Hypocrisy among disciples is one of the greatest detriments to the expansion of Jesus’ reign in the world. It makes the Way look fraudulent when those who claim it aren’t true to it. And just as it fails intellectually, it’s an enormous emotional problem. It’s like a noxious odor to anyone who recognizes it.

I was reminded of this recently when I pulled up behind a minivan in traffic that had a Jesus fish on one side of the rear window… and a decal with a nasty swear word on the other side. On other recent occasions, I’ve talked to some young adults at work whom I know to be active at church… who complain that their favorite local bar has closed down and they’ll have nothing to do on the weekends. On another recent occasion, an acquaintance whom I know to regularly use profanity and follow his lusts freely… told me that he “pastors” a church here in our city.

That sort of thing just stinks to the mind and heart of anyone who genuinely wants Christ to be served. Like the pungent smell of vinegar or ammonia, it shocks the senses of believers, jarring us and making us want to turn away. And it must surely stink similarly as an aroma ascending before God.

And that ought to remind us just how imperative it is that we live lives of holiness and purity. Because if we can sense it in others’ lives, then how much more will they be put off by the same stench of our hypocrisy? We are a living sacrifice to come up as a pleasing aroma before God (cf. Rm. 12:1)—without a hint of off-putting hypocrisy.

- Dan Lankford, minister

Gnosis. Knowledge. Peter says that if we want to grow in Christ we need to grow in our knowledge. Yet, if you listen too much to the echoes of our culture you might find yourself discouraged in that pursuit. Here’s why:

There are many highly respected and highly visible people in our culture who would claim that it’s not possible to know the will of God. Sure, the most basic truths are discernable, like the fact that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead; but beyond those simplest truths God’s will is just kind of muddy. Some claim that the Bible itself is not clear on most issues. Others claim that the Bible is clear, but that we’ll be forever undone by our own bias and prejudice. Still others make the case that God’s word is intentionally left open to interpretation—that God wants us to draw our own subjective conclusions.

To put it simply, we live in a culture that just doesn’t have faith in our ability to know, understand, and correctly apply the word of God. But culture is wrong.

The Holy has told us clearly that we can know the will of God. Remember that Jesus promised that those who continue in His word would know the truth and it would make us free (John 8:31-32). When writing to the Colossians, Paul prayed that church would filled with the knowledge of God’s will so that they could please Him in all respects (Colossians 1:9-12). That doesn’t sound like something you would say if it were impossible to know God’s will. 

More meaningful to me is what John states at the beginning of his Gospel: “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” (John 1:18). The word translated “explained” is the Greek word, “exegeomai,” and it means to open up or unfold. That’s a beautiful idea, isn’t it? Through His life and teaching Jesus has unfolded—He has revealed—the character and the will of God. Be not discouraged in your pursuit of knowledge! You can know the will of God!

- Jonathan Banning

Most Bible readers have heard often about the importance of context when reading and studying. For some believers, that means just a verse or a sentence before and after the specific thing we’re looking at. But often, the context of a particular passage includes a whole section of the book that it’s from.

That’s what we have with this week’s daily Bible readings. All week long, we’re following Israel’s journey from the Red Sea (which they crossed in ch. 14) to Mt. Sinai (where they’ll receive the Law, starting in ch. 20). I recently heard the Exodus simply outlined in three parts: the road out [of slavery], the road between [slavery and freedom], and the road up [to God’s promised rest]. We’re with them on ‘the road between’ right now.

As we said in this week’s Reader’s Guide, this is where Israel will begin to show their true colors… which aren’t pretty. They complain about God when they find places with no water (15:22-26, 17:1-7). And they disobey his simple instructions about manna, messing up in two ways: first, by trying to gather too much and hoard it for themselves (16:19-20), and second, by expecting to gather it on the day when he told them to rest (16:27-30). And if you know the rest of the wilderness story, then you know these events are only the beginning of their problems.

What was their core problem in these events? In all of those cases, they failed to trust that God would provide for them. They complained because they didn’t trust him to provide. They hoarded because they didn’t trust him to provide. They worked rather than rested because they didn’t trust him to provide.

Do we trust him to provide for us? What does our anxiety level reveal as the answer to that? What do our giving-versus-hoarding habits reveal as the answer to that? What do our work-versus-rest habits reveal as the answer to that? How are we doing at putting our full trust in our God while we live in this life—our very own ‘road between’ salvation and promised rest?

