Nots, and there are the humble and the proud. There are humble Haves and proud Haves, even if having is a great temptation to pride. There are also humble Have-Nots and proud Have-Nots, those who think they don't deserve the trouble. A genuine Marxist is mad at the mistreatment, and can take matters into his own hands like nobody's business. In other words, the economic status is a visible factor, but it is the spiritual condition that is determinative. God does not endlessly bless the proud, even if for a while it seems like they are getting away with it. God does not endlessly burden the poor, even if they go through long stretches of struggle. Taking the long view of history, generations at a time, those who fear God see God reversing the surface answers. Mary sees another application of this through the boy in her belly. For Abraham's Offspring (verses 54-55) We can celebrate a lot of things in addition to the things in these two verses, but we cannot change what Mary celebrates. The Lord has helped his servant Israel. It's common in some circles to hear that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the promises to Israel. That Jesus Himself is the servant, the true Israel. And while that is one description of Him, Mary is talking about her nation not about the Messiah. In fact, God is helping Israel at this very moment by sending Israel's Messiah. This is because God loves to show his mercy. It's an ancient promise. The patriarchs (Isaac and Jacob) and others, starting with the covenant to Abraham to give Abraham offspring plural, while also recognizing Jesus in a unique way as the offspring singular. They became a nation, and Jesus came "for the Jew first and also for the Gentile," though the work of her Son for those outside Israel was not in Mary's mind at this moment. The Church that Jesus is building is great (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 3:10), but the church is not the fulfillment of this praise. Mary’s praise is more particular. According to verse 56 Mary went back home about the time that Elizabeth was due. The next scene is of John’s birth, but Mary isn’t mentioned. Conclusion Of course there are people, especially “scholars,” who think they know so much that they know that there's no way Mary could have come up with all this. Again, maybe her verbal first draft got some later edits. But she had something to say for praise because she’d heard what God had said previously. Mary sang because she knew the Bible (without actually having one). Do we? And one of the reasons Mary responded by believing the revelation she was given is because she'd already been meditating on the revelation she had heard. When the Word dwells in us our words are full of wisdom and lyrics and thankfulness (see Colossians 3:16). Is our confidence in God low because we’re consuming other things? Certainty (1:4) comes from God’s Word by God’s Spirit! Even Luke’s words are written that the Found would be faithful to magnify the Lord! Charge Beloved, walk by the Spirit. Let the Spirit lead as He fills you with hope in God’s Word. Live by the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit, as He enables you to LIVE IN HUMILITY, not becoming conceited, or provoking, or envying one another. (Galatians 5:25–26) Benediction: Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:5b–7 ESV)
Transcribe →The Virgin's Son
Feb 22Tap to summarizeThe Virgin's SonOr, Nothing Will Be Impossible with GodThe birth of a son to an old, barren couple would be doubtful, highly improbable. The birth of a son to a virgin would be unheard of, truly unimaginable. John would be great before God. Jesus would be great because He is God. John would fulfill prophecies in turning hearts to the Lord. Jesus would fulfill prophecies and be the one to whom the people turned. Luke starts off with quite a bang in the first chapter of his history book. There are, on the one hand, some details that just don't fit with what you expect on the day to day. And on the other hand, the more we read, the more Luke may have actually understated some of the reality. Luke 1:26-28 is a second birth announcement, of a different son to different parents, who would also fulfill national expectations. No one else has been born like this, no one else has a life like His. An Unprecedented Choice (verses 26-27) Luke recorded the setting of John's birth announcement: in the days of Herod's rule in Judea, and the appearance took place in the temple in Jerusalem. Luke also provides the setting for Jesus' birth announcement: a place nowhere near as important, which makes it all the more unprecedented. In the sixth month refers to how far along Elizabeth was in her pregnancy (the angel says so in verse 36). And now the angel appears in a city, more like a small town, named Nazareth. Galilee was a region like Judea, north of Judea (and Samaria). Nazareth was the kind of place not printed on most maps. It was Nothing-special-ville. The angel Gabriel is back. Readers who've continued from the beginning might either ask, "Another angel appearance?" or "Is Gabriel going to be a big player in this book?" Spoiler: this is his final scene, never mentioned after this in the rest of the New Testament. Gabriel doesn’t give his name to her; maybe Mary and Zechariah compared notes later. But this time Gabriel surprises a small town, unmarried, unknown young woman. Since a young woman could become betrothed after 12, she’s also likely a teenager, though we’re never told her age. Before we learn her name, we learn that 1) she is a virgin, which turns out to be cosmically and soteriologically significant, and 2) she is betrothed, as in promised in marriage, to a Davidson, first name Joseph. New sentence at the end of verse 27, just so we can catch the key point: And the virgin's name was Mary. Old women have been blessed with babies on occasion, but this has never been done before. An Impossible Announcement (verses 28-37) A Surprising Greeting (verses 28-30) Did Gabriel try a different approach based on how Zechariah responded? Now Gabriel starts with a greeting. Some parts of this interaction were re-ordered in the 11th century into the liturgical prayer, Ave, Maria, meaning, "Hail, Mary." At least the angel tries to start off with something positive. Mary, as I think is