Grace Baptist Chapel

Luke Part 57: Let the Little Children Come (and let us come as little children)

2012-02-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 18:15-17

In this passage of Luke we read about Jesus interacting with a group of children. In this scene, we see that there were many parents bringing their children to Jesus for blessing. Were some of the children sick and needed healing? Did the parents want a blessing for some superstitious reason? Were they just impressed because Jesus was a great teacher, and wanted a blessing for that reason? The reasons are not disclosed.

(Note that two different words for kids are used in this passage: one for infants or babies, and one for children up to teenage years.)

The disciples didn't want Jesus bothered by this situation. But Jesus overruled them. He told them not to forbid them, to let them come. The Kingdom of God belongs to such as them. There are two areas of encouragement here. First, parents are encouraged to bring their children to Jesus. We do that when we bring our children to the worship service, the place where we expect to meet Jesus. We do that in our prayer, in our Bible studies, in our times of family devotions. Second, Jesus gives encouragement that He will not turn them away.

What is the thrust of Jesus' teaching? Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God like a little child shall not enter in. All, regardless of age, must enter into the kingdom in the way of a child.

What is the way of a child? This is a simple description of faith. A child can come, because a child can exercise faith. And children, in their relationship to their parents, are examples of faith.

A child is dependent on the resources of another. So are we, as Christians, and it does not change as we grow in Christ.
A child has complete trust. In the same way, we put our total trust in God.
A child has complete sincerity. Their deepest relationship of trust and dependence is with their parents. Likewise, we have many relationships with those around us, but only one relationship of trust and dependence -- with the Lord.
Children naturally love their parents. They delight in the child-parent relationship. They want to be cared for. Likewise, we should delight in our relationship with God.
It's not a one-time thing. A child is continuously dependent and trusting. Likewise, our relationship to the Lord is a continual thing, not a one-time event.

Although we are all imperfect, and often fall short, these items above are what we strive after, what we are called to in our faith.

So we see that the kingdom of heaven is made up of childlike people. Also, we read here that it is received like a child. What does it mean to "receive" the kingdom? The kingdom is Christ; receiving the kingdom is the same thing as receiving Christ, and being in Christ.

Have you received Christ? If not, humble yourself as a child and receive Him? If so, follow Him with childlike faith!

Luke Part 56: Pray and not lose heart

2012-01-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 18:1-14

This passage brings to a conclusion a section of Luke that has started at the 9th chapter. All through this section, Luke has contained teachings on kingdom life that are mostly exclusive to his gospel. After this section, Luke tracks along much more closely with Mark and Matthew's accounts.

In this final passage about kingdom like, Jesus is talking about prayer. He's discussing what our part is in maintaining a relationship with Him, the kind of relationship that enables men to pray and not to faint.

We have two parables presented to us: that of the unrighteous judge and of the Pharisee and the publican. In both these parables, striking contrasts are shown between the two individuals.

First, we have the unrighteous judge. This judge doesn't fear God or respect man. Probably to the Jews, this represented a Roman ruler who was presiding over the Jews, but didn't really care about them. There is no constraint upon this man; he is a God unto himself. This despicable individual is the direct opposite of our loving heavenly Father, who does indeed have a regard and care for men.

A widow is seeking justice, or righteous judgment. Initially, the judge has no inclination to help her, but he eventually relents because she simply refuses to be quieted. He will do what she has asked, just to be done with her.

Jesus tells us to pay attention to the response of the unrighteous judge, and so see the contrast between the unrighteous judge and our heavenly Father. We should have a different expectation than the widow. The judge granted her request out of his own self-interest, but God grants our requests because He loves us and loves righteousness.

The widow had a low standing in society. Widows were assured of nothing; they were in a precarious position. But our standing is free access to the Judge of the Kingdom. We know our Judge will judge rightly.

The widow shows us consistency, an example of coming constantly. She is an example of constant coming. Like her, we should pray and not lose heart or "faint". Why we should always be praying:

There are always further things to pray about. Answered prayer will lead to more encouragement for us, more coming to God, more requests.
Our Judge rules according to righteousness, not according to what we might think is right. So we should not lose heart when we find he has ruled in a way different that what we were wanting.
Sometimes, His answer is simply "No" or "Not yet." He knows what is best for us.

Then there is the question: will Christ find such faith as is taught here? A faith close to God, a faith that feels on closeness to Him? This sort of faith requires effort. It takes time and thought. It is easy to lose heart!

Then we come to the second parable, of the publican and the Pharisee. What does Luke include this parable? Luke is calling us to a closeness with the Lord. Are we just casually acquainted with Him? Are our eyes, like the Pharisee, fixed on ourselves on and on Him?

If you think you have an extensive knowledge of the Bible; if you think you have superior doctrine; if you come to God on the basis of those things, you are like the Pharisee. If you come on no basis, if you see your own sinfulness, you are the publican. Come to Him with the understanding that He knows you completely, and loves you anyway.

Christians can fall into the trap of the Pharisee. If you no longer see the need to confess sin and be real before God, coming understanding your own unworthiness, you need this reminder!

Note that the publican asked for something. Ask! That is what the Lord wants us to do. If this wretch can come before God and ask for something, should not his children do the same?

Will we pray and faint not? Will we be those who humble ourselves before God? Will we die to ourselves and live for Him? Will the Lord find "such faith" as seen here in us?

Luke Part 55: Prophecies from the Olivet Discourse

2012-01-15T16:42:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 17:22-37

This section recorded here could also be referred to as the "Olivet Discourse". Chapter 24 of Matthew contains a more detailed account of this discourse. Matthew's account is targeted at the Jews, and contains more description to enable them to foresee the destruction in 70 AD. There is also some prophecy applied to the Second Coming of Christ. Luke's gospel is targeted primarily at the Gentiles, so the account here is more broadly applicable.

This passage might be considered as "meat"... not the simple "milk" that is easy to digest, but rather a teaching for those who are already strong and wise to digest. The prophecies contained in this passage are mysterious; there is not unanimity of opinion in these verses. Some thinks are known and some things are hidden; here are a few observations:

In the first section, verses 22-25, Luke records the words, "days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man". Jesus' followers will suffer in this life. A time will come for some of them when they will want for it to be finished. You may have to suffer greatly in the service of the King. In all these things, you are expected to be joyful; remembering that it is in trials where you will meet Him.

Note that some will say "Here is Jesus!". But, where Jesus truly is, you don't need for it to be pointed out. When Jesus is at work, His people will know it. When the Son of Man is at work upon the earth, it will be clear for all to see.

The second section encompasses verse 26-33. It begins with a comparison to the times Noah and Sodom. From this we see that when the Son of Man is revealed, there will be a sudden interruption of ordinary life. In a similar way, people who escaped the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD found that their lives were turned upside-down.

"Remember Lot's wife." Those who cherish this life, those who long for this life, who cannot bear for it to be interrupted, these will be those who lose their life. For Christians, life in this world is secondary -- they love the Lord more than they love this life.

The third section covers verses 34-36. The basic principle here is that every individual must deal with the Lord on his won. There are two people that seem identical, working and living together, but only one is taken. The other is left to suffer the judgment that awaits those who reject Christ.

Finally, we get to verse 37. This verse is difficult to apply. Note that the disciples as "Where" not "When" will these things take place. Jesus doesn't give a direct answer pointing to a particular place. His response is sort of like a proverb such as, "if the shoe fits..." The fulfillment of these things may occur in different places and in different ways.

Luke Part 54: The Ten Lepers

2012-01-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 17:11-20

As we have seen in the previous passage, trials and tribulations are inevitable in the kingdom, and it will be necessary for us to ask forgiveness. In that passage, the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith, and Jesus told them to follow Him and trust that their faith would see them through.

This passage (the miracle of the ten lepers) continues on the teaching of the previous one (the story of the unprofitable servant). Note that these events didn't happen in direct chronological order. Luke placed this account here in order to show an additional example of the teaching also contained in the parable of the unprofitable servant.

This account begins by showing us the ten lepers. Remember that leprosy was often used as a picture of sin. These lepers stood afar off, as they were required to.

All of the ten lepers called out to Jesus for mercy. All of the ten sought Him. Jesus reached out to them and told them to show themselves to the priest. All ten obeyed Him, following His command. On the way there, a healing occurred, but only one of the healed men returned to thank Jesus.

The nine who didn't return are like the unprofitable servant. They had done what they were told to do, and they received a benefit. But their focus remained on themselves. They showed no desire to have an increased stewardship or a closer relationship with Jesus. They showed no gratitude. Only the one who returned showed those things. Note that the Lord cared about these nine as well. He was saddened by their failure to return in gratitude.

This one who returned was made a whole man. He didn't need to have his faith increased; he had been given sufficient faith.

Then, in the 20th verse, the Pharisees demand to know when the kingdom was coming. They missed the teaching of Jesus about a spiritual kingdom, and were still expecting a physical fulfillment of the kingdom prophecies. (Note: Asking questions of the Lord is a good thing. But we must come to Him with a humble attitude; we must never come in a demanding spirit.)

Jesus answered that the kingdom doesn't come with observation. Jesus was fulfilling these things spiritually, the way they had been intended to be fulfilled, not physically, as they misunderstood.

We are not waiting for a kingdom to come. God is reigning now. We're in the kingdom now. It's not physically observed; there is no pomp and circumstance associated with the true kingdom of God. If you see that, get away; you can be sure that it is false. This kingdom is not in a particular place; it is worldwide.

Loving service to God is the word of the kingdom. Be looking to Jesus the King of this kingdom!

Luke Part 53: A True, Loving, Servant's Attitude

2012-01-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 17:1-7

This passage continues Jesus' teachings on kingdom life. In the first few verses, there is a short exhortation regarding trials and difficulties. Note first that Jesus says that these trials and difficulties are inevitable -- they will come. Even in this new kingdom of light and love, outcroppings of sin and difficulty will appear. Yet, we each have a responsibility to govern ourselves and to help others. Jesus says, "Woe to him" who brings those trials. We must take heed to ourselves. A forgiven people is still a vigilant people, taking care not to cause our brothers and sisters in Christ to stumble.

Then, we are reminded to be ready to forgive and ask forgiveness. We are not isolationists; we are living in constant contact with other Christians. We will all still fall in areas and need to ask forgiveness. It doesn't matter how often we sin or are sinned against; we must forgive and ask for forgiveness.

The disciples regarding this exhortation to constant forgiveness as a radical and difficult teaching, and so they said, "Increase our faith!" Jesus responds by telling them that if they had faith as a mustard seed, they could do mighty things. The teaching here is that the faith that you have if sufficient to enable you to do what God has given you to do. God equips us completely for his work.

Yet, we still have difficulties. Why? The answer is our walk. To bring this home, Jesus provides the example of the master and the servant. The servant does a number of chores for the master, but is not praised or thanked for them, because he is merely doing his duty.

This is a negative example, not a parable of life in the kingdom. The servant in this example was serving only to survive. He was merely doing what his master had commanded and he was performing his duty slavishly. Why should he have the attitude that he should be highly commended for only doing what he had to do to get by?

Unlike that servant, we should realize that it is a high honor to serve God! It should amaze us that we can serve the living God! Our service, therefore, should be one of joy and gladness. We are not serving simply to survive. God has given to us all things, and we serve Him out of gratitude for all He has done for us. Our Savior Jesus is an excellent example both of a perfect servant and of a reason for our gratitude and love.

We must always stay on guard against a slavish attitude. When we see added responsibilities piled on us, we shouldn't groan under the load, but see them as an extra privilege for us. We are serving our King!

Luke Part 52: Stewardships

2011-12-29T13:19:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 16:1-13

In this section, Jesus teaches about the stewardships entrusted to all men. He gives the parable of the Unrighteous Steward.

First, we must keep in mind the context of this teaching. Christ is teaching about the Kingdom, a new thing starting. He is teaching about its divisiveness, the individuality of faith, and the ready reception of sinners. Now he is teaching about stewardship.

In the story of the unrighteous steward, we see an example of how people in the world know how to take care of themselves. The master is impressed by the shrewd dealings of the unrighteous steward.

The parable is a bit of a strange one, so it's helpful that the Lord makes some application of the parable afterwards. We should consider the application and apply it to our own lives.

First, we should consider that God has given each of us a stewardship. Each of us has been given a body and life in this world. Each of us will give an account of the deeds done in this body. At the least, in light of this, we ought to take care of our physical bodies.

Next, consider that each of us has been given an area of responsibility. All that we possess is really just a stewardship from the Lord. Those of us who are parents have special areas of great responsibility in our children. If we have jobs, that is a stewardship. Our relationships with others, such as friends and co-workers give us spheres of influence that are to be used carefully.

Here are four things to keep in mind in order to be faithful stewards of what God has given to us:

1. Use the things of this world to make friends. Be generous with what God has given you. Show love and appreciation within the realm of your responsibility. Don't bury your stewardship in the ground. Use what God has entrusted you with for the good of others, particularly fellow believers.

2. There is nothing insignificant in the stewardship. We must be faithful in all things, even the small things. In order to develop habits of faithfulness, it is critical to develop and establish faithfulness in the small things of life.

3. We can't compartmentalize our lives. We can't act like the world in some areas of our lives and act like Christians in others. You must think spiritually about your job, your housework, etc. These things have a direct correlation to your spiritual well-being. And, bring your "secular" problems to the Lord!

4. You cannot love God and the world. You cannot serve two masters. You cannot live a life focused on immediate gratification while maintaining a view for eternal things.

Note finally, that even in our failings, the Lord will get the glory. He will restore us and put us back on the path, telling us to get going again. Start afresh and start now! Put these things into practice!

Luke Part 51: Christ Receives Sinners

2011-12-29T12:05:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 15

This passage contains three parables: The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Prodigal Son. All three stories share common themes. They portray the horrible condition of mankind in reality, that man is a hopeless sinner. They show that men are received when they come in repentance, and they show the great rejoicing over a redeemed sinner.

In the first two parables, note that Jesus is identifying with the despised people group: shepherds and women.

First, we have the parable of The Lost Sheep. The sheep who is lost doesn't have the ability to find his way back home. He's helpless. He has no self-defense. See how the shepherd finds him and brings him back. We don't just need a Shepherd to save us, we need a Shepherd to keep us and carry us home.

Next, the parable of The Lost Coin. Like the woman, the Holy Spirit will stir things up to retrieve a lost soul. The coin is like a helpless sinner; it will lie where it is until someone puts out his hand to find it. The woman uses a light to search for the coin, symbolizing the Spirit bringing truth to bear on a sinner's heart.

Finally, there is the Prodigal Son. This story is detailed and clear. The story begins with the son who is not satisfied with his father's provision. He is greedy, not content. He wants his portion of the inheritance now.

Like any sinner, the son is an escapist. He want to get as far away from the father as possible. He wants to be free from all restraint. What is the outcome? The son wastes all that he has and winds up broke and hungry, working in a pig sty. For the Jew, this would have been the worst place imaginable.

What happens then? Does the son just pray a little prayer, and all is well? No! He comes to himself, he assesses his sad condition accurately, and he makes a radical change, returning to his father in humility. See how he is convinced of the goodness of the father, how he is certain that his father will receive sinners!

And he is received, with great affection! He is given a robe, symbolizing the Robe of Righteousness, and a ring, symbolizing the sealing of the Spirit. He is given shoes to equip him to do the work of the father.

Christ is encouraging all to turn to the Father in repentance. Do these descriptions fit you? Come to Him! He will receive those whom He is encouraging to come!

Luke Part 50: Counting the Cost and Being Salt

2011-12-29T10:45:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 14:25-35

This section describes the cost of kingdom life. A humble, committed faith is required to be part of the kingdom. Are you wanting to rest and take your ease? Wanting to play and enjoy recreation?

Jesus says, if you really want to follow Him:

You must hate everyone else, in comparison to your love to Him. Who will you associate with first? Christ and His followers, or your friends and relatives outside the kingdom.

You must take up your cross. Everyone will have a cross to bear. What is your cross? Your own nature: your pride, ambition, selfishness. These things must be battled against always.

There is a cost. Christ tells the truth; He is not trying to "bait and switch". This is a place of commitment where work is required.

You must sue for peace. Like the king on the parable, who compares the armies, you must see that you can't win this fight, and you must do it fast. You must commit yourself to the mercy of the coming King. Nothing you can bring to Christ will satisfy Him. Cast yourself on Him and withhold nothing if you are to be His disciple.

Finally, there is the picture of salt. First, Jesus declares that "salt is good". It is good to be a disciple of Christ!

Salt was valuable in the ancient world, and was known for several characteristics from which applications can be made:

Salt represented purity. Salt's glistening whiteness suggests a life of holiness, of commitment to the highest moral and ethical standards.

Salt is a preservative. Believers preserve society, offering a semblance of righteousness in this fallen world. Believers preserve the truth of God's Word.

Salt is an antiseptic. Salt treats wounds and provides (a painful) healing to sufferers -- the witness of believers brings a relief to those suffering with sin.

Salt makes people thirsty. When the world sees us, we should make them thirsty for what we have.

Salt gives a pungency of flavor. Salt is a flavor enhancer. It makes things tasty. In the same way, Christians should add a certain savor to life.

Note that Jesus didn't say, "You ought to be salt", but that "you are salt". A true Christian will be salt to the world around him.

How does salt lose its savor? Much of the salt around the Dead Sea was contaminated with gypsum. In the same way, a life contaminated with sin will lose its savor. Let us put away sin and be fully salty towards the world around us!

Luke Part 49: The Parables of the Feasts

2011-12-29T10:38:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 14:1-24

The previous section of Luke emphasized the division between those within God's Kingdom and those without. This theme is continued in this passage, as Jesus gives two teachings based around the theme of feasts.

The teaching begins as Jesus is invited, on the Sabbath, into the house of one of the Pharisees to eat. They are watching Him closely, looking for a slip-up. He begins by seeing a man suffering from dropsy. Understanding the question in the Pharisees' hearts, He asks if it is permissible to heal on the Sabbath. Since they do not reply, Jesus heals the man, sends him on his way, and explains that freeing this man from disease was no different than letting loose any of their animals on the Sabbath.

Next, Jesus presents a parable about seeking honor at a wedding feast. What is this about? The point of the parable is that, to enter the narrow gate, you must approach god with humility. Do not take the position of being the Ruler of your soul. Instead, view yourself as deserving of nothing and bow before the Master, God Himself.

Then Jesus goes on to discuss how they should not invite the wealthy to their dinners, but the poor. Jesus is describing the correct way to perform charity -- not to perform charity out of self-interest, giving to receive again. In charity, your motivation should be simply for the good of the person whom you are helping, not for what you can get in return.

This is followed by a comment from a guest: "Blessed is everyone who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!" This guest is missing the point: are you going to be one of the ones in the kingdom? Jesus tells another parable to make this point clear.

In this parable, God the Father is portrayed as a man who has given a great feast, representing salvation. The prophets have been declaring the invitation to this feast for years, but those who have been invited are saying, "What I want to do with my life is more important to me than my soul. This is more important than Jesus Christ. I'm not ready for Christ now."

It's not OK to put it off. The Father is angry at the spurned invitation. The man holding the feast invites the crippled and lame, those who were not allowed to enter the temple. Still, (v22) there is more room! Consider that there is still room in the kingdom for sinners! The Master sees that there are still people who need to come into the kingdom. There is assurance and acceptance for those who come to God.

You may ask yourself, "How can I know if the feast is for me?" Are you coming to the feast? Coming to God is a fruit of election; if you are coming, you can have confidence that you will be received.

Come! What can be more important in your life than this feast of salvation? Come as you are, acknowledging your sin, knowing you will be received.

Luke Part 48: With the coming kingdom will come a division

2011-12-18T18:50:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 13:10-35

In this section we see that Jesus is a separator of men. There are only two groups of people, only two destinies. You will either be consumed by or purified by the fire He is bringing.

In this section, we see a few events that teach this great division among min that the Lord is bringing.

First, we have the example of the crippled woman who is healed. She is a picture of Israel under the Law: bent down, burdened, rather than freed on the Sabbath to pursue good.

Rather than making the Sabbath a time of special condemnation and rule-making, the Jews should have taken the opportunity of the Sabbath rest to see the coming Messiah's deliverance from a striving, works-based righteousness. They accused Christ of breaking the Law, because He healed on the Sabbath. But Christ was actually setting this woman free, just as they would set their animals free from the stalls on the Sabbath.

Next, we see the pictures of the mustard seed and the leaven. What is the Kingdom of God, this new thing, going to look like? It will have a small beginning, like the tiny mustard seed, but will spring up -- as does the mustard seed -- into something great. It will grow and expand and be visible. The saints will not blend in with the world; they shall be visible. Like the leaven, this Kingdom is alive. It is not a dead lump.

Then, Jesus is given a question: "Are only a few going to be saved?" Jesus diverts the question -- instead of making it a question about other people, of another group, he turns is back to the one asking. He tells them to strive for themselves that they would make it in.

You cannot come through the narrow gate as a group, as a family, as a church member. Salvation is for the individual.

Then, there is a message for the Jews at that time: the era of the advantage of the Jews was coming to an end. Even some of the last (Samaritans, for example) would enter in the kingdom. "What will you do?" Jesus is asking them. What will you do with all God has given you and done for you? It is a question for us as well.

The Jews thought they were secure, because they believed they knew all about God. But it's not important whether you know all about Jesus; it's important that Jesus knows you. You must come to Jesus, introduce yourself to Him, and not stay in your sin. Does Jesus Christ know you? Strive to enter in! Put forth effort! In verse 34, we see that He will receive those who come to Him. If you will not come, it is because you love sin too much.

Finally, we see that some of the Pharisees came to Jesus warning Him about Herod. Was this for real, or just a ruse? Either way, Jesus takes advantage of the teaching opportunity. Jesus says, in effect, "It is a sure thing. I will work My ministry through to perfection. Nothing will stop Me from accomplishing salvation."

What will you do with Jesus? You don't have to consider any else. There is only one Way, one straight gate. You must go through Jesus.

Luke Part 47:The Second Return of Jesus

2011-12-11T18:52:00.001-08:00

Text: Luke 12:35-48

In this passage, Jesus gives a few parables about His second coming. Here are some particular bits of information we are given:

Jesus will return in a manner like a man returning from a wedding feast. The servants in the parable didn't know when to expect their master. Like them, we must be constantly watching and waiting.
Like a thief, Jesus will come at a time that is not known to you.
He will come at an hour when you think He won't come.

There is a similar passage in Matthew 24:42-51. Looking at these passages together, we can gain a few insights. First off, is the reminder that we must be constantly watching and waiting. Jesus Christ will make His judgment when He returns. There will be no second chances; there will be nothing more after His coming.

This teaching regarding faithful servants is for all who would follow Christ. It's not just written for a select few, the super-spiritual elites. We will either be faithful servants or merely pretending. In the last day, the pretenders will fall away.

Are you a faithful servant, or just pretending? Here are some marks of the faithful servant:

The faithful servant has girded his loins. He's gotten dressed to do some work. He's active, involved, and has embraced all that God has given Him to do. He is actively engaged in the stewardship God has given him.
Faithful servants are to give light. We are to bring light to darkness, living a life of truth as a testimony to the dark world around us. Light your candle at the source of light: Jesus!
The faithful servant is watching and waiting. Biblically, waiting on the Lord is what He has called you to do in the interval before His coming. Be watchful, not forgetful!
A stewardship has been given. God has given you something to do. There is a discipline involved. Self-discipline is the start of all godliness.
A faithful steward takes care of the people under him. He brings peace, happiness, joy and contentment for those who are committed to his care.
To whom much is given, much is required. We have all been given very much physically and spiritually; we should see the gravity of that gift.

It will be obvious whose servant and steward you are when God returns. The unfaithful servant will be totally cast off. And the more you know, the greater the condemnation you shall receive.

There will also be those who are blessed (verse 37, 38). There will be a great time of fellowship, and all those who served will be served by the Lord. He will continue His model of service by serving the servants. His faithful servants will be put in charge of a portion of this new earth.

Luke Part 46: The Rich Fool

2011-12-04T14:59:00.001-08:00

Text: Luke 12:13-34

This section begins with a man in the crowd who asks Jesus to help divide the family inheritance. Jesus refuses to intervene in this family matter. There were adequate resources in the civil government of the time to resolve the issue.

Jesus is a judge in greater matters, and He reveals it. He sees beyond the immediate request to the man's bigger issue: covetousness, desiring more than you need. Next, He tells the parable of "The Rich Fool."

In this parable, God has given the landowner an abundant harvest. He decides to build larger barns to contain it, assuring himself that now he will be set for life, and able to live comfortably, needing nothing.

But this rich man was not rich towards God. God says he is a fool, and that his soul would be claimed that night, and another man would use the wealth that he has amassed. God will judge him for what he has done with this blessing.

What did he do? He:

Took no thought for God
Took no thought for his fellow man
Wanted an abundance of provisions

This is our negative example; this is how they act in the world, but not in the kingdom of God. In the kingdom of God, life is to know God. Jesus continues on by telling His disciples, "Don't be torn apart by these things." We must not be worried about riches; it will rob us of our joy.

Jesus reminds us that we really cannot control many, many things in life, such as our height or or our life's span. He tells us to learn from nature -- God will take care of His children, as He takes care of the animals. Trust in Him; He is great enough to take care of you.

He tells us to seek first the kingdom of God. Seek first to be righteous, rather than seeking wealth. God will take care of us. (Of course, we should not overindulge or live beyond our means.)

What if we have a legitimate lack of what we need? Verse 32 replies, "Do not fear!" The first thing we tend to do in a difficult situation is to be afraid. Fear not! God will take care of you!

Finally, in this passage, we see a command to sell and give to charity. This is exactly what the rich fool didn't do. He had more than he could keep, but desired to hoard it. Note that this command is not to sell all and take on a vow of poverty. The command is to be mindful of the needs of others in the kingdom. Don't be like the rich fool, who what preoccupied only with himself.

These things -- trusting in God and depending on Him for provision, loving our fellow believers materially -- will be true of us. Our treasure is the Lord, and our heart will be where our treasure is.

Luke Part 45: Beware hypocracy!

