SANCTUARY CITIES

Ideas come from somewhere and the good ones come from the heart of God.

Where did we get the idea for "sanctuary cities"?  Are they a good idea?

God's heart has always been for protecting the innocent.  Because our law is based on Judeo-Christian beliefs, we wrote room into our immigration law ("asylum")  for people running from religious or political persecution.  The sanctuary cities make room for them while their status is being adjudicated.  That's good.

But sanctuary cities also have become places for outlaws to hide FROM the law, preventing their "day in court".  Let's go back to the beginning to see how we have perverted God's good idea that He called "Cities of Refuge".

As the LORD was sending His people into the Promised Land, He told them how to structure their government to include "Cities of Refuge".

God spoke specifically about these cities to Moses and then to Joshua (as seen in Deuteronomy 19, Numbers 35, and Joshua 20).

This is what God said to Joshua:
"Have the Israelites select the cities of refuge that I told you about through Moses.  Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood.  The ones who committed manslaughter should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city.  They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there.  When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation.  He must remain in that city until his case is decided by the assembly and the high priest dies.  Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped."

God was protecting life in two ways:  He provided for the accidental murderer ("manslaughter") a safe place until the case could be heard...and He also was protecting the blood avenger from sinning, that their blood would be required of them.

Look how practically the Lord laid out the plan.  He told them to choose six cities strategically placed throughout the Promised Land so that a person in flight could walk to one of the cities in a day's time.  Three Cities of Refuge were east of the Jordan River and three were to the west.

The cities were on good roads and were open always to all (Israelite, settler, or foreigner), but the accused was required to stay within the border of that City of Refuge until adjudication or at such time as the high priest died.  Then the person might return to his home.

Did you know that Jesus is our City of Refuge?

All have sin, so we are not falsely accused.  All are responsible for a capital crime, the death of God's Son.  All are headed to eternal death unless we find a place of safety.


*AT THE GATE.  When the fugitive arrived at the city gate, he was required to state the facts of his case before the city elders took him in/provided for him until his case could be heard.  Doesn't Jesus take us in and provide for us?  Jesus' arms are always open for those who would bow before Him and confess their sin.

*WHOMEVER.  The gates of the city were open day and night for ALL.  In the same way, any person can come to Jesus at any time.  God is not a respecter of persons, but   salvation is God's free gift through Christ.

*PARDON.  The fugitive was not turned over to his avenger, and Jesus does not turn us over to our enemy.  Sin pursues man doggedly, but the Lord Christ offers refuge for the guilty.  Even though He has heard our story (the facts of our case), He forgives...by incredibly taking our punishment for sin.  The only way to escape death for our sins is through His sacrifice.

*FOREVER.   Although the fugitive was to remain in the City of Refuge until the High Priest died, we do not leave our Refuge because our High Priest Jesus will never die.  His resurrection proves that God has the power over death.  Our protection begins when we ask for forgiveness and lasts until the day our Rescuer will take us to the eternal place He has prepared...and then forever.

Proclaiming the gospel continues to make the roads clear to the Rescuer.  Isn't that our job as believers?  That was Jesus' last order before He left the earth.  "Go then, and make disciples of all the nations."   God is so gracious.  Will you tell others that they have a place to flee?

PLACES IN THE HEART

Mike and I watched "Places in the Heart" last week.  It has been a long time since we've seen it and we would place it up there beside "To Kill a Mockingbird" in the way it displays virtue in the face of cultural ungodliness.

Know what ungodliness is?  Ungodliness is when we act in opposition to God's character.  He is kind and we are self-absorbed, He is forgiving and we are into retaliation, He is loving and we love those who are like us, He is slow to anger and we snap, He displays grace and mercy and we expect tit-for-tat.

"Places in the Heart" is a beautiful snapshot of the contrast between godliness and ungodliness.

"Church" bookends this movie; it opens and closes with a church building, a church song, and church people.

Interestingly, one of the church visuals is a European-looking church that is much outsized for the small Texas town setting.  That seemed to be saying that the people are overpowered by the church rather than be powered by God.

In fact, the movie seems to make the point that the church was full of hypocrites.  Since I'm one, there's no argument from me on that.  It's easy to know right but not act right.

Set in 1935 in Waxahachie, Texas, "Places in the Heart" also includes some unrighteousness (opposition to God's laws).  There is blatant discrimination as the town's people reject and beat a black man, the banker seems particularly unhelpful to a widow, and there is a cheating spouse as well as a cheating gin-operator.

BUT OH, THE WONDERFUL PARTS!

Loved watching Sally Field, PERIOD!  She did receive Best Actress for this 1984 role.  Loved watching her recover and shine as Edna, the widow who was totally unprepared for life's hardball.  Loved her sparkly act of grace over the stolen silver spoons and her interaction with her cute kiddos, Possum and Frank.  Felt the fierceness of her heartbreak in moments when she missed her husband (especially in the discipline of Frank).

Loved the rest of this fabulous ensemble cast.  Loved seeing how the blind boarder, the hobo, and Edna's family all became a family as their attitudes readjusted.  When the tornado came, they risked their lives, one for another.

The movie's end reminded my why my first viewing caused tears.  Our sin makes us unworthy, but the movie attests to the hope of forgiveness that is found in Christ.

As communion is passed at the end, we see the reality of Jesus' power which purchased peace with God.  Then the Holy Spirit reminds us of the hope of a coming day when things will be set right.  LINK

In that day, sin's absence will subtract opposition to God's character and His laws.  Then, the top "place in our hearts" will belong to Him.

If you haven't seen "Places in the Heart", give Netflix a call...

DR. JEKYLL/MR. HYDE

Our BSF lessons have been so rich and challenging lately.  Last Tuesday our teaching leader covered the whole book of 1John in one lesson.  The thoughts about sin and God's love are still popping in my brain.

