The Monday Memo from John Stanko

944: Levi

There was no more hated class of Jewish citizens in Jesus' day than the tax collectors. These men were employed by Herod to collect taxes for Rome and for Herod's projects, and anything that was "left over" belonged to the collectors. These men had a franchise that empowered them to legally loot their own people and thus the reason for the animosity toward them. The Jews could think of no greater insult to hurl at Jesus than this: "Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Luke 7:34). it is not surprising then that Jesus would call one of these men to become a disciple and also a good example of a Proverbs 31 man, the subject of my current series.

THE CALL

Jesus' ministry was based in the region of Galilee by the large lake where some of His disciples made their living as fishermen. Levi was there to collect business taxes from those men but then one day Jesus walked by and this is what happened: "After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him" (Luke 5:27:28). My theory is that this was not the first encounter between these two men. Perhaps Levi and Jesus had previously conversed or maybe Levi had watched Jesus' public ministry.

That being said, when Levi heard the call, he abandoned his lucrative occupation and followed Jesus. After that, whenever the apostles were named, Levi was included but was identified by his other name of Matthew:

When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor (Luke 6:13-16).

Matthew abandoned his wealth and his source of revenue to follow and fellowship with Jesus. The reason I believe Matthew was acquainted with Jesus is because of what Matthew did after he followed Jesus: "Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them" (Luke 5:29). Matthew knew that Jesus' mission was to reach people just like him so he used his connections to spread the word and give his peers the same chance that he had to encounter Jesus of Nazareth. 

THE LESSONS

Levi had been rejected by the scribes of his day, but Jesus chose him to be His scribe. Matthew went on to write a gospel directed toward his people the Jews, explaining and proving that Jesus was their Messiah. Matthew displayed two of the four traits of a Proverbs 31 man: 1) using leadership power to benefit and not harm those who are weaker; and 2) serving in a leadership capacity as an elder at the gate where he could dispense wisdom and justice.

To become a Proverbs 31 man, Levi had to display courage and walk away from his occupation. He had to embrace his past, be forgiven, and then bear fruit consistent with his new life. Because he did, he is still serving the Lord and blessing the people of God though his writing and teaching. Is Jesus calling you to be a Proverbs 31 man? It may not be necessary to walk away from your work, but then again, it may. If that is what He is asking you to do, you will not do it alone, for He is calling you to walk with Him so that together you may redefine your role, not according to what others think, but according to His purpose and plan for you. I urge you not to let anything—money, occupation, sports, relationships, or fear—keep you from being a Proverbs 31 man who is able to accept a new role not only as a breadwinner for your family but a soul winner for Christ. Have a blessed week!

943: Another Joseph

There are a few men named Joseph included in biblical narratives. One is the Old Testament Joseph of Egypt fame. Then there is Joseph, the father of Jesus, and also Joseph in Acts 4 who was given the nickname of Barnabas. There is one other Joseph that I want to focus on this week in my Proverbs 31 Men series and that is Joseph of Arimathea.

In case you are just tuning in, I am well into a series I am referring to as the Proverbs 31 Men, which is a collection of Memos that manifest the characteristics of men described in Proverbs 31, which of course also contains the well-known description of what we call the Proverbs 31 woman. You can read one of the first Memos that describes the Proverbs 31 man in full here or go back and read all the Memos so far that have looked at men like Amos, Mordecai, Onesiphorus, Ezra, and Simeon. In short, the characteristics I am looking for are:

1. Using leadership power to benefit and not harm those who are weaker.
2. Being concerned for social justice.
3. Honoring women.
4. Serving in leadership capacities as "elders at the gate," where wisdom and justice are dispensed.

My goal is to stir up modern men to take their place as Proverbs 31 men. Based on my experience in my church or from my travels, this is not happening.

WHAT DO WE KNOW?

I find four references to Joseph of Arimathea:

1. He was a disciple and follower of Jesus: "When evening came, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, one of Jesus’ followers, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new rock-hewn tomb, and rolled a great stone across the entrance as he left" (Matthew 27:57-60).
2. He was a bold man who was looking for God's kingdom: "It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb" (Mark 15:42-26).
3. He had not consented to how the Council treated Jesus: "Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment" (Luke 23:50-56).
4. Even though bold, Joseph was a secret disciple because he feared the Jewish leaders: "Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there (John 19:38-42).