2011-11-20T17:41:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 12:1-12

This passage continues Jesus' teachings on kingdom living. Jesus is teaching about how the members of the Kingdom (Christians) will live. The way they live will be seen by the world around them.

The subject of this section is indicated plainly in the first verse: hypocracy. Hypocracy is simply acting differently than what we are. It is one of the most dangerous things in the Kingdom, and is to be constantly guarded against.

The first comment Jesus makes regarding hypocracy is that it is foolishness. All things will be revealed anyway; there is nothing hidden from God. Why act in this way?

Jesus further elaborates that hypocracy is borne from a fear of men's faces. Do we want to play down our relationship with Jesus? Do we want to fit in? Jesus reminds us not to have any fear of men; they can only harm our physical well-being, but they have no power over the soul. Fear, specifically the fear of man, is a danger that leads to hypocracy.

How can we avoid hypocracy? By fearing God, rather than man! We must reverence Him and trust Him. We're reminded that we can trust Him, as He takes care of the sparrow and knows the number of the hairs on our heads. He is kind, loving, and trustworthy. We have great value to Him ("more than many sparrows") because of Christ's work. Christ has brought us near and we have been adopted as sons.

In verse 8, we see that Christ will own His people before the angels. This is not in some future life; this is something that occurs now, as Christ guides the angels to meet our needs.

The next section concerns the so-called "unpardonable sin". We are told that you can speak against Christ and be forgiven, but a blaspheming the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. This blasphemy against the Holy Spirit represents an unrepentant heart. An unrepentant heart cannot be forgiven; the self-righteous cannot be saved. The hard heart refuses the Spirit and goes on in opposition to Christ.

Finally, we have a reminder of the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. The ministry of the Holy Spirit will help you when you are in a situation where you need to give an account of your faith. Yield to the Holy Spirit; He will lead you into open confession, not hypocracy!

Zechariah Part 6: Conclusion of the Prophecy

2011-11-13T16:43:00.001-08:00

Text: Zechariah 14

This chapter contains the conclusion to the prophecy began in the previous chapters. We can assume that the prophecy is consistent throughout; that the same things are being referred to as in the previous chapters. This prophecy contains a discussion about God as King, and this King's people, and a gathering of people into that kingdom.

As in the previous chapters, this is a prophecy about "that day". Is this prophecy regarding Israel's destruction in 70 AD? It could be. The physical Jerusalem that existed until 70 AD was a representative of the Old Covenant, and it was replaced by a spiritual New Jerusalem, a representative of the New Covenant. There is both a physical and spiritual explanation.

In verse 4, we see the theme of a great wide valley being opened up. This valley is a picture of the gospel truth spreading, and the fleeing is a picture of Jewish conversions, including the great day of Pentecost.

There is a darkness described in verses 6,7 -- but even in the darkest hours of the Kingdom, there will remain a light. There will be an era of incomplete light.

Verse 8 pictures the truth spreading beyond Jerusalem, beyond the Jewish people. The spread of the truth will continue through the hard times (winter) and good times (summer).

Verse 12 shows the judgment to come on those who reject these spiritual truths and refuse to enter the Kingdom. They had seen the truth, but rejected it, so their eyes are consumed. They didn't glorify God, but instead rejected Him, so their tongue shall be consumed.

Interestingly, the terrible things prophesied about in this passage did come true in 70 AD. The Zealots within the Temple under siege were fighting among themselves, killing each other for power and authority, and even killing and consuming each other in the famine.

There is the picture of plagues in verse 16-19. There would be no rain on those who didn't come up to keep the Feast of Booths; rain (water) is symbolic of the wells of salvation that will be loosed upon those who recognize the transitory nature of their lives, the symbolic meaning of the Feast of Booths.

Jesus showed the significance of the Feast of Booths when He proclaimed in John 7, "All who are thirsty, come to Me and drink!" as the water was poured out in the ceremony. That is the significance of this feast -- that we are pilgrims in this world, but at the end we shall receive God's deliverance and blessings. We look to a heavenly kingdom, and we are not caught up in the politics and affairs of this world.

Verses 20 and 21 would have been shocking words to the Jewish hearers. In the New Covenant, all things are "holiness unto the Lord." Every person in the Kingdom is involved in the service of the Lord; each of us is a priest to Him. This is not a mixed community, as the Old Covenant was. There are no more unbelievers in the New Jerusalem.

The Lord has won the victory! Do we look forward to the great day coming when His kingdom with have its ultimate consummation?

Zechariah Part 5: Continued Prophecies of the New Covenant

2011-10-03T19:26:00.000-07:00

Text: Zechariah 12, 13

This section of Zechariah continues the prophecies from the previous chapter. These prophecies are not in chronological order; they are looking at the same event from different perspectives.

In Chapter 12:1-9, there is a prophecy about an event that will occur "in that day" (v.3). What is the day being referred to here? This can be identified as the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. The day of His coming and establishing His kingdom marked the fulfillment and bringing to an end of the Old Covenant.

The blessing on Israel as a physical nation was ended. The New Covenant spiritual Israel is what is in view in this chapter -- a kingdom that will be trembled at.

There is a blessing here on the house of David. Christ, the seed of David, will be exalted. All of His followers will have the courage and strength to overcome trouble and testing in that day.

Verses 10 and 11 give a better understanding of that day -- it is the day when they will look upon Christ and see Him pierced (His death on the cross).

Verses 12-14 describe a mourning. This will not be a national mourning, but rather a particularized mourning. It is an individual thing, as the New Covenant is made up of individuals. Individuals must each mourn their sin and the death of their Savior by themselves.

Chapter 13:1 identifies the Lord Jesus' death on the cross. He is the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness.

Verses 2-6 describe the result of the finished work of Christ. No false teaching will be tolerated in the Kingdom. People will recognize the truth and tolerate nothing that diminishes Christ's glory. Apostles and prophets will demand truth and will refuse to hear false prophets. False prophets will repent and be corrected and ashamed of their false teaching. They will be brought to repentance by their friends.

Verses 7-9 are a section that Jesus quoted. God smote the Shepherd; He slayed His only Son and the sheep were scattered. Note that two thirds were cut off -- but a remnant was saved.

Zechariah Part 4: Further Prophecy of God's Dealings With Israel

2011-10-02T17:41:00.000-07:00

Text: Zechariah 9-11

In Chapter 9 of Zechariah, we see prophecies speaking to the coming New Testament time. God told His people of what was coming, regarding the establishment of the Kingdom and the coming of Christ. These words were sufficient for the next 400 years of silence.

A number of people groups are listed -- Syria, Phoenicia, the Philistines -- and their destruction is prophesied. This destruction came 200 years later when Alexander the Great destroyed these groups. But Alexander did not go on to Jerusalem; He received a vision from God that he was not to touch Jerusalem. When the Philistines saw this deliverance, many trusted God -- the remnant here described.

This passage also prophecies how the north and south kingdoms were united by the Macabees and they defeated Antiochus Epiphanes. This was Ephraim and Judea, the "bow and arrow".

In Chapter 10, the prophecy elaborates on the blessings that Ephraim and Judea will receive. Also, we see the introduction of the theme of a shepherd, and that the Lord has a people and will take care of them.

In verse 1, they are told to "ask for rain" -- this is an example for us, to be bold and ask God for blessings. Also, they are told to ask at an appropriate time, at the time for the spring rains.

In verse 6, we see that God will restore His people and have compassion on them. He will call, gather, and redeem. These are the blessings the Jews were to be asking for.

We see the people are in a bad state -- they are "without a shepherd" (without a leader). And God is not pleased with their leaders. He is angry at the shepherds. It's no good to follow the wrong leader. Misguided ritual is of no use. There is no excuse for following someone who is leading you astray; God will not hear of it.

Verse 4 is the key verse in the chapter. Christ is the prophesied immovable, eternal "corner stone", the tent peg holding all together.

Chapter 11 is a prophecy of an upcoming civil war. The leaders were unable to collect their tax monies (the howling of the shepherds), and they asked the Romans to come in and put down the rebellion. In doing so, the Romans ruined the country, destroying the great forests at Lebanon and Bashan.

In verses 7-14, the prophecy discusses the Messiah. God will feed the true Jews (pasture the flock doomed to slaughter). Then we have the prophecy of the two staffs -- "Favor" and "Union". "Favor" represents Israel, and "Union" represents the union of Judah and Ephraim.

Verse 8 speaks of annihilation of the "three shepherds". This is not literally three people, but represents the leaders in three realms: civil, religious, and prophetic -- corresponding to the king, priest, and prophet. These leaders were failing in their duty and would be destroyed.

God shows He no longer has a care for false professors. When Christ was crucified, the "Favor" staff was broken -- the covenant with Israel was over. The "Union" staff was broken as well. Animosity would remain between Judah and Israel.

Zechariah Part 3: A Call to Reality

2011-10-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

Text: Zechariah 7-8

This passage begins with men from Bethel asking the priests if they should continue to fast in the 5th and 7th months. They had been fasting in the 5th and 7th months -- as well as the 4th and 10th -- to commemorate different events associated with the fall of Jerusalem.

Years had passed since that fall, and progress was being made to rebuild the wall, so the men were wondering if they should continue fasting, or if it was the time to renew hope and begin rejoicing.

God gives the answer to their question in the following chapters. He is going to show them how to worship, and show that worship is not just a hollow ritual but true worship is combined with a changed life.

Verses 4-7 of Chapter 7 begin with a stern correction for their fasting. Their fasting didn't do any good! It wasn't commanded in the Law; they were adding to the Law. And God speaks directly to their inward motivation, rather than this outward ritual.

Their motivation to fast was to get something from God; they wanted to feel good about themselves. But the proper motivation in worship is always to give something: to show homage and give glory to God.

God said (paraphrasing): "You should have listened to the old prophets! You didn't need to create this ritual." The message: submission unto the Lord and repentance from sin is what God seeks in His worshipers.

In verse 8-14, God makes it clear that what they needed was to have real life in their hearts. Their religious ritual meant nothing because they weren't worshiping Him in their lives. They gave 70 years of fasting, rather than living before God in their lives. Ritual is easy -- do we worship as ritual, or are we coming prepared and ready to meet with God?

In Chapter 8, God lays out the blessing He has in store. He had always purposed to love and bless His people, but He would not have them follow after other gods. God was as determined to bless them as He was to bring curses upon them when they went astray.

This is now a time for rejoicing, not fasting and mourning. God promised to make His people a blessing. They were receiving a down payment on the restoration. And God commanded them to do certain things (v16, 17). God encouraged them in their work, just as He encourages us in our work now.

This prophecy at the end of the chapter is concerned with a future day, "In that day" -- this would be the day when Jesus was to come. A time awaited when the Messiah would come and people would flock to Him. The Jews would be blessed to be the first to receive that message. People from all nations would hear about the Messiah and come to God. The prophecy shows plainly how the Gentiles would take hold of the Jews and become one people, the true Israel, following God.

God blessed the world through the Jews; through the Jewish disciples of Jesus, He brought in many Gentiles. The Jews would be part of the coming Kingdom of the Son, Jesus. They would be the first fruits among the nations.

Zechariah Part 2: A Vision for Zerubabbel: Get up and get working!

2011-09-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

Text: Zechariah 4

This passage contains a vision that Zechariah received. The vision is primarily given for the benefit of Zerubabbel, the man who was organizing the effort to rebuild the Jewish temple after the Jews had returned from captivity in Babylon, but we can draw interesting and appropriate conclusions for our life based on the principles conveyed. In this passage, God supplies the interpretation of the vision as well as the vision itself.

One of the key phrases of this vision is, " 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." Israel didn't have any might (wealth and armies) or power (strength, courage, and valor of individuals). God was going to accomplish the rebuilding through Zerubabbel, by the power of His Spirit, not by earthly strength. In the same way, God accomplishes great things through us, by His Spirit, not ours.

There were many at that time who were "despising the day of small things." The new temple they was building was smaller and less impressive than the previous one. But that was the wrong attitude. This temple was where God had chosen to shine His revelation.

This vision was a message of encouragement to Zerubabbel, and a word for all Israel: Get up and get busy! Finish the temple! God had called them to do the work, and was telling them that He would do it, through His strength. In the same way, we are called to do things in the Kingdom, and we shouldn't get discouraged at their smallness or at the difficulties. We should be reminded that God will finish the works He begins.

We can make a few observations from what we read about this vision:

The Lord came to Zechariah -- the vision didn't come from Zechariah's entreaty. God comes to us through His gracious desire to make Himself known.
Zechariah was wakened out of his sleep. God has to awaken us, to put us into our right minds. God has to clear away what is affecting our minds. He makes an appeal directly to our intellectual understanding.
Zechariah was asked what he saw. Zechariah was responsible for passing the vision on to Zerubabbel, and God wanted to make sure he could accurately represent the word given. In the same way, we should be careful to accurately represent the Word God has given us.
Zechariah asked, "What does this mean?" He was willing to say, "I don't know." He was a humble man. We should be humble as he was: if you don't know something, ask God to make His Word plain to you.

Some particulars from the vision:

Candlestick -- represents the nation of Israel. It is gold, showing that they are special.
The Seven Lamps -- like the seven eyes of the stone in the previous chapter, these represent the eyes of God. God will have His eyes on His people; they will have His presence and His guidance.
The Oil -- represents the Holy Spirit
The two olive trees are a topic of some contention, but I believe they represent Zerubabbel and the high priest Joshua, the men who were responsible for the rebuilding of the temple. They were guiding and leading the nation of Israel, bringing forth good fruit by the Spirit.

From a New Covenant perspective, we see Joshua and Zerubabbel as representatives of Christ and the Spirit. And the candlestick represents the true Israel, the people of God: the church.

Zechariah Part 1: The Kingdom is Coming!

2011-09-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

The book of Zechariah contains a prophecy about the coming Kingdom that would be initiated by Christ and also some prophecies that relate to events happening at the time of the return from Jewish exile in Babylon.

Zechariah was a son of a prophet, one of the returning ones. He preached a message in the Name and authority of God.

The book of Zechariah can be divided into distinct sections.

First, a proclamation that the Kingdom was coming
Next, an exhortation that the Jews had a part to play -- duties to perform in bringing about that Kingdom
A reminder that the Kingdom of God was bigger than the Jews, and would encompass all nations.
A series of visions (Chapter 6-8)
The first oracle (prophecy of God) -- Chapters 9-11
The second oracle -- Chapters 12-14

The proclamation that the Kingdom was coming was also a word of repentance -- there would be no Kingdom without repentance. People were called to:

Believe God's promises; believe that God's way is the right way
To do something as a result of His way being true -- for two years the rebuilding of the temple had ceased; they needed to continue its rebuilding
To not be discouraged by the smallness of the work; this temple would not be as grand and great as the one Solomon had built, but it was the job God had called them to.

Each individual had his part to do in the rebuilding of Jerusalem; each had his duty in bringing about the coming Kingdom. In the same way, we each have a role to perform in God's Kingdom today.

At the beginning of Chapter 3, we see a courtroom scene, with Satan accusing Joshua, the high priest. God tells Satan that He will not destroy Joshua, that Joshua is a "brand plucked out of the fire". Joshua is full of sin, but God has chosen him; God removes Joshua's filthy clothes and clothes him with clean garments, representing the righteousness of Christ. God promises to Joshua that if he follows God, he will be blessed and rewarded.

Verses 8-10 of Chapter 3 contain a discussion of the Branch, representing Jesus Christ. Jesus is also symbolized in the Stone with seven eyes -- seven being the number of completion, demonstrating complete vision. We read here that when the Branch comes, God will remove all the iniquity in one day (the day of the Crucifixion). And the coming of Christ will result in a reconciliation between people (v 10).

Luke Part 44: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees!

2011-08-31T19:12:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 11:37-54

In this section we read of some events that occurred after Jesus accepted an invitation to dine with a Pharisee. The Pharisees were the main men of the conservative religious scene among the Jews. Jesus accepted this invitation in order to have an occasion to reveal and rebuke their sinfulness. These sins of the Pharisees are also things that we should be on watch for in our lives, and may be things that we need to repent of.

The first incident involved Jesus's refusal to perform the ceremonial handwashing. Jesus didn't do this in order to provoke a confrontation and to engage the Pharisees. He wanted to discuss their underlying sin: hypocracy, putting on an outward show in order to hide what was true inwardly.

They loved to be seen by men, to be well thought of; they treated others as the rabble. They were the academia, the elite. They would tithe minute amounts, but they left the weighter parts of the law undone. They should have been humble, loving, merciful -- all about equality, realizing we are all equal under the love of God.

Next (v45), the lawyers -- the experts on Jewish law -- get alarmed, saying, "Hey! When you say that about the Pharisees, you're insulting us, too!" And Jesus replies, "Woe to you lawyers as well!" The lawyers claimed to honor the prophets who had come before Jesus, but the reality was that they were continuing the tradition of their fathers -- to persecute and kill the true prophets.

These lawyers had the key (the Scriptures) to bring men to God. They were the experts on the Law and the prophets. But they didn't make anything clearer; rather, they hindered those who would enter in, those who were actually seeking God. They put themselves in the place of Christ, telling men, "If you do these things, you will be right with God." This is much like what the Roman Catholic Church does today!

Jesus is making it clear that this religion and nation were going to be destroyed! Yet God, in His mercy, gave them another 40 years after the time of Christ to repent.

In seeing these woes leveled at the hypocritical Pharisees, we should look at ourselves, seeking to purify ourselves and root out all that needs to be changed.

Does our living match up to our teaching? Do we forgive those who have hurt us? Are we helping others to come to Christ through our life or teaching, or are we hindering them? Are we really different from the world? Have we confronted sin in others, and did we do it in love, with the right motive?

Finally, we see the response of the Pharisees -- unbridled anger. If you have accurately proclaimed the gospel, you will receive one of two responses: repentance and faith, or wrath and rejection. There is no middle ground!

Luke Part 43: The Light of the World Has Come!

2011-08-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 11:29-36

In this passage, we see that men were, even at this point in Jesus' ministry, asking for further signs, although Jesus had given ample proof and evidence of who He was.

Jesus says that the sign that will be given them is the Sign of Jonah. Jonah was a Jewish prophet who was sent to Gentiles -- and the Gentiles received the word given. Jesus likewise would be received by Gentiles, though largely rejected by the Jews.

Jesus proclaims that those who received Jonah's message, the Ninevites, will stand up in judgment against that generation. This indicates to us that those Ninevites were truly "saved" -- they were Old Testament saints who will stand in the Day of Judgment.

Likewise, the Queen of the South (The Queen of Sheba) is given as another person who will stand in judgment for that generation. She received the truth, and was humbled by the greatness God had bestowed upon Solomon.

Notice that Jesus is teaching about a Day of Judgment. A time is coming when the Lord will put all things right. Remember that now is the day of salvation!

Then, we have in verses 33-36, the illustration of the light. This is not about us being the light of the world, rather it is a teaching that all men are in need of illumination. Christ is The Light (John 1:1) and he has not hidden the truth -- He proclaimed it! Everything about Him is light, life, love, and vitality.

The problem (see verse 34) is not with the Light itself, it is with the receptors of that Light. Their spiritual eyes refused to see, so they were filled with darkness. The illustration here further describes how if you have to grope in the darkness, you will have problems and make mistakes.

Then, Jesus makes it personal, warning: "Take heed that the light in you is not darkness." Every individual must examine himself and be sure of himself.

the Pharisees had the light of God's Word, but it was darkness to them; they even tried to mis-apply the Scriptures and use them as a weapon to trap Jesus.

Is Christ your all-in-all? Do you have the peace and joy of the Spirit? If Christ is in you, your whole being shall be full of light and truth. It is not a life of absolute perfection, but one of constant drawing to Christ, of quick repentance for sin. It is a life marked by the stirring of holiness, not by hiding in sin and darkness.

The Queen of Sheba is an application: She had heard Solomon had words of wisdom, so she sought him out and came to hear him, a local king. Will we likewise seek out the words of wisdom from Christ, our much greater heavenly King?

She had only heard reports of Solomon; she must have wondered if the reports were true. But we have God's Word, personal testimonies, and our own first-hand knowledge. Our privilege exceeds hers greatly.

She was far away from Solomon, and had to travel a long way to meet him, but Jesus is right here with us. She wasn't invited to come, but we have been invited, by Christ Himself.

What was the effect on the queen? She was awed, humbled before Solomon, and left a great gift. Not because Solomon's riches were deficient, but to show her reverence. Likewise, let us give all of ourselves to our great heavenly King in worshipful adoration!

Luke Part 42: Man Healed, Freed from Demons

2011-08-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 11:14-28

In this passage we see a man who cannot speak (and we are told in a parallel passage in Matthew is also blind) healed and freed from demons.

The immediate reaction to this from the Pharisees is that Jesus must have been casting out the demons by the power of Satan. This just shows the darkness of men's hearts -- they see a wonderful miracle performed, and the first inclination is to say Christ is evil.

Jesus's response is that this is impossible; that a kingdom divided cannot stand. Note that this is as true of Christ's kingdom as it is of the kingdom of Satan. We do not want to be those who are dividing the house of God; we want to live in love, charity, and unity with all our brothers and sisters.

Jesus then gives a discussion in verses 21 through 26, of the kingdom of Satan. He displays the devil as a powerful ruler, an armed man guarding a palace. The house represents people; those who are in the devil's kingdom are bound -- bound by sin and by Satan himself.

Evil everywhere around us; we cannot escape from dealing with the evil one. In 2 Cor 11:3, we see that Satan is deceitful and crafty. He does not appear to be the monster that he is.

The devil is fierce and cruel, and wishes to see men slay one another; he wishes to see men thrown into hell.

The devil has no power before Christ, the "one stronger than the strong man". Christ is a wonderful and merciful master. He displayed His kindness when He saved us through His grace while we were yet sinners. Christ takes the devils' spoils (people under his domain, sinners as you and I were), and "distributes them" -- setting people free and then setting them to work in their positions in the Kingdom of God.

We see a comparison of two kingdoms -- you are either with or against Christ; there can be to neutral position. You are a servant of the devil if you do not know Christ! You can be in one of two positions: safe and secure in Christ, or under the bondage of sin and the devil.

Verses 24-26 describe a person who had a moral cleansing, but did not close with Christ. Ultimately, this person fails to like an upright life and falls back into the bondage of sin.

So in this passage, we see the reality of Satan, that he will attempt to reclaim a loss. To be free of his power, see verses 28 and 29. In these verses, Jesus responds to a woman who gave a blessing upon Him and His mother. Jesus replied that the utmost blessing occurs when we hear the Word of God and keep it.

We must press on, studying the Word and seeking to keep it. In is we will see that the devil cannot harm us; we have been set free from his power. Knowing this, we can live in joy and hope!

Luke Part 41: The "Lord's Prayer" -- a model for our prayer.

2011-07-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 11:1-13

This passage continues with a discussion of kingdom life, specifically in the matter of prayer.

Jesus would have us communicate with Him through prayer. A prayerless Christian is an impossibility -- the importance of prayer cannot be overstated. Remember that Jesus was regularly and frequently in prayer. We, as mere men, have a much greater need of prayer than He did!

So an unnamed disciple asked Jesus to teach him to pray. Jesus responded with this prayer, commonly known as "The Lord's Prayer" -- this is actually a misnomer, as it is not a prayer that Jesus would have Himself prayed; He had no sins to ask forgiveness for! Instead, it is a model prayer for us. It can be referred to as an "index prayer". Each of the phrases in this prayer are a cue to show us the different areas that we are encouraged to pray for.

First, a note on prayer time and frequency. We see in this model prayer that we should be praying for "our daily bread", indicating that we should pray at least daily. But there is no other constraint on when to pray. We may pray in the morning, upon rising, or before bed. In fact, there are many times throughout the day when we have a quiet and can call out to God -- in the shower, on the way to work, etc.

Some characteristics about this prayer that we may learn from:

1. Plural pronouns - "our" Father, forgive "us", etc. Look outside yourself. You are only a part of a whole, not the center of attention!

2. How to address God - He is our heavenly Father. What a blessing that we are encouraged to address Him as such! What kindness He shows toward us as Father!

3. "Hallowed be Thy name" - Are our hearts broken by all the blasphemy around us? Are we hurt and concerned that there is so little reverence for God?

4. "Thy kingdom come" - we can pray for God's kingdom to come within our own heart, for the church to grow, and for missionaries to see success. We can pray that Jesus would come and we would see the final consummation of the kingdom.

5. "Thy will be done" - that rebellion would cease all over the world. Also we can pray this when we don't know what exactly to pray in a situation; just pray that God's will would be done.

6. Our daily bread - our daily necessities, the things we need. We can pray for freedom from the diseases and sicknesses common all over the world as a result of sin and The Fall.

7. Forgive us our sins - come in prayer, knowing that your sin will be forgiven! It is right and just for God to forgive us, based on the finished work of Christ. This is the place in prayer for repentance.

8. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil - This is an admission of our weakness. We can pray for deliverance from evil and protection from Satan, our "defeated foe". We should remember to stay far from every form of evil wherever it appears.

So here we have given for us, the Model Prayer, an index prayer. We have a great warrant to pray. We need the Holy Spirit to help us to pray, to give us a great burden to pray, and to cause us to acknowledge our need of Him.

Each index of the prayer is taught throughout the Bible. Through study, we can find much Scripture to learn -- we can "pray the Bible" in many ways in each of these areas.

Luke Part 40: Mary and Martha

2011-07-03T17:13:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke10:38-42

In the previous passage, Jesus was asked by a Pharisee wishing to justify himself what was needed to inherit eternal life. The man replied, "To love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus' response, the story of the "good Samaritan" explained what it means to love your neighbor. This account explains what it means to love God with all your heart.

In this story we hear of how Jesus came to visit Mary and Martha. Mary sat listening to Jesus while Martha busied herself with preparations. This frustrated Martha, and she asked Jesus to have Mary help. Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the best part in listening to Him.

Note first that Mary and Martha were both followers of the Lord. See Martha's responses to Jesus in John 11. Martha was a real follower of Christ.

The point of this passage is: how do those who love the Lord behave? They behave like Mary in the passage here.

