Author: Scott Lane

Scott Lane is the Executive Pastor of Ministry at FBCSA.

Generosity and Hospitality

Re:Verse passage – Revelation 5:9-10 (day five)  

Am still amazed at the radical generosity and hospitality of the Lord (every tribe, tongue, people, nation). Imagine hearing these words for the first time around 100AD. How much larger and more diverse was this Kingdom that Jesus had envisioned actually gonna be?  Much more than anyone ever thought or dreamed. Were they comfortable with a larger and more diverse vision of the Kingdom? The flesh (in me) values comfort and control. Yet, when I read passages like this one, the Spirit presses me to desire and practice God’s kind of “gospel generosity hospitality”- seeing all people (tribe, tongue, people, nation) as potential citizens and priests of The Kingdom of God, encouraging/inviting them to surrender their lives to Christ, joining in the heavenly celebration and worship both now and forever.  Want to reflect the character and kindness of God (which we were created to do)?  Then we must practice “Gospel Generosity and Hospitality”.

What on Earth?

Re:Verse passage – Romans 8:28-30 (day five).

Our Re:verse text gives an answer to this question, “What on earth is God up to?” Literally, God is using all the things we see, sense, and experience to do something grand and glorious in the hearts and lives of those who love Him. All of life on earth is designed and purposed by God to influence and affect those that love Him for a very specific goal- making them (“those” in the text) more and more like Jesus. God creates us in His image (Genesis 1:26) and then uses our (those that love God)  lives and circumstances on earth to continue that work for the same purpose- making us like Christ/Him (Colossians 1:15).  Take heart, this just doesn’t happen by chance. No, the great comfort and truth is that God is “working” (Does that ease your mind and heart?) for this profound and transforming purpose for us (good) and for Him (glory).

Holy Hugs

Re:Verse passage – 1 John 4:19–21 (day five) “for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

For decades, as a Youth Pastor, I would encourage students to take a few minutes during most every gathering time and give out “Holy Hugs”. For some students who were newer to the group (Christians and non-Christians) I could see how unique and captivating this time was. But I also saw in their eyes, an amazement and curiosity about how fellow teenagers not only had genuine love for one another, but also were willing to visually and verbally express it.  Those hugs, handshakes, and words of encouragement we exchange with other believers are indeed “holy because they reflect the love of God. What if people  see our love for each other and that leads them to discover and understand God’s love for them (the gospel). I’ve seen that happen many times. What if people conclude “the one who loves his brother that he has seen, must love and be loved by God who he has not seen.” Let’s love each other well, and may that love lead others to find the love and life that Christ came to give.

Tension and Conflict

Re:Verse passage – John 10:10 (day five) Another “Coffee Cup Verse” this week. Most Christians have memorized this verse at some point in their lives. We use it and quote it often. What struck me this week were the mission and purposes of the thief and of Jesus. Both have them. As much as we count on Jesus to save us and give abundant life, we can count on the thief to steal, kill, and destroy. Feel the tension and conflict in this verse?  Do you see the battle taking place over the sheep?  Yet, Jesus describes the ability of the thief- “only”. And He also describes His capability- “abundant”. Now, the struggle doesn’t seem even or balanced anymore does it? The abundant life consists of eternal things like salvation, joy, hope, love, strength, courage!!  What a really, really “Good Shepherd”!

Love Your Neighbor

Re:Verse passage – Genesis 1:26–27 (day five)  I read a question this week that was deeply convicting and challenging to me. It changed my perspective on this passage from merely the awareness and understanding of the truth of being created in God’s image to being accountable to this truth and all the implications it presents to us/me. So here it is … “Do you feel that you are like God in the way that you should be?”

One of the truths I discovered this week, is that when we love God most, we love others best. We are created like God in that way. He loves Himself most and He loves others best. We are created and designed in His image, to love and act this same way. Jesus echos this truth in our theme this year of “Love Your Neighbor”. What precedes this second greatest commandment, is the command to love God first/most. Our capacity to love others best, comes from our ability and willingness to love God most. Loving Your Neighbor then becomes a glorifying image and reflection of the nature and character of God!!

