Temptation of Unified Sin. . .

"Then herod, with his men of war, treated him with contempt and mocked him, arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him back to pilate. that very day pilate and herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other." 

luke 23:11-12

February 14, 2012     

     I am brought to a stopping after reading these verses. That last part, "that very day pilate and herod became friends with each other..." before this time, we are told that they had been at "enmity" with one another. A word that takes me back to its origin within scriptures, back to the garden of eden. When satan tempted eve and man fell into sin, the curse from god, as consequence, was stated, 

"i will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15).

     It was long foretold that such a scene would take place, that enmity would be apart of the consequences of sin, and here we see that where enmity had been between two before, at the price of christ, it ceased. When two men came together in unity accusing jesus of his claim to be the son of god, we see the consequences of enmity highlighted, the effects of sin clearly portrayed. unified sin, revealed. two men who had been at opposites, joined together with commonality at the sight of christ. however, not the kind of change that comes from surrender before christ when a heart is soft, but the scene of a hard heart---by accusing christ, by mocking him, by dis-regarding his words, they found unity. they were unified in the sin of rejecting jesus. they were unified in the sin of disregarding his word. they were unified in compromising the fear of the lord for the approval of man. 

     the disciple james wrote to us, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with god? whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of god" (James 4:4). when we be-friend the world, we put ourself at enmity with god. jesus came to conquer the enmity that had come into the world through man's sin in the garden. however, he overcame this enmity by purity--by separation from the lusts and temptations of this world; being not of this world. his followers must like-wise separate themselves and live not unto this world nor follow the lusts of it any longer. god expects his people to walk and live in purity, cleansed from the surrounding temptations of the stains of enmity. be-friending the world by compromise to the word or respect of god, brands the mark of enmity in our lives. when herod and pilate both unified with the world by rejecting the christ, enmity's mark was seen, and friendship with one another established. 

     we cannot be both, friends of god and friends of this world. the decision must be made continually in our lives. temptation to unify with the world will constantly call out to us, the people cried out, "Crucify him!" and these two leaders gave into their cries. these distant cries continually echo, temptations to "crucify" our lord by setting aside his commands, rejecting his voice, becoming comfortable within the seats of the enemy. When we join into a conversation not pleasing to christ, when we complain about a leader in authority over us, when we grumble with one another instead of being thankful. and it goes beyond to when we remain silent when we ought to speak; when we allow others around us to mock our savior and remain silent. times of silence can be times of be-friending the world. 

     notice also that these men along with herod and pilate were men of war. men with the potential of victory. they were warriors with the choice to fight for good or evil. light or darkness. just as you and i, the battle is constantly before us, what side are we fighting on? friendship was found between these two men when they be-friended the world together, what came next? a crucified savior, and a world of men convicted by what they had done, realizing that he truly was the son of god. 

this same jesus is still brought before us daily, what will we do with him? array him in the robe he deserves, crowning him as our master and king, obeying his voice? or mocking him and be-friending the world through unified sin? lord jesus, train us to be your people of godly warfare, not entangling ourselves in battles we need not undertake or that will distract us from our purpose on earth, we are to bear witness for you. cleanse us from the stains of enmity that we have undertaken by compromise to purity.

What do you hear? What do you see?

What do you hear? What do you see?

February 7, 2012     

     Took a walk down to the shore yesterday, a place that I commonly visit. Expecting to find there, a nice soft breeze, beautiful waves, and quietness. I commonly come to this place to get away from everyone else, and to have some time alone. As I walked along the way, the Muslim speaker ringing, the call to prayer echoing--a sound less than quiet. As I walked along the way, desiring to be unnoticed, over and over people stop what they are doing to call you what you are, a "muzungo" meaning, a white person--a attention less than desired. As I walked along the way, approaching the shore, I found the breeze to be far from gentle. A strong wind and white capped waves, a less than enjoyable weather to be sitting within. Nevertheless, I had made it to the shore, I had made it to my destination, where I could still do what I had set out to do, spend some time alone, thinking, praying.

Moments after I sat, I was approached by a stranger. He began conversation by inviting me to prayer. From his dress, the direction he came, and the time of day, I knew he was a Muslim inviting me to the mosque. 

"No thank you" I replied. Thinking within, I simply want to be left alone right now.

He told me he would return after prayers. Thoughts began to do mathematics in my head, calculating approx. how much time alone that would give me before he would return.

     As I began to embrace my journal, and spend some time in solitude, another stranger walked up.

She began to talk with me of life and common conversational things. Yet when the conversation could of been left in silence, God's grace reminded me of why I was there. The real reason I was to be sitting upon that shore. I thought of that man who was in prayer at that moment, but not in prayer to Jesus, a man in need of the truth. Before me sitting a woman in need of the truth. Within me a selfish person, holding the truth, and not speaking simply because I desired silence instead of conversation.

All these thoughts rushing, and You clear voice, "I am here."

I asked her of Jesus and asked if she was born again. She pulled out a Catholic cross upon her neck and said she believed but that she was not born-again. In an exchange of a few more words, we bowed our head in prayer that she may be born-again and secure of her salvation in Christ. I prayed for her, she prayed in her mother tongue. Together, "Amen". A smile upon both of our faces. Two strangers moments before, now two sisters in Christ. The change, listening to what I heard through God''s voice and focusing on what I saw through eternity's sight.

     Soon, the Muslim returned from prayer, and began to talk with me of religious things. I spoke to him of Jesus and we engaged in a long-while conversation. Our views on Jesus still divided at the end, yet I left him with "a pair of glasses". Asking him questions that would cause him to think through what he believes of Jesus--he has a pair of potential glasses to see much more.

     As I looked out to the waves again, the white caps, the rough waters, the strong wind...a picture of the temptation in life to have a harsh and selfish ear and eye to things. If I listened in on only what was a struggle, the loud wind, I would not of been able to hear the voices of those around me. If I looked only at the rough waters, instead of the strangers eyes before me, I would of missed out on a heavenly glimpse. All this coming down to the personal question, "What do you hear? What do you see?".

 When I heard my Savior have a different plan for my time on the shore, I had a choice to make. When I saw my Savior chose company for me instead of solidarity, I had a choice to make. We call Him Lord, meaning "Master", but do we submit to His plans when they change our own?

     He changed my plans and through it taught me the beautiful sound of "Amen" in prayer with one of His own. He changed my plans and through it taught me to see the beauty of the rough seas, for sometimes they bring ashore opportunities to challenge one's eyes to see more clearly. My question to the Muslim similarly becomes my question to myself, when He has spoken to you, what will you do? 

What will you do with the words of Jesus?