Note that all may come to Jesus and sit at His feet. Women, men, children -- all are welcome to receive life from Him.

Martha has gone to great pains to prepare a feast. She complains that Jesus is monopolizing Mary's time. Isn't this exactly what should be said of us? That we are consumed with Jesus, that He monopolizes our thoughts?

Jesus then makes it clear that Mary has chosen the best part. Fellowship with Jesus is heaven on earth! Nothing is of greater importance than choosing to have fellowship with Christ. Mary is occupied with lesser things - not sinful things - but Mary has chosen the better part.

The thing to see here is that there is no comparison between the things of this life and fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The important thing is to have a heart disposition to commune with Christ and to get into the position of blessing. You have a need for fellowship with Him; make the choice to seek Him and have that need met.

Also, see that Jesus refused to break the fellowship with Mary. Jesus will not break fellowship with His people; He will not take Himself from them. He is always there whenever we come to Him, as a learner, seeking to commune with Him.

Remember then, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

Luke Part 39: The weak will crush Satan's kingdom through God's power

2011-05-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 10:17-24

In this passage, Jesus is giving further encouragement and instruction for kingdom life.

First, we see the results from the 70 people whom He had sent out previously. Remember, these were "just ordinary folk". They returned from their mission exultant in their victory in spiritual battle. They went out in the name of Jesus, and found that the devils were subject to them in His name.

Jesus explains to them in verse 19 that He has given them power in the spiritual world. That is the meaning of the "serpents and scorpions" described here, not literal insects and snakes, but rather evil spirits and men under their control. When men are saved, they are set free from Satan's dominion, and he is beaten. This is what Jesus was seeing when He saw Satan "falling like lightning." (v. 18).

Then, Jesus gives a reminder of their real reason for rejoicing. The real reason for a Christian to rejoice is that he is Christ's, not because of power in the spirit realm. We can rejoice if we know our names are written in heaven. This phrase indicates security -- having your name written in heaven is as if you are already there.

Then we see something quite remarkable in verse 21: we are told that Jesus "rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit". Their victorious mission pleased the Lord! It was a cause for Him to rejoice.

We see that He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. This is the place where true, deep rejoicing is from. And the rejoicing led Him to thank the Father. What was Jesus rejoicing about? What was it that made him so happy? It was that God reveals Himself to the simple, the humble, and the trusting. That it doesn't have anything to do with brainpower. No one is excluded. It is all God's work.

We see here a picture of the Trinity: Jesus the Son, rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, thanking the Father for His wondrous work and revealing Him to the world. (v. 22) This is a look into the close fellowship and communion within the Trinity.

Then, Jesus turn to his disciples and tells them they are blessed and privileged to see and hear these things. This is who we are -- we are those who have seen and heard these things as well. Even a "man after God's own heart" such as King David didn't receive the blessing of seeing the gospel fully. The prophets revealing God's Word in the Old Covenant wanted to see these things, but were unable to.

But we have the fulfillment of the promise. We're not living on the promise, as the saints of old did. We are living on its fulfillment, and we are going to crush the kingdom of Satan!

Do you expect to be used? Do we expect results for our outreach and witness? Is God going to use us to crush Satan by saving men, as He did with these 70? It seems to be what this is saying; we can confidently go forth knowing that He will fulfill His work.

Luke Part 38: Jesus’ Words on Judgment

2011-05-13T17:32:00.001-07:00

Text: Luke 10:1-16

This section contains some of Jesus’ teachings on the final judgment to come. A brief listing of some of those teachings is given below:

First, what you do in this life follows you into the next, and the position in the next life is fixed: either eternal judgment or eternal life.

There is a Last Day. A final Day of Judgment is coming. A certain day is fixed when this world will end and God will put all things right. All the dead shall rise and stand before God. Every man will be there on that great day.

There are only two destinies when we leave this world: heaven or hell. There is no second chance. What did you do with your privilege of hearing the gospel?

There will be degrees of punishment. Some will receive a greater punishment. The punishment will be perfect, exactly fitting the situation.

The degree of punishment, we read here, will be based on the amount of truth is rejected – not on what bad things the person did in his lifetime. What a fearful thing to consider here in America where the gospel is so well-known, even treated as commonplace!

Jesus cites three contemporary cities (Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum) and compares them two three ancient cities that had long-since been annihilated. The contemporary cities that He mentioned had seen much of Christ and His teachings. Then He compared them to Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon – dreadful places known for their wickedness – and said that these horribly wicked ancient cities would have repented long ago if they had seen the gospel.

Jesus discusses Capernaum specifically. The parallels to the United States are clear. It is a city that has been incredibly blessed, but now they are “lifted up” – at least they think of themselves as lifted up. Their religion is a civil religion; it will get them nowhere. How can our country, who is so much like this city, continue on? We need a revival of true heart religion!

From this section in Luke, we must take away the certain knowledge that we are carrying the most important message – the gospel. This is the message of judgment and life eternal.

Note that Jesus is entrusting this word to just normal people. Each of us is responsible to pass the word of the gospel along. Remember that men cannot be convinced through reasoning. Salvation only comes through the working of God, and God works through His gospel.

Luke Part 37: Ten principles for sharing the gospel

2011-05-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 10:1-16

In this passage, Jesus appoints 70 additional disciples and continues His teaching by telling them how they are to go out and spread the word. His instructions are full of good advice for leaders and pastors, but also for us today, considering that the 70 sent were just ordinary people, as we are ordinary people as well.

Here are ten principles drawn from the text, for us to consider today as we share with the world around us:

1. The work is toilsome; it is a labor (v. 2) Spreading the gospel will be a battle. It will not usually be easy. Have the proper expectation.

2. It is dangerous -- the 70 were being sent out "as lambs in the midst of wolves". (v.3)

3. We must be single-minded (v.4). Our single focus must be on sharing the gospel. Don't get distracted from your purpose! You must depend upon God.

4. Be plain and straight-forward in your presentation of the gospel (v.9). Don't try to sugar-coat it or address it obliquely. Proclaim the gospel, the Word of God!

5. Be a positive and not a negative work... the 70 were instructed to say, "Peace be upon this house" (v.5). The gospel is good news! The gospel is the power of God.

6. The laborer is to initiate the contact. We don't have to sit and wait around for someone to contact us, we should take initiative and reach out to others.

7. Jesus sent them into places where He was going to come later (v.1). This should be a great encouragement to us! Jesus has put us into places where He will come. Be confident that He will follow and bring fruit when you sow.

8. Evaluate and understand where He has sent you. Do the same people keep coming across your path?

9. Recognize the importance of the responsibility Christ has placed into your hands. He has said, "When they hear you, they hear Me." (v.16) God will have a witness, even if the rocks and stones must cry out! He has sent us as His ambassadors; we speak for Him.

10. It is a tremendous privilege to be entrusted with the gospel. We are the ones who have been privileged to represent God on earth.

Pray, plan, and speak! You must make a plan in order to accomplish anything, especially gospel work. You have been sent to particular people at a particular place; make a plan to speak. If you don't make a plan, you won't share the gospel. Forget the small talk, go directly to a single-minded, simple and straightforward presentation!

Luke Part 36: Principles of the Way of the Kingdom

2011-04-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 9:51-62

This passage continues on with Jesus' teachings about the Kingdom. These teachings have been grouped together for our edification; they are not in chronological order. Also, the people described in these incidents remain unnamed and are not important. Each person's path is unique. We are all going the same direction, yet we have different experiences, experiences, and flaws. These principles must be applied to our own lives as they fit.

This passage contains four incidents from which principles may be seen.

First (v. 51-56), we see Jesus and the Samaritans. Jesus was passing through Samaria and sent the apostles ahead to prepare for Him a place to stay. But the people in Samaria would not receive Him, because of their religious bigotry. The Samaritans were a mixed group of people who had cultural and religious differences from the Jews. The had their own center of worship, so they rejected Jesus because He was going on to Jerusalem, the center of Jewish worship. The disciples wanted to respond by calling down fire, but Jesus said no -- that was not why He came.

The principle to be gained from this passage is that rejection is to be expected. Jesus was rejected. You will be rejected upon sharing the gospel. It is not due to our failure, a lack of providing the correct information to the hearer. Rather, it is due to a moral failure on the hearer's part. What is our response? Not to be angry and wish them harmed, but to love them and continue on.

Next (v57, 58), we have the example of the willing follower. A man tells Jesus he is ready to follow Him, so Jesus explains that he will have to live an unsettled existence.

The principle? We are traveling through this life. We shouldn't be trying to find a settled, permanent comfortable home here. This life here is a short stop. It will not always be a comfortable existence -- we must be stepping out of our comfort zone.

In verses 59 and 60 we have the example of a man who was called to follow Jesus, but first asked to bury his father. Now, in the culture of the Jews, burying a father was the highest responsibility of the oldest son. This was a very important thing. But Jesus taught the principle that nothing -- even this thing -- was to take precedence over the commands of Christ. This was no minor issue, but still it held no comparison to obeying Christ's commands.

The final example (v61, 62) is of a man who wanted to follow Jesus, but first he needed to say goodbye to his family. This was a man with a mixed love. He was saying, "I love the Lord, but I love my family equally." The point here is that our love for Christ must be supreme. Our eyes must be fixed on Christ. We must serve Christ with singleness of heart and singleness of mind.

Note that Christ does not condemn normal life experiences. These things are used as teaching tools, for us to apply these principles and keep proper perspective in our relationship with our families and our Lord.

Luke Part 35: Final teachings of Christ before Jerusalem

2011-04-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 9:37-51

In this passage we see that there is still some work for Jesus to do: teaching his disciples, revealing more of Himself. Some of that work is recorded in this passage. The great need of this teaching is evident. The disciples needed that teaching at the time, and we need that teaching ourselves today.

First, we have the situation in verses 37-42. The disciples were stumped by a demon they were unable to cast out. We know that Christ had previously given them power to cast out demons, and they were previously rejoicing in their success. What was the problem?

The problem was presumption. They had previously had success. They got their eyes off of Christ, yet presumed that Christ would be with them. They assumed that they could cast the demon out in their own power. We must be on guard for the same thing... presuming that since a meeting or conference was good last time, that God will bless us in the same way this time.

Do not assume based on past successes. Instead, we need faith. Each time, we must come to God seeing our dependence on Him. Jesus said in another passage that, "This kind does not come out without prayer and fasting." The "prayer and fasting" is a demonstration of faith. The mere act of praying or fasting proves nothing; it must be accompanied by faith.

Next, we have this saying of Christ's: "Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men." Jesus was telling the disciples plainly about His upcoming death. But they were afraid to ask Him about it, so they didn't "get" it! What was the matter? Were they afraid they might look stupid? Clearly, Jesus was wanting them to understand this; He began by saying, "Let these words sink into your ears."

The lesson for us is: when we don't understand something, we have to seek it out. We are so often full of complacency, full of satisfaction. Never be satisfied; never quit learning, never quit inquiring of the Lord. Christ could teach us all things at the moment of salvation, but instead He has set it up so that we would have a lifetime pursuit of seeking Him. It is not His program for us to sit around and do nothing!

Then, we come to the disciples -- in the presence of Christ! -- discussing who among the them would be the greatest. Christ rebukes them by showing them a little child, and saying that the least among them will be the greatest. He is teaching humility. Jesus came to serve, and the one who comes to be the servant of all is the one whom Christ will receive.

Christianity is all about being committed to a lifetime of humility and service to others, expecting nothing in return. We must have the right attitude of service, especially in "lost causes". We should not be trying to build up our church or build up ourselves, but only to bring the Gospel to the world around us.

Next, we see a situation where John sees a man casting out demons in Jesus' name, but not following along with the disciples. John told him to stop doing this, because he was not of John's group. This is exclusionism, or denominationalism. We must be on guard against this! While we should certainly recognize false ministries as such, me should see good Christian labors in other groups, and pray for them and recommend them. Let us never fall into a spirit of narrow exclusion, thinking our group is the only group holding to the truth of God!

Luke Part 34: The Mount of Transfiguration

2011-04-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 9:28-36

This passage begins with a description of Jesus praying. Our King, Jesus, the perfect Son of the Father, needed to pray and prayed fervently and frequently. He should be our example in this regard; surely in our weakness we have more need of prayer than He did.

While He is praying, a transformation occurs. His garments became bright. In the parallel account in Matthew (Matt 17:1-8), we are told that His face shone like the sun. Next, two men "appeared in glory" -- Moses, who had been dead for 1400 years, and Elijah, who had been dead for 900 years.

Jesus had been praying, probably about His future work to be performed on the cross, and this was the answer to His prayer. God was sending His Son an encouragement about His work, as Moses and Elijah were talking with Him about the the death He was to die in Jerusalem.

Peter saw all this and was amazed. He thought it was great and he wanted to make three tents -- for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. He was putting Christ on the same level as Moses and Elijah. God immediately quashed that idea. The purpose of Moses was Elijah was to reveal Christ. They had served that purpose, and they were taken back, leaving only Jesus and the disciples. God spoke from a cloud and reveals Jesus as "The Christ". The disciples are terrified and fall down at the voice.

Two interesting points: First, the cloud that fell upon them was referred to in Matthew as a "bright cloud" -- not a dark, ominous cloud to keep men away. Not like the Old Covenant, where a cloud over Sinai terrified the people. The New Covenant is bright, inviting, ready to give revelation.

Secondly, we see in the beginning of this passage that Jesus took the disciples up the mountain to pray with them, but they fell asleep. Had they stayed asleep, they would have completely missed the amazing blessing that God had prepared for them! Pray through with God. Fight against the flesh, engage in the battle -- there may be a blessing awaiting at the end!

However, even though the disciples had fallen asleep and full of fear, Jesus is gentle with them in their weakness. His response is full of grace; we are told in Matthew that He touched them and told them not to be afraid. What kindness and grace!

Luke Part 33: Feeding of the Five Thousand

2011-03-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 9:10-17

This section continues the theme in Luke, where Jesus is describing the kingdom of God and the King of that kingdom. Remember that this is a spiritual kingdom; the kingdom is the people of God, Christians.

In the first two verses of this section, we see Jesus' approachability. He had withdrawn from the crowns, taking His disciples off into a desert place. But the people found Him our and came after Jesus -- this is an example for us to never let anything stand in our way of getting to Jesus. And Jesus' response was not to drive the crowds away and tell them He wanted to be alone. He welcomed them -- Jesus receives all who come to Him! And He taught them about the kingdom of God and healed them.

So what was Jesus teaching about the kingdom of God? What is new about the New Covenant?

Being right with God depend's on God's grace. (In the Old Covenant, men had to perform (circumcision, sacrifices) in order to be in the Covenant.)
There is love and acceptance in Christ Jesus. (The Old Covenant was one of fear and doubt.)
Christ is the light of the world; the darkness of the Old Covenant is lifted and God is made known in all His glory.
Sin has been slain. In its place is peace, unity, comfort, and purity.
The King of this kingdom has come as a servant, to serve others.
Humility is the rule, rather than pride and religious pomposity and display.
The Law says, "You must"; Jesus says, "Only trust."

In verses 12-17, the apostles see that the huge crowd of people who have come to see Jesus have no way to be fed. They suggest that the crowds be sent away to go eat. But Jesus says, "You feed them." Jesus has given them a task that they are unable to do, so they respond that they cannot do it.

Jesus was teaching an important rule: as Christians, we are responsible for ministering to our brothers and sisters in Christ -- we are responsible for their welfare. But the job is too much for us, we cannot do it! And that is exactly what God would have us to learn -- that the task is beyond our strength and requires His help.

Note the disciples first response at seeing the hungry crowd. They did not come to Jesus with a problem, they came to Him with a solution! And we are often tempted to do the same. We decide all of our plans for how to execute a ministry objective, deciding entirely in our own wisdom and maybe a book or two. Then we show our plan to God and ask Him to bless it. This is completely wrong! Bring the problem to God, and ask Him what you should do.

Next, Jesus gives the disciples a ministry. He gives them something to do, and they do it, in an orderly fashion. The apostles ministered by arranging the people into groups of 50. Jesus takes the small food that they do have and blesses it; then, the food is given to the apostles who distribute it among the groups of hearers. All are fed and twelve baskets are needed to contain the leftovers.

There are several lessons for us here. First: Nothing is too big or difficult for Jesus. He will take care of all aspects of His work. Next, we see that God tends to use human means. Jesus could have made everyone attending instantly full, or miraculously distributed the food among the hearers. Instead, He used His disciples to pass the food around and feed the people. We see that God met the disciples in their need. When they realized that the work He had given them was beyond their ability, He equipped and enabled them to do the work.

Finally, we see that God gives an abundance of blessing. Twelve baskets of leftovers! God will give so that His people do not lack. If you lack anything spiritually: Joy, assurance, faith -- ask Him and He will give, and give abundantly!

Luke Part 32: Who is Jesus?

2011-03-06T18:38:00.001-08:00

Text: Luke 9:7-9, Luke 9:18-22

At this point in Luke’s gospel, he is summarizing all of what Christ has been doing, and the emphasis is shifting to what Christ is teaching. This section begins to discuss truths about the Kingdom of God, and about the King of that kingdom, Jesus.

At that time, there was a question raised about who Jesus was. This is the question of the ages: “Who is Jesus?”

Like many in our society, Herod thought Jesus was just an ordinary man, and many of the people of that day thought so too. This is an inaccurate description, the thought of Jesus being a great teacher who died a tragic martyr’s death. This is wrong and dangerous – following this belief will get you into hell. This “ordinary” view of Jesus is just a cover and excuse for sin.

Peter, as spokesman for the disciples, gave the correct answer: “You are the Christ of God!” The Anointed One, the One who has come from God. This view of one Man in whom salvation can be found, one true Messiah, flies in the face of the world. Of course, this is to be expected – we are not of this world, and shouldn’t be expecting anything from the world.

Jesus then tells the disciples not to tell this to anyone. This is quite remarkable. Why did He give this command?

First, the Jews were looking for a political Messiah to liberate them from the Romans. They may have interpreted Jesus’s claim to be a Messiah as an announcement that He was establishing a physical kingdom, when He was in fact establishing a spiritual kingdom.
Second, this was not the time for public acclamation. This was not a time for great crowds and a mixed multitude. Jesus wanted to spend this time with His people, giving them the truths they needed to hear and learn.
Third, this was during the time of His humiliation. It was not yet time for Him to be praised and recognized.

The question of “Who is Jesus” also asks, “What kind of Messiah is He? What is He going to do?” Jesus explained this in verse 22: the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, must die, and must rise again on the third day.

Must suffer – it is a necessity that Christ’s sufferings would happen in order for Him to be a Messiah. This was the Father’s will and the Son’s promise. Christ willingly came and suffered. The Law demands perfection and requires a penalty for failing to meet that perfection. Man is required to pay that penalty, and, apart from Christ, he cannot.

Must be rejected – Christ was to be rejected by the religious leaders. The Elders (the elite families, the ruling class), the Chief Priests (the families within the Levitical Priesthood), the Scribes (the theologians and interpreters of the Law) – all of these thought Jesus was just an ordinary man, and all rejected Him.

Must die – the Sacrifice must be slain. Death is not uncommon, but Christ’s death is unique. He died after living a sinless life, and He died alone, cut off from God by our sins which He bore.

Must be raised on the third day – This death is a victorious death, a temporary death. Christ rose victorious over the grave. After He rose, He discussed the Scriptures with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, saying, “Isn’t it right that the Christ would suffer these things?”

Christ is celebrated now in the heavens as the One who has triumphed. Paul saw this glory (but he was not allowed to speak of it.) We can’t know the glory of Christ in heaven – it is beyond us. But the glory of Christ on earth is us, His children. We are His people, an example, the testimony of the work that He accomplished on Calvary. Let us live mindful of that!

Luke Part 31: Sending out of the Twelve

2011-02-20T16:31:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 9:1-6

This chapter represents a turning point in Jesus' ministry. Many have referred to this as the "retirement period", as Jesus began withdrawing from cities to less-populous areas and focusing more on teaching, rather than performing miracles. Previously in Luke, we see a great emphasis on the manhood and divinity of Christ. Luke was showing that He had come as a Savior, and was careful to show that He was to be a Savior for Jews and Gentiles.

This chapter can be divided into six sections. The first, third, and fifth sections are primarily discussing the Lord's people, and the second, fourth, and sixth sections discuss Jesus Himself directly. In this first section, consisting of the first six verses, we read of how Jesus sent out the twelve apostles.

Jesus sent out these twelve as representatives of the called out people of God, otherwise known as the church. The commission given to these men is passed on down to all of the people of God, every Christian. Some will have greater involvement in the spread of the Gospel and some will have a lesser involvement. Some will spread the gospel just through their lives and contacts with people they know; others will go out as evangelists.

We note that this passage doesn't say to whom Jesus sent them. He didn't set up a grand missionary strategy; He didn't tell them to try to first convert the leaders of the societies, but just to speak the gospel to all, to whomever they encountered.

Jesus told them to take no possessions with them. He wanted them to be completely reliant upon Him. He wanted them to see that this was His work, and that He would take responsibility to supply all of their needs.

Jesus told them to go to whatever house would accept them, and stay there. They weren't to move about trying to angle for the most advantageous position. They were, again, to remember that this was the Lord's work, His doing. They needed to stay where they were accepted and allow Him to do His business. This was also an encouragement to them. They could be assured that someone out there would accept them, that there would be some out there who would be receptive to the Gospel.

Jesus also told them that some people would reject them. Yet this was no cause for great alarm. They were only to shake the dust off their feet and continue on. We can consider this that we are not required to convert everyone we share with. We are not required to have the perfect answer to all the objections and arguments that may be brought. We are only to speak the Gospel clearly and accurately, and if it is rejected, we should not worry and move on.

We see in verse 6 that they did exactly what Jesus had told them to do. They obeyed His word, even though they had never done anything like this before. This is an example to us. These simple fishermen, at Jesus' command, went out into distant cities with only the clothes on their backs and proclaimed the good news of Christ to all they came in contact with. Just like them, we may not be trained missionaries. But the harvest is all around us, and we can do the Lord's work, knowing there is no discouragement for us when we do what our God has told us to do.

Luke Part 30: Lessons from the stilled storm and the delivered Gerasene

2011-02-13T13:17:00.001-08:00

Text: Luke 8:22-39

At this time and throughout Jesus' ministry, He has been preparing His apostles for their future leadership role in His church. They are learning about Jesus and about His kingdom. In this section, two lessons are presented for Him.

The first lesson occurs during the boat ride in a storm that blows up suddenly. The disciples panic and are afraid they are perishing, so they wake Jesus, who calms the sea. The lesson for the disciples was that their faith was lacking. Jesus had told them to go across the lake. They were doing just exactly what He had told them to do. And Jesus was right there in the boat with them. The main problem, what Jesus rebuked them for, was the way they came to Him in a panic. They should, like us, have had faith that they were doing exactly what He had given them to do, and approached Jesus with confidence and assurance, rather than panic.

The second lesson occurred after they reached the end of the boat trip, where they were immediately met with a demon-possessed man. This man had a reputation for being extremely violent and breaking his bonds. The demons within him immediately recognized Jesus and knew they were helpless. They entreated Jesus to send them into a herd of swine (what were these Jews doing raising swine?) and Jesus consented. The swine rushed into the river and were drowned; the man was completely restored. The people of that area were greatly afraid and urged Jesus to go away. So Jesus decided to leave, but the man who had been healed asked to go along with Jesus. Jesus told him to instead stay and tell all in that land what had happened to him. And the man obeyed.

What are the points to be learned from this lesson? First note that all Christians will suffer tribulations. Each of us will be confronted with sin. Many of the people in the world around us are, like the man in this story, not in their right minds. There is great crime and wickedness in the cities around us. All over the world we hear of Christians being killed for their testimonies. Even now there is demonic activity. The devil will use the sinfulness of man heart to his own advantage. Evil breeds more evil and sin grows to deeper sin. We, like, the apostles, will be confronted with it.

However, in ever tribulation, we know that we shall conquer. Jesus is near us, and He is our shield, hiding place, rock of refuge, our defender. We know that He is:

Lord of the Present -- whatever we are doing, we must do it with Jesus. Whatever we do through the day, we do in faith knowing it is the thing that God has given us to do. We approach every aspect of our lives: our work, our recreation, our relationships, knowing that we are doing what He has given us to do, and we are doing it to please Him.

Lord of the Past -- Jesus knew the storm was coming when He had the disciples set out on the Sea of Galilee. He know all about everything that comes into our lives. He is the Author of our stories, and the Planner of our lives. Note that the Lord set off across the lake in order to save only one man -- a man who was not at all seeking Him. This is grace!

Lord of the Future -- We don't know what God will do. But we do know that He works good for His children through all the evil and tribulation in this life. We can go to Him in trouble. But we need not go in a panic, as the disciples did. But rather than being scared in difficult circumstances, we need only lay out before Him these principles in total confidence that He will answer.

See Christ's mercy in this passage! He works toward one man at a time. He saved this man and sent him as the "first gospel missionary". He had compassion even on these Geresenes who had rejected Him and told Him to go away -- He left a man to share the gospel with them.

Luke Part 29: The Parable of the Sower

2011-02-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 8:1-18

This passage begins with Luke telling us that Jesus is preaching the gospel of the kingdom. In the two years or so of His ministry up to this point, He hasn't changed the message. He's not trying to alter the message to make it more palatable to His hearers, as so many preachers today might be. The problem is not with the message; the problem lies in the hearers, and that is what Jesus deals with in this section. This is called The Parable of the Sower, but it could be more accurately called The Parable of the Hearers and Listeners, because that is its primary topic.

The parable is described in the text, and Jesus later explained it to His disciples. To understand the parable, remember that:

The Seed is the Word of God

The Sower is the on proclaiming the Word of God faithfully, in this case Jesus, but today it could be anyone preaching or sharing.

The Ground is the substance of a man, his capacity to think and feel, his heart.

Now, there are four groups of hearers, and Jesus discusses them all:

1. The Wayside Hearer. This person is compared to the heavily-traveled hard path at the side of the field. This is the hard-hearted hearer. He is not interested at all in the Word of God. The seed just bounces off. This is not the original state of the hearer, but this state of hardness is arrived at through a sinful life and a seared, guilty conscience.

