Jimmy Hinton

June 2, 2021

Jesus Is Preparing a Place for Us

Death is a strange thing. All of us will face it; nobody is exempt. Whether people believe in God or not our fate is marked out for us. We know we will die. It’s not a question of if, but of when. Jesus’ disciples knew he would die, but didn’t understand that he was going to die so soon.

Jesus told them that he was preparing a place for them in his “Father’s house:” “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3 ESV).

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us” (vs. 8). Philip didn’t understand, and Jesus reminded him that, anyone who sees Jesus has also seen the Father. Christ is not only helping prepare a place for believers, he is coming back for them to lead them there. Belief in Christ and obedience is our assurance. It’s hard to fathom how incredible Heaven will be. But, rather than get hung up on what it is like, Jesus reminds his disciples that he is the Way and they should trust that it is perfect!

May 24, 2021

Be Sympathetic

upset black woman embracing anonymous girlfriend near group of people

There is something about sympathy that causes defensive walls to crumble. Not only does sympathy get past defenses, it is healing salve for the soul. Peter wrote, “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8-9 ESV).

The word Peter uses for sympathy is only used once in the whole Bible. It literally means suffering or felling the like with someone. When we are truly sympathetic, we enter into suffering with them.

The word for tender heart means have a “good gut.” It means to have compassion well up from your bowels, where it is essentially full of meaning and heart. It is about entering into the world of suffering with another person with immense meaning. When we are unified in mind (having the same mind), enter into suffering with people and mean it from our gut, treat each other with brotherly love, and are humble, that person’s world changes.

As Christians, we need to mean it when we express sympathy for one another. This was how Jesus treated people who were desperate. He entered into their world of suffering and then ultimately suffered the pain of the cross.

May 17, 2021

Not Peace, But a Sword

Imagine as Jesus is equipping his disciples to go out on their own and proclaim the good news that he is also warning against major catastrophic events. He promised them persecution and major, major rejection. Rejection and opposition are enough to shut most people down. When we feel intimidated, or even like we don’t meet the approval of others, we tend to wear out or shut down.

Opposition can take its toll on people, which is why it was so important that Jesus prepared his disciples to experience it. He could have removed obstacles and ushered in peace, but that’s not even what Jesus’ purpose was. In fact, the message of repentance and salvation was quite offensive to the masses. People are willing to fight, become violent, and and even kill for their own convictions.

In preparing his disciples, Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Matthew 10:34-35 ESV). Jesus was not calling his disciples to be disruptive and violent. His point was that the message was offensive and people would turn violent, therefore his followers needed to be alert and not allow themselves to be destroyed.

The question at hand is, “Are you willing to lose family for me?” People would have to choose between faith or family. Jesus said, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (vs. 37). We cannot forsake Christ for the sake of family or “keeping peace.” Jesus calls his people to radically follow him, no matter the cost.

May 11, 2021

Don’t Fear Them!

woman placing her finger between her lips

We’ve spent the past few weeks discussing Jesus’ method for recruiting, training, and sending his twelve apostles, as well as additional disciples. Jesus went through this entire process very quickly. He didn’t drag his feet or string the disciples along. Instead, he called them to immediately and completely follow him, he warned them of impending persecution, and then sent them out among the wolves.

Then, as he sent them out, he said, “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim it on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:26-28 ESV).

Anyone who has ever been oppressed, persecuted, or controlled in any way knows how terrifying people can be. People who have power to control others instill a deep sense of fear. They use threats and intimidation to control their victims, rendering them powerless and often physically, emotionally, and spiritually unwell. Jesus was in stark contrast to oppressors. He was a safe shelter for people who lived in constant fear. His disciples were going to be intimidated, beaten, shamed, and threatened to stop speaking.

Jesus didn’t tell them to lay low. Instead, he told them not to fear and to speak truth even louder! This is a timeless message that we still need to hear 2,000 years later!

May 4, 2021

Beware of Men

When Jesus sent his disciples out into the towns, he warned them that persecution was waiting for them. They were going to be drug before courts, experience floggings in their synagogues, and were going to be dragged before governors and kings for Jesus’ sake. This was a very sobering thing to tell his brand-new disciples. Imagine, Jesus told his followers to leave everything behind, including jobs and family, and gave no timeline for how long they would be on the move.

Very shortly after they left everything, he split them up into groups and sent them out into towns, but with a very stern warning: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16 ESV). Then he warned them of the types of persecution they would encounter along the way. But then the warning gets worse: “Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (vs. 21-22).

“Pastors resigning” is trending this week on social media because people are realizing how many preachers are leaving ministry this year due to, it is thought, the stresses of the pandemic. I’m seeing some of these people leaving ministry talk about their “persecution.” Trust that internal struggles, tensions, and even in-fighting is not the same as persecution. Jesus clearly defined persecution, and warned his disciples that they would face it immediately. This training proved to be very good, because the early church would face severe persecution and would thrive in that environment.

Perhaps we should better equip each other to face severe punishment. Traumatic experiences tend to cripple people today because forgiveness is used as a weapon, instead of teaching Christians to stand up to these evils of oppression and persecution.

April 27, 2021

Jesus Sends the Twelve

Jesus hand selected twelve apostles to follow him wherever he went. They were given authority over every demon and were given the ability to heal every disease and affliction. What’s astonishing is that Jesus chose mostly uneducated people who were ordinary tradesmen. Several of them owned fishing businesses and Matthew was a tax collector. We find that the most extraordinary characteristic was their faith to follow and their hard work ethic.

When Jesus sent the Twelve out into the towns to heal and proclaim the kingdom, he said, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. . . Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay” (Matthew 10:5, 6, 8 ESV). He further instructed them not to take anything extra for the journey. They were told to take the clothing and food they already had, and no more.

Not only that, but they were to “find out who is worthy in it (the town or village) and stay there until you depart” (vs. 11). If the house was worthy, Jesus told them to let their peace come upon it and if not, they were to “let your peace return to you.” This is important because Jesus did not want them preoccupied with money, jobs, or the worries of life. As important, he did not want them wasting time in places where the good news was not welcome.

This same message is equally important for us today. Churches shouldn’t spend time, money, and resources on things that don’t produce fruit. Christ’s concern is that all come to repentance and a full knowledge of Christ and the kingdom, and this can never happen if we aren’t productive as followers of Jesus.

April 20, 2021

The Twelve Misfits

silhouette photography of group of people jumping during golden time

When Jesus called his disciples, he selected a group that clashed with each other. Some were family; some were friends. None of them were very educated, but they had a good work ethic. It almost seems like Jesus hand selected people who would labor without wavering instead of selecting people who knew the Law but weren’t willing to work. Jesus repeatedly spoke about the need for more workers in the field. This would have resonated with the disciples who owned their own businesses. They were used to recruiting workers and working with other people of other trades to make their business work.

It must have been a shock to the twelve apostles when Jesus called them to follow him, especially given their lack of formal education and their backgrounds as fishermen. It must have come as more of a shock when Jesus gave them the authority that he did: “And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction” (Matthew 10:1 ESV).

What’s even more telling is that Jesus selected a group of people who were wildly different. This sometimes lent itself to intense fights among the twelve. They argued over who would hold the best position in heaven. They often didn’t understand what Jesus told them and would argue over the meaning. And, of course, Judas betrayed Jesus the same night that Peter denied knowing him. Yet Jesus divinely selected these people.

We must remember that our level of skill, education, and money are not what matters to God. While those things can add tremendous value, God will empower anyone who is willing to carry his word to the lost and hurting.