Author: Jon Partlow

Posted on

A Voice in the Wilderness: When John the Baptist Preached

John the Baptist played a central role in preparing Israel for the coming Messiah. His ministry was linked to Isaiah’s prophecy (Is. 40:3; Mt. 3:3; 11:10; Mk. 1:2-3; Lk. 3:4) as he laid the groundwork for Jesus’ ministry. He was not the Messiah (Lk. 3:15-16; Jn. 1:6-8), but he was the final prophetic voice before the Christ stepped onto the world’s stage (Mt. 3:11; Mk. 1:7-9; Lk. 3:16; Jn. 1:8,15). Dressed in camel’s hair, wearing a belt with a diet of locust and wild honey (Mt. 3:4; Mk. 1:6), he appeared like Elijah redivivus (i.e., revisited). Jesus rightly confirmed people’s suspicion (Mt. 11:14; 17:10-13; Mk. 9:11-12).

Instead of darkening the doors of the Synagogue or standing on the steps of the temple, John’s sanctuary was the wilderness. People came to him and listened to him preach. Unshackled by local ministries, John lived in isolation and freedom as he preached and called his listeners to repentance (Mt. 3:11; Mk. 1:4; Lk. 3:1). Amazingly, they journeyed into the desert, where many repented and were baptized. For he was a lone voice crying, pleading and entreating in the wilderness.

While John’s ministry was short lived, he pulled no punches. Through the Gospel accounts, we know he spoke to at least three groups of people where his call for repentance rang loud and clear.

He confronted the religious leaders (Mt. 3:7-10). He called them a “brood of vipers” as if they were children of snakes. More to the point, he called them children of The Snake. While they were pretending to repent, he questioned their motives and confronted trusting their religious heritage. In essence, God didn’t need them, they needed God. And while being a descendant of Abraham was important to them, it wasn’t valued by God. In fact, God was ready to prune anyone refusing to repent. Thus, producing fruit in accordance with repentance is what God was seeking (Mt. 3:8).

He confronted the general population echoing his message from the religious leaders (Lk. 3:7-9). When they asked him what they needed to do, assuming they were in the process of being baptized, John drew from the Eighth Century prophets (Amos, Micah, Hosea and Isaiah) in tone and substance. To those listening, he told them that if they have enough food and clothing, then share with those who don’t (Lk. 3:11). To the tax collectors he warned them to stop padding their own pockets and collect only what is fair (Lk. 3:13). To the soldiers he told them to stop falsely accusing people, which of course is a violation of the ninth commandment. He also told them to stop extorting monies and to be content with their pay (Lk. 3:14). Such actions display the heart of repentance and how social justice underpinned his sermons.

He confronted the governor for not only stealing his brother’s wife (Mt. 14:4; Mk. 6:18), but for a host of evil things Herod had done (Lk. 3:19). Never playing party politics or glossing over the corruption of the person, John shot his arrow straight and with laser accuracy to the heart. He didn’t bend his message either to appease the ruler or to save his own skin. John wasn’t interested in pleasing anyone. With his preaching falling on deaf ears and a hard heart, John was arrested by Herod and eventually executed by beheading (Mt. 14:1-12; Mk. 6:14-29).

The forerunner for Christ played a significant role in preparing the hearts of people for Jesus. His rugged appearance and rough exterior attracted onlookers and seekers. His preaching penetrated people’s hearts, and they began changing their lives. They repented. They were baptized. Neither the temple nor the synagogue could hold him, and it’s clear that the religious system couldn’t hold him as well (Mt. 21:25-27; Mk. 11:29-33; Lk. 20:4-7). But God held him and the Jews needed his preaching. But those in control and in charge of the system couldn’t stomach John’s preaching. What I fear most about American churches today is that we couldn’t stomach his preaching either.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

Posted on

A Distant God: A Psalm of Lament for the Church

Why, O Lord, are you so distant?

            Why do you stay so far away when trouble rises?

Do you not see your people suffering?

            Can you not hear the prayers of the pained?

We are scared,

            As every step taken feels like a walk in a land mine.

We don’t know where to go and no longer know what to say,

            Will our next step only ignite a fuse? 

Scared of the present,

            Scared of the future.

Fearful of the unknown,

            And we even fear what is known.

The gulf between each other is widening,

            As competing ideologies fuel the division.

We cannot find common ground,

            While distrust, suspicion, cynicism and jealousy prevail.

Socio-Economic division widens like the Grand Canyon.

            Racial tensions feel like they will soon snap.  

Social and Religious Ideologies collide like a train wreck.

            Political Parties refuse to cross the isle.

Stereotypes are over used and have become our default mode.

            Too many in the news media outlet are biased, unethical and bent.

We point the finger,

            And we play the blame game;

With heels dug in and lines drawn,

            The feeling is that the standoff will escalate into a fight.  

We see the speck of dust in the eye of our opponent,

            While ignoring that plank that blocks perspective in our proponent.

We look for a reason to hate and attack,

            We stop learning to listen and to understand.

Tensions are rising,

            Anxiety is increasing.

Anger simmers under the surface,

Because steam needs to be released.

We’re turning on each other,

            Where we should be turning to each other.

Hear our prayer, O Lord,

            Listen! As we cry out to you.

Intercede on our behalf,

            And do not forget us.

Turn your Church into a haven of peace,

            Teach your children to lay down their arms.

Calm our fears,

            So that we may be a calming presence

Let us listen to your still voice,

            Amidst the white noise.

Lead us to the unity and diversity of your Godhead,

            So that we may celebrate our own unity and diversity.

Draw near,

            So that we may draw near to you.

Until the storm passes

We admire and adore you,

            We turn to you in prayer and praise,

            We are shielded and sheltered in the cleft of your Rock.