Note also that the devil is involved (v. 12). This is a spiritual warfare and we must not underestimate the power of our adversary.

2. The Rocky Soil. This is the picture of a thin layer of soil over a large stone. This is the emotional hearer. He receives the Word gladly and with emotional expression. But this emotion is not based on true belief and conviction; it is a emotion apart from the mind. Later this emotional hearer falls into temptation, and eventually denies the Lord through his lifestyle and continues to engage in the same old pattern of life as before.

3. The Thorny Ground. This is the hearer who receives the Word and reacts positively, committing to follow it. But he soon returns to his worldly life: his job, family, investments, sports. Whatever the cares of his life are, he ends up seeking them instead of God, and he finds he has no devotional time, no time for the Lord at all.

4. The Good Soil. This is the good and honest heart. Note that it is not natural in fallen mankind, but it is given by the mercy of God. This hearer keeps the Word. His heart was prepared to receive it. The Word becomes a part of him. He is moved to change his lifestyle and abandon his sin. He keeps what he has heard and what he knows to be true.

The lesson of this parable is to ask yourself: what kind of a hearer are you? Christ says, "Take heed how you hear!" and "He who has ears to hear let him hear!" You are in one of these groups. If you are in one of the first three, you need to repent be coming to the Lord to be made a Christian.

Also note: Jesus states in verse 18: to him who has shall more be given. As you keep what you hear and walk in the light you are given, more shall be given to you. You will have further understanding of how to live; you will see further sins to be fought against. God will lead you on to further holiness and closeness with Him.

Luke Part 28: A sinful woman forgiven; a proud Pharisee rebuked

2011-02-01T15:40:00.001-08:00

Text: Luke 7:36-50

In this passage, we see Luke in the role of a portrait painter, giving us lots of details about particular people Jesus dealt with in His ministry. This passage is found only in Luke, not in the other Gospels. This is a story of two sinners: one who knows she is a sinner, and one who is blind to his sin.

We first see Simon inviting Jesus to his house for no good reason. We know that the Pharisees had already conspired together against Jesus, and were looking to trap Him in something He would say. Simon was waiting to accuse and discredit Jesus. This is apparent because he didn't even extend the common courtesies of a host to Jesus.

There is much speculation about the woman in this story: Who is she? What is her sin? She is not identified here, so speculation is pointless. Her sin is likewise not identified, although it must have been a known, external sin. These details are left blank so each of us can identify with her. She represents every sinner who acknowledges his or her sin and receives deliverance.

The scene at Simon's house was like this: there was a large room; invited guests reclined around a table in the center of the room, and uninvited observers could sit around the outside and partake of the conversation. The unnamed woman summoned great courage to come into this assembly, and stood back behind Jesus in a position of humility. She did several things that would have been unthinkable in the culture of that time, letting down her hair, kissing and wiping Jesus' feet. Then finally, she broke a bottle of expensive perfume and poured it on Him.

Simon thought he had Jesus right where He wanted Him. He thought Jesus was proving He was no prophet by allowing the woman to continue, not knowing that she was a sinner. However, the reality was that Jesus had Simon right where He wanted him! Jesus proved that He was a prophet and that He can save people from their sins. Jesus showed Simon that the woman loved much, in response to her sins being forgiven. The forgiveness was completely an act of grace. However, Simon misses the point of the story. With the other Pharisees, he continues to try to make himself right with God through outward obedience. He doesn't recognize that he too has sinned much and needs to be forgiven of much.

We can see five points in the woman's example, things we should follow in our lives:

Her faith - Faith is visible, you can see it. The church is made up of visible saints. She risks all to get to Jesus; faith knows it will be received. She entrusts herself completely to Jesus. If the Spirit moves you to Christ, get to Him! You can know you will be received.
Humility - She takes the lower position. She doesn't assume a familiarity with Jesus. She's not afraid, but she is also not arrogantly bold and presumptuous.
Repentance - She cries over a life wasted in sin and cries rejoicing that her sins are forgiven. This is an act of the heart as well as the mind. This is not a dryly mechanical response; her whole person is involved.
Service - She performs an act of loving service in washing Christ's feet and anointing Him with perfume. She did what Simon should have done. She serves her Lord.
Her best - She gave her best, an entire bottle of costly perfume. She wouldn't hold back and give Christ second best, or second place.

This woman's actions said, "I believe - that You are the Messiah, that You can forgive sins, and that You have forgiven me." And Jesus responds by giving her assurance. She knew her sins were forgiven, but now she has the word straight from Jesus. She has got peace with God; she has everything.

May all follow her example in love to Christ and receive forgiveness and assurance directly from the Holy Spirit in response!

Luke Part 27: Marks of Wisdom

2011-01-23T13:34:00.001-08:00

Text: Luke 7:31-35

In the last post, this passage was discussed and it was noted that Christ is the wisdom of God. Wisdom is found by those that know Christ. In this post, we will take a further look at the marks of wisdom. This is a sort of checklist answering the question, "What does wisdom look like?"

Wisdom is one of God's communicable attributes. God gives it to us. All wisdom begins at conversion -- note that we have no Biblical examples of an unbeliever being described as wise. Wisdom comes from meditating on God's Word and wisdom is proven by experience, by applying the Word in our lives and seeing how God is faithful to perform what He has promised.

Wisdom is never proud. Knowledge without wisdom puffs up, but wisdom produces humility, not pride.

James 3:13-17 contains a discussion that describes the characteristics of true wisdom. This "wisdom from above" is given by God and is contrasted with the earthly, natural, demonic wisdom that works strife and discord.

The wisdom from above in James has the following marks. It is:

Pure - It is unmixed, not divided. It is not partially our wisdom and partially God's wisdom. Rather, it is all from above. God has done it all; He is the wellspring of life and wisdom.
Peaceable - To be "peaceable" does not mean to be tied up in knots worrying about possibly offending anyone. It is not being inactive or withdrawing from society like a mountaintop guru. To be peaceable is to be actively maintaining the peace that God has placed among the brethren. The peaceable person is also promoting peace between God and man -- he is sharing the gospel with the world around him. He is known as a reconciler; he is one who helps people overcome their differences.
Gentle - This word also means "considerate". A person with wisdom refuses to think the worst of other people. He makes allowances for others, considering that we are all imperfect.
Reasonable - easy to be entreated. This person is open to persuasion. He is open to other people's ideas. He can listen to others without condemning them. Rather than being opinionated, he has convictions.
Full of mercy - forgiving. Forgiving others whether they ask forgiveness or not. He has a desire to relieve suffering and never rejoices in another's misfortune.
Full of good fruit - wisdom is productive, it accomplishes something. The man of wisdom is the best neighbor/employee/father/husband he can be. This wisdom has results in outward living.
Unwavering - or, without partiality. The wise man will always do the right thing, without being swayed by circumstances or people.
Without hypocrisy - The wise man is exactly what he seems to be. He is never hiding something. Hypocrisy is banished when we put our masks away and are real with each other.

These characteristics are perfectly embodied in Christ!

Remember that God wants His children to be wise, and that He gives wisdom to all who ask. If we are His children, we shall prove the wisdom of God!

Luke Part 26: How do you receive the Word?

2011-01-13T18:51:00.001-08:00

Text: Luke 7:31-35

This passage begins with Jesus comparing the people of that time to squabbling children. One group of children would want to play a happy tune; the other group would reject that. Others would want to play a funeral tune, and that would be rejected, too. Jesus is basically saying, “There’s no pleasing you people!” They were inconsistent.

When John the Baptist came, very austere and with a message of repentance, they said he had a devil. Then Christ came on the scene with a message of joy, and they said He was a drunkard and associated with drunks.

We should consider how we receive the messenger of the Word. Are we complaining about the minister? Have we been too critical?

At the end of the passage, in verse 35, is a cryptic proverb that doesn’t seem to quite fit with the rest: “Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” What does this mean?

Wisdom, in the Bible, is defined as knowledge of God. Wisdom is to know God, to fear Him and reverence Him. (1 Cor 1:23,24). Christ is speaking of Himself – the wisdom of God revealed. Loving Christ is the beginning of wisdom. We can partake of the wisdom of God, becoming wise as we partake in Christ.

Wisdom is vindicated (proven to be right) by its children (us). How do God’s children prove that Christ is the wisdom of God? Through holy living (James 3:13). God has revealed to us that He intends for His children to be wise. The good news is, what He intends to do, He does!

The Greek word for “knowledge” describes someone who is an expert in a particular field, someone who have given himself to study of a particular topic. In this passage, knowledge is referring to someone who has given himself to study and observe God. We have a great opportunity to do this – we have more good books available to us than ever in the history of mankind! But, on the other hand, we have more distractions around us that ever before as well. Study is the means that God has given for us to obtain knowledge.

Wisdom is applied knowledge. How will I put this knowledge to work? Wisdom comes through prayer and meditation and through trial and error. We have to slow down and take tame with the Lord, putting away distractions.

We read in the Bible of the “meekness of wisdom.” A Christian is humble. He knows something about God – His greatness – and he knows something about himself – that he only has what he has received. True wisdom is never arrogant.

Finally, let us be encouraged to seek God, knowing that if we lack wisdom, if we ask Him it shall be given. (James 1:5)

Luke Part 25: John the Baptist is perplexed

2011-01-13T18:26:00.001-08:00

Text: Luke 7:1-30

This passage contains two short episodes of Jesus’ healing, and tells of His exchange with messengers from a perplexed John the Baptist.

In the first episode, described in verses 1-10, we see Jesus healing the slave of a Roman centurion – a Gentile. This is a Gentile of faith, a man who is saved. How does the centurion show his faith? First, he humbles himself. All must come to Jesus humbly, as sinners. Secondly, we see that he is concerned for his fellow man; he is asking Jesus not for himself but for the sake of his servant.

In the second episode, described in verses 11-17, we see an entirely different situation. A widow’s only son has died. We are told nothing at all of the widow’s faith. Instead, Jesus uses this occasion to demonstrate His total victory over death. He shows His power in turning an occasion of sadness and mourning into one of joyous celebration by raising the son to life again.

In verses 18-30, we read of an episode that confronts us where we are in our relationship with the Lord. John the Baptist, in prison due to his standing up to Herod, sends his friends to Christ to ask if He really is the Messiah. Did John the Baptist have a mistaken view of Christ’s kingdom? Was he confused because he thought Jesus’ should have been establishing a kingdom here on earth if He was truly the Messiah? No – the entire message of John was of a spiritual kingdom.

John’s problem was that good things were happening to everyone else – miracles were being done, etc. But John was sitting in prison off on the sidelines. He was having his doubts. This is surely our tendency as well. “Lord, what about me?” we ask. “Why do I here have to suffer through these things?”

Notice how gently Christ deals with him. “All who are not offended by Me will be blessed.” he says. John was a little offended and disappointed by Jesus, and Jesus was gently rebuking Him.

Then, Jesus praises John. There was a tendency, then as now, to equate outward circumstances with God’s favor. But Jesus wanted to show that God was pleased with John. John was right where Jesus wanted him to be. John had been put in prison because he had boldly stood up to the king. Jesus points out that John was no flimsy reed shaken by the wind; he stood up for the truth.

This message was accepted by those who could recognize their own sin. The Pharisees rejected Jesus, because they didn’t see their sin.

In verse 28, Jesus declares that John is the greatest of the prophets. In doing this, Jesus indicated that He was not just another great prophet. But, Jesus continued, those in the kingdom have seen and experienced things the prophets couldn’t understand – we now know more than the greatest prophets of old.

The key verse in this passage is verse 23 – “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” Christ is our King. The ruler of the kingdom orders the affairs of the kingdom and we don’t take offense at Him. We struggle with doubts, we don’t see the results we want right away. Yet we should remember in all these things: life is hard but God is good; like John, if we are following Christ, we are right in the situation where He wants us to be.

Luke Part 24: Repairing of a relationship and a relationship to live in

2011-01-01T18:57:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 6:46-49

This passage begins with a call to acknowledge our own hypocrisy: "Why do you call Me Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Why do we hear what Jesus says and do not do it? It is a call to acknowledge our hypocrisy and return again to Jesus.

Next, we see that Jesus says, "Everyone who comes to Me". Have we come to Him? You have either come, or you haven't come; there is no partial coming to Jesus. And for everyone who has come, you know the necessity of a continual coming.

Also, we see the necessity of hearing -- the Lord's children love to hear His voice. His voice is the Word. The Spirit uses the Word of God, speaking to us through the Word applied.

And finally, there is the example of the two builders. Note that the builder who builds on sand is relying on his own strength -- he is relying on the skill and durability of his construction to keep his house together, in the same way as a man reliying on his good works for salvation. While the other relies on the steadfastness of the rock on which he builds to keep his house secure, as a man relies on God's grace alone for salvation.

In this way, the man who is rooted and grounded in the Lord is established and secure. A busy time in his life will not disturb his routine of meeting with God in regular times of devotion. He is safe from the buffeting of false teachers. May those of us who have come to the Lord be securely grounded in this way! And may those who have not come to Him hear His voice and do so.

Luke Part 23: Showing graciousness in withholding judgment of others

2011-01-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 6:37-45

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, we can see six principles of holy living:

The law of holiness requires activity -- we do not become holy by just existing passively.
Holiness requires unconditional, sacrificial obedience.
We are not our own -- we have been bought; we are in the family of fellow followers.
As in verse 37, we are to be gracious, not censorious or condemning in our relationships. This is especially important in our relationships towards other Christians.

We cannot see other people's hearts. We cannot make judgments -- either for good or bad. We cannot make a positive judgment, telling someone he is OK, but in effect encouraging wrong behavior or even good behavior with wrong motives.

On the other hand, we cannot condemn others without knowing their hearts. Each of us can only do what we know to do, and each of us is being led along in his own place in the Christian walk.

We must be careful judging even ourselves. We should not judge ourselves too harshly or too softly. Each of us is responsible for what God has spoken to our hearts.
Next, we have the example of giving (v.38). We are to be giving people; giving is an area where we can show graciousness. How much are we to give? There are no rules here! We are just told to give generously. You cannot outgive the Giver -- you will always receive it back. (see 2 Cor 9:6-7)
Finally, there is an objective to be obtained: that we be like Jesus, our Teacher (v. 40). If our goal is to be more righteous for its own sake, or to be more peaceful, we are going at it wrong and will miss the objective; our purpose must always be to be more Christlike.

Luke Part 22: The Beatitudes

2010-11-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 6:20-26

This section begins what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. Luke's version of this sermon is much shorter than that recorded in Matthew. Both versions can be regarded as a condensed version, or summary, of the actual sermon. So how does this version in Luke differ, and why? Luke, we remember, is writing primarily to the Gentiles, so the summary of this sermon provided in his gospel is oriented more for the Gentile reader. There is no discussion of Moses' Law. Rather than mentioning "publicans", this version refers to "sinners", which would include all of us.

Matthew records Jesus saying they are blessed to accept persecution "for My sake", while in Luke's version Jesus refers to Himself as "the Son of Man." We have seen that this is the title He chose to refer to Himself as a representative for people of all nationalities and backgrounds.

We see at the beginning of this section that Jesus "looked at His disciples." What a thing it must have been for this Man, who spoke with such great authority, to be looking among His people, in their faces, speaking directly to them.

These first four beatitudes, the "blessed art thou" are things that are true of the people of God. God's people will always be those who submit to the Lord's leadership; they will always be distinct from the people they are living among. If they are not distinct, if there is a blending of the world and the church, it is not real Christianity.

"Blessed are the poor." The people of God are poor in all respects. Frequently they are economically poor; they are poor in spirit; they are not self-sufficient. They are not enriched by the world's goods, rather they are looking to God for their delight.

"Blessed are those who hunger now." Again, God's people find their satisfaction and fulfillment in Christ. They are not filled and satisfied by the things of this world.

"Blessed are those who weep now." This world is a sad place! God's people shed tears over the degradation of sin, over seeing Christ held in low esteem.

"Blessed are you when men hate you." Have we felt this hatred of men? Have we felt what is like to be separated, ostracized, regarded as evil? This is part of being one of God's people; this is what Christians are supposed to be experiencing.

After these four "blesseds" there are four "woes". Jesus condemns those who are satisfied with the world's goods, who are constantly jovial and amused. Woe are you when men speak well of you! Countless men have perished in their sins due to their love of others' approval!

Note how Christ's message is balanced -- it's not a weak "Smile, God loves you!" message, rather there is equal emphasis on judgment and blessing. Also see the passion in His message. A total love for Him is required. It is not optional; you must live for Him totally.

Also, we again see the "doctrine of twos". It is the world vs. Christ, there is no middle ground. You will be either blessed with Christ or cursed with the world. There is no room for blending and compromise.

There is nothing that compares to Christ! Seek Him and you will be comforted. He is a Savior for sinners!

Luke Part 21: Jesus calls the disciples and apostles

2010-11-16T19:45:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 6:12-19

As we have been seeing, this section of Luke describes Christ's teachings about the New Covenant and how it is radically different from the Old. In this particular portion, we see Jesus calling his apostles. He chose these men to perpetuate the new thing He was doing.

First, we see Christ going up on the mountain to pray. We don't know how He prayed or what the nature of His prayers were. But we do see Him spending the whole night in communion with His Father. Amazing!

After His night of prayer, Jesus called the disciples and the apostles. What is a disciple? A disciple is a follower of a particular person.

Jesus called many disciples, but he only called twelve apostles. The word "apostle" means "sent one" and these twelve were a special group of men, given to the church to lead and guide.

We know almost nothing about some of the apostles. They did their work without much acclaim and were not recorded in the annals of history. Yet they were faithful servants. We should keep this in mind when we read about the history of the church. We certainly no little about many other significant people who served God faithfully.

Perhaps we will one day find that the men who did the greatest works in church history were neglected by the historians. Particularly, we know that by the 3rd or 4th century, much error had crept into the church. Were there any true Christians? Of course! But the enemies of the truth were the ones in power, and they were the ones writing the history, so of course we don't hear much from the faithful believers!

Jesus was establishing the method by which truth would be handed down. He would speak to the apostles. Then the apostles would teach other men directly, who would in turn teach other men. This pattern can be seen in 2 Tim 1:13,14 where we see Paul telling Timothy to guard the teaching he was receiving from Paul. The pattern is always one of one individual passing on the truth to another. It's an organic and real thing -- the giver and receiver of the truth have a relationship with each other. This has been turned on its head with the modern seminary approach, where students are taught in classrooms without the close relationship to the teacher that we see in the Bible.

The early church lived a lifestyle that was completely different from those around them. When asked why their lifestyle was so different, they responded, "We are followers of Jesus." Simply embracing the objective facts of the gospel will not produce life. Perhaps this is why we see deadness in the churches around us -- the pastors have been taught in a system with an overemphasis on the learning of facts and skills, but without the emphasis on the changed life of a life of faith. Faith must be mixed with knowledge to produce a fragrant life.

Luke Part 20: Jesus, our Sabbath of the New Covenant

2010-11-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 6:1-11

The purpose of this section of Luke, beginning with the previous passage and continuing on for a few chapters, is to show how the New Covenant is radically different in every way from the Old Covenant. This passage continues in that vein, with two incidents recorded that are related to the Sabbath. It's important to remember that these incidents were collected to teach certain points; they are not necessarily in chronological order.

What is the main teaching here? Jesus Christ is our Sabbath in the New Covenant. We are resting in Him, resting from our works. This is covered more directly in Hebrews.

Note Jesus' response in Verse 5: "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath" Jesus frequently described Himself as the Son of Man to indicate that He was a Savior, not just for the Jews, but for people from all of mankind. This Sabbath of the New Covenant was a rest, not just for the Jewish people, but a rest for all.

We have examples of the sabbath in the era before Moses -- After God created the world, He rested. But Adam was not able to abide in that rest; he still had things to do. Is it too much of a reach to suggest it was on the Sabbath that Adam walked with God in the cool of the day? The Sabbath was instituted as a time to rest from labor and to enjoy God fully without distraction.

The Sabbath was commanded before Moses -- God told the people to rest from collecting manna on the seventh day in Exodus 16:28,29.

In Exodus 20, Moses was given the Ten Commandments, including the Fourth Commandment: "Remember the Sabbath". This "remember" meant to remember the past and to keep as a remembrance, to observe the Sabbath in time. We should remember Adam's communion in innocence and remember our rest in Christ.

The Jews turned the Sabbath into a thing of ceremony -- a list of explicit rules for refraining from labor that had to be kept. But Isaiah 58:11-14 explained what God meant for the Sabbath to be: a time not just to turn away from work, but to turn towards Him.

The Pharisee's interpretation of the law was wrong, because they had turned the Sabbath into a ceremonial thing. The disciples eating of the grain was an act of necessity; it was not wrong. Likewise, healing the man's hand was not wrong. The Pharisees had made their ceremonial, legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath more important than this man's hand.

Finally, we should note that the priests still did work on the Sabbath. The fact of the Christian's sabbath rest in Christ does not eliminate the work that we have to do. Although we are resting in Christ's merit, we still have sin to conquer and good news to spread.

Luke, Part 19: A great change; something new

2010-11-07T17:46:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 5:27-39

This section, as well as all of Luke 6, teach that Jesus had come to fulfill the Old Covenant and to establish the New Covenant. The idea here is of something new, both something new for individuals, and something new nationally and corporately.

First, we see with the example of Levi, a change in the individual -- the individual made new. Levi was a publican, a collector of taxes for the Jews' Roman overlords. Furthermore, most publicans overcharged. They were generally crooked, wealthy, and despised.

The story of Levi begins with "the call." Jesus called out "Follow Me!" and Levi left everything behind. Christ's call was certainly effectual. Levi, we read, "left everything behind." For a wealthy tax-collector, this was quite significant.

Next in Levi's story is "the change." Levi was changed radically. The first thing he did was to hold a huge feast, a royal reception for Jesus to thank Christ for receiving Him. He invited his friends -- probably other publicans; what friends did tax-gatherers have? The stingy Levi was changed to a hospitable man focused on sharing his goods and sharing the gospel with others.

Finally, we see "the Cure," the reason for Levi's great change. Levi was changed by Jesus -- He is the reason sinners are turned from their sin. He has the means and the power to cure the sickness of sin. Jesus told the Pharisees that He came to heal sinners, that He was a physician for those who know their sin, and acknowledge their need. This is the pattern; there is no other way of salvation.

Next, we see corporate identity change, beginning with the question over fasting. The Pharisees asked, "Why don't your disciples fast?" The Old Covenant was a legalistic system. The Jews were constantly mindful of their sinfulness and condemnation. They were constantly looking at themselves, leading to despair over sin. The same thing can happen to us if we fall under the bondage of legalism. The New Covenant is not one of condemnation and gloom! The norm for a Christian should be rejoicing because there is mutual joy -- Christ is rejoicing in us, and we are rejoicing in Him.

Of course, anytime when we are caught up in sin, if we feel as though Christ has withdrawn, this may be a time for fasting. But these are not the normal thing! We don't have to do penance or beat ourselves up. We can know forgiveness NOW.

Finally, Jesus gives a couple of parables to show the great change wrought in the New Covenant. First is that of a new patch of cloth on a old garment. The new cloth represents the new teachings of the New Covenant and the old cloth represents the teachings of the Old Covenant. The parable tells us that you can't pick and choose -- you can't take some of Jesus's teachings and combine it with some of the Old Covenant.

We see this kind of picking-and-choosing all around us. Islam includes Jesus... but only part of Jesus. Armenianism combines Jesus with works-religion. Some others take the Bible as a guideline for moral rules (Jesus is a "good teacher") but leave out the gospel.

Next we have the picture of new wine in old wineskins. The Jews were willing to accept Jesus; they wanted Jesus + the Old Covenant. But you can't have Jesus plus works-religion or Jesus plus a civil religious order or Jesus plus anything.

And last we have the picture of new wine in a new wineskin. Christ represented something totally new and He would only belong within the system of the New Covenant, a covenant of faith, liberty, and security in contrast to the Old Covenant with its fasting, bondage, and continual sacrifice.

There is a warning here: we have a tendency to accept the old as "good enough." People may not receive the gospel because they are happy where they are. We must be patient with them and keep sharing. Also, we may be stubborn and not see new truths and learn when we should. God will bring us along and teach us new things. We will conform more and more to His image as He shows us more truth. We must not cling to the comfort of our "old" ways of thinking.

Finally, to sinners: the old is not better. Learn from Levi! Jesus calls all sinners, and only sinners, to Himself. Repent and believe, and celebrate all Christ gives us in the New Covenant era of joyous relationship with Him!

Then Jesus

Jesus’ Farewell Prayer: Part 3, Jesus’ Relationship with the world

2010-10-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

Text: John 17

This final discussion regarding Jesus' farewell prayer centers on how Jesus views the world. From His perspective, we can gain insight on how we should interact with the world.

The word "world" (Greek: "cosmos") is used in the Bible, and in this passage in particular, in several different senses. It may refer to the entire created universe (v.5) or to Planet Earth, or to the human population of the world.

Or, as is found most often in this passage, it may refer to the spiritual forces in human society that are opposed to and alienated from God. This is the "evil system" controlled by the devil and all the institutions used to advance this agenda. This would include systems of government, art, music, and media. The Bible says, "The whole world lies in the power of the evil one." What is valuable to the world? Money, power, pleasure, and the advancement of self.

Here are six things that can be learned from Jesus' prayer regarding the world:

1. Christians have been saved out of the world. (v.6) Every person starts out as part of this evil system. Every person starts out lost. Every person is in need of salvation.

And, every person is either still part of this evil system or part of Jesus' kingdom. Jesus contrasts His people against the world (v.9). He states that He is specifically NOT praying for the world; He is praying only for His people. He states that His people know Him and the world does not (v.3, v.25). This is the Doctrine of Twos -- there is no middle ground; you are either for God or against Him.

2. Jesus has left Christians in the world. (v.11,15) Christians are not taken out of the world as soon as they are saved! This is the place God wants for us to be. He wants us here, in the world. He has work for us to do.