Through Relationship

Re:Verse passage – John 14:6 (day five)

In the midst of the uncertainty and confusion of the disciples, Jesus is clear, calm, and collected. He answers their initial question of “How?” with the statement of “Who!”  His answer goes further to show them that He is the source of life. Their life. Our life. We find and see the life we need (and were created for) in Him. Not a process or pattern, but a person. Not rules or religion, but a relationship. The design for us, Imago Dei, points clearly and entirely to Jesus and His life and love. We best find our capacity and capability to be Image Bearers of the Living God in our relationship with Jesus Christ. As we grow (through faith and obedience) in Him, we sense and see exactly what Jesus was describing in John 14.

Cause

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 31:10-31 (day five)  

When we read, listen, process, and ponder, we like to have our information given to us in this order- cause then effect. The cause sheds lights on all the listed effects. There’s less tension. Fewer needed questions. Minimal investigation.

Here, in this last chapter of Proverbs, the writer goes from effect to cause. Did you feel and sense the pressure and suspense created by this reordering?  Who lives like this?  How is a life like this possible?  I don’t think I can do half of these things. The effects are crystal clear- spelled out in a beautifully written acrostic poem. So, what is the cause? We are now on the edge of our seats. Verse 30, “a woman who fears the Lord”.  Someone who has an abiding and reverent obedience to God through Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit.

For what God is his wisdom requires of us, that in Christ through His Spirit he also give us. – David Atkinson

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Only the Spirit

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 27:17 (day five)  This week’s Re:Verse scripture is what I call a “coffee cup verse”.  Well known. Good advice. Truthful. Helpful. Short. Sweet. But there is so much we can unpack from this one verse. Necessity of relationships and community. Friction and tension needed to “sharpen” one another. I was struck this week that the two people or friends sharpening each other are both the same. Iron and Iron. When I think about process of sharpening knives, one is a steel blade and the other a natural stone. However, only the blade is sharpened. But the goal according to this scripture is for both to be “sharpeners and sharpenees”. Iron sharpening iron. We are born of the flesh. That certainly complicates things. But we also have the Holy Spirit. Interpersonal sharpening requires honesty, humility, listening, learning, loving. I think about Paul publicly confronting (sharpening) Peter in Galatians 2. We never see or hear about Peter rebelling against or rebuffing Paul’s correction. Instead, we see Peter writing about humility in his epistles. Only the Spirit living and working in each of us can help and cause iron to sharpen iron.

Fear of the Lord

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 23:17-18 (day five)

Here it is again in our Re:Verse text this week- that phrase found throughout Proverbs, “Fear of the Lord”.  This phrase is commanded, encouraged, prescribed, and mentioned at least 18 times in the book of Proverbs. In these two verses, it is the prescription for envy. The fear of the Lord is the reverent obedience of His people or children. Notice the reference to a relationship. We find that relationship in the context of a covenant (both OT and NT). God rescues and calls, we trust and obey. The Fear of the Lord is our response to His initiative and character. It is the way to find hope, peace, and contentment. Anybody need that??

Thief

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 22:7 (day five)

Should we be surprised that Solomon wants to address the subject of money?  Having money or the appearance of having money communicates plenty. My guess from Solomon’s writings, is that just like today things like social status, reputations, meaningless appearances are derived by many in the context and culture of that society. One point that Solomon seems to make is that money can be a thief- robbing freedom from the wealthy because greed keeps them from using their money to bless others (verse 9) and robbing freedom (freedom to be content and freedom to make the Lord their top priority) from those in debt. The way of wisdom is to steward money so that the fear of the Lord is unhindered and the ability to respond to His instruction and direction (using money to support and encourage others) can happen often and easily.