Bethel Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
Dr. Robert Cosand
A Ministry of Bethel Baptist Church 24600 Little Mack Avenue Saint Clair Shores, MI 48080
Service Times Sunday 9:30 am - Sunday School 10:45 am - Morning Worship 6:00 pm - Evening Praise Service Wednesday 6:45 pm - Youth Group 6:45 pm - AWANA (During School Year) 7:00 pm - Bible Study & Prayer
More Information about Bethel Baptist Church Bethel Baptist Church bbcscssound@gmail.com Pastor Robert Cosand
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 23:1-7
What people say while they are dying is very significant. They don’t talk about the weather or the stock market or the game on television. They talk about eternal matters.
David, “the sweet psalmist of Israel,” wrote a song just before he died. The book of Psalms contains 73 Psalms bearing David’s name, but this song is found only in the book of 2 Samuel. The content of this song is highly instructive for us.
This poem does not contain the ruminations of an old king as he looks back on bygone days of glory and the excitement of “the good old days.” This song is an account of the majesty of the infinite God. David lauds what God had done in his life, namely to take David from the shepherd’s field and place him on the throne of Israel and inspire him to write sacred Scripture for the ages (2 Sam 23:1).
But outshining the glory of what God had done for David during his life is what God would do through David, long after he was gone. God would raise up a King who would rule in perfect righteousness and the fear of God (2 Sam 23:2-5). In contrast, the unrighteous, God will “thrust away like thorns” which are worthless (2 Sam 23:6,7).
How full are our hearts when we consider the majesty of God both in what He has done in our lives and, even more wondrous, in what He will do in the ages to come . . . because of Jesus Christ and His work on our behalf! Do we not declare, with David, that this King is the source of “all our salvation and all our desire” (2 Sam 23:5)? Let us meditate on our Lord until we can honestly say it.
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 24 - (1 Chronicles 21)
We know David for his great victories and songs . . . and for his great sins. One rather obscure passage about one of David’s sins is 2 Samuel 24 (repeated in 1 Chr 21). David wanted to number his army, but not for the usual reason, which was to fight a war. It seems that David simply wanted to see how many men he had for personal delight (2 Sam 24:3). What he did, displeased the Lord (1 Chr 21:7) and God severely judged the people of Israel (2 Sam 25:15-17).
One lesson we can draw from this story is that it warns us not to take pleasure in our strength or victories apart from our delight being firmly and centrally rooted in our God. We can delight in our bank accounts or in the value of our house or in the longevity of our lives or in the attendance in our church or in the number of missionaries we support . . . and find more pleasure in these things than we do in the Giver of these things. We are so programmed to evaluate everything in terms of numbers that we have the tendency to feed our delight more on our accomplishments than on the excellencies of Christ. The subtleties of pride are particularly beguiling when it comes to us in this way.
A second lesson from this story is drawn from the fact that this sin of David’s pride does not appear to be a “youthful indiscretion.” That this story is found in 2 Samuel 24 indicates that this grievous sin was committed near the end of his reign and life. To be older is no automatic safeguard against sin. We must be ever vigilant, even ruthless, to guard our hearts against pride or greed or lust or sharp tongues. “Your word I have hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psa 119:11).
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 22 (Psalm 18)
Someone once said, “There are two main things we need to learn . . . how to live and how to die.” Having conquered the fear of death, in Christ, sometimes it is life which defeats us . . . namely the multiplied sorrows, sicknesses, emotional turmoil, losses, anxieties we all experience.
David knew the strains of life intimately. In his song in 2 Samuel 22:5,6 he describes his trouble in the following way . . . “waves of death ... torrents of destruction … cords of Sheol … snares of death." David’s experience was filled with heartache. But this song, which is virtually repeated verbatim in Psalm 18, is not a song of despair. It is a hymn of joy and strength.
There are many images presented in this song of strength, but two of them are particularly comforting. It is the idea that the Lord is our ‘rock’ and our ‘lamp’.
When David calls God his ‘rock’ (2 Sam 22:2,3,32,47), it is a term implying refuge. For many years, David hid in the caves as he ran from his enemies. To hide in the rocks of Palestine meant safety. David understood, as we must, that God, alone, is security. He is our rock.
A second image in this wonderful song (and there are more images) is the idea that God is our ‘lamp’ (2 Sam 22:29). The reality of this figure of speech is that God is our guide, showing us the way to live. He enlightens the darkness of doubt and confusion and spiritual ignorance.
May the Lord deeply teach us that Christ, alone, is our security that we might know safety in our souls. And may we learn that Christ, alone, is our light, that we may have understanding as we live our days.
Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 29:10-20
Near the end of his reign, King David desired to build a temple for the Lord. For 400 years, since the exodus from Egypt, the central place of worship in Israel had been the tabernacle. The tabernacle was a tent which the Jews carried through the wilderness. Now David wanted to build a permanent structure as the main place of worship for Israel.
His desire was denied by God. David could make the plans, but could not be the builder of the temple because his reign had been characterized by the bloodshed of war (1 Chr 28:2-6). David’s son, Solomon, whose name means ‘peace’, would be the builder.
Though David was not allowed to build the temple, before he died he laid elaborate plans, including the personnel to oversee and care for the temple and its activities. There were 38,000 Levites to oversee the operation of the temple, caring for everything from singing to counting money to baking bread for the Table of Showbread in the Holy Place (cf. 1 Chr 23-27).
When David had finished preparations, he addressed the people and Solomon (1 Chr 28) and prayed a stirring prayer in 1 Chronicles 29. In David’s prayer, we see a reflection of the purpose for the temple. First, it was to be a reminder to the people of the person of God and so David lauds the character of God in his prayer . . . God’s greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty (1 Chr 29:10-13). Second, the temple was to be a reminder of the necessity of humility before the Lord and obedience to Him (1 Chr 29:14-19).
Churches exist today, whether they have buildings or not, to reflect to our world the matchless glories of God and the pleasure of worshipping him in holiness and wonder and joy.
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 18
When David gave way to his lust for Bathsheba and his pride to cover his act through murder, there were some things he had not considered, namely the long term consequences of sin. Sinning against the living God is a more serious matter than we usually think it is and the dark effects of sin are both sure and destructive.
David’s sin had terrible effects that he had not considered in the passions of his heart. First, his sin had an effect on God’s name. “. . . by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme . . .” (2 Sam 12:14).
Second, his sin had an effect on others: Bathsheba, Uriah, Amnon, Tamar, Absalom. God told David of these results when He said, “Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife” (2 Sam 12:10).
Third, David’s sin had a long term, destructive effect on himself. In 2 Samuel 18 we see David in utter anguish and sorrow over the death of his son Absalom, 12 years after his sin with Bathsheba. “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son! . . . And the king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Sam 18:33; 19:4).
Let us take to heart the stern warnings in the Bible concerning sin’s consequences. “He who sows iniquity will reap vanity” (Prov 22:8). “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal 6:7).
Scripture Reading: Psalm 3 (2 Samuel 13-16)
Sometimes we can read the stories behind our hymns, like the loss of Horatio Spafford’s four daughters before he wrote “It Is Well With My Soul.” The stories enrich our understanding of these songs. One of the things that makes Psalm 3 interesting is the superscription before verse 1, which tells us the background behind the Psalm. It reads “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom, his son.”
The story is found in 2 Samuel 13-16 and it is the heartbreaking account of rape, revenge, and an extremely strained relationship between David and his son Absalom. It was strained to the point that Absalom orchestrated a coup to take the throne of Israel for himself, in opposition to his own father.
As a result of this treasonous conspiracy David is forced to flee his own throne and country, running for his life from his own flesh and blood. His cry to God in this terrible circumstance is recorded in Psalm 3.
David’s strength and hope lies in (1) the nature of God (Psa 3:3), who is a deliverer and comforter; (2) the faithfulness of God in the past, when God answered David’s prayers (Psa 3:4); and (3) the reign of God over this situation (Psa 3:8; cf. 2 Sam 15:25,26; 16:11,12).
The result of this consideration in David’s heart was courage and the shattering of the grip of fear. “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people” (Psa 3:6). This Psalm is a great encouragement to us as we face difficulties of every kind. Let us not live in fear. Let us learn to say, as George Whitefield said, "We are immortal until our work is done."
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 12:26-31
With the daily reports of warfare in almost every corner of the world, we may not expect or desire to come to the Bible and read about wars. But the stories of Old Testament Israel are filled with accounts of the fierce fighting between the Israelites and their enemies. This is especially true of the reign of King David, who was described as a “man of war” (1 Chron 28:3).
2 Samuel 12:26-31 describes the battles between Israel and the Ammonites. It was the Ammonites that Israel was fighting when David committed his sin of adultery (2 Sam 11:1). One question for us is this: what are we to learn for our own lives from Old Testament passages like this, recounting the wars of Israel?
One truth revealed in this passage is the faithfulness of God to His promises. He had promised, "By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies" (2 Sam 3:18). God’s promises and warnings are all true and utterly reliable. God’s faithfulness to His word is illustrated in this passage.
Second, God’s holiness and justice are revealed in this passage. The Ammonites were a detestable, idolatrous people. Their main god was Molech (or Moloch or Milcom) and people offered their children as sacrifices to this god (Lev 18:21; 20:1-5; 2 Kgs 23:10). So when the Israelites defeated the Ammonites in war, this was God’s judgment on the wickedness of these idolaters. God used war as an instrument of His justice.
These Old Testament stories have relevance to us in that they reveal attributes of the living God who never changes. This is the same God who reigns over his world today. Let us come to know Him and rejoice.
Scripture Reading: Romans 3:9-20
This paragraph in Romans forms the climax of the argument of the first major section of the book. The thrust of the first section of Romans is that the entire human race stands guilty before a holy God. The pagan man is guilty (Rom 1:18-32); the moral man is guilty (Rom 2:1-16); the Jewish man is guilty (Rom 2:17-29).
What we have in Romans 3:10-20 is a string of Old Testament quotations which, in unambiguous statements, concludes that every human being stands guilty before God’s awesome judgment. "None is righteous, no, not one; . . . no one does good, not even one" (Rom 3:10,12). So overwhelming is God’s evidence of our rebellion that this passage asserts that on judgment day every tongue will be silent and every mouth closed (Rom 3:19). The guilty will not have a valid defense to offer the Judge.
The implications of this section in Romans are far reaching. If we take this passage to heart and see ourselves in its assertions, it shatters our self-righteous tendencies and works in our hearts a deep humility. It drives us to Christ in passionate devotion and love and delight because of His provision for our helpless lives and souls. The mercy of God in Christ is all the more sweet in light of our desperately sinful hearts. Let us run to Jesus for His mercy and His righteousness. He is our only hope in the great day of judgment.
Scripture Reading: John 11:17-44
One of the most memorable of Jesus' miracles is His raising Lazarus from the dead. And the story includes one of Jesus' most magnificent declarations … "I am the resurrection and the life" (Jn 11:25). Certainly, this display of authority and power is meant to be an encouragement to believers, reminding them of their own resurrection one day.
In addition to the idea of resurrection, the stunning promise of John 11:26 both takes our breath away and takes away our fear of death … "Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." Of course, Jesus is not saying that Christians will never die physically, but that they will never taste the reality of spiritual death, namely separation from God. Upon physical death, believers go from the present reality of life to the unimaginable reality of living in the very presence of God.
The emotions of Jesus are on display in this account. Not only do we read about Jesus weeping (Jn 11:35), but also of a deep indignation within the heart of Jesus. Twice we read of Jesus being "deeply moved" (Jn 11:33,38). The meaning of the verb probably implies anger and indignation.
The old Princeton theologian, B. B. Warfield, said it this way: "It is death that is the object of his wrath, and behind death him who has the power of death, and who has come into the world to destroy. His soul is held by rage: and he advances to the tomb in Calvin's words 'as a champion who prepares for conflict'" (Warfield, The Person and Work of Christ, 117). Christ defeats the enemy death, and we are freed, forever, from fearing this destructive foe. Let our joy be full and our courage unshakable.
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 12:13-21
In 2 Samuel 12:13, David heard the words he longed to hear more than any other words ... ”The LORD has taken away your sin; you shall not die.” This statement is a display of the indescribable mercy of God. But the next verse is a display of the holiness of God. In order to demonstrate that sin carries consequences and that God is a God of justice, David heard the following words ... “However, because by this deed [adultery] you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die" (2 Sam 12:14).
When his son became ill, David prayed and fasted for 7 days, pleading with God for the life of his child. But God did not answer his petition. Or perhaps we should that God did answer David’s request and His answer was ‘no’.
Sometimes God says ‘no’ to our requests. God said ‘no’ to Moses’ request to see His glory (Exod 33:18). In profound discouragement and depression, both Elijah and Jonah prayed for God to take their lives and He refused (1 Kgs 19:4; Jonah 4:8). Paul prayed for the removal of his “thorn in the flesh” and God said ‘no’ (2 Cor 12:7-9).
When God says no to our petitions, we must remember that His answer is good (because God is good) and right (because God is righteous) and wise (because God is omniscient). For Christians, because they have escaped God’s wrath as His children, everything God does in their lives rises out of His love, even the pain He brings to their lives. To understand these things is to learn to hope in God when He says ‘no’ and to live with greater contentment and peace.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 32
It is not a pleasant task to look at ourselves as we really are. It is so difficult to do it honestly that, in fact, we usually do not do it at all, except when we are forced to. Our natural tendency is to deny anything within ourselves that is uncomplimentary.
But confession of the darkness of our hearts is absolutely necessary. It is not only necessary for emotional health (even secular psychiatrists would tell us that), but for spiritual life. There is no forgiveness with the living God unless there is a sincere acknowledgment of sinfulness and a willingness to turn from that sin. When there is true repentance before God, there is forgiveness. And this forgiveness is the basis for all joy. Sin is the fundamental problem of the human heart and until it is dealt with properly, there can be no lasting joy.
Psalm 32 is one of the confession Psalms of David. In it we see a description of a heart tortured by unconfessed sin and the restoration of joy based on humble confession before God and His merciful forgiveness.
It is said that the great 4th century theologian, Augustine (AD 354 - 430), used to weep when he read the 32nd Psalm and had its verses written on the wall beside his death bed. It would serve us well, now, to remember that when we face death, the only thing that will matter is whether or not we are forgiven by the living God. "How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psa 32:1).
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 11, 12
The story of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah cries out to us with great warning. If David, the man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14), could get to the place in his life that he was capable of such blatant and rebellious sinning, then none of us is immune to the lure of lust and hatred.
We tend to think that we will never be guilty of something like adultery or murder, but we all struggle with lust and hatred. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “I say to you, that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:28) and “. . . whoever says 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire (Mt 5:22).
The difference between lust and adultery and the difference between hatred and murder is not a difference of kind. It is only a difference of degree. To compare lust with adultery is not to compare an apple to an orange … it is to compare an apple seed to an apple. When God looks at the lustful heart He sees adultery in seed form.
The key to breaking the power of lust over our hearts (or any other sin) is to replace lust with a greater pleasure … and that greater delight is God Himself. It is the power of a superior satisfaction. When the soul drinks at the fountain of infinite pleasure (God), it stops thirsting for sin. Once the heart tastes the goodness of God, it is no longer satisfied with lesser delights … and sin’s power is broken.
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7:18-29 (also 1 Chr 17:16-27)
David’s response to God’s promise to make a name and a house for David is very instructive to us. David knew God had promised that an everlasting king and kingdom would come from David’s descendants (2 Sam 7:19) and his reaction to this promise is worth our consideration.
The first lesson for us is that David knew the ultimate reason that God had made this promise . . . and he cites that reason several times in this prayer:
... because of your promise (2 Sam 7:21)
... to redeem to be his people (2 Sam 7:23)
... to make a name for himself (2 Sam 7:23)
... for yourself (2 Sam 7:23,24)
... that your name may be magnified (2 Sam 7:26)
David recognized what we see elsewhere in the Bible, namely, that God does everything He does for His eternal honor, as an overflow of His infinite glory. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Rom 11:36). (Also see verses on the other side of this sheet)
David’s reaction to the God-centeredness of God’s promise is to be profoundly humbled and to be deeply satisfied. David’s humility is immediately obvious . . . "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far?" (2 Sam 7:18). And David’s satisfaction in God is seen in the conclusion to His prayer . . . “Now therefore, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you" (2 Sam 7:29).
Being saturated with a God-centered heart is the fountain of humility and contentment and joy and hope. To understand and love the idea that we are here for God’s everlasting honor is to understand life at its deepest level . . . and it is to be truly satisfied.
Verses that show God’s passion for His glory
He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace . . . (Eph 1:4-6).
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory (Isa 43:6,7).
I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, even I, am the one who blots out your transgressions for My own sake (Isa 43:25).
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31).
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake (Psa 23:3).
For my name's sake I defer My wrath, and for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another (Isa 48:9-11).
Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son, that the Son may glorify you (Jn 17:1).
Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Mt 5:16).
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Hab 2:14).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 12:14-21
It is easy for individual churches to become so absorbed in their own local programs that the idea of missions plays a secondary, and not very important, role. After all, the programs of any church (Sunday School, children's groups, youth work, music, women's and men's groups, building maintenance) take a great deal of effort on the part of many people if they are going to be effective.
This is all well and good and absolutely necessary for the health of any congregation. But we must not forget that the ministry of a church has twofocuses. The inward focus is that we care for each other, through teaching and friendships and mutual encouragement. The outward focus is to care for those outside the church, including those who live in the far ends of the earth.
We are moved by world evangelization (and local evangelization) when we consider our personal relationship to Jesus and when we consider who Christ is to the nations, globally. Personally, He is the tender lover of our souls. He does not run roughshod over our fragile hearts. He cares for us in our brokenness and comforts us in our weaknesses (Mt 12:20).
On a global scale, Jesus is the hope of the nations. "And in His name the Gentiles will hope" (Mt 12:21). In Isaiah 49:6, God declares that to redeem Israel alone is too small a thing. The Father says to the Son, "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." This is the wondrous purpose for missions ... universal and eternal glory for God.
Scripture Reading: Daniel 4
King Nebuchadnezzar was the sovereign king who conquered the remaining kingdom of Israel in 605 B.C. (some 120 years after the northern 10 tribes had already been conquered by Assyria). Tempted to boast in his own strength and military conquests, Nebuchadnezzar had grown arrogant. God sends him a dream with urgent significance for his life, but the king (with all the wise men of Babylon) can’t understand the meaning and thus calls on Daniel to interpret the dream for him. In time, the dream comes true and Nebuchadnezzar is humbled by the sickness of insanity, from which he recovers only after he acknowledges the sovereign reign of the Most High God of Israel.
So today, our pride can blind us from seeing our own faults and the ultimate sources of our blessings. Pride blinds us to our own temporality or limitations and to the grandeur and eternality of God. There’s only room for one person to be on the saddle of your life: if you’re calling all the shots, there’s no room for God.
Today we need a new vision—Nebuchadnezzar’s vision—of the eternal sovereignty and glory of God. Replace your self-confidence with God-confidence (not me, my worth, my rights, my kingdom but God: God’s worth, God’s ability to work in this situation, God’s kingdom.) His works are true and faithful (whereas I’m tempted to lie, sugar-coat, exaggerate, tell half the story.) I can’t always keep my word; I can’t always fulfill my responsibilities. God can. He does. His ways are just: I’ve failed and sinned, but all his ways are just: both when he gives and when he takes away, as Job said, blessed be His name. He can humble the proud.
C.S. Lewis: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” - If you’re thinking “I’m horrible”, or “I’m ugly” and always harshly criticizing yourself, that’s not humility: you’re still thinking of “YOU”. Want to change? Admit you’re proud, and ask God for grace to change and grow. James 4:6 “God resists the proud and he gives grace to the humble.”
Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 13 (also 2 Samuel 6:1-11)
One of the first things David did after he became king (following the death of Saul) was to move the Ark of the Covenant from the little village of Kiriath-Jearim to Jerusalem. The ark of God was the most sacred item in all Israel, representing the very presence of an almighty and holy God. It was a box, approximately 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, 2 feet high, and made of wood and overlaid with gold. It had a golden cover with cherubim over it. For over 60 years the ark had been neglected and now David wanted to bring it to Jerusalem and make it, again, the center of worship.
During the transporting of the ark, on a cart drawn by oxen, the animals stumbled and the cart began to tip. One of the men supervising the task, Uzzah, reached out to steady it and was immediately struck dead by God.
The story illustrates the awesome holiness of the living God. When the wicked stand before God, He is a consuming fire and the wicked are condemned. Our reaction of surprise to the story of Uzzah demonstrates that our understanding of the holiness of God is far too superficial and man centered.
The idea that God is holy means that He is:
... (1) set apart from His creation and utterly unique - Hosea 11:9; Exod 15:11; 1 Sam 2:2. Our response ought to be a trembling reverence - Exod 3:3-6.
... (2) set apart from what is sinful - Hab 1:12,13; Job 34:10; 1 Jn 1:5. Our response ought to be a shameful confession - Isa 6:1-5.
The holy Ark of the Covenant was defiled more by the touch of the sinful hand of Uzzah than it ever would have been by falling into the dirt of Judah.
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 30:1-8
Everyone draws strength from somewhere outside themselves. The poet was right when he said, "No man is an island." Situations confront us every day that demand a wisdom and strength beyond the resources of our own mind and heart. Some people turn to horoscopes for help … or psychics. Others read the usually-shallow and always-oversimplified advice in self-help books. Some take pills to help them deal with trouble. Many people try to bury their pain beneath an avalanche of amusements.
In a raid by the Amalekites, David’s wives were kidnapped along with the capture of the wives and children of his men. David and his men wept until they could not weep anymore (1 Sam 30:4). In response to this calamity, David did what people of deep faith do … he turned to the living God. "David strengthened Himself in the LORD his God . . . David inquired of the LORD" (1 Sam 30:6,8).
We must seek the same God David sought. In all our heartaches, we must fly to Him for mercy and strength. The power of God is infinite … the mercy of God is unfailing … and the promises of God are utterly reliable. "This is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us over death" (Psa 48:14). "But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth" (Jn 16:13). "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9).
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 29
One unlikely, but effective, strategy David used when running from Saul was to live in a Philistine city. David fled to Gath and lived there, serving the king of Gath, Achish, for 16 months (1 Sam 27:6). He even fought battles for Achish (1 Sam 27:8-12) against the Amalekites.
When it came time to fight the Israelites, the Philistine commanders were suspicious of David’s loyalties (1 Sam 29:4,5). David was not allowed to go to battle against Israel, but before sending him back to Gath, Achish defended David in glowing terms - "I have found no fault in him to this day" (1 Sam 29:3) … "you have been honest … I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day" (1 Sam 29:6) … " I know you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God" (1 Sam 29:9). These are extraordinary declarations from a sworn enemy of Israel. Gath was the city that Goliath was from (1 Sam 17:4).
We are all called on to conduct ourselves with such sterling character that even our enemies, in honesty, must admit our integrity. The reason this is so important is not our own popularity, but the honor of our God. "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16).
The way we progress in righteousness is to delight ourselves in God, looking into His perfect righteousness. "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Cor 3:18). To become more righteous is the result of the merciful discipline of our heavenly Father. "For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Heb 12:11).
Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 21:18-27
Following David’s sin of proudly taking an unnecessary census in Israel (1 Chr 21:1-17), God sent a pestilence on the land in judgment. When David repented of his sin, he desired to offer God a sacrifice of contrition. When King David came to the appointed place, the owner of the land, Ornan, offered to give it to him. But David made a telling declaration . . . “King David said to Ornan, ‘No, but I will buy them for full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing’” (1 Chr 21:24).
David was not willing to give God anything that was not a sacrifice to him. It is a significant principle for us to follow. Christianity, among other things, is a life of sacrifice. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Lk 9:23).
To follow Christ means sacrificing our time. "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil" (Eph 5;15,16). It means sacrificing our energy. "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor 4:8,9). It means sacrificing our money for the sake of the kingdom of Christ. "Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. . . . For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God" (2 Cor 9:7,12). Following Christ means being willing to sacrifice our very life in His cause. "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mk 8:35).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:17-35
Selfishness was rotting the church at Corinth. Like the Greek mythological character Narcissus who loved his own reflection so much that he died while glaring at it, narcissism plagued the Corinthian church. They used Spirit-enabled gifts to feed their own ego rather than build up one another or glorify God. They prided themselves for their tolerance and inclusivity as they gave a permissive 'pass' to a man in their church claiming to be a believer while he was actively engaged in flagrant incest. They even abused the Lord’s Supper as a chance to gorge themselves and get drunk, all to the exclusion of loving God or loving the poorer working-class believers who arrived later. Arrogant strife evidenced itself in a divisive party mentality as each group congratulated themselves for following their favorite church leaders. You would almost think someone snipped an article about a church in 21st century America.
As Paul challenged the Corinthians, we must consider how our selfishness is hurting the church today. Look into your own heart and search your own motives. Why do you do what you do? Why do you come to church, give financially, sing, pray, read Scripture, memorize the Bible? Is it for God, or is it for you to get some praise of man and boost your ego? Look out on your brothers and sisters and take note of how your heart attitudes and misguided expectations evidence themselves in how we mistreat one another and how we treat the worship of our holy God. Do we take Communion too lightly? Look and see how our selfishness could be bringing the Lord’s judgment on our church. Look for ways to intentionally show loving care for one another just as He cared for us.
Look back to what the Lord’s table truly remembered. In the most selfless act, He who was rich became poor for us that He might bring us to God. He allowed himself to be betrayed by his most trusted friends. He shared a meal signifying deep, trusting friendship with those who would abandon him and repeatedly disown him, just as they showed the same self-interest that led them to vie for power and secretly steal from Jesus during the last 3 years. He paid the greatest sacrifice for our sins as he willingly, joyfully surrendered his life that we might find true life in His wrath-quenching sacrifice.
Then look forward to the coming kingdom of our Lord where He will make all things new. Look forward to the joy of being in his presence forevermore. Look forward to the time when time will be no more. Look forward to sharing the intimacy of a family meal around the table with our Lord welcoming us: the ones who once defied him as treacherous enemies.
Also look out at the dying world around us and seek to show forth the life-giving power of his sacrificial death & resurrection. Proclaim the victory of his death! Look out at the church and remind each other of His coming and the certain reward He will bring for all those who love his appearing. Remind each other to persevere since in the Lord our labor is not in vain.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:16-20
How big is your view of God? Then, how does your view of God color or affect your life? Too often, our theology is divorced from our lifestyle. If your theology doesn’t change your life, how much do you really believe it?
In one of Jesus’s last discussions with his disciples, Jesus gives one of the clearest statements about himself, claiming all authority in heaven and on earth. He wasn’t just a prophet, nor even an angel. No, Jesus was no less than the divine son of God, and he emphasizes his supreme authority in order to introduce one of his most supreme commands: as disciples, we are commanded to make other disciples. You might be theologically well informed at this church, but are you obeying one of our Lord’s most important and strategic commands to make disciples (not just donations)?
Jesus also states that the reason why we should obey this command is the same motivation for everything we do in all of life: the glory of the triune God, that is, do it to make God look supreme. This passage simply can’t let us see Jesus or the Holy Spirit as any less glorious, less powerful, less divine, less immortal, or less infinite than the Father.
Last, Jesus gives powerful reassurance with this weighty command: Jesus promises us that he will be with us until the end. We will never be alone, whether we’re showing the love of Jesus to a stranger, telling a neighbor about the loving sacrifice of Christ, or out in the desert of a Muslim country where our visa and maybe even our lives are constantly in jeopardy.
Who have you told about Jesus? What disciples have you made? What are you doing to intentionally get to know unbelievers? If we’re not careful we can become isolationist so that the only things we ever do are always with believers. How many unbelieving neighbors/family members/friends do you have and do you ever try to invite them over, go out with them, go shooting, go for a walk? In what ways do you support others who are going, and leaving houses and land and family and comfort and the familiar, counting it all as rubbish that they might make Jesus Christ known to a people that have never heard? (1 John 3:5-8)
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 24:1-7
In 1 Samuel 24 (as well as 1 Sam 26) we have an amazing story of mercy and restraint and faith. As he ran for his very life from a murderous King Saul, David encountered two occasions in which he could have taken the life of his jealous pursuer. David’s men even encouraged him to kill Saul, but in a display of faith in God and respect for His established authority, David steadfastly refused. "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed" (1 Sam 24:6; cf. 1 Sam 26:10,11).
In this story we have an illustration of a principle which we find throughout the Bible, namely respect for God’s established authority. We see this principle applied in the New Testament to every area of life. Wives are commanded to respect and follow their husband’s authority because this is God’s established order (Eph 5:22-24; 1 Pet 3:1-6). Children are commanded to respect and follow their parents’ authority (Eph 6:1-3; Col 3:20). Employees are commanded to respect and follow their employer’s authority (Eph 6:5-8; 1 Pet 2:18-20). Citizens are commanded to respect and follow governmental authority (Rom 13:1-7). People in the church are to respect and follow church leaders’ authority (Heb 13:17; 1 Thess 5:12,13).
One display of the spiritual darkness of our land is an increasing spirit of rebellion against authority in every realm … in families, in schools, in law, in the workplace, in churches. But it is a mark of Christians that they exhibit the spirit of submission to every legitimate authority because they recognize that all valid authority is established by God (Rom 13:1). So, Christians live obedient lives as unto Him. May God teach us the glory of obedience to His various arrangements in the ordering of our lives.
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 23:1-14
We see in this story of David’s flight from Saul an interesting and very significant dynamic. David was doing everything humanly possible to elude King Saul, who was bent on putting an end to David’s life. He hid in the wilderness and in the hills (1 Sam 23:14) . . . he received information from Saul’s son, Jonathan (1 Sam 23:16,17) . . . his men were carefully monitoring Saul’s movements (1 Sam 23:24,25).
The human means for David’s safety are clearly displayed in this story. But above these human means there was an invisible hand that ensured David’s security . . . the hand of a sovereign God. The last sentence in 1 Samuel 23:14 draws back the curtain shrouding God’s movement in this circumstance, so we can see what is going on beyond the characters in the story. “And Saul sought him [David] every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.”
The Bible reveals a mysterious interaction between human actions and divine sovereignty. Men are responsible for their lives and the decisions they make and God governs His universe for His purposes. “The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” (Prov 16:9). “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD, it will stand” (Prov 19:21). “. . . work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:12,13).
Let us pray and plan and work diligently in our lives, all the while seeking the Lord . . . knowing that our Father is the One who works all things after the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11).
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 21:1-9
As David ran for his life from Saul’s murderous anger, living in the hills of Judah, he naturally became hungry. By the time David came to Ahimelech, the high priest, he had a few men accompanying him. When David inquired if Ahimelech had any provisions, the answer was that the only bread available at that moment was the sacred bread displayed in the Holy Place in the Tabernacle.
This bread, sometimes called the ‘Showbread’ or the ‘Bread of the Presence,’ was arranged in two rows (perhaps in two stacks) of six loaves on a golden table in the Holy Place (Exod 25:23-30). The twelve loaves represented God’s provision to the twelve tribes of Israel. The bread was changed every Sabbath Day and was only to be eaten by the priests (Lev 24:5-9).
Under the circumstances (i.e., David’s hunger), the priest gave David the bread to eat, along with his men. Jesus used this example in the New Testament when He was teaching the Pharisees about true righteousness (Mt 12:1-7). True holiness is not a matter of anything external, like ceremonial washing or abstaining from certain foods or animal sacrifice.
True holiness is a matter of the heart. "I desire compassion, not a sacrifice" (Mt 12:7). The implications of this principle are far-reaching, particularly for our worship. Worship is not simply a matter of performing the right rituals … baptism, singing, giving, communion. Worship is a matter of the heart in a burning in desire for God. It is a heart of reverence and love for God that makes songs or prayers or eating the bread of the Lord’s Supper acceptable to Him. The essence of holiness is a pure heart that longs for the living God in repentance, delight, and submission.
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 18:10-16
After David killed Goliath, Saul saw in him the courage and skill that military conquerors are made of. "So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war" (1 Sam 18:5).
As we continue to read the story, it becomes clear why David had such great victories. "And David was prospering in all his ways for the LORD was with him" (1 Sam 18:14; cf. 18:12). The root of David’s victories was the hand of God in blessing him. When the Scripture says, "the LORD was with him," it is not just the blessing of God’s presence, but the blessing of God’s power to work in David’s circumstances.
How can we know the hand of God in our lives, our marriages, our families, our church? James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." In practical terms, how do we draw near to God? We see the answer in the Psalms that David wrote.
First, confession of sins. "Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . . Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psa 51:7,10). Second, prayer in general. "Hear my cry, O God; give heed to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to Thee, when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (Psa 61:1,2). Third, meditation on the Word of God. "But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers" (Psa 1:2,3). Fourth, remembrance of God’s deeds and character. "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land" (Psa 143:5,6).
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-33
In light of the multiplied and complicated problems of our world it is clear that what the world needs is a king … someone to rule in divine wisdom and perfect justice and holy compassion. A king is exactly what God promised to David and through David, in what is usually called the Davidic Covenant.
"When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. . . . I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever" (1 Chr 17:11,14).