- Dan Lankford, minister

One of the main reasons (some might even say the reason) that Jesus so often ran afoul of the religious leaders of his day was this: He had total faith in God’s word and will, and they just didn’t.

When they pointed out what they saw as flaws or sins in his life, he showed them repeatedly that if they truly believed God’s word in their hearts, they would be happy to see his ways, hear his words, and accept his gracious dominion as their Messiah. But instead, they saw him as a sinner, because their faith was in their own ways rather than in what God had said.

Jesus pointed this out to them powerfully in Mark 7. When they criticized him for not living “according to the tradition of the elders” (Mk. 7:5), Jesus showed that they had more faith in that tradition than they did in God’s actual words. And their problem is always the problem when humans go beyond the word of God: we “leave the commandment” (v. 8), we “reject the commandment” (v. 9), and we “make void the word” (v. 13). He was very clear: in believing that their additions were required to make God’s word work as it should, they had rejected him. They lacked faith in him.

Hearing Jesus say that ought to be a check on our own faith. 
Are we satisfied with God’s will just as it is, or do we feel that we need to fence spirituality a little more properly than he has done? We too can fall into thinking that God’s words are sometimes not clear enough or conservative enough, so we make our own ‘traditions,’ thinking that we’re helping him. But let’s be warned: The Pharisees and scribes did that because they lacked faith in God, and we’d better be diligent not to fall into the same trap. Let’ be like Jesus and have total faith in the perfection of God’s word and his will.

- Dan Lankford, minister

Spiritual growth is a never-ending process. It’s like a marathoner’s pursuit of the perfect race—the faster they go, the faster they want to go. There’s always something more to reach for. As Peter said, the attributes of a quality spiritual life are always increasing (2 Pt. 1:8). This can be a daunting reality, but it need not be, because as we work toward growth in one attribute of spiritual life, growth happens in others simultaneously.

Knowledge—gnosis in the Greek—is one of those springboard qualities: when it grows, other growth happens. If we’ll let it, knowledge increases our virtue, steadfastness, self-control, etc. This is what God wants for us and from us. The apostles spoke freely and often about saints growing in the knowledge of God (Rm. 15:14, 1 Cr. 12:8, Ep. 1:17-18, Co. 1:19, Philemon 1:6, 2 Pt. 1:2). They didn’t want them to just believe and remain ignorant—they wanted them to possess deep understanding of God’s word, his will, and his Way.

But someone might be thinking, “Isn’t knowledge bad for Christians? Doesn’t it make people prideful? Aren’t we supposed to be about love and not about knowledge?” I’ll give the benefit of the doubt that anyone who would ask this is well-meaning, but the simple answer is, “No.” There are only a very small handful of times when learning/knowledge is negatively portrayed in the New Testament, and they’re usually when someone had an attitude or faith problem; not that they were just “too smart” (such is the case where Paul said, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up”). Knowledge of God and his word doesn’t inherently make us prideful—that’s a choice that each of us have to make. The pursuit of Bible knowledge, of worldview understanding, and of spiritual discernment ought to be a hallmark of Christians. In fact, that’s God’s stated purpose for church leaders: that they would build saints up “until we all attain to... the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ep. 4:13).

Spiritual growth is a never-ending process, so let’s keep learning, brothers and sisters. Let’s keep adding some more knowledge of the things of God to our faith.

- Dan Lankford

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak…” (James 1:19)

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Allow me to state something obvious: Some people are good at listening, and others just aren’t. That’s not to say that it’s an unchangeable destiny for either; it’s a skill that can be acquired. But I think we all recognize the varied skill levels when we encounter them.

Some people have a seemingly innate ability to stay engaged when someone is talking to them, to ignore potential distractions, and to truly focus on another person as they speak. They ask questions to show they’re thoughtfully connected. They care sincerely about the other person’s interests (cf. Phil. 2:4). They are slow to bring up their own opinions and interests. And they take the time to listen longer because they want to learn the person, not just to gather information. As a result, they tend to be a hub of deep conversations and close relationships. They possess an aura where powerful, personal, transformative conversations are had.