For you are our hope,

            Our help,

            Our honor, and

            Our Holy One.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

Posted on

The Gospel According to Anthony Fauci

Dr. Anthony Fauci is at the top of his game. He’s been the leading epidemiologist for the National Institution of Allergy and Infectious Disease since 1984, having advised six US Presidents. In the past eight months he‘s become a household name, communicating simply and succinctly the information Americans need to navigate the dangers of the COVID-19 Pandemic. I might add that while his confidence is strong his humility is stronger. He’s the smartest guy in the room, but he never projects such arrogance. I’m not the only one who admires him as some polls show 71% of Americans trust Dr. Fauci.

But that doesn’t mean Dr. Fauci has been right every time he has stood before the microphone. He’s been wrong. He’s been wrong more than once. He told us in February that he doubted A-Symptomatic people could spread the disease. Later in that month he reassured the American people that he saw no need to make any major changes to our lifestyles. In March he told us not to wear masks. If Fauci was a baseball player, his batting average is promising.

How can someone who has been wrong so many times still have an approval rating of 71%? Two factors are at play. First, the COVID-19 virus is brand new, discovered at the end of 2019 (thus, the reason for the “19,” not that it’s the nineteenth strand of the coronavirus). The situation has been fluid since its outbreak in China and in the US in January. Assumptions made early on were abandoned when new and more reliable information emerged. He was wrong, not because he’s incompetent, but because he was on the learning curve. That leads to the other admirable quality about Fauci, his ability to pivot when he was wrong. As new data emerged, Fauci shifted his views and perspective to line up with the best information available. Thus, A-Symptomatic people do spread the disease. Major shifts to our lifestyle have been needed to lean into and flatten the curve. Masks are a necessary move, not to prevent you from getting the virus but to insure you don’t spread the virus. His credibility is high because he’s willing to admit when he was wrong in order to pursue what is right.

In that one strand, Fauci is modeling the Gospel. When confronted with our wrong, we change our stance to line up with the truth. The Gospel calls this change “repentance.”

When John the Baptist preached, he called his hearers to repentance (Mk. 1:4). After John was arrested, Jesus stepped onto the world’s stage. He echoed John’s message by calling people to repentance (Mk. 1:15). After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, Peter moved the story forward by calling people to repentance (Act. 2:38; 3:19). As Paul moved through the mission field, he continued to call people to repentance (Act. 17:30; 26:20). Changing one’s belief system, thought process and actions stand at the core of the Gospel Message. God expects to see change in us through repentance.

Herein lies the rub. We don’t want to change or shift our position or behavior no matter what the data and new information shows. Or even what the Bible says. It’s in our DNA. Studies are confirming that no matter what logical argument or statistical information that is revealed, we’ll reject it. We’re so entrenched in our world view and ideology, sometimes it feels like the Battle of Somme. No one will budge and everyone will suffer. Even worse, we double down on a bet we’re sure to lose, and lose big.

But God keeps calling us to repent, to change, to line our lives up with him. It’s the Gospel. And it’s the very thing that gives Dr. Anthony Fauci his credibility. He is willing to change.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

Posted on

T.H.I.N.K. Jesus

Social Media has devolved into an environment where people feel free to share whatever is on their mind without running their words through a filter. Instead of a safe playground to interact with friends, social media has become dangerous and toxic. Not all the time, mind you. But a good portion of the time. Anger. Frustration. Hatred. Divisiveness. Slander. Shaming. All of which fuel the woke/called-out culture. Like the meme says, “I’m just as surprised as you are by what comes out of my mouth.”

To counter, someone created the T.H.I.N.K. paradigm to help provide a filter, not only for social media but for all our words. The T.H.I.N.K. acronym asks five questions based on the letters for think.

Is It True? The erosion/corrosion of truth in our society is well documented and I won’t use space to rehash that now. However, even with good source material to fact check information, we seem to be more concerned with our own agenda and not seeking truth.

Is It Helpful? It’s one thing to post ideas and concepts for consideration. But a very thin line is present to post for simply to stir things up. Like lighting a fire cracker just to watch everyone’s reactions, some post to watch Social Media explode. Instead of helping move the story forward, it becomes a show in and of itself.

Is It Inspiring? If what is posted does not help people, then it’s safe to say that it won’t inspire either. When our emotions overtake us, and when we’re driven by negative feelings, what we say or post will not inspire anyone. When posting to stir the pot or for combative purposes, then driving a wedge between others is the only inspiration, and it’s not very inspiring.

Is It Necessary? The fact that one may need to hit the pause button before posting or speaking may be a big clue to stop forward progress. Since experience tells us that we will not move the ideological needle, then it’s like a futile experience.

Is It Kind? Maybe the biggest question to ask hits at the kindness meter. Since too much social media is filled with anything but kindness, maybe we need to make sure otherwise. Let’s find new ways to encourage one another online.

The five questions that help shape or shift our paradigm only work so far as we’re willing to stop to ask the questions, then honestly answer them. Sounds complicated, especially since rules may offer a guide to holy behavior, but they’ll never transform people’s lives. Something more needs to happen.

Paul exhorts the Philippians to have the mind or attitude of Christ (2:5). While contextually, he’s talking about humility and unity, the broader principle is for his followers to think and act like Jesus. Beyond a simple or mimic WWJD formula, Jesus calls us to be him to the public. So when we speak or post on social media the message beyond the post is the redeeming work of Jesus in our lives. We don’t add to the toxicity of social media, we try to allow Jesus to redeem it. Cheerful. Supportive. Respectful. Harmonious. Complimentary. Honor. Silence. For Jesus himself once posted, “You are the light of the world” (Mt. 5:16). It’s time to let it shine.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)