In It For The Money

In the past few days I have received news of the deaths of three people that I have had contact with through the years. There is so much emotional pain associated with death. The emotions range from guilt to loneliness. There are those however who refuse to acknowledge the subject of death and dying, and those who disguise their discomfort by humorous remarks or dark comedy.

Yet for some of us we live in the twilight between this world and the next and we can almost see with reality that first face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only a thin veil it seems shading the spirit world from our material eyes. And, sometimes it seems the angels blow the veil just enough so that we can catch a quick glimpse of the other side.

As one reads Dante's Divine Comedy written in the early 1300's one can almost imagine that he was allowed to see beyond the veil. Dante writes extensively in the section of his book called "Inferno" regarding the levels of hell and those who populate each level. As he comes to the lowest level in hell, there Satan is frozen in ice up to his waste for all eternity. In Dante's novel he sees Satan while frozen for all eternity chewing on Judas and two others without end. In other words, Judas, the betrayer of Jesus is in the coldest part of hell and in the very mouth of Satan because of his cold and calculated betrayal of Jesus.

In Mark 14 we read Marks clear and concise narrative of Judas's betrayal of Jesus. It is such a stark contrast of good and evil and Mark sets the betrayal just after Mary of Bethany had anointed Jesus.

"Judas Iscariot, the man who was once of the Twelve, went away to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. When they had listened to his offer they were delighted, and they promised to give him money. So he began to search for a convenient method of betraying him."

It not surprising that no one ever names their child Judas. In fact I understand there is a law in Germany that forbids parents from naming their child Judas. It is a name that is synonymous with treachery and back stabbing at its lowest form. A quick glance at Judas causes us to wonder how he could have done something so horrific.

Judas was part of the inner circle and was privy to many of the miracles of Jesus, His amazing teaching, and His compassion towards those devoted followers. Judas was a privileged person from our point of view. He walked and talked with Jesus on a daily basis and was placed in the prominent role as treasurer for the group of disciples.

Maybe Judas signed up with Jesus because he heard Him speak of a new kingdom with amazing rewards. Maybe Judas was looking for a position of authority and power, not to mention monetary gain. John tells us in his Gospel that Judas had some basic character issues that the other disciples were aware of. Last week we read the story of Mary in Bethany pouring expensive perfume on Jesus as she showed love and appreciation for Him. The disciples, especially Judas got upset by her action stating that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. John says in regards to Judas' comments, "He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money he used to help himself to what was put into it."

Judas was in it for the money! He was a man who was so filled with self that out of him came greed, stealing, jealousy, covetousness and a host of other sins. When Judas realized Jesus was going to the cross and the new kingdom was not going to happen, at least as he saw it, then he sold out Jesus-for money of course.

Why are we following Jesus? Are we in it for the money? Have we continued on in the church because we are hoping to get something out of it? Are we, like Judas, motivated by self when we drive into the church parking lot on Sundays?

We must be reminded that the greatest gift that God can give to us is Himself. To understand where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going is by far the most wonderful blessing we can have. We are allowed to see the "big picture" and understand that monetary rewards and earthly comforts are way down the rung as far as what God wants to do in and through us.

Last night while flipping through the channels on my television I saw three different preachers all talking about the money that God wants to give me, if I just give their ministry some money first. Give me a break! It boggles my mind that people are still out there who believe this line. I just cannot imagine Jesus preaching the message I heard last night. In fact, the Sermon on the Mount teaches us just the opposite of what these self serving kingdom builders are preaching on air waves. One of the men I saw last night I actually met years ago. He went into a rage because the wrong kind of car was used to pick him up at the airport. It was a nice van but it was supposed to be a limousine as his staff had requested. The spirit of Judas is still alive!

I have said it many times and I will continue to say it, be very careful of your motives for following Jesus Christ. Judas looked good; fit right in with the other eleven. He could sound as pious as any priest, but he was filled with selfish greed and ambition.

May I encourage you to read Dante’s Divine Comedy even though his theology may not quite match up with yours? The one thing it will make you do is think, reason and examine your heart, and that’s a good thing.

God Be With You,

Dan

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved

Reckless Love and Extravagant Appreciation

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial." (Mark 14:6-8)

Reckless love for Jesus! It is something we really see very little of. Extravagant displays of appreciation to God are foreign to many of us. Giving as little as possible and doing as little as possible are more the norm of the Christian church. Yet in this narrative, Jesus shocks us with His very own appreciation for reckless love and extravagant appreciation.

As Jesus stops in Bethany on His way to the cross he reclines for a meal with His friends and followers. As we see from reading this account in the other Gospels, Mary of Bethany breaks a white jar of perfume and pours it over Jesus. It is believed that this type of expensive perfume came from a plant root that is found near the Himalayan Mountains. The pouring of scented water or perfume was a normal practice by those hosting special guests. If the guest was a person of great honor then they would pour out the perfume and break the jar so that no person of lesser importance would ever use the same perfume or oil.

Jesus thought it was a wonderful act of kindness and yet those around him thought it a total waste of money. Such hypocrisy comes from Judas the betrayer who spouts off that the money could have been used to help the poor, like he really cared about the poor. Jesus tells them plainly that they could have been helping the poor all along and that the poor can be helped in the future as well, but this is a special gift which he appreciates.

