School Is in Session
It’s August; summer is still here but August means that school is just around the corner, from
Kindergarten to College. So, let’s all make-believe pretend that we’re back in school for a moment. But
maybe we won’t have to pretend at all!
Who is wise, or just plain smart? What makes one person smarter than the next? Is it the gift of a good education? Is it the luck of being born with the DNA of a genius? When we ask this question, life provides a surprising answer. It’s not about nature or nurture. Who is wise? “He/she who learns from
everyone, and who has the fear of the LORD—for this fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom/knowledge”. (Proverbs 1:7), and its opposite is true … fools despise wisdom and discipline.
It doesn’t matter if you are Albert Einstein, a Harvard graduate, or a dunce-cap hillbilly like me. We can (and should) all learn, and all of us have the ability to do so. The wisest people of all are those who
never stop learning. Proverbs 3 (the entire chapter) spells this out clearly.
The Elder of Kelm, a 19th century Lithuanian rabbi, pointed out that while most animals are born with the innate ability to care for their own basic needs, human beings were intentionally created as
vulnerable and incapable to care for themselves when they are born. Babies are completely dependent on their parents and caretakers. The Rabbi explained that God purposely did this so we would be
prepared to learn from our parents and others—and especially learning from God.
Some see themselves as complete and perfect. No learning or growing necessary! They have arrived, so to speak, and hence they have shut down, and stopped learning by growing. May none of us
ever be like this!
Are you fully aware that you were born incomplete — in fact, that you have barely begun you growth
process even as an adult? You have a lifetime to develop into a complete human being. So, the Christian life is always about growing, changing, and maturing to be like Christ all of the time. Life would be your classroom — complete with teachers and guidance counselors, field trips and tests — and the
learning never ends, unless you stop it. I’ve invited you to make Paul’s statement in Philippians 3:10
your own, for the rest of your life: “I want to know Christ (more)….”
We all have much to learn, and school is always in session — whether we realize it or not. The Bible is our textbook and there will be tests. There will be pop-quizzes and homework and important projects that we can work on together with fellow classmates. Our teachers will change, and we will never know who the next one will be. Some we will love and will make us feel good; others we won’t enjoy quite as
much, but God will always be teaching you to be more like Jesus.
School is in session, so we might as well pay attention, study diligently, and learn so that when school
comes to a close, we will pass our final exam with flying colors!
—pastor Douglas
Just Me!
I love it when something in a Scripture jumps out at me that I’ve never realized before – especially if
it’s in a passage I’ve read many times before. That happened recently as I was reading through John 14 as l was preparing a funeral message. I’ve read this chapter countless times, and have preached on
different portions often through my years of ministry – but I had never noticed the incredible significance
of vs. 22.
Jesus is preparing His disciples for His death, and His departure from this earth. He’s laying out His plan to use them to begin a movement that was to reach the entire earth with the news of the
Gospel. Prior to this time in John 14, much of Jesus ministry was to the “multitudes”. It was just back in chapter 11 that the entire city of Jerusalem lined the streets for the triumphal entry. Now, however, Jesus is focusing primarily on the disciples and their part in His plan. Judas (not Iscariot) must have noticed this change in emphasis, and was puzzled. That’s when he asked the question that literally
changed everything. “LORD, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” That question marks a pivotal point in the ministry of Jesus, and the answer lays the foundation
for all that the church is to accomplish today.
If my conclusion about the significance of this question is correct, then it is absolutely fascinating to
see whom God used to ask it, and Jesus’ answer itself. About the only thing we know about the ordinary Judas (not Judas Iscariot) is that his name is Judas – but he was NOT ‘Judas Iscariot’ who deceived
Jesus. He was Judas – but NOT that one!!! Of all the disciples we know almost the least about, it was this Judas. I love this! God loves to use the ordinary, average people. This pivotal question is asked by
one of the least significant, known disciples. That means there’s hope for me—and you!
So, what is the question? “Why are you telling us all this stuff and not the whole world
yourself?” Think about it! God could have chosen many ways to proclaim the Gospel. He could have chosen to write verses of Scripture in the clouds every morning. He could speak with an awesome voice from the heavens. He could have designed Scripture plants with the Gospel inscribed on the leaves. He could have chosen to use well-known people to proclaim and spread His Word—The Gospel! He could
have done anything He wanted to – but He chose to use individuals and even ordinary, every-day people—His church to be the instruments of proclaiming the good news. Even especially every-day
ordinary people!
Ordinary Judas was asking Jesus, “How come you’re telling us, this small group of your followers, all this stuff? Why aren’t you telling the whole world yourself?” Jesus was saying to Judas, “Well, that’s
going to be your job!”
Indeed, shortly after this – His bodily presence was gone (back to heaven), the church was created
which is made up of Judases and Johns and Joann’s and Jerrys and Julias and Jessies… well, you get
the idea! We are the ones who have the awesome privilege of proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel. Yep, it was the question that changed everything, and Jesus revealed this to ordinary, little-
known Judas – NOT to the well-known Judas Iscariot.
So, you may think that you aren’t very important or worthy…you may think that you are ‘just me’, and not much more. But ‘just me’ is very important to God, and to building God’s kingdom! And so I have kind of adopted ‘just me’ as one of my nicknames! God uses ‘just me1 and ’just you’ to do nothing less
than accomplish His very will! Living out and proclaiming The Gospel!
So may you live for Him, because He died for you!
—just me, pastor Douglas