3. The world hates Christians. (v.14) The world hates Christians because they hate Jesus. The Christian's righteous life is a rebuke to the world. The gospel is deeply offensive to the world -- it says, "You need Christ!" The Bible says, "All those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2 Tim 3:12)

4. The world is a spiritually dangerous place for Christians. (v.15) The devil makes the world look attractive. In 2 Timothy, we read of Demas, who, "having loved this present world" deserted Paul. We are exhorted in 1 John 2:15 not to love the world or the things in the world. The world can tempt or discourage us. But, the power of God is within us to help us to escape the devil.

5. Christians are in this world, but not of this world. (v11, v16). We are pilgrims here in this world; it is not our home. There is a uniqueness and a separation for Christians. We are different, and we are supposed to be so. How does this separation occur? Not merely through rules and regulations. We should look to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus describes His people and how unique and radical they will be.

6. Jesus sends Christians into the world. We are on a mission! In verse 20, Jesus prays for those who are yet to believe on Him, the future fruit of His disciples. Jesus prays that the world may believe (v.21) and know (v.23) Him. This is our calling, what we are here to do. Let us do it with our whole heart!

Jesus’ Farewell Prayer: Part 2, Jesus’ Relationship with His Children

2010-10-17T18:13:00.000-07:00

Text: John 17

Consider the things Jesus says regarding His desires for us, His children, in the prayer listed in John 17. Remember that this is the prayer He gave right before the events of His crucifixion. Be encouraged to remember that Jesus always prayed with perfect faith and always prayed exactly the will of God; all Jesus' prayers are answered.

Let us consider six things that Jesus prays for us:

1. That we may know God. (v.2-3). Knowing God, Jesus says here, is the very definition of what eternal life is. Knowing God is not just a mental assent to the facts about God; it is a very personal and intimate relationship with Him. We know God through Jesus; He is the Way to God, the only true Way.

2. That we might have fullness of joy. (v. 13) What joy? "My joy," Jesus says. This is the result of the gospel: joy made full. And it's not just a trickle of joy here and there, but fullness of joy. In heaven our joy will be made complete, but joy for the Christian begins on earth. Joy is essential to the Christian! It was important to Jesus here, and we have the example of the apostles constantly talking about being joyful.

3. That we might be kept safe. (v. 11, 15) Jesus prays that we would be "kept" -- kept to God, close to Him, His truth, and all of Him. He also prays that we would be kept "from the evil one". We must not be deceived -- there is a spiritual battle raging around us and Satan and his evil hosts want to bring us down. Jesus prays that God would preserve us. We have confidence (James 4:7) that if we submit ourselves to God, resisting the devil, we will be kept.

4. That we might be sanctified in the truth. (v. 17, 19) Sanctification is defined as being "set apart" from the world unto God, for holiness. Jesus here prays for God to do it. We are not passively sitting by, but ultimately sanctification is a work of God. (Philippians 1:6) How are we sanctified? "In the truth" -- through the Word of God. The more we know of the Word of God, the more we let the Word "dwell in us richly" as Colossians talks about, the more sanctified we will become.

5. That there would be unity among believers. (v. 11, 22, 23) Note that every time Jesus refers to our unity, He relates that to the unity of Himself and the Father. We are joined together with Christ, and, through Him, are joined together with the Father. Ephesians 4:3 is an exhortation to "preserve the unity" of the saints. Note that unity is a natural thing; we should be careful not to do anything to mess it up. Preserving unity requires humility and self-sacrifice. It is so important to have love for other Christians, it is given as a test for authenticity is 1 John.

6. That we might be with Him. (v.24) We want to be with Jesus. The amazing thing is, He wants to be with us, too; He desires for us to be with Him. Even as He was looking ahead to the cross, and considering all that He would suffer for us, He was looking to the final end result, and praying that God would bring us all to glory with Him. The essence of heaven is being with Jesus where He is, that we might behold His glory.

Jesus’ Farewell Prayer: Part 1, Jesus’ Relationship with the Father

2010-10-17T17:10:00.001-07:00

Text: John 17

This passage in John 17 contains Jesus’ longest recorded prayer. Jesus made this prayer in sight of His coming death on the cross. In this first part, we will look at six things this prayer teaches us about Jesus’ relationship with the Father.

1. The Father and the Son have an eternal relationship. This is made clear in verses 5 and 24. The Father and the Son shared a love and a glory before the world existed.

2. The Father loves the Son. See verses 23, 24, and 26. This is a boundless, eternal, perfect love. Love begins with God the Father. Because we are made in His image, we can also know love. The love God the Father has for the Son is the same love that He has for us. We can be brought into this love relationship thr0ugh union with Christ. Note that this was prayed with the cross in view; this great love is even in view of the wrath to be poured out upon the Son by the Father on the cross.

3. The Father and the Son are in unity. They are one. See verses 11, 21, and 22.

4. The Father has sent the Son on a particular mission. (v. 3, 4, 8, 21, 23) The Father initiated and sustains His work. Jesus was totally obedient to His Father. Even the content of His teaching was received directly from His Father.

5. The Father has given a people to the Son. (v. 6, 9, 24) The Father has selected certain souls out of the world have given them to the Son. This is important to Jesus. See also John 6:37 and John 10. Jesus keeps referring to this gift from the Father – it is especially important because it is a gift from Someone He loves so dearly.

6. The Father and the Son glorify each other. (v. 1, 4, 5, 22, 24) What is “glory”? It is manifested excellence. Even the cross, with its humiliation and scorn, was a glorious thing. Jesus displayed the love and mercy and grace of God clearly in His death. We see in Philippians 2:8-11 that Jesus humbled himself in obedience to suffer and die on the cross, and it was for this reason that the Father glorified Him highly. And then, in verse 11 of that passage we see that the glory is returned to the Father.

Luke, Part 18: Jesus cleanses a man with leprosy

2010-09-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 5:12-16

This passage describes an incident in which Jesus heals a man with leprosy. This incident is also recorded in Matthew and Mark, demonstrating its significance. The encounter that the leprous man had with Jesus is a model for our encounters with the Lord, both for Christians and for the unsaved.

This leper, who was he? We don't know; his name isn't recorded. He was probably just a normal, ordinary man until he contracted leprosy and became cut off from normal civil and religious society. Leprosy was an exceptionally fearful disease at that time. A person with leprosy had to live apart from society; whenever an uninfected person approached, the leper had to shout "Unclean!" and cover his face. So when Jesus met this man, it was probably at a time of day when fewer people were around, perhaps late at night or early in the morning.

We see five things in the way the leper approached Jesus:

1. He saw Jesus -- he knew enough about Jesus to recognize Him when he saw Him. You have to know who the real, biblical Jesus is, not just someone of your imagination. The real Jesus is the only one who can do us any good.

2. He fell on his face. The leper prostrated himself and took the lowest possible position. He humbled himself, worshiped Jesus and begged Him for help. He claimed no merit of his own and didn't seek to engage Jesus as an equal.

3. He acknowledged Jesus as Lord. He recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the God-Man, Christ. Or conception of Jesus must be of Him as Lord.

4. He realized Jesus' all-sufficiency. He knew Jesus had the power to heal him. He knew his own need, and knew Jesus could meet that need.

5. He was subject to the will of God. He said, "If you will."He knew Christ was under no obligation to help him. God is free in his administration of sovereign grace.

What did Jesus do? Jesus healed and cleansed him. Five attributes of Christ's response are given for our encouragement, and for our example in doing good to our fellow man:

1. Jesus put forth His hand. Ordinarily, people would tell a leper to stay away. Christ opened up to this man and and encouraged him. Jesus even went so far as to touch the man. Christ made himself one with the man in the same manner that, in salvation, He makes Himself one with a sinner.

2. Jesus revealed His will. We cannot find out God's will purely through our own searching. We are dependent on God to reveal it to us. We should pray that God would make it simple so that we can understand His Word and His leading.

3. Jesus healed the leper. In this, He showed that He is the Son of God. He demonstrated that He has dominion over sickness, disease, and sin. Jesus is not teasing. None who come to Him are refused.

4. Jesus sent him to the priest. Under the Law, the priest had the duty to testify when a person was healed of leprosy. Jesus sent the cleansed man to the priest; this made the priest have to testify to who Jesus was.

5. Jesus got alone with His Father. Jesus did great miracles, but he was still completely human. He needed to frequently draw away from the crowds for prayer time alone. We should consider this when we feel "too busy" to have time with God. Like Jesus, we need that time with our Father.

If you don't know Christ, come to Him! He will save all who come to Him in repentance and faith.

Luke, Part 17:A Carpenter tells a fisherman how to fish

2010-09-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 5:1-11

This section describes how Jesus taught Simon how to fish. First, we see that Jesus told Simon to do all the "wrong" things -- He told him to go out fishing in the middle of the day (night is preferred for fishing); and he told him to go way out into the deep water -- fishing with nets is more effective in the shallower waters.

Simon answered that they had already spent all night fishing, without success, but that he would, regardless, obey Christ's command. It would have been a long process of again getting ready and preparing to go back onto the sea. Furthermore, they were already cleaning their nets -- if they cast them in again, they would need to repeat the cleaning.

Still, Simon obeyed and they cast again. They took in such a large catch of fish that their boats began to sink.

In this passage, we see Simon in a battle. He was in a battle with believing Christ rather than doubting. Surely it would have been embarrassing for him to obey Jesus. What would the other fishermen think to see him going out fishing at the wrong time, in the wrong way?

We also see see a few things about Christ in this passage. First, we see that He is omniscient (knowing everything) -- He knew just where the fish were. Secondly, we see that He is omnipotent (all powerful) -- He had the power to bring the fish to the net. He demonstrated complete dominion over the fish of the sea.

We know from the Bible that Christ came to give life and to give "life more abundant." He gives more than we expect, just as He did for Simon by giving him a gigantic catch of fish. We see that obeying Jesus is never a fool's errand.

Simon Peter won the battle and obeyed Christ. Because he obeyed, he was blessed. Often for us, we don't see the blessing right away. But, we should obey anyway. Like Simon, we may be called to do something we've never done before, something strange. We must recognize that it will be a battle between flesh and spirit and not look to the circumstances.

Also, we can see that Jesus is involved in all areas of our lives. Christianity is not just a "church thing."

Simon is humbled greatly by the great catch he is given. When he obeyed Christ, he was questioning; he still had a lot of doubt. After his success fishing, he reacts by falling at Jesus' feet in humility rather than dancing around with joy. He confesses his sinfulness and confesses Jesus as God -- all powerful. He is in amazement that God in holiness wants to have something to do with a man like him. Jesus' response to Simon's humility is, "Fear not." He gives Simon a call and tells him to follow Him.

Luke, Part 16: Jesus heals and casts out demons

2010-09-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 4:31-44

The emphasis in the previous sections of Luke's gospel has been to show Jesus as a genuine man. In this section, Jesus demonstrates His power and compassion.

First, we see His power in preaching. Those who heard him were amazed because He taught with authority. Because Jesus is God, He didn't need to appeal to any other authority; He had authority within Himself and it was evident in His preaching.

How did His audience react? They were amazed, they were entertained, but nowhere do we see that they responded in faith. Hearing must be accompanied with faith for it to have any benefit.

During the preaching, Jesus was interrupted by a man possessed by a demon. This was evidently a particularly foul spirit, because it is identified as an "unclean" demon. Christ showed His power and His compassion in casting out the demon and freeing this man. Note that the demon both knew who Christ was and obeyed Him. Obedience and knowledge are not faith; the demon did not respond in faith but rather through being compelled by the power of Jesus.

The result of this encounter is that the audience is yet more amazed and spread the news of what they have seen all around. As Christians, we should be challenged by the example of these men: they didn't respond in faith, yet the couldn't help but tell of Jesus.

We also see in verses 38 through 41 how Jesus healed a number of people who came to Him with diseases and demon possession. Particularly noted is the healing that Simon's mother-in-law received from a "high fever". In performing these healings, Jesus worked on a very personal level. He didn't just wave His hand over the crown and say, "Be healed!" although He could very well have done that. He cared enough about each person to get involved personally with them as he healed them.

In verse 42, after Jesus has spent all night healing and helping, rather than going to bed, He left to get alone to pray. We see how Jesus constantly lived in prayer. Throughout the gospels (Mark 1:35 for example) we see Him getting away early in the morning for communion with His Father. Note how the early morning, when all is still and asleep, seems to be particularly chosen by Christ for His prayer times -- this is a good example for us to follow.

Finally, at the end of this section, we have the first reference in Luke's gospel to "the Kingdom of God". Throughout Luke, Jesus is referring to "the kingdom of God". This is the same thing that is referred to in Matthew's gospel as "the kingdom of heaven". Jesus' mission on earth was to establish this kingdom. The Kingdom of God is not visible with outward show, with robes, candles and incense. It is a supernatural, spiritual kingdom established in the hearts of God's people. It will be established perfectly in the new heavens and the new earth (Luke 22:30). In this kingdom, God is the King and we are His subjects.

How will we respond to the example of Christ? Will we show Christ to the watching world? Will we have compassion on a dying humanity? Will we we use the small power (our abilities) that God has given us to us to help others?

Luke, Part 15: Jesus Preaches at Nazareth

2010-09-12T17:15:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 4:14-30

The first verse of this section is essentially a summary of the first year of Christ's ministry. The works of Jesus during this year as described in the other Gospels, but because Luke is writing to Gentiles, he is more interested in showing them how they are included in the ministry of this Messiah.

Note in verse 15 and 16 that Jesus was a consistent attender of the synagogue. The synagogue had a fairly open style of worship. Different men from the community would have to opportunity to read a text, and comment upon it. In this passage, we are told how Jesus entered and read this passage in Isaiah (Is. 61-1,2).

This passage in Isaiah tells several marks of the Messiah:

The Spirit of the Lord would be upon Him
He would preach the gospel to the poor (the poor in every respect, the non-elite)
He would heal the broken-hearted
He would deliver the captives
He would give sight to the blind
He would deliver the bruised and oppressed
He would preach the favorable year of the Lord (He would proclaim the Year of Jubilee).

These were the marks of the Messiah, a particular prophecy for those times. Anyone claiming to be the Messiah had to do all these things.

After Jesus read this passage, He had the opportunity to comment upon it. All eyes were fixed on Him as he sat down. (v. 20) He said "yes", that He was the Messiah.

The first reaction of the hearers was pleasure. They liked what Jesus was saying; this was interesting, and they were excited about the idea of a Messiah. But they couldn't believe it was Jesus. "Isn't this Joesph's son?" they asked. "You're just a man," they must have thought. This is exactly the problem of men today. They don't want to accept Jesus as God. As a good teacher, sure, but they reject Him as God and reject His atonement on the cross.

Jesus reads their minds. He knows they are thinking, "If You're really the Messiah, prove it!" and, "You're just a man; You need salvation, too."

Jesus rebuked them with a rebuke that might be applicable to us today. They thought Jesus was familiar, not exciting or interesting. Perhaps we treat the gospel with the contempt of familiarity, too.

In verses 25-27, Jesus recounts two incidents from the lives of Elijah and Elisha in which Gentiles were shown special mercies. These events were foreshadowings, hinting that Jesus would be a Messiah to all who believe from every nation.

And this made Jesus' audience furious. They were insulted that Jesus would say He was Messiah to the Gentiles. They drove Him out of the city and attempted to kill Him, but He showed His great power in eluding them by simply passing through their midst. They were powerless to stop Him.

Note in this passage how Jesus dealt with the truth. He didn't shrink from it or soft-coat it in an attempt to appeal to His audience. He didn't give sermons about how men could derive material benefit from believing in Him, or how He would help them to solve their relationship problems. He simply presented the truth of the Gospel, and it was up to His hearers to humble themselves to this truth. Let us follow His example in not straying from the essential truths of the gospel when we share with others!

Luke, Part 14: Jesus’ Temptation in the Wilderness

2010-09-01T19:35:00.001-07:00

Text: Luke 4:1-13

Jesus continues in His work as a representation of man in this section. Christ, in His humanity is again shown representing transgressors. He is going out to the battle against temptation that Adam lost, but unlike Adam, Christ (the New Adam) will be victorious.

When Adam was tempted, he was with his wife, in a perfect place with all his needs supplied. Christ, on the other hand, was in the desert and alone and suffering greatly from hunger.

In this passage, Christ is shown as our example, as well as our representative. Through His responses, we can gain insight into foiling Satan’s attempts to tempt us.

In Satan’s first attack (v.3), he begins by saying, “If you are the Son of God turn these stones into bread.” Jesus knew He was the Son of God; He had just been told by the Father that He was the Father’s “beloved Son”. As with Adam, Satan’s first attack is on the accuracy of God’s Word. We see Satan attacking God’s Word in the world all around us, from secular humanists trying to cast doubts on the veracity of the Word, to charismatic churches casting aside the Bible for so-called special revelation. Jesus is not swayed; He responds directly with the Word. He tells Satan that His life is not about material things such as food, but that His true life is His relationship with the Father.

In the second attack (v.5-7), Satan takes Christ to all the kingdoms of the world and offers to give them to Him in exchange for worship. Christ was sent to the world to be a King of a new heavenly kingdom. Here Satan is giving Christ an opportunity to rule without enduring the suffering He was sent for. As always, he is trying to made something sinful look good (wouldn’t it be good for Christ to be king over the whole world?) He is offering the crown without the cross. Jesus responds to worship God only. Jesus was familiar with Scripture and knew how to use the written Word against Satan. We should try to be likewise skilled and to, like Christ, do what God calls us to do in God’s way.

In the final attack, Satan brings Jesus up to the pinnacle of the temple. Note how he misuses the Bible in order to get Jesus to sin. The actual passage (Psalm 91:11-12) says, “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.”, implying that God will keep the one who walks in righteous ways. But to assume that God will keep you when you are going into sin is presumption.

Presumption is not faith; the Devil wanted Jesus to substitute presumption for faith. We can be presumptuous when, for example, we pray for good health but do not take care of our bodies. A similar presumption is praying for salvation, but not seeking God through prayer and Bible reading.

Jesus rejected this temptation, again quoting Scripture.

From Jesus’ example in the wilderness, we should see that trials and temptations are all part of God’s refining us, and we should not seek to short-circuit the work of God, to avoid His baptism of fire. We should be wise and recognize the difference between acting in faith and acting with presumption, and, finally, we should study God’s Word to be equipped to defend ourselves against all temptations.

Here He goes out to the wilderness, where He is tempted by Satan. He is going out to the battle that Adam lost, but unlike Adam, Christ (the New Adam) will be victorious.

First, in this passage, we see Christ in His humanity representing transgressors.

Luke Part 13: The Beginning of Jesus' Ministry

2010-08-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 3:21-37

This section of the Bible contains the record of Jesus' entry into public ministry. Jesus began his ministry, we see, at the age of 30. This was in accordance with the age prescribed for priests to start their ministry (Num. 4:47).

Why was Jesus baptized? Baptism at this time was a ritual for Gentiles who converted to Judaism. For the Jews who were coming to John the Baptist, it showed that the Jew recognized his need of salvation being the same as that of the Gentile.

So why was Jesus baptized? He didn't have any sins He needed to repent of. Jesus was baptised in order to show that he was part of humanity, that He was undertaking His ministry fully as a man. He was fulfilling Isaiah 53:12 and choosing to be "numbered with the transgressors". In taking the position of one of the transgressors, He here began to bear our sins and would continue to be "numbered with the transgressors" to the end of His ministry. (Luke 22:37)

The genealogy in this section emphasizes Jesus's humanity. While Matthew's gospel, written primarily to the Jews, traces Christ's ancestry back to Abraham, the gentile Luke traces the genealogy all the way to Adam, showing that Jesus was a representative of not just the Jews, but the Gentiles as well. Adam is described in verse 38 as "the son of God". In a sense, Adam was the first son of God. He failed. Christ, as the only begotten Son of God came to succeed and bring the transgressors back into the original relationship as (adopted) sons of God. We are brought back to the Garden!

After Christ was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, "in bodily form like a dove". John testified (John 1:32) that the Spirit remained upon Him. In all the gospels it is made clear that Christ was filled with the Spirit and was exercising His ministry as a man in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is our example in His two acts of obedience described in this passage. First, in baptism, Christ showed His oneness with sinners. We show our oneness with Him when we are baptized.

Jesus' second act of obedience was prayer. Christ prayed and prayed repeatedly. How much more should we feel a need of being in fellowship with the Father! Are we in a ministry, to others or even just to our kids? Pray! Do we love others enough to pray for them, to bear their burdens? Does our sin drive us away from Christ, or towards Him in prayer, as it should?

The result of Christ's obedience was God's voice from heaven, telling Jesus He was well-pleased with Him, and that He was "beloved". God was saying, "I love You, Son." When we are in obedience and prayer, we can likewise feel God's love and know that He is pleased with our service to Him, flawed as it is.

Luke Part 12: The Conclusion of John's Message

2010-08-15T15:58:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 3:15-20

This section contains the final part of John the Baptist's message. At the end of the section, we have a reminder from Luke that he hasn't provided all of John's teachings in detail, but has only captured a summary of his most important themes. Luke did want us to know what John told Herod. John was absolutely unyielding in declaring the truth; he did not shrink from being straightforward and direct in condemning Herod's sin. This unflinching call to repent was done out out of love for the lost -- John wanted Herod, like all that he preached to, to turn from his sin. There's no place for harshness or meanness in preaching the gospel.

In verse 15, we see that the people were in suspense and excited about the question of who John was. They wondered if he was the promised Messiah. But John was quick to deflect all glory to Christ. John declared that he was not the Christ, and indeed he was not even worthy to be called a slave of Christ.

It's often difficult for us to proclaim the truth to others. We see our own sin and need of repentance, and wonder how we can call others to repent of their sin. John likewise saw his own sinfulness. He knew he was nothing, but he didn't get depressed about it. It didn't cause him to lack the courage to speak out, rather by understanding his lowly estate before God, he had the freedom to preach boldly, as one with no pride or reputation to be worried about.

John told the people that Jesus was coming to baptize, not with water, but with the Holy Spirit. This baptism of the Holy Spirit, which we see fulfilled in Acts 1, was also a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2:28.

John also describes how Jesus is going to baptize with fire. This baptism with fire was foretold in Malachi 3 and has two elements. First, the personal baptism of fire (Mal 3:3), compared to the fire of the gold refiner. Our trials purify us and prepare us for heaven, with the purpose (Mal 3:4) that we should bring praises to God. Secondly, there is a judgmental fire (Mal 3:5): a fire of judgment carried out against nations and groups who do not please God. Both aspects are found here in this section of Luke.

Finally, in verse 17 we have a picture of Jesus as a worker on the threshing floor, with his winnowing fork in his hand. He will make a separation among the people; those who do not embrace his will be destroyed, like the chaff. Those who do, His children will be "drawn into His barn", taken into a safe place, and kept. Repent and turn to Him! Do not be caught in your sins and destroyed!

Luke, Part 11: John the Baptist’s Message of Repentance

2010-08-08T18:06:00.001-07:00

Text: Luke 3:1-14

This section of Luke details the message of John the Baptist. It begins by briefly giving the historical setting, telling us which governors and tetrarchs were in power. Interestingly, there were two high priests at this time. Annas was the original high priest, but he has displeased the Romans, so the Jews had established his son-in-law Caiphas as high priest as well. The Romans only recognized Caiphas, but the Jews recognized both! This was a perversion of their religion, as the Jewish law allowed for only one high priest at a time.

We see again that the word of the Lord did not come through the political establishment, or through the religious structure of the day. Instead, the word of the Lord came to John, out in the desert, apart from the power structure of the time.

“The word of the Lord came”… This is what every true prophet needs. The word of God for us today is what we need as well. We see that God was as work in this situation, bringing John His word and bringing him an audience.

What was the word that was given to John? Repentance, specifically “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”. What was this baptism? This baptism had its roots in the Old Covenant – all Gentiles who wanted to enter into the Covenant had to be immersed in water. The Gentile body was considered unclean and had to be put completely under the water.

John famously referred to his hearers as a “brood of vipers”. They had the poison of sin within them, as do all men who have not repented and believed upon Christ. John told them to quit thinking so highly of themselves and trusting in their lineage from Abraham. Likewise, we today must humble ourselves and come to Christ without trusting in our Christian parents or church attendance, or any thing, but come to Him in true humility and true repentance.

True repentance is:

A complete change of mind – we no longer want to be the ruler of our own destiny; we want God to rule
A complete change of heart – we have a new love. Instead of loving ourselves supremely, we love Christ.
A complete change of will – we used to serve ourselves and serve sin. Now we serve Christ and do righteousness.

“What shall we do?” asked the hearers. How should we live our lives? John’s response was that we should continue in our given occupations, working honestly, defrauding no one, giving to those in need.

This is a message for today, as well as for John’s day. Men and women still need to repent, to turn from their sins and receive forgiveness.

Luke Part 10: Young Jesus in the Temple

2010-08-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 2:40-52

This passage is particularly interesting because it represents the only Biblical description of Jesus' younger years; it is the only passage describing Jesus before His public ministry. This account was probably given to Luke by Mary, one of the eyewitness accounts Luke mentioned previously as sources for his gospel.

The first thing we see from this passage is that Joseph and Mary took their religious duties seriously. Probably Joseph went to Jerusalem three times a year to participate in the feasts. For one feast of the year, the Passover, women and children were allowed, and we see here that Joseph and Mary attended this feast every year with their family. We have a similar duty to raise our children in a proper environment, where God is lifted up. If Jesus needed to be under the authority of godly parents, how much more do our children need to be under our authority and influenced for good.

Secondly, Joseph and Mary had fellowship with their fellow citizens. They were not totally isolated. Probably, as they traveled in the caravan, the children would walk at the front, with the women behind, and the men at the back. This would allow for fellowship and discussion, and it explains how Joseph and Mary missed Jesus' absence, probably thinking He was up front with the children.

But instead of being in the caravan, Jesus was at the temple, asking and answering questions with the "doctors of theology" -- the leaders of the Jewish faith. And they were "amazed" and "astounded". They had never seen such depth from anyone, much less a twelve-year-old!