The baby in the manger is the promised king. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end" (Lk 1:31-33).
And one day the King will return and He will establish His kingdom. It will be a kingdom of peace (Isa 9:6,7) and justice (Jer 23:5,6) and holy sovereignty (Rev 19:11-21) and eternal duration (Dan 7:13,14).
It is the coming of Christ and His promised rule that comforts us in the face of our fears and steels us in the face of our weaknesses. “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever" (Rev 11:15).
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 18:1-16
There is an interesting and significant study in contrasts in 1 Samuel 18. The contrast is seen in two opposite reactions to David’s successes and the reactions came from a father and his son. One is the reaction of unselfish love and the other is the reaction of consuming jealousy.
King Saul’s son was Jonathan. As the son of the king, Jonathan was the heir to the throne of Israel. But a deep and abiding friendship developed between David and Jonathan (1 Sam 18:1-4). In a symbolic show of commitment, Jonathan gave David his royal armor, sword, bow, and belt. It may have also been a recognition on Jonathan’s part that he accepted the divine choice of David to be king(cf. 1 Sam 23:17). The two men made a covenant of friendship. Such was the love of these men that when Jonathan was killed in battle, David declared, "I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women" (2 Sam 1:26).
Jonathan’s father, King Saul, had a different view of David. He saw David as being a threat to his popularity and throne. He looked at David with jealousy, fear, and anger (2 Sam 18:7,8,12). When the Spirit of God left Saul, he was then open to demonic influences, whom God gave permission to afflict Saul (1 Sam 16:14; 18:10). So consumed was Saul by envy and fear that he attempted, twice, to kill David (2 Sam 18:11).
This contrast of love and jealousy confronts us with those competing affections which swirl in our own hearts. We all love and we all envy. To grow in selfless love (whether toward a friend or spouse or child) we must be increasingly captured by the love of Christ for us. This way God will increase our capacity to love others and rid us of the restless, enslaving power of jealousy.
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 17
The details of the story of David and Goliath are familiar. Goliath stood about nine and a half feet tall ... his armor weighed 125 lbs ... the head of his spear weighed 16 lbs ... he was an undefeated champion in the kind of one-on-one battles he was suggesting with Israel’s representative. In stark contrast to the Philistine warrior, David had refused any armor and his only weapon was a sling and five stones, which he carried in his shepherd’s bag.
It is a stirring story of faith and victory. As we study the text, we must search for clues to help us understand the root of David’s faith. If we can discover what David thought and felt, we can draw close to God in the same way and know a deeper faith in our own souls.
One of the keys to David’s faith is his zeal for the honor of God. Three times David makes reference to Goliath taunting God (1 Sam 17:26,36,45). David has put the honor of God before his own life. He is willing to risk everything to defend God’s name. David desires "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel" (1 Sam 17:46). To be consumed by the glory of God is to be shaped by it in everything we do. And it does give us courage.
Second, David is utterly convinced of the power of God. God had shown Himself to be mighty in saving David from a lion and a bear as he watched over his father’s sheep (1 Sam 17:34-37). David knew that the strength of his life was rooted in the omnipotence of God. David's declaration to Goliath revealed this foundation for his faith. "... the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear. For the battle is the LORD's" (1 Sam 17:47).
Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 22:1-10
King Josiah was the 16th king of Judah and shone as one of the brightest stars in the galaxy of the kings of the southern kingdom. He was the grandson of King Manasseh. He ruled Judah for 31 years (640-609 B.C.) and the Biblical text gives him the following, rare, commendation … "And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left" (2 Kgs 22:2).
Even after the late-in-life reforms attempted by Manasseh, following his conversion, there were still shrines on 'high places' to be destroyed and wooden images to be burned and metal images to be melted down.
As was sometimes necessary in Judah's 350 history, the temple was in need of repair because it had been ignored. In the process of cleaning, a book was discovered. It was not just any book, but was the 'Book of the Law' (2 Kgs 22:8). Our text uses the word 'book,' but certainly it was a scroll. What they found was some part of the Pentateuch … perhaps part of Deuteronomy.
Upon hearing the reading of this scroll, Josiah tore his clothes because he recognized how rebellious the people had been. He instituted widespread reforms and called the people to repentance.
The word of God had become both a mirror and a law to Josiah. Reflected in the commands of God Josiah saw his sinfulness … and he saw his guidance. The Scriptures show us both the glory of God and the rebellion of our hearts. Further, it is a light to our path. Such a knowledge of God and a light for our journey are critical for life to have any lasting meaning.
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 33:1-20
Manasseh was the 14th king of the southern kingdom of Judah and was the son of King Hezekiah. His 55-year reign was the longest kingship in Judah's history, but it was characterized by a level of idolatry and corruption that exceeded the godless nations which God had driven out through the battles of Joshua. "And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel" (2 Kgs 21:2).
His reign was marked by Baal worship, worship of the stars, child sacrifice, cult prostitution, fortune telling, seeking to communicate with the dead, violence (cf. 2 Kgs 21). The sins of Manasseh's reign endured long after his death. Fifty years later, when Babylon invaded Judah and took people captive, in the first deportation, it was because of the sins Manasseh had reinforced (2 Kgs 24:3,4).
But the account of Manasseh is not only a story of extreme corruption … it is also a story of the grace and mercy of God. Through a humiliating defeat, by the hands of the Assyrians and a time of captivity, God opened the eyes and heart of Manasseh and the wicked king repented of his profound sinfulness. God forgave him and restored him to his throne (2 Chr 33;10-13).
Manasseh was a changed man and sought to reverse the sinful practices he had brought to Judah
(2 Chr 33:14-20). Such is the grace of God to the repentant. He truly forgives … meaning, He removes all penalty for sin. And the heart is transformed from a spiritual deadness to spiritual life. Manasseh was as depraved as a human being can be … and the grace of God produced in him a heart that genuinely pursued the righteousness of God.
Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 18:1-8
Hezekiah was the 13th king of the southern kingdom of Judah, ruling in the last quarter of the 8th century before Christ (715-686 B.C.). He was the most Godly king since David ruled, nearly 300 years earlier. The description of Hezekiah is glowing. "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. . . . He trusted in the LORD the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him" (2 Kgs 18:3.5).
Hezekiah attempted to bring sweeping spiritual reform to the people of Judah (cf. 2 Chr 29-31). He demolished the 'high places' which had been established as local shrines for worship of Baal and other false gods. He opened the temple which had been closed by his father, Ahaz. He gathered the priests and Levites to clean the temple. He reinstated temple worship and the Passover festival.
"He did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered" (2 Chr 31:20,21).
Hezekiah was a born with a sinful nature, like every person, but he is an encouraging example to us that it is possible to serve God faithfully, from the heart. Let us plead for God to grant us such a heart and life.
Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 14:23-29
Jeroboam II was the 14th king of the northern kingdom of Israel. He had a long reign of 41 years and enjoyed security, and even the expansion of his kingdom. It was the most prosperous time in the history of the northern kingdom.
2 Kings 14;23-29 tell us of the material success of Jeroboam II, while Amos and Hosea … prophets contemporary with him … tell us of the spiritual corruption of Israel during this time.
There was great expansion of territory under the rule of Jeroboam II (2 Kgs 14;25) and God saved the Israelites from its enemies (2 Kgs 14:26,27), but this was a display of divine grace because Jeroboam II "did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" (2 Kgs 14:24).
But beneath the surface of material success was a dark spiritual reality. The land was filled with lying, murder, theft, adultery, and oppression of the poor (Hos 4:1,2; Amos 4:1). The people had forgotten God's law (Hos 4:6) … and His omniscience and judgment (Hos 7:2) … and His steadfast love (Hos 11:1-4). Spiritually speaking, they were 'feeding on the wind.'
When we turn away from God, we replace Him with water that does not satisfy and bread that does not nourish. In His mercy God beckons to us "Listen diligently to me, and eat with is good" (Isa 55:2).
Two major subjects converge this Sunday, both with global significance and both governed by a sovereign God. The first is the impending presidential election and the second is the persecuted church around the world.
There are many clear Biblical texts that say that when a person gains a position of authority (president, senator, judge, father), he is in that position because God put him there. "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings" (Dan 2:21). ". . . the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will" (Dan 4:17,25,32).
To know that the Ruler of the nations will use our voting on Tuesday to work His glorious, holy plan comforts us and speaks peace to our souls. This truth gives us strength, knowing that the future of our country and our individual lives, rests in the hand of our omnipotent God who "works all things after the counsel of His will" (Eph 1:11).
Since 1996, one Sunday in November has been designated the "International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church." We are commanded in the Bible to "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body" (Heb 13:3).
There are great benefits in considering, with both mind and heart, that the church elsewhere is suffering. First, it makes us bolder to share our faith with others (Phil 1:14). Second, it broadens our perspective concerning what God is doing in our world and how He is doing it. Third, it sobers us about our own faith, reminding us that we are in a deadly war and must live disciplined lives (2 Tim 1:8; 2:3).
The Voice of the Martyrs" is a free monthly magazine designed to inform us about the suffering church the world over. For a free subscription, call 1-800-747-0085. The Voice of the Martyrs website address is www.persecution.com
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:1-25
Is it really worth it to follow Jesus Christ? How does your faith in Jesus affect how you encourage other believers? Believers in the first century were being rejected by their families and even suffered the forfeiture of their property for the sake of following Jesus. Like us today, they needed assurance that following Jesus is worth it all.
Unlike the Old Covenant given to Moses & Israel, the one & only death of Jesus our Messiah fully succeeded in securing full redemption that relieves our guilt-laden consciences and satisfies the ultimate justice & wrath of our Holy God. Salvation has come by grace alone through faith alone in the all-sufficient death of Christ alone. There is nothing that you or I or any human priest can add to the sufficiency of His sacrifice.
Now we can have full confidence in approaching God in worship, knowing that we have a far superior priest who offered a far superior sacrifice for our sins. With such confidence, we must therefore draw near to God with full assurance. We must firmly cling to clear biblical teaching & we must not waver in unbelief. And we must lean hard into gathering with the church for mutual encouragement even more as we anticipate the glorious day of our Lord’s return.
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:13 - 17:6
Jehoshaphat was the 4th king in the kingdom of Judah. The summary description of his life is given as follows: "The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel . . . His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD" (2 Chr 17:3,4,6).
Although he was one of the better kings of Judah and served God, for the most part, there are incidents in his life in which he was guilty of serious compromise … serious enough that two different prophets confronted him about his actions, declaring to him both God's displeasure and judgment.
Jehoshaphat attempted to bring spiritual vitality to the people of Judah by dispatching teachers of the Mosaic law and judges to bring justice (2 Chr 17:7-9; 19:5-11). Under Jehoshaphat's rule the people of Judah experienced prosperity and peace (2 Chr 17:10-19).
Jehoshaphat's weakness was his willingness to align himself with two wicked kings of the northern kingdom of Israel … Ahab and his son Azariah. He did this through the marriage of his son, Jehoram, to Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab (2 Chr 18:1; 21:1,6), military alliance (2 Chr 18:3), and a cooperative ship-building venture (2 Chr 20:35-37). Because of this compromise, God's judgment fell on Jehoshaphat (2 Chr 19:2; 20:37).
The life of Jehoshaphat is a clarion call to us for wholehearted allegiance to God … beckoning us to resist compromise regarding things we ought not compromise.
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 16:29-33
Ahab was the seventh king of the northern kingdom of Israel. Much like the first king of Israel, Jeroboam, the name of Ahab became notorious as a standard of wickedness. Subsequent kings in Israel … and even Jehoram, a king of Judah in the south … were compared to Ahab in terms of his wickedness.
"Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him" (1 Kgs 16:29,30). Ahab's wife was Jezebel and she was completely given to the worship of Baal, the shameful deity of the Canaanites.
"Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him" (1 Kgs 16:33). This summary statement sets the stage for what happens in 1 Kings 20,21. Upon being besieged by the Syrians, God sends a prophet to tell Ahab that He would save Israel from them. It is pure divine grace. Ahab had not sought the Lord's help, but God spared Israel … twice … from the Syrian armies.
Upon Elijah's prophecy of the death of Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kgs 21:17-24), Ahab contritely humbled himself and God postponed widespread destruction in Israel until after Ahab's death (1 Kgs 21:28,29).
It is the prominent theme of the Bible … the wickedness of the human heart, on the one hand … and the merciful grace of God toward rebels, on the other hand. Of course, the apex of the display of God's mercy is the giving of His Son, that Jesus might bring us to God by His sacrifice for us.
There are several references in the gospels to the fact that Jesus spent time in prayer. Luke 5:16 indicates that as a regular course of action, Jesus slipped away from the crowds (which always seemed to be around) to pray.
The account of the feeding of the 5,000 recounts that the hours preceding the miracle was filled with activity. The multitudes had followed Jesus and His disciples and He "began to teach them many things" (Mk 6:34). He also "cured those who had need of healing" (Lk 9:11). Then came the miracle of the bread and fish. After such a busy day, "He went up on the mountain to pray" (Mk 6:46). It sets an example for us not to allow busyness to crowd out prayer.
Luke 6:12-16 recalls the choosing of the 12 apostles. Before Jesus made the decision concerning whom He would choose for these positions, He spent all night in prayer. It sets an example for us to pray when we are faced with decisions in our lives.
One of the most memorable occasions of Jesus praying is the night before the crucifixion, knowing what He would face the next day. He prayed three times in the garden of Gethsemane, at least the first time, for an hour (Mt 26:36-46). It sets and example for us to pray when we endure the many trials of life.
When we stop to think about who Jesus is, the notion that He would feel the need to pray is astounding. He was omnipotent and sinless, enjoying perfect communion with the Father … and yet He was compelled to pray. It is a great encouragement to us to pray. If Jesus, being God Himself, prayed to His Father as a matter of course and especially at critical times in His life … how much more essential is it for us to do the same?
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 12:25-33
Following Solomon's death, the tribes of the northern area of Israel withdrew from the rule of Rehoboam, his son. No longer was there one, unified kingdom of Israel. Now, at the hand of God, there would be two separate kingdoms … Israel, with 10 tribes, in the north … and Judah, with 2 tribes, in the south.
The people of the northern kingdom chose a man named Jeroboam to be their king. Jeroboam was a very capable man whom Solomon had put in charge of the labor force in Israel. When Jeroboam became king in the northern kingdom, in an attempt to keep the people from relocating in the south, he devised an entire alternative religious system,
He established new worship centers (Bethel and Dan) to rival Jerusalem and the temple. He formed a new priesthood and a new autumn holiday to rival the Feast of Tabernacles.
His sinful legacy was so effective that he became the standard of wickedness. Subsequent kings were compared to him. They are said to have "walked in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin" (cf. 1 Kgs 22:52).
Jeroboam rejected the word of God, given in the Mosaic Law. When someone rejects the authority of the Bible, there are no restrictions to harness the wicked impulses of the heart. It is a dangerous and destructive way to live. Let us learn to say, "I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life" (Psa 119:93).
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 12:12-20
At the end of his life Solomon became idolatrous, having been influenced by his many foreign wives. God was angry with him and the penalty was that Solomon's son, Rehoboam, would not be able to rule over all of Israel.
The nation would, in fact, be divided into two kingdoms. Rehoboam would be given only one tribe of the 12 Jewish tribes, namely the tribe of Judah. The tribe of Benjamin would eventually join Judah in the formation of a southern Jewish kingdom.
The summary of Rehoboam's life is as follows: "When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. . . . And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD" (2 Chr 12:1,14).
Though Rehoboam's heart did not seek God, there were times when Rehoboam obeyed God (1 Kgs 12:21-24) and times when he humbled himself before God (2 Chr 12:6,12). Rehoboam's life was characterized by a fundamental rejection of God, while appealing to God in times of need. It is a common response of an unbelieving heart, but Christians still have the same tendency. How easy it is to be passionate about God when we suffer, but careless and half-hearted when we feel strong. May God help us to pursue Him bothin times of pleasure and pain.
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 11:1-13
In our modern vernacular, we would say that Solomon 'had it all.' He had money. He had fame. He had power … and honor … and position. He had the best food … the best clothes … women at his beck and call … a luxurious house … 4,000 horses … 12,000 horsemen … and a kingdom of peace.
In Ecclesiastes 2:9,10, Solomon said, "I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also, my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure."
Having asked for wisdom, Solomon had also been granted unsurpassed wisdom from God. "I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you" (1 Kgs 3:12).
Solomon's long prayer at the dedication of the temple he had built for God is contrite and God-exalting (cf. 1 Kgs 8:22-53). God appeared to Solomon on two occasions in a dream (cf. 1 Kgs 3:5; 9:1).
The tragedy of Solomon's life is recorded in 1 Kings 11:4 … "When Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father."
The warning of the life of Solomon is that, in spite of spiritual graces, the heart's neglect of eternal realities will lead to the withdrawal of divine blessing, at the least, and eternal ruin, at the worst.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:161-168
Saul was the first king of Israel and he ruled for 40 years, but on more than one occasion he was grossly disobedient to God (cf. 1 Sam 13:1-14; 15:1-33). The result of this rebellion was that God gave the kingdom of Israel to David (1 Sam 13:14; 15:28; 16:1).
David is described in 1 Samuel 13:14 as "a man after God’s own heart." What it means to be a person after God’s own heart is made clear in Acts 13:22, where the Lord says - "I have found in David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will." To be a man or a woman after God's own heart is to be someone who is whole-heartedly obedient to Him.
In the Old Testament, David is the standard of obedience for Israelite kings. Subsequent kings are compared to him and are described as being obedient like David was (cf. 1 Kgs 15:11; 18:3; 22:2) or being disobedient in not following David's example (cf. 1 Kgs 11:4; 15:3; 16:2).
But what was the root of David’s obedience? How can we learn to be whole-hearted like he was? The wellspring of David’s obedience was that he found pleasure in God’s commands. "I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart" (Psa 40:8). "O how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psa 119:97).
And the deepest root of David's delight in God's commands is his delight in God Himself. ". . . in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore" (Psa 16:11b). "I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my rock in whom I take refuge . . ." (Psa 18:1,2).
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 15:1-23
Saul was the first king of Israel and, though Israel's desire for a king was a 'great wickedness' (1 Sam 12:17), Saul was chosen by God Himself (1 Sam 9:16; 10:24). He was handsome and tall (1 Sam 9:2) and "there was none like him in all the land" (1 Sam 10:24).
On more than one occasion, God had granted Saul divine empowerment by His Spirit (1 Sam 10:10; 11:6; 19:23). Saul's kingship, however, was characterized by disobedience to God … and coming very near the beginning of his rule.
On two occasions, at least, Saul sinned greatly and rationalized his acts with the logic of darkness. In 1 Samuel 13:8-14, he violated a command of God to wait for Samuel to meet him at Gilgal, where they would offer sacrifices (1 Sam 10:8). His rationalization was the urgency of moment and the desertion of people in the face of an impending battle (1 Sam 13:11,12).
On another occasion, following the defeat of the Amalekites, Saul had not destroyed all the animals and Agag, the king (1 Sam 15:1-9). Pleading that he had, in fact, obeyed God, Saul's rationalization was he spared the best animals, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD (1 Sam 15:15,21,22).
God's well-known reply, through Samuel, to Saul's rebellious logic was to say, "To obey is better than sacrifice" (1 Sam 15:22). Samuel did not mean that people should not sacrifice, but that there is a kind of sacrifice that is not true obedience. True obedience comes from the heart … the heart of faith.
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 8:1-9
For almost 1,000 years, beginning with God's covenant with Abraham, there had been no king in Israel. That is to say that there had been no human king. God Himself had been their king (1 Sam 12:12).
During the end of the life of Samuel, the last great judge, the people clamored for a king, like they had seen in other nations (1 Sam 8:5). This request was a "great wickedness" (1 Sam 12:17). The people were showing an extreme ingratitude for all that God had done for them. Though the request was yet another form of rejecting God (1 Sam 8:7), God granted their desire.
The result would be an eventual divided kingdom and 450 years of most wicked kings, leading the people away from the living God to serve lifeless idols.
There are profound lessons to be gathered from this account. One reminder, from this story, is the natural tendency we all have … even now, as Christians … toward ingratitude. How thankful we should be, every day, for God's abundant goodness toward us.
A second lesson is the merciful grace of God toward rebellious people. God still held out His mercy toward the people who were rejecting Him. In His grace, God has saved us, drawing us away from the darkness of our rebellious hearts.
Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1: 1-11
Bethel Baptist Church is privileged and delighted to host Reverend Ian Leslie while Pastor Cosand enjoys some well deserved rest and recreation.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:10-24
Shakespeare wrote: "Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel." Solomon wrote: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Prov 27:6) and "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Prov 27:17). Our friends are crucial to the quality of our lives. With good friends we are helped immeasurably; without them we are profoundly diminished.
Most New Testament letters end with a 'greetings' section, like we find here in 1 Corinthians 16. Some of them are short and some are longer. These tend to be the kind of sections of the Bible that we have the tendency to pass over, if we read it at all. We usually do not pause to consider some implications rooted in the warm greetings.
In this last section of 1 Corinthians, Paul mentions seven people by name. It is significant to note the basis for the connection between the people listed in this chapter. The basis for their relationship is not personality or hobbies or economic status. The foundation of their relationship is their identity in Christ and their service for Him.
Let us learn the thrill of friendship and community in Christ, forged in the furnace of common labors … and even common suffering … in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord. There is no richer life than that, this side of heaven.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:12-18
"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love" (1 Cor 16:13,14). The five commands here are not at all random. They reflect some of the issues that Paul has written about in this letter. So, these two verses form something of a condensed summary of this whole book.
Like a watchman in the imagery, the word 'watchful' here refers, not only to being awake, but to a certain vigilance and expectation and care and readiness. The word is often used in connection with prayer.
"Stand firm in the faith" is not saying that we should stand firm on our faith … but the faith … namely the body of truth revealed to us in the Bible. We are to hold fast to the truths revealed to us in the Bible.
To "act like men" is a reference to spiritual maturity. It is to live with self-control and a seasoned, heavenly perspective of life. "Be strong" is a reference to strength of heart to endure trials patiently and with hope. To do everything in the spirit of love comes from being enthralled with Christ's love.
The source of living in the way described in this passage is our God. To deeply commune with Him is to drink at His fountain of delight and life.
Christian, do not seek repose;
Cast your dreams of ease away;
You are in the midst of foes;
Watch and pray . . . watch and pray.
Scripture Reading: John 3:1-15
This Sunday Bethel Baptist Church had the pleasure and privilege of hosting Joel and Misti Diffenderfer at morning worship. Joel and Misti are a missionary couple called to be church planters in Japan. To learn more about their mission, visit www.diffnotes.com. You may also reach them via email at info@diffnotes.com.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:5-11
As Paul writes about his plans to visit his friends in Corinth, he drops a phrase into his sentence which reveals something of his perspective of life. The phrase is "if the Lord permits." "For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits" (1 Cor 16:7).
The apostle realizes that everything rests on the will of God. This is the clear, repeated truth revealed to us in the Bible.
"The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD" (Prov 16:1).
"The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps" (Prov 16:9).
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD, it will stand" (Prov 19:21).
At every moment of every day, God is actively permitting plans to go forward, or preventing plans from coming to pass. In this way God governs everything that takes place in His universe … in order to accomplish His own purposes.
Question #15 in the Baptist Catechism of 1689 is "What is the providence of God?" The answer given is "The providence of God is His most holy, wise, powerful activity by which He preserves and governs every creature and every action."
We must learn to defer completely and humbly to the will of God with the realization that He sovereignly and totally governs everything in His universe. With the sovereignty of God washing over our souls and with the brevity of life ringing in our ears, we are more prone to live life humbly, diligently, and skewed more toward heavenly, eternal realities rather than earthly, temporal vapors.
NOT UNDER COMPULSION
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9
It is an important element of living … in the Old Testament nation of Israel and in the New Testament church … that God calls on His people to give some of their money to His earthly work. The Bible gives us principles to govern our giving and great motives for doing it.
"On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come" (1 Cor 16:2). "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart; not reluctantly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7).
We are to give regularly. "On the first day of every week . . ." As regular exercise is more beneficial to the body than exercising only once in a while, so regular giving is more spiritually beneficial to the soul.
We are to give individually. ". . . let each one of you put aside . . ." The responsibility to give to the Lord’s work belongs to every one of us, regardless of economic status.
We are to give proportionally. ". . . as he may prosper . . ." Some proportion is suggested in this phrase. The more one has, the more he/she should give. The Old Testament law stipulated that 10 percent of Israelite incomes should be given to the temple. Though this percentage is not specifically stated in the New Testament epistles as a law for the church, because it was a workable amount for the Israelites, it should be viewed as a workable amount for us. The tithe (10 %) should be a goal for some and a starting point for others.
We are to give deliberately. "Let each do just as he has purposed in his heart . . ." Giving should be planned, prayerful, thoughtful, budgeted, and not impulsive.
We are to give willingly. ". . . not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." The God who owns all things does not lack for resources. He wants our hearts, so He does not want us to give anything that is not offered willingly.
The motive for giving comes, partly, from a realization of the effects it has on our souls. God does not need our money, but we have the need to give to Him.
First, giving produces humility. In giving to the building of the temple in the Old Testament, David declared, "But who am I, and what is my people that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and from your own have we given you" (1 Chr 29:14).
Second, giving produces joy. "Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the LORD" David the king also rejoiced greatly" (1 Chr 29:9).
Third, giving produces compassion toward the needs of others. "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone who has need" (Eph 4:28).
Fourth, giving produces devotion to God. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Lk 12:34). Giving to God’s eternal kingdom unites our hearts with Him. It follows that if we give regularly to the Lord, we will think about Him more and our hearts will be attached to Him more deeply.
The Almighty does not need our money. He can make money out of the grass. The issue in giving is our hearts. In our giving, let us learn to say, with great joy, "O LORD our God, all this abundance we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from you hand and all is your own" (1 Chr 29:16).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58
Some Corinthian teachers had denied the reality of resurrection. They had, no doubt, reasoned from seeing what death did to a body that resurrection was impossible.
Paul calls such people 'fools' and then proceeds to cite illustrations of the possibility of human resurrection. The seed the farmer plants in the ground is transformed into a different 'body'. Birds and fish and land animals all have different bodies. Our earthly body has one form and our heavenly body will have a different form. The death of this body does not preclude a future resurrection.
The Scriptures speak of, in fact, two resurrections … one for believers and one for unbelievers. Jesus said, “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment" (Jn 5:28,29).
For Christians death is not as bad as it seems. Death simply ushers them into the presence of Jesus (2 Cor 5:8) and one day Christians receive resurrection bodies like Jesus possessed after His own resurrection. But for unbelievers, death is infinitely worse than it seems. Death ushers them before the judgment bench of the Almighty and they must endure the horrible experience of hell forever. In the resurrection they are given a body that will be indestructible and able to suffer hell’s torment without being destroyed.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:22-28 Daniel 7:9,10,13,14 Revelation 20:1-5
There is a sequence of events in 1 Corinthians 15:22-25. First, Christ is raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:20). "Then, at his coming," those who belong to Christ will be raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:23). "Then comes the end, when [Christ] delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet" (1 Cor 15:24,25).
This passage mentions a kingdom and a reigning of Christ. This is the earthly kingdom prophesied in the Old Testament and specifically detailed in Revelation 20:1-6. It will be a time of peace and justice, as Christ rules the nations of the earth from the throne of David (Isa 2:2-4; 9:6,7; Dan 7:13,14).
The King will come and He will establish His kingdom. It will be a kingdom of peace (Isa 9:6,7) … justice (Jer 23:5,6) … holysovereignty (Rev 19:11-21) … and eternal duration (Dan 7:13,14). The goal of all creation is the everlasting honor of the triune God. When we are consumed with God’s glory then, and only then, will we will work and pray and groan for Christ to have a name in all the earth.
It is the coming of Christ and His promised rule that comforts us in the face of our fears and steels us in the face of our weaknesses. "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever" (Rev 11:15).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-28,50-58
The second coming of Christ is a prominent and recurring theme in the New Testament. Most of the 27 New Testament books mention this glorious, coming event … including 1 Corinthians 15.
Often lost in the intrigue of the details of Christ’s second coming is the purpose for the Biblical doctrine. It has been revealed to us that it might have a deep effect on our hearts and lives and to fan the flame of our longing for Christ. There are three reasons suggested here as to why God has revealed information regarding the second coming of Christ.
One reason for the Biblical doctrine of Christ’s second advent is that it comforts and encourages us. After reassuring the Thessalonian believers that their loved ones, in Christ, were not lost forever … that, in fact, they would be raised first when Jesus returns … Paul wrote, “Therefore, encourage one another with these words” (1 Thes 4:18).
A second purpose for the doctrine of the second coming is that the thought of Jesus coming back purifies our hearts. The notion of Jesus coming back, if we take it seriously, has a purifying effect on our hearts. ". . . we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure" (1 Jn 3:2,3).
A third reason for this wonderful doctrine is that the idea of Jesus coming back for us is an encouragement for us to work hard in Christ’s vineyard in expectation of His return. After writing about Christ's return, Paul says, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1 Cor 15:58).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-23
One way of approaching the story of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is to discuss whether or not it really happened. Down through the centuries, and to this day, people have talked about the historical reliability of Christ's resurrection.
Once someone is convinced of the truthfulness of the story, the discussion can turn to the meaning of the resurrection. What are the implications that can be drawn from Jesus rising bodily from the dead?
1 Corinthians 15 is the fullest discourse in the Bible on the resurrection of Jesus. It draws out for us the ramifications of this glorious event. First, since Christ has risen from the dead, there is the possibility of forgiveness of sins (1 Cor 15:17). Second, since Jesus conquered death, there is life after death for those who trust in Him (1 Cor 15:18). Third, there is meaning in life, including meaning in our suffering (1 Cor 15:19,32). Fourth, there is the hope of our own resurrection one day, along with the reunion of those of our loved ones who believe (1 Cor 15:50-52). Fifth, there is the death of death, which no longer has any lasting or profound effect on Christians (1 Cor 15:54,55).
The resurrection of Christ promises us everything that is good and glorious. It means that He loves us more than we could ever imagine, and more than we deserve. It holds out the promise of a satisfaction greater than our deepest longings … a hope brighter than our largest dreams … a spring of life deep in our soul that never dries up.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-5
In the middle of his declaration of preaching the gospel to the Corinthians and of their reception of the message, Paul drops in the phrase "unless you believed in vain" (1 Cor 15:2). There are passages in the New Testament that present to us the notion of a kind of belief that comes short of saving faith. It is the kind of faith that James says is 'dead' (Jam 2:17,26).
It is possible to accept the facts about Jesus without trusting in Him and bitterly confessing one's sins and pleading for mercy. Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples" (Jn 8:31). A genuine believer remains in Jesus' word. Such a person obeys it, seeks to understand it better, and finds it precious and controlling and strengthening. The word of Christ feeds the soul and rejoices the heart and instructs the mind. And this desire for the word of Christ remains all the days of the disciple's life.
Clearly does the Bible command us to examine ourselves. "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Cor 13:5).
The question becomes, "How do I know that my faith is genuine?" The Biblical tests are things like perseverance, desire to obey God's commands, love for God, love for other believers, hatred for our sins. Isn't it chilling to hear Jesus say, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Mt 7:21). Let us carefully and sincerely examine ourselves to make sure our believing is not in vain.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
In a letter addressing the problems in the church at Corinth, Paul comes now to the resurrection of Christ. Some people in the Corinthian church believed that there is no such thing as a resurrection from the dead (1 Cor 15:12). The implications of such an opinion meant an undermining of the entire gospel of Christ.
So, in exquisite fashion, Paul spends a long chapter lauding the resurrection of Christ, upon which Christianity itself rises or falls. Paul introduces the subject of the resurrection of Christ with a succinct, but theologically profound, statement of the New Testament gospel.
In something of an early Christian creed, Paul writes … ". . . Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (1 Cor 15:3,4).
There is no gospel which excludes the dark reality of the sinfulness of the rebel heart, with which all people are contaminated. Indeed, it is the sinfulness of the heart which necessitated the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus.
The resurrection of Christ is stunning to contemplate, as our Savior completely and eternally triumphs over sin and the grave. And now, His life resides in us and His resurrection holds out to us the promise of a reversal of the curse of sin and death. It is reason for hope and strength … even when we face death.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:20-40
Within the context of a discussion of the gift of tongues, Paul instructs the Corinthians about proper decorum in worship … ending with the exhortation: "All things should be done decently and in order" (1 Cor 14:40).
The abuse of the exercise of the gift of tongues is at the center of chapters 12-14 in this letter. In this passage Paul outlines the proper exercise of this miraculous gift and the precise purpose for its use.
In a worship service, tongues were to be used sparingly … at most two or three people speaking, and only when someone with the gift of interpretation would be able to translate the declaration (1 Cor 14:27,28). The specific purpose for the exercise of tongues was that it was to be a sign to unbelievers of the truthfulness of the word of God (1 Cor 14:21,22).
The goal of a worship service … as understood by mature thinking … is that hearers (both unbelievers and believers) will respond by being convicted of personal sin, and 'falling on their face' in worshiping God.