fair, is at least confused. Luke doesn't say that she knows she’s talking to an angel, he does say that she's not sure what sort of greeting this might be. Favored one, how so? The Lord is with me, in what way? Like he did to Zechariah, Gabriel tells her "Don't be afraid." But unlike to Zechariah, Gabriel hasn't come to say her prayers have been heard, he comes to say you have found favor with God. In other words, you're not in trouble. In other words, you've been chosen for something. In other words, your life is about to be forever changed. Roman Catholic “theologians,” who are philosophical eisegetes, claim that Mary is “full of grace.” This claim is partially based on a misunderstanding of the Latin translation of this verse, and partially based on wishful and willful ignorance. They present Mary as a dispenser of grace, as if God sees her and wants her on his team. That is not what this text means. She is the object of God’s favor, she is not a source of it. A Scriptural Fulfillment (verses 31-33) I like the formula, "little did he know." It's a literary device called the third person omniscient, found in some books where the narrator says things he knows that the character does not. In these three verses, Gabriel says less than he knows. But at the same time he says more than what the Old Testament books put together reveal. It’s also more than what Mary could have fully grasped. Some of these things took early church a few centuries to realize. Jesus fulfills God’s Word. Behold, and here it comes. The announcement to Zechariah fulfilled a promise, this is bigger. For Mary, she's going to get pregnant, the gender is male, and his name already chosen. Not only does that take some of the fun out of it, how's she going to explain this? For her son, this is a Christological cornucopia. This Jesus: will have no biological father, conceived while she remains unwed. will be great, as in, great on His own (more than John who will be “great before the Lord” verse 15). will have another name, Son of the Most High, which is not just a title, but a statement of deity, of His divine nature. “The Most High” is a description of God. is destined for royal and ruling authority as the Davidic Covenant expected (2 Samuel 7), to have the throne. will reign over the house of Jacob. Jacob is the father of the 12 Tribes whom the Lord called Israel; Herod's kingship over Judea is nothing. There is a national future. this reign will be forever, no end. And if this Son Himself is this kind of king, then He will need to live longer than your usual king. (Think Psalm 89:3-4) Some of this is corroborated again in a moment, and a couple more parts are added. And, this isn’t even all that her Son will be or do. Mary, did you know? Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. (Isaiah 9:7 ESV) A Supernatural Explanation (verses 34-37) At least according to Luke, Mary only asks one question. It is a good question, and her question reveals a couple very important things. But also, she's really accepting of all the rest? Unlike Zechariah she does not express disbelief (verses 18, 20), she apparently believes the what but wonders at the how. How is she going to get pregnant "since I do not know a man," a euphemism for the intimacy of the marriage bed. The question is unnecessary unless she knew that the angel was talking about a miraculous conception. She was betrothed, she would get married, then she could have a kid. That's the how of most conceptions. But she realizes that she's going to be pregnant before that. The angel does not rebuke her, and also gives her a sign, but a good one. First he says that the conception will be by the creative power of the Holy Spirit. Human agency is great, and often used by God to accomplish His purposes, but there’s none of that here. Her pregnancy will result from the power of the Most High, and so her Son will be the Son of the Most High (verse 32). Therefore, as a result, the coming Son will be called holy--the Son of God. Second, the sign will be that Elizabeth, her relative, is also pregnant. Elizabeth had been hiding herself for the last five months, Mary would not have known, but the barren one was going to have a baby. For nothing will be impossible with God. All the repeated emphasis on Mary’s status as virgin is to point to God not her. “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14). No! An Exceptional Response (verse 38) We might be tempted to say, "Wait a minute." Mary says, amen. According to Luke's retelling, and of course Mary herself would be the source of this interaction, there are no more questions, and more importantly, no apparent doubts. "Okay, we're strapped in to the ride, let’s go.” She’s got a five-point harness of faith. This is what submission to God looks like: improbable, unlikely, and clear. Then Gabriel left. Always get out before the Q&A starts. Conclusion We’re still in the first chapter and the birth of the Messiah has been announced. John is good, Jesus is God. When you have hope when it’s heavy, when you forgive those who sin against you and hurt you, when you love your enemies, when you walk by faith, and others ask how it’s possible. Tell them, there’s even more where that came from. Tell them you serve the God of the impossible. Vive fide = Live by faith. Each one of you who confess that Jesus is Lord are favored by God. The Lord is with you, His own Spirit dwells in you. You serve the Son of a virgin, you serve the God of the impossible. What can man possibly do to you? Live by faith! Benediction: Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. (2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV)
Transcribe →Parenting Tune-Up Q&A
Feb 15Tap to summarizeParenting Tune-Up Q&ASome Q&A with the elders
Transcribe →On the Job