After three days (one day of travel, one day to return, and one day to look for Jesus), Mary and Joseph found Jesus. Mary had a rebuke for Him. "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You!" Jesus' response (incidentally, the first recorded words of Jesus): "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" {or "about My Father's business?"} What Jesus is saying is, "Where did you think I was? At the ball field, or the swimming pool? I'm right where I am supposed to be."

We see from this that, even at this young age, Jesus knew that He was the Son of God, and He knew His mission. He knew He had to be about His ministry of reconciliation. He knew He was the Messiah; the suffering Savior.

Yet somehow His parents did not, at this time understand Him (v.50). Jesus knew the frustration of being misunderstood! This was part of His humiliation.

We should remember to be like Mary and take note of teachings from God, even if we do not understand them at first. Later, perhaps, it will become clear to us what these things mean.

Finally, this section concludes with the amazing statement that Jesus increased in wisdom and "grew in favor with God and men." For us, we tend to one of two extremes: either we are too soft and willing to go along with the world, growing in favor with men but being negligent in our duty as witnesses, or we bring the Word to the world, yet we are so harsh and abrasive that we unnecessarily offend. Jesus did neither, pleasing God and living at harmony with his fellow man. We should strive so that the only offence we give to mankind is the offense of the Cross, the Gospel itself.

Luke Part 9: Simeon and Anna

2010-07-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 2:22-39

This section of Luke describes how Jesus was presented at the temple, and the responses of Simeon and Anna to His birth.

This was a spiritually dark time in Israel. Israel was under the rule of the Pharisees, with their insistence on legalism and works-righteousness. They were also under the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection. Yet there was still a loyal remnant who clung to a hope of redemption through faith in a Redeemer. This remnant is represented here by Simeon and Anna.

We know Simeon was a faithful follower of God. Luke mentions in v.25 that he was "righteous and devout" and that "the Holy Spirit was upon him." Most importantly, He was waiting for the Redeemer, the "Consolation of Israel". Verses 29-32 contain his praise to God upon seeing Jesus, the promised Redeemer.

As in each of the songs of praise recorded about Jesus's birth, the message contains the theme than the beginning is as good as the end. Jesus was still just a baby, yet Simeon praises God that he has "seen Your salvation". This salvation was going to be a "light of revelation to the Gentiles." Think of the difference the gospel light has made in the world; compare the liberty and blessings enjoyed in lands where the gospel has flourished and the bondage and oppression in lands where it has not been received and lived upon!

Notice that Jesus life and death would be "the glory of Israel". There is not a future plan for national Israel. Jesus is the glory of Israel! The redemption of ethnic Israel will occur as Jews repent and believe in Him.

In verse 33, we see that Joseph and Mary marveled. It's interesting because they had already seen so many amazing prophecies regarding Jesus. Yet they still marveled and were amazed. Have we grown numb to the things of God, or do they still cause us to marvel and be amazed?

Finally Simeon prophesied to Mary that, according to God's plan, Jesus would bring about the rise and fall of many in Israel. He would reveal people's hearts and would be a "sign" -- something to give direction and show the way -- to be opposed. This is the "doctrine of twos" -- there is no neutral ground with Jesus. Either He will make you to rise or you will be cast down. You can follow the sign, or oppose it. You must either obey Him or reject Him.

Anna, like Simeon, was another member of the faithful remnant. We know very little about her, except that she was an older widow, a prophetess, and that she served constantly in the temple. Like the shepherds, she was, as a female, from a less-regarded group and, like them, she was entrusted with the gospel, which she shared to her fellow believers.

Anna and Simeon are a witness to us today. Let us be led by the Spirit to follow their example in these ways:

To marvel and stand amazed at God's goodness
To embrace Jesus
To know His presence
To follow the Spirit and be led by Him
To rejoice
and to tell others as we go

Luke Part 8: The Birth of Jesus

2010-07-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 2:1-20

This passage is probably one of the most familiar in all of Scripture. We must be careful not to allow ourselves to be made complacent by familiarity, because it is a truly remarkable and amazing passage.

In the first several verses, the facts surrounding the census are laid out. In Luke's typical systematic style, he establishes the historical setting: during the reign of Caesar Augustus, the first census taken during when Quirinius was governor in Syria. Thus, we see God working, moving in this world through the hands of sinful men. Caesar thought he was ordering the census of his own initiative, but in actuality he was performing God's bidding, ensuring that the prophecy of Micah 5:2 would be fulfilled and that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Note also that Joseph and Mary obeyed the civil authorities even though it was a great difficulty for them.

Verses 6 and 7 describe the birth of Jesus. What is truly remarkable about His birth is that He was born to such extreme poverty. Although the rulers of the world live in great luxury in order to please themselves, Jesus came in great poverty to serve others.

Next we read of how the message came to the shepherds. Shepherds were rough and tough, living out in the fields defending the flock. Yet when the angel appeared before them, they were "terribly frightened". Our conception of the appearance of angels, if accurate, should picture angels as fearful beings -- a single angel could make a group of tough men tremble.

Shepherds were also on the bottom rung of society. Yet God chose to send the good news of Christ's birth to them, again confirming the pattern of using the weak and foolish things of this world to confound the strong and wise in this world. Jesus did not exclude classes. If he had been born in a king's palace, these shepherds would have been denied access. But he was born in a lowly stable, where they were free to come and worship.

The message from the angels indicated that Jesus was "a Savior, who is Christ the Lord". Three names of Jesus, indicating:

He was the Savior, the One to save God's people from their sins.
He was Christ, meaning the Messiah, the Anointed One, the One God had designated.
He was "the Lord", the Greek title for "God". Jesus was God in the flesh.

After the shepherds found Jesus and worshiped Him, they returned to their flocks. But on their way, they became the first Christian missionaries, telling whomever they met about what God had shown them. The word from God had changed them: they went on their way rejoicing!

From this passage, we see that from the beginning, Jesus was outside the norm, outside the realm of the religious elites. The angels went to nobodies, not to people in positions of prestige. God was entrusting a revelation to men who, in the world's view, were totally unqualified. God trusted them to keep and spread the gospel He had given to them.

Will we, like the shepherds come "in a hurry" to Jesus? Will disregard the inadequacy of the messenger, taking the good news with rejoicing and spreading it to all we come in contact with in our daily living?

Luke Part 7: Zacharias' Prophecy, Continued

2010-07-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 2:76-80

This post discusses the second half -- the second sentence, actually -- of Zacharias' praise after his son was born and he became able to speak again. In the first sentence of his praise, Zacharias discussed the coming Redeemer and the deliverance He would bring. In the second sentence, he speaks more specifically about his son, John. He describes John's role as a forerunner and lays out some of the great things God would do through him.

First, in verse 76, John was to be a "prophet of the Most High". What was his mission? What was he going to do? He was to "go before" the Lord and "prepare His ways".

How was he going to "prepare His ways"? This is described for us in verse 77: He was to tell God's people about his plan of salvation. This plan of salvation was radically different from what the Jews of that time may have been expecting. It was not deliverance from Rome, or any thing else physical. It was a spiritual deliverance. Jesus was coming to free His people from their sins. That would be the role of the Messiah. John's mission was to spread that good news.

Verse 78 describes more completely what the salvation will be like. This forgiveness will not be by works; it will not be something earned. Rather, God will grant forgiveness because of his "tender mercy". The adjective "tender" tells us something about God -- He shows Himself to be kind and gentle towards His children. The "Sunrise from on high", the Sun of Righteousness, will come to us -- not coming to us to crush and overwhelm us, but to "visit us", to commune with us.

He is coming (v. 79) to bring light to those who sit in darkness and guide our feet on the path of peace. This is a comparison to two groups of people. There are those, on the one hand, who have no knowledge of Christ. They are in darkness, willful ignorance of Him. They "sit" in this darkness, indicating that they have accepted this condition. To some of these, Christ will shine his light and convert them into those who are on "the way of peace". Note that the Christian life is portrayed as a "way". The Christian life is elsewhere portrayed as a "walk". It is a progression, a growing into greater and greater knowledge and light. (See Prov. 4:18)

We are called to be like John the Baptist. What he was about is what we should be about: letting our light shine in all that we say or do to point others to Christ.

Finally, a quick note on verse 80: Notice that John the Baptist did a unique thing. Normally, a son of a priest would be expected to follow his father into the ministry, first serving him, then training and finally becoming a priest himself. But instead, John went out to the desert. He did not grow up within and was not trained by the religious power structure of the time. He was taught by God out in the desert. God was instituting a new thing -- the Old Covenant system was passing away.

Luke, Part 6: Zacharias’ Prophecy

2010-06-27T17:51:00.001-07:00

Text: Luke 1:67-79

After Zacharias’ tongue was loosened, he burst forth with praise and prophecy. We are told he was filled with the Holy Spirit, meaning he was under the Spirit’s control. He was illuminated by the Spirit; he gained new insights into the Word of God that he was already familiar with.

Two of the aspects of prophecy are present in what Zacharias said: an accurate understanding of the Word, and a view of the future. The entire prophecy of Zacharias is composed of only two sentences. The first is a praise to God, and the second is a prophecy of the ministry of Zacharias’ son John. This post will discuss the first sentence (v. 68-75).

First, we see that Zacharias sees the end outworking of God’s promises to be completely certain at their beginning. So he says God has “visited us and accomplished redemption for His people.” The redemption was so certain to him that he declared it complete.

He mentions that God has raised up a “horn of salvation”. The “horn” refers to power and glory made evident. So this salvation was becoming visible as Jesus Christ was being revealed.

Then Zacharias describes how the coming of Christ is the fulfillment of all the prophets. He specifically mentions Abraham, and how this is the fulfillment of the covenant made to Abraham, the covenant that God condescended to confirm to us with an oath.

Zacharias prophesied that the Redeemer would deliver them from their “enemies”. Who are our enemies that Christ delivers us from?

Our sinful nature. Man’s natural state is sinful. In this state, you are the center of your life and you are driven to seek what is good for you.
The practice of sin. The more we sin, the more it becomes a habit. As we get in the habit of pleasing ourselves and we do it more and more, it has an ever-greater grip upon us.
The devil and his hosts. Satan does all he can to hold men under his power. He works by first bringing a temptation, then if we fall into sinning, and sin willfully, we are inviting him to take more and more power over us.
Fear. Fear is our enemy and is specifically mentioned in this section (v. 74). All men are gripped by some fear – fear of death, fear of other men, and other fears, some irrational.

Christ has come and delivered us from these enemies. He has performed the mercy promise.

The ultimate end of what Christ has done is not to merely make us Christians to get us out of hell and continue to live our same lives. He has created a people to serve Him. That is the reason He has redeemed us, to serve Him in holiness and righteousness (v. 74, 75). We are no longer sinful in nature, but we have been made holy to serve God in holiness. Thus, we can now do what is right before God.

Finally, the prophecy declared that we would serve God without fear. This must have been astounding to the Jews of that time, who were used to striving under the fear of God, always cognizant of their guilt before the Perfect and Holy One. But this prophecy declared that we should serve Him, without fear, in His very presence – and that we should do so “all our days”. What a wonderful promise: dwelling eternally in God’s presence without fear!

Luke Part 5: John is Born

2010-06-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

Text: Luke 1:57-66

God is faithful to His Word. Exactly as the Lord had said, Elizabeth bore a son. Four points of observation about this birth are given below.

1). The reaction of their friends and family. First, their friends and family rejoiced. Christians have a unique bond among them, and we should be able to freely rejoice with others, regardless of our own circumstances.

Secondly, they got a little carried away in their exuberance. They couldn't believe that Zacharias and Elizabeth were going to name their newborn boy "John", which wasn't a family name at all. But after Zacharias set them straight with a written message -- and then began to speak again -- they realized that something extraordinary was happening, and they responded as we ought to also respond to the good news of salvation. They shared these events with others who weren't there (v. 65); they took these things to heart, remembering and considering them (v. 66), and they watched expectantly for what God would do through John's life.

2). The reaction of Zacharias and Elizabeth. First, they rejoiced and wanted to share this event with those around them. Likewise, we should be wanting to share an encouraging word with those around us, and be letting others know what God is doing in our lives.

Secondly, they did not allow their friends' alarm to change their course from what God had told them. "His name is John", Zacharias wrote decisively. Note that we should not assume that the way God is dealing with us is not the same as the way He is dealing with others.

Also, note that the new mother and father were in agreement, presenting a unified front.

Another remarkable fact is that Zacharias' first words were words of praise to God. He was not like a spoiled child, sullen after his punishment, but he saw that God was good in all things, including in His chastening.

3). Why was his name "John"? First, it was because that's what God said it was. When we read something plainly written in the Word of God, we must believe it. Secondly, the name "John" means "God is gracious". John was to be the one who would announce Christ's coming, and in that announcement there was great grace. We have this image of John the Baptist as being a rough character, eating locusts and wild honey, calling out the Pharisees as snakes. Yet in spite of the tough nature of his reproof, his message was one of great grace.

4). The hand of the Lord was upon him. What a thing this is to say! In the hand of God is a good place to be -- a place of security and safety for His children.

Luke, Part 4: Mary’s Song

2010-06-13T21:03:00.001-07:00

Text: Luke 1:46-55 (opens in new window)

Previous to this passage, Mary had visited Elizabeth and was greeted with warm words of encouragement. Mary responds to that greeting with a song of praise that is recorded in this text.

Interestingly, this song is rather similar to the song of Hannah, recorded in 1 Samuel 2. Also, the song shares similarity with many of the Psalms. Mary was evidently familiar with the Psalms, and the same Spirit was working in her, in Hannah, and in the Psalm writers, so it’s not surprising that there are similarities. Hannah’s song ended with the prophecy of a coming King, and Mary’s song ended with an acknowledgement that this prophecy had been fulfilled.

Two major themes of this song are: God’s accomplishment of His promises at their beginning are as sure as they are at the end. And, God does not work through the civil and religious power structure; instead, He works through humble individuals.

This song can be looked at as being composed of four sections: (1) What God has done for Mary, (2) What God has done for His people, (3) Mercy and Judgment, and (4) God is faithful to His Word.

Looking at the song verse by verse, in verse 46, Mary says that her soul “exalts the Lord”. God is already highly exalted – how can she, or we, exalt Him? By speaking of who God is and the works He is performing.

In verse 47, Mary refers to “God my Savior”. How is God her Savior? Because God has done great things for her and through her. In verses 48 and 49, Mary continues to exalt God and proclaim what He has done for her.

In verse 50, we are reminded that God’s blessings are ongoing, from generation to generation. God is holy, all-powerful, and mighty. He is the Savior of mankind; this blessing is only for those who fear Him.

The next section of the song, from verses 51-53, is a comparison of two peoples: the the humble and weak, whom God uses, and the self-satisfied, the rich, and the powerful, whom God will tear down and destroy. Humility is a prime component of Christianity – God is opposed to the proud, but exalts the humble. Christ, our example, humbled Himself beyond measure by taking upon Himself the form of a man.

We must come to God in humility. If we embrace Jesus in humility and brokenness, we will be received, but if we trust in our own self-sufficiency and self-righteousness, we will be rejected.

The last two verses of this song, verses 54 and 55, are a proclamation of God’s mercy. Throughout all of God’s judgments, He still remembered, and will remember mercy. His mercy is (v.55) forever – there is hope for yet more people who will seek Him today; and His mercy is “to the seed of Abraham”, the father of the faithful.

God’s Gracious Dealings with Remnants

2010-05-30T17:25:00.001-07:00

Throughout the Bible, we see that God deals frequently with remnants. What is a remnant? The dictionary definition is “that which is left over”, “residue”, or “remainder”.

We see God dealing with a small portion and rejecting another portion throughout Old Testament history. God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain, dividing humanity in half. In the Flood, God saved only eight people out of the mass of humanity at that time. In the case of Abraham, God chose one man out of Ur of the Chaldees to be the patriarch of His particular people. He continued to reveal Himself exclusively through that small nation. Or take the example of Gideon. God whittled down his strong army to just 300 men, and used them in winning a great victory.

Sometimes we might see the corruption and lack of reality in mainstream denominations and feel as though we are all alone, the only ones truly following God. Elijah, after killing the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel, fled to a cave and twice came before God claiming that “he alone” was left. God responded that there were 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Romans 11:5 reminds us that there is a similar remnant today. Whenever we follow God completely, we are not alone – we are part of His remnant in the world.

Although we may seem like a part of a tiny group of believers today, at the end of the world (Rev 7:9), God’s people through the ages will amass as a great multitude, too vast for any man to count. Therefore, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32).

Luke, Part 3: Mary Visits Elizabeth

2010-05-23T19:37:00.001-07:00

Text: Luke 1:39-45

In the previous section of Luke, the angel came to Mary and told her she would bear the Messiah. Although she did ask, “How can (literally “shall”) this be?” she – unlike Zacharias – had faith in the word that God had sent her and believed the angel, understanding that “nothing is impossible with God.”

In this section, Mary came to visit Elizabeth. Mary wanted to get together with someone else who had experienced God. This is natural – people who have experienced God want to be together.

In verse 40, we see that Mary entered the house and “greeted” Elizabeth. What was this greeting? It was probably more than just a “hello”. Mary must have been telling Elizabeth about the news the angel had given her because, in verse 41, we see that the baby leaped in Elizabeth’s womb.

When the baby leaped, Elizabeth was “filled with the Holy Spirit”. Much could be said about the filling of the Holy Spirit. We remember that Elizabeth had “kept herself in seclusion” for five months. She was thinking of the Lord and walking circumspectly. Walking with the Lord allows us to be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:15-20 describes how we are to walk carefully and use our time wisely, and to give ourselves over to the Holy Spirit, in comparison to how one who is ruled by drink gives himself over to wine.

It is interesting to note that Elizabeth was already regenerate, what we today would call “a Christian” before this filling of the ?Holy Spirit occurred.

The filling of the Holy Spirit caused Elizabeth to “cry out”. She is excited, emotionally engaged. She had been told that her baby would grow up to be the forerunner of the Messiah, but she did not know when the Messiah would come, until this point.

In the following verses, Elizabeth encouraged Mary, showing great humility (v.43) even though she was older than Mary. She encouraged Mary by telling her what God had done.

She proclaimed Mary to be blessed in v. 44. Mary was blessed in the same way as we are – she was saved through the work of Christ. She also had a special blessing, in the service she performed in carrying Jesus. For her, as well as us, blessedness is obtained through service.

Luke, Part 2: The angel visits Zacharias

2010-05-02T17:15:00.001-07:00

Text: Luke 1: 5-25

The first incident that Luke relates is the angel’s visitation of Zacharias and the subsequent birth of John the Baptist. This section demonstrates Luke’s inclination to describe events in careful detail and the emphasis he places on people as individuals.

Zacharias, we see, was a priest who was married to the daughter of a priest. From this, he would expect to be the recipient of a double blessing, according to the Jewish tradition. Zacharias and his wife were both faithful and righteous before God. Although they had no children, they continued on faithfully worshipping and loving God. They had no idea what blessings He had in store for them, but they pressed on regardless.

Judea had fallen into a state of deep decline, as had been detailed in the book of Malachi, written 400 years before Christ. In the silent years after Malachi, the decline surely became deeper. Judea was being ruled by a horrible, evil king, Herod. Things couldn’t seem to get any darker for those who followed God truly. Yet it was in this dark time that God sent His Redeemer. Likewise, we today should not be discouraged by the state of the world around us – God is able to break through in any situation!

Zacharias had been chosen, by lot, to enter the temple and burn incense. This was the highest position of service that a regular priest could perform. He stood next to the Holy of Holies and offered incense that flowed over the whole temple – and into the Holy of Holies as well. The position of presenting the incense was so highly regarded that each priest was allowed to perform it only once in his life. It was during this service that the angel came to Zacharias.

The angel came to Zacharias and spoke ten different things to him:

Their prayer had been answered! What prayer? Both their prayer for a Redeemer, who was to come, and…
They would have a son.
His name would be “John” (a gift from God), meaning he was to be the gift of God and filled with the grace of God.
He would be greatly used by God.
He would drink no strong drink.
He would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.
He would turn many to God.
This son was the one prophesied who would be coming in the spirit of Elijah.
He would reconcile families.
He would prepare a people for the Lord.

John’s ministry would be like ours – we cannot save anyone, but we can lead men to Him who can. We can cry out against sin in the world and point to the Redeemer.

Sadly, Zacharias’s response was one of unbelief. He was hearing a word directly from an angel, but it was not sufficient for him. He was staggered by the thought that God would use him and his wife to bring this great prophet. But God, then as today, does use ordinary people to do his work. Why do we doubt that God will use us to work out His promises?

Because Zacharias spoke his unbelief, he was struck dumb for a time. Yet God was merciful and later restored his ability to speak. May God forgive us for doubting His ability to use us to accomplish all He has for us to do!

Luke, Part 1: Introduction

2010-04-25T19:13:00.001-07:00

Text: Luke 1:1-4

Some controversy exists about when the book of Luke was originally written, but it was probably written around AD 60-63 or so.

Who was Luke? Interestingly, Luke was not one of the twelve disciples, and was in fact not an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry at all. Luke was a Gentile. Luke was a doctor, a physician. He was familiar with Greek, as is evidenced by his writing style, a style of Greek written by the educated for the educated.

Luke wrote both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. They may be seen as a set, and this text serves as an introduction to them both.

One key point Luke makes in his introduction is that he was not an eyewitness. He identifies his sources as eyewitnesses and “servants of the word”, probably corresponding to the Gospel of Luke and Acts, respectively. Luke had contact with the original sources. His detailed account of Christ’s birth would indicate that He had contact with Mary. We know that he was one of Paul’s traveling companions.

Luke states that he has carefully investigated everything in this book and identifies what he has written as “the exact truth”. The word translated “exact truth” might be rendered “infallible truth.” He is reminding the reader that the things written herein are truthful and that they are the Word of God. This is a story that really happened and it changes lives because it is the story of Christ.

The things in this book are things “accomplished” (v.1) or fulfilled. Luke contains many examples of fulfilled prophecies: that the Messiah would be from Judah, from the seed of Isaac, and born in Bethlehem. He details the time of Christ’s birth, as foretold in Daniel.

This book was written to “Theophilus”. These things were written to give him knowledge and certainty. Luke’s objective was that Theophilus would have both factual understanding (“head knowledge”) and real relational, experiential knowledge of the things of God.

Who is Theophilus? To whom did Luke write? It’s generally accepted that he was writing to a real person. Luke uses the title, “most excellent” in referring to him, the same title was was used for Roman governors Felix and Festus. So Theophilus is thought by many to have had some relation to the government. The word “Theophilus” means “lover of God” or “one loved by God”. Luke is writing to someone who has been instructed in the Word of God and want to know more of Him. We can put ourselves, then, in the place of “Theophilus” because this describes all the children of God, and we have also been made to be “most excellent” members of a royal priesthood through Christ’s death and resurrection!

Thoughts from Ecclesiastes

2010-04-11T18:12:00.001-07:00

The book of Ecclesiastes, as mentioned previously, can be a tricky book to read. The key to understanding it lies in the phrase “under the sun..” When Solomon writes of the world “under the sun”, he is referring to the world from a humanist view; the world without sight of God.

Ecclesiastes is full of a number of pictures and proverbs. These are written to show us where our attention and focus in life should be. A few of these pictures and proverbs are discussed below:

1) The Oppressed and the Oppressors – Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

In this section, oppression is discussed. There are oppressors all around us: wicked governments, greedy businessmen, corrupt bosses, and so on. Oppression is universal in the world, and severe and harsh oppression is not uncommon. The unique thing Solomon points out in this passage is that not only the oppressed need a comforter, but the oppressors do too. The brutal prison guard, for example, is oppressed by his brutal commander. All men suffer, and all are without a comforter from the “under the sun” perspective. It is such a grim existence that Solomon declares that the living should envy the dead, or those who have not existed. Yet this all from the worldly view – there is a Comforter for those who know Christ!

2) The Benefit of Adversity – Ecclesiastes 7:1-6

There is a benefit to adversity. Difficulties can make us sober and rescue us from a life of frivolity. The general attitude of men today is that of children who have never grown up – everything is frivolity, joking, and silliness. But life is serious; the deep questions of life demand our full thought and grave attention.

3) Value in Contentment – Ecclesiastes 8:14-17

Sometimes, the wicked prosper and the good suffer (v14). It can be pointless to struggle against this, or against a great oppressive regime. Also, we cannot know the working of God – we cannot know the future and how all things will turn out. We should live today in God’s providence and be content in it, enjoying the basic happiness that can be found in living life. (It is only by being right spiritually with our Creator that we can life a full and joyous life here on earth.)

4) All Shall Die – Ecclesiastes 9:1-4

As mentioned in the previous chapter, bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. You cannot tell the standing of a person before God by looking at their circumstances (men have incorrectly tried to equate prosperity and rightness with God for centuries.) And there is one thing that happens to both good and bad men – all men die. Verse four reminds us that there is hope while a person is living; after you die your destiny is fixed.

5) Remember Your Creator in the Days of Your Youth – Ecclesiastes 12

This chapter begins with a vivid description of the decay of one’s faculties as he is overcome by age, with a reminder: don’t waste your life! Don’t waste your short time of health and fitness in selfish pursuits, use your life for God’s glory!

To sum up the message of Ecclesiastes, we are all heading to our “long home” – our eternal home. This will be either a place of eternal glory or eternal damnation. Let us keep this future in our minds as we walk this world “under the sun”. Let us be focused on our eternal purpose, rather than consumed by the vanities of a life spend seeking the things of this earth. Let us see (v.11) the strength of the framework laid out by God’s Word and let us seek to live lives based on the principles of His Word, in loving service to Him for His glory!

Ecclesiastes 2

2010-04-04T16:44:00.001-07:00

Text: Ecclesiastes 1:17 – 2:26

Ecclesiastes can be a difficult book of the Bible to read and understand. The key to Ecclesiastes lies in the phrase “under the sun.” Throughout the book, Solomon is writing from a worldy perspective, discussing things as they are for the man without God. This is the humanist perspective. It is incredibly common in life today, as men continue to set up their thoughts and lives in a way that is separate from God.

