God reorients life. God makes sense out of life. No matter what happens, if we take the time to recognize it, God makes good come out of seemingly horrible situations. We may get discouraged, depressed, even hopeless, but God is a God of hope and healing and wholeness. He repairs what sin destroys.
Peter’s Mother-in-law healed of a fatal disease, a leper given his life back, a servant able to walk again, a marriage put back together, scars healed, pain relieved, a heart replaced, sin forgiven, guilt removed, hope restored, life reborn.
"Everybody's Got a Story to Tell"
Everybody’s got a story to tell
I’ve got one and so have you
How Jesus rescued us from the brink of hell
And gave us what He came to do
I’ve got life where sin once reigned
I found peace that I didn’t have
I know love like I never knew
He bought peace with His own blood
His life for mine I know it well
Reminded often of the price He paid
When once alive I’ll never die
I now figure in the scheme of things
Jesus bought me back from sin
Jesus saved my wanting soul
Jesus paid the ultimate price
Jesus came to give me life
Raised from death to life one day
Preparing a home so far away
Coming back to bring us there
Eternal pleasures dwelling
Everyone’s got a story to tell
What theme it takes only God knows
My prayer is that you live forever
Receiving what He gives to you
Hope is where the heart is found
Upon the settled, solid ground
Love found there where hate once ruled
Love given by my substitute.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
True Loving Service is Substitution
Tim Keller wrote: "All life-changing love toward people with serious needs is a substitutional sacrifice".
Case in point, the Gospel of the grace of God in Christ - where Jesus, for God's glory and our good, substituted Himself for us, taking our sin (Is. 53:12) and suffering our shame, so that we might live. And while He did it for us, in our place, it is not primarily about us but God. God is glorified and we benefit forever, but it is not first and foremost self-centered but God-centered.
If we do not understand the true gospel story, if we get that part wrong, if we read into it something the Bible does not teach, we will not understand the Christian life as God intends us to (and become very disillusioned when things don't go our way) and we run the risk of basing our relationship with God on Him doing what we want Him to do rather than Him doing what we could never do. We begin to be in charge rather than humbly at His mercy. We begin to see Him as a vending machine who dispenses comfort rather than a holy God who deserves worship. If we see Him as One who simply exists to meet our needs we can become very self-centered rather than Christ-centered. That is the story we will share with the world and we will be in danger of unknowingly preaching another gospel, as a result of making up our own version. So it is crucial that we get the gospel right.
God is a God of love, and as such it does not mean that He never will do something that we disagree with or do not understand - such as the common error of saying that 'God is a God of love, so I cannot see how He would ever do that'. That kind of 'love' really isn't true love, if by 'love' we mean condoning sin by turning a blind eye to it or winking at it. Sin took Him to the Cross, sin demanded our lives. It was due to our sin that He puts Himself in our place. As it truly is, as a God of love God becomes personally involved in suffering the same violence, pain, oppression, grief and shame that we experience.
"Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1
"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." 1 Peter 2:24
As John Stott put it in his book The Cross of Christ, "The essence of sin is we human beings substituting ourselves for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for us. We…put ourselves where only God deserves to be; God…puts Himself where we deserve to be.”
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
So for a Christ follower to say they love to serve it must be based on the grace of God in Christ; as He has served them they in turn serve Him. It must be rooted in the self-sacrificing substitution that Christ entered into on the cross. To love to serve is one thing; to love those whom you serve (or are called to serve) is quite another. You can love to serve and not love those whom you serve – because of what you get out of it, such as a free day at Disneyland if you are a volunteer; or a paycheck if you are an employee – we can do it to gain security or approval or acceptance of the subculture, be it a family, church or community organization expects it – how can you tell the difference?
You will know by the extent to which you are willing to be inconvenienced, misunderstood or hurt for their sakes. To the extent that you are willing to give up your reputation for kindness, your right to comfort, your position of strength to be seen of as weak. To the extent that you are willing to make a personal exchange – your life for theirs. That is the heart of the true story of the Cross, the true gospel story. Substitution. Christ's life for ours.
Case in point, the Gospel of the grace of God in Christ - where Jesus, for God's glory and our good, substituted Himself for us, taking our sin (Is. 53:12) and suffering our shame, so that we might live. And while He did it for us, in our place, it is not primarily about us but God. God is glorified and we benefit forever, but it is not first and foremost self-centered but God-centered.
If we do not understand the true gospel story, if we get that part wrong, if we read into it something the Bible does not teach, we will not understand the Christian life as God intends us to (and become very disillusioned when things don't go our way) and we run the risk of basing our relationship with God on Him doing what we want Him to do rather than Him doing what we could never do. We begin to be in charge rather than humbly at His mercy. We begin to see Him as a vending machine who dispenses comfort rather than a holy God who deserves worship. If we see Him as One who simply exists to meet our needs we can become very self-centered rather than Christ-centered. That is the story we will share with the world and we will be in danger of unknowingly preaching another gospel, as a result of making up our own version. So it is crucial that we get the gospel right.
God is a God of love, and as such it does not mean that He never will do something that we disagree with or do not understand - such as the common error of saying that 'God is a God of love, so I cannot see how He would ever do that'. That kind of 'love' really isn't true love, if by 'love' we mean condoning sin by turning a blind eye to it or winking at it. Sin took Him to the Cross, sin demanded our lives. It was due to our sin that He puts Himself in our place. As it truly is, as a God of love God becomes personally involved in suffering the same violence, pain, oppression, grief and shame that we experience.
"Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1
"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." 1 Peter 2:24
As John Stott put it in his book The Cross of Christ, "The essence of sin is we human beings substituting ourselves for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for us. We…put ourselves where only God deserves to be; God…puts Himself where we deserve to be.”
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
So for a Christ follower to say they love to serve it must be based on the grace of God in Christ; as He has served them they in turn serve Him. It must be rooted in the self-sacrificing substitution that Christ entered into on the cross. To love to serve is one thing; to love those whom you serve (or are called to serve) is quite another. You can love to serve and not love those whom you serve – because of what you get out of it, such as a free day at Disneyland if you are a volunteer; or a paycheck if you are an employee – we can do it to gain security or approval or acceptance of the subculture, be it a family, church or community organization expects it – how can you tell the difference?
You will know by the extent to which you are willing to be inconvenienced, misunderstood or hurt for their sakes. To the extent that you are willing to give up your reputation for kindness, your right to comfort, your position of strength to be seen of as weak. To the extent that you are willing to make a personal exchange – your life for theirs. That is the heart of the true story of the Cross, the true gospel story. Substitution. Christ's life for ours.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Serving God
Serving God is dependent on God. If I ever truly serve God (as opposed to serving myself let's say), then the process, the action, is totally dependent on Him for several reasons. It is based on the 'previousness' of God as well as His greatness, goodness and holiness. He always goes before us. We can have or do nothing that first hasn't been given to us from God - He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. Faith, service, love - the ability all come from Him as gifts. "Whoever serves, let him do so by the strength which God supplies" (1 Peter 4:11).
Psalm 100:2 says "serve the Lord with gladness". Grateful for the opportunity, thankful for the privilege. We are, as 1 Timothy 4:6 says, to desire to be "good servants of Christ Jesus".
In Matthew 8:14-17, Peter’s Mother-in-law is served by Jesus and then gets up and continues to serve Him, as the imperfect tense (diaknei) portrays the ongoing nature of her service. Darrell Bock said “Service is what naturally follows God’s grace”. The recipients of God's grace want to serve Him.
I think of Mary and Martha. Sometimes, like Martha did, we get wrapped up in ourselves as we serve. As a young believer I got very legalistic – narrow – tight – demanding of myself and others. I was much like Martha, little like Mary. I took it upon myself to earnestly seek God but that can so easily become an occasion to work for what was bought with precious blood. I had to learn that while God wants me to follow Him closely the close following is not the basis for any standing with God.
There is blessing in serving God, to be sure, but the fine line between faith and works cannot be blurred. I had to learn the hard way, and I still am, that as I am saved by grace, I live by grace and serve by grace. It is all of grace. All of Him and none of me. As He operates I cooperate. I received benefits, but the glory all goes to God.
As Peter’s Mother-in-law was able to serve Jesus because He first served her need, we see the appropriate order – first, we allow Jesus to serve us (like He did with Peter in John 13 – He washed His feet, then Peter could wash others) and then we turn and serve Him in worship and others in humility.
We can only serve God because He first served us in Christ, on the cross, for our sin, with His blood, making payment and securing our forgiveness.
Psalm 100:2 says "serve the Lord with gladness". Grateful for the opportunity, thankful for the privilege. We are, as 1 Timothy 4:6 says, to desire to be "good servants of Christ Jesus".
In Matthew 8:14-17, Peter’s Mother-in-law is served by Jesus and then gets up and continues to serve Him, as the imperfect tense (diaknei) portrays the ongoing nature of her service. Darrell Bock said “Service is what naturally follows God’s grace”. The recipients of God's grace want to serve Him.
I think of Mary and Martha. Sometimes, like Martha did, we get wrapped up in ourselves as we serve. As a young believer I got very legalistic – narrow – tight – demanding of myself and others. I was much like Martha, little like Mary. I took it upon myself to earnestly seek God but that can so easily become an occasion to work for what was bought with precious blood. I had to learn that while God wants me to follow Him closely the close following is not the basis for any standing with God.
There is blessing in serving God, to be sure, but the fine line between faith and works cannot be blurred. I had to learn the hard way, and I still am, that as I am saved by grace, I live by grace and serve by grace. It is all of grace. All of Him and none of me. As He operates I cooperate. I received benefits, but the glory all goes to God.
As Peter’s Mother-in-law was able to serve Jesus because He first served her need, we see the appropriate order – first, we allow Jesus to serve us (like He did with Peter in John 13 – He washed His feet, then Peter could wash others) and then we turn and serve Him in worship and others in humility.
We can only serve God because He first served us in Christ, on the cross, for our sin, with His blood, making payment and securing our forgiveness.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
God is Always Previous
My mind is both comforted and boggled by the previousness of God. That He is always first, always preeminent is of immense comfort to those of us who slug it out here on earth in such an undeniably awkward fashion. To know that He has gone before us, preparing the way takes so much pressure off.
Of Jesus Christ, Colossians 1:17 (ESV) says, "And He is before all tings, and in Him all things hold together." All I can say is 'Wow!' He is the Previous One, the One who made all things and sustains all things. He is the Author and Perfector (Hebrews 12:2), the picker (Ephesians 1:3-12) and protector (1 Peter 1:3-5), the chooser and provider (2 Peter 1:10-11). He makes us and moves us; saves us and sends us, instigates our faith and inspires and enables action based upon His glorious realities.
Praise to Jesus Christ, the Previous One, from Whom all blessings flow.
Of Jesus Christ, Colossians 1:17 (ESV) says, "And He is before all tings, and in Him all things hold together." All I can say is 'Wow!' He is the Previous One, the One who made all things and sustains all things. He is the Author and Perfector (Hebrews 12:2), the picker (Ephesians 1:3-12) and protector (1 Peter 1:3-5), the chooser and provider (2 Peter 1:10-11). He makes us and moves us; saves us and sends us, instigates our faith and inspires and enables action based upon His glorious realities.
Praise to Jesus Christ, the Previous One, from Whom all blessings flow.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Love in Action, Episode 2
“Soldiers, Servants and Sons”
Matt. 8:5-13 points to 2 things all human beings struggle with: authority and ability. We want to be our own authority in life but we quickly realize we don’t have the ability to do what only God can do. It is not just people like Tiger Woods who find it difficult to humble themselves and admit the need for help. In the story of Jesus healing the Centurion’s servant we see Christ’s authority as Lord and ability as God, which takes the pressure off of us and shows us we are simply called to cooperate with God.
First we see the Soldier. Centurions were in charge of 100 foot soldiers. The Roman army was broken into units: there was the legion comprised of 6000 men (5300 infantry, 700 cavalry); each legion was divided into 10 cohorts of 600; each cohort had 6 centuries, with 100 men each. The Century was the smallest unit of the army, commanded by a Centurion, a long-term professional soldier in charge of discipline in the regiment. They were the backbone of the Roman Army; the glue that held it together. Centurions were men of wealth & power. Promoted through the ranks, they were at times paid as much as 15 times more than regular soldiers. They had better housing than the local population. They were trusted men of integrity. Their word was law. While both extremes of the social structure of that day were represented; the Centurion was an outsider like the leper. Lepers were the classic outsiders, barred from participating in Israel’s worship and social life. Centurions were also classic outsiders, being Gentiles and not Jews. They were provisionally barred from Israel’s inner life. Lepers could not enter Jerusalem at all. Gentiles could, but could go no farther into the temple than the outer court of the Gentiles. Only a leper was considered more unclean than a Gentile.
But there was something significantly different about his man in that he cared for his servant. He was unlike others who treated them with contempt; or like possessions in those days. He had an amazing attitude toward his servant. He was resolute in his aim to do whatever he could for his servant who was sick. He loved his servant. He was a man of faith; He wanted Jesus to help and heal his servant so he made a faith-based request “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly”, not merely a statement but an implied request. Jesus says to him, “I will come and heal him” and the Centurion humbly says “Lord, I am not worthy to have you under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed”. A humble man, he called Jesus Lord, recognized who Jesus was. This soldier was under the authority of the Roman emperor. When he spoke he had the full strength of Rome behind him. When he spoke it was as if the emperor spoke, so great was his power and so solid was the strength of the Roman army and the backing of the Roman Empire. His word was obeyed because of it. But this powerful man who was used to giving orders recognized Jesus’ authority above his own. He understood when Jesus spoke He spoke with God’s authority. When Jesus spoke it was God speaking. He believed Jesus’ words were God’s words. Jesus marveled at his great faith, which He said, was more than He had seen in all Israel, among those who should have shown such faith in Him.
Next we see the Servant. You notice right away something significant about him: he didn’t do anything; someone else acted on his behalf. He received God’s blessing due to the request of his master, appealing to God on his behalf. The servant held a very low place in society. He was not worth much to people. In those days slaves were things, they did not matter. No one cared if they suffered or whether they lived or died. Aristotle said: “There can be no friendship or justice towards inanimate things; indeed, not even towards a horse or an ox, nor yet towards a slave as a slave. For master and slave have nothing in common; a slave is a living tool, just as a tool is an inanimate slave”. A slave was no better to people then than a thing. They had no legal rights, the Roman legal expert Gaius said “We may note that it is universally accepted that the master possesses the power of life and death over the slave”. The only difference in people’s minds between a slave and an animal was that a slave could speak. So it was shocking the Centurion would be so concerned for him. Not the normal attitude of master to slave. He was not treated with contempt or like a possession, but more like a son. He was suffering greatly (some scholars think he had polio by the description) and God healed him. Jesus said to the Centurion, “Go (notice the authoritative order), let it be done for you as you have believed; and the servant was healed that very moment”. Instantaneous, long-distance healing.
We also see the Sons. One group directly referred to, the other implied. With regard to the Centurion’s faith Jesus said “Many will come from east and west and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but the sons of the Kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness, in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”. This is a classic description of hell & eternal punishment. No one likes to think about it, but all who do not believe will spend eternity there, away from the presence of God. There are the ‘Sons of the kingdom’, Jews that did not believe, who thought they were favored due to their heritage. They believed when Messiah came there would be a great banquet where all Jews would sit down and feast. They never dreamed any Gentile would be invited. They should have known Is. 25-6-9 which speaks of what God will do for believers from all nations. These are the ‘Sons of Abraham’, those who believe and are justified by faith, sons of God by faith (Rom. 9:30-32. Gal. 2:16; 3:16, 26, 29; 4:4, 7). The Gentile Centurion was not a ‘son of the kingdom’ but seems to be a son of God by faith because he trusted in the Jewish Messiah for this need.
There are lessons for us today in this story.
The 1st is about Humility. The Centurion, as a servant of God, considered himself unworthy, humble before God and man. This man who was over others put himself under Christ; and was able to treat someone considered worthless (his servant) as very valuable. Illustrates the gospel truth that in Christ’s church people get along who would never get along outside. The essence of humility is that you know who God is, you know who you are, and you know the difference (Rom. 12:3; Phil. 2:3). When we are truly humble we have an attitude that says ‘God is God and I am not. I know how I truly am and God knows better than me. I am at His mercy and it is not the other way around. He is so far greater, better and stronger than me – I need Him to live and to do anything that pleases Him. I know that I am unworthy of His love but also that He loves me and considers me of value. We are able to see people through God’s eyes – with compassion, love and grace; gracious towards others because God is gracious with us.
The 2nd lesson has to do with Faith. The Centurion believed that Jesus’ word was sufficient to heal his servant. He believed that when Jesus spoke, God spoke. That His authority is God’s authority and His Word is effective because it is God’s Word. Therefore he acknowledged Christ’s authority as Lord and His ability as God and he trusted Him. The servant was healed because God chose to heal him. What part did the Centurion’s faith play? He trusted in God’s authority and ability to do it. If you do the same what difference should that make in your life? You will see God at work & will consider Him your highest authority. You will count His Word as preeminent among all others. You won’t be able to get enough of it. You will listen to Him, learn from Him, follow Him, obey Him. Believe. You will trust Him; stake your life upon Him. The overriding ‘governor’ of your life will be God’s Word, not your own understanding. It is revealed in common everyday life: in family life, work and business, school and church settings – anywhere people interact and make choices (Heb. 11:6).
Matthew favors a condensed style, so he does not mention every detail. Luke gives us more. In Luke 7:1-10, Jewish leaders say many good things to Jesus on the Centurion’s behalf that they thought made him worthy to be helped by Jesus. ‘He likes us and treats us well’. ‘He built our church for us’. The Centurion knew he wasn’t worthy. Jesus made it clear that faith is the only thing that mattered; His favor cannot be earned or bought; the Scriptures make it very clear salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God’s glory alone. We are unworthy and unable. God is worthy and able. Without God we are without hope. Faith is a gift from God that makes us humble before Him.
Just like the Centurion’s servant didn’t do anything; someone else acted on his behalf. Jesus acted on our behalf – Jesus, the Son of God, the Suffering Servant (Is. 53), took our sin upon Himself and paid the penalty a holy God required for that sin. Of his own free will the Centurion went out of his way for someone else – someone so far beneath him in that culture – but on the same level in God’s eyes. Jesus, doing the willing of the Father, went out of His way for us who were as good as dead, slaves to sin, sentenced to death, in bondage to decay, destined for eternal damnation – dead in sin. Jesus, in the Gospel, restores what sin destroys; relationships, families, bodies, communities, careers. Jesus restores marred humanity to the image of God. Jesus reclaims what man discards and disowns. God did what we could not, bridging the gap between us and Him caused by our sin. In Christ we are overwhelmed by the fact we are more sinful than we ever dared imagine, but more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope. Christ is able to do what we cannot; and He is worthy of all our praise.
Soli Deo Gloria
Matt. 8:5-13 points to 2 things all human beings struggle with: authority and ability. We want to be our own authority in life but we quickly realize we don’t have the ability to do what only God can do. It is not just people like Tiger Woods who find it difficult to humble themselves and admit the need for help. In the story of Jesus healing the Centurion’s servant we see Christ’s authority as Lord and ability as God, which takes the pressure off of us and shows us we are simply called to cooperate with God.
First we see the Soldier. Centurions were in charge of 100 foot soldiers. The Roman army was broken into units: there was the legion comprised of 6000 men (5300 infantry, 700 cavalry); each legion was divided into 10 cohorts of 600; each cohort had 6 centuries, with 100 men each. The Century was the smallest unit of the army, commanded by a Centurion, a long-term professional soldier in charge of discipline in the regiment. They were the backbone of the Roman Army; the glue that held it together. Centurions were men of wealth & power. Promoted through the ranks, they were at times paid as much as 15 times more than regular soldiers. They had better housing than the local population. They were trusted men of integrity. Their word was law. While both extremes of the social structure of that day were represented; the Centurion was an outsider like the leper. Lepers were the classic outsiders, barred from participating in Israel’s worship and social life. Centurions were also classic outsiders, being Gentiles and not Jews. They were provisionally barred from Israel’s inner life. Lepers could not enter Jerusalem at all. Gentiles could, but could go no farther into the temple than the outer court of the Gentiles. Only a leper was considered more unclean than a Gentile.
But there was something significantly different about his man in that he cared for his servant. He was unlike others who treated them with contempt; or like possessions in those days. He had an amazing attitude toward his servant. He was resolute in his aim to do whatever he could for his servant who was sick. He loved his servant. He was a man of faith; He wanted Jesus to help and heal his servant so he made a faith-based request “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly”, not merely a statement but an implied request. Jesus says to him, “I will come and heal him” and the Centurion humbly says “Lord, I am not worthy to have you under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed”. A humble man, he called Jesus Lord, recognized who Jesus was. This soldier was under the authority of the Roman emperor. When he spoke he had the full strength of Rome behind him. When he spoke it was as if the emperor spoke, so great was his power and so solid was the strength of the Roman army and the backing of the Roman Empire. His word was obeyed because of it. But this powerful man who was used to giving orders recognized Jesus’ authority above his own. He understood when Jesus spoke He spoke with God’s authority. When Jesus spoke it was God speaking. He believed Jesus’ words were God’s words. Jesus marveled at his great faith, which He said, was more than He had seen in all Israel, among those who should have shown such faith in Him.
Next we see the Servant. You notice right away something significant about him: he didn’t do anything; someone else acted on his behalf. He received God’s blessing due to the request of his master, appealing to God on his behalf. The servant held a very low place in society. He was not worth much to people. In those days slaves were things, they did not matter. No one cared if they suffered or whether they lived or died. Aristotle said: “There can be no friendship or justice towards inanimate things; indeed, not even towards a horse or an ox, nor yet towards a slave as a slave. For master and slave have nothing in common; a slave is a living tool, just as a tool is an inanimate slave”. A slave was no better to people then than a thing. They had no legal rights, the Roman legal expert Gaius said “We may note that it is universally accepted that the master possesses the power of life and death over the slave”. The only difference in people’s minds between a slave and an animal was that a slave could speak. So it was shocking the Centurion would be so concerned for him. Not the normal attitude of master to slave. He was not treated with contempt or like a possession, but more like a son. He was suffering greatly (some scholars think he had polio by the description) and God healed him. Jesus said to the Centurion, “Go (notice the authoritative order), let it be done for you as you have believed; and the servant was healed that very moment”. Instantaneous, long-distance healing.
We also see the Sons. One group directly referred to, the other implied. With regard to the Centurion’s faith Jesus said “Many will come from east and west and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but the sons of the Kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness, in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”. This is a classic description of hell & eternal punishment. No one likes to think about it, but all who do not believe will spend eternity there, away from the presence of God. There are the ‘Sons of the kingdom’, Jews that did not believe, who thought they were favored due to their heritage. They believed when Messiah came there would be a great banquet where all Jews would sit down and feast. They never dreamed any Gentile would be invited. They should have known Is. 25-6-9 which speaks of what God will do for believers from all nations. These are the ‘Sons of Abraham’, those who believe and are justified by faith, sons of God by faith (Rom. 9:30-32. Gal. 2:16; 3:16, 26, 29; 4:4, 7). The Gentile Centurion was not a ‘son of the kingdom’ but seems to be a son of God by faith because he trusted in the Jewish Messiah for this need.
There are lessons for us today in this story.
The 1st is about Humility. The Centurion, as a servant of God, considered himself unworthy, humble before God and man. This man who was over others put himself under Christ; and was able to treat someone considered worthless (his servant) as very valuable. Illustrates the gospel truth that in Christ’s church people get along who would never get along outside. The essence of humility is that you know who God is, you know who you are, and you know the difference (Rom. 12:3; Phil. 2:3). When we are truly humble we have an attitude that says ‘God is God and I am not. I know how I truly am and God knows better than me. I am at His mercy and it is not the other way around. He is so far greater, better and stronger than me – I need Him to live and to do anything that pleases Him. I know that I am unworthy of His love but also that He loves me and considers me of value. We are able to see people through God’s eyes – with compassion, love and grace; gracious towards others because God is gracious with us.
The 2nd lesson has to do with Faith. The Centurion believed that Jesus’ word was sufficient to heal his servant. He believed that when Jesus spoke, God spoke. That His authority is God’s authority and His Word is effective because it is God’s Word. Therefore he acknowledged Christ’s authority as Lord and His ability as God and he trusted Him. The servant was healed because God chose to heal him. What part did the Centurion’s faith play? He trusted in God’s authority and ability to do it. If you do the same what difference should that make in your life? You will see God at work & will consider Him your highest authority. You will count His Word as preeminent among all others. You won’t be able to get enough of it. You will listen to Him, learn from Him, follow Him, obey Him. Believe. You will trust Him; stake your life upon Him. The overriding ‘governor’ of your life will be God’s Word, not your own understanding. It is revealed in common everyday life: in family life, work and business, school and church settings – anywhere people interact and make choices (Heb. 11:6).
Matthew favors a condensed style, so he does not mention every detail. Luke gives us more. In Luke 7:1-10, Jewish leaders say many good things to Jesus on the Centurion’s behalf that they thought made him worthy to be helped by Jesus. ‘He likes us and treats us well’. ‘He built our church for us’. The Centurion knew he wasn’t worthy. Jesus made it clear that faith is the only thing that mattered; His favor cannot be earned or bought; the Scriptures make it very clear salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God’s glory alone. We are unworthy and unable. God is worthy and able. Without God we are without hope. Faith is a gift from God that makes us humble before Him.
Just like the Centurion’s servant didn’t do anything; someone else acted on his behalf. Jesus acted on our behalf – Jesus, the Son of God, the Suffering Servant (Is. 53), took our sin upon Himself and paid the penalty a holy God required for that sin. Of his own free will the Centurion went out of his way for someone else – someone so far beneath him in that culture – but on the same level in God’s eyes. Jesus, doing the willing of the Father, went out of His way for us who were as good as dead, slaves to sin, sentenced to death, in bondage to decay, destined for eternal damnation – dead in sin. Jesus, in the Gospel, restores what sin destroys; relationships, families, bodies, communities, careers. Jesus restores marred humanity to the image of God. Jesus reclaims what man discards and disowns. God did what we could not, bridging the gap between us and Him caused by our sin. In Christ we are overwhelmed by the fact we are more sinful than we ever dared imagine, but more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope. Christ is able to do what we cannot; and He is worthy of all our praise.
Soli Deo Gloria
Monday, February 22, 2010
Life is Worship
We are all worshippers. If you are alive you are worshipping. You are giving honor and glory and credence to someone or something. We were made in God's image to worship Him, but if we will not give Him the glory due Him, we will choose something or someone much lower than Him to bow to.
We are so easily distracted. The first official worship recorded in the Bible was interrupted by the first murder (Gen. 4:3-8). See Romans 1:18-25 for the classic downward spiral that idolatry (which is worshipping anything other than God Almighty as revealed in His Holy Word) leads to.
My prayer? 'Lord deliver me from idolatry. Fix my heart to worship You alone. You are great and most worthy of praise (Ps. 48:1).'
Soli Deo Gloria.
We are so easily distracted. The first official worship recorded in the Bible was interrupted by the first murder (Gen. 4:3-8). See Romans 1:18-25 for the classic downward spiral that idolatry (which is worshipping anything other than God Almighty as revealed in His Holy Word) leads to.
My prayer? 'Lord deliver me from idolatry. Fix my heart to worship You alone. You are great and most worthy of praise (Ps. 48:1).'
Soli Deo Gloria.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Love in Action, Episode 1
Too desperate to care
In Matthew 8:1-4 we see Jesus ministering to the marginalized. He reached out to an outcast, one who was shunned. The leper himself was too desperate to care what others thought or said or did. He had no right to be around, no standing, and no worth. He came to Jesus (Mark 1:40-45) and worshipped Him (John 9:38). Leper comes from the Greek word lepros which means scaly. Commonly known as Hansen’s disease, it was the most feared disease in the ancient world. Lepers were outcast, shunned, avoided like the plague. What this man had was the horrible, disfiguring, debilitating disease which was extremely repulsive. It caused pain, numbness, sores, ulcers, foul odor. A person would gradually waste away. Lepers were believed to be under a curse. They were ostracized and quarantined. They were required to have unkempt hair and clothes, to cover the lower part of their face when near people, and cry out ‘unclean, unclean’ in order to keep the community from pollution by getting too close. Of all people in Israel they were the most shunned, the most ostracized. As long as they had the disease they had to stay outside the camp, away from others. They were excluded from all walled cities in Israel, and therefore absolutely kept out of the holy city and its temple of worship. Lepers were the classic outsiders. Lepers were the living dead, dead men walking. Can you imagine the scene? People moving quickly away from him, running, sneering, jeering, maybe throwing rocks to keep him at a distance? But he came boldly, with confidence in Jesus. He knelt before Jesus, the same word used for worship. He came humbly. He said to Jesus, “if you are willing you can make me clean”. His words express some doubt, but not the kind you’d think, He did not doubt that Jesus could heal him; he doubted whether Jesus would want to. He did not doubt Jesus’ power; he doubted His will – why would He want to heal me? Being rejected by everyone else, his insecurity revealed how worthless he felt. Jesus revealed to him how much he was worth to Him.
Willing to Touch the Unclean
Jesus was love in action. He didn’t run from the leper. If you touched a leper you would become ceremonially unclean (Lev. 15:7), but here the leper is healed when Jesus touched him and becomes clean rather than Jesus becoming unclean. Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him. Jesus responded with compassion to the request, sympathetic to the man’s plight, He acted by His own sovereign will; so inappropriate to the establishment, so right in God’s sight. Compassion not revulsion. In Palestine at the time of Jesus as soon as leprosy was diagnosed, the person was absolutely and completely banished from human society. The law identified 61 different contacts that could defile a person; contact with a leper was 2nd worst only to touching a dead person. If a leper put his head in a home, the home became unclean. You had to stay 18” away from a leper. If downwind you had to be 150 feet away. It was illegal to greet a leper in public. Rabbis kept 6 feet away at all times. But Jesus touched the leper. To a Jew there might not have been a more shocking or revolting scene than Jesus stretching out His hand and touching him. Jesus, on the authority of God, did what no one else was willing or able to do. His life-altering, world-changing, paradigm-smashing truth in action. He touched someone no one else would touch; someone who was ostracized, shunned, avoided; an outcast. His healing power flowed to that man and he was restored to health. What a testimony of the power of God. Jesus came to set the prisoners free, to restore sight to the blind, to make the lame walk, to bring the good news that those who were formerly outcast can be lepers no more. Praise Jesus.
A leper no More
The good outcome God brought about was that the leper was a leper no more. He said to him, “I will, be clean”. Immediately his leprosy was cleansed (Luke 4:27). He who was cursed was now cured. He was once as good as dead; now alive. Once ostracized; shunned, avoided, now accepted. Jesus met him at his point of need. He gave life to the as good as dead. The average time a leper would live after contracting the disease was 9 years; the body was affected, then the mind would go, then they’d go into a coma and ultimately death. To the rabbis the cure of a leper was a difficult as raising a person from the dead. The supernatural cleansing of lepers was expected as one of the signs that the Messiah had come (Matt. 11:3-4). Healing a leper was thought to be the equivalent of raising someone from the dead. He would be able to rejoin society (Lev. 14:1-32). Jesus gave him his life back. Jesus restored him to fellowship with God and man.
There are lessons for us here.
Just like the leper, we need to be desperate enough for Jesus not to care what others think. Our need for God must overcome our fear of man. God wants us to approach Him boldly – come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4:16. It affects our devotion to God, home life, friendships, work, and ministry. Do you ever feel like that leper? Are you ever unsure if Jesus wants to do for you what He has said He will do? If you believe that Jesus the only way to be saved and your only hope, then take Him at His word and come to Him, you who are weary and heavy-laden with sin. Come boldly to God in Christ, to His throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. I want to be like the leper who worshipped at the feet of Jesus. Too desperate for Him to care what other's think.
Just as Jesus was willing to touch the unclean, we need to be willing to do what others won’t. Be willing to reach the unclean; the hidden, shunned, rejects, the banished. No one should be excluded from experiencing and hearing of God’s love in Christ. Jesus touched & healed a person no one would come near. Consistent with His other actions while on earth. Jesus lived to please God not man. It is easy to get caught in the web of respectability; thinking no sensible person would reach out to them. Everyone understands why you just don’t go there. But God incarnate did things respectable people never would. We must do likewise if we would walk in His steps. Frederick Dale Bruner said, the church that takes Jesus seriously will not only teach and seek to put into practice Jesus’ great commands; it will also regularly pray and care for the sick. We may be misunderstood due to compassion.
Above all, Just as Jesus met the leper at His point of need, it is about Jesus meeting us at our point of need. Jesus gives life to the dead. It is about us being lepers no more spiritually speaking, no longer excluded from fellowship with God or man. Jesus IS willing to meet you where you are at. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit (Ps. 34:18). He will not leave you to fend for yourself. Jesus gave life to the as good as dead. He still does (Eph. 2:1). In Christ we who were dead in sin are alive. We are alive in Christ, accepted in the Beloved. What did Jesus do for us? Heb. 13:12-16 Jesus went outside the camp for us. Jesus allowed Himself to be an outcast for us, allowed Himself to be shunned to set us free, so that we could be called His friends. He took our revolting sin condition upon Himself so that we might be restored to fellowship with God; changed and reintroduced into society as salt and light; a pure influence for good. What Jesus did that day was a sign of Christ’s love over this fallen, broken world; a foretaste of the ultimate healing and restoration and renewal that shall be brought about one day in heaven for all who believe.
In Matthew 8:1-4 we see Jesus ministering to the marginalized. He reached out to an outcast, one who was shunned. The leper himself was too desperate to care what others thought or said or did. He had no right to be around, no standing, and no worth. He came to Jesus (Mark 1:40-45) and worshipped Him (John 9:38). Leper comes from the Greek word lepros which means scaly. Commonly known as Hansen’s disease, it was the most feared disease in the ancient world. Lepers were outcast, shunned, avoided like the plague. What this man had was the horrible, disfiguring, debilitating disease which was extremely repulsive. It caused pain, numbness, sores, ulcers, foul odor. A person would gradually waste away. Lepers were believed to be under a curse. They were ostracized and quarantined. They were required to have unkempt hair and clothes, to cover the lower part of their face when near people, and cry out ‘unclean, unclean’ in order to keep the community from pollution by getting too close. Of all people in Israel they were the most shunned, the most ostracized. As long as they had the disease they had to stay outside the camp, away from others. They were excluded from all walled cities in Israel, and therefore absolutely kept out of the holy city and its temple of worship. Lepers were the classic outsiders. Lepers were the living dead, dead men walking. Can you imagine the scene? People moving quickly away from him, running, sneering, jeering, maybe throwing rocks to keep him at a distance? But he came boldly, with confidence in Jesus. He knelt before Jesus, the same word used for worship. He came humbly. He said to Jesus, “if you are willing you can make me clean”. His words express some doubt, but not the kind you’d think, He did not doubt that Jesus could heal him; he doubted whether Jesus would want to. He did not doubt Jesus’ power; he doubted His will – why would He want to heal me? Being rejected by everyone else, his insecurity revealed how worthless he felt. Jesus revealed to him how much he was worth to Him.
Willing to Touch the Unclean
Jesus was love in action. He didn’t run from the leper. If you touched a leper you would become ceremonially unclean (Lev. 15:7), but here the leper is healed when Jesus touched him and becomes clean rather than Jesus becoming unclean. Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him. Jesus responded with compassion to the request, sympathetic to the man’s plight, He acted by His own sovereign will; so inappropriate to the establishment, so right in God’s sight. Compassion not revulsion. In Palestine at the time of Jesus as soon as leprosy was diagnosed, the person was absolutely and completely banished from human society. The law identified 61 different contacts that could defile a person; contact with a leper was 2nd worst only to touching a dead person. If a leper put his head in a home, the home became unclean. You had to stay 18” away from a leper. If downwind you had to be 150 feet away. It was illegal to greet a leper in public. Rabbis kept 6 feet away at all times. But Jesus touched the leper. To a Jew there might not have been a more shocking or revolting scene than Jesus stretching out His hand and touching him. Jesus, on the authority of God, did what no one else was willing or able to do. His life-altering, world-changing, paradigm-smashing truth in action. He touched someone no one else would touch; someone who was ostracized, shunned, avoided; an outcast. His healing power flowed to that man and he was restored to health. What a testimony of the power of God. Jesus came to set the prisoners free, to restore sight to the blind, to make the lame walk, to bring the good news that those who were formerly outcast can be lepers no more. Praise Jesus.
A leper no More
The good outcome God brought about was that the leper was a leper no more. He said to him, “I will, be clean”. Immediately his leprosy was cleansed (Luke 4:27). He who was cursed was now cured. He was once as good as dead; now alive. Once ostracized; shunned, avoided, now accepted. Jesus met him at his point of need. He gave life to the as good as dead. The average time a leper would live after contracting the disease was 9 years; the body was affected, then the mind would go, then they’d go into a coma and ultimately death. To the rabbis the cure of a leper was a difficult as raising a person from the dead. The supernatural cleansing of lepers was expected as one of the signs that the Messiah had come (Matt. 11:3-4). Healing a leper was thought to be the equivalent of raising someone from the dead. He would be able to rejoin society (Lev. 14:1-32). Jesus gave him his life back. Jesus restored him to fellowship with God and man.
There are lessons for us here.
Just like the leper, we need to be desperate enough for Jesus not to care what others think. Our need for God must overcome our fear of man. God wants us to approach Him boldly – come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4:16. It affects our devotion to God, home life, friendships, work, and ministry. Do you ever feel like that leper? Are you ever unsure if Jesus wants to do for you what He has said He will do? If you believe that Jesus the only way to be saved and your only hope, then take Him at His word and come to Him, you who are weary and heavy-laden with sin. Come boldly to God in Christ, to His throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. I want to be like the leper who worshipped at the feet of Jesus. Too desperate for Him to care what other's think.
Just as Jesus was willing to touch the unclean, we need to be willing to do what others won’t. Be willing to reach the unclean; the hidden, shunned, rejects, the banished. No one should be excluded from experiencing and hearing of God’s love in Christ. Jesus touched & healed a person no one would come near. Consistent with His other actions while on earth. Jesus lived to please God not man. It is easy to get caught in the web of respectability; thinking no sensible person would reach out to them. Everyone understands why you just don’t go there. But God incarnate did things respectable people never would. We must do likewise if we would walk in His steps. Frederick Dale Bruner said, the church that takes Jesus seriously will not only teach and seek to put into practice Jesus’ great commands; it will also regularly pray and care for the sick. We may be misunderstood due to compassion.
Above all, Just as Jesus met the leper at His point of need, it is about Jesus meeting us at our point of need. Jesus gives life to the dead. It is about us being lepers no more spiritually speaking, no longer excluded from fellowship with God or man. Jesus IS willing to meet you where you are at. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit (Ps. 34:18). He will not leave you to fend for yourself. Jesus gave life to the as good as dead. He still does (Eph. 2:1). In Christ we who were dead in sin are alive. We are alive in Christ, accepted in the Beloved. What did Jesus do for us? Heb. 13:12-16 Jesus went outside the camp for us. Jesus allowed Himself to be an outcast for us, allowed Himself to be shunned to set us free, so that we could be called His friends. He took our revolting sin condition upon Himself so that we might be restored to fellowship with God; changed and reintroduced into society as salt and light; a pure influence for good. What Jesus did that day was a sign of Christ’s love over this fallen, broken world; a foretaste of the ultimate healing and restoration and renewal that shall be brought about one day in heaven for all who believe.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Too Desperate to Care
In Matthew 8:2 a leper came up to Jesus and fell at His feet.
The leper was too desperate to care what others thought or said or did. He had no right to be around, no standing, no worth. He was poor in spirit, mourning over his sin, hungering and thirsting. In the presence of Jesus he became bold to approach.
This leper came to Him (Mark 1:40-45) and worshipped Him (John 9:38) – worship means here to fall at someone’s feet. The leper made his way to Jesus and adored Him. Gave Him what He deserved as God.
Can you imagine the scene? People running in all directions from him, running for cover, not downwind. Lepers were outcast. Shunned. Avoided like the plague.
If someone was a leper it could mean they had one of a wide range of skin diseases which could be called leprosy. If you touched a leper you would become ceremonially unclean (Lev. 15:7), but here the leper is healed when Jesus touched him and becomes clean rather than Jesus becoming unclean.
He said to Jesus, if you are willing you can make me clean. His words express some doubt, but not the kind you’d think, he did not doubt that Jesus could heal him but that Jesus would want to heal him. He did not doubt Jesus’ power, he doubted His will – why would He want to heal me??? The leper was insecure, being rejected by everyone else, knowing Jesus could do it, but wondering whether He would want to be around someone so revolting. His insecurity revealed the depth of how worthless he felt. Jesus revealed to him how much he was worth to Him.
Do you ever feel like that leper? Unsure if Jesus wants to do for you what He has said He will do? If you believe that Jesus the only way to be saved and your only hope, then take Him at His word and come to Him, you who are weary and heavy-laden with sin. Come boldly to His throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The leper was too desperate to care what others thought or said or did. He had no right to be around, no standing, no worth. He was poor in spirit, mourning over his sin, hungering and thirsting. In the presence of Jesus he became bold to approach.
This leper came to Him (Mark 1:40-45) and worshipped Him (John 9:38) – worship means here to fall at someone’s feet. The leper made his way to Jesus and adored Him. Gave Him what He deserved as God.
Can you imagine the scene? People running in all directions from him, running for cover, not downwind. Lepers were outcast. Shunned. Avoided like the plague.
If someone was a leper it could mean they had one of a wide range of skin diseases which could be called leprosy. If you touched a leper you would become ceremonially unclean (Lev. 15:7), but here the leper is healed when Jesus touched him and becomes clean rather than Jesus becoming unclean.
He said to Jesus, if you are willing you can make me clean. His words express some doubt, but not the kind you’d think, he did not doubt that Jesus could heal him but that Jesus would want to heal him. He did not doubt Jesus’ power, he doubted His will – why would He want to heal me??? The leper was insecure, being rejected by everyone else, knowing Jesus could do it, but wondering whether He would want to be around someone so revolting. His insecurity revealed the depth of how worthless he felt. Jesus revealed to him how much he was worth to Him.
Do you ever feel like that leper? Unsure if Jesus wants to do for you what He has said He will do? If you believe that Jesus the only way to be saved and your only hope, then take Him at His word and come to Him, you who are weary and heavy-laden with sin. Come boldly to His throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
A Place for the Outcast
When Jesus took the time to break the rules (man's, not God's) and touch a leper (Matt. 8:1-4), all at once His words from the Sermon on the Mount could be seen for what they were at face value: life-altering, world-changing, paradigm-smashing truth.
Jesus, on the authority of God, did what no one else was willing or able to do. He touched someone no one else would touch. Someone who was ostracized, shunned, avoided, an outcast. And His healing power flowed to that man and he was restored to health. What a testimony of the power of God. What an answer to the prayers of the poor in spirit, those mourning over their sin, those hungering and thirsting for righteousness they did not possess. Jesus can to set the prisoners free. He came to restore sight to the blind. He came to make the lame walk. And He came to bring the good news that those who were formerly outcast can be lepers no more.
Praise Jesus.
Jesus, on the authority of God, did what no one else was willing or able to do. He touched someone no one else would touch. Someone who was ostracized, shunned, avoided, an outcast. And His healing power flowed to that man and he was restored to health. What a testimony of the power of God. What an answer to the prayers of the poor in spirit, those mourning over their sin, those hungering and thirsting for righteousness they did not possess. Jesus can to set the prisoners free. He came to restore sight to the blind. He came to make the lame walk. And He came to bring the good news that those who were formerly outcast can be lepers no more.
Praise Jesus.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Lepers No More
In Matthew 8:1-4 we see the most uncommon occurance:
1. The Leper worshipped Jesus. He was desperate enough for Jesus not to care what other’s thought.
2. Jesus touched the unclean. Jesus touched and healed someone no respectable person would dream of touching, let alone helping. He lived to please God, not man.
Jesus lived to please God, not man. And in pleasing God, He blessed man. He died so that our disrespect and sacrilege would be forgiven. His death for our life. He became sin so we could have His holiness. He was disrespected so we might walk in holiness. He took all our impurity and uncleanness so we might be pure and holy in His sight. He took all our displeasure so we would be pleasing to God. He took our revolting condition upon Himself so that we might be restored to fellowship with God; changed and reintroduced into society as salt and light; a pure influence for good.
We who are in Christ are lepers no more.
1. The Leper worshipped Jesus. He was desperate enough for Jesus not to care what other’s thought.
2. Jesus touched the unclean. Jesus touched and healed someone no respectable person would dream of touching, let alone helping. He lived to please God, not man.
Jesus lived to please God, not man. And in pleasing God, He blessed man. He died so that our disrespect and sacrilege would be forgiven. His death for our life. He became sin so we could have His holiness. He was disrespected so we might walk in holiness. He took all our impurity and uncleanness so we might be pure and holy in His sight. He took all our displeasure so we would be pleasing to God. He took our revolting condition upon Himself so that we might be restored to fellowship with God; changed and reintroduced into society as salt and light; a pure influence for good.
We who are in Christ are lepers no more.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Cooperating with God
Ever feel like you don’t have anything left in the tank? You are spent? You can’t go on? You don’t know where you are going to find the energy to do what you know others are expecting you to do? You feel like taking a break but you just got back from vacation?
That was me a few weeks ago. I got a bit overwhelmed – over-doing it, over-thinking things, lost perspective. A variety of things were going on – a death, a funeral, plus some stressful people stuff and some stressful health stuff. I was weary, exhausted, dragging emotionally and physically. That week we were having an elder’s day away – and I didn’t want to go – but I couldn’t just phone and say I am staying home, it was my idea to do it! So I just kept fighting through it, pressing on, weary yet pursuing. We were having a sharing time and when it came my turn I wanted to put on a good face, didn’t want to admit where I was at. But I did. I shared with my fellow elders what I did not want them to know – that I was tired, and stressing over things, taking things personally, internalizing, letting the joy slip away. When I was done they gathered around and prayed for me – then we took a break and they said “go home and be with your family”. I went home saying ‘how awesome are our elders!’ They were putting into practice Gal. 6, where it says that each one shall bear his own load (normal cargo); but we are to bear one another’s burdens (the overload). I was reminded how awesome God is, He renews our perspective when it is clouded and confused. The enemy wants us in a tailspin, God wants us soaring. The enemy wants to drag us down, God wants to lift us up.
A few days later one of our elders texted me a note of encouragement with these verses: 1 Thess. 5:23-24. This particular elder is an avid bass fisherman. He took me fishing with him once. I am used to stream fishing for trout. Bass fishing is different. Once you hook a fish you can’t hold the line too tight, or you’ll snap it; or too loose, or you’ll lose the fish; you have to hold it in the delicate balance between being too tight and too slack. In life, I lean towards holding things too tight. I am so prone to strive instead of resting; so prone to retreat instead of engaging; so prone to do things out of anger and vindictiveness. I fall short on all three counts. And I get good at hiding it from the people.
You may be carrying burdens that you don’t want others to know about – because you don’t want to burden them; you want to viewed as strong; you don’t want people to know how weak you feel; you want to be seen as capable, efficient, on top of things.
I want you to have permission today to loosen the rubber band a bit, relax your tight grip on your life for a few minutes as we look at a passage of Scripture written to people who lived a couple 1000 years before us but who were strangely like us. Needing reassurance. Paul wrote this letter to a group of people who were struggling with their own sin and also forces outside themselves that wanted to destroy their new found faith in Christ. Paul wanted them to know the hope they had in Christ and the certainty of Christ’s return. These verses have been a source of encouragement to me and my prayer is that they will be the same and more for you in whatever you are facing right now. Written to encourage and reassure believers.
Verse 23 begins, “Now may the God of peace Himself”. Peace in Greek is eirene, which means the absence or end of strife. It is state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. The idea is that God is the One who initiated the reconciliation of believers to Himself and is now at peace with them. The hostility was all theirs. God’s Peace trumps our tendency to strive or lash out in anger.
What the God of peace will do? God will “sanctify you entirely”. It refers to God’s work of setting believers apart, preparing them for His use in every part of life. The Greek word is hagiazo, which means uncommon, sacred, holiness, set apart, to withdraw from fellowship with the world and from selfishness by first gaining fellowship with God and toward God. It answers our tendency to retreat and disengage. The New Geneva Study Bible says, “Sanctification is an ongoing process dependent on God’s continuing action in the believer, consisting of the believer’s continuous struggle against sin. God’s method of sanctification is neither activism (self-reliant activity) not apathy (God-reliant passivity), but human effort dependent on God”. Justification/regeneration is birth; sanctification is growth.
God will also “keep you blameless”. It means God will preserve you, He will complete His work of conforming you to the image of Christ. He will finish the work He started in you Phil. 1:6. We don’t have to worry if we will be holy enough or good enough by the time Jesus came back. It is God’s work, He will do it. How can we be sure? Because, as verse 24 says, “Faithful is He who calls and He will bring it to pass.” God is worthy to be believed, true, just, trustworthy, observant of and steadfast to His promises. We can, as Ps. 46:10 says, “be still and know He is God”.
God calls people to salvation. Call refers to God’s effectual call of His chosen ones to salvation. Great assurance. Eternal security is the truth about what God gives us in Christ. Assurance of salvation means you know & are confident in that truth. God calls and He will bring those He calls to heaven and none will be lost. (See John 6:37-44; 10:28-29; Rom. 8:28-39; Phil. 1:6; Jude 24)
Sanctification is God’s job. He is in charge of the whole operation, we are responsible for cooperation! It is not within our power to be sanctified – Zech. 4:6; Col. 1:27-29. Only God Himself can separate us from sin to holiness completely. Because He is faithful we can live fruitful, significant lives.
What does God want us to do? I kept reading and saw some amazingly simple things He wants us to do.
Verse 25 says “Pray for us”. We are to fellowship with God in prayer.
Verse 26 says, “Greet one another with a holy kiss”. Sounds weird to us, but it means to engage in fellowship with God’s people. In those days people would greet one another with a kiss; it signified fellowship in Christ’s church as well as the pure life they were to live. We are to live in such a way that we get along with our brothers and sisters in Christ and have unhindered fellowship. Able to greet one another and look each other in the eye with a clear conscience.
Verse 27 says to read the letter to everyone in the church. Why? So others will be encouraged. Listen to God and do what He says. It was to be read out loud to everyone in the community of faith, including those who were wayward. The fact that these letters were to be read to the church shows the authority of Paul’s letters; assumes they were written to be understood by believers. He knew it was God’s Word before the canon was set; how mind blowing!
Lastly, we are to rest in God’s grace. See verse 28. God’s grace is like an overarching umbrella covering us; it envelopes us, permeates our lives. It is like God is saying to us, “You don’t have to worry about the sanctification, I will do that. You do what you are called to do – pray, fellowship, read God’s Word, Live and share the gospel of the grace of God in Christ. These things are not sanctification, but God uses them in the process.
Whatever it is that you are striving about, or disengaging about, or lashing out in anger about…God knows…He understands…He is at work. Maybe you are at the end of your rope and feel like your back is up against the wall. Good. God has your attention, the way He didn’t have when things were going well. Now He can work on the stuff you were too preoccupied to see before. When God gets our attention, when we are called out of our zone into His, there is a clarity that cannot be experienced in times of ease; substance that cannot be gained in times of plenty. It comes through the paring down of resources, the taking away of strength, and the elimination of distractions that God brings about when purifying someone’s soul; bringing about growth in Christ likeness; sanctification.
It is a source of comfort, assurance, encouragement to know that we do not have to do the Christian life by ourselves. God is in control. He is sovereign. We are called to cooperate, that is all. We know that we cannot please God or do any good thing without Christ’s enabling (John 15:5), the Holy Spirit indwelling us; but also that He will strengthen us for what He wants us to do (Phil. 4:13). So we do what we are called to do. God will do His work of sanctification and preservation. He will do what He has purposed in your life in His good and perfect time. He is not running late. He will do it for His glory & your good. Until then we do what the Thessalonians did (1:9-10): turn to God from idols to serve the living God and wait for His Son from heaven, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Soli Deo Gloria
That was me a few weeks ago. I got a bit overwhelmed – over-doing it, over-thinking things, lost perspective. A variety of things were going on – a death, a funeral, plus some stressful people stuff and some stressful health stuff. I was weary, exhausted, dragging emotionally and physically. That week we were having an elder’s day away – and I didn’t want to go – but I couldn’t just phone and say I am staying home, it was my idea to do it! So I just kept fighting through it, pressing on, weary yet pursuing. We were having a sharing time and when it came my turn I wanted to put on a good face, didn’t want to admit where I was at. But I did. I shared with my fellow elders what I did not want them to know – that I was tired, and stressing over things, taking things personally, internalizing, letting the joy slip away. When I was done they gathered around and prayed for me – then we took a break and they said “go home and be with your family”. I went home saying ‘how awesome are our elders!’ They were putting into practice Gal. 6, where it says that each one shall bear his own load (normal cargo); but we are to bear one another’s burdens (the overload). I was reminded how awesome God is, He renews our perspective when it is clouded and confused. The enemy wants us in a tailspin, God wants us soaring. The enemy wants to drag us down, God wants to lift us up.
A few days later one of our elders texted me a note of encouragement with these verses: 1 Thess. 5:23-24. This particular elder is an avid bass fisherman. He took me fishing with him once. I am used to stream fishing for trout. Bass fishing is different. Once you hook a fish you can’t hold the line too tight, or you’ll snap it; or too loose, or you’ll lose the fish; you have to hold it in the delicate balance between being too tight and too slack. In life, I lean towards holding things too tight. I am so prone to strive instead of resting; so prone to retreat instead of engaging; so prone to do things out of anger and vindictiveness. I fall short on all three counts. And I get good at hiding it from the people.
You may be carrying burdens that you don’t want others to know about – because you don’t want to burden them; you want to viewed as strong; you don’t want people to know how weak you feel; you want to be seen as capable, efficient, on top of things.
I want you to have permission today to loosen the rubber band a bit, relax your tight grip on your life for a few minutes as we look at a passage of Scripture written to people who lived a couple 1000 years before us but who were strangely like us. Needing reassurance. Paul wrote this letter to a group of people who were struggling with their own sin and also forces outside themselves that wanted to destroy their new found faith in Christ. Paul wanted them to know the hope they had in Christ and the certainty of Christ’s return. These verses have been a source of encouragement to me and my prayer is that they will be the same and more for you in whatever you are facing right now. Written to encourage and reassure believers.
Verse 23 begins, “Now may the God of peace Himself”. Peace in Greek is eirene, which means the absence or end of strife. It is state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. The idea is that God is the One who initiated the reconciliation of believers to Himself and is now at peace with them. The hostility was all theirs. God’s Peace trumps our tendency to strive or lash out in anger.
What the God of peace will do? God will “sanctify you entirely”. It refers to God’s work of setting believers apart, preparing them for His use in every part of life. The Greek word is hagiazo, which means uncommon, sacred, holiness, set apart, to withdraw from fellowship with the world and from selfishness by first gaining fellowship with God and toward God. It answers our tendency to retreat and disengage. The New Geneva Study Bible says, “Sanctification is an ongoing process dependent on God’s continuing action in the believer, consisting of the believer’s continuous struggle against sin. God’s method of sanctification is neither activism (self-reliant activity) not apathy (God-reliant passivity), but human effort dependent on God”. Justification/regeneration is birth; sanctification is growth.
God will also “keep you blameless”. It means God will preserve you, He will complete His work of conforming you to the image of Christ. He will finish the work He started in you Phil. 1:6. We don’t have to worry if we will be holy enough or good enough by the time Jesus came back. It is God’s work, He will do it. How can we be sure? Because, as verse 24 says, “Faithful is He who calls and He will bring it to pass.” God is worthy to be believed, true, just, trustworthy, observant of and steadfast to His promises. We can, as Ps. 46:10 says, “be still and know He is God”.
God calls people to salvation. Call refers to God’s effectual call of His chosen ones to salvation. Great assurance. Eternal security is the truth about what God gives us in Christ. Assurance of salvation means you know & are confident in that truth. God calls and He will bring those He calls to heaven and none will be lost. (See John 6:37-44; 10:28-29; Rom. 8:28-39; Phil. 1:6; Jude 24)
Sanctification is God’s job. He is in charge of the whole operation, we are responsible for cooperation! It is not within our power to be sanctified – Zech. 4:6; Col. 1:27-29. Only God Himself can separate us from sin to holiness completely. Because He is faithful we can live fruitful, significant lives.
What does God want us to do? I kept reading and saw some amazingly simple things He wants us to do.
Verse 25 says “Pray for us”. We are to fellowship with God in prayer.
Verse 26 says, “Greet one another with a holy kiss”. Sounds weird to us, but it means to engage in fellowship with God’s people. In those days people would greet one another with a kiss; it signified fellowship in Christ’s church as well as the pure life they were to live. We are to live in such a way that we get along with our brothers and sisters in Christ and have unhindered fellowship. Able to greet one another and look each other in the eye with a clear conscience.
Verse 27 says to read the letter to everyone in the church. Why? So others will be encouraged. Listen to God and do what He says. It was to be read out loud to everyone in the community of faith, including those who were wayward. The fact that these letters were to be read to the church shows the authority of Paul’s letters; assumes they were written to be understood by believers. He knew it was God’s Word before the canon was set; how mind blowing!
Lastly, we are to rest in God’s grace. See verse 28. God’s grace is like an overarching umbrella covering us; it envelopes us, permeates our lives. It is like God is saying to us, “You don’t have to worry about the sanctification, I will do that. You do what you are called to do – pray, fellowship, read God’s Word, Live and share the gospel of the grace of God in Christ. These things are not sanctification, but God uses them in the process.
Whatever it is that you are striving about, or disengaging about, or lashing out in anger about…God knows…He understands…He is at work. Maybe you are at the end of your rope and feel like your back is up against the wall. Good. God has your attention, the way He didn’t have when things were going well. Now He can work on the stuff you were too preoccupied to see before. When God gets our attention, when we are called out of our zone into His, there is a clarity that cannot be experienced in times of ease; substance that cannot be gained in times of plenty. It comes through the paring down of resources, the taking away of strength, and the elimination of distractions that God brings about when purifying someone’s soul; bringing about growth in Christ likeness; sanctification.
It is a source of comfort, assurance, encouragement to know that we do not have to do the Christian life by ourselves. God is in control. He is sovereign. We are called to cooperate, that is all. We know that we cannot please God or do any good thing without Christ’s enabling (John 15:5), the Holy Spirit indwelling us; but also that He will strengthen us for what He wants us to do (Phil. 4:13). So we do what we are called to do. God will do His work of sanctification and preservation. He will do what He has purposed in your life in His good and perfect time. He is not running late. He will do it for His glory & your good. Until then we do what the Thessalonians did (1:9-10): turn to God from idols to serve the living God and wait for His Son from heaven, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Soli Deo Gloria
Monday, February 8, 2010
Jesus Went to all the Wrong Parties
In Matthew 8:1-4 we see that Jesus touched and healed a person no one would get near let alone touch. It is consistent with His other actions while on earth. God incarnate did things that respectable people never would.
Jesus, as Andree Seu wrote "went to all the wrong parties (Luke 15:2) and missed all the right funerals (Matt. 8:22). He ate when He was supposed to fast (Mark 2:18), came to dinner with unwashed hands (Mark 7:2-3), and once at table gave His attention to all the wrong people (Luke 7:36-50). He let His men eat free-standing grain with abandon, in broad daylight on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:1). He made a scene in the temple. His own mother was embarrassed (Mark 3:20-21)".
And He, the sinless One, impeccable from start to finish, did none of it with a sinful attitude, not a word or an act to thumb His nose at anyone like we might. As we do. He did what He did because, as Bono wrote and B.B. King sang, "love came to town". He was love incarnate and love in action. The Living Word wrote the playbook, not the religious establishment. Just because they twisted it didn't mean everyone else had to. He turned the status quo upside down.
I want to be like the leper who worshipped at the feet of Jesus. Too desperate for Him to care what other's thought. Better to be misunderstood by those who should know better than to displease our King.
Amazingly, respectability can be very disrespectful; and holiness can sometimes be thought of as sacrilege.
Jesus, as Andree Seu wrote "went to all the wrong parties (Luke 15:2) and missed all the right funerals (Matt. 8:22). He ate when He was supposed to fast (Mark 2:18), came to dinner with unwashed hands (Mark 7:2-3), and once at table gave His attention to all the wrong people (Luke 7:36-50). He let His men eat free-standing grain with abandon, in broad daylight on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:1). He made a scene in the temple. His own mother was embarrassed (Mark 3:20-21)".
And He, the sinless One, impeccable from start to finish, did none of it with a sinful attitude, not a word or an act to thumb His nose at anyone like we might. As we do. He did what He did because, as Bono wrote and B.B. King sang, "love came to town". He was love incarnate and love in action. The Living Word wrote the playbook, not the religious establishment. Just because they twisted it didn't mean everyone else had to. He turned the status quo upside down.
I want to be like the leper who worshipped at the feet of Jesus. Too desperate for Him to care what other's thought. Better to be misunderstood by those who should know better than to displease our King.
Amazingly, respectability can be very disrespectful; and holiness can sometimes be thought of as sacrilege.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
We are Weak but God is Faithful
*Read 1 Thess. 5:23-28*
I don’t know what you are going through. Maybe someone has been unfaithful to you. Maybe you have not kept your word. Maybe the bottom has fallen out of your business and you don’t know what comes next. Maybe you have lost your job and you don’t know where the next meal is coming from. Maybe you have lost your health or you're losing or have lost your kids or your spouse (literally or figuratively) and you don’t know what to do, which way to turn. People are not perfect. But God is. He is faithful to all His promises. He is loving in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. There is hope even if you do not see it right now.
Maybe you are at the end of your rope and feel like your back is up against the wall. Good. Now God has your attention, the way He didn’t have when things were going so well and you were always successful and everything you touched turned to gold. Not He can get to work on the real stuff He was trying to get you to see before. Now you are awake.
Call it a crisis of the soul, a crisis of faith, a struggle for control, learning Christ, call it what you will – but when God gets your attention, when you are called out of your zone into His, there is a clarity that cannot be had in times of ease. There is a substance that appears that cannot be gained in times of plenty. It is the paring down of resources, the taking away of strength, the elimination of distractions that God brings about when He is purifying someone’s soul.
And He does it all for His glory and your good. He is faithful. He will do it. Do what? Sanctify you. Set you apart for Himself. To worship Him. To serve Him. To glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.
I think that is what He did with Job and I think that is what He did with Paul and every other person He has used a great deal.
It is a source of comfort, assurance, encouragement to know that we do not have to do it by ourselves. God is in control. He is sovereign. We are called to cooperate, that is all. Do what we are called to do. God will do “it” – His work of sanctification and preservation. He will do what He has pruposed in your life and He will do it in His good and perfect time. He will do it for His glory and your good. You can be sure of that.
I don’t know what you are going through. Maybe someone has been unfaithful to you. Maybe you have not kept your word. Maybe the bottom has fallen out of your business and you don’t know what comes next. Maybe you have lost your job and you don’t know where the next meal is coming from. Maybe you have lost your health or you're losing or have lost your kids or your spouse (literally or figuratively) and you don’t know what to do, which way to turn. People are not perfect. But God is. He is faithful to all His promises. He is loving in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. There is hope even if you do not see it right now.
Maybe you are at the end of your rope and feel like your back is up against the wall. Good. Now God has your attention, the way He didn’t have when things were going so well and you were always successful and everything you touched turned to gold. Not He can get to work on the real stuff He was trying to get you to see before. Now you are awake.
Call it a crisis of the soul, a crisis of faith, a struggle for control, learning Christ, call it what you will – but when God gets your attention, when you are called out of your zone into His, there is a clarity that cannot be had in times of ease. There is a substance that appears that cannot be gained in times of plenty. It is the paring down of resources, the taking away of strength, the elimination of distractions that God brings about when He is purifying someone’s soul.
And He does it all for His glory and your good. He is faithful. He will do it. Do what? Sanctify you. Set you apart for Himself. To worship Him. To serve Him. To glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.
I think that is what He did with Job and I think that is what He did with Paul and every other person He has used a great deal.
It is a source of comfort, assurance, encouragement to know that we do not have to do it by ourselves. God is in control. He is sovereign. We are called to cooperate, that is all. Do what we are called to do. God will do “it” – His work of sanctification and preservation. He will do what He has pruposed in your life and He will do it in His good and perfect time. He will do it for His glory and your good. You can be sure of that.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Responding to Christ’s Authority
Being amazed at Christ’s teaching and responding appropriately is what Matthew 7:28-29 is all about. Being amazed is one thing, submitting to someone’s authority is quite another. We have a love/hate relationship with the concept of authority. We love it when we have it; we hate it when we have to submit to someone else’s. We’d rather call our own shots. But God makes it clear that growth in Christian character comes through learning to submit (Eph. 5:21-24; 2 Cor. 9:13; James 4:6-10; Heb. 13:17). So this is something very important to understand.
The people’s initial reaction to Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount was this: “When Jesus was finished with all these words, the people were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one having authority and not as their scribes.” They were struck with amazement, wonder, and astonishment. They were dumbfounded; even panicked. The Greek word is Ekplesso comes from 2 words: Ek, from, from out of; plesso, strike, struck. It means to strike, to expel with a blow, forcefully drive away. What was being driven away? Their focus on themselves and their concerns; they were overwhelmed to the point of focusing on what Jesus said, they were at a point of decision; had to decide what to do about it. Jesus said they’d be like wise builders if they heard & obeyed. We do not know who believed or who rejected Jesus right then and there. But no one stayed neutral. Not deciding to go one way is deciding to go another.
When I see or hear something out of the ordinary I am amazed. Sometimes I am easily amazed. I am amazed every time I watch Kobe dunk or make some amazing shot. I am amazed when an airplane flies in the air. But those things are nothing compared to being amazed at who God is and what He does. When I see the beauty of God's creation; when I saw our 5 children being born; blown away by the greatness of God; when I became a believer, amazed that God would choose to save me, forgive me, give me His undeserved favor. When I have seen others come to faith in Christ. The 1st time I led someone to Christ (Big Bear 1984); when our eldest daughter Alexandra, at age 4 told me to stop the car so I could pray with her to receive Christ as her Savior. In 2000 when our son Michael was 6, in McLean, Va. on a cross-country trip, his then 9 year-old older sister explained the gospel once again the light going on for him. When I see God at work, I am shaken from self-centeredness to focus on Him. I want to live continually amazed at who God is and what He does.
Why were the crowds that first heard Jesus struck out of their own zone and into thinking on Jesus’ words? They recognized something different about Him. They recognized His identity and authority. He was teaching, instructing, tutoring them in the ways of discipleship, how to be followers of Jesus and He did it with authority. The Greek word exousia means the power and freedom of choice, the right to act, decide, the liberty of doing whatever you want. The power to add and the power to take away at will. It is hard for us to understand how shocking this was to the Jews, The Jews held the Law as the final authority and now Jesus quotes the Law, and reinterprets its meaning, You have heard, but I say…5:21, 27, 33, 38, 43. He showed how the Law really pointed to Him. He was blowing their minds! What was it about Jesus’ authority that was so amazing? His teaching was an outflow of who He is. We see it in His identity as teacher, Christ, Lord, Savior, Judge and God.
Jesus as Teacher.
The crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He was teaching as one who had authority and not as their scribes. The scribes claimed no authority for themselves; they relied on the authority of others. The prophets would say thus says the Lord, the scribes would say, there is a teaching that says…but Jesus spoke on His own authority. He assumed the right to teach absolute truth. A.B. Bruce correctly contrasted the scribes and Jesus with this thought, the scribes spoke by authority, Jesus spoke with authority. His message was for all. He interpreted Moses to show how the message was God’s. He did not have a scribe’s education, but He swept away the establishment by cancelling the tradition of their teachers. He spoke with a freshness and boldness all His own.
Jesus as Christ.
Jesus knew He was the predicted Messiah OT prophets spoke of and the people expected. Jesus knew He was on a mission from God. He came into the world for a purpose. All predictions of a Messiah were fulfilled in Him. The first words of His ministry were the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand 4:17. He had made it, He had the right to admit people into it, He could give out the blessings that came with it.
Jesus as Lord.
Not merely someone to be respected but the sovereign Lord to be obeyed. He has the right to rule over us just as a potter has the right to make clay into whatever he desires (Rom. 9:21). He did not want them to only take in His teaching, He wanted them to be personally devoted to Him. To believe and obey. Like in John 13:13 where He says He is their Teacher and Lord.
Jesus as Savior.
1 Jn 4:14 The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. He didn’t just teach salvation, He gave it. His practical ministry is highlighted after the sermon. We see His love in action. He claimed ability to forgive sins, gave forgiveness to the paralyzed man 9:2-6; as savior of sinners He was physician to the spiritually sick 9:12. He was the light of the world. He claimed to know the way of salvation. He pointed to the narrow gate that led to the hard way that led to life. He knew what kind of life would survive the storms of judgment. Able to declare who was blessed and who was not. The savior of the poor in spirit & those who mourn. Only through Jesus can we come to God. Jn. 14:6.
Jesus as Judge.
He will sit on His throne to judge mankind. Matthew 7:22-23, 25:31; Rev. 22:14.
Jesus as God.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus reveals God as the Creator, the living God, who gives sun and rain, and supplied animals and people with food. He is the King, whose righteous reign and saving rule has appeared to mankind. He is our Father. But Jesus goes further and alludes to being equal to God. How He spoke and what He claimed implied it. He claimed to do what God does. In the last beatitude Matthew 5:11-12, He mentions the prophets. Jesus expects His followers to have to suffer for His sake and then compares their persecution to that of the prophets who suffered due to faithfulness to God, the disciples would suffer due to faithfulness to Him. Calling Him Lord and doing the will of the Father are equivalent to Jesus. He equates Himself with God, says people will come to Him making appeal & He has the right to pass judgment on them.
What effect does Christ’s authority have on those who know Him (true believers who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ)? Those who respond to His authoritative teaching by believing and obeying have these 3 assurances:
1st, God is at work in you.
He is doing something & He is choosing to do it in and through your life. He is in control, He is orchestrating things and you are one of His instruments, He is building His house and you are one of His tools. Jesus Christ is Lord but life is hard & if you are a believer, you have assurance that God is at work in you to will and do His good pleasure Phil. 2:12-13. That He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ, until Christ returns Phil. 1:6, He has called you, chosen you to live in such a time as this. You should be confident. He has overcome the world. You have His support. What He expects of you is trust & obedience.
2nd, Your name is in the Book.
I don’t mean your name is in the Bible, I mean your name is in the Book of Life. In knowing Jesus your name is in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain Rev 13:8. Rev. 20:12, 15 if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev. 21:22-27 picture of heaven only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life will enter. Eternal security is the truth about what God gives us in Christ. Assurance of salvation means you know & are confident in that truth. Rom. 8:9-11, 16-17. No enemy can barge in and take over. You can know for sure. So tell yourself the truth of 1 John 5:13. In Luke 10:20 Jesus said do not rejoice in the fact that spirits are subject to you, rejoice that your names are written in heaven. In Phil. 4:3 Paul refers to his fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rev. 17:8 calls it "the book of life from before the foundation of the world". God has a book, written before the world was, that contains the names of all He will save. Only God knows whose names are there.
3rd, You are never alone.
You many 'feel' all alone, but Jesus is always with You Matt. 28:20. God said Heb. 13:5 never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. Christ in you, the hope of glory Col. 1:27. The Holy Spirit indwells you. You are secure, protected, & sustained in Christ. You may feel alone at times, but it is merely an illusion of aloneness; the truth is you are indwelt. Sometimes Christians repel or reject other Christians; knowingly and unknowingly. Sad that family would do that to one another, but it is nothing new. Paul tried to hang out with fellow believers after coming to faith in Christ but no one believed he was for real Acts 9:26-27 they wouldn’t accept him until Barnabas, son of encouragement, helped him. In Christ, we are to do life together by God's grace.
What amazes you? Are you in awe of Jesus’ teaching? Are you in awe of Him to the point of submitting to His authority? to the point of surrendering your life, your agenda, your bitterness, your anger, your forgetfulness, your needs, your opinions, your success, your failure, your hopes, your fears, your present, your future, all to Jesus? Stake everything on Him. Trust Him completely and obey Him unquestioningly? I hope so.
If so, Jesus will do for you what He promised. He will bless you like in the Beatitudes, He will make you salt to benefit others, light to this dark world, He will enable you to know and understand the Bible, He will teach you to pray. He will carry you through all the issues of this life and into eternity with Him in heaven.
Soli Deo Gloria
The people’s initial reaction to Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount was this: “When Jesus was finished with all these words, the people were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one having authority and not as their scribes.” They were struck with amazement, wonder, and astonishment. They were dumbfounded; even panicked. The Greek word is Ekplesso comes from 2 words: Ek, from, from out of; plesso, strike, struck. It means to strike, to expel with a blow, forcefully drive away. What was being driven away? Their focus on themselves and their concerns; they were overwhelmed to the point of focusing on what Jesus said, they were at a point of decision; had to decide what to do about it. Jesus said they’d be like wise builders if they heard & obeyed. We do not know who believed or who rejected Jesus right then and there. But no one stayed neutral. Not deciding to go one way is deciding to go another.
When I see or hear something out of the ordinary I am amazed. Sometimes I am easily amazed. I am amazed every time I watch Kobe dunk or make some amazing shot. I am amazed when an airplane flies in the air. But those things are nothing compared to being amazed at who God is and what He does. When I see the beauty of God's creation; when I saw our 5 children being born; blown away by the greatness of God; when I became a believer, amazed that God would choose to save me, forgive me, give me His undeserved favor. When I have seen others come to faith in Christ. The 1st time I led someone to Christ (Big Bear 1984); when our eldest daughter Alexandra, at age 4 told me to stop the car so I could pray with her to receive Christ as her Savior. In 2000 when our son Michael was 6, in McLean, Va. on a cross-country trip, his then 9 year-old older sister explained the gospel once again the light going on for him. When I see God at work, I am shaken from self-centeredness to focus on Him. I want to live continually amazed at who God is and what He does.
Why were the crowds that first heard Jesus struck out of their own zone and into thinking on Jesus’ words? They recognized something different about Him. They recognized His identity and authority. He was teaching, instructing, tutoring them in the ways of discipleship, how to be followers of Jesus and He did it with authority. The Greek word exousia means the power and freedom of choice, the right to act, decide, the liberty of doing whatever you want. The power to add and the power to take away at will. It is hard for us to understand how shocking this was to the Jews, The Jews held the Law as the final authority and now Jesus quotes the Law, and reinterprets its meaning, You have heard, but I say…5:21, 27, 33, 38, 43. He showed how the Law really pointed to Him. He was blowing their minds! What was it about Jesus’ authority that was so amazing? His teaching was an outflow of who He is. We see it in His identity as teacher, Christ, Lord, Savior, Judge and God.
Jesus as Teacher.
The crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He was teaching as one who had authority and not as their scribes. The scribes claimed no authority for themselves; they relied on the authority of others. The prophets would say thus says the Lord, the scribes would say, there is a teaching that says…but Jesus spoke on His own authority. He assumed the right to teach absolute truth. A.B. Bruce correctly contrasted the scribes and Jesus with this thought, the scribes spoke by authority, Jesus spoke with authority. His message was for all. He interpreted Moses to show how the message was God’s. He did not have a scribe’s education, but He swept away the establishment by cancelling the tradition of their teachers. He spoke with a freshness and boldness all His own.
Jesus as Christ.
Jesus knew He was the predicted Messiah OT prophets spoke of and the people expected. Jesus knew He was on a mission from God. He came into the world for a purpose. All predictions of a Messiah were fulfilled in Him. The first words of His ministry were the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand 4:17. He had made it, He had the right to admit people into it, He could give out the blessings that came with it.
Jesus as Lord.
Not merely someone to be respected but the sovereign Lord to be obeyed. He has the right to rule over us just as a potter has the right to make clay into whatever he desires (Rom. 9:21). He did not want them to only take in His teaching, He wanted them to be personally devoted to Him. To believe and obey. Like in John 13:13 where He says He is their Teacher and Lord.
Jesus as Savior.
1 Jn 4:14 The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. He didn’t just teach salvation, He gave it. His practical ministry is highlighted after the sermon. We see His love in action. He claimed ability to forgive sins, gave forgiveness to the paralyzed man 9:2-6; as savior of sinners He was physician to the spiritually sick 9:12. He was the light of the world. He claimed to know the way of salvation. He pointed to the narrow gate that led to the hard way that led to life. He knew what kind of life would survive the storms of judgment. Able to declare who was blessed and who was not. The savior of the poor in spirit & those who mourn. Only through Jesus can we come to God. Jn. 14:6.
Jesus as Judge.
He will sit on His throne to judge mankind. Matthew 7:22-23, 25:31; Rev. 22:14.
Jesus as God.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus reveals God as the Creator, the living God, who gives sun and rain, and supplied animals and people with food. He is the King, whose righteous reign and saving rule has appeared to mankind. He is our Father. But Jesus goes further and alludes to being equal to God. How He spoke and what He claimed implied it. He claimed to do what God does. In the last beatitude Matthew 5:11-12, He mentions the prophets. Jesus expects His followers to have to suffer for His sake and then compares their persecution to that of the prophets who suffered due to faithfulness to God, the disciples would suffer due to faithfulness to Him. Calling Him Lord and doing the will of the Father are equivalent to Jesus. He equates Himself with God, says people will come to Him making appeal & He has the right to pass judgment on them.
What effect does Christ’s authority have on those who know Him (true believers who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ)? Those who respond to His authoritative teaching by believing and obeying have these 3 assurances:
1st, God is at work in you.
He is doing something & He is choosing to do it in and through your life. He is in control, He is orchestrating things and you are one of His instruments, He is building His house and you are one of His tools. Jesus Christ is Lord but life is hard & if you are a believer, you have assurance that God is at work in you to will and do His good pleasure Phil. 2:12-13. That He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ, until Christ returns Phil. 1:6, He has called you, chosen you to live in such a time as this. You should be confident. He has overcome the world. You have His support. What He expects of you is trust & obedience.
2nd, Your name is in the Book.
I don’t mean your name is in the Bible, I mean your name is in the Book of Life. In knowing Jesus your name is in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain Rev 13:8. Rev. 20:12, 15 if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev. 21:22-27 picture of heaven only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life will enter. Eternal security is the truth about what God gives us in Christ. Assurance of salvation means you know & are confident in that truth. Rom. 8:9-11, 16-17. No enemy can barge in and take over. You can know for sure. So tell yourself the truth of 1 John 5:13. In Luke 10:20 Jesus said do not rejoice in the fact that spirits are subject to you, rejoice that your names are written in heaven. In Phil. 4:3 Paul refers to his fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rev. 17:8 calls it "the book of life from before the foundation of the world". God has a book, written before the world was, that contains the names of all He will save. Only God knows whose names are there.
3rd, You are never alone.
You many 'feel' all alone, but Jesus is always with You Matt. 28:20. God said Heb. 13:5 never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. Christ in you, the hope of glory Col. 1:27. The Holy Spirit indwells you. You are secure, protected, & sustained in Christ. You may feel alone at times, but it is merely an illusion of aloneness; the truth is you are indwelt. Sometimes Christians repel or reject other Christians; knowingly and unknowingly. Sad that family would do that to one another, but it is nothing new. Paul tried to hang out with fellow believers after coming to faith in Christ but no one believed he was for real Acts 9:26-27 they wouldn’t accept him until Barnabas, son of encouragement, helped him. In Christ, we are to do life together by God's grace.
What amazes you? Are you in awe of Jesus’ teaching? Are you in awe of Him to the point of submitting to His authority? to the point of surrendering your life, your agenda, your bitterness, your anger, your forgetfulness, your needs, your opinions, your success, your failure, your hopes, your fears, your present, your future, all to Jesus? Stake everything on Him. Trust Him completely and obey Him unquestioningly? I hope so.
If so, Jesus will do for you what He promised. He will bless you like in the Beatitudes, He will make you salt to benefit others, light to this dark world, He will enable you to know and understand the Bible, He will teach you to pray. He will carry you through all the issues of this life and into eternity with Him in heaven.
Soli Deo Gloria
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