English martyr, archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) wrote: "...Every man that cometh to the reading of this Holy Book ought to bring with him first and foremost the fear of Almighty God; and then next, a firm and stable purpose to reform his own self according thereunto, and so to continue, shewing himself to be a sober and fruitful hearer and learner."
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10
The Greek word that is translated 'gospel' in the New Testament is a compound word that literally means 'good news.' The Bible reveals to us the best news imaginable to the human mind and heart. In fact the 'good news' presented in the Bible is greater than our thoughts can imagine. The good news of the Bible is that everlasting life is possible for human beings. There is no news we can imagine that is better than that.
The God who created us will give us everlasting life, but there is a problem in His giving someone eternal life. In His infinite wisdom, God has so designed His creation that evil exists. And because God must be true to Himself … and because justice is part of God's nature … He cannot accept people into His everlasting life who are in rebellion against Him. He cannot say that our evil does not matter. He must bring His justice against rebels.
So there is unimaginable 'bad news' in the Bible. The human race has been created in the image of God, but the entire human race (including each of us) has refused to bow before God. We have all preferred ourselves to the Almighty. And the just penalty for such rebellion against the infinite Creator is an eternal hell. This is bad news beyond anything we can imagine.
There is an answer to this seemingly hopeless situation. Here is the 'good news' of the gospel. Jesus took our penalty upon himself, paying the debt we owe to God, so that if we trust in Christ in repentance for our sins, we will be released from our just penalty and we will be given everlasting life.
But we must feel the weight of the reality of the bad news or we will never bow our knee to Christ.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:1-19
1 Corinthians 12:1 began with the words, "Now concerning spiritual gifts." Paul would write about the issue of spiritual gifts for 3 chapters. The main issue seems to be a misuse of the gift of tongues. The apostle speaks directly to that issue in chapter 14.
The Corinthians had elevated the gift of tongues to an unhealthy prominence. To put the gift of tongues in its proper place Paul draws a contrast between the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy.
The gift of tongues was the supernatural ability to speak in another language. Unless someone knew that language or had the spiritual gift to be able to interpret what was being said, the utterance someone spoke would not be understood.
Better, says Paul, is the gift of prophecy. Prophecy was the capacity to receive a message from God and to declare it. In a worship service, this gift was better for building up the church because hearers would understand what was being spoken.
Though these gifts passed away with the apostolic age, the application of what is said in this passage is clear. Worship, whether individual or corporate, must be done with understanding and thoughtfulness. It is not mindless, nor is it merely an emotional experience. We must read our Bibles … and study them … for understanding. We must strive for understanding in what we sing. God is worshiped not only with our hearts, but with our heads.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
In 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul is talking about the supremacy of love as necessary for the operation of spiritual gifts … and necessary for the vitality of a church, in general. To emphasize the nature and value of love, there is, in these verses, a contrast between the temporal and the eternal.
In the immediate context, Paul’s point is that the spiritual gifts are temporal, but love is eternal. Even faith and hope are temporary. In heaven faith becomes sight and hope is fully realized … but love abides forever. Spiritual gifts are designed to serve only our present state of existence, but love is designed to serve both our present and eternal state of existence.
Second, the gifts of knowledge and prophecy are not only limited in duration, but limited in perspective. These gifts do not see the whole picture of truth and reality. Even with the completion of the New Testament and 2,000 years of history, we do not have the whole picture.
"When the perfect comes, the partial will pass away" (1 Cor 13:9). This is probably a reference to our perfect state in heaven. We will see the whole picture of reality one day. We will see our Savior clearly and the glory of His salvation.
Given the nature of love, let us pursue loving God sincerely and deeply … and let us love one another sincerely and deeply … and let us increasingly long for the day when we see our Savior and King face to face.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
We live in a day of imitations. We have plastic flowers, artificial grass, wax fruit … false joy, false humility. But perhaps the saddest imitation offered by our culture is that of love. Our society has shown us an idea of love that looks something like real love, but is not.
Love, at its foundation, is much more than a romantic emotion. It is not something that someone simply 'falls into' or 'falls out of'. In fact, love is not basically something we feel. It is something that we do.
In the middle of his exhortations about spiritual gifts, which had been misused in the Corinthian church, Paul writes about love. 1 Corinthians 13 is a description of love, showing us what love looks like, how it behaves. This passage is not so much a description of what love is, but what love does. Love is patient and kind. It is not proud and does not keep accounts of wrong. It bears all things … does not seek its own … is not easily provoked.
Of course, the way we learn to love more deeply is to be satisfied with and saturated with the love that God has for us. When we consider the love of God and we learn of the glory of it and the depth of it, and God begins to occupy our deepest affections, one of the great things that happens is that we truly begin loving each other better.
Let us pray that God will help us to love the way we ought to love. We need His help because we do not have this love within us and cannot manufacture it by the strength of our will.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31
To illustrate the function of a local congregation, Paul uses the analogy of the human body. He wants to highlight both the unity of a church and the diversity of a church. "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ" (1 Cor 12:12).
In terms of unity, believers are all indwelt by the same Spirit of God (1 Cor 12:13) and are in the same group … here called "the body of Christ" (1 Cor 12:13,27). Common social, ethnic differences dissolve in an essential equality (1 Cor 12:13). There is a mutual dependence on one another (1 Cor 12:21). There is a mutual commitment to and care for one another (1 Cor 12:25,26). All believers hold to the same fundamental truths about God and the gospel (Eph 4:5; Jude 3). The reflection of the one, true God is seen in the unity and harmony of a local church (Eph 4:1-6).
But unity is not uniformity. Within Christ's church, however, there is a wonderful, God-designed diversity of giftedness. Each spiritual gift fulfills a function within the body of Christ and no gift is indispensable. "If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose" (1 Cor 12:17,18).
Every ministry within a church is important and necessary … both the obvious, visible activities, and the behind-the-scenes, little known activities. Let us be encouraged that God sees all and that a cup of cold water, given in the name of Christ will not go unrewarded (Mt 10:42).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
There are four main passages in the New Testament in which spiritual gifts are mentioned: Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28-31; Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 Peter 4:10,11. The lists are somewhat different … they are different in number and different in the gifts listed. That probably means that the lists are not meant to be exhaustive. They are general categories into which specific abilities can be placed. They are general enough that we can find ourselves in one or more of the categories.
We could define a spiritual gift as a God-given ability or capacity, granted for service to Him in the church. A spiritual gift is not a natural ability, like being strong or being smart. These abilities are also God-given, but spiritual gifts are given specifically with a view for ministry to others in the church of God.
The emphasis in our passage is on the diversity of these gifts, on one hand, and the unity of the body of Christ, on the other hand. Paul's metaphor here (1 Cor 12:12), which is one of his favorite images of the church, is to say that the church is like a body. It functions as one unit, but with all kinds of differing parts. And the different functions result not from the differences we have of personality and background and education, but from the different capacities that the Holy Spirit, Himself, has worked in us.
"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Cor 12:7). Christ has given each of us a very specific gift and if we are all not using our gifts, then someone in the church is missing the blessing Jesus has intended for us to bring. And if we are not using our gifts, we are missing the wonder and joy and meaning of fulfilling the very task for which we are on this earth … to honor Christ by serving in His kingdom.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
The next issue in the church in Corinth that Paul addresses is the Lord's Supper. The Corinthians had made a mockery of this sacred ritual by allowing factions in the church to exist. There was even some drunkenness which resulted from this meal. Paul's instruction about this wonderful ordinance is very helpful to us.
The Lord's Supper is designed to be a proclamation (1 Cor 11:26). The declaration of the gospel, based on the death and resurrection is one purpose for eating the bread and drinking the cup. It is a declaration of the New Covenant (cf. Jer 31:31-34).
The Lord's Supper is designed to be a commemoration (1 Cor 11:23-25). We remember what Jesus actually did and what it means, both to us, personally, and to us, corporately.
The Lord's Supper is designed to be a demonstration of Christian love (1 Cor 11:18-22,33,34). This ritual is to be done in the context of love for one another and harmony with each other.
The Lord's Supper is designed to be a moment of examination (1 Cor 11:28-32). We must not come to the table with unexamined hearts. Contrition, repentance, and humility are necessary … as well as joy, thanksgiving, and hope.
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:1-9
In 1 Peter 1, Peter makes reference to the resurrection of Jesus two times (1 Pet 1:3; 21). What we see in this chapter is a glorious description of the salvation Christ has purchased for us through His perfect life, His sacrificial death, and His triumphant rise from the grave.
Our inheritance in Christ is according to God's graciously choosing us (1 Pet 1:2). This everlasting life is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading [and] kept in heaven [for us] (1 Pet 1:4). We are guarded by God's power (1 Pet 1:5). There is no gift imaginable that matches our having the righteousness of Christ credited to our account and the hope of living in the very presence of God forever.
There are many responses we have to receiving such a gift. First, we realize that we are exiles on the earth (1 Pet 1:1) and that our ultimate home is with God and not here. Second, we long to be obedient to the commands of God (1 Pet 1:2). Third, we have the experience of a deep joy in our souls, even in the middle of difficulties (1 Pet 1:6,8). Fourth, we grow in our love for God (1 Pet 1:8).
As we contemplate our grand salvation in Christ, we are filled with fervent love for Him, unflagging obedience to His dictates, inexpressible joy. Such is the effect which the magnificence of the gift of eternal life has on the human heart. And finally, it causes us to see ourselves as strangers on the earth … ever and always longing to go home.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
An issue had arisen in the church in Corinth which caused Paul to address the God-designed differences between men and women. The evidence of some confusion about male and female roles was that Corinthian women in the church had flaunted the custom of wearing some sort of veil or head-covering when coming to worship.
In the culture of the first century the wearing of some head covering seemed to be a symbol of submission and modesty. Perhaps because of their freedom in Christ … and essential equality with men … Christian women were leaving off any covering on their heads when attending worship services.
In this passage, Paul addresses some fundamental differences between men and women which the Creator has designed. Though, in essence, men and women equally bear the image of God (1 Cor 11:11,12, Gen 1:27,28; 5:2) and possess salvation in the same way (Gal 3:28) ,,, in terms of function there are differences of responsibility.
Paul appeals to the creation account to buttress his point (1 Cor 11:8,9). The fact that Eve was created from Adam and as a helper to him, highlights the fact that there are differences of responsibilities that men and women bear.
To blur these differences, as our culture does, is to tamper with God-designed roles that men and women have … especially in the family and in the church. May God give us such understanding of His wise designs that men and women rejoice in how God has made them. To make a massive understatement, the Almighty knows, exactly, what He is doing.
This sermon was originally presented on June 7, 2015
Scripture Reading: Matthew 3:1-3, 13-17
One of the wonders of the work of Christ is His sufficiency to secure for us our eternal salvation. Jesus did everything necessary to "bring us to God" (1 Pet 3:18).
When God justifies someone, two wondrous things happen. Something is taken away and something is given. In justification the penalty for sin is taken away and the righteousness of Christ is granted to us. Both are necessary for our being God's children forever.
Theologians sometimes distinguish between two aspects of Christ's work on our behalf, calling them the "active" obedience of Christ and the "passive" obedience of Christ. Certainly Jesus was active in every aspect of His life, including His death, but by "active" is meant Jesus' perfect obedience to God's law. He did this on our behalf. By "passive" is meant the sufferings that Jesus bore on our behalf.
The death of Christ is sufficient to cover all our sins as the climax of a sinless life. Jesus not only absorbed the wrath of God in our place on the cross, He also perfectly kept God's law in our place. His righteous obedience is reckoned to us. In a word, Jesus paid the law's penalty in our place and He obeyed the law's commands in our place. The passive obedience of Christ rescues us from hell and the active obedience gains for us heaven.
Jesus exhorted John to baptize Him because it was necessary for Him "to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt 3:15). What a wonder to stand at God's great judgment, as we all must, and not be condemned because Christ's own obedience has been credited to our account!
Scripture Reading: Jude: 20-25
Once again Bethel Baptist Church is pleased to present the Reverend Greg Hands during Pastor Cosand's absence.
This sermon was originally presented on May 31, 2015
Scripture Reading: John 1:1-14
Solus Christus is Latin for 'Christ alone.' The single most important element of Christianity, and that which makes it unique, is that it centers completely on Jesus Christ. And the single most important element in a discussion of Jesus Christ is the fact that He was God in flesh. The nature of Jesus Christ, therefore, is a central and determinative issue.
More than in the other gospels, John presents Jesus as being divine, God in flesh. He signals this in the first sentence of the book. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (Jn 1:1).
It is the divinity of Christ that people often stumble over, like the Jewish leaders did when they saw Jesus (cf. Jn 5:18). Many people today would say that Jesus was a great teacher, maybe even the greatest. But they would not agree with the idea of His being God.
C. S. Lewis wrote, "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher" (Lewis, Mere Christianity, 52).
Solus Christus declares that the gospel of God's salvation rests on Christ alone. This truth is founded on the nature of the person of Christ. Only if Jesus is God in flesh do Christ's life and death mean eternal life for those who trust in Him. And faith is only as valid as the object of faith. Thus solus Christus excludes every belief system that denies the divinity of Jesus and proclaims Christianity, alone, to be true.
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-14
Bethel Baptist Church is pleased to present the Reverend Greg Hands during Pastor Cosand's absence.
This sermon was originally presented on May 24, 2015
Scripture Reading: Psalm 19:7-11
There are many truths that are held in connection with the doctrine of sola scriptura. The inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible issue from the idea that God has given us one book as His revelation. In practical terms there are many today who would hold to the inspiration of the Scriptures, but not to their sufficiency to speak to the issues of the day.
What is needed is a fresh commitment to the notion that the Word of God is completely sufficient for today's questions and problems. What we see in Psalm 19 is a multi-leveled declaration that the Bible is:
(1) complete so as to revive us (Psa 19:7);
(2) reliable so as to make us wise (Psa 19:7);
(3) right so as to cause us to rejoice (Psa 19:8);
(4) pure so as to enlighten us (Psa 19:8).
The Bible contains everything we need, both to view life and to live life properly. We neglect it to our own ruin. It is one thing to affirm that the Bible is a supernatural book, given by inspiration of God. It is another thing to taste its nectar and know that it is a delight to the heart. May God help us to know, in our minds, in our affections, and in our experience, that the Word of God is sweeter to our soul than ripened fruit is to our tongue, more necessary than our daily food, and more precious than our children and grandchildren.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:23 - 11:1
In this passage Paul concludes his discussion of eating food offered to idols, which has taken up chapters 8-10. This issue falls into the category of 'things of indifference.' Regarding the food itself, it would not have been sinful to eat such food, nor sinful not to eat such food.
There are two principles cited in this passage which should govern our behavior when it comes to 'things of indifference' … (1) we conduct ourselves in a certain way for the sake of others and (2) we conduct ourselves in a certain way for the sake of God.
"Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor" (1 Cor 10:24). We must be willing to adjust our behavior and speech with the consciences of others in mind. Exercise of Christian freedom is not the goal of the Christian faith. The good of others is the goal. "All things are lawful, but not all things build up" (1 Cor 10:23).
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31).
Christianity is not just a set of doctrinal assertions … it is a way of life. It is a way to think and talk and work and relate to others. It is a perspective of life and death … of heaven and hell … of God and man … of sin and forgiveness. To live for the glory of God has a way of governing absolutely everything we do and say and think. It is the path of joy and life.
This sermon was originally presented on May 17, 2015
Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 3:12-17
Theologians sometimes refer to five 'solas' upon which the Christian faith rests. The wording used in the days of the Reformation is Latin and that wording is often still used today to name these great doctrines. These five doctrines are sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), sola fide (faith alone), and soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone).
Imagine a magnificent, ancient temple and a foundation upon which everything rests. That is sola Scriptura. Everything that we believe, obey, embrace deep in our souls is based on the foundation of sola Scriptura. Upon this foundation are three massive pillars, framing and upholding the gospel in its most basic form: sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus - salvation is from grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. And finally, when the foundation is in place and these three immovable, sturdy pillars are in place, then the roof and the pinnacle rest above the structure, pointing upward. That is soli Deo gloria, "for the glory of God alone."
The foundation for everything we know about God and His salvation is in the Bible. Because the Bible was inspired by God (cf. 2 Tim 3:16,17; 2 Pet 1:21,22), the Bible is a unique book. It is different from every other religious book. It is the only unerring source of specific information concerning the person of God. The Bible is our ultimate authority for faith and life. The Bible, alone, is absolute truth and thus it is the final and decisive judgment on every aspect of our lives. Let us learn to say genuinely, with David, "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psa 119:97).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22
Paul has been writing about the issue of eating food that had been offered to idols and that topic will have taken up three chapters (chs. 8-10) before he is done. In today's passage he plainly writes, "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Cor 10:14).
1 Corinthians 10:14-22 is about idolatry. Idolatry comes in many forms. Calvin calls human nature an 'idol factory.' The essence of sin is an attitude that gives glory to something other than God, putting that something (or someone) in His place. To belittle God is to scorn His glory. This first command reminds us of who God is and of who we are. It teaches us to bow before the Almighty in adoration, trust, thanksgiving, and homage.
This passage ends with a reference to the jealousy of God … "Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy?" (1 Cor 10:22). When the Bible speaks of God being a jealous God (Nah 1:2; Exod 34:14) we must not think of the kind of human jealousy that is borne out of insecurity, mistrust, and selfishness. God's jealousy is His altogether appropriate desire for His creation to honor Him as God and not replace Him with lesser things.
The first commandment forbids us to have any other god before YHWH. The positive implications of this command is that we acknowledge and worship Him … esteeming, honoring, loving, delighting in, obeying, calling on, pursuing Him … with all our might, while we live.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
1 Corinthians 10:13 is one of the most familiar verses in this letter, and for good reason. It contains a strength-giving promise for grace in times of trouble. "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
As an instruction, Paul cites the accounts of the Israelites in the wilderness … warning the Corinthians that they could incur God's judgment if they commit the same sins their fathers were guilty of.
The great spiritual privileges of Israel are noted in verses 1-4. But spiritual privileges, alone, do not insure a vital relationship with God. In verses 5-10 we have the recounting of Israel's neglect of their privileges … seen in their repeated and varied sins.
Finally, in verses 11-13, we have a sober warning and a wondrous promise. "Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed, lest he fall" (1 Cor 10:12). Paul does not differentiate between the kind of falling exemplified by Peter and the kind of falling exemplified by Judas. One application of this warning is to unbelievers, to turn from their sins, lest they fall eternally.
A second application of this warning is to Christians, to look to God in their many temptations and afflictions. He promises His children the strength to endure life's trials. In another place Paul speaks of being "afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair . . . struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor 4:8.9).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27
In the preceding passage, Paul cites his willingness to forgo his right to receive financial support from the Corinthians. He had done this because, in this instance, the gospel was heralded with greater power. In the present passage the apostle describes what his life looks like when it is governed by the greatness of the gospel of Christ.
One way his life was affected was that he lived in terms of practical flexibility. Though Paul is free from living his life according to the opinions of others, he subjects himself to all for the sake of the gospel. "I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them" (1 Cor 9:19).
Paul's life goal is the conversion of lost people to the light of Christ. Within the limitations of the Christian faith, Paul would be as 'Jewish' as necessary in order to win Jews to Christ. When Paul preached the gospel to Gentiles, he reasoned with them without quoting the Old Testament. "I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some" (1 Cor 9:22)
A second way Paul's life was affected by the gospel was in terms of personal discipline. He was careful to guard himself, lest he tarnish the gospel and disqualify himself from being a herald of the truth.
Let us be so consumed by the glories of the gospel that we look for ways to spread its truth. And let us be so taken by the gospel of Christ that we carefully guard ourselves against anything that would mar the name of Jesus.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:1-18
In discussing the issue of eating food that had been offered to idols, Paul emphasizes our commitment to one another. Our love for each other must govern our behavior, especially when we have differences of opinion. The apostle ends his exhortation by saying, "If food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble" (1 Cor 8:13).
There were no chapter divisions in the letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 9 is a lengthy personal illustration of the importance of giving up our rights for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the welfare of others.
In a series of 17 rhetorical questions Paul highlights the fact that, as an apostle, he had the right to be supported by the church in Corinth. "The Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel" (1 Cor 9:14).
Paul said, "We endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ" (1 Cor 9:12). The 'obstacle' Paul wants to take away is someone thinking that he preached the gospel merely to get money.
What is at the center of the apostle's heart is the value of the gospel of Christ. Everything in Paul's life is governed by the life-giving message that Jesus died to bring us to God. The reason we are still on this earth, and not in heaven, is that we might live in such a way to point people to the light of the glory of Christ. Like Paul, let us bring everything in our lives in line with the reality that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:4-6
In his discussion of the issue of eating food that had been offered to idols and then sold in the marketplace, Paul responds to the notion that there are many gods. In 1 Corinthians 4:6, we have a declaration that proclaims at least three massive truths.
"For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth . . . yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist" (1 Cor 8:5-6).
First, we have the declaration that there is only one God. This truth flies in the face of the common polytheism of the first century or the twenty-first century. Polytheism is as old as the human race … whether it was the pantheon of Egyptian gods or the proliferation of Hindu gods.
Second, we have the declaration that this unique God is the source of everything that exists … "from whom are all things." This truth disallows any idea of the origin of the universe that excludes a Maker. If there is a Creator, then we are responsible to Him.
Third, we have the declaration that this unique God is the purpose for life … "for whom we exist." We exist for God … not in the sense that we meet some unfulfilled needs He has, but to put His pre-eminence on display (cf. Col 1:16-18).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
1 Corinthians 8:1 begins with the words "Now concerning food offered to idols." For the next three chapters Paul will address issues that spring from this matter. In the first century is was believed that demons attached themselves to food and entered human beings when they ate it. In order to extract demonic presence from meat, it was thought to be cleansed by offering some of it to the gods. What remained was sold in the marketplace.
The question in Corinth was this … "Should a Christian eat food that has been part of an idolatrous ritual?" Some folks had no problem with such food and some thought eating such food was sinful.
The root issue here was not the food, but the way Christians related to one another when there were different viewpoints. "Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and we are no better off if we do" (1 Cor 8:8). "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom 14:17).
What governs our behavior is not simply our knowledge of spiritual truth, but our love for our brothers and sisters. Knowledge without love produces conceit and self-righteousness. We must keep in mind that Christ died for our Christian brother/sister. How are we treating him/her? To sin against a brother/sister is to sin against Christ (1 Cor 8:12). Let us ever do the hard work of maintaining our relationships with each other in diligence and humility and tenderness … for the sake of Christ.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:25-40
The apostle Paul has covered a wide range of topics regarding marriage in this chapter. To this point he has written concerning folks who are married, divorced, and widowed. Now he addresses people who have never been married.
Though he certainly does not view being single as spiritually superior to being married, he encourages the unmarried … whether divorced or widowed or never married … to remain single. It is clear from this passage that Paul is offering his own opinion rather than a divine command … "I have no command from the Lord" (1 Cor 7:25).
While not speaking of the wonderful benefits and pleasures of marriage, Paul lauds two benefits that single people enjoy. First, unmarried people are spared the multiplied troubles the come with multiplied people in a family. "Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that" (1 Cor 7:28).
Second, unmarried people have more leisure time and, usually, more expendable money, for service in God's kingdom. Paul calls it "undivided devotion to the Lord." "The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided" (1 Cor 7:32-34).
Whether married or single, Paul exhorts all believers to live in such a way that the present age does not control our deepest affections for everlasting joys … "For the present form of this world is passing away" (1 Cor 7:31). Let us all "set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth" (Col 3:2).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:10-24
Paul covers several specific issues in this chapter regarding marriage … including sexual relations in marriage, divorce, remarriage, and singleness. In the present passage there are two marital situations in view, though this passage does not address every nuance that might be involved.
The first scenario is a marriage between two believers. The command in this case is for them to stay married, reflecting the teaching of Jesus. Should a husband or wife divorce his/her spouse, then that person should either seek reconciliation or stay unmarried. This exhortation gives considerable weight to the permanence of marriage. Permanence is God's design for marriages.
The second scenario is a marriage between a believer and an unbeliever. The believer should not seek a divorce from his/her unbelieving spouse. In staying married, the believing spouse will be an ongoing presence and voice of the gospel in that marriage and family.
Should the unbelieving spouse leave the marriage, the believing spouse "is not enslaved" in such cases (1 Cor 7:15). The teaching here seems to allow a remarriage in the case of this brother or sister.
The glory of marriage is held high in this passage because the permanence of this union is emphasized. Contrary to the growing disregard for marriage in our culture, let marriage be held in the high regard, in accordance with God's wise design.
Scripture Reading: Psa 2:1-6; Dan 7:13,14; Rev 19:11,15,16
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill."
I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Sermon Summary
In light of the multiplied and complicated problems of our world, the wisdom and resolve of the United Nations seem utterly inadequate. What the world needs is a king … someone to rule in perfect wisdom and justice and compassion. What the world needs is for Jesus Christ to reign as the supreme Sovereign. And that is exactly what God promised to David and through David in what is usually called the Davidic Covenant.
"When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you . . . and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (2 Sam 7:12,13).
The fulfillment of this promise comes on two levels. On the immediate level, the promised son is Solomon. On the far distant level, the promised son is Jesus, whose kingdom is everlasting.
The King will come and He will establish His kingdom. It will be a kingdom of peace (Isa 9:6,7) … justice (Jer 23:5,6) … holysovereignty (Rev 19:11-21) … and eternal duration (Dan 7:13,14).
It is the coming of Christ and His promised rule that comforts us in the face of our fears and steels us in the face of our weaknesses. “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever" (Rev 11:15).
Scripture Reading: Mt 1:20-21; Lk 2:10,11; Acts 5:30-32; Jn 12:47-48; 1 Tim 1:15; 1 Pet 3:18
Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.
Sermon Summary:
The grand declaration in 1 Timothy 1:15 captures the central purpose for the incarnation of God the Son. "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost."
Although Jesus was a matchless teacher to hear … and a sterling example to follow … we do not rightly understand Him unless we understand that He is a Savior. The human race is lost in the darkness of sin and God is a holy Judge who, in His perfect justice, must punish all deeds of darkness.
So, Christ has come, most centrally, to save us from the deserved wrath of God. "Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God" (Rom 5:9).
The way Jesus saves us from the great judgment to come is be our substitute, both in life and in death. Jesus lived a perfect life of obedience in our place. His obedience is credited to our account. And He suffered the wrath of God on the cross in our place. His payment is credited to our account.
We are all guilty and the only way to stand in the day of judgment is to have Jesus as the all-sufficient Mediator between us and God. The birth in Bethlehem is necessary for Jesus to accomplish His indescribable work of saving arrogant rebels … like me.
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:30-35 Matthew 3:16-17 Hebrews 1:1-3
Jesus: Son of God
One of the foundational things to be said about Jesus is that He was/is the Son of God. The angel declared this wonder to Mary. "And the angel answered her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God'" (Lk 1:35).
Simon Peter declared this wonder when Jesus asked what the disciples thought about His identity. "Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'" (Mt 16:16).
The ramifications of this glorious reality are massive and profound. One conclusion to be drawn from the fact that Jesus is the Son of God is that Jesus is deity. He is not only the Son of God … He is God the Son. This truth is denied by most people who affirm that Jesus was a historical figure.
A second conclusion to be drawn from Jesus being the Son of God is the relationship of infinite love between the Father and the Son. At Jesus' baptism (Mt 3:17) and on the mount of transfiguration (Mt 17:5) God's voice from heaven declared "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
To be united with the Son of God, as all Christians are, means that we become children of God, by adoption, and have the unimaginable privilege of addressing God as 'Father' (Eph 1:5; Gal 4:4-6).
Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:1-24
Once again Bethel Baptist Church is honored to present the Reverend Ian Leslie, former Executive Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Trenton. Reverend Leslie continues a study in 1 John during Pastor Cosand’s absence.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:1-9
1 Corinthians 7 begins a new section of the letter in which Paul answers some specific concerns the Corinthians had written him about. These issues are marked out by the words "now concerning" (cf. 1 Cor 7:1,25; 8:1; 12:1; 161;1). The first issue concerns a range of matters pertaining to marriage … sexual relations, widowhood, divorce, remarriage, singleness.
Apparently, some people in the church were trumpeting celibacy as a preferable spiritual state, even for married folks (1 Cor 7:1). Paul corrects this confusion by saying that celibacy is for single people, but not for married folks. He heralds sexual expression in marriage as an important safeguard against immorality as well as a necessary obligation to one's partner (1 Cor 7:2-5). In marriage sexual intimacy is a demonstration not only of love and pleasure, but also of selflessness. Such expression must not be neglected, except in unusual circumstances in which a couple is seeking the Lord in some special way (1 Cor 7:5) … and even then, only temporarily.
There are some benefits to singleness, which Paul will write about later (1 Cor 7:7,8, 32-35), but in this paragraph he calls on married people to rejoice in the grace God has given them … delighting in the gift of sexual union with selflessness and gratitude.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Continuing his assault on the varied forms of sexual sin, Paul contrasts the nature of sexual immorality with the nature of Christianity … ending with the pointed reminder that we are not the ultimate owners of our lives. "You are not your own" has special meaning for Christians, but the statement stands on its own with reference to every person … both believers and unbelievers.
Sexual immorality is seductive (1 Cor 6:12a) … tyrannical (1 Cor 6:12b) … an affront to Christ (1 Cor 6:113-15) … and self-destructive (1 Cor 6:16-18). There is a price to be paid for flaunting the commands of the Almighty. Someone gives himself/herself to sexual immorality "as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know it will cost him his life" (Prov 7:27).
The 'it is my body (life), I can do with it what I please' logic is shattered by the statements in this passage. Because God is the Maker of all things, He is the rightful Owner of all things. He holds a claim over everything in His universe. This is especially true of Christians who "have been bought with a price" (1 Cor 6:20). The concluding exhortation is as splendid as it is comprehensive … "Therefore glorify God in your body." Let the wise heed the Word of God.
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Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Drawing a sharp contrast between Christians and unbelievers, Paul makes a staggering and categorical statement … "the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor 6:9). The apostle then proceeds to describe some of the people in the category of 'the unrighteous,' naming nine sins (or ten, depending on the translation) … three (or four) of which are sexual in nature.
Though all Christians are sinful, the Greek word translated 'unrighteous' here (sometimes translated 'unjust') is never used to refer to Christians. Jesus said that God causes His rain to fall "on the just and on the unjust" (Mt 5:45).
The word 'unrighteous' does not simply refer to people who do sinful things (which is true of all of us), but to people whose lives are characterized by sinful impulses and actions, namely sexual immorality, homosexuality, idolatry, thievery, greed, slander, drunkenness.
If someone's life is dominated by some sinful behavior, this declaration is that such a person "will not inherit the kingdom of God."
To the Christians of Corinth, Paul encouragingly says, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified" (1 Cor 6:11). Conversion to Christ brings a marked change … not only in the affections of one's heart, but in the actions of one's life.
Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:1-10
While Pastor Cosand enjoys a well deserved vacation, Bethel Baptist Church is delighted once again to host Reverend Ian Leslie. Reverend Leslie is the former Executive Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Trenton.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:1-8
To this point in the letter, Paul has addressed two issues in the Corinthian church … divisions, and immorality. Now he introduces a third, grievous problem that plagued the Christian community there, namely that people of the fellowship were taking others from the fellowship to court.
The authority of the church forms the background of both the issue of immorality in chapter 5 and the issue of litigation in chapter 6. Paul is outraged that one Christian would take another Christian to court to regain some loss.
To air their grievances before the unbelieving world, no doubt, made the Christian community look petty and vengeful. Further, Christians have enough wisdom and sense of justice … even more than unbelievers … to settle their disputes within the church. "I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers?" (1 Cor 6:5).
Then we have this very searching question … "Why not rather suffer wrong?" (1 Cor 6:7). This passage is not just about lawsuits. It is about the spirit of revenge and jealousy. Jesus Himself commanded that we "turn the other cheek" and that we forgive until 70 times 7. We must never forget that God's justice is sure and that heaven will make amends for all.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
In continuing to write about the immorality which the Corinthian church had failed to address, Paul broadens his discussion about the nature of the church. Apparently, the church in Corinth had developed a faulty view of themselves, as well as a faulty view of unbelievers outside the church.
With regard to the church community, there needed to be a greater pursuit of holiness. In this particular case, such a pursuit required that the immoral man be removed from the fellowship of the church (1 Cor 5:2,13). With regard to unbelievers outside the church community, there needed to be a deeper compassion.
Paul warns the Christians in Corinth not to so isolate themselves from unbelievers that they have no association with them … "since then you would need to go out of the world" (1 Cor 5:10). How can we proclaim the gospel of Christ if we have no relationships with unbelievers?
Last, deeper holiness within the church community is the result of greater individual pursuit of knowing and delighting in God. Theology is the foundation of and fountain of morality. If our communion with God is sweet, our obedience to His commands will follow.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:1-8
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul turns to another issue in the church in Corinth. It is the tolerance of a particularly heinous and public sin. Some man in the fellowship had been carrying on with a cohabiting and sexual relationship with his step-mother. Such a relationship, Paul says, "is not even tolerated among the pagans" (1 Cor 5:1).