WHAT ARE THE LESSONS WE CAN LEARN?

Here are some things that stand out about Joseph that can help you be a Proverbs 31 man (or woman).

1. He was not a perfect man, for he was a secret disciple because he feared the backlash of his culture. God still used him and honored him with his story being told in all four gospels.
2. Jesus' death, rather than causing him to shrink back deeper into fear, caused him to come out and identify with the dead Jesus.
3. He was not a primarily a Jewish man or a synagogue man. His loyalty was not ultimately to his people or his church, but to the Kingdom of God.
4. His courage drew out Nicodemus who we must also assume was a "secret" disciple.
5. The women followed Joseph to learn what he had done and where Jesus was so they could follow up with their own devotion to the dead Jesus when the Sabbath was over.
6. Joseph used his wealth to help the poor, for he gave his expensive tomb to a man who could not pay him for it. Anyone who knows Jewish culture knows how important a burial is for the Jews.
7. While Joseph was a secret disciple, he publicly disagreed with the mistreatment of Jesus and the unjust sentence of the Council.

Here are some questions to ask yourself in light of what we just read and learned. Where is fear keeping you a "secret" disciple of Jesus? Are you bound by your wealth or love of money? Are you bold for the cause of Christ? Are you more committed to your church or your race than you are to the Kingdom and its values? Do women follow your leadership? Are you impacting others to be bold in their faith? Do you have the courage to speak up to disagree with less-than-godly decisions made at work, in your church, or in your family? I pray that God will grant you the grace to answer these questions honestly and then give more grace to become the Proverbs 31 person that Joseph of Arimathea was. Have a blessed week! 

942: In The Spirit

In our Proverbs 31 Men series, so far we have looked at Mordecai, Onesiphorus, Amos, and Ezra, examining what made these characters stand out as men of purpose. Let's move on in our series to look at a man named Simeon, of which we know very little, but what we do know tells us a lot:

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too" (Luke 2:25-35).

There is on phrase that stands out in those verses, so let's begin our study there as we examine what it was like for Simeon to be a man of the Holy Spirit.

IN THE SPIRIT

Notice that we learn three things about Simeon and the Holy Spirit:

1. The Holy Spirit was on him.
2. The Holy Spirit had revealed something to him.
3. The Holy Spirit moved him to go to the Temple to meet the baby Jesus.

Obviously, the Holy Spirit was active and working in Simeon's life, but we are not told how or why. We do not know if there were any other Spirit manifestations or activities that distinguished Simeon from other men. We do not know that he was "righteous," which would describe his relationship with others, and he was "devout," which describes his relationship with God. It is often assumed that Simeon was old, but if you look at the account carefully, Luke did no tell us that for sure. We don't know how long he carried God's promise that he would see the Messiah. All we know is that the Spirit revealed something to him, which Simeon accepted in faith and then waited.

Jerusalem was a busy city with lots of activity, especially around the Temple. It would have been easy for Simeon to miss his encounter with Jesus. Jesus would not have been in the Temple with His parents for very long and Simeon could have been in the general vicinity but still missed Him, except that the Spirit was ordering his steps. We see from this that Simeon was sensitive to the Spirit or perhaps the Spirit had done such a deep work in his life that he had a thought that he needed to be somewhere and followed that thought in faith.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

There seem to be two pictures that people hold in their minds when we say someone is in the Spirit. We either think of a wide-eyed, eccentric person who walks around with his (or her) head cocked to one side, listening for a voice that no one else can hear. Or there is the person who only does what "the Spirit" tells him (or her) to do, and thus takes no initiative on his (or her) own unless God speaks. I am not sure either of those would adequately describe Simeon. Paul is the one who gives us the best picture for what someone in the Spirit is like:

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8:5-11).