But for many, that’s just not our natural way. We quick-filter what we think is the relevant highlight of a conversation and then mentally rush ahead. We give follow-up statements rather than asking follow-up questions. We think about what we’ll say next instead of what the person has just said to us. We are quick to criticize or disagree, even before we’ve heard the fullness of the other person’s perspective. And we often miss out on appreciating who the other person is because we don’t really hear them. As a result, our relationships can remain at surface-level. People keep us at arm’s length because they feel that, rather than pulling them close to us by listening well, we have kept them at arm’s length.

Obviously, one of those behavior sets is much more like Jesus’. He always put more stock in individuals than in crowds, and he frequently took time to pause everything else and give his full attention to one person. Think about the afternoon that he spent with Zacchaeus (Lk. 19:10). What was it that made Zacchaeus receive the Lord joyfully (v. 6) and ultimately repent of his sins and turn to a life of generosity (v. 8)? In that story, Jesus paid attention to him. How does one person pay attention to another in that sort of life-changing way? By being “quick to hear” and “slow to speak.”

So here’s some practical advice for all of us to grow in this skill: When someone talks to you, ignore distractions and focus on them and what they’re saying. Ask questions about what they think, what motivates them, and what’s important to them. Listen to their answers when you ask questions—to the information, the tone, and the approach they take. Listen to ideas and beliefs that are different than your own, and don’t always feel the need to correct them right away—often, it can wait. Listen to the person’s heart behind what they say, and learn to see both their good and their flaws with wisdom.

Being heard is often much more important to a relationship than being taught, advised, or even encouraged. Often, the most compassionate and authentic thing we can do is listen skillfully. People who are “quick to hear, slow to speak” are living out the wisdom of God in their relationships, and that sort of behavior always leads us into his good blessings.

- Dan Lankford, minister

“I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go.” (Ex. 3:19-20)

“I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you.” (Ex. 7:3)

“I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” (Ex. 10:1-2)

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.’” (Ex. 11:9)

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File this one under: "Things in the Bible that are just cool."

In the section of Exodus that talks about the plagues, I love the repeated emphasis on God’s “mighty works” and his “signs” and especially his “wonders.” That language tells me that God didn’t just want to get Israel out of their bondage; he wanted his name to be heard, known, and feared.

The plagues against Egypt may seem harsh or overbearing to modern readers. But there was always an option for Pharaoh to stop the plagues; all he had to do was care more about people than about his own glory as king. If he would do that and relent, God’s “wonders” would stop, and history would revere Pharaoh for his graciousness. But he didn’t, so God’s mighty works punished them.

His wrath is not a side note to his character; it’s part of his very nature, and it deserves our respect. And when the final judgment day comes, we can expect similar “mighty wonders” to be unleashed against all the powers of darkness and evil, as God’s final judgment makes all things right in the new heaven and new earth.

- Dan Lankford, minister

The following article is by my new friend, David King. Brother King is an elder in Wichita, KS, at the same church where he preached for over four decades. I share this writing becasue it follows up so well on my sermon from this past Sunday — "The Ten Commandments; YHWH and No Others."

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“You shall have no other gods before me.” (Ex. 20:3).

“They forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger.” (Judg. 2:12).

“You have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore, I will deliver you no more.” (Judg. 10:13).

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Of all the attributes of the Biblical God, the one that gets the most attention among skeptics is His anger over people going after other gods. Repeatedly, the Lord calls Himself “a jealous God” who threatens grave consequences if people do not give Him their full allegiance (Ex. 20:5; Deut. 4:24; Josh. 24:19; etc.). Atheist Richard Dawkins notes that “God’s monumental rage whenever his chosen people flirted with a rival god resembles nothing so much as sexual jealousy of the worst kind” (The God Delusion, p. 243). Surely God must have quite a self-confidence problem if He’s that sensitive to people getting involved with the competition. How can such a God be worthy of our respect?

This view of God and His jealous anger trivializes the nature of humanity and our relationship to Him. Regardless of what we may think of the Biblical God, we must acknowledge that everyone of us has a god of some kind in our lives. A “god” is simply an object, an ideal, or a passion that holds ultimate sway over our affections. Our god is that for which we will sacrifice everything else in our lives. In more primitive times, the gods were idols made of stone or wood or precious metals. Today, the gods come in the form of money, power, investments, careers, sex, hobbies, social causes, family, friends, drugs, education, sports, houses, electronic devices, and a thousand other worldly pursuits. None of these things are inherently evil in themselves; but when they become the locus of our existence—the thing that, if lost, we lose all reason for living—then they have become our god. We are then in bondage to whatever demands these gods make upon our life.