The problem was not only the sin itself, but the Corinthians' acceptance of it in one of the members of the church. This was having a corrupting effect on the fellowship. Paul's exhortation was for the church to remove the man from their fellowship and this meant to cut off all interaction with him (1 Cor 5:2,11).
This is an example of the difficult action of church discipline, which Jesus spoke about in Matthew 18. If there is no repentance for a particular sin, then the guilty person is to be treated "as a Gentile and a tax collector" (Mt 18:17) … which means that social interaction is prohibited following a congregational decision. The purpose for this difficult action is not to punish the person taken by some sin, but to promote purity within the church and to restore the sinful person to righteous living.
The New Testament gives some examples of sins for which such discipline should be administered: sexual immorality (1 Cor 5:1-8); stirring up division (Rom 16:17,18; Titus 3:9-11); rebellion (2 Thes 3:14,15); doctrinal heresy (2 Jn 9,10; Rev 2:14,20).
This passage teaches us, among other lessons, that Christianity is designed to be a corporate experience and not simply an individual experience.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 4:14-21
Concluding his exhortations regarding pride and factions in the Corinthian church, Paul calls on the Christians there (and here) to receive instruction from two sources: the instruction of what is written (1 Cor 4:14,15), and the instruction of example (1 Cor 4:16,17).
Both exhortations are repeatedly given to us in the Bible. "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life" (Jn 6:63). "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom" (Col 3:16). To the extent that we do not know what God has said in His word, we starve our souls of truth and joy and hope.
We are also exhorted in the Bible to imitate people of faith. Paul calls on his readers to imitate him in at least five passages (1 Cor 4:16, 11:1; Phil 3:17; 4:9; 2 Thes 3:9). "And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Heb 6:11-12).
Let us be sober about our study of the Bible so that we might conform ourselves to its promises and warnings. And let us be serious about following in the footsteps of the saints who have gone before us … that we might live with courage and joy and faith.
Scripture Reading: Daniel 9:1-11
We would have to agree with Paul that often "we do not know what to pray for as we ought" (Rom 8:26). There is help in the Scriptures, instructing us in how to pray. For example, the Lord's Prayer is a pattern for our prayers. And there are verses like 1 Jn 5:14 which teach us how to pray. ". . . if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."
We can also learn how to pray from looking at the prayers of great people of God. We have a prayer from such a man in Daniel 9. Daniel was a man of prayer (Dan 6:10) and Daniel 9 gives us an extended example of one of his prayers.
One thought which permeates Daniel's prayer is the majesty of God. God is viewed as great, awesome, faithful, righteous, compassionate, forgiving, wrathful (Dan 9:4,7,9,16). As Daniel approaches God, his soul is filled with wonder, reverence, and majestic thoughts of the Almighty Creator.
On the other hand, and rising from considering the glory of God, Daniel feels the weight of his own sin and unworthiness. He feels shame and recounts how rebellious he (and the Israelites) had been (Dan 9:5-11,13). This is one inevitable result of contemplating the immensities of God.
These two general thrusts of this chapter (the wonder of God and the sinfulness of people) ought to form the framework of our prayers. Only at the end of this chapter does Daniel mention his request (that the Israelites be restored to their land). And even then, the basis for the petition is the honor of God. ". . . for your sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate . . . Delay not, for your own sake, O my God" (Dan 9:17,19). The purpose of prayer, like everything else, is the glory of God.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 4:6-13
Continuing his exhortations about the arrogance which had taken root in the church in Corinth, Paul draws a sharp contrast between what pride looks like and what humility looks like. It is significant that of the multiplied sins on display in the Corinthian church, the apostle writes about pride first … and spends four chapters to correct this fundamental corruption.
In three rhetorical questions, Paul challenges the egotism which had divided the church … and still does today. "What do you have that you did not receive?" … expected answer? Nothing! Then, the logic of verse 7 goes, where is there room for any shredof conceit? Everything is a gift from God. To contemplate this reality is deeply humbling.
Heartfelt humility was on display in the life of Paul and the contrast between pride (1 Cor 4:6-8) and humility (1 Cor 4:7-13) comes into clear focus. For Christians, to follow Christ means that there must be a willingness to be reviled and thought of as fools. Christians have always been something of a spectacle to people of the world system. We are often seen as 'scum' and 'refuse' (1 Cor 4:13).
Let us live in the humility of being thought of as laughable. The day will come when "the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Mt 13:43).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
This passage is about the faithfulness of God's people and the coming day of judgment regarding that faithfulness. "It is required of stewards that they be found faithful" (1 Cor 4:2). God's evaluation is always right and in accordance with what is true. According to this text, God will judge someone's faithfulness and this judgment will include motives as well as acts … "the Lord . . . will disclose the purposes of the heart" (1 Cor 4:5).
The promise here is that, based on the coming judgment, "each one will receive his commendation from God" (1 Cor 4:5). There are many Biblical texts which promise eternal reward in the age to come. These texts are meant to encourage us to remain faithful, especially in days of hardship.
These promised rewards are not the payment of a debt that God owes us. They are granted by God's grace, no less than salvation itself. They are, however, granted in accordance with the quality of our lives. There will be a heavenly evaluation of the way we have lived as Christians. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil" (2 Cor 5:10). Let us, therefore, be tenacious in our discipline, longing for our Lord's declaration, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:18-23
A strong case can be made that the deepest root of the disease of sin is pride. The Bible has a lot to say about pride. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov 16:18). "When pride comes, then comes disgrace" (Prov 11:2). "God opposes the proud" (Jam 4:6).
In our passage, Paul is concluding his discussion of the pride which had been ravaging the Corinthian church. He has spent three chapters writing about it. Here the apostle gives two reasons for the Corinthians (and us) to abandon any personal arrogance.
First, human pride is foolishness (1 Cor 3:19). There is a futility to pride because it is dishonoring to God and destructive to the human spirit. God brings judgment on the proud. Pride draws us away from God and His wisdom.
Second, the fleeting, twisted satisfaction of human pride is nothing compared to the glory of the eternal inheritance that belongs to God's children. "Let no one boast in men, for all things are yours . . . the world or life or death or the present or the future – all are yours" (1 Cor 3:21).
Let us, with a heartfelt humility and deep satisfaction, take to heart the promise of our Lord … "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Lk 12:32).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:10-17
In our passage, Paul changes from an agricultural metaphor to an architectural metaphor, in describing the church. In 1 Corinthians 3:9 the apostle had said "You are God’s field, God’s building." In that verse we see both pictures. In today’s section, the church now is likened to a building instead of a field. And Paul is now the layer of a foundation instead of a sower of seeds.
The building being described here is a temple, and the spiritual reality of this symbol is the church of Christ. Jesus, Himself is the foundation. Builders must therefore use building materials that are in accord with the foundation, which is Christ.
Any labor done to build Christ’s church must be done in accordance with the truth of Christ, and the righteousness of Christ. The gold, silver, and precious stones are the symbols of doctrinal purity and righteous attitudes and acts. The wood, hay, and straw are the symbols of falsehood and impure motives.
There is coming a day when our work in Christ’s kingdom will be judged. May we take to heart the exhortation of the apostle … "Let each one take care how he builds" (1 Cor 3:10). Let everything we do be in accordance with our glorious Foundation … Jesus Christ.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul returns to the issue with which he began his letter, namely the dissension that had plagued the congregation. Here Paul goes to the root of the problem. The Corinthian Christians had not grown much in their communion with God. Paul calls them "people of the flesh, infants in Christ" (1 Cor 3:1).
They understood basic spiritual truths, but had not gone very deeply in their grasp of these things. The evidence of their shallow communion with God was "jealously and strife" (1 Cor 3:3).
In correcting this matter, Paul points the Corinthians to God and away from the earthly allegiances they had attached themselves to … their teachers, Paul and Apollos. What was needed in this congregation was a deeper spiritual maturity. This evidence of this would be the capacity to receive "solid food," which leads to a deeper understanding of God and His work in Christ.
The Bible calls on Christians to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 3:18). There is a diligence necessary for such growth. The disciplines of prayer and Bible study and daily confession of sins and meditation on God's truths are not simply good for us … they are crucial for our progress in our journey to the Celestial City.
Scripture Reading: Acts 27:13-26
This week Pastor Cosand enjoys a well deserved vacation. In his absence, Bethel Baptist Church had the privilege and pleasure of hosting Reverand Greg Hands, former Pastor of Woodhaven Bible Church.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:14
The contrast, in this section of 1 Corinthians, has been between human wisdom and divine wisdom … and between people of God and people of the world. It is the contrast between these two groups of people which is in view in verses 14,15. People of God (Christians) are called 'the spiritual person' in verse 15 … and people of the world (unbelievers) are called 'the natural person' in verse 14.
The Scripture teaches that the natural human heart is corrupted to the point that it does not seek God (Rom 3:11) and does not fear God (Rom 3:18) and does not submit to God's law (Rom 8:7).
But beyond the notion that unbelievers do not obey God, the Scripture teaches that, apart from the life-giving work of God's Spirit, unbelievers cannotsubmit to God. 1 Corinthians 2:14 moves from does not ("The natural person does not accept the things of God") to cannot ("and he is not able to understand them").
The problem is a moral problem. Christ offers Himself to all for eternal life. But, the corruption of the human heart is so thorough that no one wantsthis life in Christ. "The nature of man since the fall is so corrupt and depraved that even when Christ is made known and preached to him, he will not come to Him and believe in Him without the special grace of God inclining his will and giving him a disposition to come. Moral (per)suasion and advice alone will not bring him. He must be 'drawn'" (J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John, 1:271).
It should fill us with thanksgiving to grasp that everything we have, including our coming to Jesus, is a gift from God. How thankful we should be for sovereign grace.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
This passage is a continuation of Paul’s contrast between the wisdom of God and human wisdom. The word wisdom is found four times in this section … twice in verse 6, once in verse 7, and again in verse 13.
The theme of the passage is stated in verse 7 “we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory." The wonder of it all is that God would impart something of His wisdom to us.
True wisdom is not to be found in places where most people look … namely schools, self-help books, encounter groups, meditation. True wisdom is not "of this age" or "of the rulers of this age." A knowledge of the truth does not originate in the minds of human beings.
True wisdom is "a secret and hidden wisdom of God" (1 Cor 2:7). The words 'secret' and 'hidden' simply mean that this wisdom is God's wisdom and cannot be known by us unless God reveals it to us. What is particularly in view here is God's design for the salvation of people. God's wisdom, as defined in this passage is 'the word of the cross' (1 Cor 1:18) and "Christ crucified" (1 Cor 1:23). This was the plan of redemption which "God decreed before the ages for our glory."
Having revealed something of Himself to us in His Son and in His salvation, Paul is able to say that "we have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:16. Christians have an understanding of God, self, sin, righteousness, eternity, joy, peace, hope. In Christ Christians possess "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Pet 1:3). This comes from a pursuit of God and not from the finest school in the land.
Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:24-29
Bethel Baptist Church has the pleasure and privilege of hosting Waad Haddad along with his family for worship this Sunday.
Waad is a missionary with BEN Ministries. He serves with the National Theological College and Graduate School (NTCGS) as a professor at the graduate and undergrad levels. He is also responsible for recruitment in three countries: Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. On the State-side, he speaks in churches as a representative of NTCGS and raises funds for his ministry of training pastors in the Arab Homeland.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
So far, in this early section of 1 Corinthians, Paul has noted that the gospel of Christ, the message of the cross, is utter foolishness to people who are perishing. Next, he says that the people of God are also considered foolish by the people who are perishing. Now, he notes that the messenger of the gospel is considered foolish by the people who are perishing.
The upshot of this discussion is that God is honored because salvation is from Him and to Him … "that no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1 Cor 1:29). Of himself, Paul says, "my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power" (1 Cor 2:3).
Again, as he has done repeatedly in these paragraphs, Paul lauds the glory of God. He wants the Corinthians, and us, to know that our salvation rests completely on the person of God and not on any human power … "so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Cor 2:5).
At the center of salvation and true life is the person and work of Jesus Christ. "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Cor 2:2). This is the heart of the Christian message and the heart of life itself. Let us rest, and hope and live in communion with Christ.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Continuing his correction of the factions in the church in Corinth, Paul turns his focus from the calling of God to those whom He has called. Paul reminds these believers that they were not from the upper class of Corinthian society. In fact, the text says, not many people from the upper class are called into God's kingdom.
God has been deliberate in calling the weak and the lowly to Himself in order to shame those who are strong and wise, in earthly terms. God has designed His salvation in such a way for two reasons. The first is that "no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1 Cor 15:29). To be humble before God is, in fact, the path to life. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 5:3).
Second, God has shown His salvation to be found in Christ, from beginning to end, so that "the one who boasts [might] boast in the Lord" (1 Cor 1:30).
Finding our strength and joy and hope in Christ is the very essence of life. We know, from experience, that to boast in our personal achievements is short-lived and tends to fan the flame of our pride. How much more God-honoring it is … and more satisfying to us … to treasure the wisdom and righteousness and redemption of Christ. Let us spend some time 'considering our calling' in Christ.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
The first issue in the Corinthian church to which Paul addresses himself is the problem of divisions, borne out of personal pride. To challenge that problem, Paul elevates Christ and His work. Once Jesus is contemplated deeply, humility is the inevitable result.
In 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, Paul contrasts two views of the cross of Christ … the human assessment and the divine assessment. Humanly speaking the cross of Christ is either narrow and extreme, from a religious standpoint … or unnecessary and foolish, from a secular standpoint (1 Cor 1:22,23).
From the viewpoint of God (the only viewpoint that ultimately matters) and those who hope in Christ, the cross is the means of God displaying His power to change the rebellious human heart into a humble heart of trusting God.
In His infinite wisdom, God has devised a plan of salvation that exalts Him and humbles the proud human heart. The decisivefactor in someone becoming a Christian is the individual call of God to that person. Regarding God's salvation, Paul uses some form of the word 'call' four times (1 Cor 1:2,9,24,26). God has designed His salvation this way "so that no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1 Cor 1:29). Let us bow before our God in deep humility and utter wonder that He would call our name.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17
Much of this letter to the Corinthian church contains the response of Paul to the Christians there concerning struggles within the fellowship that had come to his attention. The first issue mentioned in this epistle is the presence of factions within the congregation.
Personal allegiance to church leaders had led to tensions between church members. Some people had preferred the teaching of Paul … others the teaching of Peter. Some were specifically following Apollos and some were following Christ.
The threefold exhortation in 1 Corinthians 1:10 literally reads that the Corinthians should "say the same thing (i.e. agree), have the same mind and the same judgment." This does not mean that Christians should be able to have the same opinion on everything, but that there is a oneness of purpose and mutual commitment and love. True unity is not uniformity.
The foundation of this harmony is commitment to Christ and the basic doctrines of the gospel of Christ. To highlight the commitment the Corinthian Christians should have had to Christ, Paul mentions their baptism … the public declaration of their allegiance to the Savior.
Church harmony is not a peripheral issue in the New Testament. Nor is it a peripheral issue in our day. Let us be diligent, with all humility and mercy, to "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph 4:2,3).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The church at Corinth was founded during Paul's second missionary journey. The account in Acts 18 records that Paul spent 18 months in Corinth on that trip and helped to establish a community of believers there. It was three years later, while on his third missionary journey, that Paul received word that all was not well in the Corinthian church. 1 Corinthians is the letter Paul wrote in response to this news, addressing a wide range of issues.
This first paragraph in the letter, as is usually the case, contains no command or exhortation. In these verses, Paul lauds the wonder and glory of what God had done in bringing these Corinthians to Himself.
The paragraph focuses on the glory belonging to God because of what He had done in saving these Corinthians. God had called them to be saints and sanctified them in Christ (1 Cor 1:2) and enriched them with spiritual gifts (1 Cor 1:4-7).
Further, God deserves honor because of what God would do in the future concerning these saints. He would "sustain [them] to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 1:8).
This is not just a description of the Christians in Corinth, but of every believer. We have infinite warrant for hope and joy because the God who called us to Himself in Christ will sustain us to the end.
Scripture Reading: Malachi 2:10-16
In a day in which marriage is falling out of what is normative, it is relevant, and even critical, to know that God cares about marriage. Further, as the Designer of marriage, He has defined what it is and has given laws to govern it. Marriage was designed to be the lifelong union between one man and one woman.
One of the prominent sins of the Israelites of Malachi's day was intermarriage with idolatrous foreigners and rampant divorce. Marriage with people who were idolatrous was strictly forbidden by God (Deut 7:3,4). The reason was that such marriages would result in pagan spouses turning the hearts of the Israelites away from God. Solomon is a prominent example of this dynamic.
Apparently, many Israelites … mainly men … had divorced their wives in order to marry these foreign women. This was a grievous sin, prompting God to declare that He hates divorce, calling it a treachery (Mal 2:16, NASB, KJV, LSB).
In radical distinction from our casual, secular culture, there are only two Biblical reasons for divorce … adultery (Mt 19:1-6) and desertion (1 Cor 7:12-16). The glory of marriage is that it was designed, ultimately, to be a picture of Christ and His people (Eph 5:32). This lifts marriage to the highest level and shines the light of God's grace on a husband and wife. Certainly, there is no earthly relationship granting greater pleasure and satisfaction. This is a glory to the Maker of marriage.
Scripture Reading: Malachi 3:13-18
At issue in this passage is a failure to understand God's patience in postponing His judgment on the wicked. The Israelites had concluded that God had not blessed the righteous, nor had He punished the wicked.
Being oblivious to their sins, the Jews had reasoned that God had slighted them because they had not prospered. On the other hand, they thought God had ignored the wickedness of the surrounding nations.
Their darkened conclusions were … "It is vain to serve God" (Mal 3:14) … and "Evildoers not only prosper, but they put God to the test and they escape" (Mal 3:15).
God's instruction in this passage is that a day is coming when all will "see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked." Those who fear the LORD are called His 'treasured possession.' They will be remembered by Him and spared His horrible judgment (Mal 3:16,17).
The wicked, on the other hand, "will be stubble. The day that is coming will set them ablaze" (Mal 4:1). The great distinction between the righteous and the wicked will be on display in all eternity … the righteous an eternal testimony to God's mercy, and the wicked an eternal testimony to God' justice.
The only two options to every person is either to be God's treasured possession or God's avowed enemy … either to bask in God's gracious mercy or to bear God's consuming fury.
Scripture Reading: Malachi 3:6-12
One of the sins of the Israelites in Malachi's time was the failure to give the tithes which the Mosaic law had prescribed. The law required that the Jews pay ten percent of their income/produce to the Levites and to the temple (Num 18:21-26; Deut 14:22-27). God justly accused the Israelites of Malachi's day of robbing Him (Mal 3:8,9).
Giving to the work of God is an important element in the life of a Christian. Though Paul does not mention giving ten percent of our income as an ongoing command, the New Testament does reveal principles that should govern our giving.
"On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come" (1 Cor 16:2). "Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver"
(2 Cor 9:7).
We are to give regularly. "On the first day of every week . . ." As regular exercise is more beneficial to the body than exercising only once in a while, so regular giving is more spiritually beneficial to the soul.
We are to give individually. ". . . each of you is to put something aside . . ." The responsibility to give to the Lord’s work belongs to every one of us, regardless of economic status.
We are to give proportionally. ". . . as he may prosper . . ." Some proportion is suggested in this phrase. The more one has, the more he should give.
We are to give deliberately. "Each one must give as he has made up his mind . . ." Giving should be planned, prayerful, thoughtful, budgeted, and not impulsive.
We are to give willingly. ". . . not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." The God who owns all things does not lack for resources. He wants our hearts, so He does not want us to give anything that is not offered willingly.
The motive for giving comes from a realization of the effects it has on our souls. God does not need our money, but we have the need to give to Him.
First, giving produces humility. In giving to the building of the temple in the Old Testament, David declared, "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you" (1 Chr 29:14).
Second, giving produces joy. "Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly" (1 Chr 29:9).
Third, giving produces compassion toward the needs of others. "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need" (Eph 4:28).
Fourth, giving produces devotion to God. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Lk 12:34). Giving to God’s eternal kingdom unites our hearts with Him. It follows that if we give regularly to the Lord, we will think about Him more and our hearts will be attached to Him more deeply.
The Almighty does not need our money. He can make money out of the grass. The issue in giving is our hearts. In our giving, let us learn to say, with great joy, "O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own" (1 Chr 29:16).
Scripture Reading: Malachi 3:6
The prophet Malachi, as all prophets did, confronted the people of Israel with their sins. God speaks in Malachi 3, warning the Israelites of a great coming judgment. In mercy, however, God reminds them of why He had not destroyed them completely. In a surprising statement, God reminds the Jews of His unchanging nature.
"For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed" (Mal 3:6). The LORD stayed true to His merciful covenant with Abraham. His mercy had not changed.
The fact that God is unchanging (the word theologians use is the 'immutability' of God) answers to the longing of the human heart for something permanent.
God's life and character do not change. In terms of existence, God has always been and He always will be. There was never a time when He did not exist. He is the eternal 'I AM', who is and who was and who is to come.
God's truth does not change. What God says is always true. His promises are always true, His warnings are always true, His predictions are always true, His commands are always true.
God's purposes do not change. What God does in time, He has planned from eternity, and all He has planned in eternity, He carries out in time. He has an eternal plan and it does not change from day to day.
The application of this great truth in our lives is that it produces a profound security. To know that God's purposes are fixed, and that as His children we are part of His grand plan, make our lives secure.
Scripture Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20
Nestled away in the small, little-known book of Zephaniah is a marvelous declaration of the steadfast love of God. Zephaniah begins with one of the most chilling statements of God's wrath in all of Scripture and closes with one of the most moving descriptions of God's love for His people in all of Scripture.
The wording of Zephaniah 1:2,3 is reminiscent of the story of the flood. "'I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. . . . I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,' declares the LORD." A coming, widespread devastation is in view here, having a near fulfillment (in the destruction of Jerusalem) and a distant fulfillment (in the great tribulation).
The people of God, however, are commanded to 'sing' … 'shout' … 'rejoice' … 'exult' (Zeph 3:14) because the LORD has taken away His judgments (Zeph 3:15).
Zephaniah 3:17 offer us a rare insight into God's own delight. Because of His work in salvation, God rejoices over His people with gladness … He is quiet over them is His love … He exults over them with singing.
That the Almighty should derive delight from His physical creation is stunning enough because God has no deficiency. But that God should rejoice in a sinner is utterly staggering. The answer as to how this is even possible is that God the Father rejoices in His Son … and Christians are in Christ. Therefore, God sings over the reality that, in terms of righteousness, He has made us like His Son.
For us, there is no gladness like this gladness because this salvation in Christ is of infinite value. Let us "rejoice and exult with all our heart!"
Scripture Reading: Lamentations 3:31-39
In Lamentations 3, Jeremiah pulls back the curtain of divine mystery slightly so we can see, at least a little, into the mind of God. The context of this passage is Jeremiah's description of the judgment of God on Jerusalem, with all the horror that was associated with that great destruction in 586 B.C.
It is clear, from Lamentations 3, that the invasion of Judah by the Babylonians was the result of a divine plan. Representing the people of Jerusalem, Jeremiah describes the anguish of soul at the fall of Judah. But in almost every verse of the first section of chapter 3, God is presented as having brought the devastation and misery.
Lamentations 3:32,33 poses an interesting and profound contrast. Though God does "cause grief" (Lam 3:32), He does not "afflict from his heart" (Lam 3:33). To reconcile these two statements, we must conclude that the will of God is layered. God does, on one level, what He does not desire to do, on another level.
We must look at the will of God in more than simply one sense. New Testament scholar I. Howard Marshall said, "We must certainly distinguish between what God would like to see happen and what he actually does will to happen, and both of these can be spoken of as God's will."
In a narrow sense, God has no pleasure in the suffering and death of human beings (Ezek 18:32; 33:11) … but in a broader sense, God decrees suffering and death (Exod 4:11; Deut 32:39; Lam 3:37,38). Let us learn to trust God in His wisdom and righteousness for, after all, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" (Gen 18:25).
Scripture Reading: Joel 2:21-32
Like other prophets, the little book of Joel has a prophecy of a coming judgment on Israel and a prophecy of a coming restoration of Israel. With reference to this judgment, repeatedly Joel uses a phrase familiar to Old Testament prophets … namely, "the day of the LORD" (Joel 1:15; 2:1,11,31; 3:14) or simply the "day" (Joel 1:15; 2:2; 3:18).
The day of the LORD is a time of darkness and destruction. "For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it?" (Joel 2:11). The fulfillment of this prophecy has both a near time frame and a distant time frame. The destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. was a precursor to a massive and gloomy judgment of Israel in the great tribulation to come.
Likewise, the restoration of Israel from Babylon foreshadows a grand restoration of Israel in the millennial kingdom. This restoration will be the result of God pouring out His Spirit in fuller ways than He has in human history.
The inauguration of this fuller manifestation of the Holy Spirit took place on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, where Peter quoted Joel 2, pointing to the beginning of the "last days."
What a privilege and blessing we have to be living during the time when the Holy Spirit has been given to the human race in greater measure than He was in Old Testament times. And what comfort is afforded to us to know, more fully than Old Testament saints, the unfolding of God's plan in the exaltation of His Son through the coming of the Holy Spirit in a greater manifestation of His presence and power.
Scripture Reading: Micah 6:1-8
This passage follows Micah's denunciation of the sins of Judah and Israel. The Israelites were a people who "devised wickedness" (Mic 2:1), "covet fields" (Mic 2:2), "oppress a man and his house" (Mic 2:2), "walk haughtily" (Mic 2:3), "hate the good and love the evil" (Mic 3:2), "eat the flesh of my people" (Mic 3:2), "detest justice" (Mic 3:9).
In Micah 6, in a courtroom setting, the LORD declares His indictment against the people. Micah puts this rhetorical question into the mouths of the people … "With what shall I come before the LORD?" (Mic 6:6). Will multiplied sacrifice appease His anger?
Micah 6:8 is God's answer as to what He requires from His creatures. The verse highlights qualities of heart and life that these Israelites particularly lacked … justice, mercy, and humility before God. "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Mic 6:8).
We are called on here to treat others fairly and with respect … to show them kindness and goodness and mercy … and to bow down before God with humility, which is altogether appropriate, given who God is and who we are. We do not earn a right standing with God by pursuing these three qualities, but because God is the fountain of justice and mercy … and because humility comes from truly grasping the majesty of God … genuinely exhibiting justice and mercy and humility shows that we have been changed by God's grace. God requires such a change for someone to stand in His holy presence.
Scripture Reading: Hosea 1-3
The unique feature of the book of Hosea is the personal story with which it begins. Hosea is commanded by God to marry a woman (Gomer) who would be unfaithful to him. This marriage was a symbol of the unfaithfulness of the people of Israel to God.
Gomer gave birth to three children, whose names all had symbolic meaning. The first son, Jezreel, referred to the valley of Jezreel, where God would judge Israel for its bloodshed. The daughter's name was Lo-ruhama, which is, in English, 'no mercy'. The days would come when God would withdraw His mercy from Israel. The third child was named Lo-ammi, which is, in English, 'not my people'. The days would come when it would appear that Israel was no different than any other nation. Divine judgment would be harsh.
The climax to the story of Hosea's marriage appears in chapter 3. Gomer had left Hosea and now Hosea is commanded to buy his wayward wife and love her "even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods" (Hos 3:1).
This is the story, not only of the promise of God to restore Israel, but of the grace of God in conversion of everyone whom He saves. Alluding to Hosea 1:10 and 2:23, Peter says, of Gentile Christians, "Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Pet 2:10). How thankful and joyful we should be for God's undeserved mercy … lavishly bestowed on our wayward, rebellious hearts.
Scripture Reading: Amos 9:8-13
The message of the book of Amos generally follows the pattern seen in most of the prophetic books. There is declaration of the sins of the people … a plea for the people to repent … a pronouncement of judgment … and a promise of restoration.
Amos 9 contains the often-repeated promise of God that a day is coming when He will "restore the fortunes" of the Israelites. With regard to the people of Israel, this phrase is used 21 times in the Old Testament (mostly in the prophets) to remind the people of God's promises to Abraham and David that He would make a nation for Himself and the nation would abide forever.
The destruction of Israel and Judah would not be total, nor would it be final. "'Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the surface of the ground, except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,' declares the LORD. . . . I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel . . . and they shall never again be uprooted" (Amos 9:8).
This passage is important to us because it reminds us of the fidelity of God to His promises. Our God and Father will make good on every promise He has given to us, no less than He will keep every promise He made to Israel. With strength-giving hope the Almighty declares, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose" (Isa 46:10)
Scripture Reading: Amos 5:21-27
One of the signs of the rebellion of the Israelites of Amos's day was the hypocrisy of their worship. They performed the acts of worship, but these acts were not pleasing to God. In fact, God declared that He hated the empty rituals these Jews were engaged in (Amos 5:21).
The true nature of the hollow ceremonies of the Jews was seen in the sinfulness of their lives … injustice, idolatry, materialism, immorality. God calls on these rebellious Israelites to "hate evil and love good" and to "let justice roll down like waters" (Amos 5:15,24).
One of the great dangers of a worship service (or even private worship) is that its activities can be done out of routine. There is an external form of worship … singing, praying, communion, giving. But it is possible to do all those activities without the heart being engaged. This was one of the recurring sins of the people of Israel (cf. Isa 1:10-15; Mt 23:23).
Worship is not just an academic experience. It is also an emotional experience. How can a person really encounter the infinite, living God and not feel awe and humility and yearning and joy? When our hearts are stirred deeply by the presence of God, then we see that worship is the delight of all delights to the human soul. May God keep us from being so stuffed with the 'white bread' of our culture that we have no hunger for the pleasures of the infinite God.
Scripture Reading: Amos 3
In the context of God's special relationship with the people of Israel, in Amos 3 there are two verses that signal the glorious truth about God's supremacy over all His creation. In His sovereign freedom, God chose the people of Israel to be His special people. God uses the verb 'to know' to make a statement about His choosing the nation of Israel to be recipients of unique blessings. "You only have I known of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2).
The verb 'to know' here is not a reference to God's omniscience, but to His sovereign love in choosing Israel to be His unique people. This verse helps to inform us of the meaning of the word 'foreknowledge' in the New Testament (cf. Rom 8:29, 1 Pet 1:1,2). In the New Testament, God's foreknowledge of some people for salvation refers, not to God's perceiving them, but to God's choosing them.
A second verse in Amos 3 points to God's supremacy over calamities. "Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it?" (Amos 3:6). This rhetorical question, of course, expects a negative answer … "No, no disaster comes to a city unless the Lord has brought it." The Almighty not only brings pleasure, but, according to holy designs, He also brings pain (Ecc 7:14; Job 1:21; 2:10). In the middle of our suffering, let us learn to lay our hand on our complaining tongues, bow down before God in humility, and declare, "Blessed be the name of the LORD.
Scripture Reading: Amos 4,5
Much of the book of Amos is a catalog of the sins of the northern kingdom of Israel, as God reasons with the people to see their rebellion for what it is and turn to Him for mercy and life.
God reminds the Israelites of their great privileges of His grace. God had destroyed Israel's enemies so they could live in the promised land (Amos 2:9). He had brought the Israelites out of Egypt and sustained them for forty years in the wilderness (Amos 2:10). He raised up prophets to bring the word of God to them (Amos 2:11).
In spite of these wonderful privileges, the people of Israel obstinately and repeatedly rebelled against God and His law. "They do not know how to do right . . . those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds" (Amos 3:10). Their rituals of worship were abominable to the Lord. "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies" (Amos 5:25).
Still, God pled with these wayward, wicked people to seek Him that they might live. "Seek me and live . . . seek the LORD and live . . . seek good and not evil" (Amos 5:4,6,14).
The message of Amos is highly applicable to our country. We have had unusual spiritual privileges for 400 years, but have increasingly spurned God's graces and ignored the gospel of Christ. The violence and sexual perversions and general lawlessness in our land reveals the rebellion against God that pervades our culture. Let us plead with the Almighty for the success of the gospel because of His grace and mercy.
Scripture Reading: Amos 1,2
The book of Amos is one of the twelve books often called 'minor prophets.' These twelve books in the Old Testament are small in comparison with Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel ('major prophets').
Amos was one of only two writing prophets sent to the northern kingdom of Israel (Hosea was the other one). His message, like most of the prophets, was to declare the sins of Israel, call the people to repentance, warn them of impending judgment, and proclaim a great, coming restoration of the people of Israel.
Amos's primary message is to the people of Israel, but to highlight the certainty and horror of divine judgment, the first two chapters of the book are dedicated to God's judgment on the surrounding nations … Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab. God pronounces judgment on these Gentile peoples with the repeated phrase, "For three transgressions and for four, I will not revoke the punishment" (Amos 1:3,6,9,11,13; 2:1).
Then God's searching eye is set on the southern Jewish kingdom of Judah, with the same chilling announcement (Amos 2:4). Then God confronts the people of Israel regarding their sins for the rest of the book.