It seems that the presence of the Spirit is most active in the area of our minds and the business of our minds is thinking. Therefore, those who are in the Spirit are those whose thought process and eventual thoughts themselves are subject to the work of the Spirit. A Proverbs 31 man is one whose mind is not set on sports, or business, or gambling, or sex, or trivial or wasteful hobbies. The Proverbs 31 man's mind is not hostile to God or His will but submits to God's will as revealed in His word and through His Spirit. There is an abundance of instruction in the epistles that describes the behavior and thinking of a man led by the Spirit. Perhaps it would be a good study to look at what those writers had to say as a follow up to this Memo.

If the mind governed by the flesh is death, then the mind ruled by the Spirit is life and that life is contagious and must be shared with others. That means men who are in the Spirit are teaching and encouraging others, just like Simeon did with Joseph, Mary, and Jesus in the Temple. Are you a man (or woman) of the Spirit? If so, you don't have to follow the expectations of those who think you must be spooky spiritual if you have a close relationship with the Spirit. You can be supernaturally natural and still be a man or person of the Spirit. I encourage you to reflect on this concept this week and see if your mind is indeed a source of life for others, or a source of contention or useless pursuits that don't amount to anything in the eternal economy of God. Have a blessed week!

941: Ezra

We continue with our Proverbs 31 Male series with a look at an obscure Old Testament priest named Ezra. The purpose of this series is to look at men who modeled certain behaviors described in Proverbs 31, which include:

1. Using leadership power to benefit and not harm those who are weaker.
2. Being concerned for social justice.
3. Honoring women.
4. Serving in leadership capacities as "elders at the gate," where wisdom and justice are dispensed.

Ezra does not qualify on all the points above, a topic we will not discuss in this Memo, but he did excel in leading his people because of his superb knowledge of the Word, which will be the focus of our discussion.

WHO WAS THIS MAN?

Ezra was a priest who was in Babylon taken there under the same conditions as Daniel:

After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—this Ezra came up from Babylon (Ezra 7:1-6a).

Ezra was selected to lead the contingent returning to Jerusalem having distinguished himself as a man of the Word:

• He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given (Ezra 7:6b).
• This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel: Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven (Ezra 7:11-12).
• Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you (Ezra 7:21).

The Persian king had heard of Ezra because Ezra had distinguished himself as a man who knew the Word and could teach others the word:

And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appointmagistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment (Ezra 7:25-26).

Ezra had so completely given himself to the study of God's word that he was known not only among the Jews but also among the heathen as a learned man. On that basis he was chosen to serve his people by leading them back to rebuild Jerusalem, the city of their fathers. 

MEN OF THE WORD

I recently met with someone who told me they studied the Word of God two to three hours almost every day. When I asked why, this person said, "So I can know the Word." While I was impressed with this person's diligence and commitment, I challenged them to be more than a man of the Word. I urged them to become a teacher of the Word, for that is what a Proverbs 31 man needs to be. If we are to dispense justice and lead people, we must not only know the Word but also obey and then teach the Word. 

I am concerned because so few men are involved in their churches teaching others, especially children. I am concerned that men seem more entranced by sports and other "manly" activities than they are immersed in the Word—but not just immersed to build themselves up but to teach others as well. I am concerned that I see men more activated by politics on social media who are sharing their political insights rather than their insights into God's word (including pastors)

Ezra had a wonderful reputation as a man of wisdom as the king stated in his memo: "And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess . . ." (Ezra 7:25a). Where are the men of wisdom today? Where are the men who are available to be drafted to lead God's people because they know the Word, not because they are successful businessmen or sports trivia champions?

I go back to the song I quoted in the first entry of this series, titled Rise Up, Oh Men of God. The stanzas go like this:

Rise up O men of God, Have done with lesser things. Give heart and soul and mind and strength,  to serve the King of Kings.

 

Rise up O men of God, His Kingdom tarries long, Bring in the day of brotherhood, and end the night of wrong.

 

Rise up O men of God, The Church for you doth wait. Send forth to serve the needs of men In Christ our strength is great,

Lift high the Cross of Christ, Tread where His feet have trod. As brothers of the Son of Man, rise up O men of God,

 

How many men will commit to be people of the Word to not only obey it but also to teach it. If you are ready to make that commitment, then the time to start is now for every day counts as we rise up to serve this generation as God would have us do. Have a blessed week.

