Monthly Archives: June 2024

Sometimes, The Worst Sinners Can Make the Best Repenters

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Here’s a question to ponder today: Who is the worst sinner you can think of in all of history? There’s quite a list available to you, for sure. Genghis Khan? Adolph Hitler? Jack the Ripper? Or maybe think about this: who is just the worst sinner alive, today? (Once again, LOTS of option, so you might have to think about this one a little before you answer…)

Who is the Worst?

The Apostle Paul had a surprising take on who the worst sinner was. “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16, NIV)

We all think of the Apostle Paul as a holy man. He was a zealous convert to Christianity, a dedicated missionary, and an amazing theologian. But that’s not how Paul thought of himself. Based on what he wrote, I’m pretty sure Paul believed himself to be the worst of all sinners. Not only had he been a self-righteous “Pharisee of the Pharisees”, but he was also a persecutor of the early church. I’m sure he had a lot to answer for. I’m sure he was aware of the Biblical prediction that every man was appointed to die, and after that, to face judgement. (Hebrews 9:27)

I guess I could be relieved that Paul was the worst sinner, and I could perhaps even feel a little smug looking around at lots of people who are pretty sinful. But what I have been learning over the last few years is that every one of us has a lot to answer for—and that what YOU have to answer for should matter to YOU, and what I have to answer for should matter to ME. I’m not sure the Holy Spirit ever convicts us about OTHER peoples’ sins. I have observed that often the people who think they are close to God seem to be righteous and indignant over the wrong person’s sin.

Finger-pointing May not be Good For You

You may think you have been relatively good, but the more I read Scripture, the more concerned I am about all the things I have done. I’m concerned even more about all the things I haven’t done. James 4:17 says “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” THAT verse can set you back on your heels a bit…

I also see things in Scripture that hold me accountable not just for what I have done, but for what I have thought. (And I hate to admit this, but I have committed far more despicable sins in my mind than I have even had time to commit physically. Perhaps you are different, and never sin mentally or dabble with mental selfishness or depravity…)

Based on my rough assessment of my own personal inventory of sin, I’d have to say that Paul might need to move over and accept his place as the SECOND worst of sinners; he may have over-staked his claim to being worst.

In the real world, my ACTUAL sinfulness has cost me opportunities and relationships, and it has caused immeasurable harm to any number of people, including those I love the most. It has also diminished my own usefulness: how much time have I wasted on sin that could have been spent serving others or spending more time with my Father? How do I account for that? Paul says that it took the “immense patience” of Jesus Christ. His brutal, painful death paid the penalty for sin, and made it possible for a Righteous Judge to offer mercy to all sinners.

It Still Comes Down To Me

So here’s the thing: even if I were the ONLY sinner to ever live, Jesus would still have had to go to the cross for my redemption. It’s nice that Jesus died for the sins of the world, but the main thing to me is that he had to die because of ME. MY sin was incredibly costly. Salvation is free but it’s not cheap: It cost God his Son. It cost his Son his life.

It has become clearer to me that the closer we get to God, the more our own sins matter. We become more convicted. Not in a morbid, negative way (oh I feel so guilty! Whatever am I to do?), but more in a totally different sense. It’s an ‘awareness of the majesty and mystery of Grace’ way (oh I feel so grateful! What, Lord, should I do?).

I hope you are aware enough of what Christ did to be grateful. I hope that we sinners can be aware enough to be deeply convicted as well… If you feel like you’ve been pretty good overall, and you are not somehow devastated by the price that has to be paid for your sins, then you probably ought to do a quick position check. You may not be as close to God as you think.

Who Owns the Title?

Of all the righteous Pharisees, Paul said he was the first;
But out of all the sinners, he proclaimed himself the worst!
Now, Paul preached Christ in every town and prison he was in,
But he still felt inadequate, because of all his sin.
We all judge sin from time to time–it’s what we see in others;
We even notice faults among our Christian friends and brothers.
Surely Paul’s assessment of his sins was overrated,
And when He called himself the worst, perhaps he over-stated…
Perhaps we’d see Paul differently and understand him clearer
If we felt worst about the sin reflected in our mirror.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

For Courage, Don’t Choose “Dis”. Go All “En”, Instead

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Do you know people who gripe? They always complain because they are disgusted or disappointed with something. Social Media is full of them! We see unhappy people who aren’t really happy unless they are making someone else unhappy! They discuss negative things or offer disparaging comments. Unhappy people diss things. They like to dispute more than they like to contribute. There’s a BIG Difference between “en” and “dis”, when it comes to courage. Think about the difference between “Encouragement” and “Discouragement”…

“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17, NIV)

Some days it’s just good to hear encouragement. So many things happen in life that wear us down or cause distress that we might just need an encouraging word… Some of those things are merely mechanical. Perhaps you’ve had one of those weeks where your car breaks down, your refrigerator goes out, your flight gets cancelled, or your phone breaks. Days like that are irritating and annoying. And it’s not just these “little” things that tear us down, but on top of that we are beset with bad news, health issues, loneliness, and emotional distress. Life has so many ways to discourage us…

The Difference Between “Dis” and “En”

It was true in the first century and it is true now. If we focus on the negative, we can get caught up in discouragement. But don’t do “dis”: Do “en”. Think about the difference those prefixes can make. “Dis” can turn enchantment into Disenchantment. Courage can be made into Discouragement. But, it can also become Encouragement!