Like most prophets, Amos calls the people to turn from the darkness of their idolatry and neglect of God. The justice of God is prominent in Amos, but the faithfulness and mercy of God is part of his message as well. There is much for the Israelites (and us) to remember about God and thus to trust and obey Him, honoring Him as a good and merciful Creator.
Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 3
The third chapter of Habakkuk is a song of praise, but Habakkuk's praise is in the context of the horror of divine judgment on Judah. This section of Habakkuk lauds the might of the Almighty … "His splendor covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise. His brightness was like the light" (Hab 3:3,4). God had revealed to Habakkuk that God would display His divine power, both in the destruction of Judah and the destruction of Babylon.
The proper reaction to the power of God in judgment is trembling … "I hear, and my body trembles . . . my legs tremble beneath me" (Hab 3:16). But this is not the only reaction Habakkuk had. He also rejoiced. "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines . . . yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength" (Hab 3:17-19).
This passage answers the question, "Is it possible to experience joy in the middle of suffering?" The Bible commands such rejoicing amid multiplied troubles (cf. Jam 1:2-4).
Since God is the source of all life, He is the source of all joy. In the middle of the horrors of war, Habakkuk's joy was a delight in God Himself. The power, justice, mercy, wisdom of God were for Habakkuk … and are for us … the fountain of gladness. And since God never changes, if our delight is in Him, we can know joy in the darkest of days, and even when we are on our death bed.
Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 2
The book of Habakkuk begins with a heartfelt question as to why God had allowed the protracted sins of the people of Judah to go on, unchecked and unjudged. God gives his prophet a clear, if surprising, answer. He would, indeed, mete out His justice by means of the Chaldeans … a dreaded and fearsome people.
Habakkuk, then, has a second (we might say 'follow-up') question. In light of the fact that the Chaldeans (Babylonians) were more sinful than the people of Judah, Habakkuk asks how God could use them as instruments of divine justice?
God's answer, in Habakkuk 2, highlights both His sovereignty and His justice. Unbeknownst to the Babylonian leaders, by their warring designs, they would be carrying out the plan of the Almighty. Then, at the appropriate time, "The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you and utter shame will come upon your glory" (Hab 2:16).
The justice of God is on display in this book, both in the destruction of Judah and in the destruction of Babylon. The proper response to the design and hand of God is this … "Let all the earth keep silence before Him" (Hab 2:20).
Nestled into this account is a monumental sentence that is quoted three times in the New Testament (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38) … "The righteous shall live by his faith." In contrast to the wicked people described in this chapter, people who are acceptable to God are people who come to Him in faith, hoping in Him for mercy and for life itself.
GOD'S MYSTERIOUS WAYS
Habakkuk 1
The name Habakkuk does not appear anywhere else in the Bible but in this book. He is a prophet of God, ministering to the southern kingdom of Judah. His message is primarily given in the form of a conversation the prophet has with God. When God reveals that He will destroy Judah and Jerusalem by means of the Babylonians, Habakkuk protests as to the justice of such action. The interaction between God and His prophet is highly instructive.
Having prayed regarding the sins the people of Judah, Habakkuk now wonders why God has not brought His judgment. "Why do you idly look at wrong?" (Hab 1:3). There was violence in the land (Hab 1:2) and the wicked surrounded the righteous (Hab 1:4).
God's answer is that, indeed, He was planning to bring His judgment on Judah. "Look among the nations . . . For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans. . . . At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh" (Hab 1:5,6,10).
Now Habakkuk has a new question. "Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? . . . why do you idly look at traitors and are silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? (Hab 1:12,13).
God was employing the wicked, idolatrous Babylonians to bring divine judgment on the people of Judah. This is an example of divine providence as God grants 'purposeful permission' to the Babylonians to do what they desire to do. But what they desire to do is God's design for the judgment of Judah. God's awesome justice and glorious providence dovetails in the acts of war between Babylon and Judah. Let us bow down in silent wonder at the ways of the Almighty.
Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:9-11
Clearly the central focus of the entire Bible is Jesus Christ. He is foreseen in the books of the Old Testament, often in shrouded language whose glory is revealed when Christ appears in human form. The mountain peaks of revelation are found in the New Testament, where the mystery and majesty of Christ stand out in unmistakable and unforgettable splendor.
Philippians 2:5-11 is one of the most magnificent passages in the New Testament in terms of the exalting of the supremacy of Jesus over all things.
There is a certain symmetry to the description of Christ here. The glory of His divinity in eternity past is declared in Philippians 2:6, which speaks of Christ being "in the form of God" because of His "equality with God." Then in verse 7 we have the humiliating incarnation of Christ "taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." Then in verses 9-11 we have the restoration of Christ's heavenly glory as God the Father exalts His Son to the highest degree imaginable. "God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name" (Phil 2:9).
Some say that the name given to Christ is Jesus, which is mentioned in verse 10. It is better to conclude that the name given to Christ is 'Lord', mentioned in verse 11. This is a statement of the divinity and supreme glory of Christ. (1) In the Old Testament God's 'name' represents His essence and His glory. "I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other" (Isa 42:8). (2) In Philippians 2:10,11 Paul is borrowing the wording from Isaiah 45:23, which refers to God. (3) The Greek word for 'lord' here (kurios) is the word used to translate the Hebrew word YHWH in the Greek translation of the Old Testament.
That our Savior is supreme, in every way, should fill us with humility and joy and hope and strength. Let us ever praise and adore Him on bended knee.
Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:5-11
This passage is the most theological section of Philippians and one of the most majestic passages in the Bible. At the same time these verses speak of the glorious divinity of Christ and the inestimable humiliation involved in the humanity of Christ.
Philippians 2:6 is built on the eternal existence of God the Son before His incarnation. When the verse says, "he was in the form of God," the meaning is that Christ possessed the very essence of God prior to His being born as a human being. This is the divinity of Christ.
Philippians 2:7 describes the humiliation of Christ after "taking on the form of a servant." To become a man and to die as a man was an indescribable and infinite veiling of divine dignity.
The uniting of divinity and humanity in one person is inscrutable enough, but the death of God the Son in human form is mystery upon mystery. "'Tis mystery all! Th' Immortal dies! Who can explore His strange design?" Gloriously, the Christmas story gives way to the Easter story … incarnation … crucifixion … resurrection!
We must not forget the context of this marvelous description of the work and exaltation of Christ. The humility of Christ is presented here to be an encouragement to us to humble ourselves before one another. We cannot consider the willingness of God the Son to humble Himself, even to death, for our salvation and then remain proud when we interact with each other. This passage is a clear call for church harmony, with Jesus as the supreme example of humility.
Scripture Reading: Nahum 1:7-15
The city of Nineveh was the central city of the Assyrian empire, which was one of the cruelest, vilest, most idolatrous empires of the ancient world. Nahum's prophecy is a tribute to the justice of the wrath of God.
We see some crucial issues regarding God's consuming justice in this little book. First, God's wrath is right (cf. Nah 1:3). God's wrath is not personal revenge meted out because of a temperamental outburst; it is judicial. It is the response of the righteous Judge against evil. If God did not punish sin, He would not be just and, therefore, He would cease to be God.
Second, God's wrath is terrible and consuming (cf. Nah 1:4-6; Mt 8:12; 2 Thes 1:9). The Biblical accounts of the wrath of God (the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, crucifixion of Christ) remind us of the horror and magnitude of His anger.
Third, God's wrath is certain (cf. Nah 1:8,9; Deut 32:35,39-41). God declared that He would make a "complete end" of Nineveh (Nah 1:8,9). "No more shall your name be perpetuated" (Nah 1:14). Though God is patient and is "slow to anger" (Nah 1:3), His judgment will surely come and there will be no hiding from it.
In 612 B. C. the Babylonians and the Medes destroyed the city of Nineveh and it was never rebuilt. So complete was its destruction that when Greek military leader Xenophon passed by the site 200 years later, he thought the mounds were the ruins of some other city. Alexander the Great, fighting in a battle nearby, did not realize that he was near the ruins of Nineveh.
The Almighty is a "consuming fire" (Heb 12:29), but "He knows those who take refuge in Him" (Nah 1:7). God’s mercy in Christ is the only safety there is from His holy justice. Let us hope in Christ with all our heart.
THIS IS MY FATHER'S WORLD
Sovereignty
… the notion that God is King over His creation and that, as King, He has the right to rule over it.
Providence
… the outworking of God's sovereignty, by which He sustains His creation and governs the events of history and of our lives to bring about His intended purposes.
Heidelberg Catechism – question # 27
Question: What do you understand by the providence of God?
Answer: Providence is the almighty and ever-present power of God, by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty - all things, in fact - come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand.
Extent of God's sovereign providence
. . . physical creation - Psa 104:14; Mt 6:30; Mk 4:35-41; Acts 14:17
. . . animal world - Psa 104:21,28; Mt 6:26; 10:29; Acts 17:25
. . . nations – Psa 22:28; Dan 2:21; 4:25,32; Isa 5:26-30; Acts 17:26; Rom 13:1
. . . individuals (including birth, death, suffering, salvation) - Deut 32:39; 1 Sam 2:6,7; Prov 16:9; Psa 139:16; Ecc 7:14;
Job 42:11; Rom 9:15,16; Eph 1:3-6
. . . will of people - Exod 12:36; Deut 11:25; Ezra 6:22; 7:27; Prov 21:1; Phil 2:13
. . . sinful acts of people (though God does not induce people to sin, He, nevertheless, has designed that their sinful acts bring about His ultimate purposes) - Gen 50:20; Exod 14:4; Isa 10:5-7: Acts 2;22,23; 4:27,28; Rev 17:14-17
. . . general statement about God's providence extending to all things - Rom 8:28; Eph 1:11
Scripture Reading: Jonah 3
Jonah 3 contains the account of Jonah's preaching to the people of Nineveh and their repentance and the stay of God's judgment. There are multiple lessons on display in this chapter. One lesson is the obedience of Jonah to do a very difficult thing … namely, to go to the capital city of a hostile enemy (both Israel's enemy and God's enemy) and declare a coming destruction for their wickedness.
A second lesson is the nature of repentance. The people of Nineveh, from the king to common laborer, repented. This repentance included an emotional response, seen in fasting from food and even water (Jon 3:5,8). It also included a volitional response, seen in a radical change in behavior (Jon 3:8,10). True repentance involves a heartfelt recoiling from sin and a genuine (though not perfect) change in behavior.
As it is true in all the Bible, this story reveals the character of God, above all. Specifically, God's mercy is on full display, both with regard to Jonah and with regard to the ancient people of Nineveh. God could have justifiably taken Jonah's life for his deliberate rebellion. Instead, He restored Jonah to his role as a prophet (Jon 3:1).
God's withholding of destruction on a very populous Nineveh is a sterling tribute to divine mercy. Even sending Jonah to Nineveh was an act of grace. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (Jam 4:6).
There is the repentance that leads to conversion, but there is an ongoing repentance that Christians should practice. Let us live, daily, in the spirit of repentance, always rejoicing in God's mercy in Christ.
Since 1996, one Sunday in November has been designated the "International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church." It is a significant remembrance for us. David Barrett, formerly of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board, is one of the foremost authorities on the state of Christianity in the world today. In his book Our Globe and How to Reach It, he says that more Christians have been killed in the 20th century than in the 19 previous centuries combined.
Exact statistics are hard to determine, but continuing into the 21st century, worldwide, even on the low end of estimates, tens of thousands of Christians are killed every year for the Christian faith . . . in places like Pakistan, Sudan, North Korea, China, Indonesia, and Iran.
We are commanded in the Bible to "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body" (Heb
13:3). There are great benefits in considering, with both mind and heart, that the church elsewhere is suffering.
First, it makes us bolder to share our faith with others (Phil 1:14). Second, it broadens our perspective concerning what God is doing in our world and how He is doing it. Third,
it sobers us about our own faith, reminding us that we are in a deadly war and must live disciplined lives (2 Tim 1:8; 2:3).
"The Voice of the Martyrs" is a free monthly magazine designed to inform us about the suffering church the world over. For a free subscription, call 1-800-747-0085. There are videos for adults and children in our church library produced by Voice of the Martyrs on the persecuted church in Sudan and also videos for children. The Voice of the Martyrs website address is www.persecution.com
Scripture Reading: Ruth 3
… 'Redeemer' in the Old Testament
… nearest relative … "kinsman redeemer"
… Hebrew word - goel
…. the concept of the 'goel' included the notion of protecting, saving, sustaining, guarding a family member, usually with some purchase involved.
…. Lev 25:25,26 - redemption of property
…. Lev 25:47-49 - redemption of people
…. Num 35:16-19 - avenging a murder
…. Deut 25:5-10 - law of levirate marriage, though the word 'goel' is not mentioned in this section. Levirate marriage is not the same thing as the work of the 'goel,' but the principle of legally caring for the nearest
relative is connected to the story of Ruth.
…. in Ruth - 2:20; 3:9,12,13; 4:1,3,4,6,8,14
In Ruth, Boaz is the second nearest relative to Naomi's family. When Naomi sells a parcel of land belonging to her deceased husband, Elimelech, Boaz buys (redeems) the land for the family and marries Naomi's daughter-in-law, Ruth, who is legally connected to the land.
In the Old Testament, God is referred to as Redeemer . . . Job 19:25; Psa 19:14; Isa 44:6,24; 47:4; 54:8 (13 times in Isaiah 40-66).
In the New Testament Christians have been redeemed by the person and work of Christ . . . Rom 3:24; Gal 3:13; Col 1:14; Titus 2:13,14; Heb 9:12. As our Redeemer, Christ, saves, protects, sustains us for all eternity.
Scripture Reading: Ruth 1
During the time of the judges in Israel, God's providence was on display in a wondrous way, in order to show His faithfulness to bring the promised Messiah. In the process, God displays His grace to a family in Bethlehem. He does this through the everyday ebb and flow of life and not through some spectacular miracle.
The book of Ruth is a story of ordinary people in ordinary people in ordinary circumstances. It is a story of hardship and heartache, of love and fidelity, of determination and the sovereignty of God, governing the affairs of human existence.
The main purpose of this book is not to describe love and friendship, nor to illustrate Old Testament laws of marriage and heritage … though the details of this story does both. The primary, immediate purpose of the book of Ruth is to display the invisible hand of God, at work in the darkest of times, in the most ordinary of circumstances, to bring about the good of God's people.
The ultimate purpose of Ruth is to shine a spotlight on the eternal glory of Christ. What happens in this story is part of the chain of events which will lead to the birth of Jesus, from the tribe of Judah and in the royal line of King David. God weaves it all together in a tapestry of pain and pleasure, heartbreak and hope. The Almighty is the main character in the book of Ruth.
Scripture Reading; John 21:15-25
The gospel of John ends with a passage about the greatness of Christ. Peter, who had been frightened to even say the name of Jesus, would one day give his life for the Master.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) (Jn 21:18).
Not only would Peter never deny Christ again, he would seal his witness to the glory of our Lord with his own life. Jesus is shown to be great when people willingly give up their life for His honor.
And John declares that, although his record contains wonders that are beyond all human comprehension, there were many other things that Jesus did in His short life. No doubt there were wonders upon wonders that John and the others saw which the gospel writers did not include in their accounts.
And Christ's call to His followers does not result in the same circumstances, from person to person. Peter was martyred … John died in old age, seemingly from natural causes. God's designs for His children are according to His wisdom, but they do not unfold in the same way.
Scripture Reading: John 21:15-19
This remarkable conversation between Jesus and Simon Peter is found only in John's gospel. Following breakfast that morning, Jesus asked the same question three times … "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" And three times Simon Peter gave the same answer, "Yes Lord, you know that I love you."
In calling Peter "Simon, son of John," Jesus may have been recalling the initial call of Peter to follow Christ. John 1:42 … "You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called 'Cephas' (which is translated Peter)."
This conversation is a restoration of Simon Peter. It is, first, a restoration of relationship between Jesus and Peter. The threefold question seems to recall the threefold denial of Peter the night before Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus is drawing Peter back to Himself in a loving relationship.
Second, this is a restoration of Peter to a position of leadership in the people of Christ. Three times Jesus says to Peter, "Feed my sheep." Because Christ's forgiveness is real, Peter will continue to lead as the number of followers of Christ grows in the early chapters of Acts.
It is significant that Jesus focuses on Peter's love for Him. The greatest commandment in the Bible is to love God with all our heart. "Do we love Christ? That is the great question. Without this there is no vitality about our Christianity. . . . There is no life where there is no love" (Ryle, Thoughts on John, 3:322)
Scripture Reading: John 21:1-14
This post-resurrection story is found only in the gospel of John. It is a tender reminder of the power, compassion, and provision of Christ. Still coming to grips with the reality and implications of Christ's resurrection, these seven disciples return to fishing. This was probably not evidence that these men were abandoning their ministry of the gospel, but rather that, until further definition of their ministry, they did what was both familiar and sustaining.
Reminiscent of an earlier event (cf. Lk 5:1-11), these men caught nothing after fishing all night. Like the earlier occasion, Jesus commanded that they let down the net one more time. And, like the earlier occasion, they hauled in a large catch.
At length, John recognized that the figure on the shore, giving directions, was Jesus. He declares it and Peter jumps into the water, presumably to move toward Christ as quickly as he could. On the shore, Jesus had prepared breakfast for these men … fish and bread.
The account seems to be a reminder to these disciples … and us … of the power and compassion and provision of Christ for His own. He displayed these comforting qualities in what He said and did that morning at Galilee. Let us be strengthened that Jesus not only cares about all our needs, He is actively working to meet them with His divine wisdom and might.
Scripture Reading: John 20:1-10
The account of the resurrection of Christ is found in all four gospel accounts, as we would expect. Each gospel writer includes some details about Jesus' resurrection that are not found in the other three gospels. It is only from John that we learn about Peter and John running to the tomb, and John hesitating to go in. Only in John do we have the account of Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene. And only in John 20 do we read the description of the cloth that had covered Jesus' face, along with the grave clothes.
In John 20:9 we read, "As yet they [the disciples] did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead." The disciples had not grasped the implications of some Old Testament texts that pointed to the resurrection of Christ. Once we understand the facts of the story of Jesus' resurrection, we must turn to the meaning of the resurrection. What are we to understand about the implications that can be drawn from Jesus rising bodily from the dead?
1 Corinthians 15 is the fullest discourse in the Bible on the resurrection of Jesus. It draws out for us the ramifications of this glorious event. First, since Christ has risen from the dead, there is the possibility of forgiveness of sins (1 Cor 15:17). Second, since Jesus conquered death, there is life after death for those who trust in Him (1 Cor 15:18). Third, there is the hope of our own resurrection one day, along with the reunion of those of our loved ones who believe (1 Cor 15:50-52). Fourth, there is the death of death, which no longer has any lasting or profound effect on Christians (1 Cor 15:54,55).
18th century English poet, John Donne, wrote of the triumph Christians have in Christ … "Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so . . . One short sleep past, we wake eternally, and death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die."
Scripture Reading: John 19:16-30
If someone can read this passage about the substitutionary death of Christ and not be moved, then that person is either quite thoughtless or spiritually dead. Given who Jesus is, the condescension He subjected Himself to is utterly indescribable.
During the crucifixion, Jesus said seven things which the gospel writers record. John 19 contains three of these sayings.
When Jesus said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son," (Jn 19:26) He was pointing Mary to the disciple next her for her ongoing care. When Jesus said, "Behold your mother," He was probably speaking to the apostle John. In His profound agony, He thinks about the welfare of His mother. (Three of Jesus' sayings during His crucifixion were about other people.) Such is the Christian bond that Jesus entrusts the care of His mother to a believer rather than to His unbelieving blood brothers.
John introduces Jesus saying, "I thirst," (Jn 19:28) by saying that Jesus knew that "all was now finished." We are struck by the realization that Jesus is in full control of the situation. John also tells us that this saying was a fulfillment of an Old Testament text … alluding to Psalm 69:21. Everything that happened in the death of Christ was according to an inexorable plan.
Jesus wanted to moisten His mouth so He could declare, "It is finished!" (Jn 19:30). This Greek word was a business word signifying that a transaction had been completed by a full payment. The work of redemption was completed and the Father was satisfied. Christ paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay
Scripture Reading: John 18:28-40
After being up all night, both praying and being questioned by Annas and Caiaphas, Jesus endured the Roman stage of His trial. At daybreak, the Sanhedrin Council made a formal charge and sent Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. There were three components of the Roman stage of Jesus' trial. Jesus was questioned by Pilate, then by Herod, then by Pilate again.
John's gospel contains the fullest account of this part of Jesus' trial. One element that stands out here is Pilate's recognition of Jesus' innocence and his unwillingness, therefore, to pronounce a judgment. John tells us that Pilate declared Jesus innocent three separate times (Jn 18:38; 19:4,6). This does not absolve Pilate from guilt, but highlights the unmistakable wickedness being brought to bear against Christ. Matthew tells us of Pilate's public, symbolic washing of his hands in an effort to distance himself from this injustice (Mt 27:24).
A second element that stands out from this story is the pronounced silence of our Lord. Not that Jesus said absolutely nothing throughout the trial. Jesus did respond to some statements, but in general, He was silent (Mt 26:63; 27:12,14; Lk 23:9). Doesn’t Jesus know that His silence will incriminate Him? … that without a defense, there will be no chance for His release? The answer is a resounding 'Yes.' Jesus is not being taken. He is giving Himself. He is not a reluctant sacrifice, but a willing sacrifice. Behold, how He loves us. "I hear the words of love, I gaze upon the blood, I see the mighty sacrifice, and I have peace with God."
John 18:1-11
The story of Jesus' arrest in the garden of Gethsemane appears in all four gospels, but the details in the gospel of John are virtually only in John. In his gospel, John is interested in presenting the deity of Christ and that deity is on display when Judas and the others came to arrest Jesus.
We see, in this account, the authority of Jesus. Though the arresting group was large, and though they had weapons, Jesus is completely in charge of the situation. Upon His asking whom the Roman soldiers were seeking, they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." When Jesus declared, "I am he," these soldiers, and the others with them, fell to the ground (Jn 18:5,6). Such authority belongs to God the Son.
Second, in this account we see the willingness of Jesus to give Himself to death. He went to Gethsemane knowing exactly what was going to unfold there (Jn 18:4). Knowing the wrath of God was to be the cup Jesus must drink, He readily accepted it (Jn 18:11).
Third, in this account we see the compassion Jesus has for His own, "Jesus answered, 'I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.' This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: 'Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one'" (Jn 18:8,9). Jesus is intent on caring for His own, both now and in the ages to come.
Scripture: John 17:14-19
In praying for His own, Jesus asks the Father to do several things for them. He prays that the Father will keep them (Jn 17:11,15). He prays that they would experience Jesus' own joy (Jn 17:13). Next, Jesus prays that the Father would 'sanctify' believers (Jn 17:17,19).
The root of the word 'sanctify' is the word for holiness. All holiness derives from God's holiness. The primary idea of 'holy' is to be unique, distinct, separate. God is utterly unique and separate from His creation. Since God is separate from His creation, He is, in turn, separate from the corruption of the creation.
For a person to be sanctified or holy is to be separated unto God or aligned with God. Jesus' prayer is for believers to be separated unto God, to live in accordance with His purposes, just as Jesus kept Himself separated unto God to accomplish His purposes (Jn 17:19).
The mission of this sanctification is that the world may believe in Christ (Jn 17:21,23). In one sense, Jesus' mission and the disciples' mission are the same undertaking, namely to proclaim the salvation of God in Jesus Christ.
The primary means of the process of sanctification is the word of God. "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth" (Jn 17:17). There is no aligning ourselves with God and His purposes without knowing who God is and what He has said. And there is no understanding of these things without the revelation of God in the Bible.
Scripture Reading: John 17:12-19
In this wonderful prayer for His disciples, Jesus requests four things from the Father. The first is that the Father would keep those whom He had given to His Son (Jn 17:11). The second request is that Jesus' disciples would experience Jesus' joy. "But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they [the disciples] might have my joy fulfilled in themselves" (Jn 17:13; cf. Jn 15:11).
We start with the reality that God is a God who has pleasure in Himself. He has pleasure in His Son (Mt 3:17; 17:5), who is the perfect reflection of Himself (Heb 1:3). The Father and the Son have infinite love for each other (Jn 14:31; 17:24,26).
God is a God who has pleasure in Himself and in all He does (Psa 115:1; 136:5; Isa 46:10). It is stunning to think that He wants to share His joy with us, much like He desires to share His love and His life with us.
The means of our experiencing God's joy are, among other things, prayer and taking in His word. "Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full" (Jn 16:24). "These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (Jn 15:11). Jesus wants us to experience His joy. Can we imagine anything more pleasurable, in all the world, than the pleasure of knowing the joy that Jesus knows?
Scripture: John 17:10-17
The first request Jesus makes in this glorious prayer is found in verse 11 … "Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me." Jesus is asking the Father to hold on to these disciples, keeping them aligned with God's name. God's name represents who He is. To be kept 'in His name' is to be drawn to a life which accords with God's character. This fits with Jesus calling on God as Holy Father.
Specifically here, we are called to righteousness ("keep them from the evil one" – Jn 17:15) and to unity ("that they may be one, even as we are one – Jn 17:11,22). God's keeping us is not simply for the ages to come, but for our living now. Our security, both now and forever, rests on the power and mercy of God to hold us fast to Himself. This reality is Paul's strengthening assurance in his last letter … "The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom" (2 Tim 4:18).
Jesus had kept these men while He was with them and He did not lose a single man … "not one of them has been lost" (Jn 17:12). There is a contrast being voiced in John 17:12. The contrast is between the men whom Jesus did not lose and Judas, whom Jesus never possessed as His own. Though Judas acted in accordance with what Scripture predicted, he is in no way absolved of his guilt (cf. Lk 22:22).
Scripture Reading: Job 14:7-15 From time immemorial, people have wondered out loud about what happens after we die. There is a longing in the human soul for immortality because our Creator has set eternity in our hearts (Ecc 3:11). Job’s question in this passage reflects the desire in his heart for eternal life. He notes that when a tree is cut down, sometimes a shoot springs up and the tree lives again (Job 14:7-9). But Job’s reflection is that for a human being, this is not possible. Death is final (Job 14:10-12,18-22). But still he asks the question, "If a man dies, will he live again?" (Job 14:14). It is more than simply wondering. Job is wishing, desiring, longing for immortality.
Job was one the earliest Biblical books written (maybe the first) and God had not fully or clearly revealed the truths concerning resurrection and eternal life at the time of its writing. The Bible is 'progressive' in its revelation. That is, God slowly revealed more information about Himself, His plan, and eternity as more Biblical books were written under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration.
There is a Biblical answer to Job’s plaintive question. There will be a resurrection of all people … some to eternal life and some to eternal death (Dan 12:2; Jn 5:28,29). Jesus triumphantly declared "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die" (Jn 11:25,26). This promise answers our dearest longing. Because of this truth, all who trust in Christ, eagerly and increasingly await the day when our passion for life is completely satisfied, in Him, forever (Rom 8:23; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 3:20; Titus 2:12,13).
Scritpture Reading John 17:6-11
Continuing in His glorious prayer, Jesus turns His focus from the glory of the Father and the Son to the needs of His disciples. He knows they are sorrowful and that their grief will increase the next day.
In this prayer, Jesus is clear that He is not praying for the world but for these men. The foundation of what Jesus says here is that the Father had given these men to His Son and Jesus, in turn, had manifested the Father to them (Jn 17:6). As Christ contemplates leaving the earth, He commits these disciples to His Father … "Holy Father, keep them in your name" (Jn 17:11).
The results of Christ's prayer are remarkable. These disciples recognized who Jesus was, namely that He had come from God the Father (Jn 17:7,8). They had received Jesus' teaching as from God and had been obedient to it (Jn 17:6,8). And though halting and weak, these men had honored Jesus when the world had summarily rejected Him (Jn 17:11). In this prayer Christ encourages our weak faith by commending us to the Father.
"The faith of the Apostles was weak. They had but a confused view of Christ’s Godhead and eternal generation. They knew little of His death, were filled with the thought of a terrene [earthly] kingdom and a pompous Messiah, and understood not His prediction of His death and passion. Though they knew Him to be the Redeemer and Savior of the world, yet the manner of His death and passion they knew not. 'We trusted that it had been He who should have redeemed Israel.' Yet observe how Christ commends their weak faith! Certainly He loves to encourage poor sinners when He praises their mean and weak beginnings." (Thomas Manton in J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of John, 3:135).
Scripture Reading: John 17:1-5
This is one of the most exquisite chapters in the Bible. Though we are told that Jesus prayed often, this passage is the only long prayer of Jesus recorded in the gospels. Because these are the words and thoughts of one person of the Godhead (the Son) to another person of the Godhead (the Father), there are depths here that we are not able to fathom.
Even though the prayer in Matthew 5:9-13 is called the Lord's Prayer, this prayer could also be called the Lord's Prayer. In Matthew the prayer is what Jesus taught us as a pattern. Here in John, we have a prayer which Jesus voiced for us.
In this prayer, Jesus prayed for Himself (vv 1-5), the disciples with Him (vv 6-19), and the disciples who would come after them (vv 20-26). The occasion of the prayer is significant. It was just after the institution of the Lord's Supper … just after the upper room discourse … just before the arrest and crucifixion of Christ … at the end of Jesus' earthly ministry.
The main request in the first five verses of the prayer is that the Father would glorify His Son, which Jesus asks twice (Jn 17:1,5). This glorification is for Jesus to, again, be clothed in splendor as He returns to heaven following His death, resurrection, and ascension to God the Father. By means of the Son receiving this glory, the Father will also be glorified.
The Father will be glorified by means of the Son having accomplished the work the Father sent Him to do. Jesus views the work He came to do as virtually finished and He describes the goal of that work in verse 2, namely to give eternal life to all those whom the Father had given to Him. The salvation of Christians is an everlasting honor to the Father and the Son (and the Holy Spirit, though He is not mentioned in this passage).
Scritpture Reading: John 16:25-33 This section of chapter 16 is the final recorded words of encouragement of Jesus to His apostles, prior to His arrest and death. It is a fitting summary of this glorious section of John known as the 'upper room discourse' (Jn 13:31-16:33). Jesus repeats some of the themes He has mentioned, namely prayer, His relationship with the Father, the Father's love for these men, the peace Jesus wants for them. And Jesus ends with the triumphant declaration, "Take heart, I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33). We see in John 16:25 that Jesus has come, among other things, to teach them (and us) about the Father. This is very significant. Knowledge of God is the foundation of everything in life, indeed, of life itself. "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (Jn 17:3). We should make it our life's work to plumb the depths of who God is and live in light of His majestic reality.
John 16:26 does not mean that Jesus does not intercede for us, but that we can come to the Father with the confidence that the Father loves us and does not need to be persuaded by the Son to show us His favor.
Jesus again mentions His desire that we live in peace, even though the world is a place of tribulation. It is a great encouragement to know that Jesus has overcome (past tense verb) the evil forces in the world. The implication is that He will share His victory with those who are His.
Scripture Reading: John 16:16-24 In light of His impending death, Jesus continues to encourage His apostles (and us) in this passage. Here Jesus promises His own joy and answers to prayer. Referring to His death and resurrection (and ministry beyond His earthly life) Jesus says, "You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy . . . and no one will take your joy from you" (Jn 16:20,22).
The source of this joy is the presence of Jesus Himself. "So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice" (Jn 16:22). The deepest root of joy in the human heart is the person and presence of the Creator of the human heart.
We are actually commanded to find our joy in God. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice" (Phil 4:4). It is not even logically possible that any source of joy would be better than to truly know the Maker of heaven and earth. And this joy is an experience that abides and is unassailable by any outside force or person.
Jesus also promises that God will answer our prayers. "Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you" (Jn 16:23). Of course this does not mean that God is obligated to answer any request regardless of whether God is honored or not. But God will answer all prayer that is offered in the Name of Christ, which is prayer that is for the honor of God. This is a great encouragement for us to make our requests made known to Him.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:13,14 & Romans 12:6-8 For people who belong to Christ, the Bible answers the profound questions, "Where are we going?" and "What do we do on the way there?" The Spirit of God is our guarantee, in Christ, that we will be made new on the day of redemption. And the Spirit equips us to work in the kingdom of Christ along the way.
For Christians, the Holy Spirit has been given to us, by God, as a pledge, a sort of down-payment, reminding us of the glory to come. To secure this promise the Holy Spirit is called a 'seal'. "And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee" (2 Cor 1:21,22).
There are at least three aspects of the idea that the Holy Spirit seals us for the day of redemption … security, ownership, and genuineness (cf. Eph 1:13,14; 2 Cor 1:22; 5:5).
On the way to our eternal glory, we labor in Christ's vineyard, by the power of the Holy Spirit within us. The Spirit gives gifts to the church. There are four main passages in the New Testament in which spiritual gifts are mentioned: Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28-31; Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 Peter 4:10,11.