As Jesus prepares for a week where people will mock him, spit on him, pull out his beard, beat him until he is unrecognizable and finally nail him to a cross to die, this last act of kindness is so appreciated by Him. Jesus once again uses the event and conversations to teach his followers as He speaks of the perfume as preparation for his burial to come, but in His humanity, He truly appreciates this extravagant gift given in reckless love.

Jesus says of her gift, "She has done a beautiful thing to me." The NIV translation does a good job of translating that word "good". There are two words that can be used for "good", one meaning "morally good" and the other meaning "lovely" or "beautiful". Mary was so caught up in the emotion that she poured the whole bottle of perfume on Jesus, and Jesus said it was a "lovely thing to do."

Mary was not thinking of the cost because it truly was worth a years wages for the average person of that day. Mary had this one opportunity to be extravagant for the Lord, and she took it. She did not hesitate, she did not debate it, she did not reason it out, she just acted out of love.

I confess once again I am startled by this account. I am rattled when I see how much my Lord appreciated her act of kindness towards Him. So I ask myself, "If her act of love meant so much to Him, then when do I show reckless love and extravagant appreciation?" The bigger question for us all might be, "How do we show this kind of appreciation?"

A friend of mine was telling me of a super bowl party he went to. As the game went on and the drinks were flowing the mixed crowd got a bit out of control. Even in this public place some of the women started doing things that were, well, not morally good. My friend said as soon as that activity started he got up and left the room because he knew God would not want him there.

It was his love for his Lord that caused him to leave the room with diet coke in hand, even though his flesh may have desired to stay. Jesus is thrilled when we consciously make a decision to act in a way that is pleasing to Him. Mary's actions were connected to her heart-not her head! The Father, Son and Holy Spirit long for us to make decisions of the heart to show our love and appreciation for them.

I live near Avila Beach here in Central California. Avila is a Spanish name and there is a city in Spain of the same name. In the 16th century there was a nun who the Catholics now affectionately call, St. Teresa of Avila. I have only read a bit of her life and journals but she had a profound love for Christ, much like Mary of Bethany. In one of her books, she writes, "Since He does not force our will, He takes only what He is given; but He does not give completely of Himself until he sees that we have given all we have to Him."

Isn't that what Paul meant when he said, "Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice" to our Lord and Savior? This week make it your goal to do an act of kindness at least once while you say out loud, "Lord I am doing this because I love you!" Maybe you sacrifice something, or maybe you give to someone, or maybe you just sit reading and meditating on Scripture while talking to Him. "Lord, I am doing this because I love you!" Be reckless in your love and extravagant in your appreciation for Him. Jesus longs for it!

Bless you my friend,

Dan

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved

Joy in Contentment

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Joy in Contentment
(passage from A Joy That Is Real by Dan Owens)

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:10-13

Have you ever received money you weren't expecting? Perhaps you were going through a tough time financially, and just when you didn't know how you were going to get through the month, a check showed up from an anonymous benefactor. I love to hear stories of how God has worked through people in this way.

In the context of this passage, Paul is showing appreciation for the Philippians who had provided for him in his need. Other churches had failed him, but they were faithful. At one point they had not been able to support him, but now they had renewed their commitment and Paul was writing to thank them.

Several years ago, I became the pastor at Fair Oaks Church in California. After I had accepted the position, another church which had supported my evangelism ministry, wrote a letter explaining that they could no longer contribute financially to Eternity Minded Ministries because I had become a pastor. Their mission statement did not allow them to support pastors.

After I resigned from Fair Oaks in order to spend more time with Eternity Minded Ministries, I called that church; they immediately said they would support me again. They even raised the amount from what they had previously been contributing. I didn't understand all of their reasons for stopping, but I was grateful to have them on board again.

I can relate to Paul's circumstances in this passage because I know how wonderful it feels to have people stand by you in the ministry. Sometimes I don't know how to express my thanks to those who make it possible for me to fulfill my calling to travel and preach the gospel around the world. I couldn't do it without those Christians who faithfully give to our ministry. I imagine that Paul was overwhelmed by the generous spirit of the Philippians and so grateful that they had renewed their support.

Then we come to the part that I find a little harder to relate to, Paul says, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances" (v. 11). Paul enjoyed the good life, but he had also learned to enjoy the hard life. He knew what it was to have some wealth, he knew what it was to be in poverty. Paul had experienced the classy restaurants, and he had been without food. He could be happy with the Hyatt Regency or content with a prison cell.

Most of us have been in tough times. Many of us have also enjoyed really great times. Can we say that we were content in the bad times as well as the good?

My sons, Ben and Jordan, are grown now, but when they were little our family struggled a lot more with finances than we do now. Christmas was a particularly stressful time, as we wondered how we could afford to buy presents for everyone. June was the month that my wife dreaded the most because in June there were three birthdays, two anniversaries, Father's Day, and school graduations.

As I reminisced with Jordan the other day, he was surprised to hear that for several years during his early childhood, my mother had supplemented my salary just so we could stay in our home. The cars we had were always broken down, and Jordan had to wear Ben's hand-me-downs. The roof in our house leaked, and any repair that needed to be done was always a huge drain financially. You may have been in a similar situation at some point, or maybe you are going through something like that right now. To me, it was extremely frustrating not to be able to give my family everything, and I definitely wasn't very content.

So what exactly does Paul mean when he says, "I have learned to be content"? Sometimes the best way to define a term is to explain what it is not.

God bless you,

Dan

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
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