Memo 940: Amos

We continue with our Proverbs 31 Male series with a look at one of the minor prophets named Amos. (Keep in mind that those prophets considered "minor" received that label due to the shortness of their biblical accounts and does not denigrate their message or impact.) We are looking at men who modeled certain behaviors described in Proverbs 31, which include:

1. Using leadership power to benefit and not harm those who are weaker.
2. Being concerned for social justice.
3. Honoring women.
4. Serving in leadership capacities as "elders at the gate," where wisdom and justice are dispensed.

The goal is to stir up readers who are willing to emulate the behavior and lifestyle of these Proverbs 31 men we study. Let's get started.

WHO WAS THIS MAN?

Amos was a shepherd ("The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa"—Amos 1:1) and a farmer (“I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees"—Amos 7:14). He was not numbered among the officially recognized prophets in either the southern kingdom where two tribes lived (Judah) or the northern kingdom (Israel) where the other ten tribes resided. Yet Amos responded to the call and word of the Lord to leave the southern kingdom to go deliver a message to the northern kingdom, where he quickly wore out his welcome.

It seems that the northern kingdom was experiencing unprecedented economic prosperity but had forgotten social justice and the rights of the poor in their drive to amass wealth. Amos began by prophesying against Israel's neighbors but then took dead aim at God's people and told them disaster was coming because of their wicked ways:

"There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth. You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil" (Amos 5:10-13). 

SOME THOUGHTS

Here are some thoughts on Amos and his mission that can help all people, especially men, in their attempts to carry out their God-given purpose in these days.

1. Amos was not only "interested" in his people of the southern tribe, but had a worldview that allowed him to address the nations around Israel as well as his northern cousins.
2. Amos had visions and wrote poetry. Like King David, he obviously nurtured his creativity so that when God spoke to him, he was prepared to speak and write because he had practiced and worked at it to sharpen his skills.
3. Like Jesus, Amos drew on analogies and images from his work world of shepherding and farming. For example, "This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: a basket of ripe fruit. 'What do you see, Amos?” he asked. 'A basket of ripe fruit,' I answered. Then the Lord said to me, 'The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer'" (Amos 8:1-2). That indicates he paid attention to and meditated on what he heard and saw in the Lord and then put some thought, inspired by the Spirit, to communicate important lessons for the people to hear.
4. Amos was a "kingdom" man and not a "church" man. His loyalty was to Yahweh, the King of Israel, and not to his "denomination" or his tribal people. That is why he was ostracized but stayed true to his calling when he was evicted.
5. Amos urged Israel to build relationships with the poor, thus breaking down the barriers between the rich and poor, who were (and are) equal in the sight of God.

IMPLICATIONS FOR US

When we talk of justice, the problem is that people often politicize that discussion. Since everyone has an opinions about what is just and right, there is seldom agreement about the best behavior or course of action. Take the issue of health care, for example. Some believe the government should pay for most if not all of health care and others believe it should be based more on a free market approach that does indeed create inequities. Both sides blast away at the other side, one claiming the other is socialist and the other claiming those who disagree are racist or at least insensitive (I know this is a gross oversimplification.)

The point is that each man must seek the Lord to help him define the issues of justice and mercy and then not rail against those who disagree but rather do something with what he sees. For instance, I decided to become a university instructor among the poor who decided to return to school and served in that capacity for 22 years. I founded a publishing company that pays attention to those who have a story but cannot always pay for the publishing services. I attend a church that is active in the community around the church building to help the poor. Finally, my work in Africa among the poor there is well chronicled.

What are you doing to help the poor and contribute to social justice, not just among your own people or with your own political affiliations, but through your church? If your church isn't doing much, what is your response? Do you do nothing as well, or can you be like Amos who, although a blue collar worker, decided to do something by relocating and speaking out against the abuses of his day (this was not politically-motivated and was not directed at his enemies)? If we are going to be Proverbs 31 men, then we must be involved at a grass-roots level, not simply as rabble-rousers (talk is cheap and ideas cheaper) but as involved individuals who model what we teach and practice what we preach. Have a blessed week!