A spiritual gift is a God-given ability to be used for service to Him in the church. The purpose for spiritual gifts is twofold: (1) to bring glory to God (1 Pet 4:11), and (2) to build up the church (1 Cor 12:7; Eph 4:12-16). Many different needs exist in a church, requiring many different kinds of people with differing talents to produce the environment in which everyone is growing in Christlikeness.
Scripture Reading: John 16:12-15
John 16:12-15 is the last section in this gospel about the Helper, to whom Jesus has repeatedly referred in the sermon on the mount. "When the Spirit of truth comes," Jesus says, "he will guide you into all truth. . . . He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (Jn 16:13,14).
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to bring glory to God the Son. One way He has done this this is to inspire the writing of the New Testament, which proclaims the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. As the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit reveals the truth about God and His salvation through His Son. We have, in this passage, a wonderful statement of the unity within the Trinity. "All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (Jn 16:15).
Without directly mentioning the Spirit's inspiring the writing of the New Testament, one implication here is of the role of the Holy Spirit in the composition of the books of the New Testament. The book we hold in our hands is a product of the work of the Spirit of truth, bringing to us the truth that exalts Christ, in all His glory. Let us ever be enthralled by the revelation we have of the majesty and mercy and wonder of the Son of God.
Scripture Reading: John 15:18-27 Up until this point in the gospel of John, Jesus had only made mention of the Holy Spirit on two occasions … speaking to Nicodemus (Jn 3:5,6) and speaking to the crowd in Capernaum (Jn 6:63). Now, in the upper room discourse, Jesus brings the Holy Spirit to center stage (Jn 14:16,17,26; 15:26; 16:7-15).
Jesus knew that these men would need the strength-giving comfort of the Holy Spirit because they would face rigorous opposition after His ascension. He prepares them by not hiding the stinging truth … "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (Jn 15:20). The disdain people have for Christ shows itself in a disdain for His followers. Throughout the centuries … from the 1st to the 21st … Christians have been consistently persecuted, in one form of maltreatment or another.
But Christ sent a Helper (Comforter, Advocate) to assist us in following Christ. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune God, co-eternal and co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. The service of the Holy Spirit to God's children is as magnificent as it is mysterious. The Holy Spirit regenerates, bringing life to the soul (Jn 3:5-8); indwells believers (Rom 8:9); teaches believers (Jn 14:26; 16:13); secures believers for all eternity (Eph 1:13,14; 4:30); equips believers for service in the church (Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:7-16); empowers ('fills') believers for service (Eph 5:18,19); produces a God-honoring quality of life (Gal 5:22,23).
Let us ever be thankful to God for giving us His Spirit for the living of our lives. We cannot see Him or hear Him or touch Him, but … let us be sure … we cannot live without Him. "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Eph 4:30).
Scripture Reading: John 15:12-17
Continuing to say things specifically designed to encourage His apostles (and us), Jesus issues a command and He gives it twice … "love one another" (Jn 15:12,17). It is a command that Jesus had also given earlier (Jn 13:34). This command is found at least 15 times in the New Testament, using the word 'love' and many more times using synonyms. Love between Christians is not a peripheral issue in our lives. It is central in proclaiming the gospel. Many glorious benefits are the results of mutual love between believers, not the least of which is encouragement in the many troubles of life.
It is unusually encouraging for Jesus refer to His followers as 'friends' in this passage. Friends talk with each other and bare their hearts to each other. The imagery of Jesus being our friend (and our being His) is warmly and strongly comforting. Let no believer say that he/she does not have any friends. At the deepest level, where it matters most, Jesus is a "friend that sticks closer than a brother."
The apostles were chosen and appointed to their office at the initiative of Jesus (Jn 15:16). They did not approach Him for this task, but He specifically identified them to be in His group. John 15:16 refers to these eleven men, in the present context, but everything in this passage has application, beyond the apostles, to all believers. Multiple passages in the New Testament refer to Christians being chosen by God (1 Cor 1:27,28; Eph 1:4; 1 Pet 2:4,9). As believers, "we shall certainly trace up the beginning of our salvation to the choosing grace of Christ" (J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John, 3:85). This foundation of our salvation in Christ is, indeed, of inestimable encouragement and strength.
Scripture Reading: John 15:1-11
Continuing to encourage the eleven apostles on the night before His crucifixion, Jesus gives the last of His "I am" statements in John's gospel. "I am the true vine" (Jn 15:1). What follows is an extended metaphor of the relationship between Christ and His own. He is the vine and Christians are seen as branches, deriving their life and fruit from the vine.
There is a contrast presented here. God the Father, depicted as the vinedresser, does two things with the branches … He cuts away the lifeless and He cultivates the living (Jn 15:2). The contrast here is between branches that bear fruit and branches that do not bear fruit. The fruitful branches are pruned so they will yield more fruit. The fruitless branches are destroyed (Jn 15:6).
In addition to the contrast in this passage, there is a call. "Abide in me and I in you" (Jn 15:4) … "Abide in my love" (Jn 15:9). The word 'abide' appears 9 times in these 11 verses. The word 'abide' implies remaining, continuing. It is, to use other wording of Jesus, to come to Christ and drink (Jn 7:37), believing in and communing with Him.
And Jesus calls on us for His words to abide in us (Jn 15:7). Certainly, this means for our minds and hearts to be saturated with the words and truths of the Bible. Such fullness will profoundly affect our prayers, conforming them with God's desires.
After the contrast and the call, there is a wonderful promise. "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (Jn 15:11). Jesus promises us His joy … just as He promises us His peace (Jn 14:27). Can there be anything more satisfying and pleasurable than abiding in Christ?
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:9-20
The background to this section of 1 Corinthians 6 is the occurrence in the church in Corinth of church members taking other church members to court. Paul reasons that believers must not take other believers before a state judge because, for the most part, these judges are unbelievers. "When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?" (1 Cor 6:1).
This text is forbidding believers from taking other believers to a civil court, with the reasoning that the church, given authority by God, has sufficient wisdom to judge its own people. "Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?" (1 Cor 6:5,6).
Paul buttresses his argument by highlighting a difference between Christians and unbelievers, namely that unbelievers will not inherit the kingdom of God. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?" (1 Cor 6:9).
What follows is a list of some sins of which unbelievers are guilty. Of course, Christians remain sinful people while on this earth, but the idea here is that people who are characterized by their sins are "the unrighteous" … and have not been changed by God's awakening power … and such "will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Corinthian Christians had been such unrighteous people, "But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor 6:11). This is the wondrous tribute to God's grace and power concerning every one of us who belong to God.
Scripture Reading: John 14:25-31
The concept of 'peace' is a major theme in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. The word 'peace' occurs 95 times in the New Testament and is found in every book except 1 John.
Few passages in Scripture are as sweet and comforting as this familiar promise of Jesus in John 14. There is, in the Bible, the objective standing of peace with God. "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 5:1; cf. Col 1:20). The breech of relationship between sinful man and an infinitely holy God has been taken away by the cross of Christ for those who believe in Him.
Flowing from the fountain of peace with God, in John 14:27, is the subjective experience of the feeling of peace in the mind and heart. This is peace from God. This is the feeling of security and contentment and well-being. One of the wonders of this statement is that Jesus promises to give believers His peace … "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you." Is there any better peace?
This peace from God is not the elimination of problems or pain, but it is to have emotions and thoughts that are settled and stable in the middle of difficult circumstances. By truly resting in Christ, contemplating His wondrous work on our behalf, we can know the truth of the blessing "The LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace" (Num 6:26).
Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:15-20
It is highly significant that, from the time of Christ, the Holy Spirit inspired passages like today's passage. This section reveals, in glorious description, the nature of the Son of God. For two thousand years there have been multiplied false ideas about who Jesus is.
Passages like Colossians 1:15-20 help us to clearly understand who Jesus is. He is God the Son, which means He was not created. Here the Son is "the image of the invisible God" (Col 1:15). This means that Jesus is the perfect manifestation of God to a world which could not otherwise see Him.
Jesus is the "firstborn of all creation" (Col 1:15), which means that He is supreme over all creation … not a part of creation. The word 'firstborn' can mean 'first son in a family.' But it can also mean 'first in position.' Israel is called God's 'firstborn' (Exod 4:22) and David is called God's 'firstborn', meaning the highest of kings (Psa 89:27). Colossians 1:16 makes it clear that Christ is outside of created things because "by him all things were created."
Further, "in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col 1:19) and "in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Col 2:9).
We do not honor Christ properly or worship Him properly if we do not come to Him as He is … God the Son, co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and with God the Holy Spirit. Such a sacrifice was necessary for our redemption and the forgiveness of our sins.
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:25-35
We all know that Christmas means more than eggnog and emotion, cards and commercials. But it is so easy, in the lunacy we call December, to lose sight of the Son of God. Usually the star in the Eastern sky is dimmed by the flashing of department store lights.
How refreshing it is to return each year to the word of the living God and let the gospel writers focus our hearts on the King who was born. The whole meaning of Christ, in concise form, is found in the declarations of Simeon, the old man in the temple. He took Jesus in his arms and declared, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace . . . for my eyes have seen your salvation" (Luke 2:29,30).
Simeon's remarks precisely bring into focus the purpose of Jesus' coming. Though there are many wonderful emotions which we experience at Christmas time, Simeon's declarations keep us from a nebulous, undefined sentimentalism.
Jesus came to be a light shining in the darkness (Lk 2:32) and this light brings a sharp division, separating all people into two groups. On one hand, there are those who rise in Christ's redemption, and on the other hand, there are those who fall under His judgment (Lk 2:34). Every person either embraces the King or rejects Him. Judas rejects and Peter repents … one thief blasphemes and the other confesses his sins. There is no middle ground.
Because of Christ's coming, the heart of every person will ultimately be revealed. The response, deep in the soul, to the Son of God is the fundamental question of life. No other question even comes close.
Scripture Reading: Galatians 4:4-7, Titus 2:11-14
A few people recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah when He was born. One of them was Anna, whom Luke said, "did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day" (Lk 2:37). Upon seeing the blessed baby, Anna began to speak "to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem" (Lk 2:38). Among the many ramifications of the coming of Christ is the idea that Jesus is the Redeemer of the souls of all who trust in Him.
There are two main ideas in the concept of a redeemer. First, a redeemer releases someone from bondage. "I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments" (Exod 6:6).
Second, a redeemer pays a price, so redemption carries the idea of ownership. "But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!'" (Isa 43:1).
Paul brings out a third implication drawn from the notion of Christ being our Redeemer in Galatians 4 when he says, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons" (Gal 4:4,5). Because Jesus came to be a Redeemer, those who rest in Him become children of God, by a wondrous adoption, so that believers can say "my Father" to the Almighty. This is the meaning of Christmas!
Scripture Reading: Romans 3:23
As we begin to approach the Christmas season, it is important to understand the need the human race has for a Savior. The birth of Christ means little to us, personally, unless we grasp the deep and urgent need we have for what Jesus was born to do. Understanding Romans 3:23 drives us to comprehend our need for Him. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." But exactly how do we describe God's glory and what does it mean to "fall short" of it? A meditation on this verse helps us to think more precisely about the glory of God and it helps us to understand the nature of sin.
In Hebrew, the word 'glory' comes from a root word meaning 'weight' or 'heaviness' (Exod 4:10; 1 Sam 4:18). When we speak of glory, we speak of a figurative heaviness … honor, splendor, worthiness, reputation, position, wealth. The glory of God in the Bible is God's essential worth and His majestic splendor on display.
A careful study of God's glory in the Bible reveals that God does everything He does to display His own glory (cf. Isa 48:9-11; Jer 13:11; Jn 12:27,28; 13:31,32; Eph 1:4-6).
And we are commanded to do everything for God's glory (cf. 1 Cor 10:31). Romans 1:22,23 says, "Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things." To fall short of the glory of God is to trade it away, exchanging it for something of infinitely less value, and which we love more than Him. This is the essence of sin … the sin from which we cannot free ourselves. We desperately need a Savior.
Scripture Reading: John 14:1-11
In this passage, it is particularly helpful to remember that John did not write in terms of chapter divisions. Chapter 13 ends with Jesus telling His disciples that he was going to go away and that they could not follow him. Further, He said that Peter would deny Him before the sun rose on the next day.
These must have been very troubling words for the disciples to hear. Therefore, it is important for Jesus to comfort these men by telling them, not simply that they should not be troubled, but precisely how they can escape being troubled and why they should not be troubled.
The way to escape the anxieties of heart, to which we are subject our whole life long, is to rest in God. What Jesus is after here is faith. "Believe in God; believe also in me" (Jn 14:1). That is the 'how' when we ask how we can escape anxieties of heart. We escape by believing, hoping, trusting in God.
The 'why' when we ask why we should not be troubled is answered here in terms of where we are going after this life and who it is who will secure our everlasting destiny. Jesus prepared a place for us and will take us to Himself, forever to be with Him. "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" (Jn 14:3). We are better able to endure troubles of every kind if we are convinced that forever being with Jesus is our blessed destiny.
Scripture Reading: John 13:31-38
John 31:31 begins a section of John known as the 'upper room discourse.' It is only found in this gospel and contains the last instruction, at least recorded, that Jesus gave to the eleven apostles.
Jesus was about to die, and He knew it. When you are dying, you only speak of the most important things. It is significant that in His dying encouragement to His disciples, He begins speaking of the glory of God and the necessity of the disciples to love one another.
The unity of God the Father and God the Son is, again, on display here. In the cross, and what was to follow, the Father is glorified and the Son is glorified. The work of redemption, which Jesus accomplished in His death and resurrection, put on display the majestic value of God … His mercy, justice, truth, power, righteousness. We must never forget that the glory of God resonates in a very high degree in the passion and resurrection of Jesus.
Repeatedly, in the gospel of John and in John's first two epistles, he refers to the importance of Christians loving each other. Love for one another is one of the main marks of Christianity. "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jn 13:35).
And this love is not only a mark in which unbelievers see the validity of Christianity, but it is one more avenue by which we are assured, in our own hearts, that we are Christians. "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. . . . By this we know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him" (1 Jn 3:14,19).
Scripture Reading: John 13:10-30
The story of the life of Judas is one of the saddest stories in the Bible, indeed in all of human history. Judas had spiritual privileges beyond our wildest dreams. He lived with Jesus for three years, listening to His divine wisdom, beholding acts of omnipotent power. Yet in the presence of divinity in human form and in the face of divine perfections, Judas's heart remained unchanged and rebellious.
When Satan enticed Judas (Jn 13:2) and finally possessed him (Jn 13:27), we ought not imagine that this was a good man who had gone bad. Judas had been a thief all along (Jn 12:6) and Jesus had known that the heart of Judas was corrupt from the beginning (Jn 6:64,70,71).
Judas is fully responsible for his actions. He did exactly what he wanted to do and God held him accountable for his sinful actions. Luke 22:24 says ". . . woe to the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." This could only be true if Judas was punished by the penalty of hell.
In all the actions of Judas and the others in the death of Christ, God's plan was worked out exactly as He had determined it to be accomplished. "But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his head against me'" (Jn 13:18). God's sovereignty rules even the sinful acts of wicked people and weaves them into His wise and holy tapestry for His everlasting glory.
We see in the life of Judas an example of someone who pretends to be a follower of Christ, but who, in reality is no follower at all. Judas looked like the other eleven disciples. He did the same things and said the same things. Judas represents all those who profess the Christian faith, but do not possess Christ.
Scripture Reading: John 12:36b-50
John does not record the scene in Gethsemane when Jesus prayed the night before His crucifixion, but this passage captures the same emotions Jesus had as He faced His work on the cross. Jesus is ever aware that He has come to the earth, taking on human flesh, to do the will of the Father who sent Him.
Here Jesus prays, "Father, glorify your name." God the Father responds with the declaration, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again" (Jn 12:28). We see here the truth that God, Himself, is committed to the glory of God.
In this passage the cross of Christ glorifies God in at least three ways. First, the cross of Christ is the basis of judgment on the world. "Now is the judgment of this world" (Jn 12:31). The death of Jesus is the dividing line between the justified and the condemned.
Second, the cross of Christ is the basis for the judgment of Satan. "Now the ruler of this world will be cast out" (Jn 12:31). The cross is the decisive defeat of the devil. The blood of the lamb stripped Satan of his one condemning weapon, our unforgiven sin.
Third, the cross of Christ is the means of drawing people from every tribe to Himself. "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (Jn 12:32). This 'all' is not all individuals without exception, but all people without distinction.
Scripture Reading: John 12:27-36a
John does not record the scene in Gethsemane when Jesus prayed the night before His crucifixion, but this passage captures the same emotions Jesus had as He faced His work on the cross. Jesus is ever aware that He has come to the earth, taking on human flesh, to do the will of the Father who sent Him.
Here Jesus prays, "Father, glorify your name." God the Father responds with the declaration, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again" (Jn 12:28). We see here the truth that God, Himself, is committed to the glory of God.
In this passage the cross of Christ glorifies God in at least three ways. First, the cross of Christ is the basis of judgment on the world. "Now is the judgment of this world" (Jn 12:31). The death of Jesus is the dividing line between the justified and the condemned.
Second, the cross of Christ is the basis for the judgment of Satan. "Now the ruler of this world will be cast out" (Jn 12:31). The cross is the decisive defeat of the devil. The blood of the lamb stripped Satan of his one condemning weapon, our unforgiven sin.
Third, the cross of Christ is the means of drawing people from every tribe to Himself. "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (Jn 12:32). This 'all' is not all individuals without exception, but all people without distinction.
Scripture Reading: John 12:12-26
After being hailed as the Messiah, the King of the Jews (Jn 12:12-19), Jesus is shown to be Sovereign over the Gentiles as well (Jn 12:20,21,32). Jesus did, in fact, come as the fulfillment of Old Testament promises of a king. But He did not come, the first time, to be the kind of ruler His generation expected.
His glory would come through suffering, death, and resurrection. Just days before His crucifixion, Jesus reminds His disciples of His dying. Then He instructs them of the necessity to die to themselves in order to follow Him. Jesus exhorts His followers to be steadfast, giving clear witness to His honor, sometimes at high personal cost. The call here is to value Christ more than anything or anyone else, even more than oneself. Love for Christ must exceed love for spouse or son or daughter or mother or father. We must even love Him more than we love ourselves.
The sacrifice Jesus calls us to is great, but the promises He encourages us with here are magnificent. He promises that in giving up our lives we will find life. This is the gospel paradox. The way to keep life is to lose it. It is to discover that true life is in Christ alone and to taste such life is to renounce, in heartfelt repentance, our foolish desire to rule our lives. The promise is that we will be with Christ forever … "where I am, there will my servant be also" (Jn 12:26).
And, confessing that Christ is all in all, we will find, on the great day of judgment, that God the Father, the final Judge, will honor us. "If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him" (Jn 12:26). What could be more motivating to live our lives as unto Jesus than such promises as these?
Scripture Reading: John 12-1-11
This section in John 12 is a study in contrast. Mary, the sister of Lazarus, displays her deep devotion to and adoration of Jesus, on the one hand. Judas displays his deep contempt for Jesus, on the other hand. Jesus divides people into those two categories, and there is no third category. Someone must either love Christ or reject Christ. There is no middle ground.
Mary's love for Jesus is shown in the value of the expensive ointment with which she anointed Jesus’ head (cf. Mt 26:7) and feet. The cost of the oil was roughly worth a year's wages. Mary's humility before Jesus is shown in her lowly act of wiping the feet of Jesus with her hair.
Judas, on the other hand, did not see the value of Mary's act. This was because Judas was blind to the value of Jesus Himself. Mary loved Jesus. Judas loved money. Behind the guise of helping the poor, Judas criticized Mary's act. John tells us that Judas, being the treasurer of the apostolic group, really wanted the ointment to be sold because he was skimming money from the funds that the apostles used.
Mary's generous and humble act of devotion is an example to us of the necessity and appropriateness of our loving Christ with abandon and great passion, to the point of self-sacrifice. Let us ever bow before the Lord in adoration and thanksgiving simply because He is of infinite value … worthy of infinite honor.
Scripture Reading: John 11:45-57
Though it is not mentioned in word, the gospel of Christ is at the center of this passage. The rejection of Jesus has now taken institutional form. John 11:47 says that "the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council." This is a reference to the Sanhedrin Council in Israel and it is the highest authority in the Jewish community. The High Priest himself, Caiaphas, pronounced a death sentence on Jesus saying, "It is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish" (Jn 11:50).
John focuses on the words "one man should die for the people" and calls on his readers to consider the substitutionary nature of the death of Christ. Yes, indeed, did Jesus die for the nation of Israel and not for them alone, but also "to gather into one the children of God who are abroad" (Jn 11:52) … Jews and Gentiles alike.
The death of Christ was both substitutionary in its nature and global in its extent. The penalty for sin is death. Because of the notion of justice … divine justice, no less … God cannot sweep rebellion against Him under the proverbial rug. Crimes against the Almighty must be punished. For Jesus to drink the cup of God's wrath is the only penalty that completely satisfies divine justice.
It will be an everlasting honor to God for Him to have gathered into one, through the death of Christ, a people from every tribe and tongue.
Special Guest Speaker: Rev. Greg Hands
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 4:39, 33:27, Psalm 16:8, 125:2
Scripture Reading: John 11:1-16
John has deliberately selected some of the miracles of Jesus to include in his gospel as 'signs' pointing to the identity of our Lord as the Son of God. Perhaps the most spectacular 'sign' is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. J. C. Ryle says that this chapter in John is "one of the most remarkable in the New Testament. For grandeur and simplicity, for pathos and solemnity, nothing was ever written like it" (Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John, 2:166).
The circumstances leading to the actual act of raising Lazarus are as instructive as they are surprising. At the center of this account is the glory of God. "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (Jn 11:4).
John sets up the scene by establishing the unusually close relationship between Jesus and the siblings Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus" (Jn 11:5).
It is the next verse that is both surprising and deeply enlightening … "So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was" (Jn 11:6). The word 'so' connects verse 6 with verse 5. Because of Jesus' love for Lazarus and his sisters, He stayed where He was, thus allowing Lazarus to die and be buried.
The reason why this was a greater display of love than if Jesus had healed Lazarus is given to us in John 11:14 …"Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe." The display of Jesus' love for these siblings is seen in Christ's deepening their faith … which was accomplished more forcefully through suffering than it would have been through the delight of healing Lazarus.
Scripture Reading: John 10:30-42
In the discourses between Jesus and the Jewish leaders, in the gospel of John, we are brought into the glories and mysteries of the infinite God. Jesus says things that can only be true if He is God in human flesh. "Whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise" (Jn 5:19). "Before Abraham was, I am" (Jn 8:58). On both occasions, the Jews wanted to put Jesus to death.
In today's passage the leaders had the same reaction to the same implication in what Jesus was saying. The implication in Jesus' words was His equality with God and the reaction is a desire to kill Him. Referring to God as His Father, Jesus says, "I and the Father are one" (Jn 10:30).
This is not to say that the Son and the Father are one person, but one entity. We can, and must, distinguish between the Father and the Son, but we cannot, and must not, separate them. In John 10:38 Jesus says, "The Father is in me and I am in the Father." The mystery of the Trinity is that there are three persons in one Godhead. There are three distinct persons, but with such a unity that there is only one God.
Lest we think that this mysterious doctrine is irrelevant to our lives, Jesus connects the unity of the Godhead with our salvation and our eternal security. He follows the declaration "I give them eternal life and they will never perish" with "no one will snatch them out of my hand" … "no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one" (Jn 10:28-30). Our everlasting safety rests on the union of God the Father and God the Son. Can there be any greater reason for us to feel safe, both now and forever?
Scripture Reading: John 10:19-30
The good shepherd promises to do several things for His sheep in this passage. He calls them to Himself (Jn 10:3) … He leads His sheep (Jn 10:3) … He gives them abundant life (Jn 10:10) … He lays down His life for His sheep (Jn 10:11) … He knows them (Jn 10:14).
John 10:28 contains another wondrous promise which Jesus declares concerning His sheep … "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." This is the promise of rescue from everlasting damnation ("they will never perish"), the promise of the experience of life forever ("I give them eternal life"), and the promise of unconquerable security ("no one will snatch them out of my hand").
There are no promises imaginable that are greater than what Jesus is promising to His sheep. The staggering blessings described here are rooted in the act of God the Father, who gave these sheep to His Son. "The Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."
Repeatedly, in the gospel of John, Jesus speaks of the Father giving him some people (cf. Jn 6:37; 17:2,6,11,12,24). Let us be thrilled that this is how our salvation has come to be. God, in his grace, gave us to the Son. Jesus laid down His life to bring His sheep to Himself and grant them eternal life. This is the Father's will and design and He is greater than all. Christ is our only hope in life and death and no one is able to separate us from the love of Christ. No earthly security comes close to matching that strength-producing delight.
Scripture Reading: John 10:1-18
John emphasizes the identity of Jesus in his gospel, highlighting the deity of Jesus. John records 'signs' that Jesus did which point to His divinity as well as 'I am' statements Jesus made. In John 10, Jesus declares "I am the door" of the sheep (Jn 10:7,9) and "I am the good shepherd" (Jn 10:11,14).
In the context of these statements, this designation stands in stark contrast of the Pharisees. Jesus certainly has the Jewish leaders in mind when He refers to "thieves and robbers" (Jn 10:1,8) who do not truly care for the sheep.
As 'the door' Jesus, again, teaches that He is the way … the only way … to eternal life. "If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture" (Jn 10:9).
As 'the good shepherd' Jesus lays down His life for His sheep (Jn 10:11,15,17,18) and calls them to Himself (Jn 10:3,4,16). He feeds His sheep (Jn 10:9) and guards them (Jn 10:11-13).
The flock of the good shepherd is universal in scope. When Jesus says, "I have other sheep that are not of this fold" He is referring to Gentiles (Jn 10:16). These sheep are His already ("I have other sheep"), but He has not yet brought them. They have not yet heard His call, but when they do "they will listen to my voice." The worldwide gathering of a people for God's glory is in view here.
Scripture Reading; John 9:1-41
A central point of this miracle, and the dialogues which follow, is that there are two kinds of blindness … physical blindness and spiritual blindness … and Jesus can heal them both. Only John records this miracle. The gospel writers record sight to the blind more than any other healing miracle of our Lord. This particular miracle, perhaps, most aptly illustrates the miracle of conversion, in which spiritual sight is given to the spiritually blind.
There is a contrast here between the blind man to whom Jesus grants both physical and spiritual sight and the seeing Pharisees whose spiritual blindness is pronounced and tragic.
Jesus' disciples wondered if the blindness of this man (who was born blind) was the result of some particular sin … either his sin or a sin of his parents. Jesus said that no specific sin was at the root of the man's blindness. He was born blind "that the works of God might be displayed in him" (Jn 9:4).
The Jewish leaders excommunicated the man from the worship and fellowship of the temple because he believed that Jesus came from God. In tender compassion and grace, when Jesus heard that the man had been shut out of the Jewish religious community, He sought him out and opened the man's spiritual eyes. As magnificent as Jesus' power is to give sight to the physically blind, it is infinitely more astonishing that He has the power to change the sinful human heart and grant spiritual sight.
Scripture Reading: John 8:48-59
This section is the ending of John's record of a long interchange between Jesus and the Jewish leaders (and others) following the Feast of Tabernacles. The focus, increasingly, is the identity of Jesus and the reaction of His hearers to Him. Their initial perplexity at what He was saying became hostility and, finally, open violence.
In our passage there is a staggering promise and a more staggering declaration. The wondrous promise is founded in the wondrous Person of Christ. Both the promise and the declaration are introduced by the sobering words "Truly, truly."
The promise here is this … "Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death" (Jn 8:51). Of course, what is in view is not physical death, but spiritual death … the second death (cf. Rev 2:11; 20:14) … everlasting separation from God. The horror of physical death is but an illustration of the greater horror of spiritual death. It is the unspeakable reality of a separation from God and, therefore, from life, that Christians never experience.
The stunning promise of John 8:51 rests on the stunning Person declared in John 8:58. "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was I am." If language means anything, this is as clear a statement of the divinity of Jesus in John's gospel. It is a statement, not only of the existence of Jesus before Abraham, but of the eternal existence of Jesus before all of creation. It is an echo of God's name, revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14 … "I AM WHO I AM."
In all our days, and in all our ways, let us be careful to give Jesus all His due because He is, in truth, YHWH the Son.
Scripture Reading: John 8:30-47
This section of Jesus' statements is addressed to those who believe and yet do not believe. These folks seem inclined to think that what Jesus said was true. But it is clear that they were not prepared to see themselves as sinful rebels in opposition to the God of Abraham.
Thinking that being descendants of Abraham made them acceptable to God, they repeatedly justified themselves to Jesus, oblivious to the wretched state of their hearts … and hardened against the holy assessment Jesus was making of their true spiritual status.
Abraham may have been their ancestral father, but the devil was their true spiritual father (Jn 8:44). Outward forms of religion do not always reflect the state of the heart. This is why Jesus says, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free" (Jn 8:31,32).
According to this passage, there are professing disciples and then there are true disciples. The test of genuine faith is not profession … it is abiding, remaining, persevering in the words of Christ. Such endurance is not the cause of salvation, but the effect of salvation. "He that has true grace will not fall away. He that falls away has no true grace, and must not flatter himself that he is a disciple" (J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John, 2:77).
Scripture Reading: John 8:12-30
One of the hallmarks of the gospel of John is the "I am" statements of Jesus. There are seven of them and only John has them in this form … "I am the bread of life" (Jn 6:48) … "I am the Good Shepherd" (Jn 10:11) … "I am the true Vine" (Jn 15:1). In today's passage Jesus says, "I am the light of the world" (Jn 8:12).
Light, in the Bible, is associated with several things. Intellectually, light is truth and darkness is error. "Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Psa 119:105; cf. Psa 43:3). Morally, light is holiness and darkness is evil. "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (Jn 3:19; cf. Rom 13:12-14). Spiritually, light is life and darkness is death.
Christ has come "to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death" (Lk 1:79; cf. Mk 4:16).
In the conversation which follows John 8:12, it is clear that the Pharisees do not grasp the meaning of almost anything Jesus is saying. They are utterly earthbound because they do not truly know God. "You neither know me nor my Father . . . You are from below . . . You are of this world" (Jn 8:19,23).
The warrant for Jesus claiming to be the light of the world is His relationship to God the Father as God the Son. Let all the world stand in awe of Him who not only gives light but is light. To have the light of life is to have Jesus Himself. This is life and joy and peace and hope.
Scripture Reading: John 7:53 – 8:11
This is one of the most well-known of the stories of our Lord, probably because of the great comfort we find in the mercy of Jesus. Our hearts long for Him to show us the same mercy which we see in this passage.
The Pharisees and scribes who brought the adulterous woman to Jesus were not at all concerned with holiness and justice. John 8:6 reveals that they were looking for some way to discredit Jesus. It was an ethical trap and their inquiry "So what do you say?" was a loaded question.
The Old Testament law taught that adulterers were to be executed (cf. Lev 20:10; Dt 22:22). In giving an answer, Jesus ran the risk of undermining Roman law (which did not allow for the death penalty for adultery) or forsaking Jewish law (which commanded that adultery be punished by death). No matter what Jesus answered, He would at least offend either the lenient or the strict among the Jews.
His statement "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her" was as convicting as it was disarming. But we must not take this to mean that Jesus condoned what the woman had done. He offers mercy when He says, "I do not condemn you," but He also calls for repentance when He says, "From now on sin no more." Mercy is offered to all, but in the day of judgment, it is only given to the repentant.
Scripture Reading: John 7:37-52
In Biblical times, every morning during the first century Feast of Tabernacles, a priest would draw water from the pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher. In a joyful procession he would lead a march to the altar in the temple courtyard. In a solemn ceremony of pomp and delight, he would pour the water into a bowl next to the altar. The water symbolized God's provision of water for the Israelites during their 40 years in the wilderness, as well as water for the year's harvest.
Against this background, on the last day of the Feast, Jesus declared, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (Jn 7:37,38).
Jesus was not, of course, talking about physical thirst. He was talking about a thirst for God. Everyone thirsts, but few people thirst for God. People thirst for pleasure, money, power, status. But the ultimate reality … and the ultimate satisfaction … is the Creator of all things.
The vast majority of people seek for earthly things that are neither ultimately satisfying nor lasting. But what about the state of our eternal soul? J. C. Ryle says, "There is no clearer proof of the fall of man, and the utter corruption of human nature, than the careless indifference of most people about their souls. No wonder the Bible calls the natural man 'blind,' and 'asleep,' and 'dead,' when so few can be found who are awake, alive, and athirst about salvation" (Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John, 2:29,30).
Believing in Jesus is not just believing the facts about Him. Saving faith is to come to Jesus for who He is and to drink Him in by faith, finding in Him the satisfaction of the longing of our souls for pardon and life.
Scripture Reading: John 7:25-36
The exchange in the temple between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders continues in this passage. The opposition to Jesus is becoming clearer through this conversation and the declarations of Jesus are becoming more piercing.
The confusion on the part of the people prompts Jesus to say, "He who sent me is true, and him you do not know" (Jn 7:28). It is a repetition of Jesus' identity, but also a challenge to these Israelites. Jesus is revealing to them that they truly did not know the God of Abraham, though they thought they did.