She likened our struggle with sin to how Dr. Jekyll wanted to let his evil side out...but he wanted a way that didn't ruin his reputation.  So the doctor developed a potion which allowed him to change into Mr. Hyde, sin as much as he wanted, then chug the potion and return again to respectability.

Ever had your own Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde thing going?  It's the stuff life in the world's system is made of.  And it sure looks stinky when the light shines on it.  That must be why the Lord tells us to walk in the light...

Could I give you one thing from each of the five 1John chapters that's been on my mind?

CHAPTER 1: SIN IS DARKNESS BUT GOD IS LIGHT.  God is light and there is NO darkness in Him.  Sin is a fixed attitude of opposition to God's person (ungodliness) and to His laws (unrighteousness).

Do you rub elbows with those who snort about sin as though sin is a fool's contrivance?  Views about sin may change, but God never changes.  It's what He says about sin that counts; He says sin separates us from Him.

Sin is burdensome, but the people who cozy up to God's character live lives of joy and contentment because we are wired to be in a state of wholeness (shalom) with God.

My take-away from Chapter 1 was "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."  I was cut to the quick to realize that when I let confession slide...I am, in effect, calling God a liar.

CHAPTER 2: SIN IS THE DESIRE OF THE WORLD.  Sin is the dominant reality in our world, and Chapter 2 speaks of three dark things that call to people...the lust of the flesh (passions), the lust of the eyes (possessions), and the pride of life (power and position).  Know how those things were once good?

     a.  God gave sexual attraction as a gift for a man/woman in monogamous marriage. Now the lust of the flesh has turned it into a plethora of perversions.
     b.  God gave man eyes to see the beauty of creation so he would see how beautiful the Creator is.  Now the lust of the eyes idolizes "things" and man becomes covetous.
     c.  God gave man pride so that he could be proud of the Lord Jesus.  Instead, man turns that gift inward and thinks more highly of himself.

When believers sin, we have an Advocate before the Father who caused us to be born again by the Holy Spirit.  That saving grace is distributed by God HOW and WHEN He chooses.  Our immutable God never changes, but His created ones (angels and people) were not made immutable.  We change, and our free will calls for cooperation with the Spirit in order to learn obedience.  Grace is not an entitlement, but a free gift to praise Him for every day.

CHAPTER 3: SIN IS OF THE DEVIL.  There are two groups of people in the world.  God's children exhibit God's character...and Satan's children exhibit his lawless character.  Sin is incompatible with the character of God, but VERY consistent with the character of the devil.

"Now this is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another...and the person who keeps His commandments resides in God and God in him.  Now by this we know that God resides in us: by the Spirit He has given us."  

CHAPTER 4: SIN IS DEALT WITH BY GOD.  Just as there are a boatload of false teachers today, in John's day men taught that Jesus was a man and not God.  John writes to say Jesus was fully man and fully God.  "In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins."  1John 4:10

In Genesis 2, God had warned Adam that disobedience would earn a death sentence...and not only for himself but also for his descendants.

What is death?  If you have ever lost someone dear, you know that death is physical separation.  But death can also be spiritual separation.  When Adam sinned he immediately felt shame, the result of spiritual separation from his Father.  The Lord COULD have given Adam immediate physical death (which would have meant eternal separation), but He chose to give Adam 930 more years to propagate mankind.

God also promised to send Himself to take Adam's punishment...but in the meantime He killed an animal to cover Adam's sin.  For thousands of years men came to an altar to express their faith that they would receive atonement in the death of a substitute.  Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

In the Old Testament, the blood of the sacrifice was taken into the Holy of Holies once a year and placed on the lid of the Ark of the Covenant.  That lid was called the mercy seat because when God looked down, he saw blood from the atonement and knew something had died for the sin.  That sacrifice propitiated (turned away) God's wrath from His people.

We know the blood of sheep and goats was just a foreshadowing and not a complete atonement.  But God accepted it because the faith of His people was not in the sacrifice, but in the Promised Messiah.  When Jesus became the Once-And-Forever Substitute, His death and separation from God the Father became the way anyone might come to God.  GOD DEALT WITH OUR SIN BY TAKING HIS WRATH OUT ON HIMSELF.  He did that knowing that men would keep on sinning.  The truth of that is stunning to me.

CHAPTER 5: Sin Is Dangerous.  Welcome to a sticky passage.  In this chapter the Lord is calling the believer to pray for another believer who is sinning.  Why?  Sin is dangerous when our hearts are hard.

Spiritual separation is not in play in the passage because God holds onto all who are His.  But an understanding of the "sin unto death" spoken of in 1John 5:16...is  that when a believer is sinning in a way that God considers harmful enough, He would cause a physical separation (death) of the believer so that the person stops hurting themselves.  We remember Ananias and Sapphira.  Such a sin wouldn't be a sin just "stumbled upon", but rather a continuous and willful, unrepentant sin.  The Lord does discipline those He loves.

What were my takeaways from 1John?  How can I keep my inner Mr. Hyde at bay?

Confess.
Conquer sin by craving God's words.
Cooperate with the Holy Spirit to exhibit God's character.
Choose sacrificial love over sin.
Call Jesus Lord.

John closes his book by saying "Dear children, keep yourselves from idols".  Our lecture leader pointed out that DR. JEKYLL IDOLIZED HIMSELF by blaming Mr. Hyde.  Of course, there was never a Mr. Hyde...only Dr. Jekyll who would "Hyde" his sins.  Aren't we so thankful that we don't have to be sinless to be in a relationship with our Merciful God?  We just come to Him clothed in Jesus' righteousness.  May He give each of us the strength to honor Jesus' name as we ask Him to cause us to live imprinted with His character.