Throughout the book, Solomon describes a search for meaning and purpose in life. Without God, however, he finds no meaning – all is vanity. In the previous section of Ecclesiastes, Solomon discussed the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge for its own sake, surmising in v. 18 of Chapter 1 that the acquisition of much wisdom ends only in grief and pain.

So Solomon takes another approach. First, he seeks to find meaning in the pursuit of pleasure. He decides to “live it up”, enjoying laughter and much wine, yet with his mind engaged. He’s still trying to find a meaning to life within the pleasure. This might be compared to the philosophy of the 60’s, when people were taking drugs and attempting to find enlightenment. But in the end, Solomon declares that this too is vanity, futility, madness.

Then, he seeks to find meaning in life through building great works. He builds houses, gardens, and orchards. He acquires flocks and servants to tend them. He obtains gold and silver and many singers and concubines. In the end, however, this pursuit is also vanity, and is striving after the wind.

The next section (v. 12 through 23) contains a brief reflection on what Solomon has learned up to this point. He declares that the pursuit of wisdom for its own sake, though bitter, is still better than the mere pursuit of pleasure. Yet everything is futile for the humanist, because all men die, whether wise or foolish, rich or poor. For the rich man, what is the profit of his riches when he dies? He cannot take it with him; they will pass on to another whom he does not know. For the man who pursued pleasure, what does that profit him when he dies?

The end of this passage contains some final thoughts on where meaning can be found in life. Verse 24 is difficult to translate, but may be translated, “There is no good in a man on his own to find joy...” Verse 25 continues that man cannot find true joy on his own. It is only through a relationship with God that man can be fulfilled and find real joy and happiness in this life. Verse 26 concludes, noting that God gives happiness, wisdom and joy to His children.

Let us not be like the humanistic world around us, running from our Maker and seeking vainly to find joy in this life. We must seek Him first, and it is only when we are in a right relationship with God that we can enjoy his gifts in this world fully.

The Love of God

2010-03-21T18:54:00.001-07:00

God’s love is primarily towards His children. However, He also sees fit to show His love towards the unsaved. (Psalm 145:9 -- “The Lord is good to all.”) In Luke 6:35, God calls us to love our enemies and do good to all. In this way, we can be like Him, because He is kind on ungrateful and evil men.

Primarily, though, God’s love is towards His children. Here are seven aspects of God’s love, as known by the Christian:

God is love. The description of God and the description of God’s love (1 Cor. 13) are the same. God is sovereign; His love is sovereign. God is unchangeable; His love is unchangeable. God is perfect; His love is perfect, and so on…
God’s love flows through Jesus Christ to His people. Read through Ephesians 1, and see how many times the blessings we enjoy are described as being “in Christ”. All that we enjoy of God as Christians is through His Son. How do we experience this love? By believing in Christ. It is all that is required of us, but it is required of us.
The love of God does not begin with us. God’s love begins with Himself. We love Him because He first loved us.
Because of the three first points, the following aspects of God’s love are true:
The love of God in Christ Jesus is attracted by nothing in its object. We do not earn His love or do anything to make Him love us.
The love of God cannot be repelled by anything that is in us. God loved us long before we knew Him. He loved us when we were still sinners. Now, as His children, when we stumble, He is not repelled by our sin; He will not leave us or forsake us.
The love of God is not apportioned to His children by their fruitfulness. God loves all His children the same: He has a superabundance of love for us. He loves us all the same, all the time.
God heals our backslidings. He pours His love out upon us, in the form of chastening, when we sin. In His love, He forgives us when we return to Him.

God’s love for us does not grow, but we can grow to know that love more. So we should come to God knowing that He loves us. We should make our prayers and requests known with His love for us in mind, and we should meditate much on the love that is ours in Christ.

The Passover

2010-02-22T10:33:00.001-08:00

Texts: Leviticus 23:4-8 (opens in new window)
Exodus 12:1-14 (opens in new window)

The passage listed in Leviticus above describes the institution of the remembrance of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread that directly follows it. In order to understand this remembrance, we must look back to the first Passover, in Exodus 12.

The first verse of that passage says that this is to be their first month. God was telling the Israelites that what He was doing here was of paramount importance. This would be the event they set their calendars to. And this would be a great and new thing, a new beginning at the beginning of a new year.

Next, the Israelites were told to take a lamb on the 10th day. This lamb was to be selected – chosen with a purpose – and to be without any blemish, looking forward to Christ who was the spotless Sacrifice. Many years later, when Christ came, this would be the day He entered Jerusalem.

They were to keep the lamb until the 14th day (the day Christ would die). This gave them time to ensure that it really was a perfect sacrifice. Then they were to kill the lamb at evening (about the time Christ died).

They were to roast the lamb whole, signifying Christ’s wholeness and perfection, and were to eat it in haste, remembering their deliverance from Egypt.

The lamb was to be eaten with unleavened bread. Leaven frequently is a symbol for sin; the Israelites were leaving sin behind in Egypt. They ate with bitter herbs, to remind them of the hardness and bitterness of sin.

The blood of the lamb was to be placed over and beside the door posts. They had to be “under the blood”, as we have to be covered by the blood-sacrifice of Christ today.

In verse 14 of Exodus 12, God told the Israelites that He was instituting a memorial that would be celebrated yearly until it was fulfilled in Christ. Furthermore, God told them to be sure to keep this as a reminder to their children (v 26, 27) and be ready to explain the significance of the ritual to them. In the same way, we should be constantly teaching our children the glorious gospel of Christ.

Philippians 4:8 -- Characteristics of the glory of God seen in Jesus Christ

2010-01-24T17:28:00.001-08:00

Texts : John 1:14 (opens in new window)
Philippians 4:8 (opens in new window)

The first chapter of John is well-known as an explanation and description of how The Word (Jesus Christ) became a man and came to live upon this world. John 1:14 describes how Christ “dwelt among” the disciples and how His glory was evident and “full of grace and truth”.

What is this glory? We often say that our objective is to “bring glory to God”. What does that mean?

John is saying that Jesus Christ is the glory of God. And that Jesus was making known God in all His glory. Some aspects of the glory of God – or of glory in general—are:

Glory must be revealed. It does not exist until it is seen and made known.
Glory is excellent. Things that are glorious are not humdrum, not ordinary.
Glory is victorious. In Jesus, we see the victory of Life over death, of mercy over misery, and of grace over sin.

This brings us to the well-known passage in Philippians 4:8. In this verse, Paul defines a number of wonderful things to think upon. Although one can think upon what is true, honorable, just, etc., without thinking directly of Christ, these characteristics are most perfectly embodied in the Lord Jesus. As John put it in John 1:14, Jesus is the glory of God. The glory of God in Jesus Christ is displayed in each of these attributes. Let’s consider them:

Whatever things are true – this word means “not hidden”, “unconcealed”, “manifested”. Something that is true is an actual occurrence, an event that can be trusted.
Whatever things are honorable – synonyms: “venerable:”, “revered”. This indicates something that is deep, substantial, weighty, grave. This is in contrast to the shallow, even flippant, examples of Christianity we see around today.
Whatever things are just – This word means “is as it should be, always.” Christ is what he should be, always, as He ever lives to make intercession for us.
Whatever things are pure – The idea of this word is things that excite reverence, things that are free from carnality, modest, immaculate, and unmixed with error. Christ exemplified purity, in that He was “holy, harmless, and undefiled”.
Whatever things are lovely or loveable – This word is not found elsewhere in the Bible. It is a completely subjective idea – what is lovely to one may not be to another. But Paul was certain the Christians in Philippi would know what is truly lovely, and would know that true loveliness starts with the loveliness of Christ.
Whatever is of good repute – These are things that sound well, that are words of a good omen, or words of good will toward others. The “good news” of the gospel of Christ is the ultimate word of good repute.
If there be and virtue – Moral goodness, excellence in thought, feelings, and actions. Again, Jesus is our Example of virtuous life.
If anything is worthy of praise – or commendable. Who is more worthy of our praise than our Lord and Savior?

As we consider these things, let us strive to consider Christ and to think upon Him – the glory of God – in the days ahead.

Philippians 4:10-19 The discipline of Christian contentment

2010-01-18T20:16:00.001-08:00

Text: Philippians 4:10-19 (opens in new window)

This section of Philippians deals with the concept of Christian contentment. But this section should not be considered in isolation from its chapter. Contentment is not possible without rejoicing in the Lord.

Three key factors are required for Christian contentment. Each is intertwined with the others, and cannot really be had without the others.

First, gratitude, or thankfulness to others. Primarily, we should be thankful to God Himself. We have much to be thankful to Him for both in our current physical condition, and in the vast spiritual blessings He has given us. Secondarily, we should have gratitude towards other people. We are needy. Each of us is not an island; we need others. We must be willing to give to others and have the humility to recognize our own needs and make them known so that we may receive from others. Paul, clearly, was thankful for the Philippians and how they shared with him (v. 15 and 16).

Second, we must be able to content ourselves with our current circumstances. Are we worrying and doubtful? Is our level of contentment based on our circumstances? Contentment requires self-discipline. We are responsible for our own state of mind and can control it by what we think upon. We must rise above comparing our situation with what others have, and rest in the knowledge that God gives us what is good for us.

Paul says in verse 12 that “I have learned the secret” of contentment. Contentment is a discipline that may be learned, that may be reached in greater degrees. It is something we all are working on.

The Puritan Jeremiah Burroughs, in his book, “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment” outlined a number of items for consideration in pursuing the discipline of Christian contentment:

Subtraction – Subtract our desires (the “I want this”) from what God has given us.
Addition – Consider our sin. Is God teaching us something through the difficulty we are in?
Change the evil of our circumstances into good – Afflictions create growth. Change the “bad times” into “good times” – times of being closer to our Savior.
Always do what is required of you – Continue doing what we know we should do: having devotional times, praying, etc. This requires discipline.
Make God’s will your own will – Not a begrudging acceptance of what God has for you, but a joyful embracing of it.
Purge out the root of bitterness – Eliminate contentions that cause jealousy, envy, and discontent

Finally, look to Christ for contentment. Paul said “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”. We can say the same. God has enabled us to do all that He has called us to do. He has given us the strength to triumph in whatever circumstances we are in! As a final encouragement, remember that “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:5)

Philippians 4:6-9 (Part 3) – Four Qualities of True Christians

2010-01-10T18:01:00.001-08:00

Text: Philippians 4:6-9

In this section of Philippians, Paul discusses four qualities of all Christians. God expects to find these qualities in His children, and in response, He promises that all He is will be upon us.

First, Christians are always rejoicing in the Lord. As Paul puts it in Verse 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” In Christ, we have no reason to have a disposition other than that of rejoicing. He has given us a purpose and has revealed Himself to us. Is there anything in our lives where we find satisfaction other than Christ? Is there anything we are rejoicing in more than in Him?

Second, a Christian is always in prayer. Several things about prayer are mentioned in this passage:

Be anxious for nothing. Don’t be full of worry, eaten up with anxiety.
Prayer means coming into the presence of God, communing with His, meditating, and thinking about Him.
Make supplications. A “supplication” means you are coming to God based on no merit of your own, instead relying completely on His mercy.
Pray with thanksgiving. There is always something to be thankful for. In context, Paul seems to be saying to be thankful for the very thing that is bothering you.

Third, a Christian guards his mind. He is thinking on the proper things, as listed in verse 8. Note that the world around us rejects all these things. The world wants to say there is no objective truth, no standards of rightness, or purity, or excellence. But these things do exist. They exist because of God, and they exist in Him. We should guard our thoughts and improve our minds by “thinking God’s thoughts after Him”.

Fourth, “do these things”. A Christian does not merely have knowledge of the truth. His knowledge is worked out in reality. We are called to conform our lives to what has been revealed in God’s authoritative Word. God has promised His peace – His very presence – to be with us when we do.

Philippians 4:6-9 (Part 2) -- God meets the needs His people

2009-12-21T18:39:00.000-08:00

Text: Philippians 4:6-9

The entire section of the first nine verses of Philippians is one cohesive unit. The individual thoughts within are interrelated. As mentioned in the previous section, these verses are a gold mine of Bible riches.

In this section, we see the needs of the people of God. First among those needs is a need for a "guard". We need our hearts and minds guarded (v. 7). The phrase "hearts and minds" describes a totality of man's thinking, emotion, reasonings, and doing.

Do we feel the need for a guard? Are we faced with the knowledge of our inadequacies? Do we live out this knowledge in day-by-day dependence on God? We are inadequate; we need a keeper.

We need a keeper for our spiritual selves. We must live with constant awareness of the dangers we face. We face dangers from outside in a wicked world that seeks to tear us down, and dangers inside from remaining sinful tendencies within us, such as pride and self-centeredness.

Also, we need a keeper for our physical selves. We are at risk from ailments, illnesses, and accidents.

Secondly, we need God to be with us. We know, intellectually, that God is with us at all times. We know "where two or three are gathered", God is in our midst. But we need more than just the head-knowledge that God is with us -- we need God's manifest presence, for God to speak to us in an undeniable manner.

Let us not take God's presence for granted! When we meet together for worship, let us be coming together in the earnest hope that He will be there, speaking to us through His word, enabling us to worship by His Spirit, changing our hearts and lives to make us more like Him.

Paul discusses prayer in this section: "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God." What is prayer, beyond just making requests to God? Real prayer involves entering into a oneness with God. If you have a relationship that allows you to go into the presence of God, that is prayer.

And the result of this communion is "the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension". It has been said that this peace is "felt by all the truly godly, but can be explained by none." Let us seek to enter more fully into this communion and be fuller partakers of this peace!

Philippians 4:1-9 (Part I) How to Live in Harmony: Rejoice Always!

2009-12-13T17:58:00.001-08:00

Text: Philippians 4:1-9

This section in Philippians may be one of the most preached-upon in the Bible. This is a "goldmine" section of verses, full of deep riches to be discovered.

In the first verse, Paul encourages the Philippians to stand firm in the Lord. Paul's language demonstrates his deep love for these believers, his "joy and crown" and his "beloved". He would hate to hear that they had in any way slipped back.

The next two verses, (v. 2 and 3) are particularly interesting. Paul urges two women, Euodia and Syntyche, to live in harmony in the Lord. We know that these are fellow laborers in the gospel with Paul. True Christians and even effective workers for the gospel can and will have disagreements.

Beyond that, Paul urges the reader, his "true companion" to help these women. Our goal and priority among the body, the church, is to not allow divisions and strife. We must banish bad thoughts about one another. If we have disagreements, we need to go to each other. We should seek to be peacemakers, trying to facilitate reconciliation among the brethren, never spreading gossip and causing strife.

Verse four is extremely well known: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" Considered in the context of this passage, it seems as though Paul is saying, "I know there will be disagreements and differences, but this is how I want you to work them out: "Rejoice always!" You cannot maintain an attitude of bitterness and rejoice at the same time. This is so important to Paul, he says it a second time!

What does it mean to rejoice? What is the joy of a rejoicing Christian? It is "joy", not "happiness". The pursuit of happiness is what we see in the world around us, and it is an endless pursuit because this happiness is strictly external, based on our circumstances. Yes, we can change our situation, buy some new "stuff" and be happy... for a while. But the happiness wears off and then what? Or what if our situation, for whatever reasons, is not a "happy" one?

The Christian's "joy" is an inward thing. It is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23) (and is not limited by "any law" - you can't rejoice too much!) Inner joy is a supernatural thing the Holy Spirit has given to all Christians.

Our joy as Christians is not affected by external situation. We rejoice because of what Christ has done as our High Priest to bring us into a relationship with Him. We rejoice because He preserves and keeps us -- we are not kept in relationship with Him through our own righteousness, but it is all of Christ; He continually keeps us. So we rejoice in being in Christ and being one with Him. This rejoicing is all through the Bible, in the Old Covenant as well as the New.

Is it possible for a Christian to have inward joy and not to show outward joy? How absurd! Christians should have outward joy more than all others; we should be known as people who are rejoicing no matter what our situation is!

Verse 5 continues on the theme of getting along: "Let your gentle spirit be known to all men." Other translations use the word "moderate" or "forbearing spirit". The meaning is clear: Christians should have a willingness to get along with, to agree with, their brothers and sisters in the Lord. We should live at peace with all men, gently bringing along the weakest of the brethren. We should show reasonableness, and not be unduly rigorous about secondary matters. Someone who always insists that his way is the only way, who always demands his "just due" is in violation of this principle.

We should remember that "the Lord is near". He is with us at all times, to help us and see us through. Is this just a theological truth to us, or are we experiencing it in our lives in a real way? The truths in this rich section are not to be merely known with the mind, but to be deeply experienced: God being near to us, the "peace that passes understanding".

More to come next week...

Philippians 3:13-17 -- Forgetting what lies behind and pressing on to what lies ahead.

2009-12-06T17:32:00.000-08:00

Text: Philippians 3:13-17

In this section, Paul offers himself as an example for the Philippians to follow. As we saw in the previous passage in Philippians, Paul has no confidence in himself. Yet, he has confidence in the Lord to make him a worthy example to follow. He exhorts us to follow him, as he is following Christ.

Four observations can be made from Paul's exhortation to follow his example. First, observe that Paul calls his audience "brethren" (v.13). Paul - a man who wrote so many of the epistles in the New Testament - is not on a special plane above all other believers, and that is reflected in the way he addresses his readers. He is "just" another brother, one of us. He knows he hasn't reached perfection. He has been humbled by Christ. He still has no confidence in himself and knows he needs to be brought further along by the Lord.

Secondly, Paul is putting forth a great effort. He's not satisfied with where he is; he's pressing on towards the goal. And he is not dwelling on the past. We can fall into two main traps in dwelling on the past: excessive fondness for God's workings in the past, resulting in nostalgia and discouragement that things aren't as good as the old days. Or, brooding over past sins now forgiven to the point of discouragement and despair. Paul could have fallen victim to both of these tendencies - discouragement that he was now in prison after a vibrant missionary career, or depression over regrets for the sins he committed against the church as Saul. But he does neither -- he forgets all these things in the past and presses on. Likewise, we should leave behind forgiven sins, arguments, bitterness, strife, etc. -- all these things that so easily entangle us -- and press ahead to the goal.

The goal! That is the third point. Paul has his eyes fixed on the target! What is our goal? Hopefully, it is the same goal as Paul had: hearing his Master say "well done" at the end of his life. We know that we will not achieve perfection in this life, but we strive for it, being convinced that we will one day take on a renewed, glorified, sinless body.

A fourth observation concerns the nature of our goal. Paul says that he presses on "for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus." We are called to aim for this goal. We are not in panic mode, trying to possibly reach an uncertain goal. Rather, we are in a race that is certain. This is God's calling, and we can strive toward the goal with confidence of achieving it.

Verse 15 contains a very mild exhortation. Paul is essentially saying, "Those who are mature will be of a same mind. Pay no attention to those who have a different attitude (for example, that sinless perfection can be instantly achieved, or that Christians should just "let go and let God", rather than striving for holiness.) These people are just immature in the faith and Christian walk. God will eventually teach them."

A further exhortation is contained in verse 16 - we are called to keep living by the standard to which we have attained. Christians are called to live a thought-out, disciplined, and regulated lifestyle. Note that these are very general principles, not a Step A, B, C approach to godliness.

Some people may have a defeatist attitude towards striving for holiness. "Nobody's perfect," they say. Our mark is perfection, however. We are called to give a complete effort to live a disciplined life intent on on giving glory to God and pleasing Him in whatever we do.

Philippians 3:4-12 Paul's example of counting all things as loss in light of Christ

2009-11-29T16:46:00.000-08:00

Text: Philippians 3:4-12

In this section of Philippians, Paul offers his own life experience as a personal example to the Philippians. First, in verses 4-6, he describes his life as Saul. He was a "Hebrew of the Hebrews". He was the ultimate specimen of law-keeping, of zeal, and proper heritage.

However, in verses 7 and 8, he states that all those things are as nothing compared to knowing Christ. Actually, he states that they are worse than nothing, as dung, in comparison.

The application of this can be made to our own lives. Like Paul, we may be thinking we are "doing the best we can". Like Paul, our best is not good enough to be made right with a holy God who can only be satisfied with perfection.

So why was Paul so enamored of Jesus? Why did gaining Christ make all his astonishing previous experience so repugnant to him? Three components of the answer can be found in the following verses.

First, in verse 9, Paul describes how he has received righteousness. He could not achieve righteousness through obedience of the Law, as hard as he tried. But Christ's righteousness - a righteousness from perfect obedience and submission to the Father - is imputed to those who have faith in Christ. This is justification, by grace through faith.

Secondly, in verse 10, Paul describes the great value of knowing Christ. For him and for us, knowing Christ involves much more than just mental assent. It includes a mental understanding and an application of that knowledge to our lives. And it includes an intimate personal relationship, a union with the thing that is known. This is sanctification, a growing understanding of God affecting our lives.

Paul had "resurrection power" (v.10) of the Holy Spirit empowering Him to live this new life. He experienced the fellowship of Christ's sufferings. This isn't referring to some means of earning favor with God through physical affliction. Rather, by experiencing sufferings (mental or physical), we can obtain a deeper understanding of Christ. It is a way He can only be known by those who follow Him.

Verse 10 mentions that Paul wished to be conformed to Christ's death. This is to be understood in a spiritual sense, rather than a physical one. We are conformed to Christ's death when we die to our own selves, our own ambitions and desires, and take on the trust in God that Christ displayed. His death was an utter emptying of Himself, a life of complete self-giving love.

Thirdly, Paul looks forward to His resurrection from the dead. He is saying that in whatever path God has ordained for his life, he will follow Christ, living with Him, dying with Him, and following Him to live in eternal glory. This is glorification.

Paul concludes in verse 12 by acknowledging that he is not perfect (although positionally he is perfect in Christ). His imputed righteousness is perfect, but his imparted righteousness is still being worked out. And Paul commits himself to pressing on vigorously. This is always the pattern; here, as we have seen previously, salvation is all of God, yet our proper response is to follow after him with all of our ability. We do not know all the specific purposes and services for which Christ has "laid hold" on us for this life. All we can do is follow after, like Paul. Then we can "lay hold" on the purposes He has for us in this life. We do know the ultimate purpose of Christ's laying hold on us, and that is so that we may be with him in glory. What a great calling!

Philippians 3:1-3 Marks of a True Christian

2009-11-23T19:35:00.000-08:00

Text: Philippians 3:1-3

This passage begins with the word, "Finally". This gives us an indication that we are reading a summing-up and application of what we have read. So, we should "rejoice in the Lord". This is the conclusion of what we have read in the first two chapters.

Paul also delivers a hearty endorsement of repetition: "To write these same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard to you." This is an encouragement to preachers and teachers who feel that they seem to be constantly repeating the same things. Repetition is good! And, it is a safeguard. We should be especially wary of anyone who comes along proclaiming a new doctrine.

Hopefully, as hearers of the preached word, we do not grow weary hearing the same themes. If, for example, we are at a conference and we hear a speaker begin to teach from a well-worn passage, we should be careful not to tune out the message. God speaks to us through the preaching of His Word, even on familiar topics.

Verse two in this chapter contains a strong warning against false teachers. In this harsh warning, Paul is not speaking against mistaken or misguided brothers and sisters -- we remember from Chapter 1 that Paul said he would rejoice if Christ was preached whether in pretense or sincerity. His warning was against those who teach a particular wrong doctrine, the doctrine of "Christ - AND...". Salvation by Christ alone was not enough, they said, you needed to be circumcised; you needed Christ - AND observation of the traditional ceremonial law.

We need to be careful in our theology that we are not preaching "Christ - AND..." Even many of the Reformed denominations, though their motto is "Sola Christo," fail in this. They suggest that baptism is the "new" circumcision, and that the baptism of a child confers a spiritual benefit to him by joining him into the covenant.

The third verse here describes the marks of the true Christian. "We are the true circumcision", the "true seed" of Abraham who will inherit the promise. Three marks of the Christian are then given:

1. We worship God in the Spirit. Our worship is a spiritual worship, not one of repetition of forms. And our life, in all that we do, should be a life of living in the Holy Spirit. This is a life of worship.

2. We rejoice in Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus is our boast. We speak of Him and glory in Him. It's not enough to glory in what He has done; we also glory in who He is.

3. We put no confidence in the flesh. True Christians are humble and thankful people. We see our own inability to "work" our way into favor with God. Furthermore, we cannot have confidence in our own intellect - if we have arrived at a particular doctrinal truth, it is not because of our own mental capacity, it is because of God's grace in revealing the truth to us.

Philippians 2:17-30 Examples of Faithful Servants

2009-11-22T16:36:00.000-08:00

Text: Philippians 2:17-30

This portion of Philippians shows Paul's appreciation for his fellow faithful servants of Christ. In verses 19-24, Paul discusses sending Timothy to the Philippians. From this passage, we can see that even in the early days of the church described here, it was difficult for Paul to find faithful men - he said he was unable to find any other kindred spirits besides Timothy; all others were seeking after their own interests. We would like to be found faithful as Timothy was!

Paul refers to his relationship with Timothy as "like a child swerving with his father". From this we see that Paul had a great fondness for Timothy, and we can see from this that he wasn't just a cold, dry theologian. There is a reality and depth in Christians' love for each other.

Verses 25-26 discuss Paul's sending of Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus was incredibly selfless. He literally wore himself out helping Paul, but he wasn't concerned about his own health. Instead, Epaphroditus was distressed because the Philippians had heard he was sick, and was concerned they would be worried about him! Epaphroditus is a great example of a Christian giving the best he can in service. He was deeply and emotionally invested in the work he was doing; he didn't see his service as merely an occupation.

Looking for God in all the Wrong Places - A Summary, Part 7

2009-11-14T06:50:00.000-08:00

This is the final posting in the series summarizing the booklet Looking for God in All the Wrong Places. If you would like to buy a copy, they are available from Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service http://www.cvbbs.com/

What about Music?

We should not reduce a discussion of corporate worship to a discussion about music. Many problems would be avoided if we begin by locating music within the category labeled "the ministry of God's Word". (Col. 3:16) Music is to be a tool for teaching and admonishing one another, thus making it functionally similar to preaching.

Church music must answer the questions we put to church sermons:

1.) Is it doctrinally true?

2.) Does it display Biblical content?

3.) Is it excessively shallow?

4.) Is it theocentric (centered on God)?

5.) Does it accurately represent the character of God?

6.) Is the tone or mood reverential?

Good songs perform the essential service of distilling profound truths into memorable phrases, thereby planting truths deep in our souls. Good hymns remind distracted worshippers of the appropriate things to say to God in worship.

Professors D.G. Hart and John R. Muether point out that the contrast between the church and the world should perhaps be most obvious when the church is worshipping.

Looking for God in all the Wrong Places - A Summary, Part 6

2009-11-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

The Protestant Reformation as a Reformation of Worship

The Roman Catholic church, with its architecture, and the Latin mass with all the rituals, was nothing if not regal, mystical and moving. The church thought it was this ceremony that mediated to them the presence of God. One of the main things the Reformers did was to bring the Scripture back to the worship meeting. Luther's work of translating the Bible was done so people could know God in His Word.

Word-based worship leads to simple worship. Why? Because worship in Spirit and in truth is inherently internal and spiritual. The Holy Spirit presses scriptural truth upon the heart, which provokes a soul-level response of worship. The enemy of inward spiritual worship then, is external distraction. Rituals, novelties and visual props usurp the Holy Spirit's role of triggering worship in the heart. Excessive sentimentality and casualness also distract. Timothy Keller says, "Both spectacle and sentimentality [or what Keller calls folksiness] work directly on people's emotions rather than trusting God's Spirit to bring truth home." J C Ryle: "Simplicity should be the grand characterisitic of New Testament worship.....because.....the inherent wickedness of human nature is such that our minds are only too ready to turn away from spiritual things to visible things."

Does the Holy Spirit use means to promote true worship? Yes, but He uses means that have been revealed to us in the Bible.

Poem by John Newton

2009-11-02T15:19:00.000-08:00

I asked the Lord, that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know;
And seek more earnestly His face.

Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust has answered prayer;
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair!

I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He'd answer my request;
And by His love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins - and give me rest!

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part!

Yes more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe!
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds - and laid me low!

"Lord, why is this!" I trembling cried,
"Will you pursue your worm to death?"
"This is the way," the Lord replied,
"I answer prayer for grace and faith."

"These inward trials I employ,
From self and pride to set you free;
And break your schemes of earthly joy,
Thay you may seek your all in Me!"

Philippians 2:9-16 -- Working Out Our Salvation

2009-11-01T15:40:00.000-08:00

Text: Philippians 2:9-16

This section of the text begins with a "Therefore," so it is wise to consider what was covered earlier. Christ humbled himself, leaving the glory of heaven and becoming a man, suffering and dying out of love for us and obedience to the Father. For this reason, Christ was highly exalted and given a "name above every other name". What does this mean? For one, we know that there is no other name given for men's salvation (Acts 4:12). Contrary to today's popular "get-along" philosophy, all religions are not many different paths all leading to the same place. Jesus holds the preeminent position of being the only Redeemer through whom sinful man may be reconciled to God.

Verse 10 expands further on Christ's exaltation. At His name, every knee will bow. God calls all men to repent - every knee, as in the KJV, should bow to Christ. But the natural man is not reasonable, and refuses. Yet one day, every man shall. (Interestingly, this promise - that all shall bow to Him, is same thing that Satan tempted Christ with in the wilderness. Christ was offered the glory without the suffering, and turned it down.)

This exaltation is God's response to what Christ has done. What is our response?

First, to be obedient (v. 12). This is not a new obedience, Paul notes: "just as you have always obeyed" - continue in the obedience that has marked your life. We are called to "work out our salvation". This is OUR OWN salvation. The state of our own hearts must be a high priority for us. What does it mean to "work it out"? This means to spend our energies, our mental abilities, our love, exploring and enjoying the salvation that is ours.

What is salvation? If we think of salvation only as escape from sin, we have a very shallow view of it. What is eternal life? To know God. As we work out our salvation, we begin to understand how the attributes of God work out in our own lives. We take possession of and explore more fully the outworking of the spiritual realities that are in Christ. Martyn Lloyd-Jones referred to this as the romanticism of the Christian life, of asking God "What are you teaching me now, and how will it work out in my life?"

This salvation should be worked out "with fear and trembling". With a dread of God? With a concern that we will lose this salvation? No, we are instead to work this salvation out with sensitivity...

to our own weakness. We are not self-sufficient and invincible. We fail and fall, and need constantly to call on God for help.
to the power of temptation. The powers of darkness are real and are constantly tempting us to sin, to do things our way instead of God's way, relying on Him.
to the possibility of offending God. We should be afraid of offending such a great God as we serve, concerned that sin might break our communion with Him and tarnish His name before unbelievers.

Verse 13 provides a great encouragement, on several fronts. First, it is God who is at work. He is the Master Workman, and He always accomplishes what He sets out to do. The outcome is guaranteed.

Secondly, He is at work in each of us. God isn't just at work in the super-Christians, or the extra-spiritual people, but rather He is at work in each of His children.

Furthermore, He is at work for us "both to will and to work". God first shows us what to do, then gives us a desire to do His will, then enables us to do it. It is all of grace; we claim no merit.

Finally, He is at work "for His good pleasure". It is a pleasure to God that we should enjoy him, know Him, and be used of Him. In another sense this means that we work as God is pleased for us to do so. He doesn't enable us to serve Him when we make enough progress, or when we show enough desire. Instead, He works freely and sovereignly according to His own choice and purposes.

We can rest and give thanks to God knowing that our salvation is all of Him. He gives faith, regenerates, and gives the Holy Spirit to enable us to serve Him. Why does He do all this for and in us? Because of His great love! Praise Him!

Philippians 2:1-8 - Following Christ's example, serving each other in unity

2009-10-25T16:04:00.000-07:00

Text: Philippians 2:1-8

The first verses of this passage refer to unity and fellowship enjoyed by believers. The cry of many in this world is "can't we all get along?" Outside of Christ, we can't! Man's heart is naturally full of selfishness, strife, and factiousness.

In Christ, however there is and should be true brotherhood and fellowship. It's this kind of unity that made Paul's joy complete. And it's this joy and unity that Christians can and should demonstrate before the world. Furthermore, it's only after Christians are loving each other they can truly show love towards unbelievers.

Do we see this in the church today? Or are our brothers and sisters in need, while we pour our time and resources into the unbelieving world?

Verse 3 specifically condemns any selfishness, party spirit or "us-vs-them" mentality. The last thing Paul would want to see is a First Baptist Church of Philippi and a Second Baptist Church of Philippi. But Paul continually exhorted Christians to "stand firm in the gospel" - unity should not be obtained through compromising on the essentials of the gospel. Also, this verse speaks out against the "do it my way" spirit of "empty conceit" ("vainglory" in the King James Version). Instead, we should be willing to give of ourselves.

We are called in verse 4 to not merely look out for our own interests, but to look out for the interests of others. While we are looking out for others, we need be willing to be looked out for! The church is meant to be a unified group of believers taking care of each other, and if we are inapproachable or standoffish, this can't happen.

In verse 5, Paul offers an example for how we should live - and what an example it is! As we have seen throughout Philippians, Christ is presented as the example for how we should live. We are called to have the same mind as was in Christ.

Verses 6 through 8 explain what this means. Christ is God. Throughout eternity past, He experienced the oneness and total peace and harmony of the Trinity. But He did not regard this equality as something to be clung to, but "emptied himself". This emptying is described in the Greek as depriving something of its proper place or use. And that is what Christ did. He left that glory and all the experiences associated with that glory behind. He took on Himself the form of a servant and the likeness of a man.

Are we unwilling to humble ourselves in service to one another? Christ was willing to humble himself infinitely more in service. Do we struggle with our rights - "I don't want to do that"? Christ was totally obedient, following the revealed will of God all the way to death.

And not just death, but "death on a cross". "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" - Christ suffered the curse, the full cup of God's wrath, all that we might be saved and brought into this fellowship and the love that exists in the Trinity.

Sometimes when we obey Christ, our obedience works for our own benefit. We are happier when we are walking with Christ, and we avoid many of the inevitable painful consequences of sin. But we must go beyond the obedience that works for our benefit, and obey in ways that benefit others. That is where the real fullness of joy is. Also, when we serve one another, we serve Christ because He is living within us. "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'"

Looking for God in all the Wrong Places - A Summary, Part 5

2009-10-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Why do we not expect pulpit preaching to promote worship?

Two reasons are given. First, sermons have begun to be moral lessons, rather than expositions of God's Word. A God-centered, redemptive sermon will allow us to worship. A sermon of this kind will cause us to look heavenward and embrace by faith the God who redeemed us.

Secondly, we have become poor listeners with no expectation of seeing God. "Good listening requires good thinking and good thinking is a chore."

James Stewart: "If in a congregation one soul here and another there may be receiving, as the sermon proceeds, some vision of the majesty of God, some glimpse of the loveliness of Christ, some revelation of personal need beneath the searchlight of the Spirit, is the ministry of the Word to be minimized... Is not such preaching worship?"

Philippians, continued -- Living out a Christian Worldview

2009-10-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

Text: Philippians 1:19-30

In this section of Philippians, Paul lays out a Christian worldview. This is not quite like the Christian worldview that we see espoused by so many today -- Paul does not expect that the world at large will, or ever can, conform to God's standard of holiness. Paul's Christian worldview can be summed in four points:

Everything will come out for good to those who love Christ. Paul is confident (v. 19) that his imprisonment will be "to his salvation". Now, Paul is already saved. But the salvation he is refering to is that he will continue to bloom and be sustained. Note the role of prayer in this. Prayer is what God uses to sustain the believer.

Regardless of what happens, Paul is living for the glorification of Christ. (v20, 21), that Christ would be magnified. This is what brings Paul satisfaction; this is his desire - that Christ would be glorified in him and that the world would see Christ in him.

It is crucial for Christians to live this life in hope of seeing the Saviour face-to-face in glory. We hold this world loosely; it is not our home. We are looking forward to what the old saints called the "long home", where we will spend eternity living with the Lord.
Paul says it is "very much better" to be with Christ; this could be translated, "far, far, far better".

Paul, if he is to remain here in this life, is remaining here for the sake of others. (v 22-24) "yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake"

Based on this worldview, Paul offers an admonition: "Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." This might be intended to bring to mind the actions of Roman citizens who had been planted into Philippi to bring Rome into that province. These citizens were called to live out their Roman citizenship in Philippi, being examples of Rome to the natives. In such a way, we are to live out our heavenly citizenship here in the world.

Paul doesn't say, "Follow the rules I have laid out in my other epistles", or "obey the Law given to Moses". Rather he says to live "in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ". Paul recognizes that he is speaking to reasonable, regenerate people who have the mind of Christ.

The crucial element of this admonition is the gospel. Your life will either adorn, or help, the gospel or clash with, or oppose it. Are you a new creature in Christ? Act like it! Do you hate sin because it nailed Christ to the cross? Then kill sin in your own life! Live out what you claim to be, what you are.

"With one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" Each of the members of the body is striving in unison to encourage and strengthen the whole.

(v28) Do not be afraid of your adversaries. The fact that they are opposing the gospel is a "sign of destruction" to them - a sure omen that they are under "perdition" - continual, eternal destruction. But for Christians, this adversity is a sure sign of our salvation.

(v29) Our belief and our suffering have been given to us by Christ. Our belief - salvation is all of Christ. Our suffering - what we suffer is from his hand and to further His purposes.

Looking for God in all the Wrong Places - A Summary, Part 4

2009-10-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

How do worshippers experience God's presence?

The Scriptures mediate the presence of God to us -- the Bible not only teaches us, it produces spiritual effects when applied by the Holy Spirit. (Heb. 4:12, Acts 20:32, 1Cor. 1:18)

How does the Bible mediate God to us? -by creating, rekindling and promoting faith in us. (Rom.10:14,17, 1Thess. 2:13) Assurance and conviction grow from faith. (Heb. 11:1)

So then, the preached Word of God and the visible Word of God (displayed in the Lord's supper) are potentially electrifying corporate worship events. We can experience the spiritual presence of Christ and spiritual communion with God. These are realities, apprehended only by faith. Jonathan Edwards said God glorifies Himself before faith-filled men by "appearing to their understanding and communicating Himself to their hearts."

What is this "presence of God"? Remember, we walk by faith, not sight. (2Cor.5:7, Rom. 8:24-25, 1Cor. 13:12) We should not demand a full vision of now, but surely "God is more than just a logical deduction from Bible texts." We can expect God to speak (not audibly, but spiritually) when the Bible is proclaimed faithfully because we believe that the Bible is the supernatural and immediate revelation of God's mind to His people. The voice of God in the soul of man is the very essence of entering into God's presence. Albert Mohler: "Worship.....is the act through which the people of God direct all their attentiveness to hearing the one true and living God speak to His people and receive their praises."

Hearing God this way is actively offering Him worship. It is presenting to God a broken and submissive heart. It is honoring God with an expectant faith. It is reverencing God by displaying dependency. Intentional spiritual engagement like this is not a passive experience; it is the deliberate hungering for and hanging upon God's very words that marks Word-based worshippers (Matt. 4:4).

The Necessity and Joy of Proclaiming Christ

2009-10-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

After exhorting the church at Philippi to leave behind mediocrity and strive for excellency, Paul gives an example in his own life. He gives a testimony of how he has poured himself into the ministry, and how he has found great peace and joy in proclaiming Christ is whatever situation he is in.

Text: Philippians 2:12-18

Paul emphasizes three things as being essential to living a joyous, purposeful life of joy in Christ.

Christ must be proclaimed
It is fairly easy to talk about God and religion. But a true presentation of the gospel must include Jesus Christ. Talking about Jesus will invite scorn and ridicule - the gospel is foolishness to the natural man - but, it is the power of God for salvation. But we must not be afraid of a little scorn, and we cannot water down the message to make it more palatable. Are we so concerned about a little rejection that we are unable to share these glorious truths?

The basic gospel word is all Christ. We have several good examples of a gospel presentation in Acts - chapters 2, 5, 10, 13, and 16 for example. This gospel word consists of presentation of Jesus as a historical fact - his life, death and resurrection - and also includes a call to believe on Him, and a warning for those who reject Him.

God presents opportunities
Paul presents his imprisonment as an example of how God creates opportunities to share the gospel in all circumstances. He was a prisoner, but his guards were the real "captive" audience! And the Word spread "throughout the whole praetorian guard".

What are our opportunites in our circumstances? For parents, our children are an audience we should not neglect.

Sharing the gospel of Christ brings peace and joy
Paul rejoices in God's plan and prupose and states that he will rejoice! He as committed himself to do so. It is choice. So we know for a certainty that this life of proclaiming the gospel is a life of joy and rejoicing.

Paul's Prayer for the Phillipians

2009-10-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

Here are some notes from our sermon on October 4th.

Text: Philippians 1:9-11

Three observations about Paul's prayer for the Philippians in these verses:

Paul prays (v.9) that their love would "abound still more and more". We know that love is more than emotion; "Love" is an action verb. Love motivates us toward some action for that thing that we love. We should have love towards God, our pastors, our brothers and sisters, and towards the lost.

Paul prays for their love to abound still more and more. The picture here is like the waves of the sea, continually coming in one after another.
Paul wants their love to be (v.8) bounded by "knowledge and discernment."
NOT - in ignorance and insensitivity
NOT - in stupidity and hamfistedness
NOT - in sentimentalism and myopic nostalgia

In knowledge - we know that which we love. And knowledge, in Biblical terms, encompasses a knowledge of the facts of the gospel, along with an experimental knowledge of the Christ of the gospel.

In judgment - in insight, ability to discern the excellent thing, a moral perception across the gamut of life's experiences.
Paul prays (v.10) that they would be able to "discern the things that are excellent". There are good things, better things, and the best things. We should press on to better and better things! For example: we have lots of ways we can use our money to further the kingdom. We can give it to a "good" cause. But we should seek to find the best use for the money (perhaps a more excellent missionary).

Another example: our family devotions. We should seek not just to have good family devotions, but to pour ourselves into our family such that our devotions are excellent.
Paul prays that they would be "filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus" (v.11). This is a very New Covenant view of our sanctification! There is no mention of a moral code to look to. We are not to evaluate ourselves against a set of laws, and believe that we are righteous because we are measuring up pretty well. But we are to pursue excellence and holiness out of gratitude and love for Christ.

And this pursuit of excellence is the word for today. Being done with being satisfied with where we are today! Seeking to know more, experience more, of Him! Christ is at work within us -- there is no need to settle for mediocrity!

Looking for God in all the Wrong Places - A Summary, Part 3

2009-10-06T17:57:00.001-07:00

"Sitting in the presence of the Holy One of Israel and engaging Him in the holy dialogue that we call worship should surely excite the worshipper's emotions." - (pg 6)

"Worship is an act of the understanding, applying itself to the knowledge of the excellency of God, and actual thoughts of His majesty. It is also an act of the will, whereby the soul adores and reverenceth His majesty, is ravished with His amiableness, embraceth His goodness, enters itself into an intimate communion with this most lovely Object, and pitcheth all his affections upon Him" - Stephen Charnook

One of the most-discussed elements of worship is the role of feelings and emotions. Surely, emotions are affected in our worship. "The problem comes when emotional stimulation is mistaken for true worship. This leads to emotional experiences being sought as ends in themselves, rather than Holy Spirit-inflamed emotions experienced as a by-product of God-directed worship." - (pg 7)

Healthy worship, in contrast, results in the Word of God arousing faith in the worshipper, in part by promoting confidence and certainty regarding things not seen. "That faith causes the believer to worship; he thanks God, praises God, prizes God, and adores God. Word-driven thanking, praising, prizing and adoring erupts from the heart and mobilizes the affections." - (pg 7)

What is the worshipper's ultimate goal? It should not be to achieve a feeling or emotional high, rather it should be to render unto God the glory due His name. "The worshipper worships as an end in itself, not as a means to the end of being emotionally happy." (pg 8)

The role of the Word of God in worship cannot be overstated. "The Holy Spirit normally works in conjunction with (and not independent of) God's Word. If we want the Holy Spirit to move in our worship services then we must have Word-saturated worship services. How do we quench the Spirit? By quenching the Word!" (Eph. 6:17; compare John 3:5-6 and 1Pet 1:23-25; compare Eph 5:18-19 and Col 3:16-17; compare John 14:16-17, 26, John 15:26, 16:13-14, 17:17, Ps 119:142, 160 and 2Tim 2:15) - (pgs 7-8)

"A consequence of Word-based worship is that we sometimes meet with God in surprising ways - it may not be a comfortable emotion - it may be conviction of sin before a holy God. When this does happen we will see that God's rod and staff do comfort us (Ps 23:4) and God's sin-exposing holiness posesses its own soul-arresting beauty (Ps 50:1-3)." - (pg 10)

Looking for God in all the Wrong Places - A Summary, Part 2

2009-10-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

What is true worship? Who is worship for? Worship is not something to be experienced, rather it is something to be offered. God is the object of worship; we present it to Him. (Psalm 95:6, 109:30,34:3)

Worshippers do the worshipping; God receives the worship. Worship is not about what we like but rather about giving God what He desires. Many people are looking for emotional stimulation and spiritual feelings, but these feelings are not necessarily evidence of the Holy Spirit's work.

The Holy Spirit's presence and activity is evidenced by conviction of sin, repentance, world-forsaking faith, doctrinal maturity, growth in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Regarding ourselves instead of God as the object of worship is scandalous and disastrous.

Looking for God in all the Wrong Places - A Summary, Part 1

2009-10-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

Looking for God in all the Wrong Places, An Appeal for Word-Based Corporate Worship, by Robert G. Spinney, is an excellent little booklet that summarizes much of what we believe about worship. The following few posts are a summary of this booklet put together by one of our members. Many of the phrases and sentences in this summary are taken directly from the author, and most are put in quotation marks, but there may be instances where a sentence was taken directly from the booklet and accidentally not put in quotation marks.

Introduction:

In the past 40 years Christians have begun separating praising and worshipping from preaching and teaching. Why?

There are two main reasons. The first reason is a growing sense that worship is exclusively emotional. Singing stirs the emotions, but preaching does not. The second main reason stems from the Word of God being deemphasized.

The author's main thesis is "to reclaim an approach to worship that could be called Word-based worship; this helps to create what could be called a Word-driven church; this calls for Word-based worshippers."

Perseverance of the Saints

2009-09-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, simply stated, says that all those whom God has chosen and for whom Christ died will persevere in their Christian walk until "the end", or until their earthly sojourn is over.
Every true believer will persevere, and that by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, preserving him by the inward workings on the heart and mind of the believer. It is inconceivable that God would elect a man, Christ would die for that same man, and yet we would finally fall away by returning to his unbelief.
It is not inconceivable, however, that a man might make a false profession, give some temporary evidence of conversion and finally return to his unbelieving condition. American, evangelical churches are full of such "Christians", and an unbiblical, unsound and largely unspoken belief system has developed among Amercian protestant churches to accomodate the presence of these "worldly Christians." Church policies and practices have been compromised to attract these "lukewarm" believers and the fruit of their position is usually the fact that they do not persevere, and sooner or later they abandon their faith altogether or become totally indifferent to any real Christian commitment.

Irresistable Grace

2009-09-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

The phrase "irresistable grace" simply tells us that the grace of God, when applied to the heart of a sinner, is irresistable; that is to say God draws the elect sinner to Himself without fail. "God is able" to quote the Saviour, "to turn stones into children of Abraham." (Luke 3:8) This He does with lovingkindness through conviction of sin, leading to regeneration, so that the sinner comes willingly and happily to the foot of the cross. As the old hymn says - "He does not compel them to go 'gainst their will, but He just makes them willing to go."

So God, through regeneration, lovingly draws men to the Saviour by the loving administration of the Holy Spirit through the application of the Holy Scriptures to the soul of poor helpless sinners, resulting in their inevitable conversion to Christ. God, who cannot fail in anything He determines to do, draws those whom He has chosen, to the foot of the cross.

Limited Atonement

2009-08-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

We believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of His elect people. It was for them He came and for them He died.

Matthew 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins."

John 17:6-9 "I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world: Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me; and they have kept Thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are of Thee. For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me. I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine."

John 16:13-14 "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you."

Now, no one is imagining that the value or worth of Christ's atonement is in any way limited. His death is sufficient to atone for all the sinners in 10,000 worlds. It is the intent of the atonement in the mind and purpose of the triune God that limits it. If Christ bore the sins of every man, then all men are free of their guilt. God will not require a second death, i.e. the sinner's death, to atone for a sin that is paid for by the death of the eternal Son of God. It is finished! What gross injustice to lay the sins of all mankind on the head of the Savior and then punish the sinner for sins that were already borne on Calvary!

In Romans 9:22, Scripture argues that "God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:" Apparently, God's justice is an important part of His divine nature and He is willing to display it on "vessels of wrath." God is altogether unlike the contemporary concept which elevates man and diminishes the very nature of God.

Some in our day quote 2 Peter 3:9 which says, ..."not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Their intent, of course, is to prove that God is not willing that any single person should perish, but that every person should come to repentance. Such an interpretation, however, does violence to both Scripture and to the nature of God. A close look at the context will tell you that Peter is talking to the elect, whom he calls "beloved" in verse 8. Again in verse 9, he says that God is longsuffering to us-ward, meaning to Peter and his fellow believers.

Equally damaging is the idea that God wants to save every one (universalism), but he is unable to for some imagined problem of violating the all-mighty human "free-will".

Unconditional Election

2009-07-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

Although the words "elect" and/or "election" are found no less than 27 times in the Scriptures, the doctrine of Unconditional Election is denied, ignored or explained away by the vast majority of evangelical leaders in today's doctrinally bankrupt congregations. Simply stated, this doctrine says that God has chosen, or elected, a people for His own possession. (The word "chosen" is also abundant throughout the Scriptures of both the Old and the New Testament.)

The Scriptures also teach that these "elect" persons are chosen unconditionally - that is to say, they have done nothing, nor could they do anything to merit this election. God has chosen those whom He chooses for reasons which are hidden in the will and purposes of God. But this much we know - God set His love on a particular people before the world began and predestinated them to be His adopted children through Jesus Christ for his own glory. This is our only hope for our evangelism, our preaching, and our praying.

Ephesians 1:3-7 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"

Total Depravity

2009-06-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

An examination of the doctrines we believe begins of necessity with the doctrine of "total depravity".

This doctrine of total depravity declares that men are dead in sin* and by inference means that mean can do nothing to please God, just as a dead corpse can do nothing or in any way cooperate with its surroundings.

The "total" aspect of the doctrine means simply that the depravity extends to every part of man's nature: his intellect, his emotions, and his will.

This does not mean that all men are equally bad, not that any man is as bad as he could be, not that any one is entirely without some virtue.

What it does mean is that since the fall, all mankind is under the curse of sin, and that they are wholly unable to love God or do anything to deserve salvation.

* Ephesians 2:1-3 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."

John 3:19 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Romans 8:7,8 "Because the carnal [natural] mind is enmity [at war] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

Our Statement of Faith

2009-06-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
Let all that you do be done in love.
I Corinthians 16:13-14

We believe the Bible to be the only inerrant Word of God; it is our only authoritative rule for faith and practice.

We believe that there is one God eternally existent in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is omnipotent, that is, He is all-powerful. He is omnipresent, that is, He is present throughout creation but not limited by it. He is omniscient, that is nothing is hidden from His sight. He is completely free and sovereign in the salvation of His people. We believe the God we serve is holy, righteous, good, severe, loving and full of mercy. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Governor of everything that has been made.

We believe in the true deity and full humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and in His personal return in power and glory.

We believe in the full deity of the Holy Spirit acknowledging Him together with the Father and the Son as Creator of the world in six 24-hour days and Redeemer of his people.

We believe that because of Adam’s sin all mankind is in rebellion against God. For the salvation of such lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary and without it faith is impossible.

We believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone and that faith without works is dead.

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, those who are saved to the resurrection of life and those who are lost to the resurrection of damnation.

We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.