The strongest declaration of Jesus comes in verses 33,34. "I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come" (Jn 7:33,34). Jesus is, no doubt, talking about His ascension into heaven, but what is the meaning of the words "you will seek me and you will not find me"?
Jesus says much the same thing to the Pharisees in John 8:22,24. "So he said to them again, 'I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come'" (Jn 8:21). Since Jesus promises that He will not cast away anyone who comes to Him (cf. Jn 7:37), we must conclude that the kind of seeking Jesus is talking about is not the right kind of seeking. These Jews had a "zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Rom 10:2). They did not pursue righteousness by faith (Rom 9:31,32).
There is a self-serving seeking of God that is not an honor to Him and does not lead to eternal life. According to John 8:21,24, someone can seek Christ and die in their sins. It is the broken, contrite heart that God receives (Psa 51:17). This is what the proud person does not possess. This pride keeps people from truly seeking God. There is a seeking that is not a genuine seeking of the living God.
Scripture Reading: John 7:1-13
It is clear from reading the gospel of John that the author records a growing hostility toward Jesus as time goes on. There is a mixture of confusion and disdain as the people, and particularly the Jewish leaders, become familiar with Christ.
This passage gives us insight into the extent to which people did not understand Jesus. Even Jesus' brothers did not believe in Him (Jn 7:5). Against the backdrop of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jewish people were privately talking about Him, even arguing about His character (Jn 7:10-13).
In response to His brothers, Jesus says, "The world . . . hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil" (Jn 7:7). This is a profound statement. First, we see the reason why people reject Jesus … namely, that He declares that their deeds are evil. Christianity is being increasingly rejected today because it declares that certain actions are wrong.
Second, when we see the word 'hate' we must not simply think about the angry emotion we associate with that term. There are many ways of 'hating' Jesus which do not always include an emotional disdain. To withhold from Jesus His rightful honor is to hate Him. To call Him simply a man … even a good man … is a way of disdaining Him. To ignore Jesus is to hate Him. To worship Jesus with heartless forms is a way of hating Him. Let us pray for a heart that truly and passionately loves Christ.
Scripture Reading John 6:60-71
This passage presents the reader with a puzzling question. John 6:60 says that "Jesus knew from the beginning . . . who it was who would betray him." And in John 6:70 Jesus says, "Did not I choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." The natural question is this: If Jesus knew, from the beginning, that Judas would betray Him, why did He choose him to be one of His twelve apostles?
Unless the Bible clearly states why Jesus did the things He did, answering the question 'why' must be done with caution. The Bible does, however, give us indications as to some Biblical truths that are revealed in Jesus' choosing of Judas.
(1) The Scriptures are utterly reliable. Both John 13:18 and Acts 1:16,17 point to prophetic Scripture being fulfilled by Jesus choosing Judas, a betrayer.
(2) God has so designed His creation that sinful acts serve to accomplish His plan. The betrayal of Christ was part of God's saving plan. Acts 2:23; 4:27,28 clearly spell this out.
(3) Someone can be very religious and yet not trust in Christ. Judas lived with Jesus for three years and was even given miracle-working power (Mt 10:1-4) and yet he was a thief from the beginning (Jn 12:4-6).
(4) Divine sovereignty does not preclude human responsibility. The plan for the betrayal and crucifixion of Christ was put in place before the world was created and yet Jesus speaks of the woeful judgment of the one who betrayed Him. "The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born" (Mt 26:24). God's unalterable plan did not absolve Judas from his guilt. Judas did exactly what he wanted to do concerning Jesus, and God's plan was inexorably carried out.
Scripture Reading John 6:52-65
The declarations of Jesus in this section of John could not be more indescribable in their glory. But in the ears of Christ's listeners His assertions were utterly incomprehensible. As clear as Jesus was, and repeatedly so, the Jews in the Capernaum synagogue had no idea what He was talking about. And most people today are adrift in the same spiritual darkness.
In this long chapter, the greater the resistance of Jesus' hearers, the more pointed His statements become. Jesus had repeatedly referred to Himself as the 'bread of life' or the 'true bread from heaven.' Now, at five times, He says that people must "eat the flesh of the Son of Man" or else they "have no life" (Jn 6:53).
Jesus is offering to these Israelites eternal life (Jn 6:40,47,50,51,54,58) and resurrection from the dead (Jn 6:39,40,44,54). Jesus holds out to them unspeakable glories and they respond by wrangling over the details of His wording (Jn 6:42,52,60).
Their focus on earthly things and ceremonies robbed them of understanding that an intimate union with Jesus through trusting Him is necessary for eternal life. This required a renunciation of self and this they were unwilling to do. They sacrificed eternal life in favor of pomp and position and pride. Blessed are those who feed on the flesh of Christ (trusting in Him) and, by this union, live forever.
Scripture Reading: John 6:41-51
This paragraph in John is yet another example of the mystery of human responsibility and divine sovereignty. Jesus chides these unbelieving Israelites for their grumbling. They, like most people today, imagined that Jesus was simply another human being like them. "They said, 'Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" (Jn 6:42).
People are responsible if they do not heed Jesus' exhortation … "This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever" (Jn 6:50,51).
Christ offers Himself to all eternal life. But, the corruption of the human heart is so thorough that no one wants this bread … which is Jesus Himself.
"The nature of man since the fall is so corrupt and depraved that even when Christ is made known and preached to him, he will not come to Him and believe in Him without the special grace of God inclining his will and giving him a disposition to come. Moral (per)suasion and advice alone will not bring him. He must be 'drawn'" (J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John, 1:271).
The inability spoken of in John 6:44 … "no one can come to me" … is the inability of desire. People do not come to Christ because they do not want Jesus. And God holds them responsible for this refusal (Jn 5:40). On the other hand, people are 'drawn' by God by His teaching them who Jesus is. And "everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes" to Christ (Jn 6:45). People in hell have only themselves to blame. People in heaven have only God to praise.
Scripture Reading: John 6:30-40
There are many mysteries which rise from the pages of the Bible … wonderful mysteries. How could it be otherwise when the Bible reveals the infinite God to our very finite minds? The eternal existence of God is a mystery to us. The triune nature of God is a mystery to us … as is the union of divinity and humanity in the person of Jesus.
In today's passage we are met with the mystery of the compatibility of human responsibility and divine sovereignty with regards to salvation. Human responsibility is on display in John 6:30-36 and God's sovereignty is on display in John 6:37-40.
Jesus had shown these Israelites His power and had taught them about Himself and about the kingdom of God, but their response was to reject Him. "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe" (Jn 6:35,36). Christ held these people responsible for their unbelief. They had seen … they had heard … and they had refused to come to Jesus.
There is, however, another group in view in this passage … namely, people whom God the Father has given to His Son. "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. . . . And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day" (Jn 6:37,39).
God has insured that the work of Jesus in redemption would not be in vain. There are wondrous declarations in these verses. God has given some people to the Son … and all those people come to the Son … and the Son keeps them … and raises them up on the last day. This is God's sovereign rule over His design of redemption. His purposes do not fail (cf. Isa 46:9,10).
Originally Presented: October 30, 2016
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 2:5-9
In this paragraph the author picks up the theme of Christ's superiority to angels. To this point in the book, to buttress the idea that Jesus is superior to angels, the line of reasoning has centered on His divinity. Christ is seen as the Son (1:5), king (1:8), God (1:8), creator (1:2,10), unchanging (1:12). Now the argumentation for the superiority of Christ to angels is drawn from His humanity. God did not subject the world to come to angels, but to Christ and His redeemed people (2:5).
Though human beings are, in some ways, lower than the angels now, even now they have been granted a position that the angels have not been given, namely the privilege of ruling over the earth (2:7,8). Through Adam's sin the fulfillment of this sovereignty has been forfeited. "At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him" (2:8).
Jesus is the 'second Adam' (1 Cor 15:45). As the perfect man and the perfect sacrifice, He has been "crowned with glory and honor" (1:9) and He will rule in His kingdom over the earth with His people, "bringing many sons to glory" (2:10).
When we feel the tendency to be discouraged because of the degradation in our culture or the conflicts in many places in the world, we must keep in mind that there is a world to come over which Christ will reign, with His people. It is a glorious hope.
Scripture Reading: John 6:22-29
On the heels of the feeding of the 5,000 we have this interchange between Jesus and some of the people who ate Christ's miraculous food. Having followed Jesus to the western side of the Sea of Galilee, our Lord confronted them with a blunt and searching indictment … "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves" (Jn 6:26). These folks were enamored with the product of the miracle instead of being enthralled with the person who accomplished the miracle.
Jesus instructed them with a prohibition and an exhortation. The prohibition is "Do not work for food that perishes" (Jn 6:27). Jesus was not saying that these people should quit their jobs, but that they must not be more concerned with the needs of their body than they are with the needs of their soul. Their problem was that they were given, exclusively, to material things, to the neglect of spiritual realities.
The exhortation was to work "for food that endures to eternal life" (Jn 6:27). The 'work' that Jesus has in mind is faith in Him … "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent" (Jn 6:28). For unbelievers, this 'work' is the faith that leads to conversion from darkness into light. For believers, this 'work' is the faith that labors in spiritual disciplines … prayer, meditation, memorization, study, obedience. Jesus is commanding vigilance and passion regarding the welfare of our souls.
Originally Presented: October 23, 2016
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 2:1-4
To this point in Hebrews there has been no command. The author did not tell his readers to do anything in the first chapter. It was all declaration, wonderful declaration, about the glorious supremacy of Jesus. He is the radiance of the glory of God. Now comes some implications which issue from what is being said in chapter one about Jesus. There is a command in these four verses and there is a very sober warning in these four verses.
The command is to pay close attention to "what we have heard" which, in this context, is the gospel of Christ. There is the possibility for some readers of this book to "drift away" from the truth and "neglect such a great salvation." The command is for readers to give themselves, mind and heart, to the truths about Christ, who has been shown in the first chapter to be supreme.
The warning here is that people who neglect Christ will not escape the great judgment to come. There is no escape from God's righteous bar of justice. He will mete out His justice, just as His holy character requires.
For those who are Christians, this sober warning is a reminder to us of the supreme value of Christ. We are encouraged here to plumb the depths of the value and beauty and wonder of Jesus and His salvation. There is certainly a strong application to Christians in the words "we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard" (Heb 2:1). Such diligent study of our Savior and His salvation deepens our faith and reverence and joy and thankfulness.
Scripture Reading: John 20:1-18
(Biblical references to Mary Magdalene, in chronological order)
- Lk 8:2 - Jesus had cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene
- Jn 19:25 - Mary standing by the cross
- Mt 27:56 - Mary standing afar off when Jesus died (Mk 15:47)
- Mt 27:61 - Mary watched to see where Jesus was buried (Mk 15:47)
- Mt 28:1 - Mary came early Sunday morning to anoint the body of Jesus (Mk 16:1; Jn 20:1)
- Lk 24:10 - Mary told others about the empty tomb (Jn 20:2)
- Jn 20:11-18 - 1st resurrection appearance of Jesus … to Mary Magdalene (Mk 16:9)
These are the only New Testament references to Mary Magdalene. Although she is often associated with the woman who was taken in adultery and the woman who washed Jesus' feet, there is no definite Biblical support that she was the woman in either of these stories.
The account from John 20:11-18 is touching and moving. It speaks of the heartfelt affection and allegiance Mary had for Jesus. Her heart was set on attending to the body of Jesus and was crestfallen to think of the possibility of someone taking it. She was determined to find out what had happened to the body. In comparing ourselves to Mary, is it accurate to say that our deepest affections lie with the Savior
Another wonderful aspect of this story is the individual tenderness Jesus showed toward Mary. It is stirring to think of Jesus standing there, in the glory of the resurrection, calling Mary by name. The wonder of this story is not only that Jesus knows Mary by name, but that He calls to us by name. If He knows the stars of the heaven by name (Isa 40:26), how much more does He know the names of His children. The only remaining question is this, "Are we listening to His voice?" Or in the frenzy of living, is His still, small voice effectively blocked out of our hearing and out of our hearts? "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (Jn 10:27).
Originally Presented: October 16, 2016
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:4-14
Having begun this letter with seven statements describing the exalted position of Christ (Heb 1:1-4), the writer now displays the preeminence of Jesus over angels. The author utilizes seven Old Testament quotations to make a case showing Christ to be superior to angels. Angels were held a high position in the minds of first century Jews and there is New Testament evidence of worship of angels (Col 2:18).
So Christ is shown here to be superior, infinitely superior, to angels. God declares that Jesus is His Son, but never made such a declaration of any angel (Heb 1:5,6). The angels are commanded to worship the Son (Heb 1:6). Angels are messengers whose role is to carry out the commands of God (Heb1:7), but Christ's role is to rule as divine Sovereign (Heb 1:8,9). Christ is creator of all (Heb 1:10-12) who rules at the Father's right hand (Heb 1:13). Angels, on the other hand, are servants of the King, sent to watch over His people (Heb 1:14).
The question for our own hearts is, "In light of Christ's supremacy over all things, how do I respond to Him?" Is there a longing after Christ that exceeds all our longings for other things? Is there a joy in Christ that exceeds all our other joys? Is there a love for Christ that exceeds all the other people we love? If Christ is supreme, then there ought to be affections in our hearts corresponding to His greatness and value.
Scripture Reading: John 12:12-26
All four gospel writers contain the stirring story of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem one week before His death on the cross. The account tells the story of a very public declaration, in no uncertain terms, that Jesus is king. All secrecy about Jesus is now gone.
The Passover festival was one week away when Jesus rode the two miles from Bethany to Jerusalem on a donkey, arriving not on a war-horse, but on a symbol of peace. The Passover festival was a time when all Jews who were capable came to Jerusalem, probably living in tents along the roads. Estimates run as high as 2,700,000 people who thronged the city during this time of year.
When the news spread that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, people went out to meet Him, laying palm branches and clothes in the road and shouting, "Hosanna to the son of David!" It was an unambiguous declaration that they were recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah, the King they had been looking for.
The question facing us is this … Do we recognize Him as king … our king? Do we do homage to Him as king? Do we submit in obedience to the king? Do we rejoice in the wonder that we are children of the king? Anything less than these heartfelt responses is to let this season pass with cold-hearted indifference to the most glorious reality in the universe … the Son of David … the Son of God … the King of Kings. Jesus followed up the cries of the Israelites by saying, "If anyone serves me, he must follow me" (Jn 12:26).
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:2,3
Few Biblical passages laud the excellencies of Christ like these opening verses of Hebrews 1. The position which Jesus occupies, both as the second person of the Godhead and as conquering Redeemer, is described in unrivalled and supreme terms. Jesus is "heir of all things" through whom the world was created (Heb 1:2). He is "the radiance of the glory of God" and "the exact imprint of His nature" (Heb 1:3).
Further, "he upholds the universe by the word of his power" (Heb 1:3). Every atom and molecule in all creation is held in place by the ongoing, and active, decree of Christ. We woke this morning by the word of His power.
Further, Christ made "purification for sins" (Heb 1:3). This means that He paid the penalty, demanded by divine justice, for sins, thus making eternal life possible for all who will humble themselves in heartfelt confession and trust in Him.
Further, after His work was finished, "he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb 1:3). This means that His work of His redeeming sacrifice was finished and He now He reigns as the glorious God-Man.
All of this is theology, but theology is always meant to result in doxology. The only proper response to Christ in His glory is seen in Philippians 2:9-11. "God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Scripture Reading: John 6:14-21
As if the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is not astounding enough, Matthew, Mark, and John all follow up the account of that miracle with another breathtaking display of power and authority. This is the miracle of Jesus walking on the water.
Jesus deliberately sent His disciples away in a boat at night (cf. Mt 14:22; Mk 6:45). It is not stretching the story to say that Christ not only knew there would be a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee that night, but that He generated the storm.
Then, in the middle of the night, perhaps at the height of the terror of the disciples, Jesus came to them walking on the surface of the water. Jesus is He through whom all things were created (cf. Jn 1:3). It was as easy for Christ to suspend the natural laws governing the molecular structure of water and gravity as it was for Him to put those laws in place.
The primary purpose for this wondrous display of Jesus' power was the deepening of the faith of the disciples. To Peter, who briefly also walked on the water, Jesus said, "O you of little faith" (Mt 14:31). Mark connects the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 with the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. Citing the astonishment (and prior fear) of the disciples he says, "they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened" (Mk 6:52).
The miracles of Jesus point to the nature of His being. When we deeply grasp the power and authority and wisdom and mercy of Christ, our faith is deeper and our fears increasingly dissipate. How restful our minds and hearts are when we trust in our Savior to watch over us and design for us everything for our good (cf. Rom 8:28,32).
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:1-9
The author of Hebrews does not begin his letter with the usual identification of the writer and the recipients. Instead he immediately plunges into the theme of his letter, namely the indescribable majesty and unapproachable glory of God the Son. What the readers had not understood deeply was the strength-giving wonder of the person and work of Jesus.
The description of Christ in Hebrews 1:2,3 is the highest possible representation of the nature of Christ. The phrases here are lofty and glorious. Christ has been "appointed heir of all things." Through Christ God created the world. "He [Christ] is the radiance of the glory of God" and "the exact imprint of his [God's] nature." Christ "upholds the universe by the word of His power."
The single most important element of Christianity, and that which makes it unique, is that it centers completely on Jesus Christ. And the single most important element in a discussion of Jesus Christ is the fact that He was, and is, God in flesh. The nature of Jesus Christ, therefore, is a central and determinative issue. These statements in Hebrews 1 tell us that the man, Jesus, was also "Light of Light, very God of very God," to use the wording of the Nicene Creed.
Let us continue to grow in our wonder at the glory and beauty of Christ, both utterly stunned and completely satisfied by Him.
Scripture Reading: John 6:1-15
This long chapter (71 verses) is all about Jesus being bread. The main point of the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 is to say, not only that Jesus gives bread, but the Jesus is bread … the bread of life (Jn 6:48,51). The only miracle Jesus did that is recorded in all four gospels is the feeding of the five thousand. Involving easily more than ten thousand people (including women and children), it is understandable that this is one of the most recognizable of Jesus' miracles.
To consider that Jesus created food for so many people, on the spot from five loaves of bread and two fish, has sweeping ramifications for us. First, Jesus is the source of eternal life. This is the main point of this miracle. "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever" (Jn 6:51).
Second, Matthew 14:14 says that when Jesus saw the crowd following Him, "he had compassion on them." On this occasion Jesus both taught and healed the sick. Jesus cares about the physical and spiritual needs that people have. He is a compassionate Creator and displays His mercy in many ways every day. This is a great comfort to our needy souls.
Third, the pride-shattering power of Christ is on display in this story, which, as we consider the magnitude of Jesus' capability, should cause us to sit in stunned silence. The power of Christ both humbles us and strengthens us. We are humbled as we bow down before omnipotence and we find strength because, as Christians, Christ dwells in us by His Spirit. The Biblical exhortation is "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Eph 6:10).
Originally Presented: Sept 25, 2016
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:1-14
It is a tonic for the spiritually debilitated. The study of this epistle leads us beneath the surface of things to the profound depths of our evangelical faith, and enriches and establishes our understanding of the grace of God manifested on our behalf in the incarnation, self-offering, and exaltation of him who is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. 'There is, indeed, no book in Holy Scripture,' says Calvin in the foreword to his commentary on Hebrews, 'which speaks so clearly of the priesthood of Christ, so splendidly extols the power and worth of that unique sacrifice which he offered by his death, deals more adequately with the use and also the abrogation of ceremonies, and, in short, explains more fully that Christ is the end of the Law.'
Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, 1.
Theme of Hebrews: the absolute supremacy of Christ
- superior to the OT prophets - 1:1-3
- superior to the angels - 1:4-2:12
- superior to Moses - 3:1-4:13
- superior to Aaronic priesthood - 4:14-5:10; 6:20-7:28
- mediates a superior covenant - 8:1-9:10
- superior to OT sacrifices - 9:11-10:18
Date: c. A.D. 60's
- quoted by Clement of Rome in A.D. 95
- Heb 2:3,4 - author learned from contemporaries of Jesus
- during the lifetime of Timothy (cf. Heb 13:23)
- temple seems to be in operation, due to discussion of sacrifices; temple was
- destroyed in A.D. 70
Language:
"The Language of the epistle is both in vocabulary and style purer and more vigorous than any other book of the New Testament.”
B. F. Westcott, The Epistle to the Hebrews, xliv
There are 138 'once-used-words' (hapax legomena) in Hebrews.
Scripture Reading: John 5:30-47
In this long and exquisite section of John 5, Jesus continues to defend His nature as the Son of God. In John 5:30-47, Jesus points to a series of 'witnesses' which testify to His authority as deity. The witnesses begin with the Father (Jn 5:32,37) and then there are three witnesses which issue from Him.
John the Baptist, who was sent from God (Jn 1:6), was a clear, forceful witness of Jesus being the Son of God (Jn 1:34). Next, the works of Jesus, which the Father had given Jesus to accomplish, were a clear witness of His authority (Jn 5:36). Finally, the Scriptures bore witness of the nature of Jesus (Jn 5:39,46).
In spite of these unmistakable witnesses, the Jewish leaders had refused to come to Jesus. John 5:40 literally says, "You do not want to come to me." The problem was not a lack of compelling evidence declaring who Jesus was. The problem was a lack of will to believe.
It is a fair question to ask why someone would not want to come to Jesus, especially given how good and kind and merciful He is. This passage answers that question. "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?" (Jn 5:44). The sinful human heart loves the glory of man instead of the glory of God.
The question is, "What is at the center of the heart?" Adam put himself at the center and every person since him does the same thing. Let us strive to be increasingly enthralled with God's excellencies that we might believe and obey and delight in the Son of God.
Scripture Reading: John 5:25-29
In a majestic passage, Jesus is defending His deity and His equality with God the Father. He does this by referring to His activity ("Whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise" – Jn 5:19) … and to His relationship with God the Father ("The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing" – Jn 5:20).
Then Jesus makes staggering and specific statements about His nature and activity … "the Son gives life to whom he will" (Jn 5:21) … "the Father . . . has given all judgment to the Son (Jn 5:22) … "the Father . . . has granted the Son to have life in himself" (Jn 5:26). Such is the authority of the Son that there is coming a day when "all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out" (Jn 5:28).
By the power of His word, the Son is both the Giver of all life and the Judge of all life. This remarkable passage reveals to us that all people, both the righteous and the wicked, will be resurrected. The righteous will be raised to eternal life and the wicked will be raised to eternal death.
For Christians, death is not as bad as it seems. Death simply ushers them into the presence of Jesus (2 Cor 5:8) and they will be granted a deathless body in the great resurrection (1 Cor 15:52,53). But for unbelievers, death is infinitely worse than it seems. Death ushers them before the judgment bench of the Son and they must endure the horrible, unending experience of hell forever, having been given an indestructible body.
Let us rejoice with trembling at the voice of the Son … remembering that His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him and He gives them eternal life (Jn 10:27,28).
Scripture Reading: John 5:13-24
When Jesus said, "My Father is working until now, and I am working," it sounded like a trumpet on the ears of the Jewish leaders who heard it. God is sometimes referred to as the Father of Israel collectively and, on rare occasions, of an individual. But in direct address, individuals did not call on God by using the term 'father.' When Jesus called God His Father, the Jews thought it was blasphemy and they wanted to kill Him for it.
In John 5:19-47 Jesus gives a wonderful defense of His divinity and His unity with God the Father. J. C. Ryle says, "Nowhere else in the gospels do we find our Lord making such a formal, systematic, orderly, regular statement of his own unity with the Father, his divine commission and authority, and the proofs of his Messiahship, as we find in this discourse" (Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John, 1:199).
Jesus' defense of His relationship to God the Father can be seen in His statement, "Whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise" (Jn 5:19). The Son does all that the Father does. No one could make that statement unless he could also claim divinity.
Further, the Father loves the Son in a special way, showing Him "all that he himself is doing" (Jn 5:20). Out of love the Father shows the Son all He is doing. Out of obedience the Son does all that the Father does. The Son, in His earthly life, is revealing the Father to humanity.
Such is the unity between God the Father and God the Son that to dishonor the Son is to dishonor the Father (Jn 5:23). To hear the words of Jesus and to believe God are two ways to describe the same reality of saving faith (Jn 5:24). Let us bow down and marvel at the Son, in all His glory.
Scripture Reading: John 5:1-18
The gospel of John is filled with miracles which Jesus did. John calls them 'signs' and his design in including them in his account of Jesus' life is to point readers to the divinity of Christ. John is saying, in effect, "Behold, what power and majesty Jesus displays. Surely He is the Son of God!"
In the present passage Jesus seeks out a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. According to His might and His mercy Jesus commands, "Get up, take up your bed and walk" (Jn 5:8). This man had not exhibited faith. In fact, in being questioned after his healing, the man did not know who it was who had healed him (Jn 5:13).
The grand point of Jesus' healing ministry is seen in this passage. Jesus drew people to Himself, ultimately, because of the healing of the soul that He offered. Following the healing of this man "Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, 'See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you'" (Jn 5:14).
Just as physical disease is a picture of the heinous corruption of sin, so when Jesus healed people it was a picture of the need for a cleansing of the soul. Jesus asked the man, "Do you want to be healed?" Regarding physical healing, no one would say 'no' to that question. But the question implied in Jesus' command, "Sin no more" is this … "Do you want to be made holy?"
This is the ultimate question for every person. The sinful heart wants God's help, but not His righteousness … physical healing, but not spiritual healing. May God continue to give us such a longing for Him and not simply for His power.
Scripture Reading: John 4:43-54
The healing of the royal official's son is yet another declaration of both the grace and power of Jesus. Having passed through Samaria Jesus came, again, to Galilee. In fact, He came to Cana, where He had turned water into wine.
There is a stark contrast in this account … between the superficial reception of Christ by the Galileans, on one hand, and the genuine faith of the official from Capernaum, on the other hand. John 4:45 says "the Galileans welcomed him," but this 'welcome' cloaked a deeper unbelief. They had seen works that Jesus had done in Jerusalem and this explains Jesus' statement in verse 48 … "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." This 'welcome' was not a reception issuing from faith.
On the other hand, we meet a royal official from Capernaum whose son is dying. When Jesus commanded, "Go; your son will live," the text says, "The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way" (Jn 4:50). John 4:53 reiterates "And he himself believed . . ."
This passage reminds us (and not for the last time in the gospel of John) that there is a kind of 'belief' that is not saving faith. Saving faith results in obedience from the heart.
Jesus displays His grace in this healing because the boy's father was an official in the court of Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee. This means, at least, that he was probably despised by Jewish people … and, perhaps, that he was a Gentile. Further, this healing displays the power of Jesus. He healed the son by the might of His will and at a distance of 15 miles. Why should we not rejoice with utter calmness of heart in the face of such wonders, as we commune with our Lord?
Scripture Reading: John 4:27-42
John has recorded four stories, in quick succession, in which the contrast between material realities and spiritual realities is stark. The Jewish leaders thought about the physical temple when Jesus mentioned that He would raise the temple in three days (Jn 2:19,20). Nicodemus thought about physical birth when Jesus mentioned being born again (Jn 3:3,4). The Samaritan woman thought about the water at the bottom of Jacob's well when Jesus mentioned living water (Jn 4:10,11). And the disciples thought about physical food when Jesus mentioned that He had food they did not know about (Jn 4:32,33).
The 'food' Jesus has in mind is to accomplish the work the Father had sent Him to do (Jn 4:34). He calls this work 'food' because God's work has a sustaining and joy-producing nature. In this context, the work of Christ is to give eternal life to many Samaritans. It is thrilling to read about this disenfranchised people declare that Jesus is the "Savior of the world" (Jn 4:42).
C. Ryle is right to say that Jesus "found such delight and comfort in doing good to souls, that it was as good as meat and drink to him" (Ryle, Thoughts on John, 1:170). Job said, "I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12). There is a delight and a life-giving sustenance to communion with God in obedience that exceeds the benefits and pleasures of meat and potatoes.
Scripture Reading: John 4:24
One of the great dangers of a worship service (or even private worship) is that its activities can be done out of routine. There is an external form of worship … singing, praying, communion, giving. But it is possible to do all those activities without the heart being engaged. This was one of the recurring sins of the people of Israel (cf. Isa 1:10-15; Mt 23:23).
Jesus said that true worship is worship that is done "in spirit and in truth" (Jn 4:24). 'Truth' is a reference to the head. Genuine worship must be built on right thinking or what is true. There cannot be true worship if it is built on what is false. 'Spirit' is a reference to the heart. There cannot be true worship if there is no response deep within the heart.
The Scripture speaks of affections when it speaks about encountering God. There is the emotion of reverence (Psa 2:11; Heb 12:28,29); the emotion of humility (Psa 34:2); the emotion of longing (Psa 42:1; 143:6); and the emotion of joy (Psa 16:11; 1 Pet 1:8).
Worship is not just an academic experience. It is also an emotional experience. How can a person really encounter the infinite, living God and not feel awe and humility and yearning and joy? When our hearts are stirred deeply by the presence of God, then we see that worship is the delight of all delights to the human soul. May God keep us from being so stuffed with the 'white bread' of our culture that we have no hunger for the pleasures of the infinite God.
Scripture Reading: John 4:13-26
One of the subjects that arose in Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman was worship. The Samaritans had erected a temple on Mt. Gerizim so they would not have to go to Jerusalem to worship. Jesus' response was to talk about the nature of worship. True worship is not to be found in a particular place or in a particular form.
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (Jn 4:23,24).
Worship is something of an abbreviation of an old English word 'worthship.' To ascribe to God His worth is worship. Worship is not just the act of singing a song on Sunday morning or praying before you go to sleep at night. It is exulting in God, deep in our hearts, because of His value … worth … infinite worth.
True worship is an act involving both the head and the heart. Worship must be based on truth or it is not genuine worship … and worship must involve the affections of the heart or it is not genuine worship. The head without the heart is a lifeless creed that affects no one. The heart without the head is a misdirected and rootless emotionalism that is soon gone. May the Almighty fill our heads with truth and may He fill our hearts with fire … that our worship may, indeed, be honoring to Him.
Scripture Reading: John 4:1-15
We are naturally hesitant to talk with unbelievers about Jesus Christ and the Christian faith. In John 4, we have a wonderful story of the truth of Christ, declared to a woman who was not at all looking for the truth.
Perhaps John means to draw a contrast here, between Nicodemus in John 3 and the unnamed Samaritan woman in John 4. Nicodemus was learned, powerful, respected, and theologically orthodox. This woman from Samaria was probably unschooled, without influence, despised, and theologically unorthodox. Both Nicodemus and this woman were equally in desperate need of Christ and His salvation.
Within the context of drawing water, Jesus said, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water" (Jn 4:10). Most people, like this woman, do not think in terms of spiritual things. When Jesus kept mentioning living water and not thirsting again, the Samaritan woman thought only in terms of the water from Jacob's well (Jn 4:10,11,13-15).
One of the glorious truths of this passage is that Christ satisfies the thirsting of the human heart. Salvation in Him is delightful to the soul. It sustains us, all our life long, like a spring of life-giving water (Jn 4:13,14). Nothing earthly can satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. Those desires are infinitely deep and wide (cf. Ecc 3:11). Only the infinite God can sustain our souls with joy, peace, and hope.
Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:9-18
The description of Jesus Christ, given in the first chapter of Revelation, is one of the most majestic pictures of our Savior found in the Scriptures. The awesome imagery is taken mostly from Old Testament passages and is meant to evoke from us the same reaction that this vision produced in John.
While banished to the island of Patmos, John had the wondrous visions recorded in the book of Revelation. In chapter 1, he sees Christ and he rehearses what he saw for us.
The person John saw was "like a son of man" (Dan 7:13). He was dressed in a long robe (Dan 10:5; Exod 28:4) embroidered with gold, a garment of dignity, respect, and authority. His hair was white like wool (Dan 7:9; Prov 16:31), signifying honor (Lev 19:32) and eternity (Dan 7:9). His eyes were like a flame of fire (Dan 10:6; Rev 19:12), displaying judgment. His feet were like polished bronze (Dan 10:6), representing glory, strength, and stability. His voice was like the sound of torrential, rushing water (Dan 10:6), symbolic of majesty and power. Out of His mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword (Rev 19:15), representing judgment.
When John saw this man … God the Son in all His glory … he fell at His feet, as if all the life had gone from him (Rev 1:17). Jesus tenderly touches John and assures him that he need not be afraid.
When we think of the glory of the second person of the Godhead, the incarnation is all the more stunning and stirring to us. Our response to Christ ought to be both profound awe, on the one hand, and heartfelt comfort and pleasure, on the other. "Jesus, the very thought of Thee, with sweetness fills my breast . . ."
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:41-52
Christmas is a season we both love and hate. We love the food and spruce trees and poinsettias. We hate the traffic and crowds and endless television commercials. We love the Christmas carols and holly and the warmth of our families. We hate the icy roads and broken toys and the inconvenience of returning clothes that don't fit.
In the middle of the joy and sorrow of the season, in the middle of all the music and presents and frenzy and television drone, all but lost in the frantic madness we have come to know as the Christmas season, is the essence of this winter celebration.