Therein lies the danger that these false gods pose to our well-being. They were never designed to fulfill the innermost desires of our heart and will always come up short in satisfying those desires. They are fragile and untrustworthy, and sooner or later will fail us. When they do, we will be left facing life alone and helpless.

The God of the Bible, on the other hand—the timeless, spaceless, immaterial Being who has created all things and sustains all things by His infinite power—is not bound by these limitations. He demands our allegiance, not to assuage some insecurity on His part, but because we need the benefits that only He can provide. He made us for a higher purpose than the false gods can address, and we can find that purpose only in a close relationship with Him.

So, when we forsake God for other gods, He will not punish us arbitrarily. He respects our free will and allows us to experience the natural consequences of our decisions. As with ancient Israel, He will “deliver you no more,” leaving us to struggle with the wreckage we have created by chasing our idols. God is angry at our rebellion, yes; but He is also grieved at the foolishness of those who had every reason to know better.

- David King, elder/pastor/shepherd of Pleasant Plains Church of Christ in Wichita, KS

When Jesus rose from the dead, everything changed. Realities as old as Adam & Eve were suddenly rewritten. Death was defeated by life. Fear was defeated by hope. And darkness was defeated by light. And yet, it seems that God saw fit to announce this universe-altering event to only a very small audience—a few women who misunderstood it at first, and a few men who doubted it at first. And that begs the question: why would God not alert all humanity to the fact that he is bringing life? Why not give the nations an indication that fear has lost to hope? Why not at least signify to part of the world that darkness was defeated?

He did.

The sun rose!

Every time a new morning dawns, God reminds all creation that something new is being done. Every morning, he awakens life, quells fear, and banishes darkness with light!

As he created the world, each level of his life-giving work was announced by the words, “there was morning” (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). When Abraham was called to demonstrate how God would bring us life in Christ, we are told Abraham “rose early in the morning” (Gen. 22:3). When the Psalmist talked about life in God, he said, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psa. 30:5). And when Jesus rose from the dead, even those who were unaware of what God had done were experiencing God’s gift of life as the sun rose.

A sunrise may be an unsensational daily event, but its significance in Jesus’ resurrection remains. The resurrection shows the ultimate manifestation of a daily-demonstrated truth: that God has always had a plan to bring new life with the rising of the Son.

 - Dan Lankford, minister

(originally published April 1, 2018 at eastlandchristians.org)

Is moral excellence an end in itself? Should it be a person’s highest goal to achieve moral purity?

Ancient philosophers talked themselves dizzy trying to define virtue. They often saw it as a rigid idea—a truth that should apply equally in every case—so they constantly tried to perfect their understanding of it. But the concept remained elusive. The plane just kept circling, never quite touching down on the runway. Why? I think there are two reasons: 1) Because they looked only to themselves and the societies around them for this knowledge, and 2) because they thought that virtue was life’s ultimate end.

That approach might sound perfectly natural, but Christians see two problems in it: 1) Virtue doesn’t come from within humanity, but from God. 2) Virtue isn’t an end in itself; it’s the fruit of a life lived for an even higher purpose.

Some of the Greek sophists lived within a century or two of the prophets. But the prophets saw the world through a very different lens. They understood, “that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23). They realized that searching for virtue within humanity leads us astray, so they taught people to seek God “that HE may teach us HIS ways and that we may walk in HIS paths” (Isa. 2:3). They understood that virtue—whatever is just, noble, and excellent—isn’t defined by man, but by God.

And that helps us to understand why arete is not portrayed as the goal of faith in God: it’s the fruit of faith in God—something we “add to our faith.” In Deuteronomy, Moses repeatedly emphasized loving God first, and then he turned his attention to serious teachings about keeping God’s rules. The greatest command is not, “Obey God’s laws,” but rather, “You shall LOVE the Lord your God.” The fruit of THAT will be our obedience to his commands (Jn. 14:15). 

Moral excellence is not life’s ultimate purpose. It’s the fruit that grows out of a heart that actually, completely, lovingly, humbly trusts in God. Life’s purpose is to love him, and only from him can we find out what arete really is anyway.

- Dan Lankford, minister