Feb 15Tap to summarizeOn the JobOr, A Parent's Work Is Never DoneI said this morning that it’s easy, but foolish, to assume that everyone is thinking and doing all the good things. When it comes to the glorious responsibilities and privileges of parenting nothing goes without saying. So, let's say some things. Here are nine (9 is my favorite number) hard earned pieces of wisdom for your parenting life. A parent's work is never done, and that means more than just another load of laundry. You are on the job, there's a lot to learn on the job, and here’s a laundry list. 1. Be the adult. The hospital does not hand out Owner's Manuals to new parents when discharging a newborn. This appears to be a great oversight. No one even asks if you know how to install the carseat. And, if you are old enough to figure out how to reproduce, then you are old enough to figure out what to do with the fruit. You are certainly responsible to do the adulting. Being the adult does not mean being the biggest child. It does not mean you get to have the winning bad attitude. So much of life is a "wicked learning environment" (a category I find helpful that I read about in the book, Range by David Epstein). In this environment the rules aren't immediately clear, the feedback doesn't immediately come, and the consequences are significantly high. Playing checkers and being a doctor in the emergency room are different. Life is tough. But it's not your kids job to figure it out or tell you how to do your job. 2. Care like you’re your kids' only parents. Let's use productivity as an analogy for parenting for a moment. What pen you use does not make you a better writer no matter how many podcasts you listen to about it, what app you use does not make you a better thinker. Fiddling with the system, ad nauseam, may feel like progress but it is just productivity theater. Not only that, outsourcing your care (to AI) or delegating it (to a person) so that you don’t need to learn or care misses the point. It's one thing to find a force multiplier, it's another thing to hand off care that costs you nothing. It is your job to care. No one else's care is the same, nor is anyone else going to care like a parent. 3. Never show shock. Kids say the darndest things. Kids say the most honest and rude things. These days, the most protected kids still get exposed to crazy, and wicked, things. They will have questions that will tempt you to flip out, let alone reports about when they already flipped out in front of your friends. I am not saying to be unshockable, I am saying to be an unshakable person your kids know they can talk to about anything, and keep your shock to conversations between spouses. More on this below in #8. 4. Ask more questions. This is not because you are the 21st century Inquisition, but because you are interested and because you don't want to be a fool. When you answer a matter before you hear it, you are the fool (Proverbs 18:13). When you only listen to one side of the story, you are the fool (Proverbs 18:17). When the surface story seems convenient, when the details don't match up, when you want to find out how better to bless and encourage and affirm, get them to talk. Note: not every kid opens up the same way, or even the same way to both parents. Find the right spot, a good angle, use your strengths, and have a curious approach. 5. Develop your gut. Answer a fool according to his folly, or don't (Proverbs 26:4-5). How do you know which and when? There are a lot of options. Push or Punt, Plead or Lead, Ask or Exhort, Gas or Brake. Are you dealing with delicates or denim, sweat or grass stain? If you get value from personality type sort of discussions, or you get value from talking through characters in books and movies, or you get value from being ruthless with your own strengths and sins, even temptations to sin, let it keep updating the system, your radar, your vibe-sensors, your response arsenal. This kind of "gut" is a way to talk about wisdom in the moment. 6. Plan to win by grace through faith, trusting God. Another way to summarize Ephesians 6:4 is that we are raising Christians. Almost every time I talk about this, a tender-hearted father comes up to me and explains that he doesn't think this is possible. We can do everything right, but it's a crap shoot whether or not all the kids turn out alright, let alone believe in Jesus. Parenting is not a vending machine, but it is hard enough without doing it and always wondering if what you’re doing matters. “He that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30 KJV). Grace! Faith! Win! 7 . Consider cause and effect (reaping what you sow) and second level consequences (how it affects the field for next season). Galatians 6:7-9. God is not mocked, effects have causes just like fruits have roots. Read the book Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt; it’s not about parenting per se, but by analogy, the point is that your decisions and work take effect in layers. When God blesses you to see your children’s children, it will be more a blessing if your children don’t have to warn their children about you. 8. Transform their energy, down from bad crazy and up from good ideas. Do NOT ramp up or reward their envy, self-pity, or otherwise lack of emotional self-control. Bad things happen, people are mean and jerks, but we want our kids to learn both that we care and also that we don't need to move into Bitterville. But also, DO look to affirm and pile-on to half-baked in the right direction sort of ideas. Changing analogies, you move from being the rudder to wind in sails. You are helping more and more to move this ship, less and less to steer. Wind doesn't wait for sails, and wind makes it harder to go in some directions, which can be used for good. 9. Be thankful. The diaper blow out, the dried spaghetti sauce, the ripped knee, the outgrown shoes, the slow progress, the late-night question, the developing skills that need extra resources and the unique struggles that need extra attention, these are part of God's will. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Get GREAT at gratefulness, about your kids (to God, to your spouse, to others), and to your kids. This does not mean there are not (big) problems to solve. But if you wait to be thankful until there are only things to be thankful, more will be lost than just your own joy. As Jonathan says, thankful people are more fun to bless, and they are also more fun to follow/obey. Conclusion It is a lifelong effort with seasonal changes, but the most frustrating part will be thinking that you can get it all figured out and then be done. Take off that wrong expectation that burdens, and embrace that the work is never done. You are on the job, learning on the job. There is always something to learn and work to do and care to show. Praise God!
Transcribe →