The center is Jesus, but who was He? Who is He? Some say He was a good man. Some say a wise teacher, a moral example to follow, the founder of a world religion. But Jesus claimed to be infinitely more than those things. He claimed to be divine, of the same essence as God.
And so, we are faced with only two possibilities. Either He was divine or He was not. If He was not divine, given His claim to be equal with God, either He was crazy or a liar. In either of those cases, Jesus is not to be followed, but rejected. The only other option is that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be.
So, the only two logical responses to Jesus are either to reject Him as being a fraud or insane … or to bow down before His majesty because He is God. He did not leave us with a third option. He did not intend to.
Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 17:7-14
In light of the multiplied and complicated problems of our world it is clear that what the world needs is a king … someone to rule in divine wisdom and perfect justice and holy compassion. A king is exactly what God promised to David and through David, in what is usually called the Davidic Covenant.
"When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. . . . I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever (1 Chr 17:11,14).
The baby in the manger is the promised king. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end" (Lk 1:31-33).
And one day the King will return and He will establish His kingdom. It will be a kingdom of peace (Isa 9:6,7) and justice (Jer 23:5,6) and holy sovereignty (Rev 19:11-21) and eternal duration (Dan 7:13,14).
It is the coming of Christ and His promised rule that comforts us in the face of our fears and steels us in the face of our weaknesses. “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever" (Rev 11:15).
Scripture Reading: John 3:31-36
"To an age which has unashamedly sold itself to the gods of greed, pride, sex, and self-will, the Church mumbles on about God's kindness, but says virtually nothing about His judgment" (J. I. Packer, Knowing God, 148).
The Bible has much to say about God's wrath about rebellion against Him. Arthur Pink says that there are more references in the Bible regarding God's wrath than regarding His love (cf. Pink, Attributes of God, 82). It is important to note that God's anger is not like human anger. Human anger is vindictive and usually represents a loss of control.
God's anger is His holy and controlled response against sin and against those who persist in opposing Him. His wrath rises out of His holiness and justice and, therefore, is not simply emotional, but fundamentally judicial. One definition of divine wrath is: God's holy reaction to sin and His resolve to bring judgment on those who rebel against Him.
God's wrath is right (cf. Nah 1:3) … and terrible (cf. Nah 1:4-6; Mt 8:12; 2 Thes 1:9) … and certain (cf. Nah 1:8,9; Deut 32:35,39-41).
It is the wrath of God that Christ bore, in our place, on the cross. God offers His mercy in Jesus so that we might escape His horrible, everlasting judgment. The more we understand the wrath of God and, given that we deserve it in its consuming fullness, the deeper our wonder at the mercy of God in Christ and the greater our gratitude to our God and Savior … and the sweeter our love for Him.
Scripture Reading: John 3:22-36
John paints two portraits in this section of his gospel. Both are wonderful, but one is more wondrous. One portrait is an example to follow and the other portrait is a witness of divinity which we may not and cannot possess.
What we see here is a sterling example of humility. John the Baptizer is being compared, by his own disciples, to Jesus in His growing popularity. John recognizes his place, which is secondary to Jesus' primacy. He says, "I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him" (Jn 3: 28) … "The friend of the bridegroom . . . rejoices at the bridegrooms' voice" (Jn 3:29) . . . "He must increase, but I must decrease" (Jn 3:30). This man is wonderfully humble and a great encouragement to follow his example.
On the other hand, in this section, we have the exaltation of Christ as He is lauded in the grandest terms. "He who comes from above is above all" (Jn 3:31) . . . "He whom God has sent utters the words of God" (Jn 3:34) . . . "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand" (Jn 3:35). Jesus is lauded in the highest way.
One application of this passage is that Christ is the source of deep and abiding pleasure. "The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete" (Jn 3:30). We were made to long for joy … and the ultimate fulfillment of this longing is only Jesus.
Scripture Reading: John 3:17-21
Following John 3:16, we have something of an expansion of the purpose and results of the coming of Jesus. First, we have a statement of the grand purpose for which Jesus came, followed by some insight as to why people either receive or reject Christ.
John 3:17 says that God sent His Son not to condemn the world, but to save the world. At the very least this means that Christ has brought salvation into a fallen humanity, to offer eternal life to all people. Further, it means that Christ will gather to Himself people from all the nations … from every tribe and tongue.
But perhaps there is a far-reaching scope in view here … the final, restoration of all things. B. B. Warfield, in his sermon entitled "God's Immeasurable Love" says, "Are not the saints to inherit the earth? Is not the re-created earth theirs? Are not the kingdoms of the world to become the kingdom of God?"
We see in John 3:19 the deep-rooted reason why people reject Christ. "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil." People reject Jesus, not because they don't have enough information. The basic problem of the human heart is not a lack of light, but a love of the dark. The issue is one of desire. They want their sins more than they want God.
On the other hand, people who come to the light do so because their "works have been carried out in God" (Jn 3:21). It is God's grace, alone, which has worked in their sinful hearts, bringing them into the light. A summary of these verses could go like this … unbelief is our fault … belief is God's grace. Soli Deo gloria!
Scripture Reading: John 3:16-21
The most beloved and memorized verse in the Bible is John 3:16. In this wondrous sentence we have a summary of God’s glorious plan for securing a people for Himself for all eternity. Considering who God is and who we are, the actions of the Almighty on our behalf in this verse are staggering to see.
First, there is a warning in this verse. For those who do not hope in Jesus Christ, there is a perishing. This perishing is not just to die and leave this world. This perishing is more than physical death. It is an eternal, conscious punishment away from the presence of God (2 Thes 1:9).
Second, there is a plan revealed in this verse. God the Father, because of His infinite love for us, sent His only Son to die on our behalf. Nothing God could have given would have been more precious than His Son. It shouts to us of the depth of His love.
Third, there is a plea in this verse. Believe! Whoever believes in Christ has life. This belief is not just agreement with the facts about Jesus, but a wholehearted trust in Him alone.
Fourth, there is a promise in this verse. For those who hope in Jesus Christ, they have eternal life. Their hearts are changed and they are never again separated from God. To know Him is eternal life (1 Jn 5:20). Immortality is a reality in Jesus Christ. He is the answer to the soul’s longing for life, because He is life.
DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY
presidents and persecutions
Two major subjects converge this Sunday, both with global significance and both governed by a sovereign God. The first is the impending presidential election and the second is the persecuted church around the world.
There are many clear Biblical texts that say that when a person gains a position of authority (president, senator, judge, father), he is in that position because God put him there. "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings" (Dan 2:21). ". . . the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will" (Dan 4:17,25,32).
To know that the Ruler of the nations will use our voting on Tuesday to work His glorious, holy plan comforts us and speaks peace to our souls. This truth gives us strength, knowing that the future of our country and our individual lives, rests in the hand of our omnipotent God who "works all things after the counsel of His will" (Eph 1:11).
Since 1996, one Sunday in November has been designated the "International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church." We are commanded in the Bible to "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body" (Heb 13:3).
There are great benefits in considering, with both mind and heart, that the church elsewhere is suffering. First, it makes us bolder to share our faith with others (Phil 1:14). Second, it broadens our perspective concerning what God is doing in our world and how He is doing it. Third, it sobers us about our own faith, reminding us that we are in a deadly war and must live disciplined lives (2 Tim 1:8; 2:3).
"The Voice of the Martyrs" is a free monthly magazine designed to inform us about the suffering church the world over. For a free subscription, call 1-800-747-0085. The Voice of the Martyrs website address is www.persecution.com
Scripture Reading: John 3:9-15
Having spoken with Nicodemus of the process of the new birth, Jesus now turns His attention to the basis or means of the new birth. The new birth (regeneration) is necessary for entrance into the kingdom of God, but on what basis can such a transformation happen?
Jesus now takes Nicodemus into heavenly realities as He speaks of the work of redemption He came to perform. To illustrate His 'heavenly' truth, Jesus cites an Old Testament story that Nicodemus would have been very familiar with, found in Numbers 21. It is the story of yet another episode of Israelite sinning and God's judgment.
To judge and awaken the Jews in the wilderness, God sent a plague of snakes to bring disease and death. But God also provided a way for the Jews to be healed from the snake bites. Moses put a bronze snake on a pole and commanded the people to look to the snake to be healed. Those who believed what God had said, and looked at the elevated snake, were healed.
In John 3:14,15, Jesus referred to His death on a cross as the means of bringing salvation to a cursed humanity. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
Eternal life comes to every person who, in heartfelt faith, looks away from self to Christ, alone, for mercy and life. He is healing for every sin-cursed soul.
Scripture Reading: John 3:1-10
This is one of the clearest passages in the Bible regarding conversion. Nicodemus is a Jewish Pharisee and is sincerely seeking to know what God requires of a person. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus would have been taught to view religion as mainly behavioral. Jesus' statements to Nicodemus (and to us) indicate that what God requires is more profound and foundational than simply engaging in certain behaviors.
What is required to "see the kingdom of God," Jesus says, is a new birth. This new birth is not basically external. It is an internal cleansing. This is the meaning of being born "of water" (Jn 3:5). In mentioning 'water' Jesus may very well have had Ezekiel 36:25,26 in mind. "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."
What is needed to have a relationship with God is to be changed in our soul. It is a change of heart. It is much deeper than simply an adjustment in behavior. It is a radical change of who we actually are at the deepest level.
Second, this change is not something we have the capability of producing. It is something only the Spirit of God can do. This is the meaning of being born "of the Spirit" (Jn 3:5). Again, in Ezekiel 36, we read, "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules" (Ezek 36:27).
In 1 John 3:14, the way this new birth is depicted is to pass "from death to life." Conversion to Christ is not the healing of a sick person. It is the raising of the dead.
Originally Presented: April 5th, 2009
Romans 1:1 - 26:27
Overview of the Greatest Book Ever Written
Scripture Reading: John 2:23-25
If we read the gospel of John carefully, we see John's governing purpose illustrated again and again. John's purpose, which he specifically states at the end of his book, is to display the nature of Jesus … seen in the many signs which He did … in order that the readers of this book would believe in Christ and have eternal life.
John presents his accounts of Jesus' life and wondrous signs and the result is faith in Him. Today's passage mentions Jesus' signs and a resulting belief, but there does seem to be another point that John is making in these verses … a point about the nature of the kind of faith he is heralding in this gospel.
After John tells us that "many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing" (Jn 1:23), John tells us "But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people" (Jn 1:24).
John does seem to be making a statement about the 'belief' of the people who had seen the signs when he says that Jesus did not entrust himself to them. What immediately follows these few verses is the story of Nicodemus. He is an illustration of the description which we find in verses 23-25. He has responded to the miracles Jesus did, but his heart had not yet been changed.
There is a response to Christ, which the Bible even calls 'believing', which is not saving faith (cf. Jn 8:31ff; Acts 8:13; Jam 2:14-26). Intellectual acceptance of the facts about Jesus, and even an emotional delight in these facts, are not the essence of truly believing in Him. There must be a deep and profound resting in, relying on, Christ alone for spiritual life, which necessarily includes a turning away from any self-reliance to earn God's mercy
Originally Presented: March 29th, 2009
Scripture Reading: Romans 16:25-27
It is fitting for the book of Romans to end with a doxology ('word of praise'). There are many doxologies in the Bible … Rom 11:36; Heb 13:20,21; Jude 24,25. Here, after his long and detailed unfolding of the gospel of Christ, Paul stops explaining and simply worships.
The main point of this very long and complex sentence is seen when we put the first few words of the doxology with the last few words. "Now to Him . . . be the glory forever. Amen." This is both a statement of fact and a longing of the redeemed soul.
The fact is that God is glorious. His glory is the display of His intrinsic worth, His inestimable value, His utter uniqueness. His glory does not rest on human recognition. God is glorious whether or not anyone recognizes it.
This doxology is also a longing in the soul of Paul (and all believers) that God be seen and honored, in all the world, as possessing infinite worth. To 'glorify' God is to prize Him supremely for who He is.
The means of God's receiving His rightful honor is the person of His Son ("through Jesus Christ" in Rom 16:27) and the work of redeeming a people for His own name. The effect of this process of redemption is that God's people are strengthened. "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel . . ." (Rom 16:25).
God has created a universe which He knew would be corrupted by sin so that His full glory would be on display forever . . . seen in His mercy toward the redeemed and in His justice toward the wicked, with God the Son being the Lord and Judge of all.
Scripture Reading: John 2:12-22
This passage is John's account of Jesus cleansing the temple. John has the story at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all have accounts of Jesus clearing the temple too, but in those gospels it occurs just prior to Jesus' death, at the end of His ministry. The difference is probably to be explained by the possibility that Jesus cleared the temple of animal sales twice … once at the outset of His public ministry and once at the end.
Jesus did what He did at the time of Passover (Jn 2:13). The temple complex would have been crowded with many more people than normal. These travelers from other parts of Israel would need to exchange money for Jewish currency so they could pay the annual temple tax. They would need to purchase animals for Passover and other sacrifices. Such a commercial atmosphere in the temple was the focus of Jesus' actions.
Jesus' passionate indignation is an indication of His view of the importance and sanctity of worship, which is easily undermined by other distractions. Further, Jesus' answer to the Jews asking Jesus for a sign of His authority points us to the crucial fountain of genuine worship … Himself. Jesus said the sign they are asking for will be His resurrection. "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (Jn 2:19).
Genuine worship is, fundamentally, a matter of communion with Christ. The temple was a picture of coming to God … of having a relationship with God. The fountain of any genuine communion with the Creator is Jesus Himself … faith in Him … love for Him … obeying Him … reverence before Him.
Scripture Reading: John 2:1-11
Turning water into wine is one of Jesus' best-known miracles. Found only in the gospel of John, Jesus performed this miracle as the inaugural display of power in His public ministry (Jn 2:11). Having said that, it was not a fully-public miracle because only a few people actually knew what had happened.
John calls this miracle a 'sign,' (Jn 2:11) which is a word that he uses often in this gospel. Jesus' miracles were signs pointing people to His identity as the Son of God and the Messiah. John uses this word at the end of this gospel when he gives us his reason for writing it. "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name"
(Jn 20:30,31). Jesus' signs were meant to lead people to have faith in Him.
When Jesus turned the water into wine, it was an unmistakable demonstration of His power and authority over His creation. This much is obvious. But is there more here than simply a display of divine might?
Without being dogmatic (because the Biblical text does not spell it out), perhaps it was by design that Jesus' first miracle in His ministry was performed at a wedding … involving wine … and purification receptacles. The Old Testament sometimes used the imagery of a marriage in picturing God's relationship to His people, completed in the coming kingdom (Isa 54:4-8; 62:4,5). The predicted kingdom is described in terms of joy and an abundance of wine (Isa 25:6; Jer 31:12; Amos 9:13,14). Jesus' miracle here seems to be a symbol of the replacement of the old Mosaic system with new life in Christ.
Originally Presented: March 15th, 2009
Scripture Reading: Romans 16:17-20
Ever since the beginning of the human race there have been those who not only deny the truth about God, but offer alternative and false statements. In the garden of Eden, Satan blatantly declared, "You surely shall not die." His declaration to Eve was as deadly as it was untrue. Then there were the Egyptian magicians mimicking Moses' displays of divine power. And there were the false prophets who challenged Elijah and Jeremiah with idolatrous claims.
In the first century there was no shortage of false teachers, denying the nature and supremacy of Jesus. In Romans 16:17-20, Paul warned the Christians in Rome to be on the lookout for false teachers and turn away from them. In Romans 16:18 Paul exposes the hearts of these men. They are motivated by pride and personal honor rather than by being slaves of Christ.
Today there are many voices of which we must beware. They deny the person of Christ … they deny creation … they deny the reality of hell and they even deny the omniscience of God. The pillars of the church are its doctrines, revealed in the Bible. We must be serious students of the doctrines of the Scriptures or else the description of Romans 16:18 will be true of us - ". . . by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting."
Scripture Reading: John 1:35-51
God the Son is the obvious center of John 1. We see this by the repeated reference to Him, using different titles. He is the Word (Jn 1:1), God (1:1), Light (1:9), Jesus Christ (1:17), Lamb of God (1:29), Rabbi (1:38), Messiah (1:41), Son of God (1:49), King of Israel (1:49), Son of Man (1:51).
John the Baptist's entire ministry was carried out "that he [Jesus] might be revealed to Israel" (Jn 1:31). So even the stories in John 1:35-51, though they are about four men, are still about Jesus, ultimately. These men come to believe and to follow Christ. They are Andrew, Peter, Nathaniel, and an unnamed man (perhaps John, the apostle).
These men knew enough to recognize that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. Imagine the unrestrained joy in coming to that glorious realization! The One whom the Old Testament writings had anticipated for 4,000 years had been born in their lifetime and they saw and heard Him.
But this passage is ultimately about Jesus as He displays His mercy in inviting them to be with Him … "Come and you will see" (Jn 1:39). Jesus displays His absolute authority when He changes Simon's name to Peter (Jn 1:42). Jesus displays His omniscience when He declares what kind of heart Nathaniel has (Jn 1:47) and where Nathaniel had been (Jn 1:49).
Finally, Jesus declares that He is the ultimate link between heaven and sinful humanity … "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man" (Jn 1:51). Let us rejoice with all our might that, in Christ, heaven has opened to us. Jesus brings us to God (1 Pet 3:18)!
Originally Presented: March 8th, 2009
Scripture Reading: Romans 16:1-16
Shakespeare wrote: "Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel." Solomon wrote: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Prov 27:6) and "As iron sharpens iron, so one men sharpens another" (Prov 27:17). Our friends are crucial to the quality of our lives. With good friends we are helped immeasurably; without them we are profoundly diminished. Perhaps no other single passage in the New Testament lets us see in the mind and heart of Paul with respect to his friends than Romans 16.
Notice the basis for the connection between the people listed in this chapter. The basis for their relationship is not personality or hobbies or economic status. The foundation of their relationship is, first, identity in Christ. Note how often how often Paul describes these people as being "in Christ" or "in the Lord." The bond of being in Christ is more profound than flesh and blood.
Second, the people in Romans 16 are bound to each other by work in Christ's kingdom. Prisca and Aquila are "fellow-workers" (v 3); Mary "has worked hard" (v 6); Urbanus is "our fellow-worker" (v 9); Tryphaena and Tryphosa are "workers in the Lord" and Persis "worked hard" (v 12). Christian friendship is based on working hard in the kingdom of Christ.
A third element of Christian friendship, seen in these verses, is suffering. Prisca and Aquila are described as having "risked their own necks" for Paul (v 4) and Adronicus and Junius are described as "fellow prisoners" (v 7). Philippians 3:10 speaks of knowing "the fellowship of His suffering."
Romans 16 is a call to deep-rooted community that is often lacking in our superficial culture. Let us go deeper in the reality of our community together for the name of Christ.
Scripture Reading: John 1:29-34
This passage is the second extended paragraph containing John the Baptist's declarations about Jesus. It is clear from the statements in this section of John 1 that the Baptist had one thing on his mind … the exaltation of the person of Christ. John makes two remarkable and awesome pronouncements concerning Christ. He is the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29) and He is the Son of God (Jn 1:34).
These two titles are profound and from them we see that Jesus performs two acts … at least two acts in this paragraph. Jesus takes away sins (Jn 1:29) and He baptizes with the Holy Spirit (Jn 1:33).
As the sacrificial Lamb of God, Jesus takes away the sin and its penalty for the world. Of course, this cannot mean that every person in the world will be forgiven. There are many Biblical passages that do not allow such an interpretation. D. A. Carson is helpful here. "This Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world – that is, of all human beings without distinction, though not . . . of all [human beings] without exception" (Carson, The Gospel According to John, 151). All tribes and tongues are offered the gospel of Christ and all tribes and tongues will be represented in heaven (cf. Rev 5:9,10)
As the Son of God, Jesus baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes through Jesus, both in the work of regeneration and in the ongoing work of changing us into the image of Christ. The word 'baptism' here seems to indicate our being immersed … plunged into the life of the Holy Spirit with life-changing effects.
Let us consider afresh, from this passage, who Jesus is and what He has done/is doing for us. And let us adore Him all the more.
Originally Presented: March 1st, 2009
Scripture Reading: Romans 15:22-33
In this section of Romans, Paul lays out his future plans. Having preached over most of the eastern section ("Jerusalem to Illyricum" - Rom 15:19) of the Roman empire, he sets his sights on Spain, the farthest western realm of Roman rule. On his way to Spain Paul desires to stop to see the Christians in Rome, where he has never been (Rom 1:13; 15:22).
A couple of lessons for us seem to stand out from this section. First, Paul's passion to spread the gospel of Christ, regardless of cost to him personally, is a stirring example to us to expend our lives for the kingdom of Christ.
Second, the collection Paul will take to the saints in Jerusalem, gathered from Christians in Macedonia and Achaia (Rom 15:26) was given with joy. "They were pleased to do so" (Rom 15;27). All our offerings ought to be out of delight to share what we have for the work of Christ's kingdom. Only offerings given willingly and joyfully are acceptable to God (2 Cor 9:7).
Third, Paul requests that the ardent prayers of the Roman Christians be made on his behalf. Paul's request is that the Romans "strive together with me in your prayers" (Rom 15:30). The word 'strive' connotes passion and disciplined agony. One encouragement in this request is that it is made of people who had never met Paul. We can pray for believers in other countries whom we have never met, and we can do it with great passion because it is the majesty of Christ we contend for.
Scripture Reading: John 1:19-28
The overall purpose of the gospel of John is that "you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name" (Jn 20:31). To that end, in writing this gospel, John is making a case for the nature of Jesus. Jesus is presented as the Son of God and is, in fact, God in human flesh.
In language that has a legal air to it, John presents evidence, which he calls 'witnesses,' of the person of Jesus. In one form or another John uses the word 'witness' 47 times in this book. (Matthew, Mark, and Luke, combined, only use this word 6 times).
The first of these 'witnesses' is John the Baptist. John (the author) presents John the Baptist as a witness very early in this gospel. "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light" (Jn 1:6-8).
In today's passage John (the author) begins to present the verbal witness of John the Baptist. In a display of genuine humility, John the Baptist exalts Christ and vehemently recoils from the slightest suggestion that he might be the Messiah (Jn 1:19,20). He is but a "voice crying out in the wilderness" to prepare Israel for the Coming One.
John is a sterling example to us of the humility that results from being consumed with the person of Christ. It is a lifelong struggle for our proud human hearts to be enthralled with the glories of Jesus. Let us consider John the Baptist that we might be drawn to give Jesus His rightful due in our minds and hearts.
Originally Presented: February 22nd, 2009
Scripture Reading: Romans 15:19
In his recounting his ministry, Paul makes reference to what Christ had accomplished through him (Rom 15:18) and he cites that this work was done "in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit" (Rom 15:19). The phrase "signs and wonders" (or a variation) appears sixteen times in the New Testament and the connotation is always a reference to something miraculous.
The word 'sign' refers to the purpose for the miracle, usually to affirm the authenticity of the truth of Christ (cf. Acts 2:22; 15:12) or of the validity of the apostles (cf. 2 Cor 12:12; Heb 2:4). The word 'wonder' refers to the unusual character of some act or event and always appears, in the New Testament, in conjunction with the word 'sign'.
Are the wonders of which we read in the New Testament still being performed today? Many ministries today are built almost exclusively on what appears to be miraculous healings.
The Bible tells us to pray for the sick that they might be healed (Jam 5:13-15) and most of us know personally of some wondrous answer to prayer for the sick. Although God still does wondrous miracles in healing people, the power which He gave to the apostles to perform such acts has ended with the apostolic age.
Miracle working power was associated with the apostles (cf. Acts 2:43; 5;12; 15:12; Heb 2:4). Peter commanded the paralyzed to walk and raised the dead (Acts 9:32-43). Paul blinded a false prophet (Acts 13:6-12). Jesus gave power to the apostles to "heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers" (Matt 10:8).
Miracles have certainly not ceased, but God granting to men the power to raise the dead and give sight to the blind ("signs and wonders") surely ended with the apostolic age.
Scripture Reading: John 1:14-18
There is no event in human history of more wonder and majesty and significance than the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity. The Creator and Owner of everything that is, became a human being. He walked on the earth He created. He ate the food that existed because He made it. The Creator became a creature. As Michael Card wrote in his song … "Eternity stepped into time."
It is staggering to consider the magnitude of what happened when God the Son became a man. John 1:18 tells us that when people saw Jesus they saw God … "the only God, who is at the Father's side, he [the Son] has made him [the Father] known." Christ is the fullest revelation of God to humanity.
"All that mortal man is capable of knowing about God the Father is fully revealed to us by God the Son. . . . In Christ's words, and deeds, and life, and death, we learn as much concerning God the Father as our feeble minds can at present bear" (J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John, 1:26).
The strengthening application of the reality that God the Son became flesh is seen in John 1:16. "And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." Like successive waves lapping onto the shore, Christ's grace sustains, comforts, and encourages us, as one wave of divine grace gives way to another. There can scarcely be a more strengthening reality than the grace of Jesus in all our troubles and tears.
Originally Presented: February 1st, 2009
Scripture Reading: Romans 15:7-13
The final exhortation to Christians to accept one another, in spite of their behavioral differences in non-essential things, includes a deliberate reference to the whole Old Testament by way of quotations. One last time before he leaves his topic, Paul states in no uncertain terms, ". . . accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God" (Rom 15:7).
First, the coming of Christ is the fountain of the salvation of believing Jews. "For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers" (Rom 15:8).
Second, the coming of Christ is the fountain of the salvation of believing Gentiles. "And for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, 'Therefore I will give praise to Thee among the Gentiles, and I will sing to Thy name'" (Rom 15:9). Jew and Gentile are made one in Christ so there is infinite reason for them to accept each other in spite of differences of conscience and behavior.
To buttress the notion that the mercy of God has been extended to the Gentile world, Paul quotes from the three sections into which the Jews divided the Old Testament … Law, Prophets, Writings. Romans 15:10 is from Deuteronomy 32:43 (Law); Romans 15:11 is from Psalm 117:1 (Writings); Romans 15:12 is from Isaiah 11:6 (Prophets).
The whole of the Old Testament sounds the theme that the glory of God is to be echoed in the nations of the earth, Jew and Gentile alike. The promises made to Abraham will be enjoyed by all who trust in Abraham's Messiah. It is a message of great hope (Romans 15:13).
Scripture Reading: John 1:9-13
After writing about the wholesale rejection of Christ, both by the world and by the Jewish people (Jn 1:10,11), John reminds us that there was still a remnant of people who did not reject Jesus. Taken together, John 1:12,13 highlight two elements of conversion … the human response, in verse 12, and the divine source, in verse 13.
To become a child of God, someone must 'receive' Jesus and 'believe on His name'. The two words are virtually equivalent in this verse. The verb 'receive' helps us to understand what it means to 'believe' in Jesus. One cannot 'believe' in Jesus without 'receiving' Jesus. Certainly 'to receive' means to welcome … to enter into a relationship with.
According to John 1:12, no one can become a child of God without receiving Jesus. This means that there are multiplied millions of people who imagine themselves to be God's children, but, in reality, are not.
In this passage we see John's first mention of the new birth. Expanding the imagery of a family, John 1:13 says that people who receive Jesus are 'born'. A new birth is required to be a child of God and the source of this birth is wholly divine. It is not from physical descent, nor from physical birth, nor from human decision. "New birth is, finally, nothing other than an act of God" (D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 126).
Originally Presented: January 25th, 2009
Scripture Reading: Romans 15:4
After quoting Psalm 69:9 in Romans 15:3 to highlight the idea that even Jesus did not please himself in His death, Paul makes the statement, "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Rom 15:4).
The whole of the Bible was written for us, that we might persevere in hope through the encouragement we gain from Biblical stories and doctrines. We witness the power of God in the collapse of Jericho's walls. We are stunned by the awesome devastation of God's wrath, seen in the great flood and the inferno that fell on Sodom and Gomorrah. We are comforted by the outcome of the plight of Job because we see that all will, in the end (whether on earth or in heaven) be well for God's people.
One of the results, in our hearts, of the things written in the Scriptures is that we have hope. We have hope because of God's promises. "I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope" (Psa 130:5). We have hope because of the plans of God. "For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope" (Jer 29:11). We have hope in the return of Christ to the earth. ". . . looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus" (Titus 2:13).
Scripture Reading: John 1:9-13
In this passage John is continuing to unfold the implications of his statement, "In him was life, and the life was the light of men"
(Jn 1:4). John is focusing on the nature of Jesus as 'light'. John frequently uses the word 'light' in his gospel (23 times) as he contrasts the light of Christ with the darkness of the world.
When John says that Jesus is the 'true light' (Jn 1:9), it is a reference to his being the genuine source of life and guidance, as opposed to religious leaders and ideas that are false. There are many false 'lights' in the world, as there always have been.
John 1:9 says that this true Light "gives light to everyone." This is probably a reference to the general revelation of God in creation as well as the light seen in Jesus in His incarnation. The coming of Christ to the earth makes the truth that has always been visible in creation even more precisely visible.
The staggering reality is that when Jesus, who created the world and everything in it, came into the world, the people soundly rejected Him. Even the Jews, who ought to have known Him, did not receive Him. Such is the darkness of sin that blinds the human heart. The natural heart does not see the light … does not want to see the light … even if the true Light blazes in divine glory. May God, increasingly, give us eyes to see Him … and adore Him.
Originally Presented: January 11th, 2009
Scripture Reading: Romans 15:1-6
The first section of Romans 15 is a continuation of the subject introduced in chapter 14, namely how Christians view each other and treat each other in the face of disagreement concerning non-essential matters. (Remember that originally there were no chapter and verse divisions in the Biblical manuscripts. The chapter divisions were added in 1205 and verse divisions were added in the 1500's.)
Romans 15:1-6 is another call for unity in the church when differences regarding practice in life are present. The call to tender consideration of the views of others is seen in Romans 15:1,2. This is not new. We see the same call in Romans 14. What is new in this passage are two results of harmony within the church.
"Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus" (Rom 15:5). We experience greater encouragement and are able to better persevere when we live in harmony with each other.
We see a second result of church harmony in verse 6. ". . . that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." God is honored by our unity. Corporate church life is never to be an end in itself. The glory of God is always the final and ultimate result and purpose.
Originally Presented: January 4th, 2009
Scripture Reading: Romans 14:1-6
We live at breakneck speed, with activities filling our days to the maximum extent. We usually take little time for rest, whether it is rest for our body or rest for our mind. We eat our meals quickly, drive quickly, and talk with those we love but briefly. It is a frenzy that, for the most part, is not healthy . . . neither physically, nor spiritually.
What often gets neglected is time, precious time, spent in thinking about our great God, praying to Him, meditating on His eternal Word. In the 4th commandment, God commands that one day a week we cease from the madness of life's activities. The purpose for this pause is that we might regularly consider, without distraction, the greatness of God and the wonder of His works.
We follow the apostles' example (cf. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2) of observing this rest on the first day of the week, not on the seventh, as was the Jewish practice. The principle remains the same. We must take one day off in seven, as a pattern that God Himself established in the creation of the universe.
If we insist on working week in and week out without a break, without thoughtful consideration of the splendor of the Almighty God and what He has done in Jesus Christ on our behalf, we are guilty of being not only irreverent, but foolish. We think that in completing so many tasks we are being more productive. The truth is that it is sinful . . . an affront to the dominion of God over time.
WESTMINSTER LARGER CATECHISM
(A.D. 1648)
Question # 117
How is the Sabbath or the Lord's Day to be sanctified?
Answer: The Sabbath or Lord's Day is to be sanctified by a holy resting all the day, not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful; and making it our delight to spend the whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity and mercy) in the public and private exercises of God's worship: and to that end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day.
Scripture Reading John 1:4-9
In this section of his prologue (Jn 1:1-18), John continues to describe the nature of the Son of God. Here, using simple words that he will use frequently in this gospel, John declares that Jesus is 'life' and 'light.'
Whereas it is true that all life in the material world (plant life, animal life, human life) issues from the Son who created all things (Jn 1:3), John probably has in mind, at least primarily, eternal life when he says, "In him was life" in John 1:4. In this gospel, John usually refers to the everlasting life God gives when he uses the word 'life' (cf. Jn 5:24; 8:12). So it is the quality of divine life that is in view here.
What issues from Christ's life is light for all to see. The light of Christ is the truth that guides someone through earthly days, and leads to the presence of God in heaven.
One implication of this wonderful reality is that it is possible for someone to have physical life, but not spiritual life. Such people are the 'walking dead.' Having closed their eyes to the truth they spend the whole of their lives living in the darkness of the deception of sin … and loving this darkness (cf. Jn 3:19).
The light which is in Christ and which enlightens the world, shines through the general revelation of creation and providence … through the Biblical record … and through the lives of His followers. To herald the coming of the eternal Word, God sent a man … John the Baptist (Jn 1:6-8). God could have proclaimed the truth about His Son through angels, or by giving speech to the wind. Instead, He has committed the proclamation of His gospel to people … John the Baptist … and us.