There are lots of ways to distribute encouragement. You can speak an encouraging word, offer a smile, or give a hug. In the days of the great sailing ships, mariners would tattoo words of encouragement onto their knuckles to remind them what to do. But however you deliver the message, use the positive prefix to offer positive feelings.

Chuck Swindoll encourages us to encourage someone else, and then to take it to another level! He said, “When we encourage others we spur them on, we stimulate and affirm them.” He also said, “Appreciate what someone does, but also affirm who he is. Affirmation goes deeper.” Along those same lines, the Apostle Paul says, “Stand firm” and “hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you“.

Do you know teachings that build you up and give you hope? (I know where you can find some!) The New Testament promises that God (who “loved us by his grace” and gave us “eternal encouragement and good hope”) will Himself encourage our hearts and strengthen us in every good word and deed.

An Encouraging Word

Have you ever felt strengthened by God? Have you ever felt encouraged by his presence? God’s encouragement is no small thing. It’s eternal, which always trumps temporary, and you don’t have to earn it because it is freely given to us. What’s more, when we embrace it, it will show up in our actions and our words. So wherever you are, be ENCOURAGED today. Act ENCOURAGING. Speak an ENCOURAGING word. I think you’ll find those are all related.

Take A Little Encouragement

Here’s a word that I hope will last:
Be strong! Stand firm! Hold on; hold fast!
Be encouraged today if things go wrong,
Find hope in God! Rise up! Be strong!
When life is hard and goes amiss,
And the world for ‘couragement’ offers “dis”,
Remember the man who set his face
To go to the cross to take our place
And pay the price for amazing grace!
He took my place, where I might have been,
So I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:
Because of his courage, I’m all “en”!


To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Share. Maybe They Were Right in Kindergarten, After All

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Have you ever had to admonish a toddler to share? We’ve heard about sharing since we were little. But that’s ok because sharing is a good thing. You know that friend you have with whom you share almost everything? I think Paul had lots of those kinds of friends. Reading his letters, you can just feel his intimate connection to some of those churches. When he wrote to the Believers at Thessalonica, he reminded them of just how close they had become when he had worked among them.

“Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well… For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8, 11-12 NIV)

Picture This:

To me, this is the true picture of evangelism: a relationship that builds upon the foundation of the gospel to incorporate love and encouragement into everyday life. I think the KJV translation portrays it even better: “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherishes her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.”

Who is dear to you? Who do you cherish? I often think of cherishing my own children or grandchildren; not so much people very different from me, or people who don’t share my values… Although as it turns out. God has blessed me with some relationships that feel like family even though we are different.

So, What’s YOUR Definition?

And what is evangelism? Is it big crusades with invitations? Is it taking the chance to share the Gospel on the streets? Why we do Evangelism is not based on numbers or results, or even on the importance of our mission; but we should really only share the gospel with someone because we love them. That’s really the only root cause of missions, of being called by God, and of being the Church.

How loving would it be to see someone deathly ill, to possess the antidote, and to refuse to share it with them? Compassionate love is the underlying reason for the gospel, reminding us it is not only about fulfilling a mission but about performing ministry. Evangelism is a means to engage others to encourage, comfort and exhort. It is a way to express to others what Jesus gave to us. Penn Jillette, noted atheist and magician, actually said that he respected sincere Christians who actively shared the gospel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6md638smQd8

Is It Really Just This Simple?

Sharing the Gospel means stepping out from our biases and culture; it means sharing love. Evangelism is not thumping your Bible or out-positioning a skeptic, it is about doing what Jesus said we were supposed to do: love one another. The gospel is delightful and important; it is tender and demanding. It is a call to kingdom and glory, and to service and humility.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a clue from Paul’s letter and at least encourage my own kids, Jessica Nelson, Katy Burton, and Jordan Jackson (and Chris Nelson, John Burton, and Mallory Jackson too!) to “live lives worthy of God”. I know you guys do, and I know it’s not always easy. But take heart, and be courageous! It’s a journey worth taking.

Paul’s verses here in his letter to the Thessalonians remind us that we should urge and encourage one another to live the right kind of life. And to all of us today, Paul says: share the gospel, share your life. That also works when you flip it around: share your life, share the gospel! We were all taught to share in kindergarten. Maybe this is why.

Sharing is Caring

Evangelism conjures up a sermon and a Bible,
A fiery preacher calling folks to have a big revival.
Paul said there’s another way to share the gospel news:
Cherish people. That’s a harder sermon to refuse.
If you’d like to win someone to Christ, then take this dare:
Love them well, just as you’d love a child for whom you care.
Offer them your friendship, showing love by what you do:
And then they’ll find the gospel’s something they can to listen to.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread