Tag: Paul Nordman

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God’s Zeal for Us

“Zeal for your house will consume me.”1 King David had foretold it; the disciples now recalled it. Seeing mass corruption in His Father’s abode, Jesus had taken the time to fashion a whip and, with it, He drove out from the temple “those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.”2 Zeal! “He poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.”3 Zeal! And to the pigeon peddlers, He said, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”4 Zeal! Atonement and forgiveness in the presence of God are life itself, and not to be exploited or reduced to a business deal. Then can you feel it, Jesus’ zeal for the dwelling place of God?

Now, the temple was destroyed around 70 AD, so where does God live now? If there is no temple, is there no atonement or forgiveness of sins, moreover has God lost His zeal for us? Hardly. On the contrary, He has revealed His passion for us in a much more intimate way than bricks and mortar: He has made us to be His temple, and He lives in us. Wrote Paul to the Corinthian church, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”5 So vital is this truth to the life of the believer that Paul doubled down a mere three chapters later, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?”6 God has made us alive with Christ, who sacrificially took our sins away from us and nailed them to the cross,7 and He now lives in all who believe on His name.

Then should it surprise us that God is zealous toward us? In great fervor, He expunges the moral corruption from us, His dwelling place. And Jesus calls His church to be as passionate toward Him in our response as He is toward us in His initiation, saying, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”8 God is transforming us into the image of His Son, from one glory to another,9 and He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.10 He is zealous about you, His dwelling place. Then may it be that His zeal for you ignites your zeal for Him.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. —1 John 1:9 ESV

Father, help us to realize just how passionate You are for us; liberate us to receive Your love and, in this freedom, to offer ourselves entirely to You today. In Christ we pray. Amen.

1 John 2:17 ESV, cf Psalm 69:9
2 John 2:14 ESV
3 John 2:15 ESV
4 John 2:16 ESV
5 1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV, emphasis added
6 1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV, emphasis added
7 Colossians 2:13-14
8 Revelation 3:19 ESV
9 2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV
10 Philippians 1:6)

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Ad Hominem, Ad Nauseum

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”1 Having accepted Jesus’ invitation to “Follow me,” Philip found Nathanael2 and proclaimed the news the Jews had been awaiting for millennia: “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth.”3 Now one would think Nathanael might leap to his feet at the thought of Messianic prophecies fulfilled, but his response to the good news was ad hominem dismissal —Serious, Philip? Nazareth? C’mon!

An ad hominem (ad-‘hä-mǝ-nem) misstep occurs when we let our assessment of one’s character influence the acceptability of his/her assertions. For example, we dislike President [insert name here], so we deny the viability of anything he says or does. The opposite occurs as well, our blind acceptance of anything spoken from those we approve. These are reasoning “fallacies” that occur at any level — national, cultural, ideological, and personal. Ad hominem accusations often express themselves in name-calling — labels such as “extremist” in political contexts or “Pharisee” in more “pious” settings. Having so labeled others, we cease to consider their arguments. The ensuing losses are tragic: oneness, objectivity, peace, and productivity, for instance.

Judging comes naturally to us, so we must be careful not to determine the truth of a matter by our categorization of one’s character. While Jesus was eating at a Pharisee’s house, for example, “a woman . . . who had lived a sinful life . . . began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.”4 Watching this, the host thought privately, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”5 Knowing his thoughts, Jesus pointed to the woman’s actions, saying, “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown.”6 The religious leader had judged the woman’s actions by her reputation, but Jesus discerned her character through her actions.

Which brings us back to Nathanael. His story did not end at cultural character assassination, rather before the sun set that day, this new disciple had proclaimed the Nazarene—“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”7 Such a stunning reversal. What changed? Nathanael discovered that Jesus knew him and called him, just as he was. “You will see greater things,”8 Jesus told him. Indeed, something good had come from Nazareth. He comes to us, too.

Father, forgive me for judging the proverbial book by its cover. Inspire me through peoples’ faithful acts of obedience, that I would appreciate them and go and do likewise. In Christ I pray. Amen.

1 John 1:46 NIV
2 Only John calls Nathanael by his given name; the other three gospel writers identify him by his family name, “Bartholamew” (son of Tolmai). Whether Nathanael BarTolmei and Philip were brothers or merely friends is unclear.
3 John 1:45 ESV
4 Luke 7:37-38 NIV
5 Luke 7:39 NIV
6 Luke 7:47 NIV
7 John 1:49 ESV
8 John 1:50 ESV

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Where Leadership Begins

It was just about time for the CEO to speak to our larger leadership team. Having already sat for much of the day, I chose to stand in the back of the room and stretch a bit while taking in what he had to say. I was soon joined by another vice president, who likewise preferred to stand, probably for the same reason. As the CEO approached the dais, my colleague leaned over and said, “I’m going to count the number of times he says, ‘I,’ ‘me,’ or ‘my’ in the first two minutes.” The seconds ticked off quickly, and when the designated time elapsed, he leaned over again and whispered, “fourteen.”

We roll our eyes at egotism, but self-centeredness is part of the human condition; though it assumes different forms, it is our nature. As a good friend comically quips, “I’m not much, but I’m all I think about.” Whatever its expression, “me first” stymies good leadership and fosters poor followership. It serves only one. So James exhorts us, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”1 Who better to exalt you — you or God? Paul likewise counsels us in the way of the Spirit, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,” he wrote, “but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”2 This is where true leadership begins.

Which brings to mind another organizational head. The story is told of William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, whose practice was to address their annual convention. Unable to attend one year because of poor health, he chose to communicate with the gathered faithful by telegram. The Salvation Army’s budget was tight, however, and telegrams were charged by the word. So Booth condensed his entire message into a single word, and wired it to be read aloud to the conventioneers. His brief address delivered in absentia to the anticipating crowd: “Others.” This simple, selfless, visionary call has inspired Salvationists for over 100 years hence.

Just for today, may we join their pursuit — their focus on and service to “others.” Then tomorrow, may we rise and join them again. In the Kingdom of God, there is no higher honor.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. — Galatians 5:13 ESV

Father, how counterintuitive it is that our greatest joy and highest honor are found not in glorifying ourselves, but in serving others. This can only be Your wisdom, for it far exceeds our own. Shine through Your people, and be exalted on the earth. In Christ we pray. Amen.

1 James 4:10 NLT
2 Philippians 2:3 ESV