April 12
Josh 5:1-7:15 | PS 81:1-16 | Prov 13:1 | Luke 15:1-32
It's interesting that the most common descriptor that people use to describe themselves has no basis in reality, based on Scripture, whatsoever. That term is, "pretty good". It's the answer to not being perfect, but on self-analysis most deem themselves better than most and according to society's standards are fairly good. This is why most believe they will one day be in heaven, as though there is some self-described sliding scale, and we get to determine if we are far enough along on that scale. In the little book, "My Heart, Christ's Home", by Robert Boyd Munger, the man had given Jesus practically every aspect of His life, described in this book as the study, the dining room, living room, recreation room, and bedroom, each describing an aspect of the man's life. All that remained was a "little two-by-four closet" on the second floor. Surely this would be good enough, after all, this man was obviously "pretty good" according to most standards. But Jesus, said that He could not reside in a house with the smell coming from that closet. Heaven is ours through repentance and acceptance of the finished work by Jesus on the cross. Our ability to take hold of the life that Jesus has for us is determined by our ability to be sanctified or ridding ourselves of those things which have no place being with God and separating ourselves for those things which are indeed godly. The process can be painstakingly long, but this difficult walk should remind all of us that we are not "pretty good", but rather, "pretty bad", and our righteous standing rests completely upon the only One who is infinitely good, the Man, Jesus Christ.
We read in Joshua 5:13-15, "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so." Many see the "Commander of the Lord's army" as a Christophany, or a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. It wasn't a matter of whether or not, the Commander was for them, it was a matter of whether they would follow the Commander completely. We then see an amazing battle at Jericho, which is preceded by the people sanctifying themselves unto the Lord. Though the foe was mighty, the victory was complete and relatively easy. The Israelites then get routed by tiny Ai, a small, considered by many, insignificant town. The reason was there was sin in the camp, as one man, Achan, chose to keep some of the forbidden items described by God, similar to that small two-by-four closet in My Heart, Christ's Home. After all, the camp was "pretty good", shouldn't that have been enough? The answer, obviously, was "No!"
This concept of being "pretty good" is a mistake that runs throughout Scripture, as we read of the "pretty good" Pharisees in Luke 15:1-2, "Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!" It's not a matter of our past, it's a matter of a decision, and if we are willing to serve the One True God or if instead, we want to hang on to some other false gods (though they are not seen as gods), those things which prevent us from following God completely, those sins, those "good things" which occupy our minds, what we place value on, what we choose to trust: perhaps money, position, family, job security, investments, etc. We get a bit of a picture of what this looks like for the "pretty good" people of Israel in Psalm 81:11-16, "But no, my people wouldn't listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! How quickly I would subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever. But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock." The choice is: "pretty good" in your own efforts and standing, or righteous based on Christ's actions on the cross, you decide, but only one choice allows entry into heaven (and it cannot be a hybrid mixture of the two).
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: